Buddha
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."
Buddha
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
Buddha
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
Friday, July 27, 2012
What's New - Friday, July 27, 2012
Earn $1 Million By Climbing The Corporate Ladder
The path to becoming a millionaire shortens with every major step you take up the corporate hierarchy. Jump from a human resources administrator to manager, for instance, and you become eligible for greater supplemental income like bonuses and stock options.
Read more...
A $100,000 Factory Job. What's Uncool About That?
What's uncool about a $100,000 factory job? These days not much. In fact, factory jobs -- once considered back-breaking and low-paying -- have become high-tech and high-salaried.
Read more...
Top 10 In-Demand Careers
Want to pursue an in-demand career with high-pay potential? Check out these 10 great options.
Read more...
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
Read more...
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
"I want a big career, a big man, and a big life. You have to think big - that's the only way to get it... I just couldn't stand being anonymous."
Mia Farrow
Photo by Chris Zapata Viado
Mia Farrow
Have a great weekend everyone and be safe!
Photo by Chris Zapata Viado
Earn $1 Million By Climbing The Corporate Ladder
By Donna Rosato | Yahoo! Finance
The path to becoming a millionaire shortens with every major step you take up the corporate hierarchy. Jump from a human resources administrator to manager, for instance, and you become eligible for greater supplemental income like bonuses and stock options.
Photo: iStock Photo
Take another big leap up to HR director, and your overall compensation really swells -- by more than 40%. The good news: You don't have to make it all the way to the C-suite to see real benefits.
Part of a special report on How to reach $1 million this story explains how moving up the corporate ladder can put you on your way to the millionaire class.
KEY MOVE: Secure one more big promotion that gives you real authority.
HOW TO GET THERE
Start by managing others' careers, not just your own. In virtually every job, workers who have people reporting to them earn more than individual contributors.
Over the course of a 40-year career, the median lifetime pay for those who supervise one or more workers amounts to nearly $1 million more than for non-managers.
Even people with the same title will earn more if they're in charge of others. A software developer with three direct reports earns a median salary of $74,000, vs. $66,000 for developers who oversee no one, notes Katie Bardaro of salary research site PayScale.com.
Don't be a company man or woman. Even if you're earning promotions, staying with the same firm for many years can still lead to salary stagnation, says Bonnie Sharps, executive vice president at executive search firm DHR.
Pay hikes tied to promotions range from 5% to 7%. External hires, however, earn nearly 20% more than workers advanced from within, according to Wharton professor Matthew Bidwell.
Go to far lengths to get that promotion and the reward can be even bigger.
Just ask Matt Payne. After grad school, Payne worked for an energy company in California. But with the high cost of living there and $25,000 in student loans, he was having a hard time making ends meet, let alone getting ahead. Then he heard about a more lucrative position at an oil firm.
The catch: The job was in Qatar. "I knew the higher salary that came with a job abroad would allow me to pay off my loans faster and give me a leg up on savings." He got the job and doubled his pay.
Recruit powerful mentors. How do you start reaching for that next rung?
Get to know people who can offer you valuable career advice and recommend you for openings in their sphere of influence. "The most successful people I know have had multiple mentors and coaches throughout their career," says Ford Myers, a career coach and the author of "Get the Job You Want, Even When No One Is Hiring."
Dainon Haggard, a 31-year-old vice president of sales and business development for an entertainment promotions company in Salt Lake City, has taken this to heart.
Shortly after being hired at his firm, he reached out to an executive VP and asked her to mentor him. "I told her that I admire her success and felt I could learn a lot from her," says Haggard. "When I asked if I could bounce ideas off of her, she was more than happy to talk with me."
Now, he periodically invites her to join him on his sales calls so she can critique him. Haggard hasn't stopped there. He networks at industry events and now counts a CEO and a venture capitalist among his network of mentors.
GETTING INTO GEAR
Don't wait for your company to train you. Take classes on your own, attend industry seminars, and earn certifications that are in demand in your field to expand your skill set and stand out.
Be an expert, not an employee. Write papers, give speeches, get involved with leadership positions with professional organizations and associations within your field. It'll raise your profile and expand your network.
Know your going rate. When it's time to negotiate salaries and raises, use compensation sites like PayScale, GlassDoor.com, and Vault.com to figure out what pay range is appropriate for what you do. Then negotiate for the upper end of the range.
TAKING A BIG LEAP
Because incremental moves won't make a huge difference, focus on climbing an entire level in your company's hierarchy.
Median lifetime pay for "manager" title
Manager with one to nine employees: $2.5 million
Manager with 10-plus employees: $2.6 million
Lifetime pay for "managers" and higher-ups
HR manager: $2.3 million
HR director: $2.9 million
HR vice president: $3.9 million
NOTES: Lifetime pay is based on a 35-year career. Managers with 10-plus employees are assumed to have overseen one to nine workers for the first 10 years, then 10 or more thereafter. SOURCE: PayScale.com
Read More Career Guidance Articles
The path to becoming a millionaire shortens with every major step you take up the corporate hierarchy. Jump from a human resources administrator to manager, for instance, and you become eligible for greater supplemental income like bonuses and stock options.
Photo: iStock Photo
Take another big leap up to HR director, and your overall compensation really swells -- by more than 40%. The good news: You don't have to make it all the way to the C-suite to see real benefits.
Part of a special report on How to reach $1 million this story explains how moving up the corporate ladder can put you on your way to the millionaire class.
KEY MOVE: Secure one more big promotion that gives you real authority.
HOW TO GET THERE
Start by managing others' careers, not just your own. In virtually every job, workers who have people reporting to them earn more than individual contributors.
Over the course of a 40-year career, the median lifetime pay for those who supervise one or more workers amounts to nearly $1 million more than for non-managers.
Even people with the same title will earn more if they're in charge of others. A software developer with three direct reports earns a median salary of $74,000, vs. $66,000 for developers who oversee no one, notes Katie Bardaro of salary research site PayScale.com.
Don't be a company man or woman. Even if you're earning promotions, staying with the same firm for many years can still lead to salary stagnation, says Bonnie Sharps, executive vice president at executive search firm DHR.
Pay hikes tied to promotions range from 5% to 7%. External hires, however, earn nearly 20% more than workers advanced from within, according to Wharton professor Matthew Bidwell.
Go to far lengths to get that promotion and the reward can be even bigger.
Just ask Matt Payne. After grad school, Payne worked for an energy company in California. But with the high cost of living there and $25,000 in student loans, he was having a hard time making ends meet, let alone getting ahead. Then he heard about a more lucrative position at an oil firm.
The catch: The job was in Qatar. "I knew the higher salary that came with a job abroad would allow me to pay off my loans faster and give me a leg up on savings." He got the job and doubled his pay.
Recruit powerful mentors. How do you start reaching for that next rung?
Get to know people who can offer you valuable career advice and recommend you for openings in their sphere of influence. "The most successful people I know have had multiple mentors and coaches throughout their career," says Ford Myers, a career coach and the author of "Get the Job You Want, Even When No One Is Hiring."
Dainon Haggard, a 31-year-old vice president of sales and business development for an entertainment promotions company in Salt Lake City, has taken this to heart.
Shortly after being hired at his firm, he reached out to an executive VP and asked her to mentor him. "I told her that I admire her success and felt I could learn a lot from her," says Haggard. "When I asked if I could bounce ideas off of her, she was more than happy to talk with me."
Now, he periodically invites her to join him on his sales calls so she can critique him. Haggard hasn't stopped there. He networks at industry events and now counts a CEO and a venture capitalist among his network of mentors.
GETTING INTO GEAR
Don't wait for your company to train you. Take classes on your own, attend industry seminars, and earn certifications that are in demand in your field to expand your skill set and stand out.
Be an expert, not an employee. Write papers, give speeches, get involved with leadership positions with professional organizations and associations within your field. It'll raise your profile and expand your network.
Know your going rate. When it's time to negotiate salaries and raises, use compensation sites like PayScale, GlassDoor.com, and Vault.com to figure out what pay range is appropriate for what you do. Then negotiate for the upper end of the range.
TAKING A BIG LEAP
Because incremental moves won't make a huge difference, focus on climbing an entire level in your company's hierarchy.
Median lifetime pay for "manager" title
Manager with one to nine employees: $2.5 million
Manager with 10-plus employees: $2.6 million
Lifetime pay for "managers" and higher-ups
HR manager: $2.3 million
HR director: $2.9 million
HR vice president: $3.9 million
NOTES: Lifetime pay is based on a 35-year career. Managers with 10-plus employees are assumed to have overseen one to nine workers for the first 10 years, then 10 or more thereafter. SOURCE: PayScale.com
Read More Career Guidance Articles
A $100,000 Factory Job. What's Uncool About That?
By Parija Kavilanz | CNNMoney.com
What's uncool about a $100,000 factory job? These days not much. In fact, factory jobs -- once considered back-breaking and low-paying -- have become high-tech and high-salaried.
Photo: iStock Photo
Still young people don't get it, say factory owners, who can't find enough skilled workers.
"When I was an apprentice in the late '70s, kids were dying to get into manufacturing. There were plenty of factory jobs," said Joe Sedlak, a machinist who owns the Chesapeake Machine Company in Baltimore. "There are jobs for the taking today. But kids don't want them."
Stereotypes about factory jobs still persist. And the media isn't helping, factory owners complain.
"On TV, kids don't see many positive images of manufacturing," said Bill Mach, president of Mach Mold, a manufacturer of plastics molds in Benton Harbor, Mich. A show will have a scene with "an old dark building with a bird flying out of it, and something bad happens."
Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, agreed. "Pop culture has a big impact on young people," he said, adding that the only recent positive pop culture depiction of manufacturing that he can think of has been in Iron Man.
The industry needs an image boost, and young people need to get educated about high-skilled factory jobs, experts said.
An aspiring machinist -- a popular factory job -- can start training at 18 and then do a one- or two-year manufacturing apprenticeship. In five years, he or she could be making more than $50,000. In 10 years, that could double to $100,000.
Not a bad salary for a 28-year-old.
"If you're really good at your work, you could remain employed for a very long time, because there are so few of us," said Sedlak.
Sedlak's top worker makes $30 an hour. And annual pay at his company ranges between $70,000 and $80,000 with overtime. In 31 years, only three workers have retired from his factory.
Still, with almost 13 million unemployed Americans, including many high school graduates, he is struggling to fill positions.
A recent Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte report underscores that. Manufacturers currently have 600,000 vacancies nationwide, it said.
"When we pushed manufacturing out of the country, we pushed job opportunities out," said Sedlak.
The downward spiral that followed was swift. With jobs gone, schools ended vocational classes. Kids lost interest in manufacturing. Many states stopped sponsoring apprentice programs in factories.
In early spring, Justin Lavanway, 17, and two of his high school buddies, toured Mach Mold to learn more about manufacturing and its jobs.
His grandfather was a career machinist with Whirlpool. "I saw that it was a pretty stable career for him," said Lavanway. "That's why I'm keeping my options open."
But his friends, Joseph Johnson, 18, who is thinking about a job in medical services, and Charlie Leaf, 18, who wants pursue a career in psychiatry, are not interested in manufacturing.
"The public school system tells students that we have to go to college to be successful," said Johnson. "Ever since you're young, you hear that's what you have to do to achieve the American dream."
Johnson and Leaf also don't think manufacturing offers stable careers.
Mach hears this often from young people, even through manufacturing is a deep-rooted profession through generations of families in Southwest Michigan.
And it's just not true, he said. "I have 40 people in my plant. Half have been there for 15 to 25 years."
"There's no easy answer to how we can change manufacturing's image problem," said Paul. Companies themselves have to be up to that challenge, he said.
One idea is to turn to pop culture, said Paul.
"Maybe we need someone cool like Clint Eastwood to say, 'Go work in factories' as a follow up to his Super Bowl Chrysler ad."
Read More Career Guidance Articles
What's uncool about a $100,000 factory job? These days not much. In fact, factory jobs -- once considered back-breaking and low-paying -- have become high-tech and high-salaried.
Photo: iStock Photo
Still young people don't get it, say factory owners, who can't find enough skilled workers.
"When I was an apprentice in the late '70s, kids were dying to get into manufacturing. There were plenty of factory jobs," said Joe Sedlak, a machinist who owns the Chesapeake Machine Company in Baltimore. "There are jobs for the taking today. But kids don't want them."
Stereotypes about factory jobs still persist. And the media isn't helping, factory owners complain.
"On TV, kids don't see many positive images of manufacturing," said Bill Mach, president of Mach Mold, a manufacturer of plastics molds in Benton Harbor, Mich. A show will have a scene with "an old dark building with a bird flying out of it, and something bad happens."
Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, agreed. "Pop culture has a big impact on young people," he said, adding that the only recent positive pop culture depiction of manufacturing that he can think of has been in Iron Man.
The industry needs an image boost, and young people need to get educated about high-skilled factory jobs, experts said.
An aspiring machinist -- a popular factory job -- can start training at 18 and then do a one- or two-year manufacturing apprenticeship. In five years, he or she could be making more than $50,000. In 10 years, that could double to $100,000.
Not a bad salary for a 28-year-old.
"If you're really good at your work, you could remain employed for a very long time, because there are so few of us," said Sedlak.
Sedlak's top worker makes $30 an hour. And annual pay at his company ranges between $70,000 and $80,000 with overtime. In 31 years, only three workers have retired from his factory.
Still, with almost 13 million unemployed Americans, including many high school graduates, he is struggling to fill positions.
A recent Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte report underscores that. Manufacturers currently have 600,000 vacancies nationwide, it said.
"When we pushed manufacturing out of the country, we pushed job opportunities out," said Sedlak.
The downward spiral that followed was swift. With jobs gone, schools ended vocational classes. Kids lost interest in manufacturing. Many states stopped sponsoring apprentice programs in factories.
In early spring, Justin Lavanway, 17, and two of his high school buddies, toured Mach Mold to learn more about manufacturing and its jobs.
His grandfather was a career machinist with Whirlpool. "I saw that it was a pretty stable career for him," said Lavanway. "That's why I'm keeping my options open."
But his friends, Joseph Johnson, 18, who is thinking about a job in medical services, and Charlie Leaf, 18, who wants pursue a career in psychiatry, are not interested in manufacturing.
"The public school system tells students that we have to go to college to be successful," said Johnson. "Ever since you're young, you hear that's what you have to do to achieve the American dream."
Johnson and Leaf also don't think manufacturing offers stable careers.
Mach hears this often from young people, even through manufacturing is a deep-rooted profession through generations of families in Southwest Michigan.
And it's just not true, he said. "I have 40 people in my plant. Half have been there for 15 to 25 years."
"There's no easy answer to how we can change manufacturing's image problem," said Paul. Companies themselves have to be up to that challenge, he said.
One idea is to turn to pop culture, said Paul.
"Maybe we need someone cool like Clint Eastwood to say, 'Go work in factories' as a follow up to his Super Bowl Chrysler ad."
Read More Career Guidance Articles
Top 10 In-Demand Careers
By Terence Loose | Yahoo! Education
Are you thinking of going back to school to prepare for a hot career, but aren't sure what to study?
Fortunately for you, we did a little homework and looked to the U.S. Department of Labor's statistics to find 10 in-demand careers that yield high average earnings.
To get started, we used the Department of Labor's median annual wage for all occupations ($45,230) and the average job growth rate from 2010 to 2020 (14.3 percent) as our measuring standards. Any career that didn't meet at least these standards didn't make our list.
Intrigued? Keep reading to learn more about 10 careers that rank above average in terms of job growth and the potential to pay.
Career #1 - Medical and Health Services Manager
Are you interested in pursuing a managerial position and have a hankering for helping people get or stay healthy? A career as a medical and health services manager could be the perfect prescription.
In this type of role, you could find yourself in a hospital or a smaller health care facility like a doctor's office, managing finances, staying up-to-date on health care laws, and helping develop the quality and effectiveness of delivering health care services, says the U.S. Department of Labor.
Why it's in demand: As the baby boomer generation ages and stays active later in life, there will be an increased demand for health services, according to the Department of Labor. This, they note, will result in more physicians, patients, and procedures - and a need for more people, like medical and health services managers, to supervise them.
Education options: Although requirements vary by facility, "prospective medical and health services managers have a bachelor's degree in health administration," says the Department. Other common credentials include a master's degree in health services, public health, or business administration - to name a few.
Career #2 - Human Resources Specialist
What's the most important resource any business has? That's right, its workers. And as a human resources (HR) specialist, you could help ensure these vital resources are managed correctly. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, common duties could include recognizing employment needs and favored qualifications, hiring or referring eligible applicants, and interviewing applicants.
Why it's in demand: The employment services industry - which includes employment placement agencies, temporary help services, and professional employer organizations - is projected to grow an astounding 55 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the Department of Labor. About 17 percent of HR specialists work in this industry, and their demand will also be on the rise.
Education options: If you want to prepare to pursue a career as a human resources specialist, keep in mind that most positions require a bachelor's degree. "When hiring a human resources generalist, for example, most employers prefer applicants who have a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field," notes the Department.
Career #3 - Paralegal
Want to perform a lot of the same duties as a lawyer - without having to worry about several years of law school and passing the bar? If so, preparing to pursue a career as a paralegal is something to consider.
The U.S. Department of Labor says paralegals generally assist attorneys by examining the facts of a case, researching relevant laws and regulations, drafting legal documents, and helping lawyers during trials.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department of Labor, employers will try to reduce costs and enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of legal services by hiring more paralegals. Another plus? Paralegal positions are less likely to be offshored than other legal jobs.
Education options: To prepare to pursue a career as a paralegal, there are a few educational routes, including earning an associate's degree in paralegal studies, says the Department. If you already have a bachelor's degree in another area, you could choose to earn a certificate in paralegal studies.
Career #4 - Accountant
If you're a numbers person, the U.S. Department of Labor's stats on accountants will probably look pretty good to you. And so will the job description.
Accountants could do everything from helping businesses reduce costs to preparing tax returns, examining financial statements, and communicating with management about a company's finances, says the Department of Labor. As you can see, it's more than just punching a 10-key calculator.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department, an increased focus on accounting - thanks to the recent corporate scandals and financial crises - means more accountants will be needed. Stricter laws and regulations in the financial sector will also add to the demand.
Education options: A bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is the minimum requirement for most accountant positions, says the Department. And some employers prefer candidates with a master's degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration in accounting.
Career #5 - Kindergarten Teacher
Does your perfect day include finger-painting, storytelling, and recess? Sounds like the makings of a kindergarten teacher.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, kindergarten teachers "use hands-on approaches, including props, to help students understand abstract concepts, solve problems, and develop critical thinking skills."
Why it's in demand: There are a few reasons for growth in kindergarten teaching positions that the Department of Labor mentions. One is an expected decrease in the student-teacher ratio. With the number of students increasing in the coming decades, more teachers will be needed. On top of that, teaching positions will also be created as teachers retire between 2010 and 2020.
Education options: Every state requires all public kindergarten teachers to have a bachelor's degree in elementary education and to be licensed, says the Department. Some states also require candidates to major in a specific content area, such as math or science.
Career #6 - Registered Nurse
If you're a people person - and you don't get squeamish at the sight of blood - a career as a registered nurse might be for you.
As a nurse, the U.S. Department of Labor says you might help perform diagnostic tests, analyze test results, give patients medications and treatments, and educate patients on how to manage their health.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department of Labor, nurses will be in demand for many reasons. This includes technological advances that will result in more health treatments, an increased importance on preventative health care, and the aging baby boomer generation requiring more health care services.
Education options: There are a few paths to preparing to pursue a career as a registered nurse. Two of these options include earning an associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a diploma from an approved nursing program, according to the Department. You'll also need to pass the national nursing exam (NCLEX-RN) to get your license.
Career #7 - Public Relations Specialist
Do you like to tweet about your Facebook page while posting blogs on your website and texting friends on your cell? You may be a born public relations specialist.
After all, it's a brave new world of social media, where the U.S. Department of Labor says public relations specialists could help clients communicate effectively with the public by writing press releases and web content, designing and evaluating promotion campaigns, and working with the media.
Why it's in demand: One factor is the increased use of social media, says the Department. More public relations specialists will be needed to manage this media outlet, which is becoming a vital communication tool between businesses and the public.
Education options: The Department says that public relations specialists usually need a bachelor's degree, with employers generally wanting candidates who have studied public relations, communications, business, English, or journalism.
Career #8 - Financial Analyst
Are you a Wall Street junkie? Do you love the world of finance and the energy of the stock market? You may fit nicely into the role of financial analyst.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, financial analysts generally provide vital financial functions such as determining a company's value by projecting future earnings, recommending individual investments, and reviewing economic and business trends.
Why it's in Demand: With investment portfolios becoming more multifaceted and more financial products accessible for trade, the demand will grow for financial analysts, says the Department of Labor. It also helps that up-and-coming markets around the world are providing new investment possibilities.
Education options: Financial analysts typically need a bachelor's degree in a related field such as finance, accounting, business administration, economics, or statistics, says the Department. Keep in mind that employers often require a master's degree in finance or business administration, too.
Career #9 - Database Administrator
We live in the information age. And if there's one thing the information age has, it's data. So it's no wonder that the people who manage the data are expected to be in high demand.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, these workers could do everything from combining old databases into new ones, providing security for business's databases, and making and testing modifications to databases.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department, since future businesses will collect more and more data, they will need database administrators to organize and present data to analysts and stakeholders in an understandable method.
Education options: Database administrators generally earn a bachelor's degree in an information- or computer-related subject, says the Department. A master's in business administration - with an information systems concentration - may be preferred by firms with large databases.
Career #10 - Dental Hygienist
Do you enjoy terrorizing people with small pointy instruments? Kidding!
But if you like flossing and can work with your hands in tight spaces - like mouths - life as a dental hygienist might make you smile.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a dental hygienist might clean and take X-rays of teeth, as well as teach patients how to brush and floss properly. Basically, they help people smile brighter.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department of Labor, continued research connecting oral health to general health will increase the demand for preventive dental services and dental hygienists. Additionally, members of the large baby-boom generation will need more dental care and maintenance, since they have kept more of their original teeth than previous generations, adds the Department.
Education options: Dental hygienists generally need an associate's degree in dental hygiene, says the Department, which adds that "certificates, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees in dental hygiene are also available" but not as common. Note: specific requirements vary by state, but every state requires dental hygienists to be licensed.
Read More Career Guidance Articles
Are you thinking of going back to school to prepare for a hot career, but aren't sure what to study?
Fortunately for you, we did a little homework and looked to the U.S. Department of Labor's statistics to find 10 in-demand careers that yield high average earnings.
To get started, we used the Department of Labor's median annual wage for all occupations ($45,230) and the average job growth rate from 2010 to 2020 (14.3 percent) as our measuring standards. Any career that didn't meet at least these standards didn't make our list.
Intrigued? Keep reading to learn more about 10 careers that rank above average in terms of job growth and the potential to pay.
Career #1 - Medical and Health Services Manager
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 22 percent* Median Annual Wage: $86,400* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $147,890* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $52,730* |
In this type of role, you could find yourself in a hospital or a smaller health care facility like a doctor's office, managing finances, staying up-to-date on health care laws, and helping develop the quality and effectiveness of delivering health care services, says the U.S. Department of Labor.
Why it's in demand: As the baby boomer generation ages and stays active later in life, there will be an increased demand for health services, according to the Department of Labor. This, they note, will result in more physicians, patients, and procedures - and a need for more people, like medical and health services managers, to supervise them.
Education options: Although requirements vary by facility, "prospective medical and health services managers have a bachelor's degree in health administration," says the Department. Other common credentials include a master's degree in health services, public health, or business administration - to name a few.
Career #2 - Human Resources Specialist
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 21 percent* Median Annual Wage: $54,310* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $94,700* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $29,850* |
Why it's in demand: The employment services industry - which includes employment placement agencies, temporary help services, and professional employer organizations - is projected to grow an astounding 55 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the Department of Labor. About 17 percent of HR specialists work in this industry, and their demand will also be on the rise.
Education options: If you want to prepare to pursue a career as a human resources specialist, keep in mind that most positions require a bachelor's degree. "When hiring a human resources generalist, for example, most employers prefer applicants who have a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field," notes the Department.
Career #3 - Paralegal
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 18 percent* Median Annual Wage: $46,730* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $75,400* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $29,390* |
The U.S. Department of Labor says paralegals generally assist attorneys by examining the facts of a case, researching relevant laws and regulations, drafting legal documents, and helping lawyers during trials.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department of Labor, employers will try to reduce costs and enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of legal services by hiring more paralegals. Another plus? Paralegal positions are less likely to be offshored than other legal jobs.
Education options: To prepare to pursue a career as a paralegal, there are a few educational routes, including earning an associate's degree in paralegal studies, says the Department. If you already have a bachelor's degree in another area, you could choose to earn a certificate in paralegal studies.
Career #4 - Accountant
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 16 percent* Median Annual Wage: $62,850* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $109,870* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $39,640* |
Accountants could do everything from helping businesses reduce costs to preparing tax returns, examining financial statements, and communicating with management about a company's finances, says the Department of Labor. As you can see, it's more than just punching a 10-key calculator.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department, an increased focus on accounting - thanks to the recent corporate scandals and financial crises - means more accountants will be needed. Stricter laws and regulations in the financial sector will also add to the demand.
Education options: A bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is the minimum requirement for most accountant positions, says the Department. And some employers prefer candidates with a master's degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration in accounting.
Career #5 - Kindergarten Teacher
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 18 percent* Median Annual Wage: $49,520* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $76,900* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $32,100* |
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, kindergarten teachers "use hands-on approaches, including props, to help students understand abstract concepts, solve problems, and develop critical thinking skills."
Why it's in demand: There are a few reasons for growth in kindergarten teaching positions that the Department of Labor mentions. One is an expected decrease in the student-teacher ratio. With the number of students increasing in the coming decades, more teachers will be needed. On top of that, teaching positions will also be created as teachers retire between 2010 and 2020.
Education options: Every state requires all public kindergarten teachers to have a bachelor's degree in elementary education and to be licensed, says the Department. Some states also require candidates to major in a specific content area, such as math or science.
Career #6 - Registered Nurse
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 26 percent* Median Annual Wage: $65,950* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $96,630* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $44,970* |
As a nurse, the U.S. Department of Labor says you might help perform diagnostic tests, analyze test results, give patients medications and treatments, and educate patients on how to manage their health.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department of Labor, nurses will be in demand for many reasons. This includes technological advances that will result in more health treatments, an increased importance on preventative health care, and the aging baby boomer generation requiring more health care services.
Education options: There are a few paths to preparing to pursue a career as a registered nurse. Two of these options include earning an associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a diploma from an approved nursing program, according to the Department. You'll also need to pass the national nursing exam (NCLEX-RN) to get your license.
Career #7 - Public Relations Specialist
| 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 23 percent* Median Annual Wage: $53,190* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $96,880* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $30,860* |
After all, it's a brave new world of social media, where the U.S. Department of Labor says public relations specialists could help clients communicate effectively with the public by writing press releases and web content, designing and evaluating promotion campaigns, and working with the media.
Why it's in demand: One factor is the increased use of social media, says the Department. More public relations specialists will be needed to manage this media outlet, which is becoming a vital communication tool between businesses and the public.
Education options: The Department says that public relations specialists usually need a bachelor's degree, with employers generally wanting candidates who have studied public relations, communications, business, English, or journalism.
Career #8 - Financial Analyst
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 23 percent* Median Annual Wage: $75,650* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $145,580* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $46,300* |
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, financial analysts generally provide vital financial functions such as determining a company's value by projecting future earnings, recommending individual investments, and reviewing economic and business trends.
Why it's in Demand: With investment portfolios becoming more multifaceted and more financial products accessible for trade, the demand will grow for financial analysts, says the Department of Labor. It also helps that up-and-coming markets around the world are providing new investment possibilities.
Education options: Financial analysts typically need a bachelor's degree in a related field such as finance, accounting, business administration, economics, or statistics, says the Department. Keep in mind that employers often require a master's degree in finance or business administration, too.
Career #9 - Database Administrator
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 31 percent* Median Annual Wage: $75,190* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $116,870* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $42,360* |
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, these workers could do everything from combining old databases into new ones, providing security for business's databases, and making and testing modifications to databases.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department, since future businesses will collect more and more data, they will need database administrators to organize and present data to analysts and stakeholders in an understandable method.
Education options: Database administrators generally earn a bachelor's degree in an information- or computer-related subject, says the Department. A master's in business administration - with an information systems concentration - may be preferred by firms with large databases.
Career #10 - Dental Hygienist
 | 2010- 2020 Job Growth: 38 percent* Median Annual Wage: $69,280* Average for Workers in the 90th Percentile: $94,850* Average for Workers in the 10th Percentile: $46,020* |
But if you like flossing and can work with your hands in tight spaces - like mouths - life as a dental hygienist might make you smile.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a dental hygienist might clean and take X-rays of teeth, as well as teach patients how to brush and floss properly. Basically, they help people smile brighter.
Why it's in demand: According to the Department of Labor, continued research connecting oral health to general health will increase the demand for preventive dental services and dental hygienists. Additionally, members of the large baby-boom generation will need more dental care and maintenance, since they have kept more of their original teeth than previous generations, adds the Department.
Education options: Dental hygienists generally need an associate's degree in dental hygiene, says the Department, which adds that "certificates, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees in dental hygiene are also available" but not as common. Note: specific requirements vary by state, but every state requires dental hygienists to be licensed.
Read More Career Guidance Articles
Thursday, July 26, 2012
What's New - Thursday, July 26, 2012
7 When You Need Funds Fast
Suze Orman gives advice about what to do when you need funds fast.
Read more...
What To Do With Your Money Each Decade Of Your Life
How to take care of your money so your money takes care of you.
Read more...
The 8 Qualities Of A Wealthy Woman
Besides money, a wealthy woman has some qualities that serve as guideposts to make sure she's always walking toward wealth rather than away from it. This month's readers each had one or more of these traits out of alignment.
Here are the eight qualities and how they can translate into financial success.
Read more...
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
Read more...
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
"Money is like a sixth sense - and you can't make use of the other five without it."
William Somerset Maugham
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
William Somerset Maugham
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
When You Need Funds Fast
By Suze Orman | Inc.com
For years, you've heard me talk about building up an emergency fund that can cover at least six months of living expenses. While I believe that's one of the best financial moves you can make, I know many of you are struggling and don't have the luxury of thinking about emergency funds. Ultimately, I hope you find more secure financial footing, but for now, I'm here to tell you not to panic: You probably already have a pseudo emergency fund.
Photo: iStock Photo
Credit Cards
You know how I've always told you to pay off your credit cards but not to cancel them? If you have some old, unused cards, call the issuers now, while your finances are in good shape, and see if you can boost your credit and cash- advance limits to use as a last resort. I repeat: last resort. This is for paying the gas bill or the rent, not for buying a new pair of sandals.
Interest rates on cash advances are 20 percent or more. So if you do end up having to use an advance, go to bankrate.com to look for a new credit card with a low interest rate on balance transfers. But read the fine print on the card offers carefully. The great introductory rate on balance transfers may apply for only a few months. Of course, you can transfer your balance again and again, but be aware that opening lots of new accounts may lower your credit score.
Retirement Funds
Your retirement funds can also be used in a dire situation. If you have a Roth IRA and you're over age 59 1/2, you can withdraw your contributions and gains without any tax or penalty. If you're under 59 1/2, you'll likely pay income tax and a penalty upon withdrawal of your gains, but your contributions are yours for the taking.
A regular IRA can also work as a short-term emergency fund. You can withdraw money without tax or penalty as long as you pay it back within 60 days. If you don't, you'll be stuck with the same tax and penalty as with the Roth.
HELOC
And please think long and hard before you take out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to pay your bills. A HELOC is secured by your house. If you can't make the payments, your lender could foreclose on your home. I'd rather you get emergency cash from unsecured debt such as a credit card cash advance. Remember, these are not ideal situations but options for confronting the unexpected.
Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow
Read More Personal Finance Articles
For years, you've heard me talk about building up an emergency fund that can cover at least six months of living expenses. While I believe that's one of the best financial moves you can make, I know many of you are struggling and don't have the luxury of thinking about emergency funds. Ultimately, I hope you find more secure financial footing, but for now, I'm here to tell you not to panic: You probably already have a pseudo emergency fund.
Photo: iStock Photo
Credit Cards
You know how I've always told you to pay off your credit cards but not to cancel them? If you have some old, unused cards, call the issuers now, while your finances are in good shape, and see if you can boost your credit and cash- advance limits to use as a last resort. I repeat: last resort. This is for paying the gas bill or the rent, not for buying a new pair of sandals.
Interest rates on cash advances are 20 percent or more. So if you do end up having to use an advance, go to bankrate.com to look for a new credit card with a low interest rate on balance transfers. But read the fine print on the card offers carefully. The great introductory rate on balance transfers may apply for only a few months. Of course, you can transfer your balance again and again, but be aware that opening lots of new accounts may lower your credit score.
Retirement Funds
Your retirement funds can also be used in a dire situation. If you have a Roth IRA and you're over age 59 1/2, you can withdraw your contributions and gains without any tax or penalty. If you're under 59 1/2, you'll likely pay income tax and a penalty upon withdrawal of your gains, but your contributions are yours for the taking.
A regular IRA can also work as a short-term emergency fund. You can withdraw money without tax or penalty as long as you pay it back within 60 days. If you don't, you'll be stuck with the same tax and penalty as with the Roth.
HELOC
And please think long and hard before you take out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to pay your bills. A HELOC is secured by your house. If you can't make the payments, your lender could foreclose on your home. I'd rather you get emergency cash from unsecured debt such as a credit card cash advance. Remember, these are not ideal situations but options for confronting the unexpected.
Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow
Read More Personal Finance Articles
What To Do With Your Money Each Decade Of Your Life
By Suze Orman | Inc.com
In Your 20s
Master Your Credit Score
It determines the interest rates you'll get on loans and credit cards, and a good one—above 720—will save you money throughout your life. Visit myfico.com to get your score, understand how it's calculated, and learn how to improve it.
Enroll In Your Company 401(k) Plan
Most companies match your contribution; by not enrolling, you're virtually throwing away free money. The secret to investing is giving your money time to grow. If you delay saving for 10 years, you'll be hard-pressed to make up for lost time. If you're self-employed, park a Roth IRA or a SEP-IRA at a discount brokerage such as Muriel Siebert or a low-cost fund company like Vanguard or Fidelity.
Pay Off Credit Card Debt
To calculate the shortest and most effective route to becoming debt-free, visit bankrate.com's Credit Cards section.
Photo: Fotolia
In Your 30s
Build An Eight-Month Emergency Cash Fund
Set up a savings account into which money is automatically transferred from your checking account each month. Once you have saved the minimum required—often $500—move your savings into a higher-interest money market account.
Save For A Down Payment On A Home
Don't go for a mortgage that doesn't require a down payment—if you don't have the necessary 5 percent or so, you're not ready to own. Set up a housing savings account with an automatic transfer from your checking account.
In Your 40s
Draw Up A Revocable Living Trust With An Incapacity Clause
Though it's best to have both a will and a trust, a trust eliminates the lengthy probate court process required to validate a will. A lawyer can draw up the document for you, but you can also create one yourself with several software programs. You'll then need to hire an estate lawyer to review your work.
Save For Your Retirement Before The Kids' College Tuition
Don't shortchange yourself—the kids can get loans for school but you can't get loans for retirement. Max out your 401(k) and, if you're eligible, a Roth IRA. To find out how much you need for a secure future, visit smartmoney.com/retirement.
Once you're on the track to a comfortable retirement, visit savingforcollege.com for tips on funding your children's education.
In Your 50s
Start Your Bonding
Though stocks should still make up the bulk of your portfolio, shift about 20 percent of your retirement assets into bonds.
Speed Up Your Mortgage Payments
If you intend to stay in your home, pay more now so that you can head into retirement without large, looming monthly bills. In the Mortgages section at bankrate.com, you can calculate how much less time it will take you to own your house fully if you up your payments; you'll also be able to see how much you'll eventually save on interest fees.
In your 60s and 70s
Consider Opting For Early Social Security Benefits...
...But only if your payout won't be taxed (if you're making less than $12,000 in 2005). If you earn more, those early benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you make above that $12,000 threshold. Taking a reduced amount before you're 65—you're eligible at 62—makes more sense than waiting three years for the full benefits.
Begin Your Traditional IRA And 401(k) Withdrawals When You Turn 70
You'll face a stiff penalty if you don't start taking out money at this time. Contact the brokerage, fund company, or bank where you've invested for assistance on how to calculate and collect your withdrawal amount.
Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow
Read More Personal Finance Articles
In Your 20s
Master Your Credit Score
It determines the interest rates you'll get on loans and credit cards, and a good one—above 720—will save you money throughout your life. Visit myfico.com to get your score, understand how it's calculated, and learn how to improve it.
Enroll In Your Company 401(k) Plan
Most companies match your contribution; by not enrolling, you're virtually throwing away free money. The secret to investing is giving your money time to grow. If you delay saving for 10 years, you'll be hard-pressed to make up for lost time. If you're self-employed, park a Roth IRA or a SEP-IRA at a discount brokerage such as Muriel Siebert or a low-cost fund company like Vanguard or Fidelity.
Pay Off Credit Card Debt
To calculate the shortest and most effective route to becoming debt-free, visit bankrate.com's Credit Cards section.
Photo: Fotolia
In Your 30s
Build An Eight-Month Emergency Cash Fund
Set up a savings account into which money is automatically transferred from your checking account each month. Once you have saved the minimum required—often $500—move your savings into a higher-interest money market account.
Save For A Down Payment On A Home
Don't go for a mortgage that doesn't require a down payment—if you don't have the necessary 5 percent or so, you're not ready to own. Set up a housing savings account with an automatic transfer from your checking account.
In Your 40s
Draw Up A Revocable Living Trust With An Incapacity Clause
Though it's best to have both a will and a trust, a trust eliminates the lengthy probate court process required to validate a will. A lawyer can draw up the document for you, but you can also create one yourself with several software programs. You'll then need to hire an estate lawyer to review your work.
Save For Your Retirement Before The Kids' College Tuition
Don't shortchange yourself—the kids can get loans for school but you can't get loans for retirement. Max out your 401(k) and, if you're eligible, a Roth IRA. To find out how much you need for a secure future, visit smartmoney.com/retirement.
Once you're on the track to a comfortable retirement, visit savingforcollege.com for tips on funding your children's education.
In Your 50s
Start Your Bonding
Though stocks should still make up the bulk of your portfolio, shift about 20 percent of your retirement assets into bonds.
Speed Up Your Mortgage Payments
If you intend to stay in your home, pay more now so that you can head into retirement without large, looming monthly bills. In the Mortgages section at bankrate.com, you can calculate how much less time it will take you to own your house fully if you up your payments; you'll also be able to see how much you'll eventually save on interest fees.
In your 60s and 70s
Consider Opting For Early Social Security Benefits...
...But only if your payout won't be taxed (if you're making less than $12,000 in 2005). If you earn more, those early benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you make above that $12,000 threshold. Taking a reduced amount before you're 65—you're eligible at 62—makes more sense than waiting three years for the full benefits.
Begin Your Traditional IRA And 401(k) Withdrawals When You Turn 70
You'll face a stiff penalty if you don't start taking out money at this time. Contact the brokerage, fund company, or bank where you've invested for assistance on how to calculate and collect your withdrawal amount.
Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow
Read More Personal Finance Articles
The 8 Qualities Of A Wealthy Woman
By Suze Orman | Inc.com
Besides money, a wealthy woman has some qualities that serve as guideposts to make sure she's always walking toward wealth rather than away from it. This month's readers each had one or more of these traits out of alignment.
Here are the eight qualities and how they can translate into financial success:
Photo: Marc Royce
Harmony and balance. Harmony is the agreement between what you think, say, and do. Balance is the state of stability in which you're able to make sound judgments that will enhance your financial security. When you use a loan for in vitro fertilization that will leave you so deeply in debt that it would be difficult to care for your new child, you forsake harmony. Aligning your thoughts, words, and actions will put you on a path to balance—and emotional and financial well-being.
Wisdom and courage. The ability to make (not just think about) sensible decisions that respect your needs takes wisdom, the voice of experience that's inside each woman. Courage, the catalyst that creates harmony by uniting our thoughts with our actions, is what lets us assert our opinions confidently. To tell your mother that you love her but can't ruin your financial life to save hers requires wisdom and courage.
Generosity and happiness. True generosity must benefit both parties. No woman can control her destiny if she doesn't give to herself as much as she gives of herself. That's why I so often caution you not to co-sign loans or deplete your emergency cash savings to bail out someone. While those acts seem helpful, they leave you financially at risk. Happiness manifests itself through generosity—when, for example, a woman makes donations that help others yet don't deplete her.
Cleanliness and beauty. Removing clutter and chaos from our lives brings clarity, which makes it easier to achieve what we want. From emptying closets of unused stuff to streamlining your wallet, cleanliness is a sign that you're in control. And by bringing the first seven qualities into your life, you feel beautiful.
When you commit to finding harmony and balance, you have the courage to make wise decisions that are as generous to you as they are to others. This leads to deep, unwavering happiness and brings beauty into your life. I wish this for the women who wrote to me this month, and I wish it for you.
Adapted from Suze Orman's book, Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny (Spiegel & Grau).
Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow
Read More Personal Finance Articles
Besides money, a wealthy woman has some qualities that serve as guideposts to make sure she's always walking toward wealth rather than away from it. This month's readers each had one or more of these traits out of alignment.
Here are the eight qualities and how they can translate into financial success:
Photo: Marc Royce
Harmony and balance. Harmony is the agreement between what you think, say, and do. Balance is the state of stability in which you're able to make sound judgments that will enhance your financial security. When you use a loan for in vitro fertilization that will leave you so deeply in debt that it would be difficult to care for your new child, you forsake harmony. Aligning your thoughts, words, and actions will put you on a path to balance—and emotional and financial well-being.
Wisdom and courage. The ability to make (not just think about) sensible decisions that respect your needs takes wisdom, the voice of experience that's inside each woman. Courage, the catalyst that creates harmony by uniting our thoughts with our actions, is what lets us assert our opinions confidently. To tell your mother that you love her but can't ruin your financial life to save hers requires wisdom and courage.
Generosity and happiness. True generosity must benefit both parties. No woman can control her destiny if she doesn't give to herself as much as she gives of herself. That's why I so often caution you not to co-sign loans or deplete your emergency cash savings to bail out someone. While those acts seem helpful, they leave you financially at risk. Happiness manifests itself through generosity—when, for example, a woman makes donations that help others yet don't deplete her.
Cleanliness and beauty. Removing clutter and chaos from our lives brings clarity, which makes it easier to achieve what we want. From emptying closets of unused stuff to streamlining your wallet, cleanliness is a sign that you're in control. And by bringing the first seven qualities into your life, you feel beautiful.
When you commit to finding harmony and balance, you have the courage to make wise decisions that are as generous to you as they are to others. This leads to deep, unwavering happiness and brings beauty into your life. I wish this for the women who wrote to me this month, and I wish it for you.
Adapted from Suze Orman's book, Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny (Spiegel & Grau).
Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow
Read More Personal Finance Articles
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
What's New - Wednesday, July 25, 2012
7 Simple Tools To Keep Your Start-Up Organized
Filing expenses, managing leads, tracking website bugs: all crucial processes--and potential time-sucks. These online tools can help.
Read more...
Defuse An Angry Customer
Use these six steps to cut through the drama so you can address your customer's actual problem.
Read more...
7 More Great Entrepreneurship Books That Have Nothing To Do With Business
Some of the best entrepreneurial stories are about characters whose goals don't have anything to do with making money.
Read more...
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
Read more...
Inspirational Quote Of The Day
"Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion."
Jack Welch
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
Jack Welch
Photo by Jason Michael Conner
7 Simple Tools To Keep Your Start-Up Organized
By John Brandon | Inc.com
In the last couple of weeks, I've been testing and highlighting some of the best online business tools out there. First, I looked at the kinds of tools you need to form a new venture. Then I wrote about brilliant people-management tools. Up this week: simple apps for keeping your operations under control.
Photo: Shutterstock Images
1. Expensify
The ability to expense business purchases can be a lifesaver for any fledgling entrepreneur--as long as you have a system to track them carefully. Expensify lets you import a credit card statement and track expenses, create reports for expenses by category, and upload business receipts. You can link a business lunch to specific people for accounting purposes. A mobile app for every major platform lets you scan receipts and add the data (vendor, amount, etc.) automatically. The service is free for 10 receipts per month or about 20 cents for each additional scan.
2. SohoOS
Business-management software like SAP and Oracle can zap your profits quickly. SohoOS offers similar tools for managing inventory, creating invoices, and customer-relationship management for a much more affordable price. The site is geared for keeping a start-up organized: You can create a marketing plan, store documents online, and track your sales leads. The free version includes many of the business-management features, but a paid version for about $10 per month adds more templates and storage.
3. Outright.com
I'm a big fan of Mint.com, because it forces me to get organized with my personal finances. Outright.com is a similar service but is more business-focused. You can import bank records and credit card transactions, then generate reports that show profit and loss. The key benefit is an ongoing estimate of how much tax you might owe at the end of your fiscal year.
4. Zoho Site24x7
Making sure your website is up and running is critical. I like this simple service from Zoho that tracks not just whether the site is up or down but also how it is performing when a boatload of customers suddenly stop for a visit. Site24x7 can also monitor security and even your email server, and the reports are designed so that you can scan them visually in a few seconds.
5. Zoho Bug Tracker
Another tool from Zoho, Bug Tracker lets your developers track website bugs, share files with one another, and link to version control systems to make sure you've identified problems and prioritized them accordingly. The service costs about $40 per month to manage 20 projects, but only the $60 and $80 plans include version control.
6. GroSocial
GroSocial is designed to help you grow your followers on Twitter. The basic idea is that you select your primary audience (say, those in real estate), and the service looks for like-minded contacts and follows them. This process takes time, but when I tested GroSocial, I noticed a jump of several hundred followers over a month period. You can also use the service, which costs about $20 per month, to grow your Facebook legions, create custom pages, and see reports.
7. PressKing
PressKing is a unique service in that it lets you distribute a press release to a network of about 200,000 contacts. The service also distributes press releases to social network contacts and via email. Prices start at about $50 for distributing a press release to about 500 journalists and bloggers.
Follow John on Twitter @jmbrandonbb
Read More Business Tips Articles
In the last couple of weeks, I've been testing and highlighting some of the best online business tools out there. First, I looked at the kinds of tools you need to form a new venture. Then I wrote about brilliant people-management tools. Up this week: simple apps for keeping your operations under control.
Photo: Shutterstock Images
1. Expensify
The ability to expense business purchases can be a lifesaver for any fledgling entrepreneur--as long as you have a system to track them carefully. Expensify lets you import a credit card statement and track expenses, create reports for expenses by category, and upload business receipts. You can link a business lunch to specific people for accounting purposes. A mobile app for every major platform lets you scan receipts and add the data (vendor, amount, etc.) automatically. The service is free for 10 receipts per month or about 20 cents for each additional scan.
2. SohoOS
Business-management software like SAP and Oracle can zap your profits quickly. SohoOS offers similar tools for managing inventory, creating invoices, and customer-relationship management for a much more affordable price. The site is geared for keeping a start-up organized: You can create a marketing plan, store documents online, and track your sales leads. The free version includes many of the business-management features, but a paid version for about $10 per month adds more templates and storage.
3. Outright.com
I'm a big fan of Mint.com, because it forces me to get organized with my personal finances. Outright.com is a similar service but is more business-focused. You can import bank records and credit card transactions, then generate reports that show profit and loss. The key benefit is an ongoing estimate of how much tax you might owe at the end of your fiscal year.
4. Zoho Site24x7
Making sure your website is up and running is critical. I like this simple service from Zoho that tracks not just whether the site is up or down but also how it is performing when a boatload of customers suddenly stop for a visit. Site24x7 can also monitor security and even your email server, and the reports are designed so that you can scan them visually in a few seconds.
5. Zoho Bug Tracker
Another tool from Zoho, Bug Tracker lets your developers track website bugs, share files with one another, and link to version control systems to make sure you've identified problems and prioritized them accordingly. The service costs about $40 per month to manage 20 projects, but only the $60 and $80 plans include version control.
6. GroSocial
GroSocial is designed to help you grow your followers on Twitter. The basic idea is that you select your primary audience (say, those in real estate), and the service looks for like-minded contacts and follows them. This process takes time, but when I tested GroSocial, I noticed a jump of several hundred followers over a month period. You can also use the service, which costs about $20 per month, to grow your Facebook legions, create custom pages, and see reports.
7. PressKing
PressKing is a unique service in that it lets you distribute a press release to a network of about 200,000 contacts. The service also distributes press releases to social network contacts and via email. Prices start at about $50 for distributing a press release to about 500 journalists and bloggers.
Follow John on Twitter @jmbrandonbb
Read More Business Tips Articles
Defuse An Angry Customer
By Geoffrey James | Inc.com
If you work with customers long enough, you'll eventually encounter one who's furious about something or other and can't resist yelling or otherwise acting abusive.
Your challenge is to address the problem with minimum wear and tear--for you, your staff, and the customer. Here's how.
Photo: Shutterstock Images
1. Don't take it personally.
Regardless of what customers may believe, the real reason they're is yelling at you is always about something else that's going on in their lives. It's just your bad luck that you're in the line of fire when the customer is having a horrible day, week, or year.
2. Do not react to the anger.
When confronted by anger, most people react one of two ways: 1) becoming angry themselves or 2) attempting to placate to make peace. Both approaches are mistakes in this case. If you become angry, it only feeds the customer's anger. And if you placate, you'll simply be training the customer to continue to act like a jackass.
3. Expect and demand civility.
State clearly and firmly that you're willing to help resolve the problem, but you won't be yelled at or treated disrespectfully. Don't mince words. Make it clear that your help is dependent upon the customer's ability to behave in a civilized manner. In most cases, the customer will actually breathe a sigh of relief.
4. If the customer won't comply, end the conversation.
Do this politely but firmly. State that you'll be glad to help once the customer is willing to treat you with the respect that you deserve. Yes, you may lose that customer. However, you've also lost the constant headache that customer will become if you don't set reasonable boundaries.
5. Apologize for the problem.
After you've demanded and received civil behavior--and only then--apologize for the inconvenience that the problem has caused the customer. Then explain that you are just as committed as the customer to resolving the problem fairly and equitably.
6. Work on the problem.
Now that you've established rapport and the fact that you won't be abused, you can go ahead and work on the customer's issue. If the problem can't be resolved immediately, set up a way to report your progress.
You need to follow up religiously, because that will prove you're worthy of keeping the customer's business.
Follow Geoffrey on Twitter @Sales_Source
Read More Business Tips Articles
If you work with customers long enough, you'll eventually encounter one who's furious about something or other and can't resist yelling or otherwise acting abusive.
Your challenge is to address the problem with minimum wear and tear--for you, your staff, and the customer. Here's how.
Photo: Shutterstock Images
1. Don't take it personally.
Regardless of what customers may believe, the real reason they're is yelling at you is always about something else that's going on in their lives. It's just your bad luck that you're in the line of fire when the customer is having a horrible day, week, or year.
2. Do not react to the anger.
When confronted by anger, most people react one of two ways: 1) becoming angry themselves or 2) attempting to placate to make peace. Both approaches are mistakes in this case. If you become angry, it only feeds the customer's anger. And if you placate, you'll simply be training the customer to continue to act like a jackass.
3. Expect and demand civility.
State clearly and firmly that you're willing to help resolve the problem, but you won't be yelled at or treated disrespectfully. Don't mince words. Make it clear that your help is dependent upon the customer's ability to behave in a civilized manner. In most cases, the customer will actually breathe a sigh of relief.
4. If the customer won't comply, end the conversation.
Do this politely but firmly. State that you'll be glad to help once the customer is willing to treat you with the respect that you deserve. Yes, you may lose that customer. However, you've also lost the constant headache that customer will become if you don't set reasonable boundaries.
5. Apologize for the problem.
After you've demanded and received civil behavior--and only then--apologize for the inconvenience that the problem has caused the customer. Then explain that you are just as committed as the customer to resolving the problem fairly and equitably.
6. Work on the problem.
Now that you've established rapport and the fact that you won't be abused, you can go ahead and work on the customer's issue. If the problem can't be resolved immediately, set up a way to report your progress.
You need to follow up religiously, because that will prove you're worthy of keeping the customer's business.
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7 More Great Entrepreneurship Books That Have Nothing To Do With Business
By Bill Murphy, Jr. | Inc.com
Recently, I wrote a column singling out The Great Escape, which is about a break out from a World War II prison camp, as the greatest book ever written about entrepreneurship. I give it that accolade despite the fact the book (like the more famous 1963 movie) has nothing at all to do with starting or running a business.
Photo: kalebdf via Flickr
My rationale is that at its core, entrepreneurship isn't so much about business as it is about pursuing opportunity. Instead, entrepreneurship is a management style focused on the relentless "pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled."
In other words: Find a problem, formulate a uniquely effective way to solve it, and execute.
I gave a guest lecture in Professor Gary Jonas's MBA class at Johns Hopkins University last week incorporating my Great Escape theory, and it sparked a very interesting discussion. That led me think about how many other great and inspiring books fall into the same category: incredible stories about entrepreneurship that have little or nothing to do with business.
So, in no particular order, here are seven more examples:
1. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2004)
Aron Ralston's account of how he became trapped under a boulder in a remote canyon while climbing in a remote area of Utah. As he had not told anyone where he was going, Ralston knew nobody would be looking for him.
Problem: Escape from a slow, certain death using only the meager contents of Ralston's rucksack.
Solution: After five days, convinced he had no other options, Ralston broke the bones in his arm and used a dull, two-inch knife to amputate it. His 2004 book was made into a 2010 movie starring James Franco.
2. Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game (1988)
Somewhat forgotten but for the author's eponymous television show, this 1998 book "is like a modern version of Machiavelli's The Prince, only much more richly illustrated," according to the official Amazon review.
Problem: How do you get things done in Washington?
Solution: It all starts with the very first chapter in the book: "It's Not Who You Know; It's Who You Get to Know." In other words, acquire resources (contacts) without regard to who you're connected to at the start.
3. The Aeneid
Pretty much the granddaddy of Western literature, Virgil's epic poem tells two long stories: The journey of Aeneas from Troy to found Rome, and the war between the Greeks and the Trojans.
Problem: The one we're focusing on here is the most famous: How can the Greeks conquer Troy?
Solution: Sneak a bunch of Greek soldiers into Troy by hiding them in a giant wooden horse, convincing the Trojans to bring the horse into their city, breaking out of the horse, and slaughtering everyone.
4. The Man Who Never Was (1954)
Another wartime one. In 1943, the Germans knew the Allies would invade Europe. They just didn't know where or when. The book was written by Ewen Montagu, a lawyer and wartime naval intelligence officer who came up with a bizarre solution.
Problem: Deceive the Axis powers into thinking Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, would take place elsewhere.
Solution: Obtain a dead body, preferably of a drowning victim, convince his family to release his body without knowing what would become of it, handcuff a briefcase filled with fake war plans to his arm, and launch it from a submarine. The body washed up on the Spanish coast, and the Germans were fooled into believing he was a courier whose plane had crashed.
5. Moneyball (2003)
Michael Lewis wrote this book about the 2002 Oakland Athletics, who put together one of the best teams in professional baseball despite a budget less than one-third of the league-leading New York Yankees.
Problem: With limited financial resources, draft the best players in baseball.
Solution: Employ a different, fact-based way of evaluating and judging players. Revolutionize baseball, win 20 games in a row.
6. All the President's Men (1974)
Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post penned this account of their investigative reporting on the Watergate scandal. (Full disclosure: I worked for Woodward from 2005 to 2007.)
Problem: Despite massive White House pressure, investigate one of the biggest political scandals in American history.
Solution: Assemble the best available version of the truth by following the money and leveraging every possible source--including waiters, security guards, secretaries and, famously, the deputy director of the FBI.
7. One Day, All Children (2003)
Wendy Kopp wrote this first-person account of how she turned her Princeton senior thesis into the nonprofit education giant, Teach for America.
Problem: Provide every child in America with the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
Solution: Beg, borrow, cajole, and do everything but steal to scrounge resources and put together TFA, which now places more than 8,000 young teachers a year in some of the nation's most disadvantaged schools.
Follow Bill on Twitter @BillMurphyJr
Read More Business Tips Articles
Recently, I wrote a column singling out The Great Escape, which is about a break out from a World War II prison camp, as the greatest book ever written about entrepreneurship. I give it that accolade despite the fact the book (like the more famous 1963 movie) has nothing at all to do with starting or running a business.
Photo: kalebdf via Flickr
My rationale is that at its core, entrepreneurship isn't so much about business as it is about pursuing opportunity. Instead, entrepreneurship is a management style focused on the relentless "pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled."
In other words: Find a problem, formulate a uniquely effective way to solve it, and execute.
I gave a guest lecture in Professor Gary Jonas's MBA class at Johns Hopkins University last week incorporating my Great Escape theory, and it sparked a very interesting discussion. That led me think about how many other great and inspiring books fall into the same category: incredible stories about entrepreneurship that have little or nothing to do with business.
So, in no particular order, here are seven more examples:
1. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2004)
Aron Ralston's account of how he became trapped under a boulder in a remote canyon while climbing in a remote area of Utah. As he had not told anyone where he was going, Ralston knew nobody would be looking for him.
Problem: Escape from a slow, certain death using only the meager contents of Ralston's rucksack.
Solution: After five days, convinced he had no other options, Ralston broke the bones in his arm and used a dull, two-inch knife to amputate it. His 2004 book was made into a 2010 movie starring James Franco.
2. Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game (1988)
Somewhat forgotten but for the author's eponymous television show, this 1998 book "is like a modern version of Machiavelli's The Prince, only much more richly illustrated," according to the official Amazon review.
Problem: How do you get things done in Washington?
Solution: It all starts with the very first chapter in the book: "It's Not Who You Know; It's Who You Get to Know." In other words, acquire resources (contacts) without regard to who you're connected to at the start.
3. The Aeneid
Pretty much the granddaddy of Western literature, Virgil's epic poem tells two long stories: The journey of Aeneas from Troy to found Rome, and the war between the Greeks and the Trojans.
Problem: The one we're focusing on here is the most famous: How can the Greeks conquer Troy?
Solution: Sneak a bunch of Greek soldiers into Troy by hiding them in a giant wooden horse, convincing the Trojans to bring the horse into their city, breaking out of the horse, and slaughtering everyone.
4. The Man Who Never Was (1954)
Another wartime one. In 1943, the Germans knew the Allies would invade Europe. They just didn't know where or when. The book was written by Ewen Montagu, a lawyer and wartime naval intelligence officer who came up with a bizarre solution.
Problem: Deceive the Axis powers into thinking Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, would take place elsewhere.
Solution: Obtain a dead body, preferably of a drowning victim, convince his family to release his body without knowing what would become of it, handcuff a briefcase filled with fake war plans to his arm, and launch it from a submarine. The body washed up on the Spanish coast, and the Germans were fooled into believing he was a courier whose plane had crashed.
5. Moneyball (2003)
Michael Lewis wrote this book about the 2002 Oakland Athletics, who put together one of the best teams in professional baseball despite a budget less than one-third of the league-leading New York Yankees.
Problem: With limited financial resources, draft the best players in baseball.
Solution: Employ a different, fact-based way of evaluating and judging players. Revolutionize baseball, win 20 games in a row.
6. All the President's Men (1974)
Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post penned this account of their investigative reporting on the Watergate scandal. (Full disclosure: I worked for Woodward from 2005 to 2007.)
Problem: Despite massive White House pressure, investigate one of the biggest political scandals in American history.
Solution: Assemble the best available version of the truth by following the money and leveraging every possible source--including waiters, security guards, secretaries and, famously, the deputy director of the FBI.
7. One Day, All Children (2003)
Wendy Kopp wrote this first-person account of how she turned her Princeton senior thesis into the nonprofit education giant, Teach for America.
Problem: Provide every child in America with the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
Solution: Beg, borrow, cajole, and do everything but steal to scrounge resources and put together TFA, which now places more than 8,000 young teachers a year in some of the nation's most disadvantaged schools.
Follow Bill on Twitter @BillMurphyJr
Read More Business Tips Articles
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