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Celebrate Your Career Wins This Year

By Job Journey on Monday, December 12, 2016

Celebration can be a valuable communication and motivational tool in your career, so don’t hesitate to celebrate your career wins this year.

Commemorating those victories is about sharing milestones, setting sales records, acquiring new skills and achieving goals. Celebrating your career wins this year not only creates feelings of well-being and self-respect, but also encourages your company to continue to give you opportunities to succeed.

At the end of 2016, it’s time to look back on your achievements and take pride. Try these five tips to rejoice in your career wins:

1. Celebrate the Small Wins
Management and career experts agree that breaking down major goals into smaller, achievable milestones not only reduces fear, but increases the chances of successful outcomes. Small wins provide a boost in happiness in employees. A University of Warwick study confirms that happy people are roughly 12% more productive, while another study shows that employees are more creative when they are happy. So go ahead and celebrate even the smallest victory.

2. Share Your Plans and Milestones
Let your co-workers and supervisors know about the wins you had this year and thank those who played a part in achieving those milestones. It’s also a good time to reveal your plans, letting everyone know what you are working toward in the upcoming year. As an added bonus, this will let everyone celebrate milestones along the way.

3. Creates Bonds With Co-Workers
You don’t have to throw a party for each victory you’ve achieved this year, but having a get together of some sort has the added benefit of strengthening your business network and boosting relationships. As your accomplishments are listed, allow others to take part in the event by sharing their milestones as well. If you worked with a team, an end-of-the-year roundup of achievements leaves everyone with a renewed sense of accomplishment and motivation to create more successes in 2017.

4. Keep a Notebook of Career Wins
Success breeds success, so celebrating allows you to build on your momentum. In addition, publicly recognizing your wins creates the perception that you are a high-value employee who creates results for the company. Celebrations not only reinforce the positive opinion others have of you, but also create the impression that you are a desirable employee to know and trust.

5. Allow Yourself to Be Proud
Do not be embarrassed to be proud of yourself. Even if you only celebrate your wins this year by yourself, just knowing what you have accomplished and being proud of your achievements increases self-esteem and motivation. You’ve worked hard this year. You overcame challenges. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back. You deserve it!

Celebrating the good work you’ve done is psychologically important to your career health. You can take a moment, a day, or even a week to feel good about what you’ve done and reflect on how you can do an even better job next year.

How will you celebrate your wins this year? What were your biggest victories? We’d love for you to share your stories with us in the comments section below!

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

At Work

A Review of Your 2016 Job Market Predictions

By Job Journey on Friday, December 9, 2016

Each year, we ask Movin’ On Up readers to share their predictions for the job market in the coming year. With 2016 coming to a close, we want to review your answers and analyze this year’s economy.

Your Predictions
For 2016, the majority of readers (34%) answered that the market is “good enough to test the waters and see what else is out there.” The year before, readers felt the same way. In fact, take a look at just how similar the past couple of years have been:

“It’s good enough to test the waters:”

2014: 35%
2015: 34%

“Things are going to get worse before they get better.”

2014: 27%
2015: 25%

“I’m definitely getting a job offer or promotion this year.”

2014: 17%
2015: 18%

“I’m staying where I am. I don’t expect things to get better.”

2014: 11%
2015: 11%

Analyzing the Results
In November, the national unemployment rate in the U.S. was 4.6%, a decrease from 4.9% the month before. This time last year, the rate was 5%. A year before that, it was 5.8%, marking a clear trend toward lower unemployment rates. Additionally, Fung Global Retail and Technology predicted a retail sales increase of 3 to 4 % this holiday season, up from a 2.5% average over the past decade. Furthermore, the National Retail Federation expects retail sales at the end of the year to exceed $626 billion.

Given these predictions and trends, it seems as though readers’ belief may have been right that the 2016 economy would be strong enough to allow them to look for a new job.

Will next year’s results be similar? Vote in our poll and let us know how you think the 2017 job market will shape up.

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

At Work

Take Inventory of Your Accomplishments

By Job Journey on Wednesday, December 7, 2016

The holiday season is well underway. Decorations and lights are going up, Christmas tunes replace normal ringtones, and holiday e cards fill inboxes everywhere. Along with those greetings, you’re likely to get a few of the annual Christmas letters from family and friends detailing what an amazing year they had. Their vacation in Tuscany was fantastic. Mom got promoted to vice president at the firm. Dad won his age group in the Iron Man Triathlon. Junior graduated magna cum laude. It’s enough to make anyone feel just a little inadequate. So fight back against the humble-braggers. Now is the perfect time to take inventory of your accomplishments.

Why Take Inventory?
There are many reasons to take inventory of your accomplishments. It’s always a good idea to keep your resume up to date. Whether you’re a job seeker or have your sights set on a promotion in your current position, it’s wise to be ready when opportunity knocks. Aside from a professional standpoint, a personal assessment can help determine whether you’re on track to reach your goals for personal growth. Whether personal or professional, taking inventory of your accomplishments can be a huge confidence boost.

What Goes on Your List?
You may think that an accomplishment has to be an enormous, groundbreaking feat. But perhaps you should broaden your definition of an accomplishment. Obviously a promotion at work is a big deal. Of course that kind of achievement goes to the top of your list. But don’t limit yourself. You also want to list skills you acquired that will help advance your career. Did you learn a new software program, complete any workshops or training courses? Perhaps you were recognized for an achievement or received a glowing performance review. Or maybe you’ve been assigned new responsibilities under your current job description.

On the personal side, think of things that promote your personal growth. Remember to be generous, think big picture. Anything that helped your personal development or well-being is fair game. Any goals you reached or that are ongoing are worthy of note. Did you volunteer or give back to your community in any way? Are you on a regimen of healthy eating or exercise? Did you improve your organizational skills, begin a savings or retirement investment plan? Perhaps you set aside distractions and devoted more time to reading. Did you acquire a new skill or hobby like gardening or home improvement? Include any new undertaking that required effort and commitment and that you look upon with a bit of pride and a sense of accomplishment.

Now What?
If you’re taking a professional inventory, it’s likely time to update your resume. Find some great tips to dust off your resume here. Next, decide what you’d like to accomplish in the coming year. Then plan your next move. There are some great ideas to advance your career here.

On the personal side, consider whether any of the skills and activities you enjoy away from work could make you a more valuable employee. Next, take a moment to bask in the glow of your achievements. Any accomplishment, large or small is worth a little self-congratulation. If you feel you’re still a little short in the achievement department, don’t beat yourself up. Why not begin now? It’s never too late to set a goal. If you need a quick confidence boost, set your sights on an objective that’s easily attainable. The important thing is to make a plan and then take steps to make it a reality. And who knows? Before you know it, you may be sending out your own annual Christmas letter.

What were your accomplishments this year? Do you have any tips on setting goals and finding ways to reach them? Let us know in the comments section.

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

At Work The Job Search

Job Lessons From 2016’s Biggest Stories

By Job Journey on Monday, December 5, 2016

As 2016 winds to a close, we reflect back on the biggest news stories of the year. This year brought not only the most unique presidential race and election, but also the sad farewell to many loved celebrities, the emergence of the Zika virus, the wild Olympics in Rio, and more.

What do these major news stories have to do with your job or employment search? Perhaps more than you realize. We’ve taken the top job lessons from 2016’s biggest news stories and broken them down into tips you can apply every day.

1. Presidential Race and Election
America sat on the edge of its seat as the race for president heated up between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump. Although Trump was elected president, many in the media and the nation didn’t think he had a chance … at first.

Are you underestimated in your job right now? Do you keep getting passed over for promotions or large projects because people do not think you have what it takes? Take a lesson from this year’s election by focusing on your strengths and letting those strengths be known. You can start by sharing any victories you accomplished this year. Create a detailed report stating what you have done to improve the company’s bottom line or operations.

Be assertive and speak up in meetings. If you have an idea, present it in a strong and confident manner. Do not be afraid to defend yourself if other co-workers attack or put you down. Don’t let being the underdog or the forgotten employee keep you from rising to the top.

2. Zika Virus Emerges
In 2016, a scary, little-known virus made headlines, spreading panic throughout the southern United States and South America. Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected mosquito and can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects. No vaccine or medicine is available for Zika.

What employees can learn from this story is to always be prepared for the worst and take precautions to avoid risk. Every day, workers can find ways to anticipate work-related issues and take steps now to prevent those issues. Just like wearing bug spray and long sleeves can reduce the risk of mosquito bites, putting strategies in place to stave away problems in your job can be invaluable to your career health.

What are the biggest risks you face? What is the one problem your job solves? Make a list of what you can do now to prevent any disasters or illness from infecting your job security.

3. Rio Olympic Games
Some of the most inspiring headlines of the year were stories about Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. She captivated the world with her gold-medal performances and big smile at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero. As explained in this Time magazine profile, Biles had to overcome some serious life challenges to get where she is today. Neither of her parents were able to raise her due to drug addiction and she spent some time in foster care before being adopted by her grandparents.

You may feel that life dealt you a bad hand, but that doesn’t limit where you can go with your career. Work hard. Stay positive. Make the most of your natural abilities. And like Simone, you too can excel.

4. Practice honesty, integrity, and transparency
One of the other major headliners to come out of the 2016 Olympics was the controversy over swimmer Ryan Lochte. The twelve-time medalist tarnished his reputation by behaving badly in a Rio gas station. Then, he fabricated a story to cover his actions, as detailed in this USA Today news article.

The valuable takeaway? Everyone makes mistakes—even when you’re at the top of your game. Owning up to them may be difficult, but employers value honesty and transparency.

5. Historic World Series
It’s been more than 100 years since the Chicago Cubs had a World Series. The story has it that the Cub’s losing “curse” began in 1945 when a local tavern owner and his goat (yes, he bought a ticket for it) were ejected from a ball game during a bid for the World Series.

Despite setting a record for the longest World Series drought in baseball, the Chicago Cubs players and their devoted fans persevered. In 2016, the team captured international attention as it won the pennant, then the World Series.

If you’ve been waiting for a well-deserved promotion or just hoping your boss will notice how much you contribute, don’t give up. Persevere. Like the Cubs, continue to do your best until you hit it out of the ballpark.

6. Celebrity Deaths
In 2016, we said goodbye to numerous beloved celebrities, including musicians David Bowie, Prince, Leon Russell, and Natalie Cole, as well as stars Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, and Merle Haggard, to name a few.

Job lessons learned from this are that change and loss are inevitable. You may lose your job, suffer setbacks, and lose co-workers or say goodbye to a favorite job task. How you react to these changes is important to surviving the loss and fear of the unknown. Be open to change. Be willing to learn new tasks in order to stay relevant.

Learn to let go of the past and embrace an exciting new future. If nothing changes, then your job, your career, and your motivation become stagnant. So while change may be painful at first, it can also lead to bigger and better things if you allow it to.

What do you think were the biggest stories of 2016? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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

Reader Surveys

The Results Are In: How Do You Wish Your Company Showed Appreciation?

By Job Journey on Friday, December 2, 2016

For many, the holiday season means receiving gifts at work. From cash to time off, there are multitudes of ways companies decide to show appreciation to employees. In a recent poll, we asked Movin’ On Up readers how they wish their employers, or future employers, showed appreciation this time of year, and the results are in!

Cash Still Tops the List
According to our poll, the majority of readers (27%) would most appreciate a cash bonus, followed by 16% who would appreciate a day off from work. An additional 15% reported a desire for “employee training and advancement opportunities.”

Tickets to movies or other entertainment events received 13% of the vote, followed by “a flexible parental leave plan or work from home day” with 9%. Additionally, 6% of respondents would most appreciate a massage, and 2% would welcome a rotating trophy of appreciation.

Thankfulness Matters
Again this year, the poll results indicate that employees would greatly appreciate a simple thank-you from the boss. Five percent of readers selected “an employee-wide email noting appreciation for specific employees,” and 3% selected “recognition through social media.” Participants also selected “Other” and responded with their own thoughts, including:

“A personal, genuine ‘thank you’ from my boss and his boss”
“Acknowledgement of effort”
“Direct compliments”
“Just a simple card of thanks from a supervisor”