Career Corner
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What to Wear to a Job Interview
In most traditional white-collar industries, like finance or accounting, a professional business dress is appropriate. A conservative suit, meaning a solid color (navy, gray, black or brown) or a tiny pinstripe, is best. Add some interest to a solid color suit with a stripe or print shirt and scarf at the neck. If you choose a pin stripe suit, a solid color blouse and a scarf will work best. -
6 Tips on Effectively Dealing with Colleagues
Disagreements are OK. It may sound contradictory, but arguments between colleagues can actually be a sign that the relationship has a good foundation. Indifference to each other signifies a relationship that may not be healthy. Colleagues who care enough to disagree can still respect each other. Next time you find yourself in a war of words with your colleagues, don’t give up and walk away. Use the disagreement as a jumping-off point for coming to a resolution — and then shake and make up!
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New Year Opportunity
As the calendar sends out the message of a new year, we are reminded of the age old custom of adopting New Year resolutions. The best place to start is to look backward at last year's goals. What did I fail to do or to achieve in 2011 that I hoped for at or near the start of 2011? Is there any hope that I can change enough in 2012 to achieve the desired outcome?
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New Year’s Resolutions 2012
The end of the year brings a lot of holiday planning, parties and other get-togethers. It's really a good time to take a few minutes out from all the confusion and think about what has been accomplished during the past year. And more importantly to think about how we can improve our lives during the next year. Here are some questions to help you think about New Year's resolutions. -
New Year’s Resolutions Can Improve Your Career
The New Year gives us an opportunity to look backwards at what we have accomplished as a prelude to forming some goals for the New Year. What worked better for us in 2011? What did not meet our expectations? By answering these two questions you have an insight into your 2012 business resolutions. -
Office Gift Giving Tips and Etiquette
Before you fret about holiday gift giving, it's important to find out what your company's gift giving policy is. Also is there a price limit? If there is a policy, stick to it, price limit, etc. If you are giving gifts to everyone in your department, give something similar. If you are giving gifts to a few friends at work, exchange them in private. -
Holiday Office Parties
The office holiday party can be tricky business. Some tips to help make it work to your advantage. Introduce yourself to your organization's higher-ups and mingle with people from other departments. This is an opportunity to build business relationships and to promote yourself. Don't gossip or reveal too much personal information.
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Success is More Than Just Mental Ability
Many factors influence business success but one that is often overlooked or forgotten is physical fitness. While professional athletes have embraced fitness with a passion and dedication, the average younger executive is often “too busy” to fit in any conditioning. Just like the mind, the body needs to be challenged and pushed. Here are several advantages of adopting a regular physical fitness plan. -
Time to Revisit Your Business and / or Personal Plan
As the year is now 2/3 over and will be 75% finished by the end of September, it’s planning season for many companies. Some may be just starting while others are almost finished. The basis for 2012’s plan is or should be strongly influenced by 2011’s plan and results. Revisiting the planning assumptions, the strategies agreed to, actions planned and budgets allocated should be the starting point. -
“Can Do” Is an Attribute of Successful People
Shortly after graduating from college, I attended the US Navy supply Corps School. While we were taught all the mechanics of what a supply officer on the ship has to do, the most important instruction had to do with our attitude on board the ship. It was impressed upon us that we must find a way to do what ever the captain wanted as long as it was legal. This was driven into us during the whole six months of the school and can be summarized as a positive, “can-do attitude”.