Dealing With Indecision
It runs rampant in all types of companies, thwarting the efforts of otherwise diligent workers and halting productivity, sometimes for days. Is this some mutant form of the flu? Or perhaps a computer virus?
Increase Your Energy at Work
Consider this: You work 12 to 14 hours a day, feel exhausted all the time, and can barely stay awake long enough to watch Sex and the City reruns. Having fun with your friends is a thing of the past, you’re eating meals at your desk, and you haven’t felt rested in weeks.
If this describes you, here are a few tips to give you a shot of energy at work.
Manage your energy cycles. Energy is managed in cycles. You stretch your energy during work and restore it during rest…
Decoding Job Descriptions
Like online dating profiles, job descriptions are often written in a cryptic, euphemistic language that takes an experienced eye to decode. Just as “free-spirited” in a dating profile hints at a lack of full-time employment, words like “self-starter” or “multitasker” may give subtle clues about the type of work and the work environment you’ll find at the company. For your amusement (and edification), here’s a list of commonly used job-listing jive and how to decode it…
Best Friends With Your Boss?
My friend Amy loves her boss. She’s like a cool older sister who mentors Amy and tosses challenging projects her direction. In return, Amy shares the scoop on the hottest new restaurants and the best sales in the city. Occasionally Amy and her boss go to lunch and spill a bit about their personal lives.
Everything was great until Amy met someone really special and opted to keep the details to herself…
Illness at the Office
Everything’s going well: Your career is on track, you love where you live, and you actually have a love life. Then something terrible happens—you’re diagnosed with a serious illness. Or maybe you’ve been living with a condition for years, but it starts to get worse. Likely, you’re headed down a long road, hopefully toward recovery. Until then, how—and when—do you let your employer know you’re sick?
The Do’s and Don’ts of Working From Home
For the uninitiated, working from home can seem like an elusive utopia. A place where suits aren’t required, commutes consist of walking from the bedroom to the living room, and favorite reruns take the place of chatty co-workers. But while a home office has many perks, it can also have a few hazards.
Are You Sick of Your Job?
The summer is beginning to wind down (sniff, sniff), and now’s as good a time as any to figure out how you feel about your job. If you’re lucky, you’ve just returned from a little vacation that has left you refreshed and inspired about work. If you’re unlucky, you’re slogging through yet another Tuesday and wondering, “Will I ever love my job again?”
The Alternative Work Week
It’s 8:30 a.m. and you’re stuck in traffic. Again. Your car is guzzling extra gallons of pricey gas and you arrive at work stressed out and late for your 9 o’clock meeting. Even better, you’ll get to do it all again tonight as you try to get back home, and then again in the morning as you return to work. It seems like there has to be a better way, and maybe there is: The Alternative Work Week.
Survive Your Company’s Downsizing
Downsizing is an inescapable fact of corporate culture. Stay at a company for more than a year, and you’re almost certain to go through a change in management, company structure, or even the entire business model.
Balancing a Family Illness and Your Career
It’s hard enough having a family with a serious illness, but juggling work, friends, and loved ones is even harder. Trust me on this. A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with a rare (and practically untreatable) neurological disorder. I continued working and going out with friends as if nothing had changed, because maintaining my routine kept my mind off that thing that I wasn’t ready to think about…much less talk about.
On-Ramping at the Office
Are you thinking about leaving your job temporarily to raise children, become an entrepreneur, or deal with personal issues? If so, there are some things you need to consider.
Just Say No
Picture this: You’re already swamped with training for a half marathon, planning a bridal shower for your best friend, and keeping up with your (constantly growing) to-do list at work. Then a friend from college calls to see if you can help her move into her new apartment since her moving company bailed on her and she’s desperate for help. Or a coworker asks if you’ll take her place at a trade show that weekend so she and the hubby can flee to the Cape while it’s still warm.
Prepping For Vacation
You’re counting down the days until you fly off to Mexico for a much-needed summer respite. But will you spend half the trip worrying about what’s happening back in the office? And will you return to a giant stack of work? With a little extra planning, you can enjoy the sun sans guilt. Here’s how.
Don’t Forget to Proofread
We’ve all been there: You dash off a quick e-mail and realize seconds after you hit “send” that you’ve made a major mistake. You misspelled the name of your company. Or maybe you addressed the person by the wrong name. Yikes! Even seemingly small mistakes like typos or missing words can negatively impact your professional image. That’s why WORKS compiled a checklist to help you avoid these errors.
Step away from your computer…
Keep Your Career on Track
Let’s face it—most of us didn’t launch our careers with a detailed 20-year road map. In reality, an informal poll in any ladies’ room will reveal how common it is for women to sometimes feel like they bumbled into their current roles, or even an entire field, kind of by chance. However, the next time you find yourself enviously eyeing the most confident-looking woman in your office restroom, there is a bright side.
Rock Your Generation-Y Rep
You’ve heard all of the stereotypes before: Gen-Y’ers have been studying abroad or doing volunteer work instead of getting applicable experience with typical summer jobs. They need constant feedback. They want to skip over faxing and filing and only do work that has meaning and contributes to their growth. They’d come to work in pajamas if they could.
Are You Overworked?
My friend Emily is suffering through a rough time at work. Her company did a round of layoffs and she survived. Yes! But then came the downside—Emily is now doing her job plus the job of a co-worker who was fired. No responsibilities were taken away from her and there’s no extra pay. Yuck.
How to Fire a Friend
Tuesday morning, 10 a.m.: Your boss calls you into her office to give you some bad news. The market has taken a hit and it’s time for the company to scale back. Your job is safe, but your co-worker Julie’s is not. And since you’re technically her supervisor, you have the dirty job of giving her the boot.
Helping an Out-of-Work Friend
Knowing what to say and do when a friend loses their job or hits a financial rough spot is a challenge. You want to help, but have no idea where to begin. You also don’t want to stick your foot in your mouth or give bad advice and make the situation worse. Here are some easy-to-remember rules for helping a friend who’s unemployed.
Internship Do’s and Don’ts
As the spring thaw shifts into warmer weather, internship opportunities are popping up everywhere. And a good thing, too: An internship in your dream career can help pump up your portfolio, garner valuable experience and the inside scoop on your chosen industry, and build a Rolodex full of important contacts.
Working Alone
On any given day when you have co-workers chatting in your ear, bosses reading over your shoulder, and someone’s cologne assaulting your nostrils, working alone may seem like a dream. But the reality of working as a one-woman office isn’t always utopia. Whether you spend a lot of time on the road, work in a very small (i.e., one employee—you) office, or telecommute from home, isolation is an occupational hazard. Here, a few tips to a successful solo career.
The Overachieving Friend
Everyone has one—a type A pal who expects the very best from themselves and others. This is the friend who runs marathons, volunteers at the food bank, bakes a perfect chocolate chip cookie, and (oh, yeah) still manages to work 40-plus hours a week and make a hefty salary.
Make Money Freelancing!
I wish I had a dollar for every person who’s asked me, “Do you make a living with your writing?” The answer is yes, and, as with many self-employed people, I’m happy to say that I make a very good living. Whether you are a freelancer, small-business owner, consultant, or contractor, it is possible to be financially successful. But it won’t happen through luck; you have to make it happen. Here are some tips.
Start on the side…
Five Books That Will Change Your Career
Need a serious jolt of career juice? Put aside that copy of US Weekly and head to the bookstore or Amazon.com instead. Nothing beats a book for thoroughness and the tactile pleasure of turning the pages from beginning to end.
Fill In Your Resume Gaps
You’ve got a stellar résumé, impeccable references, and a ton of experience. You also have an eight-month gap in your employment history that has given many an interviewer pause.
Make the Most of Your Commute
Stuck in traffic or squeezed onto a crowded bus twice a day? Yup, commuting can start or end your day in frustration. But a long commute doesn’t have to be a killer. In fact, a well-planned trek can actually boost your spirits and your career. Here, four ways to make the most of your commute.
The Exit Interview
Exit interviews are a tricky business. As you’re counting down the hours until you collect your final paycheck and meet your friends to celebrate a new chapter in your career, the HR person in front of you may be asking about your reasons for leaving, your take on your boss’ management style, and your suggestions for retaining other employees.
Office Space DO’s and DON’Ts
Sharing office space can be great if you’re blessed with kind, considerate co-workers who bolster your creativity and make you laugh. But it can also be a disaster—piles of papers, co-workers who won’t shut up, and a community kitchen that always smells a bit like old Subway sandwiches.
Your Co-Workers and Their Issues
I was ecstatic when my co-worker Amy announced she was pregnant and even happier when I found out it was a girl.
Personalize Your Work Space
Eight hours a day, six days a week. If you’re spending the majority of your waking time at your desk, your office should reflect your personality, not the bland corporate culture of your company. If all you have on your desk is a screensaver with fish on it, here are a few tips to help you introduce a sense of self into your workplace.
Make the Most of Your Coffee Break
Everyone needs time away from their desk, even if it’s only the 15 minutes it takes you to walk to the corner coffee shop and buy yourself a latte. But instead of wasting that time in line, why not brew your own coffee (or drink the office joe if it’s palatable) and use that time for something else?
Are You Ready to Be an Entrepreneur?
Some are born as one; others grow into it. While their backgrounds vary, these risk takers share certain characteristics. If you relate to many or all of the following characteristics, and you have an idea you really believe in, consider yourself ready to join the entrepreneurial ranks.
Writing an Effective Letter
Since the advent of e-mail, and the Letter Wizard feature on Microsoft Word, it often seems like drafting your own letters is a quaint tradition, but nothing you really need to think about. Au contraire! A well-written letter is the hallmark of a consummate professional, and having confidence in a number of different writing styles is a handy addition to any working woman’s arsenal. After all, they don’t call it the power of the pen for nothing…
Decoding Business Lingo
Have you ever heard a co-worker use terms that sound like code words out of a James Bond movie? Or maybe you tried—and failed—to decipher some of the jargon in a business plan? Well, WORKS put together a glossary of commonly used business terms so you can learn the lingo and move up the corporate ladder.
Maximizing Your Sick Days
It’s cold-and-flu season, and you know what that means: lots of germs lurking around the office. If you do catch a cold, it’s easy to see why, since a recent survey found that 49% of people go to work “very frequently” even when they feel sick. Respondents cited a lack of sick days and a fear of falling behind or appearing weak as reasons why they refuse to stay home when they’re under the weather.
Take a Great Picture
Whether it’s for a passport, driver’s license, business card, or work ID, a tiny headshot is rarely the most flattering of photos. And unfortunately these pictures tend to hang around for a long, long time. It may seem like, short of booking Annie Leibovitz, there’s nothing you can do to make them any better, but that’s where you’re wrong. With a few simple tricks you can make your next headshot look hot.
Surviving the Sunday Night Blues
It’s Sunday night at 8 p.m., and your heart is:
a. Fluttering because someone special just fixed you a sumptuous and romantic supper.
b. Thumping with anticipation because Desperate Housewives is about to come on and you can’t wait to find out what’s happening on Wisteria Lane.
c. Pounding because you are totally freaked out by the thought of another stressful workweek.
If you answered c, it sounds like you have a classic case of the Sunday Night Blues…
Finding the Guts to Quit Your Job
After working a dead-end job in an industry I didn’t really want to be in—and doing so for an impossibly difficult boss—I decided to call it quits. It was the hardest decision I had ever made, but I knew it was best for my health and sanity. I dreaded the commute and worried myself sick on Sunday nights knowing Monday morning was just around the corner.
It was definitely time to go—but I didn’t have another job to go to…
Co-worker Quirks: How to Deal
Do your co-workers drive you crazy? Darling, you’re not alone. Every workplace has them: co-workers with the unique ability to make your job both more frustrating and entertaining at the same time. These are the cubicle-mates who so perfectly embody workplace clichés that they practically beg to be immortalized on the silver screen. Here are five of our favorites, along with some tips for how to cope with them.
The Overachiever: The Overachiever will always want to one-up you…
Buying For Your Work Spouse
You would think giving your work spouse a holiday gift would be a no-brainer. After all, you two know each other really well. You spend 10-hour day after 10-hour day in the office together. Besides, he needs a scarf. What’s wrong with getting him a nice scarf?
Well, if his real spouse is giving him one, plenty.
Make no mistake, holiday-gifting your work spouse is complicated. Without realizing it, you can overstep boundaries you never realized were there…
FSA Facts
With holiday parties and other end-of-year festivities coming up, your employee benefits are probably the last thing on your mind. But did you realize that enrolling in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can actually save you some hard-earned cash? The money set aside is pretax, so it’s practically like lowering your co-pay and prescription costs.
Check with your HR department to see what their deadline is for enrollment in an FSA plan. Then follow these tips…
Making the Right Hire
Since people are often on their best behavior during a job interview—and have probably spent hours perfecting their résumé—it can be hard to tell whether they’re only “good on paper.” That’s what happened to Kristen, a supervisor for an accounting firm in New York City, who went through three assistants in 18 months before finding the right one.
Make Your Lunch Hour Count
As your inbox floods with requests from co-workers and reminders about deadlines, it’s only natural to be tempted to scarf a Lean Cuisine at your desk rather than leave the office for lunch. And you wouldn’t be alone—three-quarters of Americans eat at their desks at least a few times a week. (I admit it—I’m among them!)
Working With Friends
It’s six o’clock on a Friday afternoon and I am waiting impatiently for the launch of my newly renovated website. The site was actually supposed to go live two weeks ago, but then my Web designer took off for a last-minute family vacation to the Bahamas, so we had to push it back. I know what you’re thinking: What I need is a new Web designer. That may be true. What’s also true, though, is that my current designer also happens to be one of my best friends…
After the Breakup
Breaking up is hard to do…especially when you have to go to work the next day. After spending an entire evening arguing with your (now ex-) boyfriend, the last thing you want to do is deal with the idiots in accounting or the crazy client who can’t make up her mind. Unfortunately, business doesn’t cease because of your broken heart. Here, readers tell us how they survived a breakup—and the ensuing workweek—and lived to love again.
Moody Co-workers
I could always tell when my co-worker Jane was having a bad day. She’d stomp into the office, sigh heavily, and wipe underneath her eyes as if she’d already had a very long morning. Then she’d toss her laptop on her desk and grumpily sit down.
Making the Most of Your New City
One of the worst things you can do when changing locations—especially when it’s work-related—is expect to settle in seamlessly in a short amount of time. You have to give yourself some time to get acclimated to your new surroundings—and enjoy the process of discovering new things, like that cute guy in tech support. Read on for a few tips to making the most of your relocation. Next time you refer to your new city as “home,” maybe it’ll finally feel like one.
Conference Call Code
Love ’em or hate ’em, conference calls are a fact of life in the working world. I used to think of them as a great excuse to play Solitaire or Brick Breaker with my phone on speaker, but I eventually realized that conference calls offer a great opportunity to stand out in the office. Since many people are mute, muffled, or miffed on group calls, you can focus on being memorable instead. Here are some etiquette pointers and strategic power plays…
Gain More Responsibility
There are a million songs, fairy tales, and platitudes about wanting more. And a few about getting more and then being unable to handle it. (Actually, as I’m sitting here writing this, I’m beginning to see that the eighth piece of apple cake probably wasn’t my brightest idea ever. Thank God for drawstring pajamas. But I digress.) Here’s the thing: More responsibility at work is a great thing. You can stretch, learn a new skill, and prove yourself worthy of a higher salary…
Making It as a Manager
You’re smart, savvy, and successful. You know how to get things done right, you never shy from challenges, and you consistently go above and beyond to show your worth. So it’s not exactly a shock when one day your boss calls you into her office and gives you a promotion.
Promoted? Act Like It!
Everyone has to start somewhere, and often that means taking a job as someone’s assistant. At first, you’ll be thrilled to get coffee, run errands, manage schedules, or deal with a demanding boss.
Depression, Inc.
I was 25 years old when I first met my depression, and it was a complete shock to my system. Mean, taunting, and as subtle as a cinder block, my depression kept me up nights crying and shaking. I couldn’t eat. I stopped answering the phone. Laughing was a distant memory.
Office Moving Made Easy
Hate moving? Me, too. It seems like every time I get my apartment set up just the way I want it, my lease is up and it’s time to move again. Ditto on my office. Just when I devised a filing system that worked for me, my company announced that it was relocating to a bigger, better office space.
Juggling Your Job Search
It’s hard enough to keep up with a demanding boss and your never-ending to-do list, but finding a new job on top of everything else is enough to make even the most organized and on-top-of-it gal feel a little crazed.
The Era of Entitlement
Here’s an unfortunate news flash: Current twentysomething career women—part of Generation Y—don’t always have the best reputation in the workplace.
Behaving Like Adults
Youthfulness is in, but not at the office. After hours you can be as girlish as you choose: Don those baby-doll tops, lacy minis, and sassy Mary Janes. But at work, it’s adults only.
Getting Along With Co-Workers
Work. Basically it’s a bigger, more competitive version of elementary school: There are the smart kids, the pretty and popular ones, the nerds. And often you’re still “graded” on how well you work with others.
When Your Mentor Plays Matchmaker
A few years ago, I was chatting with a successful older woman at a PR industry dinner when she mentioned her stepson. “I’d love for you two to meet. I think you’d be great together.” How could I say no to a woman with such a great track record of helping others? A woman who seemed like she’d make a great mentor and career adviser? So I didn’t.
Taking Constructive Criticism
Nobody likes constructive criticism. It doesn’t matter if it’s during your performance review or after a big presentation—hearing that you’re less than stellar stings.
Abusive Bosses
According to a recent study by the Employment Law Alliance, 44 percent of U.S. employees say they’ve worked for an abusive boss. While dirty looks and snide comments are fast becoming the office norm, one day your superior may cross the legal line—and you can, and should, take action.
Reinvent Your Resume
If you’ve been in the workforce for a few years, chances are you’ve got an old résumé saved on your computer that you’ve been more than happy to ignore. That’s understandable; résumé writing is no one’s favorite Saturday-night activity. But smart women know that a killer résumé can be an incredibly powerful career tool.
The New Girl
Getting ready for the first day of a new job can feel eerily similar to preparing for the first day of school. You plan your outfit, double-check that your bag is packed, wonder whom you’ll eat lunch with…But unlike high school, there’s a lot more to worry about than getting the cute guy in your homeroom to notice you. There are forms to fill out, office space to navigate, and, oh yeah, lots of work to get done. Here’s how to make the most of your first weeks on the job…
Personal Work on the Company Clock
I have a feeling almost everyone has engaged in at least one of the following while on the company clock: booking plane tickets, making restaurant reservations, cruising craigslist.com, checking blogs, instant-messaging, etc. Just the other day I noticed a colleague sending a box back to Amazon on the company dime and I spent part of my afternoon checking out kids’ furniture online with my work friend. I thought nothing of either incident. But how much is too much? Here are some guidelines.
Single Girls Have Lives Too!
It’s Friday afternoon and your department still has a ton of research to compile for that Monday-morning presentation. You’re eager to hit happy hour and start your weekend, but guess who gets asked to stay late and take one for the team—that’s right, you. After all, you’re single, so your co-workers figure you don’t have an SUV and 2.5 kids to tend to over the weekend. You have tons of time to finish the project, they assure you, as they pack up to join their families for dinner. Unfortunately, this routine is familiar to lots of unhitched employees…
Don’t Be a Summer Slacker
Summertime, and the living is easy. So why is it 5 p.m. on the Friday before a long holiday weekend and you’re slogging away in front of the computer? Rather than sulking as you sit alone in your office, view those hot summer work weeks as windows of opportunity. Big opportunity…
Cover Letters Count
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that question, and I always give the same response: “It doesn’t matter. Your cover letter has to be excellent no matter what.” The reality is that some employers read ’em and some don’t. But I can pretty much guarantee that the one time you write a crummy cover letter, it’ll definitely be read.
Depart With Dignity
I’m not good at ending things. I usually dissolve into tears after I break up with a boyfriend, so you can imagine the feelings of dread and guilt I got when I had to tell my first boss I was moving on. As I prepared to leave the job, I had a litany of excuses and explanations ready: “you’ve been great, but this isn’t right for me right now;” “you deserve a better assistant;” and, of course, the classic, “it’s not you, it’s me.”
You…The Office Martyr?
We’ve all seen her. She’s the last one in the office at night (every night). She’s the one emailing us all her epiphanies at 3am. She’s the one who won’t stop mentioning that she has no life outside of work (as if it’s a badge of honor). Yes, the office Martyr is easy to spot… except when she’s YOU.
It’s On Me
You might think it’s pointless to worry about who pays for what, especially when your boss takes home a bigger paycheck than you. But you’d be wrong. When a boss or a bigwig offers you some face time or accepts your invitation for an informational interview, you’re gifted with the priceless opportunity to set yourself apart from the pack. And because impressions are built on more than wit and charm alone, your reaction to the bill can either confirm or nullify whatever impression you’ve served up during the meal. With stakes that high, get your payment strategy in place before you walk into the restaurant.
Learning to Let Go
There is an old saying that if you want something done, delegate it to a busy person. Well, that’s great news for those delegating, but it can be hard on the busy person…
The Wedding Planner at Work
You’ve either known her-or been her. The ring is on the finger, the big event a mere nine months away and the office? Wedding day headquarters!
If you’re spending more than five hours a day at The Knot (and you’re not an official, certified, full-fledged wedding planner), either you’ve already got a problem or you’re going to have a serious one as soon as your boss finds out…
What You Need to Know About China
Every little thing you learn about China is likely to come in handy someday—probably sooner than you think…
Procrastination Diet
Just like sitting down to the whole box of cookies leads to guilt, so does blowing off work to go shopping or to talk on the phone. Think of breaking your procrastination habits the same way you would go on a diet…
Sex at Work
The office is the singles bar of the 21st century. After all, most working folks spend more waking hours at work than at home. Today’s working singles have little time to socialize with existing friends, much less meet enough new people to successfully find love. An estimated 10 million couples met their mate at the office in 2003…
Your Other, Other: Your Work Spouse
You see him every day…at the office. He’s your work spouse. And whether you chose each other or were thrown together, you probably know more about him than your best friend…
Tones of Grey
What’s it gonna take people? I know most of you have it down (hint – you’re the ones laughing along with me) but for all my talk about good email vs. bad, I’m not getting through to everyone. The proof?
Anatomy of an Affair
When was the last time your handsome, married boss marched up to your desk and whispered, “Hey, let’s have an affair”? That’s what I thought…
Blackberry Etiquette
These uber-popular communication devices deserve their own, thick etiquette bible. As convenient as they might be – they’re not always your friends. In the wrong hands they can throw a spotlight on poor impulse control. Here are a few popular sins…
The Guide to Meal Meetings
Leaving the office for lunch may seem like a dream these days since you barely have time to wolf down a Power Bar between appointments. But business meals are a great way to make contacts and give prospective clients or employers a glimpse of your professional persona.
Email Etiquette
With overflowing inboxes and little time, it’s tempting to cut corners in the name of e-laziness before clicking send. After all, with so much bad email bouncing around who is going to notice?
Career Intervention
Stuck in a career you hate? Then it’s time for a Career Intervention!
Cry Baby
It comes upon you suddenly. First you feel your lip quiver uncontrollably, and then your eyes start to well up and sting. The only thing worse than bursting into tears is bursting into tears at the office. With that first trickle goes your hard earned reputation.
The Starter Job
When you graduated from college and entered the real world, you probably pictured yourself writing hard-hitting journalism, designing million-dollar buildings, or taking on another equally exciting challenge. Answering phones and unjamming the photocopier? Not exactly on your to-do list.
Put Yourself in Your Boss’ Chair
Interviewing for a job is like dating-you meet a few different people and pick someone based on attraction and personality. And just as you’d break out the sexy jeans and extra lip gloss on a first date, you should put your best face forward for a new boss. But problems can arise when character flaws are exposed that threaten to shatter your dreams of a happily-ever-after-except you can’t always just break up with a boss and find someone new…
Holiday Party Do’s & Don’ts
‘Tis the season of the holiday office party-and while we’ve all heard the stories of career suicide committed during these festive soirée’s. The truth is that with a few Do’s and Don’ts, you can rock your career to the next level – and have some fun
Managing Up Without Managing Out
We’ve all heard that to get ahead at work, it’s not just about managing down but managing up as well. Yes, that means engaging your boss.
The Etiquette of Sick
We all enjoy a good sick day every once in a while. Curled up on the couch in our favorite pajamas, sipping mom’s famous-but-lethal chicken soup and catching up on the awesomeness of Oprah, what’s not to love? However, take one sick day too many (or time off when you’re only a teensy bit ill) and you’re at risk of being perceived as a wuss or flake; fail to take a day off when you really need one and your co-workers could resent you for putting them at risk. Complicated…