Use the ‘About Us’ to brag a little
Take your company’s “About Us” web page from forgettable to memorable by incorporating these tips:
Why worry?
Submit your worries to a reality check: Most of the things you worry about will never happen, and you can probably figure a way to deal with those that do.
You can excel at anything
With at least 10,000 hours of practice doing something complex, you can be excellent at it, according to “Six Keys to Being Excellent at Anything.”
Before that big meeting …
Prep your boss for meetings more effectively by reviewing what each of you knows about the other attendees. Example: Does your boss realize that the wife of one of the attendees is head of HR for that large local company that’s closing?
Give your résumé a shot of Botox
Update your image by Botoxing your résumé, says Lisa Johnson Mandell, author of Career Comeback: Repackage Yourself to Get the Job You Want. Like the cosmetic procedure, Botoxing your résumé is a way to “lift, firm and freshen your look,” says Mandell.
Perfect way to become more productive
Be more productive by setting a time limit on routine tasks. Example: If it normally takes you an hour to write the perfect letter, plan to give yourself half that time to write one that’s “good enough.” Give up on the idea of being perfect at everything.
Think you’re smarter than your boss? Think again.
Question: “As a salesperson, I have tremendous talent and can run circles around almost anyone. But about two months ago, I started a job where my abilities don’t seem to be appreciated. My manager feels the need to comment constantly on whatever I’m doing. He accuses me of thinking I know everything. He also says he can’t talk to me because I’m defensive …
Should I go to happy hour get-togethers?
Question: “I often feel like an outsider in my office. I am 61, overweight, and have gray hair. My co-workers are in their 20s and 30s. The whole group goes out for “happy hour” once every six weeks … I usually avoid these get-togethers because I don’t feel comfortable with the youngsters … Do you think I should start going?” — Old & Gray
Don’t lose your audience
Engage the audience when speaking in public by stopping periodically to ask, “Is this what you need to know?” and “Any questions about what I’ve said so far?”
More easy-to-muddle homonyms
You may know the difference between the two, but have you ever used one of these homonyms in place of the other? It’s easy enough to mistakenly type one when you meant the other—and not even spellcheck is likely to catch it.