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Corporate Stress Relief Or: How To Shoot Up Your Office and Get Away With It

Seymour told us that office culture can be a huge adjustment. It naturally follows that during such a great adjustment comes a commensurate amount of stress, and that stress must be relieved if you wish to go corporate without going crazy. I've found that a great way to relieve stress on the job is by devising games to play with the office staff, if they seem receptive to the idea. How to approach this? It's my humble opinion that the best way to create a healthy, stress-free work environment is by peeking over the edge of your cubicle, taking aim, and shooting a suitable target -- with a rubber band gun. 

You're probably familiar with the basic rubber band gun, and if you're not, here's a primer. Once you've gotten the technique down and you're sure that opening fire won't get you fired, steady your hand, look down the sights, and blow your worries into oblivion. Obviously, this sort of behavior won't fly in many situations, so exercise your best judgement when engaging in any sort of office horseplay. But if you're operating in the appropriate environment, your co-workers will join in, alliances will be forged, enemies will be defeated, and stress will be vanquished -- at least until your supervisor rounds the corner. 

Have fun, and don't shoot your eye out. 

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Posted by Brian on 1/31/2009 07:45:00 PM
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Acclimating to the Cubicle Culture


Your resume killed, you aced your interview, and you’ve landed the job of your mildest dreams. Sure, your current arrangements might not be ideal, but for now, you’re just happy to have your little five-foot-square box of heaven. Something’s amiss about that box, though – the people surrounding it look and behave nothing like your old college comrades. No, you haven’t missed a memo – you’re just new to cubicle living. Looks like you’re not in Kansas anymore, but don’t despair, greenhorn; I’m going to show you the ropes.

The first thing you need to keep in mind when navigating the perilous corridors of the office is that, yep, college is over, and it’s time to start adhering to a new set of rules. This means no more all-nighters, no more chest-bumping in the halls, and no more showing up in a ramen-stained T-shirt and tattered shorts. It’s time to start showing some decorum, so a full night’s sleep, more civilized methods of greeting your peers, and some smart threads are in order.


Once you’ve got the etiquette down, you’re prepared to enter this strange new world. Take a deep breath, open the door, and cross the threshold into a good portion of your working adult life. Once you’ve exchanged hellos, shook some hands, and savored the approving looks of your co-workers, it’s time to get down to business. You may have been a slacker in college, and if this was the case, you’re about to learn that bosses, for the most part, are considerably less forgiving than your professors were.


Quit shaking, kid; you can survive this.

If you want to keep your office job, you’ll want to work under the assumption that mistakes will get you canned. This assumption isn’t so far-fetched when you consider the current economic crisis. In fact, there’s a better chance now than ever before that your first flub will be your last, so putting in 110% is that much more important. How to do this?

1.) Stay Alert
As mentioned previously, you’ll want to be well rested and alert when you show up for work. Get eight hours of sleep every night, eat your roughage, stay away partying on weeknights; do everything your mother and countless after-school specials have been telling you to do since before you could form complete sentences.

2.) Stay Organized
This means that you’ll need to start using that Blackberry or iPhone for more than just texting and playing Bejeweled. Learn how to use the calendar function on these devices, make note of important dates and deadlines, and, if possible, synch it up with your home computer as a second line of defense against delinquency. If you’re not technologically inclined, pick up an old-fashioned day planner and use that.

3.) Stay Informed
When a new technology or new approach to the sort of projects you’ve been assigned to comes along, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage by remaining willfully ignorant of it. Find and devour all the information that you can on work-related topics to help keep you ahead. Search the Web, ask around, or conduct a bit of independent research elsewhere to ensure that you’re not stuck crunching numbers with an abacus.

Now that your boss is happy, your co-workers see you as their equal, and you’re aware of your surroundings, you can comfortably embrace the cube. Just settle in, and see where the corporate journey takes you. If you follow at least some of my advice, you’ll be surprised to see that it’s taking you places faster than you expected. Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 1/30/2009 12:07:00 PM
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When Your Fairytale Becomes a Nightmare

One of the best measures you can take to avoid "Cinderella Syndrome" is to remain positive yet realistic about the career field you plan on entering. For example, my dream career after graduation would be to work for Cosmopolitan, Glamour, or another major women's magazine. While I can certainly try to positions that may be open within those companies, I also know that I will be extremely lucky to land such a job on my first try.

Maintaining a realist's view on the job market will certainly help you should you not get the job you had hoped for. At this rate, you should feel so honored to be a mail clerk at any company-- especially when so many are in hiring freezes. It's scary to think that some of the most educated, top-of-their-class graduates from the Class of 2009 may not have a job waiting for them.

The key thing to do is remain upbeat and remember that you are deserving of a great career. And one day, your job [or prince, as Cinderella would have it] will come.

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Posted by Amanda on 1/29/2009 04:20:00 PM
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Looking out for Numero Uno

I definitely see a lot of "Cinderella Syndrome" around my campus. I am pre-law and I see so many students in my classes who brag about their contacts in political offices and people that they know and the internships that are theirs for the taking. Whether they think they have a seat reserved for them in law school or are going to be instantly hired right after graduating undergrad, the truth is that not all of them are going to be able to walk into the position they want right after college.
But instead of trying to tell these people how "reality" is, I mean I bet they will just figure that out for themselves, I would give them advice. I would look at their confidence as the ideal skills for being an entrepreneur. It's a job future that not many people look at in college. Most college students expect jobs in the corporate world. But if these students don't get the position they thought was already theirs, then they should just go into business for themselves. This would let them do things 100% their way!

Posted by Suzanne on 1/29/2009 11:18:00 AM
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Confidence: Friend or Fo?

Confidence is a highly desired trait to have in the job market today. Having the right amount of confidence can help tremendously with the interview process and can even help to improve your work ethic. There is a difference between confidence and arrogance, however. Arrogance is the result of having too much confidence-- although confidence can be helpful, too much confidence can be a hindrance. It is essential to find the right balance. Many people making the transition from college-life to the job market are still trying to find this balance and are many times too confident for their own good. You should have enough confidence to be proud of the work you present to your employer or interviewer, but you should also be humble enough to know that there is always room for improvement. Learning to take constructive criticism with poise and humbleness is an ability that will be utilized frequently in the job market. It will enable you to learn from your mistakes and improve them for the future. 

Posted by Jen on 1/27/2009 09:40:00 AM
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Yeah, you completed your degree. Whaddaya want, a gold star?

These days, successfully completing any college degree is in itself no small feat. If you think you're going to do this and find a job immediately after graduation, well, you're just asking for miracles -- and those are in short supply, especially under today's wild economic conditions. Don't think you'll be able to strut into an office of your choosing with nothing but an undeserved sense of entitlement and a quarter-page resume and be able to land a job. Unfortunately for all of us, that's not how the game works. A good resume, a good worth ethic, and good luck are all required in roughly equal measure in order for you to find career success once school's out. Once these three things converge, more and more doors will open for you -- and that sense of entitlement will become a bit more deserved. 

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Posted by Brian on 1/24/2009 09:34:00 AM
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Cinderella Syndrome: Why Career Success is not a Fairytale.


Many students making the transition from college-life to the real world have contracted a serious condition called “Cinderella Syndrome,” also commonly referred to as “princess syndrome.” Careerealism defines this fictitious disease as a sense of entitlement when it comes to achieving career success.

Cinderella Syndrome can lead people to believe its “unfair” as to why they have not been hired for a particular job, rather than understanding that someone may have been better suited for the position. This entitlement can also lead college students to believe that after graduating the right job will fall into their laps or better yet, that a company will actively recruit them directly out of school. Ring- Ring! Reality is calling…

Today’s job market is a fiercely competitive place and sitting back on the assumption that the right job will find you is not a strategy for career success! Career success is not a fairytale, it’s out there and it can happen to you! But the only real way to achieve it is through hard work and perseverance. You must actively take steps to achieve your goals, rather than waiting around for your fairy godmother to wave her magic wand.

Start by setting realistic goals for yourself. Give yourself a daily dose of success by creating attainable of goals of progress. You are never going to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company overnight; however you can start by taking a course in Management. By conquering small steps, you’ll give yourself a boost of confidence each time making progress towards taming the employment beast and becoming closer to achieving your goals.

Network, network, network! Many times in today’s workforce, it’s not what you know that separates you from the crowd… its who you know! If you’re currently interning or temping, make the most of your opportunities. Go beyond what your employer asks of you, and show your co-workers what you are made of! Be fearless in showing how much enthusiasm you have for your work. The connections you make with your colleagues could potentially lead to job offers, letters of recommendation or just some stellar professional advice.

And remember, being positive can be the ultimate determining factor in your success. So smile on… and you might happen to catch yourself a Prince Charming while working your way towards career success! Good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 1/23/2009 11:50:00 AM
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Are the Job Fairs soon to be free of human interaction?

I have been to two job fairs on campus. One was a "career fair" which was for people who had graduated or were going to in a couple months. The other type of job fair was for part-time employment that required nothing more than a high school diploma. I noticed there were many differences between the two types of fairs. The career fair required dress and there was an entrance fee is you were not a USF student. The part time job fair only encouraged professional dress, but did not require it. The main difference between the two was the type of employers who were there and the positions they were hiring. At the part time fair, there were many retail and restaurant businesses looking for college students to work hourly. At the career fair, there were many companies that were looking to fill entry level positions or retail stores looking to hire managers or people for their corporate office. I did not like about both fairs that some of the booths just had people working who didn't really have answers to questions. They just would give me the website information and told me that I could look up information myself. They seemed like just an employee they sent to stand at the booth. The career fair people were better and seemed to know more about recruiting. At both fairs, there were some companies that weren't physically taking resumes but instead told me that resumes were submitted online and that they couldn't take any that day. It was a little strange and unexpected, but I guess even job fairs have even gone digital.

Posted by Suzanne on 1/23/2009 11:16:00 AM
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We're Goin' to the Fair

Attending a job fair is something that can serve as a sort of test-drive before you make rounds of interviews for your career. These forums often have professionals that are willing to look over your resume, listen to your questions and offer you pointers. It is imperative that you come prepared, because you never know if or when you will encounter them again in your career.

I have been to a handful of career fairs hosted by my campus and was very impressed with the tips and tricks I picked up. The people I made connections with helped me polish my resume and the questions that any prospective employee should be asking in their own interviews. I also learned about each individual company's dress code, which is something I feel awkward asking during formal interviews.

All in all, a job fair is an excellent way to make your start in the professional world. Rarely will you find another opportunity to get so much advice for free!

Posted by Amanda on 1/22/2009 03:36:00 PM
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Job Fair Not Fair? Don't Despair!

Traditional job fairs are usually held on college campuses or in other prominent, easily accessible areas. While this is convenient for the organizations sponsoring them, it's a bit too convenient for the attendees, who swarm in like buzzards who've just caught wind of a ripe kill. The employers hosting them are swamped by hungry job seekers, each one more desperate and motivated than the last -- how will you ever be able to compete? Fortunately, for tech-savvy individuals such as yourselves, many job fairs are going digital, giving you an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an emerging recruitment technique and get an edge over the competition. While the job fair experience is partially about getting face time with company representatives, there's no guarantee that these representatives will remember you -- in fact, it's almost guaranteed that they won't -- nor is there any guarantee that these representatives will have the time to dispense information not available in a brochure or on the company's website. What is guaranteed is that your follow-up correspondence -- thank-you letters and check-up calls/emails -- are what will get you noticed. Your resume and presence at the job fair are little more than opening acts at the job fair circus, so if you'd rather not have to endure the chaos of the event, don't worry, because you can always make it to the website and make yourself noticed without (most of) the hassle. 

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Posted by Brian on 1/18/2009 10:27:00 PM
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Job Fairs a.k.a. speed dating.

Job fairs, if utilized correctly, can be excellent tools in the job search. Recruiters take advantage of these venues because they enable a large number of applicants to be seen in a short amount of time. Think of it as the speed dating of the job finding process, but instead of leaving with a mate, you leave with a job. You must get as much of your talents and skills across to the recruiter as you can in relatively short amount of time-- this means that you really have to pull out all the stops!

You should go into a job fair, with the same mindset that you would go into any interview. You should have confidence and be ready to show the recruiter that you're the best possible candidate for the job. Coming prepared is the key to success in any interview or job fair. You should have researched the companies before hand, come with multiple copies of your resume and portfolios, and should have dressed for success. I have seen many people get full-time jobs and rewarding internships through the utilization of job fairs. If they can do it, surely you can do it too!

Posted by Jen on 1/18/2009 01:58:00 PM
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Job Fairs: How to Stand Out From the Crowd

Job fairs are critical venues to finding your first job. They are a great way to practice your interview skills and professional presence. But job fairs can make you feel like a small fish in a very big pool of applicants. So how do you stand out from the crowd and impress potential employers?

It’s important to make sure you do your homework. Find out ahead of time which companies are going to be at the event and then map out which ones you are most interested working for. Conduct research through traditional (corporate web sites and news articles) and non-traditional (blogs, social networking) outlets to gain a well-rounded understanding of the company.

Limit the number and be specific about the companies you intend on visiting at the career fair. Interviews can be exhausting and too many during one day can diminish your alertness and keep you from being a good interview. So don’t overload yourself with so many appointments you can’t perform at your best, or even forget which companies you interviewed with.

It might also be tempting to go to a career fair with a friend to feel more comfortable, but I would recommend going alone. Not only will you be more focused on the task of finding a career, but it will show that you are independent and serious about starting your career.

As always, be professional by dressing corporate and bringing copies of your resume and any work examples that may be valid to share with potential employers. Following the event, don’t forget to get the names or business cards of those you met with and send a thank you note.

Be confident and good luck!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 1/16/2009 10:24:00 AM
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Intern, Get Me a Coffee, STAT!

Just this morning I spoke with one of my professors about how imperative it is that I find an internship before I graduate in December. While I understand that not every college student feels the same way, it is well-known in the mass communications department that our field is dwindling, thus any internship experience is vital to our post-collegiate lives.

Lucky for me and my mass comm colleagues, our school offers a course within our specific tracks [mine being magazine journalism, for example] that provides course credit while interning with a company in the field. The internship is unpaid, of course, but the semester spent on-the-job has opened up numerous doors for the graduates before me. Because of that, I have no qualms about finding an internship in the coming year.

The post-internship life, on the other hand, terrifies me. What if it doesn't turn into a job offer? Life will go on, of this I can assure you. The main thing to keep in mind is that not every "job" will become a "career." Trial and error is a fact of life, and if nothing else, you can walk away with more experience on what you like [or don't] about the field you've worked in. Keep on trekking, eventually the day will come when your dream career will become a reality!

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Posted by Amanda on 1/15/2009 01:09:00 PM
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Internships and Temp Jobs: The A-typical classroom.

Internships and temp jobs can sometimes lead to a job offer, but if nothing else, they can give you valuable experience that can't be learned in the typical classroom. There are some things that you can't simply read about in a text book but must experience first hand to fully comprehend. For instance, you can never truly know what it is like to work in your field, until you have actually worked in your field. You can read about what a typical day  is like, but until you actually walk a day in someone else's shoes you can never truly know for sure. This is an opportunity you can't let pass you by. If you're anything like me, internships and temping can help in determining if this field is really the field for you. Once you know what the job really entails, you may decide that it is the perfect job for you or that it really isn't what you thought it would be. Internships and temping are still considered part of the learning process, just not the part that you normally think about. 

Posted by Jen on 1/14/2009 09:20:00 AM
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To Be or Not To Be: The Question of Internships

I have a lot of friends that have done internships and a lot of friends like myself that have not. Although I do not think I am doomed to fail in the work field due to a lack of internship experience, I will say that part of me wished I had been an intern. Being an intern just for the sake of padding your resume means you are missing out on all the other invaluable things you get when interning. You can walk away after an internship with contacts to use and network with and a good reference and relationship within your industry, but most importantly, you will leave your internship with better knowledge of how that job would work. Although not all internships turn into jobs, they may lead you there. I wish that I had been an intern just in case I saw a glimpse into the day to day of my future job and didn't like it. But I think that since I am a senior, it's too late to switch paths!

Posted by Suzanne on 1/13/2009 08:53:00 PM
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The Good, the Bad, and the Unpaid

Having worked on a freelance basis since before graduating high school, I've never had the experience of working a traditional internship or temp position. Some say I'm fortunate, others say I'm missing out. My take on the situation leans toward the latter opinion, but I'd like to hear the thoughts of those of you who've been in the fray. What's the good, the bad, and the ugly of interning and temping? Am I missing out on a valuable life experience, or have I been spared a huge headache? Let's hear it. 

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Posted by Brian on 1/09/2009 08:57:00 PM
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Failure to Launch: When Your Internship Doesn’t Turn Into a Job Offer…


Many times, internships can be used as a route to full-time employment, but what do you do when your internship ends and a job offer does not present itself?
Rest assured that although internships are great resume boosters and can provide access to new networking opportunities, they are not your only option. Temping offers a paid alternative to internships, while still allowing for you to get the work experience and networking opportunities needed to make a smooth transition into the workforce. Temping also enables you to meet people in your desired industry, to understand the internal workings of a company and to become accustomed to the terminology that is commonly used. The employees you meet can give you advice on what future employers may be looking for, lead you to future job offers, and may even be able to write you a letter of recommendation. It is always a good idea to network and both temping and internships are an excellent way to accomplish this.

With internships it is essential to work hard and make the most out of every opportunity you are given. Show up early and stay late—do whatever your company needs and wants. Basically, go above and beyond. The knowledge that practical work experience brings is not something that can be learned in the classroom, it is knowledge that can only be gained through working in your field. To many employers, education and experience do not go hand-in-hand. So, if you just graduated and have little experience working in your field, temping and interning are ways for you to gain the experience that your future employer desires.

The first hand experience and knowledge that entry-level positions yield can put you one step ahead of your competition. It enables you to go into any interview with confidence because you already know what is expected. You may even be able to offer examples of how you have completed similar tasks in the past or offer fresh alternatives for completing the same tasks.
Remember, there is no such thing as a wasted experience. If your internship does not turn into a full-time job offer, then it has still given you invaluable knowledge, experience and networking opportunities that will help you tremendously when transitioning into the workforce. Also, remember that internships are not your sole option. Temp jobs can be just as helpful, and even if your first temp job doesn’t turn into a full-time employment opportunity, you can keep working with a temp agency to help place you in your next position.
Looking for a temp agency? Check out a Spherion local office near you!

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Posted by Seymour Jobs on 1/09/2009 03:59:00 PM
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Poll

When people give advice about job searching, I always hear that experience matters. But I have always wondered what matter kind of experience employers look for more. In the corporate world, what transfers better - retail experience or serving/restaurant industry. Both have pros and cons. Retail experience means more knowledge of sales goals, better with numbers and inventory. But servers have a lot of exposure to the customer service aspect of working and deal with multi tasking more day to day. Since I have never worked as a waitress and my work experience is strictly retail and other odd jobs, I have always wondered. If two applicants interview for a job, and one has only retail experience, the other has only serving, who has the better chance at landing the job?

Posted by Suzanne on 1/09/2009 01:43:00 PM
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The whole package...

Yes, research, clothing and how you represent yourself are very important factors in attaining the job that you desire. Unfortunately having these qualities individually wont cut it, it's all about the whole package. You need to blow your potential employers mind by showing them that you are their perfect employee. You possess all of the qualities that they desire, and more! The job market is more fierce than ever and it is so important to be at the top of the game-- yours and everyone elses! So, practice the techniques that Seymour has outlined and master them for they are the key to successfully landing the job you're striving for. 

Posted by Jen on 1/06/2009 04:44:00 PM
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