Employment

Running out of Sick Days? How to Balance Chronic Illness and Work

April 30, 2019 by Tim McMahon

Most companies today allot a certain number of PTO (Paid Time Off) days or hours for their employees. However, many employees may suffer from a chronic illness that requires them to miss more work days than normally allowed. If you’re running out of paid sick days for the year, following these tips can help you balance chronic illness and work and may keep you out of financial hardship.

Get a Proper Diagnosis

You may assume that you’ll be fine with time, but you could be suffering more than you have to if you don’t get the correct diagnosis from a doctor. Your doctor may even be able to write a note to your employer explaining your situation if you have a proper diagnosis, and this may help you get extended sick pay. The information that you receive about your diagnosis from your doctor can also be used to let your employer know exactly how much more time you expect to miss from, and this can be effective in bridging better communications with your boss. Not only that, but getting an official diagnosis can make it a great deal easier to get the care you need to fully recover.

Track Your Triggers

Certain triggers may be behind your symptoms, and eliminating these triggers can allow you to recover faster. Allergies caused by certain foods and environmental factors often lead to chronic illnesses, and an allergist can test you to determine if you’re suffering from allergies. Food allergies and intolerances that aren’t life threatening are often overlooked as being symptoms of something completely unrelated. Because of this, it’s important to be aware of any history of auto-immune disorders or food intolerances in your family history. On the other hand, environmental factors such as workload and even flickering lights can trigger debilitating effects. If your chronic illness is related to stress, methods like yoga, meditation or counseling can help you maintain your mental and physical health. No matter what the cause, however, tracking the factors surrounding episodes of illness are important to help your doctor make a proper diagnosis. [Read more…] about Running out of Sick Days? How to Balance Chronic Illness and Work

Four Great Reasons to Consider a Career in Healthcare

April 13, 2019 by Guest Contributor

With so many exciting, rewarding, and challenging jobs to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow things down to just one field you want to focus on. This is part of the reason why statistics show that the average person changes jobs 12 times in their life. Picking just one stream can limit your overall options. And since your interests, skills, and needs will change throughout your lifetime it can be smart to pick a field that offers a lot of variety, one that can evolve and grow with you, so that you can remain in that one field but change jobs along the way.

A career in healthcare can offer the kind of variety you’re after, as well as a number of other benefits and advantages. Here’s a look at four reasons to consider a career in healthcare.

The Industry is Growing

When you’re picking that perfect career path, it’s always good to keep an eye open for those that are experiencing growth and demand. The healthcare industry checks off both those boxes, especially as the large baby boomer population continues to age, requiring more medical attention. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare field is projected to grow by 18% between now and 2026. Not only is that good news for anyone eyeing the industry, but it’s also well above the national job growth average in general.

You can boost the number of jobs that are open to you by making sure that you get a healthcare-focused master’s degree such as these Boston MHA programs, which offer a Master of Healthcare Administration.

A Chance to Give Back and Make a Difference

If you’re the type that measures job happiness and success by how it makes you feel, then the healthcare industry again can check off all the boxes. Working in this field allows you to truly give back and make a real difference in people’s lives. It’s the kind of job you can take pride in.

There Is Flexibility with Your Work Hours

The healthcare industry is also great for those who want flexibility with work hours. Sure you will find plenty of jobs within the industry that will be Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm, but there is also a lot of shift work and even part-time hours if you prefer. These kinds of hours can work well for busy families where one parent wants to be home with the kids as much as possible, so flex hours and part-time hours can help.

Salaries Are on the Rise

Then there is the fact that salaries in the healthcare field are on the rise by an average of 17.8% since 2006. This is great news for anyone that is currently struggling with a lower paying job and is looking to make more money in a new field.

Plenty of Pros for Looking at the Healthcare Industry

This is just a small look at the many pros and advantages to pursuing a career in the healthcare industry, and why it may be a great option for your future.

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4 Entry-Level Jobs that Pay Higher-Level Wages

April 12, 2019 by Tim McMahon

Everyone wants a “good” job that pays enough to live on, but that’s not always attainable in today’s market. With minimum wage jobs paying far below the cost of living, and with so many jobs requiring years of experience to even apply, finding a job that you qualify for and that pays what you need can be daunting. However, there are jobs available that pay good wages and are easy to get started in.

Air Traffic Controller

ATC operators have the important job of managing and monitoring a wide range of commercial flights. They communicate with pilots and other airport control operators on a daily basis to make sure flight paths are clear and everything is running smoothly. Although you can increase your ATC salary as you complete different phases of training on the job, the starting wages for this industry already pay better than minimum wage in most cases. Most air traffic controllers have a bachelor’s degree or a degree through the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program, which is administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. Whatever your current education, you need to pass the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery and gain admittance to the air traffic controller training course at the FAA Academy located in Oklahoma City. The FAA does not accept candidates for training over the age of 31 but does give preference to military veterans. The good news is that the median annual wage for air traffic controllers is $124,540 and even the lowest 10 percent earned about $68,000.

Shipping

The process of shipping physical goods from one location to another involves many steps, which means many jobs. One of the jobs you might be suited for is transporting those goods using a heavy vehicle rig. These types of jobs usually only require a high school diploma to start. In many cases, the employer will direct you to the necessary truck license training you should have for the job. At the moment, the demand is very high for truck drivers. See Considering a Career in Trucking?

Other jobs in the shipping industry can be with [Read more…] about 4 Entry-Level Jobs that Pay Higher-Level Wages

Job Hunting Anxiety? 4 Tips for Nailing Your Next Interview

April 1, 2019 by Tim McMahon

A job interview is one of the most stressful experiences that you can have, especially if you’re not fully prepared for it. If you want a better chance of nailing your next interview and landing a decent job, consider these four tips.

Research Your Potential Employer

Whether you’ve been interviewing with staffing services, a part-time job or you’re a candidate for your dream job, you will want to research every potential employer who calls you for an interview. It shows that you have an interest in their company, and that you have an attention for detail that will prove to be beneficial for any employer.

Come up with Good Selling Points

The whole point of a job interview is to see if you’re a good fit for the job in question, so you have to sell yourself. Before you go in for your interview, come up with three or four selling points for yourself. These should be reasons why this particular company should want to hire you. What those points are will be determined by what the company really wants in an employee, so decide which of your strengths will be most beneficial for an employer and highlight those during your interview. [Read more…] about Job Hunting Anxiety? 4 Tips for Nailing Your Next Interview

Putting Your Best Foot Forward: How to Make Sure You’re a Good Candidate for Hire

March 26, 2019 by Guest Contributor

Applying for a new job can quickly become stressful and overwhelming when you are unsure of how to go about the process to increase your chances of receiving an additional interview request. When you want to put your best foot forward, there are a few tips and tricks to implement into the process of preparing for an upcoming job interview and filling out available applications.

Tweak Your Resume for Each Individual Position You Are Interested In

Submitting the same resume for each job you are interested in is not advisable, especially if each individual position requires different skills and talents. Always update your resume for each new application you intend to submit to increase your chances of getting noticed and receiving a follow-up email or phone call. Consider the skills, talents, and responsibilities of each position you are interested in to make the appropriate tweaks and changes to your resume prior to submitting your application.

The most important part of your resume is the initial profile that is at the top since it is the first thing a potential employer sees. It should be brief with only about 3 bullet points. The first bullet point should highlight your experience.

So if you are a CPA it might look something like this: [Read more…] about Putting Your Best Foot Forward: How to Make Sure You’re a Good Candidate for Hire

Considering a Career in Trucking?

March 19, 2019 by Guest Contributor

Truck driving can be a very rewarding and fulfilling career if you are passionate about getting out and sightseeing. It can be fairly well paid career path and only requires a limited amount of training. This makes it an ideal choice for someone who wants to learn a new skill but isn’t quite interested in dedicating several years towards completing a degree. The following information provides a more in-depth look at four advantages associated with truck driving positions:

Benefits

Typically, most truck driving companies offer their employees great benefits. This includes different types of insurance, such as life, medical, and dental. They may also offer retirement plans, which can really help you later in life.

Flexibility

Usually, truck drivers are able to determine how far they would like to travel. If you are interested in traveling long distances, this is definitely a career option that will give you that opportunity. You may also get to choose to drive locally as well, which means you won’t be away from home for extended periods of time.

4 Tips for Avoiding a Workplace Accident in a Blue Collar Environment

March 12, 2019 by Tim McMahon

If you recently got hired to work a blue-collar job, there are some things that you should know if you want to stay safe at work. Industrial environments are known to have additional hazards that you’ll likely not find in office jobs, so it’s especially important to be diligent when it comes to looking after your well-being. These four tips can help you avoid a workplace accident in your blue-collar environment.

Use All Safety Equipment

If hardhats, safety goggles, and other types of safety equipment are available at your work, you should use them. Many job sites require that you wear a hardhat and not doing so can result in your termination. Your work environment may also have earplugs or headphones that can protect your hearing if you work in a noisy environment. Some employers even give employees the option of using back supports when lifting heavy objects. Your employer should provide instructions on how to use the safety equipment properly so that you can keep yourself better protected.

Avoid Taking Shortcuts

You might be tempted at some point to take shortcuts to finish your work quicker, but doing so may prove to be dangerous as you can see from the video below. If you try to complete a certain task while skipping important steps, you run the risk of causing an accident that could result in bodily harm. It’s important that you take the time to follow each process correctly, even if it means falling behind in your schedule. If your employer tries to pressure you into working faster and causes you to suffer an injury, you may have legal grounds to file a lawsuit. If you can’t work and need money there are now companies that offers settlement advances until a settlement has been reached. But be cautious, some companies offer lawsuit loans, or pre-settlement loans which you might have to repay if you lose your case. You should seek a non-recourse lawsuit settlement advance. That way, you owe nothing if you lose your case.

https://youtu.be/CfaozYDFxdY?t=15

3 Options to Consider When You Can’t Go Back to Work

March 7, 2019 by Guest Contributor

Life can be a real struggle when you are suffering from chronic pain from an injury or other serious medical problems that won’t go away. If you have chronic conditions that prevent you from working your previous position, that doesn’t mean that you are out of options for you to regain the fullness of life that you once experienced. It may not be easy but with dedication and perseverance you can change your lifestyle and still have a productive and fulfilling career.

File for Disability or Unemployment

If you are disabled or injured and unable to earn money, now is the time to file initially for worker’s disability and later Social Security disability payments if your condition does not improve. Additionally, speaking with unemployment advisors in your area will help give you a better idea of what your plans can be realistically. Although it is probably not a permanent solution to your financial limitations, it can help while you work on figuring out how to start a new career or other long term plan.

Some careers can be started by simply investing the time and effort into certification or learning certain skills. Filing for disability or unemployment could help give you the time and money you need to invest in bigger and better plans for your future.

Consider a New Career or Industry

No matter what kind of injuries that you may have, it is [Read more…] about 3 Options to Consider When You Can’t Go Back to Work

Need Employment? 4 Jobs that are Always Hiring

February 18, 2019 by Guest Contributor

Being unemployed for any amount of time can be stressful. Whether you have a degree in your pocket or are just starting out, however, you’ll still be able to find employment if you know where to look. There are certain industries that are known to hire new employees regularly, and some that are currently suffering from a shortage of applicants. By searching any of these four industries for open positions, you may end up landing a stable job that will pay your living needs and beyond for as long as you need.

Medical

You don’t have to be a doctor to find a good job in the healthcare field. Nurses and medical assistants are always in high demand, but you may need additional education to be hired. Working as phlebotomist, which involves drawing patients’ blood, is another possible option that doesn’t require a lot of additional schooling. You can also become a medical office manager or an office administrator and play an important role in scheduling appointments, answering patient questions and keeping medical records in order. No matter what your education level, you’ll be able to find a hospital or clinic that is hiring and happy to have you on their team.

Technology

Skilled workers in technology are needed constantly to help companies keep up with modern demands. Information technology (IT) experts are often in high demand for their ability to solve basic computer problems. If you are interested in fixing the “guts” of a computer you should look into getting an A+ certification. On the other hand if the programming side is more your thing a Microsoft Certification will certainly help speed along your job search. You can also provide support through call centers in customer service, which is always hiring and rarely requires any prior experience. Even if you [Read more…] about Need Employment? 4 Jobs that are Always Hiring

Like to Be on the Move? 4 High-Paying Transportation Careers

February 5, 2019 by Tim McMahon

If sitting behind a desk all day isn’t your thing, a career in transportation may be the perfect fit. There are many transportation career options that allow the freedom to be on the move without having to be stuck in an office. Any of these four high-paying jobs in transportation could be your ideal career.

Pilot

As a pilot, you’ll be able to travel the open skies while earning a respectable living. You can choose to fly commercial, private, or cargo airplanes to national and/or international locations. In addition to undergoing training at an accredited school, you’ll need to obtain a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) license to start working. According to CareerBuilder, commercial pilots make $40.43 an hour on average, and yearly earnings can vary depending on the number of hours that are worked but median works out to about $78,000/yr. There are also Airline pilots who have the added responsibility of passenger safety so they earn significantly more. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers is $137,330.

Helmsman

If a career on the high seas sounds exciting, you’ll likely enjoy working as a helmsman. You’ll be the captain of a ship as you navigate a commercial vessel through seas or rivers. There is always the option of working aboard a cruise ship, or you can choose to navigate freight vessels. You’ll need to undergo extensive training to learn how to operate a boat safely and adhere to passenger safety standards to be successful in this career. Salary ranges in this field often vary, but many positions pay upwards of $50,000 a year.