Savvy Business Woman

Re: Don’t settle on your values At work, especially with...

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 22:02:45 -0500

Re: Don’t settle on your values

At work, especially with negotiations, you will be forced to compromise. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to back up off of what you value. In fact, don’t forget your values when it comes time to compromise. You will feel better about it in the long run, and, odds are, the deal will come out better.

Re: Obsessions As any Facebook stalker will tell you, obsessions...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:00:40 -0500

Re: Obsessions

As any Facebook stalker will tell you, obsessions take time and effort. The ability to scroll through pages and pages of information, looking for what you want to find. The ability to sit, hunched over, mulling over the details while your eyesight becomes blurry and your thoughts become muddled. The ability to sit late into the evening considering this information while everything else in your life falls by the wayside.

At work, obsessions can be useful. They can catapult you into a legitimate career and provide a path to success in your job. At home, usually obsessions are useless. So it’s worth channeling the energy you use to check up on your ex-boyfriend into organizing all your spreadsheet tabs in alphabetical order or investigating the fraudulent accountant. Same skill set, but useful purpose.

Re: A sense of humor Anyone who has intelligent social...

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:00:35 -0500

Re: A sense of humor

Anyone who has intelligent social interactions is going to need to laugh. Laughter is often at the expense of other people, as any comedian will demonstrate. If you are well-liked, one of these days someone will make fun of you. Go ahead, laugh with them and try your best not give in to the insecurity that goes with hearing the crowd’s laughter. Any confident person can handle being the subject of good comedy; be that confident person and laugh along.

Re: Being in Charge Out of nowhere one day, you will suddenly...

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 21:47:28 -0500

Re: Being in Charge

Out of nowhere one day, you will suddenly find that you are in charge of things. While “being a boss” is the lore of rap songs and undergraduate dreams, often the situation is uncomfortable and the responsibility feels overbearing. And even if you are simply in charge of making sure that the filing system is up to date, the power is all yours (should you choose to accept it).

The real burden lies when other people’s emotions, paychecks, and careers are at stake. The discomfort of telling the truth, of doing the right thing, and at times, being the bad guy, is not to be underestimated. But it’s true what they say: doing the right thing and doing the most difficult thing are usually the same thing.

Re: Learning new skills Sometimes you will take on a new job or...

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:48:48 -0400

Re: Learning new skills

Sometimes you will take on a new job or a task or a project which requires an unexpected skill. Most often, there is no way around it and you must aggressively learn the thing all by yourself.

A couple tips for when this occurs.

Firstly, check your pride at the door. So what, your expensive liberal arts school required a year of a foreign language but never required that you learn Microsoft Excel? Just learn it. Take a class, you’re smart, take the time.

Secondly, (as previously mentioned), just dive in. You’re smart (said it before), you can do this. In the words of Nike, “just do it.” You will get there if you try. Odds are, it’s not something you cannot do in the first place. You just, for whatever reason, never learned how to do that particular thing.

Thirdly, if your resume stated (or states) anything to the effect of “quick learner,” now is your time to shine. Learn it quickly.

Do the damn thing.

Re: Animals at work The only acceptable pets in the office are...

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:38:49 -0400

Re: Animals at work

The only acceptable pets in the office are the ones you see on youtube, memes, animated gifs, or other entertainment. Excessive talking about your pet makes you appear crazy, so it’s best to channel the fact that you prefer your cat to your colleagues into a mere discussion of “that talking dog on youtube.” Try and pretend you haven’t contributed to over 30 views. Everyone else will understand.

Re: Burying the Hatchet After years of working with someone, you...

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:00:49 -0400

Re: Burying the Hatchet

After years of working with someone, you will inevitably hold a grudge against someone for much longer than necessary. As badly as you want to forgive them, it’s work, so they likely don’t move to the top of your “To-Forgive” list. However, unless they did something so asinine and egregious, odds are they are the easiest to forgive. Bury the hatchet with that person, because you probably see them more than you think. Also, it’s good practice for when you need to forgive the more important people in your life. Have a cocktail, apologize, and move on.

Re: A Personal Computer A modern gal’s guide to the...

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:27:17 -0400

Re: A Personal Computer

A modern gal’s guide to the workplace is like this: keep work at work and keep home at home. This extends to the computer. While it’s tempting to use the work laptop for damn near everything, it also means that your work could find about that time you googled for “best cat litter” or “why are some bosses so annoying?” It is best practice to do those things at home. Other perks of personal computing include: creative time, facebook stalking, online dating profiles, uploading a music collection, and no one can judge you for all those pictures of your dog in different costumes. It’s worth the expense.

Re: Get off the Payroll Your parents’ payroll, that is....

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:53:13 -0400

Re: Get off the Payroll

Your parents’ payroll, that is. Have a little self-respect: pay your own phone bill, your own credit cards, your own rent. Also, have some respect for them, lest you desire to pay for their retirement later on. They have lives, and they’ve done their part. Being independent includes financial independence. Get there, already.

Re: Repenting for your transgressions We have all been there. We...

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:53:32 -0400

Re: Repenting for your transgressions

We have all been there. We did something naughty, we said something awful, we broke all the rules. At work, as in life, we commit transgressions—against ourselves, against others, against the man. When you’re stuck in the 9-5, however, you are faced with the chills up your spine that you did something bad.

But here is the thing: there is nowhere to confess your sins. Gossiping about yourself is useless. Apologizing to others gets annoying, and you eventually collapse from all of the sleep you’ve lost. So whatever you did, work is the place where you are going to bury yourself and get over it. Keep on trucking; if you want your paycheck, you don’t really have a choice.

RE: Planning for Retirement It’s never too early to start...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:58:27 -0400

RE: Planning for Retirement

It’s never too early to start planning for your retirement. If you’re lucky enough to work somewhere with a 401K match, start matching and maximizing. If you have some available funds for an IRA or hidden savings account, just do it.

On a less financial note, planning for retirement is also about thinking about what you want to have accomplished. Its never too early to re-assess your career plans and reconsider your path. Forty years in a job you don’t really like is not necessarily the plan for retirement. Get happy now, you won’t regret it.

Re: Taking Pride in your Work Directly below utter hubris and...

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:00:05 -0400

Re: Taking Pride in your Work

Directly below utter hubris and above shame and embarrassment rests a comfy hammock called “pride.” In the hammock you can look at the skyline of success and order umbrella-clad drinks of appreciation. You can pat yourself on the back and enjoy the moment.

Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s not okay to be proud of your work. It’s perfectly acceptable to take value in your work and enjoy your time as a valued member of the office. Things may not always be perfect, but your work is yours, so own it.

Memorandum on Vacation Days If you have them, use them. And if...

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:00:05 -0400

Memorandum on Vacation Days

If you have them, use them. And if you need a mental health day, call in sick.

Re: Revealing yourself in front of colleagues It’s a...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:00:05 -0400

Re: Revealing yourself in front of colleagues

It’s a tricky thing to reveal a piece of your personal life to your colleagues. On the one hand, you spend more time with them than the people you actually choose for your life. On the other hand, it’s best to maintain a modicum of professionalism, so there is no need for them to know that you have outfits other than those with black trousers and you have no talents other than a professional phone voice. Keeping yourself a secret from others can make work safe and bearable.

There will be moments when your co-workers will merge into your personal life. And it is perfectly ok to accept some of them into your life. Use discretion. Keep them at arm’s length and your body parts well-clad, however, or you could be the talk of the water cooler on Monday morning.

Re: Making a Comeback There are many reasons for making a...

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:32:34 -0400

Re: Making a Comeback

There are many reasons for making a comeback, but there’s no hard and fast rule for how to make it back into the good graces at work. Be subtle, keep working, and eventually you will surprise your colleagues into submission. And they will love you just as much as they used to… once upon a time.

re: what went right Often, at the end of a large project, an...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:29:58 -0400

re: what went right

Often, at the end of a large project, an incredible feat, or an exhausting failure, people will sit around and talk about “what went wrong.” Room for improvement, or lessons learned, will always have its place, but one need not forget to write on the white board “what went right.” The proverbial pat on the back for means and methods that were successful, or the ways in which things fell into place seemingly out of the sky. The preparedness that worked.The to-do lists that were perfectly checked in a timely manner. All of these items took time and effort by your past selves; just remind your present self to send a thank you note once in a while.

re: sneaky trips away from your desk Be discrete. Of course...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:04:19 -0500

re: sneaky trips away from your desk

Be discrete. Of course there are days when sitting at your desk is miserable and you need a lap around the office or to the local coffee shop. Unfortunately, you make this a habit and your office neighbors will be suspicious of your behavior. (oh… and if you’re going to have sex in the bathroom, please do it at home)

Obviously, watching your officemates partake in the same routines is an intriguing way to pass the time. It’s best to avoid this kind of attention and avoid patterns. Just be careful not to get a restraining order from the neighboring cube.

re: non-traditional fonts and e-mail signatures Don’t do...

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:06:00 -0500

re: non-traditional fonts and e-mail signatures

Don’t do it.

While it’s rude, judgmental, and elitist to disrespect Comic Sans or Webdings, it’s best practice in the workplace to keep your fonts conformist and your e-mail signatures simple. Leave out the inspirational quotes and stick to company policy. If there’s no over-arching policy, here is a good guideline for ending your e-mails. [imagine Times New Roman 11 here]:

Human Name

Title

Company

Street Address

City, State Zip Code

Email Address

Phone Number

Fax Number*

Company Website

*if you work with people over 40 on a regular basis it’s best to include a fax number in lieu of “you’re an idiot just learn how to .pdf”

Re: being punctual There are events where being punctual is...

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:33:59 -0500

Re: being punctual

There are events where being punctual is mandatory, meals of course being the primary ones. At work, people love meetings and deadlines.

Meetings. As much as meetings appear unnecessary, it’s important to show some respect and arrive punctual and prepared. It’s a cheap investment in winning good favor.

Deadlines. These thrilling items give a certain adrenaline rush behind the keyboard and remind us why we procrastinate. It’s important to be punctual on deadlines, lest your lateness cause a ripple effect for other people and reveal your true disrespect for others’ existence.

Think of deadlines and meetings like you think of food. They’ll nourish your career even though sometimes you don’t feel the need to be on time for broccoli. Just be on time. It’s seriously not that hard.

Memo: It’s good to dream Many of your colleagues will tell...

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:54:17 -0500

Memo: It’s good to dream

Many of your colleagues will tell you at some point or another that it’s okay to stay where you are. That it’s perfectly acceptable to remain in the status quo. And for many people, it is okay; change is uncomfortable and comfort is usually filed in the “feels good” cabinet. But there will come a time when you realize that you are not at the right station in your life, and it may take a lot of effort and work to get somewhere else.

When you have a dream of going to another station in your life, accept it with open arms. Think about what will take you there and do those things. And by all means, don’t let anyone convince you that changing stations is not in your life’s itinerary. It might be really uncomfortable to admit that you have a dream, even to yourself, but maybe if you voice it with your own conviction, the right person will hear you. And that person might be the one with the ticket out of the station.