Page 32 of 92

      Are you an ideal employee?

      April 17, 2013 /

      It’s a fair question, whether you’re looking for a job or you’re settled in with a job.

      This articles describes 15 traits of the ideal employee. It’s a great list for prospective employers as they evaluate job candidates, but it’s also a great checklist for those of us looking for a job. What can we do to add more value to our company? Here are the first two items on the list:

      1. Action-oriented – Hire employees who take action and take chances. While chances may lead to failure, they will more often lead to success and mold confidence while generating new ideas. Stagnant employees won’t make your company money; action-oriented employees will.

      2. Intelligent – Intelligence is not the only thing, but it’s a strong foundation for success. While there are many variables you can be flexible on when hiring, intelligence is a must or you’re going to be spending an abundance of time proofing work, micromanaging and dealing with heightened stress levels.

      The term “problem solver” isn’t on this list, though many of the attributes point to this quality. It’s important to be able to identify problems, but the best employees will help you solve them and also take the initiative where appropriate.

      As you look for a new job and prepare for interviews, keep this list in mind.

      Your Business, Your Career, Your Workplace

      eBook publishing tips

      April 6, 2013 /

      The eBook explosion offers real opportunity for aspiring writers who want to take control of their own writing career. There are tons of articles out there explaining how to self-publish and how to use tools like Amazon.com.

      This is probably the best article I’ve found so far on this topic. It covers everything from the process of getting a book published to tips on the writing process itself. Topics like choosing a niche and a title along with how to handle things like the cover page and your summary description are also addressed.

      Your Career

      Office exercises

      March 29, 2013 /

      More and more companies are realizing that a healthy worker will be a more productive worker. Thus we’re seeing all sorts of changes as companies add gyms to workplace campuses while encouraging or even subsidizing gym memberships. Others also try to work in issues like nutrition, offering healthy meal choices in the workplace cafeteria, and replacing vending machines that only offer junk food for workers.

      This is all great stuff, and everyone should do their best to take advantage of this. But frankly, not everyone responds well to the idea of going to a gym. So some workers have to be a little more creative, and that involves doing exercises literally at work. Now this isn’t for everyone as well. I don’t really like the idea of working up a sweat in my suit. But it’s not as much about replicating the gym experience, but rather doing some activities that at least prevent you from living a sedentary lifestyle of you don’t have the time or the inclination to hit the gym.

      The best solution in my opinion is to simply start walking regularly. That can include a walk around the office campus during lunch, or even doing a daily lap or two or three inside the halls of your building. Movement is key, especially when you use it as a quick break from work. Many people walk in the evenings, and that’s a great habit as well.

      This article has many more ideas for quick and easy workouts at work. Check them out and you will likely find several that work great for you. Of course it’s more important to find regular workout programs you can do regularly outside of work in the proper setting, but something is always better than nothing. But, keep in mind that while these movement exercises can help, most doctors will tell you that working up a sweat is very important, so always try to build on what you do at work.

      Your Workplace

      Telecommuting issues emerge at Yahoo!

      February 24, 2013 /

      There are may significant advantages for a company letting workers telecommute and work remotely. Productivity often increases as this flexibility makes workers happier. In today’s world, it’s important for a company to offer this option for some jobs.

      Yet there are disadvantages when you don’t have workers together on a consistent basis. It’s impossible to replicate the casual environment of workers being together at lunch and around the office. Much gets done when people are together.

      Every company needs to strike the right balance, and that’s what Marissa Mayer is trying to do at Yahoo!, but her recent announcement has sparked a backlash.

      Here’s a clip:

      “To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home.”

      Just reading this, it seems like this could have been handled better by bring up the issue and looking at specific jobs. As stated above, balance is best.

      But I suspect the problem may have gotten out of control at Yahoo! and that has prompted Mayer to take a hard line. Workers can be very productive at home in terms of how much they work, but it’s harder to keep workers focused on what’s best for the company if they are always at home.

      It will be fascinating to see how this story develops.

      Your Business, Your Career, Your Network, Your Team, Your Workplace

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 Professional Journey

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑