What your degree didn't teach you - getting a job

Don't be shy.

What your degree didn't teach you - getting a job

Nancy Zucker

It’s graduation season! Millions of new and soon-to-be grads are in the midst of celebrating

their achievements as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

Though many are still enjoying the commemoration with family and friends,

the challenge of finding a job can be a very stressful time for these new graduates.

But don’t panic yet, Class of 2015! The Chicago Tribune wrote about a new report

by the National Association of Colleges and Employers claims that U.S. companies

plan to hire 9.6 percent more college graduates from this year’s class than they did in 2014.

In addition, a Simply Hired study estimated that full-time opportunities in 2015

would grow by 20 percent. With an optimistic outlook for entry-level candidates,

make sure you are set for success with these tips:

Be proactive. Hopefully by this point, you’ve done some research.

If not, now is the time to get serious. It may be tempting to take the summer off and relax,

and yes, you do deserve some time off, but don’t fall behind in the search.

Finding a job can take up more time than expected, so don’t lose your focus!

Companies are looking for fresh grads now.

Revamp your resume. Make sure to include all relevant experience and skills,

and tailor each resume to reflect the qualifications needed for each job you apply to.

In addition, you are a professional now – not just a student.

Make sure your experience highlights internships and jobs – not just your schoolwork. Also, only include a professional email address – firstname.lastname@gmail.com is usually your safest bet.

Reach out. You have a network, even if you don’t know it yet. Your family and friends

should be your first line of support, so don’t be shy to ask. They will more than likely be happy

to help you out. Schools generally have an alumni network, so contact your career center

and see what tools they can direct you towards.

Educate yourself. Yes, you have your degree. But do you know how to job search effectively?

There are tons of resources out there, you just have to put the time and effort into finding

the right information and letting it absorb.

Check out our Pinterest and LinkedIn page to kick start your research.

Clean up your act. This is a GREAT time to go through all of your social media accounts

and delete anything that may prevent you from landing your job.

College was a long four years, so make sure to backtrack into those freshmen days

and remove anything that you wouldn’t want to have to explain to your grandma.

In addition, keep the job hunting thoughts and remarks out of your Tweets, too.

Talk to industry professionals. Each field is different, so talking to someone

who went through the process may have some helpful tricks you may not know about.

In addition, these people can give you insight into other particulars – what industry news

or literature you should be keeping up with, what companies to look into (or stay away from),

and what else you could be doing to make yourself a better candidate.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-your-degree-didnt-teach-you-getting-job-nancy-zucker

You can TCR software and engineering manuals for spontaneous recall – or pass that exam.

I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  

How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like to join my FaceBook group ?

www.facebook.com/mreenhunt

www.pinterest.com/mreenhunt

Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:

www.turbochargedreading.blogspot.com   

All aspects of regular, each-word down-each-line reading and education. 

Turbo Charged Reading uses these skills significantly faster.

www.innermindworking.blogspot.com     gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life

www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com     just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

How to Ask for (and Get) a Raise

Dog rose, dog means it has no medicinal purposes.

How to Ask for (and Get) a Raise

Asking for a raise can be a fearsome experience. 

If you’re like most people, you worry that asking for more will make you appear uncommitted. 

Or that you’ll be talked into settling for what you’ve already got. 

Or even that you’ll be seen as greedy if you ask to be rewarded well for work you do well.

“The first thing that people associate negotiation with is buying a car,” says career coach Malcolm Munro,”and so they’re always afraid that they’re going to get screwed.” 

What’s more, he says, the people that usually are most deserving of a raise are the people 

that are least comfortable singing their own praise.

And singing your own praise is important.

In the end, getting a big raise boils down to three simple steps:
1. Be worth more,
2. Demonstrate your worth, and
3. Ask for the raise.

The clearer you are about your value and accomplishments, 

the more likely your boss is to give you that raise.
Be worth more.

If you’re not already regularly doing more than you were hired to do, start. 

Take on new responsibilities whenever possible. Build skills outside of work, 

by taking courses or reading extensively or attending seminars.

Make yourself too valuable to lose!

Your value to your company is based on how well you do these three things: solve problems, increase profits, or create and cultivate relationships. Make sure that everything you do at work does at least one of these things.
Demonstrate your worth.

A raise, especially a big one, is an important business decision; treat it like one. Start planning now for the raise you want six months from now.Munro recommends keeping an “achievement journal” listing all your accomplishments on the job. The biggest mistake an employee can make, he says, is asking for a raise without planning it out. You’re unlikely to be well-prepared on the spur of the moment, and most likely to come off as opportunistic, disloyal, or greedy.

If you’ve been tracking every way you’ve saved or made your company money, 

every big client or partnership you’ve created, every inter-office dispute 

you’ve had a hand in settling — in short every way that you’ve made your company better off — you can make a clear business case why you should be paid more. 

Employers and managers won’t respond much to your sense of fairness, 

but show that you are clearly an important asset and you can count on a positive response.
Ask for the raise.

The best time to ask for a raise is during your normal review, says Munro. 

If your company doesn’t do formal reviews, make an appointment with your direct supervisor 

to discuss your performance. Bring your records of everything you’ve done to add value, 

go over your accomplishments, and then bring up a salary increase. 

“Once they’re in the habit of saying ‘yes’,” advises Munro, “then you ask for the raise.”

As you approach your review, it can really help to find a “champion”, someone who can sway proceedings in your favor. Bill Adler, author of How to Negotiate Like a Child, 

suggests you approach someone at or above your immediate boss’ level, 

mention that you’re planning to ask for a raise, and ask if they have any advice. 

Once you’ve sold yourself to them, let them sell you to your boss.

Don’t make threats, even if you’re ready to leave for a better offer. Instead, advises Adler, 

just lay out your case. “Come in prepared to describe all the things you do”, says Adler, 

and let them imagine the consequences for themselves. 

Threatening to leave if you don’t get your raise will not only sour the negotiation, it may well spoil your whole relationship with your company. Extortion is not a winning strategy in the long run: 

if they give in now, your employers will think, what will happen in six months or a year?

In order to thrive, both you and your employer should gain something from your relationship. 

If you can make a strong business case for a higher salary, most employers will almost certainly work with you. If you follow these tips and think ahead, you’ll be able to approach your boss 

with confidence and without fear, knowing that you are worth more 

and that your company will see that.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/how-to-ask-for-and-get-a-raise.html

You can TCR specialist and language dictionaries that are spontaneously accessed.

I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube 

How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like to join my FaceBook group ?

www.facebook.com/mreenhunt

www.pinterest.com/mreenhunt

Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:

www.turbochargedreading.blogspot.com  

All aspects of regular, each-word down-each-line reading and education.

Turbo Charged Reading uses these skills significantly faster

www.innermindworking.blogspot.com     gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life

www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com      just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

How to Persuade People to Pay You More For What You Do Change the way you ask for the sale.

Black Horehound.

Derek Halpern
If you've ever felt like your prospects don't value your products or services 

as much as they should, then this is the video for you. 

In it, I reveal some interesting research that will shed some light
on how you can get your potential customers to see the real value in what you do.
All you have to do is change the way you ask for the sale.
After you've watched this video,
let me know how you plan to put this insight to use by leaving a comment here:

You can pre-read all your course material for internal knowing.

I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  

How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like to join my FaceBook group ?

www.facebook.com/mreenhunt

www.pinterest.com/mreenhunt

Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:

www.turbochargedreading.blogspot.com    

All aspects of regular, each-worddown-each-line reading and education.  

Turbo Charged Reading uses these skills significantly faster

www.innermindworking.blogspot.com      gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life

www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com       just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

What kind of work are You (and your people) Doing?

Chinese lantern aka Chinese Gooseberry.

What kind of work are You (and your people) Doing?

David J (Joe) Armstrong

There are dozens if not hundreds of articles, posts and tools published related

to better time management. One thing in common with the vast majority of these

is that they almost all focus on steps YOU, the individual, can take to better manage your time.

I’m going to take an alternate approach – one that suggests that the use of your time

is dictated by outside forces and that to better manage your time,

you must understand the nature of work being done and how it directs your time.

A great training I experienced came from Conway Management on the nature of work.

In the Conway model, there are four major types of work:

1.       Value Added Work

2.       Necessary Work (Non-value added)

3.       Unnecessary Work (Rework and all-other work)

4.       Not Working (Approved (breaks or lunch) or not approved.

3. REWORK

Studies have shown that, in many organizations, non-value added work, either rework

or work no one uses, accounts for a substantial amount of time and effort expended.

A key to this is the definition of rework: “Having to do something

because it was not done correctly or completely in the first place”.

Personally, the definition was a revelation to me. We grow accustomed to resolving problems

and addressing issues. That process tends to become engrained and normal. I discovered that

with this newfound knowledge of the definition, every time one of these situations occurred,

I had a voice going off in my head screaming, “REWORK, REWORK”. Yes, I resolved the issue

but also took steps to understand the root cause and correct it whether it was poor process design, training or even empowerment of others to address things as they occurred and not escalate them. As a result, my own work became more productive

as I was able to put more focus on value-added work.

STUDY THE WORK

To understand what is going on, do a random sample of work. I’ve done this for myself

and with large workgroups such as 24/7 warehouse operation with about 30 associates

(all of whom willingly participated in the data collection).

Do this for a week and you will have a very good idea of the work being done

and areas that you may be able to impact by eliminating the root cause of non-value added work

so that the resources are available for value-added work.

For example, in the warehouse, we collected almost 4,000 data points and identified

about 16% of them as non-value added work in three categories:

incomplete information warehouse pick documents, waiting for resources and excess travel.

Armed with our study results, IT corrected the data issue within days,

we addressed the resource issue in a few weeks and the excess travel was reduced by

accelerating a warehouse layout project already underway.

WHAT YOU NEED

Obviously, the commitment to do the study is necessary.

A random timer. I got my first one from Conway. Now, if you have an iPhone, the app, 

Mind Jogger, available through iTunes apps is an appropriate, low-cost substitute.

Data Recording sheet. You can make your own with the types of work listed on one dimension

with lines to list the actual work being done under each category. (You will not need too many lines. Chances are you will find that the same type of work gets repeated). On the other dimension

you will simply record the time. At the intersection of the time and the type of work,

you will place an X. At the end of each day and at the end of the week, summarize your sheets.

You will have a good feel for the work being done and your opportunities

GROUP PARTICIPATION

To do the study with a group, I suggest the following:

Discuss the purpose of the study

(to identify unnecessary work activities so that they can be reduced or eliminated).

Discuss the various types of work.

Chances are the people in the group can give you great examples for each type.

Whenever the timer sounds the alarm, ask the group members to record the time

and what they were doing in the appropriate category on the form.

Collect the forms daily and tally the results.

Do for a week and summarize to get a good idea of the work that is being done

and areas for improvement.

If you use the Mind Jogger app, choose RANDOM,

set you start and stop times and set the number of times at 20 per eight-hour period.

When I use this in a production environment such as a warehouse, we have a supervisor

use the timer or app. When an alarm goes off, they use the intercom to ask for time reports.

It worked great.

That’s all there is to it.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-kind-work-you-your-people-doing-david-j-joe-armstrong

You can TCR music, poetry or self development material for internal knowing.

I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  

How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like to join my FaceBook group ?

www.facebook.com/mreenhunt

www.pinterest.com/mreenhunt

Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:

www.turbochargedreading.blogspot.com  

All aspects of regular, each-word down-each-line reading and education.

Turbo Charged Reading uses these skills significantly faster

www.innermindworking.blogspot.com      gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life

www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com       just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”

Managing money effectively is a key success skill.

Now, how could you benefit from this?

Managing money effectively is a key success skill.

Managing money effectively is a key success skill.

Successful people make the decision to become effective with money, many of them early in life. Like any area of life, it is important to educate yourself about the threats and challenges

in the world. Taking the time to master a few key principles will pay off for years to come.

1. They don’t overspend; they live on less than they make.

Living on less than you make is an essential money management skill.

Some of the world’s wealthiest people have taken this principle to heart.

For example, Sir John Templeton, a legendary investor who became a billionaire,

saved 50% of his income even when he grew up with limited means. 

If that is more than you manage, don’t worry! 

You can reach financial success by saving 10-15% of your income.

Tip: Learning to live on less than you earn takes time. Start by looking for ways to save money: 

2. They don’t fixate on price; they understand the importance of value.

The price you pay for an investment, a meal or piece of clothing is only part of the story.

Successful people also think about the value of that good. For investments, they consider

the prospects for the investment growing in the future. For personal items, they look for

high quality products that will last. For example, a well made pair of business shoes may cost $200 or more but these shoes can last for years with proper care.

Tip: Buy high quality products that will last for a long time.

3. They don’t waste cash on fees and interest; they know how to manage their banking

Carrying a balance on your credit card is incredibly expensive and sadly common.

According to CNN, the average American household carried over $15,000 in credit card debt. Successful people also keep an eye on their bank fees–how much they pay for ATM use

and other transactions. These fees are easy to avoid with planning once you understand

how the system works. Simply reviewing your financial accounts for 5-10 minutes each month 

is all it takes to understand your fees.

4. Discover:   They don’t forget to adjust their finances after big changes in life.

Did you get married recently? Is your spouse referenced in your will? 

These are some of the points that financially successful people manage effectively. 

While you can automate a great deal of your finances, it is vital to make adjustments 

when your life and family circumstances change significantly. Sitting down by yourself 

(or with a financial expert) at least once a year to review your life and financial plan

is an excellent way to stay on top of important changes.

Learn: Arrange your finances for the long term with estate planning.

5. They are not satisfied with a stagnant income; they look for ways to increase their income.

Some people never ask for more money or simply settle for 1-3% increases.

Unfortunately, that rate of income growth means you are simply standing still

–inflation is slowly eating away at your purchasing power. Instead, successful people

look for ways to earn more income. Increased income gives you more options

for personal enjoyment, more capacity to give money, and a sense of security.

Successful people take daily action to increase their income. For example, they take a course

to improve their skills or they contribute ideas to improve the productivity of their companies.

They also know how to ask for more money.

Tip: Do yourself a favor and learn about high paying fields: 

earn $100,000 in project management and discover the highest paid jobs in America.

6. They don’t ignore financial statements.

Reaching financial success requires some slow and steady habits. 

That includes forming a habit to monitor your financial statements. 

Successful people set a time each month–30 to 60 minutes–to review all of their financial accounts: investments, bank accounts, credit cards and more.

When they detect an error or omission, they take immediate action.

Tip: Set a recurring reminder in your calendar each month to review your financial accounts.

7. They don’t take foolish risks in money.

Warren Buffet is often quoted as saying, “Rule number one is never lose money.”

All investments carry some measure of risk (and therefore the potential to lose money).

That said, successful people use two powerful tools to avoid losses.

They understand the value of insurance to control risk (e.g. home, auto, and life insurance)

and the importance of asset allocation.

Remember: If it sounds too good to be true (or if you don’t understand how it works), 

slow down and start asking plenty of questions.

8. They don’t pretend to understand everything when it comes to money.

The world is a vast and complex place–successful people know and deeply understand 

this truth. When it comes to money, there is a lot of information out there. 

That’s why successful people like Warren Buffet understand their limits 

and focus on their strengths.

Tip: Review your knowledge of money and investments. If you are just starting out, 

read one or two classic personal finance books. Or read Can’t-Miss Secrets Behind Warren Buffett’s Wealth for more insights from one of the world’s most successful investors.

9. They don’t transfer responsibility to experts.

Successful people do seek out the advice of experts, yet they never yield responsibility.

For example, it is reasonable to seek advice from a tax accountant in planning your financial affairs. However, successful people take the time to ask questions and evaluate the person

providing advice to them.

Tip: When seeking advice from professionals like accountants and lawyers, ask questions

and seek to have the advice explained to you. Otherwise, it is difficult to act on the advice.

10. They don’t let the pursuit of money overcome other values.

Seeking financial success is a valid goal. Significant financial resources give you more options

to give to causes you believe in. It also means improved access to technology, health care

and leisure. However, successful people understand that financial success is only one aspect

of a successful life. For example, neglecting health in the pursuit of money is a poor strategy.

Tip: Review your personal goals to see if you have a balance between financial goals,

career goals, family goals and other activities.

http://www.smartbusinesspowerful.com/2015/07/09/managing-money-effectively-is-a-key-success-skill-successful-people-mak/

You can TCR software and engineering manuals for spontaneous recall – or pass that exam.

I can Turbo Charge Read a novel 6-7 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

I can TCR an instructional/academic book around 20 times faster and remember what I’ve read.

Introduction to Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

A practical overview of Turbo Charged Reading YouTube  

How to choose a book. A Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Emotions when Turbo Charged Reading YouTube

Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like to join my FaceBook group ?

www.facebook.com/mreenhunt

www.pinterest.com/mreenhunt

Perhaps you’d like to check out my sister blogs:

www.turbochargedreading.blogspot.com   

All aspects of regular, each-word down-each-line reading and education.

Turbo Charged Reading uses these skills significantly faster

www.innermindworking.blogspot.com     gives many ways for you to work with the stresses of life

www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com     just for fun.

To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”