This is a guest post by
Sarah Del Rosario, professional writer
With only 20% of most software ever utilized, high technology in the workplace means basic computer skills are no longer enough
Microsoft Office skills training will increase employee productivity
Technology is one of the fastest growing human endeavors currently.
Hardware revisions of consumer grade electronics are being rolled out at least once a year.
New features and innovations are presented by various manufacturing companies.
In the software front, it is very much swifter.
Most of the bottlenecks in the technological side are almost always in the hardware side.
Programmers and software developers are able to code to the metal rather swiftly.
Just Get It Done…
Then again, the end-users does not care about the gigahertzes, the SoC used in their devices, the RAM, the data channels.
Business is all about getting it done, not how it’s getting done.
That’s why Microsoft always dominated,
for decades, in the office space with its Microsoft Office solutions.
Certainly, the monopoly of the software giant back in the 90’s and early part of these millennia helped.
And yes it helped a lot in embedding as a necessity in every workplace that needs to be productive.
There’s A Reason Why
There has been competition against MS Office, still, nothing is on-par with its set features.
Currently, MS Office holds around 90% of the business productivity software market, and is one of Microsoft’s largest goldmines with the Xbox and servers with 20 billion US dollars’ worth of annual sale.
This is not just because there are rabid Windows fanboys out there.
That is not the case here because business always needs MS Office.
It would be horror for business owners to switch from MS Office to other solutions, not just because of the differing feature sets but the design elements, user interface, and the overall familiarity of the system.
Not to mention, MS Office is a secure platform with constant updates and helpful service support.
Compatibility is Effective – When Used Properly
Compatibility is one the main reasons on why businesses remain entrenched to Microsoft’s solution.
Hardware come and go, but MS Office is expected to run in each and every machine that runs on x86/x64 instruction.
And today, MS Office works on ARM tablets with Microsoft’s latest mobile OS, Windows 8 RT.
MS Office is supported more on devices that are deployed all across the world.
Hence, it is much needed for a business owner to train their employees on how to use the software and how to use them quick.
Some people are not using the proper keyboard shortcuts, even for the simple Ctrl+S for saving documents.
They remain on clicking things, here and there.
Popularity Has Lead to More Innovations
Rulers, styles, layouting are all features of Microsoft Word but there are some workers who are oblivious about this.
If properly trained, there is no need for rushing the paper back and forth, waiting for the proper format to miraculously appear.…
This is a guest post by
Jeremy Halloway, blogger
You’re likely well aware of the fact that many people are vying for the same jobs.
It’s difficult for companies to go through hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of resumes, so they use applicant tracking software.
Basically, this system helps to eliminate some of the applicants.
What are some of the components of effective applicant tracking software?
Read on to find out!
Scanning for Requirements
In the job posting, a number of requirements were likely listed.
The applicant tracking software, otherwise known as ATS, should be looking to make sure the applicants meet these requirements.
Scanning for Keywords
On top of the requirements for the position, the ATS should also be looking for keywords on the resume that are relevant to the roles of the job.
Checking the Degrees
As an employer, you also want to know that the individuals have the appropriate degrees for the job, and the ATS will take care of looking for that as well.
Created Responses
Whether you are letting someone know to come in for an interview or telling someone he or she did not get the position, your system can help to create these letters for you. Instead of writing out a unique letter for every person, you will have a specified form.
Tracking the Process
Sometimes, applicants are going to call and want to know where they are in the system.
Instead of scouring through an array of paperwork to find the answer to this inquiry, the ATS will let you know the person’s spot with little hassle.
Analysis
Perhaps the wrong type of applicant keeps sending in resumes for the job, and you want to find out why. Maybe you want to analyze the information of the successful applicants and the not-so-successful applicants.
Whatever the case, the ATS can help you keep track of data.
Details
When you’re using an ATS for your company, you should be able to easily navigate through all of the information from your end.
Before agreeing to any particular system, be sure to do a proverbial test drive to ensure that you are able to garner all the appropriate information.
Quick Elimination
The ATS can also provide a series of answers that prospective employees might ask in order to move along in the process.
For example, envision a particular question to which candidates must answer “yes” in order to be considered.
If they select no, the ATS can automatically eliminate them.
Tracking Directions
Your ATS should also be able to tell if the applicants have followed all of the directions posted with the job listing.
If they have not, then the system will remove them as a possible candidate for the job.
Size of System
You should also consider the size of the system before implementing it within your office.
For example, some systems will not be able to handle the volume for a huge company with hundreds of openings and thousands of applicants – for this reason, it might make sense to formulate your own system from within or consult one on one with a company to outsource this for you.
…
Knowing and thoroughly understanding the skills of project management can help in a diverse array of fields and roles.
However, learning the information is not as simple as just making the decision to become a project manager.
In order to really know what you are doing, consider the following tips…
Manage Some Projects
Practical experience is an excellent way to really sharpen your skills, so look into managing projects as early as you can.
For example, if you are in high school or college, you can offer to be the leader of your group of the assignment.
No matter who you are, you are look into getting involved with some leadership opportunities at your church or in your community as well.
This practical experience will help you learn some of the basic components and prepare you for the future.
Obtain a Degree
If you really want to work in this field, the best idea is to go to school for it.
Contact various colleges to find out if they have a program in project management specifically.
Some of them might not, so you may need to work for a degree in a related field.
Speak to a counselor at the school to determine which path is the best for you to travel.
Even if you are not able to major in project management, you could write a thesis statement on the subject in many disciplines.
Consider attending an MBA, if possible.
Internship Opportunities
Working on leadership projects in your community is absolutely an excellent way to get helpful experience; however, you also want to have professional experiences.
While you are in college, start looking for internship opportunities in the field.
Hopefully, you will secure a deal with an excellent company, and you will start to see what the professional environment is like.
You’ll learn what your strengths are, and you’ll also figure out what the areas in which you need to improve are.
Learning Experiences
Never pass up the opportunity to learn more about your field.
Tutorials are available online, so you can study these.
Participate in tutorials that are about a subject you are a bit confused on, or take ones that can act as refresher courses.
It can be a bit difficult to keep your focus when you are watching online tutorials from time to time.
Remember, if you do not absorb all of the information the first time you watch it, you will have to keep repeating it until you get it.
Choose tutorials that come from appropriate and credible sources such as a project management firm or a college or university.
Conclusion
Learning project management is going to create many more possibilities in the job world for you.
However, in order for this statement to be true, you need to learn the skills in the proper manner.
As you are gaining the necessary skills to become a professional, you’ll be learning more about yourself as an individual and a worker.
What Are Your Thoughts?…
This is a guest post by
Sofiya, blogger
Building Traffic Through The Rel=Author Tag
Materializing Rel=author tag from Google has a pronounced effect on the ranking of a website.
A picture besides a listing in the SERPs has a greater tendency for viewers to click on that particular page.
A picture of an author gains a lot of credibility as a photo with a name develops faith much more than some text without a photo.
What is AuthorRank?
It is a score of quality or prominence online which is calculated by the quality of a content that is published by an author. A patent from Google’s Agent Rank states that the identity of individuals accountable for content can be utilized to impact search ratings. This indicates that when an author publishes content on a particular topic, his AuthorRank will go up and will be seen as more authoritative for that particular content if he has included the section “About the Author”.
When you ponder over all the wonderful technology developed by Google including the free software they have introduced, one area where they were not so smart, was to find out who was actually publishing the content on the internet. With Google Author Tags, things have changed dramatically. Just by tagging your articles on your blog or different websites with a code, you can allow Google to know exactly you were the one who published the article. This message can eventually be published besides the link to your article in the search results.
Advantages of Implementing the Google Author Tag
The list of advantages stemming by adding Google Author Tags to you website is not so lengthy, but is of great significance. The biggest advantage is that it leads to an enhancement of traffic to your website. How does this take place? When a Google Author Tag is included in a website, Google ropes in the author’s image and presents it beside the information of the website. Why do you need give it importance? The answer is a bit simple. Think that you have made it to the first page of Google Search Rankings for a particular keyword. However, you are somewhere deep inside the list of search results. It’s wonderful that you are on the first page, but if you don’t occupy the first three or four links, the possibility that someone is going to click on your link is rather bleak. This can however, change if you insert an image next to your content.
But why is this so? This is because people are attracted to images. They want to have a look at the person responsible for creating the content. In addition, this gives the Search Results page an attractive appearance. Think that you are looking at the Search Results of a particular page. All of them will practically look the same except for the one with an image besides the content. Your eyes will be automatically pulled in to the listing that has a picture.
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This is a guest post by
Gurudutta Mohanty, writer
Project management professional (PMP) certification awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI) is recognized in various parts of the world.
In addition to getting international recognition, the professional credential will further help you in building a successful career in project management fields.
But you have to invest time, efforts, and money to prepare for and pass the PMP Exam.
An aspirant has options to get PMP training through several traditional and online training providers.
If you are already working as a project manager, your busy work schedule will not allow you to attend classes on a regular basis.
So you have to consider joining an online PMP Exam Prep course to acquire the knowledge and skills required to clear the certification exam.
However, you must keep some important points in mind, while comparing different PMP training providers.
Course Duration and Schedule
A simple web search will fetch you information about a large number of institutions offering online PMP Exam Prep courses.
But the learning style and course schedule will vary from on training provider to another.
Also, the duration of the training provider will also differ based on the option selected by you.
That is why; you must spend some time in understanding the duration and schedule of the courses offered by each institution.
You need to choose the course that allows you t0 acquire the relevant knowledge and skill at your own pace and convenience.
Credibility of the Online Training Provider
While evaluating the PMP Exam Prep courses, you also need to concentrate on the professional reputation and credibility of the training provider.
You can find many training providers registered with the PMI.
But you have to concentrate on experience and track record of the institution.
It is always advisable to choose an institution with longer experience in offering project management training and high success rate.
You can even evaluate the reputation of an institution based on the word of mouth of the professionals who have already availed training from the institution.
Assistance of a Dedicated Trainer
You can join an online course to obtain the training without attending regular classes.
But you will still need the assistance of a qualified and experienced trainer to clarify your doubts.
So you must choose an institution that allows learners to interact with in-house trainers through emails, voice chats and phone calls.
The in-house trainer can further monitor your progress and suggest you techniques to enhance your skills.
Consider Money Back Guarantee
It may sound odd to choose an online PMP training provider based on the money back guarantee offered by it.
But the guarantee will enable you to appear multiple times for the exam without incurring any extra fees.
Also, when an institution offers money back guarantee to the learners, the same indicates the quality and effectiveness of its training methods and techniques.
Many institution allow learners to repeat the certification test without paying examination fees, whereas other offer additional instruction time to prepare you for the second attempt.
…
This is a guest post by
Annie Zhang, writer
What Are Interviews All About?
Few people can stay relaxed while having to face an interview.
Much of the anxiety related to interviews is not about the process, but about the outcome — will it be “You’re hired!” or “Sorry!”?
When you think of it, interviews are a set of entry passes — they are there to secure you an entry in to exciting career opportunities.
One might ask, “Why are interviews a serious concern?”
The answer is this:
- Despite your qualifications, accomplishments, and capabilities, interviews hold a few critical moments when you are measured, assessed, and explored
- Interviews enable the employer discover why you are — or not — suitable for a particular job
Therefore, interview is all about how well you are able to impress your prospective employer with enough reasons to appoint you.
Facing the real test
Obviously during your school and college days, you have taken a number of exams.
However, academic accomplishments can never guarantee that you will be successful at interviews.
After all, the set of skills you require to handle interviews are entirely different from those needed for written exams.
The strategic difference is this…
- During exams, you go through a system that assesses you
- during interviews you interact with a person who values your personality and capabilities
Therefore, a greater degree of human skills are required for interviews.
During interviews, as opposed to what you say, how you express yourself is under consideration; as opposed to what you ask, how you ask is under consideration.
Interview Tips
Here are a few tips that can prepare you for interviews…
hover your cursor over the text to freeze the automated scrolling
Your Interviewer Will Sense Your Emotions
Stay cool and confident.
Being nervous will affect your performance.
Wear a pleasant and cheerful face and observe proven mannerisms for entry, addressing, and exit with your potential employer.
Remember, do not over do this and but be relaxed.
It’s All About the Questions…
Listen to the interviewer attentively.
Answer his and/or her questions honestly and clearly.
State only what you know.
Be assured that there is nothing wrong in sharing you lack knowledge or experience about something asked.
It is wrong to pretend that you know when actually you don’t.
If you find yourself in this situation, then simple share “Sorry, I have yet to learn this / know this.”
What You Should Focus On During an Interview…
Remuneration and employee benefits should be approached only by the interviewer.
Focus your questions on the job details and your expected responsibilities.
Ask questions, like “What types of practices are prevalent in the organization?”
You don’t have to go in depth with your questions, such as whether or not the company displays labor law compliance posters or not, but you can ask what type of innovation ideas are encouraged.
Let the process of interaction give the employer enough justifications as to why the firm should pay you more.
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This is a guest post by
Finley Talbot – post graduate student, writer
Employee absence costs businesses billions in revenue every year and remains one of the biggest concerns for Senior Management and Human Resources.
It not only costs in terms of sick pay, but also in lost productivity.
Additionally, it can affect morale when colleagues have no choice but to ‘pick up the slack’.
Designing and Implementing an effective Absence Management programme may go a long way in providing a better environment for all.
Here are some suggestions…
Communicate a Clear Absence Policy
Consequently finding ways to reduce absence is ever a priority for those in charge.
Luckily, there are ways to tackle the issue and to even minimise it, as listed below:
All businesses should create and publicise a clear absence policy so that each and every member of staff knows what to do in the event that they fall ill.
The policy should outline the steps from calling the office to presenting doctor’s notes.
It should state what the self-certification period is and indicate at what point any absences might be deemed suspicious.
Also, it should point staff to the disciplinary policy.
By creating policies, there is no excuse for ignorance on the employee’s part and knowing that there is a defined procedure may even serve to discourage those who are perhaps not genuinely ill.
Log Absence Efficiently
One of the biggest problems with employee absence is the failure of managers to log occurrences in a timely and accurate manner.
This is not due to incompetence, rather to the lack of a credible system in which to record them.
By failing to log absences, it’s impossible to know whether there are any worrying trends that should be addressed.
Through using HR software, however, managers can quickly open an absence and relinquish the task of closing them to the individual member of staff through employee self-service portals.
The easy capture of absence allows managers to generate real-time reports at the touch of a button, flagging any issues before they become serious problems.
Discourage Presenteeism
Some employees believe that being seen at their desks is the only way to ensure progression.
As such, many will work extremely long hours, a practice that can adversely affect their health.
In addition, some employees, when ill, refuse to take a day off work even when they really need it.
This could actually make them feel worse and require several days’ recovery where just one might have been needed originally.
What’s more, being present in an open office could spread germs to other members of staff and result in half of the team becoming ill.
Consequently, it’s important for managers to discourage presenteeism and encourage employees to go home on time or at the very least, work from home if they have a cold.
Conduct ‘Back-to-Work’ Interviews
Once an employee has returned from their sickness absence, it’s a good idea to hold a short interview with them to ensure that they are indeed fit enough to return to work.
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This is a guest post by
James Pattrick. freelance writer
The cloud has become a hot topic in the last couple of years.
Every company seems to want a piece of it.
Home users are even taking a bite out of the cloud technology explosion.
It should be noted, however, that as with all new technology there are still some issues to work out.
One of the main issues is the security of cloud networks.
So far, people have been able to use it to share resources without many issues, but the cloud is under attack by hackers.
Virtual Data Backups
The military and corporate industries account for billions of dollars in cloud computing, but there are still some security risks.
The fact that people can access data from anyone in the world opens up a lot of vulnerabilities.
If someone in the military is held hostage, for example, it would be easy to get that person that access data.
They don’t have to go to a location where a server is held.
The hackers could torture the hostage and get access to data without ever entering a building where data is stored.
Destroying Data
Another thing that has been questioned is the destruction of the data once it hits the cloud.
Is possible to destroy or completely remove data from the cloud?
Most administrators could not answer this question.
It’s impossible to know if duplicate copies of data are in existence somewhere else once it hits the cloud.
People are always suspicious about uploading sensitive data.
It becomes impossible to wipe the cloud because this is not a physical hard drive.
You can delete the data, but that doesn’t mean that it cannot be retrieved through other means.
These types of loopholes make many employees somewhat skeptical about cloud technology.
Cloud Technology Mishaps Go Public
There have been several big name credit card companies that have had breaches in security for their customers.
This has all led back to the holes in the cloud computer armor.
The fact that millions of credit card accounts were comprised shows that the security measures are weak.
This is something that lots of companies never really put into place so they did not know how it worked.
It often becomes difficult to implement new technology because no one knows how secure it will be.
This was the problem with the cloud.
It was put into place because it was popular.
No one actually had a clue on how to implement it.
Scaling Back Cloud Technology for the Future
Cloud technology will have to be scaled back in a way that makes security tighter.
Right now the cloud is wide open.
It usually doesn’t even require a VPN connection to establish communication.
People can just log in to their accounts and start pulling data down.
This type of activity is what led to so many breaches in security.
A better way would be to implement the technology through limited use or increase levels of security clearance.
…
This is a guest post by
Natalia David
Source: MobiStealth.com
About Our Guest Blogger
You can always reach Natalia on twitter or via email…
If you’d like to guest post for The HRIS World, contact us by email for details on how you can share your tips and thoughts with our audience.
Related Posts:
This is a guest post by
By Sharon Florentine
Editor’s note: With all the talk about cloud computing and cloud systems, many are still wondering if this type of system is actually ‘in the clouds’. Sharon provides an excellent background as well as history to the introduction of the mechanisms that made cloud computing possible – the virtual machine. After reading her article, you should be comforted by the fact that you won’t have a computer system come crashing down on you from the skies… should it crash from lack of electricity as would any computer, however, is another story altogether! 
Since 1998, when VMware Inc. first jumped into the virtualization business, virtual technology has completely revolutionized data center technology, not to mention the business models of those companies who’ve adopted the technology over the years.
But what exactly is a virtual machine?
How does it relate to virtualization, and what are the benefits of system virtual machines versus process virtual machines?
Types of Virtual Machines and How They Work
There are two major types of virtual machines…
A process virtual machine, sometimes called an application virtual machine, runs as a normal application inside an operating system and supports a single process.
It is created when that process is started and destroyed when that process is finished.
Its purpose is to provide a platform-independent programming environment that abstracts away details of the underlying hardware or operating system, and allows a program to execute in the same way on any platform.
A system virtual machine (also known as a hardware virtual machine) is the most common kind of virtual machine, and what most IT folks think of when they hear the term ‘virtualization’ or ‘virtual machine.
It allows the sharing of the underlying physical machine resources among different virtual machines, whereas each has its own operating system.
Individual virtual machines run on the same physical machine.
The software layer providing the virtualization is called a virtual machine monitor or hypervisor.
Origins of Virtual Machines
The technology got its start on mainframes decades ago, but VMware was able to migrate the technology from mainframes to the x86 platform and the little startup almost immediately became a technology superstar.
Virtualization allows IT departments to run several applications on the same server, each isolated into virtual operating system images that wouldn’t affect each other. Doing so cut costs, increased efficiency
and freed IT administrators from the laborious task of maintaining huge server farms.
A virtual machine is, in the words of the pioneer, VMware, a tightly isolated software container that can run its own operating systems and applications as if it were a physical computer.
A virtual machine behaves exactly like a physical computer and contains it own virtual (ie, software-based) CPU, RAM hard disk and network interface card (NIC).…
Infographic provided by
Matthew Pelletier, Director of Public Relations
Compliance and Safety
We posted an article in August related to work and personal life titled, “Employee’s Personal Lives Critical to Business Success?” where 89% of employees with high levels of well-being reported high job satisfaction.
This article discussed how we tend to draw conversation lines in too narrow a manner, preventing us from retaining and engaging the talent we need to succeed.
By embracing this approach, we are throwing out the old adage that when people arrive at work they leave their personal lives at the front door.
So here’s something to think about…
What we focus upon is where we go — so why are workaholics surprised when they look up and their family has left them?
Time is not a commodity — it is a irreplaceable treasure.
Mark Pelletier provides the following infographic, which is aptly names ‘The @Work State of Mind’, giving a much better perspective on just how much we are ‘plugged-in’ to work…
Related Posts:
The marketing plan of a business is designed to draw in more consumers and keep the consumers they already have.
There are several ways in which the Internet can help any business to succeed in their marketing plan.
The use of social media sites has become a method, which is mandatory for those businesses who truly want to succeed in the market.
They will find Pinterest to be one site of interest to those businesses who are marketing their business.
The reason being because Pinterest is one of the newest social media sites, which allows for a business to post images and captions to attract attention.
The more attention which is attracted, the more likely the business will have followers to their business.
The business can buy Pinterest followers, which can come in handy at the beginning.
There are several ways in which Pinterest allows for businesses to market their products or services…
A Free Marketing Method
The use of Pinterest is free to all people including businesses.
This means the business does not have to pay a dime out of their own pocket for marketing.
They will have to devote their time to finding images and posting these, along with making sure their caption is something, which will attract attention.
However, for the most part, businesses find the free aspect to be the main reason this is the social media site they choose for their marketing plan.
Ability to Reach Across Markets
The unique way in which Pinterest is working allows for an image to be seen across several markets.
A picture is usually more interesting than reading a press release or an article about a company thus it does increase the chances of new people finding the business.
With this being said, the image should be something in which is unique and does display the business in the right way.
There are several businesses that can be used as great examples as to what a business should be doing.
Thus, a business should consider doing a little research before they dive into this social media site.
Easy and Time Saving
Probably the main reason why Pinterest is such a great marketing tool is the fact it is easy to use.
Once a business sets up their profile and goes through the motions of opening their account, they have immediate access to start posting images for their business.
It is a marketing tool, which can be set up, and ready to use in a few minutes.
With the time saving there, the ease of posting pictures is just as simple as most people will discover once they begin using this.
Conclusion
There have been several businesses who have found Pinterest to be a great marketing tool.
In fact, studies have shown on average a business is able to gain about ten to thirty percent more consumers just through using a social media site like Pinterest.
These types of results are something every business should be claiming as it could be the way they stay in business.
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This is a guest post by
Reese Jones, writer
Web-browsing is a key experience for anyone wanting to buy something online, but unfortunately many websites give you the kind of the tour reserved for Alcatraz inmates.
If they were a high street store, they would have grubby hard-to-see-through windows with aisles all jumbled up together and no signs directing their poor confused shoppers.
Clothes rails would be so jammed together in any random order that it would be impossible to find anything appealing.
Yet much to do with web design is common sense, so it is strange that even some of the most high-profile sites make some shocking errors.
Poor web design is such a common phenomenon that the website http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/, dedicated to showcasing the most appalling web designs, is still going strong despite being founded in 1996.
Appearance is Everything
The first thing one may notice when entering a website is the presentation.
Some designers just try too hard.
The important thing to note here is that sometimes simplicity is best.
Over-design is one of the worst faux-pas in any design industry and especially in web design.
Garish colours, an overly busy layout and the absence of boundaries are just some ways to leave the user reaching for the ‘back’ button.
If that doesn’t work, then slipping in some manifestly irritating background music will surely do the trick.
In contrast, a nice example of a well-presented site is http://www.o2.co.uk/.
The simple design has clear boundaries and not too many colours, and is a breath of fresh air.
Navigation Must Be Easy
It is all well and good looking pretty, but if a user can’t work out how to interact with the site then the relationship going to hit the rocks.
Some websites seem to make it their mission to confound the reader.
The service just is not there.
They don’t provide help or guidelines to assist the user in exploring the site.
Websites are not supposed to be a jigsaw puzzle.
Yet some resemble a giant puzzle without any side or corner pieces to at least give you a starting point!
Bad Navigation Can Deter
Finding your way around some sites can be like trying to navigate your way around the sprawl of London after you have lived in the numbered grid system of Manhattan all your life.
Either there are too many headers or there are too few.
The most important navigational links, such as ‘Contact’, are hidden from view.
Instead navigation should be clearly presented on the front page – it can sometimes seem that this is done deliberately to deter pesky callers (aka ‘customers’ i.e. not a good idea).
There are a whole host of other irritants, most notably a failure of contrast.
Using black text on a grey background – what are some people thinking!?
I am a self-confessed fussy browser and am loathe to waste my time trawling through pages and pages of confusing content just to find an address, for example.
…
This is a guest post by
Melissa Miller, writer
Human Resources management is an industry that’s grown tremendously over the past few years, and it shows no signs of stopping.
And with that growth, comes more heated competition.
HR professionals often did not necessarily study Human Resources in college.
In fact, as an undergraduate major, it’s not very common that you’ll even have that option.
Still, you may want to advance your career by pursuing an advanced HR degree.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but here’s why you may want to consider it…
Economic Advantage
Over a lifetime, people with advanced degrees earn more than those without.
This is true of nearly all advanced degrees, no matter what the subject. According to a study done by Georgetown University, those with only a bachelor’s degree earn about 2.3 million over a lifetime, while those with advanced degrees earn closer to 3 million dollars.
Especially if you earn a degree in a growing field like HR Management, your chances of increasingly your overall lifetime pay are quite high.
Tooling Yourself
Experience plus an advanced degree in HR is more alluring to employers than experience without a degree.
I know what you’re thinking — employers value hard experience more than they value advanced education.
And this, I would say, is absolutely true.
But you also have to consider that you’ll be competing against those who have both a degree and several years of experience.
All things being equal, who do you think is going to get the job—you, or the person with a degree in addition to similar skills and years of work experience?
Learn From Others – Through Education
You’ll learn best HR practices and the latest research in a continually evolving field.
The best way to learn HR practices is on the job.
I will certainly concede that.
But there is certainly value in learning HR theory and practical application in a classroom setting.
For one, degree programs focus on every single aspect of Human Resources management in a very thorough way.
With this education, you’ll be more skilled in your job because you’ll know how to change things when things need to change.
That is to say, with a broad and deep knowledge of the latest research in HR management, you’ll be a greater leader in the workplace who can affect change.
Without the well-rounded education, you might just adhere to the status quo by doing things as they’ve always been done in your company or position.
Summary
At the end of the day, however, advanced degrees in HR management (or MBAs with a concentration in HR) can be very expensive.
If you’re considering going back to school, wait till you’ve had a few years of experience and you’ve come up with a plan to pay for it.
What do you think about the MBA or HRM? Do you think these degrees are necessary or beneficial? Comment below!
About Our Guest Blogger
Melissa Miller is a freelance writer and former educator.
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This is a guest post by
Kate Willer, blogger
Are you stumped by the apparent complexity of email encryption services?
All you really need to know is that cloud computing email services have the ability to protect your sensitive email data and ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Have you company secrets contained within private emails?
If so, allowing hackers to access your email could ruin your enterprise.
Do you believe that your data protection is already up to scratch?
Dozens of large corporations felt the same only to find that the modern hacker is much cleverer than they could ever imagine.
Even the British Government learned the value of data protection when 25 million personal records were lost back in 2007.
Cloud computing email services simply make sense so here are 10 of the best for you to choose from…
IBM LotusLive iNotes
The email service offered by LotusLive iNotes is a high quality messaging solution for everyone in your company.
The easy access to email will be appreciated by remote employees and anyone else who isn’t working behind a desk.
Along with the web-based interface, every email account is enabled with POP and authenticated IMAP and SMTP capabilities which can be used with email clients such as Microsoft Outlook.
Best of all, you can begin with a 60 day trial.
Microsoft Exchange Online
One of the coolest features of this email service is the fact that it allows you to log on and remove sensitive data from your mobile phone if it is stolen or lost.
You can use your browser, computer or phone to retrieve your contacts, calendars and emails from just about anywhere.
The cheapest plan is available for less than $5 a month.
The main drawback is that it works best on Internet Explorer.
Yahoo Mail
This is free and integrates instant messaging, social networks and SMS text messaging.
It comes with unlimited online storage and a terrific desktop style interface that makes it extremely easy to use.
On the downside, its spam filter could be better and there is no IMAP access for any desktop email programs.
The fact that it is free is probably its best asset and it is in stiff competition with Google and others.
Shortmail
This is an email service for the modern era of brevity as messages can be no longer than 500 characters maximum.
However, you can forward longer emails and the keyboard shortcuts make this an easy service to use.
IMAP and POP access in desktop is available and mobile email programs are also available.
One possible issue is the fact that there is no feature that enables you to label, sort and organise email which could cause hassle.
FastMail
Yet another free email service, FastMail has IMAP access and offers 10GB of space absolutely free.
Links that could be seen as misleading are disabled by FastMail and it has a fully featured address book, file hosting and a notebook.
Oddly, it doesn’t have a calendar.
…
Abi writes for a number of businesses including DLPROG, a Leadership Development Program based in Australia.
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Ademola Abimbola founded and is the CEO of Mauco, a Nigerian business specializing in building customized Internet Business Solutions.
Ademola helps businesses generate more revenue and increase their online profitability by using the blog of Mauco to keep his clients and customers updated and educated..
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Alexandra Johnson previously worked as a legal secretary and now works as a HR Manager.
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Alfred Smith has made notable contributions through the various articles written on different subjects related to latest gadgets, and Internet marketing.
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Amy is an enthusiast of the newest devices released by the biggest companies today - she is constantly looking into the newest phone releases of Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft.
Her skills include website developer and designer and she loves to share her expertise with tips and tricks on how to create a good and lucrative website with her readers.
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Though she specializes in online education, she can provide content on any topic with substance and precision.
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Annabelle Smyth is a loving and caring mother of 2 children who lives near Milwaukee, WI USA
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Annette Hazard is a freelance writer who chooses to focus on business related issues.
In her free time, you will find her training for marathons.
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Ben Jones is a tech writer, particularly interested in how technology can help businesses large and small.
He has been assisting businesses in setting up cloud based IT services to a number of businesses around the south of England.
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Bob Pritchard likes freelance writing, focusing on technology topics.
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Cara Aley is a freelance writer who writes typically on matters of entrepreneurship and on the subject of online reputation management for
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She is the former President and COO of an apparel manufacturing company, and is currently VP of Operations for
Two Degrees, a one-for-one food bar company.
Cara also spent the better part of a decade in digital project management on both the agency side and on the client side.
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Carolyn Sokol is the founder of
www.PEOcompare.com, which helps match small businesses with the right PEO company for their unique business needs.
Her background is in
HR Outsourcing, marketing and communications, employee education and training, development of policies and procedures, and the ongoing delivery of outstanding customer service.
She is also the Business Development Manager for
CompareHRIS.com -- both sites offer free, unbiased comparison tools and ranking capability to determine which PEO company or HRIS system matches your business's own specific requirements.
Married, Carolyn has 3 children and enjoys reading in her spare time.
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Damian Wolf is part time blogger since 2009.
He mostly writes for technology and life blogs as well as contributes to a mining job agency website, one of the best Australian online destinations for job seekers.
When he is not in blogosphere, SEO is his passion.
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Debbie Allen is an online marketer, professional writer, and is the founder of
TheThingsWomenWant.com an online magazine that covers topics that women care about, both personally and professionally.
Debbie’s background as an Organizational Development Practitioner provided her with opportunities to learn about Six Sigma and other strategies and tools for process improvements. Having extensive experience in several aspects of operating and owning a business, she remains faithful to her belief that all departments of an organization have to function together in a seamless fashion, including a
security system. She refers to this as a holistic approach to business management.
As a small business owner and independent contractor, she maintains a focus on making customers/clients happy.
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Diksha Singh is a Social Media Specialist and part time blogger.
She loves to researching and write on higher education in India and abroad, high paying jobs, and careers in different fields.
Currently she is working with StudyNation - a leading educational portal for helping the students.
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Biljana Dimovska is a tech writer, researching and publishing useful info about the usage of virtual machine and cloud hosting solutions for your business.
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Eliza Morgan is a full time freelance writer and blogger.
For the entrepreneur, those getting started, or planning to get started, Eliza
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Erin was brought to our attention by Katrina Robinson of Media Shower, who you can reach via email.
Erin Steiner is a full time-freelance writer for six years now and has applied her own experiences as well as copious amounts of research to her extensive portfolio of articles about small business, personal finance,
online reputation management strategies, and internet related topics.
After going to school for Theater and English, Erin spent time working in retail and communications before making the leap to freelance writing.
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With 20+ years in roles as a client executive sponsor, project management, as well as functional / technical lead, Garrett is sought for his expertise in the USA, Europe, and Brazil.
He has an extensive background in implementing multi-product, multi-line HRIS environments that provides a smoother transition from legacy to new systems.
Garrett's previous clients include ADP, Case New Holland, Cushman & Wakefield, Honeywell International, Lubrizol, MAHLE, Sodexho USA, and many others ranging from SMB's to the Fortune 50.
Currently, Garrett works from his home office near São Paulo, Brazil as the publisher and editor for The HRIS World publications. Also, he contributes articles for their various blogs as well as provides guest posts to several IT, Cloud, and HRIS blogs.
Garrett’s current roles involve…
• Publisher, writer, and owner of 4 leading HRIS system and career blogs which are read in 50+ countries
• HR.com Advisory Board for the ERP/HRIS Community
• CEO for CGServices USA -- focusing on multi-provider, multi-line system for HRIS systems
• Registered partner with Microsoft, providing the latest developments on the newest technologies from Microsoft
• Council and Education Member of Gerson Lehrman Group Council, which helps institutions of the world leaders meet, engage and manage experts across a wide range of sectors and disciplines.
In the news...
HR and the Cloud
Isabella Chan of HR Matters talks to Garrett O’Brien about the growth of cloud computing and building a technology strategy around HR.
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Greg Moran is the CEO of Chequed, a company that specializes in a Predictive Talent Selection platform.
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Gerri Elder is a web content producer, syndication consultant, editor... and most importantly, a mom.
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Grace Becket is an expert associated with i3Group, a leading payroll service provider.
i3Group's customized corporate payroll solutions have helped many blue-chip brands across various fields manage payroll obligations efficiently.
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Lee Grant is the Vice President, International for Raet and Youforce and is responsible for the entry of Youforce in International markets.
Lee studied Accounting and Finance at University South West, before going on to undertake accountancy qualifications.
Having worked at Dell from 1994 to 2001 he continued his experience helping build IT companies all over the world, working with all types of companies from Blue Chips to start-ups.
Lee brings a keen understanding of client needs and how to apply technology solutions to enable them to reach their objectives.
Formerly a director at Alexander Mann Solutions, specializing in Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Lee has previously held senior management positions at Symantec, MessageLabs and C&W.
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James is a UK blogger writing on behalf of Project Minder, a major producer of project management software.
He has more than 6 years’ experience in creating content for the web and specialises in business and technology topics.
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James Scholten is a student pursuing a post graduate course in human resource management in the UK and likes to keep himself updated with everything related to human resources.
In his spare time, you will either find him reading or writing articles about various aspects of HR that inspire him.
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Jason Roiz is a web editor cum developer for a leading web development company and provides concrete information about all open source CMS's.
Joomla developers are available from Ossmedia for advanced Joomla development
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Jennifer Lewis writes for Scholarships for Women, a site that helps female students find information on education grants for females, including grants for women in graduate school.
She believes it is particularly important for college students and the younger generation to develop their interpersonal communication skills and less reliant on Facebook for interacting with others.
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Jennifer Marsh is a software developer, programmer, technology writer, and blogger.
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Jon is an EMEA e-Marketing Specialist for Insight UK (the provider of smartCLOUD), a Global provider of information technology (IT) hardware, software. and service solutions for the business and public sector organizations.
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Kyle Lagunas is a HR Analyst at Software Advice, an online resource for softare selection.
Kyle blogs about trends and best practices in humna resources technology, and drives conversations around important topics in talent management and recruiting.
He’s an avid tech enthusiast and GenY advocate and his work has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, Information Weekly, The Huffington Post, and many other sources.
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Kim Wade is a freelance writer with a MFA in Writing from Savannah College of Art and Design.
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Laura Burkey is a freelance writer with nearly 10 years of journalistic experience, writing on various topics to include online identity, entrepreneurship and vehicle analysis.
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Lewis Humphries is a writer, researcher, and business consultant based in the UK.
He currently works on behalf of Chillisauce, which remains one of the UK’s most innovative team building and event planning companies.
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Liam Tarry is a writer for Future and provides this interview to focus on the benefits of 360 degree feedback and employee surveys.
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Marcela De Vivo is a search marketing consultant from Los Angeles, contributes articles about technology and social media, and works with process sensors.
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Michael Deaven is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging who currently works for a restaurant online ordering service.
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Michael Palmer is a freelance writer from the United Kingdom.
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Mimi's level of engagement in emerging online business ecosystems leaves her intimately familiar with the trends and issues facing today'
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s C-level executives.
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Muhammad is an avid blogger with experience in recruitment as well as being a writer for articles in PR media, HR, and reviews on recruitment software for
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Beth is a content curator at Rackspace. She works to spread news and educate about cloud computing around the internet. She enjoys movies, good food and reading.
Rashed has an MSc in Software Engineering and has enjoys guest posting.
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Simon Phillips owns Touch Logic, a company that creates mobile ready website designs and helps business owners to convert their existing website to one that’s accessible from mobile devices.
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Stephen Jeske is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a passion for coffee.
A former partner in a 49-year-old family business, he learned about payroll at a very early age, collecting time cards in the back of his father's factory.
You will now find Stephen frequently writing about personal branding and small business for websites such as
Reputation.com.
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Steward Copper operates a software development project management company.
As a project coordinator and BA, Stewart has worked with many PM tools, BA instruments, and collaboration programs -- including tracker and task management software solutions.
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Teri Lindeberg, President & CEO, Staffwell Russia, founded Staffwell in 2000.
Today, as company President & CEO she manages a staff of 60, drawing on her previous 15 years of experience as an international executive to run one of Russia’s most successful recruitment companies.
Recently Teri published her first book, Making Perfect, a guide to what employees want from their employers.
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Thomas Jones is a business consultant that has a particular interest in specialised corporate business practices and how you work and develop over time.
He also write business guides and article at BestPracticeHub.com
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Thomas "TJ" Jones is a writer and digital marketer who aims to operate his own business.
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Shi Chen is currently a graduate student at the Singapore Human Resource Institute.
He hopes to widen his HR horizons through meaningful engagements with seasoned practitioners and thought leaders.
Do feel free to drop him a note as well as add him on LinkedIn -- stay in touch!
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Yasir Iqbal is an HR enthusiast and likes helping start-ups find the right HR related technology for talent and performance management with workforcegrowth.com.
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