Have Passion for What You Do!

Have passion for what you do! It’s a fundamental ingredient to success.

I moved back to Colorado in March of 2008. I had been away for 30 years and had forgotten how beautiful the mountains are. I was back home, where I belong, but the economy was struggling and so was I.

With excellent job skills and a sharp resume, it used to be relatively easy to find a job. But these days, it’s been quite a struggle for many. I needed to re-establish myself in the workforce, but wasn’t quite sure how. And I knew I didn’t have time to waste.

At first, I spent a good amount of time soul-searching. You never want to rush when it comes to life-changing decisions. So I carefully examined and considered my current skills, my past, my likes, my dislikes, and my goals. My Journey led me to a job fair where I discovered the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies.

I started as a student at the school. With passion, I studied, practiced, and received high scores on my homework and exams. After graduating, I came to realize that my former experience as an instructor in the computer industry might help me to become an instructor with the school. I truly enjoyed my experience with the school and wanted to become more involved. After applying for a position as an instructor, I was soon hired.

My passion has had a tremendous influence on my success as an instructor and it continues to be an underlying factor in my overall success. Discover your passions and use them as a plant uses water and sunshine to grow. Utilize your passion to achieve your goals and dreams. Passion is a fundamental ingredient for success!

We offer short-term Certificate programs for Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User and Project Management bootcamp. We also offer Securities training for those interested in passing the Series 6 or Series 7 licensing tests. Please call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about all these exciting opportunities to advance your job skills with passion!

Being Professional In Your Job Search

I had a conversation recently with someone who is in the profession of Career Services. They work a lot with people on assisting with resume writing, job search technique, and the like. I asked her what the most common mistake people make whom she meets with. Her answer took me aback. She said that, in her experience, the biggest mistake people make in their job search is not being professional. By this she told me “horror stories” about clients she would meet with who treated their time together as if she wasn’t even in the room. Whether it be texting on your phone during their conversation, dressing inappropriately, and even expressing poor hygiene habits, all these things and more contributed to this woman’s notion of certain populations of the workforce. In short, some people are not professional about being professional. She told me one time, just one time, did a man come to their appointment dressed in business attire and ready and willing to learn about resume writing and job search techniques. Just one time!
As a job seeker, don’t let this happen to you. You’re better than that. And more importantly, you need to show others that you are better than that. Even if it’s not an official interview with a potential employer, think of each and every business encounter you have to make that encounter count. You want to be professional and leave a positive reminder about you to the person you are interacting with. Dress appropriately, turn the cell phone off, send the thank you note…do all these things and more for each encounter you have with a professional person and soon you will be on that other end helping others network with you and giving advice on the job search process.
If you need assistance with some of these “soft skills” or how to conduct yourself in an appropriate business exchange, consider the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies to help train you in all the necessary traits to being successful. On top of these skills, you can make your resume shine by adding a Certificate to it and make yourself that much more marketable. We offer short-term Certificate programs in Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, and Microsoft Power User. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about all these exciting opportunities to advance your job skills!

Tried and True Methods of the Job Search

There is a recent, interesting article on the internet (http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2415-Job-Search-6-Crazy-Job-Search-Tactics/?SiteId=cbmsn42415&sc_extcmp=JS_2415_advice>1=23000) that talks about “out there” ideas that people have used to find work. While some of these ideas can get quite zany, they are all nonetheless quite creative. And for the purpose of the article, that’s the point --- creativity. While most people rely on combing the job ads in the newspaper or perhaps online job boards (which by the way Jobing.com is one of the best out there), the fact remains that you are joining A LOT of people in this endeavor.
The article begs the question: how can I stand out in this mass of people? It’s a good question to ask and the article highlights ways you may attempt to put some tactics into practice. But more likely than not, the average job seeker won’t go to these extremes to find work. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is not the point here. The point is that the job seeker needs to think “outside the box” for getting themselves a job. In my own experience, thinking “outside the box” does not necessarily mean being the only person in the world who tries a certain tactic. In my thinking, why not try methods that are tried and true instead of attempting to reinvent the wheel? If it’s worked for most people, it will probably work for you.
So things like networking hard, job search groups, utilizing LinkedIn and other good job search engines like Jobing.com…..these are all great ways (and proven ways) of finding work. Stick to these tried and true methods and you won’t have to be looking through the obituaries in the newspaper for open positions! At the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies we care deeply about you succeeding in your career. And we believe that having short-term education in the area of Certificates is one of the best ways of doing that. Contact us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about any one of our six Certificate programs and how they can help you get a leg up over your competition and into the job you desire.

The Job Seeker and the Holiday Season

It’s November now. And for the active job seeker that means that you might be starting to get worried about companies not hiring during the dreaded “November through January” hiring dry spell. While it’s true that there are a lot of companies out there that put the brakes on hiring during this time and enact a hiring freeze, it’s not true across the board. And that’s the important thing to remember when you’re looking for work --- there is always somebody looking to hire, always.

It can certainly seem as though during these months people are more concerned about “getting through the holidays” or “wrapping up loose ends for the year” sort of thing. But while some companies are thinking about “winding down for the year” there are other companies that are more future-oriented and looking to plan for the next year, and now. Often times that can mean rethinking the budget, planning for projects, and making new hires. It makes sense that during these supposed slow times for some companies, you bring in a new hire right now to have them get acquainted with everything and get trained, so as to start the new year out strong and productive.

Be encouraged during these months ahead that while some companies will be slowing down, others might be ramping up. Perhaps a toy manufacturer is expecting a huge Christmas season and wants to put YOU on to help out! Who knows what can happen during these months, that next job might be right around the corner where everybody else is taking the time off you are continuing on strong and shining like the star employee that you are.

These next few months might also be a good time, given your personal situation, to hunker down and finish up some educational endeavors or to start something new. The Accounting and Business School of the Rockies will continue on as strong as ever during the holiday season and we would love to assist you with your educational needs. Stand out on your resume and among your peers with an affordable, three to four month Certificate in Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service, or Microsoft Power User. While others are filling up with turkey and pumpkin pie, you are gaining new skills that can help to propel you into your next career. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting opportunities!

The Importance of Knowing the Corporate Culture

An important thing to remember for the job seeker is the idea of the “corporate culture” of the companies you are applying for. At one point in my career I had made it into an interview for a large, nationally well-known and reputable organization. I had showed up before my interview time, went through the security badge process, and took a seat in the lobby waiting for the Human Resource person. I’m an observant person so I was looking around trying to get a “feel” for the place….noticing things such as what sorts of people work there, their general demeanor, cleanliness of the building, the “presentation” in the lobby, and other things.
I was disappointed to infer a few surprises that I did not expect. For one, the Human Resource person made me wait for 20 minutes before she came out to greet me. Second and most surprisingly, most of the employees who were coming in to work that morning were wearing casual attire…and I mean VERY casual attire. This particular organization is in the finance industry and given the reputation of the organization on the national stage, I had expected to see people dressed in business attire and suites, like even I was for the interview. I was disappointed to see people wearing old, beat-up jeans and hoodies. It looked like the employees were going to the grocery store on a Saturday morning, not working at a professional, publicly traded organization.
Job seekers need to be aware of this often-neglected aspect of the job search process. For many of us, we overlook this because “we just need a job”. But study after study shows that people who do not “fit” with the organization’s culture do not stick around for very long. And then you’re back to square one and looking for work again. It would behoove the job seeker to take seriously this aspect of the corporate culture, and if that company’s culture does not reflect your ideal situation then perhaps that company is not the right fit for you.
At the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies, we take seriously the idea of training people to their “best” in the work environment. Classes bring in not only the facts and figures of that particular subject, but also the “soft skills” necessary for an employee to be competitive and attractive to a future employer. We understand that and we want to help you make the most of your chances to land that job whose corporate culture matches your own. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn about our exciting Certificate programs and how you can benefit in your career by obtaining one, or even some individual classes. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Positive Reports and the Job Seeker

There were some encouraging economic reports that came out today about the state of joblessness in America. Apparently there are 23 states in the nation whose unemployment percentage is declining (albeit quite slowly). For Colorado, the rate is at 8.2%...up .1% from last month. Like we all hear on the radio or the news every day, the economy is getting better. It’s just getting better at a very gradual, slow pace. For most people out of work, it is TOO slow. For most out of work, it feels like there is no change from a year ago in their respective situation.

It can be both encouraging and discouraging for the job seeker to look at reports like this. On one hand, it is encouraging that things are improving. On the other hand, as mentioned above, it might not “hit home” in the way you are experiencing…”for me!” It’s fine and dandy that numbers are improving, the job seeker may say, but I don’t see it affecting the way companies are looking for workers or how people are finding the work they desire. It’s times like these where the active job seeker needs to notice the encouraging reports, but not notice them for too long. Whether the percentage in Colorado is above 10% or down to 2%, it remains the same that YOU are out of work.

This is the perfect opportunity in a person’s job search to ask the questions that we need to be continually asking ourselves. Am I networking the way I should be? Does my resume and cover letter “show” who I am? Am I looking for the right kinds of jobs? When any news in the economy changes, it might behoove the job seeker to change their patterns to accommodate appropriately. Staying ahead of the curve in this way will help you as the job seeker become more successful in not only this job search season, but in future searches as well.

There are a number of skills and positions that seem to stand the test of time. At the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies we understand what these skills and positions are, and how we can help you become successful in fostering them. We offer Certificate programs in Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User, and Office Skills. Call us TODAY at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting, three to four month opportunities that could change the course of your job search and thus your career. We’ll talk to you soon!

Leave of Absence and the Job Seeker

Some schools and some companies allow people to take a “leave of absence” for an extended amount of time, due to a variety of reasons. This can be both personal and professional. This is nice because it allows the student or employee a time of “refreshment” where they can regain their posture toward life. Most of the time though, a Leave Of Absence is not necessarily a vacation. If you are a working professional and decide to take a Leave Of Absence for three months from work, it is usually because of a reason that will make your time at your work that much more productive (if it’s not something personal related, like surgery or an illness). Maybe you are working on finishing some classes that will make your job more productive, or maybe you are doing some sort of research for a big project and need to take some extensive time to do that research or plan for the project.

As a job seeker and someone who desires to be in the kind of position where you can take a Leave Of Absence, it can be a good mental exercise as you search for that job to think of your time of looking for work as your Leave Of Absence. Take these three months, six months, a year or more and think of this time as the time where your “project” you are working on is looking for a job. It is not a vacation per se, and should not be treated as such. But rather it is a time where you can devote a considerable amount of time and energy into this “project” and then come out of it stronger, better equipped, and ready to take on your work situation with confidence and ability.

Perhaps during your “Leave Of Absence” it would behoove you to brush up on some skills that might have been neglected but that you notice are desired by employers. If that’s the case, then consider the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies today to help you with some quick and helpful courses, or even a full Certificate, to give you that boost that you are looking for. We offer Certificates in Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User, and Office Skills. Any one of these three to four month Certificates (or any individual class too) will make you more marketable and able to apply new skills in your work environment. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting opportunities!