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by Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”—Leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist, in War and Peace. Late in June 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the results of the previous year’s American Time Use Study (ATUS), as it has annually since 2003. I’ve reported on it each year for more than a decade. The ATUS data for 2020, released in 2021, reflected significant effects from the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the nation since March 2020. Fortunately, during 2021, the crisis loosened its stranglehold on the economy, allowing it to bounce back to pre-plague levels. However, the economy has since fallen behind again due to the rise of the worst inflation since the 1980s (sure to be a significant factor in next year’s report). A reminder: the ATUS study covers all individuals over 15 years old, including full-time high school and college students, the disabled, the unemployed, and retirees. It also covers every day of the week, including weekends and holidays. Therefore, the average hour per day worked may, at first glance, seem low. However, these numbers are averages for every day and every person, including those who didn’t work or worked only part time. In the 2021 data, it also includes almost 2 million people holding multiple jobs. Home Work While the 2021 work statistics resemble those of 2019, one difference from pre-COVID stats is a continuation of a phenomenon I’ve long seen as inevitable, but COVID just accelerated its development. The sharp increase in working from home reported last year continued in 2021, especially among professionals, with minor changes. No real surprise there, given the continuing pandemic and the fact that both workers and employers have become accustomed to people working from home. Indeed, a significant percentage of workers have refused to return to the traditional workplace, resulting in what employers have dubbed “the Great Resignation” when they’ve been pressed by employers to return (I’ve blogged about this recently). As the pandemic forced continued use of videoconferencing and telecommuting technology (e.g., Skype and Zoom), 38% of employees did some or all their work from home, as opposed to 68% who did some or all their work from their workplace (these numbers exceed 100% because some workers did both). The 38% of individuals who worked at home in 2021 is down a bit from the 42% who worked from home during the 10 months recorded for 2020. That year, the reporting was late in starting, as the COVID-19 pandemic began in earnest. In 2021, those who worked at their workplaces averaged 7.84 hours on an average day they worked; people who worked at home worked an average of 5.61 days on days they worked. This lower number for those who worked at home may reflect less time spent commuting; however, again, this average includes all days of the week and holidays, which suggests most Americans are working significantly longer than the “standard” 40 hours per week. Thirty-five percent of men worked at home on an average day, down a bit from 36% in 2020, while the number of women working from home dropped sharply from 49% to 41.5%, possibly because many children returned to school in 2021 and no longer needed home schooling and at-home supervision. Overall, workers in management and with higher levels of education tended to work more from home that those with less education. For example, 67% of workers with advanced degrees worked from home on days they worked, while just 19% of those with only a high school diploma did. A bit under 51% of the population 15 years old or older worked in 2021, higher than the pre-COVID 2019 level of 49%, as opposed to an average of 39% in 2020. Clearly, millions of people were back to work as COVID restrictions eased nationwide and their jobs returned. The average number of hours worked on days worked (including weekends) rose to 7.75 as opposed to 7.6 in 2020, springing back above the 2019 level of 7.7. As counted by ATUS, “employed persons” includes full-time workers and part-time workers, which also lowers the average number of hours worked to below the expected eight hours; but interestingly, the sum across seven days adds up to over 50 hours weekly for the average worker. The Takeaway It’s clear that in 2021, the economy had begun to recover from COVID. It continued to stabilize for most of 2021, before inflation hit late in the year and in early 2022. In next year’s ATUS article, I expect to report a downturn in the economy, as we’re officially already in recession, though it’s hard to say how that will affect jobs. Non-salary workers may work longer, while both salary and wage workers may get part-time hourly-wage jobs on top of their main jobs to offset the increased costs of necessities like food and energy. We’ll see.So: how did the pandemic affect your work in 2021? Let us know in the Comments section. © 2022 Laura Stack. Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling author, and noted authority on employee and team productivity. She is the president of The Productivity Pro, Inc., a company dedicated to helping leaders increase workplace performance in high-stress environments. Stack has authored eight books, including FASTER TOGETHER: Accelerating Your Team’s Productivity (Berrett-Koehler 2018). She is a past president of the National Speakers Association, and a member of its exclusive Speaker Hall of Fame (with fewer than 175 members worldwide). Stack’s clients include Cisco Systems, Wal-Mart, and Bank of America, and she has been featured on the CBS Early Show and CNN, and in the New York Times. To have Laura Stack speak at an upcoming meeting or event, call 303-471-7401 or contact us online. View the full article

Alorica Work From Home – here’s what you need to know. Alorica is a customer experience (CX) company. That’s a fancy way of saying Alorica is in the business of customer service. And, that’s good news for you, if you’re looking for remote work. After all, there are a lot of work from home customer service jobs – and Alorica is just one company with plenty of them to choose from. So, how do you get hired here? And what is it like to work at Alorica? Read on. This Alorica work from home review is everything you need to know about working here, before you apply! What is Alorica? As I mentioned, Alorica is a CX company. They sell customer service as, well, a service to other businesses. In other words, companies hire Alorica to help them manage customer care. For example, a hotel chain needs agents to answer phone calls from guests. These agents help book rooms, answer questions, and manage guest reservations. However, it is expensive and time consuming to operate a call center. So, the hotel group outsources its customer service to Alorica. Now, Alorica is in charge of reservations and customer care for this large hotel group. As a result, Alorica hires work from home agents to answer calls on behalf of the its client – the hotel. Tell Me More About Alorica Work From Home Jobs Alorica has a lot of job openings. But, not all of them are remote. Let’s pay close attention to specific at-home opportunities called Alorica-at-Home. What is Alorica-at-Home? Simply put it’s Alorica’s program built specifically for remote workers. Instead of operating an in-person call center, Alorica allows agents to work from home. “We’re a company that only does one thing – we make lives better…one interaction at a time. And thanks to Alorica-at-Home, you can help us do that from the comfort of your couch!” alorica careers page What Kinds of Positions are Available? Mostly Alorica-at-Home offers call center positions. This includes job titles like: Customer Experience AgentCustomer Service RepresentativeHealthcare Customer Service RepresentativeCustomer Support RepresentativeFinancial Customer Service RepresentativeCustomer Service SpecialistVirtual Customer Service Representative However, Alorica also has work from home positions for roles like: Team ManagerClient SolutionsPharmacy Tech AssociateProject ManagerMedication Access Specialist Keep an eye on the Alorica Jobs Page for a complete list. Make sure to filter by “virtual” location for all the remote listings! Does Alorica Work From Home Have Location Requirements for Remote Jobs? Yes! Remember, the majority of work from home jobs have geographic requirements. And, Alorica is no different. For example, Alorica currently hires in select countries like: United StatesCanadaPhilippinesBulgariaGuatemalaPanama Furthermore, Alorica has wfh jobs with specific region, state, or even metro area requirements. For example, a work from home financial customer service rep role is only available for Albuquerque, NM or Lake, Mary, FL residents. I think it’s easiest to filter jobs down to “virtual locations” so you see all the work from home jobs back to back like so: Is This an Employee Position? You bet! If you don’t know your remote work type, figure that out first! Otherwise you won’t know whether this is a good fit for you Alorica mainly has employee positions. As such, Alorica employees are eligible for benefits like: Paid trainingMedical & dental insurancePTO401(k)Employee discount programTuition Reimbursement Additionally, almost all listings advertise full time work. So, be sure you want to work full time and have a set schedule before you apply for Alorica Work From Home! What Will I Do? Great question! First, it depends on which position you’re interested in. Some of Alorica’s virtual jobs are specialized. However, the majority of them are listed under the “Call Center” category. As a result, you will spend your shift answering back-to-back calls, messages, or chats. Some tasks you’ll perform: Talk with customers over phone, email, chat, and/or social mediaResolve customer questions and concernsDe-escalate issuesRespond to assistance requests Upsell to customers when appropriateUpdate customer information as needed Remember, you work for Alorica as a representative for big-name brands. That means you will work with customers to clear up concerns and confusion about products and services that Alorica clients offer (not Alorica itself). For example, Alorica Call Center Agents may answer calls for Hilton and Intuit (among other brands!). What Requirements Do I Need to Work From Home for Alorica? At the very least you need a high school diploma or GED. However, applicants with a college degree are preferred. Alorica also prefers candidates who have: Customer service experienceBilingualCall center experience Of course previous call center work or being bilingual isn’t a requirement. It’s just an added bonus if you have any of these under your belt! In addition, Alorica Applicants need a quiet home office workspace. You should also have a current Windows PC and high-speed internet – these will be tested during the application process. Are There Specific Skills I Need? Absolutely! To be successful with Alorica Work From Home, you should have: Strong oral and written communication skillsFamiliarity with Microsoft Windows, Word, and ExcelPatience and confidenceAbility to navigate phone and computer systems with easeStrong typing speed Alorica also looks for applicants who are able to stay calm and composed when dealing with difficult customers! Is There a Background Check or Criminal Record Check at Alorica? Yes! According to the Alorica Employee Handbook, “A pre-employment, post-conditional offer background check is required for any candidate being considered for employment. Employment offers are conditional pending successful completion of a background check.” The background check will verify: Criminal historySSNEmploymentEducationCredit history Now, does having a criminal record prevent you from working at home for Alorica? Not necessarily. However, Alorica may withdraw an employment offer under some circumstances. For example, criminal convictions involving violence, theft, and/or dishonesty are likely to hinder your application. What is The Pay Rate? It depends. Alorica does not specifically discuss pay for most of its listings. However, several remote ads have pay rate mentioned in the job title. For example, Customer Experience Agent $15/ hourBilingual Customer Experience Representative $18.00 per hourFinancial Care Representative $16-$17/hrCustomer Service Representative – Work at Home – $18/HRVirtual Pharm Tech Associate $20/hr Of course, this is a short list of different remote roles with pay rates. But it’s reasonable to think that Alorica Work From Home offers starting pay around the $15/hour mark. After you submit your application, a recruiter will reach out to you with more details about the role – including pay. I’m Interested! What’s the Alorica Work From Home Application Process Like? It takes about 30-45 minutes to complete the entire application process. However, you do not have to complete the entire thing in one sitting. Alorica allows you to save your application as a draft and continue it at a later point. In total, there are 10 main sections of the application to navigate through. 1. Register First, you have to register as a New User through Alorica. (Or login if you have already signed up before!). You can create a username and password or simply use your Google Account details to login. 2. Background Details Next, it’s time to provide some background information. Be prepared to provide details of your previous work experience! Note: You can upload a resume and have your details filled in for you. No resume? No problem! You can also manually fill in all fields as well. 3. Additional Information Afterward, Alorica will verify additional information like whether you’re 18 or older, legally able to work, and available to work various schedules. 4. Experience Questionnaire Then Alorica will ask specific questions about your previous experience. For its Alorica Work From Home program, you will be asked: How many years of call center experience do you have? Number of years experience in customer service? Highest level of education? Remember, be honest! This information will be verified. 5. Diversity Questions After Experience, Alorica dives further into diversity questions. This part of the application will ask about your ethnicity, race, gender, and veteran status. Note: You do not have to answer these questions. 6. Self-Identification of Disability Following Diversity is a short “Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability” form. Because Alorica does business with the government, they are required to provide equal opportunity to individuals with disabilities. Again, you do not have to fill this out. 7. Complete Tax Questionnaire Next up is an Employer Tax Credit Screening. You will be asked to provide your full name, address, and social security number. From there be ready to answer questions about any previous government benefits you have received like TANF, SNAP, or SSI. Please note, the answers you provide are 100% confidential. In other words, Alorica does not see your responses – they’re used to provide tax breaks. 8. Harver Now it’s time to start Harver. It appears Harver is a hiring tool companies use to help them bulk hire. And, this makes perfect sense for Alorica. Essentially, the Harver portion of your application is an assessment. It is broken down into 5 different parts: Situational Judgment Test Personality TestSkills TestTyping TestInternet Speed Test Situational Judgment Test After a short introductory video you will be asked to answer questions based on made up scenarios. They refer to this as a Situational Judgment Test. In total, there are about 9 questions broken down into sets of 3. Most questions want to know how you would handle specific customer interactions. However, some asked about what you would do if a problem came up while working from home. Personality Test After the Situational Judgment Test, you will take a personality test. There are about 75 questions in total. Skills Test Next, Alorica Work from Home wants to know you will be successful as a remote worker. So, you will have to answer a timed skills test – you have about 45 seconds to answer each of the roughly 15 questions! Typing Test Now it’s on to the Typing Test! This is a short, 3-minute test. You will retype text as quickly and accurately as you can during the 3-minute period. Remember, you want to display both speed and accuracy. Internet Speed Test Finally, you will perform a quick internet speed test. You don’t have to do anything here other than click a “start” button. Alorica’s system will perform the test and display the results for you. This test is to double check that your home internet is fast enough for remote work. 9. E-Sign Your Application Hang in there – you’re almost done! Now you will read a short statement and e-sign your application. This is to acknowledge that all information you provided is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. That’s it! 10. Review and Submit And, finally, it’s time to review your application and submit it to the Alorica team. If needed, you can edit information about your work experience, background, and demographics. Once everything looks good, go ahead and hit submit. Your Application is Complete After you submit your full application, you’re all done. Next, a recruiter for Alorica Work From Home will review your details. If you’re a good fit, they will reach out to you with next steps. Remember to keep an eye on your inbox for any updates. You can also check on the status of your application by logging into your Alorica account and click the “View My Submissions” link. Alorica Work From Home Scams Unfortunately, scams are a part of the work from home world. And, Alorica is no different. However, Alorica is well aware of scammers posing as company representatives and has taken measures to warn applicants. For example, Alorica shares a Fraud Alert on its Careers Page. Remember, a common work from home scam is to ask applicants to pay for equipment or administrative fees. However, reputable remote companies WILL NOT ask applicants to pay for expenses related to employee positions. Period! Alorica Work From Home Reviews Lastly, don’t forget to do your homework! Part of my job here at Work From Home Happiness is to help remote job seekers find a job they’ll love – not just any ol’ remote job. To land the right remote role, always research the company. First, head over to its social channels and see how it interacts with customers. Then, browse the company website to find its mission statement or company values. Typically, you will start to get a vibe from the company and whether it’s a place you could see yourself working. Finally, read employee reviews. You can use Glassdoor, Indeed, and even Facebook to find current and former employee feedback: But, read reviews with a grain of salt – most people will take the time to write about a negative experience, fewer will share their positive thoughts. In other words, employee reviews are helpful but shouldn’t be the only way you determine if a company is a good fit for you. Should You Work from Home for Alorica? Overall, Alorica appears to be a solid remote-friendly company with plenty of customer service and call center jobs to choose from. They also provide decent pay as well as employee benefits. The application process is lengthy but it helps to speed up the hiring process. After all, factors that quickly rule out candidates like internet speed and computer compatibility are determined pretty early on, so you don’t waste your time. Remember, this position is not for everyone! Alorica Work From Home is all about call center operations, so you will have a good deal of phone work and customer interaction. Introverts will likely find this role overwhelming because of the constant calls. However, if you thrive on human interaction and feel comfortable with customer service this is a promising role. It doesn’t hurt to go through the Alorica Work From Home application process to learn more and to see if it’s a good fit for you! The post Alorica Work From Home Review: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Work from Home Happiness. View the full article

You’re busy. You have a million and one things on your plate and the list never ends. You’re wondering how you’re going to manage your workload and meet your deadlines. You think about going on a course or workshop to learn how to prioritize. You google ‘Time Management Training’. Maybe that’s what you need? Well, stop right there. Time Management Training isn’t the answer. Because you can’t manage time. Whatever you do, the clock still ticks. You’re only ever going to have 24 hours in a day. There’s no workshop that can change that. So what can you do? Well, you can manage your attention. That’s where our ‘How to be a Productivity Ninja‘ workshop comes in. You’ll learn how to avoid distractions, get your best work done and make space for what matters. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things you need to do each day, then this workshop is for you. We’ll show you how to break down your daily schedule into manageable chunks so you can focus on what matters most. During the workshop you’ll: Learn sustainable strategies to get more of your best work done in an age of information overload and rapid change.Get in control of your actual workload by building a trusted ‘second brain’ system right there on the day.Manage multiple projects, priorities and responsibilities with more clarity and less reactivity. And much, much more. Don’t just take our word for it! It was well thought out, practical and the best use of my time I have had in a training session for years Ronan Gillen, eBay (workshop participant) What do I do next? If you want to reduce stress by eliminating those nagging feelings of doubt, guilt and overload panic, and replace them with a focused, playful, purposeful and productive momentum then book on to one of our upcoming Public Workshops here. And if you want to create this monumental change throughout your whole team, then just drop us an email and one of our Superstar Productivity Ninjas will be in touch. The post Time Management Training for Busy People appeared first on Think Productive UK. View the full article

When I tell people we’ve had a 4 Day Week since 2011, I think it’s fair to say most people are surprised, impressed and feel a glimmer of hope. There’s hope that the future of work is headed in a more human, happier and healthier direction. REST AND RECOVERY It’s easy to see how the 4 Day Week has been good for our wellbeing. An extra day of rest and recovery to ourselves. Who can argue with that? The 4DW has naturally taken our productivity to another level too. Rest and recovery are important for good productivity. With a shorter week, we benefit from what I call “Pre-holiday and Post-holiday feelings”. PRE-HOLIDAY PRODUCTIVITY BOOST We all know that pre-holiday feeling, where we sense that every hour counts but that we can’t do it all. The 4 Day Week is like a deadline which forces us to prioritise, it pushes us to focus and to be ruthless with how we protect our time and attention. POST-HOLIDAY PRODUCTIVITY BOOST And after our three-day weekends, we naturally benefit from a “Post-Holiday Productivity Boost”. We return refreshed, re-energised and ready for action. More open to ideas and opportunities. Making decisions, solving problems and handling the next fire from a place of perspective and clarity (rather than from a place of tiredness, stress, overwhelm or low morale). HEALTHIER, HAPPIER As you can imagine, we’re also less likely to leave or to be ill, are more likely to be happier and more engaged at work, and to be proud of where we work. All of this is good for the bottom line (look up any employee engagement meta-analysis by Gallup). All of this is easy to predict and to understand. What many people are quick to quite rightly ask though, is: “Yes, but how do you fit five days of work into four?” They often go on to say, “I’d find it more stressful” and “That wouldn’t work for us – even five days isn’t enough.” THIS HERE, this very question, is the key to unlocking the true glorious potential of the 4 Day Week. Certainly, I’ve heard of companies who have made the 4 Day Week “work” by squeezing the same volume of work into fewer days, and by taking a more draconian approach to break times, social media use, office watercooler chat or personal appointments. Essentially, giving with one hand and taking with the other. This is a wasted opportunity to fully open the door to the many other ways in which the 4 Day Week can bring unprecedented productivity and wellbeing transformation. IMPACT THINKING In a world where the work never ends, rather than jumping blindly into another week of pointless meetings and endless emails, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves: “How do I really make space for what matters?” Is checking your emails again for the third time this hour really the best use of your time? When is your proactive attention at its peak? Are you protecting those couple of hours a day from distractions and using it to do your more complex, deep work – the stuff that really adds value? The high impact work, which is not only challenging and satisfying, but which helps move you and your organisation closer to achieving its goals. Are you taking a step back each week, to review your projects and commitments and to go into “boss mode”, strategically deciding when and what needs to be progressed? Are you empowering your team to ask similar questions? If properly supported by management, the 4 Day Week can give you and your team permission to think in this way, in terms of impact. When a colleague asks “Am I really needed at this meeting?” or “Can you help me prioritise my projects”, I know we’re doing something right. FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY We have the freedom and responsibility to structure our workdays, to look at them strategically, to decide when we want to collaborate, when to take breaks (because listening to your body and giving your brain a break is the smart thing to do) or when to go offline or to work remotely. All of this within the boundaries and needs of the team and business of course. And we are trusted to do it. Trust is key here. So what we’ve opened the doors to here is higher quality productivity, going hand-in-hand with deeper wellbeing. We trust and empower each other to make space for satisfying, higher-impact, good work that creates value. We all crave this fulfilment and respect. In our experience, the 4 Day Week is a wondrous, virtuous circle of deeper wellbeing, authentic engagement and higher quality productivity. And we’d never go back. *At Think Productive, we inspire and equip people and organisations to make space for what matters. Download our brochure. Want to equip your people with the tools and mindset to be Productivity Ninjas? Explore our life-changing workshops The post Why We Champion the 4 Day Week appeared first on Think Productive UK. View the full article

Overnight remote jobs are great for night owls. They’re also a good option for anyone who needs an alternative schedule. However, third-shift gigs aren’t always easy to come by. But, there are still plenty of options to choose from. For starters, certain industries have more overnight opportunities than others. Plus, there’s always the option of creating your own flexible remote-friendly job. Let’s cover the basics of overnight work before we get into the nitty gritty. What is Considered an Overnight Remote Job? First, let’s discuss what overnight remote jobs actually are. In the US, work schedules are split into three different shifts: First Shift – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Second Shift – 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.Third Shift – 12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. So, a business open 24 hours a day has three sets of workers to cover all three shifts. In this case, we’re talking about the third shift which runs from 12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. As a result, it’s commonly referred to as “overnight” or the “graveyard” shift. Types of Overnight Remote Jobs Like all remote jobs, overnight ones are broken down into two main types: EmployeeSelf-Employment As a reminder, an employee position is like a traditional job. In other words, you work for a company. As a result, you are given specific rights like: Steady pay Benefits eligibilityTaxes withheld from pay However, you (as the employee) are expected to follow the company’s policies and procedures like working assigned shifts and requesting time off. On the other hand, self-employment is working for yourself. That is you are your own boss. For example, business owners, freelancers, and independent contractors are all self-employed. As a self-employed worker you’re responsible for: Finding workPaying estimated taxesCollecting paymentsHealth insurance As a result, you create your schedule and come and go as you please. Of course, each type have their pros and cons, and you’re likely to come across both while searching for overnight remote work. So, it’s important to know the difference ahead of time. Needless to say, please know your remote work type BEFORE you start your remote job search. Remember, knowing your “type” (besides tall, dark, and handsome or Henry Cavill) simplifies your job search and makes it easier to find work. Which Industries Hire Overnight Remote Workers? Next, let’s consider some remote-friendly overnight positions. But first, it’s helpful to think of industries that would hire overnight workers in the first place. After all, not all businesses are open 24/7. However, tons of companies with online or virtual footprints are “open” any time, day or night. Healthcare & Social Work Medical questions pop up at any time. As a result, many insurance companies and medical centers have 24-hour hotlines patients can call to ask questions. And, thanks to telehealth, more and more users readily turn to phones and computers to solve health concerns without going to the hospital. Tele-nurse, phone-triage, counselors, therapists, and crisis line operators are all common healthcare overnight remote jobs. Of course, a medical background or social work experience is required! REAL OVERNIGHT REMOTE JOBS IN HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL WORK Tech Support Many software companies have around the clock support for its users. For example, Apple provides 24/7/365 for its products and iTunes. (Check out Apple work from home jobs to learn more about working remotely for the tech giant!). Additionally, hosting providers, internet services, online schools, and financial institutions employ overnight tech support professionals to assist website owners, students, and customers. Help desk, service desk, and tech support representative are readily available remote positions. As a bonus, many are entry-level and provide room for advancement. Insurance Is there ever a good time for an accident? Of course not. However, it seems like many accidents happen at the most inopportune times like, say, overnight. As a result, insurance companies have agents available 24/7 to answer calls and help policyholders file claims. There’s also a need for all hours roadside assistance. For example, U-Haul and AAA have remote overnight dispatchers to assist stranded motorists. Customer Service As always, there are a lot of remote customer service jobs. And this includes overnight remote jobs too. Banks, like Discover and American Express, offer 24/7 support for card holders. As a matter of fact, there are a number of work from home American Express jobs. Similarly, online retailers, like Amazon, and shipping companies, like FedEx, employ constant customer support teams. Additionally, work from home staffing agencies contract with corporations to provide day and night support. When it comes to remote customer service, you never know what you’ll find. For example, there are even third-shift Customer Care Associate positions with dating apps: Writers The news never sleeps! In fact, news outlets follow a 24/7 coverage cycle. So, it makes sense that online publications look for writers to post breaking news no matter what time it is. As a result, there are journalist, blogger, and content writing positions open to night-loving remote workers. Additionally, freelance writing is so flexible that assignments can be completed day or night! Hospitality Likewise, the hospitality industry operates nonstop. As such, hotels and airlines use remote agents to answer guest questions and make reservations. Plus, large agencies have travel agents on staff 24/7 to make travel arrangements. Needless to say, overnight remote jobs in hospitality include Travel Agent, Reservations, Ticketing, and Travel Consultant. Community Engagement, Social Media, & Moderation Lastly, there’s the nonstop world of social media to consider. In fact, many companies use social media as a means of support and customer service. A recent survey of US consumers found 80% turned to a brand’s social media for support. Accordingly, brands rely on community managers and moderators to respond to social mentions at any given time. As a matter of fact, ModSquad is in the business of hiring overnight remote jobs in social media moderation! Remote Overnight Jobs: Create Your Own Companies aren’t always hiring remote overnight workers. In that case, create your own. By that I mean freelance. What is Freelancing? As I mentioned earlier, there are two types of remote jobs: EmployeeSelf-Employment Freelancing falls under the self-employment category. Additionally, freelancers sell services and bill for those services. For example, a client hires a freelance writer to create 500-word blog posts at $50 per post. Now, the beauty of freelancing is the ability to set a schedule that works for you. In other words, you create your own overnight remote jobs. In fact, freelancing offers enough flexibility that work can be done at 2:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. or any time in between. Benefits of Freelance Overnight Remote Jobs Additional benefits of freelancing include: Unlimited earning potential – Pay rates are not set in stone. Therefore, freelancers aren’t stuck making a fixed amount per hour or annual salary. As a result, freelancers earn more per hour than 70% of traditional (employee) workers in the US. Greater satisfaction – A study by IBM determined freelancers are generally happier and more engaged than employees! And, not to state the obvious, but I’m all about finding work from home happiness around these parts. Accessibility – Freelancing offers an opportunity for individuals limited by personal circumstances, i.e., health, the ability to work. For example, workers living with chronic illnesses, autoimmune diseases, or disabilities often find it difficult to work outside the home or maintain a traditional schedule. Fortunately, freelance jobs allow work to happen at odd hours or different locations like a hospital or health center. Freelance Resources for Beginners I previously mentioned how flexible freelancing. As a result, freelancing lends itself well to working any time and anywhere, including overnight and remotely. However, I always want to be super transparent about the difficulties freelancers face. Although freelancers are higher paid, generally happier, and enjoy flexibility – it takes a lot of work to get there. Back in the day, I quit my well-paying corporate job to freelance full time. At the time, I had no professional writing experience or any clue how to properly manage myself as a business of one. Unfortunately, I learned the ins and outs of freelancing the hard way. My first year was rough. At times, I was ready to throw in the towel and crawl back to my cubicle begging for mercy and a paycheck. But, I kept myself afloat with remote jobs hiring immediately and eventually learned enough about freelancing to make it on my own. So, please learn from my experience and educate yourself about freelancing before you jump in. Or, better yet, invest in freelance training that teaches you a freelance skill AND how to run a successful freelance business – win, win. TranscribeAnywhere TranscribeAnywhere teaches aspiring typists how to start their own freelance transcription biz. First, students pass a series of transcription lessons. Then they’re prepared for the reality of freelancing full time. As a matter of fact, get a glimpse into the world of remote transcribing by signing up for the Free Seven-Lesson Mini Course. ProofreadAnywhere Another program built with freelancers in mind is ProofreadAnywhere. To start, students learn the ins and outs of proofreading professionally. From there, lessons teach business building skills like finding clients and tackling finances. Sit on on a free 76-minute proofreading workshop to discover what makes a good proofreader and how to attract your ideal clients! Bookkeepers Admittedly, I’m not the best with numbers and that’s exactly why I’m not a bookkeeper. However, bookkeeping may just be right up your alley. To find out, take a free three-part training series to learn about building a bookkeeping business. Hurry! Seats are limited: Virtual Assistant Similarly, tackling to-do lists isn’t my forte. Thankfully, Virtual Assistants (VAs) exist! VAs help professionals manage day-to-day happenings. For example, clearing inboxes, reservations, customer service, social media, and more. Needless to say, it’s a big business in the world of freelancing. And you can get it on it too by learning how to become a VA. Edit Republic My friend, Phon, is a self-employed editor (and nice human being). Her career first started as a professional romance novel reader. Then she launched her own freelance proofreading and copyediting business. Now she teaches others how to turn their love of reading into an online editorial business. Sign up for the free masterclass for the 4-step framework needed to start a freelance editorial biz of your own. SmartBlogger As I previously mentioned, writing lends itself well to overnight remote jobs. In fact, I’ve written at odd hours for the better part of a decade as a self-employed blogger. However, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing to get to that point. So, I highly recommend joining the Paid to Write Club. The program provides the support you need (and wish I had at the time!) to get your first paying freelance writing client. Where Can I Search for Overnight Remote Jobs? Finally, let’s quickly talk about places to search for overnight remote jobs on your own. But, first, let’s recap what we’ve learned so far… Some industries have more overnight remote jobs than others Freelancing is flexible enough that you can create your own overnight remote jobYou should always determine your remote work type BEFORE you start a job search Got it? Good! Now, here are places you can look for remote overnight jobs on your own. Remote Job Boards Previously, I’ve written a lot about remote job boards. Please check out Top 10 Remote Job Boards for Thousands of Real Leads. This list will keep you plenty busy no matter your remote work type. However, there are two standouts I highly recommend: FlexJobs and SolidGigs. Both sites are paid membership sites. For the most part, these two sites have greater quality leads than others and thus save time for job seekers. FlexJobs First is FlexJobs. This is a membership site but it’s well worth the monthly fee. To start, FlexJobs hand screens every single listing (and there are a lot of them). It’s guaranteed that all posted positions are 100% legit. In other words, you don’t have to worry about scams. Plus, there are both employee and self-employment job leads here. So, no matter your remote work type, there are plenty of leads! SolidGigs Next up is SolidGigs. This is a job leads website specifically built for freelancers. As I said before, it takes a lot of work to get started and stay afloat as a freelancer. After all, you have to find clients and spend countless hours looking for leads. That’s where SolidGigs comes in. They take care of lead generation by providing a roundup of high-quality freelance gigs in your inbox every single day. Now you can focus on producing great work and less time scouring job boards. How Can I Help You Find Remote Overnight Jobs? Lastly, how can I help? It’s never easy to look for a new job. Please feel free to reach out to me and introduce yourself. I’m always happy to help point you in the right direction. You’ve got this! Happily, Ashlee PS This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement to learn more. The post Overnight Remote Jobs appeared first on Work from Home Happiness. View the full article

by Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE Few things have changed the modern workplace more than the COVID-19 pandemic. Large-scale remote work, which many corporations tried and discarded as unmanageable not so long ago, suddenly became required in most businesses. Nascent and underutilized technologies experienced rapid development and widespread implementation. While the pandemic paralyzed some industries for a while, the white-collar world not only adapted quickly, but it also thrived. According to most studies, individual productivity increased slightly after employees went home to work. Familiar surroundings, flexible schedules, and a lack of commutes led to happier, more engaged, and less-stressed workers… to the point where most of the rank and file simply didn’t and still don’t want return to the office. Employers, conversely, want their workers back. They have properties and mortgages to pay, and they need people filling those seats to get a return on their investment. They also claim greater value for face-to-face meetings than remote ones, an increased sense of camaraderie in the office, and easier communication of ideas between employees. Some analysts suggest they also want to regain more direct control over their employees. Since mid-2021, when many companies began to urge or order their people back to the office, they’ve experienced significant pushback. The recently remote workers are content and productive, having proven to anyone willing to notice that work location doesn’t always count if they do their assigned work. A surprising number have proven willing to quit if they don’t get their way. How can employers adapt to this new reality? Consider these suggestions. Go with the flow. I’ve long believed that the workplace would eventually decentralize, though I never suspected a pandemic would cause it. Before, we were like honeybees, working and producing in a central hive. Now we’re like mason bees, just as productive but solitary in our own little holes, still making plenty of honey. We’re in contact with our teams; we just don’t see them every day, and don’t need to. I realize this weakens the traditional manager/employee and team bonds to some extent, at least for those supervisors unwilling to put in extra effort. However, remote work allows the organization in general to (a) save a ton of money by maintaining less real estate; (b) pay less for the requisite utilities, insurance, and associated costs; and (c) tap a much larger pool of workers. In addition, studies show that many workers will consider accepting lower pay if they don’t have to come into the office as often, especially those with long commutes. Again, more easy savings. And remember: it’s cheaper to keep experienced employees than to train up new ones. Adopt a hybrid environment. Some workers will want to come back to the office. So, keep some of them in house, and let others stay remote where possible. Plenty of businesses were already doing this in a limited way when the pandemic hit, especially for short-term specialists like coders and tech writers. But if you have a bunch of permanent full-time workers already working remotely, and it’s effective, why not give them the option, too? Then you can consolidate and save money. Sweeten the pot. If you need your employees to return to the office, make it easier for them. Pay for their commutes. Offer childcare services or stipends. Improve their benefits, let their shares vest earlier, or provide better matching for their 401k’s. You’ll discover many ways you can lure workers back to a centralized location if you give it some thought. Much to the astonishment of the business world, several 2021 polls indicated that a high percentage of white-collar employees who were then working remotely because of the pandemic (40% to 95%, depending on the source) would quit their jobs if their employers tried to force them back to the office. And millions have, in a trend pundits call “the Great Resignation.” As of March 2022, the monthly Quits Rate in non-farm jobs, as tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has risen to a record high of 3% (also achieved in November and December 2021). In April 2020, it was half that. If you’re a white-collar employer, and you aren’t getting pushback on this issue yet, you probably soon will. How you handle it will determine the future of your business—and whether it survives. © 2022 Laura Stack. Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling author, and noted authority on employee and team productivity. She is the president of The Productivity Pro, Inc., a company dedicated to helping leaders increase workplace performance in high-stress environments. Stack has authored eight books, including FASTER TOGETHER: Accelerating Your Team’s Productivity (Berrett-Koehler 2018). She is a past president of the National Speakers Association, and a member of its exclusive Speaker Hall of Fame (with fewer than 175 members worldwide). Stack’s clients include Cisco Systems, Wal-Mart, and Bank of America, and she has been featured on the CBS Early Show and CNN, and in the New York Times. To have Laura Stack speak at an upcoming meeting or event, call 303-471-7401 or contact us online. View the full article

Why is Mental Health Training Important? It’s a well-known fact that organisations must have first aiders, at least one per floor or a recommendation of 1 per 50 employees. Yet, as the number of suicide deaths per year inch closer to that of heart attack deaths, asthma attacks become less common than panic attacks, and food phobias are about as usual as food allergies – why aren’t we talking about Mental Health First Aid more? Even without digging into the morbid statistics, creating mental health awareness within the workplace says; “This workplace believes you have a worthwhile story to tell. You are in a safe place to tell it, and we will support you to manage your illness and be here.” What are the benefits of mental health training? Mental health training within your organisation can be transformative. As with first aid training, mental health training gives employees the tools to keep themselves and their colleagues well: It endorses that seeking help when things aren’t ok, is ok. Empowers people with mental health illnesses to thrive at work. Creates a supportive culture and acts as a preventative step toward mental health issues within the workplace. Mental health training is a step towards positive, long term cultural change within your organisation. If team members believe they work within a culture that discourages stress, over-working and presenteeism, they are more likely to speak up when they need a break. And because we spend such a large proportion of our life at work and in contact with colleagues, workplaces are uniquely placed in the fight to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. But sadly, most employees do not believe their managers would know what to do when approached about mental illness and most managers agree (1). This cycle of fear prevents us from speaking up when we’re not ok and stops us from asking when someone else isn’t ok. Mental health training can provide a safe space and protected time for team members to explore how to ask and what to do if someone is not ok. What do the stats say about Mental Health in the Workplace? As part of tackling mental illness, the Health and Safety Executive recommends mental health awareness training for the organisation. Such movements are in direct response to the stats around mental ill-health in the workplace that continue to grow each year: 1 in 6 workers will experience depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress at any one time (2).In 2018/19, stress, depression or anxiety were responsible for 44% of all cases of work-related ill health and 54% of all working days lost due to health issues in GB (3).1 in 5 people take a day off due to stress. Yet, 90% of these people cited a different reason for their absence (4).Presenteeism accounts for two times more losses than absences (5).Every year it costs businesses £1,300 per employee whose mental health needs are unsupported (5).People with long-term mental health conditions lose their jobs every year at around double the rate of those without a mental health condition. This equates to 300,000 people – the equivalent of the population of Newcastle or Belfast (6). These stats are just what we know of and most probably represent the tip of the iceberg. In a space where we spend much of our time, often in positions that are a portion of how we identify and where the work is a stressor in our stress bucket, organisations can no longer ignore how important it is to be mental health aware. Your mind makes you, you. Written by Becky Few Owner of Not Lost, but Free, LinkedIn. Becky Few is a freelance mental health and wellbeing consultant with a portfolio in health improvement resulting from experience within many facets of the speciality. Rebekah is currently undertaking studies in counselling and holds a PGDip in Health and Social Care Leadership and B.Sc. in Psychology and Philosophy. Becky delivers our Mental Health Awareness workshops in the UK. She has worked for 13 years in mental health and wellbeing, working in patient-facing roles as a Wellbeing Practitioner, Behaviour Change Specialist and as a Voluntary Crisis Support Worker, alongside leading public health teams. Becky is currently involved in several public health and wellbeing projects. She also provides academic support, including lecturing to various higher education institutions. In addition to this, she runs her own business providing consultancy and facilitation. References: Business in the Community. Mental Health at Work 2019: Time To Take Ownership [Internet]. 2019. Available from: wellbeing.bitc.org.ukMcManus S, Bebbington P, Jenkins R, Brugha T. Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014 [Internet]. Leeds; 2016. Available from: content.digital.nhs.UKHealth and Safety Executive. Work-related Stress, Depression or Anxiety Statistics in Great Britain 2019 [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2020 Jan 6]. Available from: hse.gov.ukMind. Work is the biggest cause of stress in people’s lives [Internet]. 2013. Available from: mind.org.ukCentre for Mental Health. Mental health at work: The business costs ten years on [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2017 Oct 16]. Available from: centreformentalhealth.org.ukStevenson D, Farmer P. Thriving at work: The Independent Review of Mental Health and Employers [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2017 Nov 22]. Available from: gov.UK The post Why Investing in Mental Health Training for Your Team is Important appeared first on Think Productive UK. View the full article

To create great comms you need to be able to identify the right comms channel for your message to land correctly, with impact and with clarity and the right intended tone. In our Supercharge Your Team Comms workshop, we introduce our workshop participants to POPP (we love an acronym ) as a method to identify the best tool for your comms. So, before you send out any piece of comms, take some time to think about the: Purpose – what is this purpose of this piece of comms? Why am I even sending this email or setting up this meeting? Outcome – what result am I looking for here? Priority – is this urgent? Is it important? What level of urgency or importance can you put on this? This will help you decide on the comms channel that is most appropriate. People – who do I need involved? Who do I need to share/tell/ask about this particular piece of comms? Here is an example from the workshop of how the POPP model works: So, before you hit send on that email, or set up that Zoom meeting, run through POPP to be sure that you’re using the most impactful comms tool at your disposal. And check out our CALM tool, which along with our POPP method will make sure your comms are never ignored! The post Make your comms POPP! appeared first on Think Productive UK. View the full article

by Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE In a rapidly changing environment, it’s no surprise that new “buzzwords” occasionally pop up on your bingo card. One of recent example is upskilling. At first glance, the definition seems obvious, but it means more than you might think—especially after our shared ordeal with the COVID-19 pandemic. These days, we all need to take the time to upskill and refresh our work habits, which the World Economic Forum predicts will raise the global GDP by up to $6.5 trillion by 2030. Upskilling involves taking your work to the next level, to better fit your job’s current and future needs. It’s not good enough to just tread water. You must consistently work to advance your career, if only to keep pace with change. The white-collar professional never really stops learning. Here are a few tips to make sure you’re advancing as you should. Keep working on your people skills. Soft skills like emotional intelligence (EQ), willing cooperation, and tact have always had a place in our field. As we evolve more toward remote and hybrid work environments, these will be more important than ever for camaraderie and a sense of teamwork. Hone your communications skills. Again, this skill has always been important, but has become increasingly essential as the workplace evolves. On a conference call, and even to some extent on a videoconference, you don’t always have the social cues that let other people pick up on the nuances of your messages, and vice versa. You certainly don’t with email or IMs, so take some time to learn how to state your opinion or the facts simply and clearly, whether verbally or in writing. This will cut down on misunderstandings, bottlenecks, and roadblocks. Read, read, read. It’s especially important to read widely in your field, so you can keep up with new developments and make contributions to your organization. But also read widely in other fields, including fiction and current events. Creative applications may help you handle a tough problem at work, and planting ideas in your subconscious mind can result in new, profitable concepts as the ideas cross-fertilize. Keep educating yourself. Whether it’s getting a new license or certification, taking a continuing education class, or learning the latest programming language, don’t hesitate to do it. I joined a forum and learned how to start and run a nonprofit. It may involve pushing yourself out of your comfort zone or paying for it yourself, but if it will advance your career, it can be worth the cost and effort. Biting the Bullet Upskilling is vital unless you want your career to stall. And frankly, it mostly consists of simple things you should do anyway. Some, like training, may be covered by your organization, and some you can do during downtime and breaks, like keeping up with your reading. Upskilling doesn’t have to be hard; you just need to keep at it and not get complacent. What can you do to shake things up? © 2022 Laura Stack. Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, CPAE is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling author, and noted authority on employee and team productivity. She is the president of The Productivity Pro, Inc., a company dedicated to helping leaders increase workplace performance in high-stress environments. Stack has authored eight books, including FASTER TOGETHER: Accelerating Your Team’s Productivity (Berrett-Koehler 2018). She is a past president of the National Speakers Association, and a member of its exclusive Speaker Hall of Fame (with fewer than 175 members worldwide). Stack’s clients include Cisco Systems, Wal-Mart, and Bank of America, and she has been featured on the CBS Early Show and CNN, and in the New York Times. To have Laura Stack speak at an upcoming meeting or event, call 303-471-7401 or contact us online. View the full article

Being a manager isn’t easy. The technical skills a person relies on early in their career don’t always translate into the core skills needed to lead others. If they did, anyone could be promoted and adored by their employees. Of course, we know that’s not the case; toxic managers walk among us. Usually, a workspace stress is the direct result of having an ineffective leader. Take a look at these four types of toxic bosses you may encounter in your career. We’ve also provided some strategies for dealing with each. The Micromanager The sign of micromanager is that they closely monitor every element of their staff’s work and can be quite controlling. Ask a micromanager why they act this way, and they’ll tell you it’s because employees aren’t accountable and can’t deliver the desired quality or quantity of work without constant oversight. On the flip side, employees feel like they aren’t trusted or empowered to perform their best. Dealing with a Micromanager Working with a micromanager can be frustrating, especially if you’re used to working independently. The best way to deal with a micromanager is to work on slowly gaining their trust. Give frequent status updates when you’re working on a project and make sure you deliver on your promises consistently. Over time, even the worst micromanager can begin to trust a good employee and loosen their vice-like grip. The Buddy Manager The buddy manager aims to please. When you first meet him or her, you’ll think you’ve hit the jackpot of great bosses because they’re fun and friendly. But they’re more interested in being friends than leaders. The problem is, it’s impossible to be a good manager without making tough decisions, providing constructive criticism and occasionally angering staff. Buddy managers will just tell you what they think you want to hear. At best, you won’t receive the honest feedback you need to grow as a professional. At worst, you may never get the opportunity to advance in your role because you’re blissfully unaware that higher-ups aren’t happy with your performance. How to deal with a Buddy Manager To deal Read More » The post 4 Types of Toxic Managers & How to Deal with Them appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Being a manager isn’t easy. The technical skills a person relies on early in their career don’t always translate into the core skills needed to lead others. If they did, anyone could be promoted and adored by their employees. Of course, we know that’s not the case; toxic managers walk among us. Usually, a workspace stress is the direct result of having an ineffective leader. Take a look at these four types of toxic bosses you may encounter in your career. We’ve also provided some strategies for dealing with each. The Micromanager The sign of micromanager is that they closely monitor every element of their staff’s work and can be quite controlling. Ask a micromanager why they act this way, and they’ll tell you it’s because employees aren’t accountable and can’t deliver the desired quality or quantity of work without constant oversight. On the flip side, employees feel like they aren’t trusted or empowered to perform their best. Dealing with a Micromanager Working with a micromanager can be frustrating, especially if you’re used to working independently. The best way to deal with a micromanager is to work on slowly gaining their trust. Give frequent status updates when you’re working on a project and make sure you deliver on your promises consistently. Over time, even the worst micromanager can begin to trust a good employee and loosen their vice-like grip. The Buddy Manager The buddy manager aims to please. When you first meet him or her, you’ll think you’ve hit the jackpot of great bosses because they’re fun and friendly. But they’re more interested in being friends than leaders. The problem is, it’s impossible to be a good manager without making tough decisions, providing constructive criticism and occasionally angering staff. Buddy managers will just tell you what they think you want to hear. At best, you won’t receive the honest feedback you need to grow as a professional. At worst, you may never get the opportunity to advance in your role because you’re blissfully unaware that higher-ups aren’t happy with your performance. How to deal with a Buddy Manager To deal Read More » The post 4 Types of Toxic Managers & How to Deal with Them appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

We’ve all been there – the anticipated job interview. You landed the interview and now it’s time to talk about your accomplishments, right? Half true. While interviewers want to know why you’re the best candidate for the position, they also want to understand how your behavioural patterns and personality will impact company culture and objectives. There is no way to know exactly what questions you’ll be asked, although there are a handful that are likely to pop up. Impress your interviewer by learning how to answer the 5 good interview questions with confidence: why are you leaving your current job? You must be wondering how to answer why are you leaving your current job? Be sure to demonstrate what you have accomplished in your current or previous role. The best way to answer why you left your last job is talk about how you contributed to the company and that you are leaving on good terms – avoid criticizing former colleagues or management. Instead, show sincerity and explain that you’re seeking new challenges and opportunities for growth. What is your greatest weakness? Your first thought may be to present an attribute as a biggest weakness. Interviewers are people too and like to see humility in potential employees. If you have any doubt about how to answer what is your greatest weakness, first talk about a trait you’re actively working to improve. For example, if being meticulous means you spend unnecessary time on projects, recall a time you took a few steps back and looked at the bigger picture. This shows employers you acknowledge your flaws and are making strides to correct them. How do you handle conflict at work? Your answer helps the interviewer predict how you may be dealing with conflict at work. How might you react if a supervisor rejects every one of your proposals? Will you use the criticism to improve, or will you take it personally? Explain a situation of conflict at work with examples, include context, how you found a solution, and the results. Remember to be positive and solution oriented. Where do you see Read More » The post How To Answer The 5 Toughest behavioural interview questions appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

We’ve all been there – the anticipated job interview. You landed the interview and now it’s time to talk about your accomplishments, right? Half true. While interviewers want to know why you’re the best candidate for the position, they also want to understand how your behavioural patterns and personality will impact company culture and objectives. There is no way to know exactly what questions you’ll be asked, although there are a handful that are likely to pop up. Impress your interviewer by learning how to answer the 5 good interview questions with confidence: why are you leaving your current job? You must be wondering how to answer why are you leaving your current job? Be sure to demonstrate what you have accomplished in your current or previous role. The best way to answer why you left your last job is talk about how you contributed to the company and that you are leaving on good terms – avoid criticizing former colleagues or management. Instead, show sincerity and explain that you’re seeking new challenges and opportunities for growth. What is your greatest weakness? Your first thought may be to present an attribute as a biggest weakness. Interviewers are people too and like to see humility in potential employees. If you have any doubt about how to answer what is your greatest weakness, first talk about a trait you’re actively working to improve. For example, if being meticulous means you spend unnecessary time on projects, recall a time you took a few steps back and looked at the bigger picture. This shows employers you acknowledge your flaws and are making strides to correct them. How do you handle conflict at work? Your answer helps the interviewer predict how you may be dealing with conflict at work. How might you react if a supervisor rejects every one of your proposals? Will you use the criticism to improve, or will you take it personally? Explain a situation of conflict at work with examples, include context, how you found a solution, and the results. Remember to be positive and solution oriented. Where do you see Read More » The post How To Answer The 5 Toughest behavioural interview questions appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Technical Accounting – What is it? The term “technical accounting” refers to the execution, analysis, and oversight of accounting systems within specific corporate contexts. While any accountant should be well-versed in general accounting theory, a technical accountant is required to demonstrate additional competence in the execution of booking transactions within accounting systems, understanding how those transactions will affect the accounting system, and properly assessing whether a transaction is properly entered and generating accurate output. A technical accountant should be able to review previous work (either done by themselves or by others) and readily determine its accuracy. These skills will often drive toward additional roles including the analysis of accounting systems, determining the effectiveness of internal controls, and making recommendations to management regarding potential modifications to an accounting system. Technical Accounting vs. Accounting Accounting, as a general term, refers to the idea of aggregating financial (or other) data for the purposes of producing reports to be used by management or other interested parties in evaluating the trajectory and value of an organization or undertaking. Technical accounting refers to the specific efforts, including the entries, adjustments, analyses, controls, and other efforts that go into converting data into useful output. To make an analogy, baking refers to the activity of taking ingredients and converting them into a loaf of bread. A general theory exists that ingredients are baked and produce a baked good. Technical baking might refer to identifying those specific ingredients, developing the specific enumerated recipe, and ensuring that the baker properly identifies and quantifies each ingredient, sets ovens at appropriate temperatures, and adheres to the appropriate baking time to produce the actual loaf of bread. If a substandard loaf is produced, the technical baker would study the loaf to identify where the failure occurred in the baking system and modify the system accordingly to enable the baker to produce a proper loaf of bread in the future. Firms, particularly public accounting firms, rely on technical accountants to assist them in evaluating clients’ accounting systems and perform checks of accounting reports to determine whether accounting errors may have occurred. Simple examples of Read More » The post Technical Accounting appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Technical Accounting – What is it? The term “technical accounting” refers to the execution, analysis, and oversight of accounting systems within specific corporate contexts. While any accountant should be well-versed in general accounting theory, a technical accountant is required to demonstrate additional competence in the execution of booking transactions within accounting systems, understanding how those transactions will affect the accounting system, and properly assessing whether a transaction is properly entered and generating accurate output. A technical accountant should be able to review previous work (either done by themselves or by others) and readily determine its accuracy. These skills will often drive toward additional roles including the analysis of accounting systems, determining the effectiveness of internal controls, and making recommendations to management regarding potential modifications to an accounting system. Technical Accounting vs. Accounting Accounting, as a general term, refers to the idea of aggregating financial (or other) data for the purposes of producing reports to be used by management or other interested parties in evaluating the trajectory and value of an organization or undertaking. Technical accounting refers to the specific efforts, including the entries, adjustments, analyses, controls, and other efforts that go into converting data into useful output. To make an analogy, baking refers to the activity of taking ingredients and converting them into a loaf of bread. A general theory exists that ingredients are baked and produce a baked good. Technical baking might refer to identifying those specific ingredients, developing the specific enumerated recipe, and ensuring that the baker properly identifies and quantifies each ingredient, sets ovens at appropriate temperatures, and adheres to the appropriate baking time to produce the actual loaf of bread. If a substandard loaf is produced, the technical baker would study the loaf to identify where the failure occurred in the baking system and modify the system accordingly to enable the baker to produce a proper loaf of bread in the future. Firms, particularly public accounting firms, rely on technical accountants to assist them in evaluating clients’ accounting systems and perform checks of accounting reports to determine whether accounting errors may have occurred. Simple examples of Read More » The post Technical Accounting appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

In the age of COVID-19, the notion of working virtually has become so commonplace it is almost clichéd to even discuss it as somehow novel or noteworthy, but in the world of the CPA, the move to working beyond the office is neither new nor easy. CPAs face significant issues when taking their efforts outside their corporate walls. Rise of the Virtual CPA The idea of the virtual CPA is hardly new. Many CPA firms had remote capabilities dating as far back as the 1970s, with modems dialing directly into office networks. Those relied on centralized systems housed in LAN rooms at CPA firm offices with work backed up to storage tapes. As time progressed, the technologies allowing remote work matured; in the early 2000s, we saw the introduction of cloud storage and remote hosting, the proliferation of virtual desktops, and the beginning of the end for local hosting. Today, nearly every professional software vendor in the space, like Thomson Reuters, Intuit, CCH, and others all sell fully cloud-based solutions for CPAs and their firms eliminating almost any need for centralized servers or storage. Individual practitioners have been able to use these technologies to provide outsourced virtual accounting services as a primary service to businesses that cannot afford or do not want to have local in-office accounting staffs. This has allowed the CPA to go fully remote…if they or, more importantly, their firm or clients are willing to. A CPA can now technically work and operate at 100% capacity nearly anywhere on the planet (or, at least, anywhere there’s Internet access, which, by virtue of mobile hotspots is effectively anywhere). Despite that capability, CPAs and CPA firms have tended to gain a reputation as risk-averse late adopters. Despite decades of technological progress, according to the CPA Firm Management Association’s 2020 Information Technology Survey, only about half utilize an external cloud provider to host their applications. Two-thirds do use virtual server products. Surprisingly, according to the Journal of Accountancy’s 2020 Tax Software Survey, a full 81% of tax firms locally host their tax software. Given where the industry is, virtual CPAs Read More » The post Becoming a Virtual CPA appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

In the age of COVID-19, the notion of working virtually has become so commonplace it is almost clichéd to even discuss it as somehow novel or noteworthy, but in the world of the CPA, the move to working beyond the office is neither new nor easy. CPAs face significant issues when taking their efforts outside their corporate walls. Rise of the Virtual CPA The idea of the virtual CPA is hardly new. Many CPA firms had remote capabilities dating as far back as the 1970s, with modems dialing directly into office networks. Those relied on centralized systems housed in LAN rooms at CPA firm offices with work backed up to storage tapes. As time progressed, the technologies allowing remote work matured; in the early 2000s, we saw the introduction of cloud storage and remote hosting, the proliferation of virtual desktops, and the beginning of the end for local hosting. Today, nearly every professional software vendor in the space, like Thomson Reuters, Intuit, CCH, and others all sell fully cloud-based solutions for CPAs and their firms eliminating almost any need for centralized servers or storage. Individual practitioners have been able to use these technologies to provide outsourced virtual accounting services as a primary service to businesses that cannot afford or do not want to have local in-office accounting staffs. This has allowed the CPA to go fully remote…if they or, more importantly, their firm or clients are willing to. A CPA can now technically work and operate at 100% capacity nearly anywhere on the planet (or, at least, anywhere there’s Internet access, which, by virtue of mobile hotspots is effectively anywhere). Despite that capability, CPAs and CPA firms have tended to gain a reputation as risk-averse late adopters. Despite decades of technological progress, according to the CPA Firm Management Association’s 2020 Information Technology Survey, only about half utilize an external cloud provider to host their applications. Two-thirds do use virtual server products. Surprisingly, according to the Journal of Accountancy’s 2020 Tax Software Survey, a full 81% of tax firms locally host their tax software. Given where the industry is, virtual CPAs Read More » The post Becoming a Virtual CPA appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Figuring out what to wear to a job interview can be one of the most stressful decisions you make during your career search. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. Our Dress for Success infographic details the Do’s and Don’t of the much anticipated interview outfit. Give yourself a leg up (or a foot in); check it out. What to Wear to an Interview Why should you Dress for Success? Because a job interview is an audition! When you’re interviewing for an accounting or finance position, it’s important that you’re dressed for the part. What to Wear to an Interview: Women Of course what you wear to an interview is a personal decision, but here are some recommendations from industry professionals on what’s considered best practice for dressing for an interview. A natural-fiber business suit in a subdued color is a good choice for first interviews For skirts and dresses, hemlines should be close to knee-length Blouses should be modest and not overly revealing Keep jewelry minimal to avoid distracting the interviewer Hands, fingers and nails should be tidy. If nail polish is worn it should not be chipped or in a distracting color Whatever hairstyle is worn, it should appear neat If you choose to wear makeup, err on the side of natural looking What to Wear to an Interview: Men Ultimately, what you wear to an interview is your decision, but these are some recommendations on what men should wear to an interview from industry professionals. You can’t go wrong with a dark suit with a tie and white shirt While a conservative tie is recommended, don’t be afraid to choose something stylish with a little pizzazz Shoes should be shined (and not scuffed!) Wear dark socks Jewelry should be minimal to avoid distracting the interviewer, however a watch and wedding ring are perfectly acceptable Fingernails should be clean and trimmed If you have facial hair, it should be groomed neatly What Not to Wear to an Interview Remember, an interview is not a fashion show or a chance to make a fashion statement! It’s a time to showcase your Read More » The post What to Wear to an Interview – Women & Men appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Figuring out what to wear to a job interview can be one of the most stressful decisions you make during your career search. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. Our Dress for Success infographic details the Do’s and Don’t of the much anticipated interview outfit. Give yourself a leg up (or a foot in); check it out. What to Wear to an Interview Why should you Dress for Success? Because a job interview is an audition! When you’re interviewing for an accounting or finance position, it’s important that you’re dressed for the part. What to Wear to an Interview: Women Of course what you wear to an interview is a personal decision, but here are some recommendations from industry professionals on what’s considered best practice for dressing for an interview. A natural-fiber business suit in a subdued color is a good choice for first interviews For skirts and dresses, hemlines should be close to knee-length Blouses should be modest and not overly revealing Keep jewelry minimal to avoid distracting the interviewer Hands, fingers and nails should be tidy. If nail polish is worn it should not be chipped or in a distracting color Whatever hairstyle is worn, it should appear neat If you choose to wear makeup, err on the side of natural looking What to Wear to an Interview: Men Ultimately, what you wear to an interview is your decision, but these are some recommendations on what men should wear to an interview from industry professionals. You can’t go wrong with a dark suit with a tie and white shirt While a conservative tie is recommended, don’t be afraid to choose something stylish with a little pizzazz Shoes should be shined (and not scuffed!) Wear dark socks Jewelry should be minimal to avoid distracting the interviewer, however a watch and wedding ring are perfectly acceptable Fingernails should be clean and trimmed If you have facial hair, it should be groomed neatly What Not to Wear to an Interview Remember, an interview is not a fashion show or a chance to make a fashion statement! It’s a time to showcase your Read More » The post What to Wear to an Interview – Women & Men appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Accounting Skills – Which are the Most Important? The job market for accounting professionals is hot. But if you want to land the best jobs, you need to demonstrate the in-demand accounting skills that make you the perfect fit. It’s not all about technical accounting skills. Accounting managers can teach good people the basics of Excel, bank reconciliations, and software, but accounting soft skills may be more elusive. To ensure you’ve always got options, these are the top accounting skills you need to master: Information Technology Digital Competency Communication Decision Making Conscientiousness Being a Team Player Customer Service Digital Skills for Accountants Employers today are less concerned with how fast you wield a 10-key than they are with your knowledge of accounting systems, such as QuickBooks or Xero for small business or Sage, Oracle or SAP for big industry. Advanced Excel skills for accountants are also in demand, as accountants use spreadsheets in virtually every position, in every industry. Experience working with a particular product is great, but the ability to adapt to various software and systems demonstrates flexibility and technological aptitude. Basic Excel Skills for Accountants 1. Presentation and Formatting If you’re sharing your spreadsheet with someone, it’s important that all of the information is easy to digest and understand. Formatting the cells using colors, or font variations (bold, italic, etc.) can help communicate what you’re trying to express. For example, a conditional format could be applied to highlight all negative numbers in red, and highlight positive numbers in green. 2. Utilize VLOOOKUPs VLOOKUPs make finding specific data very simple. In the event that you need to pull all the entries (from one or more spreadsheets) that contain a specific piece of data, this is the tool that should be used. 3. Data Manipulation Having all the data in a spreadsheet is only the first step. An excellent accountant knows how to filter and sort any set of data to prepare a simple yet informative report without any unnecessary clutter. Business Intelligence to Provide Actionable Advice The ability to produce timely and accurate numbers is of course one of Read More » The post Top Accounting Skills You Need to Master! appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Accounting Skills – Which are the Most Important? The job market for accounting professionals is hot. But if you want to land the best jobs, you need to demonstrate the in-demand accounting skills that make you the perfect fit. It’s not all about technical accounting skills. Accounting managers can teach good people the basics of Excel, bank reconciliations, and software, but accounting soft skills may be more elusive. To ensure you’ve always got options, these are the top accounting skills you need to master: Information Technology Digital Competency Communication Decision Making Conscientiousness Being a Team Player Customer Service Digital Skills for Accountants Employers today are less concerned with how fast you wield a 10-key than they are with your knowledge of accounting systems, such as QuickBooks or Xero for small business or Sage, Oracle or SAP for big industry. Advanced Excel skills for accountants are also in demand, as accountants use spreadsheets in virtually every position, in every industry. Experience working with a particular product is great, but the ability to adapt to various software and systems demonstrates flexibility and technological aptitude. Basic Excel Skills for Accountants 1. Presentation and Formatting If you’re sharing your spreadsheet with someone, it’s important that all of the information is easy to digest and understand. Formatting the cells using colors, or font variations (bold, italic, etc.) can help communicate what you’re trying to express. For example, a conditional format could be applied to highlight all negative numbers in red, and highlight positive numbers in green. 2. Utilize VLOOOKUPs VLOOKUPs make finding specific data very simple. In the event that you need to pull all the entries (from one or more spreadsheets) that contain a specific piece of data, this is the tool that should be used. 3. Data Manipulation Having all the data in a spreadsheet is only the first step. An excellent accountant knows how to filter and sort any set of data to prepare a simple yet informative report without any unnecessary clutter. Business Intelligence to Provide Actionable Advice The ability to produce timely and accurate numbers is of course one of Read More » The post Top Accounting Skills You Need to Master! appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Every tax season is unique. It seems as though every year has a few new tax rules or technologies to navigate, but 2020 will likely go down in the record books due to its changing tax deadlines, new rules, loans, and stimulus payments. And if those challenges weren’t enough, companies were navigating all of it with a record number of employees working from home. What should we expect as we approach this new tax season? Here are some trends we’re seeing. Tax changes will make for an interesting filing season A few years ago, tax reform made sweeping changes to the U.S. income tax code, impacting virtually every business and individual and complicating the filing season as taxpayers and professionals adjusted to the new rates and rules. Expect the 2021 filing season to be similar. Pandemic relief legislation passed in 2020 will significantly impact income and payroll tax filings for companies in the coming year. Employers will need to navigate new retention credits, forgiveness on Paycheck Protection Program loans, and delays in payment of Social Security taxes. Many employees are now working virtually and could be residents of a different state than their employers, which can impact the company’s state income taxes, withholding, and unemployment insurance. Staying on top of these changes and preparing for their impact on 2020 tax filings is crucial. Flexible and remote work will continue The pandemic forced companies to switch to remote working virtually overnight. Although the migration went reasonably well, it will likely go on longer than many companies initially predicted. According to a survey from Willis Towers Watson, employers expect 19% of their workforce to continue working from home full-time post-COVID. That’s roughly half the percentage working from home in July 2020 (44%), but almost three times 2019’s figure (7%). Companies have figured out the tools and technology to make remote work successful in a structural way. However, many still need to adapt leadership styles to this new way of working. Employers also need to focus on employees’ well-being as workers continue to deal with blurred boundaries between work and home, juggling work with childcare and homeschooling, stress, and burnout. Technology Read More » The post How to navigate the upcoming tax season appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Every tax season is unique. It seems as though every year has a few new tax rules or technologies to navigate, but 2020 will likely go down in the record books due to its changing tax deadlines, new rules, loans, and stimulus payments. And if those challenges weren’t enough, companies were navigating all of it with a record number of employees working from home. What should we expect as we approach this new tax season? Here are some trends we’re seeing. Tax changes will make for an interesting filing season A few years ago, tax reform made sweeping changes to the U.S. income tax code, impacting virtually every business and individual and complicating the filing season as taxpayers and professionals adjusted to the new rates and rules. Expect the 2021 filing season to be similar. Pandemic relief legislation passed in 2020 will significantly impact income and payroll tax filings for companies in the coming year. Employers will need to navigate new retention credits, forgiveness on Paycheck Protection Program loans, and delays in payment of Social Security taxes. Many employees are now working virtually and could be residents of a different state than their employers, which can impact the company’s state income taxes, withholding, and unemployment insurance. Staying on top of these changes and preparing for their impact on 2020 tax filings is crucial. Flexible and remote work will continue The pandemic forced companies to switch to remote working virtually overnight. Although the migration went reasonably well, it will likely go on longer than many companies initially predicted. According to a survey from Willis Towers Watson, employers expect 19% of their workforce to continue working from home full-time post-COVID. That’s roughly half the percentage working from home in July 2020 (44%), but almost three times 2019’s figure (7%). Companies have figured out the tools and technology to make remote work successful in a structural way. However, many still need to adapt leadership styles to this new way of working. Employers also need to focus on employees’ well-being as workers continue to deal with blurred boundaries between work and home, juggling work with childcare and homeschooling, stress, and burnout. Technology Read More » The post How to navigate the upcoming tax season appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Tax season is synonymous for most accounting professionals with long hours and stressful days. For the willing, it’s time to change that reality! Here are’s five ways to see the light of day, and at the end of the tunnel, during Tax Season 2021. Here are five ways for work balance during tax season 1.Technology will keep your brain sane If you think data entry, manual address updates, or jumping in and out of databases is the bane of your tax season existence, then you’re probably right. That might sound daunting to some, but the good news is that should be a thing of the past. Not only has Tax Software gotten more affordable in recent years, but it’s also gotten a lot more efficient. Easily transfer K-1 data from Partnerships to the S Corp, to Trusts. Moving information from one return to another with one click is what awaits with one simple software implementation. 2. Flexibility isn’t just for gymnasts Make working from home just as effective as from the office by leveraging the aforementioned technology upgrades to establish a streamlined auto-scanning and paperless system. And a reliable VPN system makes it just as secure! The only real difference is, what pair of sweatpants will you choose today? 3. Walk the walk…literally Is it possible to feel just as good about the second half of your day as the first? Absolutely, you can do that by scheduling time to take a walk, even if it’s only for 15 or 20 minutes. This will help get your blood going and boosts your energy to enable you to finish the day strong. Staying still, absolutely will make your days harder and tax season feel longer. 4. Eat and Repeat, at least 3 times! Rosalie Moscoe, Registered Nutritional Consultant Practitioner, stress relief, and nutrition expert recommends eating three meals a day and having a protein at each meal. She suggests “keeping snacks on hand, such as yogurt, fruit, raw walnuts, pecans or almonds, to give you an energy boost when you need it.” Making time to eat means your energy will not deplete! 5. Read More » The post 5 Ways to Achieve Work/Life Balance During Tax Season appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article

Tax season is synonymous for most accounting professionals with long hours and stressful days. For the willing, it’s time to change that reality! Here are’s five ways to see the light of day, and at the end of the tunnel, during Tax Season 2021. Here are five ways for work balance during tax season 1.Technology will keep your brain sane If you think data entry, manual address updates, or jumping in and out of databases is the bane of your tax season existence, then you’re probably right. That might sound daunting to some, but the good news is that should be a thing of the past. Not only has Tax Software gotten more affordable in recent years, but it’s also gotten a lot more efficient. Easily transfer K-1 data from Partnerships to the S Corp, to Trusts. Moving information from one return to another with one click is what awaits with one simple software implementation. 2. Flexibility isn’t just for gymnasts Make working from home just as effective as from the office by leveraging the aforementioned technology upgrades to establish a streamlined auto-scanning and paperless system. And a reliable VPN system makes it just as secure! The only real difference is, what pair of sweatpants will you choose today? 3. Walk the walk…literally Is it possible to feel just as good about the second half of your day as the first? Absolutely, you can do that by scheduling time to take a walk, even if it’s only for 15 or 20 minutes. This will help get your blood going and boosts your energy to enable you to finish the day strong. Staying still, absolutely will make your days harder and tax season feel longer. 4. Eat and Repeat, at least 3 times! Rosalie Moscoe, Registered Nutritional Consultant Practitioner, stress relief, and nutrition expert recommends eating three meals a day and having a protein at each meal. She suggests “keeping snacks on hand, such as yogurt, fruit, raw walnuts, pecans or almonds, to give you an energy boost when you need it.” Making time to eat means your energy will not deplete! 5. Read More » The post 5 Ways to Achieve Work/Life Balance During Tax Season appeared first on Accounting Principals Blog. View the full article