Tag Archive for: job growth

5 Work Skills You Can Need to Be Always Improving

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If you ever have spare time while you’re working, you should utilize that time to brush up on some work skills. There are some specific skills you can always practice and improve upon with hard work. If you take the time to do this, your value at work as an employee will drastically increase. Here are the 5 work skills you can always improve:

Typing Skills-

It’s always a good skill to be able to type fast. If you are serious about improving this skill, try typing simple sentences over and over again, so you become comfortable with the act of typing. Eventually, you will be able to move on to more complex sentences. You can quickly work on this whenever you are in the 10-minute “waiting on someone or something” mode.

Vocabulary Skills-

If you get the chance to improve your vocabulary, do it. One of the easiest ways is to have a dictionary app or website nearby when you’re working. If someone says a word you don’t know, do not just write it off. Take the time to look it up and make a note of what that new word means. If you glance over your notes every day, you will be able to increase your vocabulary in no time.

Cold Calling Skills-

If you regularly are turned down when you make a cold call, you still have some practice to do. Try different variations of the cold call script and make notes of what changes worked and what changes didn’t work. When you start keeping track of your calls, you’ll be able to see patterns forming, which will make you that much more effective in the future.

Customer Service Skills-

You can never be too good at customer service. Challenge yourself by taking on strenuous or difficult tasks with customers. This will force you to develop patience and problem-solving skills that can be applied to conflicts of any kind, whether personal or work-related.

Organization Skills-

The more organized you are, the more efficient you will be in your work life. Once again, when you have a few minutes of wait time, make use of it. Take time to tidy up your desk or workspace. Even if the workspace is shared, you and your co-workers will benefit from the organization and resulting productivity. Developing these skills can be incorporated in your workday work for maximum effectiveness.

Here at Award Staffing, we say, “Just do it.” Need a job or job change? Contact Award Staffing. We will be able to use these work skills as selling points to prospective employers who may need your services in the future.

Looking to Moving Forward at Work? Here’s How

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Life is unpredictable but possible to take control of most things in your life. It’s hard to keep perspective, but most people will face a few setbacks during their career journey.

Sometimes you may lose career momentum after a difficult stretch at your job, but you want to avoid this at all costs because you may miss out on exciting opportunities. If you want to make sure that you don’t miss out on further developing your career, here are some tips that can help you keep your career moving in the right direction.

Letting Go-

During your life, you are guaranteed to have challenges that cause you to become distracted or worried. These types of setbacks can be momentum killers. The key is to learn that they are entirely normal and working through them can help you to move forward.

If you experience a setback at your job or facing personal hardship, it’s crucial to acknowledge what is affecting you – then strive to turn it into something positive. For example, think about the lessons that you can learn from the experience, and it is beneficial to your personal. Doing so will allow you to brainstorm a different approach that could create a more desirable outcome is a familiar situation arises.

The ultimate goal of this is to let yourself feel how you feel and then actively shifting your mindset; you can ensure your career doesn’t stall.

Creating a Support System-

When you want to continue your career momentum, it’s critical to have a reliable support system. The members your group can not solely help you maintain focus and accountable, but also should encourage you during challenging your times. A massive plus is having a support system it that they can provide you with insight to help you change your perspective. This is crucial if you are often your own worst critic – keeping you from blowing small items out of proportion.

When creating your support system, make sure the relationships don’t favor just you. If you want these individuals to be there for you, you need to be there for them too. Be a cheerleader for them and help examine their situations when required. This keeps your relationship reciprocal, ensuring everyone provides value.

Self Advocate-

Do you continually engage in negative self-talk? If you do, this can be incredibly damaging to your mindset. By continuously allowing self-doubts to manifest, that internal dialogue could lead to a stall in your career.

Whenever you engage in negative self-talk, decide to be your own advocate and counter these instances with something positive. Focus on your recent achievements, remind yourself of a compliment, or just confront chalk up your thought as being inaccurate. It can take some practice to fight off negative self-talk adequately. But, spending more time being your own advocate and less your own bully, it does become easier.

Ultimately, if you want your career to keep moving forward, you have to be conscientious. If you’re going to maintain career momentum, it’s worth putting in the effort by creating a resilient support system, learn from your mistakes, and be your own advocate. Remember, challenges are part of life but, by using the tips above, you put yourself in a position to achieve higher levels of success.

If you would like to start searching for a new job to keep your career on the right track, the hiring team at Award Staffing can help. We have offices located in Bloomington, Chaska, Crystal, Delano, Maplewood, and Ramsey Minnesota to help you with your job search today! Contact us to discuss your goals today and see how our current job opportunities in Minnesota can make keeping your momentum easier than ever.

3 Steps to Take to Be Promoted at a MN Company

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If you have a job you love and have been working at for a while, it makes sense that you may want to see a promotion in your near future. While the decision ultimately rests in the hands of your employer, there are five crucial steps you can take to speed up the process.

Be Early Every Day-

This cannot be stressed enough if you are hoping for a promotion in the near future. Being early every day not only allows you to jump into a situation if needed, but it also shows your level of commitment and dedication to your job. Your employers will start to notice that you are dependable, responsible, and motivated. These are all great traits to have as someone who is about to be promoted.

Go Above and Beyond Your Responsibilities-

In a similar manner to showing up early every day, you should go above and beyond your responsibilities. People who don’t care about work show up, do the bare minimum and clock out at the end of the day. People who value their jobs and colleagues show up at work, finish their tasks, and ask what else they can do to help their colleagues and the business overall. Not only will you be helping with your company’s productivity, but you will be visibly displayed to your employer that you have a vested interested in doing your job well beyond merely collecting a paycheck and helping the company succeed.

Express the Desire to Be Promoted-

Sometimes, even if you take the above two steps, your manager may not give you a promotion because s/he assumes you don’t want it. If you genuinely want to be promoted, you need to express the desire to them so they can take it into account. Whether you decide to write a formal letter, an informal e-mail, or have a conversation – that’s up to you. But, it is essential that you make your desire and goals heard so they can consider them.

If you have been working at a job that doesn’t allow for promotional opportunities, contact Award Staffing. We can place you in a job that values how hard you work and will give you opportunities based on the desires you express and the commitment you show to that particular company.

Here are 5 Steps to Move Up in Your Job

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Are you stuck in an entry-level position? Have you been working hard, but still not getting that promotion and accompanying raise? Learn how to move your career forward. Here are 5 steps to get you started.

1. Take a Self-evaluation-

As you complete your daily tasks, make a note of which ones you enjoy the most. What is it about a specific function that you enjoy? What skills does it use? What type of position do you want to have? Will it use these same skills? Is your attitude an asset or a problem? What can you change? Finding ways to make the most of where you are at will help you move on to something better. Excel at what you do now and opportunities will present themselves.

2. Build Your Skills-

Consider ways to build on current skills or learn new ones. Consider participating in classes offered in your community or online to beef up your resume. Volunteer somewhere where you not only use your current skills but also have an opportunity to learn new skills. Read books and articles about your industry.

3. Make a Difference-

Assess the processes in your workplace and specifically your department. Is there something you can do to help it run smoother? Is there a suggestion that you can offer to encourage productivity, safety, higher quality, etc.? Making a difference where you’re at is a big step to earning opportunities to move forward.

4. Get a Mentor-

Find a mentor who works in a field that interests you. Ask their advice on how to move up? Their advice can be invaluable and give you a fresh perspective. Be willing to listen to their input, of course, and at least try their suggestions.

5. Build Relationships-

Build relationships with coworkers, the management team, and other people in your industry. Networking can make a significant difference, but remember – it’s not about you, it’s about the relationship. Take time to get to know them and find ways to help them. What goes around, comes around.

If you’re looking for a new job, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find a job opportunity that is a good fit for you both professionally and personally that is a good match for your current career skill set and future career goals. Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.