Career Advice

You glance longingly over to the empty cubicle next to yours. Nobody's home.Why is it that your cubicle neighbor is always there less than you?  It’s not because they are busy with important meetings or running errands for your boss, but because they are outside with their smoky treats.  They are determined and persistent, weathering not only the good days but the rainy and stormy days as well to feed the daily habit.Do not misunderstand; many smokers take only their two allotted 15 minutes break in addition to their lunch break.  However, those that take advantage of this system get under my skin.  Unfortunately for the work smokers (and I cannot deny that I was in that category at one point in a past stressful job), there are other consequences than just criticism for frequent smoke breaks.* Smoking can be a sign of weakness to management.    * It creates a certain perception at work.  Smoking is a controversial topic these days, and it depends … [Read more...] about The Perils of Smoking at Work

Ten years removed from college, and for the first time in a decade, I'm flirting with the idea of continuing my education. I'm honestly not sure where this newfound idea is rooted. Boredom? Ego? A challenge? Thirst for knowledge? The truth will shake out over the next few weeks as I begin to familiarize myself with the GMAT, online programs, and the positive/negatives of the endeavor. (My sneaking suspicion is that the MATH will ultimately keep me away.)Here are some questions that need to be answered before I move forward...Read more of my post at U.S. News & World Report. … [Read more...] about The Pros/Cons of an Online Masters

Summer hours are nearly over.  If you were fortunate enough to enjoy shortened workdays on Fridays, or a seasonally lax dress code, the gravy train is about to end.  The relaxed vibe of summer is about to expire, bringing forward a plethora of  patio furniture sales and the countdown to the winter holidays. Don't fret that all of those vacation days have been used up. There are a few small things to do to ease the transition between seasons.DO SOMETHING NOW.  The season is really nothing more than a series of calendar dates.  Don't put off what you can do today until next year. If that mountain bike expedition you promised you'd tackle never came to fruition, you still have several weeks left until the weather turns.USE STRATEGIC SICK DAYS.  I know the Jobacle Sick Day Calendar gives managers and HR professionals a serious headache, but let's be honest, only suckers lose days at the end of the year.  Use them scarcely, use them wisely, but above all, … [Read more...] about Coping With the End of Summer at Work

Recently I started a new job, and last week I was introduced to my boss, who happens to be an old school friend. Upon seeing him I felt happy about the whole situation, but then I started to get a bad feeling about working under someone whom I know quite well. There are a number of positives and negatives outlined below.  1. It’s nice to know that I have someone who I can trust, and someone who will have my back. Then again, it’s not fair on the new members of staff who can see the obvious benefits I am receiving.2. I am basically getting a free ride because I’m getting all the easy jobs that everyone else wants. I don’t mind this too much, but I can feel a tension building in the other members of staff, especially the ones who have to do the “newbie jobs” I should be doing.3. During work hours I am around my friend/boss a lot and we tend to joke around quite often and take lunches together. I do not want the other members of staff to think I am brown nosing all of the time, but … [Read more...] about A Moral Dilemma: My Boss Is My Friend

You're tan and relaxed, and your mind is a million miles from work.  The problem is, you ARE at work.  You've just returned from an amazing vacation where you did everything except think about the office.Changing mindsets is a difficult task.  This is why it is essential to give yourself every possible opportunity to ease back gracefully. Here are a few tips how...BE ORGANIZED BEFORE YOU LEAVESet your 'out of office' reminders well in advance.  Forgetting to take this step could result in a larger number of e-mail/calls to respond to when you return.Empty out your inbox by archiving all older messages.  This will help you feel less overwhelmed when the vacation ends and keep your mailbox from exceeding the size limit, since most companies have a low threshold.Give your desk and general office space a quick clean.  There's nothing like returning to a lemony-fresh workspace.ARRIVE EARLY UPON RETURNEfficient workers know that it's easier to get things done … [Read more...] about Returning From Vacation Sucks. 6 Ways to Ease the Pain.

Some of us hopped on the green train back with Al Gore, some of us bought a ticket in the early 2000’s, and the majority of us begged to get on once gas prices skyrocketed.  Regardless of when you realized that we all have an impact on the environment, it can prove difficult to translate your lifestyle changes to work.  Certain changes are individualistic, while other may require approval by the company to transform. Here are some quickie reminders:1. RECYCLE.  This can be done on both an individual and company level.  As an individual, you can recycle the cans or plastic bottles of pop you purchase from the vending machine (or steal from the fridge; if you do steal, see the blog entry “Mind Your P’s and Q’s At Work").  At a company level, encourage your employer to put out recycle bins for the employees, bins for paper, and encourage them to recycle computers as well.2. UNPLUG THE CHARGER.  Whether at home or work, if you use a cell phone charger, be sure … [Read more...] about Quick Ways to Be Green at Work

Time might heal all wounds, but it certainly doesn't solve all business problems.  In the working world, most of us are at the mercy of the clock: punching in, lunch hours, time cards and so on.  Early in our careers we are trained to be as efficient as possible, cramming our hours to be multi-tasked to the max.  One lesson seldom taught in the power of inefficiency.  I've already talked about how the 'experts' waste time at work.  Today we're going to look at clock stoppers. These are bosses who know how to get your projects stuck in quicksand, and in the process, stop you in your tracks - or at least slow you down to a tortoise's crawl.Here's how they do it...DROWNING IN PAPERWORK. Paper has power. It can make things move forward or grind them to a halt. Usually, the more of it there is, the longer the delay. Any boss worth his/her salt knows the best way to get an employee off their back is to ask them to produce more paper.  It could be a memo that … [Read more...] about 5 Ways Your Boss Stops Time (and you in your tracks)

Ever have a new person start at your office who within a week is acting as if they own the place?  Don't blame the person, blame the organization (or your co-workers).Sure we want to make the rookie comfortable. Gone are the days of office hazing. (You know, stapling shrimp under a person's chair).   The same way we train a dog, it's important to establish ground rules with the newbie early on, and enforce them consistently.This might sound cruel, but it's especially important for people who work closely with the new hire. The logic is simple - assuming you aspire to grow within the organization, you will need the respect of your peers.  Plus, you'll make the transition easier when  you finally get that deserved bump. Redefining roles is a cumbersome workplace challenge. Why make things harder on yourself?  Including the rookie in every conversation and bringing them up to speed on every in-joke is a mistake.We leave breadcrumbs in all relationships, yet … [Read more...] about How to Treat the New Person at Work

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