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Why You Must Challenge Yourself
Tweet Share on Facebook February 18, 2010 Comment (2)If you want to make the most out of your career, weave these two words into the fabric of your approach to life: “Challenge yourself.”
You will never fulfill even a fraction of your potential by sticking to the safe and comfortable. Why? Because the safe and comfortable never forces you to rise to the occasion. It never offers the resistance that strengthens muscles you didn't know you had.
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When Punishment Backfires at Work
Tweet Share on Facebook February 18, 2010 Comment (2)I recently read about new government regulations that fine airlines $27,500 per passenger for long delays on the tarmac. Nobody likes to be delayed. I once spent six hours sitting on a runway in Texas, and, in order to appease the passengers, the flight attendants handed out free alcohol. Need I even mention how many people took them up on their offer? Or that the wait became even less pleasant, because not only were we stuck a plane, but we were now stuck on a plane with drunken college students?
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How to Keep Your Thank-You Note Out of the Trash
Tweet Share on Facebook February 17, 2010 Comment (9)You’ve heard it a million times: Always send a thank-you letter after a job interview. So it may surprise you to learn that some hiring managers don’t like receiving these letters. It’s a waste of their time, they say.
Sounds a little curmudgeonly, doesn’t it? But maybe it’s because so many thank-you letters are a waste of time--theirs, and ultimately, yours, too. Are you using your letters just to say “thanks for the interview”? Then you are throwing away a golden opportunity to strengthen your chances of getting hired.
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Tag You're It, Gen Y
Tweet Share on Facebook February 16, 2010 Comment (4)“Not Everyone Gets a Trophy.” That's the title of Bruce Tulgan’s new book and I think it summarizes perfectly a point I would like to make to younger job seekers today.
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An Edict for Every Manager: Go See
Tweet Share on Facebook February 12, 2010 Comment (1)The mechanic explained that the revealing pin-up photos of young women were on the inside door of his locker--so what’s the big deal? The investigator pictured a classic high school locker room and thought, “Small lockers. Male-only environment. How could the female coworkers even see the photos?”
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Should Bosses Care How Employees Use Paid Time Off?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 11, 2010 Comment (13)I have a small business with two employees. One of my employees decided she can add [paid time off] hours to her pay periods when she cannot do 80 hours (which is often). As an example, she worked 76 hours last period then decided to slap four extra PTO hours on top of that to make 80, so her paycheck registers 80 hours.
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How to Be Your Own Career Expert
Tweet Share on Facebook February 11, 2010 Comment (4)Who do you think knows what’s best for you? Your parents? Your coworkers? The guy with the fancy car that lives two doors down? Or you?
[See the best careers for 2010.]
If you posed that question to most people, they wouldn’t hesitate to say “I do!” And I couldn’t agree more. Yet most people don’t actually make career decisions that reflect that belief. Don’t believe me? Then consider this. I’ve seen study after study showing that more than 50 percent of employees are dissatisfied with their jobs. Think about it. That means that every second person you see behind the wheel at rush hour is coming home from a job they’re unhappy with.
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How to Ace the Phone Interview
Tweet Share on Facebook February 10, 2010 Comment (21)Many job interviews these days are conducted by phone. It’s faster and cheaper for both job hirers and hunters. HR folks especially like it because it allows them to screen more applicants in less time. A phone interview may even be your first contact with a potential employer.
[See the best careers for 2010.]
Phone interviews are not, however, the same as in-person interviews. So much human communication is non-verbal! You may need to acquire a few new skills to pull off a great job interview over the phone. To get you started, check out these phone interview do’s and don’ts:
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Does Having Passion for Your Work Even Matter?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 4, 2010 Comment (4)What good is passion? I mean, really, besides making for a more fun way to spend your day, what good is it? Does passion really matter, or is it just self-indulgent fluff? It’s probably no surprise that my opinion is, yes, it absolutely matters! Here are several reasons why passion is one of the best investments in your career that you can make:
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The Best Way to Quit Your Job
Tweet Share on Facebook February 3, 2010 Comment (6)A majority of Americans are unhappy with their jobs, according to a recent Conference Board survey. What does this mean? For one thing, it’s a clue that as soon as this economy improves, an awful lot of people are going to be setting off for greener pastures.
