How to Have Productive Office Meetings

How to Have Productive Office Meetings Meetings are usually considered as boring and a waste of time. Employees often dread their weekly meeting because theyre monotonous and not worthwhile. There are so many ways in which managers can improve their meetings with the following tips below. If you follow this advice, your meetings will be a lot more productive which will result in increased productivity in all areas of work, more targets being hit and a stronger and more positive work environment for all. Avoid interruption Everyone has deadlines. As a manager, you need to understand the needs and schedules of employees. Meetings tend to take away time which could be spent meeting deadlines making employees less productive with their work. This is definitely not what you want. Plan meetings with everyones schedules and workload in mind to enhance productivity. Meetings held at the beginning of the week usually perform best as this gives employees plenty of time to concentrate on deadlines throughout the week. What is the meeting for? What is the purpose of your meeting? You need to make sure that at the beginning of the meeting, you state clearly what the meeting is for and what it entails. Its also important to be respectful of your employees’ time by ensuring that all meetings start and end on time. Its very easy to go over the allocated time, but this is a big no. If you are always on time, then there is no excuse for anyone to be late. Meetings also shouldnt be too long as people will lose concentration and drift off, therefore, may miss vital points. Keep meetings concise and short, 15 minutes works well. No Technology To get the most out of a meeting, employees should not take their laptops, but take a pen and paper to make notes. Hand-writing notes has been proven by psychologists to be more effective than making notes on a computer. Factual recall and conceptual recall is significantly higher which is great because you want everyone to leave the meeting knowing and understanding everything that was mentioned. Furthermore, technology like laptops and mobiles provide a distraction so its best to not have them in meetings at all. Focus on achievements, not tasks Achievements mean more to employees than completing daily tasks. Recognising each employees achievements and mentioning these in the meeting can do wonders for your business. Knowing that you have accomplished something great only strives for people to work harder and achieve even greater things. Praising employees regularly increases productivity and job satisfaction. Take breaks If a meeting needs to be more than 15 minutes, then its worth taking a break or two. Without any breaks, less attention is paid to what is being said in the meeting which isnt great when its important. Taking short breaks is the key to productivity. Encourage employees to take a short break halfway through the meeting. They can grab a coffee and get some fresh air so that they feel nice and refreshed when they come back ready to learn more. When you value and include employees in meetings, work productivity will rise. Increased productivity means amplified profits, enhanced trust in management, better brand equity and a stronger and more positive work environment. About the author: Lauren Buck is a Criminology and Psychology graduate, freelance writer, blogger and Etsy store owner. She writes about a variety of topics including student and career advice for Inspiring Interns, which specializes in placing graduates in the best London roles.

From Self-Employed To Salaried Success Stories - VocationVillage

From Self-Employed To Salaried Success Stories - VocationVillage When I tell career coaching clients that self-employed freelancing or consulting can be good paths toward landing full-time salaried employment, many people express skepticism that this strategy ever works. Perhaps because many recruiters are unenthusiastic about self-employed job seekers, there is a persistent myth in the workplace that once you are a freelancer or consultant, you will never again be employable by organizations. I am a huge fan of self-employment, but I am also a realist who understands that there are circumstances under which many people would be happy accepting a salaried job, so it is helpful for them to know that making connections via freelance or consulting work is actually a great way to land salaried work.To prove that you can be hired into a full-time salaried position after working as a freelancer or consultant, I found six people who transitioned from a W-9 role to a W-2 role and I asked them to respond to these questions: What type of freelancing or cons ulting were you doing when you were hired into a salaried role? How was the transition? What advice do you have for consultants or freelancers who are considering a similar career move?Here are their responses:David Bakke, Editor, Money Crashers I did some freelance writing and marketing work for a client and it eventually turned into a full-time writing and marketing position. The transition was fairly smooth overall, but there are several things to be aware of for someone considering making that move. The positives are you go from an inconsistent income to a steady paycheck. You may pay less for health insurance (and have better benefits) as well. You get to be around co-workers and supervisors as well. You may also enjoy a bit more job security. If you had clients in the past that didnt pay you in a timely fashion, you wont have to deal with that anymore either. You also get paid holidays and paid time off.On the other hand, you wont get to work the hours you choose anymore, deal ing directly with a supervisor can be challenging, and then theres also having to get up at a certain time each morning and dealing with traffic.A final consideration is that you also miss out on certain tax deductions.Maggie Young, Communications Specialist, BBI started my career as a freelancer, picked up by a prominent print company to help with content creation and copywriting. I knew nothing of the print industry and really had to dive deep to understand enough to write intelligently. I was working under a new Marketing Director who focused on a complete brand overhaul. The rebranding process became so involved that my workload grew, and I started taking on projects that I’ve never worked on before. I was learning about marketing as I was freelancing.Shortly after the rebranding, the Marketing Director left, which left a hole for me to fill. The president offered me a full time job and I soon became the Marketing Specialist. I am the one and only person in the marketing depar tment, which has given me a lot of room to test different initiatives and daily increase my knowledge of both the print and marketing industry.I think the biggest thing for freelancers to consider is that their schedules will become much more restricted when they move to a full-time position. No more taking a break at 2 pm and picking it back up at 5. My job is 9-5, no ifs, ands, or buts about it!While I miss the schedule I once had, I don’t miss the insecurity I felt by not having a full-time position. I also spent a lot of time alone for various projects, but now that I’m fully engaged in the office environment, it’s easier for me to bounce ideas off of my colleagues and feel the workplace camaraderie I was missing out on as a consultant.Jessica Greenwalt, Graphic Designer, CrowdMed and PixelkeetI was a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, and web developer for over ten years. Ive produced projects for hundreds of clients from all over the world, including LinkedIn, UC B erkeley, Marvel Comics, Telefónica, and many more. I loved being a freelancer picking my projects, traveling the world and working on my own schedule but in April of 2013, I was convinced to join one of my clients companies, CrowdMed, full time.I ultimately decided to join because the company is a San Francisco startup that is doing something amazing, using the wisdom of crowds to solve medical mysteries, and the CEO made me an awesome deal in which I still get to spend about 20% of my time working on my freelance graphic design business.At CrowdMed, we are changing the way medical diagnosis is done to help patients arrive at an answer faster than ever before, saving them from prolonged suffering and spending thousands on misdirected tests and procedures. When I was in college, I had been through a painful diagnosis process (Ive been poked, scanned, and biopsied multiple times before doctors could come to a conclusion) at a great cost to myself, both in time and money (two things that are scarce when you are in college). I was furious about the process, but at the time, I had no idea what could be done to change it. I had accepted this mess of meetings and procedures as how the medical system operated.But at the end of 2012, CrowdMeds CEO told me about how their website will allow patients to get a list of suggested diagnoses from a crowd online (composed of both medical experts and laypeople) at a fraction of the time and cost it would take them to get the same diagnoses from a doctor. I told him he was crazy, but my design firm, Pixelkeet, started working on CrowdMeds website and marketing materials. When the site was ready, I submitted my case to CrowdMed to see how the crowds answers would compare to my doctors. The crowd was able to accurately diagnose me without the barrage of medical tests and visits, just by reading the symptoms I had typed into my case. After that, when the CEO asked me again to join CrowdMed full time, I agreed because I want to b e a part of something that can save other patients from going through what I went through, or worse.I made the right choice. Ive been having a great time working in-house for CrowdMed and working on interesting projects on the side. Of course, Pixelkeet is still my baby. Even when I started my own design firm, I lived like the freelancer I had been for years previously. Taking only the projects I wanted to, sleeping in, working in my pjs, traveling where I wanted, when I wanted without having to request time off from a boss. I love the freelance lifestyle. As a freelancer and owner of a design firm, I woke up every day happy and satisfied with my life.Now, I love that I can use my skills as a designer and web developer to help people and to disrupt a system so desperately in need of change. Working at CrowdMed gives me a different kind of satisfactionthe satisfaction that comes along with working on something that may have a greater impact on the lives of others than I had ever hope d to achieve as a freelancer.Ive also discovered that I really enjoy working with my team on building this startup. Were a small group only three people and we get along and work together really well. My team has become like family to me. Had I stuck to freelancing, I would have missed out on being a part of a team like this. I wouldnt have known just how rewarding working in a company can be, when youre working with the right people.Brian Massie, Chief Communication Officer, Bogans DistilleryIve been a communication consultant for more than six years and I just accepted a CCO position with a former client. When I say communication consulting, I mean my firm is one stop shopping for communication needs including: advertising, public relations, social media, events, lobbying, brand development, and more. My new employer was one of my best paying clients and when he sold his interest in a small business and decided to start a larger one, he wanted me running the communication progra m.Im operating my practice until the end of the year after which Ill move from VA to MD to take the new job. The compensation package provides a 40% increase relative to my current package. As CCO I also have complete control so I dont have to ask permission or wait for approval; things just get done.In my opinion, this is the *best* way to get a job. During every aspect of the professional relationship, neither party was/is in a position of weakness. When he was a client, neither one of us needed the other financially but both sides benefited from the relationship. When the discussion was had about the new business I was negotiating from the position of already having a rewarding occupation. As a result, I was able to spell out what compensation I wanted and he didnt argue because he knows Im worth it.I would advise anyone looking to make a similar move to evaluate what that person/organization was like to work with and compare the power you held with them as a client to the power youll have with them as an employer. An increase in power and compensation are promising signs that they really want you. If youre merely jumping ship from your current to have the same power and compensation, you might be better off where you are.Andrea Cooper, Artist-Facilitator, Therapeutic Art Program, Mercy Medical CenterI was a freelance graphic designer and one of my clients was the Attorney General of Maryland. I worked on a quarterly publication for them. After about a year, they offered to create a position for me to work on all of their publications for consumers, reports and displays. It was a good transition for me because, as a freelancer, although I made more hourly, I had no benefits and my income was fluctuating in nature. So, although my hourly rate was less, I gained health insurance for my family, vacation and sick leave as well as a predictable income. As the mother of two young children with a self-employed husband, this was extremely important. I stayed there for 15 years and left only to pursue a different line of work that suited my lifestyle better as I got a bit older.Graeme Gibson, Strategist, Dental DeparturesIve had a relatively unexpected career shift, and am still surprised the way it all happened. For a number of years I have worked on internet related marketing for a non-profit, as well as negotiating travel costs for the entire group.   A parent involved in the group noticed how tenacious I was and passed my name onto a local startup who needed help in all of these areas.Since the company was bootstrapping it, they also needed a reliable person at an affordable cost.   All of this fit me to a tee.I was advising on their internet marketing strategy, social media strategy, and advised on strategic relationships that would help the company and our customers.  When I was finally hired as an employee my role still involved those things, but I was put in charge of delegating and managing a small group of people to complete tasks I would come up with and assign to them.It was easy to convince me to make this career move. I enjoyed working with the main executive group I started with, and we were able to have an honest rapport that is rare in most companies.  While they did offer a raise in salary and generous stock incentive, it was the actions of the development lead, customer service manager, and the vision of the CEO, Paul McTaggart, that made me want to stick around beyond the role of a consultant.While I feel the transition has been seamless, I feel a much greater deal of pressure since my performance is based on how my entire team functions.  There is a greater expectation of setting and reaching goals, but so far so good.  My role as an employee does not allow me the luxury of saying my piece and moving on with my next project or adventure.  I feel far more vested on a professional and person level now that Dental Departures has hired me full time.My best advice is to consider how you get along with and relate to the executive team and managers to whom you will be reporting. I believe one of the biggest mistakes you can make is getting involved with a company that does not share the same vision, ethics, and goals that hold true for you. However, if the future of the company looks promising and you enjoy your time with your co-workers, go for it.  It certainly has worked out for me.

Why Jobseekers Should Use Recruitment Agencies

Why Jobseekers Should Use Recruitment Agencies A lot of people are torn about whether or not to use the services of a recruitment specialist. Everyone has their own opinion about it, and at the end of the day it is you who lands the job â€" your credentials, personality, and experience is what matters. However, hiring a recruitment specialist can help you in more ways than you think. If you don’t mind putting in a little bit of funds into your job search process, here are some reasons to consider a specialist recruiter! Get an answer to the age old question; “What’s your expected salary?” This is one of the hardest questions to answer in a job interview. Recruitment specialists can give you a rate that you truly deserve to use as a benchmark. Having an understanding of your skills and the knowledge of the true industry standard gives them an idea of what you should ask for. They know your industry. When applying for a job, it is important to have every aspect of the job search process customized to your industry’s standards. From what you should say in the interview, to what should be in your resume, to what you should wear to make the best impression, they will provide you expert advise. They have stronger presence. Since you can’t be in ten different places in one time, it would help to have someone who can connect you to all opportunities applicable to you locally or even abroad.  They’re able to know what jobs are there for you, even those that haven’t been released to the job market yet. If you’re targeting companies that you want to be a part of, they can even forward your resume to their contacts, giving you a better chance if not soon then later on. They can make your job search more cost effective and organized. Since communicating with you is one of the key roles of a recruitment agency, they will be able to really organize your applications and  save you the time, effort and money spent in going to and from companies that you have applied for. Have you used a recruitment agency as a jobseeker before? Tell us all about it! Tweet us @mscareergirl or comment below!

4 Things Every Business Accountant Should Know

4 Things Every Business Accountant Should Know Image via Flickr by Rosa MenkmanAn accounting career is one of the most lucrative in the professional world. The average salary for the profession is $53,300. In addition, the industry An accounting career is one of the most lucrative in the professional world. The average salary for the profession is $53,300. In addition, the industry forecasts 3.5 percent growth year after year. It’s a great time to work in this field. Here are four things every business accountant should know to guarantee a long and productive career. Automate Everything More accurately, automate as much you can. Regardless of your job skills and the reliability of your team, you’re all human and therefore prone to error. Software and bookkeeping apps are much more efficient for performing the same tasks. Whether you’re a zealot about spreadsheets or prefer using a total accounting solution,  like Sage, you can leverage accounting programs into a more efficient career. Get Organized One of the worst time burglars in the professional world is disorganization. If you waste a great deal of time searching for the appropriate documents and files, youre effectively throwing money away. You have a responsibility to the people signing your checks, and one of the finest ways to maximize your workday is through superior structure. Create a system that helps you locate things in a timely matter. Prioritize those items that you access most frequently by keeping them closest. It’s a similar tactic to the accounting principle of FIFO  (first-in, first-out). You choose to focus on certain documents above all others. In this case, it’s your most important items rather than the first or last ones. By organizing thusly, you’ll become a much more efficient employee, thereby enhancing your value to the company. Find a Routine One size never fits all when it comes to performing daily tasks. Everyone has a specific style that increases productivity. Discovering yours is the key to differentiating yourself from your peers. Are you an early riser? Consider scheduling your most important assignments first thing in the morning before your co-workers get going. That way, they won’t interrupt your flow. Consider using a planning app for your smartphone to create a more structured routine. Apps like Planner Plus help you identify necessary tasks and keep a more organized schedule. Follow the Money As an accountant, you are the gatekeeper. You determine whether bills are valid, and you also know sooner than anyone else how much money the company is making. Perform your daily, weekly, monthly and annual tasks to ensure that every balance sheet points toward a better tomorrow for your business. There are many details to this wide-ranging goal, but they’re easy to divide into manageable assignments. Record all transactions, document and file receipts, pay all vendors and send out invoices in a timely manner, evaluate company cash flow, and anticipate future revenue and expenses in an orderly fashion. All of these tasks are crucial to the betterment of the business. Working as a business accountant is a wonderful career choice. You’ll always have job opportunities, and you’ll have the confidence that your job matters. All you need is to follow these steps to excel in the workplace.

5 Rules for Profitable Time Management

5 Rules for Profitable Time Management Photo Credit â€" Shutterstock.com“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days”, says Zig Ziglar.Do you often have much to do and you don’t have enough time nor the resources to help you do them? Time wasted in a business is letting go of opportunities to make more profits. With an array of distractions from social media, texting, emails time is wasted so easily at work. It impacts your productivity and your profitability.The secret to creating profitable time management is to live by a set of rules. Before you do, you need to be fully onboard with that rule. This can deeply impact you manage your time and make more money out of it.evalIf you were looking to be more effective,look at where your time is wasted the most. This is the best place to start.Take a look at this list carefully to see if you are wasting your time:Taking unnecessary calls.Addiction to Netflix Here is the Eisenhower Matrix to help you to do:Urgent and Important For example, you have these great ideas or you may even be a great presenter but you don’t have the skills nor the patience to write a report on it. So instead of struggling through it and wasting your time, delegate such tasks.You can always outsource to a copywriter or editor to get the writing done for you. Working with freelancers may cost you a fraction, save your time and get you a better output. If you work from home, hire a maid to do the cleaning and cooking.Then you can focus on the productive time that makes you more money. This is an excellent path to profitable time management.4. Don’t Feel Guilty about DowntimeOnce you aware where your time goes, you will be in a position to create a schedule for your day. If you have the work ethic of an ox, then you will burnout and stop running your business. This hurts your profitability in a big way. Reward yourself with timely breaks to recharge and rejuvenate your mind and body.Downtime gives you the much-needed space for yours elf, so you can think. You can’t keep hustling from daybreak to midnight. Make your downtime count. This will help you stay sharp in your sales negotiations (and increase profitability!)5. Plan the Next DayIf you think about it, you are spent at the end of the day, tired and are most unproductive. At the beginning of day has the most potential for productivity and profitability! If you start working on yesterday’s debacles, then you’re squandering precious time. With a pre-planned day, you can kickstart your work as soon as possible.Consider these tips to plan for your next day, today.Respond to emails in under 30 minutes.Close all the unwanted tabs on your devices to have a fresh start tomorrow.Write down your to-do list to reduce mental clutter and get more mental control.When your day is on schedule, planned and devoid of distractions, you are better prepared. Thereby creating a profitable time management for you and your business.

Retiring to an Adventure - CareerEnlightenment.com

One such example is Jim and Connie Ford of Texas.   Both retired from their local school district, she was an office manager and he was the director of maintenance.   They have worked for 10 years post retirement, at Yellowstone Park.   Connie works in the reservation department and Jim works maintaining the beauty of the campground.   They work a May through Labor Day schedule, 5 days a week, living in an RV they hookup in the Yellowstone campgrounds.   As they both said: “You are dealing with the public and that’s why you’re there.   You have to like the outdoors and meeting people.”   It’s clear they both do.There must be something in the whole idea of a seasonal job that the general population has yet to figure out.   You get to live in some of the most scenic, beautiful locations on earth.   You get a change of pace. Your expenses are minimal.   You usually get housing and sometimes gourmet meals.   Most jobs you get paid for and you meet some of the most interesting p eople you will ever come across.  Who wouldn’t want to this kind of work? If you can’t figure out what to do with the rest of your life, surf through the www.coolworks.com and get inspired.   Your retirement can be an adventure.You can claim you Free Instant Access to my powerful “Should I   Stay or Should I Go” System when you visit : Get your copy of Should I Stay or Should I Go!   You’ll get Strategic Career adaption strategies and more… Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran The Introvert Whisperer Leadership Champion dedicated to helping you claim and live to your full potential.

Writing an Effective Resume For Mid-Career Change

Writing an Effective Resume For Mid-Career ChangeWriting an effective resume for mid-career change, is not as hard as you might think. If you have been working for a while and are already at the point where you want to switch companies, then you may have come across an interviewer who asks you for your resume. It is important that you present yourself professionally. You can easily change your job description and the number of years you have worked for a company by simply changing your resume.First, the most important step you can take when starting to search for a new company is to assess what kind of employee you want to work for you. You do not want to be a stereotypical workaholic. You need to look for someone who is motivated and enthusiastic about the job. A motivated worker will take up a challenging role and provide as much satisfaction to the company as possible.There are a whole host of things you should consider when choosing a new position. The first thing is the length o f time you have been working for the company. When starting out, you can start at the lowest level possible. Just like changing your address on a standard form, your resume is valid at the position you applied for if you have been with the company less than a year. If you have been with the company less than two years, you will need to submit a separate cover letter and cover resume.The second thing to consider is how long you have wanted to change careers. If you have been with the company for quite some time, then you are likely to change jobs. If you are very fresh to the job market, you will want to ensure that your skills are up to date and that you can fulfill the new position's requirements.For new employees, they may be asking for a resume that is more general in nature and geared towards the company than someone who has been with the company for a while. This is because the company has just been founded or they are not necessarily looking for a person with experience. A cas ual worker can fit in more seamlessly because there is less pressure on them.Employers are looking for people who will be able to take on different responsibilities in their new role. In the early stages of your new job, you may be asked to carry out administrative duties such as handling invoices, handling customers and working on team building activities. As you progress through the ranks, you may be required to take on more of the company's responsibilities.Every company has different roles and responsibilities. There may be a time when you need to help employees complete tasks or provide feedback. On these days, you may be expected to answer questions, gather information and do anything else that a potential employer would require of you. In short, you will be asked to assist in completing your role.When it comes to writing an effective resume for mid-career change, there are many elements to consider. If you follow the tips listed above, you will be able to remain confident thr oughout your job search.