Certification Connection

Are you a banking or financial services professional looking for ways to expand your career opportunities? If so, you may want to consider exploring licensure opportunities that will allow you with the flexibility to work in many different aspects of the industry that you have chosen to work in. Two licensing options that you may want to consider are mortgage and insurance.

Mortgage Licensure

Licensure has recently become a requirement for mortgage professionals, as a provision of the Secure and Fare Enforcement (S.A.F.E.) act. If you would like to become able to work as an originator for mortgage loans, you’ll need to complete a pre-licensure training program, pass the national mortgage exam, earn ongoing continuing education credits and comply with any additional requirements specific to our state. While earning this licensing can be challenging, doing so will provide you with an opportunity to pursue career opportunities in the mortgage industry. Those who were in the business only to make a quick buck are being weeded out by the strict mortgage licensure and training requirement, so it’s a good time for true financial professionals to enter the field.

Insurance Licensing

Insurance is another licensing avenue that people who have chosen to work in the financial services industry may choose to pursue. There’s a natural fit between helping people manage and invest their money and helping people make wise insurance choices so they can protect what they have worked so hard to earn. While insurance license requirements vary from state to state, you can expect to need to complete a licensure preparation course, pass an exam and continue to complete continuing education training on an ongoing basis if this is an avenue that you choose to pursue.

After spending quite a bit of time, energy and money earning your professional certifications, it’s certainly rewarding to have an opportunity to put your skills to work. Whether you are an employee of a small or large business, a freelancer or a small business owner, it’s critical to focus just as carefully on wellness as you did on acquiring the skills necessary to become a successful professional in your chosen occupation.

Wellness is something that every professional needs to focus on. It’s essential to make sure that you are getting proper nutrition, sufficient exercise and plenty of sleep. It’s also a good idea to incorporate supplements like Nopalea that can help your body rid itself of toxins, reduce inflammation and its associated pain and promote overall positive health and well being. After all, if you are not in good physical health or if you are tired and suffering from the pain of inflammation, how can you be truly productive in your career, no matter how highly trained and skilled you are.

Make a commitment to yourself today – start eating healthier, go to bed earlier, start a regular workout routine, and cut out bad habits like smoking and excessive drinking. Start taking supplements that can help you feel better; doing so does not have to be expensive. For example, you can try Nopalea yourself for free by calling 1-800-203-7063. The only cost to you will be a $9.95 shipping charge.

By Jim Gates, CAFS

Controlling energy costs in office buildings can be difficult due to the constant coming and going of employees and visitors to the building. There are a number of methods that can be used to reduce the amount of energy used in the office building and the methods chosen for each building should be based on the characteristics of that particular building to ensure maximum energy savings.

Five Strategies to Control Office Energy Costs

Here are five of the most essential strategies for controlling the energy costs of an office building.

1. Turn Off Unnecessary Lights

Turn off lights and equipment when not in use. Areas that are not being used can remain dark until needed unless keeping the area unlighted would pose a safety hazard in an emergency.

Some office buildings have all of the lights and sockets in a particular office area connected to a single switch to ensure that everything can be turned off quickly and easily at the end of the workday. If yours does not have this type of master switch, consider installing one.

2. Use Window Coverings Wisely

Use window blinds to block direct sunlight in the warmer months to reduce cooling costs. The cost of the window blinds will be significantly less than the cost of the energy being used to cool the building, and they should last for many years before needing to be replaced.

During the colder months, open blinds or remove window hangings during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the office building. The sun beaming though the glass of the windows will create enough warmth to significantly decrease the amount of energy needed to bring the building up to a comfortable temperature.

3. Unplug Equipment Not in Use

Any equipment that drains energy when not in use should be unplugged, especially when the office building is closed. Items that are known to drain energy as long as they are plugged in include coffee pots, radios, desktop printers, fans, and cell phone chargers. To make it easy to unplug multiple items at once, plug these devices into a power strip that can be unplugged with a single action.

4. Change Air Filters Regularly

Change the air filters in the building’s HVAC system regularly. A dirty air filter can increase the amount of energy needed for the HVAC system to work properly and can damage expensive equipment. High quality air filters are able to trap more dust and dirt than cheap air filters, so it may be more cost effective to invest in a higher quality product that can be in use for a longer period of time.

5. Upgrade to Programmable Thermostats

Replace manual thermostats with programmable thermostats. Programmable

thermostats can effectively regulate the temperature of a large area of the office building and can be set to a level that is comfortable for the occupants of the building. Some of these thermostats can be locked so that only authorized personnel will be able to change the programmed temperature.

Big Savings from Small Changes

Each of these actions to conserve energy in an office building takes a minimal amount of time or effort to put into effect. The energy savings that can be realized by taking these actions is well worth the effort involved.

About the Author

Jim Gates, CAFS, is the brand manager for Quality Filters, Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of high quality home and commercial air filters. The company’s products are available online at BuyFilters.com.

Are you interested in mortgage broker certification? Whether you are considering becoming a mortgage broker and need to prepare for entry to the career field or if you are a seasoned professional who needs to meet continuing education requirements to maintain your certification, TrainingPro offers a number of options that can help you accomplish your mortgage-related career objectives objectives while allowing you to keep up with your job and family responsibilities without disrupting your schedule in a cost-effective manner.

TraningPro is a nationally recognized provider of mortgage broker training for professionals at all levels of their careers in the field, offering a number of quality educational options for individuals seeking pre-licensing training, as well as continuing education and professional development selections. TrainingPro programs can be completed online, making the a convenient choice for individuals seeking high quality certification training options that they can complete from any location and from any time of day that fits into their current lifestyle. You will be able to start classes when it’s convenient for you to do so and take care of your studies during the times of day and on the days of week that work best for you.

If you’re looking for convenient, quality training specific to getting or maintaining your mortgage broker certification, it’s likely that you won’t find an option that works better for you than online training, such as the options available through TrainingPro. That’s because online training just seems to work best for modern professionals. After all, when you choose an online licensure or continuing education program, you can get the training you need without having to rearrange your life to attend classes at a particular location and time. This can result in a savings of time and money – not to mention provide a way for you to allocate your time in the most efficient way possible.

As a certified computer professional tasked with the responsibility of keeping your company’s investment in information technology equipment secure, there are many factors for you to consider.

IT security means quite a bit more than just taking proactive steps to keep viruses and malware from causing problems. Security also involves preventing unauthorized access to company systems and critical data, reducing the risk of data loss through proper off-site backup and storage protocols and installing the security equipment necessary to protect your company’s computer equipment against theft.

As an IT professional, examples of the security measures you will need to implement and maintain for your company include:

• Virus protection software
• Malware protection applications
• User rights management protocol
• Total alarm systems for the facility, including burglar and fire
• Off-site and/or cloud-based backup procedures
• Effective inventory control system
• Firewall
• User activity tracking application
• Additional computer security system measures as appropriate for your organization

When you take on the responsibility of managing a company’s information technology infrastructure, you are agreeing to perform and important job that has quite a bit of responsibility.  Not only do you have to be knowledgeable when it comes to the latest in hardware, software and networking protocols, security is a key component of these types of jobs.

As a certified professional, chances are that your skills are in high demand. Whether you work for a company, are an independent business owner that secures clients traditionally or via online venues, it’s important that you properly report your income to the Internal Revenue Service. Learn about the new 1099K requirements so that you can be sure you are prepared to properly file taxes by the time the next deadline rolls around.

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