Question: “I am the public relations director for a group of radio stations. Out of the clear blue, we were bought by a wealthy television entrepreneur who has no experience in radio. I immediately e-mailed him a brief overview of my background, to which he replied in a positive and professional way. However, I’m concerned about my future. Can you offer any suggestions for enhancing my visibility and promoting my importance with the new owner?” — Newly Acquired
A records retention schedule ensures that an organization keeps the records it needs for operational, legal, fiscal or historical reasons, and then destroys them when they’re no longer useful. You may base your records retention schedule on your own experience and research of legal mandates or on what other companies are doing. Whatever your method, […]
According to the latest MarketingSherpa B2B Marketing Benchmark Survey, the web site no longer is just a spoke in the marketing mix wheel. Instead, it has become “the hub of marketing strategy … the primary point of contact with prospects and customers.”
Question: “Recently, my boss was signing paper letters and asked if it is still proper to write “Dear” in the salutation instead of just the person’s name. And for closing is “Sincerely” and “Very Truly Yours” passé or is “Regards” OK to use? Are handwritten or typed letters more formal than correspondence sent via e-mail?” — Naomi
Question: “I have a co-worker who is quite chatty. Even if I am submerged in my work she will say, “I don’t mean to interrupt,” but she interrupts, and it is always something insignificant. It is so bad that every time she walks by my desk she has to stop and talk, which is several times a day. I have told her many times that I can’t chat every time she comes by because I am busy and need to concentrate. I have even told her that my boss might frown upon it if she thought I was frequently socializing instead of getting the work done. Each time, she says she understands and apologizes, but then the next time I see her, she does it again. I don’t have a private office, so I can’t just close a door. How do I stop “Chatty Cathy”? — Anonymous
Question: “I am a single mother raising two toddlers by myself. This is held against me at work, because no one else has this problem. My co-workers are all happily married or have grown children. With no family available to help, I often have to take time off for medical appointments, illnesses and other child care issues. My boss says if this continues, he may have to find someone else for my position. I feel desperate because I love my job. How can I make these people understand?” — Worried Mother
Question: “After meeting with a customer or supplier, my boss often asks me to send a follow-up e-mail. I always debate whether or not to copy him in my e-mail. I want him to know how and what I said to the person, but I’m not sure how it makes him look. What is the appropriate thing to do? Should I copy him on the e-mail? Should I forward the e-mail to him later? Do I need to copy him since he asked me to handle it?” — E.J.
Question: “My company does not have a dedicated receptionist and has assigned receptionist duties to four assistants. It’s difficult for the four of us to get our regular work done with the added duties of answering incoming calls, transferring calls and logging them into the customer management system. How can we persuade management to consider hiring a full-time receptionist without jeopardizing our own jobs?” — Upset in the West
Question: “After making a career change, I am six weeks into a new job at a large health care company. I hope to be promoted to a specific position in the next three years. In trying to get ahead, I understand the importance of all the basic stuff, like good attendance, proper dress, meeting deadlines and so forth. But can you suggest any other smart moves for career-minded new employees?” — Climbing the Ladder
Are you maximizing all that your BlackBerry offers to simplify your life? Here are 10 shortcuts: 1. Create the @ symbol and the dot when typing e-mail addresses by clicking the space bar. 2. To end a sentence with a period and a space and then capitalize the next word, click the space bar twice at the end of a sentence. 3. Capitalize a letter by holding it down …