Which Type of Office Worker are You

Which Type of Office Worker are You Every office has a wide range of personalities working in it. Which category  do you fall into? 1)  Brown-noser: Every office has one of these. These shameless sycophants suck up to management in the hope of promotion.  Have you ever commented on your boss’ appearance or do you stick your head round their office door each afternoon and offer to get them lunch? If you have then you definitely fall into the brown nose category and you should start to think very carefully about your behaviour. Not only will this alienate your colleagues, more often than not management can see right through it.  Trying to get a promotion through brown nosing rather than hard work is, to all intents and purposes cheating, and remember, cheats never prosper! 2)  Lazy Git: Nothing annoys office workers more than having someone in their team who doesn’t pull their weight.  Whether it is not doing their fair share of the work or relying on others to carry them through, lazy gits are generally more preoccupied about checking their Facebook than the task in hand. If you have developed ways which waste time but make you look busy, such as tidying your inbox or organising your desk, then you probably fall into this category. 3) Stress Pot: Stress pots are highly volatile people. From the moment they wake up until they go to bed they are worrying about something. For them, the tiniest set back can mean the end of the world as they know it and result in a nuclear explosion emanating from their desk. It is fairly easy to spot if you are seen as the office powder keg. If you would describe yourself as a ‘control freak’ then alarm bells should start to ring now. Whilst you may see yourself as obsessed with the detail, others will see you as a ticking time bomb ready to blow up in their face over the smallest error. 4)  Mug: You couldn’t do me a huge favour could you? If you are confronted with this question on a regular basis, then I’m afraid you are the office mug. Every office has a mug â€" someone who will always say yes to any task you give them regardless of the job, tasks which are often mind numbingly boring such as photocopying, binding reports etc. Inevitably, there is a fine line between giving your fellow colleagues a hand and being used. Many mugs delude themselves by thinking that they are just being helpful or that their assistance will be reciprocated, but they are wrong. When you are doing someone else’s work you are not doing your own and this has a direct impact on both yours and your team’s productivity. In business the ability to say no is just as important as the ability to say yes. 5)  Skiver: Is there someone in your office who pulls just one to many ‘sickies’ for it to be believable? If yes then you have a skiver in your midst. Skivers are arguably worse than lazy gits as at least the latter bother to turn up for work, however both are weak links in the office chain and their behaviour needs to be nipped in the bud. How do you know if you fall into this category? Well, ask yourself how many times you have passed a hangover off as flu if the answer is more than once then you are a skiver. 6)  Chatterbox: If you would describe yourself as having a bubbly personality who gets on with everybody and enjoys a good gossip, then you are quite possibly the office chatterbox. There is nothing wrong with chatting about what was on TV last night or if the right person got kicked off X-Factor, but don’t let it happen to the detriment of yours and your colleague’s productivity. Everyone enjoys a good natter but every now and again people would actually like to get some work done. Understand when the conversation has ended and shut up. 7)  Credit Hogger: Credit hogging can take many forms. These range from not congratulating a colleague for a good idea all the way to passing off someone’s idea as your own. Hogging the credit for a successful task will win you no friends in the office, and I’m afraid to say middle management is often guilty of this. Remember a workplace is a team, and for a team to work successfully praise needs to be distributed evenly. Credit hoggers are greedy and will come to regret it the next time they ask their colleagues for help. 8)  Worker Bee: You are the first to arrive at work and the last to leave. You eat lunch at your desk and have so few toilet breaks people think your bladder is made of stone.  Conversation between colleagues is limited strictly to business and going for a drink after work is completely off the cards. Routine is everything for the worker bee their day is planned to the minute and there is very little room for anything else. Perhaps due to their reputation for being unspeakable dull, worker bee’s never feel fully part of the office team and as such can be seen as an outsider. 9) Joker: Humour is essential for any office environment. If you can’t have a laugh with your colleagues then office moral is seriously affected. However, when it comes to humour it is essential to know the lines not to cross and more importantly when to stop. The office joker is someone who is oblivious to these points. Do you always feel the need to be funny? Do you equate making people laugh with them liking you? If so, you are in danger of becoming the office joker. You try and turn everything into a joke even when it is not funny. If this sounds like you then be very careful because one day you may say something that could backfire on you badly and land you out of a job. 10)  Machiavelli: Has your ambition to succeed made you ruthless? Are you prepared to leave bodies in your wake to achieve success? If so then you are a Machiavellian. The Machiavellian is extremely cunning, they know where they want to get and will stop at nothing to achieve this. There is nothing wrong with ambition, for some it’s what gets them out of bed in the morning and what motivates them to work hard, however, this determination can turn to ruthlessness. They will tend to be very quiet about their ambitions however, their aim will ultimately be to build people up for a fall, then stand back and wait to take their place. To those Machiavellis out there remember this: “He who wields the dagger never wears the crown.” Author:  Michael Davies from LondonOffices.com

Tips To Dressing For Success For Women In Business

Tips To Dressing For Success For Women In Business Competing in the business world as a woman is a particular type of challenge.   Knowing how to present a strong and fruitful image is important.   As a woman, sexism is an almost automatic hurdle to conquer in business.   It is beneficial to understand how to dress for success without drowning in compromise.   Personality is beautiful, and business does not have to stifle such independence. Learn a new form of business presentation, and begin the journey to the top.   Here are a few quick tips for setting the office standard and dressing to impress. Resist the urge to show off. For women in high retail sales, wearing the brand being sold might seem like the right move.   Resist the urge.   Instead, dress in attire that does not upstage the product and choose distinct clothing samples for customers to browse. It is more important to make an impression with a knowledgeable business sense than it is to be remembered for flashy clothing.   Drawing too much attention to an outfit can damage the professional image.   A sound business sense is far more efficient than sheer tops and fancy high heels. When in doubt, stick to the basics. When suitable attire is questionable in a situation, stick to the basics.   Just as men typically stick to the traditional suit and tie combination, women can safely stick to the basic blouse, jacket, and pants combo.   Standard business attire presents a professional and polished look with little excitement. Though the standard business look does not leave room for much creativity, it shows respect for the professional process.   Prospective employers will also appreciate the clean cut image. Dress for the job you desire, not the job that hired. Dress to express the drive and ability to reach professional goals.   If the job offered is the lowest position, dress like a CEO.   The old saying, “Fake it ‘til you make it” projects a simple truth.   Be promotion-ready from the very first day on the job.   Confidence goes a long way in the world of business.   Just make sure the knowledge and drive are there to support the confidence. Shop strategically and fill in the gaps. A new career is a new beginning.   Wardrobe is important.   Take a thorough inventory of the closet, and fill in the gaps.   Shoes, blouses, pants, jackets, and accessories should all work together to build the most efficient professional clothing collection. It is worth the investment to spend a little bit of money building a varied professional wardrobe. Be sure to include some color and account for seasonal changes in style.   Also, avoid wearing the same outfit more than once a week.   Build diversity and be a star in every workplace. . Image credits. Main.  Success.

How Can Startup Businesses Attract the Top Employees [STUDY]

How Can Startup Businesses Attract the Top Employees [STUDY] Though large corporate companies may be able to offer fancy perks and a higher starting salary, a large number of graduates are opting to begin their career in a startup and feel that they will build more valuable experience in a smaller company. A  startup can often offer graduates the freedom to have more flexibility and responsibility within the business; as due to the size of the company, it often means that employees have the opportunity to experience lots of different areas of the business. They may also have a lot more influence in the workplace, than if they were to take a junior role in a  large global firm. So how exactly can a startup compete with bigger companies to win over the best talent? Universum have released their latest findings in their Talent Insights series, pin pointing what graduates want to gain from starting a startup and how employers can attract the top employees. What are the top career goals that graduates would like to achieve when joining a startup? Of the business and engineering graduates who want to join a startup, the top career priority among them is being entrepreneurial or creative/ innovative  in a job (55% for business and 49% for engineering). In second place is work-life balance (50% for business and 48%  for engineering), followed by job security/stability (35% for business and  33%  for engineering). A previous survey found that graduates looking to join the tech industry rated being a technical or functional expert highly in their career goals; however those hoping to join a startup to not consider this particularly important. Those who are interested in working for a startup rate autonomy much higher than those seeking employment in the tech industry in general. What qualities do graduates look for in a startup employer? Among all of those surveyed, the most attractive factor when considering a role at a startup is the opportunity for professional training and development (41% of business students and 39% of engineering students.) They also prioritise innovation and the attractiveness of an employers’ product/service lines when looking for a new job. Working for an inspirational manager is more important to them than market success . These individuals are keen to become leaders themselves one day and are confident in their leadership abilities (44% of business students consider leadership as their top priority). Business students rate future earnings as one of the most important elements of their career (42% ). Where can employers at startups find graduates? Companies should focus on social media, their company website and career fairs when on the hunt for fresh talent. Recruiters shouldnt just focus on traditional social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn, but also embrace alternative visual networks such as Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube or even Snapchat. Attempting to reach graduates via post  or webinars is ineffective and recruiters are better off contacting graduates online.   How can employers attract graduates? Create a happy combination of work-life balance and job security. Allow them to be entrepreneurial, creative and innovative. Do not punish them if at first they do not succeed. Emphasise the training programmes on offer and the opportunity for professional development within the company. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

7 Steps to Reclaiming Your Voice and Saying What You Want. -

7 Steps to Reclaiming Your Voice and Saying What You Want. - In China, it is seen as a good thing for a female to appear shy, modest, and subtle in how you communicate. The way I would normally say ‘hello’ was I would look and smile â€" and never actually say ‘hello’. When I moved to Australia, I soon realised that a lot of people thought it was creepy to stare at someone and smile â€" they didn’t know how to respond!” shares Huan. Realising that connecting is more than just knowing the language, she began exploring what it takes to really be seen and heard â€" no matter where you are or who you are with. Dr Xu now travels the world sharing tools for ease-filled communication in her Right Voice for You classes, showing it’s possible to express our voice, whatever our learned or natural communication differences.   Huan says, “We all have these places where we feel silenced, muted or invisible, where we don’t have ease just expressing ourselves authentically. The key thing is to   first rediscover you and your voice and enjoy expressing it.”     Here are my seven steps to reclaiming your voice and saying what you want. Drop your learned standards and judgments From day one, our families, schools, cultures and peers impose expectations of how we should present ourselves to the world. How many judgments about the right ways to communicate and express your voice have you picked up from other people? Take a closer look at the beliefs you have formed in this area â€" are they true for you?   Much of what we learn has nothing to do with what is right for us. If we question them, we can begin letting old standards go and gain freedom to choose how we would like to be. Be present   True communication isn’t about talking, it’s more about being present. We often develop ways to “check out” from being present with those around us. Do you have avoidance tactics or habits â€" like staying silent or invisible, interrupting or talking over rather than listening, or being distracted by self-conscious thoughts or feelings â€" that prevent you from being truly present with others?   Start catching the thoughts, feelings and habits that stop you being present and ask, “What would it take to relax and be present here?” Have childlike wonder Trying to get communication “right” makes it a significant and serious business! Instead, what if we can enjoy just being curious when engaging with the world around you, rather than trying to do it the “right” way? Rediscovering that wonder is a major key in having more ease with connecting with others authentically. Rather than have any agenda, what if you could approach all communication with a simple interest in learning and knowing more about someone or something? Don’t forget your body!   When we get nervous, anxious or uncomfortable, we can become quickly disconnected and stuck in our heads, forgetting we even have a body! Reconnect with your body, feel your feet on the floor. Notice your environment, allow your attention to expand to every corner of the room. When you stay connected to your body and environment, the stuff going on in your mind becomes less substantial and impactful and you can become more relaxed and present.   Be vulnerable Vulnerability is the absence of judgment or resistance. It is highly attractive and can have profound impact on our ability to connect and communicate with others. When we sense people judging and resisting us in a conversation, we tend to put up barriers or want to push back, which creates more disconnect. With vulnerability, you have no wall to push against, so judgments and barriers from others tend to dissipate very quickly. Be aware of what others can hear Ever decided someone “needs to hear this”, and then when you talk, it isn’t well received? Or maybe you avoid speaking up for fear of rejection or pushback. A different way to approach this is to ask, “What can this person hear? What can they receive from me at this moment?” before you speak. This makes you more aware of that person, their energy, their micro expressions, and what they are open to hearing, rather than trying to force anything. Have Fun!     Imagine that instead of worries, anxieties, anticipations about conversations, we had the attitude of, “How much fun can we have and what can we create together?” Engaging with others should be fun, not a hurdle or difficulty! When we enjoy ourselves, enjoy expressing ourselves and invite other people to engage with us, that is where the fun can really begin.   How much more fun can you have if you were willing to enjoy expressing yourself and invite others along with you, without worrying what others may think? This guest post was authored by Dr Huan Xu Dr Huan Xu has acquired many titles in her career â€" scientist, dentist, entrepreneur, mother, wife, and coach. Curious about both human bodies and minds and studying everything from biomedical science to meditation, yoga and intuitive healing, Dr Xu now travels the globe sharing the tools of Right Voice For You, a specialty program of Access Consciousness, empowering people to discover their unique capacities and have the life they truly desire. Find out more about Huan at www.huanxu.com.au

How to Build a Career while Working a Seasonal or Temporary Job

How to Build a Career while Working a Seasonal or Temporary Job Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comSeasonal work is something that many people do on a temporary basis. They might do it while traveling, as students, or during periods when they can’t find other work.However, for other people, it can become more of a long term thing. They might want to take seasonal jobs but try to build their career too. This can be tough when a contract might only last you six months. How can you progress if you have to keep changing your job?Luckily, seasonal workers, temporary employees, and contractors have a lot of flexibility. You can still grow your experience climb the career ladder.1. Be Willing to Go Where the Work IsevalThe first rule of working temporary jobs is to go where the work is. If you take seasonal jobs, this can mean traveling the world. For example, you might spend half the year in the Northern Hemisphere and half below the equator. There might be places where you can find work all year.However, if you can travel, you can probably go to the locati ons where there is more work available. More work means more choice. So you can find positions with higher pay or training opportunities.Another important thing to remember is to save your money while you’re working for the times when you’re not.2. Spend Your Downtime Developing SkillsYou won’t always work every day of the year. You could have a couple of months when you’re waiting for the working season to start somewhere. During this time, you can find ways to develop your skills. You could be working on many different skills that could be beneficial to you. You could even consider expanding your expertise.For example, perhaps in the summer, you’re a watersports instructor, but you’re also a keen skier. You could consider looking into ski instructor courses so that you could teach skiing in the winter and watersports in the summer.3. Take on Responsibility While WorkingYou’ve been doing the same sort of thing for a couple of years now, and you want to progress. Your next job could be further up the career ladder if you can show you have experience. To get it, you’re going to have to take more responsibility in your current job.Sometimes this will happen naturally, and your superiors will start asking you to do things. However, you might have to ask if you can help out more or perhaps shadow someone else.4. Set Up Your Own BusinessevalThe ultimate way to make a career for yourself in seasonal work is to take complete control. Instead of taking temporary jobs from other companies, you could create your own. This could involve a number of different things.For example, you could become a private instructor in the sport you teach. If you work on cruise ships, perhaps you could get the money together for a small yacht you can hire out. A summer camp worker could think about creating their own camp.Working in temporary jobs doesn’t have to stop you building a career for yourself. You just have to get creative and make a plan.