Miranda Wilson

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Miranda Wilson

Time Management and Your Day

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, September 22, 2010

How would you say you manage your time through the workday? Have you taken on a bigger workload, find yourself working longer hours, or feel like you have never-ending projects staring you in the face? Before you get overwhelmed with your to-do list and the stress sets in, here are a few tips to help you manage your day and keep your projects in check.

Keep your project list up to date. It’s never a good feeling when you have projects that seem to just sneak up out of nowhere. Try to always be aware of what is coming up that you need to do. Using a project list as a time management tool and keeping it updated will help you prioritize. For example, outline all of the projects you need to accomplish for the week and when they are due. From there, outline the daily actions you need to complete in order to finish the projects. Prioritize what needs to be done first, second, third, and so on. Breaking larger projects out into smaller steps will also help you better manage them and not get so overwhelmed.

Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about your projects, don’t shy away from talking to your manager about them. Having open and clear communication is important for you and your manager. Make sure you talk through the details of your projects to help you complete your tasks in a timely manner. Also, keep your manager in the loop about your progress and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Learn how to prioritize. Let’s face it. There are only so many hours in a day, so there’s only so much you can get done. What projects are most important for you to complete right now and which ones can wait? Always talk to your manager first to learn how to prioritize your tasks and outline your day. If there is something that needs to be done right away and you don’t have the time to do it, find out if someone else can cover that project or if the deadline can be shifted? Don’t adopt the superman or superwoman mentality that you can do everything by yourself and in record-breaking time. When you’re already dealing with a full plate, trying to make room for one more thing isn’t always easy. Overextending yourself by agreeing to take on additional projects when don’t have the time will not leave a good impression for your employer if you under perform.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, but someone comes to you for help with another project, be honest with them about what you’re working on. Let them know you will visit with your manager regarding the project and will get back to them about when it can be completed or who can take the project on. This still shows the initiative that you want to take on new duties, but also that you’re responsible about how much and when you can do them.

Make time for you. Do you get time for lunch each day? Do you use that time to get away from the office or can you be found at your desk still doing something work related during that time? Use your free time to get up from your desk, grab something to eat, or stretch. Just getting away from your current tasks for even a little bit can give you the chance to refresh and refocus for the rest of your day. Take time to recharge yourself throughout the day with a few little breaks and you can see a big difference in the amount of energy you have to accomplish your priorities.

These are just a few ways to help you get through the work day with less stress. When you have more control of what you have to do, it won’t control you, and it will help you be a better employee and have better days at work.

Touchdown with a Bad Boss

Touchdown!

By Miranda Wilson on Monday, September 13, 2010

The winning story for the Touchdown with a Bad Boss Contest is The Power of HR submitted by Tracey. Over 1300 votes were cast and The Power of HR received nearly 40% of those. Communication Kick Off received 32% of the votes so it was a close game. Tracey will receive the Football Victory Package including a 40-inch LCD TV, a $100 Visa gift card, and a tailgate party gift basket.

Thanks for submitting your stories and voting! And remember, next time you have a problem with your boss, before you storm off to the sidelines, think of a way you can score a touchdown with a win-win.

At Work Cube Life My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips The Daily Grind

My Entry-Level Life: That’s a Wrap!

By Miranda Wilson on Tuesday, September 7, 2010

We hope you’ve enjoyed the series on My Entry-Level Life. You’ve gotten some valuable information to help you with your job search. My Entry-Level Life covered the basics of how to interview, create and update your résumé, dress for success, handle office politics, schedule meetings, and much more. Whether you’re looking for an internship, your first full-time job, or you’re switching industries to start a brand new career, you can always reference the great tips and advice this series covered.

Do you have success stories to share about an entry-level job you had this summer? We would like to hear them!

Also, be on the lookout for our upcoming series, Résumé Boot Camp: Tips to help you whip your résumé into shape.

Touchdown with a Bad Boss

Touchdown with a Bad Boss Contest Finalists – Let the Voting Begin!

By Miranda Wilson on Thursday, September 2, 2010

We've heard a lot of stories about some bad bosses, and now it's time to choose a winner for the Touchdown with a Bad Boss contest. Who will it be? Voting begins today and closes on Friday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. CDT.

Review the top 12 finalists and get your vote in today for your favorite. The winner will receive a football victory package, which includes: a 40-inch LCD TV, a $100 Visa gift card, and a tailgate party gift basket. Good luck to all our finalists and thanks to all who participated!

Voting rules: Limit one vote entry per person per 24-hour period. Multiple votes from the same IP address within a 24-hour period will be considered "voting fraud" and all duplicate vote entries will be disqualified. For more information, see the complete contest rules.

Touchdown with a Bad Boss

Touchdown with a Bad Boss – Week 4

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Here are the final bad boss solutions for week four of our Touchdown with a Bad Boss contest! Voting will now begin to determine the favorite story of the 12. The person who receives the most votes will win the grand prize. Learn more about this contest.

Who will win? Review all 12 finalists and vote today for your favorite!

The Power of HR
Tracey's company was rolling out a new program when she noticed it being communicated to clients before the staff. She brought this to her manager’s attention and was instructed that it wasn’t a primary program and didn’t need to be communicated to the staff. Shortly afterwards, her manager apologized for her curt response; however an hour after that, Tracey received a formal write-up for presenting this oversight to her manager. The situation continued to escalate as Tracey was unable to communicate with her boss or receive support from the vice president of her area. Tracey then chose to seek the help of her human resources (HR) department to resolve the situation. Throughout the process, Tracey continued to work with the HR department to improve the relationship with her manager. It is a great idea to seek the advice of your HR department when warranted. Everyone has an expertise in the workplace, and HR’s is the employee-employer relationship.

Family Intervention
Charlie’s boss was known for disappearing from the office when the going got tough, which left the decision making in the hands of his employees. Then, when things went wrong, he would promptly blame the employees for making decisions without him. This went on until a position came open within the company. Recalling that the boss’ wife was looking for work, Charlie called her up and suggested she apply. She was hired, and as it turned out, the boss stopped disappearing. Apparently he would rather stay at work and make decisions than explain to his wife, whose office was just down the hall, why he was leaving work!

Perseverance Pays Off
One morning, Clarence went to work and found that everything had changed. His immediate supervisor had unexpectedly passed away, leaving a void in the company’s leadership. As corporate worked to fill the empty position, they asked Clarence to take on the extra responsibilities for a while, which he gladly did. A few months later, when a new manager was brought on board, everyone was excited to return to normal. However, the leader proved to be incompetent, causing chaos and resulting in poor performance. Clarence tried to communicate the problems to upper management, but no actions were taken. A year went by and nothing changed. But, Clarence stayed focused on what he could affect. He worked to change what he could and he made sure to offer solutions when problems arose. Finally, the truth came out and leadership changes were made. No one got a raise or a medal, but Clarence had the satisfaction of knowing he handled the situation well. “Every person in the chain has responsibilities,” Clarence said, “and how you handle those duties will be ultimately revealed, good or bad.”

Touchdown with a Bad Boss

Touchdown with a Bad Boss – Week 3

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Here are the top Bad Boss solutions for week three of our contest! Until September 1, we will be spotlighting three top solutions we've received on how employees handled a tough boss. We will be collecting stories through Friday, Aug. 27, so you still have time to submit your story! E-mail your story to boss@expresspros.com. At the end of the contest, voting will begin to determine which solution is the best. The person who receives the most votes will win the grand prize. The winner could be you!

Stay the Course
Penny started a new job and walked into a field of landmines. Due to her hiring situation, other team members and managers doubted her competence and ability, choosing to judge her before they got a chance to work with her. Her hard work and determination to do her new tasks well began to pay off after a couple of weeks. Slowly she was given the opportunity to expand her role, and her supervisor gave her a new project to work on. Penny stayed on top of the ball throughout the project and made sure to keep the supervisor up-to-date on the advances. She knew she had won over the boss and the team when she was invited to a team lunch toward the end of the project. Penny won this boss and team over by demonstrating her abilities and taking care of business!

Communication Kick-Off
At first, Vince struggled with communicating his job expectations and performance issues with his boss. However, Vince soon discovered that, while neither he nor his boss were good verbal communicators, they could express themselves well through e-mail. So, Vince started e-mailing his boss when he had a problem or issue. His boss was able to clearly see the situation written out and then give a written response in reply. This has cut down on miscommunication and made their communication process more effective and efficient.

Changing Teams
Shari began working at a new company as Sales Manager. She was ready to take her new team on to new championships. However, she met head-on with a manager who had a unique way of managing his staff. While sales members were rewarded for hitting daily sales goals, he ran a tight ship when it came to the work environment. The manager had rules about what items could be displayed on your desk, restroom breaks, and phone calls. Shari chose to handle her role with poise and grace, but after 21-days she decided her professional goals and desires did not match the company’s policies. Shari choose to seek new employment, she also choose to find her new job through Express!

At Work Cube Life My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips The Daily Grind

Making Your Résumé an Attention-Grabbing Piece of Work

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, August 25, 2010

As you continue to gain work experience, it’s important to keep your résumé updated to showcase all the valuable skills and abilities you have. The goal of your résumé is to grab the attention of a prospective employer, so you always want to make sure that it’s up-to-date, polished, and shows your strengths at all times. So, to help you do that, here are a few tips for you to keep in mind.

Make sure your résumé is professional. The more experience you gain, the more marketable you will become. And, your résumé needs to reflect that. Be aware of the little things that can make a big difference. If you’re submitting a hard copy of your résumé, make sure it is on high quality paper that you can find at your local office supply store. Also, include your name and contact information somewhere near the top so that you are easily identifiable. Make sure you know and utilize the basic building blocks of a successful, professional résumé.

Update your objective or summary. If you incorporate an objective or summary on your résumé, don’t list out what it is you want a company to provide for you. Instead, tell a prospective employer what you can bring to their business. In a few short sentences, list what skills you have that would be important to them and to the job they are hiring for. Find out how to create a top-notch summary.

Showcase your results. Once you have work experience, it’s important to outline the results of your work. Did you increase readership of a newsletter? Bring in more business? Save your company some money? Document these results. The more numbers you can show, the better your work history will look to a future employer. Sometimes you only have a matter of minutes to make a great first impression, so make sure your information grabs an employer’s attention quickly. To help you out, here are a few commonly used words that you’ll want to avoid.

Use action verbs. Action words like managed, designed, and created are words that will really make your résumé pop! Don’t just say that you completed daily office tasks. Be specific and results oriented to really ensure you stand out. break these activities down. For example, instead of saying you’re a team player, try this: “I collaborated with the marketing and human resources team to develop a new employee program.” Punch up your résumé with these power words that will help demonstrate your success.

If you just completed a summer internship, you’re working at your first job ever, or you’ve started a new career in a new industry, always make sure your résumé reflects your current skills, knowledge, and abilities. Keeping your résumé up-to-date and doing regular maintenance on it will help save you time in the long run when you do need it.