FRACAT - Free Resume And Career Toolbox Blog

Excuse me while I put on my hardhat before my post today.

Why will I need armor? Because I’m going to talk about the sensitive topic of double standards in the workplace.

Before I start offending everyone, let me start from the top: What is a double standard in the workplace? A double standard in the workplace is when two different people are held to two different standards in order to get raises, promotions, etc.

What’s more, I’ll admit that double standards are generally unfair. But I’m going to encourage you to get over it and just deal with the double standard because getting all bothered about it is going to ruin your career AND your life.

You can see where this might get a little touchy, no?

So, join me in a hardhat and read on.
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Frequently, I encounter candidates who are upset that they have to spend so much of their time in the office. Often, it is accompanied by, “Why does my boss’ poor planning mean I have to stay late?!?”

Unfortunately, you can’t control your boss. At least, not until I finish my book, “Mind Control for Career Success”.

Anyway, for those who have too much to do and have to spend too much time in the office, I’ve got one statement for you: STOP THE WILFing!

Of course, to find out what WILFing is, how to stop it, and how to gain another hour and a half of productivity a day, you’ll have to read on.

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It all started with cellphones…BING!

People who were on the cutting edge of technology had these handy gadgets where they could call someone the exact moment that a thought came to them.

It made previous downtime (driving, waiting, etc.) much more productive.

On the other hand, owners of these cool Star Trek-like communicators were often liable to take a call in the middle of a conversation.

That’s okay…most people were more considerate than that.

Then came IM…BING!

At first, being able to shoot a quick note to someone - perhaps to get information for a phone conversation I was having - was pretty cool. On-the-spot information!

At some point, though, I started to jump whenever I heard the incessant “bing!” of new IMs from folks I know. And then folks I didn’t know as well. And then folks I didn’t know at all.

It was getting a little annoying.

Next was Text Messages…BING!

Then we decided to meld the worst of all worlds.

Back to the mobile phone with Text Messages (SMS). Some folks just love text messages.

Me? Not so much.

“The Man” Joined In With Crackberries…BING!

It spread to the professional community with Crackberries. Professional businesspeople interrupting anyone they’re with because they got a new e-mail.

I get hundreds of e-mails a day. If I stopped to look every time one was sent, I wouldn’t be doing anything else.

And now, we can Twitter the night away…BING!

And now there’s a whole subculture arranged around Twitter, where you can tell your whole network things that will endear them to you like, “Hoping I don’t develop a pilonidal cyst. Hoping it’s just dry skin.”


4 SIGNS YOUR BRAIN IS SHRINKING

Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps I just don’t like people after all, but all of this incessant messaging seems like an extraordinarily self-conscious person’s cry in the darkness to be recognized by someone - ANYONE- to prove that they’re still alive, loved, and important.

If you’re at work doing IM, SMS, and Twitter, there is one thing that I guarantee you’re not: productive!

If You Can’t Develop a Train of Thought - All of this interruption doesn’t allow you to develop a train of thought. And if you’re not going to engage in a little thinking, your company might as well hire a monkey to do your job. That’s okay - BING! - you’re too busy to work anyway.

If You Can’t Hold An Interrupted Meeting - Then you’ll have to hold more meetings to do the things you were interrupted for in the first meeting. What an appalling waste of time - all because - BING! - your friend can’t make lunch.

If You Can’t Remember What Your Phone Conversation Was About - you are going to tick off a lot of people who were counting on you. But, hey! They’ll just understand that - BING! - you were too busy telling Jim that you think Amy might be back “on the market” and he should go for it.

If You Can’t Carry On A Face-To-Face Meeting - without constantly texting, checking e-mail, or responding to those things, you are ensuring that the person your with doesn’t feel important.

If you have these problems, you are more like Pavlov’s Dog than a fully functional human being. You’re turning into a pea-brained bird, distracted by every shiny object.

If you’re so attached to your cellphone, IM, SMS, Crackberry, or Twitter that you’re experiencing the above 4 symptoms, you are hurting your career for the sake of “fun, little messages”.

You want to get ahead? Turn off the BING!


Dan
—–
Daniel R. Sweet
Owner / Author / Chief Cook-And-Bottle-Washer / Technical Recruiter
FRACAT.com - Free Resume and Career Toolbox
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielrsweet
Call Me On Jaxter: http://www.jaxtr.com/fracat


Photo by: vsqz

Perhaps you’re trying to pick which job offer you want to take.

Perhaps you’re trying to figure out whether to relocate or not.

Perhaps you’re trying to figure out if it’s time to find a new job.

Or maybe you’re just dealing with daily decisions so you can get on with your life.

Is there any way to consistently make good decisions?

I think there is - and I’ve seen it work well for a large number of people. So, for something to ponder about on Friday, I’ll share with you the best method I know of to make consistently good decisions.

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Okay, it’s the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend and I’ll admit that I’m just mailing this one in. Give a guy a break, huh?

So, you want to avoid sick days? Here’s a story from the Associated Press about just how nasty your desk is.

“I’m mailing it in too, Dan,” you’re probably saying, “and I can’t work up the energy to click on the link. Just how nasty is my desk?”

Well, I’m here to help: “The average office desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat”.

But that’s not all: “[The study] found 75 percent of women had munchies in their desks.”

Eating snacks off of the toilet seat, anyone?

Read on to find 5 big ways to avoid sick days.
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Lately, I’ve been noticing a lot of what I call “Excuse Promotion Philosophy” (EPP) around. And it’s troubling. I think I’ve got to take a moment.

What is EPP? It is the preparing of excuses for non-performance ahead of time. While that might take some of the fun out of it for the creative, “my mother’s aunt’s roommate’s cousin is sick and we’re really close”-type excuse manufacturers, it’s much more egalitarian.

I mean, after all, how many people can come up with a really good excuse for not doing their job? Not many.

In any case, let’s take a look at one classic excuse and one major up-and-comer and discuss how they’ll do more to ruin your career than help you.

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Have you ever had a rushed day where there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it? Where you’re pretty sure things are falling off of the side of your plate, but you don’t have the time to look and see what they are?

And, in a day like that, have you ever forgotten a vital piece of information on your way to a meeting. Say, I don’t know…..an address?

I’ll be the first to admit it. I have and continue to have those kind of days. And, yet, I continue to look professional.

At least, until I posted this…

Anyway, if every now and again you have an “I’m a screwup” day, read on to find out how to look professional anyway.
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