Journal

It’s nice of you to help out, but you may not want to set a precedent. Here are three ways to draw some boundaries.

It’s nice of you to help out, but you may not want to set a precedent. Here are three ways to draw some boundaries.

You did it: You were a good friend, or coworker, or contact, and took time out of your day to read a resume, listen and advise over coffee, or provide notes on an upcoming project. In fact, you did such a good job that the other person has already followed up to ask if you can help again (and then again).

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When you get the sense that your boss appreciates your coworkers better, it’s time for a gut check on your own performance.

When you get the sense that your boss appreciates your coworkers better, it’s time for a gut check on your own performance.

You see your coworker hanging out in your boss’s office almost every day. They laugh, make inside jokes, and seem more like longtime buddies than employer and employee. Any time you try to join the camaraderie, they don’t exactly embrace your contributions to their little social circle—it’s more like they tolerate you. And coincidentally (or not), the high-profile projects always seem to go to this particular coworker.

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Here’s a quick primer on “physical,” “mental,” and “emotional” listening, and how to put them together.

Here’s a quick primer on “physical,” “mental,” and “emotional” listening, and how to put them together.

We associate listening with our ears. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus observed, “We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak.” But there’s lots more to listening than opening our ears and hearing what somebody says. It involves our full being—good listeners have a physical, mental, and emotional presence, and they know how to integrate all three. It’s not as difficult a balancing act as you may think, but it does take a little more deliberate thought than most of us bring to the activity. Here’s how to brush up.

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“Tap into your alumni network” is good but vague advice, but a great way to put it into action is hidden in plain sight.

“Tap into your alumni network” is good but vague advice, but a great way to put it into action is hidden in plain sight.

How many times have you heard the saying, “It’s not what you know but who you know?” Hundreds, right? Whether or not that’s your go-to philosophy, tapping your network can help you land a job. (It’s a fact.)

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Leadership coach and author Jodi Womack explains why people lose momentum while pursuing their goals—and how to get it back.

Leadership coach and author Jodi Womack explains why people lose momentum while pursuing their goals—and how to get it back.

Making a strategic career change. Saving more of your paycheck. Paying off debt. Setting money or work goals like these is the easy part. Keeping up your momentum so they stick for the long term? That’s where the battle begins.

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This week’s top stories may encourage you to apply for a job at Google and help you pick up on the bias in Rio Olympics coverage.

This week’s top stories may encourage you to apply for a job at Google and help you pick up on the bias in Rio Olympics coverage.

This week we learned how to artfully dodge a hiring manager’s inappropriate questions, how Patagonia makes on-site child care pay for itself, and why Google’s tech recruiters are shifting their approach to sourcing top talent.

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SRI wants to produce chatbots with deep knowledge of specific topics like banking and auto repair.

SRI wants to produce chatbots with deep knowledge of specific topics like banking and auto repair.

After birthing a virtual assistant that knows a little of everything, SRI International is working on ones that know a lot about just one thing.

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The fixation on “culture fit” might be steering us wrong on both sides of the hiring table.

The fixation on “culture fit” might be steering us wrong on both sides of the hiring table.

Whether you’re an experienced job hunter or just striking out on your first round of interviews, you’re probably pretty focused on sussing out a prospective employer’s culture to see if you’d fit in. So heeding expert advice, we pay attention to interviewers’ personalities and picture ourselves sitting at a happy hour with our potential coworkers. We ask ourselves if that feels comfortable, what kind of personality a company seems to have, and whether ours squares with it.

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If you can explain why you did something instead of just apologize for it, you’re more likely to win someone over.

If you can explain why you did something instead of just apologize for it, you’re more likely to win someone over.

It’s Tuesday morning, the alarm on your phone goes off, and you can’t help but look at the first email in your inbox. You read the first few words and begin to worry: Is your boss mad? You keep reading, and it’s true—she’s really steamed.

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Taking these five steps can help you avoid acting rashly or just stewing in misery.

Taking these five steps can help you avoid acting rashly or just stewing in misery.

You did everything right. You found the company you’ve always wanted to work for. The job was a perfect fit and you aced the interview. Finally, after a weeks-long hiring process and far too much waiting, an offer comes your way. You negotiate a great compensation package, take the gig, and start what you consider to basically be your dream job.

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