Hi All,
I happened to have stumbled upon this article and thought I would bring it to the Blog. Although, it references recruiters frequently I thought it brought up some valid points when it comes to writing. Enjoy! :)
Article Link: http://www.agcareers.com/newsletter/weedles1.htm
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Work Attire
Hey, just found this article, found the last sentence in paragraph 6 humorous. I still like my jeans though!!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/07/30/cb.dress.for.success/index.html
How to dress for success at work
By Rosemary HaefnerCareerBuilder.com human resources vice president
Editor's note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com.
Employers say they are more likely to promote well-dressed workers.
Company dress codes are a never-ending battle in the working world.
Battle No. 1: Employees misinterpret the dress code or they don't abide by it.
Battle No. 2: Companies have a code in place but don't enforce it.
Battle No. 3: Companies don't have a dress code but they still reprimand employees for wearing certain attire.
Or, Battle No. 4: There's constant objection from certain industries along the lines of, "Why do I have to look nice at work if I don't see anybody?"
For example, if you're a sales employee who meets with clients every day, it makes sense to dress professionally. But for the writer who sits in his cube all day and rarely sees the sun, let alone another person, does it really matter what he's wearing?
If he wants to be promoted, it does. In a new CareerBuilder.com survey, 41 percent of employers said that people who dress better or more professionally tend to be promoted more often than others in their organization.
Where do wardrobes really matter?
According to the survey, dressing professionally is more important in some industries than it is in others.
Financial services is one industry that places the most emphasis on professional work attire. Fifty-five percent of workers in this sector say well-dressed employees are more likely to be promoted than others.
An additional 51 percent of sales representatives say the same thing about the likelihood of promotions in their industry.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, only 33 percent of manufacturing employers and 37 percent of IT employers say that professional attire influences whether or not an employee gets promoted.
Employer restrictions
Especially in the warmer months of the year, employees take advantage of more relaxed dress codes. But, professionalism shouldn't decrease as temperatures rise.
How you dress plays a critical role in how others perceive you at work. Dressing professionally in the office, despite the urge to wear a tank top and shorts, will help you project a motivated image to your boss and co-workers.
To many employers' dismay, traditional dress codes aren't always enough to keep employees from dressing inappropriately. In order to force employees to dress more professionally, some employers are banning certain items of clothing in order to limit the options workers have when it comes to their work wardrobes.
Sixty-four percent of employers surveyed have banned flip flops, while an additional 49 percent have forbidden mini-skirts. Thirty-eight percent banned sleeveless shirts and 28 percent have prohibited jeans.
More than one-third (35 percent) of companies have gone as far as to send employees home for unsuitable work garb.
Here are four tips for dressing professionally on the job:
• Stock your closet -- Start with the versatile basics, such as a pair of black pants, a dark pant suit, some button-down collared shirts and a classic pair of dark shoes. Once you have the staples, you can continue to build your wardrobe to give you plenty of professional options.
• Keep it neat and clean -- Make sure your pants, shirts and other clothes are ironed, stain-free and in good condition. When your clothes look sloppy, so do you.
• Steer clear of bar attire -- Don't mistake the office for your local watering hole. Leave the slinky shirts, tight pants and cut off t-shirts at home.
• Look the part -- Have a client presentation or a meeting with the CEO? Dress for the part, making sure you choose appropriate articles of clothing for your role.
E-mail to a friend
Share this on:
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Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2008. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/07/30/cb.dress.for.success/index.html
How to dress for success at work
Story Highlights
Survey: 41 percent of employers more often promote people who dress better
Financial services industry places most emphasis on professional work attire
Sixty-four percent of employers surveyed banned flip flops
More than one third of companies have sent employees home for unsuitable attire
By Rosemary HaefnerCareerBuilder.com human resources vice president
Editor's note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com.
Employers say they are more likely to promote well-dressed workers.
Company dress codes are a never-ending battle in the working world.
Battle No. 1: Employees misinterpret the dress code or they don't abide by it.
Battle No. 2: Companies have a code in place but don't enforce it.
Battle No. 3: Companies don't have a dress code but they still reprimand employees for wearing certain attire.
Or, Battle No. 4: There's constant objection from certain industries along the lines of, "Why do I have to look nice at work if I don't see anybody?"
For example, if you're a sales employee who meets with clients every day, it makes sense to dress professionally. But for the writer who sits in his cube all day and rarely sees the sun, let alone another person, does it really matter what he's wearing?
If he wants to be promoted, it does. In a new CareerBuilder.com survey, 41 percent of employers said that people who dress better or more professionally tend to be promoted more often than others in their organization.
Where do wardrobes really matter?
According to the survey, dressing professionally is more important in some industries than it is in others.
Financial services is one industry that places the most emphasis on professional work attire. Fifty-five percent of workers in this sector say well-dressed employees are more likely to be promoted than others.
An additional 51 percent of sales representatives say the same thing about the likelihood of promotions in their industry.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, only 33 percent of manufacturing employers and 37 percent of IT employers say that professional attire influences whether or not an employee gets promoted.
Employer restrictions
Especially in the warmer months of the year, employees take advantage of more relaxed dress codes. But, professionalism shouldn't decrease as temperatures rise.
How you dress plays a critical role in how others perceive you at work. Dressing professionally in the office, despite the urge to wear a tank top and shorts, will help you project a motivated image to your boss and co-workers.
To many employers' dismay, traditional dress codes aren't always enough to keep employees from dressing inappropriately. In order to force employees to dress more professionally, some employers are banning certain items of clothing in order to limit the options workers have when it comes to their work wardrobes.
Sixty-four percent of employers surveyed have banned flip flops, while an additional 49 percent have forbidden mini-skirts. Thirty-eight percent banned sleeveless shirts and 28 percent have prohibited jeans.
More than one-third (35 percent) of companies have gone as far as to send employees home for unsuitable work garb.
Here are four tips for dressing professionally on the job:
• Stock your closet -- Start with the versatile basics, such as a pair of black pants, a dark pant suit, some button-down collared shirts and a classic pair of dark shoes. Once you have the staples, you can continue to build your wardrobe to give you plenty of professional options.
• Keep it neat and clean -- Make sure your pants, shirts and other clothes are ironed, stain-free and in good condition. When your clothes look sloppy, so do you.
• Steer clear of bar attire -- Don't mistake the office for your local watering hole. Leave the slinky shirts, tight pants and cut off t-shirts at home.
• Look the part -- Have a client presentation or a meeting with the CEO? Dress for the part, making sure you choose appropriate articles of clothing for your role.
E-mail to a friend
Share this on:
Mixx Digg Facebook del.icio.us reddit StumbleUpon MySpace
Mixx it Share
Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2008. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority
Monday, July 28, 2008
Just a refresher
This is from a website I read. I feel like no matter how much experience we have, its good to have a refresher on the basics! Enjoy!
English Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases
Welcome to English Grammar 101, the newest category on Daily Writing Tips. I thought that creating a series of posts covering the basic grammar rules and parts of speech would be useful to many people, especially if you consider the diversity of our readership.
On this first post we’ll cover sentences, clauses and phrases.
Sentences
Sentences are made of two parts: the subject and the predicate.
The subject is the person or thing that acts or is described in the sentence. The predicate, on the other hand, is that action or description.
Complete sentences need both the subject and the predicate.
Clauses
Sentences can be broken down into clauses. For example:
The boy is going to the school, and he is going to eat there.
This is a complete sentence composed of two clauses. There are mainly two types of clauses: independent clauses and subordinate clauses.
Independent clauses act as complete sentences, while subordinate clauses cannot stand alone and need another clause to complete their meaning. For example:
Independent clause: “The boy went to the school.”
Subordinate clause: “After the boy went to the school…”
Phrases
A group of two or more grammatically linked words that do not have subject and predicate is a phrase. For example:
The girl is at home, and tomorrow she is going to the amusement park.
You can see that “the amusement park” is a phrase located in the second clause of the complete sentence above.
Phrases act like parts of speech inside clauses. That is, they can act as nouns, adjectives, adverbs and so on.
English Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases
Welcome to English Grammar 101, the newest category on Daily Writing Tips. I thought that creating a series of posts covering the basic grammar rules and parts of speech would be useful to many people, especially if you consider the diversity of our readership.
On this first post we’ll cover sentences, clauses and phrases.
Sentences
Sentences are made of two parts: the subject and the predicate.
The subject is the person or thing that acts or is described in the sentence. The predicate, on the other hand, is that action or description.
Complete sentences need both the subject and the predicate.
Clauses
Sentences can be broken down into clauses. For example:
The boy is going to the school, and he is going to eat there.
This is a complete sentence composed of two clauses. There are mainly two types of clauses: independent clauses and subordinate clauses.
Independent clauses act as complete sentences, while subordinate clauses cannot stand alone and need another clause to complete their meaning. For example:
Independent clause: “The boy went to the school.”
Subordinate clause: “After the boy went to the school…”
Phrases
A group of two or more grammatically linked words that do not have subject and predicate is a phrase. For example:
The girl is at home, and tomorrow she is going to the amusement park.
You can see that “the amusement park” is a phrase located in the second clause of the complete sentence above.
Phrases act like parts of speech inside clauses. That is, they can act as nouns, adjectives, adverbs and so on.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Helpful Resources for Writers/Editors
Hi Everyone,
I hope to find you all doing well. I just wanted to write a message to share an article I found that provides some helpful resources for Writers/Editors. The article was recently published in the Signals newsletter, which is a monthly newsletter published by the Association of Communication Excellence to which I am a member.
The article can be found at the following address on pg. 7: http://www.aceweb.org/publications/SignalsMayJune08.pdf
Feel free to check it out! :)
Kaye
I hope to find you all doing well. I just wanted to write a message to share an article I found that provides some helpful resources for Writers/Editors. The article was recently published in the Signals newsletter, which is a monthly newsletter published by the Association of Communication Excellence to which I am a member.
The article can be found at the following address on pg. 7: http://www.aceweb.org/publications/SignalsMayJune08.pdf
Feel free to check it out! :)
Kaye
Favorite Resources/References?
In conjunction with one of my goals, I am going to create a bi-weekly newsletter for the L&D practice area. I would like to include links to information about training, instructional design, writing, and agriculture. Hopefully, the billable work will slow down next week so I can send out the first edition. With that in mind, I would like to ask you ladies what are your favorite resources that you use as reference information or to stay up-to-date with happenings in our fields?
My examples:
--The Rapid eLearning Blog
--The eLearning Guild
--Central Indiana ASTD newsletters
--The Beef Blog
--National Hog Farmer Magazine
--Nutrient Management eNewsletter (by National Hog Farmer, BEEF, and Hay & Forage Grower magazines)
--ClearWriter Tip of the Week eNewsletter
--Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Now, it's your turn. Have a great weekend, everyone!
My examples:
--The Rapid eLearning Blog
--The eLearning Guild
--Central Indiana ASTD newsletters
--The Beef Blog
--National Hog Farmer Magazine
--Nutrient Management eNewsletter (by National Hog Farmer, BEEF, and Hay & Forage Grower magazines)
--ClearWriter Tip of the Week eNewsletter
--Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Now, it's your turn. Have a great weekend, everyone!
Something to Reference :)
I "Stumbled Upon" this and found it useful. Sometimes in our attempts to be well-versed in our writing, we run out of vocabulary. :) This is a helpful tool!!
LOGICAL RELATIONSHIP and TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSION
Similarity
also, in the same way, just as ... so too, likewise, similarly
Exception/Contrast
but, however, in spite of, on the one hand ... on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet
Sequence/Order
first, second, third, ... next, then, finally
Time
after, afterward, at last, before, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, subsequently, then
Example
for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate
Emphasis
even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly
Place/Position
above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there
Cause and Effect
accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus
Additional Support or Evidence
additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then
Conclusion/Summary
finally, in a word, in brief, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, in summary
also, in the same way, just as ... so too, likewise, similarly
Exception/Contrast
but, however, in spite of, on the one hand ... on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet
Sequence/Order
first, second, third, ... next, then, finally
Time
after, afterward, at last, before, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, subsequently, then
Example
for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate
Emphasis
even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly
Place/Position
above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there
Cause and Effect
accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus
Additional Support or Evidence
additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then
Conclusion/Summary
finally, in a word, in brief, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, in summary
Monday, June 30, 2008
Professional Organizations
Hi Everyone,
I hope you all are doing well and work is going well . I just wanted to write to you all to ask and few questions and gain insight on some different professional organizations that I am considering joining.
Are any of you a member of the International Society for Performance Improvement or the American Society of Training and Development?
If so, what you do like about the organization in which you are a member and how has the organization or organizations helped you in your current position?
Any feedback would be awesome. Take care and hope to talk with you all soon! :-)
Kaye
I hope you all are doing well and work is going well . I just wanted to write to you all to ask and few questions and gain insight on some different professional organizations that I am considering joining.
Are any of you a member of the International Society for Performance Improvement or the American Society of Training and Development?
If so, what you do like about the organization in which you are a member and how has the organization or organizations helped you in your current position?
Any feedback would be awesome. Take care and hope to talk with you all soon! :-)
Kaye
Please...Help with Standards!
As I posted about last time, I'm continuing to try to find time to work on the Development standards. I know that everyone is really busy, but if you can find an extra half-hour of time (maybe in-between projects or at the end of the day when there's not enough time to start something new) I would really appreciate you all's opinions. Many of us writers have been involved with varying aspects of development, and it's always beneficial to have an "outsider's" perspective on what has been written. Due to a lack of formalized development processes, we have all developed our own "best practices". What I'm asking of you is to review the draft standards that I have written, and make edits/comments as needed.
I have created a spot on Sharepoint to post the standards so they can be kept confidential and we can utilize version control. It is: http://sharepoint/Training/Documents/Quality%20Initiative--INTERN1/
Remember, if you've not yet gotten your goals approved, there is a section where you can contribute directly to the Quality Initiative by writing 8 standards.
Thanks to all in advance for your help!
I have created a spot on Sharepoint to post the standards so they can be kept confidential and we can utilize version control. It is: http://sharepoint/Training/Documents/Quality%20Initiative--INTERN1/
Remember, if you've not yet gotten your goals approved, there is a section where you can contribute directly to the Quality Initiative by writing 8 standards.
Thanks to all in advance for your help!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Goals
Hello Everyone!
I hope everyone is doing well. I know that deadlines have been crazy busy this week!
I just wanted to remind everyone about SMART goals. I sat down with Andrew today to have a discussion how to write measurable goals. I had totally forgotten what the acronym was. It is:
S-pecific
M-easurable
A-ttainable
R-ealistic
T-imely
I know you all probably have your goals written, but I thought maybe this would be a good refresher.
For my individual goals, I am planning on learning more about writing effective learning objectives. I also want to know more about creating basic image treatments.
What are you guys doing for your goals?
I hope everyone is doing well. I know that deadlines have been crazy busy this week!
I just wanted to remind everyone about SMART goals. I sat down with Andrew today to have a discussion how to write measurable goals. I had totally forgotten what the acronym was. It is:
S-pecific
M-easurable
A-ttainable
R-ealistic
T-imely
I know you all probably have your goals written, but I thought maybe this would be a good refresher.
For my individual goals, I am planning on learning more about writing effective learning objectives. I also want to know more about creating basic image treatments.
What are you guys doing for your goals?
Friday, May 30, 2008
Standards to improve performance
As part of ABG's Quality Assurance initiative, I'm working with Mary Ann to develop standards for the Key Quality Indicators that have been developed for project work. Basically, they're like Standard Operating Procedures (our friends, the SOPs) that help guide people through every step of the project process. They cover pre-work, design, development, delivery and post-work. Right now I'm working on the development portion of the standards. Mary Ann sugeested a great idea when we were reviewing the first one: bringing this up during the Writers meetings. Since we have moved a majority of our activities online, I thought I would bring it here. I have created a Wiki for us to use to review. You can view the template here. You may view the page without registering, but to make edits or add comments you will need to register. Let me know if you have any questions! I will figure out a way to post individual standards in a more secure format. Thanks for your thoughts & feedback. Have a great weekend!
Sven's Crotchety Birthday
So as many of you know, today is Chelsea's big 2-4. As we have all experienced today, she has become a crotchety old woman...or maybe shes just nervous to be joining us old ones in the upper ranks of the 20s.
FYI-Look out for those bumper cars!
PS-we've got cake.
SO in an ABG related note, today I learned how to put in 3 master templates into a ppt...if you ever need to know, give me a holla.
FYI-Look out for those bumper cars!
PS-we've got cake.
SO in an ABG related note, today I learned how to put in 3 master templates into a ppt...if you ever need to know, give me a holla.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A Reminder and A Question
I just want to remind everyone that when using the conference rooms, please book them in advance. It's hard at times to find an open conference room. So when you find one that has the time that you want, book it. Not that this has been a problem between us writers, but it has been with others at ABG. So to keep us from being "those people" remember to book ahead.
Next item of business...... I have a question about how to deal with a noisy cube neighbor.... Is it rude to ask someone to turn down their music when they are wearing headphones? There are a few people that listen to their headphones - which is great - but they still keep their music loud enough for me to hear the lyrics to the song......What are your opinions on how I should go about handling this? Should I just ignore it and get some good headphones of my own?
Thanks everyone for letting me vent!!!!
Next item of business...... I have a question about how to deal with a noisy cube neighbor.... Is it rude to ask someone to turn down their music when they are wearing headphones? There are a few people that listen to their headphones - which is great - but they still keep their music loud enough for me to hear the lyrics to the song......What are your opinions on how I should go about handling this? Should I just ignore it and get some good headphones of my own?
Thanks everyone for letting me vent!!!!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Cube Etiquette
So, even though the noise today is coming from the BDM's in the Indiana conference room and I'd really like to be sharing these tips with them, here's a few etiquette reminders I had passed along for me. Maybe they'll help to keep Cubeville a tranquil and productive place--(HAHA!):
If your work area is a cube, you can likely hear your next-door neighbour lie to his creditors, tell his wife that he's working late and close and important deal. Here are a few strategies to help you survive life in this goldfish bowl:
Speak softly.
Be aware that your voice projects. A loud voice makes working conditions difficult for your co-workers. It’s distracting and makes concentrating on the task at hand very difficult, and should they also be engaged in a telephone discussion may very well overwhelm the voice in their telephone.
Do not use a speaker phone
This would make things even worse, because the person next door is not only distracted by your voice, but your party’s voice, too.
Confidential matters
Do not discuss confidential matters in your cubicle. Cubicles offer very little privacy, so you should not discuss confidential matters there. Your board room is an excellent place to hold meetings where confidential information will be exchanged. If you need to discuss the issue on the telephone, find out if you can borrow a phone in someone else’s office to conduct this discussion.
Keep your personal cellular phone off.
You are on the phone, and engaged in a long but hopefully profitable consultation with a client. Your cellular phone starts ringing. Because you are engaged, it will take longer for you to answer the call. In the meantime your phone will create more noise and distract other employees.
Take your cellular phone to lunch.
When you go to lunch, take your cellular phone with you. This is to ensure that should your phone ring, you are at hand to answer it. Leaving it behind is unfair, especially if it’s on, as the noise may prove distracting. Also, a cellular phone is very valuable, and you should not leave it lying about. It is your responsibility to look after it, not pass the buck to your neighbor.
Turn your answering machine on.
When you leave your desk, set your answering machine on. Your neighbor should not have to field your calls, or try to work while your telephone rings constantly, unattended.
Keep your personal calls to a minimum.
It’s best if your receive personal calls at lunch or during your breaks, and no more. Your private life is your own, and you should not inflict it on your neighbors.
Do not interrupt someone who is on the telephone.
You should refrain from using sign language to interrupt someone who is on the phone. It is better that you wait until the call is finished, before you approach the person and tell them whatever it is that you’d like to discuss.
Use your conference room for meetings.
Space is at premium in open plan office arrangement, so it’s best that you meet your clients at a conference room, rather than at your desk. First of all, you want your client to be bale to relax, and to have the opportunity to provide them with excellent service without interruptions from your phone, colleagues or the activities taking place around you. Also, your neighbor is in fact, in her office, and should have the privacy to conduct business without worrying about a non-employee listening in on what she says.
Do not use screen savers which make noise.
One man’s music is another man’s noise, so it’s very important that you allow others to work in a quiet area.
Interruptions:
The cubicle next to yours is someone else’s office. Would you barge into a colleague’s office without knocking and being told to come in? The cubicle is your colleague’s office space, so respect it. Respect other people’s space when they look busy. When your colleague looks busy, pretend that the office door is closed, and they are in a meeting with the company president. So there should be no interruptions until you pick up the signal that they may be wiling to talk. On the other hand, don’t make eye contact with someone when you don't want to be interrupted.
Hear no evil.
Should you happen to overhear private or confidential conversations, pretend that you never heard it all. More importantly, don’t repeat what you heard to others.
Be careful of the impression you make.
Your cubicle gives your colleagues and people around you an impression of the person you are. Recognize that, and make sure that it does present a good impression. That means that it should be keep tidy and clean, with documents filed in their proper places.
If your work area is a cube, you can likely hear your next-door neighbour lie to his creditors, tell his wife that he's working late and close and important deal. Here are a few strategies to help you survive life in this goldfish bowl:
Speak softly.
Be aware that your voice projects. A loud voice makes working conditions difficult for your co-workers. It’s distracting and makes concentrating on the task at hand very difficult, and should they also be engaged in a telephone discussion may very well overwhelm the voice in their telephone.
Do not use a speaker phone
This would make things even worse, because the person next door is not only distracted by your voice, but your party’s voice, too.
Confidential matters
Do not discuss confidential matters in your cubicle. Cubicles offer very little privacy, so you should not discuss confidential matters there. Your board room is an excellent place to hold meetings where confidential information will be exchanged. If you need to discuss the issue on the telephone, find out if you can borrow a phone in someone else’s office to conduct this discussion.
Keep your personal cellular phone off.
You are on the phone, and engaged in a long but hopefully profitable consultation with a client. Your cellular phone starts ringing. Because you are engaged, it will take longer for you to answer the call. In the meantime your phone will create more noise and distract other employees.
Take your cellular phone to lunch.
When you go to lunch, take your cellular phone with you. This is to ensure that should your phone ring, you are at hand to answer it. Leaving it behind is unfair, especially if it’s on, as the noise may prove distracting. Also, a cellular phone is very valuable, and you should not leave it lying about. It is your responsibility to look after it, not pass the buck to your neighbor.
Turn your answering machine on.
When you leave your desk, set your answering machine on. Your neighbor should not have to field your calls, or try to work while your telephone rings constantly, unattended.
Keep your personal calls to a minimum.
It’s best if your receive personal calls at lunch or during your breaks, and no more. Your private life is your own, and you should not inflict it on your neighbors.
Do not interrupt someone who is on the telephone.
You should refrain from using sign language to interrupt someone who is on the phone. It is better that you wait until the call is finished, before you approach the person and tell them whatever it is that you’d like to discuss.
Use your conference room for meetings.
Space is at premium in open plan office arrangement, so it’s best that you meet your clients at a conference room, rather than at your desk. First of all, you want your client to be bale to relax, and to have the opportunity to provide them with excellent service without interruptions from your phone, colleagues or the activities taking place around you. Also, your neighbor is in fact, in her office, and should have the privacy to conduct business without worrying about a non-employee listening in on what she says.
Do not use screen savers which make noise.
One man’s music is another man’s noise, so it’s very important that you allow others to work in a quiet area.
Interruptions:
The cubicle next to yours is someone else’s office. Would you barge into a colleague’s office without knocking and being told to come in? The cubicle is your colleague’s office space, so respect it. Respect other people’s space when they look busy. When your colleague looks busy, pretend that the office door is closed, and they are in a meeting with the company president. So there should be no interruptions until you pick up the signal that they may be wiling to talk. On the other hand, don’t make eye contact with someone when you don't want to be interrupted.
Hear no evil.
Should you happen to overhear private or confidential conversations, pretend that you never heard it all. More importantly, don’t repeat what you heard to others.
Be careful of the impression you make.
Your cubicle gives your colleagues and people around you an impression of the person you are. Recognize that, and make sure that it does present a good impression. That means that it should be keep tidy and clean, with documents filed in their proper places.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Labels
Hey ya'll. A little bit of administration... Here are the labels to use.
Anyone can make labels...so make some funny ones from time to time...but for "serious business"...if that is what we call it :)...let's stick to these labels. That way we can go back and search through millions of future posts.
1. Writing Tips (obvious)
2. The Life and Times of Cubeland (Going to be gone? Want us to feed your fish?)
3. Project Strife Anonymous (Park your venting here.)
4. HELP! (Have a question? Need some help on a tight deadline?)
5. Just for Fun (most important category)
See ya!
Anyone can make labels...so make some funny ones from time to time...but for "serious business"...if that is what we call it :)...let's stick to these labels. That way we can go back and search through millions of future posts.
1. Writing Tips (obvious)
2. The Life and Times of Cubeland (Going to be gone? Want us to feed your fish?)
3. Project Strife Anonymous (Park your venting here.)
4. HELP! (Have a question? Need some help on a tight deadline?)
5. Just for Fun (most important category)
See ya!
Grammar Girl's Podcast
Happy Monday Writers!
Here is the link that was brought up in the writer's meeting. I have listened to a few of them...and think they are really helpful. Also, her search tab is very easy to use...so next time you are stumbled on the difference of IE and EG (for example)...check this out!
Here is the link that was brought up in the writer's meeting. I have listened to a few of them...and think they are really helpful. Also, her search tab is very easy to use...so next time you are stumbled on the difference of IE and EG (for example)...check this out!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Let the Blogging Begin
Hello fellow writers... :)
I have set up this blog for us to share tips, respectfully vent about projects, and just chat about all things writing. (Thanks Beckie for the link!)
Let's set just a few ground rules...I will start, and then if you have anything to add/change/delete...we can go from there!
I have set up this blog for us to share tips, respectfully vent about projects, and just chat about all things writing. (Thanks Beckie for the link!)
Let's set just a few ground rules...I will start, and then if you have anything to add/change/delete...we can go from there!
- Anyone of us can make a post anytime.
- Remember that the six of us are NOT the only one's who can see this...so just keep that in mind :)
- Use this space as if you are sending an "All Writers Email" combined with a "Community Bulletin Board"
- When you make a post...label it. Labels could be "Quick Writing Tip," "Can I Get this Off my Chest?," "A Topic to Discuss in the Next Writer's Meeting," etc. If we can get a consistent set of 10 labels, it will be easy for us to go back and search through the posts in a logical manner. (Ideas for the Label Names would be great.)
- When another writer makes a post, respond to it with comments. Remember, if you don't have anything nice to say..........
- Make a routine of checking in to the ABG Writer's Block daily. Let's make this our place to collaborate and have fun! (Occasional funny posts would be awesome!)
Let the blogging begin!
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