How to Easily Earn More Respect at Work - The Muse

How to Easily Earn More Respect at Work - The MuseHow to Easily Earn More Respect at Work Sure, we may not love our co-workers, and sure, they may not love us- but that doesnt mean that we dont want to earn their respect. Having it not only helps us get ahead in our careers (a.k.a., people think of you when opportunities pop up), but also helps us be more productive every day. Because truth talk When no one respects you, its hard to convince people to back your idea, or pitch in on a project, or even listen to you in meetings.So, how do you command respect in the office? Its actually easy to do if you practice these five key habits.1. Validate Others OpinionsIn the same way you want someone to back you up when youre proud of an idea, people will respect you if you stand up for them when they share their own thoughts- especially when no one else speaks up. In fact, this is exactly how women in the White House prevented each other from being interrupted during President Obamas presiden cy. If someones point went ignored, they repeated it and credited it to the original thinker.You can easily copy this trick- its as simple as saying I actually like Jerrys idea, and its pretty feasible- all wed have to do is XYZ.2. Help Out When You CanOK, a little obvious, but being a gruppe player is an instant hit with most people. So, if you see someone struggling, offer to help them out. If you notice an assignment lagging behind its deadline (even if its on a different team), ask if theres anything you can do. If others are staying late while youre heading out right at 6 PM, stick around for a bit and ask if anyone needs assistance. Even if you get turned down, youll still be remembered as someone your co-workers can count on. 3. Speak With Confidence, Not CockinessPeople who command respect stand by their beliefs- not because theyre always right, but because they believe in doing the best for the company. They dont dismiss other peoples opinions (in fact, they welcome opposin g views), but when they know the best solution for everyone, theyre not afraid to state it- and state it with confidence.But that doesnt mean they brag when everything goes well. Rather than boast about their success and shine the spotlight back on themselves, they use what they learned to further improve their teams efforts.4. Avoid ComplainingNobody likes a whiner, especially in a professional setting. Dont protest when things dont go your way, or your boss is demanding a lot from you, or youre assigned an especially difficult project. Perservering shows that youre up for challenges and wont give up when when things get hard.Thats not to say you cant voice feedback or offer up honesty when the situation merits it, but rather that you should understand when youre bringing up a valid concern or just venting. 5. Do Your Job (Well)Finally, the easiest trick in the book- do your job, and do it well. Work hard, meet deadlines, be an open communicator, go beyond your job description ever y once in a while, and theres no reason people wont admire you and what you do for the company.If youre already doing all of these and still cant get people to respect you. Well, you just may be guilty of these seven common mistakes. But assuming thats not the case, you can abflug putting these into practice right away and changing everyones image of you for the better.

creative resumes, and how long employers take to respond

creative resumes, and how long employers take to respond creative resumes, and how long employers take to respond A reader writesI would like to inquire on how long an employer will usually take to reply to an expression of interest in a job. I am a 16 year old student that has schmelzglased several different employers with my resume and cover letter and have only received an instant reply from one. A few were advertised positions and the rest were general inquiries on my part. I admit it has been less than a week since I have sent them but considering I received a reply from one within a few hours, I am rather anxious and frustrated to hear from the rest too (I have refreshed my email around 20 times today, I kid you not).I understand that the job market at the moment isnt particularly keen on employing less experienced teenagers but ayaly the lower pay rate attracts them? Im also unsure whether my resume is a turn-off because I made a much more creative one that still clearly deliv ers the facts and figures, but is presented with color and more flair. Also the jobs I am applying for are cafes, juice bars and fashion stores. And no doubt my lack of real retail experience (I only have volunteer work) disadvantages me. Any words of wisdom you may offer?Okay, clearly I have to drop my preconceived notions about teenagers not reading career blogs, because you are the second 16-year-old in three weeks to write to me. It still surprises and impresses me though.It can take some employers quite a long time to respond to applications. A week is definitely nothing some take a month or even more. I tend to be pretty fast and often respond within a few days, but even I wouldnt feel ashamed of myself if it took me, say, two weeks. And lots of employers really do take a lot longer. In some cases, this may be because theyre disorganized, but generally its just because they have lots of other stuff going on that they have to deal with first. So stop obsessively checking your email.As for creative resumes, in certain fields if theyre well-done, they can be a plus. Im sure there are some HR people or hiring managers out there who consider them a deal-breaker because they want you to do things the traditional way, but in general I suspect most people feel like I do, which is this The most important thing about your resume design is that I need to be able to read it clearly, without straining, and I want to be able to quickly scan it and get the highlights. Creativity, while a nice trait, doesnt trump those requirements, so make sure whatever format you use works in those ways.As for more general teenager job-searching advice, Im going to refer you to the comments section of the last post from a teenager people offered up really helpful advice, so read through that and see if its useful.

How to Deal With a Negative Co-worker - The Muse

How to Deal With a Negative Co-worker - The MuseHow to Deal With a Negative Co-worker If your co-worker complains one more time, youre going to lose it. You used to enjoy his little hellos to your work space, but now youve come to dread it when he stops by. You used to respect him, but now you just want to avoid him.Whats changed? All he does is complain. And that brings you to this article- figuring out how to get it to stop. 1. Ask if They Want to Vent or if They Want Advice.This is a simple step that so many people skip when theyre on the receiving end of drama. And because of that, miscommunications happen. Think Dan keeps coming to me for advice on dealing with his boss, but never does what I say or My sister wont stop complaining about herbei boyfriends cleaning habits and didnt seem to appreciate that article I sent her on the topic.If They Want to VentTruth Sometimes people just want or need to vent. Thats OK and if you know that, you have two options to listen or to say, I h ear you, however, youve been venting a lot lately and I always leave our conversations feeling a little down. I think I need a vent-free week, is that OK?Of course, this is hard to say, especially to someone you truly like. But if you were the rolle being a drain on your friend, youd want to know, right?If They Want AdviceOffer it if you have it. If not, refer them to resources, such as an article, your HR department, or a career coach. If you feel its deep-seated or theyre not wanting to work on a solution, mention the help that a trained professional can provide. Its also fine to say, Thats a really complicated situation youre in and I dont know what Id do. Whenever Im in a tricky spot, I reach out to my mentor. If youd like, I can see if hed be able to chat.2. Help Them Frame the IssueWorkplaces are made up of people, and we know that theres nothing predictable about human beings interacting with each other. Your co-worker may benefit from a different perspective. Summarizing it for them- I see your situation like this, and if I had to resolve it, Id probably work it through this way your sage advice here. What do you think of this approach?- helps to push the conversation forward. Which leads me to...3. Strongly Encourage Them to Create Actionable Next StepsIf you keep hearing about the same issue over and over again, try asking this simple question What steps are you taking to address this? If They Have an AnswerOffer encouragement Tell them theyre doing the right thing and that you respect them for taking the mature (or professional or proactive) approach. If They Say, NothingAssuming they answered, advice please to the question above, give it. (Or recommend where they can get it.)Following these three steps should help this co-worker realize the toll their complainings taking on you and either stop using you for vents or be more proactive. But if it doesnt, disengage as much as possible. Reclaim your time and your self worth by recognizing the damage th is is doing to you and find ways to avoid these interactions. That can range from being busy with your work when the persons in the vicinity, to asking your manager for advice, to avoiding situations in which you know hell be present. You owe it to yourself to create a positive workspace in which you can thrive.