Setting Boundaries for Success: The Power of Saying “No” (pt. 1 of 2)
We’ve heard all about the power of saying “yes” in growing your career. Say yes to well-considered risks. Say yes to taking on more responsibility. Say yes to speaking engagements. Say yes to mentoring. Say yes to volunteering. Say yes to joining organizations and...
Timeless Advice to Bridge the Newest Generation Gap at the Office
“There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age -- I missed it coming and going.” ~ J.B. Priestly Much has been made in the press about the difficulty employers are finding with new hires from the generation known...
Cell Phone Etiquette for Salespeople: Remember, Professionalism Always Is Paramount
What separates an outstanding salesperson from one who isn’t so good? I’d have to say attention to detail, good customer service, a good bedside manner, and excellent business etiquette are some of the keys to success. It really doesn't matter what you're selling --...
Job Interview Tips: Questions About Learning from Mistakes
If you’ve done a lot of interviewing, you’ve likely already run across questions about your personality and character that are quite hard to answer. They are questions asked to tell the interviewer “inside information” about you, as opposed to the external information...
Business Blunders: Avoid the 5 Promotion Assassins
This might sound like a no brainer, but if you want to get to that dream job with the corner office and the other perks, you need to become the best you can possibly be at the job you currently hold. I’m not just talking about the actual skills needed to do your job,...
What Business Casual Means — and Doesn’t Mean (part 1 of 2)
T-Shirts, Sandals & Tanks … Oh My! Is it just me, or does summertime feel more relaxed and more casual than the rest of the year? It makes perfect sense. After all, conducting business lunches on some restaurant’s outdoor deck is definitely more relaxing...
Business Blunders: Can You Shoot Yourself in the Foot With a Handshake?
The answer to the question posed in the title is, in a word, YES! So, in honor of National Handshake Day on June 27 (although slightly belatedly), I’d like to warn everyone about the Ten Nightmarish Handshakes to Avoid. And when I say avoid, I’m talking about avoiding...
The Power of a Handshake in Business Introductions & Lasting Impressions
Did you know that the last Thursday in June is National Handshake Day, according to Chase’s Calendar of Events? OK. It’s probably not as much fun as Christmas, but here's why you should care... A 2008 study by the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business...
Soft Skills Bring Hard Results
A young friend was talking to me about changing her job to something more interesting and more challenging. Currently, she works as an executive assistant to a high-powered entrepreneur. She does a little of this, a little of that. She keeps the business running...
Lack of Soft Skills Could Mean Closed Doors
I ran across an interesting article in Philly.com that really got me thinking -- "Employers: Entry-Level Applicants Are Just About Useless." It highlighted the results of a new study about the gap between employers’ perceptions and the perceptions of the 18- to...