More Blog Posts
Monday, July 2, 2012 - 7:00am
Bobbi Dempsey
0
One of the biggest ways people kill their productivity is by wasting time procrastinating, allowing themselves to be easily distracting as a way to stall doing the important tasks on their agenda. You might look at it this way: idle time is wasted time, at least when there are things you should be doing.
Procrastination not only wastes time, but it also reduces the quality of your work because by the time you finally get down to business and force yourself to get work done, you are probably racing to beat the clock and aren’t giving the tasks the time and attention needed to do your best.
The best way to beat procrastination is not to give it a chance to take hold at all. Make it a point to tackle one important task or dive into a high-priority project immediately upon...
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Monday, July 2, 2012 - 6:00am
Bobbi Dempsey
0
- The History of Cubicle Design [NY Times]
- Ways to Make a Good Impression at a Job Interview [CBS News]
- Why Summer is a Great Time to Job Hunt [Mashable]
- To Beat Stress, Stay Home Instead of a Vacation [Inc.com]
- Do Team-Building Events Really Work? [US News}
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Friday, June 29, 2012 - 1:00pm
Beth Braccio Hering
0
When meeting new people, nerves can leave you feeling anything but confident. Instead of pressuring yourself to be the life of the party or come up with witty anecdotes on the spot, focus on simple yet effective strategies that will make others want to know you better.
“The very first question you'll field in any setting, whether it's a client meeting or a job interview, is ‘How are you?’” says Vicky Oliver, author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions and the newly published The Millionaire's Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire, Even If You're Not. “Many people blow it, but you won't. Pause before blurting out a one-word reply. People love a real answer,...
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Business Influence, Conversation Skills, first impressions, Job Search, Networking, Presentation Skills
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 11:00am
Beth Braccio Hering
0
Working with family members can be a rewarding experience. Shared goals can bring you closer, and the level of trust and commitment may be much stronger than among unrelated co-workers. Extra perks may include getting to have lunch with your husband on a regular basis or an easier time getting that week off for a Disney trip because your dad knows turning it down would disappoint his grandkids.
But there also are downsides of working with family. Business squabbles can cause personal problems, especially when relatives take sides. Similarly, an employee may be hesitant to speak up when Cousin Fred isn’t pulling his weight or have trouble saying no when Aunt Sally makes a request. Criticism may be harder to both give and to receive, and praise may be given either too easily or...
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Business Influence, Emotional Intelligence, Managing Conflict, working with family, Workplace Relationships
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 9:00am
Bobbi Dempsey
0
If you have a friendly relationship with your co-workers, you probably chat about all sorts of things: work, of course, but also your families, popular television shows, maybe even sports or other hot topics. But there is one thing that even chummy colleagues often avoid discussing: their salaries.
This is often one of the few topics that remain taboo in most workplaces—in fact, some companies even have policies that forbid employees from discussing salaries in the office.
With good reason—salary conversations rarely end up going well, unless both people happen to earn exactly the same amount. Otherwise, the person with the lower salary inevitably ends up feeling like they’re getting a raw deal. And they may be shocked to discover the discrepancy in pay rates among the...
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Friday, June 29, 2012 - 7:00am
Bobbi Dempsey
0
We know many of you are seeking a new (or better) job, so to help you uncover valuable opportunities, we'll be spotlighting a job of the week. This week, we’re featuring an opportunity for an executive secretary at the Oakland Unified School District in Oakland, California.
This position involves performing a variety of highly difficult, prescribed secretarial duties including preparing and typing letters, forms, records, reports, bulletins, handbooks, statistical reports and other documents; duplicating a variety of materials; and receiving, opening and distributing mail.
Will also receive and screen phone calls and visitors; schedule appointments and provide attendance information and direct inquiries and visitors to the proper person or office.
They are...
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Friday, June 29, 2012 - 6:00am
Bobbi Dempsey
0
- Free Yourself from Your Desk [Inc.com]
- How to Deal with a Bad Boss [HBR.org]
- Career Success: Paying It Forward [Social Hire]
- Ways to Get Constructive Employer Feedback [Jobacle]
- Can Women Have It All? Remarkable Women Weigh In [Forbes.com]
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Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 1:00pm
Beth Braccio Hering
0
While everyone knows that volunteer work can be an enriching experience, it also may help your career. “Service opportunities are an excellent way to develop new skills, add to your résumé, and connect with community leaders and other volunteers who can help you secure full-time employment,” says Andrea St. James, career counselor at Western New England University in Springfield, Mass. Before signing up, she suggests doing research to learn about the organization, its programs, and what it is trying to accomplish. This insight will help you to stay engaged and driven.
As you participate, look for ways to build skills that might be valuable to your next job. “For example, volunteering for a nonprofit can mean helping with...
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Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 11:00am
Beth Braccio Hering
0
Mark your calendar (or, better yet, clear your calendar) for the second annual SOS to Stress Day this Saturday, June 30. We all know that stress impacts our bodies, relationships, productivity, and well-being, but oftentimes we don’t take time to evaluate the factors that are causing the problem and what we can do to deal with them. This occasion offers a good opportunity for a tune-up.
According to stress and wellness expert Beverly Beuermann-King of WorkSmartLiveSmart.com, participants should work on finding the right strategies in the three main areas of coping with stress – situation, ourselves, and support (SOS). Stressors as well as coping mechanisms...
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Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 9:00am
Bobbi Dempsey
2
Ann Curry announced this morning that she was leaving the TODAY show as its morning co-host, in a move that may have shocked some viewers and disappointed Curry’s fans. While it is unlikely that any of us will ever need to worry about leaving a position in such a public and high-profile way, there are some lessons we can all learn from Curry’s departure.
Stay classy. While Curry was reportedly angry about the decision to give her the boot, she resisted the urge to air her frustrations—though it must have been tempting, given that she had a live national television audience (and presumably the network had not instituted any sort...
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