career advice

8 Ways to Deal When You Work With Someone You Hate

Paul Michael — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 11:30:11 +0000

We can choose our friends, but we can very rarely choose our coworkers. We're just a bunch of people working for the same company, and we're told to get along. And to be fair, that's what happens most of the time. We make friends. We have relationships. Some people aren't exactly our first choice, but they're okay. However, occasionally, there is that one person that stands out from the crowd. Not only do we dislike them; we hate them with a passion. It can consume our every waking thought. If you are in this same boat, here are eight ways to help you cope.

1. Avoid Them Whenever Possible

Yes, you work with that person, but how often you interact with them could be controlled. Maybe you can do more of your communication through email, or even texts. If you know they'll be sitting in a certain spot at lunchtime, have your lunch somewhere else, or a little earlier or later in the day. If they're in a meeting with you, don't sit close enough to force conversation. If you're working on a project together, limit the time spent in the same room. Do whatever you can to keep your interactions to an absolute minimum. And it goes without saying, activities outside of work should be avoided at all costs. At least at work, you know there will be a certain level of company-mandated civility.

2. Have a Serious One-On-One

Sometimes the hate between two people can be traced back to one or two incidents that have been blown out of proportion. On other occasions, it may be a misunderstanding that has grown into resentment, which has created undue hostility. For all you know, they could be holding a grudge against you that has turned their attitude very sour. And the same may be said about you. This could all be in both of your heads, so find the time to sit down at lunch, or a coffee break, and address the elephant in the room. "Look, we really seem to have some hostility between us…can we talk about it? Would you like to say something? Is there anything I can do or say to address this?" Of course, if you really hate someone, but they are blissfully unaware of it, this approach will not work.

3. Remember That It's Okay to Really Dislike Someone

A lot of us have this feeling that everyone should like us, and everyone should, in turn, be likable. But that's just not human nature. Some people will always rub us the wrong way. Some people are polar opposites of us, and although they have many friends, we are never going to be one of them. As long as you don't act out on that hatred, you can simply reassure yourself that this person is always going to be someone in your life that makes your skin crawl, but that when you leave work, you don't see them. And that's totally fine.

4. Keep the Hate to Yourself

When you start spewing your feelings of hate and disgust to other coworkers, you are on a slippery slope to getting fired. At the very least, people will certainly think less of you, and may even think you speak just as badly about them behind their backs. It's bad enough that you have to go through every workday feeling tense and annoyed; you do not want to add office gossip about you into the equation. If you really have to blow off some steam about your coworker, do it out of the office, preferably with a close friend or family member who can help you calm down.

5. Find Something Else to Concentrate On

There is an old proverb that goes something like this: "Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." If you hate someone (and hate is a strong emotion) then you are angry, pent up, frustrated, and on edge. That's not good for you, your career, or your health. So, take the focus off the coworker who is making you miserable, and instead find something to occupy your mind. Maybe it's a big project at work. Perhaps it's a hobby that can keep your mind ticking over. Some people find it cathartic to turn that hate into something that can be positive, like volunteering to fight animal abuse, homelessness, or a disease. Whatever you do, don't let hate consume you. It can be channeled for good.

6. Maybe It's Not Them. Maybe…It's You.

A little bit of introspection never hurt anyone. Famous advertising CEO Bill Bernbach kept a small piece of paper in his pocket, and carried it for his entire career. It said, "Maybe they're right." In the advertising world, this was a way to bring him down to earth and consider the opinions of the client, his coworkers, and anyone else who may offer a dissenting opinion. When it comes to someone you hate, take the same approach.

Maybe you took an instant dislike to them for the wrong reasons. Perhaps they remind you of someone else you really dislike. Or worse, their worst traits remind you of your own. Take a long, hard look at why you hate this person, and reflect upon it. The results may surprise you.

7. Get to Know Them a Little Better

It may seem counterintuitive to spend more time with someone you passionately dislike, but it can actually be very helpful. It's very possible that your opinion of the person is based on half-truths, brief encounters, and misunderstandings from emails and phone calls. In fact, emails are notorious for causing upsets, as tone and body language cannot be read in the text. Therefore, by spending more time with that person, you may get to know "the real them." You may even find that you get to like them, rather than just understand them. Or maybe even make a new friend. It sounds crazy to think hate can turn into friendship, but it happens all the time.

8. Put Them Out of Your Mind

Your hate is giving this person more time in your life than they should ever have. You're concentrating on them way too often. So they suck at their job. They have a bad attitude. They microwave the smelliest fish dishes on a daily basis. In the grand scheme of things…so what? Unless this person is doing something to you that is significantly worrying or dangerous (in which case, HR can get involved quickly) you are simply putting too much focus on annoying behavior. Even if they stole a promotion out from under you, or take credit for some of your work, your hatred is not going to change how they act in the future. Just realize you're the better person.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Career Mistakes New Grads Make

Kentin Waits — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 09:00:04 +0000

After four long years of studying hard, budgeting every thin dime, and learning the finer points of a ramen-based cuisine, you've finally graduated. As you toss that mortar board in the air and begin the job hunt, be mindful of common pitfalls that can get your career off to a bad start. Here are eight career mistakes new grads make.

1. Keeping Social Media Accounts Public

It's called social media for a reason. No matter how run-of-the-mill our Facebook or Twitter posts may be, we always run the risk of offending someone for something. Assume every potential employer will attempt to review your online presence early in the hiring process. If you can't break your social media habit completely, set your status to "private" across all networks and control the conversation.

2. Not Having a Plan

Without a plan, your career can take on a life of its own — and not in a good way. Think of your career as an extension of your education and design a plan for short-term and long-term success. Where do you want to be in three years? What about in 10? What are your income and lifestyle goals? What will it take to reach them? Shape every job search around specific incremental moves that will help make your plan a reality and avoid taking any job "just because."

3. Not Dressing the Part

In today's hyper-casual culture, most young people have never learned how to dress for business success. Invest in an interview wardrobe that reflects the sort of professional you want to become. Choose versatile pieces that are understated, classically styled, and fit flawlessly. Oh, and two more things: Rediscover the lost art of ironing and remember that club wear is not formal wear. (See also: Build a Work Wardrobe for Any Job on a Budget)

4. Submitting Standardized Resumes and Cover Letters

Hiring managers are impressed by applicants who do their research. Avoid the "click-apply-submit" job search method by taking a few minutes to learn about each company you're interested in and each role you're applying for. Then, customize your resume and cover letter to address the employer's specific needs.

5. Jumping on the First Job Offer

Getting your first job offer after college is exciting and flattering, but don't let that cloud your judgment. Before you accept that job, know why. How does it fit with your career plan? Is it something you'll excel at and enjoy? Is there an obvious path for advancement? Does it pay enough to cover your expenses?

6. Buying a New Car

It happens so often it's almost cliché: A new graduate receives her first real paycheck, gets a little cash drunk after four lean years of college, and rewards herself with a brand-new car. This isn't just a financial mistake; it's a career mistake, too. That new car you'll be paying off for the next five years depreciated 25% the minute you drove it off the lot. And now you can't risk even a temporary hiccup in income and wouldn't dare settle for a more fulfilling job that pays less.

A better option is to stay lean and nimble the first few years in your career by avoiding all forms of consumer debt. Remember, you're not sure where your professional life will take you — be ready to seize new opportunities. (See also: 3 Reasons Why You Should Never Buy a New Car)

7. Gunning for a Promotion

First jobs are exciting and some newly-minted employees can get overeager to prove themselves. But trying to move up the corporate ladder too early can alienate coworkers and suggest to management that you're dissatisfied. Pace yourself by fully investing in your current role, building a strong network with colleagues, and waiting for the right opportunity to come along.

8. Freaking Out and Going Back to School

Overwhelmed by responsibility and underwhelmed by the glacial pace of career advancement, many new graduates respond by going back to school to pursue an advanced degree. A few years later, they've amassed more debt, lost valuable career-building time, and still have no clear plan for success. Be strategic. If you're unhappy with your work life, explore ways to shift careers without further schooling. And if you decide to return to college, make sure it's a proactive and not a reactive decision.

What advice would you give new grads? Share with us!

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This article is from Kentin Waits of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Ways You're Being a Terrible Employee

Paul Michael — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:30:04 +0000

You may think that being a good employee is all about doing great work, and nothing more. Actually, that's quite far from the truth. A great employee builds great relationships at work, takes the initiative, and cares about the success of the company. If you are making four or more of the following blunders at work, you're quickly on your way to becoming a terrible employee. (See also: 12 Reasons You Deserve to Get Fired)

1. You're All About the Gossip

Every workplace has gossip and rumors. Good employees will ignore it, brush it off, or just avoid talking about anything that is idle chatter. Bad employees, however, relish the opportunity to talk about anything from company problems and other coworkers, to rumors of layoffs, mergers, or people about to get fired.

If you find yourself being drawn into watercooler gossip, you have several options. First, you can simply make an excuse and walk away. Or, you can deftly change the subject to something non-gossip related. Finally, you can always talk to HR about some of the malicious gossip flying around, and they should look into it.

2. You Are Never on Time

Late for work. Late for meetings. Late for everything. Some people consider lateness to be the height of bad manners, and they have a point. When you are late, you are saying, "my time is more important than your time," or even "I really don't care what you think, I'll turn up when I'm ready." Maybe you're just really bad with time management, or you have a rotten commute that makes it hard to get in on time. But if everyone else in the office can get in on time, you really have no excuse. Use your smartphone to give you alerts well before your workday begins, so you have plenty of time to get where you're going. Do what you can to be on time, because nothing says "terrible employee" like someone who isn't even around.

3. You Complain — A Lot

We all have gripes with our jobs. There is no perfect workplace, and there will always be things that could be better. Yes, it's fine to bring up issues when they need to be addressed. But there is a big difference between occasionally alerting your boss to an issue, and whining in every meeting and one-on-one. They say that the "squeaking wheel gets the grease" and to some extent, that's true. However, in a work environment, it is usually much easier to replace that squeaking wheel. If you have complaints, see what you can do by yourself to solve them. If the issue is with a coworker, talk it out with them first. If there is a problem with equipment, or scheduling, bring solutions to the table. Don't be "that" employee — the one everyone avoids talking to because they cannot stand the tirade of negativity coming their way.

4. You Won't Do Anything Beyond Your Job Description

No doubt you have heard something like this coming from a coworker; "Look, I'm not paid to do that, so I'm not doing it." Or, "That's not my job, why should I?" It is not uncommon these days for job descriptions to be very fluid as technology advances, and cutbacks hit firms everywhere. Sometimes, what you're being asked to do may be well beyond your job description, but if you can do what is being asked of you, step up and do it. The chances are, everyone is being asked to hit a few curveballs, and deal with things outside of their usual scope of work. Do your part, chip in, and you'll be valued. If it gets ridiculous, though, then you have the right to say something. You should not be doing the jobs of two or three people, but at least show your commitment before raising concerns.

5. You Spend Too Much Time Slacking Off

The distractions are everywhere. Many of us work on computers every day, and the Internet is right there, beckoning us. A few minutes shopping on Amazon, read the latest headlines, then a quick check of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and SnapChat. Before you know it, you've spent an hour or more doing nothing productive. This is actually stealing. Your employer is paying you for that time, and you should be doing the work they pay you for.

6. You Take Credit for Work Others Have Done

Nothing kills morale in a workplace like someone else taking the glory for a project that isn't theirs. If you have ever done this, or do it often, you are being a terrible employee. Businesses operate on the idea that it's a team environment, with each person doing his or her part to make the whole company successful. By swooping in and taking credit for the hard work other people have done, you are creating an atmosphere of distrust and negativity. Coworkers will be less likely to share with you, communication will break down, and the whole department you work in can become soured and tough to work for. If you are given credit for a job by accident, step up immediately and tell the boss who actually did the work.

7. You Abuse Those Sick Days

Coming in to work sick is bad enough. You're not going to be at your best, and you run the risk of giving other people in the office your illness. But what's worse is doing it so you can call in sick when you're perfectly healthy to enjoy a day off. Sick days are there for a reason. The company is giving you paid time off to heal, or feel better. To abuse this so you can go to a ball game or spend a day by the pool is just not fair, to anyone. Next time you're sick, use a sick day. When you need a personal day, use one of your vacation days.

8. You Make a Lot of Mistakes

We're all human. We all make mistakes, and the occasional error here or there should never be cause for concern (unless those errors result in something catastrophic). However, if your work is always coming back to you for revisions, or your manager receives constant complaints of poor quality work, then you need to get your act together. Whether it's constant grammatical errors in an office environment, to shoddy work on a building site, mistakes made weekly, or even daily, should not be tolerated. Plus, it often falls on other employees to fix your errors, burdening them with extra work because you can't get it right. In this case, you must try harder to clean up your act.

9. You Play the Blame Game

Finger pointing is one aspect of office politics that never fails to cause problems. When something goes wrong, if you're one of the first people to start assigning blame to others, you're not being a team player. Yes, maybe it was Janice in accounting who messed up. But maybe you should talk to her first and see what happened. Maybe it was really you, but you know you can slime your way out of it by throwing blame in someone else's direction. Don't be a finger pointer. If you made a mistake, own it. If someone else did, let him or her fess up. You don't want to be seen as the one who rats at the first opportunity.

10. You Swear Like a Sailor

Admittedly, there are some workplaces that have no problem with this kind of language. Certainly most places involving manual labor are not going to care about f-bombs. But in a professional environment, swearing constantly is just not… well, professional. Imagine having a meeting with a lawyer about an important case, and being greeted with a tirade of colorful language more at home in a Guy Ritchie movie. Would you trust this lawyer? Does he or she seem like the best person for the job? Maybe you'll go with the lawyer who doesn't sound like Vinnie Jones. Swearing in meetings can also make people feel uncomfortable, to the point that they will speak to HR about it. This will reflect badly on your manager, and your department, and bad language can actually be viewed as harassment.

11. You Steal

What's a few paperclips, right? Or a ream of paper? And hey, why pay for toilet paper when you can grab a couple of rolls from the bathroom? It may not feel like you're doing anything wrong when you take a items worth pennies. However, multiply this by every employee in the building, and suddenly your company is losing thousands of dollars every year in "liberated" goods. If you need the items to work from home, that's fair enough. But if you're snagging paper from the copier to print out your tax returns, or taking coffee filters for your machine at home, you are stealing from your employer. It's not a gray area. It's theft.

12. You're Not Proactive

Imagine being a firefighter and walking into a burning building only to see a fellow firefighter standing there watching it burn. "Why aren't you putting out this fire?!" you yell. He or she responds with, "You didn't ask me to." That may seem like a ridiculous scenario, and it would never happen because firefighters know better. But in other places, it happens all the time. Good employees will take the initiative. They will solve problems without being asked. They will initiate new projects that can benefit the company. Bad employees will wait for the order, and do nothing until it is given. Don't sit there waiting to be asked. What can you do to help? What can you do to create opportunities? Be the go-getter.

Does this sound like you or any of your coworkers?

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Pearls of Career Wisdom From Brian Tracy

Ashley Eneriz — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 09:00:06 +0000

You may have heard of Brian Tracy from his bestselling book on productivity, Eat That Frog! His valuable advice does not stop at that book though. As a world-renowned success expert, Tracy has written 70 books and produced over 300 audio and video programs on the subject. Next time you're feeling a little lost in your professional life, let Brian Tracy be your guide.

1. Success Starts With a Positive Self Image

Practicing positive self-talk might seem hokey, but Tracy has done tireless research on how important our self image is to our success. Tracy talks about self-fulfilling prophecies, and the fact that we can only become what we truly believe we are in his book, Maximum Achievement.

He says, "We will always tend to fulfill our own expectation of ourselves." He explains that just saying a simple phrase like, "I like myself," automatically raises your self-concept. When your self- concept goes up, you automatically start to perform better and be more effective in several areas of your life, including your personal and work life. (See also: The 5 Worst Career Mistakes — And How to Avoid Them)

2. Use the Rule of Three to Maximize Your Priorities

It is so easy to get lost on where to start with a long to-do list. However, not everything on your to-do list will be beneficial to your success. Tracy recommends writing down everything you need to do for your job or business for the entire month. Your list might be overwhelming at 40 items long. So Tracy then suggests that you ask yourself, "If I could only do one thing on this list, all day long, which one activity would contribute the greatest value to my business?" Ask yourself this question three times until you have your top three priorities established.

3. Don't Underestimate the Power of a To-Do List

Tracy estimates that you can save yourself, on average, two hours of unproductivity just by starting your day off with a to-do list. Before you start any work, take about 10 minutes to map out what you need to do and how you will spend your time. He says, "You can increase your productivity and output by 25% or more from the first day that you begin working consistently from a list." If you are outperforming your co-workers, you can be certain your boss will take notice.

4. Develop the Right Habits

What separates you from a successful person? You will be surprised to discover that it's your habits. Tracy says, "Successful people are simply those with successful habits." Research what other successful people develop, and keep, habits that propel them forward. Perhaps you want to make a habit of planning in the morning to be more organized and on top of deadlines, or maybe you would like to establish the habit of reading one book a month to increase your knowledge.

You can virtually develop any successful habit, but it will take time and discipline. Try to focus on developing one new habit every two months.

5. First One to Work, Last to Leave

If you want to be more productive at work, Tracy recommends coming into the office one hour before all of your coworkers. This first hour of uninterrupted work can be your most productive hour, since you will not be distracted by coworkers and phone calls. Tracy also suggests to work through your lunch hour and be the last one to leave. He isn't suggesting becoming a workaholic, though. Instead, he advises these three moves so that you stand out from your coworkers.

By coming in early, working through your lunch, and staying later, you show initiative and responsibility. Also, you will naturally be more productive than your coworkers, making you a valuable employee and giving you leverage to ask for a promotion or raise.

6. Invest 3% in Your Personal Growth

It is common for many individuals to spend a fortune on college, get their degree, land a good job, and then never think about learning another thing. You should never stop learning and growing personally. Tracy says, "Invest 3% of your income in yourself (self-development) in order to guarantee your future." He suggests reading and learning from every expert in your field. Invest in books, seminars, audio programs, and courses. The small 3% you invest in yourself each year will have a much higher rate of return in terms of your success.

By continually learning and advancing your skills, you become an expert in your field, which means that companies will need you more than other employees and they will be willing to pay for your expertise.

What's your favorite piece of career advice?

This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

I Hate My Job! Now What?

Amy Lu — Thu, 21 May 2015 22:29:16 +0000

You hate your job, but what can you do about it? First, assess your situation to determine what your next step should be. Learn how to survive at a job you hate, how to get out without hurting your career, and what you can do to not hate your next job. Use these links to jump ahead to any section.

Assessing Your Situation
Making Changes at Work
Getting Out of the Job
Finding a Job that Makes You Happy

If you recently lost your job, take a look at Wise Bread's collection of tips and resources for the recently laid off.

Assessing Your Situation

10 Important Signs Your Job Might Be Worth Staying At
Think you hate your job? Before you jump ship, see if your current job has the qualities that makes it worth staying at. Your situation may be better than you thought.

10 Important Signs That Your Job Sucks
You're miserable at work, but do you hate it enough to leave? Here are 10 ways to tell if your job really sucks — and how you can fix it.

The Three F Rule Can Lead You to Happiness
The Three F Rule is a simple formula that keeps you sane and makes sure your working life doesn't go off the rails. If you don't want to hate your job, make sure you have at least two of these: fun, fame, and fortune.

Do What You Love: Idealistic Nonsense Or Good Advice?
Get some advice from Gary Vaynerchuk on why everyone needs to do what they love.

Can you afford to follow your dreams? Can you afford NOT to?
When you hate your job, maybe it's time for a change. Maybe it's time to follow your dreams, instead — but the prospect of such a major change can be intimindating. Sarah Winfrey and commenters discuss the pursuit of dreams and risks it involves.

Making Changes at Work

How to Survive (and Thrive!) in a Job You Hate
Sometimes, leaving a job you hate may not be an option. However, there are ways to survive and thrive in jobs you don't like. Here are 9 secrets to making that hated job easier.

How to Get What You Want at Work
Even if you hate your job, you can still try to improve your work situation by having a meeting with your boss. Here are some tips on how to turn the meeting to your advantage and get what you want at work.

14 Behaviors & Attitudes That Can Drive Workplace Success
If you hate your job because you don't seem to be getting anywhere, changing how you behave at work and re-evaluating your attitude towards the job might do the trick. Here are some ways to achieve workplace success.

Why a Lousy Job Can Lead to a Bright Future
Hating your job doesn't mean you shouldn't try to excel at it. In fact, doing well at a lousy job can help your prospects in future employment opportunities.

5 Ways to Make Your Boss Love You
Tips on navigating office politics and dealing with your boss.

How You Can Change Your Life in Just 45 Minutes a Day
You might hate your job, but there is still that hour in the middle of the day that's all yours (usually). Those 45 minutes every day can be the time you need to make some major changes in your life.

Getting Out of the Job

20 Signs That a Pink Slip is Coming
So you hate your job and you'd rather not have anything to do with it. Still, that's no excuse to let a pink slip catch you by surprise. Answer these questions to see if it's time to start the job search in earnest.

Walking Away (From a Job That's Going Away) on Your Own Terms
Even if you hate your job, you should still look after your interests before walking away. Here is a plan to exit a bad work situation without burning yourself.

How to Get Laid Off
Hate your job but don't want to quit on your own? Being laid off is a better option, but it can be difficult if you've been doing everything right. Here are some ways to get out of a job you hate without destroying your career.

Can You Buy Your Way Out of the Rat Race?
What are the chances that you leave a job you hate, get a new job, then find that you hate your new job, too? Theoretically, you can exit the rat race altogether if you have enough capital saved or invested to live off of. The reality, however, is not so simple; it's actually really hard to buy your way out. So what can you do instead?

On Choosing Temporary Freedom
If you had the option to switch back and forth between freedom and a regular job, you might not hate your job quite so much. Here's an introduction on the concept of temporary freedom and how you can work it into your life.

Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?
If you're leaving a job you hate for something better, it's definitely time to celebrate. But if you're too enthusiastic, that might turn off your ex-coworkers/-bosses and burn some bridges you'd rather keep intact. Ask yourself these three questions to help you figure out how best to break it to your colleagues.

Finding a Job that Makes You Happy

Avoiding Grass-is-Always-Greener Syndrome
It's easy to imagine that working anywhere else would be better than at the job you hate now. However, if you really want to be happy at the next job, you need to identify your pet peeves and make sure they're not waiting for you at the new job, too. Here's how.

Find Your Passion
You can lower the odds of hating your next job by following your passion, but what if you don't know what your passion is? Here are some ways to find what it is that you would love to do.

Find Work Worth Doing
Simply doing work that you feel is worth the energy you put in can go a long way towards being happy, whether at your job or in your daily life. Start by making the distinction between work and a job.

For Love or Money: Must It Be One or the Other?
In further examining the intricacies of love and money, here are some concepts that further deepen the debate.

The First Step to Finding Your Dream Job
You've left the job that you hate; now, it's time to find one that you'll love. The first step to finding your dream job is to define what it is. Define your dream job by taking these steps.

Location Independent Career Basics
If you hated your job because of its location, you can eliminate the issue by working at home — or anywhere you want. A location independent career gives you the freedom to work where you want to. Here's what you need to know about location independent careers.

How Bibliophiles and Film Fanatics Can Find Success
If you've hated all the jobs you've had, it may be time to look at non-traditional avenues of income: writing reviews. Here is how book lovers and movie fanatics can make money off their hobbies.

Could Online Teaching Be For You?
Not sure what you want to do after you've left the job you hate? Why not teach classes online? See if online teaching should be the next step in your career.

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This article is from Amy Lu of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Common Job-Hunt Tips You Should Ignore

Kentin Waits — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 10:24:05 +0000

It seems like everyone has their own special brand of advice for job hunters. And in a competitive job market, advice gets echoed more and more loudly whether it's good or not. If you've just graduated or are considering making a career change, no doubt you're a bit anxious about entering the fray and slightly confused by all the advice you've been getting. Relax, and take a step back. Here are some common job-hunting tips you can blatantly ignore. (See also: 6 Important Job Search Steps Most People Skip)

1. Apply for as Many Positions as Possible

Time and time again, I've heard that landing a job is just a numbers game. The logic goes something like this: Job seekers should apply to as many jobs as possible, and eventually, once the funnel has been sufficiently filled, one or two opportunities will filter out and materialize into an offer. It almost makes sense. But applicants can rely too heavily on this approach and turn their job hunt into an assembly line of untailored resumes and cover letters. It makes much more sense to target the jobs that will be the best fit, focus tactically on each one, and redirect your energy on standing out from the crowd. (See also: 12 Unique Ways to Get a Job Interview)

2. It's Okay to Skip the Cover Letter

Savvy recruiters sometimes tell candidates to skip the cover letter until an employer has expressed an interest in their resume. Bullocks! A well-crafted but brief cover letter is an opportunity to impress a potential employer. When properly done, a cover letter showcases your writing skill, displays your knowledge of the company, explains how your previous skills can be applied in the new role, and — ultimately — shows your level of effort and commitment. While it's OK to leverage some standard copy, customize each letter to the specific position you're applying to and make it clear that you've done your research.

3. Your Credit History Doesn't Really Matter

While we may not agree with it, more and more employers are basing at least part of their hiring decision on candidates' credit history. And those credit checks aren't only used for finance positions; employers in nearly every industry use credit information to evaluate applicants' trustworthiness, responsibility, and maturity level. If you're not sure what's in your credit report, find out before you start job hunting. If you know that your credit has some heavy bruising, own up to it early on in the interview process. Employers tend to appreciate candidates who are honest, direct, and can explain that they're working on correcting the financial mistakes of their past.

4. Employers Focus Heavily on Formal Education

Your education is your calling card, but few employers particularly care where you got it. With few exceptions, employers respond to experience, skill levels, adaptability, and motivation. In fact, many employers would prefer that you unlearn some things so they can retrain you themselves. Job candidates who display curiosity, a desire to learn, and the ability to catch on quickly will usually go to the front of the line.

5. No One Really Finds a Job on the Internet

This one couldn't be further from the truth. While it's easy to depend too heavily on the web, employers do advertise open positions and source candidates via online sources. For job hunters, the challenge is standing out from the crowd of candidates who are scrolling and clicking just like you are. Do your research, make your resume and cover letter shine, bring your best to each and every interview, and follow-up with a handwritten thank-you letter.

6. Don't Mention Salary During the First Interview

While finding the right job fit is important, ultimately, we all exchange labor for money. There's no reason to hesitate in determining if the salary range and other compensation opportunities fit with your needs. It shouldn't be the first question you ask, but it shouldn't be sidelined either. Discussing salary specifics early helps both you and your potential employer avoid wasted time and effort. (See also: 4 Questions You Must Ask at Your Interview)

7. You Must Stay in That Job You Hate at Least One Year

While it's hard to defend a job-hopping past, it's seldom a good idea to grind your teeth for a year in a job you hate. Employees who are just putting in time tend to perform poorly, do not excel, and do not build the kinds of professional relationships that can be valuable down the road. If you've accepted a job that's a terrible fit, get out early, learn from it, and move on.

8. Network, Network, Network!

It's not that networking isn't important; it's just not the Holy Grail of job hunting. Much like the application process, your networking efforts should be targeted and strategic. Shaking hands, exchanging business cards, and connecting via LinkedIn with everyone you meet will only go so far. Network with those who have the job you want today and the job you may want tomorrow, and understand that the process is reciprocal. Ask yourself, "What can I offer others who may need a leg-up in their industry? Who could benefit from my connections now, grow their career, and evolve into a more valuable colleague later?" (See also: Simple Networking Tricks)

In any economy, landing your dream job (or at least a job that's not a nightmare) is all about targeting the right prospective employers, perseverance, standing out from the crowd, and good old-fashioned follow-up. And at every step in the process, it helps to take a critical look at each piece of advice that's lobbed your way. Discard whatever doesn't pass the common-sense test or ring true from your own experience. Beyond that, get creative about how you source leads and respond to opportunities, stay motivated, and help your fellow job searchers when you can.

What advice do you have for job seekers out there? What is the best and worst job-hunting advice you've ever been given?

This article is from Kentin Waits of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Unconventional Career Advice From "Parks and Recreation"

Julie Rains — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:48:31 +0000

"Parks and Recreation," the popular NBC television show, is great for laughs. Anyone who has ever had to endure working with lazy and disinterested colleagues, navigating institutional mazes, dealing with unreasonable customers, and getting their career-related enthusiasm squashed should be able to relate. Once you get to know the characters, like the ever-hopeful Leslie Knope, anti-government bureaucrat Ron Swanson, uber-moody April Ludgate, and sweet-sounding yet self-centered Tom Haverford, catching an episode on Amazon Prime or Netflix is an excellent way to cheer yourself up.

But you can also pick up lessons for maintaining excelling in your current job and taking your career to new heights without getting beaten down by insane bureaucracy or discouraged by cynical coworkers. (See also: Financial Lessons From "The Hunger Games")

Distinguishing Bad Advice From Good Will Save You Grief

Leslie Knope, the naïve and idealistic but dedicated deputy director of Parks and Recreation in Pawnee, Indiana, gets lots of work-related advice from her colleagues, friends, boss, and even her mom, who is also a government employee.

Early in her career, she tends to ignore the sound counsel and act on the wacky guidance. For example, soon after coming up with the idea to turn an abandoned building site owned by the city (aka "the pit") into a park, Leslie decides to hold a public forum, contrary to the advice that city planner Mark Brendanawicz gives her. On the other hand, she tries to blackmail a zoning official to get preferential treatment based on direction from her mother. Both situations lead to disaster. Eventually she learns what advice works best for her style.

Career Lesson: Separating helpful from harmful advice is essential to being successful. When you start a new job or take on new work challenges, you may have difficulty figuring out what recommendations to follow and which to discard. But the sooner you can discern who is trustworthy and what advice is credible, the faster you can start making good decisions and achieving goals.

Coworkers Won't Support Your Projects Until After You Succeed

As an unproven leader, Leslie struggles to generate excitement about her ideas. Her cynical boss and coworkers don't embrace her plans to turn the pit into a park, grow a community garden, etc. Generally, they don't want to expend extra effort to improve Pawnee, the town where they work and live, especially if there are no tangible rewards for them personally.

Career Lesson: People are often skittish about new initiatives and changes, no matter how well-considered and expertly planned. As a result, your colleagues may be more likely to act as apathetic bystanders waiting to see what happens with your new project rather than enthusiastic cheerleaders encouraging you to do your best. After achieving success, you are more likely to get support. The problem is that you may need their backing to pull off certain projects, programs, or activities.

People Will Help You If They Like You

When Leslie's coworkers finally give her assistance, it seems to be because they like her and admire her dedication. They don't necessarily believe in the worthiness of her ideas. But, having benefited from her kindnesses, they respond to her requests.

Career Lesson: Relationships are critical to the success of nearly any endeavor, whether it's selling a new brand of widgets or getting a referendum passed. While relationships don't guarantee support, buy-in, or votes, they do influence behaviors. What's often most relevant to getting help is the strength of friendships.

Making Big Things Happen Can Propel You Forward in Your Career

When the Pawnee government has a budget crisis and must trim services to save money, Leslie rallies her coworkers and members of the business community to revive the Harvest Festival. So, while others are trying to cut costs, she stages a weeklong event to reinvigorate the local economy. Her success brings accolades and gets the attention of a group that encourages her to run for city council.

Career Lesson: Doing your job and exceeding performance expectations, whether they're sales goals, productivity levels, efficiency measures, or profit numbers, are well-received by your employer. But to stand out and land prominent opportunities, you typically need to dream big and act boldly. Tackling a major project when everyone else is too timid to take action is often a great path to professional fame.

Employees Will Give Lousy Service If They Don't Believe in the Business Model

Pawnee citizens are treated shabbily when they try to make appointments with Ron Swanson, who doesn't believe in government even though he is the director of Parks and Recreation. His assistant, April Ludgate, screens his calls and helps him avoid all contact with the public. She schedules appointments for March 31, a date she mistakenly thinks doesn't exist. In subsequent interactions, she suggests truly nonexistent dates and times.

Career Lesson: When the people who work for a company don't really get why the business exists or just don't care about what the organization represents to its customers, they tend to make bad decisions and say stupid things. For example, I once heard a practice manager at a physician's office defend her staff's failure to help a patient because of an employee's discomfort in discussing health issues. On the other hand, companies that deliver outstanding service tend to employ people who understand and buy into the business model and reason for being.

Personality Is Often More Important Than Skills

Gruff and intimidating Ron promotes departmental intern April to the position of his assistant because she is "aggressively mean and apathetic," attributes that he finds desirable in an employee. Because he wants his department to have minimal involvement in the community, keep its distance from citizens, and avoid improvement in park facilities and programs, he prefers ineffectual staff members who support this vision.

Career Lesson: The unique needs of the manager and department often play a major role in hiring decisions. Credentials that should get you a slot with an organization may not be as important as personality and culture fit. To land a job that makes you happy, look for companies that share your values and don't be afraid to be yourself.

Awards Are Stupid but Can Be Useful

Community, industry, and agency awards are exposed as meaningless in at least a couple of episodes. For example, when Ron is nominated for a woman-of-the-year award so the organization can benefit from the publicity, Leslie is upset. She rightly believes that he is slated to receive recognition for a girls' camp that she initiated and developed. Ron contends that awards are stupid and offers this situation as an example. Ultimately, though, he realizes recipients can get accolades that reinforce right behaviors and provide a career boost.

Career Lesson: There are many things that don't necessarily add to your qualifications but bolster your career. These include awards along with certain certifications, classes, and publications. Though your capabilities may have been stellar even before receiving an award, such professional recognition can validate your credentials and make you more attractive to potential employers and clients.

Advocating for Yourself Is a Valuable Skill

Leslie is a regular guest on local television and radio shows, including "Pawnee Today," which she likens to "Meet the Press." Most of these appearances portray the show hosts as buffoons and cast Leslie as a Midwestern yokel. Nevertheless, participating in these face-offs and defending her integrity allow her to counteract negative publicity, preventing her career from spiraling downward. And these appearances help her to develop a polished stage presence.

Career Lesson: At some point in your career, one of your coworkers, bosses, or customers will publicly question your capabilities or blame you for a problem (aka "throw you under the bus"). To keep your job and reputation, you'll need to learn to defend yourself. These techniques may include clarifying your position on a certain issue, giving background information about an incident, and reminding others of their roles in certain situations.

When You Ask for Input, You'll Get Weird Responses

Throughout her career, Leslie holds many public forums. Most of these events draw community members who make bizarre gripes and issue odd statements.

Career Lesson: If you have ever conducted a survey or town hall meeting, you likely have received startling and scathing remarks. The desire to be heard and understood overcomes some people's ability to think and speak kindly about the topic at hand. Don't be surprised if an open call yields at least some unexpected responses. However, this process may uncover genuine problems that drive your customers or staff crazy.

People May Seem Crazy, but You Still Need to Deal With Them

The citizens of Pawnee often seem like a bunch of crazies. And, if you consider only those who stand and speak at the public forums, then the view that something's not right with the population is spot on. However, other encounters reveal that many people have normal sensibilities, think rationally, and treat each other respectfully.

Career Lesson: If you view customers through a lens that shows them as insane, over-the-top critical, or just plain stupid, then your interactions will reinforce this perspective. And, while there are always a few memorable oddballs in any group — whether your customer base, neighbors in a homeowners' association, or parents at your kids' school — most have the capacity to act reasonably. If you can find a way to deal effectively with such people, then your day-to-day work will go more smoothly than otherwise, and your performance is more likely to sparkle.

Effective Leadership Sometimes Means Abruptly Ending a Discussion

During the Harvest Festival, Ron deftly ends squabbles among his staff when he states the truth about their motivations and asks them to apologize to each other, rather than allow continued standoffs. In another episode, Leslie tries to prolong her working relationship with Ben Wyatt, the state auditor who becomes her love interest. She tries to get citizens riled up about the lack of an environmental impact study and potentially disruptive evening activities at the soon-to-be smallest park in the state. Ben squelches the drawn-out dialogue, rather than engage her and local residents.

Career Lesson: A command-and-control style of management can be useful in some scenarios. Certainly, collaborative leadership is effective for engaging employees, gathering input, making sure that all perspectives are understood, and getting buy-in for decisions. In certain situations, however, this progressive approach just wastes time. Being able to apply common sense and take quick decisive action is sometimes needed.

What career lessons have you learned from "Parks and Recreation"?

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This article is from Julie Rains of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

25 Career Changes You Can Make Today

Carlos Portocarrero — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:36:56 +0000

We're all busy. And that means we get caught up in our day-to-day responsibilities and rarely have time to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, asking "Where is my career going?"

Here are 25 things you can do today to make sure your career ship is cruising in the right direction. (See also: 25 Awesome Websites to Help You Get a Job)

Read Up

Reading is important because it's how we learn new things and stay up to date with what's happening in the world. Here are some things you should read to keep you as productive as possible.

1. Books

There are a million books out there about how to “boost” your career. But here are four recent ones I've read that bring a unique perspective to the field. Their goal is to treat your career as if you are a freelancer offering your services. It’s your job to hustle and make sure your services are in demand. The rarer and more valuable those services are, the better off you’ll be. As for "SPIN Selling," there are some sales strategies in there you can use during interviews to help you get the job.

2. The News

Make the news a part of your routine. It’s important that you stay “in the know” about what’s happening in the job market, what industries are getting coverage, and what’s “hot” (and more importantly...what's not).

3. Blogs

Good blogs are a great way to keep the pulse of the career field and get actionable advice that’s tried and true. If you're obsessive and love to read, make sure to check out 15 Career Advice Sites You Should Know About or these blogs:

Connect With People

You’re not going to advance far in your career without some help (and a little luck). So make sure you are constantly building a network of people you admire that you can learn from.

4. Online

LinkedIn is a great way to keep in touch with people in your industry and keep track of what they’re doing and worrying about. If someone you admire tweets about a problem, you have a cool opportunity to help them out. It’s also a great way to study up on a potential new boss/employer.

5. At Work

The people you work with today are the people your next job will be calling for references. You don't have to be a fake, just remember that the goal is to get things done and for the entire group to be successful. Be friendly. Be a team player. You can’t do it all by yourself — and you will have a heck of a time getting anything done if your colleagues don’t like your attitude.

6. Your College Network

Most universities and colleges have an alumni association that you can join. Once you’re in, you can search the alumni database by company, industry, and even title. Right off the bat you have something in common with these people, so use the relationship wisely (don’t spam!).

7. Find a Mentor

Mentors are essential in developing your career. We all think we can do it on our own, but that’s just youthful bravado talking. Find someone you respect and trust that has experience and try to learn as much as you can from them. It might be your boss or it might be a former boss...you never know.

8. Help a Coworker

Keep an eye out for someone that has too much on their plate or is obviously frustrated. Then try to help them out. Take on some of their work. Push a deadline back for them. Take them out to coffee to give them a break. Anything. Just let them know you’re there to help. Help your team today, and they will be there to help you down the line.

Software Savers

I'm a tech guy, so I love using software to make my life easier. Here are some tools I highly recommend.

9. Use Prezi for Presentations

PowerPoint is a snooze-fest, so go to Prezi.com and take a few minutes to learn the basics. Next time you (or a coworker) need to make a presentation, wow everyone by using Prezi instead. Then show everyone else how to use it. No more boring PowerPoint slides to sit through, and you've just demonstrated some leadership.

10. Defend Your Time Against Distractions

Regardless of what email program you use, this advice holds. Turn off the notifications that beep or pop up every time an email comes in; these distractions are productivity killers.

Also, use your calendar wisely — schedule your day in advance by blocking off time so, a) no one bothers you, and b) you have clear direction on what you’re doing throughout the day. Add a couple of blocks throughout the day for checking email.

11. Become an Excel Master

You’ll probably never become as good as this guy, but you should at least learn to do more than basic charts with Excel. There’s a reason why this is so expensive. It can save you hours of work, make you look real smart, and give you some great insight when you have tons of data. As I’ve said before, it’s the most underrated piece of software you already own.

12. Try Evernote

Evernote allows you to store all your notes, pictures, lists, links, and anything else you can think of in one cloud-based location. It makes everything searchable, so you can always find that article you flagged or those meeting notes you stored. You may or may not wind up using it, but try it anyway. Some people use it to take notes in meetings and wind up becoming as attached to it as they are to their email client.

Your Salary

One of the most important parts of your career is what you're worth to the market. The sooner you maximize this, the better off off you'll be down the line — think of it as an investment that pays off the earlier you start executing.

13. Run a Salary Audit

The goal is to figure out if you’re being paid fairly. Use salary-comparison sites like Salary.com and Glassdoor to get a range of where you should be. Be warned — you might find you’re paid fairly (and might be overpaid!) even if you feel you deserve more! For more on salary audits, check out my salary guide.

14. Control Your Spending

Making more is the best way to boost your finances, but you also have to control how much you spend. It isn’t as hard as you think. Spend less than you make, and get rid of your debt as quickly as you possibly can.

15. Automate Your Finances

As much as we love to talk about money, we shouldn’t be wasting all of our time thinking and worrying about it. Automate your savings, your bills, and your investments so you don’t have to spend time managing it every month. Now take that time and devote it to planning ahead.

Plot Your Next Move

You should always be ready to make a move because you never know when a random opportunity (or a layoff) will come along.

16. Work Smarter

Before you try to find another job, make sure you’re killing it at your current job. Make life easier for yourself and for others by finding efficiencies, working smarter, and getting things done. Easier said than done, I know, but when you’re out there interviewing, you want to have concrete examples of how you created value in the past.

17. Learn More Skills

This isn’t easy either, but if you’ve been reading the news and some good blogs around your industry, then you should have a pretty good idea of what you should add to your arsenal. Maybe it’s software skills or a certification, but in order to get to the next step you have to add these skills. Before you go back to school and go into debt, look into alternative online learning solutions like Coursera, Lynda, and online universities.

18. Learn How to Interview

Interviewing is an art form, and you have to know how to drive the conversation and tell your story. I could point you to a million different resources on this, but I’ll make this simple. Go to New York Times bestseller Ramit Sethi’s site and read all the free stuff he offers. Even without paying for his Dream Job program, you’ll still get a ton of value. Start there and sign up to get his hilarious/insightful emails.

19. Be Flexible

Most people think they are in control of their careers. You pick a field/industry/job, and then you plow ahead, doing your best to go as far as possible. That’s not realistic. Things that interest you will lure you into different areas. Stuff you had no idea existed will come into play. You’ll get laid off. You’ll get promoted. You’ll switch jobs. Be open to these changes, and don’t shut any doors because they don’t mesh with your “five year plan.” The best course of action is to be ready for anything because the unexpected moves sometimes wind up being the best moves you ever make.

About Your Boss

This person is a huge player in your career — whether you like it or not. So make sure you're devoting some time and energy to this relationship.

20. Have a Sit Down

Communication is crucial, especially with the person you report to. Whether you get along with your boss or not (in a perfect world you at least respect and trust him or her), you need to have a clear understanding of what’s expected of you and how you can exceed those expectations. Not sure how to “hit a homerun” for your boss? Ask, and then execute.

21. Pretend You’re the Boss

I don’t mean put your feet on your desk and start bossing people around. I mean really take the time to imagine yourself in your boss’s shoes. Think about her day-to-day, the people she manages, the boss she has to answer to. All of that...think about it real hard. Sometimes a little empathy goes a long way. Plus, it will help you on your next task.

22. Help Your Boss

We’re all very busy, but pay close attention to your boss for a week. I mean, really pay attention. What’s bothering him? What’s keeping him up at night? What worries him? Now spend some of your time trying to make his life easier.

Acquire New Skills

Your career can’t progress if you don’t learn new, practical skills that are valued in the workforce. Just because you graduated college doesn’t mean you should stop learning. If you do, you’ll stagnate real quick.

23. Get Technical

Learning to program isn’t easy, but having a basic understanding of how things like websites and apps are created can go a long way. So check out sites like About.com, Udemy, and Code Academy to get a jump start on the essentials. Heck, you might even find yourself getting into it and wanting to learn more.

24. Start a Blog

I’ve always believed everyone can benefit from having a blog. If you commit to a regular posting schedule, you’ll find yourself reading more industry-related news and staying on top of your space. This is a good thing. The blog is an outlet where you can discuss topics that you find especially interesting and potentially find others who are interested in the same things you are. Plus, it’ll teach you the basics of SEO and social media, and you'll be building your "brand" as an expert in your industry. With practice you’ll eventually become a better writer.

25. Teach Others

You can’t call yourself a master at anything until you’ve taught it to others. So pick out something you’re really good at, and share it with others trying to learn it. It can be someone you work with or perfect strangers online. And if you can’t get motivated to do it, you can try to sell your course on sites like Udemy.

Bonus

Have something on the side. I've found that my day-to-day is way more satisfying when I'm working on a side project outside of work. It gives me a sense of empowerment and accomplishment that lets me know I'm not just my job. Which oddly enough motivates me even more at work. Whether it's a blog or a freelance business, just find something you enjoy doing and devote some time to it.

If you have any other tips that you've found to be effective, please share them in the comments!

This article is from Carlos Portocarrero of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

35 Resources for Female Entrepreneurs

Elizabeth Lang — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:48:15 +0000

Female entrepreneurship has spiked in the last decade. While the most recent U.S. government statistics are from 2007, women-owned (non-farm) businesses increased by over 20% from 2002 to 2007 according to the U.S. Census Survey of Business Owners, and now make up nearly 30% of all businesses.

Luckily, there are an enormous number of resources available to help female entrepreneurs succeed. Here are the top resources and websites by category. (See also: 6 Small Business Mentors You Can Access for Nearly Free!)

Brick and Mortar Resources

These organizations tend to be more of the traditional resource centers that you might think of when you imagine getting assistance with your business. Most have actual buildings you can visit, local chapters you can meet with, or numbers you can call to get help.

The Office of Women's Business Ownership

Part of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Office of Women's Business Ownership is the most reliable source for federal government grants for women and general information about starting a business.

American Business Women's Association

The American Business Women's Association offers networking events, mentoring opportunities, and more.

National Association of Women Business Owners

The National Association of Women Business Owners hosts an online resource center and can connect you with your local chapter.

U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce

The Women's Chamber of Commerce not only unifies some of the top women leaders in the U.S., but their site also offers great resources for women planning for retirement.

Collections of Resources

The following sites have their own extensive lists of articles, tool kits, and resources that are definitely worth checking out.

Entrepreneurship.org

You can find an annotated list of over 25 books and articles for women entrepreneurs at Entrepreneurship.org.

Create Worth

On offshoot of DailyWorth, Create Worth has an excellent selection of articles on starting your own business.

Ladies Who Launch

Ladies Who Launch features a killer list of free and paid tool.

Smith College

Smith College has a toolbox of resources for women college-age and up.

Women Entrepreneur

The women's section of Entrepreneur magazine, Women Entrepreneur has great articles for every type of female entrepreneur — from home-based businesses to startups.

Mompreneurs

Mompreneurs helps mom entrepreneurs with lists of books and resources on their message boards.

Women 2.0

Women 2.0 wants to help more women become founders of technology startups and has superb information to get your startup started.

Blogs

Blogs can serve as great resources and sources of inspiration for women entrepreneurs who are looking to break into the business world. This list can get you started — and please share more of your favorites in the comments.

What's your top resource for starting a business?

This post is part of Women's Money Week 2012. For more great articles on Women's Entrepreneurship, check out WomensMoneyWeek.com.

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This article is from Elizabeth Lang of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Don't Be Held Hostage by Miscommunication

Janey Osterlind — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:00:09 +0000

I was recently held hostage at work.

OK, so I fudge a little: Recently, there was reported to be a hostage situation around the corner from my building. I first caught wind of the incident when a guy in the department behind ours stuck his head in my door this morning and said, “There’s a hostage situation at the Governor’s Office Building and they’re locking our office doors. We’re going to check it out if you want to come.” Two thoughts popped into my head immediately:

Who is crazy enough to want to go towards a situation where there’s likely to be shooting?
The guy we’re interviewing for a job right now is going to think our whole town is crazy.

Phones started ringing, texts started coming in, and drama ensued. Our interviewee, Mr. L, finished his interview, but wasn’t able to go around the corner to our favorite cafe and enjoy a nice lunch because it was next door to the building where the supposed hostage event was taking place. And there were snipers on the roof. And helicopters circling overhead. Mr. L also wasn’t allowed to get his car out of the parking garage across the street from the building in order to drive to the airport for his flight home to Minneapolis.

Hours later, after Mr. L was finally allowed to leave in order to rush home in time for his family vacation (I kid you not), we learned what had happened with the hostage situation: Nothing. Seriously. Here’s how my local paper, the Columbia Daily Tribune, described the non-event:

Police say the events apparently began when a woman in the building told of hearing someone in an elevator mention a hostage situation. She told another woman, who then called an alarm company, which called police around 10 a.m.

Seriously? I mean, an apparent game of telephone on an elevator in an office building started an enormous fracas downtown that lasted for hours.

So how does this situation relate to everyday business communications? The whole series of non-events got me to thinking that:

Communication is key. Miscommunication can get wildly out of hand in a matter of minutes, so think about how your message is coming across before shouting it from the rooftops (or, in this case, before calling out the SWAT team).
You should always question a message you receive before blindly acting. Not doing so could result in the workplace equivalent of snipers being posted on top of your office building and helicopters circling overhead.

Oh, and I’m also pretty positive that Mr. L. will not be accepting our job offer.

This article is from Janey Osterlind of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Beauty Before Brains?

Janey Osterlind — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:01:54 +0000

Most of you personal finance junkies (such as myself) are probably familiar with the idea that there are two ways to grow your net worth: spend less or earn more. Earning more generally relates to growing your career, but not always. What if earning more were simply associated with how you look? Well, a recent article I read in HR Management indicates that the more "competent" people think you look, the more you earn.

The study, which was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, asked 2,000 people to assess the images of CEOs (of both large and small companies) alongside non-executives. In almost all cases, participants thought the CEOs were more attractive and capable-looking than their non-executive counterparts, although there is no real evidence that looking capable actually equates to better performance. In addition to examining the relationship between looks and success, the researchers explored the relationship between appearance and salary. They found that CEOs who appeared competent also had higher salaries.

Another article I read in Newsweek titled "Beauty Before Brains" found interestingly similar results with high school students: Those who were considered to be more attractive earned higher grades than their less-attractive peers. All of this should come as no surprise, since numerous studies have shown essentially the same thing. What this article points out, however, is that a recent study by a University of Miami professor found that personality and grooming are at least as important to boosting high students' GPAs as their beauty, if not more so.

I think this also helps to explain the results in the CEO attractiveness study: While the CEOs may not actually be more competent, they did project something in their photographs that led people to rate them as both more attractive and more competent than non-executives. In short, there was something about their personality and dress that the viewer translated into success.

Personality

Personality counts in innumerable ways at work. It's common sense that how you relate to others (and how well you relate your ideas to others) is far more important than perfecting the idea itself. People give preference to those with whom they have a relationship.

Consider, for a minute, an example from my work: We are supposed to objectively rate loans (let's say we simply rate them "good" or "bad" for simplicity). I can't tell you how many times we have ended up rating a business's loans "good" even though the borrower is struggling with capacity to repay simply because we are personally familiar with the borrower and have confidence in their character. It's likely that they have an engaging, reliable personality that leads us to believe they will repay the loan, even if the numbers don't show it.

(By the way, this is not a bad or unethical practice. Considering a borrower's character — personality — is essential to understanding a credit).

Bottom line: Personality will get you far in life. Cultivate a good one by showing concern for others and confidence in yourself.

Grooming: Dress for Success

"Being very well groomed is associated with a statistically significant GPA premium," writes sociologist Michael T. French (via the Newsweek article). No surprise there, either. Being well-groomed equates to dressing for success in the working world or, as I like to say it, "dressing for your boss's job." Common sense there, too, for some of us. A very broad rule of thumb, I'd say, is that if you'd feel proud to wear it out for a girls' weekend in Vegas, you should probably never debut it at work.

So what are your thoughts on the matter? Are beauty, personality, and grooming by far the most important things needed to get ahead in the working world? Or do intelligence and hard work matter more? You tell me.

This article is from Janey Osterlind of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Must-Have Qualities to Ensure Long-Term Job Security

Little House — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:00:08 +0000

Securing a job in today's economy is more challenging than it's been in decades. Whether you've just graduated from college and are looking for your first "real" job or you're between jobs, there are a couple of qualities that are timeless. They can make you an indispensable part of any company or business, or can help you strike out on your own: Flexibility and Resourcefulness.

Become Engrossed in Your Position

You've just heard the news; a company you interviewed for has selected you as their favorite candidate. You start in a couple of weeks and can't wait to begin your new career.

A great way to become an essential part of a company's team is to become engrossed in the company's product or service. Though many positions have specific responsibilities associated with them, taking on more challenging tasks, redefining your position, and "getting your hands dirty" can ensure the beginning of a long career.

Many years ago, I interviewed for an online video streaming company. The job entailed a lot of research and contact database management. Being a hard worker, I knew I could manage the responsibilities of the job. However, the job also entailed some new responsibilities that I had little experience with. A few months into the position, I decided to redefine my role; I organized a large trade show and began writing press releases for their upcoming product. This act alone ensured my position with the company and I happily transitioned to trade show manager.

Enjoying the learning process is essential to growing your career. The more you commit to a position, the more likely you'll be regarded as the point-person within that arena.

Flexibility and Balancing Acts

Two people in your department have left and now their responsibilities have been placed upon your shoulders.

More and more I hear stories from friends about reductions in their office staff, yet those tasks, which are now unassigned, still need to be completed. The coworkers who are happily, or at least willing, to assimilate the new responsibilities into their work load are the ones who will benefit in the end.

My first corporate job as a sales coordinator was region specific. I was responsible for the east coast region and three other coworkers were responsible for the other cardinal directions (west, north, and south regions). A few months into my new job, two of the coordinators left. All of a sudden, there were two coordinators for a total of four regions — all with similar tasks. Being flexible, I assumed responsibilities for one additional region and won the praise of many colleagues.

Flexibility is highly regarded in most environments. The more tasks you can manage and coordinate seamlessly, the better chances of management regarding you as promotion material.

Resourcefulness Breeds Creativity

Layoffs are looming and you're beginning to think you might be next. That entrepreneurial spirit is kicking in.

Not everyone is cut out for one life-time career; lifestyles change, job opportunities pop up, and independent ventures become possibilities. Acquiring different talents, or becoming a "Jack-of-all-Trades," instills resourcefulness in oneself and nurtures creativity. Being resourceful means opening yourself up to potential job opportunities and multiple streams of income.

After realizing that a nine-to-five corporate job wasn't what I had in mind for myself, I began working side jobs to cover my bills while transitioning into a new career path. Having good time management skills, I juggled working as a Starbucks barista, a lactation educator, and a substitute teacher while redefining what I wanted my career to look like. Being resourceful allowed me the flexibility and opportunity to envision the career I really wanted. Like a chameleon, I was able to meld into temporary positions until I found one that suited me best.

The ability to draw upon skills and resources means there is less of a likelihood of becoming financially strapped. Multiple streams of income create plenty of opportunities to branch out into a new field without worrying about your bottom line.

Though these must-have qualities come in handy during tough economic times, they can also be helpful for future job seekers and entrepreneurs.

This article is from Little House of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Career Advice: Act Like You Own The Place

Carlos Portocarrero — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:00:33 +0000

There is a lot of career advice out there. I should know—I wrote a whole series on Being a Better Employee.

It's filled with some great, helpful tips—but there's one big one I missed.

If you really want to stand out and get ahead at work, you should look around and model yourself after someone that has already made it: the owner.

Does that mean you should start bossing people around and picking on the most insignificant details to torment your coworkers with? Nope, wrong again.

Don't Act Like the Owner: Think Like the Owner

There's a difference. As an employee, you have to worry about your little sliver of job and how it might fit into the bigger slice of pie that is the company.

If you think that's stressful, think about what the owner has to think about:

Every single employee
The future of the company
The revenue
The competitors
How to lower costs
How to increase profits

The list could go on and on.

My point is this: you don't have to worry about these things because you're not the owner, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Start thinking like the owner and you'll see how quickly your perspective changes.

Owners don't check out at 5 o'clock because "the day is over."

Owners don't take a day off because they want to go to the beach.

Owners don't get caught up in the minutiae of everyday office politics.

Is it because they're better than the rank and file? Nope.

They just have bigger fish to fry.

Take More Responsibility

By acting like an owner, you should take on more of that responsibility. Trust me, the owner will appreciate an employee that is not only doing his/her job effectively, but is also worrying about the bigger picture. It will make you look better and it will also change your perspective on your job.

Take the example of Amazon employees that took the light bulbs out of their vending machines—they saved the company $20,000 in electricity costs. Guess who noticed? CEO Jeff Bezos.

So where should you start? The good thing is that owners have so much to worry about that you could pick any one of these "problems" and figure out a way to improve on them:

Costs
Employee morale
Competitors
Office politics
Technology solutions
Efficiency (my personal favorite)

The list could go on and on, but you get the point.

Start thinking like an owner today—it will make you a more valuable employee and it will give you some idea of what it's like in case you want to start your own business some day.

This article is from Carlos Portocarrero of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Book review: The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

Philip Brewer — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:53:37 +0000

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need by Daniel H. Pink.

Do you need a career guide? And, if so, do you need one written as manga? It almost doesn't matter--Daniel H. Pink has written one, and it's got enough good lessons packed into a tiny little book, that it's worth reading whether you need it or not.

Let me begin a bit oddly (given that I'm recommending the book) to say that I've long disagreed with Pink. He's always been something of a cheerleader for abandoning the old employer-employee social contract in favor of the modern reality--that the people who used to think of themselves as employees need to think of themselves as free agents instead. The thing is, though, I've never thought that Pink was wrong, just that the changes were a poor public policy choice--I don't disagree with the analysis, just with the cheerleading.

I've talked before about the importance of finding work worth doing--I've even come up with some tips on how to do it--but I've always felt like I've fallen short when it comes to helping the guy with no clue what he wants to do for the rest of his life but who needs to earn a living now. How does he thread the needle of finding an income to pay the bills while at the same time making progress on finding his true calling? Well, Pink has a big chunk of the answer right here.

Johnny Bunko isn't a job search guide--there's nothing about resumes or cover letters (there is a bit of clever mockery of the interview process). It's about moving from where you are in your career to where you ought to be--by giving up on the notion that there's a specific path that you ought to follow, by using your strengths, by focusing on making your team and your boss a success, by sticking to it, by being bold, and by making a difference.

Johnny Bunko is aimed at young folks at the start of their career, but anyone who hasn't found his or her life's work--and even some who have--will find its advice applies to them too.

This article is from Philip Brewer of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: