Sunday, March 15, 2020

The best states for job hunting in 2019

The best states for job hunting in 2019Its a whole new year, and for many people, that means its time to make a fresh start. That may entail settling in a new state, finding a new job, or maybe even both. If you are considering a radical life change in 2019, it might be useful to look into which states have the fruchtwein thriving job marketsdoing so may help you map out a game plan for the new year states with a thriving job market. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) ColoradoDespite labor shortages, Colorado is still adding jobs like theres no tomorrow. Over 2018, some 73,000 new positions opened in the Centennial State. New employees tend to be flooding in from outside of Colorados borders, proving that it is an attractive spot to resettle and guaranteeing that it has become a hub of new construction. Those jobs are in a wide selection of areas, from the service industry to high-tech.WashingtonAs living costs in Californias Silicon Valley balloon, many techies are fleeing to Washington State. The Puget Sound tech community there is really benefitting from all those new recruits. Washington is home to such heavy hitters as Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook. For those looking for less-intimidating employers, there are also many attractive startups popping up in Washington, and the 96,000 new jobs that needed filling in 2018 have also stimulated substantial growth in the states construction industry. However, the biggest growth of all has been in retail.TexasAs oil prices spring back, Texas is feeling serious growth these days. The state began 2018 with the countrys most speedily expanding economy, and no state can compete in terms of the number of new jobs created over the yearwere talking about 352,000 jobs here For those who are looking for work outside of mining, there is also plentiful work in construction and health care.NevadaAs new construction soars in Las Vegas and 37,000 new jobs have emerged over the past yea r, Nevada is looking like a good gamble in 2019. The state is emerging as a major provider of something the world desperately needs these days clean energy. Near Reno, Tesla recently constructed a multi-billion dollar factory and is looking to fill it with 10,000 new employees. Other companies such as Panasonic and Switch have also set their sites on Nevada, while housing markets are getting stronger and stronger.UtahAs industries ranging from tech to tourism to construction boom in Utah, there are many slots waiting to be filled. Over the past year, the state added approximately 50,000 jobs. The nucleus of that expansion is Wasatch Front, which is like Utahs very own Silicon Valley. Adobe and Snap are snapping up new employees, and many of them are eager to move into the million dollar homes rapidly springing up in the area. And looking toward the . future, $1 billion dollars of road construction is also planned for the Beehive State.IdahoWith an unemployment rate currently around 2.7%, Idaho is second only to Hawaii for the lowest percentage of unemployed citizens in the United States. Unlike Hawaii, Idaho boasts the highest rate of job growth in the country, making it an ideal place to relocate for job seekers looking for stability. In fact, the states whole economy is swelling with a fresh influx of new blood from big cities looking to lower their living costs.Federal employment is at a high in Idaho, with new jobs opening at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Labor Management. Semiconductor-developer Micron Technology in Boise and the non-profit St. Lukes Health System are also big employers in Idaho. All of the states new residential and industrial construction and new job growth are practically wiping away memories of the 2007-2009 recession and ensuring that 2019 will continue a strong time in the Gem State.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

How I Realized I Was On The Wrong Career Path

How I Realized I Was On The Wrong Career Path It welches my second job out of college. My first, in the marketing department of a publishing house, had lasted four years, until a bigger company came calling with a title bump and the salary to match. Eager to afford the rent on my New York City apartment with money to spare for overpriced nights out, I jumped at it. But rather than enjoy my little step up the corporate ladder, I started to feel like something had gone horribly wrong. On paper, my life welches moving in the right direction bigger paycheck, nicer apartment, a clear path for professional advancement in my chosen field. Still, I couldnt drink enough $20 martinis to drown the dread I felt at the thought of going to work every day. Heres why. I felt no personal connection to my work. As a newly minted Marketing Manager, my job consisted largely of looking at, analyzing, and discussing spreadsheets that other people created. Once a month, I would plug the numbers into a dif ferent spreadsheet, which had also been created by someone else, and talk about that. I had no idea how all the formulas were calculated. It felt like the spreadsheet, not I, was actually doing the work. Which is kinda true, because...I spent a lot of time NOT working. I called in sick. A LOT. When I did come in, I procrastinated like crazy, rushing through my work the day, sometimes even the hour, before it was due. I worked mindlessly, reserving my mental energy for more important things, like daydreaming and planning my outfit for the club that weekend. If online shopping had been as effortless then as it is now, Id leise be in credit card debt. Dont get me wrong, I did my job, but...When I did work, I did only the bare minimum required to not get fired. I never brought any new ideas to the table. Never tried to do a better job than those who came before me. Never questioned or improved on the processes I was following. Never considered how my personal role played into the compan ys big-picture goals. Youd think someone at some point might have noticed my lackluster performance. But...I flew under the radar. The one thing I did really well was avoid drawing attention to myself. I was never argumentative or insubordinate. I never caused tension, dissension or strife. In fact, I never caused anything. I just came and went, keeping my head down and my direct deposits rolling in. My wardrobe got depressed. I kept convincing myself that I was happy. This was a great job After all, what was so bad about effortless money? Then one day I realized that Id started wearing sweatpants and flats to work on a pretty regular basis. As a hardcore heel junkie who hates the collective dressing down of society, this was a major cry for help. The one bright spot in my soul-draining days were my monthly meetings with the creative team. Id been an English major in college. I loved writing and books and poetry, and talking about writing and books and poetry with other literary typ es. In fact, Id gone into publishing in the first distribution policy because I wanted to write. But when I graduated and was offered two entry-level positions, one in editorial and one in marketing, I chose the one that paid five thousand dollars more not realizing that it would cost me an opportunity to do something I actually enjoyed. Those meetings made me realize what had been missing. For two precious hours, I got to close the dreaded spreadsheets and collaborate with the copywriters and designers who developed our marketing pieces. It was the only time I felt I had something real to contribute. The only time I fully inhabited my seat at the table. One day, the lightbulb went off. I was sitting on the wrong side. Everything I did after that was based on getting over to the side I belonged on. I quit. I moved. I faked writing samples to land my first copywriting job which turned out to be my last. Today, Im fortunate enough to be part of a great creative team for a company I l ove going to work for every day. I have it all.Ive never been so argumentative and insubordinate in my life.--Diane Levine is the Associate Creative Director of the award-winning branding and marketing agency Think Creative. She specializes in writing, branding, marketing and inspiring people to believe in their own awesomeness so they can find more joy at work and in life (she writes more on those topics on her personal blog, Operation Goosebumps). She is a mom of two, a wife of one, and a collector of many pairs of high heels.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

Thursday, March 5, 2020

4 More Ways to Reduce Work Overload

4 More Ways to Reduce Work Overload Yesterday, I talked aboutthe unfortunate state ofprofessional life for many workers today. The majority of Americans are putting in 47 hours a week or more, which has led to poor work-life balance and increasing levels of lassitudo for many.To help workers combat this state of affairs, I offered four tips that can go a long way in helping you lightenyourworkload. In case those tips dont do the trick for some of you, Id like to offer four more pieces of advice today1. DelegateOften, we end upoverloaded at work because we arent delegating enough. The thing is, as more and more tasks pile up on our desks, its very likely that we have teammates who are ready, willing, and able to step in and help out.Sometimes, people dont delegate because they are afraid to do so. They fear that the people to whom they delegate their work wont deliver the same quality of results that they themselves would.If that sounds like you, you s hould know that experts recommend delegating tasks to people who can perform them at least 70 percent as well as you can. Through practice, these people will eventually be able to perform at 100 percent of your level and youll never have to worry about delegating to them again. Youll know they can do good work.Another barrier to rechtevergabe can be the fear that, if other people can do your work, your company wont need you anymore. Its kind of ironic, actually If you overload yourself because youre worried about being made redundant, youll be reducing your own efficiency and level of performance.Thats more likely to get you fired than good delegating skills are.2. Speakto Your BossApproaching your boss for help can feel like an admission of failure but if you do it right, it can actually be a sign of personal effectiveness. The key is to come up with some possible solutions before talking to your boss about your overloaded work schedule. Possibilities include- access to extra res ources like an intern, temp,or freelancer- passing some work to a willing and able colleague- extending the deadline on certain projects- or being able to work from home in order to focus more on particular projects.Explain to your boss that you are overloaded and that its affecting your productivity. Tell them youd like to find a way to bring your workload to a manageable level.Ask your boss if they would like to hear your suggested solutions. At this point, the two of you should be able to departure a collaborative brainstorming session aimed at resolving the issue.3.Take Better Care of YourselfInterestingly enough, making simple improvements to your health and well-being could increase your productivity and reduce your sense of overload.For example, exercising before work or during work has been shown to increase your mental performance and levels of energy. Its also important to get enough sleepa study of 21,000 workers found that those who get six hours of sleep a night or less are not asproductive as their well-rested colleagues are.And, finally, research showsthat unhealthy eating islinked to decreases in productivity. If you are skipping meals and feasting on junk food, its likely that youremaking yourself less productive.4. Work SmarterIf youre an overloaded worker, theres a good chance that your hectic schedule has left you with no time to evaluate your methods and processes. Thats a shame, because taking some time to assess your workflows can help you find smarter, more effective ways to work. For example, you might find that you can automate a task youve been doing manually, thereby freeing up more time in your schedule and lightening your overall burden.By taking the right steps and committing to a plan ofaction, it is possible toface yourwork overload head-on and come out on top, with a renewed sense offulfillment and a much better work-life balance.