( Cool Jobs: Spring Photography Edition ) ( How To Tell If A Company Is Good Fit Before Accepting A Job Offer )

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Cool Jobs: Spring Photography Edition

The first official day of spring has finally arrived and depending on where you are located in the US, you are either still shoveling snow, or lucky enough to see the first buds of flowers starting to appear. If you’re really lucky, you’re able to attend the myriad of Cherry Blossom festivals happening now through mid-April in Washington, DC.  Nothing signifies spring more than the beautiful sight of the cherry blossoms.  And what better way to catch the beauty of the new season than in a professional photograph. Photographers creatively capture memories year round but this time of year in particular provides a gorgeous back drop for photographers.  Capturing a job in capturing memories by entering the photography field is also a smart career path considering the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 13% job outlook increase in professional photography jobs over the next 7 years.

This week, we are featuring 10 of the coolest jobs at cool companies hiring photographers.

1.) Photo Director – Uline (Chicago, IL): Direct photo shoots at Uline as Photo Director.

2.) Easter Photo Staff – WorldWide Photography (Charleston, WV): Come to work with a smile on each day as an Easter photo staff member for Worldwide Photography:

3.) Easter Bunny Photo Set Characters – Sepia Photos (Natick, MA): Make children smile as a part of the Easter Bunny Photo Set Characters team at Sepia Photos.

4.) Photographer – Lifetouch Portrait Studios, Inc. (Fargo, ND): Express yourself as a Photographer Lifetouch Portrait Studios, Inc.

5.) Senior Photographer – Picture People (Wellington, FL): Join Picture People as Senior Photographer (Wellington, FL)

6.) Staff Photographer – Sandals Resorts (Miami, FL): Work in paradise as a Staff Photographer at Sandals Resorts.

7.) Studio Photographer – Heritage Auction Galleries (Dallas, TX): Have photography experience? Join Heritage Auction Galleries as Studio Photographer.

8.) Bilingual Photographer – Mom365 (Saint Charles, MO): Capture memories as Bilingual Photographer @Mom365.

9.) Photo Studio Operations Manager – TJX (Memphis, TN): Manage photo shoot production at TJX as Photo Studio Operations Manager.

10.) Photo Retoucher – Creative Circle (Chicago, IL): Work on a variety of projects as Photo Retoucher at Creative Circle.

The post Cool Jobs: Spring Photography Edition appeared first on MonsterWorking.

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How To Tell If A Company Is Good Fit Before Accepting A Job Offer

Many times, job seekers will make quick decisions when accepting a new job only to become unhappy shortly after starting with the company. The majority of the time, it is not their fault.

For many applicants it can be difficult to differentiate great companies from the subpar ones because they must form their thesis based limited interviews and even less interaction with most of their future co-workers or managers.

Despite the difficulty to recognize these nuances, there are some concrete signs which will inform whether you are about to accept a job at a company that you will not enjoy or if you are about to make the right employment decision.

Knowing that you will have limited time and interaction with the interviewers, you must take it upon yourself to make the most of your time to determine if you are about to accept a job offer at a bad company. To ensure that this is not the outcome, look for the following:

1. Smart People. While you don’t need to be working with individuals who have genius IQs, you are more likely to be happy in an environment that is made up of smart employees, thus making the environment intellectually stimulating and one that fosters learning.

Additionally, intelligent people tend to make a higher salary than a group who is less smart. This is not always the case, but the odds are with the group who has a higher IQ.

2. Strong Leaders. Whether you like the firm’s senior leaders can be measured in two ways: Do you like them as people? For example, from what you know about them, the individuals seem to have integrity, care about the well-being of their employees, and are likeable people. Secondly, do they have strong leadership skills? The best companies to work for have great CEOs and leaders, and you can decipher them from the average manager very quickly by assessing such things as self-confidence, industry knowledge and an optimistic attitude.

3. A Solid Product or Service. If you don’t believe in your potential employer’s product or service, and from your perspective, see no rational need for it in the marketplace, you are going to lack passion at your job, which will result in long, not stimulating and morose days at the office.

Prior to accepting a job, make sure that you buy into what the company provides. Either you’re going to have to be a believer, or you’re about to accept a job offer at a bad company.

4. Fair Compensation. The only thing worse than being underpaid is being under appreciated. While you don’t have to be the richest person in the office, your new employer should provide you with what you feel comfortable living on. If they don’t, try not to take it personally and politely decline the job offer.

It doesn’t look good when your resume shows that you have bounced from position to position frequently. Therefore, be meticulous and patient before accepting a job offer. It can mean the difference between a happy career and a regretful one. – Originally posted on Personal Branding Blog by Ken Sundheim

How To Tell If A Company Is Good Fit Before Accepting A Job Offer is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Related posts:

1. Seven Company Culture Questions You Must Ask Before Accepting A Job Offer
2. Congratulations, You Got A Job Offer. Now What?
3. Negotiating Salary? Three StepsTo A Bigger, Better Offer

( Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company )

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Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company

Are you interested in boosting company profits? Improving employee productivity and morale? Increasing employee retention and reducing sick days?

If the answer is yes, read on.

The secret to achieving these goals is to provide solid and professional development opportunities for your administrative staff, one of the most powerful and untapped secret weapons in your company. Here are four ways to invest in your administrative staff to help achieve company goals:

1. Invest in Training. Invest in supplemental in-house classes and workshops in both soft skills (communication) and hard skills (technology).

2. Support Event Attendance. Support and fund the administrative staff to attend at least one professional meeting or conference per year. After their participation, ask for a short presentation to the staff about the conference and what was learned.

3. Promote Networking. Provide regular opportunities for networking and the sharing of information among the administrative staff. Supply the space and the food.

4. Value Their Opinion. The most powerful question you can ask a member of your admin staff is: “What do you think?” Then listen.

In most companies, the administrative staff is a traditionally under-trained and under-served group of extremely bright and resourceful women (the profession is 95% female). They have succeeded in their roles in spite of the lack of support and training rather than because of it. This is true coast to coast, in companies large and small.

As a trainer of assistants, I hear regularly from staffers whose companies have never offered any training for the administrative staff. Managers will argue that they cannot quantify the return on investment (ROI).  I argue that these staffers are the backbone of your company and that supporting them to develop their skills is very smart business.

The benefits of providing professional development opportunities for the admin team go far beyond the actual knowledge that the staff gains. Your staff will feel a sense of ownership in your company and a feeling of loyalty since you are demonstrating your belief in their talents and respect for their value. This feeling of respect is the antithesis to feeling like a number and that you are “a dime a dozen.” On top of all that, the most important benefit of providing training is self-confidence and self-esteem, which are priceless.

While compensation has always been an excellent incentive for employee retention, the number one motivator for the administrative staff costs nothing. It is respect. If you doubt this, just ask them and give them license to be candid without repercussion. Training is a strong demonstration of respect.

Job satisfaction for your admin team has everything to do with feeling valued and respected for their role in the company. Saying “please” and “thank you” goes a very long way (cost: $0). Adopting a zero-tolerance policy on bullying goes even further (cost: $0). The ROI of publishing this policy on your company’s website will come back exponentially, especially if you back it up with action.

When you support these strategies, keep in mind that you will be saving even more money by not having to replace staff who quit or having to pick up the slack for staffers who are out on medical leave from stress-related illnesses caused by bullying.

The most profoundly meaningful investment you can make in your staff, and in anyone for that matter, is to believe in them enough, trust them enough and support them to learn. Knowledge is power, and it is also a bottomless source of loyalty, commitment and profits.

Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Related posts:

1. How To Honor Your Administrative Professionals
2. Why Company Culture Matters To Your Career & Company
3. How to Interview The Company: Part 1

( Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company )

---

Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company

Are you interested in boosting company profits? Improving employee productivity and morale? Increasing employee retention and reducing sick days?

If the answer is yes, read on.

The secret to achieving these goals is to provide solid and professional development opportunities for your administrative staff, one of the most powerful and untapped secret weapons in your company. Here are four ways to invest in your administrative staff to help achieve company goals:

1. Invest in Training. Invest in supplemental in-house classes and workshops in both soft skills (communication) and hard skills (technology).

2. Support Event Attendance. Support and fund the administrative staff to attend at least one professional meeting or conference per year. After their participation, ask for a short presentation to the staff about the conference and what was learned.

3. Promote Networking. Provide regular opportunities for networking and the sharing of information among the administrative staff. Supply the space and the food.

4. Value Their Opinion. The most powerful question you can ask a member of your admin staff is: “What do you think?” Then listen.

In most companies, the administrative staff is a traditionally under-trained and under-served group of extremely bright and resourceful women (the profession is 95% female). They have succeeded in their roles in spite of the lack of support and training rather than because of it. This is true coast to coast, in companies large and small.

As a trainer of assistants, I hear regularly from staffers whose companies have never offered any training for the administrative staff. Managers will argue that they cannot quantify the return on investment (ROI).  I argue that these staffers are the backbone of your company and that supporting them to develop their skills is very smart business.

The benefits of providing professional development opportunities for the admin team go far beyond the actual knowledge that the staff gains. Your staff will feel a sense of ownership in your company and a feeling of loyalty since you are demonstrating your belief in their talents and respect for their value. This feeling of respect is the antithesis to feeling like a number and that you are “a dime a dozen.” On top of all that, the most important benefit of providing training is self-confidence and self-esteem, which are priceless.

While compensation has always been an excellent incentive for employee retention, the number one motivator for the administrative staff costs nothing. It is respect. If you doubt this, just ask them and give them license to be candid without repercussion. Training is a strong demonstration of respect.

Job satisfaction for your admin team has everything to do with feeling valued and respected for their role in the company. Saying “please” and “thank you” goes a very long way (cost: $0). Adopting a zero-tolerance policy on bullying goes even further (cost: $0). The ROI of publishing this policy on your company’s website will come back exponentially, especially if you back it up with action.

When you support these strategies, keep in mind that you will be saving even more money by not having to replace staff who quit or having to pick up the slack for staffers who are out on medical leave from stress-related illnesses caused by bullying.

The most profoundly meaningful investment you can make in your staff, and in anyone for that matter, is to believe in them enough, trust them enough and support them to learn. Knowledge is power, and it is also a bottomless source of loyalty, commitment and profits.

Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Related posts:

1. How To Honor Your Administrative Professionals
2. Why Company Culture Matters To Your Career & Company
3. How to Interview The Company: Part 1