Just Say “No” to Working on Vacation

By Caleb Yen on Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Sometimes you really need to unplug from the office.

Regardless of whether we like our jobs or not, they can be stressful. Ideally, going on vacation should refresh us and let us return recharged and ready to work. However, this doesn’t always happen. Your phone follows you everywhere, which means your boss and the rest of the workplace do, too.

So how are you supposed to handle all of this? By knowing how to tell your boss no without actually saying no. Sounds hard, right? We’ve got you covered.

1. Communicate with Your Boss

If your boss has a tendency to interrupt your pool time, it might be time for a discussion. The number one thing to remember is that this is communication, NOT confrontation. As such, you need to be open to understanding you boss’s reasons for contacting you constantly. Perhaps they simply don’t trust anyone else to do your job effectively. Or maybe they just feel a need to control the situation.

Begin by politely telling them how these work interruptions are affecting you. Maybe it’s taking time away from the kids or putting a strain on your relationship with your significant other. Let your boss know that, in the end, uninterrupted vacation time is best for the both of you. You get the relaxation you need, and they get a freshly charged employee.

Once you’ve established why vacation interruptions are a problem for you, it’s time to assure your boss that all of your responsibilities will be covered in your absence.

2. Work Ahead

In order to ease your boss’s worries (and make them less likely to contact you on vacation), work as far ahead as possible before you leave. If anything is due the week of or even the week after your vacation, it should be done before you leave. And even if you don’t work in a deadline sensitive environment, there are still duties you can take care of before you leave.

These include touching base with your contacts and letting them know you’ll be gone, going through any outstanding voicemails or emails, and cleaning your workstation. In addition, make sure to update your voicemail and email to reference your vacation. You should include not only the duration of your vacation, but also the name and contact information of your stand-in for use in emergencies.

3. Create a Back-Up Plan

Reassure your boss by clearly laying out how all responsibilities will be covered in your absence. Provide a point person that will act as your stand-in while you are away. This person should be able to handle any deadlines that could be missed while you are gone.

When you talk to a stand-in, make sure they know where all of your files are located, as well as any other information that might be helpful while you are away. It’s similar to hiring a babysitter, except in this case, the baby is your job. And instead of telling them where the bottles and diapers are, you’re letting them know about files, contact information, and conference calls.

Ever had to tell your boss you wouldn’t be taking calls on vacation? Let us know how you did it in the comments below!

Career Options The Job Search Uncategorized

In-Demand Jobs: Who’s Hiring?

By Caleb Yen on Wednesday, July 5, 2017

What jobs are available, and how much do they pay?

Job searching is tough. If you’re unhappy with your current position, finding the time to look for a new one can seem impossible. And if you’re unemployed, juggling your daily responsibilities and finances with seemingly endless job applications can be even more difficult. Even clearing space to determine what the job market looks like can be a challenge.

To help out job seekers like you, Express Employment Professionals made the handy graphic below to give you an idea of who out there is hiring.

Want to boost your job search reach? We’re here to help. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, Express Employment Professionals is a leading staffing provider in the U.S. and Canada. We employed a record 510,000 people in 2016. Feel free to contact your local Express office or create an express account to apply for jobs online.

Events

Happy 4th of July!

By Caleb Yen on Monday, July 3, 2017

241 years of sweat and hard work.

Founded on the democratic values of liberty, equality, and justice for all, the United States continues to be at the forefront of the global employment scene.

Over the years, this nation has produced incredible and innovative individuals, from inventors like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, to artists as varied as Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keefe. Hollywood has given us amazing performances from legends such as Meryl Streep and James Dean.

And while our history isn’t quite as storied as our great nation, Movin’ On Up (MOU) turned 10 years old this year. Every time you comment, share our posts, or send us a message, we are gifted with an opportunity to interact with you, one of the many incredibly diverse and interesting Americans in this great country.

Thank you MOU readers! Let’s keep working together for many years to come.

Have an interesting employment story to share? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Events

Happy 150th Birthday Canada!

By Caleb Yen on Friday, June 30, 2017

150 years of Canadian confederation.

Congrats, Canada! As of July 1, you will be 150 years old. That’s 150 years of history, culture, and so much more.

Canada has given much to the world, from the arts and sciences to business, and more. Dr. Art McDonald won a Nobel Prize together with his Japanese partner Takaaki Kajita for their work on neutrinos. Researchers, like Richard Sutton and Yoshua Bengio, are known the world over for their innovative artificial intelligence techniques. And, unique, modern jewelry is being made every day by designers such as Frank Gehry.

At Movin’ On Up, we’d like to extend a big thank you to our Canadian readers. Thanks for sticking with us!

What are your favorite Canadian achievements? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Career Options The Job Search

Should You Quit Your Full-Time Job?

By Caleb Yen on Thursday, June 29, 2017

Is the gig economy right for you?

When you’re working full-time in a position that isn’t your favorite, it can be tempting to take on a short-term contract job that pays more than what you’re currently making. The same thing applies to those who are fed up with the gig economy and want to try out full-time stability. But each type of work comes with its own set of challenges. The perfect choice for you depends on your personality and current economic situation.

In this blog, we’ll cover some of the key pros and cons of gig work (aka contract work). Tune in next month to see what we have to say about full-time work!

Contract Labor

Pros

1. Flexibility

Contract work doesn’t lock you into a company long-term. It provides the freedom to try a company and a career on a trial basis. Maybe you find out customer service isn’t your thing, or maybe a family-owned company is too small for you. Instead of being trapped in a full-time job, you’re free to try something else as soon as your contract ends.

2. Less Cultural Pressure

When you’re in it for the long haul, you need to forge relationships and ingrain yourself in the company culture in order to be successful. Otherwise you’ll be seen as a loner, and will most likely not progress.

Although being a contract worker does not give you the right to be apathetic or rude to co-workers, it does allow for a bit of freedom from the hustle and bustle of the office. You can limit your socialization to contacts needed to perform your job, since you won’t be there forever.

You’re also already seen as a bit of an outsider, which allows you to set yourself up as an observer. Introverted or just not into socializing? Contract work can help you gain valuable skills without the need to build a “work family.”

3. Gain a Wide Skillset

Becoming a member of the gig economy means setting your own career goals. Decide what you want to learn on your schedule. Think of it as a continuing education—each job is like a class, where you are free to learn new and interesting skills from a wide variety of disciplines. One day you might be learning an in-demand website building program, the next how to excel in Microsoft Excel.

Cons

1. Can Be Difficult to Set a Career Path

When you’re constantly doing contract work, there’s no prototype career path to follow. You won’t get quality of living raises or promotions. The burden is on you to figure out what your ultimate goal is, and work different jobs towards that goal.

Not setting an end goal puts you at risk of floundering from job to job, staying stagnant in your skillset. If you keep taking the same type of job and aren’t being challenged anymore, it may be time to make a change.

2. You Might Feel Like the “Other”

As a contract worker, you may sometimes feel left out of office situations or events. This can be great if you like your space, but awkward if you’re a more social person. Usually it’s nothing personal—there may be various laws or regulations that prevent the company from letting you come on certain business trips, for example.

Other times your co-workers may not take the time to get to know you purely because they know you won’t be there very long. Again, it isn’t anything personal—you just might not be there long enough for them to get close to you.

3. Lack of Stability

In order to have a dependable source of income, you need to be extremely vigilant when it comes to contract work. Since you don’t know in advance where your next job is coming from, you should get in touch with your contacts or recruiter about six weeks before a job ends. Otherwise there may be periods of unemployment between jobs. Meaning contract work might not be the best choice for those with families to support.

Contract work also necessitates finding your own insurance and retirement account, as those will not be offered by companies. You will also miss out on other potential company perks such as profit-sharing or paid childcare. And if you’re ever let go, there won’t necessarily (depending on the contract) be unemployment to fall back on.

So, who is gig work best for? Someone who wants to explore what’s out there without being tied down. Someone who isn’t always looking for their next raise or a chance to climb through the ranks of a company. Or even someone in the military whose spouse could move at a moment’s notice. Basically, someone who wants the flexibility to do what they want or try jobs on a trial basis at the cost of job stability.

Have any opinions on gig work? Let us know about it in the comments below!

At Work Career Advancement

Poll: What’s Your Favorite Way to Volunteer?

By Caleb Yen on Tuesday, June 27, 2017

There are so many ways to help out our communities—what’s your favorite?

We all have skills. Some of us are athletic. Others have innate leadership qualities. And still others are handy with a toolbox. When we feel called upon to volunteer in our communities, we use our skills in unique ways to make a difference.

Athletic individuals can take part in charity basketball tourneys or marathons. Leaders can take command of canned food or donation drives. The handy among us can help build houses for the disadvantaged.

But you don’t have to have some incredible ability to make a difference. Passion and a cause are all you need. Volunteering can be as simple as donating gently used clothing, or as lofty as serving on the board for a non-profit organization or flying to another country to help the sick.

You can also volunteer with your business, church, school, or professional organization, or find a group of likeminded individuals and form a social organization with the sole purpose of volunteering. The sky’s the limit!