From Research to Food

From Research to Food Success Story > From: Job To: Portfolio career From Research to Food “By Saturday evening I'd already be dreading my return to work on Monday.” * From Research to Food Nena Foster longed to do something more creative â€" and with greater flexibility to fit around her family. Though she initially had no idea what else she could do, she followed her love of food, and she's now pulled together a multi-stranded career she's proud of. Here's how she's done it. What work were you doing previously? I worked as a consultant for a public sector policy consulting firm, specialising in research and evaluation work. Prior to my consulting career, I'd worked as a university researcher and lecturer for nine years (during and after completing my PhD). What are you doing now? I'm a trained nutritional chef and work as a cookery teacher, fermentation specialist, food stylist, recipe developer, food and nutrition writer. I'm currently setting up an online fermentation school and community. How did you feel in your work before you decided to make the change? While I was good at my job and got on well with my colleagues, I felt incredibly unfulfilled and pretty miserable. I'd look forward to Friday, but by Saturday evening I'd already be dreading my return to work on Monday. The feeling of being on a conveyor belt, working long hours and essentially doing the same thing, week in, week out, really weighed on me. I'd always had quite academic jobs, but knew I wanted to be doing something less desk-based, more tactile and more creative. Why did you change? I wanted to find a career that I loved. I wanted something that made me excited, that both suited my personality and provided flexibility (I have two small children). I also wanted to be my own boss. When was the moment you decided to make the change? I was on maternity leave with my second child and knew I couldn't face going back to my old job and old life, but had no idea what I wanted to do or could do. I'd always been into food and nutrition, and had toyed with the idea of taking some cookery classes, but the idea of turning it into a career didn't seem possible. I began looking at courses, found a few, but for a while convinced myself that for one reason or another it wouldn't work. Then, one day, a light bulb switched on in my mind and I decided I had to do it. So I took a course and used that as a springboard for the change. How did you choose your new career? I'd always loved food, cooking and nutrition, and these became increasingly important when I became a mum. When I completed my course I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do, but there were a few different things that I enjoyed doing, such as cookery teaching, fermenting and writing, which drew on skills that I'd loved from my previous careers. I knew I didn't want to be a traditional restaurant or café chef, so my work evolved as I tried different things, keeping the elements I liked and saying 'no thanks' to the rest. It's been a busy few years, but I feel like I'm getting closer to pulling together all of the pieces. My latest project, an online fermentation school and community, has very much grown from finding what I love most (along with ruling out the bits of it that I don't like); it's been about building something that speaks to my skills, interests, passions and the workâ€"life balance that I want to achieve. Are you happy with the change? Times have been difficult, I won't lie. Getting used to the freelance lifestyle and having to constantly put myself out there doesn't come naturally to me, but I've had to do this to give myself a chance at making my career change work. And despite the negatives, like clients paying invoices late, earning a fraction of what I earned before and not always being able to plan too far in advance, I love it. I've finally found something that I can pour all of my skills and talents into. I feel really proud of myself for having the courage to do it. What do you miss and what don't you miss? About my old career? Nothing. Well, I miss the salary, but honestly, that's it. It's early days still, but I feel lucky to even have the chance to earn a living from something that I love doing. How did you go about making the shift? I took a course, and did double the amount of intern hours required for it. I made lots of contacts and kept coming back to those contacts as I've needed to. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? I attempted to set up a company with another chef-colleague. After a few months and a bit of investment it was clear it was going nowhere. Our skills, ideas and personalities just didn't work together. Finally, I had to admit that it wasn't working for me and that I needed to move on. I felt a bit lost after that, but it was for the best. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? I initially dropped down to four days per week in my old job, so that I could complete my course and still have the income to pay for the course and to contribute at home. A few months into my training, I took voluntary redundancy, which was the best thing I ever did, as it allowed me time to invest in my new career. And once I'd left my job, I was able to take paid cooking jobs too. We also tightened the budget at home and cut back a bit on childcare. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Having the courage to do it. Lots of people talk about it (I was guilty of this for years), but to actually take the plunge is quite frightening (and also liberating). What help did you get? I called on every friend or contact that I had working in the food or nutrition industry. I used those connections to get internship placements, and I still work with many of these today. Recently, in setting up online, I've enlisted the help of a tech coach, developer, designer, videographer and a social media marketing agency. While it's been a stretch financially, I know my strengths; these are all things that I'm terrible at doing and completely stress me out, so it's been important to ask for help in these areas. What resources would you recommend to others? Depending on your industry, find a network or group of people doing or going through the same. There are some great resources for freelancers online, such as the Facebook group Doing It For The Kids (an online community of freelance parents). I also belong to a small collective of creatives locally. We help each other out and use each other for different bits of work when needed. Finding people in a similar position provides both practical and emotional support. What have you learnt in the process? A lot about myself, actually. I've always known that I was a doer, and this has often meant that my workload's been much bigger than that of my colleagues. However, recently I've learned that in addition to working hard, I also have to allow thinking time, and time to look for inspiration. I'm learning to ditch my case of imposter syndrome and realise that my efforts and accomplishments are as good as anyone else's. I've also allowed myself to recognise that I am creative (with food and how I approach working with people), despite spending most of my life thinking the opposite, and this has been crucial to embracing my new career. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Find something you love doing, that you're passionate about, and then find a way to turn it into a career. Take the steps you need to secure the platform you need before making the jump. And then make the jump. Please! Everyone deserves a career that they love. To find out more about Nena's work, visit www.nenafosterfood.com. What lessons could you take from Nena's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

The Best Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Federal Resume Sample

The Best Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Federal Resume SampleThe first thing you should do when trying to learn how to write a federal resume sample is to take a good look at what you are trying to put on your resume. You want to be as honest as possible with this form, so it is important that you realize the mistakes that are going to be made when you are first creating it. Let's examine what mistakes you should avoid when writing a federal resume sample.The biggest mistake to avoid when trying to create a resume is to include all of your jobs and responsibilities on your resume. This is very common in the medical field where there is a need for individuals to mention every position they have held since their first job, so that employers will know what the qualifications are for any positions they might be interviewing for. If you are applying for positions that are considered 'unusual' or unique, however, you do not want to try to detail every position you have ever held on your resume.Instead, you want to try to keep the job duties to a minimum. On the other hand, if you have been working in the same field for over 20 years, it may be a good idea to list some of your duties so that potential employers will have an idea of what you have accomplished in this field. If, however, you haven't worked in this industry for many years, you might want to list all of your responsibilities and leave out any job duties. This is a key distinction to make because, if you leave out anything, then potential employers will question your ability to meet the demands of the job.When you are going to create a resume, a good idea is to start with the titles that are associated with each responsibility. It is not necessary to go into great detail with this part of the resume because, after all, that information can be found on the company website. Instead, you just want to list the most important aspects of the responsibilities on your resume and then work from there.The other t hing that you want to consider when you are writing a federal resume sample is the important skills that you have. You want to list these as well, but you want to make sure that they are not listed as separate responsibilities. Some people mistakenly put responsibilities first and skills second and this is a mistake that you need to avoid.To get the most out of a resume, you want to list your skills first and then put the responsibilities in order. You want to list the most important elements first and then list the skills you have in the following paragraph. Don't forget that you do not have to go into great detail with skills, just list them as a matter of fact.Be sure to remember that you don't have to do this because you have to write a federal resume sample. Rather, you should be creating this form specifically to help you when you are trying to land a job in the medical field. Also, it is important to realize that you can learn how to write a federal resume sample on your own without necessarily having to hire a professional.Take a look at some samples online to see what a federal resume sample looks like and then decide for yourself whether or not you want to follow this path to your future job. If you do decide to use this approach, be sure to take some time to learn about the process so that you can know how to properly do it. After all, it can make or break your chances of landing a job in this industry.

Taxi Drivers Career to Vanish by 2027, According to Survey

Taxi Drivers Career to Vanish by 2027, According to Survey The curiosity to determine the future of certain professions led an online local services marketplace, Bidvine.com to conduct a survey of 1,228 Britishers and analyse what is public’s opinion regarding the careers that are at risk of becoming defunct within a decade. The job that topped the extinction list was ‘taxi driving’. 36% of those who took part in the analysis thought that taxi drivers will vanish by 2027 along with educators and cashiers taking the top three slots. Other jobs that are mostly likely to be extinct are tube drivers, journalists, pilots, accountants, travel agents, postmen and translators. Advancement in technology will be main cause for the extinction of these jobs. Below is the list of top 5 careers that are most likely to extinct in a decade’s time. Vanishing Careers? Taxi Drivers â€" 36% Educators â€" 18% Cashiers â€" 11.1% Tube Drivers â€" 10.4% Journalists â€" 9.2% The participants when asked why they believe these jobs will vanish, 72% thought innovation in technology would be the main cause, while 26% said that online services will take over these careers. The World Economic Forum believes that man power will be replaced by intelligent machines wiping out nearly five million jobs by 2020 Nearly three-quarters (73%) people were certain that taxi driving job will be extinct because of the autonomous taxis which are already being tested in different parts of the world. 51% respondents trust that online education platforms will soon replace educators. Online learning is convenient and mostly affordable too. The recent introduction of Amazon’s cashless store has lead 65% people to anticipate that the cashier’s job will become obsolete. They see self-service checkouts as the future of every shop, bank and business. 37% respondents seek the growth of citizen journalism via social media platforms, whereas 46% feel that the decline in print journalism would remove the journalists from the career’s lists. Career Choice And The Future Sohrab Jahanbani (CEO, Bidvine.com) commented on the results saying that the intriguing response shows public’s concerns for the future. It also highlights the importance of selecting the right career. Technology is progressing rapidly and to keep up with this revolution, many job changes will be observed in near future. However, some local service jobs are here to stay including plumbers, mechanics, electricians, food caterers and wedding photographers. Bidvine is here to assist customers connect with the best experts. Image via pixabay.

Top Oddball Interview Questions for 2014 by Glassdoor

Top Oddball Interview Questions for 2014 by Glassdoor Credit: Dilbert One of the annual features I look forward to is the Glassdoor.com top oddball interview questions. And the list for 2014 has just been published. If you are wondering why interviewees should be asked oddball questions, then Glassdoor has some advise on that: While  oddball questions  may seem pointless, they can actually be more telling than the straight forward type of  interview questions  most employers use. “Strange or  oddball questions  are not primarily asked to trick a person, but to uncover qualities about a candidate that can’t be determined from a resume or two-minute drill,” says Susan Ruhl, a managing partner at OI Partners â€" Innovative Career Consulting in Denver. ”They are designed to uncover how you think, handle unexpected problems and situations, whether you are a good fit for their culture, and how creative you are.”Read more on Glassdoor.com Anyway, the top oddball interview questions for 2014 are: 1. If you could throw a parade of any caliber through the Zappos office, what type of parade would it be?  â€"  Asked at  The Zappos Family. 2. If you were a box of cereal, what would you be and why?  â€"  Asked at  Bed Bath Beyond. 3. How many square feet of pizza is eaten in the US each year?  â€"  Asked at  Goldman Sachs. 4. Most unexpected question: Describe to me the process and benefits of wearing a seatbelt.  â€"  Asked at  Active Network. 5. How honest are you?  â€"  Asked at  Allied Telesis 6.  Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer ?  â€"  Asked at Dell Read the full list of 25 top oddball interview questions on Glassdoor.com  [button url=http://www.glassdoor.com/Top-25-Oddball-Interview-Questions-LST_KQ0,34.htm size=small style=black] FULL LIST [/button] I am not a fan of oddball interview questions, because the answers are unquantifiable and depend on factors such as the personal experience or the mood of the listener, and shouldnt feature in interviews. But then I dont interview, do I? What do you think of the questions above and how would you answer them? 17

How to get the guts to go freelance

How to get the guts to go freelance Its another post about Melissa. But before I get any more emails asking if Melissa is single, let me just say that the single life of Melissa lasted exactly three days. I could see it coming, really. She said, as she was trying to figure out if she should break off her engagement, I always think I should just go move in with his best friend. Okay. So fine. It is not normal to have these thoughts so close to the wedding. So she moved out. And then, just as she was gearing up to tell the best friend that she wants to be more than friends, he volunteered to help her move her stuff into a new apartment. Im skipping the part of the story where they make out on the sofa and Im going to straight to the official blog photo of him. You will notice that he has set boundaries with me via Melissa, so I am not putting his picture on the blog. Its probably better. Because the last two guys Melissa dated had their pictures on the blog, and then look what happened. Badness. For both. So we are breaking the cycle. Instead of showing you his face, I will show you his Myers Briggs score: ISTJ. This is a good match for Melissa because he is loyal. Also, he seems to have infinite patience for Melissa. Not many people have this patience. For a while Melissa has been pretending to be employable. But now I can tell you: everyone has fired Melissa. Including me. I fired her and got so pissed off at her that I sent her to go live at someone elses house for three days and that person was not even, really, my friend. But look, we live out in the middle of nowhere. There are not a lot of choices. But to be honest, I have been fired from every job Ive ever had, too. People who get fired a lot get really good at quitting before they are fired. And also they get good at staying for a while and not working while they watch the company gear up to fire them. Managing how you are getting fired is an art form. You can tell if you should be working for yourself by how many times youve been fired. When you are counting firings, consider the time when everyone hated you but you were so difficult to confront that they let you coast until you found something else to do. That counts. The way you tell if you should work for yourself is that you are unemployable. Because look: its really hard to manage cash flow on your own, and its really cushy to have someone hand you a paycheck every two weeks. So of course, if you can manage to behave yourself at a job to have a steady paycheck, you should do that. Melissa is not one of those people. To explain why, I have to explain that Melissas idea of fulfillment is sitting on the sofa, reading the New Yorker, and then other reading thats within reach of the the far corner, which is the spot in every sofa in any room that she will choose to sit. She requires that every three hours there is someone to hear her output. That is, she has synthesized the information and determined what is important for people to know, and she needs them to respond to her. She needs someone to say, Yeah, thats a good one. Heres what that looks like: This is from a project where twentysomethings posed with all the stuff they own. Melissa sends me a few samples of photos and she reminds me that she also sent me, I dont know, like ten weeks agoshe has a photographic memoryan article about how Gen Y doesnt buy stuff. It all goes together, she tells me. She doesnt care if I agree with her. She just wants to be heard. But I admit that I clicked the link to see all the photos of what young people own. So Melissa goes to a job, any job. And she blows them away by how competent she is. People fall in love with her. Bosses want to marry her or set her up with their best friends nephew or whoever they can find because they cant let this brilliant woman with a porn-star figure slip through their lascivious hands. Then they work with her for a few months, and they notice that she gets ornery if they demand such high output that she cannot read online. Then, if she can last five months, they start to notice that she disappears in the middle of the day. Bosses tell themselves its a coffee run. But it is too long. They tell themselves its lunch that is just a little too late. But its also just a little too long. And then, it turns out, they see, once, maybe, by accident, that she has found the nearest sofa, which is surely not really near, and she is curled up in the corner, reading magazines, like she doesnt really have a job. And then, of course, she doesnt anymore. So this time when she got fired, she panicked because she didnt know if she should put her last job on her resume. I only lasted six months, she told me. Just leave it off, I said. Just make it look like I was your only job. I do pay Melissa for stuff. I used to not want to pay her for stuff because she gets fired from everywhere. I was scared Id have to fire her, too. But everytime someone would mess up something of mine a media kit, my web server, health insurance Melissa would fix it. And she would do a better job than I ever imagined could be done. Cassie even wrote a blog post about how Melissa can swoop in at the end, when everyone is screwed, and fix stuff. So I started hiring Melissa for random stuff, because she can do anything as long as it does not last longer than one New Yorker cycle. And now her resume could be a complete train wreck of unrelated jobs she was fired from before the year was up, but instead, she looks stable and reliable because she shows that she has been working for me for years. So I tell her to leave off the millionth job shes been fired from. And she starts to cry. She says she is never going to hold down a job and her life is going to be terrible and she will never have stability. And while she is not saying this, I know she is also thinking that she will never buy expensive shoes again. Back to the boyfriend. He is very excited that she is home when he gets home. Its fun to have a stay-at-home girlfriend. So fun that he decides she can move some clothes to his house, which I could have sworn she had already done, but you know how the moving clothes in thing is:  the girl does it furtively, til everything is there, and then they may as well get engaged. He likes her being home all day and she likes being home all day, and then she starts looking for jobs and she sends them to me to see what I think. These are all part-time, I tell her. You will starve. Then we have a revelation. She can do part-time, project-based work. She loves that. And she is great at getting that kind of work. She can pitch herself to do anything that involves the computer because honestly, she can do anything. Earlier in her career, like after every single job shes been fired from, I suggested that she start something of her own, but she hasnt wanted to. Im not a risk-taker, is what shed tell me. But at some point in a project-oriented persons career, continuing to take full-time jobs is too risky. Because youll never succeed long-term, you always burn bridges, and you start to feel like you have no skills that can help you keep a job. Melissa hits that point and she decides she is going to freelance. And shes excited. Freelance work has always been what she should be doing, I think, but she couldnt get excited about it until she saw it as the most low-risk option she has. So she gets a job doing online marketing. She gets a job doing SEO. She gets a job taking photographs of kids, and then I realize she is not going to have enough time to do my stuff. So I tell her that she needs to be careful not not take on too much work. And I give her a raise, because when shes doing what shes good at, she looks much more valuable, even to me.

7 savvy ways to negotiate the salary you deserve - Debut

7 savvy ways to negotiate the salary you deserve - Debut Negotiations are a tricky part of life. Do it right and you achieve safe release of any hostages, do it wrong and a supervillain blows them all sky-high but theyre no picnic in the office either. You and your manager arent always gonna see eye-to-eye, so going head-to-head with them is all the more nerve-wracking. And thats all before you even add salary to the mix. Remuneration is an important topic in the work place, and if you feel you should get more for what youre doing, its important that youre able to talk about it. Negotiating the salary you deserve neednt be a difficult time either. Just keep these things in mind and youll dramatically grow your chances of success. Do your homework Dont go in blind. Remember, knowledge is power. Youre probably not the only person in the world to have your job title, so have a look around. Check sites like Glassdoor and talk to friends with similar jobs to get a feel for what the standard pay is and how much you can ask for. Note: make sure to get data for a diverse cross-section of society, i.e. male and female, different races and ages, lest you fall afoul of any pay gaps. Time it well Good things come to those who wait, and sometimes the timing for a pay rise wont be as perfect as you hope. A good time might be after a particularly profitable quarter, a new wave of investment or a good time for your industry as a whole. Alternatively, you can make your own opportunity by going above and beyond and working at a high level for a long time. It may take a while but once youve proved your worth, no-one can deny you. Support your claim with data Your word against your managers word isnt really enough to get the job done. You need to come correct with quantifiable statistics that express your contribution to the company. Track everything you do in the weeks leading up to your negotiation meeting and make sure you bring up the stuff that makes you eligible for a payrise. Be the first to throw a number out This part is all psychological. Take the initiative and use your research to show that you know what you want. Being the first to quote a figure puts you in an advantageous position when it comes to negotiating since youve chosen the starting point. As youd expect, your manager will likely counter with a lower offer before you settle somewhere in the middle, so start higher than you aim to end up. Remember its not all about the money You need to also consider being flexible if its not possible that your demands will be met. Say you can only get a £2,000 instead of the £4,000 you wanted. Maybe you could get some more flexible hours or a bit more holiday to compensate? Salary negotiations need not revolve around a paycheck theres plenty else you could ask for in the interim. Dont be afraid of no Youre going to hear the word no a lot during negotiations. Thats okay though. Negotiations cant start in earnest until someone says no. No begins the process in which you work your way to a solution that fits both you and the company. And no no is permanent  in this situation. Be patient Above all, patience is the key. You might not come to a solution right away or negotiations might come to a standstill. But dont worry, this doesnt mean a pay rise is entirely off the cards. Your manager just might want to see a little bit more from you or perhaps the timing is off. Either way, keep killing it, be persistent and dont get frustrated. Its gonna happen. Connect with Debut on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more careers insights.

Make A Stand Get Noticed At Your Next Company Event

Make A Stand Get Noticed At Your Next Company Event Attending a corporate event is a big deal for a company. It’s your way to show off who you are, maximise your brand exposure and get your company name in the mouths of new customers and clients. It’s easy to be good at something as a business, but it’s much harder to be the best when you’re pitted against competition in the same room. In an event space, you have your stand right next to all the other competitors that you are trying to beat out. This means that you have to stand out to be noticed by customers. The good news is that there are a lot of things that you can do as a business to stand right out from the crowd and enjoy your day of glory as you pull in as many customers as possible. You could use such genius ideas as a branded tent, or you could think about the swag bags that your company could use to fill and send away with customers. You want to dominate in your niche, and these tips for making a stand at your next corporate event could make a big difference to your business. Be Focused. While you are establishing a way to make a name for yourself, you could think about something that makes you unique. So, Starbucks have branded coffee collars, you could think about something that you want to hand out that gets you noticed at the event. Branded doughnuts, for example, are an addition to the swag bags you could send out. Be Recognisable. We mentioned a branded tent; well, when it comes to your event stand, you need a way to be seen and remembered. Instead of a generic stand, make it fun! You can use a tent, an inflatable marquee and even think about giant helium balloons with your brand across the front. Seek Attention. When you think about how you conduct yourself at an event, you need to consider how you plan to do that. A flash mob may be a big idea to gain some attention during the exhibition, but there are other things that you could do. Offer a service at your stand; a five minute neck massage, a palm reading anything that can make you talked about. Speak Up. Make sure that you sign up for a speaking moment at the event. Talk to the attendees about your business and invite questions that make sense to answer about your company. If you speak up, you get the chance to tell people all about you, while allowing them to witness your shining personality! Give your company the chance to put its game face on. Your event stand is going to change everything, and you can do so well for marketing your company when you get free reign to give your company the chance to be seen. Exposure is everything and if your visual marketing strategy is a solid one, you will pull through more business and even more loyal customers to help you grow.

10 Benefits that Your Health Plan may Cover

10 Benefits that Your Health Plan may Cover Health insurance is commonly equated with headaches. From choosing the right plan to paying deductibles, co-pays and out-of-network expenses, accessibility and cost reduction remain top concerns for millions of Americans. Members of Generation Y value health coverage almost as much as older adults, even though theyre less likely to need it. As many as 34 percent of millennials picked health care as the most significant benefit their employer can offer. This may reveal Generation Y’s greater interest in exploring a range of benefits to shield them from various risks, as opposed to older generations. Regardless of generational differences, consumers tend to prioritize health care expenses over other purchases. Yet, most Americans aren’t familiar with the benefits included in their plans, especially since the health care reform. Many consumers argue there’s no point in buying luxury items if they’re too sick to appreciate them, causing them to dish out more cash on unknown and unused health benefits, than on things they enjoy. Insurance premiums have shot up 213 percent since 1999. Economists predict insurance prices will continue to soar indefinitely, eating up more of your paycheck each year. With consistently rising health care costs, it’s important to understand your coverage to get the most out of your plan. On account of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), several states have extended coverage beyond the minimum requirements. As a result, our healthcare may offer a lot more than just prescriptions drugs and hospitalizations. Now, most plans entail oodles of progressive benefits, which have never been covered in the past. In this instance, what you dont know about your coverage could hurt you. Since a growing number of health plans today cover alternative and complementary treatments, you may miss out on a host of effective services. Here are 10 surprising perks you may not realize your plan includes. 1. Diet Counseling and Weight Loss Programs One in three Americans are obese and face health problems as a result. Health insurance companies are stepping up to help battle our nation’s obesity epidemic. Surveys show 33 states currently require insurance plans to cover diet counseling. While diet counseling doesn’t mean a free Nutrisystem membership, it may include a referral to a nutritionist from your family doctor. A nutritionist can also be assigned to you through the hospital in severe cases. 2. Smoking Cessation Programs Some forms of smoking cessation coverage are now mandated by ACA regulations. Duration and treatment vary based on insurance type. In general, if you’re insured through your employer or purchased an individual policy, you can expect four counseling sessions and 90 days of smoking cessation medication. There’s no cost-sharing involved in smoking cessation services, which means no co-pays, co-insurance or deductibles. These programs fall under the umbrella of mental health and addiction treatment. Rehabilitation for other addictions is also part of mental health services. The American Lung Association offers a specific breakdown of coverage upon request. 3. Chiropractic Care Nearly 80 percent of Americans will have back pain at some point in their life. Once a primary concern for people over 50, modern trends have broadened the age bracket for people suffering from back pain. Your body was designed for perpetual movement. Failure to do so inherently results in complications. Consequently, most Americans will need to seek chiropractic treatment at some point in their lives. Fortunately, 45 states in the U.S. cover chiropractic care. However, there arent any federal regulations regarding benefits, meaning coverage is determined by the state. If sitting at your desk all day contributes to backaches and shoulder tightness, and chiropractic care isnt covered in your state, here’s a free and convenient alternative for pain relief at work. Deskercise, or desk exercise, refers to physical activity you can incorporate into a workday, without leaving your desk. Exercising at your desk can help ward off back pain commonly triggered by sitting in a chair for an extended period of time. Arm stretches, back arches and shoulder shrugs are a few deskercise ideas for getting a workout, without ignoring office responsibilities. 4. Infertility Treatments Did you know 19 states regard infertility treatment as an essential health benefit (EHB)? In vitro fertilization (IVF) is becoming prevalent in the United States, especially in millennial women. While the specifics of treatment differ by state and are still costly despite coverage, benefits can help reduce financial strains from screenings, tests and IVF. Since IVF only has a 40 percent success rate, and each attempt to have a child cost upward of $20,000, this is a major health care perk. 5. Psychiatric Therapy In 2008, legislation launched a mental health act to make coverage for mental health, behavioral health and substance-use disorder diagnosees’ equivalent to coverage for medical and surgical services. The American Psychological Association prohibits an insurance company from charging a $40 co-pay for a psychologist visit if it typically costs $20 for other medical appointments. Yet, many people are still uninformed about this law and dont know how it applies to them. In fact, a 2014 APA survey revealed more than 90 percent of Americans were unaware of the mental health parity law. This law is applicable to employer-sponsored health programs with more than 50 employees, health exchanges, the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and most Medicaid plans. 6. Mental Health Coverage Services such as psychotherapy, counseling, inpatient care, substance use disorder treatment, depression screening and preventative therapy have universally improved access to mental health care. This is because the Affordable Care Act requires non-grandfathered insurance plans to cover several of the 10 essential health benefits, such as mental health services. The majority of these plans must apply parity in cases of mental health, which means if your policy covers three primary care visits per year, you’re eligible to receive three covered mental health appointments. 7. Gym Memberships There are a number of plans offering gym memberships to staff members, as a means to encourage health-consciousness in the workplace. The inspiration for this movement stems from knowledge about the benefits of exercise. For instance, exercise not only improves your physical health but also enhances your mood and ability to cope with stress. Once again, the circumstances differ by plan. In some cases, gym membership discounts go beyond employee benefit programs and are offered to individual health care subscribers. Other variations between plans include eliminating fees, offering discounts on monthly premiums and paying a portion of membership costs. 8. Discounted or Free Fitness Tracking Management Insurers are attempting to differentiate themselves from competitors, by offering upgraded technologies to improve fitness tracking and management. Nonetheless, many consumers remain unaware of this benefit. At this point, several companies extend incentives beyond discounts and reimbursements for gym memberships. To sustain motivation, some insurers offer a wearable activity tracker, like a Fitbit, while others provide compensation for healthy choices. In addition, many Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) plans reimburse members for joining a health club or weight-loss program through their partnership with Healthy LifestylesSM Solutions. This promotion incentivizes policyholders to improve their health through the following reimbursement opportunities: Receive a return of $150 on fitness center fees. Get $150 back on an approved weight management program. Collect $150 in repayment for programs to help you quit tobacco. I participated in this program when I had Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. As a means to receive the maximum payout, I purchased a one year plan at only $10 a month from Planet Fitness. Upon completing my 120 visits, I had laid out $120 on membership fees and recouped $150 from my insurance. In turn, I netted $30 from participating in this program. 9. Acupuncture Various plans cover alternative treatments, which deviate from conventional methods. Benefits differ from state-to-state, with some only issuing approval for complementary medicine therapies, like acupuncture, when deemed medically necessary. Acupuncture restores the balance of energy throughout the body and can alleviate symptoms from a comprehensive range of conditions. As a result, several states including Alaska, California, Maryland, New Mexico and Washington, cover the costs of services as an essential health benefit. 10. Massage Therapy There are substantial healing properties associated with massage therapy. Studies show it’s effective for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension. However, most plans only cover massage therapy when deemed medically necessary. Nonetheless, the possibility of receiving a free massage is a widely unknown health benefit, which undoubtedly most people would appreciate. In view of federal health care reform, many people aren’t aware of the new benefits included in their plans. However, now more than ever, understanding your coverage is exceedingly important. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, most plans currently include a host of new perks, which weren’t covered in the past. Considering the outrageous costs of monthly premiums, it helps you to become familiar with your benefits, in order to get the most out of your health care. As most plans have grown to include a number of deluxe benefits, such as acupuncture, discounted gym memberships, massage therapy and more, there are some pleasant surprises in store for subscribers. Above all, whether you’re male or female, young or old, hold an individual policy or a family plan, there are some surprising new updates to keep you and your loved ones healthy and happy. Did you know about these health plan perks and benefits? Which perk sounds the most exciting to you? 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