Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

The Economy May Stink, But You Can Still Be Happy

So everyone’s lamenting the tragic turn our society has taken – economically, politically, socially.   And I agree that things are objectively not as good in America as they were 10 years ago.  But they’re still better than they were during the Civil War, or the Black Plague, or, if you think about it, most periods of human history.

 

 

If you’re to get through these tough times with your sanity intact, this is a good way to look at things.  And how you think about your circumstances and respond to them is key to happiness in general.  See, your thoughts control your feelings and make you who you are.  As an individual, you are responsible for your own life and can choose your reaction to your environment.  This includes your career and your job.  Have you ever stayed late at work and noticed that at least half of the cleaning people are smiling and whistling as they go about their cleaning?  Now these folks might not have the most intellectually stimulating job in the world, but some of them make the decision to begin each day with a positive outlook.  Fulfillment, my friend, is not about the job itself – it’s about one’s attitude toward the job.  Nothing, and no one, controls your attitude but you. 

 

 

Every employment situation - from being a famous entertainer to getting laid off from a dead end job - has plusses and minuses.  However, it’s hazardous to your well being to focus only on the minuses, even though they may be first to pop into your mind.  Now don’t get me wrong.  Short-lived negative thoughts like concern, regret, disappointment, annoyance and frustration are normal and often understandable.  It’s the negative emotions we hold on to – like rage, panic, depression and self-pity – that wreck havoc over time and eventually result in a bad attitude.  To maintain a positive attitude over time, you have to make a conscious effort to throw constructive thoughts into the mix.   You’ll be more satisfied, more productive and more pleasant to be around. 

5 Burning Questions About Tech Etiquette

Real Simple Magazine has just featured one user manual that’s worth reading – how to be plugged in without being impolite.  Hap tip to Yahoo! Shine for the highlights, which contain advice from some of the business in the tech-etiquette business:

1. You’re walking down the street and listening to your iPod when you run into someone you know. Do you need to remove both earbuds to talk to her?

Jodi R. R. Smith, author of From Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Woman: If you’re having more than a two-minute conversation, then, yes, both buds need to come out — whether you turn off the device or not. And that goes for your Bluetooth earpiece, too.
Joni Blecher, editorial director of LetsTalk.com:  Yes. People want to know that the person they’re talking to is really paying attention to them.
Sue Fox, founder and president of EtiquetteSurvival.com: Remember that etiquette is all about making the other person more comfortable. How comfortable could your friend be trying to talk to you when you’ve got something in your ears?

2. Is it rude to check your PDA at a friend’s house?

Blecher:  A little bit. But if you arrive at a friend’s home and explain that you need to check a few e-mails before you visit so you can give her your full attention, she will probably understand.
Smith: It depends on how you’re using it.  If you’re checking on something relevant to your visit, then no.  If you find yourself perusing other e-mails, you will send the message that you’re bored.
Will Schwalbe, author of Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better: Think of your PDA as a crossword puzzle. Anywhere it’s acceptable to work on a crossword puzzle, it’s OK to check your PDA.

3. How quickly must I respond to an e-mail? Are the standards different for work e-mails versus personal e-mails?

Schwalbe: It’s all about consistency. If you’re going to deviate from what you usually do, use your out-of-office assistant or automatic-response setting to let people know why they might not be hearing from you as quickly as they’re used to. You don’t want them to think they’ve insulted you somehow or that you are ignoring them.
Judith Kallos, founder of NetManners.com:  Not responding quickly — within hours and certainly by the end of the day — to any e-mail might make the other side feel as though she’s being overlooked. It’s particularly important to respond promptly to business e-mails because that is professional and courteous.
Anna Post, resident technology-etiquette expert at the Emily Post Institute:  The sooner you can reply properly, the better. Never leave someone hanging.

4. If someone calls you, can you e-mail the person back or send a text message if you’re not in the mood to talk? What if you text or e-mail someone and the person calls you back?

Pier M. Forni, author of The Civility Solution: What to Do When People Are Rude: Unless the person has requested something specific or you sense a tinge of urgency, there’s nothing uncivil about replying with a “Can we talk later?” text message.
Schwalbe: Think about what is the best way to respond. If someone called you to get directions somewhere, for instance, reply via e-mail so you can send along a map.
Blecher: If you text someone because you don’t want to talk and the person calls back, don’t answer. If you do answer, the other person will sense your foul mood immediately and might get offended. Just text back that you can’t talk now but will call later. Your friend will thank you.

 5. Is using BCC on an e-mail considered sneaky?

Schwalbe: Yes, and it’s dangerous too, because your BCC can be exposed if the blind recipient hits Reply All or forwards the e-mail to someone else. To protect yourself from this, forward the message separately with an explanation.
Kallos: Using it to make someone look bad or e-tattle on someone is not appropriate. BCC is best used to protect your contacts’ e-mail addresses from being exposed to strangers.
Smith: BCC can be sneaky but also useful. If you feel that an e-mail discussion you had could turn into a larger issue, you could BCC your boss to make her aware of the situation. Just don’t inundate her with copies of every e-mail you send.

Words of Wisdom on Job Action Day

To rally those who have lost their jobs or are facing possible job loss in the current devastated economic climate, Quintessential Careers has created Job Action Day. Job Action Day, which is today, aims to empower workers and job-seekers to take proactive steps to shore up their job and career outlook.  As a blogger in this space, Quintessential Careers Founder Randall Hansen invited me to write about the importance of being proactive and motivated in your career activities.

 

This is a perfect topic for me, as I believe that proactivity is the name of the game if you're unemployed or underemployed.  Your first step is to network like there’s no tomorrow, and good networking doesn’t just mean attending an after-work event and standing there alone, sipping a martini without talking to anyone.  If you're interested in making a career change, do you know people who are working in your prospective field now?  Shoot them an e-mail to see how they’re weathering the current crisis.  Re-establish those bonds now, and make new ones by setting up as many informational interviews as you can.  After you meet someone, don’t dawdle with the follow up.  Send thank you notes the same day – stand out by hand-writing them – and keep in touch with contacts over time.  

 

You also may need to be more flexible with your notion of a dream career.  Check out alternate, recession-proof fields using resources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook and cast a wider net with the opportunities you decide to pursue.  For example, even if you always said you’d never work for a major corporation or re-locate to the west coast, maybe re-consider in order to keep the money coming in while you ride out the downturn.  And finally, don’t stress out too much or get down on yourself.  No single career path comes with a lifetime warrantee, so just do the best you can the rest will fall into place.