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I might not watch wrestling with the same fervor I had as a kid, but I won't lie, when I channel surf, I often find myself stopping on Raw, Smackdown or any other squared-circle event.There's no need to recap the grisly details surrounding wrestler Chris Benoit and his family, at least not here on a career-related blog.  However, deep down in the monstrous mess, there are several tiny career lessons that I feel are worth pointing out.  By no means am I down playing the tragic events, but the fact that Chris Benoit was a virtually model employee is undeniable.  "He commanded respect""Forced others to a higher level""Quiet leader""Perfectionist""Loyal""Polite and passionate"They all sound like traits every human resources professional prays the next candidate through the door possesses. That brings us to the first of several reminders:You don't know squat about your co-workers.  We all wrestle with demons and … [Read more...] about Hidden Lessons in Chris Benoit Tragedy

One of the greatest things about writing the Jobacle blog and cranking out episodes of the critically-acclaimed Working Podcast, are YOUR e-mails.  From the humorous to the downright scary, you guys always keep me on my toes with the messages you send in.  Today I want to share an anonymous e-mail that was sent in from an employee at Sage Software.  We here at Jobacle can't vouch for the authenticity of the document below but have no reason to doubt it either.  First you'll read some facts, then an internal memo, and then an employee's suggestion.  Again, everything after this sentence was sent in by a reader...Mr. Ron Verni's compensation:ANNUAL COMPENSATION*Salary $693,000Bonus $744,000Total Annual Compensation $1,437,000STOCK OPTIONS*Exercisable Options Amount 658,842Exercisable Options Value $824,213Unexercisable Options Amount 512,195Unexercisable Options Value $451,055Total Options Value $1,275,268Total Options Amount $1,171,037TOTAL COMPENSATION*Total … [Read more...] about CEO's Internal Memo Exposed

Once upon a time, license plates were used simply for identification purposes. A numeric or alphanumeric code uniquely identified your vehicle within the issuing region's database. Now I feel like license plates have to tell your whole life story: what team you root for, what county you live in, how you feel about abortion and so on.  They've become harder and harder to read as more colors and holograms and logos are added - defeating their entire purpose.One aspect that I feel has grown in volume are the license plate abbreviations that indicate your profession.  We all know about the highly coveted "MD" plates.  But aside from getting folks a prime parking spot before tee time, I don't really understand the importance.  Maybe in an extreme emergency I can see you flagging down a member of the "emergency services." However, what are the odds that you'll notice the tiny letters on the back of  someone's car when you're under duress? I don't … [Read more...] about YOUR Job on a License Plate?

How far you will go in the business world moves far beyond how much experience and education you've acquired.  The Jobacle Forward of the Week reviews five lessons that will not only help your career - but will help you be a better human being. Lesson One:  "Know The Cleaning Lady"During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade."Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say … [Read more...] about Forward of the Week: How to Treat People

We've already explained how the workplace is afflicted with Parkinson's Law.  So since we'll never beat the people dragging their feet at every turn, let's join 'em.  Since I work with the da Vinci of time wasters, I've been tracking his every move and am dishing out his secrets.Since I don't want to name this employee, let's call him Chatter.  He's a master of doing the minimum while attempting to look like he's busy as a bee.  He's productive - at watching time pass. Here's what I've observed.Eat, All Day LongI swear that this dude eats all three of his meals at his desk.  At 9am it's the cereal.  At 12pm it's something with garlic.  At 4pm it's more stuff with garlic.  No matter what time you approach his desk, he's chewing.  The brilliance in his plan are the small elements that make up each meal.  Let's take the steps included with breakfast for instance. - Get bowl and spoon from lounge- Walk to back of building to get milk- Bring … [Read more...] about Expert: How I Waste Time at Work

I don't know about your neighborhood but mine has been invaded by 99-cent stores.  While I never frequent these fine establishments, this past weekend I was beaten into submission and dragged against my will.  Amongst all of the junk was, well, more junk.  I did, however, manage to pick up a few goodies for the office.  Proof that a few dollars can make work life a bit less miserable.Extension Cord: Instant relief, yes.  Fire hazard, maybe.  A few extension cords enabled me to reposition my computer, speakers and lamp into ergonomically-friendly territory.Air Freshener: Little hanging trees aren't just for cars.  Dangling from the back of my chair, I'll now enjoy the scents of an "Ocean Breeze" instead of the usual Eau de Cologne of rust and mold.Gum: I don't know if a study has ever been done before, but I'm willing to bet this week's paycheck that people with fresh, minty breath will climb the corporate ladder faster then their … [Read more...] about WorkHack: Make Work Better for 99 Cents

A beautiful day is any day when you learn something new. Over  the weekend I learned about Parkinson's Law.  Not as disgustingly evil as the Parkinson's Disease, but pretty darn crappy in its own right.The risk of having a blog with transparency is that you set yourself up to look like a fool if you mention something that the rest of the world already has knowledge of.  Whatever. Simply put, Parkinson's Law states the following:"Work expands to fill the time available."Don't play dumb with me, cube dweller.  You know exactly what I'm talking about.  Your boss gives you a project with an end date attached.  When do you finish?  Right at the end date. Sure, maybe some of you newbies or "team players" will get the project in before the deadline, but think about it - you spent plenty of time dragging your feet.  That 60-minute project always turns into the length of time your boss will give you. I've always proclaimed that the … [Read more...] about Warning! Rapidly Spreading Office Epidemic

Today I'm going to start a feature on the blog which I did for a short time on the podcast: The Forward of the Week.  Sometimes annoying, useful and funny (or none of the above), these forwards tend to clog my inbox.  So I figure, hey, why should I suffer alone!?  Sometimes we'll be  saving the life of a burn victim in Somalia, other times reminiscing about the 80s - whatever it is, I can guarantee it's more important that what you're doing at work.We run a clean ship here in Jobacle Land, so be warned that today's forward contains some foul language and sexual content.And if you have a forward that you want to share or put up for consideration, keep it to yourself!The 3-Minute Management CourseLesson 1:A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.  The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.  When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.  Before she can … [Read more...] about The 3-Minute Management Course