WorkReply Career Blog

Be More Productive

2012-11-19T09:32:00.000-08:00

Are you productive enough? Productivity demands have risen and failure to meet demands will have dire consequences. The ball is no longer in your court. You have two options: speed up or ship out.

What is posed to you is not IF you meet demands, rather HOW you meet demands.

How do you meet the ever increasing productivity demands of your employer?

Why You Should Use LinkedIn

2012-11-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

In high school, you learned something. Everyone who knew and engaged the popular kids moved very far up the social ladder. In professional circles, LinkedIn IS that group of popular kids. The group is social. The group has a code. The group is known by everyone. If you want to go anywhere, in any professional circle, you better use LinkedIn.

Wait Or Quit?

2012-05-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

You've been with the same company for years. You were told that mobility, promotion, was not only possible, but highly probable. Your employee evaluations have never been faulty. You are the most productive employee you know. But years later, you're in the same position. No promotion. No hope. What now?

In a situation such as this, you have 2 options, wait it out or quit. Without having employment already secured, the stupidest thing you can do, is leave your current job. So quitting is an option we're going to take off the table, you're smarter than that. That leaves the option to wait. But that considered, you must remember that only a fool thinks you can do the same thing and expect different results. Something has to change. But what?

You obviously have very little to no control over your supervisor or the company for that matter, so that change must happen on your end.

What do you change?

How do you change what needs to be changed?

When do you change what needs to be changed?

Most importantly, why do you change what needs to be changed when you change it?

The change that needs to be made is one of more control. You make the change of assuming more control over your career by sitting with management and making your intentions clear. Maybe they were not clear on the fact that progress was part of your plan. When having this meeting, ask them, point blank, exactly what you need to do to move forward in your career with the company. It's important to make sure that while you want to make your professional intentions clear, you don't want to sound as if you are giving the company demands or an ultimatum. The meeting has made a turn for the worst if at any point you start discussing your options elsewhere, outside the company.

The point at which you attempt to assume more control of your career is when you stop making progress or your ability to make progress is impeded. This point will be different for everyone. A good way to determine if you have reached this point, is to start by having career goals with measurable dates of accomplishment. If your date of accomplishment has come and gone, this would be considered a time to assume more control of your career. Your reason for making this change will be your own. Maybe the reason is financial, emotional, who knows. Frankly, it does't matter. What matters is that you are clear on why change must be made. This will serve as your motivation to make progress. Without motivation, how can you be moved to make a change?

Your motives to change, will push you towards progress. You can only make measurable progress in your career if you are making measurable progress with management. How do you make progress with management? You provide value. As is stressed all the time here at WorkReply, provide value to your organization. That is the only thing that matters. When you provide value, everything else, progress included, will follow, guaranteed.

What are some of the best ways people, regardless of industry or position, can provide value to their organization?

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Train Your Brain

2012-04-25T05:59:00.001-07:00

Having a successful career takes a lot of brain power. But how do you develop this strength? Is it innate or learned?

"You Can't Run A Marathon Without Proper Training."

We can train our brain to be as strong as our body, if not stronger. It sounds like something we should all be doing, training our brain for the workforce Olympics. But many of us don't do it. It's easy to forget to do. It's a common thing to forget.

It all starts with your mind. Think about it like this, you can't run a marathon without proper training. Your occupational lifetime is a marathon, it lasts decades. Can you think of someone who can run a several decade long marathon without proper training? I highly doubt it. Training is part of the rat race. Mind over matter will ensure that you will last on the road to career success.

So how do you train your brain?

Have a Mantra: Write it down. To make sure your mantra will live through the sweat of the daily grind, use permanent marker. Read your mantra before work, during breaks, after lunch before you go back to work, after work and any other time that you need to read it.

Have Positive Mental Images: Keep mental images of those you love and things that make you happy. When things get difficult at work, call upon your mental images to pull you through. Give your positive mental images the ability to rid your mind of negative thoughts, so you can keep your mind on the rat race.

Visualize: Close your eyes. Complete your day at work in your mind, before your day has even started. This will allow you to have peace of mind and confidence while you are performing your duties during working hours, because you have already mentally completed them.

Make Things More Manageable: Instead of thinking of your day as an 8 hour day, think of it as 8 lunch breaks. We all know that lunch breaks tend to go by VERY fast. Think about making it from your current task, to the next. Don't think any further ahead than that. Stay in the moment during working hours and don't think too far ahead.

Learn: Push your mental limits and overcome them with constant training, so that when called upon, you can execute with confidence. You will have confidence and peace of mind knowing that you have been trained to do what needs to be done.

During your career, everyday, won't be fun. Everyday won't be perfect. But continuous mental training will keep you fit and well prepared for the decades long marathon.

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Equal Pay Twitter Chat

2012-04-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, April 20, the Labor Department and National Equal Pay Task Force is hosting a Twitter Chat. Chances are, you'll be tweeting anyway, so why not join the conversation? Do you really want to miss an opportunity to talk with these VIP's about equal pay?

On Friday, April 20, at 12pm EDT, take the opportunity to talk with The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, The Department of Justice and The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, all of which are members of the President's National Equal Pay Task Force. Take this opportunity to talk with these important people about what matters most to you, the need for equal pay.

In addition to the President's National Equal Pay Task Force, the The Public Policy and Government Relations Director from The American Association of University Women, Lisa Maatz (@LisaMaatz) and Latinos in Social Media Vice-Chair, Elianne Ramos (@ergeekgoddess), will also be attending the event.

Participate in, or follow, the chat by using the hashtag #equalpaychat. If you have questions you want answered, send them to @USDOL.

Hope to see you there!!!

Writing A Resignation Letter

2012-04-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

Thinking about resigning from your current position? To depart from your current position in a formal, formidable manner, make sure to effectively utilize a resignation letter.

Make it as straightforward and concise as possible.
Make sure that it doesn't burn a potential bridge you may need to cross again. Keep it positive and free of anything that even remotely suggests or hints at negativity.

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The Equal Pay App

2012-03-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

Women make less on the dollar than men. The Obama administration is working to crack down on equal pay violations.

Recently, the Department of Labor, in partnership with the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force, launched an innovation initiative to eliminate the inequality in gender pay. On average, women make less on the dollar than men.

Overall, the Obama Administration is working to crack down on equal pay violations. This all started with the first bill President Obama signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, with assists women in recovering lost wages as the result of pay discrimination.

So what does all pf this have to do with an Equal Pay App?

The previously mentioned innovation initiative calls on developers to create an easy-to-use app the not only educates app users about equal pay, but provides them tools and resources to combat equal pay discrimination as well.

The winner for the innovation initiative, who creates the best Equal Pay App, will be announced next month, in April. We'll be sure to keep you in the loop and update you as we get more information. In the meantime, tell us, is the Equal Pay App an app you would use?

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2013 Department of Labor Budget & Your Career

2012-03-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

The 2013 Department of Labor budget reflects fiscal responsibility, while demonstrating a willingness to invest in career training and much needed worker protection.

The Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis

According to the Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis, "We are at a make or break moment for the middle class, and the Labor Department's fiscal year 2013 budget request reflects our commitment to supporting an American economy that's built to last... Our budget request focuses on programs that will help keep America's workforce strong and innovative, while providing needed worker protections. It also makes responsible and reasonable cuts that are rooted in current economic realities and a continued focus on increased efficiency and effectiveness."

The 2013 Department of Labor budget calls for investments in programs that assist individuals in their efforts to secure and retain gainful employment and supports veterans. The department seeks to do this in a manner that is not only effective, but efficient. The Department of Education will work with and assist in the funding of a Workforce Innovation Fund, which will support innovative, systemic and evidence-based reforms in the workforce system. The Departments of Labor and Education will also work together on a new $8 billion Community College to Career Fund, to help community colleges provide pathways to high-skilled jobs in high-growth industries.

While there are a lot of good things about the budget, it reflects difficult choices and consolidations that some may find not so favorable. Everything was done to maximize overall budget and program effectiveness and efficiency. The budget also seeks to demonstrate the commitment to enhancing worker health and safety. In addition to the aforementioned, the budget will fight violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act- allowing workers the benefits and protections they are legally entitled.

The 2013 Department of Labor Budget will work to provide you, and your career, with strength, innovation and protection. If you are unemployed, the budget will prove to be of great benefit to your efforts to secure and retain employment. The 2013 Department of Labor Budget not only maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the budget and program, it maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of your career.

Utilizing LinkedIn

2012-03-05T13:18:00.001-08:00

Your LinkedIn profile can be significantly longer than a resume, however, it’s still important to use short substantive soundbites!

Career Stress Reductions

2012-03-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

If you have a career, you know that stress is part of the game. You work when you're ill. You refuse to take vacations/time off. You miss family events. You've forced yourself to believe that the resulting stress is something that you must live with.

You CAN cope with stress better.

You MUST cope with stress better.

To cope with stress, you must adjust your attitude and be willing to make the tough decisions. This will lead to an easier, healthier, more fulfilling life in the long run.

Ways to reduce your career stress:

Take control of your career.
Effectively and efficiently manage your time, on and off the clock.
Prioritize- and hold yourself accountable for making things that are most important to you a priority.
Make an attitude adjustment.

Writing Well

2012-02-23T13:23:00.000-08:00

Writing well is an essential part of your entire career, from start to finish.

How to write well:

Proofread.
Treat written communication with an extreme level of professionalism.
Effectively communicate by appropriately communicating with your audience.

Writing well can get you a job.

Writing well is something that employers value.

Continuing Education

2012-02-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

It's no question that in today's times, many professionals are continuing their education while actively pursuing their careers. But what happens when the avenue you take to pursue your educational interests is non-traditional?

Professionals of today are utilizing flexible education methods that allow them to complete their degrees, while working full time.

When deciding to further your education with a non-traditional method, as with a traditional method, do your homework. Especially if going the distance (online/home based) learning route, verify the credentials of not only the organization but the professors as well.

Make your educational experience exceptional!

For information on resources available to you that can assist with

continuing your education:

Click Here.

Career Change

2012-02-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

Before you change careers:

Narrow down your passion.
Identify your dream industry and narrow that down to your dream job.
Create an action plan.

Professional Networks & The Sexes

2012-02-07T04:35:00.000-08:00

Since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sexual discrimination in this country has been banned.

We now live in a country that encourages diversity on the workplace.

But are we doing enough to ensure that everyone, based upon qualifications and regardless of sex, has equal opportunities for success?

Who is really responsible for ensuring equal opportunity for success?

Recent research shows that women are less likely to have equal opportunity for professional success because they are less likely to be knowledgeable about opportunities compared to men.

Why is this occurring?

This is occurring because women are not making the same connections men are.

Because of homophily and colloquially, both men and women reach out to and connect with, often times, those of the same sex. Overall, the networks of women contain more women than they do men, while the networks of men contain more men than they do women.

Because of this, and considering the fact that men hold a majority of the senior level positions, women are less likely to not only hear about the positions, but they are also less likely to be connected with individuals who hold influence. By the time this news reached the social networks of men, given the make up of their networks, information about the opportunity is typically passed on to more men than women.

Point blank, women need to emulate the networks of their male counterparts to assist in the assurance of their personal, professional success. Women, the simple message here, the simple thing that could be standing in the way of your success, is the addition of more men in your social networks.

Unprofessionalism @ Work

2012-02-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law, especially the law of being professional at work.

Besides the obvious risk of disciplinary actions being taken, if you behave unprofessionally at work, you also risk losing your employment.

Unprofessionalism won't just impact your current job, it has the potential to impact your entire career. Unprofessionalism can seriously damage your reputation. We live in a world where people talk, people network, people switch jobs and companies. Don't fool yourself into thinking that what happens at your company, stays at your company. It doesn't.

The repercussions of Unprofessionalism see no title. No matter your title and/or position, if you behave unprofessionally at work, you risk the same repercussions as everyone else, up to and including termination.

Avoid being unprofessional at work and avoid the risk of being terminated, the risk of being denied a raise/promotion, the risk of losing respect and the risk of damaging your future career prospects and progression.

Welcome To Career Randomness

2012-01-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

I really don't know what to write for the first post in our Career Blog. Today has been an extremely long day, ESPECIALLY with working with our back end clients, employers. So, let me share something that has been on my mind all day...

At this juncture, I suppose this post is useful if you are employed in a Human Resource capacity.

_______________________________________________

AVOID HIRING OUT OF DESPERATION

Never, ever, ever hire out of desperation! If you are in the position to hire employee's, as a member of an HR department, if you REALLY need to fill a vacant position.... you will hire poorly. Hiring starts before you even know you need to do it.

If you work in HR, start your recruiting efforts WELL BEFORE you know of your need. The best time to recruit is when you have no open positions.

That's all I've got...

For now.