That Career Girl
Survival tips for completing a part-time MBA whilst working full time
So it sure has been a while. I can safely say that the initial optimism and novelty of starting the MBA has worn off. If I had any thoughts of my first term being difficult, the second term has completely blown that experience out of the water. There were a variety of factors that lead to this emotionally charged and draining time which amongst other things, contributed to my bursting into tears not only in front of my Manager, but my GM. (more…)
Autumn Work Wardrobe: Neutral Basics and Cosy Sweaters
Internal Promotions: My Manager Won’t Release Me
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have been job hunting for the best part of a year and have been in my current role since July 2011. I came in to this role as an external recruit, after a failed attempt to fill the position internally. I recall my now Manager, offering me the position and in the next breath reassuring me about the many development opportunities that this organisation offered. I recall it vividly as I thought it was very strange that he was already mentioning the next possible role before I had even started. At the time I had replied ‘That’s good to know, but let me focus on doing well at this role first.‘ (more…)
How To Diversify Your Job Search
It took me an entire year of job searching before I nabbed my ideal role. There was a fair bit of angst, the turning down of some offers, dealing with a lot of rejection and of course, chasing interviews. Prior to this, I had only ever applied for roles through the conventional approach of submitting an application in response to an advertisement. When this approach didn’t yield enough results, I had to branch out and create my own opportunities. Here are some of my learnings.
The Lists I Use for Work, Study and Life
I’ve been working full time since I finished secondary school, in various office environments. During this time, I also studied towards (and finally obtained) a law degree and two additional postgraduate qualifications (each taking a year to complete on a part-time basis. Sometimes I juggled a full time study load and other times I was lucky enough to work part-time. As for work, my workload over the past few years had grown to be quite intensive, as there were no defined boundaries to the role. I got pulled into different business areas all the time, often absorbing one or two BAU functions of a project permanently.
Lists are my best friend
I love lists in all their underrated glory. If you are rushing from place to place and managing multiple commitments, it’s likely that you may notice or think of certain things and then quickly become distracted. The moment you think of something that you need to do, buy or write about, jot it down in a list. Preferably a permanent, appropriately categorised list. Don’t get in the habit of starting new lists constantly or you might lose track of them all! These are a few of my favourite lists. (more…)
Thanks for Welcoming Me, WordPress Community.
I can barely believe that on 17 January last month, fuelled by a sudden desire to document my career and MBA journey, I wrote my first blog post. This past month of daily blog reading and every-so-often blogging has absolutely flown by, and I’m feeling so welcomed by the members of the WordPress community that I’ve had the pleasure of coming across (thank you!). (more…)
Workplace Etiquette: Losing Your Temper At Work
I lost my temper at a colleague during a meeting today, it was the first time since, I don’t even know when. I have had the occasional (private) teary outburst or pang of annoyance, and if we’re being honest, drawn out bouts of annoyance,… however an angry outburst really isn’t like me at all and the situation rattled me for the rest of the day.
So I thought I should turn this negative into a positive by reflecting on losing my temper at work, how to avoid it from happening next time and how I should have reacted instead.
Work Survival Guide: Desk Necessities
“Look for the bare necessities The simple bare necessities Forget about your worries and your strife I mean the bare necessities That’s why a bear career girl can rest at ease With just the bare necessities of life”
These are the bare necessities that I have in and around my desk to make my life easier at work. (more…)
A 20-something’s Thoughts on Saving for Retirement: It’s never too early.
I seem to have a lot of readers from the United States, so I thought it would be useful to provide a brief and generalised overview of Superannuation arrangements in Australia before I launch into my musings.
Superannuation in Australia
In Australia, it is compulsory in most circumstances for employers to pay a proportion of an employee’s salary into their superannuation fund, which is effectively their retirement savings. The minimum proportion is 9.25% as at July 2013 however this is set to increase incrementally and very gradually, to 12% by 2021). Employees are encouraged to make additional payments into their superannuation funds, which can be done either before or after tax, each approach having their own pros and cons. The employee’s date of birth dictates when they are able to access their funds. As I was born after 1964, I won’t be able to access my retirement savings until I’m 60, 35 years from now.
Why should a 20-something bother thinking about their retirement?
This was my mentality up to the age of 23. I wanted to live in the ‘now’ and being 60 was simply unfathomable. Anyway, what if I get hit by a bus next year? Then I would have been squirreling away extra money for nothing. My employer already makes contributions to my retirement, so that will be fine. (more…)
That Career Girl 