Archives for November 2012

Many of us have been in a situation where one person with a very difficult personality can create a very unpleasant work environment. Sometimes a person may just have a strong, overbearing personality, while others might be introverted and unwilling to help carry a conversation. Your personality, though, is extremely important in the workplace because it is the foundation on which you build relationships. … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to (Professionally) Show Your Personality in the Workplace

After working in the same office for several years, it’s easy to settle in and begin viewing the workplace as an extension of your home. Unfortunately, regardless of how long you’ve worked for a company, the workplace isn’t your home and, therefore, should not be treated as such. If office etiquette has been lacking in your workplace as of late, here is a refresher course. Respect the Breakroom The breakroom is a sacred location in any office. Breakrooms are where employees go to escape a stressful day at work and are also where most bonds with coworkers begin. As such, have respect for this sacred space by following these tips:          Pick up after yourself - Reserve your slob-like tendencies for home. If your sandwich leaves crumbs on the breakroom table, be courteous to others by wiping them up. Also, if you notice a mess left by someone else who hasn’t yet taken a workplace etiquette course, clean the mess rather … [Read more...] about Workplace Etiquette 101 – Refresher Course!

Workplace burnout is becoming a more and more common phenomenon and can be a very stressful experience to go through. So, how do we avoid getting burnout at work? How to do we create a healthy relationship to our work? Set boundaries A lack of boundaries is often at the heart of work place burnout. When we consistently try and do too much or find it hard to say no to requests, the pressure and stress can build up to an experience of burnout. Often a lack of clear boundaries is evident in employees and the company they work for. If that's the case, start with yourself and get clear about what you can and can't do; the clearer you are, the easier it will be to make changes for yourself and for the company.  Get support Don't try and go it alone. If you are feeling unsupported, see who or where you can get support from. Most companies have a HR dept or something similar and that is often a good place to start. Asking for help is a sign of strength. Listen to your feelings and reach … [Read more...] about How to Avoid Workplace Burnout

Looking at the job figures from the last month, it's obvious there are still a lot of people out there hurting, and in need of every last idea or resource they can get to help them get back to work. The U.S. unemployment rate is essentially flat at 7.9%, and the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was also little changed at 5 million people. Finding a job by tracking down open positions, rewriting resumes and filling out online applications can be a draining task. If you are serious about it, it can almost be a full-time job by itself. Many times, it can be difficult to even find job postings or contact information for a job that looks perfect. There are many ways to look for your next job, but using an employment agency can amplify your efforts, plus cut down on a lot of the frustration and daily tedium of a traditional job search. No Leg Work While finding a job always requires dedication and determination, it’s not always possible to run down … [Read more...] about Opportunities for Job Hunters to Be More Resourceful

Most employees are aware that Facebook can be dangerous in the workplace, but to fair, most employees are so addicted to Facebook that they don’t always care. Not checking your Facebook during work hours is of course the safest and most logical solution to the “I might get fired” problem, but there are other smart ways to still be involved in Facebook despite that frown you’re getting from your boss. What is probably the most common of issues teetering on the Facebook and work line actually don’t happen while in the office, but rather out of the office. Below are a few different instances where Facebook could get you fired, and the solution to all of these problems is a quite obvious “don’t do it.” Thinking about a few of these scenarios is usually all someone needs to come up with the “okay, I shouldn’t do this” solution. Scenarios Where Facebook and Work Just Don’t Mix 1.    Set your profile to private. First off, it’s important to realize that this isn’t going to stop you from … [Read more...] about Top 7 Ways Facebook Can Get You Fired (And How to Avoid It)

It used to be common knowledge that efficient employees were generally happy, and most people thought they were happy because they were good workers doing a good job. Yet research in the past few decades has discovered that the causal relationship is actually the other way around: happy employees are what cause employee efficiency. Studies show that happy employees stay twice as long in their jobs, spend twice as much time focusing on their core work, take a full order of magnitude less sick leave, and consistently feel like they are realizing their true potential fully twice as often. Ensuring your employees' happiness turns out to be one of the most important steps in keeping the efficiency of your workforce consistently high. The first step in creating a happy workplace is to ensure your employees feel valued. Employee contributions should always be recognized to show appreciation. Some employee recognition ideas include using publicly posted praise, starting meetings with open … [Read more...] about The Effects of Being "Happy" at Work

While it may be tempting to send out bulk resume emails to prospective employers, this rarely helps your job search. While résumés are still very effective, it may be hard for writers, designers, web developers and IT specialists to showcase the full body of their work on a single-page, double-spaced CV. It’s also important to realize that in today’s market, you need as many self-promotional avenues as possible. A personal portfolio site will serve as another way to get your name out there. For professions like web design and copywriting, you’re doing yourself a major disservice by not having a portfolio site in place that details your career highlights and accomplishments and great detail. Nuts & Bolts: Building Your New Site While it may be tempting to go out and register a Blogger account and call it a day, this may not cut it. A dedicated dot-com address adds an air of professionalism. It communicates that you are invested enough … [Read more...] about The Power of an Online Portfolio