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5 Important Lessons Learned From a First Job

By Job Journey on Monday, August 24, 2015

Your first job is a milestone. You get a real paycheck, you start a career, and you start on the grand adventure called life. It will be a learning experience. You may not get the salary of your dreams, and it may feel daunting to learn the ropes, but your first job can teach you many things. Whether you are serving up burgers or starting your first office job, learning these five things can make a significant impact, and can help you move from a first job to a successful career.

1. Your job is to make your manager’s life easier. Until you are CEO, your job is to serve your boss. Make sure you support your manager and take on extra projects when possible to show you are willing to go above and beyond. Most importantly, don’t go to your boss with problems. Go with solutions. If you have a situation you need to resolve, brainstorm possible solutions before you visit with your boss.

2. Attitude, manners, and people skills matter. Establishing that you’re a positive employee is incredibly important, especially early on in your role. If you show that you’re driven by solutions, others will look to you for answers and support. If you bring negative energy into the office, you’ll only bring others down and may end up hurting your career in the process. It may sound simple, but don’t forget to use your manners. “Please” and “thank you” can go a very long way in building stronger relationships.

3. Always look for new ways to learn. “Be a sponge and have a thirst for knowledge,” says business coach Tonya Monsef Bunger. Make an effort to learn new skills, take on training opportunities, and develop your hobbies. When you learn something new, you bring even more positive qualities to your skill set, which in turn can help boost your resume.

4. Don’t get discouraged. In any job, problems will arise. Issues are often unavoidable, but how you deal with them can make or break your job performance. It’s okay to feel like things are going less than perfect, but don’t dwell on the challenges. Instead, stay focused and positive, and try to offer solutions to the problem.

5. Know when it’s time to move on. Your first job may not be your dream job. You may not be making much money, you may have tasks you don’t like. All of that is normal. But, if your job is making you miserable and you face every day with stress and anxiety, it may be time to move on. Whether you’re unhappy in your job, you need more income, or it’s just time for a change, make sure you know how to move on.

Most likely, your first job is not going to be your last job. If an opportunity presents itself, go for it. The only way you can grow in your career is to take those opportunities.

What did you learn from your first job? Do you have any words of wisdom for others starting their first job? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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

New Job Tips

Four Training Tips You Can Do Right Now to Advance Your Career

By Job Journey on Friday, August 21, 2015

Whether you are currently seeking a job or looking to move up the ladder in your current position, you can be proactive in building a plan for future success.

If you want to advance your career, start taking steps today to boost your skills, prepare for promotions, or impress interviewers. Here are five career training tips you can do right now to help secure that future success.

1. Develop current and new skills. Be honest with yourself about both your strengths and your weaknesses, and learn to develop both. If you struggle with new programs required for your job, study them or enroll in training. If public speaking is part of your career plan, join organizations like Toastmasters to help improve your speaking ability. Many libraries and community colleges also offer workshops in everything from Excel to business writing. Investing in your skill set is never a waste of time and can only improve your chances for success.

2. Build your network. Networking is a skill you can develop right now, with or without a current job. Attend events where your peers go. Ask advice and offer help when you can, but also watch what successful people do well and learn from them. If you have a job already, build your network within the company. Collaborate and work with others to solve problems, showing that you have a team-building mentality. Attend work functions and join professional networking groups to help expand your future job base.

3. Make a plan. If you are seeking employment, take this time to plot a course for your dream career. Knowing where you are going makes it easier to get there. Research what skills you need to improve, what programs or knowledge you need to learn, and what you must have for upward mobility, and then create a step-by-step plan to meet those skills and needs. Many experts suggest creating a one year, three year, and five year plan – much like you would in a business plan. Once you have a clear goal in place, reaching that goal becomes attainable.

4. Act like the leader you are – or want to be. At the end of the day, leaders are the ones who get promoted or hired. Doers are the workhorses, but leaders are highly sought after. So how do you train yourself now to be a leader? First, have a vision for your career and/or the company’s future. Learn to speak up and offer to take charge on projects. Show respect for all employees, and communicate in a professional manner. Again, taking business communications or public speaking classes can help with this.

If you want to advance your career, these simple training tips are steps you can take now, whether you are currently employed or not. Follow these career training tips, commit to your career, and be open to learning new skills. Proper training is never a waste of time.

What training tips helped you in your career or job search? Share your tips with us here.

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

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

How to Take Full Advantage of Your Staffing Agency

By Jared Cole on Saturday, June 23, 2012

When you’re between jobs, it can feel like you’re walking in an endless desert. It’s like you’ve been there forever and you can’t do anything else but walk aimlessly. The truth is, your job search doesn’t have to be that way. Many job seekers and workers have discovered the benefits of working for a staffing agency.

Access to temporary work full-time jobs aren’t the only things staffing agencies have to offer. More than just providing work, they can help you develop a stronger job search outside of employment experience. Here are some lesser-known benefits of staffing agencies that you can take advantage of.

Résumé Review
One of the biggest perks of working with a staffing agency is your direct access to résumé experts. Your recruiter sees a large number of résumés every day, so they are often times well versed in the dos and don’ts of effective writing. This perk is often overlooked because workers are under the impression that since they are already working, their résumé doesn’t need work.

All résumés need to be constantly updated. Who better than your recruiter to help you best outline and describe your temporary work experience in a manner that’s appealing to employers? If you’re interested in tightening or critiquing your résumé, talk to your recruiter. It’s free to schedule a time aside for you to go over the ins and outs of résumé writing. If your agency can’t, they can refer you to someone who can.

Resource Libraries
It’s important for staffing agencies to have employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and motivation. That’s why many agencies have meetings and lectures focused on helping you plan, succeed, and grow in your career. These gatherings let you discuss and learn about job related issues from experts and peers, which help build a better working relationship between the recruiter and you.

Most staffing agencies have resources full of useful information on interviewing, workplace etiquette, cover letter writing, and networking. When you develop stronger job skills, you’ll be better enabled to achieve your career goals, and your staffing firm will have a more qualified worker to place for its clients.

Software Training
Sometimes you have to take several placement tests before you can schedule an interview with a recruiter. Depending on what field and pay rate you want to be in, or where you want to go in your career, you might be tested on more than just basic use of word processors. Some clerical positions require more than a basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, and with the program frequently changing and updating, it can be difficult to keep up with it on your own.

If you want to enhance your office software skills, most agencies allow you to come in during your days off to train yourself. Recruiters will be impressed seeing you take the initiative to educate yourself and improve your skills. Employers like to see candidates get closer to their career goals by improving skills from programs offered by staffing firms.

While there may be some misconception s about staffing agencies, there are several opportunities for you to learn and grow as a job seeker. What are some ways you’ve taken advantage of programs offered by staffing firms?

At Work The Daily Grind

Warning! You Might Have More Fun at Work After Reading This

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, June 6, 2012

We’ve been there before. You’ve hit that entry-level slump where time seems to slow down and boredom is on the rise. Maybe job duties become repetitive or insignificant, and you start playing the game of counting down until the end of the work day.

Starting at the bottom and working your way to the top can seem very dull and boring at first. At some points, your workspace may look more like a prison. You start thinking of things you’d rather be doing and consider treating your boss like the office governor and begging for a pardon. It doesn’t have to be that way. Working at your job doesn’t have to be a constant battle with your clock.

The truth is you can actually enjoy yourself while at work. Keeping a positive attitude will not only help you be more productive, but it can also reflect favorably on your managers when they see you inject some life into the workplace. Here are some ways you can add some pizzazz to your workday.

Trim Your To-Do List
Take a look at your to-do list. Do you really have to accomplish all of it in one day? Odds are, you’ve already scheduled too many things into your workday. This can really bring down your fun, because deep down, you know you probably won’t get to everything on the list. Go ahead, shave off a few of the items and give yourself some extra padding on your other projects.

Cutting back on your daily project list won’t make you less productive, but will give you the time to make your projects your own. Take the extra time to look at your tasks differently and try to innovate. Some of the best ideas can come out of the strangest places when you brainstorm and think outside of the box. You’ll end up having fun and can show your managers that you’re leadership material with your new ideas.

Look Forward to Something
As soon as you clock in for work, you might long for the warmth of your bed or the welcoming arms of your recliner. One of the biggest reasons workers dread getting up in the morning is that they don’t plan any fun activities for themselves throughout the day. You should utilize breaks, if you aren’t already, to inject fun. You may think that you don’t have time, but your productivity will improve in the long run. Having little things to look forward to during the day greatly speeds up the day and lightens the mood. Try spicing up your shift with breaks that include activities you really enjoy outside of your work area. Catch up on your favorite TV show or book, take a walk outside, work on an art project, put together a jigsaw puzzle, or anything else that makes you look forward to the next break.

You don’t even have to take breaks alone. Find some co-workers who share your interests and invite them to take a 15 minute break to play a short game, discuss events from last night’s TV show, share photography, or any other activities you share. You’ll have fun as the day goes on, and you’ll also be able to grow and foster working relationships and friendship with co-workers, which can help your teambuilding skills.

Bribe Your Co-Workers
One of the best ways to beat the boredom at work is to involve others in the fun. While some may enjoy seclusion, eventually it will get to you. Odds are, there are several other co-workers looking for fun and excitement in the workplace too. Don’t be the one hoping fun comes to you, be the one who creates the fun. Email your co-workers asking for a joke and offer the one who submits the funniest joke a cup of coffee, or surprise co-workers with breakfast like bagels or fruit trays. If food isn’t your specialty, try making a CD of your favorite music to give to your co-workers or craft a special gift tailored to each co-worker. Have fun with your ideas and use your imagination, but always check with your manager before using any of your ideas or the ones listed in this blog.

You can also have fun by changing your workload with other workers or departments. Get with your boss and ask to help out another department with a project. You’ll get to meet people you might not be familiar with, your work will be a little different, and you’ll grow your skills set to be a more rounded employee.

The daily grind doesn’t have to be full of doom and gloom. A few simple things can help turn your attitude and performance around. While “entry-level” sounds Latin for “enter boredom,” it references a place to help get you where you’d like to go. In order to get there, you should have a little fun along the way. What have you tried to put a little spice in your daily work routine?