There is nothing more annoying than having to spend time trying to find something online. The Internet is huge, you know it’s there, you know Google has spent lots of time trying to get the best results to the top of your results pages, but guess what—it’s just not happening. Whether it be because you had a coffee free day that morning or just don’t feel like being on Google any longer, we’ve all been there. Unfortunately, most companies just don’t care. What many annoyed employees don’t know, however, is that there are things you can do to help make you Internet searching more successful and less tedious. By putting a focus on becoming a great Internet searcher, you can get back to social networking and chatting with your friends. I mean…doing all the other work your employer just sent your inbox. Top 5 Tips and Tricks to Help Improve Your Internet Searching Abilities There are tons of little tricks that you can use when working with Google. For example, you can use the search bar … [Read more...] about How to Search the Internet Faster and Easier
Career Advice
Your Reputation Lives Online
What makes someone an expert in his or her field? The criteria are amorphous at best. Some legitimate industry wonders toil away in relative obscurity while others hide flimsy resumes behind winning interpersonal skills that produce an undeserved sense of reverence. In many cases, the goal is not so much trying to become an expert as it is trying to build one's reputation in hopes of securing a coveted job. But the fast-growing word of social media has made it easier to calculate how and why people become experts in their respective field. Among the various measurements by which this is quantified is "influence," a metric that considers many different factors regarding your online following, interactions, value to your industry and quality of produced content relevant to that industry. By developing one's influence online, it is possible to become a more visible and prominent member of your field. Ideally, increased influence through social media should allow a professional to create … [Read more...] about Your Reputation Lives Online
Are Conferences Really Necessary for Freelancers to Attend?
Whether you’re a freelance writer or designer, being on top of your professional game at all times is a must. By continually pushing your creative limits and by giving everything on each project, you’re more likely to remain relevant in the competitive freelance industry. In trying to ever-expand your creative capacity, you may regularly consider attending conferences designed for creative professionals. Conferences can be great places to meet other freelancers and to connect with potential clients. These events can also develop your skills and expand your creative exposure. Unfortunately, they can also be expensive. If you have a limited freelancing budget, the following are four ways to decide if conferences are really necessary for you to attend. Do Your Research While in a creative slump, you may be tempted to register for and attend a freelance conference on a whim. Unfortunately, that type of impulse decision making will bring many expenses including registration fees, hotel … [Read more...] about Are Conferences Really Necessary for Freelancers to Attend?
How to Deal With a Harassing Coworker on Facebook
In your eagerness to be liked at a new job, you’ll likely find every possible coworker on Facebook and befriend them. At first, you’ll learn a lot from each coworker’s profile - viewing their photos, browsing their past posts and reviewing their overall online demeanors. With most coworkers, your online relationships will likely remain civil, even subdued, with each silently stalking the updates of the other. However, if your in-office relationship with a coworker takes a negative turn, you may begin feeling the effects online. Often, coworkers view online conversations as outside the workplace realm and, as such, begin posting harassing comments towards those they don’t like in the office. Here are four ways to deal with the situation if you’ve recently been targeted by a coworker’s harassing comments on Facebook or other social networks. Take Screenshots The first harassing online comment you receive from a coworker will likely be followed by uncertainty, worry and anger. Whether … [Read more...] about How to Deal With a Harassing Coworker on Facebook
4 Things You Need To Know On Your First Day of Work
It finally happened - after months and months of scouring the web looking for jobs, fixing up your résumé until every last comma was in place, and applying to dozens of jobs of every type available, you finally got a dream job! But before you settle into your shiny new desk and relax in your brand new office chair, here are some things to know about your first day that you definitely shouldn't ignore. 1. Dress to Impress You know what they say: "shoes complete an outfit." On your first day however, you really need a sharp outfit and some sharp shoes to boot. This will be your first time interacting with the people you will spend the majority of your time with for the next (hopefully) long time, and you need to look great to make the best impression. That's why the weekend before, go out and buy some stellar new threads. You'll look confident, feel confident, and there's no way anyone will mistake that you mean business. 2. Prepare Questions You probably don't know anything yet. … [Read more...] about 4 Things You Need To Know On Your First Day of Work
10 Mistakes to Avoid if You Want a Promotion
Want a promotion? Read on... It always surprises me when I meet oh so clever university graduates who have read just about every book there is on salary negotiation and career advancement but don't have the slightest idea about how not to irritate their boss. Unfortunately, unless you open your own business, chances are high that you are going to have a boss for a rather large portion of your career. And chances are equally high that getting on the wrong side of said boss is not going to do your career any favors. While that certainly doesn't mean that you need to bring your boss a cup of coffee every morning, it does mean that you should probably avoid making any of the following mistakes. After all, you do want to be promoted, right? Attempting to Hide Problems When you've lost an important client or you're behind schedule on a big project, the urge is always there to try to keep the fact hidden, however, the chances of you keeping it a secret forever are incredibly … [Read more...] about 10 Mistakes to Avoid if You Want a Promotion
How to Get Organized at Work
Being organized helps us to feel calmer and more in control. Working smarter and not harder makes sense. If you feel that you could do with getting more organized at work, here are a few tried and tested tips for you: 1. Use a Diary I haven’t always been a fan of using a diary, but I am now a convert! Rather than trying to keep and remember everything in your head, make it easy for yourself and use a diary. There are many different methods you can use; an old fashioned paper diary, a calendar on your PC or laptop or your phone’s scheduler. For me, a paper diary is easiest as I don’t have to turn it on like a laptop to use it. See what works best for you. Look at how you work and run your day to day life and use a method that is the easiest for you as that will increase the chances of keeping the habit up. Whatever method you decide on, it is important to get in the habit of using it each day. 2. Plan Your Day Once you have a diary or … [Read more...] about How to Get Organized at Work
Optimizing Yourself for Employment
As the Internet has become a bigger part of everyone's life, it has emerged as a premier tool for job hunting. When you need a job, it makes sense to apply for openings online and to check out the online job boards. At the same time, finding a job has become a lot more complex than just checking out some online classified ads. With so much information available online, you now have to be able to proactively manage your reputation as well. Protect Your Reputation When you are in the job market, it is important to make sure that you go out and actively search for information about yourself online. Search for your name on the major search engines and see what turns up. There's a good chance that some of your social networking profiles will appear. Because of the availability of social networking profiles, it's important to make sure that you protect your reputation online and get rid of anything on your profiles that could cost you a job. For example, those pictures of you and your … [Read more...] about Optimizing Yourself for Employment
5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Lunch Break
1. Make Sure You Take Your Break Pretty obvious, but one that we've all been guilty of not doing at one time or another I'm sure! Get in the habit of taking your break. There's always more that can be done, but by actually taking a break you are much more likely to be efficient when you return.2. Eat Healthily It can be tempting to quickly eat a sandwich or whatever is easiest or graze on snack foods throughout the day whilst at work, but taking the time to plan a healthy lunch is important for your health. Be proactive and plan what suits your tastes, health and budget and ensure you take time to eat well during your workday. 3. Nap Not getting enough sleep? Getting enough sleep, but know you benefit from a nap? Either way, napping is a win-win. I know it isn't always easy to find somewhere to nap when you're at work, but with a little creativity there is often somewhere you can find. I used to take a nap in my car when I worked in my last office job. I would drive to a quiet road … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Lunch Break
Learning to LOVE the Job You HATE
We all need a job not just to earn for a living. Our job provides us with plenty of opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. However, some people just do not seem to find joy in their current job. In fact, they hate every aspect of their job that they always need to drag themselves to work every morning. Since leaving one’s job is not a better option in these trying times, an individual must learn to love his job. Otherwise, he can just choose to leave it and spend several penniless days while waiting for a new “lovable” job to arrive. Learn to love your job by doing the following tips: Find a good reason to become motivated each morning. Even if you do not love your job you really need to find at least one good reason to go to work each day. Without your current job, you will never be able to buy the things that you need. Your job makes you feel useful even if you do not like what you are doing. Most of all, without your job, you will never be able to pay your … [Read more...] about Learning to LOVE the Job You HATE