The old saying, "You can't judge a book by its cover" has no relevance when assessing a company from the outside. After all, you can form accurate impressions about the quality of a company by looking over the building and the surrounding property. The biggest tip off to what is inside of a company often receives little or no attention. Office parking lots can provide considerable insight into a company. You simply need to know what an office parking lot reveals about a company. First Impressions Count for Cleanliness and Maintenance Do you want to know how well a company keeps its office building? Walk around the parking lot and analyze cleanliness of the lot. Trash strewn across the lot indicates that cleanliness does not matter to the company. Filthy pavement and crumbling sidewalks leading from a company parking lot demonstrate a lack of caring for keeping the inside of the office building clean and well maintained. Cleanliness and maintenance require dedication to upholding … [Read more...] about What an Office Parking Lot Reveals About a Company
Archives for September 2014
Online Education Made Easy With Video Conferencing
The twenty-first century has seen a massive move towards distance learning. In the past, getting an education from a university sometimes required leaving your home town for months at a time. Now, the internet has made it much easier. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics says that approximately twenty percent of undergraduate students have taken at least one distance learning course. However, this is just the first step in the internet revolution as far as distance learning goes. Ease of hosting has made online education via video a very real occurrence. The fact that physical presence makes a difference in the rate of learning has been a well-documented fact in academia. Low-cost distribution solutions like those offered by Blue Jeans video conferencing makes it easy to access hosted information from any device. Here we explore the education revolution that video conferencing has become a part of. … [Read more...] about Online Education Made Easy With Video Conferencing
Consider the Restaurant Industry As a First Job
We always remember our first. Our first boy or girlfriend. Our first car. And of course our first job. I know that my first job taught me a lot. From what I liked about to the world of work to absolute deal breakers; it was an amazing learning experience. I was happy to get my "working" feet wet at a big box retail store. However, most of my friends started out in the restaurant industry. In fact, 69% of of employees ages 18-24 have their first job in the restaurant industry. And it's these folks, who don't know it at the time, that are the backbone of the nation's economy. It also starts many folks on a career path that they never veer from. After experiencing the high-energy work environment of the restaurant world, those desk jobs lose some of their luster. … [Read more...] about Consider the Restaurant Industry As a First Job
Why You Should Disengage From Office Gossip
They say there are only two certainties in life: Death and taxes. Well, Shirley MacLaine has a different view of death and you can ask Michael Milken about how he felt about paying taxes. Just to be on the safe side, let's assume death and taxes are inseparable parts of life. Then, there must be one more certainty that clings to us like a Koala Bear clings to a lush Eucalyptus tree. Office Gossip. Gossip pervades virtually every office from the corridors of multi-story corporate buildings to the coffee stained small rooms that business owners use to hold employee meetings. The reasons vary for the presence of office gossip, but the negative effects of the rumor mill often poison the business culture beyond the point of no return. Offices that sink in the mire called office gossip experience poor morale, lower productivity, and worst of all, high employee turnover. Why you should disengage from office gossip begins and ends with the bottom line. … [Read more...] about Why You Should Disengage From Office Gossip
The Worst Employee Motivation Tactics
Employee motivation is a tricky world. How many times have we heard a boss say, 'If that is not on my desk by the end of day Friday, you can kiss your job goodbye." Yes, the blatant threat is one of the worst employee motivation tactics, as it inspires most employees to dump the project into the trash and walk out the door. Employer threats do nothing more than alienate employees by creating a hostile work environment. Most of us understand that threats from the boss comprise one of the worst employee motivation tactics, but what about other less discussed motivation tactics that fall flat in front of disgruntled employees. Rah-Rah Equals Blah-Blah Many managers implement cheerleading tactics to motivate their employees. They believe that by pumping their fists and yelling worthless catchphrases that employees respond with energy and passion for their jobs. However, cheerleading grates on most employees, as they perceive the rah-rah exhortations of their bosses as childish ploys that … [Read more...] about The Worst Employee Motivation Tactics
Decoding Your Boss
Does it feel like you need to learn another language for decoding what your boss is really saying? Many employees feel they have take CIA sanctioned courses simply to figure out the meaning behind the arcane messages sent by managers. Well, you do not have to invest in code breaking software for decoding your boss. In fact, you can follow a few time-tested tips and avoid the hair-pulling frustration caused by muddled communication from your boss. Non-Verbal Cues Ask any attorneys worth their legal salt how they understand witness testimony and the answer invariably lies in non-verbal communication cues. If your boss appears fidgety when addressing you, the message sent probably is not what your boos truly intends to say. You may have to guide your boss down the road of truth by replying with affirming message such as "I understand" and "That makes sense." Other non-verbal cues to watch include facial expressions, posture, and hand movements. Calm, reasoned discourses confirm the … [Read more...] about Decoding Your Boss
Have You Considered a Federal Career?
If your future college graduate is looking for stable and rewarding work, consider a job in the Federal sector. With generous pay and unparalleled benefits, the government is currently hiring lawyers, engineers, scientists, enforcement officers and more. The video below features Colleen M. Kelley, the president of The Union for Federal Employees. Representing 150,000 employees in 31 separate government agencies, she outlines how you can help your child prepare for a job in federal service. … [Read more...] about Have You Considered a Federal Career?
Restaurant Industry Helps Drive Nation's Economic Recovery
This post brought to you by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Jobacle. Unless you've been living under a rock, you have watched food transform into something we need to survive to a full-fledged form of entertainment. Chock full of long-term career opportunities, the restaurant industry continues to be the entree to the U.S labor market's recovery. Since I started Jobacle back in 2005, I have always been fascinated that so few people get to do what they love for a living. Well, living your artistic dream is no longer reserved for actors and singers. The culinary arts give restaurant workers a career path with upward mobility, all while they get to do what they love. In fact, 7 out of 10 restaurant employees say that they will likely continue working in the industry until they retire. Talk about ordering seconds! … [Read more...] about Restaurant Industry Helps Drive Nation's Economic Recovery