ITIL Key Concepts: Processes, Functions

The five broad components of the ITIL Service Lifecycle cover various other sub-categories/aspects, including Demand Management, Capacity Management, Release Management, Incident Management, Event Management, and so on. These are aspects that are meant to cover all areas of ITSM (IT Service Management). Each of the sub-categories/aspects of the five components of the ITIL framework may be labelled either as a ‘Process’ or as a ‘Function’.

ITIL Core Component: Service Strategy

The purpose of Service Strategy is to provide a strategy for the service lifecycle. The strategy should be in sync with the customer’s business objectives as well as to manage services, and therein lies its scope. The objective of Service Strategy is, therefore, to provide a definition of strategy and governance control. The utility and warranty of this component are designed to ensure that the service is fit for purpose and fit for use, respectively. Ensuring this is important as these two components are what add value in the delivery of services to customers.

Financial Management Process: IT Financial Management provides a means of understanding and managing costs and opportunities associated with services in financial terms. It includes three basic activities: Accounting, Budgeting, Charging.

Service Portfolio Management Process:  The Service Portfolio is the entire set of services under management by a Service Provider. It consists of three major parts: Service Pipeline, Service Catalog and Retired Services.

Demand Management Process: The Demand Management process is concerned with understanding and influencing customer demand.

Strategy Operations: Strategy Operations ensure that services like fulfilling user requests, resolving service failures, fixing problems as well as carrying out routine operational tasks, are performed efficiently and effectively.

 ITIL Core Component: Service Design

The Service Design lifecycle phase is about the design of services and all supporting elements for introduction into the live environment. It represent areas which should be taken into consideration when designing a service. They are: People, Processes, Products, Partners

Service Catalog Management: Service Catalog Management involves management and control of the Service Catalog which contains information about services currently available to customers for use.

Service Level Management: Service Level Management is the process charged with securing and managing agreements between customers and the service provider regarding the levels of performance (utility) and levels of reliability (warranty) associated with specific services. 

Availability Management: The Availability Management process is concerned with management and achievement of agreed-upon availability requirements as established in Service Level Agreements

Capacity Management: Capacity Management is concerned with ensuring that cost-effective capacity exists at all times which meets or exceeds the needs of the business as established in Service Level Agreements. It is divided into three major activities: Business Capacity Management, Service Capacity Management and Component Capacity Management

Service Continuity Management: IT Service Continuity Management uses techniques such as Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and Management of Risk (MOR).

IT Security Management: IT Security Management focuses on protection of five basic qualities of information assets: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authenticity, Non-Repudiation

Supplier Management: Supplier Management is the process charged with obtaining value for money from third-party suppliers. Supplier Management plays a very similar role to that of Service Level Management, but with respect to external suppliers rather than internal suppliers and internal/external customers.

ITIL Core Component: Service Transition

The objective of the Service Transition process is to build and deploy IT services by also making sure that changes to services and Service Management processes are carried out in a coordinated way. In this phase of the lifecycle, the design is built, tested and moved into production to enable the business customer achieve the desired value. This phase addresses managing changes: controlling the assets and configuration items associated with the new and changed systems, service validation, and testing and transition planning to ensure that users, support personnel and the production environment have been prepared for the release to production.

Change Management: The objective of this process activity is to control the lifecycle of all the changes.

Release and Deployment Management: The objective of this process is to plan, schedule and control the movement of releases to test and live environments.

Service Validation and Testing: This ensures that deployed Releases and the resulting services meet customer expectations, and to verify that IT operations is able to support the new service.

Service Asset and Configuration Management: The objective is to maintain information about Configuration Items required to deliver an IT service, including their relationships.

Knowledge Management: The objective is to gather, analyze, store and share knowledge and information within an organization.

ITIL Core Component:Service Operation

Event Management: The objective is to make sure CIs and services are constantly monitored, and to filter and categorize Events in order to decide on appropriate actions.

Incident Management : The objective is to return the IT service to users as quickly as possible.

Request Fulfilment: The objective is to fulfill Service Requests, which in most cases are minor Changes or requests for information.

Access Management: The objective is to grant authorized users the right to use a service, while preventing access to unauthorized users.

Problem Management: The primary objectives of Problem Management are to prevent Incidents from happening, and to minimize the impact of incidents that cannot be prevented.

IT Operations Control: The objective is to monitor and control the IT services and their underlying infrastructure. The process objective of IT Operations Control is to execute day-to-day routine tasks related to the operation of infrastructure components and applications. This includes job scheduling, backup and restore activities, print and output management, and routine maintenance.

Facilities Management: Facilities Management includes all aspects of managing the physical environment, for example power and cooling, building access management, and environmental monitoring.

Application Management: Application Management is responsible for managing applications throughout their lifecycle.

Technical Management: The objective of this is to make sure that IT services are delivered effectively and efficiently. The Service Operation process includes fulfilling user requests, resolving service failures, fixing problems, as well as carrying out routine operational tasks.

ITIL Core Component: Continual Service Improvement (CSI)

The objective of this is to use methods from quality management to learn from past successes and failures. The Continual Service Improvement process aims to continually improve the effectiveness and efficiency of IT processes and services.  

Service Review: The objective is to review business services and infrastructure services on a regular basis. The aim of this process is to improve service quality where necessary, and to identify more economical ways of providing a service where possible.

Process Evaluation: The objective is to evaluate processes on a regular basis. This includes identifying areas where the targeted process metrics are not reached, and holding regular benchmarking, audits, maturity assessments and reviews.

CSI Initiatives: The objective is to define specific initiatives aimed at improving services and processes, based on the results of service reviews and process evaluations.

Monitoring of CSI Initiatives: The objective is to verify if improvement initiatives are proceeding according to plan, and to introduce corrective measures where necessary.

What is the GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a legal framework that sets guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information of individuals within the European Union (EU).

GDPR is a piece of legislation that was approved in April 2016. European authorities have given companies two years to comply and it came into force Friday 25th May 2018.

It replaces a previous law called the Data Protection Directive and is aimed at harmonizing rules across the 28-nation EU bloc.

The aim is to give consumers control of their personal data collected by companies. Not only will it affect organizations located within the EU, but it will also apply to companies outside of the region if they offer goods or services to, or monitor the behavior of, people in the bloc.

What is considered to be personal data?

"personal data" shall mean any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person ('Data Subject'); an identifiable person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identification number or to one or more factors specific to his physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural or social identity.

What types of privacy data does the GDPR protect?

·                  Basic identity information such as name, address and ID numbers

·                  Web data such as location, IP address, cookie data and RFID tags

·                  Health and genetic data

·                  Biometric data

·                  Racial or ethnic data

·                  Political opinions

·                  Sexual orientation

Which companies does the GDPR affect?

Any company that stores or processes personal information about EU citizens within EU states must comply with the GDPR, even if they do not have a business presence within the EU. Specific criteria for companies required to comply are:

·                  A presence in an EU country.

·                  No presence in the EU, but it processes personal data of European residents.

·                  More than 250 employees.

·                  Fewer than 250 employees but its data-processing impacts the rights and freedoms of data subjects, is not occasional, or includes certain types of sensitive personal data. That effectively means almost all companies. A PwC survey showed that 92 percent of U.S. companies consider GDPR a top data protection priority.

How does the GDPR affect third-party and customer contracts?

The GDPR places equal liability on data controllers (the organization that owns the data) and data processors (outside organizations that help manage that data). A third-party processor not in compliance means your organization is not in compliance. The new regulation also has strict rules for reporting breaches that everyone in the chain must be able to comply with. Organizations must also inform customers of their rights under GDPR.

What this means is that all existing contracts with processors (e.g., cloud providers, SaaS vendors, or payroll service providers) and customers need to spell out responsibilities. The revised contracts also need to define consistent processes for how data is managed and protected, and how breaches are reported.

“The largest exercise is on the procurement side of the house—your third-party vendors, your sourcing relationships that are processing data on your behalf,” says Mathew Lewis, global head of banking and regulatory practice at legal service provider Axiom. “There’s a whole grouping of vendors that have access to this personal data and GDPR lays out very clearly that you need to ensure that all of those third parties are adhering to GDPR and processing the data accordingly.”

Client contracts also need to reflect the regulatory changes, says Lewis. “Client contracts take a number of different forms, whether they are online click-throughs or formal agreements where you make commitments to how you view, access, and process data.”

Are there punishments for breaking the rules?

Yes, and potentially big ones. An organization in breach of GDPR laws will be fined up to 4 percent of annual global turnover or 20 million euros ($24.6 million), whichever is bigger.

Some of the biggest technology companies are making billions in turnover every year so this could be a big hit if they were to breach any rules.

The Importance of Working For A Boss Who Supports You

Employers seek loyalty and dedication from their employees but sometimes fail to return their half of the equation, leaving millennial workers feeling left behind and unsupported. Professional relationships are built on trust and commitment, and working for a boss that supports you is vital to professional and company success.

Employees who believe their company cares for them perform better. What value does an employer place on you as an employee? Are you there to get the job done and go home? Are you paid fairly, well-trained and confident in your job security? Do you work under good job conditions? Do you receive constructive feedback, or do you feel demeaned or invisible?

When millennial employees feel supported by their boss, their happiness on the job soars — and so does company success. Building a healthy relationship involves the efforts of both parties — boss and employee — and the result not only improves company success, but also the quality of policies, feedback and work culture.

Investing In A Relationship With Your Boss

When you’re first hired, you should get to know your company’s culture and closely watch your boss as you learn the ropes. It’s best to clarify any questions you have instead of going rogue on a project and ending up with a failed proposal for a valuable client.

Regardless of your boss’s communication style, speaking up on timely matters before consequences are out of your control builds trust and establishes healthy communication. Getting to know your boss begins with knowing how they move through the business day, including their moods, how they prefer to communicate and their style of leadership:

·       Mood: Perhaps your boss needs their cup of coffee to start the day. If you see other employees scurry away before the boss drains that cup of coffee, bide your time, too.

·    Communication: The boss’s communication style is also influenced by their mood. Don’t wait too late to break important news. In-depth topics may be scheduled for a meeting through a phone call or email to check in and show you respect your boss’s time. In return, your time will be respected, too. Some professionals are more emotionally reinforcing that others. Some might appear cold, but in reality, prefer to use hard data to solidify the endpoint as an analytical style. If you’re more focused on interpersonal relationships, that’s your strength, but you must also learn and respect your boss’s communication style.

·     Leadership: What kind of leader is the boss? Various communication styles best fit an organization depending on its goals and culture, but provide both advantages and disadvantages. Autocratic leaders assume total authority on decision-making without input or challenge from others. Participative leaders value the democratic input of team members, but final decisions remain with the boss.

Autocratic leaders may be best equipped to handle emergency decisions over participative leaders, depending on the situation and information received.

While the boss wields a position of power over employees, it’s important that leaders don’t hold that over their employees’ heads. In the case of dissatisfaction at work, millennial employees don’t carry the sole blame. Respect is mutually earned, and ultimately a healthy relationship between leaders and employees betters the company and the budding careers of millennials.

A Healthy Relationship With Leaders Betters The Company

A Gallup report reveals that millennial career happiness is down while disengagement at work climbs — 71% of millennials aren’t engaged on the job and half of all employed plan on leaving within a year. What is the cause? Bosses carry the responsibility for 70% of employee engagement variances. Meanwhile, engaged bosses are 59% more prone to having and retaining engaged employees.

The supportive behaviors of these managers to engage their employees included being accessible for discussion, motivating by strengths over weaknesses and helping to set goals. According to the Gallup report, the primary determiner of employee retention and engagement are those in leadership positions. The boss is poised to affect employee happiness, satisfaction, productivity and performance directly.

The same report reveals that only 21% of millennial employees meet weekly with their boss and 17% receive meaningful feedback. The most positive engagement booster was in managers who focused on employee strengths. In the end, one out of every two employees will leave a job to get away from their boss when unsupported.

Millennials are taking the workforce by storm — one-third of those employed are millennials, and soon those numbers will take the lead. Millennials are important to companies as technology continues to shift and grow, and they are passionate about offering their talents to their employers. It’s vital that millennials have access to bosses who offer support and engage their staff through meaningful feedback, accessibility and help with goal-setting.

In return, millennial happiness and job satisfaction soar, positively impacting productivity, performance, policy and work culture. A healthy relationship between boss and employee is vital to company success and the growth of millennial careers as the workforce continues to age. Bosses shouldn’t be the reason that millennial employees leave. They should be the reason millennials stay and thrive in the workplace, pushing it toward greater success.

10 Things Bad Bosses Say

Here are 10 of the most common phrases you'll hear from bad managers - and why they're wrong.

1. "You're lucky to even have a job." This is a favorite refrain of bad managers who really mean: "You should be grateful that you're employed during this bad job market and therefore shouldn't complain about any conditions of your employment, no matter how bad." These are generally managers who don't know how to deal with problems or staff feedback constructively. If your manager says this, take it as a sign that you're dealing with someone inept.

2. "Just figure it out." Sure, there are times when employees really should be able to find solutions themselves, but in general, managers who say this are abdicating their responsibility to guide and coach. Even if the question is one that a reasonable employee should be able to solve on her own, a good manager would more clearly say, "This is something that I'd like you to handle yourself, using resources X, Y and Z." "Just figure it out" is both lazy and unkind.

3. "I received an anonymous report?" Good managers will do everything they can to avoid citing anonymous reports when talking to employees. Sometimes managers do need to address problems that they were told about in confidence, but when that happens, a skillful manager won't put the focus on the anonymous reporter, but rather on the problematic behavior that needs to be addressed.

4. "I don't have time to do your performance evaluation, but you're doing fine." Part of managing well is supplying thorough, nuanced feedback. It doesn't have to be through a formal performance evaluation, but "you're doing fine" doesn't come close to cutting it. Employees deserve to know what they're doing well, how they could be doing better and where they should focus on developing.

5. "That's a dumb idea." Let's face it, not every idea is a brilliant one. But good managers know that you won't hear great ideas if their staff is afraid of being insulted and shot down when brainstorming. Great ideas usually come from environments where it's safe to think out loud and toss ideas around, good or bad.

6. "That dress really flatters your figure." Commenting on employees' physical appearance - particularly their bodies - is a good way to make people uncomfortable (few people want to feel that their boss is assessing their attractiveness), as well as invite harassment complaints down the road.

7. "You don't need to know what this is for - just do what I tell you to do." Sure, it could be faster to simply bark out orders without providing any context or rationale. But that's how you end up with a staff of employees who don't think beyond what's required and don't feel any ownership for their work - and the good ones will move on to a company where they're allowed to feel a personal stake in their work.

8. "What's wrong with you?" Feedback should never be personal. Good managers keep the focus on behavior that needs to change - writing skills, attention to detail, judgment or so forth. They don't make it personal and attack someone's intelligence or worth.

9. "Your job is what I say it is." This is of course true; your job is what your manager says it is. But bad managers generally say this when an employee is resisting doing work outside her core role. By contrast, a good manager will explain the circumstances when a role needs to broaden or change, rather than simply falling back on "I control what you do."

10. "You're so much better at this than Bob is." Putting down another staff member, even when it's supposed to be a compliment to another, signals to the employee being "complimented" that it might be her you're putting down someday. Employees want to trust their managers to give them feedback in private, not make unflattering comments about them to their co-workers.

How A Web Design Goes Straight To Hell

7 Warning Signs Of A Heart Attack

Whilst a heart attack can often be sudden and unannounced, most other times, the condition develops over a period of time. You can read the warning signs and take the necessary precautions if you pay heed.

Here are 7 signs that can be taken as warning and could help avert a catastrophic situation:

1. Discomfort in the Chest

The most common warning sign of a heart attack is the feeling of discomfort or heaviness in the chest. This feeling could also be more of a burning sensation. Any of these symptoms should not be taken lightly, and if it occurs more than once, you need to rush to your doctor. If another person is complaining of the problem, chances are they have experienced the feeling before and are only expressing it now. So, rush them to the nearest doctor or hospital immediately for a check up.

2. Shortness of Breath

If your breathing gets heavy and the breath falls short even after a short walk, climb or other form of movement or exercise, it should be a huge cause of worry. Even if this condition is not accompanied with chest discomfort, it should be taken as a warning sign.

3. Sweating

Whilst sweating is inevitable in the scorching heat of May and June, excessive sweating even in cool conditions is uncalled for. If you notice such sweating, consult a medical professional immediately.

4. Nausea

Regularly feeling nauseous of dizzy could imply the onset of a heart attack. Do not treat is callously as a sign of tiredness. This could happen due to the artery getting blocked. It could also display itself via excessive stress, fatigue after short spans of movement or exercise, or a feeling of weakness despite eating and sleeping well.

5. Numbness in Arms

If your arms feel numb and seem to be drifting to the sides, heart problem may be the cause.

6. Unresponsiveness

If certain parts of your body begin to stop responding, do not ignore the circumstance. The affected parts may be the shoulders, arms or back of the neck.

7. Slurring while Speaking

Difficulty while speaking need not necessarily occur after a bout of drinking with the buddies. It could be a graver situation than that! Inability to speak coherently could be the sign of a great attack. If you think you are suffering this ask a friend or relative to help by asking them to understand what you are saying.

A heart attack can be avoided if the warning signs are read correctly and in time. Seek medical aid immediately if one or more of the above symptoms are noticed. They could be the result of a choked artery. Even if heart attack is not the result, a check up should definitely not be avoided! Take care!

6 Leadership Mistakes to Avoid

If you've recently been promoted, congratulations. It's an honor to receive a promotion that puts you in a leadership role. But be wary: You carry a great deal of responsibility that can easily be taken away should you not live up to expectations. Not to set off alarm bells, but of people who have been promoted, a full 40 percent of them will fail within their first 18 months on the job. Most of the failure stems from a few key leadership mistakes that The Forum Corp.'s President and CEO Andrew Graham outlines:

1. Alienating your team. Graham says that you likely got your promotion by standing out from others, but now that role has changed. Rather than focusing on continuing to shine alone, you need to help your subordinates stand out. "If your subordinates or peers perceive that you care more about your interests than theirs, you will lose them. And once you lose them, you will lose, period," he says.

2. Keeping the same mindset. You got where you are by being really good at a few key skills for the job. You can just about toss those out of the window if you want to be a good leader, because, as Graham says, your focus should now be on "high-value activities that deliver business results through the team." It's all too common for new managers to make the mistake of focusing on low-value activities (think:TPS reports) that don't benefit the team and that are others' responsibilities.

3. Not asking for help. You're the leader now. That means you're expected to know everything ... doesn't it? Not at all. Rather than being overconfident you can handle a situation you've never encountered before, the smart thing is to ask for input from others. "Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it's the contrary," stresses Graham. Understand that your team will respect you for saying you don't know the answer to a question, but that you will make it a priority to find it.

4. Making all the decisions alone. Leaders should lead, not dictate. But many feel like the key to leading is taking on all the decisions on their own. Rather than being seen as a fine leader, you will be resented for leaving your employees out in the cold on a decision they felt entitled to weigh in on. Instead, involve other team members in your decision-making process so that you build a sense of community and democracy, not a dictatorship.

5. Ignoring transitions. You being promoted to manager or leader isn't the only transition you need to deal with. While you're settling into that corner office, your new team is adjusting to having a new person at the helm, and all the personal interplay that brings among co-workers. Not spending enough time making that transition smoother can set the course for how your team operates, and it might make things more difficult down the road.

6. Leaning too hard on book smarts. So you went to an Ivy League school. So what? All the fine education in the world can't prepare you for cultivating your people-leadership skills, which account for 85 percent of a leader's success, according to Graham. You can apply what you've learned in books, but the best leaders help their staff learn to solve problems themselves, and teaching that can't be learned anywhere but on the job.

The first few months of taking on a leadership role are the most precarious. Begin to think like a leader and focus your actions around what is best for the team. Ask for feedback from your staff and your own boss so that you can quickly correct anything that could stand to be improved.

12 Scary Signs That It's Time to Leave Your Company

Want to safety-proof your job? Here are 12 signs to even out your career, and discover when it's time to quit.

1. The bills aren't paid on time.

If you work with a creative agency, freelancers, outside IT, event management, or in another similar service, and your provider is telling you that their bills aren't being paid on time, your ears should perk up. Don't let the accounting department blame it on a temporary cash flow problem; ask what's really going on.

2. You don't get paid.

Even companies in trouble will do everything in their power to pay employees first and every other bill second, so if you're not getting paid or your check arrives late, know that your company's financial situation is pretty dire.

3. No raises.

Businesses need to invest in talent. Not only do stingy raises bring down morale, but it guarantees the loss of top performers as well. Happy employees are such a significant part of a sustainable business that if you hear the news that there are no salary increases for the year, run for the hills.

4. Leadership changes.

When your CEO or president is pushed out of the company, and new leadership comes in, it's time to activate your backup plan. Regardless of whether you do phenomenal work, new leadership often means a new vision and direction—one that may not include your position or even your department.

5. High turnover.

Do people keep quitting? It's often a sign of poor management, salary, and benefit practices. Constant turnover affects the entire organization too; new employees act as roadblocks until they receive the required training they need to get up to speed.

6. A hiring freeze.

Some companies will tell you about a hiring freeze, but many others simply won't fill a position when an employee quits. The explanation may be that the old position is redundant or no longer relevant to the organization's current goals, but more likely, the company needs to save cash.

7. Reorganization and restructuring.

Do you suddenly have a new boss? Did your colleague switch departments? A new organizational structure may not make sense to you, but it probably helps the spreadsheets balance. It's also a sign that the company is floundering to find its footing and focus.

8. Closed doors

If more and more meetings start to happen behind closed doors, take it as a sign that something is up. While being secretive can mean a big product launch, it can also mean that there are tough issues that need to be discussed. In general, a quiet office is a dead office.

9. Employee morale

When complaints start to outnumber celebrations, you have a problem. Look out for signs that employees start leaving early and coming in late first, then listen for the complaints. A toxic environment where all your colleagues are unhappy is not a fun or productive place to work.

10. Unclear direction, goals, or mission

If you're not sure what you should be working on from one week to the next, and asking for clarification gets you nowhere, take it as a sign that the company ship is sinking. Employees need clear, organizational leadership to execute on.

11. Delayed implementation

Got great ideas but can't push them through? When you aren't allowed to execute on even low-cost strategies, it's often a frustrating sign that you won't be able to contribute any sort of meaningful work any time soon. Watch out, your company is probably coming to a standstill.

12. Frenzied, stop-and-go pace

One week you're knee-deep into new objectives and tasks, and the next week your plate is empty. What's going on? A stop-and-go pace will make it impossible to build upon success or failure, so try to find some consistency or find a new job.

6 Things That Make You Look Amateur on Your Resume

1. Short-term jobs.

If you quit a job after a few weeks because you couldn't see your future there, don't put it on your resume. Employers look at short-term jobs as a sign that you're flighty, and you want to avoid that perception at all costs. If you have more short-term jobs (that relate to the one you want) than long-term, or many short-term consulting arrangements, you can add them into a section for one year. If you are listing many consulting assignments, make sure it's clear in your resume that it was not a full-time, permanent position.

2. Job experience that doesn't relate.

If you're trying to work as an administrative assistant, but one of your past jobs was working as a restaurant server, leave that one off the list. However, if your job history doesn't provide enough experience for the Work History section of your resume, find ways to connect the unrelated work to what you want to do. For example, when you worked as a server, were there any tasks that related to the administrative assistant position you're vying for? You might be surprised to find that some of the skills you learned will translate for the job you want. Highlight these points in your resume.

3. Every responsibility you had at a job.

Focus on a high level, and keep only what relates to the job you're applying for. A resume isn't the place to copy your job description; instead, it's meant to highlight the best of what you've done at past companies and tie it to what you will do with your next employer.

4. References

While you do need a list of people who can vouch for you as an employee and overall exemplary citizen, you don't have to include the list with your resume. And don't add the phrase "References Available Upon Request." It's a given you have and will provide references when it comes to that point in the interview process.

5. Hobbies.

Many argue that listing your hobbies on your resume gives the employer a better sense of your overall character. While that might be true, hobbies can also be used against you and employers can jump to conclusions about you before having the chance to meet you. Unless the hobby relates to the job you want and it's not covered in your job experience, keep it off.

6. Why you left a job.

Save this for the interview. Some job applications may ask for this information, but never volunteer it on your own. Explanations on your resume are required to be brief and could easily cast you in a negative light. It's much better to discuss this in person when you'll have the opportunity to explain further, if necessary.

Should You Tell Your Employer About Your Side Job?

Low wages, pay freezes, and the threat of layoffs mean that for many employees a second job is a necessity. But does your employer agree?

While a side job can mean the difference between "making it" and financial ruin, companies have become more stringent in regulating what their employees do outside of work. Some organizations prohibit side jobs altogether, while others enforce disciplinary action ranging from immediate dismissal, to a written reprimand, to a demotion.

From a company's perspective, it's for good reason. But don't allow your employer's policies and red tape to scare you away from creating financial padding and learning new skills. Whether you take on additional work as a freelancer, consultant, floor salesperson, or start selling your handcrafted goods, moonlighting can be your path toward building a better future.

If you decide to set up shop outside your current workplace, set up a meeting with your boss first. You need to request approval even if there are no explicit policies regarding side jobs in the employee handbook. (Hint: And if a second job is clearly prohibited, you can still ask.) Don't risk getting fired or losing extra income over a simple five-minute conversation. Here's how:

Know Why Your Company is Worried

Employers typically don't see any advantages to their employees working side jobs, but it can be beneficial for both employer and employee, stimulating creativity, motivation, and new ideas. The key is to keep the focus on your current position:

Put the company first. Most employers want to hear that you'll continue to put your job at their company first. Assuage your manager's concerns by letting her know you won't work at your second job during office hours and that you'll still be able to work overtime during periods of heavy work. Show your commitment to your current position as a priority.

Lay out how you'll remain effective. Your boss doesn't want you to be overwhelmed and fatigued just because you're working multiple jobs, so lay out the strategies that will allow you to remain just as effective as you are now. Don't talk about the new job; discuss how you'll continue to rock your current one.

Keep quiet about confidential information. A small number of companies will be concerned that you'll leak confidential, in-house information, particularly if your side job is utilizing the same skills that your existing job does. If you can't get permission to work in the same vertical, try a side job in a different arena all together.

Act as a good representative. What you do off-hours can seem like none of your employer's business, but it is, especially if what you're doing could be deemed offensive to your employer's customers. Make sure that whatever side job you choose won't put you in an awkward position with any of your company's clients, partners, or customers.

These tips should get you quick approval to take on the side job you've been dreaming about. If you can't get approval however, consider volunteering or taking a career development class. While many employers won't support you getting paid to expand your skill set, they will endorse broadening your horizons in general.