Hack Your Job

Work can be a huge part of your life and it may be also be a huge source of stress! Maybe your job isn't quite that bad, but hey, taking a few steps to make it more enjoyable, less stressful, and more rewarding can't hurt, can it? Here are some great tips to get you onto the path of work bliss!

Don't Forget To Take A Vacation

Well, yes, this is obvious, but with such busy work schedules we often leave vacation time on the table. In order to take a vacation, it requires a bit of planning and we tend to put it off by thinking we'll use it eventually. While that may sometimes be true, you can have a much more effective and relaxing vacation by planning your time off.

Stop Being a Negative Nelly!

Perhaps you hate your job, and so does everyone else in the office. That doesn't mean you should necessarily be negative. The more you concentrate how negative it is, the worse it's going to feel. Not only that, you can easily create a hive mind mentality that breeds more negativity. Simply focusing on the positives can make a big difference. While, ultimately, you may want to quit, staying positive will make those final months easier to bear. The negative side may be inevitable, but if you give it extra (and possibly undue) attention it's only going to make things worse.

Pick The Right Tool For The Job

We have tons of devices and methods of communication, but they're all pretty useless if we don't play to their strengths. Using email for everything is a terrible idea because it encourages lengthier messages and frequent CC'ing, which is rarely good. You want to use speed-appropriate channels to communicate more effectively, like Twitter (or something like it) for quick messages and updates that don't require the length of an email. Your tablet computer and smartphone also make for a great place to offload distractions. The tools you already have are really all you need to communicate, but only if you're using them effectively.

Learn When To Ask For A Raise

LinkedIn found out that, ahrestatistically the most raises are given in January, June, and July. While other perks might be better than a raise (some of you would even be willing to take a pay cut for more job flexibility), if you're looking for higher pay you should think about asking for it during those months.

Beef Up Your Negotiation Skills

Having a good work life is a responsibility that rests mostly on your shoulders, and if you can't negotiate or even ask for the things that matter to you it will be a hard thing to achieve. Good negotiation skills are also very important when dealing with coworkers, especially if you're fighting for one of your ideas in a meeting or anything else that matters to you. Conflict isn't a bad thing if it's handled well, so if you don't know how to negotiate effectively you should make an effort to learn. We've looked at how to negotiate your way to getting paid what you're worth and negotiating your salary more effectively, which are good places to start, but you may also want to check out our top 10 negotiating tips and some tips on keeping the peace.

Make The Job You Want To Have

You may have dreams of becoming a deep sea explorer but can only get a job selling fish tacos, or you're stuck at a desk when you really want to be doing something more creative and artistic. Whatever your situation may be, you don't have to keep your dreams out of your current career just because they seem different. Think about what you like to do and how you can integrate that into your work. Don't leave your creativity and passion at home just because your job doesn't call for it. If you've got something you love that you can bring to the table, find a way to integrate it and it may become part of your daily routine.

[via Financial Post]

Bambi Blue is a freelance writer, editor, and social butterfly living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. When she's not blogging her little heart out for HealthCareJobsite.com, she moonlights as a jazz musician and most apparently a weisenheimer. Loves to cook, hates to clean, and can easily be found on Twitter. To read more of Bambi's posts, head toHealthCareJobsite.com and see additional job postings at Beyond.com.

Job Search 101 - Create an Attack Plan

Looking for a job can be overwhelming. Sometimes, it seems like it is just too hard, there is too much to do and when you aren't getting responses as quickly as you like, it is easy to lose hope and start to become frustrated.

They say that to make a task easier, you have to break it down into small steps. So, let's keep breaking down the job search steps, to make sure that you have all of your bases covered:

• Create an attack plan – You wouldn't just pick stocks or investments at random, so don't trust your job search to random luck and good timing. Do some research about your industry and find out where the growth is. Take a hard look at the number of jobs available in your field and see where your next step is. Maybe you need to get a certificate or some additional training to open up new avenues?
  
  
  Sit down and ask yourself some of these hard questions: What jobs are available that fit your skills and training? What companies are the leaders in this field in your area? How would you find out about any of their job openings? Are you willing to re-locate for a job? Would you be willing to take a position that was a step down from your previous one? Can you accept a lower salary? Is there any additional training that can be had that would increase your job opportunities? Answering these questions will help give you a more defined idea of what position you should be looking for.
  
  
  Next, you need to take a look at your financial situation. How much available credit do you have? What would you have to do to get more? What are your assets? What is your monthly budget, and how much can you cut out of it? How much money do you need to cover your basic expenses for a month? How long can you afford to be out of work? These question will let you know how much you are going to have to compromise in order to find the right job. It may mean that you will need to look for a part time job in order to continue your job search. Or maybe, you might have to think more seriously about taking a lesser paying job. But, by asking the question and finding the answers ahead of time, you can get a clear picture and not let fear push you into making bad decisions.
  
  
  Once you have a clear idea of where you want to go next in your career and how long you have to get there, you should start thinking about your networking strategy. Are there any professional organizations you could join to meet people in the industry? Who do you know that works for a company you want to work for? Could you ask them for a warm introduction? Do you know others in your area or field who are also out of work? Would they be interested in sharing job leads with you? Think about where and how you can get out and network with other professionals. Networking is one of the best ways to find out about new jobs and just to stay current on what is going on with your industry.

Keep an eye out for the next installment of Job Search 101.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Be sure to visit PhillyJobs.com

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Top Seven Email Etiquette Tips

According to a Radicati Group study, over 1.4 billion people used email as a form of communication in 2009. Moreover, the group predicts that this total is expected to rise to 1.9 billion users in 2013. With so many people using email worldwide – for both personal and career purposes, proper email etiquette is more important than ever.

Why is email etiquette important? Well, employees and managers do need to convey a professional image. Further, properly worded emails do allow people to sort through their email more quickly and therefore, proper email etiquette results in overall improved business efficiency. Interested in learning more about proper email etiquette? Read on!

#1 - Write Concise Subject Lines

For maximum efficiency, it is a good idea to ensure that the subject line of your email is relevant to the actual content in the email. In this way, the email recipient can better prioritize his or her email inbox without having to spend time opening the email.

#2 - Make it Personal

You should ensure that you personalize the email to a specific person. Otherwise, the email can end up sounding cold and indifferent on the recipient’s end.

#3 - Be Clear at all Times

Ensure that that the contents of the email are written in a succinct manner. Now is definitely not the time to write that Great American Novel! ;) Breaking the content into smaller paragraphs also makes the email that much easier to read for the recipient. Moreover, the email should answer any questions that were asked in previous emails and provide additional relevant information.

#4 - Remember to Use Spell-check

As most email programs do come equipped with a spell-check feature, it is a good idea to take advantage of this tool. In other words then, there is no excuse for misspellings and improper grammar use.

#5 - Answer all Emails Promptly

As you may already know, emails should be always be answered in a timely manner. For instance, most customers expect a response within a business day or at least within a twenty-four hour time period. If you are not able to send a complete reply, it is courteous to send a note to state that you will be sending a full reply as soon as you can.

#6 - Do not Forward Emails Without Permission

Today, many people forward emails without thinking twice about forwarding an email. However, as many work-related emails may contain sensitive information, it is an excellent idea not to forward any emails without first obtaining permission from the sender.

#7 - Do Not “Cry Wolf”

Only send emails designated as “urgent” when the email is actually a high priority one. For instance, if you always mark your “less than urgent” emails as “urgent”, most people will become desensitized to this designation; thus, when there is a real emergency, people will not treat the email the immediate attention that it deserves.

Well there you go! With these tips, you are well on your way to sending professional – and efficient – emails.

By: Larisa Redins