Salary Bump vs. Experiences

Someone questioned which are you more interested in, a professional experience or a salary bump? Which would you like now?

Having been unemployed and entrepreneur know about being flat broke. There are times in your career where a salary and a bump can really make a difference in your life. Having enough to pay for the basics and save is absolutely essential. Life without enough is absolutely stress filled.

One concern is the lack of savings and retirement savings. Too many do not have emergency funds and tap retirement funds at great penalty. This will cost your future, and delay your ability to retire.

Too many do not put anywhere near enough into 401Ks, and there is no 100% secure way to turn savings into income. The post pension generation will have issues that the Traditional generation will not feel with their pensions.

For your career experiences (even at a low pay) do pay off in the long run. You need to have experience to move up. Classes alone do not match experience.

For a contrasting thought, Jeffrey J. Fox wrote “Always take the higher money. The more you are paid, the more responsibility and opportunities will be given to you.” In addition he points out all raises are based on percentage of your salary, so a higher starting salary benefits you over your career. See “How to Become CEO”.

We need to manage both our careers and budgets with long term planning. The reasons I live well within my means is to have flexibility to explore options when they arise.

Day by Day Success

Success is built day by day. It does not appear magically overnight. The overnight successes you see on the news come after years of hard work.

What should be on your daily to do list?

•       Care about others
•       Listen & take feedback
•       Work on the important projects
•       Learn something new
•       Be 1% better than yesterday
•       Take Action
•       Repeat often

Build your success today.

Conceptualization The Most Important Skill

 Business (and life) is hard. Conditions are always changing. New customers have new needs and desires. Competition is always getting better and offering lower prices. Keeping your job requires flexibility, intelligence, persistence, quality work and caring. Knowing what needs to be done next is key to your success.

Abstract thinking is called Conceptualization. Defining conceptualization is subject to disagreement by experts and there is no degree in it. Probably because the uses vary depending on need.  Meridian Webster defines conceptualization “to form (an idea, picture, etc.) of something in your mind.” Math is a form of conceptualization.

Seeing what needs to be done next (planning) and problem solving are where you will see conceptualization applied. My usage has been developed through process planning, project management, and new product development. Visualizing 3D plus motion helped my engineering career.

Conceptualization is understanding how pieces fit together in a whole big picture. Then by manipulating the pieces you can optimize or improve the whole. Steve Jobs is famous for his visualization of how the future of technology should work and integrating existing technologies for the benefit of users.

Because the brain both thinks visually and in language, this is hard to teach. Different techniques have been developed to help us organize work for efficiency. Storyboards, Mind mapping, 5S, Lean, WIP boards, spreadsheets and project management all relate to conceptualization. Depending on your profession there are others you can use.

The best way to develop your skills is to apply them to your work. Albert Einstein called Imagination more important than knowledge. Users of conceptualization are found everywhere and often do not have the right degree. Presenting this skill through resumes is often unappreciated.

Yahoo Finance: “This one uberskill will always keep you employed”

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/this-one-uberskill-will-always-keep-you-employed-172655122.html

“the ability to see how the elements of an abstract whole fit together and to identify problems that need to be addressed before others do.”

My Best Work

My best work is when I "Ask the right question".

This implies deeply looking at the issue(s), talking with those involved with different viewpoints and departments, looking at the systems, and understanding potential causes (Thinking Slow & Systems Thinking).

May not have the answer, but asking the right question(s) focuses us on changes that have results.

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices..." William James

What is your best work?