Success after dropping out of college can be achieved through a variety of means. Due to their in-demand knowledge and expertise, some people who don’t attend college or community college can succeed in life. Others could have a better chance of success because they can pick up new abilities rapidly and seize opportunities when they present themselves.

So, if you’ve been debating whether to enter the workforce right away or take some time to cruise as a student, take into account these justifications for why you do not need a traditional bachelor’s degree to earn well.

You may learn seven different reasons why an MBA, Ph.D., or BBA is not crucial to becoming successful:

1. College does not provide practical training.

You must look for mentors and role models who can show you the ropes because of this. You’ll be well ahead of the game if you can locate someone willing to mentor you. If you can’t locate a mentor, there are tons of resources online and in libraries that you may use. You can learn what you need to know about the actual world with a little work. If you are an undergraduate and you have some skills to show you can achieve success.

Your preparation for the outside world will not be sufficient after graduation. The real world requires many abilities that you won’t learn in college or community college. It’s not the same as doing them, even though you can study these things in college. And, let’s face it, most college students don’t have the resources—either in terms of time or money—to devote to studying these topics.

 2. High-paying jobs don’t require college degrees.

There are various good-paying jobs without the degree available. There are many high-paying jobs available without a degree. In certain professions, a college bachelor’s degree may provide you with an advantage, but it’s not always required.

You may learn a lot of well-paying occupations on the job or via vocational training. The following are a few instances of well-paying employment that don’t require a college bachelor degree:

Commercial Pilot

The median yearly compensation for a commercial pilot is $78,770, and career prospects are promising. High school graduation and a commercial pilot’s license from the Federal Aviation Administration are requirements for becoming a commercial pilot. You can obtain this license by finishing an approved flying training course.

Construction Manager

Construction project managers oversee work from start to finish. They recruit contractors, plan and schedule work, and ensure projects are finished on schedule and within budget. Construction managers make an average of $91,370 per year, and the employment market is strong.

3. Be your own boss without a degree.

While having a college bachelor’s degree increases your chances of becoming wealthy and finding a job in the future, there are plenty of entrepreneurs who defied expectations and succeeded anyhow.

You won’t develop the skills necessary to succeed as your boss in college. Yes, there are many fundamental talents you can learn to help you in your endeavours, but entrepreneurship is a personality attribute, not a skill that can be learned.

 4. Online education elevates you to the status of an expert.

There are numerous courses available on the internet that will provide you with all the knowledge you need in a short amount of time and allow you to put that knowledge to use by having you complete tasks. You can become a graphic designer, SEO expert, or SMO expert by using the internet. All you require for success in your career is determination and consistency.

 5. Student debt may destroy their aspirations.

If earning a bachelor’s degree or doctorate will leave you deeply in debt with no way out, you shouldn’t pursue it. The figures on student loans are dismal, with over 44.2 million Americans in debt.

The average monthly student loan payment for borrowers between the ages of 20 and 30 is $351, and the default rate is 11.2%, according to information from Student Loan Hero.

Consider what would occur if you missed that loan installment. With $351, you could start your own company or invest in your education to build the sort of job and revenue stream you choose.

 6. Your degree might not be useful. As soon as you graduate

Although it is risky, I’m not absolutely against the college community or any college. You devote a lot of time and money to earning a degree that could or might not be out of date when you’re ready to utilize it. Technology, business methods, and fashions change swiftly. When you spend four years lagging behind your textbooks, it’s difficult to stay up with emerging trends.

 7. You can’t learn grit in college.

Textbooks and test-taking do not teach grit. It is acquired through experience in the real world overcoming obstacles and figuring out how to make things work. You may develop grit on your own by starting a business, becoming a freelancer, finding finance for your venture, or even working remotely while traveling.

In the end, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree or an MBA degree to succeed and earn a lot of money. A bachelor’s degree may help develop your talents and establish new contacts, but it is not necessary to become a leader in your field. If you are an undergraduate you can still achieve Success in life and the product of hard labor, and it may be attained without formal certifications in the field.  

Extra knowledge and some extra skills will eventually help you in your future so if you want you can pursue these colleges as well Dartmouth, Ivy colleges, brown university, and Columbia university or you can find some colleges by searching “colleges near me” on the search engine.

You create opportunities in life to hone your abilities, develop your talents, learn about and investigate various fields of study, and nurture experiences. 

Why You Don’t Need A College Degree To Be Successful is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

As brick-and-mortar establishments have become less popular as places to
conduct business, the online market has increased. In the online world, there are
various available things you can do. Those who have always wanted to start
their own business can finally do so. 

Creating your company is easier when you have lower startup costs and use
social media to sell your firm. Make this choice appealing to a wide range of
people, even those over 50. In the USA, many women over 50 are starting
enterprises because they are eager to learn new skills and adapt more quickly
than their male counterparts. How can you create an online business if you’re
above 50 and retired?

Recognize your strengths over-50 entrepreneurs have
various options:

Consider affiliate marketing, stock trading, or drop shipping. Many people want
to be consultants. Consider your qualities, skills, and hobbies if you’re going to
be an entrepreneur.
Starting a business beyond 50 does take time and work. Fun makes business
more accessible. Women have a learning advantage at this age, so try something
new and start a business. Make sure your business aligns with your passions.
You’ll be proud to show off your thriving web business after 50.

Determine the initial costs accurately

Online businesses have lower initial costs than traditional ones, but you’ll still
need money. An online business after 50 requires a website subscription.
Websites cost $10 to $50 per month, depending on your provider.
Social media ads need $5-$10 every day. Other costs must be considered. Your
tools and systems are crucial. The right method or application can save hours of
work and follow-up. Calculate startup costs with tools and systems.

Internet businesses don’t need a storefront, employees, or capital investments
like machinery and equipment. If you’re over 50 and considering an online
business, you may know how much to take from your retirement account! Your
internet business investment depends on how much you’ve saved for retirement
and spent on food and transportation.
When uncertain, use the 4% rule. This amount will keep your savings account
healthy. $500,000 can support a $20,000 business venture, allowing you to live
comfortably.

Create a marketing strategy

Marketing is an important part of starting an online business. Start with a
business plan. Starting a company requires a business strategy. In your business
plan, describe how you’ll get new consumers, provide goods and services, and
advertise—needed funds.
Social media and sponsored ads offer the best marketing ROI. As your company
grows, you will also be able to increase your daily ad budget to $50 to reach a
broader audience.

These user-friendly solutions are easy to master. If you don’t use technology,
you can hire specialists. Fiverr and Freelancer offer $5-per-task help. As you
grow, your online marketing strategy changes. Adjust your plan every year.

Bottom Line

It is possible to start an online business after 50, especially for women. There
are so many fantastic online opportunities available rights now, so don’t miss
out! Because of this, the online market is expanding and becoming more
diverse.
It would help if you had a straightforward concept, a solid business strategy,
and some initial funding to get started. Hopefully, you’ll be one of the many
successful entrepreneurs above the age of 50 shortly.

How to start an online business at 50? is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Are you still considering what career path to take? If so, a finance-related career could be the best option for you. If you can develop your skills and start working in this sector, the sky really is the limit.

Below are some good reasons why you should consider a finance-related career.

You Have More Career Opportunities

People who graduate with a finance-related qualification have a wide range of roles to choose from. The latest courses such as the online master of science in finance course from universities like Northeastern University will give you the knowledge you need to eventually work in a wide range of sectors, including non-profit organizations, healthcare, insurance, and many other business areas.

Thanks to the various modules included in a course like an online finance masters degree, you can work in different roles too, such as a financial planner, financial risk manager, director of finance, investment banker, or a wide range of financial consultant positions.

You Will Have a Better Lifestyle

When you work in finance, many more opportunities will come your way. A large number of finance-related roles come with a large salary and generous benefits, which means you can achieve much more in your life and have a much better lifestyle than many people who work in other industries.

You Can Work Anywhere

You are not tied down to one place either because your services will probably be required all around the world. This gives you the opportunity to have a lucrative career, but it also allows you to live in amazing places anywhere in the world. The latest advances in internet technologies and mobile technologies also make it much easier to work anywhere, whether it’s in your own home office or at some exotic location, thousands of miles from home.

You Can Take Control of Your Future

Unfortunately, many people live their lives on other people’s terms and never reach their full potential. This is definitely not the case when you work in the financial sector. Your skills and experience will be in demand, so you can decide who you work with and under what conditions.

The fact that you work in finance also means you understand money and how it works, much better than someone who works in another type of job. This knowledge is invaluable because you can make much more informed financial decisions, such as what investments to choose, what insurance policies to take out, and what pension to pay into for your retirement.

Your Services Will Always Be Required

Money is the driving force behind every organization and the number of different financial roles available continues to increase. This means your services will always be required in one form or another. Knowing this will give you much more peace of mind because there is a certain amount of job security available, that does not always exist in other jobs and industries.

There are many great reasons why you should consider a career in finance. Those mentioned above are just some of the main reasons why this career path should be seriously considered by anyone wondering what career they would like to pursue.

Why You Should Consider a Finance-Related Career is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

1 You are in Charge

Becoming your own boss and being in charge sounds great, doesn’t it? But what does being in charge really mean?

One thing it means is that you are the final decision maker. This could be good or bad, depending on the situation. If you have trouble making decisions or are a procrastinator, it might be more difficult for you. Of course, you could occasionally run your ideas by another professional whose opinion you value, but be careful not to do so too often because then you lose the power of being the one in charge.

Another thing to consider is that whether your business succeeds or not depends solely on you. You don’t have to ask anyone’s permission about your decisions, which can be either empowering or overwhelming to you.

2 Work When and Where You Choose

Again, working whenever and wherever you choose sounds wonderful, but keep in mind you do still have to work.

For some, it is too easy to get distracted when they try to work from home. However, when you work from home, you can work in the middle of the night if you really want to. On the flip side, if you like rise early, go ahead and start your day while others are still sleeping. You control your time and productivity. But be careful not to burn yourself out though. You shouldn’t be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You still need downtime away from your work.

Where you work also plays a role. You can work from the kitchen counter if you want to, or you could work from a home office, the couch, or any other place of your choosing. The type of business you are in may play a role in which choice is the most suitable, but you still have the ultimate decision. The scene in which you choose to work can have an effect on your focus and productivity level, so keep that in mind as you find the perfect place to work on your business.

3 Your Business is What You Make of it

Again, the success or failure of your business depends on you when you take the leap into becoming your own boss. If you are doing well, then that’s all well and fine. However, if things are not going so well, it’s also a reflection of your business decisions. If there are problems, you have to deal with them. This also means you may have to wear many hats within your business, from CEO to CFO and even answering the phones and filing paperwork if you don’t have a secretary or virtual assistant to handle some of these things for you.

4 Your Salary is What it is

Whatever amount you earn is what you have to pay your household expenses each month. When working for an employer, you might get paid anyway, but that may not be the case when you make the leap to becoming your own boss. If you own it, what you get is what you get. There is no sick leave, paid vacation, paid insurance or pension plan unless you pay for them yourself.

5 Could You Start Part Time?

If you already have a regular job, think about starting your business on a part-time basis in the beginning, if it’s possible. That way, you have some financial cushion when you start out, which is usually when money is the tightest.

After considering some of the cold hard facts, do you still have the desire to become your own boss?

If you still have the dream of becoming your own boss, make a plan and go for it!

5 Things to Consider Before Becoming Your Own Boss is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Decide on Your Target Clientele

Do you want to clean for businesses, or would cleaning homes be more up your alley? If you aren’t sure, first clean the home of a friend or someone you trust to be honest with you about the end result. Then, ask them questions such as whether or not they were satisfied with the length of time it took, the cleanliness, etc. This could be a valuable way to discover if you are suited for this line of work before you start setting up clients.

Set up a Bookkeeping System

Even a simple cleaning business will need a bookkeeping system of some sort. If you are going to be a one person team, you will still need a spreadsheet or some other way to keep track of your income and expenses. Don’t order checks and business cards right away, however. These things cost money, and until you get rolling, you might be putting the cart before the horse.

Do get a calendar of some type so you can keep track of appointments and addresses. Then, you can add those other things once you build your clientele. But as with any type of business, you should have a separate checking account so it’s easy for you, your accountant, and the IRS to see what transactions are for your business and which are personal, and so you don’t have anyone digging through all of your own personal expenditures that you may wish to keep private.

Decide How to Charge

Remember your time is valuable and you need to pay yourself well.  Also, if you are the one providing the cleaning products, mops, buckets, vacuum, and any other items, then you are the one replacing them as well. Vacuums depreciate with use and will need to be replaced at some point. Cleaning products must also be replaced as they are used, so don’t forget to charge enough to be able to do so and still make a profit.

Determining if you are going to charge by the hour, by room, a flat rate, etc. can be tricky, so don’t make this decision lightly. Do not take a job without having the chance to view the home or business – ever! You don’t want the surprise of walking into a filthy environment and having to spend way more time than you budgeted for the job. This adds extra expense, because in a cleaning business, time is literally money!

Ask for Cleaning Business Referrals

When you are just starting out, you want to keep your expenses as low as possible. You are in this to make money, after all, so you don’t want to spend a bunch of money advertising your new cleaning business. Make sure you do a good job and ask your clients for referrals if they are happy with your services. If they are unhappy about anything, do your best to make it right. It will be worth it in the end for the free advertising you will get. Happy people tell others how great of an experience they received.

Hopefully the steps above will help you avoid the headaches of starting your own cleaning business, and allow you to make some good clean cash!

Have you ever thought about starting a cleaning business to make money?

Ways to Make Money: Start a Cleaning Business is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Such training makes sense. Who else would you want in charge of a spacecraft other than a pilot, especially one trained in emergencies as fighter pilots are.

Now, however, NASA is looking for astronaut candidates through an online application, and being a pilot isn’t the top qualifications required. In fact, being a jet aircraft pilot is optional and not required if you have an advanced degree.

The deadline for the job applications passed recently, so there’s no need to apply for the job now — at least for the 2017 astronaut candidates. But hopefully, if NASA starts sending more people into space, the Class of 2018 and beyond will be needed.

The online application, though now closed, offers an interesting look at the job requirements to become an astronaut — an occupation that kids have grown up aspiring to for 50 years.

Interesting requirements to be an astronaut

At a pay rate of $66,026 to $144,566 per year, it’s a job that I thought would pay more, given the risks and responsibilities. The U.S, president only makes $400,000 per year, a lot less than professional athletes.

But beyond the salary, what interested me the most about the job was the types of college degrees accepted as the minimum requirements. More specifically, the degree fields that are NOT considered qualifying.

Before getting to those, here are fields that candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree in:

• Engineering
• Biological science
• Physical science
• Computer science
• Mathematics

Those all make sense and are areas you may want to start pushing your kid into if they ever tell you they want to be an astronaut when they grow up.

Degrees you don’t want as an astronaut

But there are some degree fields that NASA says aren’t qualifying, and some surprised me:

• Technology (engineering technology, aviation technology, medical technology, etc.)
• Psychology (except for clinical psychology, physiological psychology, or experimental psychology, which are qualifying)
• Nursing
• Exercise physiology or similar fields
• Social sciences (geography, anthropology, archaeology, etc.)
• Aviation, aviation management, or similar fields

Pilot experience optional

The second qualification goes into pilot experience. It offers two options:

1. “At least 3 years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience obtained after degree completion.”
2. “OR at least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for experience as follows: master’s degree = 1 year of experience, doctoral degree = 3 years of experience. Teaching experience, including experience at the K-12 levels, is considered to be qualifying experience for the Astronaut Candidate position, provided the initial degree is qualifying.”

Earning a doctoral degree or having three years of experience is a lot of work, but not as much, I suspect, as 1,000 hours as a jet pilot. So if your kid is willing to go to college a little longer, then they don’t need to become a jet pilot.

The last major qualification is being able to pass the NASA physical. All crewmembers will be required to perform spacewalks, and must meet anthropometric requirements for spacecraft vehicles and spacesuits. In other words, you’ll have to be the right size to drive a vehicle on Mars and fit into a spacesuit.

Fly to Mars

NASA has more than 300 astronauts. The next class may fly on any of four spacecraft: the International Space Station, two new commercial spacecraft being built by U.S. companies, and NASA’S Orion deep-space exploration vehicle.

NASA is transitioning to using commercial spacecraft for its crew and cargo transport to the International Space Station. For the last 15 years, humans have been living aboard the orbiting laboratory continuously, and future crewmembers are needed. Longer missions to Mars are planned for sometime in the future.

The job has some of the best benefits around, even if you don’t include the many benefits of working for the federal government. Being an astronaut in space is every kid’s dream — or at least many of them — and this job description from NASA is a roadmap on how to get there.

If you can’t get there, NASA has some downloadable posters of what future travel may look like.

Degrees You’ll Need to Become an Astronaut is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

While it’s true that you need to bring an air of professionalism with you (and your wardrobe) to an office job, that doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money. It is entirely possible to build your first work wardrobe on a budget, and the truth is that as long as you don’t change sizes too much, these clothes should last you for years to come.

If you’re wondering how that’s possible, read on for some tips on how to build a work wardrobe on a budget.

Stick to One Family of Neutrals

Lots of articles about building a work wardrobe will suggest that you stick to neutrals. While neutrals are great, there is still such a thing as too many neutrals. After all, one of the often debated fashion faux pas of the work world is if it’s okay to mix neutrals, like black and navy or black and brown in the same outfit. To avoid that problem altogether, stick to one family of neutrals. If you like black stick to black and shades of gray for your work wardrobe. But if you like earth tones, pick hues of brown, tan, and cream for your neutral base.

Spend More on Shoes

Don’t try to save money by buying cheap shoes. When I worked in an office all I really wore were 2-3 pairs of basic shoes, flats, wedges, and heels. Instead of having lots of pairs of shoes that are low quality, keep the number down and spend more on them. Taking care of your feet is important, thus quality over quantity is a good rule of thumb for shoes. High quality shoes will be more comfortable and you’ll be able to keep them in your wardrobe longer than cheap shoes.

Choose Trendy Accessories

If you love to follow fashion trends but don’t have the money to replace your entire wardrobe every time something is “in” or “out” in the fashion world, stick to only buying trendy accessories. It’s often a lot cheaper to replace a trendy scarf every year or two instead of having to replace a trendy dress or skirt. Colorful and trendy accessories are enough to make your wardrobe seem fun and current without having to spend too much money.

Take Advantage of Company “Branded” Clothing Budgets

The office I worked in would allow us to spend up to $100 or so on “branded” clothing with the company logo each year. If your company gives you a budget for “branded” work wear, take advantage of it.

Use your budget wisely to replace items that need replacing in your wardrobe. For example, one year I used my clothing budget to buy a nice softshell coat for winter. I chose to get the company logo embroidered in black on my black coat. Even though I no longer work for that company I still wear the coat because almost no one notices it has the company’s logo stitched on it.

Limit the Number of Items You Own

The best tip of all when it comes to building a work wardrobe is to not go overboard. There are only 5 workdays in a week, which gives you 2 non-work days to launder your clothes. As long as you didn’t buy clothes that need to be professionally cleaned, there’s no reason why you can stick to only having about 2 weeks worth of work clothes. This will prevent you from wearing the exact same outfits every week, but you won’t be overwhelmed with too many choices in your closet or by having overspent your budget. Less is more.

Did you make any mistakes when you built your work wardrobe? What tips do you have for building a work wardrobe?

How to Build a Work Wardrobe on a Budget is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

• You’re always thinking
• You’re passionate about your ideas
• You’re a self-motivator

A motivated, free-thinking, passionate individual… Sounds like a business owner…

So, how do you get started? Step 1: Read this guide. Step 2: Build your business.

Of course, it won’t be a cake walk, but it’s not as hard as you think either. 543,000 new businesses open every month in the United States. Next month, will one of them be yours?

Choosing a Location for Your New Business

In the United States, there are more than 25 million businesses, and 50 percent of them are home based.  As they say in the real estate business, location is everything. If you’re low on start-up cash, you may not be able to afford to physical building. Don’t let location woes hold you back; instead, start your business at home or online.

Protecting Your Business

Remember, once you lay claim to your business, it’s become a part of public record. If your business is located in your home, be very careful who you share your most personal information with. For example, if you’re dealing in a lot of cash transactions, someone may try to rob you. You’ll need a security box, a good hiding spot, and an alarm system to warn you of intruders.

It’s likely you’ll be storing important information online, and that information needs to be secure so you don’t risk your new business to hackers, data thieves, malware attempts, or viruses. Look into using some sort of network protection, and include safeguards for your cloud and other data storage areas.

Funds for Your New Business

The Internet has made it easier than ever to build a business – and cheaper than ever. You could host a store entirely online or run an ad agency from the comfort of your home. If you absolutely must raise cash, to get out of your house or to stock inventory, you can use crowd funding to attract investors.

In an Entrepreneur article titled, 3 Rules for Successful Crowdfunding, it’s recommended that you present an “intriguing, clear story.” Write your proposal, make it compelling, and include color-rich photos and videos.

Building a Legal Structure for Your Business

You’ll need to determine if you’re a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a corporation, a nonprofit, a cooperative, or a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The U.S. Small Business Administration provides a detailed breakdown of all the business structures to help ensure you make the right choice.

Stand Tall Against Adversity

Your biggest critic is probably going to be yourself. Don’t be so hard on yourself, and don’t let anyone else be hard on you either. Adversity will come in many forms (difficult people, financial difficulties, etc.)

If you keep the spirit of someone with the confidence to surmount all adversity, and you truly believe in your goals, you’ll overcome it – no matter the adversity, you will face it down and you will succeed. So, if your current adversity is simply getting started, stand up, take credit for your dreams and ideas, and start your business.

Tired of Working for the Man? Why Not Start Your Own Business is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Of course some etiquette and rules are common in any professional setting, but there are times when etiquette can vary widely from one job to another. Plus etiquette is more confusing now than in any time in the past due to email, the internet, and social media. These inventions are helpful but they can can also be harmful. They make it difficult to navigate what is and what is not appropriate in your new office.

With that in mind, here are 4 etiquette tips you should follow if you’re the low man on the totem pole at your job.

Don’t Be a Know-it-all

Having a lot of background knowledge when you step into a new job with a new organization is great, but you want to be careful to avoid looking like a know-it-all. When you are in meeting with your new boss and co-workers, it may be wise to simply observe for the first few meetings instead of speaking up on every issue. When I was the new employee in my office, I tended to keep my opinions to myself unless they were pertinent to our conversation, or if I had a question. Even then, I usually shared my opinion and asked my questions privately, after the meeting was over.

Beware of the Office Parties

At my organization, our rules are pretty lax and special events like evening or weekend retirement parties, holiday parties, and more can get a bit wild. The office supplies food and beverages (read: alcohol) and sometimes things get a little out of hand toward the end of the evening. In my organization, most of the employees have worked together for at least 10 years, so when I was at one of these parties as a new employee I was extra careful to have fun, but not too much fun. I definitely didn’t want to do anything embarrassing that might make my co-workers or boss look at me differently on Monday.

Go With the Flow

Sometimes office policies and unwritten rules are not exactly clear. When that happens you need to find an employee you trust to not lead you astray and simply take note of what they do and why. You need to be willing to observe before acting so you don’t find yourself in a sticky situation where you broke an unwritten rule or handled some other situation improperly.

Be Who You Want to Be

Much like starting at a new school as a kid or going away to college, getting a new job gives you a chance to re-invent yourself and become who you want to be. This is not permission to be completely false, but starting over does give you permission to leave behind some traits or mistakes you previously made and start with a clean slate. Of course, your boss may already know about some of your past career history if they checked your references carefully and spoke to your old boss. Hopefully you didn’t burn any bridges when you left your old job behind.

Being the new employee at an organization can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding. Hopefully the next time you take a new job you’ll keep these etiquette tips in mind so you can make the most of your fresh start.

What other etiquette tips can you think of for new employees?

4 Etiquette Tips You Should Follow If You’re the Low Man on the Totem Pole is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

It’s a good thing the training has been interesting thus far, otherwise I think I’d be in a world of hurt due to a lack of sleep and an abundance of caffeine.

Whenever I go out of town for business, I find myself wondering where exactly to draw the line with my spending. Questions like: “Do I pay for that or does my employer?” “How much should I spend on meals?” are often on my mind. Compounding these questions is the fact that my employer’s policy is unclear and the president of the organization has scolded people for things and then turned around and done the exact same thing when it comes to spending on our work account.

In the past, I’ve traveled with more experienced co-workers who pretty well knew what was appropriate and not appropriate to charge to our employer. But on this trip, I’m the experienced employee as the other two I’m travelling with have only been with the company for a year or less.

I don’t know that it’s 100% right, but here’s where I’ve drawn the line and why.

Hotel, Gas, and Transportation

Our employers obviously pay for things like our conference fees, hotel rooms, gasoline, and any other transportation costs, like flights for far-away events. This is a given with our organization.

We even have the opportunity to use the company car to travel to evening entertainment events “within reason” according to our company policy and per a conversation I had with my supervisor when I started with the company 3 years ago.

Meals, Drinks, and Snacks

This is the area where things get a little gray for me. Obviously breakfast, lunch, and dinner are paid for by my employer as these costs would not be incurred if I weren’t travelling for work purposes. But what is appropriate to spend on meals, and should you try to cut dining out costs where possible?

Typically I try to eat at middle-of-the-road restaurants rather than 5 star places. At the same time, I don’t want to eat only fast food either. Most of my meals are around $45-50 or less (obviously dinner is the most expensive).

When it comes to alcoholic beverages being paid for by my employer, I don’t agree with the precedent that’s been set on past trips I’ve taken. My superiors and even our president seem fine with charging not only drinks with dinner to our company, but also social drinks all evening long. Personally, I don’t find this ethical and therefore I usually pay for my own beverages if I’m going to participate.

Occasionally I find myself needing a snack between meals or in the evening after an early dinner. Once again, I believe these are items that I should pay for myself rather than charging them to the company.

I know that every employer, budget, and situation is different. So I’m curious, where do you draw the line when your employer is paying?

Where to Draw the Line When Your Employer is Paying is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.