Career Advice

Are you buying a gift for your boss this holiday season?  I’m not.  And I actually like the guy. I am a big believer that employees should NOT buy their bosses holiday gifts. Every year we all wrestle with the issue of who to buy for at the office and what to get them.  Here are some rules and reminders that will hopefully alleviate some of the holiday pressure.DO IT PRIVATELY: If you plan to give a gift to your boss or a colleague it should be done privately.  Public displays of gift giving open you up to criticism and judgment.“Oh my God, did you see what a kiss ass Andrew is?”“He didn’t tell me he was giving XYZ a gift!”“That’s all he spent?”Gift giving is a personal choice that should come from your heart.  Do your best to keep it quiet and personal.LEARN THE CULTURE: The holidays can be particularly difficult if you’re the newbie at the office, as you have no idea what to expect.  Rookies … [Read more...] about Office Gift-Giving Rules and Reminders

The world's population is roughly 6.6 billion people according to Wikipedia. Despite the enormity of that number, there are a disproportionately lower number of outward personality traits one can display; i.e. - the wallflower, the overachiever, the comedian, the bully, etc.  Unless you work in an office of only three people, you likely work with people that encapsulate a good assortment of these characteristics.Out of these traits, the one that fascinates me the most is the over-opinionated know-it-all that loves to share his or her opinion as fact. You know the type.  They catch you in a break room and give you the lowdown on politics or the problem with today's music or the key to the Jets failed season.  Or, if you're really unlucky, they'll chew off your ear on a multitude of subjects. Their focus is usually on what they see as a problem, and their conviction often comes off as arrogance.Not only do they know everything, they also love to unload this … [Read more...] about How to Avoid a Know-It-All at Work

Thank God, it's the last dance!  The fifth season of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) is finally over. I don't understand the success of much that's on TV, but this show is an absolute enigma to me.If at this point you're thinking, 'Andrew, if you hate the show so much, why the hell do you watch it?'  Fair point.  My only response is that it's difficult to avoid when you're wife is addicted to the show and you live in a one-bedroom apartment.Since I must purge my system of this dreadful show (at least until next season), please allow me to share with you several common themes I've noticed between Dancing With the Stars and working.The Fix Is InThe premise of the show is that non-dancers get teamed up with a professional to learn how to dance.  We all know that most of the contestants have had some training and/or instruction on the past - but for some unfathomable reason - over 20 million people a week choose to look the other way.  This season's runner up, Mel B. … [Read more...] about Career Lessons From Dancing With the Stars

Tell me if this sounds familiar...It's 7pm on a Sunday night. You've just finished dinner and you are starting to settle down for the evening. Normally this would be a relaxing time. Maybe you take this time to reflect on the past week, or perhaps settle into your latest Netflix arrival. But this night is somehow different. You suddenly become filled with a certain something.  You can't exactly but your finger on what it is.  Unfortunately, there's a good chance that it's anxiety. Rather than relax you actually begin to get worked up, even annoyed. It comes in waves and is an overall malaise. This is a serious indicator that you could be experiencing the early warning signs that it's time to leave your job. At some point most of us will reach this crossroad.  Maybe you're there now but just don't recognize it.   With that in mind here are five surefire signs that it may be time to change your job. Change in Appearance This can include weight gain or loss, … [Read more...] about 5 Signs It's Time to Quit Your Job

Throughout my career I've always been amazed at the lengths employees will go to to avoid talking to their supervisor or boss.  The result: The person in power feels like an outcast - a situation that benefits no one.  Especially you.  I've been on both sides of the fence and trust me, it's time you start chatting up your boss.  Here's why:Someone who likes you is more apt to help you... The best career advice is usually simple.  That's why I'll never understand why 10 new employment books come out every hour.  But I digress.  Ask yourself a simple question: Would you rather help someone you like or someone you don't?  If you want to get ahead in your career, you're going to need your boss's support at some level.  Whether it's submitting the paperwork to HR or submitting a proposal to the clowns upstairs, being nice to your boss today will make your life easier tomorrow.Makes your motives crystal clear...Chapter Four of the Manager's … [Read more...] about Why You Must Talk to Your Manager or Boss

Bosses at my first job referred to me as Clock #26 and required me to wear a red vest. Yes, friends, $6.05 an hour at Kmart was where I received my inaugural paycheck. Don't laugh, I learned a lot! In fact, I attribute portions of that job - even though it was about 15 years ago - for getting me into podcasting. I started innocently enough by collecting carts, ringing registers, and stocking the shelves. I don't know if it was the way I scanned or the way I bagged, but I was quickly moved up to the big time: Register Supervisor. Now, when someone ran out of quarters or needed a 15-minute break, they came to me, Clock #26, keeper of the keys and master of your bladder. Now you're probably wondering - what the heck does this have to do with podcasting? See, a register supervisor was allowed to play God in one other way - he or she had control over the store intercom. A long-necked, flexible microphone with a black button that only I could press. And when I did, my voice echoed … [Read more...] about Working at Kmart Taught Me How to Work

If you're an office slave like me, odds are you spend a huge amount of time sitting in front of a computer monitor. If that's the case, you are probably already suffering from double vision, burning and headaches - all signs of eyestrain. You my friend, need to improve your eyesight.Now I certainly don't pretend to be a doctor, (though Dr. Andrew G.R. has a nice ring to it), but there are several common sense type things you can do to save yourself from pushing your eyes to the limit and eventually needing eyeglasses, lasik surgery - or worse!1) Contrast is your enemy.  One of the biggest causes of eyestrain is a dark computer screen with a bright background behind it.  If you have a bright light or window behind your monitor - do what you can to darken the area around the screen.2) Think long.  Given the name "eye STRAIN" you would think long distances would be the culprit.  Not true.  Close viewing is the problem.  Your goal should be to keep all items … [Read more...] about WorkHack: Saving Your Eyesight

My boss drinks, the intern steals and every day, the team in marketing gather 'round for GossipFest.  What do all of these things have in common?  Well aside from being lousy for your career, they go against the Five Precepts - the basic ethical requirements of Buddhism.  Regular listeners of the podcast know that I rely on many Buddhist principles to help me get through the day at work.  I'm not here to preach any religion or belief, however, I will share philosophies that can help make your life (at work) a whole lot easier.  I hope you join the conversation.  Please subscribe, leave a comment below and tell a co-worker. … [Read more...] about How to Be a Buddhist at Work