Should I Get Help From a Career Counselor?

Most people would probably rather get a root canal than hunt for a new job. Whether a person has been downsized, is changing careers, or just wants to find a better opportunity, hunting for a job can be frustrating and intimidating. And since more than 230,000 people have lost their jobs this year, the competition for employment is likely to be fierce. People who want to increase their odds for getting hired may want to consider finding a career counselor.What Career Counselors DoCareer counselors can help people evaluate their skills and abilities to find a job that fits their goals and interests. They serve as coaches, teachers, and mentors to people with all different types of job experience. A qualified counselor should be able to assess a client’s traits and abilities to help direct them to an appropriate position. They also should be good listeners who can communicate well with people who may be dealing with a lot of stress and uncertainty about their job situation–and life in general.Some career counselors may have a degree in counseling or a related field, but others may have experience in a particular field that gives them the expertise to help others. A master career counselor usually has the highest level of expertise in career counseling and has met other qualifications, such as being licensed by a state board.Who Should Consider Counseling?Not everyone looking to change jobs needs to see a career counselor. But people who aren’t sure where they’re headed in their careers and need help focusing may benefit from working with a coach. Workers who are thinking about getting help with their career should ask themselves:1. Am I satisfied with my current job?2. What do I like or dislike about my current job?3. How can I improve my current job?4. Do I have the work-life balance I want?5. What are my short- and long-term goals for my career?6. What other jobs can I qualify for with my skills?Downsized in AmericaPeople who haven’t had to look for a job in many years may be ill-equipped for their search and may be perfect candidates for career counseling. Companies all across America are cutting jobs, forcing many workers to dust off outdated resumes. A qualified counselor can help put together a resume, practice interviewing techniques, administer assessment tests, or evaluate new career paths. The right coach can help a person evaluate jobs they’ve never considered that may allow them to use their current skills.Changing CareersFor people who are looking for a whole new career, a counselor can help them decide whether they have the necessary skills or need to continue their education. Some people may find that the type of work they’ve been doing has become obsolete. Many unskilled workers have found themselves forced out of jobs that can be done by a computer or a machine. A good career counselor should listen to workers’ needs and assess their strengths and weaknesses to help them transition to a new career. That may mean directing clients to places they can learn about new technology or employment trends in fields that interest them.Getting EncouragementRichard Nelson Bolles writes in What Color Is Your Parachute? 2008: A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers that “Researchers discovered some years ago that while the typical job-hunt lasted around fifteen to nineteen weeks, depending on the economy, one-third to one-half of all job-hunters simply give up by the second month of their job-hunt.” Having the support of a career counselor may help some people stay focused on their job search and not become easily discouraged. The right coach can also redirect job-hunting efforts that have stalled or become unproductive.Moving to the Next LevelAlways being passed over for promotions is like going to a spring fling and never being asked to dance. It’s no fun! Workers who are having trouble advancing in their career may need some help figuring out exactly what they need to do differently to get noticed by higher ups. For some people it may be as simple as taking a few courses to learn necessary skills. Others may need advice from a career coach on how to dress, talk, or act more professionally.Setting Career GoalsCounselors can also be helpful if people just want to make sure they are setting the right goals for their career. They may not be looking to change companies, but may be more concerned about protecting their future job security. A person who hasn’t bothered to keep abreast of changes in their industry, learn new skills, or network with influential peers are more likely to fall under the downsizing axe than someone who has worked to remain competitive.Choosing the Right CounselorIt’s important for people to find a career counselor that fits their goals and is reputable. A good counselor should:1. Disclose the terms of their service and fees upfront2. Provide a copy of their ethical guidelines3. Charge only for services provided4. Let clients choose the services they want5. Not make unrealistic promises.They should also discuss what type of time commitment clients should expect to make to their counseling sessions and job-hunting strategies.While career counselors can be helpful they may not have all the answers. They can help individuals assess their strengths and weaknesses to choose a career that fits their unique goals and needs. Like any other counseling relationship, it may take more than one try to find the right person. People looking for a career coach can check with their former employer, local job centers, universities, alumni groups, churches, and other organizations for recommendations.

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Payday Loan Direct Lender Revenue Is Not So Grand After All

Do you think that a fast payday loan direct lender service earns large revenue from small short-term loans? The industry is often fingered as a booming business feeding off the perils of those less fortunate. Direct lenders cannot deny all accusations as a whole as they understand quite well how the practices of predatory lenders have made a name for the industry. The good news for borrowers is that there are many safe payday loan lenders not looking to eat their income for dinner.With the postal service losing revenue from mailing charges, are they looking to move into the payday loan business out of hope to make up the difference? There may be quite a few lenders watching to see how their story will unfold. With short-term loan lending experience, responsible lenders can tell you that the industry as a whole does not earn large profits. How much money can you earn off of a $300 loan? In the finance world, a $75 finance charge is peanuts.Like any other business, payday loan companies have overhead costs. These small fees must add up to cover building costs, employee salaries, benefits, taxes with some left over to cover losses. As there are borrowers who take their loan obligations seriously and do pay off their debt, there are others who don’t. There is bad debt which must be written off from those borrowers did not pay the loan back. It’s unfortunate to think that the behavior of some customers would maintain high interest costs for responsible ones. Direct payday loan lender services small loans with steep interest rates. Credit card companies have been forced to raise limits for more risky customers as well. Someone has to pay for a company’s loss.What does it all boil down to? The USPS may not earn the revenue they had hoped for. On the other hand, with fast cash advances and alternative options for those without bank accounts the postal service may at least make some gains. They will learn that these customers may take 3-5 months to earn them, so they will need to be patient. The fees only become profit once the loan has been collected as well. Getting an interest charge payment cannot be considered profit until it measures above the loan amount. A borrower that takes out a $375 loan and pays $48 in fees over the next five months without returning the principle balance will actually show as a loss in the books. The fees are no way near the amount borrowed. In the meantime, the postal service will have business responsibilities to take care of. Where is the high revenue in that?The USPS will have to lend to numerous borrowers before they will see any signs of profit. Where will they get their money to loan out? Do they have profits to risk on customers or will they have to borrow from the government or private sector themselves? If the USPS borrows money, they will have interest payments on top of lending costs. It shrinks revenue further.Yes, it would be nice to have additional options for those who cannot acquire a bank account for whatever reason. It would be nice to have a place to cash a paycheck without large check cashing fees. The post office won’t do it for free, but it will cost less. Smaller finance charges will attract new customers. The postal service may find a new niche in the payday lending and check cashing industry. Time will tell if the service charges will support the overhead. How many new headaches will they want to deal with once they are introduced to borrowers that don’t find payoffs an obligation to borrowing money? It will be nice to have an additional responsible direct lender to add to the group to help erase reputation woes of the direct payday loan industry.

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Employment Law

Whether you’re an employer or an employee, there are certain things that you should know about employment law that will help you in the workplace.Here’s what you need to know.1. There are lots of regulations that employers must follow. For instance, there are more than 25 statutes, 100 statutory instruments, 36 European Directives, and 20 Codes of Practice. It’s no wonder that employers never feel that they are on top of all the legal expectations and requirements.2. The contract of employment doesn’t have to be written down. The fact that the employer has offered the position, and the employee has accepted the position means that a contract has been formed. However, it is a good idea to have formal written contracts for all of your employees.3. If you want to change employee contracts, for either one worker, or all of them, then you will need to obtain the consent of all parties involved. You might want to change their job description, change their place of work, increase their pay, or change the number of hours they work. If employees don’t agree to the changes, then you can’t just change their contracts anyway.4. A Compromise Agreement is a legal document that will terminate the employment of a worker, and also means that the employee signs away their rights to complain to an Employment Tribunal, and in exchange, the employee is given a full and final settlement from their employer.5. A redundancy situation can occur when the business has stopped trading, or has moved to a different location, or there are less workers needed due to a change in the demand for the products or services offered.6. There are time limits for Employment Tribunal claims. Usually this is within 3 months. The time begins either on the date the employment ended, or when the complaint was initially made.7. In exceptional circumstances, it might be possible for tribunal claims to be heard outside of the three months. Perhaps the complainant was in hospital, or there are other reasons why the complaint couldn’t have been made sooner.8. In some cases, an employee can appeal against dismissal. Perhaps the proper disciplinary process was not followed, or there were other circumstances leading up to the dismissal that were not fully investigated.9. Depending on the situation, there are no limits to compensation awarded for matters such as discrimination. For other cases, such as unpaid statutory redundancy pay, there is a limit.10. For some cases, it is necessary for the employee to have completed a period of service with the company before they can bring a tribunal case. For Redundancy, 2 complete years must have been worked, unfair dismissal usually requires 12 months, whereas there is no minimum amount for a discrimination or breach of contract case.Now you know more about how it affects you as either an employer or an employee, if you need any work related legal advice, why not contact an employment solicitor today?

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