Payback Your Paycheck

Like the NFL Cowboy’s quarterback Jon Kitna who will donate his $53,000 a year salary to help fund some of the high school programs in the school where he now teaches, we all could use a little way to offer some pay back with your pay check.  Whether you can donate your time, some supplies or anything that might be of use to the community, it’s time to think about how you can start the New Year off right by thinking beyond yourself.

You might not be a highly compensated sports figure, but if you had a way to help your community by donating back some of your salary what would you do?  Maybe your company has a matching grant program that will match dollar for dollar any money you choose to donate back to the community?  It’s not about saving every penny for your FSA or your 401K retirement or vacation bank, but wouldn’t it be nice if you were able to really give back this New Year with something that not only benefitted your friends and family but served a larger purpose?

It’s the time of year where we find ourselves reflecting on the events of the past on the things we liked, what we wished we could do over and what we hope never happens to us again. Whether you hate your job and can’t believe you are going to spend another year doing the same old thing or you are still at it trying to find the perfect next career opportunity, there are some things that are in your control and there are some things that are not.  When it comes to giving back, I’m not suggesting you blow the entire bank account and give it all away. Try to step outside yourself and your current situation and offer up something meaningful to someone or to a special cause you are passionate about.  Feel stuck?  Here are a few suggestions that might help get the wheels of change moving in your direction:

  1. Support a cause.  Maybe you already donate money to a local charity or church or to someone in need.  What about looking into websites like change.org and support something that touches a larger population?  It’s not always about a financial donation but maybe you can support something meaningful to you even if it’s just signing a petition and volunteering to an organization to support a change.
  2. Your gift of time.  Your time is a valuable commodity-maybe even more valuable then donating a sum of money.  If you were to pick a place, an animal shelter, foster home, nursing facility or food kitchen, maybe there is something that might resonate with you that will help not only yourself feel good but also help someone you don’t necessarily know personally.
  3. Host an event.  You might not be able to write a big, fat check but maybe you can offer up your office, your home or a facility that can host an event for a charity or organization in need.  There are things you can do that will not break the bank but will make an impact just the same.

If you are still not sure how you can help someone in the New Year, maybe you should start asking a few people how you can be there not so secret Santa this year and help someone or something that might benefit from your unique talent and skills.  It’s okay if you are not able to donate your salary, but finding some creative and innovative ways to stay in touch with a larger group is a way to honor all the good intentions the New Year will surely bring.

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

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Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Job Jingle!

Just like the holiday lists you need to prepare, the last minute gift shopping and the mad rush to the holiday spiked eggnog, you may not find time to do the one thing that’s been on your mind for awhile, look for a new job.  It may be on your list, you may have even checked it twice but it’s a far cry from getting your job jingle on if you are not motivated to start searching.

The job search process can be one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life. Next to marriage, buying your first home, having your first child, finding and keeping a job in this day and age is not something you can commit to with all of your being.  Once upon a time you would graduate school, have ten job offers post-graduation you might consider and pick a job you could stay with until retirement. Now you are lucky if you can graduate college without a hefty debt-load, get at least one job offer post college and stay with a job until your 401K employer match kicks in.  My how times have changed.  And if that were not enough to take the “ho-ho” out of your holiday jingle, think about all of the other folks just like you all up against the same set of challenges.  Yes, the odds are not staked in your favor.

The holidays may be a time for merriment, spending time with loved ones and reflecting on all the things you are grateful for.  The holidays can also be a time where you take a serious look at your job prospects and start to put some real goals against your holiday wish list before you sing your last jingle. It’s okay to have a little fun and catch up on some much-needed rest, but waiting too long to get into the job-jingle spirit may make you late for the party in more ways than you’d like to count.

Here are a couple of creative things you can do for yourself this holiday season that might make the time in between gift-wrapping a little more productive as well as fun:

  1. Gift of Time:  Maybe you have a little time on your hands this holiday season or, at the very least you might be able to make a little time for yourself with some advanced planning.  Allowing yourself the time to think about your next career move with respect to the things you’d like to accomplish may be the biggest gift you can give yourself this holiday season.
  2. Make A Wish It’s okay to work on the job search thing as a solo endeavor but what if instead of exchanging gifts this year, you asked a friend or two for some job assistance? Maybe they can help you write a resume, or maybe they have a few networking invites they can extend, maybe they are even in a position to get you an interview with a company or job you really want?  Knowing how to get the most out of your holiday can make the difference between moving ahead in your job search from lagging behind.
  3. Count Your Blessings: It’s nice to be good to others, but are you good to yourself?  Counting the blessings you have now will help you realize even more good fortune in the future.  Being positive about your prospects no matter how difficult your job search has become is the right way to honor the holidays and to honor your job efforts to date.

When it comes time to sing your “job jingle” remember to think about the good things that will come your way:

Jingle jobs, jingle jobs,

Jingle all the way,

Oh! what fun it is to search

For a job to come my way.

Jingle jobs, jingle jobs,

Jingle all the way,

Oh! what fun it is to get

A job where I might stay…

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs

And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/50

 


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Job Wash

You have options.  Like a drive thru menu at the car wash, you can select your basic or premium package when it comes to knowing how you to treat your job search.  You are worth more than the basic scrub and wash.  When you are seeking help to make the best career choices possible know what it takes to deliver the best results and don’t settle for less.  Frustrated by not knowing how you can position yourself to stand out from the crowd of hungry and anxious job seekers all vying for the same spot?

When it comes to your career, you should not short change your options or what you are willing to invest in order to have an advantage over your competition. It’s not about which options make the most sense for you, it’s what you are willing to invest in yourself to get the best results.  Here are a few tips on how to manage your Job Wash menu options:

  1. Rinse & Wash:  When it comes to the basics, knowing that you need to at least spruce up the resume, get the LinkedIn profile updated and maybe buy some new clothes to make a good first impression on your interview, know what it will take to set yourself up right.  Having the basics covered gives you a good start when you are really ready to ramp up your job search in style.
  2. Buff & Polish: Knowing you’ve got the goods helps you develop the confidence you need to focus on making the most of your job search and in an interview.  Getting in front of the right people and networking your holiday butt off will only help you stand out when you are mixing career choices with eggnog.  Get out and make new friends and stretch the limits of the world of “networking” to your advantage.
  3. Premium Upgrade:  Engaging the services of a career or life coach or someone who can be an unbiased advocate to help you not only make sure your resume reads like a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, but who can also help you figure out what your best approach to your next career move should be.
  4. Quick Dry:  Knowing how long to stay in line for the right job opportunity is like counting down the timer on the dryer at the car wash-some folks want every second to count, others power through with at least 40 seconds to spare!  If you are deliberate in your intention on how long you wait for the perfect job you may seek out every opportunity to go through the interview process loving every moment of the suspense. Or   you may be the type who powers through the interview cycle, weighing every option and jumping at the first offer that is presented.

However you navigate your job wash know that you are always the one choosing which service bests suits you.  What works for others may not work for you and vice versa.  Knowing how to select the best career choices for you helps you enjoy the job wash process and will make you squeaky clean and ready for your long drive towards success.

 Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs

And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/50


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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