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The Exclusive Online Magazine for Administrative Professionals
June 2013
FEATURES:Avoiding Subtle Career SabotageCaterers - Make Your Event a Real SuccessCreate Your Own Hiring Opportunity
AdminAdvantage
How to MaximizeYour Efficiency- The Benefits of Habits
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CONTENTSof June ‘13
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Are You Looking For Corporate Caterersto Make Your Event a Real Success?
10
Office Supplies Insider - Desk Staplers Are OneOffice Product That’s Changed For Good
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How to Maximize Your Efficiency- The Benefits of Habits
13
Create Your Own Hiring Opportunity19
Avoiding Subtle Career Sabotage6
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13
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Your performance evaluations are great year after year. You
consistently meet your target goals, and your manager
seems pleased with your performance. But you keep
getting passed over for that promotion you want. What’s up?
Avoiding Subtle Career Sabotageby Robert Hosking, OfficeTeam
CAREER
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7 JUNE 2013 7
Avoiding Subtle Career Sabotage
It could be that you’re committing career
sabotage − without knowing it. There are
many factors not directly related to your work
performance that strongly influence how high you
can rise in your organization. And even if you’re
extremely effective in your role and eager to take
on new challenges, you can undermine your
chances for advancement in subtle ways.
If you don’t want to be your own worst enemy
in the workplace, be sure to take note of – and
avoid – these inadvertent career-killers:
Making your personal issues public. Most
managers understand that their employees
occasionally have to handle personal matters
while they’re in the office. But when you’re on the
phone or texting to family and friends a few times
a day, even if you keep the exchanges short,
your boss – as well as your coworkers – will
be sure to notice. And they’ll start to wonder if
you’re as dedicated to the job as you should be.
If you do have to deal with a personal situation
at work, take your cell phone to an empty
conference room or another private spot, and
keep the call as brief as possible. Avoid
CAREER
JUNE 2013
88
CAREER
talking loudly on the phone to the point others
can overhear – especially about sensitive topics,
such as financial, medical or marital problems.
You want your top-notch communication and
organization skills – not your personal problems –
to be the first thing colleagues think of when they
see you.
Getting into workplace squabbles and arguing
with coworkers. As administrative staff move
up the ladder, they have more contact with
executives and managers in other departments.
Your supervisor isn’t likely to promote you into
such a position unless he feels confident that
you’ll always remain polite and professional, even
when others aren’t.
So, clearly, if you have a reputation for getting
into spats with colleagues and clients, you’re
going to have a hard time moving up. True,
disagreements at work are often just part of the
territory. But they don’t have to get ugly. Whenever
you have a conflict with someone over a project or
assignment, keep your tone and words civil and
always look for a way to resolve the issue or strike
a compromise. And there is one type of argument
you can easily side-step: discussing controversial
subjects like religion and politics. How? Just don’t
do it – ever.
Projecting the wrong image. It may not seem
fair, but appearances count at the office. In fact,
according to an OfficeTeam survey, 80 percent of
senior managers interviewed said a person’s style
of clothing at work affects his or her chances of
earning a promotion.
Every workplace has a different set of
expectations about how you should present
yourself. In some offices, employees are
encouraged to dress conservatively, in business
attire. Others have a more relaxed style, where
jeans are acceptable. If your look is at odds with
your position or your firm, you may be hurting
your chances for promotion.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look
your best at work. You just have to make sure
your clothes are neat and clean and that you’re
always well-groomed. Do consider updating your
wardrobe, though, if your key pieces no longer fit
properly or your shoes are looking very worn or
have holes in the soles.
Causing others to question your judgment. Before
your manager moves you up in the department,
she’ll want to know that you consistently exercise
good judgment. This means more than just
demonstrating sound decision-making in your
day-to-day job duties. It also means watching your
etiquette in all your actions at work.
For example, think about how you use the office
email system. Do you send jokes or links to
websites to everyone in your address book? It
may seem harmless, but it could negatively affect
how you’re perceived by others. Think about it:
Not only does sending non-work-related emails
9 JUNE 2013
on company time cast doubt on your work ethic,
but the jokes or links also could offend someone
(even if you think they’re funny).
Also, consider your behavior at social gatherings
outside the office. Sure, you want to have fun
at these get-togethers, and they do provide a
good venue to forge stronger bonds with your
colleagues. But make sure you don’t take it
too far, embarrassing yourself by drinking too
much and acting in inappropriate ways or telling
coworkers personal details about your life that
make them uncomfortable.
Finally, think about the items you have displayed
in your workspace. Are there photos of you
and your friends at a rowdy party, or pictures of
your significant other in a bathing suit? These
things may make you smile, but they could give
your colleagues and manager the impression
that you’re not mature enough to handle a
leadership position. Make sure any personal
items on your desk reflect the image you want
to project in the workplace.
Failing to shore up your social graces. Your ability to
conduct yourself well in social situations isn’t critical
just at off-site events. Equally important is how you
conduct yourself as an administrative professional
on the job. Often, you are the first person clients
interact with, or the main contact between your
department and others in your organization. If you
exhibit bad manners, you could alienate customers
or crucial contacts within your company. If that
happens, you can be sure that you won’t be high on
your manager’s “promote-soon” list.
Interrupting others in mid-sentence, mumbling
when speaking on the phone or forgetting to
introduce people who don’t know each other –
these are just a few of the gaffes to avoid. If you’re
not sure whether your etiquette is up to snuff,
ask a friend or coworker you trust for an honest
appraisal. Then make a concerted effort to change
any bad habits you might have.
To get that promotion you want and deserve,
you’ll need to pay attention to the finer points of
what it takes to be successful. Make sure you’re
not focusing so intently on excelling in your job
responsibilities that you fail to notice when you’re
hurting your prospects in small but important ways.
Sometimes, it’s the little things that trip talented
administrative professionals up on their way to a
brilliant career.
CAREER
Robert Hosking is executive director of OfficeTeam,
the nation’s leading staffing service specializing in
the temporary placement of highly skilled office and
administrative support professionals. OfficeTeam has
more than 315 locations worldwide and offers online job
search services at www.officeteam.com. For more career
advice, connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
10
Are You Looking For Corporate Caterers to Make Your Event a Real Success?Follow These Helpful Tips For Selecting Quality Corporate Caterers
Are you planning a major corporate event? If so, you know how important it is to create a positive
image for your business - and to create a flawless function that will be enjoyed by all. You want to feel
at ease throughout the planning process and during the function yourself, and to know that you event
will unfold perfectly.
by Farouk J Roberts
Whether you are planning a major networking
event, a charitable function, or an employee
appreciation dinner, it is important for the entire
event to present a professional image while
freeing you from the innumerable details.
Have you considered hiring corporate caterers
to help with your event?
While hiring corporate caterers is certainly a
good idea, there are likely many in your area to
choose from. With so many different caterers
available for your selection, how are you
supposed to determine which are the best for
your company and your specific event?
When sorting through all of the available
corporate caterers in your area, there are
several things you should look for.
These include...
• Choosing a catering company with a chef that
has at least five years experience in the business,
which virtually ensures the chef has experience
planning and preparing menus for large events
• Selecting a caterer that is from your local area,
which guarantees the caterer is familiar with
the area, its venues and supporting vendors
• Picking a catering company with a chef that has
been trained at a reputable culinary institution,
such as the Culinary Institute of America
• Offering fully customizable menus so you can
select the precise foods you want to serve
at your event
WORKSMART
11 JUNE 2013
• Making you feel comfortable in the planning
process, as you should never feel pressured by your
caterer - your caterer should make you feel as if he/
she is truly interested in meeting your unique needs
The success of your event and the image it
creates will have a major impact on how others
view your company. Whether you are trying to
create an image of professionalism and high
expectations for employees - or you are trying
to win over new clients - in New York, Chicago
or San Diego, corporate caterers are essential
to your event’s success.
Always make sure you carefully explore all your
options when selecting a catering company.
Find one with a solid reputation and a history of
One of the most highly regarded Catering Company’s
in San Diego today, Concept Catering by CK
has received critical acclaim for their signature
“Fresh, Local and Organic “ cuisine, For additional
information on San Diego Catering Company’s
visit http://www.conceptcateringbyck.com
providing clients with best-in-class service. By
doing so, you can rest easy in knowing that your
event is in good hands, freeing you to spend
valuable time networking with your guests.
WORKSMART
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How to MaximizeYour Efficiency - The Benefits of HabitsBy Kirstin Lee Odonovan
“The second half of a man’s life is made up of
nothing but the habits he has acquired during
the first half.” Feodor Dostoevski
It is a well-established truth that the habits
which we pick up unknowingly gradually grow
upon us and may even dominate our lives.
No wonder many communities believe in
inculcating the best of habits in children from
a young age. Whether it is brushing your teeth
twice a day or being polite, human behavior is
largely controlled by habit and not by choice.
However, we also have habits, ways of doing
things we not even really aware of, they are so
automatic.
While common habits such as those that are an
integral part of our daily routine may not affect
our lives in a major way, the same cannot be said
about habits at work.
If you do an honest and diligent analysis, you
may find that although it seems simpler to blame
your workplace, co-workers or boss, the true
reason that inhibits your efforts to be productive
or improve your productivity may be linked to your
habits at work.
Are you really keen on developing time
management skills to improve productivity at
work? If you are serious about it then you need
TRAINING
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to do a quick check on some of the unproductive
habits that you may not even be aware of. There
are many work place habits that consume a major
share of our productive time.
Do you have the tendency to keep checking your
mailbox at regular intervals? Are you habitual
of answering all messages and phone calls
immediately irrespective of priorities? Do you find
it difficult to stop a co-worker from an extended
conversation? Have you picked up the habit of
advising people on matters that do not directly
relate to your work? If the answer to these
questions is “yes”, then perhaps you should look
at your habits if you wish to improve productivity
and time-management at work and achieve your
career goals.
While it is well known that old habits die hard, it
is not impossible to kick off bad habits. The main
issue is how committed you are to getting rid of
your unproductive habit. Once you realize you’re
your work place functioning has been largely
acquired by the habits you have accumulated
over time and not by choice, you have taken the
first step to better manage your time. The next
step is to really consider the long term benefits of
stopping your old habit vis-à-vis the short term
benefit of your following it. What is really at stake
here if you continue as you do?
The most successful way to change habits is to
work with the habit loop. First you need to identify
the cue, what triggers your habits. Then you have
the routine, what you do, your actions. This can
TRAINING
15 JUNE 2013
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be an emotion, a situation or environmental. Then
you have the routine, and this can be emotional,
physical or mental. Lastly you have the reward, the
satisfaction. For example:
The cue: Arrive at work
The routine: Putting your bags down and heading
straight for the coffee machine, cafeteria to chat
with colleagues.
The reward: Connecting with people, feeling
relaxed, not starting work until you want to, a
caffeine high... there could be many.
We always do something because it gives us a
reward, some kind of contentment. The best way
to change a habit is to introduce a new routine.
Something else that will give you the same kind
of reward.
True that the odd gossip break or chatting
over social media may appear tempting and
even temporarily relaxing, but that is when you
must stop to think - are you satisfied with your
performance at work? Do you wish to change
from the mediocre performer to a star achiever?
How committed are you to actually changing
your habits? Remember that habits make up
40% of your actions in a day and only 60% are
real decisions. Create habits that benefit you,
eventually they will become automatic and the
results will be outstanding. So the first step
in letting go your old habit is to reboot your
unconsciously programmed mind. It sure is
challenging, but the rewards are tenfold!
Your habits should be working for you,
not against you!
TRAINING
16
LIFESTYLE
Some office supplies have been the same forever. Think about the plain ordinary paper
clip. Perfect in it’s simplicity, it’s the exact same today as it was 100 years ago when it
was invented to clip loose paper together. Office products are functional items that do
a simple task, and so it’s hard for manufacturers to find ways to improve many office supplies.
Staples, rubber bands and thumbtacks are other examples.
Office Supplies Insider - Desk Staplers Are One Office Product That’s Changed For Goodby Tristan Hill
16
TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY
17 JUNE 2013 17 JUNE 2013
Another item that’s functioned basically the same
for decades is the old stand by desk stapler.
Oh, it’s had an upgrade every now and then.
The movie “Office Space” encouraged Swingline
to actually make a stapler in a color other than
black or putty. Finally they made a stapler in a fun
color like red! But for the most part, staplers have
functioned exactly the same, looked the same,
and been one of office suplies stalwart items
since the first Stapler was invented by Thomas
Edison, (that’s true -- Edison invented the first
stapler for the old Bates Manufacturing Co. years
ago).
But an amazing thing happened in recent years.
The stapler has actually seen innovation
come it’s way,
something you don’t see very often with office
products. A company named PaperPro invented
a new stapling mechanism that reduces the
amount of effort needed to staple large numbers
of pages together. It’s interested that it took a
completely new company to bring innovation
to the category. Long time industry leaders like
Swingline and Bostitch had not really invented
anything truly new to the category for years.
Called the “one Touch”, PaperPro promotes their
new stapler by stating it staples up to 20 sheets
of paper with one finger. The great news is it
works really well. PaperPro staplers work great,
and you can staple mutiple sheets of paper, up
to 20, with very little effort. In fact, as little as one
finger is needed to staple a stack of 20 sheets of
copy paper.
Not surprisingly, Swingline copied the new
functionality of the One Touch line, although it
took several years to do so. Apparently tight
patents kept them from quickly bringing their
own line to market quickly. Swingline’s version,
called “Light Touch”, also performs very well, and
is a welcome innovation for a category that had
grown more than stale over the years.
Now Bostitch, Rapid, and many private label
brands make staplers promoted as “reduced
effort”, or sometime called “power assist”
staplers. Within these new lines, there are more
heavy duty items that do more sheets than 20.
There are also cheaper plastic versions, more
TECHNOLOGY
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Tristan Hill is an Office Products expert that loves Zuma
Office Supply. They have great deals on Staplers and give
back half of profits to charities. Check them out today!
durable metal versions, and multiple color
options.
My recommendation for these new staplers is
to stick with the company that invented the line,
although they can be a little more expensive than
the private brands. Experience shows they are
more durable, and last longer than the stapling
mechanisms used by knock-off brands. My
second choice would be Swingline who still is the
best known brand in stapling and paper punching.
Speaking of paper punches, Swingline quickly
took the technology used for the Light Touch
line, and used it to make paper punches that
are reduced effort as well. This is a welcome
improvement to another office products category
that has been virtually the same since before
World War II.
Where is the best place to get these new office
supplies? I shop for all my office supplies online
at companies like ZumaOffice.com. It saves time,
money and gas. Prices are usually lower than at the
Big Box office supply superstores. I also try and buy
from companies that practice conscious capitalism,
and treat employees, vendors, customers, the
environment and the community with respect and
honesty. I do good work in the office using office
products from an online office supplies company
that donates 50% of profits to great charities.
Search for an office products company that does
good work, and try the new lines of reduced effort
staplers. You’ll be glad you did!
TECHNOLOGY
19 JUNE 2013
Create Your Own Hiring Opportunityby Mark Hopkins
Boulder is the unofficial cycling capital of the country and many of us get a ride in at the end of the
workday. Driving home one especially hot afternoon I encountered a young man who had flatted and
was walking his bike in his socks (it’s hard to walk in bike cleats). Having been in this unenviable
position before myself, I pulled over and told him to throw his bike in the back and hop in. As we
were driving the few miles back to his apartment, I was amazed by his mood. Most people in his
position would be whining about his broken pump, aching feet, searing heat, etc, but this guy was
smiling and talking about what a great day it was.
CAREER
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Small talk turned to employers and school.
He had just finished a two-year tech degree
and was looking for work. He asked about
my employer, listening intently as I described
what our company did, and asking insightful
questions about the product. This guy seemed
incredibly interested and so I ended up
explaining that our company had more demand
for our product than we could handle. We
ended up talking about the current production
bottleneck (product calibration) and the
skilled, and highly compensated technicians
that we needed to hire in order to ramp up
production. You can see where this is heading.
In 15 minutes, Dave’s optimism, interest in my
business and winning attitude won me over.
I didn’t hire him on the spot, but I did refer
him to my production manager with a good
recommendation. He got the job.
Was this just luck? Maybe. Was he
opportunistic? Certainly. The lesson contained
here is that your next big opportunity may come
from a direction that you didn’t anticipate, and
that it pays to model some specific behaviors
when you get the chance to interact with
someone in a position to help you. I’ve seen it
happen this way over and over again. Everyone,
especially corporate managers, go through
life consumed with their own challenges.
They aren’t looking for people to provide the
opportunity of a lifetime to; they just want help
solving their problems. And if the solution to one
of their problems happens to mean giving you a
CAREER
21 JUNE 2013
CAREER
Mark Hopkins earned engineering degrees from Cornell
and Stanford and then spent the next twenty-five
years deciphering the factors that make some people
prosperous, successful and happy After building a
leadership career with companies like Hewlett Packard
and Emerson Electric, Hopkins founded Peak Industries,
a medical device contract manufacturer, which he grew
to $75 million and later sold to Delphi. He then founded
Crescendo Capital Partners, a private equity firm, and
Catalyst, a private foundation supporting Colorado-based
nonprofits and micro-lending in the developing world. He
is the author of Shortcut to Prosperity: 10 Entrepreneurial
Habits and a Roadmap For An Exceptional Career.
www.shortcuttoprosperity.com
shot at a dream job, well that’s just a really nice
unintended consequence for you.
It’s pretty simple really. You need to exhibit
behaviors that cause people, especially those
in positions of responsibility, to think about
you when they need help. And why would
they? Two reasons. Because you make
them feel good and you solve their problems.
Here’s a list of behaviors that decision makers
find irresistible.
1. Become a “can-do” problem solver: People avoid
the whiner and gravitate toward (and promote)
the person who has never seen a problem that
couldn’t be solved. Look around the table and
you’ll identify this person. He’s the one with the
“I got this” smile when a nasty problem has just
been discovered.
2. Go All In! Decide what’s important to you and
go “All-In”. It is clear when someone is fully
committed to a cause, company, or person
and it is extremely attractive. Someone who
is All-In leaves nothing to chance, managing
the smallest of details, much like a hockey
player finishing a check. Bosses, like
coaches, take notice.
3. Be a world class listener: Integrate what you
hear with your own life experience and see what
you can add to the mix. Leaders are dying
to interact with people who understand their
thinking and can add to it.
4. Be upbeat / engaging / open: Invite
interaction with your attitude and facial
expression. Be the person that everyone is
always happy to see. The more you can wear
a smile the better. Replace cynical comments
with a good-natured sense of humor.
5. Strive for humility: No one likes the cocky
jerk. It’s much more enjoyable to be around
the confident but modest professional whose
performance makes it clear that she is the real
deal, not her entitled attitude.
Adopt these behaviors and you will earn a spot
at the table. You can decide later whether this
table is one you want to join.
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