Plan Your Career by Julie Desmond

Julie Desmond is Talent Manager for Express Employment Professionals. Write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Major motivators: Achievement, learning, inspiration and, yes, money

Wednesday, 08 September 2010 17:25 Julie Desmond

After releasing their Career Motivation Test and collecting data from over 6,000 test-takers from every walk of life, Psychtests AIM Inc. uncovered just how unique people are when it comes to naming what motivates them at work. Their analysis determined that the top three work motivators were Achievement, Learning, and Inspiration. So employers, you no longer need to pay decent wages to your employees, right? Wrong. Money still talks, even when other incentives are in place.

Psychtests defines the Achievement motivator as, “a sense of satisfaction at reaching goals or rising up to meet challenges at work.” My friend in accounting has an opportunity to travel to India for the month of October. “We want you to run the project,” he was told. I thought that sounded like an honor. He scoffed and said, “They’re not giving me any extra money.” He will travel around the world, away from family, friends and familiar food, succeed on the project and in exchange? He will be satisfied when he completes the project, but without a financial piece, he feels slighted.

Making change: Fall is a good time to find a new you

Monday, 30 August 2010 17:08 Julie Desmond

Back to school. This is when shorts turn into jeans, sweatshirts turn into ski jackets and thoughts turn to making the life changes we’ve been putting off all summer. Making significant, real change is never easy, but the payoff can be incredible and well worth the effort.

Start making change now by committing to the change you’ve been kicking around. Create a reminder and put it where you will see it often throughout the day. A word, picture or symbol is enough to keep you mindful. Put it in the bathroom (you can write on the mirror with soap or eyeliner), in your car, or tattoo it to your belly. Anywhere you go pretty regularly is a good place to post your commitment. My latest commitment is to ride my bike every day. I put the bike in the front hall, instead of out in the shed, and although it’s in the way, it’s hard to forget that promise to myself.

Hands-on, hands-off: Two kinds of managers

Thursday, 19 August 2010 14:34 Julie Desmond

My friend Jim Johnson heads up a successful staffing agency in Minneapolis. Over the past two years, he had to let three managers go. “The economy?” I ask, nodding like I know what I am talking about. “Not at all,” he replies. “Business is good, and they were good managers. They just weren’t the kind of managers we needed.”

Jim is perceptive. There are only two kinds of managers, and their categories are not Dumb and Dumber. Whether you are a manager now, aspiring to manage or being managed, you may know the types: Hands Off and Hands On. Knowing which manager you are or are reporting to will help you navigate through business’ ups and downs effectively.

Too Busy to Connect? Use professional networks online to build credibility and solidify connections

Thursday, 12 August 2010 13:55 Julie Desmond

After eight hours on the job, most people balk at spending priceless evening time surfing professional networks online. If you are not currently looking for work, why bother?
Here’s why: You might meet someone. You might learn something. You might have an opportunity to help someone else get ahead.

I have enough connections, you say. Sure. Today you do. But when you lose your job tomorrow, or choose to relocate or retire or change careers altogether, then how many connections are enough? And do most of your connections know or care that they are connected with you? On a scale of tight to barely attached, how connected are you, really?

Game Changers: Welcoming new technologies improves careers and lives

Friday, 06 August 2010 14:34 Julie Desmond

She put the cold yellow block of butter in a glass bowl, opened a door and set the bowl inside what looked like an Easy-Bake Oven. She pushed a few buttons and in thirteen seconds, a high pitched beep rang out, and she opened the door, revealing, magically, a bowl full of melted butter.

If you didn’t live through the seventies (not saying I did), you can only imagine the awe and amazement people felt when the microwave oven was born. One step down from the introduction of anything Microsoft. It changed the game completely.

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