Farnoosh Torabi's Blog, page 20
February 26, 2014
TODAY: Top Work Mistakes
Even when you think you’re a star employee, you may be making some missteps that could prevent you from really excelling at your job or, in some cases, earning enough. From the way you present yourself at meetings to how negotiate with your boss and engage in conversation with co-workers, corporate consultant and TV personality Mark Jeffries and I joined the Today show this morning for some important take-aways that can help us make smarter decisions – and better progress – at work.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Here’s a rundown of the top mistakes we discussed from our roundtable discussion:
Asking For A Raise At the Wrong Time
Never ask for a promotion or an increase in money on a Monday morning no one is in the right frame of mind to listen. Save it for a Thursday afternoon and you’ll get a much more positive response. And if we get rejected – we make the mistake of accepting a NO as the final word. Instead, when you hear NO let that be your cue to offer up an alternative and negotiate. For example, you may not get the 3 to 5% raise you were seeking, but what else could you ask for in that meeting that could benefit your bottom line or provide more work/life balance? Could you ask to work from home on Fridays? Could you ask for an extra week of paid vacation? Or, what about a 10% raise with the proposal of setting a performance review in 6 months where you may be able to earn the extra 5%? Show some tenacity! Your boss may only feel he or she can say NO so many times.
Failing to Maximize Your 401(k)
401(k) participation is down. A recent study by Mercer finds that US employees who save for retirement through their employers’ 401(k) plans are not planning to save more for retirement in 2014 as compared to last year. And those closest to retirement are decreasing their planned savings by more than 18%, despite increasing concern about health care costs in retirement. But a 401(k) is perhaps the most cost-efficient way to save for retirement when you factor in the pre-tax savings and the potential employer match.
Spreading Negativity
As bad as your journey into work was, or how horrific your weekend turned out to be… Never bring your horrors to the office. When you whine and moan about the trouble you have experienced, you breed negativity and this is never an emotion you want attached to your personal brand.
Leaving the Meeting
One of the biggest errors people make when they attend meetings whether they are senior or junior is to “leave the meeting” simply by how they choose to sit in the chair. Many people make the mistake of showing how bored or disinterested they are by sitting back crossing their arms, staring off into space, sneakily checking their phones etc. If you want to show that you truly mean business, think about how you are sitting. Lean into the meeting, spread your eye contact around like a lighthouse and, even if you say nothing, these actions alone will show that you are an important part of that gathering!
Getting Too Comfortable
As someone who has experienced a layoff in her career, the lesson is you should never be too comfortable with your job security or too presumptuous that you’ll never lose your job. If there’s anything we learned from the economic downturn of 2008, 2009…it’s that there is no such thing as an “essential” employee.” To that end, it’s always important to stay on top of the news in your industry, to continue to grow in your field and network. My first boss shared with me some valuable advice: She told me I should always keep my resume fresh, updated and circulating, at all times!
Mark adds that your network is your number one asset. It is made up of who knows you, knows what you do and knows how good you are at it. They are also your unofficial sales team… They will pick up the phone and recommend you to someone else if you ask them to. This explains why those with the biggest networks always seemed to be the most successful at work! Go to work parties, attend conferences, find ways to keep growing your connections.
February 24, 2014
A Day in the Life of 7 Highly Successful Women
What if we just stopped talking about “having it all” and started focusing simply on being content with our choices as a woman? Whether you choose to focus more on career, family, or relationships at a particular time, the beauty is you have the choice. As these seven women demonstrate, it’s less about “balance” and more about making choices that allow you to feel successful in your career and fulfilled in your personal life — and there’s no one way to do it. For some of these women, it means blurring the lines between their personal and professional lives. For others, it means building regular family activities into the weekly schedule outside of work like daily dinners together and weekly one-on-one time with spouses and each child. For some, sleep is less of a priority. For others, “wind-down time” is actually built into the schedule.
While their lives may seem exceptional, each of the women profiled here have designed lives that work for them. These highly accomplished women — all mothers, wives and mega-successful entrepreneurs — have selected their own paths and are creating their own rules for mastering work, marriage and parenthood.
Check out the full piece on DailyWorth.com to learn from Rosie Pope, Tory Johnson, Michelle Visser Pergament, the CEO of Burt’s Bees Baby and many others.
February 14, 2014
Tony Robbins
“When She Makes More delivers exactly what a female breadwinner today needs: road-tested, effective, and exceptionally pragmatic advice for navigating tough financial terrain while making the move toward a stronger, healthier relationship.”
February 13, 2014
DailyWorth
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February 10, 2014
Amanda Steinberg
“Farnoosh’s intelligence, respect for research, and vibrant prose put the book in an elite class.”
February 6, 2014
ABC World News: Get Paid to Shop
Going to the drugstore to pick up some cold medicine and want earn cash while you’re at it? There’s an app for that.
On tonight’s World News with Diane Sawyer on ABC, I joined reporter Rebecca Jarvis to explore some of the new ways consumers are cashing in while shopping – both in stores and online. Check out the full report here.
February 4, 2014
Financial Optimist or Pessimist?
Is Your Bank Account Half Empty or Half Full?
When it comes to our ability to make healthy and sound financial choices, mindset matters. If you’re an optimist, you’re likely someone who focuses on growth and advancement. You anticipate the best possible outcomes and — according to some experts — that’s how most of us approach life. “Generally, human beings have optimistic biases,” says Tim Pychyl, associate professor of psychology at Carleton University and author of “Solving the Procrastination Puzzle.” “We wear rose colored glasses a lot of the time.”
Pessimists, on the other hand, concentrate on safety and security and tend to expect the worst possible outcomes. While they may consider themselves pragmatic, the outside world gives pessimists a bad wrap for being too negative and no fun. A Debbie Downer, if you will.
So which outlook fares best when making big decisions like whether to buy a home, invest or budget? READ MORE in my latest DailyWorth.com post.
January 29, 2014
Barbara Stanny
Superbly researched, well-written, engagingly fun, I couldn’t put it down.
Tory Johnson
Farnoosh unmasks the challenges female breadwinners face and provides solid solutions for protecting your finances and your relationship.
Barbara Corcoran
An inspiring, optimistic book that equips today’s female breadwinners with smart solutions for overcoming the personal and professional trip wires of our new economic reality.
