On the Job
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On the Job provides helpful information and advice from America's favorite workplace columnist. Anita Bruzzese is a nationally syndicated columnist on the workplace and award-winning journalist. She has addressed audiences on topics ranging from taking control of your career, avoiding workplace blunders and responsible business blogging.
On the Job
2y ago
As many workers head back into the office, there will be some good times -- seeing likeable colleagues in person, going out to lunch with a work friend and even getting out of the house for a change.
But there are bound to be bad days. The commute is too long and someone in the office is microwaving fish sticks. And -- here's something no one misses -- you are the target of a barbed comment.
It may be a subtle insult such as "Oh, it's nice to see you gain! You never used video on Zoom calls so I always figured you were watching TV the whole time!" Or, "Now you have to work for real a ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
As workers return to the workplace in dribs and drabs, some feel a bit disoriented.
Gone are the days of working at the kitchen table or taking the dog for a walk in between Zoom calls. Gone are the days of wearing slippers all day or doing the laundry while working.
In addition, many workers claim they've lost that "human" connection, despite working via Zoom or other online channels. Even when they return to the office, people separate into their own spaces and only interact online.
Liz Fosslien has an interesting take on Harvard Business Review: That it's time to "re-onboard" ever ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
When I first began working from home decades ago, people were envious and said they wanted to do the same. They often asked me for advice, and there were two things I told them:
1. You cannot work with kids underfoot.
2. Be disciplined and set a schedule.
Now with the pandemic, I think a lot of people know that I wasn't kidding. The biggest problem is that while I arranged babysitters and day care for my kids when they were still too young for school, now parents are faced with their kids of all ages being at home more.
So, while I know that it's really difficult to work with kids underfoot ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
If you're like most people, you have a lot of photos. Photos of you with your bestie. Photos from a fun weekend with your family. Probably even a few work photos from the company picnic.
You probably also have lots of selfies. Perhaps you even posted one of those selfies on your LinkedIn profile.
Did you post a photo that will get your a job -- or get your eliminated from consideration?
According to a recent survey:
71% of recruiters admit they've rejected a candidate at least one because of a LinkedIn profile photo.
87% of recruiters say the consider the professionalism of a profile photo ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
If you sometimes feel like a broken record saying "Good job!" to your team, here are some other ways to say the same thing:
1. Exactly right
2. Excellent
3. Exceptional
4. Fabulous
5. Fantastic
6. Sensational
7. Wonderful
8. Outstanding
9. Unbelievable
10. Marvelous
11. Stupendous
12. First class work
13. Amazing
14. Impressive
15. Good thinking
16. Great idea
17. On target
18. Beautiful
19. Perfect
20. Well done ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
If you've ever had a bad performance review that blindsided you or found yourself excluded from important projects or teams without a clear idea of why, then it might be time to consider that you've sabotaged yourself.
Most people don't knowingly sabotage themselves, but it happens. But it's clear you've done the damage to yourself -- it's not because the boss is an a**hole or because someone has set you up to fail. It's because of how you've behaved, or performed -- or even something you have said -- that pushes you off the road to success.
For example, maybe you failed to work with a new ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
If you're an expert in your field and are called upon to communicate some complex ideas to an audience that may only understand the basics, it can be a challenge.
If you speak the way you usually do -- say to a teammate or your boss -- you're likely to lose your listeners. Or, if you just throw a lot of statistics at them in an effort to emphasize the importance of your topic, you're likely to lose your listeners.
That may be frustrating for you, which is why you decide to just plow ahead and hope someone gets it.
Ahem.
That will not only lose your listeners, but possibly the good wil ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
When I think of narcissism, I think of those people whose egos are so outsized that they never believe they make a mistake or that they are wrong. I think of selfishness, a sense of entitlement and a lack of empathy.
This self-centeredness can pop up in the workplace -- I'll bet you can think of a boss or colleague who fits the mold.
But what if it's you?
Psychologist Nancy Van Dyken says that there are everyday narcissists who may not recognize their own behavior that is frustrating to those around them.
These "garden-variety form of narcissism" folks are often people-pleasers ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
As more people head back into the office this year, there will be adjustments.
Some may be a bit silly of course (no more wearing pajama bottoms with a button-down shirt like you did for Zoom calls) while others will require more serious focus, such as learning to interact in person with more people all day long.
In fact, I'll bet more people than are willing to admit are a bit intimidated by the thought of those casual conversations that used to be a regular part of our day before the pandemic hit.
Do you even remember how to have an interesting, off-the-cuff conversation?
If y ..read more
On the Job
2y ago
As more people job hop these days in an effort to obtain better positions, they need to understand that just because they have a pulse doesn't mean they will be hired.
Employers are still being somewhat discerning, especially when it comes to those who are seeking a "leap" in their career or even a completely new career.
For those who may lack the specific skills or experience required in a position, these are some of the abilities that will get the interest of hiring managers:
1. An ability to self-manage. Whether you're seeking a remote or on-site position, be aware that many managers ar ..read more