Empowered for 2013 - Must-Have Job Skills

Empowered for 2013 - Must-Have Job Skills

Employers want workers to show greater skills and results even though they remain cautious about every dollar they will spend on employees in 2013. Generally speaking, basic competency won’t be enough for those employees and job seekers who want to get ahead next year. The bottom line here is that there are four must-have job skills that will help you to win a promotion or land a  lucrative job next year. These skills include the following.

Productivity improvement

In 2013 the weight of opinion and decisions among employers with respect to hiring will swing strongly in favor of those workers or job seekers who find new ways to increase productivity. This calls for one important comment at this stage: In the year 2013, company executives will be looking for as much as 20% improvement in employee or potential employee  performance and this will definitely influence their hiring decisions for that year. This assertion rests on the fundamental assumption that those employers that are considering adding workers in coming years want current or potential employees to operate in growth mode now. Hence, the way to really differentiate yourself is to be proactive: you may consider volunteering for projects in your organizations or other organizations that need volunteers. This way you can convince potential employers or your current employer that you  have a great ability to understand what is wanted and needed, rather than needing to be told – an attitude that will greatly enhance your chances of being hired or promoted in 2013.

 

Clear communications

Communication is  both the oxygen of the society and the key for current workers to advance or for new workers to be hired. Communication in this regard means your ability to create a connection through effective interaction as well as  your ability to clearly articulate your point of view.  The case for clear communication as a whole may be stated in one sentence: As a job seeker, clear communication can provide a snapshot of your work style to employers. This is because employers are always looking for job seekers who can, through communication, feel their enthusiasm as well have a good understanding of what is important to the organization.

Personal Branding

Here’s  an overly simplified explanation of how personal branding can help you to win a promotion or land a  lucrative job next year: These days, human-resources executives scour blogs,  and other social networking websites (such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) when researching job candidates. Hence it is very  important that they like what they find about you. The bottom line: do not post something that comes back to haunt you in these sites because people(and that include your potential employers) will see it. Broadly, anything you post on these sites constitutes your personal branding. The logic of my advise runs as follows: You should make sure that your personal brand is attractive and reflects well on employers. Besides, employers will be looking for job seekers who has the ability to tweet, blog and post public relations messages for them in 2013.  Thus having these skills  will definitely enhance  the chances of your being hired or promoted in 2013.

Flexibility

The focus of employers in 2013 will be for those job seekers who has the ability to quickly respond to their company’s changing needs. This means that the chances of getting hired or promoted will be high for those job seekers or employees who know how to get out of their comfort zone and  how to adapt to changing conditions in the company. This is because in modern day organizations, an employee’s job today may not be the same as next year. Given that companies will  want to know that if they roll out a new program or new tools that the employees  they have on board are going to be open to learning, your ability to learn new skills will be of top importance with respect to hired or promoted in 2013.

 

 

 

 

Just for the Records – College Degrees that Are Perfect for Online Study

Just for the Records – College Degrees that Are Perfect for Online Study

If you have ever felt like life has crept up on you, or  that your round-the-clock commitments  to your  kids and your job  have gotten in the way of your education goals, getting a degree online may be the solution to your problem. Online degree programs are a smart choice for three main  reasons. First, you will  have control over when you get your  assignments done or when to go to class. Second, today's online degree programs incorporate  both simulations and video conferencing which are actually  the type of things you might encounter in the workplace one day. Besides, getting  online education means that you are not only earning a degree, but you are getting the tools as well as an understanding of how to work in a global environment – a big advantage in this modern day of technological revolution. So if you are considering fitting school into your busy schedule, you may want to choose any of these three degree programs that are believed to be perfect for online study.

Healthcare Administration

Generally speaking, the popularity of online medical programs like health care administration has grown by word of mouth because of the flexibility it provides students to learn on their own time. They  can pick up on complex concepts because such online programs affords them the opportunity to read and re-read their course materials and books. It should be noted here that the medical world is usually a complex one. However, one thing is for sure:  pursuing a bachelor's in this discipline online could be a solid career move. This is because pursuing a bachelor's degree in health care administration could prepare you to pursue a career as a health services manager, where, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, you might represent the facility at investor meetings, keep up to date on new laws, and create work schedules(Blundell, 2012).

Computer Science

If you are one of those people who are  comfortable using their computers in other facets of their lives, or if you  are already familiar with technology,  pursuing an online degree in computer science will make sense for you. An online  bachelor's  degree in computer science will groom you  to apply for a job as a computer programmer. As a programmer you will be writing the code that computers follow to run software programs. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, most computer programmers have a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field(Blundell, 2012).

Finance

An online bachelor's program in finance could be the best option for people  who are good with cash and numbers and who want to put their money and math-savvy skills toward earning a degree and a living. If you are working full-time in business and you  feel you have hit a ceiling, online finance programs is what you need.  According to the College Board, the organization that administers the SAT exam, finance students learn how to effectively control the purse strings of an organization and may take common courses like investments, financial management, and international finance(Blundell, 2012). Possible careers for finance degree holders include personal financial advisors and budget analysts. A bachelor's degree is needed for positions as a personal financial advisor, says the U.S. Department of Labor, and finance is one field that provides good preparation.

As a personal financial advisor, you might make suggestions for an individual's investments, taxes, and insurance.  Take the budget analyst route, and you could find yourself preparing budget reports and monitoring corporate spending.

References

Blundell D.(2012): Four Degrees Perfect for Online Study. Retrieved November 18, 2012 from http://education.yahoo.net/articles/online_degree_best_bets.htm?kid=1NDUK

Debt-Free To-Do List

Debt-Free To-Do List

Excess debt had turned the American dream into American nightmare.  Generally speaking,  most people think of the debt of the federal government whenever they  think about America's debt problem.   But the hard, cold fact is that this is only part of the story.  The bottom line: debt slavery has become a way of life for tens of millions of American families.  It should be noted here that over the past several decades, most  Americans have willingly allowed themselves to become slaves  to debt.  In fact, most Americans these days are busy either paying off the debt that they have accumulated in the past  or going into even more debt or paying.  It is important for Americans to realize that when their finances are dominated by debt, it makes it really hard to ever get ahead. In 2007, the Federal  Reserve Board reported  that Americans have almost double their revolving outstanding consumer credit in the last decade from $462 billion in December 1996 to $879 billion  in December 2006(Curry, 2007). Consumer borrowing rose by another $19.3 billion in December 2011.  As of November 2012, it is sitting at a grand total of as much as $2.5 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve. Since 1971,  consumer debt in America has increased by a whopping 1700 per cent!

Some Warning Signs that You are Underwater

1. When you use your credit card advances to pay for other credit card bills

2. When you skip some payments you cannot afford

3. When you try to get a lower interest rate on a new card  by constantly switching cards

4. If you and your partner always argue about bills.

5. When you loose sleep or you are stressed out about your debt.

6. When you make everyday purchases like gas with your credit card.

7. When you don’t know how much debt you owe.

8. When you get calls from creditors or debt collectors.

Given the above facts,  I have this important message for my readers: You need to get out of debt fast. So if your bills are adding up and there is no relief in sight, the following advise can dig you out of debt if you follow them religiously.

Credit Card Payment Strategy.

You should create a credit card payment strategy. One of your strategy can be to pay off the card with the lowest balance first. Make some few sacrifices, such as making one less $150 purchase(in, say, shoes or gadgets) per month. You can apply the savings you made in this way towards the credit card debt. This strategy can also be applied with personal loans and lines of credit too. After getting the lowest card paid off, you can move to the next lowest card. It is important that you continue to roll over each payment to the next card until they are all paid off.

Pay More than the Minimum

In most loans, repayments are set up in such a way that when you pay the minimum payment, it is applied to the interest on the loan. Hence it is better for you to triple up on those minimum payments, if you can afford it. Note that if you have, say, $10,000 in credit card debt, it will take you up to 25 years to pay off that debt if the interest rate is 15 percent and are making only the minimum payments.

Always Shop Around to Get A Better Rate

It will be a smart move to go for it whenever you get a great opportunity for a lower interest rate. This means that, instead of the 15 percent interest you are currently paying on a credit card, you will be better off if you can transfer to a card that offers you, say, a 7 percent rate. By doing this, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the course of a year. You can shop for a better rate by going to sites like Bankrate.com, where you will have the opportunity of taking advantage of offers provided by a credit union, your bank or even other lending institutions who often offer low rates for transfers. But there’s a caveat here: if you bounce around too much, it may lower your credit score. You can also consider making a debt consolidation, whereby you take several debt and convert them into one monthly payment.

Control Your Spending

You should also keep your credit cards out of your pocket. This will help you to avoid impulse shopping. Use any extra cash you receive wisely. It is also advisable to avoid spending any bonus check you may receive or your tax refund on frivolous purchases. Instead, form the habit of applying a portion of these payments to your debt and save any remaining balance.

Using Cash to Make Payments

Paying cash for everything means that if you don’t have the cash, you don’t buy it. You may consider cashing out some of your savings. The rule of the thumb: make sure you have at least three month’s income to use as emergency savings. Note that if you are in debt overload, you can spend some savings to reduce debt – an action that is considered to be an appropriate financial emergency management.

More Income

You may need to find another stream of income. Note that earning more cash will not make any difference if you can’t save of if you are not willing to apply it on your debt. The message here is clears: you will need to change your income, your mindset, and your spending habit. Nevertheless, try to find a way to make extra cash on the side. You may consider doing such things as tutoring, selling your wares on eBay, or even managing a website. You may also consider applying for positions with temporary agencies.

The bottom line: Unless you win a lottery, your debts will not go away overnight. However, with discipline and by following the steps described here, you will shrink your debts significantly.

References

Curry R.C.(2007): Debt Overload? Black Enterprise. June, 2007. 

Do’s and Don’ts for Winning the Game of Business

Do’s and Don’ts for Winning the Game of Business

Winning the game of business is about positioning yourself and your company for the next opportunity. In other words, it is not about talent; its mainly about vision. If you have a business, here are 8 tips for avoiding pitfalls and ensuring entrepreneurial success.

Do’s

Build A Business Empire

Leverage all your business connections to carve a space in multimedia. Your previous business experience can be a great asset in this regard.

Converting Contacts into Prospects

Broadly speaking, it is good to have a lot of  people on your email list. However, you are merely leaving money on the table if you are not marketing your products and services to them.

Network! Network!! Network!!!

It is very important that you network with master entrepreneurs. Generally speaking, finding a mentor who is willing to show you the ropes will help to transform your business into a million-dollar enterprise.

Revisit Your Business Plan Every Year

Every business owner need to be aware that the marketplace is always changing. Hence your business plan should  be an ever-evolving business companion, and not a static document.

Manage Your Spending

You will also need to keep your eyes on your spending habit. To increase profitability as well as save your company’s money, you may need to outsource services.

Don’ts

Avoid Attending Functions Just to Be Seen

This recommendation can simply be explained as follows: when meeting someone who may be a potential client or business partner,  start by setting a clear and measurable goals.

Avoid Reckless Spending

Money is the soul of business. Hence, as a business owner, do not spend money on, say, ineffective marketing. It is also necessary to re-evaluate your advertising method if it is not bringing you any business.

Do Not Work Yourself to death.

Generally speaking, your business will thrive in your absence if it is set up properly. Sometimes, you may need to take time off to re-energize. Go to parties, have a date, and so on.