Friday, November 29, 2019

How to Easily Expand Your Role at Work - The Muse

How to Easily Expand Your Role at Work - The MuseHow to Easily Expand Your Role at Work Even if things are going well at work, you cant help but think youd be happier if you were doing mora. Maybe its a project youre dying to get involved in. Or a skill youd love to build. Or a team youd like to work more closely with.Ive been there myself. I loved the ins and outs of being a headhunter, but I wasnt fulfilled. So, I branched out, and in addition to my recruiting responsibilities, I started writing articles for my companys blog. Of course, as you know, doing this can be a little tricky. Every organization comes with its own nuances and ways to best navigate the landscape- a.k.a., your manager can make this really easy or really hard, depending on how much they value your growth and how much room there actually is in your role or on your team to expand. But the truth is that your career development is on you- and theres no reason you cant explore your options. Heres how you can expand your role to work on things that matter to you (without overstepping those scary boss boundaries).1. Make it Clear How Youll Add ValueWhen pursuing a new project or responsibility, consider the value itll have on the companys bottom line. What problem is it solving? How is it making things more efficient? How is it helping your team or company reach its goals? How does your involvement benefit everyone? The more you can quantify or explain the output of your new passion project, the more likely youll get the green light (and possibly the budget) from your boss to run with it.(Weve even made you this ackerschnacker worksheet to plan out your pitch. Just click File Download as any file type youd like to get started.)Early in my career working in sales at a Fortune 500 company, I decided to branch out into people development. It was a far cry from my job description, but I wanted the experience, so I came up with the idea of putting together a mentoring program for the entire Southea st Division. The idea stemmed from new employees wanting to build a connection with management but unsure of how to break the ice. As the program grew and ultimately enhanced company culture, over 100 teammates directly benefited from my work. It bridged a gap by introducing less-experienced employees to leadership, gave those who were mid-level an opportunity to lead as a mentor and network up as a mentee, and provided the bosses with an opportunity to see first-hand what their direct reports were working on. The program was set up so that everybody won.When you invite others to participate, as well as benefit, from your work, you gain their support and encouragement (and the support and encouragement of your boss). Plus, looping others in lets you pick their brain and learn from their various expertise.2. Capitalize on Learning OpportunitiesDoes your company host lunch-and-learns or workshops, or allow employees to attend conferences? Get involved in anything that piques your inte rest- seriously, thats what theyre there for. If its not hosted by your team but is up your alley, ask your manager if you can shadow another departments training (if you get all your work done).Then, bring back a new approach you learned and teach it to your colleagues, or use it to improve one of your current systems, or use it as a framework for future projects. By showing that youre becoming a more valuable employee from these experiences, you encourage your managers to want to invest more time and money into them- and more time and money into your personal growth.If these kinds of professional development opportunities arent readily available for you, consider doing your own research for classes or conferences youd like to attend and asking your boss for some allocated budget (heres how to do that). Remember You might get a no to any of the above, but you wont ever get a yes if you dont ask. If all else fails, theres always room for growth that can be found outside of your 9-to -5. Consider volunteering, freelancing, taking on contract work, or attacking a passion project. Whether on the clock or off, when you feel that its time to expand, choose your path and go for it Its never too late.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

A financial expert shares how to save (and budget) for a vacation

A financial expert shares how to save (and budget) for a vacationA financial expert shares how to save (and budget) for a vacationMillennials are a little different from ur parents and grandparents generations. We want to binnensee the world, and we favor companies that afford us the opportunity to do so. Forbes reported that millennials spend nearly $600 billion a year, and more and more of that money spent is going toward traveling. With companies like Travel Noire or Remote Work, we are able to cultivate experiences through travel and open up our minds to something much bigger than our neighborhood or our comfort zones. We got a chance to speak with millennial finance expert Stefanie OConnell, who shared tips to keep at the top of our minds for a cost-effective and enjoyable vacation.Be flexible with your destination and do some researchIn the beginning stages of your leisure travel planning, youre more than likely going to think of destinations you would like to visit. Several th ings can help to make a destination look enjoyable, like the weather, the activities associated with the location, and if youre like me, the price point. When considering where Id like to go, I begin by asking myself if this trip will deplete my savings, if I can truly afford it or if I will have to eat Top Ramen when I come home.A great place to begin answering those questions? Websites like Skyscanner, where you can see ideal travel dates for certain locations, or which places are cost effective in the months you want to travel. Other websites/apps like Hopper, Airfare Watchdog, or Google Flights can help you further identify the best timing and the costs associated with those travels. There are tons of ways to save, but you just have to do some research.Millennial finance expert Stefanie OConnell echoes that point by saying, Im a big fan of finding insider deals by scouring reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor. I also love a good Airbnb find - both homes and experiences. Additionally , being flexible with when and how you travel can be a great asplatzset during the early stages of planning. Plan trips around friends or family visits for example, using public transit, traveling in the offseason, or using deal sites on local attractions, says OConnell.You CAN save for your future and for fun at the same timeAccording to a new survey from Citi AA MileUp, 38% of consumers say that budgeting for a trip is the most stressful and least enjoyable part of vacation planning. Theres also a misconception that if you are saving for a trip, you cant save for your future. To ease that anxiety, there are a few things to consider.The best strategy for a vacation is to set money aside all year long. I recommend opening up a dedicated savings account for your vacation and travel goals and contributing a small percentage of each paycheck to it, says OConnell. Setting aside 5% or even as little as 2% each paycheck can go a long way over time. By saving for your vacations in a separa te savings account, youll get a clear picture of what trips you can and cant afford to take just by checking the balance of your accounts.Going back to your personal savings, OConnell says the same way in which you are hoping to make traveling a priority, you need to do the same with your personal savings goals. In the same way you prioritize setting aside the savings for your vacation, I recommend setting aside savings for your future - as a percentage of each paycheck. Better yet, automate the savings process so that as soon as your paycheck lands in your checking account, a portion of it gets automatically rerouted to your various savings goals. When you dont see the money in your checking account, youre less likely to think of it as money you have available to spend at that moment.Find a Side HustleIf you want to be like Aladdin and Jasmine and see the whole world, but your budget is saying girl, no, consider taking on a side hustle. The beauty in side hustles is that its somet hing youre doing on the side and it doesnt have to take on a major time commitment like your full-time position. A great way to make your side hustle work for you is to center it around something that you actually enjoy.For instance, if youre a shopper - look into being a mystery shopper, stylist, or even selling clothes you want to get rid of on Poshmark or ThredUp. You can tutor, or write, or drive Uber/Lyft, be a book reviewer, or anything that you want to bring in extra funds. If traveling is a priority for you, you will find what works best for your situation and time. If you take on a few weekends of babysitting now, maybe you can afford that bachelorette party weekend in cash come fall - without dipping into your long-term savings to afford it, says OConnell.The silver lining at the end is that spending those extra hours per week can afford you the opportunity to go places you want like Bali, Italy, or Greece.This article was originally posted on TheEverygirl.com.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Top Jobs Now Hiring at UPS

Top Jobs Now Hiring at UPSTop Jobs Now Hiring at UPSIf brown is your color, then you should be the first to know that the United Parcel Service of North America (UPS) is hiring.UPS is a global package delivery company headquartered in Seattle that serves North America, Europe and 200-plus countries around the world. UPS employees work hard to deliver approximately 17 million packages daily while providing other specialized domestic, zwischenstaatlich and freight packing and shipping services. UPS is hiring more than 500 locations around the world in shipping, operations and corporate. Here are five of the most popular jobs theyve listedfor the stereoAssistant Store ManagerThe Assistant Store Manager handles the day-to-day management of the center and provides world-class customer service in printing, packing, shipping and mailboxes. The Assistant Store Manager serves three customer segments the home-based businessperson, the business traveler and the personal consumer. In this role, the focus will be on directing the daily work efforts of the center staff, executing the day-to-day business requirements of running the center and delivering outstanding customer service to each of our customers.Average salaries for Assistant Store Manager $30,000 $40,000ort requirements Bachelors degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, or related field PreferredMasters degree PreferredMasters degree in Business Administration PreferredMust be a U.S. Citizen or National of the U.S., an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien authorized to work in the U.S. for this employer.Must currently be in the same geographic location as the job or be willing to relocate yourself there.Must have a Bachelors degree (or internationally comparable degree) or be a current UPS employee with a minimum of three years of UPS experience.Apply for this jobNew Product DevelopmentThe New Product Development Concepts Analyst uses internal and external resources to investigate new products and services concepts and project the impact those concepts will have on the marketplace and UPSs market share position. The person in this position reviews findings and provides recommendations based on business analysis. This position may also have supervisory responsibility for administrative or technical employees.Average salaries for New Product Development $50,000Position requirements Must be a U.S. Citizen or National of the U.S., an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien authorized to work in the U.S. for this employer.Must currently be in the same geographic location as the job or be willing to relocate yourself there.Must have a Bachelors degree (or internationally comparable degree) or be a current UPS employee with a minimum of three years of UPS experience.Must have experience in new product development.Must be willing to travel.Apply for this jobSenior Applications DeveloperThe UPS Senior Applications Developer provides input and support for full systems life cycle management activities (e.g., analysis, technical requirements, design, coding, testing, implementation of systems and applications software, etc.). This role is responsible for participating in component and data architecture design, technology planning and testing for Applications Development (AD) initiatives. This position also provides input to applications development project plans and integrations. Average salaries for Senior Applications Developer $75,000 $91,000Position requirements Must be a U.S. Citizen or National of the U.S., an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien authorized to work in the U.S. for this employer.Now or in the future UPS employment sponsorship, such as H1B, TN, J-1, F-1, etc., is not needed in order to start or continue temporary or permanent employment with UPS.Primary Skills in SQL Programming using MSBI (SSAS, SSIS, SSRS, and Enterprise SharePoint).The desired Senior Applications Developer will posse ss a degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, Statistics or related field or the equivalent in education and work experience.Apply for this jobCenter AssociateThe Full-Time Center Associate is responsible for delivering world-class customer service to UPS retail customers. In the day-to-day, the Center Associate receives and processes packages for courier shipment and operates copiers, fax machines, binding equipment, laminating machines, and point-of-sale devices. Average salaries for Center Associate $23,000Position requirements Previous retail schlussverkauf experience. Strong computer and internet skills. A high school diploma or GED. A friendly and genuinely helpful demeanor. A professional appearance. This candidate must be a fast learner who makes an effort to learn all aspects of the business in the shortest possible time.Apply for this jobRead more about working for the UPS on the UPS Careers Page and by searching Simply Hireds Search Engine for UPS job s. Then prepare for your interview with these tips. If youre interested in companies similar to the UPS, see United States Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, and YRC Worldwide.