State: New York (United States)

There are NONE! Give up while you're ahead.

My role involves a lot of performance management for the services we deliver. My company isn't as regulated as something like a financial services firm (my background) - it's more like the Wild West and Jesse James is the marshall.

So I was able to get this job and a two-grade promotion in only 18 months by doing performance analysis, benchmarking and metrics for the first time in our IT shop.

Now, I'm rolling this out on a larger scale. We are only now implementing ITIL processes, only now centralizing IT functions (multiple acquisitions) and only now starting to see how easy it is for IT to be outsourced - so it isn't just my job, it's the entire org that has to be shown as valuable.

And therein lies the security. I make sure I can tell a story - with achievements, statistics, reliability and solid delivery - that makes my boss's job more secure. I spot the problems early, and raise them to the folks who deliver those services.

That way, all those guys see their future success as entertwined with my ability to help them manage issues and provide a better product.

5 Years ago, I was working on my RN in the operating room. I finished my RN, worked on the cardiac floor and returned to the O.R. to finish out my career and retire... or so I thought... after much difficulty with my supervisors in the O.R. I made the very hard decision to start looking for a new posistion. I was hired in a Long Term Care Facility as an MDS Coordinator. I had NO experience not even knowing what an MDS was, and there was NO one there to teach me! The previous MDS Coordinator/ Director of Nursing had left on poor terms. Today- 4 months later, I am running the show. I am so excited at what I have been able to accomplish. Not only am I proficient in scheduling, I am even understanding RUG scores, and Physician Billing. If you are new to this, hang in there... You will be GREAT!

If I had only known five years ago at graduation what I know now. I thought I would be a teacher librarian for a school district and had hopes of doing a superb job as a librarian. My prior teaching experience and the lack of school media specialist positions took me in a different direction after graduation and now I'm a p/t academic reference librarian at a university. I love what I'm doing and wouldn't change it. I only wish that I had started at the university level five years ago and not wasted so much energy and time in a major that is slowly becoming extinct. Although, I'm struggling with my bills and mortgage, I love the work environment. I'm still looking for a full time position or more part/time hours that pays a decent hourly salary. I feel as though I'm working for free which shouldn't happen since I acquired a masters degree in the field. Living on Long Island, New York with the high cost of living and high taxes, doesn't afford me the luxury of living a decent lifestyle. After getting an MLIS degree and a handfull of teacher certifications over the past 15 years, I'm in worse shape now, economically, than I was 10 years ago when I didn't have my master's degree.

I'm holding on by a thread and don't see the job market improving on Long Island, NY. My parents always told me and my siblings that education is the key to success. In my heart, I still want to believe that and I'm sure that good possiblities will happen once the job market becomes strong again in the US. My advice to you is to take a good hard look at yourself and be realistic with your career goals. Consider where you live (state and place in US) and what job opportunites will be available for you when you are ready for work. I only hope that you will better luck than I. And, don't give up on yourself.

after takeing a computer repair cource in a job training school, i got the good news that i could be makeing up to 15.00 an hour.... the bad news..... finding someone to hire you in the area i live is near impossible and im too broke to relocate..... the irony.

The best way to get a raise is to get a higher offer from another company. If you work hard, some managers will help you but others won't or can't. To get that higher offer, practice interviewing by going on dozens of interviews. You'll eventually get every question asked and develop a good answer for all of them. However, it is probably best not to bluff with the other offer. In addition to possibly having your bluff called, your desire to leave for the company will only come out if you are serious. They'll see the truth in your eyes and fight to keep you.

be nice

be good listner

make every one job easy

do not make too many changes at once

show respect to every one.

Dress to impress. We often read about dressing to impress or dress like an executive you want to be (ie: in a suit and heels) but let me tell you that you should dress like one of them, just better. I used to work in a very formal corporate atmosphere so I was a bit shocked to see even my boss in jeans and sneakers. Much as we want to stand out, we should never stand out like a sore thumb. So I still wear heels to my office, but now with slim fit jeans!

It's a bad idea to involve in office politics. Try to stay away from it. Sometime you don't have choice and you have to take one side. Try to do a balancing act and don't get involved.

In today's market it is very common that employers do not give you the common courtesy of two weeks notice when they have made a business decision on your current position. I have learned over the years that this is part of the the work environment.