Category: Career Advice

Umm… So… Mmhmmm In this earlier post, “Words and Phrases Smart People Never Use in Conversation,” we explained why filler words like these can make you sound less intelligent than you really are. But hold on a second (well, 200 milliseconds, to be exact). According to N.J. Enfield, a professor of linguistics at the University…

The language you use at work can inspire, inform, persuade and instill trust – or make you sound utterly clueless. Which side of the communication fence do you stand on? The truth is, all of us are occasionally undisciplined in our word choices. But if you’re habitually using any of the following words or phrases,…

Email. Whether you love it or abhor it, two things are true: It’s an indispensable part of business. And it isn’t going by the wayside anytime soon. Yet, as ubiquitous a form of communication email is, many professionals are bad at using it – sending dense blocks of text, spamming inboxes with unnecessary “Reply All”…

Amateur or professional? Regardless of industry, functional discipline or role, most of us prefer to be thought of as the latter. But what, exactly, sets true professionals apart – and how can you make that transformative leap from “wannabe” to “the real deal”? The first step is to understand these stark differences between amateurs and…

The way you interact with a waitress. Your shoes. Using conversational crutches like “so” or “anyway.” What do little things like these tell the world about you? A lot, apparently! Right or wrong, our brains are hardwired to make sense out of situations. As a result, we make all kinds of snap judgments about strangers…

How long do you have to make a first impression? One day One hour One minute It’s a trick question. The real answer? You have only a few seconds! Here’s why: When we meet new people, research shows that our brains quickly latch onto assumptions based on the recognizable patterns in their appearance and behavior.…

You know that employee who’s zoned out? He may hold the key to greater productivity for your organization. Conventional wisdom dictates that managers should keep employees “focused” and “on-task” to maximize productivity. But recent research has shown that occasionally allowing employees to space out, goof off and daydream can actually benefit your business. Yep, we…

Looking for your next job? Want to move ahead in your career? Then you better be careful what you Tweet. Need convincing? 93% of recruiters check candidates’ social media accounts pre-interview.1 43% of employers said they found something on social media that made them “deep-six” a candidate.2 Search the internet. You’ll find hundreds of nationally…

Dreading that job fair? We get it. A job fair is uncomfortable, stressful and a lot of hard work. But if you leverage it correctly, a career fair can help you broaden your network and may even lead to job interviews. So don’t dread that job fair; embrace it – and prepare to succeed. Before…

10,000 hours? That’s nearly five years of work! Few of us have that much time to devote to mastering a new skill. Still, continuing to educate yourself is essential to advancing your career and staying relevant. No matter what industry you’re in, technology is rapidly evolving. The rate of change is increasing. The value of…