You know how you’re always told what to do and, more important, not do at a job interview? Do dress professionally Do arrive 10-15 minutes before the scheduled interview time Do shake hands with a firm grip Do maintain eye contact Do bring extra copies of your resume Do answer to the point Don’t...
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Everyone hates meetings. I know I do. They’re usually time sinks and for the most part aren’t effective in resolving anything. Most of us walk out of a meeting saying, “Now to get some real work done.” Something’s wrong with this picture, right? I get it that sometimes you just need to have face-to-face...
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Resigning from a job is never a pleasant time — regardless of whether or not it was a tough decision. Some jobs you just can’t wait to get out of. Others you think long and hard about before calling it quits. Whether it’s a breeze to arrive at that decision or it’s a torture,...
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This post has been a long time coming. As you’re well aware, shortchanging the English language (yes, it includes your abuse of the apostrophe) send me in a fit. Another one of my pet peeves is the way people use office e-mail. I had written a post some time ago on professionalism. In re-reading...
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A couple of months ago, I received an e-mail from the editor of Iowa Alumni Magazine, the bimonthly alumni publication of my alma mater. She wondered if I would be willing to answer some questions about my experiences as a student at The University of Iowa. I happily obliged. I used to be the...
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I have been working as a writer/editor for a decade but have still to fill up a review form for a supervisor. While employee performance reviews are all too common (regardless of their questionable need and applicability), the reverse review where a subordinate can provide honest feedback to a supervisor aren’t. I’m not sure...
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A colleague sent me this article from the Wall Street Journal bashing — nay, ripping apart — performance reviews. While Samuel A. Culbert dismisses this procedure adopted across all companies as a standard measure of employees’ skills/achievements/career trajectory, it’s hard for me to imagine the corporate world doing away with the idea altogether. He...
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I am surprised at how many people lack professional etiquette in the workforce. Too many unprofessional encounters have led me to believe it’s because people don’t quite understand what professionalism is. So, here goes: 1. Dress appropriately: There’s not much latitude when it comes to office attire in a regular cubicle environment. While niche...
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I watched The Fight Club again after several years and it was interesting that different aspects of the movie resonated with me this time than when I had first seen it. Probably because of where I am in my life right now vis-a-vis a decade ago. There are a lot of gems in this...
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Sitting across the board room conference table you have a disagreement with your colleague — do you shout and tell them to shut up because you know you’re right? Do you stand up defiantly, raise your hand, and say, “You are useless. You have no idea what you’re talking about. Get out!” Do you...
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