The death of paper was announced prematurely; love 'em or hate 'em, business cards are here to stay. Business card mistakes are abound. In your quest to create an unusual business card or a green business card, be sure not to overlook these five business card tips. LOOK DIFFERENT. Basic marketing commands that your product stands out of a crowd, but at the same time, appeals to a broad audience. That's perhaps your greatest challenge when designing a business card to promote yourself. This advice is not unique; recent cards have undergone a color and size transformation. In fact, if you want to stick out, ironically, you might want to consider sporting an old school, standard-size, plain white business card! DON'T JUST SAY WHAT YOU DO. Your business card should clearly state what it is you do. (Andrew Rosen, Pro Blogger) But that's not enough. When someone is thumbing through a stack of business cards 10 months from now, there needs to be a tagline that supports what you … [Read more...] about 5 Business Card Tips
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JetBlue Meltdown: Do You Salute or Shun Steven Slater?
Ever Tempted to "JetBlue-Over-and-Out?"Who knew a flight attendant having a meltdown at work would draw so much media and public attention? If you’re under a rock and missed it, a JetBlue employee unleashed an expletive-ridden tirade at passengers, quit and exited via the emergency chute. This Wall Street Journal article by Sean Gardiner, "Flight Attendant Grabs Two Beers, Slides Down the Emergency Shute" describes what happened. Steve Slater, the flight attendant, was arrested on several charges and faces a possible seven-year prison sentence.What’s really interesting to me as a mental health professional is how much Steve Slater’s actions are resonating with the public - and that the reactions are weighted heavily in his favor. Here’s a sample comment on the WSJ article, “I think the only way this story could’ve been better is if the guy cracked both beers and did the Stone Cold Steve Austin pre-wraslin’ beer chug before he peaced … [Read more...] about JetBlue Meltdown: Do You Salute or Shun Steven Slater?
The "Odd" Interview Question You NEED to Ask!
We spend around 25% of our time at work. For those of us with an office job, that's a helluva a lot of time breathing recycled air and baking under fluorescent lights.When looking for a place to live, we tend to check out several places before choosing one. It's a rare occasion when someone agrees to live somewhere without seeing the lay of the land first. Depending on our degree of thinking (or over thinking), we might even come up with a list of pros/cons on why one home is better than another. My point is that analysis is required. However, when it comes to work - a place where we spend more time than at home - we often never ask to see where we will be placed, and that could be a big factor in employee happiness and employee performance.If a job meets our salary/benefits requirements, we sign up, and don't see our workspace until day number one. Well, I believe that's a mistake. A biggie!In no way am I suggesting that it should be THE factor, but it … [Read more...] about The "Odd" Interview Question You NEED to Ask!
7 Ways to Impress the Boss (Including how to say no to your boss)
Making and leaving a positive impression that sits well with your boss is a sure-fire way to steadily move up within a company. Knowing your fundamental duties and acknowledging your own limitations is the ideal way of initially handling any position given to you. But how do you subtly move up the corporate ladder without ruffling too many feathers? How do you stand out in the crowd without being too overbearing? Follow these simple guidelines and you're sure to leave a lasting impression on your boss.Honesty is the best policy. Whether you're speaking to the boss about needing some extra time off work or explaining why a certain project wasn't complete on time, always be honest. Without your integrity and honesty, your credibility as a valuable and efficient employee and coworker is shot. If you can't be honest and open about the small, mundane things, how is your boss supposed to move you up trusting that you can handle larger … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Impress the Boss (Including how to say no to your boss)
Angry JetBlue Worker Quits, Curses Out Passengers
Steven Slater needs to learn how to quit a job the right way. The (former) JetBlue flight attendant cursed out a plane full of passengers and exited via the inflatable emergency evacuation slideIronically, Slater was part of JetBlue's "in-flight values committee." Ha!Allegedly a passenger ignored Slater's warnings and reached for his luggage from the overhead compartment. The suitcase ended up striking Slater in the head and chaos ensued."To the passenger who called me a m---f--er, f--- you," he ranted over the intercom.Who wants to bet we'll see a "temporary insanity" claim? Perhaps the luggage struck his head and caused the outburst. Whatever the case, it's safe to say Mr. Slater is done with the friendly skies - whether he likes it or not. … [Read more...] about Angry JetBlue Worker Quits, Curses Out Passengers
Is That Co-Worker Just Too Chummy or Stalking You?
Let’s say you have a co-worker with whom you don’t spend much time interacting and this person has started to pop into your cubicle often. Then you notice that you keep running into him/her in the hallway or parking lot. Would you think this odd or disturbing? It's possible it wouldn’t even register on your radar. But what if the person tried to friend you on Facebook, sent you personal emails at work or called you on your cell? Has your “Okay, that’s creepy” alarm gone off yet? Maybe not, but now you might be concerned about this co-worker’s actions.The word “stalking” is thrown around a lot these days and sometimes in a humorous tone. But stalking is a criminal offense and can be horrific for the victims. Findlaw.com defines stalking as follows...“Stalking laws in most states pertain to a relatively new crime involving a clear pattern of conduct in which the offender follows, harasses, or threatens another person, … [Read more...] about Is That Co-Worker Just Too Chummy or Stalking You?
Tips to Boost Your Confidence While Interviewing
I haven’t been on any interviews lately, but I was in a situation recently that required me to have confidence to the 10th power. It was a scary, intimidating, first-time-ever event that I dreaded for weeks. I realized that although I had no control over the circumstances, I had choices about how I approached it and how I responded.Job interviews don’t rattle me too much. I’m fairly confident about my skills, experience and how I present myself. But I know many people find interviewing very nerve-wracking. In my experience and the experts will tell you that one of the best approaches is to BE PREPARED. (That good old Girl Scout stuff pays off again.)An interview is definitely not one of those occasions where you get points for just showing up. So what are some key components of preparedness for interviewing?· Research the organization. Duh. This might seem obvious, but there are many facets to it. Looking at the … [Read more...] about Tips to Boost Your Confidence While Interviewing
4 Things Not To Do on Your First Day at Work
You've brushed those butterflies aside and are ready to brace your first day on the job. Good luck! Just be sure you don't make these four workplace mistakes. DON'T Be LateSo you’ve done the hard work and proved to your employers that you’re worth bringing on board. You’ve got your brand new work clothes, some pens and perhaps a brief case, and then you go and ruin the whole thing by turning up late. All employers will be keeping a close eye on your arrival time on the first day as this will likely suggest to them what your work attitude is like. If you come into work anything but early or spot on, you’re putting yourself in the firing line before the gunners have even had a chance to load. Don’t even think about excuses either. The bus may have been late, there may have been ice on the road and the dog may have eaten your brand new suitcase, but not of that will matter to your boss, who’ll say that “you should have planned … [Read more...] about 4 Things Not To Do on Your First Day at Work
Why We Form Work Relationships
I'm a big believer in keeping your home and work life separate. I mean like Great Wall of China separate. That's why my cubicle is empty. However, after more than 10 years as a member of the workforce, I am convinced that no matter what you do, or how hard you try, the two worlds will inevitably seep together. And that's OK. Perhaps you met your best friend or significant other under the fluorescent lights of work. Since we spend so much time together, it makes sense, right? There are a few core reasons why we form relationships with our coworkers. Here are the five most common... THE JADED. You "bond" by verbally abusing the boss and/or poking fun at your fellow coworkers. Or perhaps you both feel like you are wasting your lives away with a dead-end company. Either way, this relationship is built on negativity. Psychologists might tell you that this relationship does not have a fighting chance to survive once the "common evil" is removed - but I have seen it … [Read more...] about Why We Form Work Relationships
5 Reasons to Consider Becoming a Medical Assistant
Believe it or not, there are still some very solid career choices out there. While many jobs are going up in smoke, medical assisting jobs are going strong. Since the 1950’s, medical assistants have been a vital part of the medical industry. Doing everything from filing paperwork to running medical tests, they help keep any medical facility running smoothly. If you’ve been thinking about a career change and the following 5 benefits appeal to you, then it may very well be something you should consider. Job Growth and StabilityAccording to United Stats Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for medical assistants is quite impressive. In fact, it’s projected to have one of the fastest job growths all the way through to the year 2018. From 2008 to 2018, it was expected that medical assistant employment would grow 34%. With the ever-growing technologies in the healthcare industry, the number of aging citizens and rising numbers of medical conditions like diabetes; … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons to Consider Becoming a Medical Assistant