Last week I went to visit a friend. While we were sitting in her kitchen chatting, I noticed that she had a rotary phone on the wall. When I commented on it, she told me a story about showing her daughter’s teenage friends how to dial on a rotary phone. When they first looked at
If you are looking for the perfect career, consider your personality type. What do you love to do? What are you good at doing? And, just as importantly, what bugs the heck out of you? Working eight hours a day at a job you’re ill-suited for is draining. By taking the time to consider your
Telling your boss that you can’t take on a new responsibility or a new project can be tough. Most of us have a hard time saying no in these situations, even when we know that saying yes will mean we’re stretched so thin that our work will suffer (not to mention our personal lives).
We grew up learning that gossip was something to be avoided (and definitely “not nice”). But it turns out that office gossip can help us get ahead at work–if used carefully. “It’s not realistic to say, ‘Don’t participate in [workplace] gossip,’ because if you don’t participate, people tend not to include you in the conversation,”
Given the long hours that many employees spend at the office, it’s not surprising that survey, 35 percent of respondents said they had engaged in an office romance. In fact, 12 percent had married someone they dated from work.
I. Background – Where We Were Universal need for information, growing demands and expectations for automated access As a public sector entity, the Louisiana Department of Civil Service faces the familiar challenge of efficiently providing access to information to those that we serve. Since we are the central human resources department for the state, our
I used to hate the sound of the alarm clock in the morning. As an accountant and internal auditor, I found my work tedious. People dreaded seeing me. I disliked having to confront them every day on recurring problems. I became disconnected from others and didn’t feel I was helping anyone.
As a group, corporate managers are an isolated bunch. Whereas employees know and support each other, managers tend to keep problems to themselves. If nothing else, the events of Sept. 11 have taught us that isolation doesn’t work. Since then, companies have watched employees pull together and accomplish tasks with new dedication and teamwork. It
Now I know why I haven’t always succeeded in interviews. Being a factual, logical, sequential-thinking person, I answer questions honestly and directly. If interviewers want to know about me, I tell them. I haven’t known anything about creating “shared control” with an interviewer. I didn’t realize that by asking questions, I could literally force interviewers
In 1997, we flew to Seattle and hauled our film gear to the quaint little town of Langley on Whidbey Island. There we filmed the poet David Whyte, who is known for the message he shares with organizations about bringing one’s whole self to work. We became immersed in conversations about wholeheartedness in the workplace.
“I have 15 years of experience in higher education administration, specifically in international education. This includes foreign student advising and international admissions. My international admissions responsibilities require me to travel abroad and represent my institution at college fairs. I’m tired of higher education and the low pay and recognition it gives administrators and I’m wondering
Some people seem to be bullet-proof and can save their jobs, if not their reputations, after the worst or even multiple mistakes.This kind of smart/slippery character may be naturally blessed with the instincts to survive any blunder, but you don’t have to be a politician to survive.There are certain things you can do to help
As Christmas approaches, retailers are taking on extra staff for the holiday rush. This provides an opportunity for recruiters, but they should note they may be liable for any discrimination claims brought by temps and there is no limit to the compensation that may be awarded in such cases.
In a past life, I spent more than two years as a headhunter in the technology sector and have nothing but admiration for people who have found success in the world of recruitment. It’s competitive and requires confidence, determination and a positive mindset.
These days, being tech savvy has a major advantage: it can lead to an in-demand career. Knowing how to navigate information technology systems, which is the software and the use of computers to manage information, is a skill that is in demand worldwide. The reason behind this is technology’s presence and constant impact on our daily
Without a doubt, summer is prime time for professional networking. In fact, you’re likely to find that summertime networking events go beyond the basic cocktail mixer. While this may vary by region, you’re likely to find that many summer networking events during this time of year are held outdoors on rooftops, patios, boats and even
The only failure in life is to fail to learn from one’s experiences. Never is this more true than when facing involuntary separation from your job. There are any number of reasons you might be let go – from legit to legally dubious – and there are lessons to be learned from all of them.
For individuals who aren’t keen on the idea of investing years of his or her adulthood getting degree after degree, opting for field-specific professional certifications is much faster to obtain and the programs usually take into account the skills one already has. Earning certifications to verify your industry knowledge is a powerful way to take
