Anyone can look put-together and professional with a hefty wallet. But Sandy Dumont, of the Image Architect, knows how to achieve a million-dollar look, even on a shoestring budget. How to build a wardrobe that positively affects your career:
Don’t end up with 27 desserts and no entrees at the next gathering. Create a sign-up sheet with categories, and everyone will be able to see what is needed. Include a section for cleanup volunteers.
Improve these three workplace habits for a healthier you: 1. Stop eating at your desk. 2. Improve your posture. 3. Request a flexible work arrangement.
Mention in passing when you’ve learned something positive from your boss—without laying it on too thick. Example: “I’m borrowing your technique for negotiating with vendors, and it’s working.”
Question: “After many years in the medical field, I suffered an injury that forced me to stop working with patients. I moved into an office job handling insurance claims. I was given three weeks of training and told that I would have time to “fit into the job comfortably.” However, at the end of my 90-day probationary period, I received a terrible evaluation. This has never happened to me before. My supervisor apparently has documented all the times that I required assistance. I viewed this as learning, but she views it as an inability to do the work. I now have two weeks to improve or be fired. This seems unreasonable, but I like this job and want to keep it. What do you suggest?” — Afraid of Failing
The challenge in leaving an effective voice-mail message is this: Leave a too-long message, and it could annoy recipients. Too short, and recipients may not understand the reason for your call. Follow these tips from Career Rocketeer when you need to leave a message that gets attention:
If you’re responsible for buying birthday cards for the office, buy several at a time so you don’t have to make a special trip every time one is needed.
Columns are easy in Word 2007 and Word 2010! On the Page Layout tab, in the Page Setup group you’ll find a button called Columns. There are 5 default selections and a More columns selection to customize your column layout.
Question: “I manage a group of four women who bicker constantly and ‘cop an attitude.’ To make it worse, I recently hired a young, inexperienced secretary who is very rude … I feel like I’m supervising a bunch of tattling 2-year-olds. Sometimes, I plan what I’m going to say about these issues, then I chicken out. I know I need a stronger backbone, but I don’t like dealing with conflict. What should I do?”