Career Advice

Recently, I tweeted about how my last employer had a weird idea of employee appreciation. Once a year, we had an “Employee Appreciation Week.” During that week, the company had several types of activities that were supposed to show us how much they appreciated their slaves  workers. Want to hear some of the fun stuff? We had to take some of our paid leave to go to the activities. We basically had to pay for our own recognition program. Yippee. Well, recently I had the opportunity to speak with Cori from Baudville. They are turning employee recognition on its ear, and I couldn't be happier to hear it. Instead of those silly “appreciation weeks” or something done whenever the manager happens to remember the workers, Baudville promotes small, continuous feedback. And they don’t just want to provide the little signs of appreciation and feedback, but they also want to “introduce some levity that the workplace desperately needs right now.” I … [Read more...] about Baudville – Making Work Better Since 1983

I have long admired the free-wheeling minimalist approach to life that Chris McCandless embraced. The wondering genius, whom which the book and movie Into the Wild is about, gave up all of his material belongings after college and trekked to Alaska to see how he would fare living off the land. As you probably know, the story doesn't end well, but it is still a beautiful journey, one that holds valuable career advice.WHAT CHRIS DID WELLTook Risks - Anyone who is willing to walk out on a ledge without a safety net can tell you that taking risks is the ultimate rush. However, when you roll the dice at work, you are only rewarded when things turn out well, and that is a major reason why many organizations do not like to rattle the cage of the status quo. Overall, Jobacle believes that putting yourself on the line at work has a much greater upside. Sure, you can end up with egg on your face (or even out of a job!), but the personal growth that ensues is priceless. And the stakeholders who … [Read more...] about Are You INTO THE WILD at Work?

Direct Download What's your favorite "silent" work perk? I'm talking about that quiet little extra that you most likely are taking for granted. For example, at my office, we always have milk.Every kind. Ice cold. Always fresh.For years I have enjoyed this privilege without ever thanking the cow...my employer...or the maintenance worker who neatly restocks the fridge on a daily basis. Yet everyday at 11 when I absentmindedly pour my bowl of cereal (Crispix, if you must know), there is always liquid dairy dutifully waiting on standby to compliment my third breakfast of the day (more on my multiple work meals in the coming weeks; subscribe now).Last week, with the dim light of the refrigerator glowing, it finally occurred to me after three years as a milk mooch, that I have my employer to thank for my daily calcium fix.Our employee handbooks list of all of the benefits the company provides - days off, health plans, flex-time, and so on - but nowhere in mine will you find "free milk."So … [Read more...] about Share Your Unofficial Work Perks

It's the dream of any kid who has ever picked up a baseball. 27 up, 27 down. Sure it ranks behind the bottom of the ninth grand slam and the over-the-wall-homerun-robbing catch, but the perfect game definitely cracks the top 5.Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle became the first major league pitcher in five seasons to hurl a flawless game. And that got me thinking...WHAT WOULD MY PERFECT GAME LOOK LIKE?I'm not a baseball player. I'm your average middle class, blog-writing, new-media loving Webaholic who mostly operates under the radar. I have work goals that I would like to accomplish; career feats that I am driven to achieve. But when I sit down, take a few deep breaths and clear my mind, I still have no idea what my version of a perfect game would look like.That's a problem.Since dream chasing is an important aspect of success, I'm now determined to put more thought into what ultimate perfection looks like for me. Is it an error-free presentation? Consecutively successful … [Read more...] about What's Your Job's Version of a Perfect Game?

Ever check in to a hotel in Hawaii or Greece or some other paradise that does not receive an abundance of rain? The 'open-air' lobbies you find in certain regions are plucked right out of a dream. All of the services you'd expect from a front desk reception area without the stuffy indoors. Who needs a roof when you have azure skies and plentiful sunshine?So if these hospitality employees can conduct business outside why can't I? Being leashed to wires in the 21st century seems silly and unnecessary. Wi-Fi is prevalent, we all own cell phones, and office rents are astronomically high. It might be the perfect time to move the office outside.I'm serious. Why are you being so negative?! Allow me to quell your fears.WHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER?I understand that an outdoor office environment will not work in certain places. For example our Jobacle readers in Mobile, Alabama, receive the most rain in the 48 contiguous United States (approx. 67 inches a year). Same goes for our career friends in … [Read more...] about The Argument for Outdoor Offices

From: Christine WRIGGLESWORTHHello.We would like to offer you a position of a local manager of our company in your area. Presently we have 5 vacancies open for this position, and we offer you to take on one of them. But first we would like to tell you a bit about our company.Financial and construction group “NST Construction” was created as a solid structure that unites several large companies which successfully operate on the market, in order to coordinate their financial and technical cooperation.These days NST Construction is functioning as a contractor with 100% of work performed by the company. This includes the complete construction process, controlling terms and quality of constructing, development of construction schedule, regulating financing, providing supply of all necessary building materials and equipment.Since our company does not hold many branches we use a network of local managers worldwide. This allows us to stay atop the market in the present difficult … [Read more...] about Fake Job Offer of the Week

By Timothy Keiningham and Lerzan AksoyAuthors of Why Loyalty Matters: The Groundbreaking Approach to Rediscovering Happiness, Meaning and Lasting Fulfillment in Your Life and WorkThe landmark Ipsos Loyalty Study, the largest study of loyalty ever conducted, found less than 30 percent of US employees say they are loyal to their company. Only about 25 percent of US employees think their employer has earned their loyalty.The long-term success of any company depends heavily upon the quality and loyalty of its people. Few corporate executives would disagree with this idea conceptually. But it is also true that most treat the economic value of employees in enhancing customer relationships and company profits as "soft" numbers, unlike the "hard" numbers they use to manage their operations, such as the cost of labor.The problem with this is that when the going gets tough, managers focus on the hard numbers. And the reality is that at some point every company will go through tough times. That … [Read more...] about Why Managers Should Care About Employee Loyalty

Faded black socks; the story of my life. Since I am a corporate monkey who is required to wear a suit on a daily basis, I am forced into wearing black dress socks. The problem is, after several washings, no matter what method or detergent is used, the socks fade. And gray socks with a black suit can just kill the entire look.I often think too much is made about "dress for success" - but who am I to argue with the man who has revolutionized the fashion industry - and cured one of my greatest pet peeves. Meet the Blacksocks.com SOCKSCRIPTION: a fresh shipment of black socks shipped directly to your door several times a year.Samy Liechti, Blacksocks’ founder, shares career fashion tips to keep you looking smart from head to toe.1. Choose a conservative suit in black, navy or gray in solid or a small pinstripe. Remember—the quality of the fabric speaks as loud as the color. If the fabric could also be used on your grandmother’s sofa, chances are it’s not appropriate … [Read more...] about A Cure for Faded Black Dress Socks…and other work fashion tips

Don't hate me for saying this but being the boss isn't easy. As if playing corporate politics and making difficult decisions without a safety net weren't enough, the boss also has to take the brunt of your work frustrations. While most of this activity occurs behind his or her back, it can't be easy knowing that there are people who live to criticize you. All bosses, even the evil ones, have redeeming qualities. Some are fathers. Others are law-abiding, church-going citizens. A few of them might even be damn cool, albeit away from the fluorescent lights of work. Part of the problem is that we only get a fraction of the picture, and that slice is the one that tells us what to do and when to do it. We're trained to despise authority, so the boss rarely gets the benefit of the doubt. But what if your boss died? Suddenly. At his or her desk. I know it's a morbid thought, but this exercise has the potential to open your eyes to new possibilities, and maybe, just maybe, get you on … [Read more...] about Why You Should Write Your Boss’ Eulogy

I phoned in this morning's blog post - literally. This audio blog is for you - yes you - the coworkers who keep Googling me! I know who you are, and I really wish you'd find something else to do with your time. All kidding aside, it is a fact that Googling everyone and everything is a 21st century way of life. But that doesn't make it any less irritating when people are barely know are uncovering every last detail about you.   … [Read more...] about Dear Coworkers, Stop Googling Me!