Management Tips

If you receive pre-approved credit card offers in the mail, you may be wondering where they come from.
Keep in mind that receiving a preapproved credit card offer does not impact your credit score. So you’re safe there.

But, accepting the offer will negatively affect your credit.

So why you may be under the impression that the credit card will be easy to get and won’t impact your score, you could get impacted once the loan goes through.

When the lender requests your credit info, it will be in the form of what is known as a “hard inquiry” on your credit. That means a record of this inquiry will remain on your credit report for 24 months.

Because of this be cautious about who you inquire with. The more offers you accept, the more hard inquiries are made on your credit.

Peer to peer lending is an online platform that allows you to borrow directly from an individual instead of from an institution.

Peer to peer lending is growing in popularity because it’s a simple process that’s a win-win for borrowers who pay low interest rates and investors who earn high interest rates.

You can borrow for as little as 6% and earn an average return in the double digits.

Here’s how it works…

Borrowers post a loan listing that includes the amount they want and why they want it. Investors review loan listings and choose the ones that meet their criteria.

Peer to peer lenders screen all applicants and check the credit, which becomes part of your loan listing. Your credit will still mean something, but an individual investor may be more empathetic to your situation than a traditional bank.

For those working in the nonprofit sector, mastering the grant proposal is key to improving your business. If it’s something you haven’t done before or that you struggle with, here are some tips:

1. Make your objective clear.
2. Stand out from others.
3. Use a specific project for your proposal.
4. Remove jargon.
5. Stay concise.

If you’re a manager or are moving into a new management role, you’ll want to make sure that you’re amicable while aiming to be respected by your team.

To build off our previous post, here are some tips you should keep in mind:

1. Offer performance reviews to discuss how your team members are doing.
2. Offer feedback to your team members to improve their skills.
3. Squash any issues.
4. Provide events like happy hours for your team to bond.
5. Praise your team when they’re doing well.

Leading a team is a huge responsibility, but it can also be incredibly exhausting. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you’re a good manager:

1. Bring the right people onto your team.
2. Set goals that your team can easily meet.
3. Set an achievable mission your whole team can strive toward.
4. Communicate openly with your team.
5. Practice time management skills.

With everyone discussing diversity in workplaces, you might want to consider doing sensitivity training within your office. But what is sensitivity training?

It helps those in your office distinguish between what is and isn’t appropriate behavior in the office and how to make sure people feel represented and that there is equality in the workplace. It especially helps people work out the nuances of different folks and their perspectives so you can be sensitive to their struggles rather than accidentally step on toes or say something offensive.

The key to being a capable human resources leader is to make sure you connect with the talent and employees you represent and to also be their voice in trying times. You need to make sure that you understand the industry you’re serving and find ways to amplify them during problems while also making sure there is enough representation.

HR and recruiting are very people-first jobs, so if you don’t feel comfortable working with others then it might not be the position for you.

When you start leading a team at your job, you always hear people say that you need to lead by example. But what exactly does that entail? Here are a few tips for understanding what you can do to lead your team best.

1. Do the work and understand what your business and industry are all about.
2. Respect the chain of command in your organization.
3. Listen to your team and take in their feedback.
4. Take responsibility for issues that crop up.
5. Give your team space to breathe and don’t micromanage them.

Being a manager can be a very exciting, but also very stressful, time for anyone. While it signifies an advancement in your career and an opportunity to grow within a company. However, it can be a lot of pressure to put on a person to have to manage their own workload and a team’s.

Here are a few tips on how to be a great manager your first time around:

1. Prioritize one-on-one check ins with your team members.
2. Keep working alongside your team rather than unloading your workload.
3. Set a good example.
4. Know when and how to delegate.
5. Understand that relationship dynamics will change.

Time to refinance your car…or maybe it isn’t? Check out our three reasons it’s time to refinance your car below:

1. Your credit score has improved – When you first bought your car you had no credit history or you had some eye opening issues on your credit report, but now everything is looking good. Since your credit is healthy now, you may qualify for a lower interest rate.

2. You’re in financial trouble – If you’re having financial issues it is a good time to try and reduce your payments. It’s possible to increase the loan term, that way monthly payments are lowered.

3. Trying to take advantage of lower interest rates – If your car is a couple years old, it could be a good idea to get it refinanced since the rates have lowered. This will decrease the amount of interest you have to pay on the loan.

Image via Grandview Insurance Agency.