Three ways to use Technology to Boost your Career

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Use Technology to Boost your Career

Use Technology to Boost your Career

Three ways to use Technology to Boost your Career

Technology changes rapidly! . Read about Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2015. It takes some time to learn how to use the new technology;  but  knowing technology can enhance your capabilities on the job, make you a valuable resource, and expand your job opportunities. Read three ways to use technology to boost your career:

            First, Know the Basics

            Second, Connect Using Technology

            Third, Use Technology To Be Productive

Regularly look for ways to learn something new about technology.  This will keep your job skills competitive in a changing workplace that includes regular, new technology advancements. Invest in yourself and invest in technology. Include technology in your career plan.

First, Know the Basics

Cell Phones.

Do you use your cell phone to its fullest capacity?  Your cell phone vendor may have free classes or online tutorials to help you master your new phone.  Be on the lookout for new apps that will improve your productivity.  Talk to others with a similar phone and share phone tips!  Make sure you know all the basics to use your phone as part of your job networking, search, and application process. For tips on the basics of using a cell phone review the article on How to Use a Cell Phone.

Tablets. 

Do you have a tablet and know how to use it?  This year may be a time to purchase a tablet for use at both work and home.  There are a variety of options.  Review the Tablet Buying Guide – How to Buy the Right Tablet, Tablet Review – 2015 Buying Guide and Top Picks, or review consumer reports Top Tablet Rating – Tablet Buying Guide.

You can boost your ability to carry a book, newspaper, magazine or other content around with a simply e-reader.  You can try Kindle paperwhite, Kindle touch screen, or  Kindle Fire HDX 7’ tablet, depending upon your needs. Maybe it’s time to try an IPAD.

Computers. 

Do you have a current computer that you use, or are you using an “old dinosaur” that is out of date?  Make sure that your computer and your computer skills are refreshed to keep you current in the workplace.  Maybe you need a course on computer basics such as Computer Skills for the Workplace, Keyboarding,  Introduction to Windows 8,  or Introduction to PC Troubleshooting.  

If you are ready for something more advanced, you may be ready for a more in-depth course on computers such as Introduction to Programming, How to Get Started in Game Development, Introduction to Database Development, Introduction to SQL , or Mac, Iphone, and IPAD programming.

Internet. 

Use social media to advance your business by taking a course on  Using Social Media in Business. Learn to create a website by taking a course on Introduction to Creating WordPress Websites or learn to create a web site with a course on Creating Web Pages.  Make sure people get to your web site with a course on Achieving Top Search Engine Positions.

Second, Connect Using Technology

There are many ways to connect using technology. Learn how to use technology to help you network, search for a job, or even apply for a job!  Look for ways to connect using technology to help you find that dream job, grow your business, or move up in the workplace!

 

Use Your Phone. 

Explore ways to use your phone in the job search and application process.   Review the Top 10 Tips for Using Your Phone to Job Search and learn How to apply for a job over the phone.  Use LinkedIn in Applying for a job in LinkedIn on your Mobile Device.  This can make it easy to apply for a job from any location.

Social Media. 

Learn how to Jump-Start Your Career  with LinkedIn.  Use facebook or other social media pages to market a profile or your small business.  Connect to others with similar business interests and share information. Review 10 Smart Ways to Use Social Media in your job search or How to Use Social Networking to Boost your career.

Twitter.

Don’t let technology leave you behind.  Brush up on some skills or learn a new skill.   Take a class on Blogging and Podcasting for Beginners.   Look at how Using Twitter for Career Networking can help you network.  Follow the career hashtags on twitter by knowing the 10 popular twitter hashtags for job seekers to follow.

Third, Use Technology to Be Productive

Cell Phone Productivity Apps. 

Regardless of the type of phone that you use, there are a variety of productivity apps that can help you “work smarter”.  Review apps that will make you more productive on your phone: 18 Must Have Android Productivity Apps, 20 Best Windows Phone Productivity Apps,  Productivity – Android Apps on Google Play, or Top 5 productivity apps for smartphone, The best 100 iphone apps of 2015.

Consider moving beyond using apps to developing your own.  Take a class on Creating Mobile Apps with HTML5.   If you are good with technology, app development itself could become your job!

Tablet Apps. 

There are a number of good tablet applications to improve productivity.  Whether you using an android tablet or an IPAD, there are many tools to help boost your productivity.  Read about some of the reviews of tablet apps:  20 best productivity apps – Tom’s Guide, 10 IPAD Apps for Personal Productivity, or The 100 best IPAD apps of 2015.

Computer Productivity.  

Make sure you know how to use the computer and common software applications.  Take a class on Computer Skills for the Workplace or learn about a specific computer application such as:   Introduction to Microsoft Word 2013, Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint 2013,  Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2013, Introduction to Microsoft Access 2013, Introduction to Microsoft Project 2013,  Introduction to QuickBooks 2014, Introduction to Adobe Acrobat X .  Become the one who knows about project management with a Project Management Fundamentals course.

If your home computer or laptop has gotten out of date, consider an upgrade so that you can “get up to speed” on current hardware and software as part of your job preparation.  Laptops have never been more affordable:  HP Stream 11 Laptop, Asus 15.6” Intel dual core Celeron 2.16 Ghz laptop, or Dell Inspiron 15.6” laptop intel Celeron processor.  There are also many desktops in the affordable range: Dell Inspiron i3043-5000BLK 19.5” touchscreen all-in-one computer or HP Pavilion 23g 10.23” all-in-one desktop.

Make sure you use these three ways to use technology to boost your career: (1) know the basics, (2) connect using technology, and (3) use technology to be productive.

3 x 3 Career Strategies for the New Year

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CAREERS: Web Page Header

3 x 3 Career Strategies for the New Year

Consider the following three by three career strategies for the new year. Each of main three strategies has three areas of focus.   With three areas of focus for each strategy you have a 3 x 3 approach to career strategies you can use to jump start your career for the new year! Use three career strategies: 1) Skill Development , 2) Knowledge Development, 3) Connect and Network  to give your career a boost.

The career strategies in skill development include: 1) Hone the 3 Rs – Reading, Wriitng and Arithmetic, 2) Communication and Problem solving and 3) Management Skills. Three areas of focus for knowledge development include 1) business, 2) small business development, and 3) Industry or professional development. There are three areas of focus when you connect and network. These include: 1) network 2) find a mentor, and 3) know the job market.

When you have reviewed each of the three areas of focus in each of the three primary areas, you will have 3 x 3 or 9 career strategies for the new year!

Set Personal Goals for Career Development

Success always starts with goal setting!  Consider what you want to achieve in a career – do you want to move into management, land a new job, start a small business, or pick up a little extra income on the side.  Follow your heart!  Is there something you have always wanted to do?  The new year may be just the time for a new career strategy.  Your career strategy all starts with a simple goal.  Read more about goal setting:  How to Set Goals for the Life you Actually Want or focus on How to Set Goals: 10 Steps to Stay Focused or read How to Set Goals: Ultimate Goal Setting Guide to Having your Best Year Ever, by Craig Ballantyne.

As you decide what goal to set, consider 3 areas of focus: 1) Skill Development, 2) Knowledge development and how to 3) connect and network with others. Skills development teaches you how to do something new or allows you to “brush up” on something you haven’t done for a while.  Knowledge development ensures that you know what you need to know to reach your career goals.  Connecting and networking help you work with others to advance your career. Once your goals are set, be sure to implement your career strategies for the new year.

  • (1) Skill Development

 

The career strategies in skill development include: 1) Hone the 3 Rs – Reading, Wriitng and Arithmetic, 2) Communication and Problem solving and 3) Management Skills. Let’s take a look t each of these areas.

  • Hone the 3 Rs – Reading, wRiting, and aRthimetic.

Set a goal to read more about business. Take the time to read a newspaper or journal that focuses on business and business trends. Read current financial reports. A little daily business reading can go a long way to enhance your business knowledge. If you want to speed up the reading consider a course such as Merrill Ream Speed Reading.

Take a Grammar Refresher or Grammar for ESL course  or Fundamentals of Technical Writing course to improve your writing. Remember, nothing improves writing more than writing every day.  Buy a notebook and write a short summary of your day. You will be amazed at how much easier it gets each time you write! You may even want to learn how you can Publish and Sell Your E-Books.

Improve basic math skills by taking a Math Refresher course or try Singapore Math: Number Sense and Computational Strategies. Maybe you are ready for more advanced skills such as Medical Math, Introduction to Statistics,  Personal Finance, or Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh My!

  • Communication and Problem Solving.

Many businesses will hire someone who can communicate well, then train them on the technical aspects of the business. Improve your communication by taking a Keys to Effective Communication course. Maybe you want to improve your ability to present and share information with others. Consider a course in Mastering Public Speaking.

These days, businesses often look for people with additional skills such knowing another language.  Consider learning a new language as part of your career strategy for the new year.  Take a course in Speed Spanish, Beginning Conversational French, or Easy English 1. Of course, you want to consider the demographics of your specific geographic area to decide which language would be of most use in your location.

Those who can problem solve are valuable to a business.  Enhance your problem solving ability by reading a few books on problem solving: Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book For Smart People by Ken Watanabe or 101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques: The Handbook of New Ideas for Business by James Higgins.   Consider ways to enhance your problem solving abilities such as a course on Skills for Making Great Decisions,  or Achieving Success with Difficult People.

  • Management Skills.

Prepare to move into management by taking a course on Fundamentals of Supervision and Management or Leadership. Those who understand the numbers have a “heads up” over others. Take a course in Accounting Fundamentals or Introduction to Business Analysis so you are the one who “understands the numbers”. It is a great business skill to improve the workplace. Become the one who knows how to do this with a Total Quality Fundamentals course.

Those who move up into management need leadership skills to work with employees.  Take a Leadership course or Understanding the Human Resource Function course to learn the secrets human resource professionals know about how engage employees.

  • (2) Knowledge Development

 

Three areas of focus for knowledge development include 1) business, 2) small business development, and 3) Industry or professional development.

  • Business.

Expand your knowledge of business and the information a corporate leader needs to know. What do you know about the company you work for? Have you taken the time to look at the corporate web site where you work?

A lot of information can be gathered from a company web site.  Explore the web site of the company where your work or a company you are interested in working for.  Find  the corporate mission statement, financial reports, and company goals. Once you know the company goals, evaluate how you can align your own goals with those of the company so that you can move up the corporate ladder.

Research the web to know what your competitors are doing.  Understand the information that those in management or executive positions know about.  Be the one to know about Employment Law Fundamentals and how the law impacts your workplace.

  • Small Business Development.

Whether you are in business on your own or work for someone else, knowing how to develop and grow a business is a useful knowledge to have. Consider ways to start your own business by taking a course on how to Start your own Small Business or Creating a Successful Business Plan.   Learn how to make money with a Real Estate Investing course or Learn to Buy and Sell on eBay. Many people are successful at home based businesses. A course on how to Start and Operate Your Own Home-Based Business or Starting a Consulting Practice may help you jump-start a small business this year.

If you already own a small business but want to expand, look at marketing methods.  Consider a course in Marketing Your Business on the Internet, Get Grants!, Achieving Top Search Engine Positions, Effective Selling, Professional Sales Skills, or Small Business marketing on a Shoestring.

  • Industry or Professional Development.

If you are part of a specific profession, join the professional organization. If you don’t know of an organization to join, look online at General Professional Organizations and Associations for Networking. Find the organization that meets your career goals and needs.

 

 (3) Connect and Network

 

There are three areas of focus when you connect and network. These include: 1) network 2) find a mentor, and 3) know the job market.

  • Network.

It is important to establish networks of professional relationships that link you to others in your industry and profession. Review Job Networking Tips, ,The Art of Career and Job-Searching Networking: Critical Networking Tools for job Seekers or Turbo Charge your job search with 12 easy networking tips. The more people who know you, the more people who can help you with your job search.

Read about Business Networking: How to Build an Awesome Professional network: Strategies and tactics to meet and build relationships, by Mike Fishbein or Networking is not working: Stop collecting business cards and start making meaningful connections, by Derek Coburn.

  • Find a Mentor.

A mentor is someone who is farther along in their career who can help guide you along your career. They can help you prepare to take the next step in moving up in your career. A good mentor can be invaluable! Take your time in Finding the Right Professional Mentor.      Finding a Mentor is Easier than you think if you take the right steps.

  • Know the Job Market.

Take the time to research job trends. Discover what it takes to successfully land your dream job by starting with a course on  Twelve Steps to a Successful Job Search. Review industry reports to know what is going on in your industry. Review Bureau of Labor Statistics information to know the labor market in your area.

 

 

Step up career 2015

5 things to do to step up your career up to the next level

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5 things to do to step up your career 

You have some work experience and want to move into management.  You want to step up your career. What do you do?

1.   Learn to Manage.

Often the next step up the career ladder is to move into management.  Learn about managing and supervising other workers.  Read a few books about management such as The First Time Manager, by Loren Belker and Jim McCormick  or The 27 Challenges Managers Face:  Step-by-Step Solutions to (Nearly) All of your Management Problems by Bruce Tulgan or Management by Richard L. Daft.  Take a class on the  Fundamentals of Supervision and Management .  Learn the secrets of what Human Resource  professionals do as they work with people by taking a class in Understanding Human Resource Function .

2.  Know what managers know. 

Take the time to know the law as it applies to the workplace.  Take a class on Employment Law Fundamentals  or read a book such as Employment Law in a Nutshell, Third Edition by Robert Covington.

3.   Meet corporate goals. 

Managers know about corporate goals and objectives and where they fit in.  They create value by making sure the team they manage meets or improves those corporate objectives. Start by asking your own manager about the goals your team and organization are working towards. Do your part to meet those corporate goals.  As you do so, you become a valuable asset to your organization! It may help to learn a few business fundamentals so that you are clear what makes a business success.  Read about business goals in a book such as  The Goal:  A Process of Ongoing Improvement   by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox or Hard Goals:  The Secret to Getting from Where you are to where you want to be by Mark Murphy.  Consider a course in Mastery of Business Fundamentals   or Business Finance for Non-Finance Personnel  or Creating a Successful Business Plan.

4. Have the people skills. 

Managers need strong organizational and people skills.  Make sure you have the skills you need. You could take a class to learn about the people part of management.  Take a class on Keys to Effective Communication or Achieving Success with Difficult People.  You can also hone up on your skills by reading a few books on communication.  Try The Art of Communicating  by Thich Nhat Hanh or Everyone Communicates, Few Connect:  What the most effective people do differently by John C. Maxwell.  Once you have learned some new skills be sure to take the time to practice each new skill.

5. Work Hard and Work Smart. 

Tune up your career. Take the time to work hard, but also work smart by focusing on what matter most in your organization.  Align your goals with corporate goals.  Create good working relationships with others.  Know what managers know and prepare yourself to move into a more senior position within your organization. You may want to read Working  Smart: A Blueprint for Success in the Corporate Workplace  by Dr. Addons Wu or Work Smarts: What CEOs Say you need to know to get ahead   by  Betty Liu. Be smart in the way you work.

These five things can help you step up your career.  You can learn to manage.  Learn about the laws that managers need to know.  You will know how to meet corporate goals.  You will have the people skills and know how to work hard and work smart.