Taking up a new job can be quite daunting for many. Most are worried about whether or not they will fit in; whether or not they will be able to perform according to new companies’ standards; whether or not they will enjoy their job, and so on. These are concerns for most individuals who start a new career. However, there are few things you can do to increase your chances of succeeding at work. Punctuality This is THE MOST important thing, especially when you join a new company. I cannot stress more, but I guess you get it. You will create a bad impression by turning up late on the first day of your job. If your superior sees you rushing in late, you are on the back foot right from the first day. If you think you might get late for any reason, call up you immediate superior and inform [...]

Most people dream of quitting their day job. Each day, innumerable employees, sitting idle in their corporate cubicles, dream about living their life playfully, creatively, and without work-pressure. Most people want to live their life, and love their work. Should You Quit your Day Job? Not every one can quit their job to do what they love, simply because they have responsibilities and they would like to have a stable income. Having a paycheck, these days, is more important that fulfilling our dreams and doing what we love. Before you plan to quit your day job, consider these questions: Are you comfortable taking risk with your livelihood? Are you ready to take up the responsibility of maintaining a business? Do you really want to do this everyday? It may strip the joy. Is your [...]

This happens everywhere. The employee with high self confidence receives promotions, raises, recognitions, and promotion. Others who don’t participate much (although they contribute equally) are generally left behind. However, you would be surprised to know the person who appears to be confident is not actually as confident as he appears. They simply do few things that makes them look confident. Before I shore these ‘how to look confident’ ideas, let me warn you these ideas are somewhat weird and unusual, but really works. If You Are Nervous, Pick a Spot As soon as you enter a room (during an interview or meeting with superior), scan the area and look for a spot exactly at your eye level that comforts you. It can be anything like a wall painting, light, or an object hanging from [...]

Several people work from home. However, they can be broadly classified into two categories. First comprises of ones who are employed, who either are allowed by the employer to work from their house, or work additionally, after working hours. Second includes people who have their own businesses. In either case, managing work with personal life becomes quite difficult unless proper steps are taken. Below are some points that could help you balance your work and personal life efficiently, without either being disturbed. Set Boundaries When you take up something to work from home, you have two worlds to manage. And to do it efficiently, you have to set precise boundaries. You can’t mix both. If you do, you wouldn’t be successful with any one. Have a Work Space Although you don’t have [...]

You can probably do a lot of personality-development, self assessment, and skills enhancement to save your job or get a promotion. However, that wouldn’t help a bit if the economy isn’t on your side. Average Employee Overpaid May be the experts talk about correction in economy or depreciation in the unemployment rate. But what happens when you take a closer look at the bottom of the hierarchy. You or the experts will realize that a correction is needed there. Excluding the bonus and perks, an average American employee is paid much higher than the people with same roles, responsibilities, and designation, than the rest of the world. If the country wants to regain its momentum (logically, it definitely will), a cut down on employee compensation, perquisites, and benefits is inevitable. For [...]

Nowadays, the news of the economy recovering and the recession being finally over seems to be bombarding us very much. But has the economy really recovered? Think about the huge percentage of unemployed people in the country. A few months ago, it shot up to about 10 % and has remained there till now, when the year has almost come to end. With so many people not able to earn their livelihood would you call this recovery in the true sense of the word? A Mintblog infographic finds out why there is a disparity between the official numbers of unemployed people and the number actually unemployed. An interesting observation is that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics you may not be counted amongst the unemployed heads if you’ve lost your job during the economic depression because you [...]

The number of employees that are lucky enough to manage a raise this year is very low. I don’t really believe in predictions and forecasting, but if the same condition persists, the number could be much lower next year. How is it possible for you to manage a raise amongst thousands of individuals striving for the same appraisal? How are you different from the rest? Last night you met an old friend of yours who just got laid off. You have already met seven such guys this week. Forget about the raise, you are feeling fortunate enough to have a stable job, which you don’t want to lose by asking for an appraisal. It’s just not the right time to ask for it. You work even harder because you are not sure whether it’s safe to waste a single minute in such an environment. You think you are [...]

Many youngsters take up work in retail stores as part time sales executives during holidays. The job might look attractive but its not as glamorous as it appears to be. If you think a retail sales clerk’s job means hours of friendly conversations with customers in plush surroundings, you are mistaken. The job is not as light and comfortable as it appears to be. You’ve got to understand that the job can be very strenuous. In the present holiday season a large number of Americans are expected to work in retail outlets as sales or customer service executives. You’ll find them employed in stores like Target and Prada. Earlier college and school students along with housewives would participate in these jobs. But now this year due to the bad economy, even bankers, mortgage brokers etc. who [...]

Ideally, how would you imagine a successful business person - a slick executive who sits in a chamber in his plush office or a person in casual clothes working with his laptop from his living room or study? Obviously, conventionally we’ve been trained to view the former as one having a strong career while the latter as one working to make some income on a temporary basis. But times have changed. Nowadays, a lot of jobs related to the IT/ITES service industry can be done from home. In the present recession torn times, working from home is a beneficial option for both the employer and employed. Let’s see how: Advantages to the Employer Save up on office space and infrastructure The more the number of people attending office, the more space the employer will require accommodating them. [...]

My friend Sam got a wonderful appointment as a software engineer from on overseas company in another country. Some of us might jump with joy under similar conditions, but Sam was apprehensive of so many things. Apart from basic materialistic adjustments, he was thinking about adjusting to the local social and professional culture there. He did not know the local language. Also not being of very robust health, he was thinking about any health complications that might arise in the new environment. Last, but not the least, as he was a family man, the prospects of staying in another country singly, far away from his aged parents who were unfit for relocation filled him up with nostalgia. The affinity of human nature towards the known and experienced makes people prefer to stay in their own cities [...]