As an individual, you do not have to stand for being hit on. You don’t have to endure any sort of harassment in hopes of getting that next raise or keeping your job. Most companies have strict policies that try their best to keep relationships completely out of the workplace – where they belong. Some companies will even host seminars on just this sort of thing. Familiarize yourself, first and foremost, with how your office handles romance. Any sign of harassment is considered against company policy. Therefore, do not be afraid to put a stop to it! If you actually like the attention, be warned that getting involved in an office romance could get messy. On the other hand, many people meet their sweethearts in the office. After all, what better way to find something in common than at work? Understand the Risks: If you are actually considering dating someone in the office, there are a few things you should know. Before you start a relationship, look at the potential hazards. Are they … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Handle Someone Hitting on You at Work
Career Advice Blog
Sun Tzu and the Art of Getting a Job
Though I now work in a great office at Airsplat, the nation's largest retailer of Airsoft guns, it took a strategic search to find this position and I am often dismayed at the struggles of my friends who are on the hunt. Seeing their constant disdain, I reflected on the primary differences between my search and theirs and came to the realization that I instinctively approached the process using war tactics. I have a favorite book, The Art of War in which Sun Tzu said "If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt" and my strategy was relying on this concept. I know you are probably thinking that the employer is not the enemy and you are right – but unemployment is! The reality is that if you face unemployment as an enemy to be vanquished, then employers are your allies and you must strategically create those alliances. I teach some military training courses with airsoft on weekends as a side gig. Recently I decided to hold an airsoft seminar that … [Read more...] about Sun Tzu and the Art of Getting a Job
Quality Sites for a Better Quality of (Work) Life
Whether you're trying to manage the madness at the office, muster more motivation, devise ways to work smarter not harder, “win friends and influence people”, or simply make better career related decisions, these quality sites featured today are the ticket!As they say, “knowledge is power.” So, sit back, relax and get ready as I serve as your virtual tour guide... Blue collar or white, butcher, baker, or candlestick maker, you'll wanna bookmark these hot spots designed to prevent you from getting “burned” and avoid burn-out, regardless if you're “working for the man” or managing your own joint..Here's what I uncovered in my recent “talent search.”1. The Middle Finger ProjectOf course the name drew me in; the content kept me rooted and reading! The motto for this site is “rejecting the status quo and rebelling against mediocrity”. Written by a woman named “Ash”, you'll … [Read more...] about Quality Sites for a Better Quality of (Work) Life
Mad Men Finale: How to Mad "Men-ize" Your Office
I didn’t start watching Mad Men until the 2nd season, so I’m glad I've been able to recently catch the show from the beginning. I was all prepared to not to like the show, mainly because the 60’s portrayal of women in subservient secretary roles offends my feminist side. But, if you haven’t seen it, give it a try. I think it’s one of the best-written shows on TV.In honor of the Mad men finale, you should “Mad Men-ize” your office. Now this will be risky, as your boss and colleagues might not be amused. Here’re some tips to get you started...* Bring at least a fifth of scotch and some rocks glasses to work. Place these in your bottom desk drawer or file cabinet. Wait at least until 10:00 a.m. to have your first drink. Remember, ice is for sissies. Leave the bottle and glasses out in case a co-worker stops by.* Buy a carton of Marlboros or even better, something unfiltered. Light up and offer the pack around to your cube mates.* Try … [Read more...] about Mad Men Finale: How to Mad "Men-ize" Your Office
What if Your Parents Had a “Teacher” Conference With Your Boss?
Remember when your parents had to go to a parent/teacher conference with mean Mrs. Snyder? You just knew she was going to say terrible things about you and you’d be in SO much trouble. It was worse if your parents had worked all day, were dead tired and would rather do anything than go to the school.Jeffrey Zaslow’s Wall Street Journal article, “Acing Parent Teacher Conferences” addresses how to prepare for and approach conferences with your kid’s teachers. It made me wonder what would happen if your parents regularly met with your boss to assess how you’re doing at work. (Okay, I’m making this up and I already have a creepy feeling of dread.)It would start with a texted memo from your boss to your folks - “Please select an hour slot on my schedule to meet with me to discuss your son’s job performance.”Then the meeting might go like this. “Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I wanted to talk to you today because I’m concerned … [Read more...] about What if Your Parents Had a “Teacher” Conference With Your Boss?
Substitute Teaching – The Perfect Job?
Some time ago, in a typical morning session with a bunch of rebellious teens, one of my many “admirers” shouted at me, “You needs to stop riding our backs and get yo'self a real job!” After I politely put her in her place (and corrected her grammar), I assured her that substitute teaching was a real job; and I assure you too. :-)BACKGROUND...Substitute teachers are like understudies are to actors. It's estimated that by the time that most students graduate from high school, they will have spent the equivalent of one year under the instruction of a substitute teacher. Yet, substitutes remain an enigma. For example, did you know that in many states Subs are required to have a four-year degree and hold a certificate in substitute teaching before they enter the classroom? Or that Subs can earn full time pay for part-time hours? Or that these professionals are considered as part of the “real” teachers' union? Why So Many are Transitioning to this … [Read more...] about Substitute Teaching – The Perfect Job?
Undereducated and Unemployed: Getting America Back on Track
America has seen a large degree of economic down turn in the past few years. Now that we are supposed to be out of the recession, the educational opportunities that are available to people are going to affect how quickly we are able to pull ourselves away from this recession. People are going to find that they need to re-educate themselves in new careers or they may need to upgrade their educations. As new job opportunities arise, we are going to need people to fill those positions and that will require a new attitude towards education. [Tuition Reimbursement Benefits: How to Get Your Employer to Pay] As the economy changes, the needs of employers change as well. In order for the labor market to keep up with the demands of the economy, it needs to re-educate potential employees. Since many employees have been unemployed for a long period of time, government will need to create incentives for re-education.There are many types of incentives that governments, educational facilities, and … [Read more...] about Undereducated and Unemployed: Getting America Back on Track
How to Work with Indecisive People
When I started my advertising career, I worked for a woman who, although very creative when it came to ad campaigns, was one of the most indecisive people I’ve known. She was also beyond wacky. Example: She called me to her office and asked me to stand in the doorway while she held up a brown eyeglass case and a beige piece of paper. She said, “I’m trying to decide which color phone would look best on my desk, brown or ivory. What do you think?” We had to discuss this for 20 minutes.We all have indecisive people in our lives. One of my relatives refers to herself as an “information gatherer.” The reality is that she drives us nuts when it takes her six months to research and buy a microwave. But the wafflers are trickier in the workplace - with deadlines, someone HAS to make decisions.Shirley S. Wang’s Wall Street Journal article, “Why So Many People Can’t Make Decisions” explores the topic of ambivalence. The article divides … [Read more...] about How to Work with Indecisive People
Top 10 Words of Wisdom From Pam Beesly, Your Favorite Personal Assistant
Imported from the BBC, “The Office” has become a new American cultural phenomenon. And chief among its characters is Michael Smart’s personal assistant Pam Beesley. Pam is a mix of smart and sassy and just doesn’t know how to put it quite into words. She has the moxie to hold her own in a company that sometimes seems to be out to get its own employees. And like all high caliber, high performing personal assistants, Pam Beesley is wise beyond her years. Granted her wisdom comes from the minds of a group of television script writers, it is wisdom nonetheless. There is something to be learned from Beesley in every episode. Presented here, in no particular order, are 10 of her most important contributions to the lexicon of business wisdom. • Sleep only with certain bosses and even then, only for very good reasons. In the first season Beesley is wondering whether her boss will try making her work on Saturday when she and her fiance have plans. … [Read more...] about Top 10 Words of Wisdom From Pam Beesly, Your Favorite Personal Assistant
Should I Quit My Job
“Should I quit my job?” It’s a common question that bounces around in our heads from time to time (for some, more than others). Step one is to make sure you know how to quit your job. Whether personal or professional, break-ups of any kind create a myriad of emotions and mental “wear and tear.” Still, they are inevitable in the normal course of life; as many of us come to the painful realization that we’ve outgrown a relationship, or either paradoxically, have not been allowed to grow while involved in one. The uncertainty and fear of leaving something that we know for something that we don’t know, (no matter how bad), keeps most of us mired in relationships way beyond the many red flags and warning signs along the way. But there’s a price to pay. You begin to feel bitter, not better. Such was the case some years ago when I worked as an analyst at a prestigious financial institution that I started at while in college. By “traditional” standards, it was indeed a “good … [Read more...] about Should I Quit My Job