Redirect 301 /ads.txt https://srv.adstxtmanager.com/0/benta-jobs-monster.blogspot.com --------------------------------------------------------- Career Advice

5 Tips If You're Job Hunting For the First Time in Years

Advice from a woman who did it successfully in her mid-50s



Senior man with laptop

By Beverly Mahone

In September 2013, I made a tough decision to return to corporate America after a seven-year hiatus, since trying to make it as an entrepreneur didn't quite turn out as I hoped it would.

When I left the news business, I was in my late forties. Now that I'm four years shy of 60, I see that so much has changed and I am learning how to adapt.

I chose not to return to my chosen career of "established media" because, quite frankly, I no longer have the stomach for breaking news that starts out with a lot of half-truths and stations always trying to outdo the competition. Furthermore, I was no longer interested in going toe-to-toe with younger, less-talented journalists who seem to have the advantage because of their "blondeness" and their desire to work no matter how little the pay.

I prefer not to say where I'm employed now, but I will tell you it is a position that is totally out of my comfort zone. As I travel through this leg of my journey, I am learning a lot about getting back in the game.

5 Tips From a Successful Midlife Job Hunter

Here are five things to consider if you are considering returning to the workforce and looking for a job for the first time in years:

1. Have a clear objective. By that, I mean: know why you are returning to the workforce. To make ends meet is one thing, but you should also be thinking about what you would like to accomplish.

Just going through the motions of working from 9 to 5 (or whenever) will ultimately make you unhappy and could lead to your untimely termination.

Once I was hired for the position I'm in, I decided to set a goal and am now striving towards it.

2. Understand that the job market has changed. If you're 50+, not only are many employees half your age, but some may end up being your supervisors. That is the situation I am currently in.

My managers are just a few years older than my 24-year-old daughter and, honestly, it is hard to appreciate and to see them as my superiors but they are and if I am going to succeed, I am going to have to accept that fact and act accordingly.

3. Learn to be humble. I've always been a take-charge person, so it isn't easy for me to sit back in a subservient role, as I currently must do. Quite frankly, humility as an employee is something I'm still working on.

But I do keep my devotional reading with me at all times to remind me who I am so I don't get it twisted and end up saying things I will live to regret.

If you have aspirations beyond the job, you will have to learn to swallow your pride and avoid an "I can do it better than you!" attitude.

4. Be willing to accept less money. The job market today is an "employers' market." They can get away with paying less money for employees because the market is saturated with young, hungry professionals who just want to get a foot in the door so they can begin to navigate their way throughout the company.

Many boomers like myself have been accustomed to nice, comfortable salaries that afforded us the opportunities to have beautiful homes, a sizable bank account and to take fabulous vacations. That is no longer the case.

You must be willing to accept the going rate but I would caution you to never accept minimum wage, because it devalues your skills and abilities - especially if you have 20 to 30 years of talent and skills to bring to the table.

5. Have a clear exit plan. Going back to work is serious business for those of us who are more mature than the average employee. Know why you are returning and have a plan for an exit. Working indefinitely without a plan or purpose only leads to frustration.

Good luck!    


How To Dress Professionally During The Cold Snap

Your worst enemy: Pants. Believe it.



Winter

In case you hadn't noticed, it's getting quite cold outside. Plummeting temperatures have turned much of the U.S. into giant walk-in freezer--but barring all public transportation being shut down, you are going to have to make it to work somehow. When you get there, you need to look professional even though it's absolutely freezing. Here are some tips on how to look good at work even when the weather outside is frightful.

Embrace the tights. For the ladies, this may seem counterintuitive, but pants can actually be your worst enemy in the winter--especially ones you can't easily tuck into boots, like skinny jeans or leggings. If you're wearing a pantsuit, the cuffs will drag and get bad salt stains. A skirt with tights (like these "dig-free" opaque ones from Commando) and a pair of boots are the way to go.


Scarf it up. This season, it's all about the scarves--and we're talking big scarves. Blanket scarves are all the rage right now (and double as a blanket for your legs in the office). Opt for a colorful scarf or a fun plaid pattern. You can keep the rest of your outfit pretty plain, with a lot of blacks and grays.

Long underwear is the way to go. Professional style blogger Kelly Larkin of Kelly in the City says it's all about the thermal underwear: "It adds warmth to my outfits without the bulk, and it allows for versatility. Who wants to wear a wool sweater every day?" She recommends Uniqlo's HEATTECH line (which is for both men and women). "I've tried the leggings and long-sleeved shirts, and I'm hooked. They're super soft and stretchy, and designed to absorb moisture and retain heat," says Larkin. She also loves Anthropologie's fleece-lined leggings, which are perfect for wearing under work pants.

Opt for a wool coat instead of a puffer. Yes, those huge puffy coats do keep you warm, but they aren't always the most professional looking. Unless it's literally the coldest day of the year, try a beautiful wool coat like this one from J.Crew (or this one for men) along with the layering technique discussed above.

Turtlenecks. Lucky for us, turtlenecks are all the rage this winter. "Turtlenecks are everywhere, and completely acceptable in the workplace when paired with wool pants and statement necklaces!" Larkin says. "I'm a big fan of J.Crew's Tissue Turtleneck, especially in the striped pattern."

Prepare for a quick change. Another approach: be prepared to do an outfit change when you get to the office. You're going to want to take off your wet boots anyway, so consider bringing a different pair of pants or a skirt to change into once you get to the office. Then change back into your boots when it's time to go home. After all, you never know what will happen in this kind of weather going back and forth to work.      

13 Suggestions for Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions

Change your habits, change your life



new year goals or resolutions   ...


It took me a long time to realize that what I thought of as "resolutions" could almost always be characterized as "habits." Most often, when people want to make some kind of change in the New Year, they want to master some kind of habit. (If you want to know the Essential Seven of habits, look here.)

Since I started working on my habits for my book on habit change, Better Than Before, and since my resolutions-based happiness project, I've hit on many strategies to help myself stick to resolutions.
Here are just a few:

1. Be specific. Don't resolve to "Make more friends" or "Strengthen friendships"; that's too vague. To make more friends as part of my happiness project, I have several very concrete resolutions like: "Start a group," "Remember birthdays," "Say hello," "Make plans," "Show up," and "No gossip."

2. Write it down.

3. Review your resolution constantly. If your resolution is buzzing through your head, it's easier to stick to it. I review my Resolutions Chart every night.

4. Hold yourself accountable. Tell other people about your resolution, join or form a like-minded group, score yourself on a chart (my method) - whatever works for you to make yourself feel accountable for success and failure.

5. Think big. Maybe you need a big change, a big adventure – a trip to a foreign place, a break-up, a move, a new job. Let yourself imagine anything, and plan from there.

6. Think small. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that only radical change can make a difference. Just keeping your fridge cleared out could give you a real boost. Look close to home for ways to improve and grow.

7. Ask for help. Why is this so hard? But every time I ask for help, I'm amazed at how much easier my task becomes.

If you have an especially tough time keeping resolutions, if you have a pattern of making and breaking them, try these strategies:

8. Consider making only pleasant resolutions. We can make our lives happier in many ways. If you've been trying the boot-camp approach with no success, try resolving to "Go to more movies," "Entertain more often," or whatever resolutions you'd find fun to keep. Often, having more fun in our lives makes it easier to do tough things. Seeing more movies might make it easier to keep going to the gym. Remember, we must have treats!

9. Consider giving up a resolution. If you keep making and breaking a resolution, consider whether you should relinquish it entirely. Put your energy toward changes that are both realistic and helpful. Don't let an unfulfilled resolution to lose twenty pounds or to overhaul your overgrown yard block you from making other, smaller resolutions that might give you a big happiness boost.

10. Consider keeping your resolution every day. Weirdly, it's often easier to do something every day (exercise, post to a blog, deal with the mail, do laundry) than every few days.

11. Set a deadline.

12. Don't give up if something interferes with your deadline.

13. "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." Thank you, Voltaire. If you break your resolution today, try again tomorrow. Although some people assume that strong feelings of guilt or shame act as safeguards to help people stick to good habits, the opposite is true. People who feel less guilt and who show compassion toward themselves in the face of failure are better able to regain self-control, while people who feel deeply guilty and full of self-blame struggle more.

What else? What are some strategies you've discovered, to help you stick to your New Year's resolutions?      

8 tips for juggling part-time jobs





Hear what career experts, as well as people who’ve dealt with such a work schedule, have to say about how best to juggle multiple jobs.

Working any type of schedule can require some juggling between your job and your other personal or professional commitments. This is especially true for workers who are employed in multiple part-time jobs. Not only do they have to balance work with their personal life, but they have to manage and coordinate various workloads and schedules.

Some workers take on multiple part-time jobs by choice; they like the variety and the idea that no day is ever the same. Others find themselves working several jobs out of financial necessity.

Whatever the reason, finding a way to juggle each job and be successful while doing so can pose challenges. Hear what career experts, as well as people who’ve dealt with such a work schedule, have to say about how best to juggle multiple jobs.

1. Stay local
Isaura Gonzalez, licensed clinical psychologist, board certified coach and CEO of Hudson Psychological in Staten Island, NY, says that if you need to work multiple jobs, try to stay within an easy commute when possible. “It helps reduce stress, frustration and maximizes the amount of time you are using.”

2. Maintain a schedule
“Maintaining a schedule is crucial when multitasking or multi-working, Gonzalez says. “When [and] where you have to be becomes a blur and confusing when you are bouncing around from location to location.” Gonzalez suggests using a weekly appointment calendar with 15 minute time slots. “Using highlighters to mark different locations [and] jobs helps tremendously [in] keeping things organized.”

3. Make a checklist
Another helpful organizing tool is as easy as having a pen and pad of paper. “Balancing two or more jobs gets distracting, which can make it easy to forget tasks,” says Erik Episcopo, a career adviser and resume expert at Resume Genius. “Organization is key to successfully juggling part-time jobs. Begin each day by writing a checklist of things that need to get done for each job.”

4. Choose jobs strategically
Molly Celaschi, executive director at Malena Public Relations, says, “Keep various jobs different if you get bored easily, need a challenge, want a varied skill set or are considering a career change. Or, keep the jobs in the same field if you want to specialize in one field and gain experience and knowledge the fastest.”

5. Communicate effectively
If you’re working in a consulting or freelancing role and are juggling multiple clients, you may want to make it seem as though each client is the only one that’s getting your attention. But, you’re usually better off being transparent, so you can manage expectations as needed. “I think the most important part of balancing multiple jobs is being communicative with your clients [and] employers,” says Lynn Maleh, writer, editor and creative consultant. “Make sure they know you have other projects going on, and always give yourself more time than you think you need for completing projects. I prefer to undershoot than overshoot.”

6. Resist overlap

“Eliminate overlap,” Celaschi recommends. “Do not work two jobs at the same time, i.e., be logged in
online to a telecommuting job while sitting in the office for another position. It's not in the company's best interest, or yours. You'll mix projects and make errors.”


7. Take breaks
“Ending a shift just to start another right after can be demoralizing,” Episcopo says. “That's why it’s important to schedule a three or four hour period between shifts to allow you some time to take a breather, get something to eat or even take a reenergizing nap.”


8. Set limits
You may think that the more jobs you take on, the better off you’ll be, but if you stretch yourself too thin, you’ll end up burning out and may even jeopardize the quality of the work you produce. So, it’s important to set some boundaries. “Set limits often and redefine as necessary. Otherwise, you will be overextended on your time, leaving you open to frustration and stress,” Gonzalez says.