Posted by sara on Feb 22, 2010 in
Advice,
Uncategorized Like many employees you’ll spend a great deal of time in your “home away from home”, also known as your office cubicle. If you’re like me staring at a gray wall for months or years on end can become boring. Make your cubicle a relaxing and pleasant corner of your work world instead of a drab space you can barely stand to be in. So what if you didn’t get that swank corner office with bay windows? You have three fabric walls and an imagination, go wild (sort of)!
It is very important that you understand your company’s standards before undertaking any redecorating. Check out your coworkers and managers spaces. Ask your supervisor if you’re unsure of any rules as to how you can decorate your cubicle. Once you’ve gotten the go ahead decide how you want to decorate your space. Perhaps you’ll want to hang personal photos, awards, paintings, a calendar or some other image. When I worked at an insurance agency I brought in Fine Art postcards I collected from European museums I visited and tacked them to my cubicle walls. During hectic afternoons I loved taking a few seconds out to glance at my postcards. I would caution you not to hang or post images of a lascivious, lewd or intimate nature.
Are those overhead fluorescent lights hurting your eyes? Perhaps you could find a desk lamp to make your day a little brighter. Larger retailers carry basic desk lamps in store and online. Check out Target if you’re looking for a cheap, colorful and funky choice. If you’re really adventurous go to a Salvation Army, Goodwill or other type of thrift/antique shop.
Some companies allow employees to listen to small radios, MP3 players or portable CD players. Check into your company’s policies. Burn some CD’s of your favorite band or turn that AM dial to your favorite radio pundit…
Do you have a green thumb? Bring in small plants to decorate your cubicle, make it your garden away from home. Bamboo and cacti are ideal office plants, both require only a limited amount of water and attention.
Finally, keeping your space somewhat tidy and clean will make your work day more orderly and relaxed. Try doing a few minutes of organizing before you leave every day. Yes its a drag after sitting in front of that computer for 8 hours, but you’ll be thankful tomorrow.
Tags: Cubicle, Decoration, Employment
Posted by sara on Feb 8, 2010 in
Advice,
Careers,
Employment,
Job Search Do you have a photo of yourself posted proudly on your personal social networking page? No, I don’t mean that professional portrait you framed and gave to your grandma last Christmas. I’m talking about that night two weeks ago when you and 20 of your closest friends decided to play beer pong on the roof of a abandoned petrochemical facility and Bob captured the moment on his phone…
In that handy “personal information” section of the same profile did you list the following dislikes?:Working, collating, filing,bosses, HR departments and wage slavery?
Before you send your resume out to the employer of your dreams ( or lets face it in this economy, any employer) you may want to tighten the privacy settings on your Facebook/MySpace/Social Networking Site of Your Choice and other personal ephemera floating around out there on the ‘net.
Prospective employers do treat these resources like a free background check and they will judge you by what they find.
According to research done by the Career Builders website 53% of potential employers will research you online. 43% of those who do research you rely on common search engines and 12% go directly to Facebook to check you out. According to Career Builders, two in five employers found information during such a background check that dissuaded them from hiring a candidate. One third of employers said that an online search of candidates qualifications proved said candidate lied about his or her qualifications.
Once you’re hired you need to be careful too. 28% of employers reported firing an employee over material they posted on the web. In most cases this material was derogatory towards an employer or another employee. It is important to realize that the internet is a memory monster, all those blogs you wrote when you were 16, those wild beer pong photos, political affiliations, likes, dislikes, music and friends are out there once you put them out there. The best solution is to never give out personal information over the internet. If you do, use a pseudonym and don’t post identifying photographs. Many people live a great deal of their lives on the web so this may be an impossible option. As an alternative, protect the flow of information. Go into your account settings and crank up the privacy. Plug your name into a search engine and read your results. If you see any issues try to fix them if that is possible.
Also remember that Social Networking can be used for good. You may be able to make employment contacts or employers may reach out to you. Make your best impression!
Don’t put your name or identifying information to anything online that you wouldn’t want your grandma to read…unless your grandma belongs to a motorcycle gang ( Hi Grandma!).
Posted by sara on Feb 1, 2010 in
Advice My alarm clock is a tyrant. I hate it. Inevitably at 4:50 am every morning my dreams are interrupted by a loud incessant shrieking noise that refuses to recede into the background. When I can’t block out the noise any longer, I roll over, eyes half closed, and force myself to stumble across the room to turn off that evil plastic black box. I find a pair of warm fuzzy socks (It’s usually about 15 degrees here in the mornings) and start my “routine”.
It’s not always so easy. What about the time (s) I “accidentally” unplugged the clock and fell back asleep for an hour? Or the numerous mornings I’ve played the snooze button tango? Maybe you can commiserate. I do not have an absolutely fool proof way to make you leave the warm shelter of your bed in the morning, but as working adults we inevitably need to wake up and make it to work on time.
The easiest way to wake up on time is to go to bed at a decent hour. This sounds ridiculously easy, maybe too easy. I am naturally a night owl so I know how difficult it is to do this if you have a day time job. Staying up until 1:00 am will not help you wake up at 5:00am. Know yourself. Understand how much sleep your body needs and set aside enough time to actually sleep. Do you need certain conditions to get a healthy, relaxing sleep? Do you need complete darkness to sleep? Do you sleep better with the light on? Does your room need to be toasty warm before dozing off or do you like it to be cooler? Take some time to really think about your optimum sleep conditions.
Stop drinking caffeine and any spicy or heavy foods a few hours before you plan to sleep. Eating and drinking these things can make it more difficult to fall asleep when you need to. Some people find that certain decaffeinated teas or herbal drinks help them feel drowsy before going to bed.
Prepare for your day the night before. Lay out your clothes, do some light housekeeping, perhaps make your lunch. By doing all of these things in the evening you will not be as rushed in the morning.
Once you’re in bed, relax and close your eyes. Put some music on if that helps you drift off. Don’t stress about not being able to get to sleep, that most likely will keep you awake longer.
Move your alarm clock to different locations in your room. Don’t put it right next to your bed. By placing your alarm clock out of arms reach you are forced to get up.
As soon as you get up take a shower, get dressed and take care of any morning chores. Sitting around in your pajamas will tempt you to get back into bed.
If you live in a climate with cold winter weather conditions, make sure to scrape the snow off your car and warm it up if necessary. If you’re in the middle of a morning storm this can take quite a while!
Do you have trouble waking up in the morning? What strategies do you use to make yourself wake up and go?
Posted by joshua on Jan 26, 2010 in
Advice What are the sources of procrastination? For me, it’s the white sheet of paper. Not knowing what to do, where to start, who to ask, how to ask, or how to do something will cause me to freeze up and justify waiting another day and another day and another day to get moving on a project. Of course, each delay makes it that much harder to begin because now I’m late and I still don’t know how to do it, so the task seems increasingly more daunting with each passing day.
How much easier my life is when I just admit that I don’t know how to do something, learn what I need to know and proceed. Acting in this manner gets the job done in a timely fashion, causes much less stress and usually makes me feel pretty good about myself in the process.
What are the sources of your procrastination?
Tags: Advice, procrastination
Attention world: Let it begin in 2010!
Let what begin? Your career, your attitude, and the rest of your life. Put it in your head that this is your year. Allow yourself to succeed beyond your wildest dreams and reach heights yet unseen. How are you going to do this? Remember this phrase: It’s all in your head!
Your outlook on life will determine the quality of your mood, the company you keep, and most definitely your career. If you’re unemployed: change it! You might say to yourself, “But there are no jobs!”
THAT IS NOT TRUE!
Check out sites like Hound and Employment Crossing today. Don’t wait. The longer you allow yourself to go unemployed, the more problems you are likely to have.
There is no need to fear, log on and find a job that suits your expectations. If you are currently in a job you can’t stand, cross over to a job you love with Employment Crossing.
You can have the life you want. Let it begin, in 2010!
Tags: 2010, Employment, get a job, hound, hunting, Job Search, Jobs, motivation, unemployment
Posted by joshua on Dec 28, 2009 in
Advice Today is the last Monday of 2009. For many people, the start of a new year is a time to make changes. Not me. I don’t believe in making new years resolutions, and if you’re serious about your career, neither should you.
I’ve made several changes in my life this year. Earlier in the year, I quit smoking. Currently, I’m working on not letting my dirty dishes sit over night. These were areas that I needed to improve and so I took action. There’s nothing special or magical about January 1st. The new year doesn’t imbibe you with any extra willpower. If you need to change something in your life, don’t wait until this weekend - do it today. Right now.
It generally takes 21 days to turn something into a habit so make today day number one!
Posted by Todd on Dec 26, 2009 in
Advice,
Careers,
Employment,
Job Search I previously wrote a post about the impact of encouragement on you and your career and I got some feedback asking for a more in depth look at the phenomenon of discouragement and encouragement and how it plays into your career.
I want you to stop whatever you are doing and think about five things you believe about yourself.
- Do you believe you are capable of earning a million dollar salary?
- Do you believe that you are capable of getting a promotion?
- Do you believe that you are on the verge of getting fired?
- Do you ALWAYS believe that you are on the verge of getting fired?
Okay, now I want you to think back to the origin of such beliefs. It is my guess that these sorts of self-perceptions have everything to do with the company you keep.
Have you ever watched an awards show like The Grammys or The Oscars? More often than not, you will hear the recipients of such awards doll out a long list of thank you’s. And they are also, quite frequently, very long lists. This is an interesting bit of proof that the most successful of individuals do not do it all on their own. They do it with the encouragement and, more importantly, the belief of others that they can achieve such amazing feats.
Rarely, if ever, do you see someone go up on a stage after receiving an award saying they’d done it all on their own. In fact, I have never witnessed this.
My point is, you should take a step back and analyze your life in this way. Divide your friends and family into categories of those who encourage and those who do not encourage. Does your mother tell you that you are very intelligent. Does she tell you that she “knows” you can acheive anything you want in life? Then put her into the pile of those who encourage.
Conversely, do you have a father (or mother, even) who is always telling you that you cannot achieve this or that. Do they tell you that you need to revise your thinking to be more realistic? Do they say that you’re dreaming too big? Then put them into the other pile!
Once you’ve got your lists together, you have some serious soul searching to do. I do not believe that you should, or that it is realistic to completely excise these negative people out of your life; however, you do need to learn how to more or less ingore those people.
Positive encouragement is one of the most important tools you can possess in your quest for career. The affects it can have on your mood will increase your aptitude at work. They will even make those sleepy mornings easier by increasing your motivation for going to work. If you know that when you get to work, you’re going to achieve something great, then I have no doubt you’re going to be thrilled to get there.
On the other hand, if people are telling you that what you think you can achieve is unrealistic or that it’s not possible, then how do you think that will affect you at work? It will invariably diminish your ability to work to your full potential, and quite possibly leave you with a sense of depression and hopelessness.
Listen to me: You need to ignore those naysayers because we live in a world where anything is possible. And in your career the sky is the limit. That is, and always will be the truth.
When your outlook is positive, good things will happen. They may take time, but from the very moment you believe, you will start planting the seed of greatness. Your continued encouragement will act as the sunshine that lets them grow into beautiful flowers!
Tags: awards, Career, enocouragement, positivity, promotion, success
Posted by joshua on Dec 16, 2009 in
Advice,
Job Search It’s that time of the year again, with Christmas just around the corner. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Haunaka, or just like to spread around good cheer, it’s gift giving season. So what do you get for that hip and trendy job seeker on your list? Here are a few suggestions…
1. A document bag - Your favorite job seeker will look and feel more professional with a nice leather document bag to hold his or her resumes. Prices range from $50 to $5000 but even an inexpensive document bag will lend an air of professionalism.
2. Spa treatment or a manicure - help your job seeker look and feel their very best. When we look good, we feel more confident and that will translate into an interview win. Home manicure kits range from $10 to $100 and a day at a spa can run a few hundred bucks.
3. A new pair of shoes - Shoes really do make the man or the woman. Interviewers will notice a professional pair of well kept shoes. Expect to spend a hundred or more on a pair of quality shoes, or treat your favorite job seeker to a quality shoe shine for a bit less.
Whatever you end up gifting, remember that first impressions count, and job seekers will appreciate the thoughtfulness of a gift that helps them make the best first impression possible.
Posted by Todd on Dec 14, 2009 in
Advice,
Careers 
Whether you’re in a high pressure sales position or do administrative work at a small start-up, there is one piece of advice that will apply everywhere: Be aggressive.
Now I don’t want you to start barking at your boss or co-workers, nor do I want you to cut-off every driver on the road, I simply want you to take control of your job.
When you go into work, get going! The best thing you can do is to have a list ready for you to work from. Start checking off the list right away. Your number one goal is to get things done before they HAVE to be done. Be on top of your tasks and you will see results.
Being aggressive also means finding things to do. Keep track of ideas you have to make your position more efficient and productive. Then, when you finish all of your tasks early, start implementing those ideas. Essentially, it all boils down to good ole fashioned hard work, but perhaps it will help you to think of it this way.
You want to make your way through tasks throughout everyday. Think of work like Tetris. You have to have a steady flow of completed lines to save room for all of the stuff piling on top. People around you will notice your hard work, guaranteed. You’ll be more likely to get promotions and raises because you will be seen as more dependable.
If you don’t have a job, then this methodology should apply to your job search. Sign up for sites like Employment Crossing. They have aggressive techniques of finding open positions all around the country. A month with them is sure to lead you toward some great work opportunities.
So get cracking!
Tags: aggresive, Employment, employment crossing, Job Search, job tips, work habits
Posted by joshua on Nov 10, 2009 in
Advice,
Job Search There are only so many hours per day that you can spend surfing job sites and tweaking your resume. Here are three things you can do to help enhance your prospects while looking for a job. Your goal is to make it easy for an employer to choose you and these simple things will help.
1) Stay Current
Keep up with any innovations or reforms in your industry. Subscribe to relevant trade journals or other publications and keep up your membership in any professional organizations. When you’re out of work this may seem like an uneccesary expense, but prospective employers will find it easier to hire you if you can demonstrate up to date knowledge of your industry.
2) Stay Connected
Nobody likes the out of work friend that badgers everyone they know for a job. Maintaining your friendships in your industry however is a great way to hear about job openings, often before anyone else does. Word of mouth jobs often come with personal reccomendations which make it that much easier for a prospective employer to hire you.
3) Stay Involved
Social networking isn’t just a Facebook page and online contacts. Get involved and stay involved in your community. Join a fraternal organization, volunteer for a political campaign or a youth center. Share your time with your church or other charitable organization. Volunteer work can turn into a paying gig, but it also will help you make local contacts that can lead to word of mouth jobs and volunteerism will plug holes in your job history on your resume.
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