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Career Planning

Career planning is part of life planning. It is an never ending process; no matter where you are in your career it warrants periodic attention and consideration. Finding your strengths and interests is the first step. Getting the education and training necessary to perform well in a career track is next. Finally, entering the job market as a strong candidate in your chosen profession launches your career. Down the road, questions of new career paths may rise, and an entrepreneurial spirit may change everything. 

Choose any of the following to read more:

Assessments 
Assessments can be a useful tool to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are, what your natural inclinations are in relation to your career, and what type of personality you have. It's important to remember that this is a tool and will not provide you with “The Answer” to your career choice, but should be used to clarify your own perceptions of yourself and stimulate a thought process that will hopefully lead you to your ideal career.

There are a variety of free online assessments, but it's recommended that you consult with a career counselor who can properly interpret the results. Taking several different assessments will help to recognize patterns; if you take four assessments and they all point to the same career, that may be a career you should seriously consider. In the end, use your own judgment. You know yourself better than the results of a test. Let the assessment be a guide, but the final decision is yours. 

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Be Your Own Boss (Entrepreneurs) 
There are many advantages to being your own boss. You can make your own hours, spend more time with your family, avoid the morning commute and save money on gas, reduce your overhead and offer lower competitive rates, etc. There are also tax advantages: if your home is your place of business, you can right off part of your rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, repairs, etc. Entrepreneurship has become a growing trend that accounts for more than four million members of the US workforce each year. While it is truly part of the American Dream, being your own boss requires a lot of hard work and usually a good deal of overtime.

Here are some tips as you set out to become your own boss:

Write a business plan. The more extensive and detailed you are in the planning stages, the more likely you are to succeed. Most personal businesses fail within the first two years, and lack of a clear and realistic business strategy is often cited as the cause of failure. A well thought-out, professional business plan can also help attract investors to help you get your enterprise off the ground.
Save up. One of the risks of entrepreneurial endeavors is that they may not be a reliable source of income in the early stages. Saving up to create a financial cushion for at least the first six month is recommended. It's also best to put as little of your personal money into the startup costs as possible. A business loan is best, credit card debt is an option but the interest is extremely high, and family and friends may be a lost resort.

Hire people you trust. If your business requires you to hire workers, careful selection of staff can be the deciding factor in success. Using networking from previous jobs or other colleagues, seek out qualified performers to get the job done. The quality of the product is the entire business. Your client base is your livelihood. Satisfied clients are likely to become repeat customers and tell other potential clients about your work.

Track your progress. As an entrepreneur, you're not just your own boss. You're your own HR manager, accountant, administrative assistant, customer service representative, and all of the other jobs that comprise any other organization. Keeping detailed records of expenses, client information, profits, time spent on each project, etc. is the only way to control your business and make adjustments when necessary.

Practice time management. While you'll have more time in the day to get your work done, you'll also have other distractions. Setting aside blocks of time for work is essential, and may mean shutting off your phone to stay focused. While your schedule can be flexible, being successful will most likely require more than eight hours of work a day.

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Changing Careers 
The decision to change careers is a complex and stressful one. Even a clear change for the better brings with it a level of uncertainty that can be mentally and emotionally draining. Preparation and planning will eliminate some of the stress.

You may want to change careers because you feel unfulfilled, because you need a higher salary to live comfortably, because there’s little or no room for advancement in your present career, because you feel unchallenged, etc. Changing careers may be necessary because you’re being laid off. If you want to change careers because you’re unhappy, ask yourself why. What is it about your job that you don’t like? What aspects do you like? These aspects may be present in another career. If you’re uncertain about which direction to take, this inventory of the pros and cons of your current situation may guide you to the right path.

Once you decide on the new career you want to pursue (maybe you’ve known all along and were just waiting for the opportunity to present itself), research the career thoroughly. Find out about what skills are needed for the job, and which of those skills you lack. If you’ll need to take courses in the field, find the best program in your area. If you have friends in the field, pick their brains about everything from the grand scheme to the minutiae. If it’s possible to get onsite experience as a volunteer or just as an observer, take advantage of that opportunity.

If you’re able to leave your current job and start fresh (i.e., you have the financial means to do so), that’s great. But if not, there are things you can do to prepare for your career change while still at your present employer, like taking night classes or looking into freelance positions in your new field.

Be prepared for the career change to be taxing. You’re changing your field of work, going to a new office, making new friends, learning new routines, and re-defining yourself as a professional. This will have an effect on your personal life for at least a little while. Give yourself time to adjust and ask your friends and family to bear with you as you find your niche. 

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First Job 
The transition from college life to working life can be quite jarring. Learning to speak and act in a business-like manner is not something that comes without a learning curve. Be prepared to make mistakes and be embarrassed from time to time. It's okay. Everyone has a first job out of college, and no one starts out knowing what the office culture will be like (or even that there's such a thing as office culture). If you had an internship or co-op, you're ahead of the game, but things are let slide when you are viewed as a student working for credit and not as a true "adult" staff member.

The general rule of thumb for your first job is basically the same as for the start of any new job: look and listen. Spend a lot of time watching your new coworkers interact. See what topics are okay to talk about, and what topics are taboo. When you're not sure if something you're about to say is appropriate, don't say it. Seek an experienced mentor after whom you may model your behavior and work style. Listen to what your coworkers tell you about "the way things are" because they will probably be the most accurate. But be aware of someone giving you biased and resentful information about a certain practice or especially a certain coworker.

Pay attention to the little details, especially when you're in a meeting or a training session. If you find some methods employed by the organization to be hackneyed or inefficient, hold your tongue; you can make your case for change somewhere down the road when you have some credibility and have a full grasp of the organization as a whole. Be courteous and gracious, and focus on getting your job done.

Concentrate on performing to the best of your abilities (and augment those abilities whenever and wherever possible), and you will succeed. 

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Vocational Discernment 
Choosing your career is the first decision to make, and also the most difficult. No one can tell you what work will make you happy and keep you fulfilled. The first step is self-awareness. What are you natural abilities? What are the skills you've learned? If you could have your pick of any profession in the world, what would it be? Are you a social person? Do you have any hobbies or passions that could transfer into a career?

Once you narrow your options down to a few, start reading up on each career. The internet is a great resource for information on most if not all careers. If you know someone who works in the field you're interested in, talk to that person and find out everything you can. If this person would let you come to his or her work for a day, take that opportunity.

If you're in college and trying to decide, talk to your advisors. Talk to professors in that field. Go to career day and talk to recruiters about what the job is really like. If you can get an internship in the field you're interested in, that's the best way to find out if this career is the one for you.

If you're already in one profession and looking to change careers, network with people in your desired area of work. Many people will change careers three times or more throughout their lives.

Choose a career that reflects your values and interests, and that makes good use of your skills and abilities. Choosing a career because of the paycheck or because it's a “hot” career right now will most likely leave you dissatisfied and looking to change careers in a few years. Thinking through and planning ahead are keys to discerning the best future path for your career. 

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Job Search 
The Job Search is the process through which an individual seeks to find employment or work desired.

Searching for the right job involves many steps. Being prepared and organized from the outset makes the process smoother.

Organize and edit your resume for the specific position you’re interested in obtaining.

Create a search plan, choosing the places you check in on daily with care. Be sure to look for new places to expand your search if your current sources are not yielding the results you hoped for.

Practice your interviewing skills with a mentor. Know what you want to say before you need to say it to a potential employer.

Know what you need as well as what you want out of any position. Your skill in negotiating the terms of any position says a lot about the type of employee you will be.

To make a good start in a new job one must study the culture of his new employer, and adapt himself accordingly. 

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Interviewing 
The interview is usually the most anxiety-inducing part of the job seeking process. It's such a vulnerable position to be in: you feel like you have everything to lose, and the person interviewing you has nothing to lose but some time that could be spent otherwise. But the reality is that an interview is as important to the interviewer as it is to you. Finding the right person for the job will save your prospective employer a lot of headaches down the road. While the playing field isn't completely even, it's a little more balanced than it seems.

As with your résumé, your performance in an interview is geared toward showing the interviewer that you have what the hiring organization needs. Here are some tips:

Dress for success: It should go without saying, but people routinely show up for job interviews looking unkempt and unprepared. You say a lot about yourself the moment you meet the interviewer. Your attire, your grooming, your posture, your choice of greeting, all of this should exude professionalism and enthusiasm. Look like you want the job.

Let yourself be a bit nervous: If you don't, you'll overcompensate to hide your anxiety, and end up seeming fake, cocky, or disturbingly calm. Your interviewer will expect you to be nervous, and won't hold it against you.

Give and take: The interview shouldn't seem like a one-sided Q and A. Answer the questions given to you concisely. Don't ramble on. And ask questions-focused, intelligent questions-that show the interviewer that you know a lot about your field, and that you are genuinely interested in the position. The interview is truly about you and the interviewer simultaneously determining if you're a match for one another. Pay attention to what the interviewer is saying and use that as a guide for how you respond and what questions you ask. It's good to have a few questions prepared ahead of time (What's a typical day of work like here? Can you describe the people that I'll be working most closely with?) in case you can't think of something on the spot.

Make eye contact: This shows confidence and interest. Staring at your knees points to either disinterest or insecurity. And don't lock eyes with your interviewer and never let go. This can be intimidating, and taken to an extreme, make you seem a little too intense. Sell yourself: Knowing ahead of time what the job entails and what specifics were listed in the job posting, make a list of attributes that you possess that make you an ideal candidate for the job. And hit each of those points at some time throughout the interview. Be sure you also know the business of the whole organization, you will be one part of a larger group, and knowing the organization's mission sets you apart from interviewees who focus their research only on the specific position, rather than that position's place in the larger organization.

Get in there and be yourself. Show interest and enthusiasm. Display your abilities and your professionalism. 

Negotiating the Package 
Your résumé got you an interview. The interview has gotten you a job offer. Now it's time to negotiate the terms of your employment. Depending on the type of position you'll be taking, there may be very little to negotiate. If there was a salary range listed in the job posting, you should determine the least amount of money you'd need to live comfortably and use that as a base. Don't be unreasonable about going beyond the salary range if it was listed in the job post. If it wasn't listed, be careful about when you bring up the salary. If you're new in this field or new to the workforce, it's best to wait until you're offered the job before discussing salary, but if you're experienced and/or already have a coveted job in your field, you may want to find out about salary up front to see if this is worth your time.

Be honest about your salary at your last job or current job; lying about your prior earnings is grounds for termination if discovered. Be honest, but don't give away anything that could hurt you (for example, you need a job right away and would take a pay cut to get it). It's best to let the employer suggest a salary range before you do; the employer will usually start with the low- or mid-range of the competitive salary for your position, which may be more than you knew.

Some competitive job markets use signing bonuses to acquire the top performers in the industry. Be aware of whether or not a signing bonus is common in your field before bringing up the topic; if it's not common at all, it will seem as though you don't know what you're doing.

Be flexible about different benefits and options. If the employer offers you a slightly lower salary than you expected but includes some equity in the company in the package, give this some consideration.

Once the package has been agreed upon, get it in writing. This will avoid any controversy later on if the employer tries to change the terms of employment after you've accepted the position. 

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Résumé 
The average job opening attracts somewhere between 100 and 1000 applicants. A hiring manager has to wade through this enormous stack of résumés to find a few prospective hires. Your job is to get the hiring manager's attention in one to two pages. This is your commercial to get someone to buy your product: you. Your goal is simple: to get an interview. Remember that it's not about what you want; it's about what your potential employer needs and what you have to offer that meets those needs.

Here are a few tips on how to stand out from the stack:

Presentation: Your résumé is your first impression. The way it looks is the first impression of the résumé. Use bold headings and italics to emphasize what's important. Separate major sections with a lot of white space. Your name and contact information should be at the top of the résumé (if it's two pages long, your name should be at the top of the second page as well). Make it look professional and enticing. Proper grammar and punctuation are essential.

Order: Name and contact info at the top of the page. Then job experience in reverse chronological order. Then educational degrees in reverse chronological order. Then any special accomplishments or awards. Sometimes the order can be changed to highlight special accomplishments (such as a degree from one of the top schools in your field), but these are the exceptions and not the rule.

Quantifying: Whenever possible, use numbers to specify the qualifications and accomplishments you're describing. Specificity and detail will get an employer's attention. Focus on results instead of responsibilities.

Word Choice: Use strong verbs that accurately describe your accomplishments. Use industry key words that show employers you recognize what they are looking for and that you know your field well.
Keeping The Employer In Mind: Tailor your résumé and your cover letter to the specific organization you are addressing. Let them know that you aren't just sending out your résumé to 300 organizations and playing the numbers game. Show them you want to work for them specifically.

Do your best to impress. If you succeed, get your suit pressed and get ready for your interview. 

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Starting out Right 
Your résumé was your first impression with the employer. Your interview was your first impression of yourself as a professional. The first few weeks of your new job will be the first impression of you as a real person. People form their opinions quickly, so be on your toes. But don't be afraid. You're probably the only new person on the job, and people will often go out of their way to make you feel at home. Your coworkers know that the first few weeks of a new job are like the first few dates with a new love: you tend to act the way you want to be seen more than being yourself. That's just part of human nature.

Here are some things you can do to make a good first impression:

Be on time. Better to be early than late, especially in the first few weeks. If you get labeled as a "slacker" early on, that can be a tough image to shake.
Dress appropriately. Err on the conservative side until you see what everyone else is wearing on a daily basis. If you're not sure, ask.

Be energetic. Show enthusiasm and a positive attitude. If you're not working on anything, ask for something to do, even if it's something you have to learn for the first time.

Ask questions. We sometimes feel the need to talk and display our knowledge at a new job to gain points. But this can easily be misconstrued as being a know-it-all. Ask questions and listen.
Stay out of the office politics loop. Avoid the gossip and any other conflicts that may arise early on. Try not to let what someone tells you about someone else form your opinion of them, as these two people may have a history of conflict. If someone says, "Isn't So-And-So a bore?" or "Isn't Such-And-Such mean and full of himself?" just say that you haven't been around that person long enough to get a sense of how he or she is.

Don't leave early or take time off. Now is not the time to take a "mental health day." During your first 90 days with a new organization, be there from the minute your day should start until the minute it should end. Don't call in sick unless you really are. Don't take an extra long lunch. Familiarize yourself with the office culture and build your reputation before you try bending the rules.

Make your work your first priority. Don't spend a half-hour on the phone with a friend laughing, or spend twenty minutes online buying flowers for your sick aunt. While this is something we may do normally at our jobs, you should consider yourself temporarily an exception to the rule.

Be nice to everyone you meet, and hopefully everyone will be nice to you. Take your time learning and performing the new tasks that make up your job; it's better to get it done right than to get it done quickly. When you're in meetings that make no sense to you at this point, it's polite to at least feign interest. Be respectful and honest. Treat your new co-workers the way in which you want to be treated yourself. 

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Where to Look 
Last year, online job boards accounted for a little more than half of all new hires in the country, while traditional media accounted for only around five percent. There are many online job boards to choose from, and through trial and error you'll discover which sites yield the best results for your particular field.

Employer websites are another popular place to seek new jobs since they allow you to learn a lot about the employer before you send out your résumé. Job fairs are a good place to speak to someone face to face, shake hands, make a connection. Networking is an important way to find new jobs since many organizations prefer referrals to any other recruiting method. Get to know people in your industry and keep in touch with them.

If you're just about to graduate college, talk to your counselor or visit your school's employment information center. If you had an internship during college that went well, keep the lines of communications open with that employer since they probably have connections you can use to your advantage, or a position may open up with that employer and they will remember you. 

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Professional Development 
Professional development may include technical, business and even life skills that enable individuals improve their job performance and or prepare them for other responsibilities. Performance metrics should be associated with all professional development and the corresponding work. Although professional development may be supported or even driven by employers, ultimately it is the individual’s responsibility. 

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Dealing with: 
Depending on the type of job you have, getting along with the people you work with may be the hardest part of the job. Projects and tasks are often cut and dry, but people are complicated, sensitive, and unpredictable. We all have our personal motivations for doing things, and we're all hardwired with triggers that make us go off-triggers that the people around us are probably unaware of (and that we're sometimes not aware of ourselves). A single comment can turn into a three-year-long grudge. We categorize people. We spread gossip. We take all of the credit for things we did with a team. We harbor resentment that could easily be erased through open communication.

Those are the bad things we do. But we do just as many, if not more, good things. We help each other. We listen and empathize. We bond with people on a personal level. We make lifelong friends.

Like it or not, you'll be spending at least forty hours a week with the people in your organization. Practicing consideration, respect, and courtesy will help you get along with your coworkers. Try to look at people as individuals, as people, not just as your boss, coworker, employee, etc. And realize that sometimes treating people the way you want to be treated isn't the solution. Some people don't want to be treated the way you do. Be open to people's differences and try to accept them for who they are. Even if you feel competition with a coworker, you're all on the same team and striving for the same overall goal. 

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Co-workers 
The challenge of coexisting with your coworkers is that they are such a diverse group of people. Gossips, morning people, complainers, super-positive folks, worriers, passive-aggressive people, conflict-oriented people, problem-solvers, grouches, trustworthy friends, helpful mentors, etc are all part of the coworker melting pot. Adding to the complication is the fact that no one is simply one of the types of people mentioned above. Everyone can be (and probably is) all of them at different points throughout your interaction. Be observant of your coworkers, but try not to pigeonhole them into a stereotype. Don't dismiss someone as vapid because they listen to a funny FM talk radio show, and you listen to NPR; don't dismiss someone as stuffy because they listen to NPR and you listen to a funny FM talk radio show. And be aware that whether or not you categorize your coworkers, they are most likely categorizing you.

Deciding how much of your personal life, if any, to divulge to your coworkers is very important. You'll find in general that it's not so much what you tell as it is to which coworkers you choose to tell things. A good rule of thumb is to keep things on an even keel; if you've been talking about your relationship troubles and your coworker only talks about work issues and TV shows, then it's best to pull back on revealing more personal information. And don't feel obliged to bear your soul to someone just because they've told you their life story down to the most undesirable details; only talk about your private life when you feel comfortable doing so. This decision is very personal and subjective. Some people want to forge deep friendships with their coworkers, and some people just want to do their job and go home. There's nothing wrong with either choice.

Respect and courtesy are the overarching themes of getting along with your coworkers. Respect each coworker's personal space. If you stop by a friend's cube and see that they are busy, quickly say you're sorry and that you'll stop by later. Don't play music so loudly that people can't hear their own, or talk on the phone so loudly that people can't hear themselves think. Keep your office clean and don't use strong air fresheners or other fragrances that may give your coworkers a headache. When working on a team, do your fair share of the work and make sure the credit is distributed evenly. Politics, religion, dirty jokes, inappropriate comments, flirting, etc. should be checked at the door. If you are talking politics or religion with a coworker, it should be someone you know so well that you know their parents' first names.

When you have a conflict with a coworker, try to resolve it between the two of you before going to your supervisor or HR manager. If things can't be resolved, do your best to avoid the other person. If you feel threatened or in physical danger, tell your supervisor, you HR manager, and possibly the police. Try to settle disputes in the early stages before things require drastic measures. 

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Management 
For better or worse, your relationship with your manger(s) often largely defines your outlook on the job. If you feel your manager values you as a staff member, respects you as a person, wants you to succeed, and is on your side, then conflicts and heavy workloads aren't as daunting because you have someone to help you through your difficulties. If you feel micro-managed, neglected, or bullied, then you probably dread going to work at all. The stress of butting heads with the person in charge of your job leads many staff members to quit.

While you can't control your manager's personality, you can do your best to start off on the right foot. Sometimes a bad first impression in either direction can ruin the staff member/manager relationship permanently. So start off professional, punctual, positive, and appropriately assertive. Really listen when your manager is talking to you, and let him or her know if you don't understand something. Seek the advice of a mentor or other experienced staff member to give you the inside scoop on how to interact with your manager (but keep an open mind after ingesting such advice, as you may be speaking with a staff member with a history of enmity toward your manager).

Communication is key. If your manager drops another project on your desk when you have three in the works, speak up. Let him or her know that you fear you won't be able to get this new project done in time with your workload. Find out if one or more of your projects should be placed on the back burner while you complete this new project. If you're given a task you don't have the knowledge or skills to perform, let your manager know. If there's a way for you to learn the skill or knowledge you're lacking, pursue that actively. Approach these conversations in a positive manner; you're not whining or complaining; you're making sure the job gets done correctly.

If you're having a major conflict with your manager, see if you can work it out between the two of you. If you find your manager unapproachable, ask your coworkers if any of them are having a similar issue, and then discuss your problem with your HR manager. If the situation becomes irresolvable, consider seeking employment elsewhere, or try to find a way to avoid your manager as much as possible. Avoidance isn't particularly effective, but sometimes is the only option.

If you have a great manager and you love your relationship, let her or him know it . Say thank you. Working for someone with mutual trust, care, and respect is a recipe for workplace contentment. 

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The Organization 
We may tend to think of the organization we work for as an impersonal entity or physical a building. But it's really a group of people. Dealing with the organization is really dealing with everyone you work with, from the CEO to the custodian. Treat everyone with respect and you've done most of the work.

Your behavior should reflect the core values of the organization. If punctuality is stressed in your office, be on time. Make sure your attire fits the dress code. If aggressiveness is rewarded, then be aggressive. If creativity is ideal, find ways to stimulate your creativity.

When you are working in your office or cube, on a sales call, in a department meeting, at a social function for the organization, etc., recognize that you are acting on behalf of your organization. You're representing it to other members of the organization, customers, or the public at large through your demeanor and behavior. Your actions are as vital to an organization's branding as an advertising campaign. When you see problems or weaknesses in you, your department, or the organization as a whole, try to come up with a resolution, or at least a few options, and bring this to the organization's attention-not as a complaint, but as a positive attempt at improving the organization.

Office politics are inescapable in any job. Be respectful and avoid exacerbating conflict whenever possible. When conflict arises, try to deal with things in a mature manner; see if you can work things out with the individuals involved on a personal level before taking the conflict to a manager or HR representative. Do what it takes to positively resolve conflicts and to get back to performing your role in the organization's work. 

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Ongoing Education and Development 
Continuing education and training is gradually becoming the status quo and is no longer something to do to get ahead. For teachers, IT professionals, and licensed workers, continued education is an absolute requirement of the job. Whether it's onsite training related directly to your profession, or pursuing a university degree, if your organization is footing the bill for some or all of it, not taking advantage of the opportunity would be like refusing to take a very expensive gift from a stranger with no strings attached.

Education and training may increase your chances of advancement in the organization, and showing a desire to broaden your skill set should help you rise above other applicants if you were to apply for a new job outside of your organization. The only reason to turn down the chance for furthering your education would be if it took place after work hours and you had family responsibilities that conflicted with the class schedule. Even with family responsibilities, you may still be able to participate in distance learning either online, through an interactive CD-ROM, broadcast lessons, or independent study. In business, sometimes the best investment is in yourself. 
Promotions 
The major difference between a salary increase and a promotion is that a promotion depends on many more variables. The traditional model of steadily advancing through a company by getting your job done well isn't always the case in today's organizational structure. Things are much more fluid, with positions being created specifically for certain staff members. Office politics can also play a role in who gets a promotion when a position opens up. Even when management opens up a promotion to several candidates, they may have just one candidate in mind.

There are still plenty of things to do to give yourself an advantage on a level playing field. As with salary increases, keeping a list of your accomplishments and contributions is a good idea; you can't rely on your supervisor(s) to keep track of your performance. Though you should track your own performance, be sure to share your accomplishments with the team whenever possible; your work with the team and for the organization as a whole is often more important than your individual performance. Expanding your knowledge base and actively seeking new responsibilities will make you more attractive in the eyes of the organization.

Sometimes making your own opportunity will be the best way to go. If you know that your organization needs someone to fill a role that has not been clearly defined or shown to be necessary, do your homework and make a proposal to management for a new position. Even if the proposal is not accepted, you've shown that you know the organization and are actively working to improve it. 

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Salary Increases 
The first step to getting a salary increase takes place long before the issue even comes up. Most likely, your main bargaining chip will be your own performance. Salary negotiations are all about value. While you may not be able to put a dollar amount on your work, you should have a detailed list of your accomplishments and contributions. Keeping a daily or weekly journal of your accomplishments is the best way to be able to provide accurate information.

The next step is researching the competitive salary for your position and the average raise in the field. For the most part, salary negotiation should be reserved for annual and semi-annual reviews, but there are some exceptions, such as after completion of a project that was especially profitable for your organization.

Once you've done your homework and are ready to negotiate, recognize the win-win of stating your case. Going into the negotiation prepared and showing the connection between your performance and the bottom line is exactly what management wants to see. You're showing that you know your field and know your own worth, and that you are assertive and proactive, which makes you a valuable team player. And hopefully, in the end, you get exactly what you hoped for out of your raise. 
Work-Life Balance 
With few exceptions, the days of expecting employees to give everything to their work - often to the detriment of family and life in general - are long gone. The phrase "work-life balance" is discussed, debated, and preached from corporate pulpits around the world.

The workforce demographic has moved far away from those who lived that ethic - borne out of wars and economic hardship in the first half of the last century - and workers will not give all to their employers any longer. Today, employees want time to be with family and friends and typically have access to sufficient disposable income to make "play" a priority.

Defining what this means for yourself is critical. When you know what the right balance between work and life is for you, some career paths may be opened or closed. Achieving that balance is critical to physical, mental, and family health. 

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Family 
You have to get your job done. That's what you get paid for. Getting the job done, however, doesn't always require strictly adhering to your start and end times Monday through Friday. If you need to leave early on Monday to get your car inspected, you can usually make up the time on Tuesday or Wednesday. There's a certain amount of flexibility that you're entitled to as a staff member. The job is never the sole responsibility in life. For workers with children and/or elderly or disabled parents, spouses, and family members, work simply will not always be the top priority. As long as you get your job done, you should be entitled to some give-and-take with the hours you put in. If you have to leave early to take your child to a doctor's appointment, maybe you make the time up over the weekend.

Organizations are starting to understand that they need to treat their staff not just as staff, but as people. People have responsibilities and personal issues that sometimes must take precedence over their jobs. When a situation arises, talk honestly with your manager or HR manager about possible options for addressing this situation without neglecting your work duties. Show that you are loyal and a dependable performer and your employer will do what they can do accommodate you when you need to take care of your family. 

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Child Care 
For working moms and dads, trying to juggle the responsibilities of work and parenting can be one of the biggest challenges they face on a daily basis. Households with single parents, two-income families, and special needs children add a host of other complications to this situation. Sometimes it feels like the only solution is being in two places at once. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows for a limited amount of time off after the baby is born or after adopting, but then what?

Many organizations recognize that losing working parents means losing valued staff that will be costly to replace, and so they have a variety of child care options:

Flex-time
Telecommuting
Part-time work
On-site child-care
Child daycare reimbursement
Emergency nanny service
Formal leave of absence up to five years

At least a few of these options are only available at very large corporations. Check with your HR department to see what options are available to you.

For the most part, child care programs have been developed with working mothers in mind. In recent years, however, organizations have begun to do more to help working fathers spend time with their children. The model of the father as breadwinner working late and barely seeing his children has become passé, and employers now recognize that allowing fathers some of the same privileges available to mothers may be absolutely necessary to keep fathers content, balanced, and productive. 

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Elder Care 
Caring for elderly parents can be even more challenging that taking care of children because it's much less predictable. With a child, you know when the child will be in school and when the child will be home (aside from illness). With an elderly parent, especially one suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia, things can be fine one day and then so bad that you can't get to work at all the next. If you have children to care for in addition to elderly parents, things get even more complicated. Beyond the actual time it takes to care for elderly parents, there is the stress of the situation and the emotional strain of seeing your parents growing old and becoming incapacitated. These factors can affect you throughout your workday.

Hopefully your organization has elder care programs that can assist you with this situation. Check with HR for referral services and other resources that will lay out your options, explain the benefits available to you, and help guide you toward making the right decision for your personal situation. Depending on the age and health of your parents, home health care providers, assisted living complexes (where senior citizens will get moderate assistance while retaining their independence), and continuing-care retirement communities (CCRCs) may be viable options. For serious health and mental problems, you may need to discuss telecommuting, flex-time options, or part-time work schedules with your employer. 

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Health 
Have you ever felt sick and thought, "Boy, this is great. I'm really happy about this cough. This headache. My runny nose. These nifty stomach cramps?" Probably not. Good health isn't the key to happiness, but it certainly helps. A lot of what ails us is beyond our control and can only be handled through medication, medical treatment, and sometimes, unfortunately, nothing can be done but bearing with it. But a lot of health problems can be controlled, improved upon, or eliminated with a healthy lifestyle. The keys to a healthy lifestyle are diet, exercise, and stress management. Healthy living is usually quite simple, but consistently making the right choices day to day, especially when life gets busy and complicated (which is most of the time), is no easy task. The fact that we have to be our own boss in this department makes it even more difficult. It takes will power and motivation, but the results can improve the quality of every major facet of our lives. 

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Diet 
A healthy diet with regards to the workplace is all about controlling as much as you can. Once you're at home, you can stock your kitchen with fruits and vegetables and whole grains. But when you're at work and are limited to what's in the vending machines, the office cafeteria, or the fast-food restaurants nearby, it's hard to eat healthy. So control what you can. If you can pack a lunch, do that. Most of us feel like we don't have time at night to make a lunch, but really, how long does it take to make a sandwich? When you go food shopping, make a list of things specifically for work. Make sure you have one or two servings of fruit and vegetables to bring to work. If you like to snack throughout the day, bring carrot sticks instead of going to the vending machine for chips or cookies. Prepackaged microwave lunches now offer healthy meals that have a good mix of proteins and vitamins without a lot of calories. Most of these microwave lunches are very high in sodium, so try not to have one more than twice a week to avoid high blood pressure.

Spending a lot of time on the road presents particular challenges, especially if you're limited to room service. Again, control what you can. Pack snacks when possible. Ask the hotel chef about healthy selections on the menu.

Check with your human resources department to see if they can help. Many organizations not only try to help their staff stay healthy, they offer incentives. A healthy worker is more productive and absent less, so it's in an organization's best interests to invest in healthy lifestyle programs. If you have special dietary needs, check with HR about any local restaurants or grocery stores that cater to your needs. 

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Exercise 
Even if your job consists entirely of sitting at a desk all day, exercise can still make you a better worker. Exercise increases energy levels, and it also improves circulation, which helps people think more clearly. It improves general health, leading to less absence from work due to illness. It reduces stress, which will allow for better focus. All of these factors help to increase productivity.

If you do sit at a desk all day and don’t have time to devote to exercise, get up and take a fifteen minute walk during your lunch. Stretch your legs, give your eyes a rest, get the blood pumping, clear your head. If the weather is nice, get outside and get some sun.

Give exercising a try for a month. Make the time. At first, it seems like you don’t want to spare an hour or half-hour a day when you have so many other things to get done. But as you get into the routine, you’ll notice that you have more energy and are getting things done more quickly. You’ll get a better night’s sleep. Soon, you’ll feel like you have more time and get more accomplished than ever before.

Exercising for thirty minutes to an hour four to five days a week is a good schedule. Be sure to take off two days a week as this will allow your body to rest and actually make your workouts more effective.

Many organizations offer fitness reimbursement or have in-house fitness centers. Some organizations offer health insurance deductions to staff members who enroll in the organization’s fitness program. Check with your human resources department to see if any fitness programs are in place at your organization. 

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Planning for the Future (Retirement) 
When you're 23 years old, it's hard to think about what you'll need to live comfortably in 40 to 50 years. When you're 45, it seems like it's too late to get started with planning your retirement. And no one looks forward to paperwork. But the future will eventually become the present, and then what? Social Security and organizational retirement funds will not cover the cost of living once you retire. It's in your own best interest to invest in a 401(k) (or, if you work for a non-profit organization, a 403(b)) right now. Today. It's not that much paperwork. If you feel like you won't be able to lose the money that would come out of your check each week, consider this:

• money taken out for your 401(k) is taken out pre-tax, and that may lower your tax bracket and save you money in taxes immediately
• many organizations match some or all of the contribution you make to your 401(k), which is like getting paid to save money
• your 401(k) fund can be borrowed against with very low interest rates, and the interest you pay on the loan is actually funneled back into your 401(k) and adds to your savings
• You may also want to consider investing in a personal IRA or other retirement savings plan. The future is always uncertain, and knowing that you'll be able to continue living comfortably when you retire will remove a lot of stress from your life now that you may not even realize is there. 

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Recreation 
One day a year, your organization has a company picnic. You eat a couple hot dogs, play volleyball, and you see that guy from the other side of your floor who you were sure never speaks squeal like a kid when he wins a wine basket from the free raffle. Great day. Loads of fun. Now what do you do for the other 364 days?

No one is going to plan your fun for you, but you need fun to survive. All work and no play won't just make you dull, it'll make you miserable. If you don't get to enjoy yourself on a regular basis, you'll quickly start to forget what it is you work for in the first place. So keep up with your hobbies and start new hobbies whenever you feel bored. Play sports, read books, watch movies, chat online, play video games, go shopping, learn a musical instrument, take an improvisational comedy class, do some charity work, go to an amusement park with friends and family. Do whatever makes you smile.

You need time away from work, from pressure and stress, if for no other reason than to give yourself a break (so don't over plan your recreation itinerary or you may get anxious about doing every fun thing on your list, and that defeats the purpose). And you should engage in your passions to keep you a dynamic, vibrant individual, to keep growing as a person.