Career Advice

Office politics can be good or bad. Good office politics is all about fostering good working relationships, advancing your career and enhancing the productivity and performance of the company. Unfortunately, mostly when office politics is being referred to, it's about the negative aspects. Bad office politics is one of the devils of the working world, with some places suffering from and by it more than others. When it gets particularly bad it can have a detrimental and damaging effect on productivity and performance of the company and the health, attitude and well-being of the staff. If the politics at your workplace is getting you down or causing problems there are ways you can be to keep its effects to a minimum. Be Respectful  Stay respectful to your colleagues. Treat them in such a way that you would like them to treat you. Be polite and professional, never getting personal. This sets an example but also puts in place a benchmark for others to how they treat you in return. … [Read more...] about How to Deal With Office Politics

NASA is the administration for national Aeronautics and Space. It is based in the United States and is in charge of research and discoveries in aerospace and aeronautics. There are many opportunities available at NASA for those who have a passion for atmospheric and celestial studies. Individuals who want to pursue a career at NASA must have degrees in engineering, aeronautics and astronautics, or anything else related to science or mathematics. Aerospace Engineering is an area of study which concerns the development of air and spacecraft, missiles, and other structures that function in aerospace. Aeronautical Engineering and Astronomical Engineering are the two subcategories that fall under Aerospace Engineering. Aeronautical Engineering is targeted for students who are interested in aviation. Astronomical Engineering is an option that would attract students who are interested in celestial objects and phenomena that happens beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Other areas of engineering … [Read more...] about So You Want to Work for NASA?

Downsizing. Outsourcing. Reshaping. These words sound bad coming out of the mouth of an employer and they could have even worse effects on your income. However, they might represent the opening in life you’ve been waiting for. Does it mean your dreams can come true when you hear you’re losing your job? If you handle this shift in your career the right way, it could mean just that. Prepping for the Inevitable Changes One reason you’ll feel caught off-guard when you are laid off is you haven’t been reading the proverbial writing on the wall. Have you seen managers get replaced? Has your office space been reduced by a floor or more? Are coworkers having hours cut or have employees begun working from home? When you start to see these telltale signs in your company, consider what might be ahead. Unfortunately, no one is irreplaceable and no one is invulnerable when a company faces a drastic drop-off in revenue. If you’ve dreamt about a freelance career or changing the work you do … [Read more...] about Freelancing: How to Turn Work Negatives into Life Positives

Emails are now a vital part of everyone's day-to-day communication. For those people who are very active online or who run their own business, a solid email management system can make a world of a difference to the overall success of their enterprise. Anyone can stay on top of their email inbox just by following a few guidelines and making use of the tools and software readily available. A healthy email routine is a way forward for those who cannot afford to miss even a single message. Read and reply The most common way emails get overlooked is when their intended recipient reads them without relying on the spot. Correspondence that has been marked as read will easily blend in with the other emails you have already replied to, and when receiving numerous messages a day it's very likely that you will not remember which emails you have yet to address until it's too late. Don't ignore mail Another useful habit to get into is to compose a standard reply for those emails you … [Read more...] about 8 Tips For Effectively Managing Email

Think how often you get distracted when working. Pretty often, right? Your colleague from the other office will send you some funny link on Skype, or walk into your office for ‘just a quick chat’, and then there are those emergency emails and phone calls that demand your immediate attention, making breaks to browse on the Internet or just check what’s new on Facebook. Where you work, or what your job is, isn’t important at all. Such distractions happen all the time and to all of us. There was a study done by Basex in 2007 that showed that the U.S. businesses are losing $588 billion per year because of these time killers that decrease their workers’ productivity. It is expected that this is happening in other organizations around the whole world. And after you’ve been distracted, getting back to work takes additional few minutes for you to concentrate and start working effectively. Just multiply this lost time by how many times you get distracted per day, and you’ll easily understand … [Read more...] about Distractions at Work and How to Manage Them

You have no doubt fretted about the judgments employers will place on you in upcoming job interviews. In the haze of that worry, you’ve also likely overlooked the fact that you too can place judgment on potential employers. Don’t feel as if you must accept the first measly job offer you are given. Instead, hold out for the best offer by reviewing these five qualities your first employer should possess. Patience While you may have the best of intentions, as a career newbie, you are sure to make a few mistakes during your first few months on the job. Employers hiring entry level applicants should have the patience to handle those mistakes and the guidance to help you navigate through them. While a potential employer’s patience level can be difficult to measure in a job interview, look for insights into the interviewer’s personality through the interview. Also, search for information online regarding the interviewer that may help you judge the type of person they … [Read more...] about 5 Qualities Your First Employer Should Possess

If the esteemed corner office isn’t yet yours, you are likely instead stuck in an inner office cubicle. Oh the joys, right? Open workspaces, while convenient in many regards, also leave the door wide open for coworker conflicts. Reset your office habits with these tips for proper workspace etiquette to ensure you aren’t the cause of the next cubicle war. Mind your Eating Manners Most adult workers revert to toddler-like behaviors when exposed to the food of their coworkers at lunchtime. After seeing or smelling your meal, most coworkers will instantly want to eat as well and will throw a temper tantrum if that isn’t immediately possible.  Mind your eating manners by containing your lunch to the break room, especially if the meal is wafting delicious aromas. Only enjoy tempting treats at your cubicle if you’re prepared to share or if you’re cool with handling the wraths of hungry coworkers. Avoid Loud Music Coworkers don’t care about the latest … [Read more...] about The Cubicle Wars: Proper Etiquette for the Open Workspace

You have no doubt fretted about the judgments employers will place on you in upcoming job interviews. In the haze of that worry, you’ve also likely overlooked the fact that you too can place judgment on potential employers. Don’t feel as if you must accept the first measly job offer you are given. Instead, hold out for the best offer by reviewing these five qualities your first employer should possess. Patience While you may have the best of intentions, as a career newbie, you are sure to make a few mistakes during your first few months on the job. Employers hiring entry level applicants should have the patience to handle those mistakes and the guidance to help you navigate through them. While a potential employer’s patience level can be difficult to measure in a job interview, look for insights into the interviewer’s personality through the interview. Also, search for information online regarding the interviewer that may help you judge the type of person they are known for being … [Read more...] about 5 Qualities Your First Employer Should Possess

Everyone has a personal brand and whether you work for yourself, for someone else or are going into an interview, having a personal brand is important. Not every personal brand is depicted as a positive one, in fact in many cases, people don’t realize that their personal brand is an extension of them that is found in both professional and personal lives and may have negative connotations. To change a negative image or to further develop a positive personal brand, read and follow these eight tips. Be Honest First and foremost, the saying that “honesty is the best policy” is 100 percent true. Being honest in personal relationships, professional settings and even when you are by yourself is very important to your personal branding. If someone were to describe you, you wouldn’t want the first thing out of their mouth to be how dishonest they think you are. Honesty is the building block to a successful personal brand and it allows for the rest of the personal branding tips to follow.  … [Read more...] about 8 Tips for Successful Personal Branding

Being bored at work might seem like a good problem to have for some people but, if you are bored in your job you will know it can be stressful and have as significant a negative impact as being overworked. So, how do you cope with workplace boredom and use the time wisely? Clear Your Work Space You could use the time you have available to clear email, clean the desk, phone and keyboards etc. When you are busy it is harder to find the time to do these kinds of jobs! Look for Training & Learning Opportunities You could volunteer to help in another department or look at ways to learn and expand your skills. Create your Own Challenges  You could create challenges for yourself like time trials for getting your work done or customers served! This can be a real motivator, especially in jobs that you are finding routine. Ask for a Promotion Being bored at work might be a sign that you have outgrown your previous position and a need a new challenge. Step up and ask your … [Read more...] about Bored at Work? How to Use Your Time Wisely