Is It Time for You To Get an Adult College Education?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Part of moving forward in life is learning. It tends to happen whether we do it consciously or not but those who search out active learning tend to have more opportunities in both their personal lives and in their careers. Adult college education is one of the ways that people are pursuing formal learning. For those who are craving knowledge and are trying to expand their skills adult college education can be a time conscious way to do so.

As adults, our lives can be very busy and finding time for education can be difficult. Sometimes we just have to make time for what is most important though. Many adult college education schools have a variety of times to choose from or they make the classroom hours earlier in the day so that there is still time to go to a job after classes are over. Adult learners may also want to consider taking classes online.

An online adult college education allows you to work on education when it is most convenient for you. Parents may be able to spend a couple hours learning every day after their children go to bed or part-time workers can go online to learn when they are not working. This makes the time issue less concerning and many people do very well taking adult business courses online. The options available online are varied and almost anyone can find something they are interested in or will be beneficial to their career. From administration assistant to software technology to pharmaceutical technology, adults will find that they can upgrade their education at their convenience from home.

An adult college education is easier to get today than it ever had been before. So, is it time for you to consider expanding your knowledge now? Are you ready to formally pursue the many opportunities that are available for learning?

How to Set Up Your Google+ Account for Professional Networking

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Yesterday I talked about Google+ and why it is a great social network for setting up a professional online networking account.  I assume you’re jumping at the bit to get started right?  Of course you are!  Some of you may have already figure this out on your own but others might not have so here’s how you get started.

1. If you don’t already have one, create a gmail email account.  Remember to use a professional name like firstname.lastname@gmail.com.  It is up to you what name you choose but remember that you will be using this email professionally.
2. Once you have done this, log in to your gmail account.
3. In the upper left hand corner on the black bar at the top of your screen you will see yourname+ - click on this and you will be taken to the beginning of the sign up process for Google+.
4. The first screen will encourage you to add people.  If you know people that are using Google+ this is a good time to add them.  Click on Continue.
5. The next screen will encourage you to find people.  Type in the names of people you know that might be using Google+ or even organizations that you are interested in working for.  Click on Continue again.
6. Click continue on the new screen once more.
7. Finally, you get to your profile section.  I encourage you to spend some time working on this.  You can put up something small for now or you can write your entire profile.  It is up to you.  But if you just do something temporary for now I encourage you to come back and fill this in completely.  Click on Finish when you are ready to move forward.

And you are now in Google+!  It wasn’t that hard was it?

I’m not going to ask you to do anything else today but take some time to explore and fill out that profile if you haven’t already.  There’s many ways to use Google+ professionally and we’ll get there soon!  Tomorrow I’m going to explain some of the important sections that you can use in Google+ for promoting yourself professionally.

Why is Google+ a Great Social Network for Promoting Yourself?

You may have heard about Google+ or you might already be using it.  Google+ is the social network that is owned by Google.  Although it is not as big as Facebook or even Twitter yet, it has a lot of potential to become that big and now is the time to get in there and start using it. 

Many of you already use Facebook or Twitter but you may only be using it for fun and personal use.  It is hard to change an personal account over to be more of a professional account.  But that’s a great reason to start fresh with Google+.

Search+

One of the major reasons to use Google+ as a social network for promoting yourself professionally is because of Search+.  Those who have Search+ activated on their Google search get results based on who they are connected with on Google+ before other results.  This is based on the idea that you can get information from those you already know and trust, rather than from random, unknown sources. 

For example, if you are connect with Business Professional A and they search for a term that you frequently post updates about they will find your updates in the search engine.  If you are a medical assistant and you share a relevant link about your search for a job as a medical assistant they will find that in the search results if they are searching for medical assistants that are looking for jobs.  This is just an example but it can work in many ways.

Google Profiles

Google Profiles are another great reason to use Google+. When you have a Google+ account you can create a profile that is as in-depth as you would like it to be.  You can include your education and training, your charities that you are involved in, and professional events that you have attended.  The more in-depth your profile is the better.  Why?

Because Google Profiles are given preference in the search engines.  If you search for me my Google+ Profile shows up on the first page.

Make Connections

Google+ is a great way to make professional connections.  You can have conversations on Google+ that are public or private.  You can share information and ask questions and reach out to people in a way that you might not be able to on other social networks.

So, get set up with Google+ today.  Not sure how to do that?  Then stay tuned because tomorrow I’ll show you how!  And then follow the official Robertson College Google+ account!

10 Ways to Find Things to Tweet if You Use Twitter for Professional Purposes

Image via CrunchBase

Are you using Twitter for professional purposes?  If you’re not you should definitely consider it. Create a Twitter account so that you can connect with local people in your industry.  You can connect with individuals and organizations on Twitter and those connections can turn into one on one meetings that could lead to a job.

But what would you tweet about?

The key is to tweet updates that are relevant to the industry that you want to find a job in.  If you have trained as a medical professional - a health care aide, a medical transcriptionist, a medical assistant or something else related - you should tweet updates that have to do with the health care field.  That will help others find you.

But how do you find that information?  Here’s 10 ways you can find things to tweet on your industry related twitter account:

1. Set up a Google Alert - when you search for something on Google, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and it will give you the option to set up an alert for that topic.  Once it is set up, Google will send you links to relevant material based on those links.  Presto, interesting and relevant links to tweet!
2. Read blogs - there are blogs on every topic you can possibly imagine.  Find blogs that focus on your field of work at AllTop.com and subscribe to them with a feed reader.  This gives you more interesting material to tweet.
3. Ask someone a question - people like to be helpful so ask a question about the field you want to work in.
4. Answer a question - you’re learning about your industry all the time (or you should be) so if you are able to answer a question, go for it.
5. Set up an email informational interview - if you have connected with someone on a smaller level take it to the next level and ask them if you can interview them via email.  This can be especially helpful if you connect with someone that works at a specific company that you would like to work for.
6. Re-tweet someone’s tweet that is interesting, funny, or relevant.
7. Comment on someone’s blog post.
8. Introduce someone to a fellow Twitter follower if you think that they could work together (not everyone you connect with will be potential employers).
9. Share an inspiring quote.
10. Share a picture.

Remember that not all tweets need to be focused on your career.  Let people get to know you a little bit but always have a professional image in mind.  For example, sharing that you’re ready to tear your hair out because your kids won’t go to bed is not appropriate but sharing how much fun you had a charity event is.

Create Better Work/Life Balance - Part 3

goal (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

If you haven’t read part 1 and part 2 of the work/life balance series yet you should read them now.  They got some great tips for getting started.

Today I want to talk to you about some of the smaller things that you can do to create a good work/life balance.  These little things might seem insignificant but they can help you gain satisfaction with your life and your life and your job overall.

Try implementing some of these tips:

• Create a vision or mission statement - knowing where you are going in life can help you keep focused.  It reminds you of where you are going and what you are doing everything for.
• Shut off the television - did you know that people who watch a lot of television are more likely to suffer from depression and are less likely to be motivated?  And think of all that time that gets wasted with no added value!
• Plan for fun - every weekend plan in one activity (at least) that is fun and enjoyable.  This is the perfect time to spend time with family and friends.
• Go to bed earlier and get up earlier - This doesn’t actually add hours to your day but it will seem like it when you are getting things done even before you have breakfast.
• Prioritize - what are the 10 most important things for you to accomplish this year?  Make a list and then copy it out 10 times and tape it or pin it in places around the house that you will notice it.  In your office, on your computer screen, on the fridge, on the mirror in the bathroom; you’ll be reminded constantly of what you are striving to do.
• Put a limit on the time that you spend online - the Internet has a lot of advantages but it can be a real time sucker, too.  How much time have you wasted playing games or just sitting in front of your computer bouncing around from site to site but not really getting anything done?  It happens to everyone.  If you have things that need to get done using the Internet you’ll be much more efficient if you know that your time is limited.
• Visualize - Focused visualization can be a great tool to reaching your goals.  If you can actually imagine yourself doing something or reaching a specific goal you’ll be much more likely to actually get there.  Visualize what is going to happen before you reach your goal, how you’ll deal with different situations, and all the events that will lead up to reaching your goal.  Make it realistic though.  Don’t visualize yourself as being 50 lbs less if that is not likely to happen. Visualize yourself as you are, doing things that you are able to actually do (flying to Balize might help you reach your goal but if it is not something you are financially able to do it won’t fit in your plan). 

Are You on the Right Path for You?

Image by 邪恶的正太 via Flickr

How do you know if you are on the right career path?

How much time have you invested on the career path you are on now?

How do you know if it is time to change career paths?

Can you even change career paths if you are in your 30's? 40's? 50's?

The truth is, I can't answer those questions for you.  Only you can answer them.  But here are a few tips for figuring out if you are on the right career path or if you should be thinking about changing it:

Do you come home in the evening (or morning or whatever time of the day it is when your work day ends) feeling fulfilled or do you feel grateful that another day is over and you're that much closer to pay day?

Is money the only thing that motivates you to go to work or do you have other things that get you excited like challenges,  projects, or the people you get to work with?

Do you have work goals that entice you to work harder or to learn or is your only goal to keep that pay cheque coming in?

Does your job offer you the potential to advance or have you moved up the ladder as high as you can without further education?

Do you feel like you have a work/life balance that is acceptable to you or do you feel like you are constantly struggling to have time for your family or for yourself?

Does your boss listen to your ideas and thoughts or do you feel like you are just another square peg  in a round hole?

You know which answers are the right ones - because only you can decide what is acceptable in your job and what is not.  If you are not getting answers that you want, it might be time to consider a new career path.

And the answer to the last question?  Yes!  You can change career paths any time you like in  your life.  The question is - how important is it to you and what are you willing to do to change that path?

Get Creative with Your Job Search

Did you know that job search doesn't have to be boring?  Think about what you know and love - there is a good chance that you can use that to find a job.

For some time now people have been looking for new and creative ways to get the jobs the want.  Noticed that I said, "the jobs they want" - not just any old job.  There is no reason that you have to be satisfied with just getting a job that will pay the bills.  If you are willing and able to think outside the box you can likely find many ways to get the attention of the company that you want to be hired by.

Take Alec Brownstein as an example.

At 28 years old, he had some very specific job goals and the job he was in was not going to help him reach them.  So he thought about the companies that could help him reach those goals and then he tried to find a new and interested way to get in their view.  And he sure did.

He ran a Google Ads campaign (those ads that you see BEFORE all the other search results came up) to target high profile people in specific companies.  Really, we all Google ourselves (admit it - you've done it right?) and when these high profile people Googled themselves they found a personal message from Alec that invited them to visit his site because he wanted to work for them.

Check out this video and see the results:




Should you do the same thing?

You could, but why not come up with something original?  Research the company you want to work with.  Find out who you need to get the attention of to get hired. Find out what they do in their spare time if you can.  Maybe there is a sporting event that they always go to or a charity that they are passionate about.  Find a hook.

You can do it - just think creatively!

Create Better Work/Life Balance - Part 2

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yesterday I wrote about work/life balance and some of the things that you can do to make sure that you’re not just living to work.  It is important - both to your family and friends and for your emotional health - to have a life that is not focused purely on work.

Yesterday was just the beginning though. There are so many other things you can do to create a better work/life balance in your life!

Get Rid of Time and Energy Sucking Activities

Think about the things that you do each day and consider the value that they are adding to your life.  Many people spend time doing things that don’t make them happy and don’t make their relationships better but they do them out of habit or boredom. 

One of the things you can do is create a time budget.  Just like when you create a money budget, the first thing you need to know is where you are spending your time.  Exactly what are you doing every day?  Start keeping a time journal and do it for at least a week.  Write down everything you do/did and how long you spent doing it.  At the end of a week, go back and look at how you spent your time.  For each activity, ask yourself how it benefited you.  Did it add value to your life in any way?  Do you need to spend that much time on that activity for it to provide value?

Get rid of the time and energy suckers!

Some of the things you might want to get rid of include:

• Time spent on the phone listening to the neighborhood gossip
• Time spent on the Internet
• Time spent watching television
• Time spent chatting after work in the office
• Time spent running errands

Find creative ways to take those out of your time budget so you have more time for things you actually enjoy doing with people you like!

The truth is that it is easy to get caught up in time and energy sucking activities because they don’t require us to use our brain.  They are generally pretty much thoughtless activities but they don’t help us in any way or they don’t add to our life.  They just kill time!

Many of these things we do out of habit or we do them because we’ve never really thought about not doing them.  It is just habit to let the neighborhood gossip tell us about what she just heard and it is mildly entertaining so we don’t try to stop her.  Watching television is an easy way to pass the time at night. 

The good news is that with some effort you can get rid of these things.  And once you’re no longer doing them you will be thrilled to find that you suddenly have time to do arts and crafts with your kids or you have time to go to the park after dinner or you might even have time to go on a date with your spouse!

Create Better Work/Life Balance - Part 1

English: Gentaur schedule (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 One of the biggest challenges that many people encounter is finding balance between their work and their life.  Remember that your work isn’t your life.  I’ve seen too many people turn their work into their life and then when they retire they don’t know what to do with themselves because they haven’t given themselves the luxury of living.  Create a work/life balance now and consider it an investment in your future.

Schedule Fun Time

Most people have a schedule for work.  It might be a schedule that their employer has given them or it could be a schedule that they have created themselves.  Sometimes that schedule includes working at home, too.  Whatever your work schedule is, don’t forget to schedule time for you and your family and friends.  When your fun time is scheduled, you’ll have something to look forward to and you’ll designate importance to it so you’ll be more likely to stick to it.

Scheduling helps you be more productive in both your work life and in your personal life.  When you forget about making time for fun and for personal activities, you may neglect them and when you neglect the personal, the people in your life will feel neglected.  So schedule time to spend with your children, you spouse, and your friends. 

Don’t Let Errands be Time Suckers

Have you ever had one of those days (or maybe weeks!) where it seems like all your time is being sucked away by errands?  They can be real time suckers.  They aren’t major activities but they can take up a lot of time if they are randomly completed and but they are the kinds of things you have to do.

How can you prevent them from being time suckers? You might consider outsourcing them - yes, having someone else do them.  Hire someone to mow the lawn, have groceries delivered, order stamps online.  These things do cost money but consider the exchange - a little money in exchange for time that you can spend with your children or spouse! 

You can also try to schedule errands for one set time and then plan them out so that you spend as little time as possible doing them.  If your doctor’s office is only two blocks from the dry cleaners make sure you do those two errands at the same time instead of hours apart.  Try to set up your errand running so that you are travelling the minimum distance between tasks.

Another possible solution is to share errands with friends.  Try to get a group of friends together that all use the same dry cleaner or the same pharmacy.  Meet once a week (or start a Facebook group for it) and figure out who has what errands to run during the week and arrange for people to do similar tasks at the same time.  That means less running around for everyone.

Online Education in Canada is a Great Option for Single Parents

E-learning short courses (Photo credit: London College of Fashion short courses)

Our economy has changed a lot in Canada over the past year or two and that means that people have found that they often need to upgrade their education. But not everyone, like single parents for instance, has the time to dedicate to a full-time college degree. Online education can be a great option for single parents though. With the many advantages that online education has to offer, single parents may find that they can find time to pursue their educational goals.

One of the most alluring features of online education in Canada is the time factor. Let's face it – single parents often find that their time is quite limited to start with. Since there is only one parent in the home that one parent must earn the money and then come home and be the cook, chauffeur, entertainer, homework helper, and more. There's not much time for anything else and quitting the job to go back to school is not usually an option. An online education can be completed where ever the time exists though. If you can put in an hour of work everyday after the children have been put to bed you'll be well on your way to a solid education in the field of your choice. Or, you may be able to find several hours of time that you can work on weekends. But where you find the time is up to you, not the educational program.

Single parents will also find that online courses allow them more overall time to complete their studies. Rather than going to classes every day at a certain time, those who are enrolled have more time to complete assignments and finish their education. A six month diploma course may be completed over two years, for example, and that gives you time to do it at your own pace.

The ability to work from the place that is most convenient is often very attractive for single parents, as well. Anyone with Internet access can work from home and retrieve all of the materials they need with their computer. If you have a laptop with wireless Internet you really can work on your online education from almost anywhere. Take your studies to the coffee shop or the park. Bring your work with you if you go out of town or work on your studies while taking your lunch at work. Online education makes it easy to continue living your life and give your education the attention it deserves.

There are many options for online education in Canada and there are many different fields that you can enter. Get a diploma administration, the medical field, the legal field, or something to do with computers. With the many options that are open to you there's no reason not to pursue your dreams!

Adult Education Degrees - What to Look For

education (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

If you have decide to upgrade your education and have begun looking at adult education degree programs you  might get intimidated or confused by the many options that are available out there.  Most cities have a lot of choices and it can be hard to determine which the right program is for you.

Time Slots Offered

One of the things that is going to be important to you is the times slots that are offered for classes.  Are you only able to go during the day or are the evening classes available?  Are there weekend classes, too?  Will you be able to take any of your courses online? The more variety that is offered the more choices you will have and the more the course can be suited to your lifestyle.

There are many reasons you should consider the time slots that are available when you are looking at upgrading your education.  You might have to continue working while you are going to school and if you have a traditional 9-5 job you will have to find a school that offers courses on the evenings and weekends.  Taking classes online should be considered as well.

Location of Adult Education Degree Programs

For some people, location is a major consideration.  If you do not have a vehicle you will need to find a school that has easy access to bus routes.  If you are continuing to work while you go to school it might be beneficial to choose a school that is near your work or near your home so that you can save time on travel.  If you have to spend a good portion of your day travelling, that means you have that much less time to study.  By minimizing your travel time you will have more time to study and to spend with family and friends.

Also, if you are travelling to and from school by car, you will need to find available parking.  If you have to pay a lot to park your vehicle while you are in classes, this can add to your cost of going to school.  If the school is close to bus routes, this can cut down on your transportation costs.  Also, travelling by car will cost you in gas money, so the less you have to drive the more money you will be able to put towards your education or other important things.

Your needs can vary when you are looking at the options of adult education degree programs.  Before you choose a school, you should sit down and write down a list of all the things that are important to you.  Rate them from most important to least important.  You may include things like time and location but there might be other things that come into play as well. You might want to include cost, campus facilities, availability of job search counsellors or advisors, how long it takes to complete your degree, or child care options.  What one person considers important may not be important to another and each school is going to be a little bit different.

Canadian Online College | 5 Success Tips

Key skill assessment: communication (Photo credit: howard_riches)

You will need to put in some hard work over the next year.  Online college classes are no easier than going to a bricks and mortar college.  In fact, they have some new challenges that you will need to meet and overcome.

Individual Learning is Challenging

One of the most challenging parts of going to an online college is that you will need to be responsible for your own learning.  You will not have an instructor monitoring your progress every single day.  You will have to keep track of assignments and organize your time so that you are able to get enough studying in to do well in your courses.  You will need to make sure you have time to study for tests and you will have to do it all while still living your everyday life.  That might mean being the head of a household or working a full-time job or even just finding time to spend with friends.

Success Tips for Those Enrolled in a Canadian College Online

Here are 5 tips you can put to use from the beginning of your course to ensure that you are success at your online college career:

1. Be optimistic.  Studies have found that optimistic people have more success in whatever they choose to do that those who look on the downside of things.  You need to believe that you can do well.  You need to have faith in your abilities.  Take some time daily to review your successes (both academic and otherwise) to remind yourself that you can do a good job as a college student.  If you have a hard time coming up with things you have been successful at, ask other people.  Others can often see the things you are good at before you can.  You might want to tape a list of your successes on your bulletin board if you have an office where you study or on the inside of your binder where you keep all your notes.
2. Concentrate.  When it is time to get down to work make sure that you give yourself a place to work where you can concentrate.  Environment is important.  If you are studying from your bed you are less likely to focus than if you are sitting at a desk or at least upright in a chair.  Televisions, radios, and the noise of children can be distracting so try to find a place where you can eliminate those noises.  If you are working online, keep windows with distractions like Facebook or chat applets closed.  If you have a hard time resisting them, there are add ons and extensions for every browser that will force you to close them for certain time periods.  These can be very handy for those who are active online.
3. Learn to schedule your time and stick to it.  Scheduling time to study can be one of the biggest favors you can do for yourself when you have a lot to do.  If you are working or have a family or have any other kinds of time commitments you can schedule time for everything you need to get done.  When it is time to study, be consistent.  Be ready to tell people when you are busy at that time and stick to it.  Our brains like it when we do the same things at the same time of each day so try to keep your study time regular.  Figure out when your brain is most active as that will be the best time to retain information.
4. Watch out for the procrastination monster!  Once we start procrastinating on doing something it gets easier and easier to push it to the back of our minds.  Never assume that you can do your studying later in the day or tomorrow because you never know what will be happening then.  Stick to your plan as much as possible.
5. Take advantage of times that you have access to an instructor.  Most of the time, when you are taking a Canadian college online course, you have pre-defined times when the instructor is available for one on one conversations or you may have online webinar style classes where you can have conversations with your teacher and your classmates.  Prepare questions as you study and have them ready when these instructor-available times happen so that you can have important questions answered.

Advance Your Career With an Online Degree

E-learning short courses (Photo credit: London College of Fashion short courses)

If you want to make advances in your career one of the best ways that you can do that is by learning new skills and adding to your education.  One of the easiest ways to do this is with an online degree.  Your employer will consider you even more valuable if you improve your credentials and doing that through online learning is one of the fastest ways to do that.  You don’t have to quit your job or take time off from work because all of your learning can take place online and in your own time.  There are possibilities for online learning and getting new degrees in almost every field imaginable.

How Does Online Learning Work?

Online learning makes it easy for students and instructors to connect to go through course work.  Assignments are submitted online and students can ask questions via email and forums.  Sometimes there is a live weekly lecture and other times students will attend lectures on their own through a recorded presentation.  All of this can be done on the computer so students have no need to leave their home.  They can even attend classes and do work while sitting in a coffee shop if they like.  This makes it easier to fit learning into your daily life.

How Can Online Learning Programs be Financed?

Employers will often assist employees by encouraging them in their continuous learning efforts.  They may offer them paid time off or they may reimburse them for the costs of the program.  Talking to your employer about education benefits should be your first step.  It is a win-win situation for both parties.  You gain the education you need to advance and the company gains employees that are able to move forward in the company so that they do not have to look outside of the company for advanced positions.

You should also consult with the financial department of the school that you are thinking about attending.  They will be able to advise you on funding options for the program that you want to take.  Not every program and not every region will have the same options so speaking to a financial advisor at the school will get you pointed in the right direction.

What are the Challenges of Online Learning?

Online learning is an easy way to advance your career but it comes with its own set of challenges.  One of the most challenging things for online learners is the fact that there is no one-on-one contact with classmates and instructors.  Some people like the personal contact they make when they are taking a course.  But you can work around that by taking advantage of free chat rooms and video conferences like Google+ Hangouts where you can talk and see each other in real time.  These are great for study groups as you can have conversation that leads to ideas and better understanding with your peers.

How to Find Out What Employers are Learning About You Online

Image via CrunchBase

A couple days ago I talked about being careful about what you do online because more and more employers are using the Internet to find out what potential employees are really like.  If you took that seriously you might be wondering what potential employers can see about you.  If you haven't you should be thinking about that.

It is easy to see what potential employers can see about you with Google.  There are many different ways that you can search for information though so you should use several different means to search for yourself.

Here are some of the ways you can search for yourself online:

• Search for your first and last name in quotes: "John Smith"
• Search for your full name, including your middle name, in quotes: "John Malcom Smith"
• Search for your last name first, comma, then your first name, in quotes: "Smith, John"
• Search for your last name first, comma, then your first name and your second name, in quotes: "Smith, John Malcom"
• Search for your email address: john.smith@email.com
• Search for your phone number: 555-555-5555
• Search for your street address, in quotes: "555 Street Name Blvd"

Now what if you do find out that a web site has published information about you that you don't want to be public info?

First, you can contact them and ask them to remove the content.  Not all web sites are easy to find contact info for though so if you can't find a contact form or they don't have an email address easily findable, look them up at WhoIs.net - just put their web site into the search box and it should give you all their information you need about who owns that domain, including an email address.

If they refuse to remove the content or you are not getting a response from there WiredSafety.org can often mediate for you and help you out.

Make a Difference as a Medical Office Assistant

Image via Wikipedia

Sometimes people forget how important the job of a medical office assistant is. The medical office assistant is the one that is responsible for keeping the office running smoothly and making sure that bills are paid and that insurance companies pay their portion of the medical bills. Without this important person in the office it would be very difficult for the doctor to do his or her job.

It is also the medical office assistant that people have first and last contact with so they can have a major impact on the experience of the patient. The patient can leave the office feeling better because of the attitude of the medical office assistant.

If you are willing to learn how to handle financial matters, keep the books, and be a positive person for patients to have their first contact with, the job of medical office assistant might be for you.

Some of the tasks of the medical office assistant include:

• Answering phones.
• Setting up appointments.
• Handling patients questions.
• Maintaining patient records.
• Ordering office supplies.
• Dictation.
• Writing reports.

Because these tasks are so important in the daily running of a medical office, there is a high demand for people that are skilled in these areas and have the proper training. In order to become a medical office assistant you must first have a high school diploma. Then, you must take a course at an accredited college. In your college course you will learn to handle all the technical aspects of running a doctor’s office and how to handle patients.

Robertson College is offering a 36 week program in Winnipeg and Brandon, for those who wish to become a medical office assistant. In Winnipeg, the next medical office assistant course starts on June 20th. Not near those cities? You can also take the course through our online college, iRobertson.

How to Use Less Sick Days

Image by hitthatswitch via Flickr

While our employers do give us sick days for a reason, it goes without saying that people who use less of their sick days get rewarded. Sometimes it is with monetary pay (you can sometimes collect on your unused sick days by adding them to your vacation time or by receiving a money amount at the end of the year) and sometimes it is less tangible. It may be that if you use less sick days you are more likely to be considered for a promotion. You may get first choice of the new desks that have come in. There are many less obvious ways that using less sick days can be rewarding.

So, how can you ensure that you use less sick days? It’s not by coming in to work whenever you are sick (Pandemic flu anyone?). Instead it is by taking care of your physical and emotional health.

First, let’s consider physical health. There are three things you can do to make sure you are healthy. Get enough sleep, eat properly, and exercise. Studies have found that people who ride their bikes to work or walk to work are healthier overall and yes, take less sick days. Getting enough exercise boosts your immune system and helps you feel better emotionally as well. Eating properly gives you more energy and your body will have the strength it needs to fight off minor illnesses. And sleep? There have been more studies that you can imagine about sleep and the end result is that sleep affects all facets of you life, including your physical health. So, get enough sleep at night (6-9 hours is the norm but it depends on the individual), find time to exercise at least 3 times a week, and eat mostly healthy food.

Second, you need to take care of your emotional health as well. Overall happiness with your life is related to your general health. Make sure that you do things you love in your non-work time. Go biking, read good books, take long baths, paint your toenails – do things that genuinely make you smile. Surround yourself with people that make you feel good. If there are people in your life that make you feel bad because of their negative attitude then talk to them about it or slowly phase them out so that they have less influence on your emotional health. Finally, find happiness in your job (and if you absolutely can not it might be time to start looking for another job!). If you’re genuinely happy with your job you’re less likely to get physically sick, believe it or not!

So, if you want to be healthier and have less need to take sick days, take care of yourself both emotionally and physically. Having the need for less sick days is just one of the things that may be holding you up from that promotion!

Want to Work for Yourself? Develop These Skills Now!

Image by Intersection Consulting via Flickr

Many people are going back to school with the intention of upgrading their education for the purpose of starting a business.  With our economy and the availability of jobs on the market place, many people think that going into business for themselves is a better bet than having to compete with all the people that are out there looking for jobs.

For some people that is a great choice and upgrading your education can be very helpful.

But before you make the decision to go into business for yourself you should consider the skills that you currently have and the skills that you will have to develop in order to be successful.

1. You need to have a great network.  Part of being in business for yourself means that you alone will be responsible for finding information when you need it, getting new people to come into your business, and associating yourself with pre-existing businesses that have a good reputation.  All of those things can be done with things like advertising and other resources, but you will do much better if you already have a pre-existing network in your field.  Spend some time going to networking events in your industry, meeting people that can help you, and talking to everyone you know about your business idea.  Build up your network as much as possible before you get the business loans and open shop.  Of course, you should continually be building on your network after you start your business, too.
2. Motivation.  Without self-motivation your business will eventually fail.  This in not negotiable and this is not a something you can learn.  You need to constantly be motivated when you have to work those extra hours (as you will with a new business) and have to do things that you are not used to doing.  You will need to have motivation when you are tired from working on a project late into the night but still have to get up early and get back to business.  Without motivation, you will not be able to get your business off the ground.
3. Good time management skills.  When you first start a business you are usually the only one that is available to do the work.  You may have some employees, but that does not necessarily make it easier.  In fact, it will likely make it more difficult because you will have to manage them, as well.  Time management skills make the difference between getting the job done and having happy customers and not getting the job done and having customers that are only too happy to tell others that you were not able to complete the task on time.  

Resolution to Succeed

English: Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. Latviešu: Abrahams Linkolns, sešpadsmitais ASV prezidents. Српски / Srpski: Абрахам Линколн, шеснаести председник Сједињених Америчких Држава. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Always bear in mindthat your own resolution to succeedis more important than any other one thing."- Abraham LincolnThat Abe was a smart man. Why? What did he mean by that?

Well, what he means is that if you have your mind set on success and that is your foremost thought, you're likely to overcome any obstacles that come across our path. If you plan to have a great day, you're more likely to have a great day. So how can administrative assistants have the resolution needed to be successful at their jobs?

1. Visulalize. They say that visualizing every possible outcome - the good and the not so good - is a great way to plan ahead. If you know how you are going to handle certain situations you won't be so worried about it when it happens. You'll be prepared and you'll be able to handle it more efficiently. If you know the possibilities, you can think of different ways of dealing with them.

2. Have a good attitude. Come to work with a smile on your face thinking about all the good things that can happen that day. Believe that you will be quick and efficient and that work will get done. Believe that people will treat you well and you will treat them well in return. As a result, people will pick up on your positive vibes.

3. Plan for success. If you plan for success it is more likely to come your way.

They say that attitude is everything and "they" are right (funny how we are never sure who "they is!). Those who start the day with a postive attitude seem to be...more. They get more done, they smile more, people are nice to them more often.

So, wake up tomorrow, tell yourself what a great day you are going to have, and make a resolution to succeed!

An Online Education in Canada

E-learning short courses (Photo credit: London College of Fashion short courses)

Many people are opting for a Canada online education instead of attending a traditional bricks and mortar college but is this really a viable option? What does it mean to get your education online? Will employers take you seriously? Let's look a little closer at Canada online education and see what it really has to offer.

First, you should understand that online education can be obtained from schools that specialize in delivering course materials online only and through universities and colleges that also have a physical location. Is one better than the other? Do some research online and see what you can learn about the institution that is offering the course.

Now, what kind of Canada online education can you get? There are many fields to choose from and you can get a degree or a diploma or you can even take certificate courses. You can take business management, health care courses, web design, arts courses, science courses, and so many more. The choice is really quite endless and with the variety of online courses that are available there is no excuse to not take advantage of online education opportunities.

Canada online education has many benefits as well. People who are upgrading their education but cannot afford to quit their day jobs can learn at home when they are not working. Those with families do not have to make a choice between being with their family and going to school. If time is an issue, you can take one course at a time so that you only dedicate as much time as you have to spare. There are many benefits to getting your education online and it could be the answer to your education needs.

In this time of economic instability, people realize that education is a necessity and they understand that in order to progress in their careers that they need to upgrade. It can be intimidating to think about going to a traditional college though because most traditional colleges are not set up to be accessible to people who have jobs and families and regular expenses. A Canada online education is a real option for people who have full lives and are busy. It allows you to get your education or to upgrade your education without interfering with your family lives or your current job.

So, is a Canada online education a viable option? Yes! It will allow you to get the education that you deserve and continue your life. It will help you move forward in your career and employers will value it as much as a traditional college education.

"You Can't Ask Me That!"

Cover of Ask Me (Neal Porter Books)

Image via Wikipedia

The interview process is hard enough without having to deal with illegal interview questions but the truth is that some employers just don't realize that there are certain questions that they cannot ask.  There are some questions that are literally illegal that you do not have to answer.

These questions cover:

• Nationality
• Gender
• Race
• Religion
• Disability
• Age
• Marital status
• Children and pregnancy

But, if you are asked a question regarding one of these areas, you can't just say, "You can't ask me that!" because that won't get you the job.

What can you do?  You can try to determine the reasoning behind the question.  Find out what they really want to know.  Often times, when they ask one of these questions they really just want to know if you are capable of doing the job and if there is anything that will prevent you from doing the job.  They may be concerned about how long you are going to hang around, too.

Instead of saying, "You can't ask me that!" try to assure them that you are old enough to work or that you plan on working for many more years or that you have the skills to do the job.  

If they press the question, you can tell them that you don't believe your age/marital status/nationality/etc. will affect your ability to do the job.  Follow up by giving them an example of how you have done this job or a similar job in the past.

Why Should You Attend Professional Events?

English: Business card case enclosure (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever been to a professional event? A workshop?   A seminar?  An awards ceremony?  If  you haven’t it is time you did.  Why?

Because meeting people, talking, and giving someone a face and a personality to connect to your name is one of the best ways to make yourself memorable.

If you’ve had training in verbal communications (and if you’ve trained as an administrative assistant you should have some training) the best way to put your training to use is to get out there and talk to people.  Talk, ask questions, express your opinions, agree or disagree with people.  How are they reacting to you?  Are they running for the hills after five minutes or are they gathering around you?  Are they laughing when they are supposed to or are they rolling their eyes at badly expressed jokes?  Professional events give you a great opportunity to improve your verbal communications skills.  Even if you don’t have a job where you are expected to have great verbal skills, you will be very glad you worked on them when you leave your evaluation meeting with a healthy raise or a promotion!

Another good reason to attend professional events is to become more comfortable around managers, CEO’s and other company leaders.  I don’t mean you should be sitting around telling dirty jokes with them but you should be able to look unphased when you converse with them.  Most of us find the people that are at the top of the ladder to be at least a little bit unnerving but you can learn to avoid showing that.  Learn to control that nervous hair twisting.  Learn to speak to that scary boss while looking him in the eye, not looking at his tie or his ears.  When those who lead the company see that you are comfortable around them, they will forget that you are not one of them and that can open many doors to you.

Professional events give you many opportunities to get your name known.  When you make live conections with people they will be more likely to remember your name if there is a face connected to it.  They will be even more likely to remember your name if there is a conversation connected to it.  Even better – make sure you have business cards and use them.  People tend to collect business cards and keep them in their wallets.  How can they contact you if they don’t have your contact info?

If you have never attended a professional event, start looking for ones that are relevant to your job or to your industry.  Check out a couple of them.  See if they have an effect on your career.