Workforce1 Career Blog

Via @mashable​:

There are many reasons someone might be hesitant to speak up in meetings – fear of public speaking, being afraid of rejection or even worrying about the ramifications of disagreeing with your boss.

These are real challenges that shouldn’t be dismissed offhand. However, it’s a mistake to view them as obstacles you can’t overcome, because sharing your ideas is a critical component to advancement.

Consider how much emphasis is placed on personal branding and visibility when you’re looking for a job. You update your social profiles, you get yourself out there and network, and maybe you even set up a personal website or begin routinely posting your thoughts on LinkedIn. You go out of your way to demonstrate that you’re someone who’ll bring a unique perspective to the company.

But once you’re gainfully employed, you go along to get along, thinking your boss will appreciate your agreeability. But the employees who stand out to managers are the ones who share what they’re thinking so their boss knows what they’re truly capable of.

So, with that in mind, here are two common reasons people don’t speak up at work (and how to overcome them) »

Via 99u:

In a recent blog post, venture capitalist Fred Wilson talked about his ongoing struggle with e-mail management and the various solutions he’s tried, concluding: “Every time I make a productivity gain, the volume eventually overwhelms me.” It’s a familiar problem. We’re all extremely busy, and we all get too much e-mail. So what to do?

It’s time for a more mindful approach, one that fully embraces a “less is more” strategy. To help you get started, we’ve assembled a cheat sheet of our e-mail best practices. And, trust us, it’s not just about being more polite, it’s about being more efficient and getting the responses you need.

Read more »

Via @mashable​:

According to Statista.com, 87% of LinkedIn users have over 101 connections, and one-quarter of all users have between 500 and 999 connections.

That may seem like plenty of people to have in your network. But connecting online means all kinds of caveats, such as accepting requests from strangers. Moreover, even if you knew all 100, or 500, or even 900 people at one point, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to stay in touch with everyone.

It’s more realistic to think about the general types of people you need in your network and then remain in contact with a few in each group: some people on your holiday card list, some you see at industry events, some you go to for advice. Then accept that the rest, one year grew to two years and two years grew to five (or more).

But now, suddenly, that person you knew way back when is relevant. Maybe a classmate you haven’t seen since graduation works at your dream company. Maybe your first boss is the best person to ask about a work dilemma or possibly, someone you interned with is your only contact in a new city. You can (and should) reach out to these old connections — rather than start from scratch — just go about it the right way.

Here are some tips to keep in mind »

Via @dailymuseblog​ / @mashable​:

You know how it goes. You begin the e-mail to your boss, colleague, client, or HR director with a proper greeting. You cross your Ts and dot your Is, and you conclude the message with a formal signature such as “Best” or “Sincerely.”

The e-mail recipient responds with the same formality, addressing you in a standard greeting, and then writing out a couple of grammatically sound paragraphs before wrapping up the note with a similar signature; maybe it’s “Regards,” or the more casual, “Cheers.”

Since that message requires a response from you, you continue to play along with what you think is the professional way – typing out the full greeting (again), composing the body of the message, and then concluding with “All the best, [Your Name].” You continue to do this after multiple back and forths even though it eventually seems totally pointless and even a little bit awkward.

Unless you work in a super stiff corporate office, where even exclamation points are frowned upon, you’ve got to get good with ditching the formal speak, particularly if communicating with your boss or colleagues throughout the workday is a frequent occurrence.

As soon as it feels natural to scrap the “Hello, [Name of Person]” pleasantries and the redundant “Thanks, [Your Name]” goodbyes, do it. To help you actually feel OK about doing this (and not like an etiquette monster), I’ve come up with a few guidelines »

Many New Yorkers qualify to file their taxes for free. Do you?

If you earned $62,000 or less in 2015, you may qualify for FREE TAX PREP services, including online filing and in-person filing with an IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparer.

Via Uncubed:

It's not uncommon for job-seekers to put their social media on lockdown — expecting to be researched by recruiters. But it turns out, if you're applying to a company like BuzzFeed, recruiters don't care if they're going to see photos of you in a bar on your Facebook.

Via @mashable​:

Mashable's latest #BizChats Twitter chat, discussed how job seekers can find excitement in the job searching process again and set their sights on finding a job they truly enjoy.

Over the course of an hour, @MashBusiness covered an array of topics ranging from the questions you should ask yourself when searching for your dream job to clever ways applicants can get their foot in the door at companies where they have no pre-established relationship.

Several career experts joined, including: Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume; Hannah Morgan, job search strategist and founder of Career Sherpa; Joshua Waldman author and CEO of Career Enlightenment; J.T. O'Donnell, CEO and founder of Careerealism.com; Vicki Salemi career expert for Monster; and William Arruda, personal branding expert, motivational speaker and bestselling author.

Via @socialmediaweek:

Many of us work more productively working from home, as opposed to working in an office environment. On Twitter, I see many people complaining about working from home, or writing blog posts about “How To Keep Your Sanity” when you work from home, but personally, I don’t agree with those. I find that my gratitude for never having to battle traffic, having no stress that perhaps I’m not home and my dog needs to go out or there are dishes waiting for me in the sink outweigh any negatives. That does not mean it is without its challenges.

It takes a lot of self-discipline to successfully work from home, and it is an ongoing process to continually find the best ways to be the most successful. What works for me may not work for you.

Here are 8 tips I hope will help make you more productive when working from home »

Via @mashable​:

Grief at the workplace can be uncomfortable. Conversations with coworkers tend to revolve around work and deadlines with a sprinkling of bon mots and light musings; suddenly it’s time to acknowledge a colleague’s deeply personal grief.

It’s challenging to know where the professional persona ends and the humanity begins when a coworker has lost a loved one.

Here's the first thing to know: there is no one way to grieve, and no best way to talk about it. It depends on empathy and respect for another person's emotional state, going far deeper than the usual work conversation.

Read more »

Via @dailymuseblog:

Via @quartz:

Mark Twain once observed, “We ought never to do wrong when people are looking.” These days, a lot more people are looking. That means, for better or worse, we now occupy a world in which everything we say or do — online and off, in the office or at the bar — may affect our job security.

Via @theladders:

Making a complete career change is very difficult — perhaps, that's the reason many choose to stick to what they know, instead of finding a career that is more fulfilling or financially stable. While it has its challenges, it is not impossible to switch careers. There are several reasons you might be considering changing careers after already establishing yourself in one industry. Perhaps your dream career was always in another field, and you finally decided to pursue it. Or your current industry is waning, and you want to find an income that is more reliable and stable. Maybe you simply decided that you don't like your job and want to see what other options are out there. Whatever you chose to do, you will most likely need to revamp your résumé. This can be hard when all of your previous experience is focused on another, different field. But once again, it is not impossible.