A "competent jerk" runs the risk of losing out on opportunities and being ignored
How easy are you to work with? It’s worth asking and, even better, checking. To paraphrase Bobby McFerrin of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (remember that tune?) fame: In every workday we have some trouble. When you’re difficult to work with, you make it at least double for your colleagues. And if you’re considered a “competent…
Helpful tips to doing it right
Hankering to go off on your own and start your own business? If you think you've got what it takes, consider launching a microbusiness. Dal LaMagna, a Poulsbo, Wash.-based entrepreneur, says anyone can do it – if they go about it the right way. He speaks from experience. LaMagna launched personal beauty-tool company Tweezerman in…
Doublespeak protects a company's image
You're summoned to your boss's office and told that you've been "selected out." Strange words. What do they mean? "Selected" sounds positive. But "out"? That's clearly a negative and confusing word. Together, both words are perplexing. An optimist may interpret it as sort of a promotion. A skeptic is worried. The term "selected out" is…
Most managers handle the uncomfortable task of terminating employees badly
Most managers, regardless of level, handle the uncomfortable task of terminating employees badly. The biggest mistake managers make is terminating them in a harsh, unkind and insensitive way. The manner in which employees are fired often fuels lawsuits. Right or wrong, if employees feel that they are being unfairly treated, they perceive it as grounds…
Instead of wasting energy obsessing about what could go wrong, think like an athlete by psyching yourself for the win
It's perfectly normal to be nervous about job interviews. For many job candidates, "hysterical" more accurately describe pre-interview jitters – especially if a great job rides on an outstanding interview performance. So it's no surprise that many job candidates suffer severe anxiety before job interviews. They don't eat or sleep. They obsess about the pending trauma…
Counteroffers can be deadly. Unfortunately, most people don't realize it until too late
Blame the outrageous and short-lived dot-com era of the late 1990s for making counteroffers a favoured strategy for holding onto valuable employees lured by competitors dangling bigger paychecks. During that brief, outrageous blip on the technological innovation timeline, money flowed, company loyalty was abandoned and job-hopping was rampant. Typically, counter-offers are popular during strong economies…
Picture yourself walking out a revolving door then walking back in with a new attitude and a new take on life
Older workers must first understand the realities of the career world as it exists today before they are ready to pitch themselves to employers. Your goal is to convince employers you're not a vestige of a bygone work era but a high-energy chameleon who quickly adapts to any environment. Picture yourself walking out a revolving door then…
Newly minted college grads make the mistake of jumping at any company dangling a high salary and attractive benefits package
Don't be seduced by a high-paying job offer. Newly minted college grads make the mistake of jumping at any company dangling a high salary and attractive benefits package. Compared with a decade ago, colleges are more diligent about preparing grads for the real world, but they still fall short when it comes to teaching them…
Just being good at what you do and working hard is not enough
One of the best ways, if not the best, to move ahead in your company is by increasing how valuable you are to your employer. Nothing says you are material for a promotion like coming in day after day and demonstrating your value. But just being good at what you do and working hard might…
All the myths about being washed up at age 60 are hogwash
Planning for life past 65 is more important now than ever before. What with longer life spans, people are not only working longer, they're also changing the way they live. We're in a longevity revolution of a kind that's never been seen before. A hundred years ago, the average life expectancy was 47; today it's…
Is this what life is all about?
I am a middle-aged man. There, I have said it. I have alluded to the not-so-stealthy approach of decrepitude, laughed (ha!) about my declining years, but never actually admitted the awful truth. I don't feel particularly different, except perhaps to feel more isolated than ever . . . and don't get me wrong . .…
Angkor Wat is an archaeological marvel for the ages
There are some places in the world that are 'must see' destinations for the global traveller. Machu Picchu the Incan city in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Stonehenge the prehistoric structure on the Salisbury Plain in England and the pyramids of Giza in Egypt stand out. Angkor Wat is one of these, a premier destination…
There is good stress and there is bad stress. Can you recognize the difference?
There is good stress and there is bad stress. Pleasant events can be stressful in a positive way. And bad events can be stressful in a negative way. They can even make you physically ill. The trick is recognizing the early symptoms of negative stress so you can do something about it. The more competitive…
Placing content on social networking sites could spell doom for your career
Most job candidates don't consider the power of the social networking Web sites and the impact they have on hiring decisions. If they did, they'd think twice about the information they place on sites like Twitter and Facebook. Companies are more savvy about getting the lowdown on candidates today than they were in the past.…
If your goal is just to stay employed, you risk being replaced by someone more enthusiastic and passionate about the job
If your goal is just to stay employed, you risk being replaced by someone more enthusiastic and passionate about the job. So says Vaughan Evans, a London-based economist, business strategist and author of Backing U! A Business-Oriented Guide to Backing Your Passion and Achieving Career Success. While the book was written in 2009, its premise…