By admin, on September 15th, 2014  I recently asked some friends and colleagues what a new co-worker could do to really annoy them. While there was a wide range of potentially annoying behaviors, the following five consistently left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth:
Bail on your co-workers
Call in sick to work, and then post pictures of yourself on Instagram (or your site of choice) at a ball game from the same day.
How to be extra annoying: Make sure you call in sick on the day of an important meeting or event that everyone else will be staying late for.
Refuse to help out
When someone asks you for help on a small project, ALWAYS refuse; it will be particularly annoying if you are snarky when refusing.
How to be extra annoying: Insist that no where on your job description does it say that you need to help with that particular task.
Point out how each of your co-workers is doing their jobs WRONG
Since you have barely learned your own job, let alone anyone else’s, when you point out all the errors that your colleagues are making, you will definitely annoy them.
How to be extra annoying: Don’t tell your colleagues what they are doing wrong in person; instead, email them a list of their mistakes, and be sure to CC the rest of the staff while you’re at it.
Over-share, all the time
Whether at the photo copier, in meetings, via email, or in the parking lot, be sure to share private details about your personal life. The more private and embarrassing, the more annoying.
How to be extra annoying: Don’t take the hint when people stop talking to you or flat out tell you to stop over-sharing; just keep on sharing all your NSFW stories.
Ignore everyone else’s need for personal space
This one is super easy to do and only requires a complete lack of boundaries. For example, rifle through a co-worker’s desk for office supplies, read someone’s email over their shoulder, or plop yourself down on top of a colleague’s desk.
How to be extra annoying (and creepy): Follow your co-worker into the bathroom to continue your conversation with them there.
Of course, if you’re trying to get along with the people at your new job or internship, I’d suggest avoiding all of the above.
What co-worker attitudes or behaviors annoy you the most? Let us know in the comments.
By admin, on April 10th, 2014  Whether you’re just about to start your first professional job or you’ve been working for a few years, the need to keep your skills fresh and relevant is always present. US workers will hold an average of 11 jobs over the course of their lifetime; your first professional job is not likely going to be your last. Here are 5 tips for staying employable, even when you’re already employed:
1. Continue networking – Even though you have a job and are not actively searching for employment, continue to network and build your base of professional connections.
- Consider joining professional associations either through your employer’s memberships or on your own.
- Leverage the power of social media to stay connected with like-minded professionals all over the world.
- Use a variety of strategies to network, even when your work schedule is full.
2. Read broadly in your field – Stay current by reading articles from your professional associations’ publications and various trade journals.
- Follow, and engage, your industry’s thought leaders on Twitter and LinkedIn, and read up on the trends and movements impacting your field.
- Subscribe to relevant blogs and other curators of industry news.
Continue reading 5 Tips for Staying Employable as a Young Professional »
By admin, on October 3rd, 2013  Throughout your high school and college career, you’ve had many people come along side you to support you, encourage you, and even challenge you. Take some time to say thanks:
- Send a quick email, a thank-you card, or make a call.
- If it’s been a while, let the person know what you’ve been up to, (internships and summer jobs you’ve held, your choice of major, and career aspirations), and thank them specifically for how they’ve helped you.
- As you make progress down your career path, remember to touch base with these key supporters with updates along the way.
There are also a lot of people you will meet along the way who can benefit from your knowledge and experience. You may feel like you are just at the start of your career path, but here are practical things to do if a fellow student or young professional asks for your help:
- Be willing to talk with fellow students about your choice of major, why you chose it, the courses you like best, and the faculty to take/avoid.
- Think about all the resources you’ve run into as you’ve mulled through career options – maybe another student thinking of the same career path would benefit from them, too.
- Be open to discussing your job or internship search process – you know how challenging the process can be, perhaps your experience can help make things a bit easier for the next student.
- If you have built your professional network up a bit while in the last few years, be open to sharing some of those connections with other students with similar interests.
By admin, on September 18th, 2013  You’ve probably read a few of them; maybe you’ve even shared or re-tweeted a few – We’re talking about those epic rants from celebrities, disgruntled employees, or friends on social media that are, well, quite entertaining. But as funny as they can sometimes be, public rants can also be very damaging. Here are a few tips for keeping yourself from hurting your career and becoming tomorrow’s link fodder:
- It doesn’t matter how much of a jerk your boss, (or professor, coach, etc.). may be, don’t vent about her/him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, your blog or any other social media.
- Likewise, if you’re having a disagreement with a co-worker, classmate or friend, keep your rants offline.
- To be extra safe, make sure your Facebook privacy settings are set accordingly.
- We’ll leave it to your discretion whether or not to Facebook friend your boss or co-workers, but if you do, make sure to keep them in a friend list that does NOT receive all your personal status updates.
- There’s nothing wrong with thoughtful, constructive criticism, but if your Instagram and Twitter are public, use wisdom and caution before posting criticism about your company or school (by the way, same goes for posting NSFW selfies!).
- If you absolutely have to rant, do it IRL with trusted friends.
Keep in mind, not all rants can (or should) get you fired, but they can make a future employer think twice before hiring you, so stay professional both on and offline.
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I recently asked some friends and colleagues what a new co-worker could do to really annoy them. While there was a wide range of potentially annoying behaviors, the following five consistently left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth:
