Sabrina’s Money Matters

Almost two years ago I started looking for work at home. Throughout the last two years I’ve taken a few classes and learned a lot, and the last almost full year has been spent actually blogging and getting this little blog out there. All the while a primary goal has been to work at home. Last weekend I built two websites. One that I can see taking off, once plans start being implemented, as it’s a very marketable plan, and the other for a friend, to further her success as a real estate agent in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

This has caused two things within me. Pride at how far I’ve come and for accomplishing a small goal on the way to a bigger one. Having built those two over the weekend and two previous to it for my employer, I think I have a pretty good grasp of it now, and can do it now to generate a little side income. So while I’ve not made that leap from working outside the home to working at home, I am gaining priceless experience in the legal field, I already type well over 65 words per minute as a transcriptionist. Combining legal experience with speed like I possess could serve to help me to accomplish my goal sooner than later. The money I would save!!!

I dare not think about it longer than a few minutes. Today I was blamed for something I didn’t do, which is always something that can happen at work. But, I didn’t argue, I simply pointed out that I didn’t do that part of the work around the office and left it at that, and even though that person persisted, at the end of the day I go home and none of that matters to me anymore. That might be my primary source of income, but I’m not helpless to it, I have been quietly working in the background and on the weekends to take the middle man out of my income equation.

Make no mistake, I’m a great employee, I do my part, more than my part on a regular basis. The people I work for know I’m a go to girl. They know that when they give me something, they can trust me with it - that’s a priceless ability. Knowing that I am valuable and work hard and can do such a great job for them, spurs me even more to bring my goal to the finish line. I’m disciplined, focused and able - I just don’t have the time to devote my full attention on finding a work at home job. When I make that leap - I don’t want to leap from depending on a job I drive to, to depending on a job I log onto.

Basically, I want to create my own paycheck. So for the past several days, I’ve been trying to decide whether I needed to file a company with the state in which I live. Fortunately I work for an attorney so I sought legal advice on that question. Trying to pick out a company name for several companies I plan to start in the near future. It’s been a whirlwind week. I’ve been very very busy and to top it off, today I hear that my Mavericks are talking about trading one of my favorite players, for a guy who used to play for us.

Jason Kidd is a potential Maverick. This is a big deal for basketball fans, not only in Dallas, but also in New Jersey, where Kidd is coming from - their team is being pieced out! However I definitely think that if this trade stops the Mavericks habit of dancing around the championship and losing it ultimately, that the trade is worth it. I sure am gonna miss “The Blur”.

Some of you may have the privilege to be starting a new job and a new year at the same time, which has to have an affect on your attitude right? Right.

Today I’m bringing back around a post I wrote a while ago about things you should and should not do at a new job. I started a new job in the second week of August and by using this information I’ve given you, I managed to land myself a raise in the first 90 days of employment there! My boss told me that was the first time he’d ever given a raise that quickly.

1. Don’t complain about the work the previous employee did not do, or did not do correctly.

After all there is a reason they are no longer there and you are, it’s not up to you to point out all the little problems that person may or may not have created. You must also realize that other people that you work with might have been attached to the person there before. However that person left is none of your business, and you certainly do not need to step on other peoples’ toes by talking about what could be their friends behind their back. Because that’s how it will be seen.

Before I left my last job, an employee was hired and took the position of a friend and coworker who moved, immediately she was complaining about small little things in her new job. Things that my friend didn’t do wrong, just did differently, this person left an immediate distaste in my mouth. She right away ruled out any trust that I would have in her because she wasted no time in commenting negatively about someone she did not even know.

2. Don’t act like a know-it-all.

Because you don’t know it all, and acting like it only makes people not like you. Recognize that you will need help sometimes and don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t know something. You’ll find that people are more than happy to tell you.

3. Ask a lot of questions!

You want to know your job and do it well right? You have to ask questions in order to do it right, if there are other employees that do the same job, don’t interrupt, but ask them questions when it’s convenient for them so that they don’t get annoyed.

4. Don’t move in!

Don’t bring a bag of crap your third day there and set up house. Bringing personal things should be gradual, not all at once, if your kids are all teenagers, don’t bring baby pictures for your desk all the way up through high school. Exercise a little common sense.

5. Don’t try to be everyone’s best friend, friendships will come naturally.

And don’t be a needy coworker either and expect drinks with the guys/girls by Friday, you’re expecting too much. If you’re a likeable person, they will come to you. Smile a lot.

So, I hope you’ll implement that information and do famously at your new job. Let us know how you’re doing!

As a continuation of Career Week, today we’re going to talk about things in your first week that affect the rest of the time you work with your new employer…

1. Don’t complain about the work the previous employee did not do, or did not do correctly.

After all there is a reason they are no longer there and you are, it’s not up to you to point out all the little problems that person may or may not have created. You must also realize that other people that you work with might have been attached to the person there before. However that person left is none of your business, but you do not need to step on other peoples’ toes by talking about their friends behind their back. Because that’s how it will be seen.

Before I left my last job, an employee was hired and took the position of a friend and coworker who moved, immediately she was complaining about small little things in her new job. Things that my friend didn’t do wrong, just did differently, this person left an immediate distaste in my mouth. She right away ruled out any trust that I would have in her because she wasted no time in commenting negatively about someone she did not even know.

2. Don’t act like a know-it-all.

Because you don’t know it all, and acting like it only makes people not like you. Recognize that you will need help sometimes and don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t know something.

3. Ask a lot of questions!

You want to know your job and do it well right? You have to ask questions in order to do it right, if there are other employees that do the same job, don’t interrupt, but ask them questions when it’s convenient for them so that they don’t get annoyed.

4. Don’t move in!

Don’t bring a bag of crap your third day there and set up house. Bringing personal things should be gradual, not all at once, if your kids are all teenagers, don’t bring baby pictures for your desk all the way up through high school. Exercise a little common sense.

5. Don’t try to be everyone’s best friend, friendships will come naturally.

And don’t be a needy coworker either and expect drinks with the guys/girls by Friday, you’re expecting too much. If you’re a likeable person, they will come to you. Smile a lot.

I’m off to my fourth day at my new job, those of you doing it with me, good luck to you :D!

So the job search is over, YAY! Now you have a new job to go to…this is always a strange time, unless of course you do it frequently.

At this point you should have knowledge of several things for your first day, including a contact persons’ name and number, you should know what the dress code is, and also your job title and duties. By this time, if you’re going to be on a probationary period with this employer, you’ll know it.

This means that the job isn’t “yours” yet. You have the time period they gave you (typically 30 - 90 days) to prove you should be hired beyond the probationary period. A lot of companies are opting to do this now because sometimes you just can’t find out everything in an interview. Legally.

Y’all know what I mean, tardiness problems, bad hygiene, bad attitude, improper dress, chronic illness, laziness….family drama that spills into the workplace…it’s a long list that gets longer everyday because of those sorry people who don’t take their jobs seriously enough to actually earn the money they make.

They give good employees a bad name, like you and me. To be perfectly blunt, this is why personality tests and credit checks are becoming commonplace in the interview process. Bad habits and choices spread across your life, they don’t just affect your home life.

Anyways, when you go to work somewhere new, it’s difficult because you don’t know a soul. Just smile at people as you walk by, that alone can do wonders for other people’s impression as you’re shown around your new workplace. Make sure you keep a pleasant look on your face.

As long as you’re going to be surrounded by other people, working for someone else, you need to be an adult and make the best of it, learn what you can, take opportunities that are available and grow. Corporate America has things to offer, you just have to recognize it. All employers have something to offer beyond just a paycheck.

Part of the first day on a new job is the fear of not being liked, of making a bad impression. How do you combat it? Your smile can disarm even the hardest of arses.

Use it often, make sure it looks good of course, but use it as a tool, don’t be greedy with it, a smile will light up your face and draw people to you. Seriously.

Additionally, don’t ask one person every question you have. If you don’t know where the bathroom is yet, use that as an excuse to introduce yourself to a coworker, “Hi, I’m Sabrina and I’m new here and haven’t been pointed to the bathroom yet, do you mind?” Simple as that, and when it’s lunchtime ask someone where a good restaurant is, or where the cafeteria is, whatever you’re expected to do for lunch, ask another coworker a question, but most importantly smile.

Say thank you and please, and be very agreeable. This trial period isn’t just with your boss, the people around you have a little bit to do with how your co-existence will be, make no mistake, if you’re a snot and your coworkers don’t like you, it will be known and you may not last past your probationary period. Nobody likes an arsehole.

I’m posting this on my first day at a new job too, so I can understand all the things going through your mind, and it’s going to be fine. It’s just another day, another dollar - another window of opportunity is open for you now. See it for what it is, a new, fresh day with opportunity in your path. Who wouldn’t want to be you?