What you need to update your spring work wardrobe

What you need to update your spring work wardrobeWhat you need to update your spring work wardrobeWe gathered some of the seasons hottest (and most accessible) trends and ways to update your work or interview style to look seasonal, fresh and always profesh*.Detailed sleeves Right now the key trend is about unique details and touches especially on the sleeves of otherwise conservative blouses and dresses. These details can take a classic polished look and make them more experimental, current and fun says Jessica Dvorett, VP Merchandising at online clothing subscription service Gwynnie Bee. If you find yourself unable to fully commit to the trend, you can try it on for size and see how your colleagues react before splurging for some new tops.Fresh ties and short sleeve button downs Fortunately for the fashion-forward male, a professional work wardrobe doesnt remain trapped in the Mad Men era. Personal stylist Vanessa Valiente said, For men, I recommend adding some fresh ties and a tie bar to update your work wardrobe. If your work environment is edgier or more casual, Valiente says its fine to add a crisp printed short sleeve button front shirt to tuck into your chinos.Comfort to cocktails For women in the workplace, theres also the idea of navigating the work to after-work life and keeping things both professional before segueing to dressier. No one wants to tote a complete change of accessories to the office so its best to have a work wardrobe that translates seamlessly into cocktail attire according to Nina Miner, Chief Creative Officer of Nina. Her answer to that conundrum? When you want comfort at the office, but also want it to look like you put in a little effort when socializing at happy hour the answer is pretty simple chic but comfortable day-to-night shoes. Kitten heels are huge again for the spring season and the perfect addition for a womans work wardrobe. Miner also suggests keeping a seasonally appropriate metallic clutch in your work tote and your look is transformed from daytime office to off-duty professional.Re-think your wardrobe beyond seasons As you grow in your career, you may find yourself reconsidering your wardrobe, Dvorett said. As I transitioned from more corporate offices of established fashion brands to a startup environment my daily uniform of black and navy blazers no longer felt appropriate. Dvorett now wears colorful, trendy pieces and has a lot more fun with what she wears with the saatkorn clothing budget. For women in creative careers, Valiente says you can dive into a suit with ankle length pants in a color like pink, red or baby blue.Dont worry about screwing up. Dvorett says There is such variation in workplace dress codes today that it is difficult to define a universal look. However, looking well put together in well-fitting clothing and likely clothing that is a bit more polished than the day-to-day dress code is still recommended.Cant afford a full spring makeover? Here are some ways to look u p to date without breaking the bankGo for the separates I find a great pair of jeans to be essential, and most work dress codes allow jeans these days said Melissa R. Birge, Founder and CEO of Mia Tango. Grab a pair you love and find three tops to wear with them for some versatile office looks. And while youre at it think about how you can wear the tops for different occasions.Accessorize You can pretty much rework anything from seasons past if you add on-trend accessories. If you have to pick only one item to splurge on this season, For both men and women, its an investment bag or briefcase, says Karen Giberson, President of the Accessories Council. Its the piece you will use the most and it makes a solid first impression. And dont worry, Giberson says It doesnt have to be expensive (but it could be) it should be functional, stylish and organized. If one works in a more casual environment, even a little sporty or trendy works. On a dollars per use basis- this is the place where you ll get the most return on fashion investment.Sneaky updatesYou can update old shoes with these brilliant shoe add-ons by Shoe CandyMake an old t-shirt look brand new with Necklettes which attach through the clever use of magnetsCustomize your bag or briefcase so its one of a kind and a conversation starterUpdate last springs suit with these amazing lapel pins/flowers by Laudi Vidni* I went for the cheesy rhyme. Forgive me, it (probably) wont happen again.

Lease Accounting Trends in Des Moines

Lease Accounting Trends in Des MoinesLease Accounting Trends in Des Moines LEASE ACCOUNTING TRENDS IN DES MOINESHas your company begun the transition to the new lease accounting standard?Des MoinesU.S.Yes57%44%No43%56%Finance leaders who reported their company has begun the transition also were asked As part of that transition, have you begun the diagnostic work necessary to determine the level of effort which wil be required for you to be ready to adopt the new standard?Des MoinesU.S.Yes, already completed37%48%Yes, started but not completed25%51%No, havent started38%1%Have you completed the following?Des MoinesU.S.Identified team members and responsibilities for completing the transition to a new standard47%61%Made an inventory of, and prioritized, any systems changes which might be required11%51%Developed a project plan to address all gaps emanating from the diagnostic work5%49%Identified, at a high level, the magnitude and type of the lease inventory (e.g., property, equipment)5% 49%Written new accounting policies43%47%Written new accounting procedures5%43%Investigated any lease or property management systems which will facilitate adoption7%42%What is the fruchtwein challenging aspect of the transition to the new standard?Des MoinesU.S.1.Managing change1.Training staff2.Identifying, inventorying and categorizing companys leases2.Diagnosing the needed changes3.Training staff3.Finding professionals with the requisite expertiseFor your company, which new accounting standard has been more challenging to adopt?Des MoinesU.S.Revenue recognition85%71%Lease accounting15%29%How much of the processes and learnings from transitioning to the new revenue recognition standard have you been able to apply to adopting the new lease accounting standard?Des MoinesU.S.Most of them30%29%Some of them46%54%Almost none of them24%17%Source Robert Half and Protiviti survey of more than 2,000 finance leaders in the United States, including 100 in Des MoinesTotal may not equal 100 perc ent due to rounding.

Guide to Becoming a Paralegal (Legal Assistant)

Guide to Becoming a Paralegal (Legal Assistant)Guide to Becoming a Paralegal (Legal Assistant)

6 Times Outsourcing Your (Annoying) Tasks Might Actually Be Worth It

6 Times Outsourcing Your (Annoying) Tasks Might Actually Be Worth It6 Times Outsourcing Your (Annoying) Tasks Might Actually Be Worth ItDont have time to hang your new shelves? Tzu sichesan appfor that. Hate waiting in line to ship a package? Theresan appfor that, too. Too tired to grocery shop? There are many, many companies- fromBlue ApronandHelloFreshto vegan tafelgeschirrThe Purple Carrot and, one day soon,Amazon- that can take that burden off your, um, plate.These days, you can offload just about any onerous household chore- evenscooping your pets poop- for a price. And thats the keyword. Because while its nice to have someone else iron your shirts and clean your house, youcoulddo it yourself for free, just by investing a little effort and elbow grease.At the same time, it can feel so good to pass off a dreaded task or two, which begs a vexing question How do you know when it pays to outsource versus when you should roll up your sleeves and complete the work yourself? Here are s ix questions to ask yourself to find out.1. Can You Afford It?It seems obvious, but it can be all too easy to get into the habit of having your dinner delivered- until you suddenly discover the added expense has blown your budget and you have to eat ramen until pay day. So before you offload months worth of chores, make sure you can comfortably afford it. (Seriously. Dont pass go- or ask yourself the next five questions- until youre sure its feasible.)It may not be the most fun hour youve ever spent, but before you outsource, abflug by creating a budget, says financial advisor Kaleb McCarty, founder and CEO of Elite Wealth Advisors in Sarasota, Fla. If you have enough to cover outsourcing some tasks, go for it. But be sure to prioritize the duties that take most of your time and energy, and outsource them first, he says.In other words, if you dont mind cooking but cant stand cleaning, thats an easy trade-off. While youre thinking about it, you might also realize that making certain sacrifices are worth it in order to afford outsourcing other jobs. (Youd be surprised how much tastier home-brewed coffee becomes when it means you dont have to walk your dog in the rain.)2. Does it Cost Less Than What You Earn Doing Something Else?Its a simple equation If you pay a maid service to clean your house for $15 an hour so that you have mora time to work on your side gig, through which you can earn up to $50 an hour, thats a clear win.Thats the math Dan Henry, a 30-something marketer in Tampa, Florida, considered when he came up with a new rule Anytime he needs to travel farther than a few miles down the road, he hires a driver. I can spend that time working on my ad campaigns or on my book, he says. The value of what I get done in that time far exceeds what I pay the driver.Similarly, Angela Robinson, 31, a COO in Los Angeles, California, knows she earns significantly more in one hour at her day job than it costs to outsource her most-hated chores, which made the choice easy. Plus, she says, I love my job, so Id rather do that than cook or do laundry.3. Would Outsourcing Increase the Quality of Your Free Time?The thought of spending two hours redundantly sweeping the floor or scrubbing my sink is misery to me, says Matthew Mercuri, 26, a digital marketing manager in Montreal, Canada, who says he gets a major psychological and emotional benefit from outsourcing his cleaning.Turns out, hes onto something Research has found that buying yourself more free time is one of thehappiest ways to spend your money.We tend to undervalue our mental health and sanity, says time-management expert Laura Vanderkam, author of I Know How She Does It How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time. Its not always easy to quantify, she says, but if, for example, you hate driving around on weekends, it might be worth paying the express shipping charges for something you need quickly- even if the time versus money calculation isnt a slam dunk. You can make more money. Yo u cannot make more time, Vanderkam points out.4. Does Your Inexperience Mean a Pro Could Complete the Task in Less Time or for Less Money?Many of us have wasted hours pretending to be handymen, only to have to call in the professionals, anyway- burning both timeandmoney in the process. Thats exactly what happened to Robinson.Last fall, she was skimming online forums to figure out why her laptop was lethargic, when someone suggested cleaning the fan to allow more ventilation. So she flipped over her computer, saw a bunch of screws and thought, How hard can it be? After watching instructional videos for three hours, she took the laptop apart and put it back together again- and it wouldnt boot up.In addition to having to buy a new laptop, she also had to hire someone to transfer all her data. This was an expensive headache- about $850- that I could have avoided had I just outsourced my computer maintenance to a professional Robinson says.Vanderkam says this is a classic example of when outsourcing pays. There are many things we can doin theory, but will probably go badly. The time it would take to learn to do it well would not be well-invested, as you wont have to do this particular task too many times in your life, she says. For example, you could certainly plan your own wedding, but if youre tight on time and know youll only get married once (you hope), it might be worth it to hire a professional who has planned 100.Bonus Aside from allowing the pros to get the job done right in less time, in some cases- like with a wedding or party planner- a connected expert can help you snag vendor deals you wouldnt have access to otherwise.5. Do You Have to Invest in Extra Supplies to Accomplish It?Any project that requires a specific tool- from a level for hanging shelves to chafing dishes for keeping your appetizers warm- could be cheaper to outsource. In fact, thats a chief selling point for menu delivery services You no longer have to buy a whole bottle of an obscure, e xpensive spice that youll only use once.You can also extend this logic to ready-made items in the supermarket, says professional organizer Barbara Reich ofResourceful Consultants. She says many times, youll find its cheaper to purchase the pre-mixed salad than to buy the seven ingredients youd need to make it yourself.6. Can You Easily Explain it to Someone Else?If youre the type who really wants to squeeze every mango to ensure its perfectly ripe, then having someone grab your groceries is probably not for you.There are lots of things that I probably could outsource, but I know it will take me more time to explain it- and its just easier to do it myself, says Reich. For example, she says she is so efficient at managing her calendar that it makes no sense to ask a virtual assistant to help. When its something you really want control of, it can be too hard to let it go and the time you spend supervising or redoing it isnt worth it.Good candidates for projects to outsource are either large-scale one-offs- like a 30th birthday party that you can broadly outline, then let a party planner work her magic- or routine tasks, like invoicing, that someone can repeat regularly once they get the hang of it.

How to Create an Effective Candidate Evaluation Process Robert Half

How to Create an Effective Candidate Evaluation frcess Robert HalfHow to Create an Effective Candidate Evaluation Process Robert HalfYour candidate outreach has netted some very strong resumes. As you begin the evaluation process, remember that the most skilled candidates are likely to be in the running for positions with other companies. Your goal shouldnt be to simply cut the time you spend on the evaluation process, but instead to make sure that its most time-consuming aspects, such as interviews, are expended only on the best candidates. The more quickly you reach the strongest professionals for the job, the greater your ability to add productive members to your team.The important thing for small businesses is to have a candidate evaluation action plan in place before resumes begin to arrive.Following are some general guidelines for your evaluation process.1. Develop an evaluation system that moves top candidates along quicklyExpedite getting in-demand candidates in for interview s and introductions to key members of your team. If you and your team are impressed by their evident fit for the position, and their references are solid, move toward making an offer they cant refuse.2. Fine-tune your measurement toolsThe evaluation process should include a set of specific criteria to use as the basis for your decisions. Otherwise, you run the risk of making decisions based on factors that may have no bearing on the work skills and personality you need for the position.Pro tip If you havent considered the following four questions, youre not ready to start the applicant evaluation process.What are the prerequisites? These should track with the qualifications listed in the job description, assuming the description is targeted and carefully thought out.What are the special requirements? Think of the unique qualifications your company needs for the position, such as certifications or special education. If you own a public accounting firm, for example, you would most lik ely consider only applicants with a valid CPA credential.Which attributes are critical? What experience and skill set are necessary to be a top performer in this particular position? If your business depends on telemarketing, for instance, some people will be better than others at engaging the interest of the people they call.What about attitude? What type of demeanor is needed for the role in order for the new employee to be most effective? One example might be their ability to not let repeated ausverkauf rejections wear down their stamina. Identify those attributes that you feel will produce superior performance in functions critical to your small businesss competitive strength and look for these attributes in prospective employees.REQUEST TALENT3. Narrow the list of applicants Heres a basic overview of the evaluation process when reviewing resumes and considering top candidatesScan resumes first for basic qualifications. If you do a good job of communicating the jobs qualificatio ns to your recruiter or in your posting, you shouldnt get too many responses from unqualified candidates. For example, if youre seeking to hire a medical technician who will be working on equipment that requires a license, eliminate applicants without this license.Look for more specific criteria. After you eliminate unqualified candidates, focus on more specific hiring criteria, such as strong organizational skills, supervisory experience or a good driving record. The more detailed candidates are in their descriptions of their responsibilities and accomplishments in previous jobs, the more reliable (as a rule) the information is.Consider career trajectory. The applicants work history should show a steady progression into greater responsibility and more important positions. But dont go by job titles alone look at what the candidate actually did and what skills she acquired. Assess how important the work welches to the company involved.Identify top candidates. At this point, you proba bly want to separate the wheat from the chaff, which means establishing a separate file for each of the applicants who pass the initial evaluation.Narrow your list further. Your next move depends on how many applicants remain. If you have only a few, you may want to invite them all to come in for an interview. If you have more applicants than you can handle, consider adding yet another evaluating tool. Many hiring managers find that a phone conversation is very helpful at this stage.Consider an aptitude test. If used correctly and in the right situations, a pre-employment test can help you evaluate job candidates objectively for basic skills (such as software proficiency), assess acquired knowledge and qualifications, and gauge aptitude for certain jobs. Tags

Most Noticeable Resume Buzzwords

Most Noticeable Resume Buzzwords Resume Buzzwords - the Story Because theres absolutely no 1 list including all the keywords for each position. Action words ought to be used to spell out the way in which you carried out your duties and to boost the achievement youre mentioning. They are used to describe your impact in previous roles. Unless you are in possession of a great reason to broaden your variety, the below success verbs can titelseite most bullets you are able to think about. Steer clear of repetition, and just utilize words that you understand. In case the word isnt relevant, it isnt needed. For this reason, you wish to use actionable words. When theres something which you think is essential for a possible employer to understand, save that explanation for your cover letter You may show in a particular way how youve managed to earn a particular situation better you arent just stating the situations youve done, but youre utilizing an action word that implies youve mad e them better. Not all words are here for the very long term, needless to say, and a few are plain ridiculous, but if you would like to remain at the forefront of the buzz, there are some you definitely will need to understand. The key point to understand is you need tont pick words you believe you have to use and then fit them into your resume. Resume Buzzwords Ideas Creating a strong entrance also entails demonstrating your commitment to the undertaking. Your aim is to make your achievements stand out so that your upcoming employer or hiring manger can easily locate them. Be sure that your resume is up-to-date. Get the Scoop on Resume Buzzwords Before Youre Too Late There are other resume buzzwords which you should avoid, obviously. Broadly speaking, you wish to choose buzzwords sparingly. Its also important to stay informed about out-of-date buzzwords. Many buzzwords continue being important regardless of when you revamp your resume to submit an application for a job. Keeping updated with the hottest buzzwords can be a little bit of a headache. A good example might be the buzzword creative. To begin with, buzzword have to be utilised to outstand your resume from the mass. Politics is a standard problematic topic that springs to mind, but I would likewise refrain from mentioning in your resume you may shotgun a beer in under 30 seconds. Communication skills are important for just about any position. Recruiters want to find specialists who can say they know stuff well. They are more interested in those that will make positive changes in their organisation. Resumes are tough to make, particularly in regards to describing your abilities and experiences. Using keywords in resumes is only the startyou will locate them used throughout the work search procedure and throughout your upcoming career. The keywords in your resume can help you get selected for a work interview. The following advice will assist you in finding success during the job hunt . You dont want to go for generic terms in a resume. You know you are in need of a great resume when you submit an application for a new job, whether youre searching for part-time work or seeking a high-level position. Finding out how to highlight your most attractive abilities for the particular needs of someone client is an invaluable skill, and one of the most common parts of advice I give to freelancers who want to begin a business of their own. Definitions of Resume Buzzwords Next, if youre in a position to achieve your prospective client quickly after theyve posted their request for aid, youll significantly boost your likelihood of landing the job. Again, experience is something which happens to younot what you achieve. There are only a few jobs which dont involve working with somebody else. Because your resume is most likely the very first time Im seeing your design abilities.

Don#8217;t Build Your Future on For-Profit College Degrees

Don8217t Build Yur Future on For-Profit College Degrees A new report shows there is little, if any, added value to obtain a for-profit college degree. Workers looking to advance their careers through education might be better off sticking to non-profit public higher education outlets. Thats the finding of a working paper from the National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research. (Fortunately its blessed with the acronym CALDER.) The center, a compendium of universities, tracks student learning on an annual basis.The researchers from the University of Missouri and RAND sent almost 9,000 fictitious resumes of young job applicants who recently completed their schooling to online job postings in six occupational categories and tracked employer callback rates. They found no evidence that employers prefer applicants with resumes listing a for-profit college relative to those whose resumes list either a community college or no college at all.As the Wall Street Journal reports, That may be unwelcome news for operators of for-profit colleges, which generally charge higher tuition than similar programs at community colleges do. For-profit schools are already under scrutiny, given their dramatic enrollment growth over the past decade, and the high debt loads their graduates carry.The report targets resumes that list for-profit and public-community-colleges because, based on CALDERs research, for-profit colleges award a sizable share roughly one third of sub-baccalaureate certificates and degrees in the United States.Bluntly, the report states, Our experiment does not reveal any evidence to suggest that resumes listing for-profit colleges are more likely to garner interest from employers relative to resumes that list public community. It adds, In fact, while not statistically significant, our point estimates indicate that applicants who attend for-profit college s receive less interest from employers than do applicants who attend public community colleges.This finding holds when we pool across educational attainment levels as well as when we allow the for-profit effect to vary by attainment level. We also find little evidence of a benefit to listing a for-profit college relative to no college at all our point estimates for this comparison are close to zero and inconsistent in sign. The estimated effects of listing a public community college relative to no college are also statistically insignificant.This about sums up what a for-profit degree means to your career advancement the research indicates that the labor market payoff to attending a for-profit college may be limited, especially in comparison to the much-cheaper community college alternative.The Wall Street Journal article observes, The authors do note a caveat to their study They only tracked employers initial responses to applications, and differences that would only come out in, say, late-round interviews were not accounted for here. However, they say, other researchhas found limited labor-market benefits from for-profit college education.Another caveat worth noting is the types of jobs applied for as part of the research. The authors note, One practical issue was that job advertisements were more abundant in some fields than others. Openings for which our applicants were reasonably qualified were more common in administrative assisting, customer service, medical billing/office and sales. The number of suitable advertisements in information technology and medical assisting was lower.That latter point demonstrates a potential argument against for-profit colleges as well. They may be training students for positions not abundant enough to justify a higher cost of education. That fact is compelling federal regulators to explore the issue of post-graduation employment vs. loans secured for payment. The lucrative source of income (guaranteed student loans) could dry up for the for-profit colleges if it is determined an insufficient number of students are finding work in the field they paid high prices to study.