|
|
Kathy Swann Profile and Articles
|
Display by:
Popularity |
Title |
1). 3 Points You Should Negotiate When You Are Losing Your Job
You work for a company that has been going through a lot of changes and upheaval. Word is going around about lay-offs and you worry you will be next. If you’ve been an exemplary employee and the lay-off is not because of anything you’ve done, be sure you ask these three questions as you are being handed your Pink Slip:
1. Ask for a Letter of Reference.
2). 5 Quick Gardening Tips to Save You Money
It’s easy to spend a fortune every year creating a beautiful yard. These five tips can help save you money in both this, and future gardening seasons.
1. Plan your vegetable garden according to what your neighbors are planting so you can share your vegetables when they’re ready for eating. Often I’ve had too many of one kind of vegetable I couldn’t give away because my friend’s were ripe at the same time.
3). 5 Tips to Prepare for that First ‘Real’ Job Interview
You have graduated high school or college and now you’re ready for your first ‘real’ job. You’ve mailed out résumés and have been called in for your first interview. How can you do well at the interview so you wind up being offered the job?
1. Dress professionally. No midriff shirts, low-cut blouses or flip-flops because you’re going to work and not the beach.
4). 5 Ways You Can be Prepared When Facing a Job Loss
Are rumors circulating throughout your workplace that there may be downsizing, a lay-off or merger? Are you scared and don’t know what to do? These 5 tips can help you feel more in control of your financial situation:
1. Take a long, hard look at your monthly bills. Are in up to your neck in debt? Now is the time to tighten your belt and try to get a handle on the interest rates you are currently paying.
5). Are You Ready to Outsource Your Bookkeeping?
Do you run your own small business and try to do it all yourself? Why? Shouldn’t you spend your time doing what you do best- whether it is selling and marketing, customer service or making decisions on how to grow your business?
An entrepreneur tries to juggle many balls each day, but sooner or later one of them is going to be dropped. A smart business owner will realize that he/she can’t do everything because there are only 24 hours in a day.
6). Clear Clutter for a Cozy Casa
Is your house so messy you can never find what you’re looking for? Are you often late for work because you can never find your car keys? These tips will help save time and keep you more organized.
Keep things in a place that makes sense. Drop your keys in a dish by the front door so you won’t waste time looking for them throughout the house. Put anything you need to take with you by the front door- outgoing mail, your briefcase or the library books that need to be returned.
7). Flexible Spending Accounts- A Great Employee Benefit
If you are lucky enough to work for a company that offers Flexible Spending Accounts, be sure to take advantage of this great benefit that will put more money back into your pocket. If you or your dependents have any medical or dental expenses not covered under your health insurance during the year, you can use this benefit to pay for them with pre-tax dollars.
8). Four Gardening Mistakes to Avoid
Save yourself time and frustration by avoiding these mistakes and your vegetable garden will be a success season after season.
1. Don’t plant in too small of a space- make sure the area you are using is large enough for all your vegetable plants. For years, I kept making the mistake of buying too many plants for too small a space. Or, there would be more plants in the pack than I could use, but I was determined not to throw anything away.
9). How to Search for a New Career Before Giving Up Your Old One
Are you thinking about changing careers but scared to blindly jump into something new? Are you not sure where to start? Most people are unhappy and frustrated with their current job, but don’t know how to create a plan to move into a new career.
If you are lost about where to start, and not sure what career would interest you right now, think about your hobbies.
10). How to Write a Complaint Letter That Gets the Result You Want
Have you been double-charged on your credit card? Did the poor service at that restaurant ruin your special evening? Were the flowers you ordered delivered to the wrong address? Then it’s time you write a complaint letter that gets the situation resolved to your satisfaction.
Make your opening sentence a positive one and get to the point in the first paragraph.
11). How to Write a Letter of Reference
Have you ever been asked to write a letter of reference for a co-worker, employee or former employee? Generally, a letter of reference is used to help obtain employment, apply for higher education, or as a character reference for those seeking a government position. This is an important request, as a well-written letter can be the reason the candidate receives the offer he or she is hoping for.
12). Quick Tip to Clear Clutter
One of the best ways to put more balance in your life is to get rid of clutter. I sincerely believe that a cluttered house or office just creates disorder in your mind, not to mention the guilt you feel about how you should be spending your time straightening up instead of doing what you really want.
Start first with the mail you bring in as you come home at night.
13). Remain a Professional Even When You are Being Laid Off
So you’re hearing rumors around work about downsizing and lay-offs within the company. While your first reaction may be to start helping yourself to office supplies- DON’T. At this point, you’re not even sure if it’s you going to be laid off, and this could give your boss a reason to include you on the Pink Slip List.
Now, more than ever, it’s important for you to stay focused and continue to act like the professional you are.
14). The Best Times to Sift Through Your Stuff
What are the best times in your life when it’s sensible to clean house and get rid of stuff you don’t use? Take advantage of these opportunities to clean out your home and downsize your belongings.
When you move from one house to another is the best time to get rid of things you no longer need. Why move stuff you haven’t used from one place to another where you won’t use it either? Think kitchen gadgets and closets as your best place to start.
15). Think Like an Entrepreneur
My biggest problem in becoming self-employed was me.
In order to BE a self-employed person I had to start thinking like one. I found myself reverting to that nine-to-five mentality. If I wasn’t accomplishing a task every hour, then I must not really be working.
Sometimes a self-employed person has to make decisions about her business. Sometimes she is just thinking about a solution to a problem.
16). Tips for Organizing Your Monthly Bills and Paperwork
Do you get hit with late fees because you forget to pay your bills on time? Do you constantly waste time searching for that cable bill you left somewhere in the house? Spend an hour organizing your personal bills and papers now, and this will save you time and frustration in the future. Plus, this helps make tax time easier because you already have everything in one place.
17). Understand the Changes You Will Experience After WLS
If you are a severely overweight person and considering Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), understand that it will take hard work and an adjustment to your daily routine in order to successfully lose weight. You will have to adapt to a completely new lifestyle and change the way you eat, what you eat and how you eat every day.
During WLS your stomach will be reconstructed into a much smaller pouch, so you will not be able to consume large quantities of food anymore without getting sick.
18). Why it is Important to Teach Your Kids About Money
Do your kids understand how money works? Do they earn an allowance for doing chores around the house? Do they baby-sit or mow lawns to earn a few extra bucks? Do you take them to your office during school breaks so they see what it’s like to work a ‘real’ job?
Do they know the fundamentals about saving? Do they understand how to figure out which is the best deal? Do you set a good example for them about handling money?
When I was HR Manager of a consulting company, we hired a college student to intern during the summer.
|
|
|
