Tag Archives: leadership

What You Don’t Know About Career Technical Education

CTEwhitepaperAs the first college graduate in my family, I realized college really isn’t a good fit for everyone. There are other, more affordable options, and in today’s economy, affordability is key. Throughout the four years I spent in college, many of my peers chose to further their education through Career Technical Education (CTE).

What is Career Technical Education
According to the Association for Career and Technical Education, “Career and technical education (CTE) prepares both youth and adults for a wide range of careers and further educational opportunities.” CTE offers certifications, licenses and degrees in various trades and industries. “A stable career doesn’t always require a four-year degree. Career Technical Education can deliver what so many Americans want – a promising career at an affordable price,” said, Bob Funk, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Express Employment Professionals. CTE, previously known as vocational-technological education, provides skills and training needed for a variety of careers.

CTE offers industry-specific training in highly skilled trades, including:

• Mechanical Drafter
• Welder
• IT Technician
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Biomedical Equipment Technician
• Legal Secretary
• Aircraft Mechanic
• Real Estate Appraiser

CTE also offers students the opportunity to earn a variety of credentials, including:

• Post-secondary certificates
• Certifications
• Licenses
• Associate degree

Another great benefit of CTE is that it doesn’t require tens or hundreds or thousands of dollars in student loans. “Many students find their passion in CTE programs and, in turn, develop substantially better academic performance that results in more life options for them,” said Robert D. Sommers, Ph.D., Oklahoma Secretary of Education and Workforce Development State Director, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

CTE Workers Are in Demand
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 14 of the 20 fastest-growing occupations in America require an associate’s degree or less. These are exactly the types of careers that CTE provides training and credentials for. This is great news for high school students wanting to further their education somewhere other than a university. It is also encouraging for those who want to change their career path.

For more information on this hot topic, check out Express Employment Professionals latest white paper, The Hard Truth About Higher Education.

 

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

How to Survive a Bad Review or Termination

Survive_Termination_April2014Everyone hopes to get a glowing report at their annual performance review, but sometimes, you’re met with more negative feedback than positive. Receiving a bad review doesn’t have to mean it’s time to change jobs or signal the end of your career, though. With the right response, you can survive and even thrive. Just make sure you follow these four tips.

Stay Calm
No one likes being told they’ve made a mistake or done something wrong, and it’s normal to feel upset. However, now is not the time to lose control of your emotions. As The Wall Street Journal explains, “while it’s natural to feel defensive or angry during a bad review, career coaches advise against acting on these emotions to avoid making matters worse.” Remind yourself that the performance review isn’t personal and try to think logically about the situation.

Be an Active Listener
As you push through the emotions, really listen to what your supervisor is saying and take detailed notes. Ask questions to clarify anything you don’t understand during the performance review. If your manager is being more general, ask for specific examples of mistakes, why your actions were incorrect, and what you should have done differently. And, as Marie McIntyre, a career coach and author, told CNBC, “Even if you don’t completely agree, you need to show that you understand.”

Make a Plan
Once the bad review is over and you’ve had time to digest everything, you need to come up with a game plan to address the problems your supervisor pointed out. Think about what behaviors or actions you need to change, how you can address issues before they become problems again, and if you should involve your co-workers in your plan. Also, make sure you take into account what your manager said you should have done. Then hold a follow-up performance review meeting to present the plan to your supervisor and get their approval.

Stick with It
The last part of your response is the most critical, because if you don’t follow through with the needed changes, you will only make things worse. Review your plan often, hold yourself accountable, and request regular feedback from your manager.  As you see things improve, take notes for future meetings and performance reviews. The Wall Street Journal recommends “keeping a detailed journal of your accomplishments. Memos that commend you on your work accomplishments also should be filed.”

Nobody is perfect, so don’t let a bad review get you down. Your response to the review is actually far more telling and important than what you did wrong in the first place. Employers value employees who can accept critiquing, be proactive, and implement changes on their own. So, the next time your performance review doesn’t go how you hoped, seize the opportunity to do more than just survive and show what a great employee you truly are.

Have you had a bad review before? How did you survive? Share your experience and insight in the comment section below.

 

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

Be the Captain of Cool

Captn_OF_Cool_April2014We all have stress in our lives. Stress with relationships, finances, and work. According to the American Institute of Stress, job stress is far and away the major stress for American adults. 46% report that their workload causes stress while only 28% report relationship issues as a main source of stress.

Workplace-related stress has escalated progressively over the past few years and is the number one cause of stress for adults. The third annual Work Stress survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that 83% of Americans are stressed out by at least one thing about their jobs. A 10% increase over the previous study.

In order to grow in your career, it’s important to face and deal with stress the right way. Stress is inevitable and having an effective coping strategy could make a positive difference the next time you’re faced with stress.

Top Performers Know How to Manage Stress
Remaining calm under pressure has a direct link to performance according to Forbes magazine. Talentsmart study found that 90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress. Those top performers have well-planned strategies to use in stressful circumstances. Having a plan to help you “keep cool” under stress can lower your stress level regardless of what’s going on around you.

Why Managing Your Stress is Important to Productivity
Managing stress helps you stay focused on the task at hand, keeping you on track to meet deadlines and achieve goals.

New studies show that moderate stress can actually lead to cell growth in the brain’s learning center i.e. it can actually help you learn. To achieve this benefit from stress, it’s important to keep your stress levels manageable.

How You Can Manage Your Stress

Stay Positive. There are lots of ways to help manage stress from listening to music, to taking a break now and then, but one of the biggest ways you can control your stress levels is by finding things to be positive about. In a study from the University of California, people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude for example experienced improved moods and energy. And that can have a big impact on reducing your stress hormone levels. Staying positive also means staying positive about stress.

Change Your Perception of Stress.
Instead of fearing stress, let it motivate you. The feelings that come with stress are often part of your body’s flight of fight response. Try to change your perception that stress is a bad thing and instead use it to push you forward. In one study where participants were asked to view videos that contained messages that stress could be helpful, had a better work performance than those that watched videos about stress being harmful.

As you continue to grow and develop in your career, you’ll take on more responsibilities, and as we all know, that can mean more stress too. So it’s important to learn how to manage that stress now to be successful in the future.

Did You Know?
Prolonged stress can cause serious physical harm. And can result in an increased risk of heart disease, depression, obesity, and decrease your cognitive performance.

There are many things that can cause stress at work, but there are just as many ways you can counter that stress. Maybe your desk is messy and that causes a trigger for stress. Perhaps scheduling your tasks or “to-do” list is causing stress. Whatever the culprit, there is a good chance your physical environment is affecting your stress level. Take time to organize your work space and schedule and see if that helps relieve some stress.

What are some successful ways you handle stress? Let us know in the comments section below. We’d also like to know what your biggest triggers of stress are at your workplace, so let your voice be heard by voting in our poll.

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

The Best Apps to Organize Your Job Search

organize_job_search_apps_March2014In this ever-changing, technologically advanced world we live in, it’s important for job seekers to stay proactive in order to find work. It’s also important to keep everything organized during your job search. And what better way to do that than by using your smart phone? Although staying organized throughout your job searching process can seem overwhelmingly difficult at times, these helpful apps can help make your life easier.

Resume Builder Pro
This best-selling app just changed its name from Pocket Resume to Resume Builder Pro. It allows you to create, maintain, and email your resume from your Apple, Android,  or Blackberry device. Resume Builder Pro simplifies the tedious task of compiling a resume by doing the work for you. Check it out on your iPhone/iPad app store or Blackberry Web Store for $2.99 and on Google Play for Androids for $4.99.

Job Search Organizer
Job Search Organizer was named the best and most popular independent job search app in the Apple app store and is the only app on the market that successfully combines job search and organization features. This free app is currently only supported by Apple.

Evernote
Use this app to store notes, voice reminders, and ideas, as well as create to-do lists, manage tasks, attach images, and more. This award-winning app allows you to capture your memories and find everything fast, while giving you the ability to access it from anywhere. You can find free downloadable versions of Evernote for Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, and more at www.evernote.com.

Dropbox
This free app is compatible with Apple devices, Android, BlackBerry, and the Kindle Fire and allows you to bring all your documents like resumes, a reference list, and cover letters, with you anywhere and lets you share them easily.  With everything you need consolidated in one place, you have the ability to respond quickly when opportunity strikes.

It can be hard to keep track of every detail of your job search, so take advantage of these helpful apps. Each app is user friendly so don’t worry about being tech-savvy to be able to use them. Do you use apps to help organize your job search? What apps have helped you? Share with us in the comments section below!

Job Search Lessons from 2014 Olympics

Gold_Medal_Feb2014Do you have aspirations of getting a better job or growing your career? Watching the Olympics could help. Every time the Olympic Games roll around, I enjoy watching different athletes from across the world compete, and I anticipate seeing my favorite athletes win gold. This year, that was not the case for one of my favorite sports to watch: snowboarding. But instead of turning off the TV as soon as I realized my favorite snowboarder and two-time gold medalist, Shaun White, wasn’t going to place, I decided to stay tuned in to see who won. Here are some of the lessons I learned.

Get Back Up and Don’t Give Up

It’s a tough fact of life to learn; you don’t always win, no matter how hard you try or how far in advance you prepare. That fact was made evident during the final halfpipe competition in Sochi. While watching the Olympics, I was reminded that no matter how much a professional athlete prepares, they may not win, but that doesn’t mean they give up. Soon after the halfpipe competition was over, Shaun was interviewed and asked what happened. Instead of blaming it on the snow or the conditions, he said he’d be back next time and he was happy for the guys who did well! What a great attitude to have! We can learn so much from that statement itself. Just because you haven’t landed a job or moved up in your company as fast as you’d like, it doesn’t mean you need to give up or stop trying. The agony of defeat is never easy to handle, but getting back up, working hard, and trying again will help improve your skills and chances of getting that new job or promotion you’ve been looking for.

Learn from Your Mistakes

Unfortunately, making mistakes is a normal part of life. Failure even happens to the best of the best. What’s important to learn from Olympic winners and even those who won’t be taking home a medal is that these athletes don’t let mistakes defeat them. In fact, you’ll probably see many of the same athletes in four years at the next Winter Olympics. It’s important to learn from your mistakes, make the corrections that are needed, and use those lessons to help shape your future. If you’ve been looking for a new job for a while or if you’re ready to go to the next level in your current job, take a look back at what has been slowing you down in the past or getting you off track and work to take care of those mistakes so you won’t drag that baggage with you to the next level. Also, seek feedback from co-workers or friends and make necessary changes.

What are some lessons you’ve learned from the Olympics? Share with us in the comments section below!

Fall in Love with Your Job: Whether it’s a New Job or Your Next Job

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress or if you’re not loving your job anymore, it’s probably time for something new or a fresh perspective. Changing your job could be just what you need, but there’s more to it. Changing your job won’t fix everything. Here are some quick tips to keep in mind when looking for a new job.

Make the Most of Things

Analyze your day and “to-do” list to determine what tasks you prefer to do the most and what tasks you put off until the last minute. Find ways to make unpleasant tasks more enjoyable.  Don’t lose yourself in the everyday monotony of your work. If you struggled at your old job with meeting deadlines or if you didn’t enjoy your work at all, try looking at things in a new light. Figure out more efficient ways to get your work done at your new job. Don’t fall back into the rut of hating your job; make the most of where you are.

Have a Good Attitude

Having a good attitude will help you stay positive going into your new job. If you struggle with being positive don’t let a negative mindset ruin your new job. If you’ve ever thought your job doesn’t matter, remember everyone in the company plays a role in its success. Your individual job is important to the business you work for. So have confidence and pride in your work and do your best to keep a good attitude.

Having Fun

Having fun does not mean to neglect your duties, but rather, change your attitude so you don’t see every job you do as a tedious task. Doing your job with a more positive attitude and focusing on the parts that are more fun for you will help you become more productive and help lighten your overall mood. Make your job fun by setting goals for yourself or incorporating friendly competition into your work. Competing with co-workers not only improves the overall performance of work in many instances, but by having someone to compare yourself against, it will highlight your strengths and weaknesses. If you find a way to work together, you can help compensate each other’s weaknesses and build on both your strengths.

Do you love your job and have your own tips to share with us? Let us know in the comments section below.

3 Helpful Articles to Prepare you for Employee Reviews

Employee_Review_Nov2013Annual employee reviews are starting to take place and we’re ready to help you prepare. With all the excitement and expectation of the holidays, it’s easy to get carried away and forget to prepare for your review. So here are a few helpful articles to assist in your employee review preparation.

1. Transform the Dreaded Employee Review
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. In Transform the Dreaded Employee Review, you will learn how to see things differently as you become a more productive employee.

2. It’s Time to Check your Progress – Self Evaluations
Most companies typically hold performance reviews or annual reviews at the end of the calendar year, but at that point there isn’t much you can do to improve your scorecard for the year. In It’s Time to Check your Progress – Self Evaluation, you will learn key elements for conducting a self-review.

3. Understand “the Numbers” in Your Job Search
Whether you’re crafting a résumé, preparing for a performance review, or reporting in the weekly staff meeting, knowing the key metrics used to measure the performance of your company and your job is critical. In this article on Understanding “the numbers” in the Workplace, we’ll talk about how to make sense of the numbers that relate to success in your career.

If you have any helpful tips that you use to prepare for an employee review, share with us in the comment section below.