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Cashing Your Paycheck Could Be Costing You

By leidson on Monday, April 28, 2014

Everyone loves pay day. It’s a great feeling to see your hours of hard work result in a paycheck. But, there’s a chance you’re not pocketing as much of your earned money as you could be. It all boils down to your bank account, or, to be more specific, your lack of a bank account.

The Cost of Cash
US News reported, “According to the FDIC, 28.3% of U.S. households either don’t have bank accounts or rely on alternative channels for financial services, such as check-cashing.” Whether by choice or not, many people and households depend on major retailers, check-cashing stores, or the check-issuing banks to cash their paychecks to access their money. And, as US News pointed out, this service comes at a price, ranging from a flat-fee to a percentage of the check amount.

Specifically, that price, according to NBC News, which highlighted a new study from Tufts University, is about $200 billion a year. To narrow it down, that means “someone without a bank account pays an average of $3.66 more a month than someone with a bank account,” and is “four times more likely to pay fees to access their own money.”

Go Electronic
The best way to avoid losing your hard-earned money is to use any electronic funds transfer (EFT) options your workplace offers. Most employers, offer some form of EFT, whether direct deposit or paycard, because it saves them the time and cost associated with paper checks. And, EFT can save you money too. NBC News reported that “getting paid electronically is often significantly cheaper than receiving a paper check” when there are fees for cashing a check without an account.

With so many people living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to save money for emergencies or retirement, it’s more important than ever to manage where your money is going. Find out if your banking method is costing you money, and if EFT could put a few dollars back in your pocket. You shouldn’t have to pay to get access to your money.

What have you found to be most effective for accessing your paycheck? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

written by: Ashlie Turley

At Work Career Advancement Career Options New Job Tips The Daily Grind Work/Life Balance Workplace Relationships

Administrative Professionals’ Day

By leidson on Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Today is Administrative Professionals’ Day, a day set aside to let administrative workers know how much they are appreciated for everything they do in their workplaces.

It takes a special person to fill the role of administrative professional. The job title doesn’t do justice to the huge contribution those people provide their companies with daily. Administrative professionals do a lot of behind the scenes work that many people don’t realize and they deserve to be celebrated.

Ways to Show Your Appreciation
How can you acknowledge the hard work of the administrative professionals at your company? Depending on where you work and how well you know the administrative assistants, you may offer to take them out for lunch, buy them their favorite chocolate or coffee, or write them a note to let them know how grateful you are for their hard work. Taking the time to show your appreciation will brighten their day.

I don’t know about you, but the administrative professionals at my workplace are some of the greatest people I know. They’re incredibly hard working and choosing one day out of the year to let them know they are appreciated is a good start. So, remember to acknowledge your administrative professionals and let them know you appreciate them for all they do.

How do you recognize the administrative professionals at your workplace and celebrate their hard work? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

At Work Career Advancement New Job Tips Reader Surveys The Daily Grind The Job Search Uncategorized Work/Life Balance Workplace Relationships

Poll Results: Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

By leidson on Monday, February 24, 2014

In a recent poll we asked why you left your last job or why you’re planning to quit. The results show 34% of respondents want better compensation, while 13% said they didn’t get along with their supervisor. Another 13% had ethical differences with the company, and 10% just didn’t like their job. Only 7% of respondents needed a different schedule, 3% didn’t get along with co-workers, and just 3% said they haven’t ever left their job.

Looking over this summary of our poll results leads to the question, how can employees fix these issues? Is leaving a job the only answer? It’s understandable that not everyone will get along, and at some point people will decide to leave their job because they just don’t fit in. Maybe, they don’t have the right skills, or the schedule has changed and become challenging, but is there more that can be done instead of just moving on?

Talk to Your Supervisor
Even though you may not get along with the people in charge, before you quit, or if you’ve even thought about quitting, talk to your supervisor. Let that person in leadership know what’s going on. If you don’t like the job you’re doing let them know; they may have a new task they need you to work on. If you don’t get along with someone in the team you’re working with, let your supervisor know. There may be a different project you could work on that could totally change your outlook on your job and brighten your mood. There could be a promotion right around the corner, so keep working hard and doing your best.

Things at work may not always be wonderful, but don’t give up at the first sign of difficulty. Have you stayed at a job even though you haven’t always liked it? What did you learn in that process? Let us know in the comments section below.

At Work Career Options New Job Tips The Daily Grind The Job Search Uncategorized

Cut the Fat In Your Resume

By leidson on Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Chances are if you wrote out your 2014 resolutions, “cut down,” “trim,” or “shape up” appeared somewhere, in some form or another on your list. Most people apply those words and phrases to bodily health, but they are also great concepts you should be applying to your resume this year! With the high number of resumes hiring managers receive every day, it’s vital to your job search that you shape up your resume so you’ll get more than just a first glance.

Less is usually more, and in the realm of resumes you want less fluff and more differentiating information. As stated in a Forbes article, “Every word—yes, every word—on that page should be working hard to highlight your talents and skills. If it’s not, it shouldn’t be on there.” So, trim the sugar-coating off your resume and consider these tips.

Slim Down
If the average hiring manager looks at a resume for a minute before deciding whether to keep it or discard it, then you want yours to be as pleasing to the eye as possible. While this involves using the proper layout, font, and text size, it also means you need to keep it focused and cut out unnecessary parts. Yahoo Small Business recommends deleting such areas as the career objective, previous salaries, and that famous final line “References available upon request.” The article also pointed out that “a general rule of thumb is to include employment history dating back 10 years. If you have anything relevant to include beyond this, you can list it under “additional experience,” but only include the company, years, and job title.

Tone Up
Your resume should convey the maximum amount of relevant information in the most compact way possible. That means you need to tighten up your language and avoid certain words. “The average resume is chock-full of sorely outdated, essentially meaningless phrases that take up valuable space on the page,” as detailed in the Forbes article. “Eliminate them, and you’ll come off as a better, more substantial candidate.” Some of the top phrases to cut include experienced, team-player, people-person, energetic, seasoned, well-versed, and dynamic.

Be Flexible
Even once you’ve done all this cutting out and trimming up of your resume, your work still isn’t finished. Every time you apply for a different job, you need to tweak and sculpt your resume to fit the position and company. Highlighting your skills and experiences that align with what the employer is looking for is how you will stand out from the crowd. You’re not changing your work history or misrepresenting yourself – you’re simply showing how things you’ve done in the past relate to this particular job opportunity.

At Work Career Advancement Career Options New Job Tips The Job Search Work/Life Balance

Ditch the Title and Get the Job You Really Want

By leidson on Friday, January 10, 2014

Appearances mean a lot to most of us, from the labels we wear and where we live to our job titles. It’s the social norm when meeting a new person to ask, “What do you do for a living?” And although some of us may not be completely conscious of it, we place a lot of stock in our answer. We grow up with the mantra “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but in all reality, we are all guilty of judging others, no matter how hard we try not to.

We are often judged by what we do when it comes to first impressions, and the bigger the title, the more respect we deserve in the eyes of others. It can be hard to give up a title like “lead manager,” “editor in chief,” or even “CEO,” for a job that makes you happier. But, I speak from experience when I say that sticking with a job because of it’s title is like paying $2,000 for a Puggle – when it comes down to it, it’s really just a mutt.

I learned this firsthand when after just a few weeks as an intern, I was promoted to the coveted editor position of one of San Diego’s largest travel and tourism websites. My boss chalked it up to my “can-do” attitude and ability to conquer any challenge. It came with a menial raise (barely noticeable) and a few new business cards, but none of that mattered because I was an editor. I didn’t know what I was doing or how I was going to tackle this task, all I knew was that I was given the title and it was time to fill the shoes. Over the next few months, I fumbled around learning the ins and outs of travel sites through trial and error and somehow ended up transforming the failing website into one that actually made a profit.

I was also taking full advantage of editor perks, flashing my business cards around town and reaping the benefits of it with free cruises, comped concerts and dinners, and a sudden flurry of social activities on my calendar. It was fun, exciting, and definitely felt good to meet a stranger and tell them what I did, but in reality, it wasn’t what I wanted. Sure the perks were great, but I was being worked to the bone, paid pennies, and constantly struggling to keep my head above water. I thought I’d run with it for a while, learn everything I could, and use it as a major stepping stone for my resume, but when it was time to move on, I had a hard time letting go of the title.

What’s in a title anyway?
Absolutely nothing. You can slap a big title on anything and make it sound better than it is. We get attached to titles and personas. Being called “editor” felt good and gave me some additional unearned respect among my peers, but really I was doing the same work everyone else was with a little more clout.

When I finally made the real decision to move on and job hunt, I quickly realized just how little that editor title was doing for me. Other companies had a starting salary that was higher than what I was making, better benefits, and a friendlier environment. I ditched the title and took a new job without the glitz and glam, but that made me a lot happier and put some money in my pocket. I may not be attending the biggest parties and rubbing elbows with the who’s who of San Diego any longer, but I have a job that makes me happy. I work for an awesome company and most importantly, I’m doing work that I’m proud of.

So, what can job seekers learn from this?
Basically, don’t jump at a job because it has a great title. Take a closer look at the jobs you are applying for and open your mind to the less high-profile positions, because they may be exactly what you’re looking for. Sure a big title can feel good, but just like any relationship, eventually the butterflies wear off and you’re left with what’s in front of you. Don’t let yourself be romanced by the title, choose your next professional position based upon the work, environment, and how much the employers respect their employees. There are many more important aspects to a job than what’s on your business card and if it means that much to you, you can always call yourself something fancy like a mobile sustenance facilitator instead of a pizza delivery guy – no one will know the difference.

About the Author
This article was written by Carli Leavitt. Carli currently handles outreach and public relations for a number of attorneys and is an SEO Consultant with Highrank Websites.

At Work Career Advancement The Daily Grind Uncategorized

Transform the Dreaded Employee Review

By leidson on Friday, October 4, 2013

What emotions do you associate with your employee review? Fear? Anxiety? Stress? Anticipation? The thought of an annual performance evaluation can trigger a wide-range of negative responses, but it doesn’t have to.
You can transform this once-dreaded experience into a productive conversation between you and your boss. It’s really all about how you approach it. So, before your next evaluation, try these four tips to improve your employee review.

Check Your Attitude
The number one way to ensure you have a lousy review is to have a bad attitude about it. Instead, think about why you’re having an evaluation in the first place and all the positives that could come from it. This is your chance to meet one-on-one with your boss and talk about you, how you’re performing, and what you could improve on. These types of conversations are how you’re going to grow as a person and become more successful in your career.

Clarify Expectations
Before the day of your review, make sure you know exactly how your boss wants you to prepare. Some companies have paperwork that everyone is required to fill out, while managers may have their own specific forms for employees to use as well. Finding all of this out up front will help ensure you and your boss start off the review on the same page, and it can also help alleviate any anxiety about what will be discussed.

Reflect Back
As you prepare, take some time to think through the past year. If you keep a running to-do list or project sheet, scroll back through it and think about the major tasks you accomplished. Take note of the projects or tasks that you really enjoyed and disliked, the major things you did right and wrong, and anything you would change if you could. It’s also a good idea to review any paperwork or notes you have from your last performance review so you can highlight areas of improvement or goals that you met.

Think Ahead
You also want to reflect on the year ahead. Make a list of any professional, personal, or workplace goals you’d like to accomplish. If you want a promotion, make a note to ask what you need to do to get one. Consider ways you could increase your knowledge or expand your expertise. And think about any specific things you’d like to see change over the next 12 months. Also, as you prepare, consider how you can help make your review a dialogue instead of a monologue so you can get the most benefit out of it.
You don’t have to dread your next performance review. Take matters into your own hands and do your part to ensure it’s a positive experience for you and your boss. Plus, being prepared for your employee review will not only make you look good, it will also go a long way to building your manager’s trust in you.
What ways have you found to help make your employee review a more productive experience? Share your thoughts below.

New Job Tips The Job Search Uncategorized

Is It Time for a New Job?

By leidson on Monday, September 23, 2013

Earlier this year, Inc. Magazine reported that 86% of employees plan to search for a new job in 2013. Maybe you’re in that 86% majority. Or maybe you’re in the 14% who aren’t actively seeking other employment but wondering if you should be. Either way, before you commit your time and energy to a new job hunt, you need to know if it’s the right time for a change.

Any time you change employers, there are a lot of factors involved. Changing jobs means you’re entering into a brand new environment with new people, new expectations, rules, responsibilities, and a new culture. You’ll want to make sure you’re leaving your current job for the right reasons.

You’re Ready for Career Growth
When it comes to your career, you should be in the driver’s seat, so it’s important to know when you’re on the right path and when you’ve taken a detour. If your desire is to move up into a management position and you feel you’re ready to go to the next level, try having a conversation with your current manager or boss and let them know your goals. Remember, communication is key. Before leaving any company it’s important to understand your options. If you are unhappy and stressed out all the time maybe some things need to change. Don’t mistake being stressed out for being burned out. Here are a few scenarios to help you determine the difference. If you find there is no room for growth, it may be time to find something new. As you’re looking, just remember to continue to find ways to grow your knowledge and skills no matter where you are. The same goes for when you want new responsibilities, to move into another area of work, or receive a fair compensation increase. Always be sure you’ve communicated with your employer about your desire, and not just assumed something’s not possible.

You’re Experiencing Toxic Relationships
The people you work with every day can make or break a job. No matter where you work, there may be conflict from time to time, so you shouldn’t decide to leave just because you don’t get along with someone. But, if the overall attitudes of your coworkers are negative, or you have a bad boss, it may be time to consider moving on. Relationships play a big role in how engaged, fulfilled, and happy you are in your workplace.

You Don’t Feel It’s a Good Culture Fit
How you mesh with your employer’s culture, including their values, work pace, and expectations, is another important factor in charting your career plan. If you’re finding yourself constantly at odds or frustrated with your company, ask yourself a question. Have you changed, has the employer changed, or has it always been this way? If something has changed recently, like a shift in what you value in an employer or a change in direction from corporate leadership, then you need to weigh the pros and cons of leaving. If nothing’s changed, and you came on board with the company knowing about your differences, then try thinking back and remembering why you took the job in the first place. This will help you make the best decision, whatever it may be.

Changing jobs can be exciting, rewarding, and a great step for your career, but breaking up with your employer isn’t something to be taken lightly. You should always check your motives. If you’re sure that you’re doing the right thing, go ahead. Just remember to not burn any bridges along the way because you never know where they can lead, stay classy.

How did you know it was time to change jobs? Share your story below.