If there’s one thing that the stories from our recent Communication Horror Story Contest tell us, it’s that there are many barriers to effective communication.

Basically, what could – and perhaps should – be a simple exchange between two people often becomes a complex maze complicated by the individuals’ motives, values, personal perceptions, and judgments.

And as many of our contest entrants’ experiences showed, that complexity can snowball out-of-control with immediate undesirable results. Or it can lie under the surface for a while, rearing its ugly head and costing you opportunities like in my case.

But the good news is, there’s a way to avoid these problems even early in getting to know someone.

Back to our contest results

Thanks to everyone who submitted their horror story. We really appreciate you sharing your experiences with us!

The winner?

Sherry Gibbs. Congratulations, Sherry!

This story made us laugh out loud over the thought of a customer receiving 300 pages via fax.

My first day on the job at a small computer store. My boss shows me the ropes and decided to leave with no one else in the store but me – horror – as he left he handed me a book and a phone number and said fax this info to this customer’s number. He is gone and out the door and I am standing there with a large book.  I proceed to the fax machine and start faxing…and faxing…and faxing until I had faxed the entire book. The next day he said the customer called him and wanted to know why we had faxed over 300 pages to him. I said ‘well you told me to fax the information and handed me the book’. He said I meant for you to fax the first page.  How was I to know?? :/ It turns out I didnt work there very long.

We chose Sherry’s story because – while short and simple – it highlights one of the basics:

If you don’t communicate clearly what you’re delegating or what your expectations are, then watch out!

Congrats again, Sherry!

How to Know How Your Boss “Works” On Your First Day of the Job

As you know, we started this contest to see how The People Profiler could have helped prevent these horror stories from happening.

So here we go.

What could Sherry have done had she known about the People Profiler?  And is it even possible to get a read on your boss after just one morning on the job?

Turns out it is possible – and I can speak from experience.

I think it will make more sense how Sherry’s scenario could have ended differently if I start by sharing my first day on the job.

As you might know, I’m fairly new here in my role working for Bryce.  Leading up to the job the only experience I had with the Balanced WorkLife team was an one hour interview.

In the interview Jim, Lori, and Bryce were all present and each of them had a few questions for me.  I was in the hot seat and only a small part of the interview was spent learning about them and the company.

When I got the job, and came in for my first day of work, one of the first things Lori showed me was the People Profiler since that was the big project Bryce was working on would need help with.

And to make things better, she wanted me to profile her husband Jim, the co-founder of the company.  Like I said, I barely even met the guy, I only had an hour interview with him in the same room and that was about it. I felt like I was on the hot seat again!

However, the questions were simple enough to answer even with such a short period of time to get to know him.

The tool asked questions like:

When speaking, this person…

• Is pleasant, mild, reserved.
• Is talkative, chatty, demonstrative
• Speaks self-assuredly, boldly
• Is controlled, restrained

There were 7 more questions but each were focused on behavior around how a person listened, questioned, and held a conversation.  All things you could observe about a person even with limited interaction.

So how well did the results match up?  Pretty much dead on.

Only a day on the job and I could understand Jim’s strengths, goals, fears, and stresses.  On top of that I knew how to plan, discuss, present, and resolve concerns with him.

So how does this all tie back to Sherry’s scenario of faxing 300 pages over to a client on her first day of work?

If Sherry had access to the People Profiler tool, she could have picked up on behaviors that showed her boss lacked a focus for details, was big picture oriented, and therefore was likely weak at delegating and being clear on what he needed from individual tasks.

Having this knowledge, Sherry would have known she needed to ask more questions when working with this person to make up for poor delegation.  And she would have had the confidence to clarify her boss’ request and possibly ended up staying on the job longer.

So How Do I Sign Up?

The People Profiler is on the final testing stages and will be officially open very very soon.  However, we are taking pre-launch sign ups.  This is the way to have access to the tool before anyone else.

What do you have to lose?

Ever wonder how Harry got that corner office or Susan landed the executive suite?

Penn Schoen Berland from Georgetown University wanted to know, so he conducted 303 interviews with senior business executives at U.S. companies with at least a 1,000 employes.

And this is what he found.

Click for full size

The Take-Aways, or Why CEO’s Suck at Doing Your Job

If you want to get a promotion hands down these are the five areas you need to thrive at.

1.  Excelling in your position

2.  Leadership potential

3.  Strong Interpersonal skills

4.  Job related skills

5.  History of strong performance reviews.

None of these seemed like major shockers to me.

I knew job performance and actually producing good work would be a per-requisite to advancement in any job, but I had a fond appreciation for the fact that they need to have healthy interpersonal skills and leadership potential.

That’s where I’m sure the candidates who came in 2nd and 3rd failed.

Lot’s of people are good at their jobs, but not everyone is blessed with the talent to lead or communicate effectively with a team.

And that’s why they continue running their cash registers, cleaning their floors, or making their cold calls.

Ironically, reality TV actually demonstrates this concept PERFECTLY.

Watch one episode of Undercover Boss and I’ll have you convinced.

If you don’t know the concept already it’s fairly straightforward.  A CEO from a well known company like NASCAR, Rally’s, or DirectTV goes “undercover” as a ground floor employee.

They take on the work of an “everyday” employee and observe how they are coached by managers as well as to learn what working for the company is like at the most basic level.

However, I find it fascinating that without fail almost everyone of the CEO’s struggles with the tasks and are even threatened by their very own employees with being fired.

They can’t even manage the most rudimentary work of their business, yet they are leading the company.

It goes back to the value of leadership and interpersonal skills.

Executives and managers don’t have to be superb at all the tasks involved under them, but they HAVE to have LEADERSHIP and INTERPERSONAL SKILLS.

That ability to connect, to inspire, and to make the right decisions is really the heart of what it takes to make it to those top positions.

Oh, and one more thing I found interesting in this infographic.

84% of the surveyed leaders said “favoritism occurs in their organization.”

This is a fact of life and it will probably never go away.  We buy our favorite products, we watch our favorite shows, we play our favorite music… we are going to have favorite employees.

And more often then not it isn’t always the guy who sold the most widgets, or saved the company the most money.

They’re the people we just like.

They make us smile when we are at work.  The office is better because of them.  They add to the company culture in a positive way.

And if you looked closely enough, you would likely see they are strong in interpersonal skills.

Starting to see the pattern?

How to Improve Your Interpersonal Skills

The key to remarkable interpersonal skills is knowing how to connect with those around you. Your boss, coworkers, friends, family, you name it.

People are unique individuals and each have preferences when it comes to how you communicate with them. Some like short and sweet, some like details.  Some like facts and figures, others work off of emotions.

The problem is none of us go out and tell the world how exactly we prefer to be worked with. So you chat away at the cubicle annoying the heck out of Bob, while the whole time he’s thinking, “when is this going to end?”

Your emails, presentations, and meetings can all suffer from the same communication mistakes and you wouldn’t even know it.

So if you want to know how to connect with those around you and finally take your interpersonal skills where they need to be for that next promotion I suggest you seriously consider watching the video below and signing up for the People Profiler.

To secure a free 14-day trial when we launch

http://www.crisp360.com/hosted-infographic/promotion-secrets-how-corner-office-was-won-full

image courtesy of max yustas

There are plenty of things we think we should do, but we don’t. Like me, you might even have a mental list of them.

Top of my list? Vegetables.

For me, eating them isn’t so bad, but preparing them is painful. Perhaps it’s all the chopping. Or their amazing propensity to end up burnt. Or memories of that uber-healthy “Everything Raw!” program I attempted. Eww.

But I like what vegetables do for my body, my energy level, and my conscience.

So I found a shortcut.

My aversion to vegetables results in a daily dose of a green, swill-like supplement to ensure decent nutrition. Goal achieved, fairly painlessly.

It’s the same way when we’re seeking better communication skills. We know we should do it, because it’ll get us closer to our goals. But it takes time. And effort.

Our Coaches here at Balanced WorkLife run into this all the time when working with a client’s team members. It’s not unusual to hear at first, “You want to discuss my communication style – do you have any idea how much work I have to do?!”

So knowing the human tendency toward shortcuts –  not to mention a love of efficiency and increased productivity – the team here at Balanced WorkLife put their thinking caps on.

How can we best help people who are looking to improve their communication skills quickly?

How can we do it with less effort required of them, in a way that they can create immediate results in their life?

Well, it wasn’t easy, but several months after posing that question, it’s nearly here: The People Profiler.

This tool – aka The Ultimate Shortcut to Better Communication – uses the DISC methodology as a basis to quickly profile those around you.  Using your answers to a few multiple choice questions on how a person speaks, listens, questions, how they interact with others and respond to people, The People Profiler instantly provides you with the key to understanding them better, and how to improve communication with that particular person.

If you like the idea of conflicting less and connecting more, take a sneak peek at this:

To secure a free 14-day trial when we launch The People Profiler later this month, visit this page and sign up.

Meanwhile, I have to go drink my vegetables.

Do you have any shortcuts to success  that you’d like to share? Do tell!

The number one asset in business is communication.

You need it to lead, present, and even hold those dreadfully boring meetings.

So why do we often leave it up to chance?  Why do we assume just because we like to be “communicated with” in a certain way that everyone else automatically prefers to communicate that way as well?

We don’t do that with anything else.  I don’t assume just because I like pickled Brussels sprouts you’ll like it too.

What would happen if I handed you that jar? You’d probably think I had odd taste and throw the jar away as soon as I left your sight.

Well, it works the same way when it comes to our communication.

Either we connect…and enjoy our Brussels sprouts together.

Or we conflict…and my communication is disregarded like rotten vegetables.

Whether your communication is successful or not really comes down to one thing.

How well did you adapt to their communication style?

Make sense?

Just as duck embryos could be seen as a gourmet masterpiece in the Philippines  but plain disgusting in the U.S., so can our communication seem fantastic in our own eyes and revolting to another’s.

So How Do We Adapt Our Communication to Others?

Ahhh…. good question.  Check out the video below for your answer.

image courtesy of kenneth nielsen

After our “7 Words I Never Want to See on Your Resume” post, many asked if those same rules applied to cover letters and interviews.

Our answer, for the most part, was “yes!” Cover letters, after all, can contain just as many red flags to a prospective employer as a resume – and can end your chances of getting an interview just as fast.

Cover letters, however, have a language all their own… often made worse by overly-verbose authors, dispensing TMI or not doing their homework. So, to help you get much closer to an interview, here are the 7 phrases – or facsimiles thereof – we never want to see in your cover letter…

To Whom it May Concern

When unemployment sat at 3.2% perhaps this generic header – and others like it such as “Dear Sirs” – was acceptable. Now, with the availability of internet based research… there is no excuse. Through LinkedIn, Glassdoor and many other resources it is easily possible to determine the primary recruiter for most any position. At the very least, we can determine the name of the Human Resources director at a larger firm or the CEO of a start-up or non-profit.

Do your homework – and personalize your cover letter – or don’t expect an interview.

I Just Need a Chance

Maybe no one uses these exact words. However, this is the exact perception a recruiter gets when reading a cover letter written by someone dejected by circumstance, more than hungry for a chance to prove themselves – and those who have crossed over into full-blown “victim mode”.

Recruiters are looking for positive team members – to get an interview, you need to be that guy. Don’t allow your cover letter prove anything different.

Salary Expectations

Another left over from a different economy, the inclusion of salary requirements in a cover letter is a huge red flag – and usually the death of your consideration as a candidate. Recruiters often laugh this off as “premature negotiation.”

Get your foot in the door and survive the first interview, and then have the money conversation – and not before.

The Reason I Left…

This phrase comes in many forms – although almost every veteran recruiter has seen this exact phrase in a cover letter. Sometimes, the phrase is harmless. Other times, these words signify a less-than-desirable candidate who… in the next few words… is going to give away too much, deliver a therapeutic (for them) monologue or bash a former employer.

You’ll have plenty of time to discuss this issue with the recruiter. For now, talk about what you can do at this job – not about what happened at the last.

Objective Statement

This archaic sentence from the 1970’s only serves to show how out-of-date you may be as a candidate. Perhaps even worse, instead of helping you get the interview, objective statements can provide a reason for the recruiter to reject you. The worst offender: generic objective statements not tailored to a specific job or application.

Just don’t.

References Available Upon Request

This one is right up there with the “objective statement” – and should only be seen in an Applicant Antique store. After all, what is the opposite: that you have no references available to support your candidacy? In our digital world, if you don’t have several superb references already lined up for the recruiter… well, you can’t win.

Just don’t, part 2.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night…

Okay. No one would ever actually use this phrase in a cover letter. Instead, think of this as a metaphor for every attempt to tell a long-winded story to either sell the candidate through analogies or a biography that begins at childhood. Trust me, when a recruiter sees even a hint of a story like this, their eyes go into “scan only” mode. Not good.

Resist all temptation to tell a story. Instead, write about your ability to solve their problems – and why you are the best candidate for the position.

Go take a look at your cover letter. Are any of these mistakes present? More important, what will you do differently next time you craft a cover designed to help you earn an interview?

About the Author: A passionate supporter of Gen Y talent, CEO and Founder of YouTern Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur and mentor. Mark has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Forbes and Under30CEO regarding internships, higher education’s role in preparing emerging talent for the workforce and career development. Recently, Mark was honored to be named to GenJuice’s list of “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors”. You can contact Mark via email or on Twitter.

image courtesy of mbkepp

Day one at the new job and my boss thrust a new camera – complete with packaging and manuals – into my hands.

“Why don’t you learn how to use this so you can teach me,” he said, rushing off somewhere, providing no opportunity to ask questions.

I took the box and laughed, thinking he was joking.  After all, he was quite the jokester.

Everyone knew that. And besides, it was a point-and-shoot camera.

It would take just as much time and effort – if not more – for me to demo it to him, than if he’d just look over the quick start instructions himself.

He was clearly kidding.

Right?

Well, no, he wasn’t. But I didn’t know that.

And I sure didn’t expect my faux pas to be perceived as a lack of respect, or that he’d assess that I had a low level of urgency, or that my sense of prioritization sucked. But that’s how it went.

The worst part?

I didn’t even realize that’s what had happened.

But his assessment of my behavior clearly impacted the choices he made down the road. Choices that cost me opportunities.

Meanwhile, I attributed his actions to being an egotistical jerk. And that certainly didn’t serve me well.

Older and wiser now, I can see that his high-energy-high-urgency style was not a match for my logic-based, steady & predictable propensities.

With neither of us understanding those differences, nor making efforts to meet each other in the middle, we didn’t make it.

Tell Us Your Communication Horror Stories and Win a $25 Gift Card at Amazon

There are a lot of horror stories about workplace communication issues. That’s one of our specialties here at Balanced WorkLife, which is why every one of our projects begins with assessing a client’s communication style.

But we can’t share those stories. Something to do with pesky confidentiality issues. I’m sure you understand.

So instead, we’d like to hear your stories.

And we’ll even bribe you to do so.

Here’s How it Works

1.  Share Your Story in the Comments Below

Tell us your best story on the topic of workplace communication – either regarding your boss, your team, a customer, prospective client, etc. Convince us just how badly you blew it. Or how badly they blew it.

Let us know who referred you to our site and sweepstakes so they can win a gift card as well.

2.  Make Sure You are Signed Up for Our People Profiler Pre-Launch

If you haven’t checked out our sneak preview of the People Profiler you should.  It’s designed to prevent these communication nightmares from happening in the future.

I’ll put a box below so you can be informed when the People Profiler launches and officially be entered in this contest.

3.  Refer Your Friends So You Can Have Even More Chances to Win

This is the best part.  Say you don’t win, but you have a friend you referred who entered and shared one heck of a horror story.

That makes you both winners in our book.  And we give winners Amazon gift cards!

So spread the news on Facebook, Twitter, your own blog, Google+ EVERYWHERE.

4.  Deadline February 22nd Midnight

The best story – as determined by our (biased) team – gets the $25 Amazon Gift Card while the friend who referred them gets a $10 Amazon Gift Card? We’ll publish and announce the winner in a blog shortly after the deadline.

So come on, share the horror. You know you want to!

Right now someone in your office is chatting with their fellow coworkers all about the sham Valentine’s Day is.

How it’s some Hallmark Holiday made in order for businesses to make a few more bucks.

And they might be right…

According to this infographic the average woman is planning to spend $85.76 for this special day, while the man will double that at $168.74.

Oh and don’t forget the pets.  They will get an average of $4.52 spent on them as well.

There are plenty of other statistics below.  Enjoy!

Click for full size

Hey folks, I’ve been looking forward to this day for some time now.

We are weeks away from launching our first web tool for the public. It’s called People Profiler and it’s going to change the way you communicate with your family, friends, and coworkers.

Today I get to share a special sneak preview with you. You are literally the first eyes in the general public who are hearing about this and will have the chance to try it before anyone else.

Enjoy!

Click here to learn more.

What Do You Think?

We would love to hear what you think of this new tool we are working on. We will be answering questions in the comments below.

-Bryce

I’m frequently asked how an intern or young careerist can make the most of every possible opportunity. The answer is amazingly simple: “Impress the crap out of your boss!”

HOW that is done is the real issue, of course – because the answer varies so much from person to person. However, there is one common factor among those who excel: demonstration of confidence vs. distribution of ego.

With genuine confidence, interns can impress with their personality and through sincere hustle. Others achieve this through work ethic and being coachable. Still more rise above the rest through initiative, by solving problems and contributing without being asked. They are willing to contribute unabashedly with everything they have, and in doing so, will readily learn from successes and mistakes.

In the best, confidence allows them to combine all of the above. Usually identified with an ‘S’ on their chest, I will go out of my way to make sure I acknowledge their potential, support their super powers – and become a champion of their career.

What holds back those who never rise to this level, however, seems to come down to one issue: ego.

With tons of passion and/or enthusiasm on display, ego and confidence can initially be confused. The difference is that ego keeps us from asking what we think may be a stupid question, or bouncing back from a mistake. Ego holds us back by creating insecurity… generating a fear of ridicule, perhaps, or of appearing weak; arrogance is often the over-compensation. The ego doesn’t want to be told it did something wrong. Without a doubt, it is inflated ego that keeps us from being curious and coachable.

And for all of us, here’s the lesson best learned quickly: discovering the difference between ego and confidence will have a significant impact on your career.

You, at some point, are going to be insecure. Undoubtedly, you are going to be wrong. Mistakes and you may become good friends. You WILL be judged. The person confident in their ability can leverage those less-than-comfortable moments – and be all the better for the experience.

Think about this for a moment: Who do you respect most? Who do you want serving as your mentor? Who do you trust most in a team effort? Who makes the better leader? Who seems to enjoy the most success?

The confident? Or the ego?

Confidence comes from your core. Ego comes from your fear.

Choose to be confident.

image courtesy of ESPNHS

About the Author: A passionate supporter of Gen Y talent, CEO and Founder of YouTern Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur and mentor. Mark has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Forbes and Under30CEO regarding internships, higher education’s role in preparing emerging talent for the workforce and career development. Recently, Mark was honored to be named to GenJuice’s list of “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors”. You can contact Mark via email or on Twitter.

Last month I told you about how I nearly blew my interview here at Balanced WorkLife.

Thankfully, being Googled by my prospective employer brought forth search results that were professional and conservative. Possibly even boring.

But the moment I was caught unprepared during my interview – and afterward, especially afterward! – I was feeling like quite the dunce for not being more on top of my online image.

Know what always makes me you feel better when I’ve you’ve made a mistake?

Learning that I’m you’re not the only one!

So you can imagine my excitement over discovering this infographic on Alltop today, illustrating survey results about the negative consequences experienced when people ignore their online image.

click for full size

I never considered that I could lose my health insurance or get turned down for a mortgage based on content online about me. Whoa.

Good thing I’m boring.

Image courtesy of Dave Hoffman.

As a blogger in the career field I always took Personal Branding for granted.

Sure, what could be the harm of it?  Shouldn’t everyone understand who they are and what value they can offer to the world?

But I guess not everyone feels this way.

Let me present R.I.P. Personal Branding.

This viral article got the attention of the branding world earlier this month with thousands of views and hundreds of comments.

And it presented a viewpoint that I had not considered before.  The view that personal branding should be killed.

Here’s why, according to Oliver Branchard.

Why Personal Brands Need to Die

1.  When people become “brands,” they stop being people and become one of three things: vessels for cultural archetypes, characters in a narrative, or products.

2.  Those of us who truly value attributes like transparency and authenticity (and that would be the vast majority of people) don’t want to sit in a room with a guy playing a part.

3.  That core need to build a brand to ultimately sell something is at the very crux of the problem with “personal branding.” Can you realistically remain “authentic” and real once you have surrendered yourself to a process whose ultimate aim is to drive a business agenda?

How I Feel About Personal Brands

I went to school for marketing and that was where I found my training.  We learned a brand was the place you occupy in other people’s minds.

To a business this meant every product, service, logo, catch phrase, jingle, etc was aimed at building that desired impression in their customer and potential customers’ minds.

But what does it mean for a personal brand?  Is it all that different?

Do we all not have a desired impression we want to leave for those associated with us?

When I need to get  photos taken, I think of my brother.  When I need help designing a web page, I think of my friend Todd.  When I need car help I think of my neighbor Mr. Whitney.

But most of all, when someone needs help with their marketing, or career advice…I hope they think of me.

Not because I’m winning them over with my “agenda” but because I am passionate about helping people grow in their careers and their ability to market themselves or their business.

And I think we were building our brands, long before the term “personal branding” existed.

I enjoy my fried chicken and can’t help thinking of Colonel Sanders to make a point.

Do you think Colonel Sanders started making chicken as soon as he thought of going into the fast food business?  No, you got to believe he was known as “The Chicken Guy” to his friends and family long before a restaurant popped up.  His reputation preceded the business agenda.

Did it make him a bad guy that people were willing to pay him to make his delicious chicken?  Was he all of a sudden a fake?  I don’t think so.

The difference between then and now is technology has made it easier for each of us to market our talents.

But at the same time, it makes it easier for us to make mistakes as well.

And this is why “personal branding” can leave a sour taste in the interverse.

The Dangers of Personal Branding

1.  Automate Everything

People aren’t stupid.  We know when we are being fed automated tweets, emails, voice messages, comments, etc.  Some things have to be automated, but remember this general rule.  “All things being equal, people buy from friends first.”

I see this all the time on blogs.  People have you sign up for their ebook and “special email list” then all they do is spam your email with regurgitated blog posts.  I signed up to your email list to have a deeper connection with you and your site, not to have front row seats to your rehashed content and self promotions.

2.  Talking Too Much (Or Branding Like Snookie)

There are two types of brands out there.  Doers and Talkers.

Doers are the Bransons, Spielbergs, and Armstrongs. They demonstrated results and built brands for themselves because of it.

Branson generated business after business, becoming a master businessman.  Spielberg told stories through film that resonated with audiences all over the world, becoming a master film maker.  Armstrong battled cancer and then went on to win 7 Tour de France races, becoming a master athelete.

Talkers are Lohan, Palin, and Snookie. They have brands too, but what exactly are they built on?

The doers contributed something that we can easily show why they are amazing.  It’s much harder to do that for talkers.

3.  Too Much Advertising

Ever read a blog that has as much advertising content as original content?

Are they concerned with helping you or getting more pageviews to increase their ad revenue?

This is where Oliver has a point.  Authenticity suffers, agenda’s are questioned, and credibility is tested.

This doesn’t mean don’t advertise.  It means, advertisements should be for products or services that will help your audience.

Not a bunch of adsense words for your readers to jump over.

In Conclusion

Personal branding is an art.  It’s not something you go after halfhearted.  Either it’s your passion and you are going to do something with it.

Or you’re a fake sharing a room with Lohan and pals.

image courtesy of courteous expeditions

In every job interview, there are five “make-it-or-break-it” moments that send the candidate onto the next round of interviews, possibly even a job offer, or to the discard pile.

Of course, there are highly important aspects before (research) and after (effective follow up) the interview. For the purpose of this discussion, however, we’ll focus exclusively on winning your initial interview with each employer.

Without further delay, here are the five defining moments of every job interview…

1. The Entrance

No matter how digital our job search becomes, nearly nothing is more important than our first impression. Arriving on time, a firm (dry) handshake, shoulders back, eye contact, the ability to make effective small-talk until you sit down, and more… all matter. Why? Because failing in any of these areas shows a lack of confidence and/or respect for the recruiter – NOT a great way to start an interview.

2. The Conversation

You’ve done your pre-interview research and several mock interviews; you are perfectly prepared to talk with ease about why you WANT the job, why you CAN do the job and why YOU are the perfect candidate. Why is this important? (Hint: it isn’t for the reasons most think).

The primary goal for this critical part of the interview is to turn the “interrogation”… into a conversation. Just two people talking… in a relaxed, sincere, “I like this guy” kind of way. When you’ve accomplished this goal, and are truly engaging with the recruiter, you’re well on your way to nailing the interview.

3. The Value Proposition

Now that you’ve moved the recruiter to conversational mode, it’s time to rise above most of your competition. How? By clearly working your unique value proposition into the conversation!

Your value proposition is what makes you the most hirable candidate for the position. Maybe it is your experience, passion, your entrepreneurial outlook, knowledge of the competition or ability to lead teams. More than likely, it’s a combination of all of the above, and more. Articulating why you are the right person for the job makes the recruiter’s decision – and job – that much easier while leaving no doubt you have the confidence to step right into the role.

4. The Questions

At some point, the recruiter is going to ask: “Do you have any questions of me?” – and you better be ready.

Saying “no” implies you aren’t interested. Saying “Not at this time, we covered everything” shows you haven’t done your homework. Asking questions easily found online demonstrates a lack of passion and creativity. Inquiring about the exact compensation and benefits may indicate you are worried mostly about you.

At this critical point in the interview, you should ask three types of questions, in no particular order:

1. A question about the recruiter’s personal experience with the company (“What do you enjoy about working for this company and our industry?”)
2. A question specific to the job or project (“In my first 60 days in this role, how would we measure my success as a (insert job title)? How can I make the most impact?”
3. A question about the company and its future (“I see your competition, ABC Company, has rolled out a new product line; short-term, how will we contend with their launch?)

Please note the use of “us” and “we” in the questions – and the lack of “I” and “me”.

5. The Close

You’ve made a good first impression in what has become an engaging, two-way conversation. You’ve clearly stated your value proposition and asked impeccable questions. And then you shake hands and say “Thanks for the interview, hope to hear from you soon!”

Wrong!

Each interview is an opportunity for you to “close” the deal; to not only help the recruiter make a decision about your candidacy, but also to get them to commit to next steps. For instance, you may ask, “How do I compare to other candidates?” Or, you may ask “Do you have any reservations about my ability to do this job well, or to fit in well with the existing team?” After getting answers to either or both of those questions, ask one more: “What are next steps with my application… and how soon will you be making your decision?”

This “never fails” round of closing questions is sure to create a positive “last” impression as you leave their office!

Anticipating, preparing for and successfully executing a strategy for these five defining job interview moments shows the recruiter you are thoroughly prepared for the interview. More important, these interview tactics set you apart from 95% of your competition – and places you that much closer to job search success!

About the Author: A passionate supporter of Gen Y talent, CEO and Founder of YouTern Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur and mentor. Mark has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Forbes and Under30CEO regarding internships, higher education’s role in preparing emerging talent for the workforce and career development. Recently, Mark was honored to be named to GenJuice’s list of “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors”. You can contact Mark via email or on Twitter.

image courtesy of gangplank headquarters

Hi there!  Recognize the picture above?

Last year, the photos went viral because the world thought it was cute to see a monkey smiling for the camera.

But what if I were to tell you that picture and the ones below were actually taken by the monkey herself?

“WHAT?!?! No!”

It’s true.

The photographer who should have been snapping the pictures, David Slater, was  probably the last person expecting to come home with world famous photographs of this rare crested black macaque.

Most wildlife photographers have to hide out in cover and wait for the perfect moment to snap their beautiful photos, but not David.

After spending some time taking walks with this particular pack of monkeys, he felt comfortable leaving his camera gear unattended.

Little did he know what would happen shortly after.

Helping themselves to Slater’s gear, one of the monkeys picked up his camera, turned it around and SNAP!

The sound frightened her.  She dropped the camera and the whole pack trampled David’s gear as they fled from the danger.

After some time passed, they were curious, and came back slowly, like a child wading into the frigid ocean.

Building up the courage the monkey picked up the camera once again, this time glaring it’s teeth, as if saying, “Hey, I’m not afraid of you.”

She then proceeded to take hundreds of blurry and random pictures as she examined her new wonder.

By now, David was getting a bit eager.  After all, what good were these self portraits if the camera didn’t make it out alive.

So it was inevitable that he would make it into some of the photos as well.

But it got me thinking, “I wish I could conquer my fears like a macaque”

Yes, I want to devolve and be more like a monkey.

Here’s why.

1.  Macaque’s Don’t Live “What If’s”

These are rare monkeys.  There are now just over a 100,000 of the monkeys left in the world and are considered critically endangered.

Yet they probably don’t think about just how frightening that is.  They don’t spend everyday hiding in a cave in fear that some poacher will mount their head on a wall.

Yet I do.

Well not in fear of my head being put on a wall but in fear of other things.  “What if I fail?  What if I look stupid?  What if I say the wrong things?”

2.  Macaque’s Don’t Let One Bad Experience Stop Them From Trying Again.

When something goes bad I turn and run.  Never to experience it again.

And more often than not, I miss out on an opportunity.

What would have happened if I just practiced piano a few more years, tried that shepard’s pie one more time, or sent out one more resume?

These macaques didn’t have those regrets.

A camera freaks them out…no big deal, just grin and push buttons.

3.  Macaque’s Don’t Fear Change

I found it amazing that the monkeys were able to adapt so quickly to having a new living being following them around.

In the picture above, it even looks like one of the monkeys is holding David’s hand.

Are humans that accommodating of new things or people entering our lives?

Maybe.

I was at a friends’ house last week for dinner.  When we got there they let my wife and I know that they had invited a stranger to eat with us.

I didn’t say anything, but just thought, “okay, that should be interesting.”

He was a friend of a friend, so at least he had that going for him.

Without hesitating, our host openly admitted, “I didn’t want to have dinner with someone I’d never met before, so I felt better inviting you over too.  The last person we tried this with was a complete creeper.”

The guest turned out to be an interesting person, but we all had our nerves up and were hesitant at first.  And I sure wasn’t holding his hand before he left.

There’s a Tarzan in Each of Us

So what will I do differently?

From now on,  when fear starts to creep its ugly little head in my life, I’ll dig into my inner Tarzan and show fear who’s the king of this jungle.

Lose the fear.

No more “What If’s”

Enjoy change.

images courtesy of caters and AZRainman

We had a great time on Monday’s #InternPro Twitter Chat. Hope you did, too!

If you haven’t been on a tweet chat before, it’s a bit like Twitter on steroids.  Participants pull up a tool like TweetChat and enter the hashtag associated with the chat, in our case it was #InternPro.  Then the chat starts, a set of questions are tweeted and dozens of tweeters share answers, respond to others, or tell stories.

Being a Twitter chat newbie, it took me a few minutes to orient myself among all the ideas, comments, thoughts & questions spinning across my screen. But fortunately I caught on before things really got rolling.

Mark and his team did a fantastic job guiding the conversation on work-life balance. Our specialists at the Balanced WorkLife Company were featured  guests, but the other attendees shared plenty of great input and ideas, too. It was a great opportunity for us to hear about first-hand struggles, as well as success stories. What a supportive environment!

In case you missed it, I captured the list of questions along with a few of the tweets I found insightful, helpful, or just plain entertaining. Enjoy!

#InternPro Work Life Balance Twitter Chat

Q1: In your current routine, can you last an evening 100% unplugged? Or take a day off without checking your work email?

@a_rising I’m highly attached to all my devices! It’s hard to let go at times

@ilovegarick: I exist online.. sometimes my servers are down for maintenance though.

@bberg1010 A1. Hard to say since most of my “me time” activities involve tech too. Like most others, I probably could but don’t want to!

@KiaraRobinson A1: I can most likely go without checking my e-mail but I can never completely disconnect!

@amyruberg A1 No, but I can decide what’s important to answer now, what can wait ’til tomorrow. I like having a head’s up for the next day.

@Pynda0 A1. Someone once told me the world would end if I did. I have yet to find out if it would really happen )

Q2: Has technology and social media made the “American Dream” workday (9 to 5) obsolete? Do we know when to stop?

@Stephen_Warner A2: I really think it has…I get upset if someone does not answer an email, even after 5 pm because of all the technologies

@Aheaders A2 If your aim is 9-5, youre making it too easy to feel slighted about work/life balance. Youre being as inflexible as work! #internpro

@DillonRhodes A2- My #1 goal this year to have a more distinctive separation between work time & personal time#internpro

@KatieGrivna Q2: We have to remember it’s still OK to use the 24-hours-to-reply rule. #InternPro

@ebonstorm #internpro – technology does not promote a 24/7 work environment. Your corporate masters do. You need to manage their expectations.

Q3: What are the specific signs – physical, mental and emotional – that indicate your work and life are out of balance?

@ScottKeenan27 A3: Everyone around me gets dumber and super irritating.

@TomBolt: A3: Example of bad balance-Sunday brunch w/wife and we are BOTH on a smartphone. Or is it a stupidphone.

@Pynda0 A3: when you can no longer have a verbal convo at dinner you text or email one another

@MRGottschalk A3 Trouble sleeping and lack of focus are the complaints I hear the most…

@DillonRhodes A3- When you are at work and wish you werent from the 1st step in and when you cant forget it when at home either

Q4: To pursue work-life balance, must we develop – and pursue with equal passion – goals for our personal lives and careers?

@amyruberg A4 Personal & career goals may not be concurrent, one takes priority, then need to nurture the other–truebalance hard for me.

@Aheaders A4 You dont need goals everywhere in your life to have balance. Life is default. Everything that isn’t work is your life!

@MichaelCarusi: A4 What about blending your career and hobby? When does one start and the other begin

@ScottKeenan27 A4 Work goals are why you are working so hard….life goals are why you live so hard…you need both.

Q5 Are flexible work environments, virtual roles & entrepreneurism, a solution to work-life bal problems or a cause?

@ebonstorm – A Results Oriented Work Environment can be a productivity booster when the team is well managed with clear expectations.

@cachinko A5: They’re as much a problem as they are the solution. It’s all in how people use the tool – to help or just to stress out.

@MichaelCarusi: A5 There doesnt have to be a rigid wall between work and life. People can combine and still be off the clock.

@KiaraRobinson A5: Work-life balance is both a choice and a commitment. It doesn’t always come easy!

@profkrg A5: It depends a lot on the person. Some people are just better at setting boundaries. Others must learn and practice doing so.

Q6: With employers relying on fewer employees to get the work done, how do we work with employers to find balance?

@BWLCompany A6: The ? is since hours are limited how do you get the business result? Focus, Priorities, and Tools.

@Recruit4u It’s a delicate balance today w/less workers&increased workload. It is about flexibility and communication..that’s how we do it

@DillonRhodes A6- Similar priorities, realistic deadlines, having the right tools available, both willing to try new approaches, etc

@Tarantino4me A6. Boundaries and raw, open/constructive dialogue.

@YouTernMark: Good employers know there is a significant ROI around work-life balance. Aspire to work for those guys.

Q7: What are the tools and techniques that enable you to unplug, walk away for a few hours each day… and refresh?

@TomBolt A7: Music! Soothing distraction. Make time for music uninterrupted.

@YouTernMark A7: Put the damn smartphone down and go outside… play… laugh… even 10 minutes makes a world of difference.

@KiaraRobinson A7: I actually go all day without charging my electronics and let them die. While they recharge, I cook dinner and unwind!

@baileymtuck A7: The people I surround myself with. They help me break away from my hectic work life and bring me back to reality.

@Aheaders A7 A very, very firm belief that I am a better worker/person if I have balance than if I don’t. You have to believe that.

@BWLCompany A7: Try a confidence focus. Write down before you shut off, everything that is working that drives your confidence.

@ebonstorm #internpro – If you cant walk away, get a timer. Set it for 50 minutes. When it rings, reset it for ten minutes. Return when it rings.

Q8: Describe your work-life balance: A) Tricycle B) Using training wheels C) Look Mom, no hands! D) Juggling from a unicycle

@profkrg A8: A on a good day. D on a bad one.

@TheResumeSmith A8) Look Mom, no hands! But occasionally I do crash and have to get back on the bike.

@KiaraRobinson A8: Using training wheels. I could use a bit more life and a little less work

Q9: (Last one!) After this #InternPro chat on work-life balance, what will you do differently?

@WannaBMarketing Find a few minutes every day to go outside & unplug! Pay more attention to personal goals.

@ResumeDrEliz A9: More gardening. Leave the office for my lunch break more often. Schedule some fun time during my day;)

@Nailah_Ali A9: Take a break and be happy about it.

@GLOWConsulting A9. Create “white” space in my schedule

@MarieSTLclaire A9 pay more attention to my work/life balance…this discussion brought awareness Good Night all!

How Do I Join A Tweet Chat?

I recommend you try attending a Tweet Chat some time.  It’s a great way to network and grow your reputation.

#InternPro holds a weekly Tweet Chat every Monday at 9pm ET.  They always have a great topic that will have you better prepared as a worklife professional.

Feel free to answer your fave of the questions above in your comments.

Image courtesy of Spencer E Holtaway.

When I heard these words a week ago my eye’s sparkled and something in my brain went, “Yep, you’re clicking that.”

What I saw next has stuck with me since.

So I’m here today to share what I saw and why you too “will fail to have a great career.”

An Economist’s View On Careers

What I saw that day was a video on TED from economist Larry Smith.  And he laid it out straight,  “I’m an economist, I do dismal”.

He went on to make it clear who his audience was, “I’m not talking to those who want ‘good’ jobs, or ‘okay’ jobs. I’m talking about those who truly want ‘GREAT’ jobs.”

“Oh, people who want ‘good’ jobs will fail as well,” he went on to say.  “Because good jobs are disappearing.  There are great jobs and great careers… and there are high workload, high stress, blood sucking, soul destroying kinds of jobs…and nothing really in between. So people looking for good jobs are going to fail.”

So if we’re doomed from at least having a good career…what’s stopping us from having a “great” career.

No matter how many times we are told to find your dream, your passion, we don’t find it.

Pursuing your passions has become one of the biggest cliches of the universe, yet we ignore it and make excuses.

Our first excuse, “Great careers for most people are a matter of luck.” I’ll do the right things, study the right courses, and if I’m lucky I’ll have a great career.  If not, at least I’ll have a good career.  But, Larry Smith already told us “good” careers aren’t possible so that won’t work.

Excuse number two, “Yes, some people pursue passions but they’re geniuses.” We tell ourselves, “I’m no Steve Jobs.  I don’t have the brains to carry out my passion.”  We tell ourselves we’re competent, but in 2012 competence doesn’t get you “great” jobs.

Excuse number three, “I would do it…but I’m not weird.” We see successful people as walking a fine line between madness and genius.  They are a little crazy, mean, odd, quirky, strange, and different.  But you…you’re normal.  So you can’t possibly be the next Mark Zuckerberg or Oprah Winfrey.

Excuse number four, “Mommy and Daddy taught me that if I work really hard I’ll have a great career.” Oh sure, the world will give you plenty of opportunities to work REALLY hard, but does that honestly give you a great career?

Excuse number five, “I have an interest.” Men, would you approach the women of your dreams, bow down on one knee and then exclaim at the top of your lungs, “Marry me…you’re interesting?”  Why are you studying the major you picked, was it because you had a passion for that subject…or did it just interest you?

Some of you will find your passion…but you still won’t do it.

Yes, some of you will find what you love and are passionate about, but will drop it for your next excuse.

“I want to value human relationships over a great career…”

You’ve just made yourself a hero no matter what happens.

You’ve given yourself the ultimate excuse for not having a “great” career.

If you fail now, at least you were a good person.

And you’ll pass on the same things to your children

Your kid one day will come up to you and say, “Dad, Mom… I want to be a magician.”

And you’ll tell them, “It’s risky…It doesn’t make much money…You’re good at math, you should try that.”

And he’ll look at you with his puppy eyes and plea, “But it’s my dream!”

To which you will have to tell him, “Look kid I had a dream too once but…”

What do you say?

“I had a dream too once but… I was afraid to pursue it.”

Or.

“Look kid I had a dream too once…but then you were born.”

‘Do you really want to look at your spouse…your family and see jailors?’ Larry asks.

Don’t you wish you could say, “I had a dream too son, go for it… just like I did.”

But you won’t be able to say that because you didn’t.

And so the sins of the parents are visited on the children.

Why will you seek refuge in human relationships as your excuse not to find and pursue your passion?

You know why.

Because you’re afraid…

to pursue it

to look ridiculous

to try

to fail.

“Great friend.  Great spouse.  Great parent.  Is that not a package…not who you are…can you be one without the other?” Smith asks.

“But you’re afraid, and that’s why you will not have a great career”

Unless….unless.

Watch the TED Talk

image courtesy of Alex E. Poimos and mrpunto

In preparation for tonight’s #InternPro gathering on TweetChat, (at 9PM EST) we’re sharing the top posts we’ve written and published on work life balance since starting the blog.

13 Best Work Life Balance Blogs From Balanced WorkLife.

1. The One Exercise Every Multi-Hat Delegator Should Try If They Want Work Life Balance
2. How I Manage My Work Life Balance
3. The Career Venn Diagram (How to Find Your Career Sweet Spot)
4. Colossal Lessons From Roman Relics
5. Rule of Three the Key to Your Goals
6. The Surprising Truth Where Motivation Comes From
7. All Work and No Play Makes Jack an Unbalanced, Burned Out, Workaholic
8. 7 Talent Myths that Can Burn Your Career
9. Office Bliss (An Infographic on Work-Life Happiness
10. How Do I Become a Well Balanced Professional (Video)
11. What a Great Horned Owl Taught Me About Excess, Goals, and Perspective
12. Dangers You Want to Avoid From Lack of Work-Life Balance
13. The Analogy of Life and Juggling Balls

Have a Work Life Balance Site or Article That is Noteworthy?

Please share in the comments below.

image courtesy of SuperFantastic

Editor’s Note:  I’m here to welcome Michelle Agner as the newest member of our team.  She’s going to be helping me with marketing and the blog so expect to see more of her.  Enjoy! – Bryce

It’s not the hard-and-fast rule that it used to be, but about the time I entered the workforce, there were big concerns about candidates who had a history of job hopping.

Spent less than three years at your last company? You’d better have a good explanation for that. Only two years in your role before that? Uh-oh….

Well, that was me. But fortunately, the 2-3 year pattern I established didn’t hurt too much. Each position I went for was usually newly created, the hiring managers weren’t completely sure of what they needed, and I was an effective chameleon, making myself appear to be just what they thought they wanted.

Within a year I’d figure out that it wasn’t a good fit.

I’d spend the next 6 months understanding why this particular situation wasn’t a good fit, a few more months becoming resentful about the poor fit, and then a few more months on a job hunt to find a better fit.

Rinse and repeat.

After establishing this pattern, noticing it, and taking some time to reflect on it, I realized some things about myself:

1. I’m happiest when I’m in a role that’s balanced between people and tech. Too much on either end and I get itchy.
2. I’m sensitive to others’ feelings. I start out accommodating them, and next thing you know I’m killing myself to ensure everyone at work is happy. Resentment follows. This is a bad recipe that I need to keep in check or I’ll soon have one foot out the door with my employer wondering what the heck happened.
3. Call me a data girl! I need research before I’m comfortable making a decision. But once I make it, I’m full steam ahead.

So let’s see……experiencing repeated stress & frustration, changing jobs, noticing the pattern, and doing the self-analysis in order to discover the above nuggets of wisdom took about 13 years.

Last week, my DISC profile revealed the exact same things, and thensome. In about 20 minutes.

I’d like to say that what led to taking the DISC was a quest for self-awareness and improvement. But I can’t. It’s part of the hiring process here at Balanced WorkLife.

Thank goodness.

And I now have a 50 page report all about me! My general characteristics, the value I bring to the organization, how best to communicate with me, my ideal environment, how I see me, how others see me, how best to manage me, on and on, all about me.

Who wouldn’t love that?

Reading the report was like an episode of “This is Your Life,” with each new revelation evoking a related memory from my work history, complete with an “a-ha!” moment attached.

That’s why she and I didn’t get along! That’s why I didn’t respect that guy! That’s why I felt like I failed on that project!

And while I’m thankful for these valuable insights, I can’t help but wonder what effect this knowledge would have had on career choices from my past. In one case, I’d never have taken the job offer, in another, I’d likely still be there. Sigh.

We’ve all heard the Ancient Greek aphorism, “Know Thyself.” But do we actively practice it?

What if I had? What impact would that small investment have had on my career? On my life? I’ll never know.

Have you ever made the effort to understand yourself better? Your communication style? Your motivators? Do you feel it made a difference?

If you would like your own personal DISC profile email Bryce at bchristiansen@balancedworklife.com and he’ll set you up with a quote.

Image courtesy of gato-gato-gato.

When I read a blog post by a career “expert” or hear a “recruiting guru” tout having worked for a large corporation as essential to the career success of young professionals, or college students preparing to join the workforce… I have to pause and take a deep breath… or I’d probably go throw myself out of a window.

Please… everybody just stop…

I am fully in support of job stability and all the benefits: (insurance, stock options and a 401k etc.) that come with employment at a big, established company. But only meteorologists and legislative branch members get to be wrong most of the time and still be considered “experts”.

Since our current economic situation began, you can probably count the large, mainstream companies that have increased their entry-level hiring on one hand of your favorite cartoon character (Mickey Mouse, Handy Manny and a few others only have three fingers… but that’s another rant for another time).

As evidence, consider the following, from “The Importance of Startups in Job Creation and Job Destruction” – a study conducted by The Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation:

“New firms add an average of 3 million jobs in their first year, while older companies lose 1 million jobs annually.”

Now also consider that it seems that many Millennials would rather remain unemployed or take on a part-time or temporary job – and wait for the right opportunity – than take a job with a faceless mega-corporation on the lowest rung of the company ladder.

Good thing, since those companies aren’t hiring – unless you’re interested in entry-level sales positions with a heavy emphasis on commission-based compensation. Which leads the Kaufman study to conclude:

“When it comes to U.S. job growth, start-up companies aren’t everything. They’re the only thing.”

Robert E. Litan, vice president of Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation, concludes this argument well: “These findings imply that America should be thinking differently about the standard employment policy paradigm.”

That, I believe, includes career experts who apparently stopped watching the news in 2004.

Don’t get me wrong… there are a ton of “real” career experts out there: Heather Huhman at ComeRecommended (#internchat), Becky Benishek at MyPath (#careerchat) and Donna Svei at AvidCareerist (#HFChat) and Rich DeMatteo at CornOnTheJob (#jobhuntchat) – just to name a few who really “get it”.

In addition to seeking advice from these pros, I suggest (before you listen to what could be expensive “expert advice”) that you get yourself an account on Twitter (free), download TweetDeck or go to TweetChat (both free), and then join at least these three Twitter chats (also free). Here are a few to get you started:

• #jobhunchat (Mondays at 10:00PM Eastern)
• #careerchat (Tuesdays at 1:00PM Eastern)
• #hfchat (Fridays at 12Noon Eastern)

During these chats you’ll learn current “best practices” that will help you move to the front of the competitive job seeker pack – and get a job, or internship. I’ve been involved with online recruiting since 1999 and I have never once participated in a chat where I didn’t learn something new.

As the real experts would say: “we can only help those who are willing to help themselves.”

The first step toward helping yourself: engage your Bulls#%t Meter when listening to “old-school” career experts dispensing decade-old advice.

About the Author: A passionate supporter of Gen Y talent, CEO and Founder of YouTern Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur and mentor. Mark has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Forbes and Under30CEO regarding internships, higher education’s role in preparing emerging talent for the workforce and career development. Recently, Mark was honored to be named to GenJuice’s list of “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors”. You can contact Mark via email or on Twitter: @YouTernMark.

image courtesy of Mash Potato

Editor’s Note:  It’s my pleasure to introduce you all to our newest team member at Balanced WorkLife, Michelle Agner.  She will be helping me with Marketing and the Blog, so expect to see more of her. Enjoy! – Bryce

Hi, I’m new here. Nice to meet you!

A few weeks back, Bryce indicated that he was seeking some assistance with the growing online community we have at Balanced WorkLife.

His Many Hats Matrix appealed to my marketing interests and it revealed the possibility that perhaps I really could contribute to a team and remain balanced enough to be mentally present when I was away from work.

You see, I have a history of getting consumed by work. But that’s another story.

So I submitted my resume. Little did I expect what happened next:

I got an interview!

Research, research, research

In prep for our meeting, I began researching. Who was this company? Who do they serve? How does their blog tie in with their products and services? Where did the company founders come from? What do they specialize in? Who’s this Bryce guy and what can I learn from him?

You know the drill. I prepared. Thanks, Google!

And then…..

I got Googled!

At the interview, Bryce said, “I really enjoyed that video from your last job.”

Huh?

“The one on YouTube,” he said, “When your old boss and team were saying goodbye and encouraging your clients to wish you well. That was great.”

Uh, yeah, that was great. That’s still up there?!

My mind immediately jumped to all those articles, news stories and blog posts out there that talk about carefully managing your online presence. For just such an occasion.

Having been out of the workforce for a while, all those warnings had faded into the background. But at that moment in my interview, they were front and center. I suddenly had a few concerns.

What else is out there? Did I do my privacy settings properly? Did my sister un-tag that especially unattractive picture? Did last month’s Happy Hour result in any photos being posted?! Did my snarky intolerance of other people’s kids show up on Twitter? Aaaack!

Fortunately, my online presence is appropriately professional – you might even say boring – and I was offered the job.

Whew!

So again, nice to meet you! I look forward to learning more about the growing community here and what your specialties and interests are.

Have you ever been caught unaware when you got Googled? Do tell!

About the Author: The newest team member at Balanced WorkLife, Michelle Agner successfully combined her process-focused engineering background with her marketing interests, even when all the creatives on her team laughed at the campaign flow diagrams she constantly drew. That same team also beat the corporate jargon and grammar snob out of her so that her writing no longer put them to sleep. She’s thankful for their tough love, and hopes you are, too.

Image courtesy of Stefan.

Editorial Note: Today’s guest post comes from Jackie Roberts.  I know, this is a post from 1-800-PETMEDS, but Jackie really did a good job and it resonates well with our culture at Balanced WorkLife.  Hope you enjoy.

A wagging tail greeting you every day when you get home from work is always a mood-lifter, especially if you’ve had a particularly rough day at the office.

But what if you didn’t have to wait until you got home to see your furry friend?

More and more businesses are allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. Those companies recognize the positive effects dogs can have in the workplace.

Here are just a few of the benefits of taking your dog to work.

1.  Stress Reduction

Studies have shown that petting a dog (or other pet) lowers blood pressure, and eases stress.  Pet owners are also generally happier than those who don’t have a pet.

Imagine being able to take a few minutes out of your workday to cuddle your dog, or take him outside for a quick game of fetch. That kind of break can go a long way to reducing your stress levels, and helping you stay healthy.

On those days when work is crazy, you’ve missed a deadline, or you get a call from an unhappy client, having your dog nearby can do a lot to lift your spirits, and help you get back on track.

And if your dog is friendly, letting him visit your coworkers can help improve their moods as well, which can improve employee relations.

It’s harder for people to be grumpy with each other when there’s a cute dog around. Not to mention, more playmates for your dog will make him happy, too. Everyone wins.

2.  Increased Productivity

The first time you take your dog to the office, work will come to a complete standstill. It’s unavoidable.

Seeing a dog in the workplace is still enough of an uncommon event that it warrants people coming out of their offices to see a dog roaming the halls, or taking a few minutes out of their workday to pet and play with her.

Once the novelty has worn off, though, having a dog in the office can improve everyone’s productivity.

Dogs are natural morale-boosters.

With their big doggy grins and wagging tails, they bring happiness wherever they go. It may seem simplistic, but happy employees are productive employees.

Think about it. Don’t you work harder when you’re happy and in a good mood? And how difficult is it to get motivated when you’re down?

There’s one more benefit to productivity your boss may not mention. When you don’t have to get home to let your dog out, you’re more apt to stay late when necessary.

If having to work overtime is a common occurrence in your job, don’t be afraid to use that as rationale for being allowed to bring your dog to the office.

3.  Your Dog’s Well-Being

Let’s be honest. Staying at home all day by himself is no picnic for your dog. Because they’re pack animals, dogs need companionship.

Without other dogs in the house, you and your family are the other members of his pack. When you’re not home, he’s lonely and bored, and can even become anxious, which can lead to undesirable behavior like chewing up your furniture, or barking all day, much to the chagrin of your neighbors. There’s doggie daycare, but that can be expensive.

Bringing your dog to work allows him to spend a lot more time with you, which is always where he’d rather be.

It will keep him calmer, reduce his stress and anxiety, and help him overcome behavior issues.

It will also save you money, not just by avoiding the daycare expense, but in having to replace anything he may destroy while you’re gone.

Having him with you during the day can also help you avoid having to give him any pet meds your vet may prescribe to treat him for anxiety or other health issues caused by stress.

If your company has a dog-friendly policy, take advantage of it. And if it doesn’t, talk to your boss about the potential benefits, and maybe the two of you can work to change that policy.

Just remember to take into account any employees who may be allergic to, or afraid of dogs.

Aside from those rare situations, encouraging your company to allow dogs in the office can not only help improve the employees’ daily life, but the company’s bottom line.

And that’s something any company should be willing to get behind.

What Do You Think?  More Dogs at Work, or is the Office Just for Humans?

Love to hear what you think of man’s best friend working his way to be bosses best friend in the comments below.

Jackie is a writer for 1-800-PetMeds, and loves to help and support the pet community. You can connect with 1-800-PetMeds by finding Pet Meds on Twitter.

image courtesy of Miguel Michan