When you’re being interviewed for a job, the person interviewing you isn’t always clear with their objectives for their questions. They will often hide their intent behind a simple question to see how you respond. Career Management consultant Jayne Mattson demystifies a few of the most common questions over on Mashable and suggests the best ways to respond. More »
Dear Lifehacker, I have to sit through meetings every day. Some of them last for hours. They are boring. They are unnecessary. They are mandatory. By the time I’m done I’ve lost my will to work. What can I do to keep myself from dying a slow death at a conference table? More »
Dear Lifehacker, Is there any way I can track or see the history of which sites someone has accessed through Chrome’s Incognito mode? If my coworker isn’t yelling at me over nothing, she’s on Perez Hilton or shopping for clothes or on Twitter or updating her blog — all while using Incognito. I don’t actually know what she is being employed for when 90 per cent of the time she does no work. I don’t want to get her fired (at least not immediately anyway). I just want to put together a dossier of sorts. Thanks, Disgruntled More »
It’s an odd week to be working: Christmas and New Year are over, but lots of people aren’t returning to work until January 9 at the earliest. But being in the office does have its benefits. More »
Dear Lifehacker, I have a few coworkers that always seem to be at my desk talking to me. Whether I’m in the middle of a task and obviously working or I’m trying to talk on the phone or I’m having lunch or a snack at my desk, these folks keep coming up to socialise. I like them, and our office environment is pretty casual, so I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but how can I make them stop bothering me when I’m trying to work or eat at my desk? Thanks, Not-So-Chatty Kathy More »
If you’ve worked in an office, chances are you’re surrounded by people who use cliched phrases like “touch base” and “circle back” every time they’re in a meeting, delivering a presentation or giving a speech. Whether or not these phrases once had meaning, they’ve long since lost their meaning for many. They’ve actually got the opposite effect now, because they’re so cliched. So which phrases should you avoid? Meeting Boy has a list. More »
If you’re at an office party or gathering where you don’t know a lot of people, it can be hard to get yourself into a conversation with a group, especially if you’re shy. Reddit user brothelwaffle suggests using the same practice you’d use for your business: supply and demand. More »
If you’re having some trouble convincing your boss that you’re really engaged and interested in getting ahead, one of the best ways to show that you’re eager to do a great job is to fix your own problems instead of making everything your boss’s problem. Don’t just point out problems when you see them; point them out and offer up a solution you think would fix it. More »
All too often, colleagues who sit steps from one another can get into an argument over email and drag a whole department into their turf war. The resulting damage control can waste time, waste energy and damage professional relationships, and in the end no one comes away looking good. Instead, just pick up the phone and talk it over, or hash it out in person. More »
