Bring It!

This week, my fellow bloggers and I are talking about making your own luck, inspiration, uplifting events, etc.  Initially, I was going to talk about all the wonderful benefits the credit union offered to its employees like our on-site physical fitness center (had to slip at least one in…lol!)

 

Instead, I want to make it a little more personal and partly due to selfish reasons; my husband and I started P90X this weekend. P90X is a system of 12 extreme workouts designed to transform your body from “regular to ripped” in 90 days.

 

Well the selfishness comes in because if I tell just enough people about my commitment to “getting ripped in 90 days” then maybe that will give me the drive to roll out of bed at 4:45am to complete this hour long work-out when sleeping for an extra hour is so much easier to do.  I also have received some inspiration from a couple members of our management team who are on their 3rd and 10^th weeks.

 

Another motive for me to “bring it” is I know my family will reap the rewards and benefits of having a healthier wife and mom.

Public or Private?

Ok, I need your perspective on this topic. Hubby and I have been having debates lately on the topic of private vs. public schooling for our children. Although our girls are only toddlers this is the best time to plan for their education.

 

My husband believes that since he and I both went to public schools (in NY) and turned out fine we should place the kids in public school. On the other hand, I have begun to weigh the pros and cons with each and would like to at least consider both options.

 

Private or public?…hmmm…this is an incredibly complex question. It's a matter of how good, bad or indifferent we perceive the local private and public schools to be.  Factors to consider include the talents and aspirations of the children as well as our expectations as parents.

 

Every parent wants to ensure their child receives the best education available; we also want to raise an emotionally healthy and well-rounded adult. One of the motivations for me was I don’t want to look back in the next five or ten years and say, “if only we had spent the money”.  There seems to be an expectation that private schools would have a more disciplined work ethic and I want the kids to be subject to that.

 

The bottom line is we need to look into the options that are available and decide with confidence. So, what do you think, private or public?

Considering a Career Change? 7 Factors You Should Consider...

As fellow blogger Kimberly mentioned, financial education is a big deal here at the credit union. In 2009 our recruiting department had the opportunity to facilitate over 20 career services seminars to over 400 job seekers throughout the Charleston and Midlands areas.

Naturally, the majority of the employed is staying put and not looking to make a career change until there are strong signs of economic recovery. However, most recently I have received requests from both the employed and unemployed in regards to the best avenue to take when wanting to change careers. I would like to share a couple of those key areas; these are areas you will want to strongly evaluate if you are considering a career change now or in the future:

Personality- Is there a good match between your personality and chosen career? This can have a significant impact on whether you find your work fulfilling.

Motivation- This is one of the most important factors for long term career satisfaction. Find a job that motivates you and you've found the right career. Motivation covers a wider range of topics, such as your interest and what gives you a sense of achievement.

Skills- Having the right skill set is the key which opens the door to many careers.

Values-This might include the lifestyle you want and the type of organization you want to work for.

Constraints- These might include the geographical location you want to work, qualifications, etc.

Ambitions - What are your long term goals?

Opportunities- Within a normal job market there some careers are more lucrative (i.e., nursing) then others…so you may want to keep this in mind. Currently, this is an employer’s market (there are many more applicants than opportunities). Employers are literally weeding through thousands of resumes to find that one gem. Take a moment to review some of my previous blogs on how to land a great job; they provide guidelines on resume writing, social media tips, etc.

 How to Land a Great Job: You have 15 seconds to make a first impression

Who Do You Know?

 What Not to Wear

 Are You Connected?

If you are interested in participating in one of our local career services workshops visit www.scfedseminars.org for additional details.

Are you considering a career change or are you staying put?

Should your credit report cost you a job?

Many Americans these days are discovering the catch-22 of unemployment. And that is: You might fall behind on your bills because you've lost your job, and you might not be able to land a new job because you've fallen behind on your bills.

Whether this practice is fair or not is up for discussion. A House bill introduced in July 09’ aims to prevent such a situation. The Equal Employment for All Act would prohibit employers from using the details of a consumer credit report in making hiring decisions, with exceptions for financial firms and government agencies, as well as jobs requiring certain security clearances. This bill is in the first step of the legislative process so there is really no telling when or if it will ever be voted on by the House and/or Senate.

If you wonder why companies use credit reports in their back-ground check process, I can give you a couple of reasons. Many companies see it as a possible indicator of performance on the job. It allows employers to identify those applicants who are potentially financially overextended or on the brink of problems that could adversely affect their performance on the job. It could signal a pattern of instability, as well as an inability to meet obligations. Other companies may use credit reports if the position or organization provides financial services to the public.

If you are actively seeking work I recommend you obtain a copy of your credit report. You can get one free credit report each year from annualcreditreport.com. The report can help you identify inaccuracies on your credit record. If there is something you do not recognize or that you disagree with, dispute the information with the creditor and/or credit bureau before you have to explain it to a potential employer. Keep in mind that a small error can have a large impact on your credit score, possibly affecting your ability get a job.

Just so you know, employers have responsibilities they are required to adhere to when using credit reports in the employment screening process. Employers must ensure;

(1) individuals are aware that consumer reports may be used for employment purposes and agree to such use.

(2) individuals are promptly notified if information in a consumer report may result in a negative employment decision.

Congress expanded employer responsibilities because of concern that inaccurate or incomplete consumer reports could cause applicants to be denied jobs or cause employees to be denied promotions unjustly.

Do you think a credit report is an indicator of performance on the job?

…one in three kids are overweight or obese

First lady Michelle Obama recently sat down with "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts to discuss her focus for 2010: battling childhood obesity. Michelle Obama formally announced what she called a "very ambitious" program to end the American plague of childhood obesity in a single generation.

"We all know the numbers," Obama said. "I mean, one in three kids are overweight or obese, and we're spending $150 billion a year treating obesity-related illnesses. So we know this is a problem, and there's a lot at stake."

The far-reaching, nationwide campaign called "Let's Move" calls for initiatives that target what Obama calls four key pillars: Getting parents more informed about nutrition and exercise, improving the quality of food in schools, making healthy foods more affordable and accessible for families, and focusing more on physical education.

My thought on the issue, why wouldn’t we want the best for our children? Why shouldn’t we become more proactive in helping our kids obtain optimum health and possibly a longer life-span?

My 1 year old loves fruits and vegetables but my 3 year old wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole! I look forward to hearing additional details about, Let’s Move especially making healthy food more affordable and accessible for families across America.

A tip for parents with children who won’t eat their veggies: I recently purchased a book called, Deceptively Delicious. The author tells you how to incorporate vegetables and fruit purees in foods your children like. Eventually, I want my 3 year old to learn to love fruits and vegetables but for now, “deception” will be how she eats her veggies.

What actions will you take to elimate childhood obesity within a single generation? 

Are You Connected?

As of December 2009, the number of unemployed persons is at 15.3 million and the unemployment rate at 10 percent. At the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed persons was 7.7 million, and the unemployment rate was 5.0 percent. The bottom line is the traditional approach most job seekers have taken in the past is no longer viable.

Traditional methods would steer you towards looking for job ads and faxing or e-mailing a resume to a company, completing an on-line application, or even posting a resume on-line…then cross your fingers and hope that you will get a call back.

One of my recruiters reviewed an article which concluded that 80% of people get their jobs by knowing someone. Eighty percent! Now don’t get me wrong, having a great resume is usually pretty crucial to earning an interview. The question is how do you get your resume noticed? If you reviewed my posting, How to Land a Great Job, Part 1: You Have 15 Seconds to Make a First Impression, you received some tips from an employer's perspective on how to make your resume stand out amongst the thousands; however, we cannot ignore that this is the era of social connectivity.

With the evolution of the internet over the past couple of years, you can play a more active role in landing that great job by exploring the networking tools available right at your finger tips!

There is a great on-line tool called LinkedIn, which works similarly to Facebook, but is designed for professionals. You make a profile, which is really a virtual resume of sorts, and invite current and past colleagues and classmates to be a connection. Also, don’t underestimate Facebook and MySpace. You might think of these websites as purely social-casual forums, but think of all of those people who may work for companies or even know people in your industry that may have some jobs coming available soon.

A final thought. Many companies are beginning to see the usefulness of these social-networking sites, and there is a huge trend in which recruiters are finding candidates for jobs through LinkedIn, Facebook, and MySpace. My tip? Keep it clean...make sure you are proud of the on-line face you present.

Are you connected?

A Call to Service

~ If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. ~ Booker T Washington

If you have a tight budget a wonderful way you can give back is through volunteerism.

President Obama spoke to the larger moment our county is facing with the following compelling speech on volunteerism:

We need your service, right now, at this moment in history. I’m not going to tell you what your role should be; that’s for you to discover. But I’m asking you to stand up and play your part. I’m asking you to help change history’s course. Put your shoulder up against the wheel. And if you do, I promise you – your life will be richer, our country will be stronger, and someday, years from now, you may remember it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged, when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century. To read his full speech, visit The White House Blog.

Also, in support of volunteerism, Disney hopes to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service to a participating organization in their communities through it’s Give a Day Get a Disney Day program. Disney is celebrating these volunteers' good works by giving each of them a 1-day, 1-theme park ticket to the Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort, free! All you have to do is enter your zip code and a listing of participating organizations within your area will be provided.

How wonderful it is to be of service to someone in need. How will you give back?

Meet one tough young man

Meet Conor….

Conor has recently started Montessori school and loves baseball and the beach.

Conor’s Story…

Conor was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis at four months old. Neurofibromatosis, is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow along nerves, affecting the development of bones and skin. Diagnosed in childhood, neurofibromatosis, or NF, is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder occurring in one of every 3,500 births. Conor and his family know there'll be more surgeries as the NF growths continue. "Conor is tough, and he keeps popping back. You can't faze him," his mom says proudly.

Help Change a Child’s Life…

This is your opportunity to get involved! If you are low on funds I challenge you to sacrifice a non-essential like that daily cup of coffee at Starbucks or those daily visits to the vending machine. Instead, replace that cup of coffee or bag of chips with a charitable donation which will assist in making miracles happen in the lives of our local children. What will you give up to help change a child’s life?

Diversity in the workplace and beyond

My fellow bloggers have focused on compelling analogies and supportive materials which represent the meaning of diversity. I would be remiss if I didn’t pay tribute to Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , which is the inspiration for the rest of our blogs this week.

However, I thought it would be important from a HR perspective to discuss the meaning of diversity within the workplace. Diversity and inclusion exists when members of an organization act in a manner that recognizes and respects individual similarities and differences such that employees feel they and their work are valued and meaningfully contribute to the mission of the organization.” Nathan Ives, Principal Contributor, StrategyDriven

South Carolina Federal has always embraced diversity through the benefits we offer which appeal to all groups; some of these benefits include work-life balance, flexible scheduling and a learning center that promotes continuous education to our employees to better serve and anticipate the needs of our members.

Last year, we created a diversity council so employees throughout the organization would have an opportunity to voice their opinions on important topics and decisions. An initial goal with the implementation of the council was to squelch the misconceptions of what diversity is.

Some common myths are:

• Myth 1: Diversity is just about race and gender.

• Myth 2: Diversity is Human Resources' responsibility.

• Myth 3: Diversity is the “In” thing to do right now.

What are your thoughts on the above myths? Believe me, I can go on and on about this topic; however, it would probably be more interesting to start a dialogue. What is your definition of diversity and if you practice it, how does it interconnect with your life outside of work? Are you from an organization that practices diversity and if so, what are some programs you have implemented? Lets talk!

Children are priceless....right?

Until tax time that is! The government offers generous tax breaks to help ease the financial burden of the necessary expenses that come with raising children. It is however, up to moms and dads to take full advantage of them. Personally, I am lucky enough to have an accountant for a husband who I without reservation pass on this responsibility to each year.

Some basic terminologies to keep in mind as you begin this tedious process:

A deduction, such as a tuition and fees deduction, merely decreases taxable income.

A tax credit, such as the child-tax credit, allows taxpayers to subtract the amount, dollar for dollar from their tax bill or add the amount to their refund. Cha-Ching!

Do your research! Just be knowledgeable of the tax breaks that may be available to you so you can ask questions to ensure you are maximizing your returns!

Tip: Consider taking advantage of your employer’s flexible spending benefits. This allows you to set aside pretax dollars for medical and child-care expenses. If your employer offers this benefit and you are not taking advantage of it you may want to rethink your decision.

Anyway, I am looking forward to our 2009 childcare tax credits, especially after this holiday season. What about you? Talk to me!