Talk to a human customer service representative.
When cal ing customer service, instead of talking to an automated machine, get faster and more efficient resolution and support by going straight to a real person. If you have an important or urgent complaint, try to check contacthelp.com or gethuman.com if there is a code for the specific company you need to call and bypass the automated systems.
10 Master the art of saying “No.”
Before making any commitments, evaluate your current workload and respect your limits. Learning to say no wil not only free up your time but wil also save you from a lot of stress. Successful people know what they want and have no trouble being decisive, putting their foot down on something and saying no.
11. Learn the art of delegation.
If you are the type of person used to doing everything on your own or you have difficulty of letting go, keep in mind that you do not have enough hours in the day to do and attend to everything. This is a very important value every managers and leaders should learn and accept. Reduce your workload and enhance efficiency by learning to delegate tasks.
12 Study to get training for a specialized skill.
These days, a highly desirable and specialized skil set can propel you from being just an ordinary employee to a more valuable one. Take time to determine what are the most valuable and in demand skil s in your industry and check if it is something that you can learn to acquire during your spare time.
13 Earn a higher qualification or degree.
There are certain job sectors that require having a certain degree, specialized training or certificate in order to qualify you to a higher pay scale. While this route may be financially challenging and time consuming, it can increase your qualifications and make you eligible for promotions or higher designations, which can prove to be a good and rewarding investment in the long run.
Whether it’s an MBA degree or a Six Sigma Black Belt, check out if spending on night classes and seminars can turn out to be feasible investments. There are
also companies that sponsor further education for qualified employees, so take time to discuss this with your company’s Human Resource Department.
14 Consider changing your work hours or telecommuting.
If your employer is unable or unwil ing to give you a salary raise in compensation of the amount of work you do, try to negotiate adjusting your work hours or discuss telecommuting options. However, this may not work for a number of industries but if you can complete most of your work from home, then it’s definitely worth asking. You can also evaluate your work hours and check if working on another shift can help your productivity or open up more time to pursue other money-‐making opportunities.
15 Instead of working as a full-timer, consider becoming a consultant.
If you are constantly working above and beyond the regular 40-‐hour work week, you may want to explore the idea of working as an hourly consultant, if it is more feasible financially. While this may not mean you work any less, this offers you more flexible work hours, thereby allowing you to take on additional clients and earn extra income instead of working full-‐time and not getting overtime pay.
16 Demand a salary raise if you are doing more or contributing significantly.
If you feel you deserve a raise for the amount of profit you are bringing in to your company or you are doing more work than you are originally hired to do, by all means ask for a raise based on your performance. You can time your
request for a raise after a performance review. If you prove to be a great asset to the company, the management won’t mind paying you more to retain your services.
17 Find an efficient way of doing repetitive tasks.
If your work or day to day tasks require you to attend to repetitive tasks on regular basis, instead of spending a significant amount of time completing them, try to figure out how you can automate or streamline the entire process.
There are a lot of online applications and software products online designed to cut down the nitty-‐gritty stuff. Make use of free apps, which can significantly cut down the amount of time to complete a certain task. If you feel it’s time to purchase paid software, bring this up with the management and make sure to come armed with reasons to justify the expense. Overall, these software can help in significantly increasing productivity, accuracy and provide easy access to organized information.
18 Consider changing jobs or making a bold career move.
If you feel your career is facing a dead end and there is no opportunity to transition into a more rewarding and healthier work-‐life balance with your current job, consider exploring better opportunities. Find a new work environment where your experience and skil s are greatly valued. The bottom line here is, if you are overworked and underpaid, it’s time you do something about it.
19 Consider taking on freelance writing jobs.
If you have a flair for writing or possess a solid grasp of good grammar, communication and spelling, you may want to seek opportunities for freelance
writing jobs. You can contribute articles to magazines, newspapers and other local periodicals to earn extra income. Gradually build your portfolio and work your way towards establishing credibility.