Career Advice

4 reasons you really should appreciate being at the bottom of the ladder right now We all want that promotion. We all dream of that corner office. And we all can’t wait until the day when we’re at the top of the ladder-rather than hanging out on the bottom rungs. While there’s nothing wrong with looking ahead, setting goals, and working toward something bigger and better, that doesn’t mean you should completely lose focus on the things that are great about your career right now.

The 2 things you need to do before you openly disagree with your boss Imagine this: Your boss announces a new plan to reorganize the office, specifically, where people sit and work, to improve collaboration and work flow among team members. You listen as she talks, but the more you hear, the worse you think her idea is. As you nod your head, your brain is screaming: “This will grind work to a halt! I won’t be able to focus in a completely open space next to my chattiest colleagues!” So, what do you do: Do you tell your supervisor you disagree or let it slide?

6 strategies that'll help you work with someone you really (really!) dislike Nearly every day, my client Sean arrived at work to a voicemail from her co-worker Jackson, who was three time zones away. “Call me as soon as you get this,” barked the voice on the other end. “You’ve got big problems here!” It was one of the most difficult working relationships she’d ever had. Negative. Blaming. Self-centered. Mean. In short, it gave her a reason to hate coming to work every day.

5 small work victories that are worth celebrating when you're new at a job If you’re a beginning runner, you celebrate your first 5K finish. If you’re a rookie piano player, you revel in the first time you’re able to play any song besides “Chopsticks.” If you’re a novice baker, you throw up a fist pump the first time your soufflé doesn’t sink. But when it comes to the first few weeks of a new job, there’s usually not much celebrating—only an intense focus on getting through each day without bumbling your responsibilities or making huge, company-foiling mistakes.

9 ways you can personally make your office a happier place to work every day You love your colleagues, right? Seriously, they make your day. (Well, most of them.) But do they know that? According to writer Peter Economy, praising your co-workers can result in numerous positive changes for you, including stress reduction, an increase in empathy, and even better health. Also, showing gratitude at work increases team morale and makes you (and those around you) happier. While that all sounds obvious, not enough people put it into practice.

3 lessons you’ll learn by saying Yes to new and scary things If you’re anything like me, saying no to new things just feels comfortable. There have been plenty of times when I defaulted to it over the course of my career. Sometimes that’s meant turning down a job because I was nervous I was underqualified, or sometimes that even meant saying no to a candidate because I was afraid I was making the wrong decision for my company.

5 totally valid reasons to stay in a job you hate Every Monday morning, you wake up with your stomach in knots and a looming sense of impending dread. Even the mere thought of throwing off the covers and turning on your coffee pot makes you grit your teeth and clench your fists. Why? Well, you absolutely hate your job.

10 simple mindset changes that will turn you into a real leader If you’ve been in the workforce for more than two seconds, chances are you’ve had a boss who was simply just your supervisor and a boss who really, truly was a leader you looked up to and aspired to be like. What are the differences between the two, and how do some bosses become inspiring trailblazers while others just tell employees what to do? Check out the infographic below.

Your guide to your first week on the job You walk through the revolving door of the lobby toward the elevator, soaking in your surroundings there’s not a familiar face in the building. You straighten out your suit, press #12, and take a deep breath: Once those doors re-open, your first week of work will officially begin.