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Monthly Archives: December 2013

Poll: What are the odds of you keeping your new year’s resolution?

By leidson on Monday, December 30, 2013

According to Forbes, only 8% of people actually achieve their new year’s resolutions. So, don’t feel so bad about your 2013 resolutions that you didn’t achieve. 2014 is a new year and another chance to make those needed changes in your life. But don’t overextend your resolutions or you’ll end up right back where you are a year from now.
Your attitude can help or hurt you as you make your list of resolutions for 2014. So remember to stay positive. You’re more likely to achieve your resolutions that way!

What are the odds of you keeping your new year’s resolution?

At Work Career Options The Daily Grind The Job Search Uncategorized

Maximize Your Seasonal Job

By leidson on Friday, December 27, 2013

Have you ever wondered if your seasonal job could potentially lead to a full-time opportunity? If you take the right steps, there’s a great chance that it can. Throughout the holidays, managers pay close attention to holiday help. They look to see which temporary employees have the characteristics and skills of full-time and long-term employees. Many seasonal employees may plan to work for only a few weeks, but some people desire to keep their position long after Christmas. If you’re interested in staying on full-time or working at the same place again next year, here are a few ideas to keep in mind as your seasonal work wraps up.

Impress the Boss
If you desire to keep your seasonal job, it’s important to show your boss you mean business. In some sense, a seasonal job is like an extended interview. So if you want to become a full-time employee and work more than just during the holiday season, impress your boss with your actions and work ethic. It’s also okay to let your manager know about your wish to work full-time. Let them know how much you’re enjoying yourself. Managers like to know their employees are excited about coming to work every day. Tell your boss you would be able to help during other peak times and ask when they expect that to be so you can follow up.

Be Personable
Attitude matters. Employers appreciate employees who get along with customers and co-workers. Customer service is an important quality to have. With the high traffic and busyness of the holidays, people can be rude and lack manners, especially when they’re shopping through crowds and looking for last-minute gifts. To handle not-to-so nice people, it’s necessary for businesses to have employees who show great customer service and holiday cheer.

Stay Positive
Keep in mind, your manager may not be able to hire you full-time at the end of the season, but he or she will likely be willing to write a letter of recommendation, which can help you find employment at another company.Get the most out of your experience. Update your resume with your recent assignment; connect with your new contacts on LinkedIn. Let your manager know if you are looking for full-time work and if they can keep you in mind if they hear of anything. Follow up in a few months with an update on your current employment status.

Do you have tips on how to keep a holiday job? Share with us in the comments section below.

At Work Career Advancement Job Interviews New Job Tips The Job Search Uncategorized Work/Life Balance Workplace Relationships

Ted Talk– Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

By leidson on Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Have you ever heard the saying “actions speak louder than words?” Amy Cuddy, a social scientist and associate professor in the Negotiation, Organizations, and Markets unit at Harvard Business School, firmly believes that saying to be true. Cuddy‘s research on non-verbal body language reveals that we have the ability to change other people’s perceptions and our own body chemistry simply by changing our body positions.

In fact Amy has pinned the saying, “Our bodies change our minds, our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes.” Changing your body language can take time, but it is worth it. Amy believes as your posture and body language improves, your thoughts will soon change for the better as well. Our body language affects how others see us, but it can also change how we see ourselves.

Amy is well known for coining the term “power posing,” which means standing in a posture of confidence, even when you don’t feel very confident. This stance can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain and can potentially have an impact on your chances for success.

“Don’t fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it,” is a motto Amy lives by and it’s great advice for job seekers to live by as well. Whether you’re searching for a job or preparing for an interview, your body language can make or break you.

What are some mottos you live by? Share with us in the comments section below.

At Work The Daily Grind Uncategorized

Hands Off: Leave Mechanical Maintenance to the Professionals

By leidson on Monday, December 23, 2013

Hand injuries are some of the most common injuries in the workplace. We use our hands for most tasks, so they are exposed to hazards more often than the rest of our bodies. Although generally cautious about burns or cuts while handling objects, workers often do not think of the dangers associated with reaching into a machine to fix a jam or remove material. Burns and cuts from objects being handled can cause major injuries, but machines are responsible for most of the amputations and loss of use occurring from occupational injuries.

Hand Safety Tips

Machines are required to be guarded at the point of operation to prevent accidental contact with moving parts. A machines point of operation is the area where the work is being performed. Here are some safety tips to help avoid injury.
•   Never remove or alter a machine guard
•   If a machine you are working with has moving parts that could cause injury, ask for it to be properly guarded.
•   Never reach into the machine or place any part of your body under or between moving parts.

Lockout/Tagout Procedures

If there is a problem with a machine, a procedure called lockout/tagout must be followed before a jam can be removed or other maintenance can be performed on the machine. The energy in the machine when it is jammed is waiting to be released. When the jam is removed or the machine is turned off, the moving parts often return to rest. Gravity, loss of pressure, deactivation of an electrical or mechanical lock, or any number of sources of energy within a machine could lead to a dangerous situation. Because of this, lockout/tagout requires maintenance to be performed by someone specially trained on the machine. This training includes how to release or block all hazardous energy stored in the machine and ensure it will remain that way until the guards are back in place and the machine is ready to be used again.

Injuries to our hands are common because of how much we use them. Think about how much you use your hands before you put them at risk by reaching into a machine.

The Job Search Work/Life Balance

3 Ways to Get Noticed on LinkedIn

By leidson on Friday, December 20, 2013

Are you a job seeker wondering what it takes to get noticed on social media and LinkedIn? You need to ask yourself, “How can I stand out from the crowd?” To answer this question and help you get off to a great start, here are three tips to remember.

Stand Out by Staying Up-to-Date
First and foremost, keep your experience and skills updated. It’s also important to have an up-to-date profile and picture. Whether you’re looking for a job or getting ready for an interview, a recruiter or possible future employee could be searching your name to find out more about you. If someone were to find an out of date or empty profile page, that could be a deal breaker. It’s important to have a profile to reference so people can gain information about you. Staying up to date is also beneficial for your job searching process because it gives you a better chance of being noticed by recruiters.

Stand Out by Customizing Your Profile
To attract the attention of recruiters, customize your profile to reflect the criteria recruiters are seeking. Recruiters often search LinkedIn to find people with skills and qualities they’re looking for in an employee. Use specifics in your profile to show quantifying examples of your work abilities.

While customizing your profile, be sure to fill in every section of your profile so your profile will be more attractive to a recruiter. Don’t leave a category blank or unfinished on your profile, because the more information, the better and take advantage of the opportunities LinkedIn gives you to share about yourself and don’t forget to share your professional experiences and awards.
You can see how easily searchable you are by the keywords that exist on your current profile. First, sign in to LinkedIn, click the drop down menu next to “sort by” and choose “keywords.” Then, search your desired keyword. As your online presence grows so will your ranking on LinkedIn.

Stand Out by Engaging with Others
Staying active on your profile will boost your visibility and allow others to see how active you are in your industry. Whether you’re speaking at an event or attending a seminar, post about it. Just remember LinkedIn is a professional social site, it’s not a place to share personal updates like Facebook or Twitter, so keep it work related.

It’s also a good idea to comment on news and updates your connections have posted. Every time you update your profile, join a group, “like” a business, or post something, it shows in your connections newsfeeds and brings more visibility to your profile.

LinkedIn is a great tool to use when you are in the job market. Have you had any luck using LinkedIn? Share with us in the comments section below.

Career Advancement Job Interviews New Job Tips The Job Search Uncategorized

3 Tips for Working with a Younger Boss

By leidson on Monday, December 16, 2013

As more baby boomers are delaying their retirement and working later in life, it’s likely they’ll eventually find themselves working for someone that is younger than them. Working in an environment full of people of different age groups can make it difficult to connect and relate. Here are three tips to keep in mind when working for a younger boss.

Confidence
Having confidence in yourself will not only help you advance in your company and career, but it can also make work more enjoyable and fulfilling. Walk with caution, as there is a difference between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is important when working for a boss that is younger than you, so believe in your abilities.

Communication
Communication is a key to getting to know your boss no matter their age. Ask how he or she likes to stay in touch, whether by text, phone calls, email, or face-to-face meetings. As you learn how to communicate with each other, you’ll figure out how to get along with them as well.

Understanding
Although you may have more experience in the company than your young boss, understand that what he or she brings to the business is new and that they have unique insight to offer. Change is needed to grow and further businesses, even if it means you may be learning new areas you’ve never thought about.

Keep in mind the relationship between you and your boss is probably the most influential and important relationship at your workplace. Do you work for someone younger than you? If so, share with us in the comments section what you’ve done to bridge a positive relationship across generations.