Christmas Cards From Your Accountant

My husband and I go through all our Christmas cards as they arrive and we check them off against our list of those we have already sent cards to and then start a new list. This new list is comprised of cards we have received from people we did not send a card to and now need to reciprocate.  It seems that every year our initial list gets longer. We always have gotten enough to cover everyone in the first mailing and have a few leftover for new acquaintances.  

We started out 38 years ago sending out only about 50 cards from the local drugstore when we were first married.  But, now we are up over 125 and found it to be so much easier to have them printed with whatever we want them to say.  We actually have our signatures printed on the cards also. They look absolutely gorgeous! We even get an extra 25 as a buffer.  Our cards look so nice that many have asked us how we do it and where we get them.  We always freely share the www.GalleryCollection.com website.

Our new accountant was impressed by our card 2 years ago and so we shared the website.  This past holiday, we got a beautiful holiday card from her today with the business information and a very professional imprint with the company name.  Who knows  maybe this year you might be getting Christmas Cards from your accountant too!

Sending Retirement Cards To Employees

After an employee retires, one of the first things you should do is send them a retirement card. The Gallery Collection offers retirement cards perfect for any office.

A favorite is The Gallery Collection’s Retirement Bliss Card. This card oozes relaxation! It harkens to the possibility of the kind of rest—and fun—your former employee could be about to enjoy during their retirement. You could also go for a more generalized Congratulations card and have the inside be more personalized.

It can be hard to know what to say to your employee inside the card, once you have a design selected. On the inside you could use any of The Gallery Collection’s many greetings in case you’re at a loss for words. An example would be M3: “Happy retirement! May the years ahead bring you the best of everything!” There are also 1 -2 lines included at no additional charge where you could write something like:

“FROM ALL OF US AT [YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE]” and have everyone sign the card. You could also have the inside say: “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ______ YEARS OF SERVICE. IT WAS TRULY A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU AND YOU WILL BE MISSED!” this way you can change it depending on which employee it is for.

Is Your Current Career Field Right For You?

I’m sure we all grew up hoping to find our dream job. However, as we approach the “career stage” of our lives, many of us tend to struggle defining exactly what our dream job would be. It’s probably because life and all of its responsibilities bombard us before we can even experience the “I love what I do” feeling. We rush to find a job or career that will make us the income we need to be financially stable and once we find it, we settle. However, we don’t take the initiative to ask ourselves, “Is my job right for me?”

Tough question, isn’t it? You sit at your desk or wherever you perform your daily job duties and think, “am I here because I want to be or because I have to be?” One should find their career purposeful, rewarding and most of all stress free. What’s a job that makes us not want to get up in the morning and take a trip to the clock in station to start the day? What’s a job that loses our attention through unsatisfying workloads and makes us look at the clock every other minute hoping it yells out, “Time to go home”. What’s a job that makes us question whether we want to be here at all? It’s a job that is not for you.

With that being said, is your current career field right for you? If your answer is no, then I cannot help but quote Confucius when I say “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”.

Burning The Midnight Oil? Tips On Handling Long Nights At The Office

First and foremost. Staying hydrated is the most important thing when working long hours. You will feel drastically better if you take sips of water every so often. This will keep you from feeling bloated and full, help you avoid running to the bathroom every 15 minutes, and you won’t feel as light-headed. Staying hydrated means staying focused.

Take breaks. Every so often, get up and walk around. Get some fresh air or a cup of coffee. Chat with a friend for a minute. Take a bathroom break. Even just looking away from your work for a minute (especially if you work on a computer screen) will help you feel less drained. Any small break that is acceptable for your office will do, so long as you are moving. Adjust your posture to avoid feeling stiff and tiring yourself out further for no reason.

Conserve your energy. Do not over-exert yourself if you know you have a long night ahead of you. Pace yourself with your work so you will not burn out. It is better to be a steady worker than to work in one big spurt and then lose your momentum.

Know when to stop. At a certain point you will no longer be productive. You will get tired. You will lose focus. As the night goes on, you will become slower and less accurate. Even if you are not finished with your work, sometimes it’s best just to call it a day and tackle in the morning when you’re feeling fresher.

How to Make New Employees Feel Welcome

We’ve all gone through the horrible experience of being the new kid or new employee. It’s one of the most anxiety filled experiences of anyone’s life. We all know how it felt to be coming into a whole new working environment and not knowing anybody. Here are three simple ways to make a new employee feel welcome without scaring them away.

1. Introduce Yourself to Them
This is the most important step in making the new employee feel welcome. Walk up to them with a warm smile and just introduce yourself. It may seem like something frivolous but a new face with a warm smile can make anyone feel comfortable and safe. It’s a great way to make them feel welcome without creeping them out. A lot of people are really shy and would rather walk around in obscurity than introduce themselves to someone new. Take the initiative and say, “Hello, my name is…” Maybe all it takes is a hello from you to break them out of their shell.

2. Offer Advice on their New Position
This is a key component of the new job jitters. A new employee is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to advice. We all want to show that we know what we’re doing but a little advice can’t hurt. Pull them to the side and offer key tidbits about their position to help them progress. Of course every new employee makes a few mistakes but help them learn from the mistake, figure out how to solve it and avoid making the mistake again. Being that helpful hand goes a long way and can give them the little bit of confidence they need to succeed.

3. Invite Them to Lunch
Everyone knows how it feel being the new kid walking into the cafeteria and not knowing where to sit. So just walk over and invite the new guy to sit and have lunch with you. What harm can it be to have conversation over some sandwiches and soup? No one wants to sit alone in a corner eating their lunch alone, so don’t let that happen. Encourage the new employee to talk to some new people and take the weight of anxiety off their shoulders.

Thanking Our Veterans This Memorial Day

 

There is much confusion about the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have lost their lives while in service to protect our wonderful country. Veteran’s Day is a day to say Thank you to all of those who have served our country. That being said, I do feel that on Memorial Day we should take some time to appreciate those who have done remarkable things to protect preserve our rights as Americans.

One great way to say Thank you to Veterans this Memorial Day is to visit a Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital. Take your time to visit with some of the Veterans and allow them to share their stories. They have experienced interesting things. Thank them for the service.
Another way to say Thank you to a Veteran this Memorial Day is to visit a National Cemetery. You can bring a group of friends and pull weeds and plant flowers. Then pick one special name and find out more about this person. You can write a sincere letter of thanks to his family showing that their loss is appreciated.

Donating to one of the plethora of Veteran’s organization is another way to say Thank You to Veterans this Memorial Day. There are many organization out there that need funding to help get Veterans on their feet again after fighting for our country or help in the healthcare of our Veterans.

Take Memorial Day to thank our Veterans. Sure it has become known as the kick off to summer weekend and a time for barbecues and friends, but the real purpose for this holiday is to recount the sacrifices of our soldiers. Do not let the day go by without appreciating the real meaning behind Memorial Day.

Why Greeting Cards and Marketing Go Hand In Hand

Sending a Greeting Card is a cost effective way to market your company; to let your customers know that you appreciate their business and loyalty. Business relationships are more than just emails and phone calls, people appreciate the thoughtfulness of a genuine Greeting Card that has been personalized and mailed to them. You can be sure when your customer has a need, you will be their go-to company.

When I think of Greeting Cards I think of Birthday Cards and Christmas Cards which are great cards but when it comes to marketing purposes a Thank You Greeting Card can be right up there with the big guys.

Here are some great phrases to write on the inside of the card:

“We appreciate the confidence you have placed in us and we look forward to providing you with the best possible service into the future.”
“Our sincere thanks for your valued business. We appreciate having you as our customer and look forward to serving you again. ”
“Thanks for placing your trust in us.”

Sending a Greeting Card is a smart way to keep one step ahead of the competition and just think, you are getting your name out there with a touch of class.

Any Purpose Cards: A Way To Keep In Touch In And Out Of The Office

Whether it is for business or pleasure, having a box of assorted types of cards on hand can really be a life-saver. On The Gallery Collection’s website there are many boxes of cards to choose from, boasting varieties of greetings and wishes.

Having one of The Gallery Collection’s two all-occasion boxes or the fine art note cards box will give you the most flexibility if you are trying to have a little bit of everything on hand. The fine art note cards are blank on the inside with museum art masterpieces featured on the front. You could easily transform the card into any sentiment you wish, while remaining elegant and sincere.
In the two all-occasion assortment boxes there are 35 cards with 16 different designs and 38 seal-fast envelopes, just in case. The contents for box 1 are as follows: 16 Birthday, 6 Thank You, 2 Anniversary, 2 Get Well, 2 Thinking of You, and 2 Fine Art Note Cards. Box 2 has: 12 Birthday, 6 Thank You, 5 Congratulation, 4 Sympathy, 2 Anniversary, 2 Get Well, 2 Thinking of You, and 2 Fine Art Note Cards. The designs can be viewed online.

Having one of the Gallery Collection’s sturdy assortment boxes nearby, brimming with a selection of quality cards, makes any occasion worth noting. Stress less and send more regards to the people you care about at home or at the office. Your recipients will be impressed with how prepared you are and delighted over their beautiful card!

Office Birthday Party Supply Recommendations

Happy Birthday! I have been selected to lead the Employee Birthday festivities at my company. This is so my thing. I was so excited until I realized all it entails. The first celebration came and I was so unorganized. I spent way too much money from our budget and knew that I could not do this for every person or our fund would be empty halfway through the year.

I wanted to make each birthday personalized and special for each employee without breaking the bank. What I decided to was to select only one or two packages of plates, napkins and cups in a theme that represented the employee. Then I bought in bulk a variety of solid color plates, napkins, cups and flatware. I bought enough to be used for about 4 different birthdays and just stored them away.

I also went to the local dollar store and bought some large plastic serving platters. I just keep reusing them time after time. I also picked up a couple of birthday party banners and other reusable cubicle decorations. To add a special personalized touch, I get a couple of balloons in the party theme.

Guide to Performing an Effective Job Search

Searching for a job can be a stressful activity. How can you be sure you are doing enough to land the job of your dreams? Follow these tips and you are sure to perform an effective job search.

You should start by taking a look inward and ask yourself tough questions about what you are looking for in a new position and what your priorities are. Do you want fulfilling, meaningful work and are less worried about income, perks, and prestige? Are you willing to start at the bottom of a field that is new to you, or do you want to stay in the field you are experienced in and apply for a higher-level position? Do you have a stable position now and thus have time to really look around and be picky, or have you been laid off and are scrambling to find something, anything, quickly? Only once you answer these types of questions can you truly begin your job search.

Once you have established what you are looking for, you can begin to do research on fields, industries, and specific companies. Use websites such as Glassdoor to read reviews about companies from their current and former employees. LinkedIn is a valuable resource not only to research industries and companies but also to search for jobs once you are ready to start looking. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated and is an honest reflection of your knowledge, skills, and experience. Upload a professional photo to your profile, as studies show that profiles with photos are clicked on more consistently when they come up in recruiter searches than those without photos. You can join groups on LinkedIn; the groups are mostly comprised of people in a particular industry or members of professional associations. Joining and following these groups will give you valuable information about fields you may be interested in.

Once you have zeroed in on a field (or if you already have one) you can use LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and other job websites such as Indeed to search for jobs. You can also search the websites of your local and regional newspapers, or even scan the classifieds of the print versions-sometimes people just look online and you never know what you might find in the old-fashioned classifieds.

If there is a company that you are interested in working at, don’t wait to see a job posting for an open position there. Conduct online research to find an email address for the Human Resources department. Or look on a LinkedIn to find people who already work at the company (either in HR or in a department you are interested in) and reach out to them. It may at first sound like pushy or aggressive move but, if done cordially and professionally, will actually reflect very well on you. Companies like to be liked; they want to find people who are interested in working for them and generally will appreciate when you reach out to them to express that interest. HR departments in particular are happy when you can ease some of the financial burden and leg work required in recruitment. Be sure to be specific in your communication with the company; tell them what specifically interests you about their company and how you see yourself as being able to contribute to their continued success. If you don’t receive a response from the company, you could perhaps follow up in a few weeks’ time. However, it is probably better to instead just directly apply to open positions at that point. You want to seem interested, but you don’t want to become an annoyance. Keep following them on LinkedIn and Twitter, and respond favorably to their social media posts. That will keep you in their sights without being obnoxious.

Perhaps the most important job search tip is also the simplest. Once you find a job to apply to, follow the stated application directions! So many otherwise qualified candidates ruin their chances of even getting an interview by not following the directions. If they ask that you upload your resume, don’t email it! If they tell you to put the position number in the subject of an email, please do so. Companies specify these details for a reason; ignoring them will make you stand out for all the wrong reasons.