You pass Susie in the hall, greet her with the typical pleasantries, and move on your way. Not more than 5 minutes later on the way to the copier, you see her again. What do you do? You could always sport the head nod, throw a polite smile her way, or you could go all out and say hello again. This may seem like a silly nuance, but it is certainly a small aggravation of mine at work. The office I manage is located inside a gym and I frequently pass the sales managers and front desk staff multiple times a day. The first hello is a given. However, the second and third times I run into the same people, I start to feel that my greetings are inadequate. Alright, if I’m being honest, they feel unnecessary and more like an obligation. Do I need to start writing down scripts of things to say? I don’t want to have to pull a Michael Scott and write down different jokes to try out. Here are some of the options I try out when I really feel like avoiding the small talk: * Read a paper … [Read more...] about Hallway Etiquette: To Nod or Not to Nod?
Career Advice Blog
Free 2009 Sick Day Calendar
The new year is almost upon us and that means it's time for the Official Sick Day Calendar from your friends at Jobacle. Get your excuses ready now! Remember, only a sucker loses days at the end the year!Official Jobacle.com Sick Day Calendar 2009 (PDF)LISTEN to the Sick Day Podcast: Direct DownloadThis calendar is designed so you can strategically plan your sick days (or vacation time) in order to maximize time away from the office. Here are the 2009 dates...Friday, January 2: You’ve already spent your non-existent bonus. Why not celebrate the end of holiday torture by starting the new year in style? Besides, who in their right mind would show up focused on a Friday after a party?Friday, January 16 & Tuesday, January 20: You have a dream. And it's five straight days away from your boss's ugly mug and Microsoft Outlook. Call in sick on Friday, January 16 and Tuesday, January 20. Winter's in full swing and the "flu" is hard to fight. Make MLK proud!Friday, February 13: … [Read more...] about Free 2009 Sick Day Calendar
Hiring Nirvana With Jobvana?
Hoping to "provide people with the tools they need to be successful" is Jobvana, a new social search service that connects people with personalized services and information.We dig the clever name, but we're undecided about the service.If you've ever wondered what would happen if Craigslist and LinkedIn had a love child, it would probably look something like Jobavana. The site might be trying to be too many things at once. The good news is that registration is free and doesn't require an e-mail confirmation. Your basic profile can be set up in under five minutes.General categories are broken into five sections: professional, skilled trade, creative, instructional, family/domestic. Within each are subcategories. Whether you are looking for work or looking for someone to do work for you, these five areas are your starting point.Jobvana has been set up so that the more complete your profile, and the more active you are on the site, the better your profile page will rank in their search … [Read more...] about Hiring Nirvana With Jobvana?
Holiday Party Checklist: Podcast #83
Holiday party madness is in full swing, as companies aroud America hold their annual end-of-year parties.I'm pretty convinced that not much good comes out of these events. I usually just end up with a sore throat and a bad tatse in my mouth. I never misbehave, but my superiors do. And it scares the crap out of me that these are the people who hold the keys (partially) to my success.The DOs and DON'Ts are running rampant on the Web. Rather than join all of those HotMonsterSimplyBuilder sites with the usual fare, we're dishing out some holiday-party advice that you might not have thought of.Find out why drinking, arriving late and playing grab ass might not be the worst thing in the world as we wind down 2008.Check out Working Podcast episode #83! Direct Download … [Read more...] about Holiday Party Checklist: Podcast #83
Death By Holiday Party
OK. So it wasn't the actual party that killed killed Benjamin David Banky, president of the Vancouver-based Tallgrass Distributors Ltd. It was allegedly a disgruntled former employee.Read more here.We understand that this seemingly premeditated crime could have taken place anywhere at any time, but here's yet another reason why holiday parties are a royal pain. The poor employees at the natural products company went from chips and dip to spending the night at the police station filling out witness statements.Tomorrow we're dropping episode #83 of the Working Podcast which takes a look at those silly holiday party DOs and DON'T lists that every job Web site feels compelled to release.We're guessing showing up with a firarm becuase you're pissed you were let go is a DON'T. … [Read more...] about Death By Holiday Party
Caffeine Banned From the Workplace
I'm about to propose something that will make you want to smash my head with a stapler and then roll me over with a copy machine. What about a caffeine-free workplace? Whoa! I know, it sounds like I'm a militant nut. But come along for a ride in an alternative universe where caffeinated beverages are banned from the workplace. Picture a time where people are stashing thermoses filled with coffee in their desk drawers and keeping coffee beans in their cars. The fear of random drug tests keeps everybody on their toes. The best performing stocks belong to companies who have mastered the art of decaf and have found a way to distil other 'legal' energy boosters into hot drinks. It might not be plausible, but it also might not be impossible. I'll tell you straight up that if I ran a company (larger than Jobacle!) I wouldn't want my employees suffering from the myriad of problems caffeine brings with it. I'd even be willing to foot the bill to help them kick the habit. When you hire a … [Read more...] about Caffeine Banned From the Workplace
What Is Your Job Identity Percentage?
If you had to assign a percentage or scale of how much your career is attached to your self-identity, what number would you give it? Or let me put it this way. If you were fired or laid off tomorrow, would you be relieved or sink into a deep depression? People choose careers for a multitude of reasons. Some pick them solely for the money, some for the intrinsic satisfaction, and others work to keep busy. But regardless of which category you fit in, a part of you is wrapped up in the idea of your career.Leave out the fact that a job is a financial necessity or that it provides financial security. So I ask again - if you lost your job, which of these best describes how you would feel? Remember: Pretend money is NOT a factor.#1 (5-15% of self identity): Could care less. If you woke up tomorrow and got laid off you would simply walk over to the competitor and get a job there without a second glance back.#2 (15-30% of self identity): Mild annoyance or irritation would be the only emotions … [Read more...] about What Is Your Job Identity Percentage?
10 Career Lessons From Axl Rose
Job advice is often rife with DOs and DON'Ts, and perhaps no better example of how NOT to get hired is by taking a look at Guns n' Roses frontman Axl Rose. William Bruce Rose Jr. might be brilliant at what he does, but there are 10 reasons why you must be the anti-Axl if you'd like to land a gig and stay gainfully employed. The 17-years-in-the-making album, Chinese Democracy, finally dropped last week, receiving mixed reviews and a lukewarm reception. The latest chapter in the GnR novel helps crystallize what career lessons we can learn from Mr. Rose. 1) RESUME BLEMISH.Despite being written over two decades ago, the controversial anthem, "One In a Million" still paints Rose as a small-minded racist. Even when he's long gone, he'll be associated with lyrics he wrote as a teenager. REMEMBER: The actions you take today could have career consequences down the road. 2) BE NICE TO OTHERS.If one band member moves on, it's a case of he said/he said. But when everyone heads for the hills … [Read more...] about 10 Career Lessons From Axl Rose
Resumes and Interviews: A Thin Line Between Embellishment and Lies
Raise your hand if you’ve ever exaggerated your proficiency level in a software program on your resume. Or if you have listed that you are fluent in Spanish since you once took a course in college or high school. Or worse, raise your hand if you have ever overstated your volunteer activities to appear more community-driven. If I had to guess, most of our readers would be raising their hands high. At the very least, they would be looking at their feet and shifting uncomfortably. How about during the interview? I can hear you now... “I am self-motivated, always on time, first to volunteer, a people person...” and the list of embellished qualities continues on. We all do it. Our main priority in the interview is to sell ourselves. But when does it cross the line from embellishment to just a flat out lie? Truth be told, if you are in the mix of job hunters, you understand how competitive the game is. It’s almost as if the job seekers are now the predators and the … [Read more...] about Resumes and Interviews: A Thin Line Between Embellishment and Lies
Holiday Distractions Are Unavoidable
Christmas cookies line the tables at work. Holiday sales tempt you into buying not only presents, but that sweater you need for yourself (or at least you tell yourself you need it). Extra emails, phone calls and parties lure you away from work and your other obligations.Why are the holidays such a distraction from all priorities? Diets, budgets, work, free time...they all go out the door starting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. While December is an all-consuming month filled with entertainment, it still serves as an interruption to completing any type of pre-planned goals.So how do you keep on track during this overwhelming season? To be blunt, you don’t! You will inevitably give in to those delicious sugar cookies, skip out of work for the extra happy hour, and spend some extra unplanned cash. However, you can still contain the December mess by following these tips (or at least one of them).1. Get your shopping done early. Make a list of what presents you have to buy and … [Read more...] about Holiday Distractions Are Unavoidable