Netiquette 101
Imagine a time before desktop computers, when instead of sending a quick question via instant messenger, co-workers actually walked to each other’s offices to talk. Or, instead of shooting off a quick e-mail, they had to pick up the telephone to communicate with a client.
Nix Negativity
That friend who just can’t stop complaining. That co-worker who always has to one-up you with her breakup stories or that traumatic encounter at the bank. That client who takes out her perpetual bad mood on you. None of these people are contributing to your sanity or self-esteem.
Back Up Your Data!
My friend is on the cusp of launching her business. After carefully crafting a business plan and running financial scenarios, she prepared to send the document off to a potential investor. As she attached the file to her e-mail, her computer screen jumped. There was a fizzle. Her monitor went out.
Quiz: What’s Your Office Politics IQ?
It’s an interpersonal jungle out there, and how well you navigate your office politics can have a major impact on your career. How adept are you at playing the game? Take this quiz to find out.
Quiz: What Kind of Hostess Are You?
Back in college, pulling a box of wine out of the fridge may have made you the hostess with the mostest, but today you’ll probably need to do a little bit more to win that title. Since hosting events becomes more imminent with every rung of the corporate ladder, honing your style now should help you relax and—dare we say it?—have more fun later.
Protect Your Privacy Online
We’ve all heard horror stories about women who had their credit cards stolen by a cybercriminal or got their MySpace page hacked by a nemesis co-worker. These scenarios are not only embarrassing, but they can also be expensive to fix. Each time you enter a password, whether you’re checking your e-mail, shopping for shoes, or logging in to Facebook, you could be offering your personal information to hackers if you’re not careful.
Cell-Phone-Free Weekend
My first cell-phone-free weekend was caused by a little spill—24 ounces of water leaked into my favorite black leather bag, and my cell phone sunk to the bottom and never recovered. Luckily I had insurance, but the accident happened on a Thursday and it took two business days for the company to ship me a new one. I was totally unplugged for more than 48 hours! Here’s what I learned and how I coped.
Quiz: Are You a Perfectionist?
They say that “practice makes perfect,” but sometimes even with practice, things don’t go quite as planned. Can you deal with being less than perfect? Or are your perfectionist tendencies preventing you from being happy? Take this quiz to find out.
Tips on Telecommuting
Ever wondered what it would be like to have a 10-second commute? Or answer e-mails from a patio chair in your backyard? The good news is that you may not have to start your own business or go freelance to reap the benefits of working from home. As gas prices soar, more and more companies (and their employees) are considering telecommuting options. Here’s what you need to know if you want to telecommute.
The Interview Diaries
From wardrobe malfunctions to mistaken identities, most of us have had a job interview go awry at some point in our careers. We asked WORKS readers to confess their most horrifying (and humorous) interview experiences.
Stop Procrastinating Online!
Recently I downloaded PageAddict (Pageaddict.com), a Web-based program that tracks Internet usage. I wanted to see where I was spending my time online and how I could use that time more efficiently. Two weeks later, I opened the charts and graphs that logged my usage, along with a list of all the sites I visited.
Get People to Read Your Blog!
These days it seems like everyone has a blog. From fashion to finance, cooking to career advice, there’s a blog to suit just about every interest. Thanks to the fast pace and viral nature of the Web, some bloggers have managed to catapult from anonymity to celeb status virtually overnight. Others have landed book deals or managed to earn enough money to support themselves online.
Long-Distance Love
It’s a common 21st-century love story: Boy meets girl. Boy or girl gets a job offer in another city. The other person already has a job they love and decides to stay put. Pretty soon, boy and girl are conducting their courtship through text messages, e-mails, and weekend rendezvous courtesy of JetBlue.
Should You Become a Blogger?
To blog or not to blog? That is our question. It’s an idea that may have crossed your mind, considering the fact that, according to Technorati, the leading tracker of blogs, 175,000 new blogs launch every day!
Click for a Cause
April is National Volunteer Month, so it’s the perfect time to think about contributing to the greater good. Even if you don’t have the time to build a house for Habitat for Humanity or volunteer with orphans in Africa, there are several websites that offer small ways to make a big difference without leaving your desk. Here are some of our favorites.
Quiz: Are You A Risk Taker?
From starting a business to playing the stock market, some of the biggest opportunities in life require taking risks. Do you have what it takes? Take this quiz to find out.
Be a Good Mentor
Chances are if you’ve been successful climbing the work ladder, it’s been with the help of a mentor. The dictionary defines a mentor as a “trusted counselor or guide,” but anyone who’s had a mentor knows they’re so much more: a workplace coach and confidant, a career adviser, a respected listening ear.
Quiz: How Confrontational Are You?
Are you the type who’d rather grin and bear it than “make trouble”? Or does someone end up in tears if (God forbid) your salad dressing doesn’t come on the side? Take this quiz and find out!
Quiz: Are You A Scene-Stealer?
We all know the type: the girl who’s always the center of attention and rarely lets others contribute—unless by doing so she can advance her own career and social standing. So, where do you fall on the scene-stealing spectrum? Take this quiz to find out.
Quiz: What Type of Traveler Are You?
Anyone who’s taken a trip with friends or a significant other knows that there are many different ways to travel. And since you probably only get two or three weeks of vacation a year, we want to make sure you make the right choice. Take this quiz to determine what type of traveler you are…
Quiz: How Green Are You?
Is much of your wardrobe made of hemp? When’s the last time you drank a cup of coffee that (gasp) wasn’t fair trade? Ever stopped being friends with someone just because they drove an SUV? As we all know, there’s green, and then there’s GREEN. Take this quiz to find out how environmentally conscious you are.
Business Networking Online
As the old adage goes, “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know,” and never has that been truer than in this virtual day and age. Social networking sites, especially those geared toward business networking, are no longer about personal frivolity—they can be powerful tools to aid your career. However, with these sites becoming more utilized and plentiful daily, it’s hard to know which is best for you. Below are our top four.
Conquer Your Public Speaking Fears
Public speaking can give even the bravest of us jitters. For some, however, there’s just no escaping it. In professional as well as personal life, you’ll find yourself facing the lectern and handling a microphone quite a few times.
Blogging At Work
Unless you’ve just crawled out from under a very big rock, you know that blogging is all the rage. Everyone seems to have one. Blogs are a virtual diary and opinion piece, the place to share your thoughts on life, family, sports, fashion, anything at all. The question isn’t really do you blog (you probably do), but should you blog? And above all, should you blog at work? If you answered yes to that last one, here are a few things to keep in mind before you post…
Quiz: What Does Your Office Say About You?
During the work week, you spend more waking hours in your office than in your own apartment. But unlike your apartment, which you can spruce up for special occasions like dinner parties or visits from the parents, your office is frequently on display to your boss and co-workers. Does your office make you look organized and on-top-of-things? Or has the clutter gotten out of control? Read on to find out.
Clean up Your Online Image
Many young professionals are all over the Web, especially on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. But what might be cute and funny to friends and family may not be as humorous to potential employers (such as pictures from that blowout party you attended on New Year’s Eve). It’s not surprising that with the ease and affordability of search engines, employers can and do eliminate job candidates based on an applicants’ online image.
Quiz: Are You the Office Gossip?
Are you obsessed with knowing every detail of your co-workers’ business? Do you log hours in the break room, rehashing “the latest”? Have you ever been busted for spilling the beans but still can’t zip that lip? Take this quiz and find out if you’ve been branded a big mouth.
Quiz: Do You Dress Well For Work?
There’s a reason why so many of the fashion victims on TLC’s What Not to Wear are referred to the show by their co-workers: Appearances have a huge impact on your professional image. Take this quiz to see what your look says about you.
1. You’re giving a big presentation to a prospective client. What do you wear?
a. A striped button-down and khakis
b. A tweed jacket with matching skirt
c. A classic black power suit with blue button-down underneath
d…
Quiz: Dealing With Office Drama
Whether it’s a computer failure or a public relations crisis, how your co-workers cope with tough situations can be pretty telling. Of course, they can learn a lot based on how you react, too. So when crisis strikes, are you cool as a cucumber or on the verge of a breakdown? Take this quiz and find out.
Quiz: Are You a Snob?
Do you look down on someone carrying a bag that’s Gap rather than Gucci? Blow off a guy because he doesn’t take you to the hottest new restaurant in town? Turn your nose up at the office-party buffet because the crudités aren’t organic? Being too materialistic can affect your personal, social, and professional life. So how snobbish are you? Take this quiz to find out…
Respect: How to Get It At Work
Your boss constantly talks down to you, your co-workers are dismissive of your ideas, and sometimes you feel like your intern thinks that you work for her, instead of the other way around. Where’s all that R-E-S-P-E-C-T? According to Courtney Macavinta, author of RESPECT: A Girl’s Guide to Getting Respect and Dealing When Your Line Is Crossed, and the popular advice blog RespectRX, it all starts with you…
Quiz: How Well Mannered Are You?
Do you have excellent etiquette or need a serious session with Miss Manners? Take this quiz and find out.
Quiz: What Part Do You Play at the Office?
Like families, offices are home to a whole host of personalities. So where do you fit in at your office? Take this quiz and find out!
Quiz: What’s Your Exercise IQ?
All work and no play can leave even the most energetic woman feeling completely worn down. A good workout is often enough to replenish inner supplies, but who has time to hit the gym?
Are You Phone Phobic?
I am an e-mail addict. There, I’ve said it. And I’m not talking about the messages I send to my friends and family. I send e-mails constantly at work, even to the people just across the hall. It’s my preferred method of communication, and lately, it’s become a problem.
Cultivating Your Mentors
When I first heard my friend Rachel speak at a women’s networking brunch, she seemed unattainably cool and accomplished—she had two books under her name and a killer résumé. Rachel had so much going for her that I wasn’t sure if she’d want to chat with an aspiring writer, but I approached her anyway, attempting to strike up a conversation.
Be Your Own Best PR
Simply put, self-promotion does not come easily for many women. And that is a big problem. Selling yourself, at least a little bit, is part of getting ahead in your career and your life. You must learn how to do it if you want to attract opportunities, job offers, mentors, and money.
Quiz: What’s Your Spending Style?
1. You’ve just gotten a $5,000 bonus. Where’s the money going?
a. Vegas, baby!
b. I’ll reward myself with a new outfit, then put the rest toward my student loans or credit-card debt.
c. My savings account.
2. When it comes to balancing your checkbook, you:
a. aren’t really sure how much money you have. In fact, you’ve overdrawn your checking account so many times, you’re practically paying the bank to hold your money.
b…
E-mail Networking
Ask an etiquette expert and they’ll probably tell you that e-mail is a poor substitute for phone or in-person contact. And you can see their point. Ever broken up with someone by e-mail? I’m guessing the reaction wasn’t good.
MySpace 101
The permanence of Internet content has its pluses and minuses. On the plus side, the Web is a fantastic place to beef up your credibility as a professional, writer, designer, volunteer, or whatever other image you’d like to develop. On the downside, anything unsavory can come back to bite you if you’re not careful about what you post and what’s posted about you…
Touchy Topics
Unless you’re paid to kvetch with Barbara Walters on a daily basis (and with the speed at which the door is revolving at The View these days, that’s not such a long shot), one of your main job functions is to coexist peacefully with your co-workers. Easy, right? Even easier if you watch what you say around the watercooler. You’re free to say what you like (it’s a constitutional guarantee), but your co-workers are just as free to judge you—or resent you, or just plain not want to work with you—based on the words that come out of your mouth…
Surf These Sites
WORKS has sifted through the online madness to find the best daily resources for the information you need to succeed in all areas of your fabulous life!
Profiles From the Ladder - Danielle Carrig
Since high school, Danielle Carrig has had two primary passions: working in the nonprofit sector and championing women’s issues. Now, as the executive director of Step Up, a nonprofit organization that provides classes and workshops to at-risk teens and networking opportunities to professional women, Carrig can fulfill both. Here, Danielle tells WORKS how she realized her dreams.
Say the Right Thing
With every event I go to, I realize how important small talk is, especially when it comes to making business connections. It also doesn’t have to be scary. The next time you feel yourself melting into the wall at a party or work event, remember this: People LOVE to talk about themselves. Seriously. Keep that in mind as you follow these tips…
Competing With Colleagues
There she is, sitting at her neatly organized desk in her too-cute outfit. The Other Woman. No, no. I’m not talking about that kind of other woman—the husband stealing, boyfriend smooching other woman. I’m talking about the other woman at work. You know, the one you subconsciously compete with all the time.
Don’t shake your head, you know it’s true. A guy gets hired at work and everything is cool—here’s a new friend to bounce ideas off of and commiserate with…
The Boss from Hell
It’s hard to pinpoint the moment when my once-upon-a-time sweet supervisor crossed the line and morphed into the boss from hell.
After all, there were so many moments that could have been the defining one:
Get on Your Boss’s Good Side
Your relationship with your boss can often seem similar to your relationship with your significant other—it’s a delicate balance of give and take…How do you make her fall in love with you without weirding her out?
Bossing Your Boss
Your boss hired you so that she would have someone to boss around. And most of the time the system works just fine – she passes along duties and you complete them in record time. Let’s face it: in the modern workplace it’s sometimes necessary to boss your boss.
Create Boundaries At Work
Do you recognize this person? Within minutes of meeting your new co-worker, you know her boyfriend just dumped her, her mom is premenopausal, and she hasn’t slept in days thanks to a killer migraine. If this woman is anything like the people I’ve known, it won’t be long before she’s calling you “sweetie” and embracing you in a big, fat hug.
Whatever you do, don’t become that person…
WHAT WORKS: Profiles from the Ladder
At WORKS, we’re surrounded by amazing women accomplishing fantastic feats and we want to share the wealth. Advice is one thing, but it’s infinitely cooler and more meaningful when it comes straight from the mouths of the women who know WHAT WORKS. While I’m sure you’re familiar with the inspiring careers of Hillary Clinton, Meg Whitman, and Andrea Jung, there’s a new breed of woman on the ladder – YOU. We want to share and celebrate your stories.
First Person: Conde Nast Interview
It was my first professional interview ever, and I looked a mess. You’d think with my hours of preparation, I’d be strutting into the Condé Nast building ready to face anything. But it was a humid August morning and my ironed clothes wrinkled in the humidity, just as my meticulously straightened hair frizzed…
The Frenemy
...as you settle into your new workspace, one of your co-workers stops by your office to introduce herself with a warm smile and an invitation to lunch. You feel relieved, like you’ve found a new friend. The lovefest continues until a few months later, when you’re both up for the same project or promotion and your “friend” suddenly becomes your worst enemy, undermining you at every turn. Yup, you’ve got a case of the “frenemies”...
Moving In: A Big Deal
A little thinking and planning now can save you a lot of bitching and moaning later.
Making Time for Friends
How good girlfriends can make you live longer and laugh harder.
Career Change: Asking Parents For Help
Spring has sprung, the skies are blue and the flowers they are a bloomin’. For many ambitious women the leap into Spring means just one thing—time to do something new. I’m not talking about finally starting your 2007 exercise routine or revamping your closet. I’m talking change, baby! A new job, venture or project—the personal decision to really go out on a limb.
For Lisa, the timing was right for a new adventure…
Networking At Night
By the time we arrived at the swanky new downtown bar, it was already buzzing with young, attractive professionals chatting over wine and cocktails. My friend Laura, who worked in PR, was greeted almost immediately by a “Cute Tech Guy” offering to buy her a drink. Laura might have been flattered by his interest, but she wasn’t there to pick up men. This was a networking event, after all…
Damage Control: Reinventing Your Reputation
However it happened, no matter the details, whatever the reason, it happened. You screwed up. Big time.
Maybe you forwarded a nasty internal email to a bigwig client. Or you completely slacked for an entire month while mourning the jerk who cheated on you. Or you got a bit too friendly with your McDreamy boss at the company cocktail party…right in front of his wife…
Rescue Fantasies
Based on conversations I’ve had with friends, co-workers and young women around the country, everyone has a rescue fantasy of some sort. Let’s face it, when you’re pushing your limits—with money, work, and goals—some of these scenarios start looking pretty attractive. It just takes one brutal day to re-ignite your daydreams about that freaky guy from Chem class who was destined to be a billionaire…
Dating At The Office
We don’t all come to work with visions of hearts and flowers but it happens anyway. Work is where we spend our days, explore ourselves and build our networks. Why would dating be excluded? That said, deciding whether to date a co-worker or figuring out how to handle an in-office relationship are extremely personal. There are no right answers. There may, however, be a company policy…