If you work from home, consider yourself extremely lucky. Working from home definitely has its advantages. For one thing, you can save a TON of money on gasoline and car expenses, plus you have more time to actively plan your work schedule around your life. However, while all of this may seem just peachy, you have to be careful to plan, plan, plan and be disciplined. Otherwise, your work-from-home dream can quickly turn into a work-from-home nightmare. The following are five tips to help you get the most out of your work from home experience:
- Cut out the distractions. When it’s time to work, it’s time to cut out any and all distractions that will prevent you from being able to focus. If you live with roommates or have a partner who also works from home but who keeps slightly different hours than you, then you may need to find some sort of a compromise (such as keeping the volume on the television low during certain hours). Being distracted means that it takes longer to get your work done, which means less time that you’ll be able to decompress doing something other than work that you enjoy.
- Be as consistent as possible. For some people, working from home is a dream come true because they feel that they will be able to get up at any time of the day or night and simply do their work. However, it is best to maintain some sort of a consistent routine because consistency helps you stay organized. Besides this, if something comes up at the last minute when you were planning on getting some work done, suddenly you are faced with a dilemma. Choose certain hours between which to get your work done and then try to stick to it.
- Respect boundaries. If you and your spouse both work from home, depending on how you are, you may need to have separate working areas. It is often tempting to run errands or find other ways to interact with your spouse such as watching television or taking a day trip somewhere, or even sitting down and joking around with one another. However, for every minute that you spend with your S.O., that’s one more minute that you aren’t getting your work done.
- Be accessible. Whether you work for yourself or for someone else, one major consideration is accessibility. Whether it is via email, skype, text message or a phone call, it is always a smart idea to stay as connected as possible with the outside world so that people can reach you in the event of a deadline, emergency or some other miscellaneous issue. This is also why it is a good idea to try to stick to a consistent schedule (see number 2).
- Get plenty of rest. Sure, getting out of that office environment may have been great, but in reality, most people who work from home actually end up putting even more work hours into their week than they ever did when they were in an office. Keeping that in mind, even though you may really want to get all 40+ hours of your work done in two days, don’t push it. Instead, force yourself to pull the plug when it nears the end of a regular business day. In addition to providing yourself with some QT for loved ones and other enjoyed activities, it also allows you plenty of time to wind down and relax for bed, ensuring that you get plenty of rest for the next day.
February 08 2010 | Time Management and Work Related | 2 Comments »
While there are still plenty of jobs that require people to get in their cars and sit through hours of traffic; today, there are more people working from home than ever. And while many of these people consider themselves to be extremely lucky, there are some who find that things can get out of hand pretty quickly if they aren’t careful. That being said, the following are some tips for working from home…successfully:
3 Tips for Working From Home
- Turn it Off- The last place that you should be doing work is in front of a television. Not only is this incredibly distracting, but it detracts from the amount of work you will actually accomplish. The same goes for cell phones and other possible noise makers. For example, when I am working from home, I usually turn my cell phone to ‘silent’ or off completely so that I’m not tempted to accept phone calls. This is especially true if I know that I have a major assignment that requires my utmost attention to detail.
- Change it Up-Some people get sort of antsy when they have to work from home. Therefore, it pays to switch it up every now and then. Sometimes working from a coffee shop or some other location can work wonders for your work ethic!
- Have a Plan- When you work from home, it is even more important to make sure that you stay organized. It only takes a matter of minutes to realize that you don’t remember where you put a file or that you had a deadline that has already passed. Additionally, creating a work schedule for yourself will help you to stay more disciplined and will allow you to plan your day more effectively.
November 24 2009 | Marketing | 1 Comment »
According to a recent article published in Yahoo News, the following is a list of 10 ways that you can increase the likelihood of being liked during a job interview. For the full article, please click here.
10 Ways to Be Liked in Your Job Interview [originally posted by Yahoo Hot Jobs]
- Don’t be a “smiley face.”Excessive smiling in a job interview is seen for what it is — nervousness and a lack of confidence.
- Don’t be a small-talker.Your job is to be knowledgeable about the company for which you’re interviewing.
- Don’t sweat.You can lose a job by wearing an undershirt or simply a little too much clothing. Sweaty palms or beads on your forehead will not impress.
- Don’t be a road block.Interviewers are seeking candidates eager to take on challenging projects and jobs. Hesitance and a nay-saying mentality will be as visible as a red tie — and seen as a negative.
- Don’t be petty.Asking the location of the lunchroom or meeting room will clue the interviewer into your lack of preparation and initiative. Prepare.
- Don’t be a liar.Studies show that employees lie frequently in the workplace. Lying won’t get you a job. In a job interview even a slight exaggeration is lying. Don’t.
- Don’t be a bad comedian.Humor tends to be very subjective, and while it may be tempting to lead your interview with a joke you’ve got to be careful about your material.
- Don’t be high-maintenance.Nobody hiring today is going to be looking for someone who’s going to be finicky about their workspace.
- Don’t be a time-waster.At every job interview, the prospective hire is given the chance to ask questions. Make yours intelligent, to the point, and watch the person across the desk for visual cues whether you’ve asked enough.
- Don’t be a switchblade. Normally the switchblade is thought of a backstabber, often taking credit for someone else’s work. In an interview setting, the switchblade can’t help but “trash talk” his former employer. If you make it seem like your former workplace was hell on Earth, it won’t bode well for the rest of the interview.
August 25 2009 | Marketing and Work Related | No Comments »
Having trouble finding a job these days? Join the club. However, more and more people are realizing the value of Twitter. It’s no longer just about 140 word character blurbs. In fact, Twitter may help you get a job. Here are some tips on how:
5 Things to Consider When Finding a Job on Twitter
- Revamp the Profile Appearance- If you still operate off of the original template that Twitter started you out with, shame on you! You’ll never attract any attention to yourself that way! There are some great (and free) backgrounds that you can find here.
- Join the Conversations- Twitter is all about tweeting your message to others, having them (hopefully) tweet back and then sharing that message with others. You should be constantly engaging yourself with others. The more you network and build up your online presence/reputation, the more people will notice you.
- Using the Search Option- Twitter has it’s own search option where you can type in key words for what you’re looking for. However, there is also something really cool called TwitterJobSearch, which is a search engine for twitter that was designed specifically for those out there who are seeking jobs. Try it out and see how it goes! Tweetmyjobs is also useful.
- Be Wary of Who You Follow- These days, most companies are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon. If you’re interested in applying or have recently applied for a position with a particular company, don’t be afraid to follow them or to even send them a useful message on Twitter. Also keep in mind that if you follow them, you’re probably going to want to hold off on the Tweets about when you last ate, brushed your teeth, etc…Also, you’ll want to follow people who you think will be most likely to follow you back, because let’s face it- no one thinks much of the person who is following 15,000 people but only has 3 following them back!
- Use the Hashtags (#) & Make Your Message Count! There are a ton of job recruiters on Twitter nowadays. Don’t be afraid to use your hashtags and represent your availability clearly when you tweet!
People You Should Be Following for Job-Related Stuff
For a more complete list of twitter jobs, Sarah Evans over at Mashable has a very nice list broken down into various categories. To see the list, click here 
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July 15 2009 | Motivation and Resources and Twitter | 1 Comment »
Craigslist has gained considerable notoriety over the years as being a great, free service that people can use to do things such as: find jobs, post jobs, sell goods, meet people as well as find out what activities are going on in the area. However, there are some pretty annoying things about Craigslist, which I have broken down as follows:
5 Pet Peeves About Craigslist
- Flagging- On Craigslist, you have the ability to “flag” someone’s post if you feel that it is either offensive or if it looks spammy. This is fine until someone flags something that you put, which was legit. I haven’t quite figured out if there is a way around the flagging situation so that you can appeal it.
- Scams-There is nothing more annoying than applying for a job only to realize that the job is a sham. In a lot of cases, the job posts will look legit until you receive a follow up email from the post indicating that it is really nothing more than some scam artist trying to make cash off of unsuspecting people.
- No Contact Info-Whether you are posting job information or are trying to sell an item, you need to remember to put ample contact information. In some cases, people will forget to even put an e-mail address, which leaves the other person who is looking at the ad with no way to get in touch with the host.
- Linking Out-This deals mostly with job applications on Craigslist. When you are applying for a job and are reading through a job posting, often times, companies will put a link in the job ad, directing you to go to their website and apply. However, many job applicants never make it to that step because it seems suspicious or requires more effort. As a note to employers who are looking to post information on Craigslist, it may be worth it to consider leaving that link out for the time being.
- Not Enough Info- When you are trying to sell something or are posting information about pretty much anything on Craigslist, you need to give people enough information to go off of. For example, if you are trying to sell a car, make sure that you include a picture and the specs of the vehicle. Additionally, make sure that you SPELLCHECK what you are posting. There is nothing more annoying than a post that is littered with spelling mistakes!
July 01 2009 | Blogging and Business Building and Marketing and Work Related | 1 Comment »
First people were getting Myspace fired, then they were getting Facebook fired…and then there was Twitter. There is no doubt that Twitter is the hottest thing in Social Media at the moment, the idea being that you spout out whatever is on your mind…which can sometimes get you in trouble or even fired. After all, you never know who is looking at your tweets!
140 Words or Less
Sure, there have been times when you may have been in the worst mood and didn’t even blink when you typed up your 140 character message to the rest of the twitterverse- or there may have been the time when, in your drunken stupor, you wrote something totally incoherent and moderately offensive, but now the tables have turned. As Twitter has quickly climbed the ranks to win the social media popularity contest, more employers are now well versed in the Twitter language and can “tweet” with the best of them. That being said, don’t think for a second that there’s no way your boss can find you on Twitter-or worse- that he/she can find out exactly what you think of your job and/or the people you work with. How do you think an employer would feel reading the following tweets?
5 Tweets Best Left Un-Tweeted
Sometimes you have to learn to keep your thoughts to yourself…or at least off of Twitter. The following is a brief list of the aforementioned:
- Boredom- Tweeting about how bored you are at work is not a good thing. Duh. If anything, it alerts your employer and makes him or her believe that you don’t have enough work to keep you busy. After all, what are they paying you for?!
- Anger- Things that are said in anger (especially regarding your job in today’s economic climate) are almost guaranteed to come back to bite you. If you’re feeling a little grumpy about work or your boss, write it in your journal-not on the Internet.
- Trash Talk- Remember that saying about how if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all? Riiight.
June 16 2009 | Work Related | No Comments »
We’ve heard about all of the things that potential employers look for out of applicants; but what about what applicants expect from their potential employers?
We’ve all been there: you’ve been searching through the classifieds on Craigslist, Monster or CareerBuilder but you haven’t quite found what you’re looking for regarding career opportunities. That being said, here are 5 things that job applicants look for from their future employers when sifting through job lists:
- Salary Information- As taboo as it may seem to some, increased numbers of job applicants want to make sure that they know what the bottom line is prior to applying. Too often you hear of people who apply for jobs where the salary information isn’t listed or seems kinda’ sketchy only to realize in the end that they wasted their time. One way of minimizing this is to do the research in the field that you are applying to, this way- even if the employer doesn’t list the salary, you’ll at least have an idea of what it should be.
- Contact Information- Finding the contact information for employers can sometimes seem like a rat race, especially if you’re applying to a job via the Internet. Employers will sometimes indicate that you should apply to a job in one place and then provide you with a cookie trail of links that should (in theory) lead you to the actual job application. However, many applicants will nix it half way through the process.
- Too Little Information- This is usually more of a problem if you’re looking at jobs through Craigslist or some other similar venue. An employer (for a legitimate company) should not have any issues with revealing who they are. For employers, it pays to provide as much detailed information about the company and job position, this way you’ll increase the liklihood of receiving applicants who are qualified.
Whether you’re an employer or a job applicant, providing information that is both applicable and accurate will help the job application process go much more smoothly- not to mention the fact that it will decrease the occurrence of people applying for jobs that they are overqualified for and vice versa!
June 01 2009 | General Business Issues | No Comments »
Due to the economy being in the dumps, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to even land interviews let alone jobs. However, for the few who are lucky enough to score an interview, now’s your time to shine- so don’t mess it up! As a potential job candidate, it’s normal (and ok) to be nervous about having to interview for a job. That being said, the following are some things to keep in mind while you’re interviewing:
10 Things to NEVER Say or Do During an Interview
- How much does the job pay? This is not an appropriate question to ask at the first interview. Typically, prior to interviewing, you should have looked up the job where they would have given some mention to the salary. If not, you should familiarize yourself with the industry to know what people in that position typically make.
- Do not use slang words. It should go without saying that you should be on your best verbal behaviour. No one appreciates hearing someone use slang because it makes them judge you as being less educated at times.
- What are the benefits/bonuses? It’s good to have confidence, but asking questions like these can make it seem like you are overly confident and sometimes selfish. Let them bring it up first before you discuss it.
- Do not use profane language. No one likes a ‘potty mouth’. Cursing proves nothing except that you have a limited vocabulary and can’t think of anything better to say…plus it sounds bad and makes you (again) look uneducated.
- Do not criticize or put down former employers or employment. Putting down anyone when they are not there to defend themselves is always bad. Not only is this bad, but it lets your current employer know that you will do the same thing to them.
- If asked about having weaknesses, respond with something other than ‘No’. The worst thing you could do when asked what your weakenesses are is to respond that you don’t have any. Not only does it make you look cocky; but it will also send of red flags to your employer that you are a liar.
- Do not divulge personal details about your life. Remind yourself that you are there as a professional who is attending an interview- not a session with your therapist. No one wants or particularly cares to hear about your life chapter by chapter. if any personal questions are asked, be as honest as you can but also as brief. Like oil and water, work and personal things shouldn’t really mix.
- Do not slouch. You could have the worst posture in the world, but your employer shouldn’t know this. Sit up straight and look attentive.
- Do not use stereotypes. We live in a society in which it is no longer ok to put people’s culture, race or other ethnic identities down. If you find that your employer is egging you on to do so, then perhaps you should re-think whether or not you want to work for such a person.
- Do not ‘not’ follow up afterwards. Always follow up with the interview afterwards. This can be in the form of a phone call or email simply thanking the employer for the opportunity to sit down and discuss your qualifications.
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April 08 2009 | General Business Issues and Work Related | No Comments »
