Quick Tips and Ideas

Before preparing for a career, know what to expect.

• Know the work environment. Will it require working outside or inside? Is travel involved? Some people prepare for jobs in HVAC or plumbing without realizing they must work in heat, cold, and rain at times.
• Don't choose a career because it requires the least amount of money to prepare. You have a career for the rest of your life.
• You can start a new career by choosing to complete the entry-level requirements. You can also return to college to get more education if needed.
• You can choose a quick career while you decide your long-term career. Having two separate career options is a good thing.

As we start a new year, one of the typical new year goals is to be better organized at work. How can you do you do that?

• Before leaving work, spend the last hour planning for the next work day. Look at your calendar for activities and meetings that require your attendance in the coming days. List your pending items that need your attention the next day in order of priority.
• Advise your manager and any coworkers of the status of items they work with you about.
• Follow up with individuals who need to provide you with information, seeking a date and time you can expect it.
• Advise your manager when you are leaving to see if anything else is needed. Update your manager on any pending items.
• Refer to your calendar and to-do list by midday to see your progress.
• If you need to step away from your desk, make sure you advise the right people by email, reply notice, note on your door, etc. If you expect to be gone a few hours or days, note when you return and how to reach you or your substitute while you are gone.
• if you are a manager, set aside time for people to see you if needed. Post this time for others to see.

Find the right time to say thank you to your manager for your job. Our jobs are important to us and we should not take them for granted. We may not like our manager or some of the things they say or do, but we should let them know we are appreciative of our position.

• Begin the day with a clean email inbox. Also, clear the voice messages left for you before your arrival.
• Before lunch, call or email each person with an update on their needs.
• Before leaving for the day, ensure your inbox and voicemail are clear of items.
• If you cannot resolve the customer's need, at least let them know you are working on it and will follow up with them the next day.

These simple steps will build your customer service skills.

Always keep coworkers and customers aware of the next steps with an item and when to expect it. You can keep items from falling through the cracks by follow-up task notices. Ensure an item or task is complete before checking it off your list. Contact your customers when a status changes, or if it remains pending every three to five days.   An informed customer is a happy customer.

You can improve the perception a manager has of you if you simply ask if there is anything needed before you leave. It provides a way to quickly update a pending project also.

With the changing job market, we should consider having two careers.

• Consider a hands-on career that enables you to start working fast and with limited expenses. Many recent high school graduates have decided on such a career to begin their future.
• The current changes AI brings to work have caused many occupations and positions to become vulnerable.
• People who begin working in a hands-on job later have their own company.