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Work an Entry Level Job and Climb the Ladder of Success

March 10, 2012 by

I hear people groan and complain about taking entry level jobs. Most of us have worked them. I once worked on the assembly line for a potato chip company picking out burnt potato chips. It was one of the most boring jobs I’ve ever had. It paid minimum wage and every couple of hours a Fred Flintstone type whistle would alert us to the fact that it was time to take a break. For most people there, that meant a smoke break. If I had worked there much more than a day I think it would have sucked my brain out.

But, like any kind of job, you should always learn something from it. I learned that I did not want to pick out burnt potato chips for the rest of my life and had no interest in working my way up the corporate ladder at the time. But, being older and wiser I would see it differently now. At the time I only saw burnt potato chips. Sometimes in my nightmares.

Today, an an entrepreneur, I see opportunities. In every corporation there are other jobs besides entry level. Since they are the ones that are the most visible, we tend to forget that there is a whole other world at “corporate”.

If you’ve ever seen the show “Undercover Boss”, it’s where the CEO goes undercover in a disguise and gets a job as an entry level worker. This is when he or she really finds out what goes on in their own company. They are always shocked at what they see when they put themselves in the shoes of their employees. What better way to learn about a company than to start at the bottom?

No matter what kind of job you get, always, always, always learn as much as you can. This will serve you well in life in other areas. You don’t have to stay at the bottom long. Show interest, enthusiasm and a willingness to work hard and you will be working your way up in no time.

Paula Marshall-Chapman, CEO of Bama Companies, started out filling pie shells on the assembly line. Jim Ziemer, CEO of Harley Davidson started out as a freight elevator operator.  Jim Skinner, CEO of McDonald’s started out as a restaurant manager trainee. And Andrew Taylor, CEO of Enterprise started out washing cars on the lot.

So the next time you hear about an opening for an entry level position, don’t complain about it. See it as an opportunity. You never know, maybe one day you could be running the whole show.



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How to Avoid Stress at Work

February 22, 2012 by

These days it’s almost impossible to avoid stress. It starts when you enter the morning rush hour traffic jam and doesn’t end until you wind down to go to sleep. “At least I have a job”, you say. And you endure the stress because the alternative is unemployment, which is even more stressful. So, if you are employed, how can you minimize the stress at work to make it manageable?

Get up a little earlier-There is always the unavoidable traffic jam and many other things that can go wrong. Allowing yourself extra time will keep you from stressing on the freeway. With the extra time you can read the paper, have a nice breakfast, have a cup of coffee, and ease into your day instead of bolting into it. Start by going to bed a little earlier every night and make sure you get plenty of sleep.

Keep your mind occupied on the way-A great way to take your mind off of traffic stress is by listening to a book on tape or entertaining radio show. It forces you to concentrate on something else besides traffic and will lower your blood pressure.

Don’t take on too much at work-Learn to say no whenever you can. We usually underestimate how long something will take. Don’t schedule things back-to-back. Allow plenty of time in between.

Make a to do list and stick to it-Making a to do list will keep you on track. Start with the most important or better yet, make two lists with the urgent and not so urgent.

Take plenty of breaks- Get up and stretch every so often. It’s better if you can get outside and walk around. It’s incredible how well this works for clearing your head.

Avoid the people that stress you out- If you can, avoid the co-workers that bring your blood pressure up. Know their schedule and work around it to avoid as much contact as possible.

Use humor and play more-Humor is a great stress reliever. Learn how to use it to diffuse stressful situations.

If all else fails and you find yourself dreading going to work, maybe it’s time for a change. Work shouldn’t be that stressful. It takes up the most time out of your day so it should be a place you enjoy going to. If you can’t make it work, start looking for another job. But not while you’re at work. That will only add to your stress.

 

 



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Long Term Job Game Plan

January 31, 2012 by

In this challenging job market a lot of people have gone from thinking long term to thinking that they just want a job that will pay the bills. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you should still have a long term job game plan in mind. If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to know when you get there or how to get there?

One way to accomplish that is to think backwards. Think about what industry you really want to be in. What do you want to be doing five years, ten years, or twenty years from now? What kind of job would you be happy doing long term?

The best way to think it through is by going through all of the necessary steps. Will you need to relocate or transfer to another department? Do you think it’s possible to work your way up in the company you’re in now or do you think you might need to work for another company for that opportunity? Would you be better off in a start up company or a more established one?

Not everyone wants to be the president of the company, nor is there room for everyone to be. If that is your goal and you don’t see the chance to advance to the top where you are, you might want to think about running your own business. That’s the shortest way to get to the top. But with that comes a lot more responsibility.

Either way, you and only you will be responsible for your career. It won’t be given to you. You’ll have to earn it and stay vigilant about making sure you do everything you can to give yourself the best chance. That means you should make sure you stay on top of any and all training you need. Take advantage of any kind of continuing education you can, whether your company pays for it or not. Always look for ways to improve your skills in all areas.

Make sure you start building your network as soon as possible. This includes co-workers, friends, vendors, human resources, management, and anyone else that might be able to help you on the way to the top. Don’t discount anyone. You never know where an opportunity will come from. Volunteer for as many things as you can handle without overloading your schedule too much. Stay active outside the office too with community activities.

Write down your long and short term job game plan and stick to it. By being clear about where you really want to be in your career future, you’re more likely to achieve your goals.



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Achieving Job Security with Job Training

January 2, 2012 by

Job security is one of the most coveted assets and man or woman can have in the current economy. With many people unemployed, under-employed, or shakily employed, everyone is asking how they can be more secure in their current jobs. How are you different from your co-workers? How can make sure you aren’t the next to be laid off?

There are some good strategies to help you achieve job security through proper job training.

Before you begin looking at how secure your personal job is, ask yourself how secure your line of work is. Does your company produce something that is in demand consistently? Or does it provide a service that is always needed? If the answer to these questions is no, you may be in the wrong job field. Keep in mind that in times of economic hardship all the jobs associated with luxury services and products are potentially at risk, regardless of how good your training is. If you are in a high risk industry then you might want to think about retraining completely to get a totally different job.

But for the purpose of this article, let’s assume that you are employed by a company that is stable and provides something that is needed by consumers on a consistent basis. How do you stay on top of your game so you are valuable to the company?

The most important thing you can do is keep your skills up to date. Some companies provide training for this. And, if they do, take advantage of it. Regardless, you should consider it your responsibility to stay current on technology, and other factors that effect your job. One man was fired from his current position for refusing to adapt to use email instead of the inter-office mailing system. This story sounds ridiculous and it is an extreme case, but it clearly illustrates the fact that in today’s world, you keep up or you get left behind, period.

Also, you must stay current with any certifications required for your job. Even if you have to pay for recertification out of pocket, you need to have the required credentials to fill your position.

Lastly, keep your ear to the ground in your company. Make sure that you are consistently aware not only of your own work but also of what is going on around you. Make sure your skills are up-to-date.

Of course, none of these things can 100% guarantee job security, but they will significantly increase your chances of not getting hit in the next round of layoffs.



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