Whenever I search for a job, my father always gives me a lecture about “connections.” He explains that most jobs are filled by people who already have some connection to the company. Someone within the company tells their boss about a friend or family member who would be great for a job opening, and they end up getting it. "That's just the way it works," he says. I took his advice, and it helped me land a decent job during college. Part of me is uncomfortable with the idea because it feels a little dishonest, almost like cheating. And I can't help but wonder that the reason my boss did not seem to like me much during that job was because I used a family connection to get it. That said, if a hiring manager trusts the employee that is recommending someone, there is no reason why this can't be a solid method to hire an employee. Which makes it a great way to get a job. A new site called Jobirn claims to make this whole process very simple. They call themselves the "insider … [Read more...] about Jobirn: Real-Time Chat With Company Recruiters
4 Strategies to Look Into My Eyes
Some sales men are hilarious. Yesterday, this dude was trying to sell me a 40" LCD television, even though I showed no interest what-so-ever. He had obviously just read some “how to” pop-psychology book on sales techniques, and was practicing his new found knowledge. His first “great idea” was to maintain eye contact, but in reality he just freaked the sh*t out me, because he was staring so much. At one stage I actually thought he was going to morph into Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs and slaughter me. Much to my pleasure...he didn’t. Anyway, this whole idea of eye contact is the basis of this article. Here is what I could find: Fixed Eye Contact: This is the gaze our nutty salesman adopted. The problem with this gaze is that a lot of the time it can make the other person feel very uncomfortable. It is almost as if they are literally looking into your brain. This type of eye contact can often be seen in people in a position of power (or those who wish to be), and can be … [Read more...] about 4 Strategies to Look Into My Eyes
Are You Batman? Your Boss The Joker?
I am not a huge comic book/superhero fan, but I did enjoy The Dark Knight this past weekend. While a posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger might be a bit much, there is no doubt that strong acting, coupled with violent outbursts of action, made the film a smashing success.But I'm not here to lobby for Ebert or Roeper's old job. Rather, I'd like to tell you why you are Batman and your boss is The Joker. Or the other way around.The prevailing theme throughout The Dark Knight is the dependency between the hero and the villain. Without each other to fight, where would the other be? The question to ask yourself is: how good would you be at what you do without a boss?The answer might seem simple: 'I'd be better off with no one to answer to!' But let's look a little deeper. Take a crack at these questions:Without a boss...- Who would you fight?- Who would motivate you?- Who would hold you accountable?- Who would you rally against?- How would you fill the time?- … [Read more...] about Are You Batman? Your Boss The Joker?
Mind Your P’s and Q’s At Work
One of the origins of this phrase- mind your p’s and q’s- states that it came from a rule of thumb for bartenders to watch their patrons (p) and the quarts (q) of alcohol that they consume. So in other words, look out for those around you. Even though alcohol doesn’t come into play at the work place (well for most of us), being cognizant of those around us should always be part of the professional demeanor we don. What do I mean by that? Refill the coffee pot, empty the shred bin, and don’t steal lunches out of the fridge- not even coffee creamer. Office consideration is an underplayed asset in the arsenal we carry around. Most focus on completing their work; kissing up to their boss; and getting home. So many folks forget the basics: manners! Getting ahead at work has to do with the whole package. Your employees respect you not just for the quality of work you produce, but based on the type of person you are. If the word gets out that … [Read more...] about Mind Your P’s and Q’s At Work
I Love People Who Love What They Do
After selling my apartment and relocating to a temporary residence, I'm pleased to report that I am back in the saddle here at Jobacle. The home selling/buying experience put me in touch with more service professionals than ever before: lawyers, bankers, real estate agents, movers, etc. And just when I was beginning to think that we've all been programmed on auto-pilot to do our jobs and get home, I was pleasantly surprised. The individuals who shined (and there were several of them) all shared a common theme: passion. I love people who love what they do. It sounds like a canned statement that you're expect to slip out of the corner on an HR lifer's mouth, but I've never felt stronger about that sentiment.Let's take the case of the two home inspectors...HOME INSEPCTOR A: Arrived on time. Spent approximately 70 minutes surveying the exterior and interior of the home. If it was within his range of vision, he gave it a cursory look. A man of few words, getting him to explain things I … [Read more...] about I Love People Who Love What They Do
Things to Do at Work When You’re Bored
For those of you who work in an office environment, you will of course be aware of the concept of boredom. Me, myself, my imaginary friend Barry the horse, and George the office-plant are becoming more and more stir crazy by the boredom that exists in the realm of the office. If this boredom is allowed to persist, it will inevitably lead to a fully fledged psychosis, in which everything and anything becomes possible. Due to this fact we have taken it upon ourselves to stand up to this tyrannical concept, and come up with ways to overcome it. Here they are: IKEA: Browse through the new improved IKEA website. Those Swedes have come up with some fantastic home decorative concepts that have left their furniture rivals weak at the knees with squirting orgasmic jealously, and throbbing blue veined temple region anger. Recently I bought a toaster from them. It’s lovely. Buy a Pet: Animals are cute, and my dog always cheers me up. It doesn’t matter if its been 10 … [Read more...] about Things to Do at Work When You’re Bored
Babies at Work: Work-Life Balance Overload?
Whether you are physically carrying the baby or an expecting father, your work life will change when welcoming a child to the family. Everyone understands that; everyone expects that. However, enter a new policy by your company that allows you to bring your children to work, and you're looking at not only a change to your work environment, but a change to your fellow employees’ work environment as well. What?! How unfair, right?In an effort to become more “family-friendly” and promote “work-life balance,” non-traditional companies are allowing people to bring their babies into work. I’m not talking about a soundproof daycare center located on the first floor either. This is in the next cubicle over. The next desk over. The next office over.The real quandary is how does this affect the productivity of the parent bringing the baby in, and the cubicle neighbors of that parent? Don’t get me wrong; I’m … [Read more...] about Babies at Work: Work-Life Balance Overload?
Unannounced Hiatus. I Apologize.
Jobacle is an integral part of my life, and a project am I 100% committed to. Rarely do I miss weekday postings. However, the craziness of moving has thrown me off my game. Who knew how stressful this would be (and how much crap I had accumulated!)?Thanks to everyone who noticed my absence and checked in.I'm pleased to report I am alive and well and that things are beginning to get back to normal. Regular posting is not far behind...Thanks for your patience. Together, we will continue to make work better.P.S. - You can always follow me on Twitter for a quick fix. … [Read more...] about Unannounced Hiatus. I Apologize.
Park the Plane. Drive Your Car.
Over the past six months, I’ve flown on roughly 10 roundtrip flights. Excuse me for the ranting that is about to occur, but my last flight was the worst of them all. Out of all 20 flights, only two came in on time and without any problems. I couldn’t help but think, “What would I do if I was required to travel this way for my job?” If your job requires you to travel, bite the bullet otherwise known as rising gas prices and DRIVE. At least that’s the conclusion I drew. It used to be that we flew for convenience, relaxation, and to get us to our destination quickly. Well those days are over. The airlines lead us to believe that the majority of delays are due to occurrences out of their control, such as weather conditions. However, taking a look at the year-to-date numbers (January - April 2008) from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, it shows a very different story. Out of the total number of … [Read more...] about Park the Plane. Drive Your Car.
Dear Coworkers: Step Away From My Cube
Is it just me, or do offices never seem to have an adequate amount of space for all workers?I'm not even talking about comfort. I mean literally having enough desks and chairs to go around. People always seem to be shoehorned into a corner near a fridge, or offices are shared when they should be solo. And let's not forget about the shrinking distance between cubicles.At $100 a square foot in major metropolitan areas, I can almost forgive companies for dehumanizing us into sardines. However, what excuses do their suburban counterparts have? From urban centers to quiet suburbs, I've repeatedly seen this phenomenon, regardless of ZIP code.If that weren't bad enough, it appears many people never learned the limits of personal space. Thanks to some studies conducted with zoo animals in the 1950s, then adopted by anthropologist Edward T. Hall, the term "proxemics" was born. Studying spatial relationships between people, here are the general guidelines for human beings as they … [Read more...] about Dear Coworkers: Step Away From My Cube