Archive for the ‘Featured education’ Category

Ensure Successful Onboarding

Posted on Apr 2, 2012 04:05:24 PM

Courtesy of o5com‘s photo stream on Flickr

While the process of employee onboarding is meant to help you transition into a new job by making you feel comfortable and “on-board,” it’s also a process that can help you work toward becoming indispensable. In today’s economy, simply getting a job isn’t enough. You also need to have the appropriate tools to remain in employment. The confidence, knowledge and insight you gain during the process of being onboarded, combined with skills you honed during your college years, can help you become an asset your company can’t bear to part with. Utilize these skills and considerations to become an important part of your company’s vision for the future:

• Learn About & Focus on the Mission. The first few days of a new job can be a bit overwhelming. Information on all aspects of your position and the company is presented and, eventually, it can all become a blur. Make a point of learning about and focusing on the company’s mission. This one statement serves as the guidepost for everything the company does. Knowing the mission of the business can help you become a contributing member toward its achievement.
• Capitalize on Guidelines and Responsibilities. During the orientation process you’ll learn about the guidelines for your position as well as the company’s overall operating procedures. You’ll also learn the responsibilities of your job. Capitalize on this information to ensure you’re spending company time and resources in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Whether you’re working alone on a project or as part of a team, being mindful of achieving the goals set for you by the company helps larger goals get accomplished, too.
• Create Relationships. Unless you’re the only employee in the company, relationships are going to become a very important part of your employment. It’s important to be a team player who can work well with others when necessary and remain focused while working alone. The positive, reciprocal relationships you form with coworkers and management go a long way toward making you an indispensable part of the team.
• Get Involved. Many businesses are involved in the community, or they present opportunities for team building amongst employees and management. Get involved in these opportunities as often as you’re able to do so. The connections you make within the company and community add to the value you bring to your employers and customers by giving you insight into who they are, what’s important to them and how you can best meet their needs.
• Make an Effort to Fit In. Going the extra mile is an admirable trait, but if workaholism keeps you separated from the rest of the team, you’ll end up standing out like a sore thumb, and not in a good way. Be wise with your time and work smarter, instead of harder. This will allow you to have an extra few minutes a day to chat with coworkers about non-work topics to help you fit in as “one of the gang.”
• Balance Detailed Focus With Long-Term Vision. When deadlines are approaching it’s important to have tunnel vision on the project. But as you focus on the details of what you’re doing, do so with one eye on the long-term vision of the company. Every project, assignment, customer and product that’s a part of the business you conduct is also a part of the company’s greater mission. When your efforts are in-line with the company’s goals you’ll be viewed as an indispensable part of the business.

The onboarding process at your new job presents you with a prime opportunity to learn what your new place of employment would find to be indispensable in an employee. Apply consistent, high-quality effort toward daily projects while keeping your finger on the pulse of your company’s long-term vision to make yourself a vital part of achieving that vision. The introductory process you go through upon hire provides you with the preliminary tools needed to build and maintain an important presence and contribution within the company.

Yellow Ribbon

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 08:35:19 AM

The yellow ribbon has long been a symbol of support for our troops, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is continuing to use that symbol in a major benefit for the troops—a college assistance program under the GI bill. This addition to the GI Bill covers education expenses for people who have served in the military. This will include the full in-state tuition for a public school; however, it does not always cover the full amount of out-of-state tuition or private school tuition.

The program represents a unique partnership between the federal government and other public and private institutions, all of which provides a great benefit to those who have served our country. Furthermore, many of the individuals who fulfill the necessary criteria to take advantage of the program joined the military in lieu of higher education. The bill will allow individuals to continue educational opportunities that may have not otherwise been available prior to serving.

The Yellow Ribbon program is specifically for veterans of the U.S. military who served after September 11, 2001 and it is designed to pay for some or all of their college expenses not covered by the GI Bill. The program is essentially a partnership between the VA and any college that chooses to participate in the program. Under this program, even if the tuition and fees are more than the amount that the GI Bill provides, the school will pay a percentage of the difference and the government will match that percentage.

There are other good reasons for a military person or veteran to attend a military-friendly college, as well. From a financial standpoint, these colleges are often willing to work with military students to help them pay costs not covered by the GI Bill. Also, since they recognize that moving is part of military life, they may offer in state tuition to a student even after they are transferred to another state. Military-friendly schools will often allow a more flexible class schedule and more online classes or distance learning opportunities.

All of these factors are very beneficial to someone in the military since schedules and locations could change at a moment’s notice. As for the Yellow Ribbon Program itself, the Department of Veteran Affairs has a website which lays out all the details of the program and its eligibility requirements. The site will also explain how to find schools that participate in the program and how to apply. Many of the requirements are very similar to the requirements for the GI Bill.