Online Career Tips

Before you even consider clicking the send button on your work e-mail, make sure you double check who you’re sending it out to.

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A good rule of thumb is to not put anyone in the “to” field of the e-mail until you’ve proofread it first. If you attach a list before you’re done you may send it early leaving out valuable information and possibly attaching the wrong list. This error will hurt you more if you’re sending to a client list, the entire staff at your company, or any large group. You don’t want to leak sensitive information to the wrong party, and you certainly don’t want to reveal any project too soon without approval.

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There is no “check” for sending that information in the e-mail to the right people, that responsibility is up to you. And if you really want to make a good impression, make sure you use spell check every time you send. Even if it’s a two line e-mail to your boss it always looks better that you took the time to get your context and grammar right.

Without the prospect of a school delay or school cancellation, one would think adults would not have much to be happy about on the eve of a snowstorm. The hope felt by children eagerly anticipating a blizzard is somehow lost on adults tortured by the thought of hours of shoveling and an aching back. The truth is, even with the grim prospect of hours of shoveling looming overhead, adults anticipating a “snow day” from work, very quietly, experience the same excitement as children the night of a major snowstorm. As the first snowflake falls, work-related concerns are supplanted by memories of hot chocolate, sledding, and spending hours hunched down shoving a small lump of loosely packed dry snow around your yard with the hope that, eventually, it will grow in size and serve as the base for one of a family of snowmen and women. Continue Reading

Like the façade on a building or a book’s cover, the cover letter is the first thing recruiters see when they receive a job application. Even though the old adage, “One should not judge a book by its cover,” is true, books are often judged not by the potentially insightful narrative contained within; but instead a warm reception is determined by its “cover.” Readers can be fickle, and if a book has been subjected to scorn or criticism or if it is declared a “bore” by the world’s preeminent literary critic, it is unlikely that readers will eagerly run to their nearest bookstore to purchase and peel back the pages of that book. In the same way, if a cover letter appears to be dull, uninformative, or irrelevant its reader will assume that the corresponding resume is simply the same and will not take the time to discover whether his or her assumption is fact or fiction. Would you enter a museum whose façade is made to resemble a building which is not only in disrepair, but looks abandoned and structurally unsound? The cover letter should be like an enticing welcome mat, drawing in its reader, prompting him or her to investigate what lies beyond. Continue Reading

In the office you have your co-workers, boss, and wall calendar to remind you of things your late on or need to get done that day. At home all you have is possibly your outlook calendar and your own memory. Don’t wait for your boss to ping you on a late assignment, be proactive and make a to-do list for that day and get it done. Not only does this initiative show that you’re a hard worker, but it shows you’re motivated even in an environment that is typically thought of as a relaxing place. As the day goes on make sure you respond to e-mails from your co-workers. The more responsive the better…especially on snow days. Cross each task off as you get to it. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment as it nears the end of the day, and your boss will appreciate you staying on top of things while you were virtual. [Related Post: How to deal with credit stealers at work.]