How To Enjoy Your Job...
    Or Find A New One!

Many people have money problems even when they work fulltime. Here are some ways to help.

Get some financial education

You need to know the financial basics. If you don’t know what assets and liabilities are or if you only have a vague sense of possibilities in investments, then you need to get some financial education. Read some books (there is a list under Recommended Reading), see a financial advisor or go to one of the many online sites that offer financial education. Once you understand how money works and how it can best be used, how you think about money will change.

Find out about investment options. Many people think the jargon around investing keeps them out of the game. But it doesn’t take too long before you understand some of the concepts and you can see there are many other ways to make money that are interesting and inspiring. People invest in many different ways depending on their interests and risk profile. You just need to have some curiosity and understand that the knowledge will benefit you, if you learn and take some action.

What are some of the questions you have about money and investments? Where can you find out the answers?

Take Action: Spend less than you earn

This may be basic, but so many people don’t actually do it!

For example, when you think about how much your salary is, you think of the gross amount (the amount before tax and deductions). If you divide this by 12, you may have a healthy monthly figure. But if you take out taxes, deductions like superannuation, insurance and then repayments and regular bills, it may not leave you much left over for the fun stuff. So you need to know what you earn AFTER deductions and what you are spending.

Spending money is addictive and a vice everyone enjoys to some extent. You work hard to buy more stuff and as you earn more, you spend more. If you get a raise, then you can buy that new car or new clothes, or get a better apartment in a better area.

But is it possible to do things differently?

• Think before you buy. Do you really need this? What does it add to your life right now? Are you buying it because of what you want other people to think? Will you still want it in six months? If not, is it worth it?
• Analyse your credit card bill. Go through the paper copy or download it. Categorise and total it based on the expenses e.g. supermarket shopping, takeaways and restaurants, entertainment etc. Look at how much you spent on things that weren’t necessary. How many items on your bill do you not even remember? Are you surprised by how much it adds up to?

How many of those expenses could you scale back and how much would it save you per week or per month?

My Home Office

1) Get stuff done. Away from water-cooler gossip, desk interruptions and meetings, you can power through those work tasks and still make time for coffee. Demonstrate to your boss that you can achieve more on a day from home, and you can ask for another one next week. Focus on being productive instead of just busy.

2) Work when you are most productive. You have the freedom to choose what hours to work. If you are a morning person, start early and be finished by mid-afternoon. Or have a lie in and take the afternoon shift.

3) Get some exercise.

4) Save money.

5) Save your family life.

6) Your company wants you to take the day at home. Studies show that working from home makes for a more motivated workforce, reduces sickness absences, reduces staff turnover and reduces office costs. It also helps reduce workplace stress which costs UK business 5 billion per year. (http://www.workwiseuk.org)

7) Save the planet. If all commuting workers spent one day less on the road, rail and bus systems per week, vehicle emissions would drop, air pollution would be reduced and the carbon footprint could be drastically cut.

So talk to your boss and make a case for a day at home this week that benefits everyone.

Maintaining great content in your resume is critical to making a good impression. Here are 6 tips for your resume content.

1. Create a Master resume that contains everything you have done that may be relevant for future work. Update your Master resume after every significant piece of work you do. It is often hard to remember the details of what you have done in the previous year, so update it every few months, even if it is just one line with what you have done in that time.
2. When applying for a specific job, study the requirements and competencies they require. Then create a copy of the Master resume and tailor it to the actual job, cutting out unrelated activities. Think carefully about what you want to include, as it is important to make your resume succinct and as relevant as possible to the job.
3. Include a short cover letter with a summary of your skills as they relate to this specific job, responding to any requirements from the job advert. Even if there is an application form, you can always attach a letter. Online applications generally have an upload option, or a text box for extra information. Have your cover letter on a file and paste it into the online form, rather than making something up on the spot. Work on this letter as you only have one chance to make a good impression.
4. Include a website address if you have one, but only if it directly relates to the job and is of a professional nature. Be careful with your online presence as this will be increasingly used in recruitment. Google yourself and make sure anything is complimentary and appropriate. Update your Facebook, mySpace or LinkedIn profiles as appropriate.
5. Consider whether you want to use a photo on your resume. This is a personal choice and it is not necessary.
6. Be careful about listing referees. I use “Referees available on request” on my resume as I do not want too many phone calls to the same people. I provide references if I am sure I want the job. In terms of getting references, always remember that you may need someone’s word in the future. When you are leaving a job, try to stay on good terms with people as you may need them later. Another way to use references is to attach written references or positive feedback to your resume. This can be an effective way of standing out in the pile of applications. These references provide testimonials as to your character and skills. But be aware that the company will most likely call those people to verify they are true.

Companies that communicate retain more staff and increase job satisfaction for their employees. But ineffective communication can be worse than none at all. Here are six ways to communicate effectively within the organisation.

· Set clear expectations. If you hold a weekly communications meeting, then make sure there is an agenda that informs people about what you will communicate. People will know what is being covered and can save their questions for the appropriate time. It also ensures all topics are covered. Make sure items are varied, relevant and interesting so people look forward to these sessions.

· Ask people what they want to know. So often management will drive meetings based on what they want to tell employees, and not necessarily about what is on people’s minds. Turn this around and ask instead. Send out an anonymous survey or ask for emailed questions to a central address. Allow people to ask anything they want of management. You may be surprised at what people are concerned about. Communication is a two-way street, so be prepared to listen and then broadcast the most useful answers.

· Be clear and concise. People want to be communicated with, but do not need more than a summary most of the time. Cut meetings short if there is not much to share, and make sure they finish on time. Be specific, decisive and articulate about each topic. If people are speaking, do not allow them to monopolise and take over the meeting. Time is precious, so move things along. Make sure there is follow up to people who were involved. If decisions were made and actions were taken, ensure minutes are sent out promptly.

· Communicate in different ways. Face to face meetings are just the beginning. Conference calls are an effective way to get participants from global locations, and presentations can be seen onscreen over the web. Internal newsletters and intranet pages can also be ways of broadcasting communication. Some companies now use e-zines (electronic newsletters) which individuals can contribute to and subscribe to within the organisation. Again, allow feedback and suggestions for improvement.

· Take a risk. Some CEOs and executives have maintained a distance between themselves and employees, and have not revealed much of their personality. Others embrace communication as a part of their daily work. Some CEOs have started blogs as a way of communicating to employees and the world. The most high profile of these is the President of Sun Microsystems, Jonathan Schwartz, http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/ but there are many others. Sun even has a blog policy acknowledging and allowing that people will communicate online. Accept that people will blog and your corporation stories will get online and you will get feedback. This type of communication will only accelerate with Gen Y employees. Use that information to improve the company and the risk will pay off.

· Be truthful and respect your audience. Your integrity is always on show when you speak and communicate something, even if it is not important news. People generally know something of what is going on in the company and just want the gaps filled in. Be sincere and respectful of the intelligence of your audience, whoever they are. People will see through half-truths and when the truth is revealed, your honesty is on the line. In these days of mass communication, transparency and integrity is valued in every organisation.

Effective communications can transform your company, so make it a central part of your corporate strategy.