This is where your finance takes place

I recently started a new job and that has to do a lot with trust between two individuals; between the client and his financial planner. While I am qualified to do the job (I have the diplomas, I read about finance all the time and I even write about it!), that doesn’t mean that my clients will believe in me. Therefore, I have to sell myself. This is actually the case for everybody that wants a promotion as well. You have to sell yourself to your boss if you want him to see you the way you really are.

Clothes

Clothes might be the most important asset (or cause of failure) you may have. When you dress well, you inspire trust and competency. When I started my first job, I used to show up with Docker’s pants and a shirt or polo. There was nothing wrong with that, but I was showing the image of an average employee. Keep in mind that average employees earn average wages and have average positions.

Ties, nice shoes and new shirts; this is where I had to go through before starting my new job. Thank God I have enough suits already!

Diplomas

You will laugh, but until recently, I didn’t have my Bachelor diploma (dated 2003!). The truth is that I never give much importance to a piece of paper. Unfortunately, most people do! However, I can appreciate that they want to be reassured when they sit in front of somebody that will manage their money. It’s their right and it is good this way.

Then, I had to order my diploma and search for nice frames to put all the paper I have on the wall. Hopefully it’s going to look nice in my office!

Decoration

Then again, you may laugh but there is nothing less motivating than an empty desk. I got lucky on this one as my parents bought me some plants and I had stuff at home that I could use to furnish my office.

Other

The list may be endless, but here are just a few items: a blackberry, a laptop, a nice suitcase, a new hairstyle, a little radio to play classical music, a new golf set, etc.

After spending about $800 on my appearance, I am just giving myself a chance to have people listen to me when I want to help them out J

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I would not say that HR can be evil, but let’s say that certain concepts could be misinterpreted. The KITA (kick in the pants) principle is one of them. Mr. Hertzberg wrote a very interesting article in the Harvard Business Review where he is saying that we use a lot of psychological KITA to motivate employees (such as bonuses, extra commission and other incentives). The bottom line is that, most of the time, the employer is the one who is motivated (he is the one kicking) and the employee simply reacts (or move if it’s a real kick in the bottom!). In the end, the company is trying to find a way to create self motivation from the employee by using methods that will only make him move.

The illustration of a KITA is pretty funny, the literature interesting and the optimistic inside me would say that it is a great thing that you boss is trying to find sources of motivation for their employees. However, while sometimes I’m the most positive guy on earth, the human race put me through a lot of cynicism as well. Therefore, I am asking myself; is HR department is trying to find ways to motivate employees, or are they trying to manipulate them in order to get what they want from them?

If I take the Primerica example, I would say that they tend to manipulate the information in order to motivate people. They use data and put them into their best shape. On the other side, I am wondering if it is not always the case with every company. Can HR be that evil?

I don’t know if they are the root of all evil, but their bureaucracy certainly is! While everybody accepted to sign on my MBA program (my ex-boss, his boss and the VP), HR bureaucracy decided otherwise. Even though I just received their notice, I am convinced it is only a technical problem and it will be solved shortly. However, if they would have though about self motivation of their employees for a quick seconds, they would probably have realize that refusing an MBA program, once started, could be devastating for an employee.

Did they think one second before sending the notice? Not a nanosecond. Why? Because there is no implication on their hand! One of my teachers always says: “where there is no implication of an employee, there is no service”. Thank you.

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image source : The Regional Economist

Buying stuff is always fun, but paying for it is something else. Since the savings rate in North America is near 0 (and negative in some places), the only way people can buy more is by working more. “I need more money, I’ll do overtime”. It’s not rocket science and it works perfectly!

Unfortunately, some people just can’t draw the line between an extra effort over a few weeks or months and working 80 hours a week for years. This easy solution rapidly becomes a “normal” way of living where ones wake up, eat, work, eat and go to sleep. This lifestyle will surely burn you down over a certain period of time since everybody has its own limit.

The worst part is that after a while, your financial situation will be back to red and you will be already working overtime. Working harder is definitely not a good way to compensate for a hole in your budget. Unless it is done for a specific project that has a determined cost and time frame, you should look at other alternatives.

Cut down your expenses

The easiest way to get your finance back on track is to spend less. You have to make a list of “needs” and “nice to have”. In other words, you have to make a budget and prioritize your expenses.

Consolidate your debts

This is another alternative in order to have a clear look at your financial situation. By consolidating your debts, you have good chances of paying less interest rate and reduce your monthly payment. Unfortunately, this solution is as good as working harder. If you do it over and over, you will not see the end of it.

Work smarter

There is working harder but there is also working smarter. Unless you are business owner or self employed, there is a limit of what your pay cheque will be. If you work smarter at your job, you may earn a promotion or a raise. If you start a sideline to produce alternative income, working smarter would create additional revenue. However, you will end up working overtime anyway.

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Be part of a growing and healthy department

You may be the best worker of the entire floor, is there is no job opening, you will not go anywhere. Fast growing or healthy department will offer better opportunities for those who perform on a regular basis. When you apply for your next job, do not think only about the position itself but what the department of the company could offer you in the future. It is much easy to deliver what is expected of you in winning conditions than when your whole department is struggling.

Do what you have been ask for and then do more

I would say that this is the most important thing to do when you want a promotion. People expect to get a raise or a better position simply because they are doing their job well. You know what? You are already getting a pay cheque for doing your job well! If you wouldn’t, you would lose your job. Some people believe, think, say that they can do a better job but don’t do a thing. Why you don’t prove it? It is much easier to explain how you did something in an interview than simply saying “oh, I never did it, but I surely can!”. Always remember that everybody can say they can do something, only a few people will actually do it. Are you going to work harder for the same pay cheque? Yes, but you will also earn more respect from your peers and probably a special ticket for an interview. My ex-boss used to tell me :”if you want the position ahead of you, prove me that you can do it and I’ll give it to you”. Actions always speak louder than words.

Get along with everybody

There is a huge difference between getting along with everybody and kissing @$$. You must not have enemies. Try go get positive or at least neutral relationships across your department and business partners. A bad comment if often sufficient in order to plant the seed of doubts in your manager’s mind. Don’t give this opportunity to do this to your career. Simply say hi and smile at people. Remember that when you do not talk, you can’t say bad things that would offense people around you

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***I wrote this post on my last day of work about two weeks ago. I did not fit in my schedule back then, so here it is:***

So here I am, in the bus going to work for the very last time. I will still be in the bus on Monday morning to go to work, the only difference is that I will stop by another address. I realized that there were a few things to be careful before you leave. Sometimes, the temptation is great as you don’t belong to a place anymore. However, you can impact your future without knowing it. So here are some tricks when you are about to leave.

#1 The world is small

Even if you are leaving principally because you dislike so and so, be careful to not make it obvious. Fortunately for me, it was not the case for my personal situation. However, I noticed that many people become nasty or deliberately show that they don’t care anymore as soon as they know that they are officially leaving. You better think twice before doing so, the world is small and you might work with these people again.

#2 The last impression is as good as the first impression

Even if you have been a superstar during the time you worked for your ex-employer, people will mostly remember you as when you were about leave and not when you were working 70 hours a week a few months ago. Stay professional until the end and work your regular hours. I already wrote about how I quit my first job and since I did it with professionalism, I received two job offers from my ex-colleagues so far. Even though I did not go back, it is enough to show you that the last impression that you leave is very important.

#3 Take the time to thank people that deserve it

If you have been working at the same place for several years, chances are that there are some people around you that made your life easier. Take the time to thank these people and show them recognition. For example, I took the time to write my boss a card to thank him for all the good stuff he did for me. He was always there to support me and I think he deserves to be told so.

#4 Don’t be a stranger

I don’t mean that you have to keep in touch with everybody at your ex-job. However, it could be fun to see some of you ex-colleague once in a while. We often say it but rarely do it. On my side, I’ll try to go back to have lunch with some of my friends still working there. As I am still working downtown, it should be easier

Well, now I have to close my laptop and get to work for the very last time. All I can say is that it’s a weird feeling between excitement and sadness…

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