Fun with the Copier

Have you ever wanted to have a little fun with the copy machine? Well this little mishap would probably rank amongst your worst nightmares.

Goals and Goal Setting.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What about the next 2 years? What about the next two weeks? What are you doing today? How will your actions today affect your goals for tomorrow? Goal setting is an important factor in the art of finish. It begins with two questions the first being: “Where do you want to be?” After you answer this question examine your past accomplishments small and large and the means or method you used to achieve them. This will enable you to answer the second question which is: “How are you going to get there?” As you thumb through your history of completion, or lack there of, a pattern will emerge. The pattern you are observing is a behavior pattern. Think about what you did and how you did it, the pitfalls you encountered and who or what assisted you throughout the process. Now from your past experiences and present aspirations you can devise a plan that dictates daily and weekly goals. Remember some goals are simple and may only entail something as small as making a phone call or sending an email. What is important is not the grandeur of the goal but what you do immediately to further your cause. With that said it is important to never discount your small victories and track of your successes, because if you dismiss everything you have accomplished in the past it will be impossible for you to see how you could attain anything in the future.

To the right is a diagram that illustrates the different types of goals and their relationship to one another.

Revamp Your Resume

Are you getting ready to apply for a new job? If you are then that means you’re also about to re-evaluate your resume. A good resume always gets a call back. There are many creative ways to format a resume but it should always be clean, clear and concise. Here are a few pointers:

• Change your font to a modern sans serif font. This makes you stand out and says something about your personal style.
• To ensure the interviewer knows your name, your name should be the biggest thing on the page.
• DO NOT list which high school you attended and when you graduated from there. This information is usually irrelevant and you don’t want to reveal your age.
• List only related work experience, for example, you wouldn’t list your experience as a cab driver if you are applying for a position as a graphic designer. Keep it relevant.
• DO NOT include an “objective” or “hobbies” section these are remnants from a past era. All a resume needs to include with regard to titled sections is : Work experience, skills and proficiencies and education. Other information would be your name and contact information. You could also include “references furnished upon request”, but since this information is implied its optional.
• When you begin describing your on the job duties remember to use quantitative adjectives and action words, for instance: produced 60% of all design for firms new business accounts, rather than saying, responsibilities included cover art, web banners and bill boards. The idea is to show how much of an asset you really are, instead of just listing tasks you’ve been charged with without any mention of their success or your level of involvement with them.
• Keep the resume at one page. the only exception to this rule is for people with 10 or more years industry experience, and even then, there shouldn’t be more than 2 pages.

For clever ideas on how to tweek your resume’s layout google image search “resume layout”. Happy Hunting!

Pet Peeves

You ever lose it at work? How bad was it? This guy’s freak out really takes the cake.

What not to say.

“You have two ears and one mouth, use them proportionately.” -Unknown

This quote means to say that you should be doing a lot more listening than talking. This is especially important to remember when you are dealing with your superiors whether you are in the office or out at a function. You should always be listening because you are with someone who knows something you don’t. If you concentrate on listening you will be less likely to put your foot in your mouth with incomplete thoughts, and poorly informed commentary. If you ever intend to talk to the big cheese, you better have done your home work and know what you’re talking about. Otherwise you may find you have talked yourself into a corner.

You can however ask questions. This is a great time to learn what you don’t know about how the company works. You could ask about your bosses vision for the future of the company. Ask about how the company got started. Build a rapport.
Don’t feel like you have to get the last word. If you listen long enough the person you’re talking to is going to teach you something and answer  your questions in the process.

Cross Train Yourself

In this recessing economy you have to be ready to get another job at the drop of a hat. In this case it is always better to have a more plentiful array of positions to choose from. Cross training may be easier in some fields and offices than it is in others, but there is no doubt it will quickly distinguish you from your competitors when applying for jobs. Here are a few tips to help you familiarize yourself with other aspects of your companies operations: Read more

The Boss Who Never Relaxed

I worked at a PI firm in Philly. My position was assistant to the office manager. The business was largely process service from local attorney, who are always late and missing deadlines or providing too little lead-time for a job. I got hired as a last stitch effort to lighten the office manager’s workload. It also happens that the office manager was a workaholic with a marriage on it last leg due to his excessive albeit unnecessary office hours. The work was very simple data entry at best, and the occasional couriering to City Hall, the work flow was light to medium, and though the office was small anybody with strong organizational skills could easily navigate the filing system. And the office had a good vibe. The only problem was the office manager still insisted on working late  into the night on projects that could wait until the next day, because we received them late and they couldn’t be sent out until the next afternoon. Read more