Early Career Archives - Hanover Mortgages

January 12, 2022

What Careers Make the Most Money: 75 Jobs for Fuller Pockets

Deciding what career to pursue can be difficult when you donât know where to start or donât have a passion for a particular field yet. However, planning early on and researching things such as potential salary can help you feel eager to get your future started.

Choosing to follow a career field that pays a lot can be a difficult but rewarding process. Whether youâre a recent grad or changing careers, learning more about jobs that can help you live a comfortable life is the first step. In this guide, youâll find out what careers make the most money and what you need to get started.

See Average U.S. Salaries

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The Benefits of a High-Paying Job

Choosing a career that pays well can be very beneficial for your future. If you are looking to start a family, build retirement savings, or travel around the world, finding a high-paying career can get you a step closer to your goals.

Although some people may say that money doesnât bring you happiness, knowing that you have enough money for all your necessities, such as rent, bills, and groceries, can bring you peace of mind. A recent study shows that larger incomes are associated with a greater well-being and a higher level of satisfaction with life overallââ. In addition to that, it can also make you more productive and help you succeed at work.

the benefits of a high-paying career

What Careers Make the Most Money?

If youâre ready to find a career that will bring you financial security and are willing to persevere and work hard, here are the 75 best-paying jobs in the U.S. according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics National Occupational and Wage Estimates:

1. Anesthesiologist

An anesthesiologist is a doctor that administers anesthetics and analgesics before, during, or after surgery. They are critical to surgery procedures since they allow the surgeon and other physicians to complete invasive procedures with no discomfort to the patient. In addition to administering general and regional anesthesia, they also closely monitor the patientâs vitals. Due to the risk involved, anesthesiology can be a stressful but rewarding career to follow.

Average Annual Salary: $271,440
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Internship (one year)
- Residency (three years)
- Obtain a state license

2. Surgeon

Working together with anesthesiologists, surgeons* operate on patients who have suffered from injuries or diseases. Surgeons are also leaders of the surgical team, so they have to make important decisions quickly, sometimes involving life or death. There are many different kinds of surgeons, and you can train to become a general surgeon or have a specialization such as neurology or cardiology. If you plan to become a surgeon, itâs necessary to understand the gravity of the job and have a passion for the STEM field.

Average Annual Salary: $251,650
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Residency (three to seven years)
- Obtain a state license

See the Average Salary for Surgeons

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3. Obstetrician and Gynecologist

From providing reproductive system care to bringing a new life into the world, obstetricians and gynecologists play an important role in womenâs health. They help prevent, diagnose, and treat conditions affecting the female reproductive system. As a gynecologist, you would primarily handle womenâs reproductive health, and as an obstetrician, you would also deal with childbirth in the surgical field.

Average Annual Salary: $239,120
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Residency (four years)
- Pass a written board exam
- Practice (two years)
- Pass an oral board exam

4. Orthodontist

If youâre amazed by how braces can help fix teeth irregularities, a career as an orthodontist may be for you. Orthodontists diagnose, examine, and treat imperfect positioning of teeth and oral cavity anomalies. By prescribing and installing braces, orthodontists help improve not only mouth and teeth function but also the appearance of patientsâ smiles.

Average Annual Salary: $237,990
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Dental school (four years)
- Pass a national board exam
- Residency (two to three years)

5. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

If youâve ever seen yourself as a dentist but you’re also amazed by how surgery procedures can better someone’s life, becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a great option for you. These surgeons are dentists with additional training who perform surgeries on the mouth, jaw, and face. They may also diagnose and treat problems in that area, as well as perform surgery to improve the function and appearance of the patientâs facial structure.

Average Annual Salary: $234,990
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Dental school (three to five years)
- Residency (four to six years)
- Board Certification

6. Physician

Just like surgeons, physicians* diagnose and treat illnesses or injuries and help maintain the patientâs overall health. There are two main types of physicians: doctors of osteopathy, who specialize in preventive medicine and holistic care, and doctors of medicine, who take a more scientific approach to diagnosis and treatment. However, within these types, you could choose to have a specialty such as urology, immunology, or radiology, to name a few.

Average Annual Salary: $218,850
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Internship
- Residency according to specialization (three to eight years)

See the Average Salary for Physicians

7. Psychiatrist

Mental health is as important as physical health, so if youâre fascinated about how the mind works, becoming a psychiatrist* will help you understand the relationship between the mind and body. Psychiatrists diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. They can also prescribe medications and recommend a patient be hospitalized.

Average Annual Salary: $217,100
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Obtain a license
- Certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
- Residency (four years)

See the Average Salary for Psychiatrists

8. Prosthodontists

Prosthodontists specialize in improving the function of your mouth. They diagnose and treat complex issues, as well as design and rehabilitate prostheses for patients who have trouble with their bite, missing teeth, or who want to improve their appearance. If you have a passion for physics, medicine, and have great attention to detail and some artistic skills, prosthodontics may be a great fit for you.

Average Annual Salary: $214,870
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Dental school (four years)
- Post-doctoral residency (three years)
- Obtain a state license

9. Family Medicine Physician

If you donât want to be tied to diagnosing and treating a particular health condition, becoming a family medicine physician can be a good career option. They diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to families of all ages. As primary care providers, they are very versatile and can treat anything from a simple cough to a broken bone.

Average Annual Salary: $214,370
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Family medicine residency (four years)
- Pass board exam

See the Average Salary for Physicians

10. General Internal Medicine Physician

General internal medicine physicians diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and diseases relating to the internal organs. Commonly referred to as general internists, they primarily treat adults and adolescents and are trained to handle a broad spectrum of illnesses. If you enjoyed your anatomy science class in high school, this may be a good career path for you.

Average Annual Salary: $210,960
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Internal medicine residency (three years)
- Obtain board certification

11. Chief Executive

If leadership is your forte and you thrive by helping others achieve their goals, becoming a CEO can help you put your skills into action. At the highest level of management of a company, chief executives decide and formulate company policies according to the guidelines set up by a board of directors. They are not only tied to planning, directing, and coordinating operational activities within the company, but also act as a leader to help the company meet its goals.

Average Annual Salary: $197,840
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (recommended)
- Business and industry experience

12. Dentist

Similar to orthodontists, dentists* also diagnose and treat issues with the mouth, gums, and teeth. Dentists treat more than just cavities â they extract teeth, perform teeth cleaning, and fit dentures. Another benefit of being a dentist is being able to build relationships with patients and see improvement with their teeth over time.

Average Annual Salary: $194,930
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Dental school (four years)
- Pass National Board Dental Examinations

See the Average Salary for Dentists

13. Nurse Anesthetist

Nurse anesthetists* administer anesthesia on patients as well as monitor their vital signs and their recovery. They are registered nurses who specialize in anesthesiology and assist surgeons and physicians to help them complete procedures. If you want to meet patients of all ages and from all walks of life and make them feel secure and calm before surgery, becoming a nurse anesthetist might be just right for you.

Average Annual Salary: $189,190
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Registered nurse licensure
- Experience in critical care (one year)
- Nurse anesthesia program
- Pass the national certification exam

See the Average Salary for Nurse Anesthetists

14. Pilot

Are you an adrenaline junkie with a head for heights? If so, becoming an airline pilot can be a great way to make a living off your passion. Pilots* operate and fly airplanes that transport passengers and cargo. As a pilot, you can fly aircraft regionally, nationally, and internationally or even become a flight instructor. In addition to flying, pilots also make sure the aircraft is functioning properly, checking for malfunctions and needed maintenance, as well as ensuring the weather conditions and routes are safe.

Average Annual Salary: $186,870
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (recommended)
- Military, college, or civilian flight school
- Federal Air Transport certificate
- ATP license (1,000-1,500 hours of flying)
- Pass a medical exam

See the Average Salary for Pilots

15. Pediatrician

If seeing children develop their skills and grow strong sounds fascinating to you, you can be part of their journey as a pediatrician*. Pediatricians diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries and diseases in children from infancy to adulthood. For more specific treatment, they might also refer them to a specialist. Pediatricians tend to love being around children and can also acquire a subspecialty, such as oncology or developmental-behavioral pediatrics.

Average Annual Salary: $184,570
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Medical school (four years)
- Pass a licensure exam
- Residency (three years)
- Obtain American Board of Pediatrics certification

See the Average Salary for Pediatricians

16. Computer and Information Systems Manager

Technology is a big part of our lives these days, and if youâre good with computers and data, you might find a passion for this career. Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct activities in electronic data processing, computer programming, information systems, and systems analysis. They are there to help companies and organizations navigate technology. In addition to supervising workers, they also help install and upgrade systems and protect them from potential threats.

Average Annual Salary: $161,730
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Graduate degree (recommended)
- Industry certifications and experience

17. Architectural and Engineering Manager

From a small coffee shop to a huge skyscraper, do you ever wonder how buildings come to life? As an architectural and engineering manager, you would plan, direct, and coordinate architectural and engineering activities or work on research and development. Some managers work in offices designing and coordinating the creation of buildings that are safe and purposeful. Others may also work in research laboratories and construction sites.

Average Annual Salary: $158,100
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Graduate degree (recommended)
- Industry certifications and experience

18. Natural Science Manager

If science was your favorite subject as a kid and you loved to do experiments, becoming a natural science manager might make your younger self very happy. Natural science managers supervise scientists such as chemists, physicists, and biologists by planning, directing, and coordinating activities in those fields. They may spend their time in labs or in the office coordinating production, testing, and quality control of research projects.

Average Annual Salary: $154,930
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Graduate degree (recommended)
- Experience as a scientist

19. Marketing Manager

Are you a creative person with a love for problem-solving and communicating with others? If so, becoming a marketing manager* might be what youâre looking for. Marketing managers supervise the whole process of creating and implementing marketing campaigns. They determine the demands of products and services and identify potential customers and opportunities. In addition to developing strategies to maximize profits, they also provide help with hiring staff and team-building.

Average Annual Salary: $154,470
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Graduate degree (recommended)
- Industry certifications and experience

20. Petroleum Engineer

Becoming a petroleum engineer* is the right path for you if you want to help provide the world with energy. Petroleum engineers design equipment to help extract oil and gas from the earth and determine the need for new tools and equipment. To do this, they spend a lot of time researching, studying, and analyzing data to find the safest and most cost-effective way to perform the extractions.

Average Annual Salary: $154,330
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Professional engineering license
- Society of Petroleum Engineers certification (recommended)

21. Financial Manager

Financial managers* are responsible for the finances of a company by planning and directing accounting, insurance, securities, banking, and any other financial activities. Their tasks can range from creating financial reports, developing long-term financial goals, and directing investment activities. If you have a love for numbers and have great attention to detail and communication skills, this is the job for you.

Average Annual Salary: $151,510
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Masterâs degree (recommended)
- Obtain some certifications and licensures

See the Average Salary for Financial Managers

22. Podiatrist

If you want to join a critical field and make an impact in people’s lives by relieving their pain, becoming a podiatrist* might be the right step for you. Podiatrists are physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases and deformities of the human foot, ankle, and lower leg. They are able to perform surgeries and transplants, and can also prescribe medications and braces for less complex cases.

Average Annual Salary: $151,110
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Podiatric medical school (four years)
- Residency (three years)
- Pass American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam

See the Average Salary for Podiatrists

23. Lawyer

Representing clients in civil and criminal legal issues and disputes, lawyers can also advise clients on legal transactions and prepare legal documents. As a lawyer, you may work in the private sector for big firms and even small businesses, or work in the public sector for the government as a district attorney or public defender. If you have a passion for helping people and solving conflicts, this might be the right path for you.

Average Annual Salary: $148,910
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (four years)
- Law school (three years)
- Pass a state-specific law exam
- Internship experience

24. Sales Manager

Sales managers* direct an organizationâs sales team by planning, directing, and coordinating the distribution of a product or service. Some duties may include establishing sales territories, setting quotas and goals, analyzing sales statistics, and training sales representatives. If you want to become a sales manager, you have to not only be great at selling but also making strategic decisions and motivating people.

Average Annual Salary: $147,580
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (recommended)
- Masterâs degree (recommended)
- Industry experience and certifications

See the Average Salary for Sales Managers

25. Advertising and Promotion Manager

As an advertising and promotion manager*, you would plan and coordinate advertising programs and policies. They build interest in purchasing products or services from their organization, as well as create marketing materials such as posters, giveaways, brochures, and coupons. If you want to have a job in which you can put your creativity to action, this is the right career for you.

Average Annual Salary: $147,560
Requirements:
- Bachelorâs degree (recommended)
- Masterâs degree (recommended)
- Industry experience and certifications

50 Additional High-Paying Careers

If the careers mentioned above are not a fit for you, there are plenty of other jobs that pay a lot of money. Here are 50 additional careers that make the most money, listed by average annual salary:

Physicist* – $137,700
Compensation and Benefits Manager – $137,160
Astronomer – $136,480
Public Relations and Fundraising Manager* – $135,580
Law Teacher – $134,760
Human Resources Manager* – $134,580
Purchasing Manager* – $132,660
Judge* – $131,850
Computer and Information Research Scientist – $130,890
Air Traffic Controller* – $127,440
Computer Hardware Engineer – $126,140
Training and Development Manager* – $125,920
General and Operations Manager* – $125,740
Pharmacist* – $125,460
Optometrist* – $125,440
Nuclear Engineer – $125,130
Health Specialties Teacher – $124,890
Political Scientist – $124,100
Personal Service Manager – $123,980
Economics Teacher – $123,720
Actuary* – $123,180
Personal Financial Advisor* – $122,490
Aerospace Engineer* – $121,110
Economist* – $120,880
Computer Network Architect – $119,230
Medical and Health Services Manager – $118,800
Industrial Production Manager – $118,190
Sales Engineer* – $117,270
Physician Assistant* – $116,390
Nurse Midwife* – $115,540
Education Administrator* – $115,200
Chemical Engineer* – $114,820
Nurse Practitioner* – $114,510
Art Director* – $114,490
Software Developer* – $114,270
Engineering Teacher – $114,130
Industrial-Organizational Psychologist – $112,690
Mathematician – $112,530
Electronics Engineer* – $112,320
Geoscientist – $112,110
Air Transportation Worker – $111,420
Physical Scientist – $110,100
Veterinarian* – $108,120
Administrative Services and Facilities Manager – $108,120
Information Security Analyst* – $107,580
Business Teacher – $107,270
Construction Manager* – $107,260
Electrical Engineer* – $105,990
Biochemist – $104,810
Microbiologist* – $91,840

Deciding your future is never easy, but planning in advance can not only give you peace of mind but help you achieve your goals faster. If having financial freedom and emotional well-being is a priority to you, having a high-paying job can help you achieve that. Itâs not always easy to do, and having a job with a high salary will be demanding. Now that you went through the list of careers that make the most money, you can feel inspired to begin following your dreams.

How to Land a High-Paying Career

Methodology

In order to find out the top 75 careers that make the most money, we used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics National Occupational and Wage Estimates from May 2020. The average annual salary is the data provided under annual mean age and sorted from highest to lowest. To calculate the average of what Americans spend their yearly salary on, we used the average expenditure per consumer unit research. To achieve the percentages, we added up the income quintiles percentages provided in Table C for each category and divided them by 5, which resulted in the average percentage spend.

*The salaries in Mintâs Salary tool have a different source and might differ from the ones listed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The post What Careers Make the Most Money: 75 Jobs for Fuller Pockets appeared first on MintLife Blog.

Source: mint.intuit.com

January 9, 2022

17 Tips for Getting a Job Out of College

As if adulting wasn’t enough, juggling final exams, project deadlines, and a social life, along with worrying about getting a job out of college, can make the last few months of your senior year feel overwhelming. The good news is you’re not alone.

Many graduates feel like they can’t find a job after college. In fact, 66 percent of them are not very optimistic that theyâll get a job that will fit their career goals. Although searching for jobs after graduation can be stressful, learning how you can prepare for the job market can lift some weight off your shoulders.

If you want to learn how to navigate the job search and dodge common mistakes recent grads make, this guide will help you better prepare for the future. You can also check out the Game of Life After College in our infographic below.

The Current Landscape for Getting a Job After College

Is it hard to get a job after college? There’s not a concrete answer to this, since each person has their own set of skills and experience. However, here are some stats to keep in mind and other pressing questions answered, including what percentage of college students get a job after they graduate and what is the average time to get a job after graduation.

In 2020, the percentage of employed college graduates went down from 76% to 67%.
In August 2021, employment rose by 235,000 in one month.
The unemployment rate went from 14.7% in April 2020 to 5.2 percent in August 2021.
In October 2020, 67.3% of college graduates were employed after they graduated.
It takes an average of three to six months for college graduates to find a job after college.
In March 2021, the unemployment rate for bachelor’s degree holders was 3.7% compared to 6.7% for those only holding a high school diploma.

Reasons People Struggle With Getting a Job Out of College

Finding a job after college can be challenging, especially when learning how to adapt to life after graduating. If you are in the position where you can’t find a job after college, the following reasons might help explain:

Not Being Prepared

Some college graduates will only start preparing for their career after graduation. Although preparation involves some effort, such as taking online courses, finding an internship, or networking, being prepared for the job market is crucial to getting a job after college.

Not Being Proactive

Not being proactive by following up with potential employers and reaching out to your network is also a common reason college graduates might take longer to land a job. Only applying on job boards is a common mistake job seekers make, as they tend to get lost in the pool of applicants.

Not Enough Experience

Having a degree in hand doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a job right after graduation. Most employers consider having internship and work experience one of the top factors for considering a candidate.

Not Making It About the Employer

Another common mistake recent graduates make is focusing on what they want out of a job and not the employerâs needs. Employers want to know what you can provide them with and how your skills align with the position.

Not Doing Enough Research

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you likely won’t be able to find it. Not doing enough research is another struggle graduates face when starting the job search. Researching what’s suitable for you and what career paths to take can help you achieve your career goals faster.

How To Get a Job Right Out of College

Now, with all these stressors against you, you might be wondering, “How do I get a job just out of college?” Even if this won’t be your first job ever, making the most of your college experience and job search process can put you at ease.

1. Get Experience During College

While in college, you’ll have many opportunities to join clubs and organizations, attend events and seminars, and learn new skills. Each of these can help you learn more about yourself and enhance what you have to offer â plus, it looks great on your resume.

Pro tip: If you didn’t have a job during college, use your participation in a club or organization as your job experience.

2. Start Networking

When you’re ready to start your career, you’ll likely hear that networking is very important, and that’s because at least 70 percent of open positions are not advertised. Meeting people within your major and professional organizations can be a great way to start building connections. But don’t limit yourself â even friends, family, and coworkers can be part of your network.

Pro tip: If you haven’t heard back from a job you applied for, ask for help from your network or college alumni who work for that company.

3. Research the Job Market

Just like a research project for a class in college, exploring different job fields can help you narrow down your job search. Learning about what kinds of jobs are in that field, what a typical day looks like, how the job market is, and what requirements are needed can help you understand exactly what to look for and increase your chances of getting hired.

Pro tip: When doing your research, take note of common skills and experience required in the job descriptions, and personalize your resume accordingly.

4. Be Proactive

If you want to find a job right after you graduate, being proactive is the key. Don’t just wait around â apply to different jobs, reach out to people in your network and on LinkedIn, and follow up on any jobs you haven’t heard back from. By showing interest and being proactive, youâll let hiring managers know that youâre ready to put your skills and experience to work.

Pro tip: After applying for a job, send the hiring manager a personal email letting them know you applied and why you believe you’re a good fit for the job.

5. Become a Volunteer

Seeking volunteer opportunities can be a great way to give back to the community while also building your skills and connections. Finding a volunteering activity that you enjoy can also help boost your communication and interpersonal skills, and could potentially lead you to find your future employer.

Pro tip: Join a volunteering club or organization on campus to help the local community.

6. Attend Career Fairs

Career fairs might sound intimidating, but there’s a good chance your future employer is there. Recruiters at career fairs are ready to meet people and want to learn more about you and your experience. This is a great way to develop your interviewing skills as well as learn more about different companies and job opportunities.

Pro tip: Research companies on the career fair list ahead of time, so you can come prepared with specific questions to ask the recruiters.

7. Create a Portfolio Website

Take an extra step and create a personal website to showcase your skills and experience. Even if it’s just a simple website, this is a great opportunity to share your writing, photography, or art, or just to tell your story.

Pro tip: Add your website to your resume and job applications as well as your LinkedIn profile to make you stand out to employers.

8. Land an Internship

Finding an internship can be a great way to test the waters and see what a potential job in that field might look like. As a matter of fact, 55 percent of employers believe having internship experience is one of the top factors for considering candidates. Getting an internship can also help you build connections and could even lead to a full-time position.

Pro tip: Taking an internship position after graduating college can help you sharpen your skills if you didn’t get enough experience during school.

9. Consider a Part-Time Job

Even if itâs not in your field, pursuing a part-time job can also help you build connections and skills. Getting a part-time job on campus can not only allow you to earn some extra bucks to pay your tuition, but it can also help you understand your work style and what kinds of tasks you enjoy doing. Finding a part-time position in your field can also get you a foot in the door, and potentially lead to a full-time position.

Pro tip: Working part-time after college can help you build your work ethic and bring in extra money while applying for full-time positions.

10. Keep Your LinkedIn Updated

A lot of recruiters will take a look at your LinkedIn profile during the hiring process â in fact, 72 percent of them use it for recruiting. Keeping your LinkedIn profile updated with your most recent resume and experience can help show recruiters that youâre open to work.

Pro tip: You can also add an #OpenToWork frame to your profile picture on LinkedIn to let recruiters know you are actively looking.

11. Leverage Career Services

On-campus career centers are one of the best sources for new job opportunities, especially locally. Many employers will leave their information with university career centers, which means theyâre open to hiring graduates from there. On top of giving you career guidance, career centers may also offer resume and networking workshops, mentoring programs, and mock interviews.

Pro tip: You can still visit your campus career center after graduating to get tips and strategies on how you can improve your resume and interview skills.

12. Take Online Courses

If you want to level up your skills aside from what you learn in class, taking online courses can help you get hands-on experience in the field. It can also guide you to figure out if it’s the right career path for you.

Pro tip: There are a variety of open online courses you can take for free on websites such as Coursera, Udemy, and edX.

13. Find a Mentor

There are many benefits of having a mentor, like providing career guidance and constructive criticism. A mentor is someone you trust and look up to, and can be a supervisor, coworker, teacher, or even a friend. Building a relationship with your mentor can also help you strengthen your communication skills and avoid common pitfalls.

Pro tip: If you don’t have someone close to you to become your mentor, many college career centers have mentorship programs that link you to alumni.

14. Create a Routine

The job hunt can seem endless at times, but building a routine can help you keep track of your goals. Schedule times on your calendar for each task, such as searching for jobs, updating your resume and profile, following up with recruiters, taking online courses, and networking. But don’t forget about your health! Schedule mental health breaks, such as working out, taking a walk, watching a movie, or reaching out to a loved one.

Pro tip: Try using time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique and time blocking to help you stay on track.

15. Join Professional Development Groups

Job board websites can feel overwhelming when there are so many job postings. Narrow down your search by finding groups for a specific field or location. These groups can also be a great place to connect with other job seekers who can share career insights.

Pro tip: Facebook and LinkedIn are great places to find groups, such as remote job seekers and city-specific jobs.

16. Level Up Your Resume

Since some job postings tend to get hundreds of applicants, many job seekers are finding ways to stand out from the crowd. One way to do this is by spicing up your resume and making it creative. You can do that by trying different resume layouts, colors, and even adding a fun facts section. Although some would go as far as sending a donut box resume, be mindful of the company you are applying for.

Pro tip: You can create your resume using a template from websites such as Canva. Make sure it’s saved as a PDF so resume-scanning softwares can still read it.

17. Apply on Company Websites

Another way to stand out from the crowd and not get lost in the sea of job applicants is to apply directly on the company’s website instead of only big job boards. Some companies will keep their websites updated with current job openings and actively check for candidates. Applying through their website can make it more personal and show that youâre especially interested in working for them.

Pro tip: If you find a place where you genuinely want to work, it may be worth emailing them even if they don’t have current openings to show you are interested.

Why Your First Job Out of College Matters

Your first job out of college might not be a perfect fit, but it’s still one of the most important. If you happen to be in a position where you realize the job is not what you expected, use it as a learning opportunity.

This is your chance to develop your skills and learn from your mistakes. So dive into your first job like a pro and learn negotiation skills, tackle your time management abilities, connect with others in the industry, and discover your preferred work style. Taking advantage of a not-so-great first job can set you up for career success down the road.

If getting a job out of college is one of your main goals, preparing ahead of time can not only help you stay motivated while job searching, but can also help you land a job faster. By learning what common mistakes youâre struggling with and following the tips in this guide, you can get one step closer to achieving career success. Monster | Psychology Today

The post 17 Tips for Getting a Job Out of College appeared first on MintLife Blog.

Source: mint.intuit.com

November 16, 2021

25 Best Jobs for Introverts To Feel the Most Fulfilled

When navigating which career is right for you, finding something that aligns with your personality is no doubt a fine place to start. But if you fancy yourself as an introvert, you might want to avoid careers involving a lot of social interactions. Thankfully, there are many careers introverted people can excel at while still feeling comfortable.

Studies show that your personality has important effects on early career outcomes. Therefore, success does not depend on your extroversion, but on your ability to put your skills, experiences, and personality to work in your favor. So if you’re an introvert, knowing the best jobs for introverts is the first step to discovering what career suits you best. Keep reading to find out what are some of these jobs or jump to our infographic for some interview tips.

What Is an Introvert?

Introversion and extroversion are popular terms you might’ve seen if you’ve taken a personality test, and most people have some degree of both. Introverted people tend to be more reserved, usually prefer less stimulating environments, and enjoy time alone to recharge. Although not all introverts fit one standard definition, here are some common characteristics of introverts:

Quiet and reserved
Introspective
Feel tired from social interactions
Enjoy being alone
Self-aware
Have a small group of friends
Independent
May experience shyness and social anxiety

Best Jobs for Introverts

What jobs are introverts good at and what are the highest paying jobs for introverts? We gathered data from Mint’s salary tool to discern just that, and to help these quiet but ambitious people find true job satisfaction. Get your resumes ready, introverts!

1. Accountant

If you like working with numbers and having the opportunity to work in almost any industry, becoming an accountant can be the career for you. As a stable and growing job field, accountants prepare and examine financial records and analyze any opportunities or risks. This is a job more often done on your own and with some one-on-one client meetings.

Average Salary: $66,500
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Certified Public Accountant license

2. Actuary

Do you love working with statistics, math, and financial theories? Becoming an actuary can be a great introverted job option. Actuaries determine the financial risks for certain outcomes and help businesses develop policies to minimize those risks. Since most of the work is done from a computer, this is a good career for introverts who like to spend time working on their own.

Average Salary: $113,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Casualty Actuarial Society certification
- Society of Actuaries certification

3. Application Developer

Application developers design, create, and update programs and apps for devices. In this job you’re able to work for different industries and companies, full time or self-employed, and with the possibility of working remotely. If you want to bring ideas to life and help develop applications, this can be the job for you.

Average Salary: $79,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Google Developers Certification (recommended)
- Apple Developers Certification (recommended)
- Industry experience

4. Architect

Spending most of their time working independently, architects plan and design houses, office buildings, and other structures. If you are a creative that loves problem-solving, architecture might be just right for you. This job also won’t require much social interaction, other than meeting with clients and going to construction sites.

Average Salary: $76,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree (recommended)
- Paid internship (three years, generally)
- State license

5. Archivist

People who are especially introverted could find working as an archivist a great opportunity to work mostly on their own. Archivists can work at universities, libraries, and research institutions overseeing and maintaining collections of historical items and artwork.

Average Salary: $49,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Industry experience

6. Artist

With endless mediums to choose from, becoming an artist is a job for all personality types. Whether you want to become a textile artist, a painter, or a sculptor, this is a great career for creative-minded people who want to work at home or in a studio independently.

Average Salary: $32,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree (recommended)
- Industry experience

7. Content Manager

If working with clients to develop content, such as blog posts, videos, and interactives, and building a strategy for them to perform better sounds interesting, becoming a content manager might be the right career for you. Many content managers are able to work remotely as they oversee a company’s content creation and strategy, as well as manage writers.

Average Salary: $54,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree (recommended)
- Content management systems course (recommended)
- SEO course (recommended)
- Industry experience

8. Data Architect

Data architects manage and design data systems, as well as research new opportunities for data acquisition. If you enjoy working with data and technology, this is a challenging and rewarding job that won’t require a lot of social interactions and could be done from home.

Average Salary: $115,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Industry experience and certifications

9. Digital Marketer

One of the many jobs with work from home capability is digital marketing. If you love problem-solving and promoting products and services, becoming a digital marketer might be what you’re looking for. Digital marketers utilize technology to promote content, reach customers, and increase brand awareness.

Average Salary: $57,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Digital marketing course (recommended)
- Google Analytics certification (recommended)
- Industry experience

10. Editor

If you’re a language fanatic and like reading, you might find it fulfilling to become an editor. They work mostly alone with the option to work from home, reading and revising content to be published. Editors can span many media industries, including magazines, book publishing, and even company communications.

Average Salary: $57,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Industry experience

11. Executive Chef

If you’re a foodie at heart and love to please people with your cooking, you might have to look into becoming an executive chef. They manage the kitchen to ensure everything is prepared to the right standards, as well as train the staff and create menus.

Average Salary: $55,000
Requirements:
- Culinary school (recommended)
- Industry experience

12. Graphic Designer

Graphic designers use digital tools to create visuals that communicate ideas. From creating logos to app designs, this is the perfect job for those creative-minded introverts that love technology. Since many graphic design jobs are done from home, this is a very rewarding and flexible profession that’s great for introverted people.

Average Salary: $40,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Adobe Creative Suite courses (recommended)
- Industry experience

13. Information Technology Manager

Information technology managers don’t need to be outgoing as long as they have a passion for technology and problem-solving. This is a fast-growing job, where you would fix software and hardware issues and provide upgrades, as well as work with the security of the company’s information systems.

Average Salary: $85,500
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- IT management certifications (recommended)
- Industry experience

14. Landscape Designer

If you love the outdoors and want to flex your creativity, a career as a landscape designer combines both. They develop landscaping plans for parks and other outdoor spaces with features such as water fountains, ponds, walkways, and gardens.

Average Salary: $50,500
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Industry experience

15. Librarian

If your preferred workplace is a quiet one, becoming a librarian could be just what you’re looking for. Librarians help visitors find and check out books, prepare catalog books and periodicals, and possibly manage the library budget and oversee events.

Average Salary: $48,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Teaching credential (for public school librarians)
- Praxis II Library Media Specialist test (requirement varies by state)

16. Mechanic

If you enjoy working with your hands and fixing things, becoming a mechanic is a job that won’t require much social interaction since a big part of it is spent working on vehicles. Mechanics repair, inspect, and perform maintenance, as well as use tools and technologies to maintain and modify vehicles.

Average Salary: $45,500
Requirements:
- Complete an automotive education program
- Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification

17. Photographer

If you see the world in a creative way and like to capture moments, becoming a photographer is a great flexible job for introverts. With many genres to pick from, such as wedding, portrait, travel, and landscape photography, this job can lead to many different experiences and is a good way to put your creativity to work.

Average Salary: $30,000
Requirements:
- Photography courses
- Industry experience

18. Psychiatrist

If you’re interested in how the mind works and understanding the importance of mental health, becoming a psychiatrist might be right for an introvert. Psychiatrists diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental disorders, as well as prescribe medication and recommend hospitalization in some cases.

Average Salary: $190,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Medical school
- State license
- Certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
- Residency (four years)

19. Research Scientist

If you’re fascinated by science and performing experiments, look into becoming a research scientist. Working in laboratories for the government, environmental organizations, and educational institutions, research scientists perform trials and experiments and can work in many different fields.

Average Salary: $66,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) certification (recommended)
- Industry experience

20. Social Media Manager

If you enjoy creating content for Instagram, Facebook, and other social media but don’t necessarily want to post about yourself, consider becoming a social media manager. They plan and create social media posts and marketing campaigns for clients, as well as analyze social media performance and engage with followers and customers.

Average Salary: $41,500
Requirements:
- Social media experience
- Bachelor’s degree (recommended)
- Internship experience

21. Software Test Engineer

Another great career for techies is to become a software test engineer. They analyze software programs by creating and implementing methods of testing, and recommend improvements. There’s a variety of opportunities for this job since you can work for different companies and even as a contractor.

Average Salary: $70,500
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- ISTQB Foundation Level Certification (recommended)
- Industry experience

22. Therapist

If you love helping people, becoming a therapist may be the path to take. Some common qualities of introverted people include empathy and the ability to listen, which are also characteristics of a good therapist. They listen to their patients’ challenges and help with strategies to improve their lives.

Average Salary: $82,030
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree (recommended)

23. Translator

If you are fluent in more than one language and want to find a job that lets you work from home, a translator might be right for you. This is a flexible job since you would work translating and converting information into another language.

Average Salary: $40,500
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree (recommended)
- Industry experience and training

24. Veterinarian

Although you might have to interact with pet owners often, as a veterinarian you will spend most of your time caring for animals. So if you have a passion for animals and love to see them grow healthy, becoming a veterinarian might be a career that will make you happy and fulfilled.

Average Salary: $91,500
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Experience working with animals
- Certification from an accredited veterinary program
- North American Veterinary Licensing Examination
- State license

25. Writer

Introverts can be great at expressing themselves in writing rather than verbally, which makes becoming a writer a great option. If you have a passion for creating stories, writers have a wide possibility of jobs, such as content writing, copywriting, technical writing, and creative writing, which can be done from the comfort of your home.

Average Salary: $51,000
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Industry experience

What To Look for in a Job as an Introvert

When looking for jobs as an introvert, it’s important to find something that will energize instead of drain you. Although some introverts might enjoy jobs that require a lot of social interaction like sales or customer service, they can often be mentally and even physically draining.

Instead, focus on jobs in which you can be independent and have limited social interactions, such as a graphic designer or a translator. Opting for a remote job can also be a great way to limit draining interactions, since meetings tend to be less frequent and are done virtually. You can also look for freelance job opportunities that let you work independently and at your own pace.

Bottom line: Don’t let your introversion hold you back. An inherent desire to work independently doesn’t mean you can’t become a CEO or take on traditionally extroverted roles. It’s all about finding ways to leverage your introverted qualities in your favor. Once more, that begins with learning about the best jobs for introverts.

Sources: Time | Mind.org

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Source: mint.intuit.com

November 2, 2021

How to Create Your First Budget

Creating a budget can offer you peace of mind and give you more confidence in managing your finances. A basic budget is all you need to take charge of your money—and help achieve more of your financial dreams.

Intro to Budgeting: What is a Budget?

A budget is a financial outline designed to measure and guide your income and expenditures for a certain period of time, such as one month, a quarter, or a year. With an understanding of the budget basics, you can track the amount you’re making compared to what you’re spending and saving.

Why do I want a budget? Consumer.gov says making a budget can help you determine your spending plan and in turn, show you where you should limit your spending and what you can afford to spend more money on.

There are many ways you can maintain a budget — with a spreadsheet, paper and pen, or through a budgeting app.

Whether you’re new to managing your own finances, never learned how to budget, or are tired of living paycheck to paycheck, this post is for you. In our Budgeting 101 guide, we’ll go over some budgeting basics, show you how to create a budget, teach you how to avoid common budget-related mishaps, and ultimately, give you a budget calculator and some budgeting tips to create a budget that’s efficient and functional for your lifestyle.

Need to know how to create a budget ASAP? Read end-to-end for a comprehensive course in Budgeting 101.

How to Create a Budget: 5 Actionable Steps

To plan your budget, you’ll need a few key pieces of information. With these basic components, you’ll have a foundation for your budget that you can tweak as the months go by and as your financial circumstances change. To get you a step closer to your financial goals, let’s go over how to create a budget step-by-step.

1. Calculate your monthly income after taxes

An accurate monthly income is the cornerstone of a successful budget. Without figuring out how much money you actually have in your wallet, it’s pretty hard to allocate funds towards saving, spending, and settling outstanding debts. But calculating your monthly income takes a little bit more effort than glazing over your monthly paychecks.

To find out how much you’re actually earning, you’ll need to do a little bit of simple math—don’t worry, we’ll walk you through the entire way.

Calculating your monthly income as a salaried employee

One of the benefits of being a salaried employee is knowing exactly what to expect on your paycheck—month in and month out—and this pay structure will serve as an added perk when you’re building a monthly budget. To calculate your pre-tax monthly income as a salaried employee, all you need to do is divide your annual salary by 12.

Now that you have your gross monthly income figured out, you’ll need to deduct taxes and other expenses that may dock your pay—such as medical benefits and contributions to an employer-sponsored retirement plan. We’ll show you how to estimate this number in just a moment, but first we’ll go over how hourly employees can calculate monthly income.

Calculating your monthly income as an hourly employee

If you’re an hourly employee, your monthly income isn’t always as consistent as you might like it to be, but with the proper budgeting technique you can definitely nail down a budget that maximizes your monthly income and gets you closer to meeting your greater financial goals. Here’s how to figure your monthly income as an hourly employee:

Let’s take a look at an example:

Keith is an hourly employee who makes $15 an hour working 40 hours per week, making his gross weekly income $600. Keith multiplies this number by 50 to reflect the weeks he plans to work throughout the year (minus his two-week vacation). Then, he divides by 12 and estimates that his gross monthly pay is $2,500.

Remember, this number does not factor in the deductions that may impact his take-home pay, so now he’ll have to subtract these from his gross monthly income to get an accurate picture to build his monthly budget.

Subtract taxes and other deductions from your gross monthly income

To get the most accurate picture of your monthly take-home pay, you’ll need to subtract taxes and other deductions from your income.

Federal Taxes: To find out your federal tax liability each month, refer back to your annual gross income that you calculated before. Then, compare your income to the federal income tax rates to find out what percentage of your income will go toward your federal income taxes. Once you’ve found this number, divide by twelve to estimate your monthly tax liabilities.
State Taxes: Calculating your state income taxes is essentially the same as finding your federal tax liability, but this time, you’ll need to refer to your state’s income tax rates. Multiply your annual income by your tax rate, then divide by twelve to see how much you’ll owe in taxes each month.
Social Security and Medicare Taxes: According to the IRS, the federal withholding rates for FICA are:
-6.2% for Social Security
-1.45% for Medicare
Misc: Depending on your financial situation, you may have other deductions to consider when calculating your monthly take-home pay. Use previous paychecks to help you determine how much money will be withheld to account for 401k contributions, benefits, etc.

2. Identify fixed and variable expenses

Once you have a clear picture of how much money you’re actually working with each month, it’s time to figure out how you’re spending it…or how you should be spending it. There are two main types of expenditures you need to account for as you build your budget: fixed and variable expenses. The difference between the two is that fixed expenses tend to cost you the same amount each month while variable expenses…vary.

Fixed expenses

Your fixed expenses like rent payment, groceries, transportation, and health care costs are likely to absorb a large chunk of your budget, which makes them all the more important to track as the months go by.

To determine how much of your budget is going towards fixed expenses, start by creating a list of your regular expenditures. Here’s a list of common fixed expenses to help you get started:

Rent
Mortgage
Car payments
Student loans

Once you’ve built a complete list, calculate a monthly estimate for each one, so you know how much of your income should be dedicated to it. If you’re not sure how much something costs, review previous bills and credit card statements to see what you’ve spent in the past.

Variable expenses

Whether you belong to a gym, go on a weekly date, or make a purchase on a shopping app, make sure you account for these costs in your budget. As opposed to fixed expenses that stick to relatively the same cost each month, these miscellaneous items may change month over month.

Some examples of variable budget expenses include:

Entertainment
Groceries
Dining out
Gas
Clothing
Dating
Ride-sharing
Utilities

Determining how much you spend on variable living expenses each month can be tricky since it may be rarely consistent, but it’s important to get a close estimate so that you can determine whether you can maintain the same spending habits or if you need to cut back in certain areas. Use your monthly bank statements to help you estimate your variable expenses, and in turn, set limits for each category.

How to factor expenses into your budget

If you’re using one of our free budgeting templates, simply input the values of these fixed expenses into your budgeting spreadsheet to help plan out your financial strategy each month. In the Mint app, you can connect your bank account to easily identify recurring expenses, or enter in your own budget for fixed expenditures.

3. Set savings and debt payoff goals

As you saw in step two, if you have student loans and credit card balances, you’ll want to attribute part of your monthly budget to paying them off. Each month, allocate a certain amount to these monthly payments. The sooner you pay off debts, the less interest you’ll pay overall, and the closer you are to meeting your greater financial goals.

When creating a personal budget, include these types of debts into your planning:

If you’re all caught up on your bills and want to want to stow away funds for retirement or save up for a new car, it’s helpful to establish concrete goals, then break them down into achievable bite-size chunks. Having trouble coming up with realistic, meaningful financial goals? Take a look at these short-term and long-term examples:

Short-term financial goals

Long-term financial goals

Establish a retirement budget to build a retirement account
Pay off your mortgage or student loans
Start your own business

If you’re using the Mint app, you can set up custom goals for your savings in the budgeting section. Simply add a budget, define a dollar amount, and monitor your progress.

4. Record your spending

You know that feeling when you’re checking out at the grocery store, the cashier announces your total, you swipe your card, and by the time you’re loading your grocery bags into your car, you realize you didn’t even register the total amount you paid. It’s a concerning, out of body experience—but we’ve all been there.

This is why tracking your spending is so important. It’s easy to become complacent about the amount of money you’re spending and end up with revolving debt ruling your finances. Depending on the budgeting method you choose—budgeting app, pen and paper, or online budgeting tool—you can pick a way to record your spending that best suits your lifestyle.

Here are a few tips to make expense tracking easier and more efficient:

Ditch the Cash: Stick to card payments if you have trouble keeping tabs on how much money you spend each month. This way, you can refer to your online bank statements to easily monitor your spending.
Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Make it a point to analyze your spending habits on a weekly basis. Collect any receipts or statements you have and check to see if you’re on budget or if you need to reel in your spending for the rest of your budgeting cycle. Budgeting will help monitor your spending so you are able to keep living within your means.
Go Old-School: If you’d rather skip the technology and take a more tactile approach to budgeting, a pen and a checking book will do just fine. Just be sure to make a habit of recording your expenses as soon as you’ve swiped your card.
Try the New-School Way: If you can’t be bothered to whip out a pen and paper each time you check out at the register, automated expense tracking might be a better alternative. Using the Mint app, you can connect your bank account to effortlessly record your spending and monitor transaction trends.

5. Track your budgeting progress, review, and revise

Creating a basic budget is a huge financial victory. It helps you ensure you can cover your expenses and reach for exciting milestones, like buying a house or paying off your student loans. As you continue to budget, make adjustments as you see fit. Your income, expenses or lifestyle might change, and it’s important to ensure your budget keeps working for you and your future.

Set up a budget schedule and make it a point to review your budget on a regular basis—each week, every month, or at least every quarter to see if any major changes, or milestones have taken place. Not only will this help you recognize and celebrate your successes, but it will also encourage you to reevaluate and tailor your strategy as needed.

Budgeting Breakdown for Beginners

Now that you know how to make a budget, it’s time to discuss best practices and budgeting basics to ensure your budget works for your money and your lifestyle.

How to Choose the Budgeting Style That Works for You

Here’s the thing about budgeting. There’s not really a one-size-fits-all approach that works for every individual. Depending on your spending habits, financial goals, lifestyle, and your relationship with money in general, one budgeting tactic might make more sense for you than another. Let’s take a look at a few budgeting methods you can try.

Keep tabs on transactions with the envelope method

The envelope system is a simple budgeting approach that involves spending with cash instead of plastic.

If you budget $100 for eating at restaurants, put that amount into an envelope. When the money’s gone, you have to wait until next month to eat out again.

If you budget $200 for groceries, put $200 in a “grocery” envelope. If you’re at the checkout line and the total comes to $203, you’ll need to put something back.

The envelope method helps you be more strict with your budget. The pockets of cash are a visual and tangible reminder of how much money you’re dedicating to each area of your life.

Follow the 50/30/20 rule

Financial experts recommend the 50/30/20 guideline as a basic financial strategy, especially for young professionals. You can also use the new 50 30 20 budget calculator to help create your new budget.

The rule says that you should allocate a 50%, 30%, and 20% of your income to the following categories:

Essentials: 50%
-Rent/Mortgage
-Utilities
-Debt payments
-Bills
-Groceries
Personal Expenses: 30%
-Entertainment
-Dining out
-Date night
-Shopping for non-essential items
Savings: 20%
–Emergency savings
-Retirement account
-Travel fund
–Rainy day fund

50/30/20 Calculator

50/30/20 Budget Calculator

Here’s how much you have for:

Essentials$0.00

Wants$0.00

Savings$0.00

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Consider a zero-based budget

With the zero-based budget technique, each month begins and ends with zero dollars. When you build out your zero-based budget, every dollar has a purpose. Let’s take a look at a sample budget using the zero-based method. If you make $3,500 every month, attribute each dollar to an expense. You might put $1,750 toward living expenses, $700 toward paying off debt, and $1,050 toward personal expenses like going to the movies or saving for vacation. At the end of the month, your balance is zero, because every dollar is accounted for.

Keep in mind, the zero-base doesn’t mean you’re spending every dollar that you earn, but rather, that each one is allocated to a different category—savings account included!

Selecting a Budgeting Tool That Suits Your Lifestyle

As we mentioned before, the one-size-fits-all methodology is a no-go when it comes to personal budgeting. Your financial situation is completely unique to you whether we’re talking about your income, expenses, or your financial goals, so it only makes sense to tailor your budgeting strategy to your individual preferences.

Here are a few tips to help you find a budgeting tool that makes sense for you:

Read reviews, or ask around: Although money can be considered a taboo topic, that doesn’t mean you need to tip-toe around budgeting techniques in your relationship or with your friends. You probably trust their opinions more than anyone else, after all. See which tools they use and ask what they like and don’t like about their current budgeting method.
Test it out: Before buying into any paid budgeting subscriptions, give the free trial a go. This way, you’ll be able to familiarize yourself with the features and decide if it’s a tool you’d continue using.
Consider compatibility: If you’d like to automate your expense tracking, make sure that the budgeting tool you want to use can be integrated with your bank and credit card issuers.
Use a template or tool tailored to your needs: Depending on your financial circumstances, you may need a simple budget, or one that’s specific to your income and expenses. Or perhaps you’ll need additional functionality like investment capability or the ability to make peer-to-peer transactions. According to a recent survey, 55% of Americans use a full-service banking app. As you select a budgeting tool, consider how you’ll use it and how the tool fits into your lifestyle and financial goals. Our budget templates include the following categories:

Common Budgeting Obstacles and Mistakes

Before you set sail on your journey towards better budgeting, it’s time to talk about some of the obstacles you may encounter on your way. Like most things in life (or the sea in this case), budgeting isn’t always clear-cut—there can be aspects that are difficult or ambiguous. Factoring in random, one-time expenses or calculating a part-time gig can complicate your budget, but trust us, your voyage can (and must) continue! Here are a few tips to ensure you have the most accurate budget—no matter the circumstance.

1. Estimating irregular income

If you’re a freelancer or work a side hustle, you likely have an irregular income that can be hard to predict. In these cases, it’s best to estimate a conservative (low) amount, so you don’t overspend. Review the past 3-6 months of income and watch for any patterns. Can you find an approximate hourly rate or weekly rate for what you bring in? If you’re new to a job, like being a waitress, ask a coworker how much they typically make in tips to help you forecast your monthly tip outs. Above all, do your best to create an income estimate—knowing you can tweak it along the way.

2. Paying for emergency expenses

Unfortunately, accidents and unexpected bills happen to everyone. From car troubles to job loss and medical expenses, emergencies can be expensive and having a backup emergency budget can help cut down expenses. An unexpected bill can throw off our budget, and set you back. If an incident does occur, try to factor the expense into your budget while paying your other bills. For instance, you may want to cut back on dining out for the month, or pick up an extra shift to help you cover a bill. If you can, build an emergency fund into your budget to safeguard your finances against future unexpected situations.

3. Forgetting one-time expenses

Items like annual memberships, vacations, and gifts for family and friends are often forgotten when creating budgets. If you can, set aside a small amount of cash every month for these extra expenses. You can estimate the expected cost for the year and account for them in your monthly budget. For example, if you typically spend $300 on Christmas gifts, set aside an extra $25 every month to account for these added expenditures. By the time December comes, you’ll have the cash available to spend on gifts.

Key Takeaways: Budgeting 101

Creating a budget is really as simple as following these five steps:
- Calculating your take-home pay
- Estimating your expenses
- Setting savings and debt payoff goals
- Recording your spending
- Tracking your progress
To find the right budgeting method and tools for you, consider compatibility, ask around, and try out different options
Avoid budgeting pitfalls by preparing for unexpected circumstances and tailoring your budgeting strategy as needed

Sign up for Mint to help you stick to your budget and goals

Let the Mint app do the heavy lifting for you. It can calculate your income, total your spending by category, and help you conquer your savings goals. Tracking expenses with the app is simple and accessible—no matter where you are.

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Source: mint.intuit.com

August 27, 2021

27 Motivational Career Podcasts for 2021

Whether you’re currently in the process of looking for a job, transitioning into a new career field, or starting your own business to achieve financial freedom, you can gain inspiration from listening to motivational career podcasts. One major perk of podcasts is how convenient and time-efficient they are, since you can listen to them during your lunch break or commute to work.

Feeling stuck in your career and need some inspiration? Skip ahead to the infographic for career podcasts to spark your creativity, gain useful career tips, and boost your motivation.

Career Podcasts for Millennials

Being a young adult in the career field can be intimidating, especially if you’ve just graduated college or trade school. Here are some resourceful career podcasts for millennials to help you navigate the real world.

1. My Millennial Career

In the My Millennial Career podcast, hosts Emily Bowen and Shelley Johnson explore the world of working life. The podcast covers everything from toxic work culture and negotiating a higher pay, to finding jobs as a new grad and acing interviews. This resourceful and educational podcast is a great listen for young professionals trying to navigate the career world.

Recommended Episode: The Secret to a Winning Cover Letter & LinkedIn Profile

2. Advice To My Younger Me

Sara Holtz, the host of Advice To My Younger Me, launched the podcast as a pay-it-forward project to help women and young professionals alike reach their highest potential. In each episode, Sara invites expert guests to discuss topics and provide advice on everything career-related, such as dealing with job loss or networking while working remotely.

Recommended Episode: Becoming the Boss of Your Career

3. The Tim Ferriss Show

As one of the first podcasts to surpass 100 million downloads, The Tim Ferriss Show is without a doubt one of the most popular career and personal development podcasts on the internet. Though Tim covers a wide range of topics in his show, he often shares valuable career and life advice for professionals looking to better themselves. For example, how to cultivate success habits and how to design a better life.

Recommended Episode: Tony Robbins on Morning Routine, Peak Performance, and Mastering Money

4. Millennial Minded

In Millennial Minded, hosts Duncan Lowe and David Blackburn provide listeners with all the information needed to navigate the confusing yet exciting “real world” after college. Each week, Duncan and David sit down with Lee Caraher, the CEO of Millennial Minded, to discuss career topics that most students don’t learn in college, like how to actually land a job.

Recommended Episode: If You’re Interested in Getting the Most Out of Your Job…

5. How I Built This with Guy Raz

How I Built This podcast host Guy Raz talks to influential innovators, entrepreneurs, business owners, and idealists around the world, and dives deep into the story behind the empire or movement they’ve created. Over the years, the podcast has provided listeners with insightful stories behind businesses such as BuzzFeed, Ben & Jerry’s, Airbnb, Bumble, Spanx, and Southwest Airlines. How I Built This is a great source of inspiration for anyone looking to start their own business in the future.

Recommended Episode: Bumble: Whitney Wolfe

6. The GaryVee Audio Experience

The GaryVee Audio Experience podcast is hosted by entrepreneur, CEO, vlogger, and public speaker Gary Vaynerchuk. In this podcast, Gary shares everything about entrepreneurship, finding a career path, and how to become the best version of yourself. Apart from sit-down interviews, Gary also includes keynote speeches on marketing and business. For millennials looking to become an entrepreneur or start an alternative career path, consider listening to this podcast for daily inspiration.

Recommended Episode: The #1 Piece of Advice For Entrepreneurs To Achieve Success

7. Millennial

In the Millennial podcast, host Megan Tan explores the transition between college and work in real time, figuring out how to best navigate this confusing period of life. She discusses topics such as finding meaningful work and the pressure of making a high income. Besides her solo episodes, Megan also interviews her coworkers and friends to provide more perspectives on the experience of maneuvering your 20s after college.

Though this podcast is no longer producing new episodes, there are still gems in the archives to check out.

Recommended Episode: What’s Your Worth?

Motivational Career Change Podcasts

Are you currently job hunting or open to new opportunities? Here are some inspirational career change podcasts to help you manage the transition process.

1. The Job Search Boot Camp Show

In the Job Search Boot Camp Show, hosts Angela Loeb and Jay Markunas talk about career-related topics such as interviewing, salary negotiation, resumes, and much more. If you’re currently in the process of job hunting, give this podcast a listen. You’ll receive practical information and insider tips on how to job search more effectively and finally land that dream job.

Recommended Episode: Ready, Aim, Get Hired!

2. Career Relaunch

Career Relaunch is a motivational career podcast that guides you through the ups and downs of the job transition process. Host Joseph Liu has personally navigated through three major occupational changes in his life, and as a career consultant, he has plenty of experience helping others open a new chapter in their work lives.

Recommended Episode: Handling Setbacks with Aaron Leventhal

3. Happen To Your Career

Happen To Your Career is not just another career advice podcast — it’s a motivational podcast that will inspire you to find meaningful and fulfilling work in your life. It aims to transform your perspective on what it means to thrive at work, and to help you unlearn the misconceptions about having a career.

Recommended Episode: Figuring Out Your Perfect Career Match

4. The Meaning Movement

The Meaning Movement is a motivational podcast where host Dan Cumberland encourages you to explore your life passions and find a career path that excites and motivates you. Through the stories of experts and professionals that Dan invites to the podcast, you will find inspirations that will urge you to venture outside your comfort zone and explore the vast possibilities out there.

Recommended Episode: Let Your Intuition Guide You with Rick Snyder

5. Career Warrior Podcast

In Career Warrior, podcast host Chris Villanueva invites job-hunting experts and industry leaders to give advice on how to land your dream job and become the best professional you can be. In the short 10-to-30-minute episodes, Chris covers a wide range of job-related content, including topics relevant to entry-level job seekers as well as high-level executives. No matter which stage of your career you’re in, you can find helpful and inspiring content in the Career Warrior Podcast.

Recommended Episode: How to Build a Career You Love | Emily Moyer

6. Career Talk

Career Talk uses a humorous and playful approach to empower people to take control of their professional lives. In each 15-minute episode, host Stephanie Dennis discusses popular topics such as how to avoid burnout and salary negotiation. For those who are currently in the process of job hunting, Stephanie also provides helpful advice such as how to sell yourself in an interview.

Recommended Episode: How to Make a Career Change/Shift Without Starting Over

7. Repurpose Your Career

In Repurpose Your Career, host Marc Miller invites special guests and experts to explain their processes of making important life decisions and transitioning to a different career path. Since Marc has personally made over five occupation pivots over the course of his life, he provides valuable information in the podcast about how to create actionable plans and transition smoothly to a better career.

Recommended Episode: How to Create Your Career Story So That It Makes Sense

8. The Holistic Career Change Podcast

The Holistic Career Change Podcast is hosted by Vilma Usaite, a certified career coach helping people make smoother career transitions and find their dream jobs. In this podcast, Vilma not only provides advice on how to overcome hurdles and challenges in the career change process, but also dives deep into personal development-related topics such as discovering your true purpose in life.

Recommended Episode: Stages of Career Change

Inspirational Female Career Podcasts

Learn from influential businesswomen by listening to their stories and journeys to success. Here are seven female career podcasts you can gain inspiration from.

1. The Marie Forleo Podcast

Marie Forleo is an entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author who also hosts a popular podcast that explores everything career, business, and personal development. In this show, Marie and her guests share actionable tips and strategies to help women around the world become the best version of themselves, including valuable advice on growing personal wealth, building a business, overcoming fear, and finding your true passion in life.

Recommended Episode: Want to Start a Business? How to Finally Make It Happen

2. Being Boss

If you’re feeling a bit stuck in your career and need motivation, Being Boss is the motivational podcast you need to cheer you up. In this podcast, host Emily Thompson invites many inspirational female entrepreneurs to share their stories and how they’ve built successful businesses. Through these interviews, you can gain inspiration for your own business ideas and discover new ways to build steady income streams.

Recommended Episode: 7 Habits of a Successful CEO

3. The Classy Career Girl Podcast

Hosted by Anna Runyan, the Classy Career Girl Podcast aims to help ambitious women and entrepreneurs achieve their business goals and do what they love. In this podcast, you can find a variety of training sessions, expert interviews, inspirational stories about entrepreneurship, and plenty of helpful advice. If you’re looking for career tips and inspiration from like-minded female entrepreneurs, this podcast is for you.

Recommended Episode: 3 Phases of Your Career and How to Succeed in Each Phase

4. Not Wonder Woman

Not Wonder Woman is a podcast where hosts Cyran and Mel give tips on how to become a successful businesswoman without needing superpowers. In one episode, Cyran and Mel explore the idea of juggling motherhood and a career, a dilemma many women face today. Through hearing other women’s relatable experiences in entrepreneurship and business, you can gain confidence and the motivation to advance your career.

Recommended Episode: How to Network; for Women Who Hate Networking

5. Side Hustle Pro

Nicaila Matthews Okome, host of Side Hustle Pro, is a side hustler who was eventually able to quit her 9-to-5 job and make a full-time income with her own business. In her podcast, she shares her personal entrepreneurial journey to inspire women like her to start their own side hustles and strive for the same level of success. Nicaila also invites other successful female entrepreneurs to contribute fresh perspectives on career and business topics.

Recommended Episode: No More Excuses, It’s Time to Act on Your Side Hustle Idea

6. The Goal Digger Podcast

Goal Digger adopts a new way of engaging with listeners by offering a live workshop-style podcast where listeners can follow along and actually take action to advance their careers. Podcast host Jenna Kutcher has a passion for encouraging women to chase after their dreams. She often shares actionable tips on how to manage online businesses, achieve financial freedom, and overcome limiting beliefs.

Recommended Episode: A Lesson in Unapologetic Decisions for Empowered Women

7. The Clever Girls Know Podcast

Looking to advance your career and build real financial wealth? The Clever Girls Know Podcast will teach you everything you need to know about leveling up your professional life and personal finances. In many episodes, host Bola Sokunbi interviews women in different fields about how they were able to pay off debt quickly while working a normal full-time job. Through these interviews, you can gain knowledge about ways to overcome financial obstacles and move one step closer to financial freedom.

Recommended Episode: How Losing Her Job Became the Catalyst for an Incredible Business with Marianne Ladapo

Informative Tech Career Podcasts

Planning to start a career in tech? Check out these tech podcasts to stay updated on all the industry news and gain knowledge about what your future job might entail.

1. CodeNewbie

This tech career podcast is suitable for those who are interested in coding and web development but don’t know exactly where to start. CodeNewbie features a variety of tech-related topics, but is mostly centered around interviews with successful coders and tech professionals. In each episode, you get to hear stories about how different experts established their professions in the tech and web development industry.

Recommended Episode: How to Not Let Imposter Syndrome Hold You Back

2. Breaking Into Startups

Breaking Into Startups is an inspirational podcast where each guest on the show shares powerful stories about how they successfully switched careers and broke into the tech industry. Past guests include Alexis Ohanian, Dan Rosensweig, and Gary Vaynerchuk. If you’re looking into switching to a career in tech or upskill in your current career, you can find plenty of inspiration and tactical advice to help you begin this transition.

Recommended Episode: Iris Nevins: Teacher Who Became a Software Engineer at Mailchimp

3. Developer Tea

Developer Tea is hosted by Jonathan Cutrell, who is also the director of engineering at PBS. In this podcast, listeners who are interested in engineering and development can learn about how to improve their technical competency as well as interpersonal skills.

Recommended Episode: 4 Things You Have to Leave Behind as a Beginning Engineer

4. Front End Happy Hour

Interested in working in front-end development? This podcast is for you. Front End Happy Hour features a panel of software engineers from renowned businesses such as Twitch and Netflix. In each episode, panelists explore topics about all things front-end development. If you’re currently in the process of upskilling yourself for a career in this particular field, Front End Happy Hour can be a great educational resource for you.

Recommended Episode: Career Growth – Beers and Careers

5. Ladybug Podcast

In a male-dominated industry like tech, it’s rare to have a woman’s perspective in the podcast space. The Ladybug Podcast is here to change that. Hosts Kelly, Ali, Emma, and Sidney are seasoned software developers who decided to start a podcast to represent women in tech. On the show, they talk about all things software development, including how to start coding and how to land your first developer job.

Recommended Episode: So You’ve Got a Job Offer, Now What?

Podcasts are a great way to absorb new information in accessible, bite-sized chunks, which is perfect for those who have busy schedules. No matter which field or circumstance you’re in, there is a career podcast out there for you. Don’t have a degree but want to achieve financial success? Podcasts such as The Tim Ferris Show and The GaryVee Audio Experience will motivate you to achieve your goals in unconventional and creative ways.

After listening to resourceful career tips and inspirational stories from entrepreneurs and business professionals, begin your own success journey by first learning how to manage money with the Mint app today. Having a stable financial life not only gives you a sense of security but will also make your career and entrepreneurial efforts much less stressful.

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Source: mint.intuit.com

Many things may come to mind when you think of professional development, like a big promotion or a much-deserved raise. However, career success and development should be defined by what you find professionally fulfilling, whether that is climbing the corporate ladder or contributing meaningful work. One way that many experienced professionals achieve career fulfillment is by becoming a mentor.

Mentorship can be considered a form of investing in the workplace. Much like you might invest your income to grow your wealth, you can contribute your time and energy into the growth of both people in the mentorship. If you’re taking on a mentee for the very first time, learn how to be a mentor that makes a difference with these 27 tips.

Feel free to jump down to the infographic for a visual breakdown of common mentoring styles, the benefits of mentorship, top qualities, and ways you can help influence someone’s career.

What Is a Mentor?

A mentor is an individual who provides guidance and advice over an extended period of time to someone with less experience, otherwise known as the mentee. Mentors are supposed to share their expertise and knowledge, answer questions, and help support their mentee’s personal and professional growth.

Benefits of Being a Mentor

The career advantages that mentoring brings mentees are often discussed in popular media, but it’s important to acknowledge that mentors reap many benefits as well. Career advisor Micheal Gilmore said, “Employees who serve as mentors also report greater job satisfaction and greater career success [and] more than half receive salary increases over time.”

Read more about how mentorship has the potential to influence your salary, your ability to climb the corporate ladder, and your journey to personal fulfillment.

1. Increased Salary Potential
Investing your time and effort into mentoring can literally pay off. A longitudinal study by
Sun Microsystems found that those who were mentors were 20 percent more likely to
receive a pay raise than those who weren’t. If you’re looking for ways to help boost your
salary, mentoring might just help you get there.

2. Higher Likelihood of Promotion
Mentoring also correlates with successful career movement. The same study found that the likelihood of mentors being promoted was six times higher than non-mentors. Experiences from mentoring often hone skills that are valued at leadership levels such as motivating and supervising others.

3. Enhanced Personal Fulfillment
Finally, mentorship can offer immense personal satisfaction. For many mentors, personal fulfillment came from the ability to give back and watch mentees grow. Professor of Business Law at the University of Connecticut Robert Bird said, “The greatest benefit to being a mentor is the joy of watching a mentee thrive.”

Quality Mentor Traits

When it comes to what makes a good mentor, it’s helpful to know what traits are valued by mentees. Here is a list of some of the important traits a mentor could have:

Positivity
Integrity
Patience
Honesty
Empathy
Confidence
Leadership
Willingness to help
Openness to ideas
Expertise in their field
Capacity for feedback

Ways To Be a Good Mentor at Work

Mentors shouldn’t just have quality characteristics; they should also be able to demonstrate them. In this section, we’ll explore the three A’s of mentorship: active listening, availability, and analysis. Additionally, learn how to lead by example by following these tips to be a career-changing mentor at work.

1. Ask About Career Goals

At its core, traditional mentorship is about an experienced professional guiding a mentee’s career and personal growth. As such, it should make the needs of the mentee a priority. The best way a mentor can prioritize their mentee’s needs is by simply asking them.

Get to know them and ask questions about their career goals, what they want to improve on, who they’d like to connect with, and how they like to receive feedback. Their answers will help guide your mentorship so you can best support them in their evolution and growth. Help them turn their career goals into specific, measurable objectives to accomplish over time.

2. Adapt Your Mentoring Style

Once you’ve learned all about their goals and preferences, it’s important to adapt your mentoring style to fit their needs. Does your mentee want to take more risks and accelerate their growth? Be the person that will challenge them to get out of their comfort zone or try new things. Or if they’re good at what they do and occasionally need advice, try a more hands-off approach to show them that you trust their direction.

3. Learn About the Types of Mentors

There are many different types of mentors that exist, and your capabilities and experience may mean you’re not the right one for a certain mentee. Check out five common types of mentors below and see which one you might be best at.

The Cheerleader: This type of mentor keeps their mentee motivated to get where they need to go. They boost their mentee’s confidence when they’re discouraged and provide support when they need it. Cheerleaders are great at celebrating successes and picking you up when you lose.
The Companion: Companions are closer to being peer mentors. This mentor style is collaborative and open to giving and receiving feedback. They may even be peer mentors that are at a similar job level.
The Search Engine: If you’re a go-to resource for industry knowledge, you may be a Search Engine. You act as an educator, sharing what you know based on your experience or providing information about current processes or trends.
The Advocate: Your mentee might really value making connections and showcasing their work, and the best type of mentor you could be is an Advocate. These mentors advocate for their mentee’s work ethic and character and leverage their network to open the right doors.
The Master: As the mentor name suggests, Masters are experts at what they do. They can share their mastery with their mentee by teaching them skills and helping them cultivate their own expertise.

4. Be Available for Your Mentee

An important part of a mentorship is the time you invest in your mentee. A good mentor is available when needed and reasonably prioritizes the relationship. Time is valuable, so make sure that with every phone call, meeting, or email, you’re providing adequate attention to your mentee and their growth.

5. Try Out Reverse Mentoring

Reverse mentoring puts a spin on traditional mentoring by having the junior level individual mentor the more senior individual. Although you may have a traditional mentorship, feel free to switch up your strategy for a week or even a month and have your mentee try mentoring you.

Co-Founder and COO of Gainful Eric Wu stated, “You can get a fresh perspective from someone who is just starting out, and they may also have some insight about the future of your industry or see trends you may not have noticed before.” This strategy can foster collaboration between both of you and even drive innovation in your careers.

6. Set Clear Expectations

In order for a mentorship to be successful, clear expectations are necessary. As the mentor, you should outline your boundaries early. If you intend for the mentorship to be strictly professional, let your mentee know. Additionally, allow your mentee to set their own expectations for your relationship and create boundaries as needed.

7. Brainstorm Ideas

Be someone that your mentee can come to with their wildest dreams and ideas. Brainstorm together and act as a sounding board and voice of reason. Not every idea they have will be successful, but it’s important to be a mentor who allows them to think for themselves and doesn’t stifle creativity.

8. Give Constructive Criticism With Kindness

You’ll be expected to give feedback to your mentee on their work, ideas, and growth. It’s important to be honest yet constructive with any feedback you may share. Remember that it’s OK to give criticism — in fact, it’s your responsibility as a mentor. However, try to offer actionable critiques and communicate them with kindness.

9. Make Connections Professionally

Sometimes, you may not be able to offer the advice or experience that your mentee needs. If that is the case, look to your network and make introductions to people who have the relevant expertise. Those connections will help your mentee grow their network and provide other valuable opportunities to propel their growth.

10. Give Help Readily

Professor Alexander Lowry from Gordon College said, “The goal [of mentoring] is altruistic, not Machiavellian. The intent is to pay it forward.” Readily give help to your mentees when they ask for it, and offer guidance with their best career interests in mind. Even though you may benefit from the relationship, your main goal should be to further their career and not necessarily your own.

11. Balance Advice and Autonomy in Decision-Making

When it comes to decision-making, your mentee will look to you for guidance. Feel free to offer your wisdom, but also give them the freedom to make the final decision themselves. This will allow them to operate autonomously in their career but also help them when they need it.

12. Share Your Story

Be willing to share your own journey of personal or professional growth. Let them know about your triumphs and areas that you struggle with professionally. This can help them feel comfortable with you and normalize that there will be both positive and tough experiences. Additionally, sharing your story can be inspirational to someone who hasn’t achieved everything you have yet.

13. Be Empathetic

Empathy is a prized quality in the workplace. In disagreements, it allows us to seek to understand the other person’s perspective, and that insight will influence how you move forward or find common ground. This trait is also helpful when offering constructive criticism or when providing support during difficult times.

14. Challenge Your Mentee To Leave Their Comfort Zone

Mentors are meant to help propel their mentee’s growth. Do this by encouraging them to take risks, no matter how big or small. Push them to try new responsibilities or explore different career paths to expand their horizons and figure out their preferences at work. Not everyone readily steps out of their comfort zone, so make sure to challenge them without pressuring them.

15. Analyze Progress

When it comes to guiding career development, it’s helpful to analyze how far your mentee has progressed. Ideally, you and your mentee will have set specific, measurable objectives to help them level up their career. Once those have been completed, analyze how well you and your mentee met their objectives. If their objectives were completed successfully, you can keep moving forward. If they weren’t, it’s important to dig into why that happened and evaluate how to do better in the future.

16. Seek Out Feedback

Charles McMillan, founder of Stand With Main Street, said, “Mentorship is a mutually beneficial relationship with the mentor and mentee.” Ask your mentee for feedback often and be open to acting on it. This lets your mentee take an active role in shaping your relationship and your communication, and it also gives them the opportunity to practice giving feedback in a professional manner.

17. Learn How To Build on Their Skills

One area that all mentors should help their mentees with is their professional skills. Learn about their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a plan to help them upskill and reach their highest potential. If you have expertise in the skills they want to learn, make sure to teach them what you know. On the flip side, if you don’t have experience with their desired skills, do your best to put them in touch with someone who does or direct them to resources like Udemy or Khan Academy to get started.

18. Practice Patience

As a mentor, you already know that career success doesn’t happen overnight. Professional growth and learning takes time, so remember to practice patience with your mentee. They may not always acquire a new skill quickly or meet their goals right away. Exercise patience and help them stay dedicated throughout the process. After all, growth is as much about the journey as it is the end result.

19. Celebrate Wins

No matter what type of mentor you are, it’s important to celebrate your mentee’s successes in a way that is meaningful to them. Reach out in a tangible way like writing a card, sending flowers, or taking them to a celebration dinner if they appreciate those gestures. If they prefer words of affirmation, take the time to acknowledge a special accomplishment or congratulate them for exemplary performance. Tailor the celebration to them so they feel good about their progress and feel motivated to keep going.

20. Be Mindful of Mental Health

Work-life balance can be an ongoing struggle for professionals, whether you’ve been in the workforce for decades or have just a few years on your resume. Make acknowledging mental health a priority in your mentorship. Share what helps you bring balance to your life and encourage your mentee to regularly engage in activities that matter to them outside of work.

21. Level Up Your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor and identify others’ feelings as well as your own, and use this information to guide your thoughts and actions. This ability is linked to success for individuals in all areas of life and work, so it’s important to continuously improve it. Try leveling up in the following areas of emotional intelligence:

Relationship Management: Work on conflict management, teamwork, and collaboration
Self-Management: Work on emotional self-control, adaptability, and initiative
Self-Awareness: Work on service orientation, empathy, and organizational awareness
Social Awareness: Work on confidence, social awareness, and accurate self-assessment

22. Focus on the Whole Picture

Many professionals seek out mentorship when they need specific improvement in a certain area. For example, if someone is unfamiliar with starting a business, they may use a business mentor to help them write a financial plan.

However, good mentors will focus on the entire picture when it comes to development. Instead of working to only improve your mentee’s weaknesses, make it a priority to also hone their strengths. With your help, their strongest skills may reach a level they wouldn’t have reached on their own.

23. Acknowledge Your Own Mistakes

Sometimes mentors get put on a pedestal and seem like they know everything or can accomplish anything. Break down this facade and acknowledge when you make mistakes. This allows your mentee to learn valuable lessons, and it’s also a demonstration of humility and resilience. As humans, mistakes are bound to happen, but it’s important to highlight for your mentee that how we change and move on from them is what truly matters.

24. Boost Their Confidence

A mentor should always boost the self-esteem of their mentee and never aim to tear them down. Use praise and encouragement to show them that you are confident in them and their abilities. By demonstrating your trust in them, their confidence will rise and help them reach new heights.

25. Hone Your Leadership Capabilities

The process of mentoring someone will help you hone your leadership skills. You’ll work on offering insight and guidance for someone else’s career and take the responsibility that comes along with it.

Always lead by example because your mentee will learn from it and others may even promote you for it. Wesley Exon, founder and CEO of Best Value Schools, shared, “Being a mentor gave me a way to showcase my leadership and coaching abilities [and] this helped me get promoted into a leadership role.”

26. Practice Active Listening

Traditional mentors typically have more life and work experience than their mentees. This means that you may have a lot of wisdom and advice to share, but interactions shouldn’t be one way. Promote a two-way dialogue and practice active listening with your mentee. Give them the opportunity to speak their mind and listen to understand, not just respond. The enhanced quality of your communication will benefit your relationship as a whole.

27. Be a Champion for Their Career Growth

Even if your mentoring type isn’t the Advocate, you should still champion your mentee’s growth throughout their journey. For example, when they need a reference or letter of recommendation, be the one to write them a glowing review that highlights their strengths and abilities. Even when opportunities aren’t present, the best mentors will seek to create those opportunities by making connections and pushing their mentee to keep learning.

Good mentorships are incredibly fulfilling for all people involved, so try investing your time and energy in a mentee. Whether you help them climb the corporate ladder or grow their net worth, you’ll gain an incredible return on investment personally, professionally, and financially.

Sources: Biz New Orleans

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