• October, 2009:  New Boss?  5 Ways to Adjust
• August, 2009:  Humility, Faith, Optimism: 3 Surprising Career Boosters
• July, 2009: 4 Mindsets of a Successful Leader
• June, 2009: 9 Crucial Questions for your Boss
• April, 2009:  PMP Certification is the Right Choice for Project Managers
• March, 2009:  Get Your Boss to Say Yes to Telecommuting
• February, 2009:  Will Your Social Networking Profile Get You Hired or Fired? 
• January, 2009: 8 Bad Work Habits (And How To Break Them)

Click here to read the 2007 - 2008 Helpful Tips

New Boss? 5 Ways to Adjust 
Robert Half International 

These days, there is a lot of upheaval in the workplace. Be it layoffs, reorganization or people taking other positions, there's a good chance you may be reporting to a different person than you were just a few months ago. The relationship with your supervisor can have a great impact on your career, so starting off on the right foot with a new boss is critical. Following are a few tips for doing so:

1. Help out where you can. 
Starting a new position is challenging for everyone, even your boss. Remember what it was like when you were a new employee, including the times you could have used someone's help. Discuss any pending projects and who is currently responsible for those initiatives. Also provide visibility into any upcoming deadlines.

2. Remain flexible. 
Your new boss will have his or her own ideas of how to run the office and accomplish team goals, and you should be ready for the possibility that some of those ideas may conflict with your own. But keep an open mind; different doesn't mean worse. Be willing to try new approaches.

3. Aim to be a go-to person. 
Your new supervisor will face many challenges in the first few months, so he or she will be looking for employees who can help pick up the slack. Let your manager know what you've accomplished in the past and what skills you possess, and offer to be a resource on future projects. Be sure to mention talents that might fall outside your job description, such as your familiarity with a new software program. The more you can contribute, the more valuable you'll be considered by your employer. Just don't go overboard, or others, including the new manager, may perceive you as currying favor. 

4. Remember that patience is a virtue. 
You likely took a few months to feel comfortable when you started your job, so it's safe to assume the same will be true for your manager. For instance, if your boss wants you to provide twice-weekly updates, it's probably not because he or she doesn't trust that you're getting your work done. Instead, your supervisor likely wants to make sure he or she doesn't let anything slip through the cracks. 

5. Pay attention. 
Get a feel for how your boss works. Does your manager want to be in the loop on each and every project, or does your boss have a more hands-off approach? What is his or her preferred method of communication? When is it best for approach your supervisor with non-pressing requests? These questions may not be answered immediately, but by paying attention to your boss's tendencies and preferences, you'll form a productive relationship more quickly.

Remember, not only are you getting used to your new manager, but he or she is also getting used to you and, in many cases, a new work environment. So, don't be surprised if both of you have your fair share of growing pains. Being empathetic to your supervisor's experience will go a long way in developing a strong working relationship with him or her.

Robert Half International Inc. is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 360 offices worldwide. For more information about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com .

Humility, Faith, Optimism: 3 Surprising Career Boosters 
by Heather Boerner, for Yahoo! Hot Jobs

Job coach Nance Rosen hires people based on their resumes, but promotes them based on their personalities. Talented employees who are pessimistic, doubtful, or put their needs before her company's don't get far.

"These people lacked the qualities that represent good character: Humility, faith, and optimism," she says. "The people I nurture, promote, and give the best work to are the people who have something I can't teach them: character."

But these virtues can be honed. Consider these suggestions for applying them in your workplace.

Humility

Few people became CEOs without supportive mentors, colleagues, and supervisors. To get that support, you can't hog the limelight and undermine coworkers, says Linda Seger, author of "Spiritual Steps on the Road to Success: Gaining the Goal Without Losing Your Soul."

Instead, advocate for your coworkers:

Recommend them for jobs not right for you. Connect them to those who might advance their careers. Acknowledge and promote your coworker's successes as much as your own. "That generates a lot of good will," she said. "As a result, coworkers will often also recommend you for jobs, because you are not overly prideful, and because you are humble enough to recognize the talents of others."

Faith

Have faith in your company's mission and its management, and you're more likely to avoid layoffs. But faith is more than believing in your company. It's trusting your career path, even if you aren't advancing at the pace you'd like.

"Exercising faith in the process of career advancement is believing that your career development unfolds in a series of challenges that equip you for a purpose higher than what you can see," says Shai Littlejohn, a career development coach from Washington, D.C. "These challenging situations very often require us to humbly serve others by helping in areas where they fall short."

Such faith frees you to take risks you wouldn't otherwise.

"You're far more likely to risk, to leap, if you have faith in where you're going," says Jackie Freiberg, coauthor of several books on successful companies. "You cannot succeed by waiting."

Optimism

It turns out that if Pollyanna were your coworker, she might have the fastest career advancement of anyone you know.

But optimism isn't just hoping for the best. It's a thought process. If you assume the best in a situation where you don't know the other person's motivation, you're optimistic, said Acacia Parks-Sheiner, a psychology lecturer and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ask yourself:

When a coworker walks past without acknowledging you, do you assume she's distracted or she's mad at you? When a new boss gives you a negative performance evaluation, do you assume he's out to get you, or do you think there might be a miscommunication? If you assume the best, you're probably going to get further in your career, Parks-Sheiner says, even if you're wrong.

"People who are more positive are viewed more positively by others," she says. "They get better performance reviews, their bosses like them better, colleagues like them better, and they're considered more competent."

4 Mindsets of a Successful Leader 
Keith Ferrazzi, Author of "Who's Got Your Back" 

Have you found yourself thinking of starting your own business? Are you trying to climb the corporate ladder while the company is working through the recession? In other words, are you aiming to be a leader?

Well, behind every great leader, at the base of every great tale of success, you will find an indispensable circle of trusted advisers, mentors and colleagues. These groups come in all forms and sizes, and can be found at every level and in nearly all spheres of both professional and personal life. What they all have in common is a unique kind of connection with each other that I've come to call "lifeline relationships."

In order to build these all-important lifeline relationships, there are four core mindsets that can be learned and practiced, and help lead you on a path to personal and financial prosperity. They are:

Generosity: This is the base from which all the other behaviors arise. This is the commitment to mutual support that begins with the willingness to show up and creatively share our deepest insights and ideas with the world. It's the promise to help others succeed by whatever means you can muster. Generosity signals the end of isolation by cracking open a door to a trusting emotional environment, what I call a "safe space" -- the kind of environment that's necessary for creating relationships in which the other mindsets can flourish.

Vulnerability: This means letting your guard down so mutual understanding can occur. Here you cross the threshold into a safe space after intimacy and trust have pushed the door wide open. The relationship engendered by generosity then moves toward a place of fearless friendship where risks are taken and invitations are offered to others.

Candor: This is the freedom to be totally honest with those in whom you confide. Vulnerability clears the pathways of feedback so that you are able to share your hopes and fears. Candor allows us to begin to constructively interpret, respond to and grapple with that information.

Accountability: Accountability refers to following through on the promises you make to others. It's about giving and receiving the feet-to-the-fire tough love through which real change is sustained.

The real key to establishing close relationships with people you consider your trusted advisers in your career and in your personal life is how these four mindsets work together.

The process starts with generosity. It jolts people out of traditional transactional do-for-me-and-I'll-do-for-you relationships. Actively reaching out to and helping others gives us the opportunity and permission to take a relationship to a deeper level. This allows us to explore intimacy, ultimately to the point of being vulnerable and open with one another.

If we've created a safe space, a place where we feel safe enough to say candidly what we think and feel, we can take greater risks in the relationship. It can lead to making a commitment to mutually support one another through thick and thin and to hold one another accountable for doing the things that will allow us to achieve our dreams and destinies. Taking such risks can lead us to create more than just friendships -- we can create lifeline relationships to a better future.

This process is iterative: The more you give, the deeper you get and the more profound your sharing becomes. That strengthens your safe space, and provides more freedom to be vulnerable and candid -- which opens the relationship even more deeply. Trust builds incrementally, by stages, growing deeper and stronger as the mindsets are practiced more sincerely and passionately.

Once you work within the four mindsets, you will see it's a truly inspiring experience. Whether you're working with an experienced sales team or building a business from scratch, the lifeline relationships you build will become more than your colleagues or assistants. They will become you're a trusted circle of advisers and your peers.

That's worth repeating: peers. Equals. Even though one of them may have clear organizational authority -- and the title and decision-making power to go with it -- each member functions as a highly respected equal, offering up creative ideas, candid feedback and criticism voiced with authentic concern for the others' interests, and rigorous attention to accountability around goals, goal setting, follow-through and, of course, results. Each member has free, open and respectful permission to call the others out when they are falling short (because we all fall short, and most of us, as I know well, tend to do so repeatedly).

Do you want to be more successful in your career and more fulfilled in your life? Then let's get started.

Keith Ferrazzi, CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, has counseled the world's top enterprises on how to dramatically accelerate the development of business relationships to drive sales, spark innovation and create team cohesion. His most recent book is "Who's Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success -- and Won't Let You Fail" (Broadway Business). You can find more information about him at www.keithferrazzi.com.

9 Crucial Questions for your Boss 
Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer 

There are certain things you probably shouldn't ask your boss:

"Are you an idiot?"

"Who actually pays you to do this?"

"How much did you spend on that bad toupee?"

But what about the things you should ask your boss? In today's turbulent job market especially, it's important to ask important questions and be on your boss's radar (and not because you asked him if he showers daily).

Some job seekers and employees mistakenly think asking questions shows lack of intelligence, says Caroline Ceniza-Levine, partner at SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm. On the contrary, it's worse to think of questions later and then have to go back and get them answered. It's even worse to not ask questions at all and find out you misunderstood or left something out.

"Thoughtful questions show professional maturity; clarification questions show that you are actively listening and thinking of the details," Ceniza-Levine says. "If you are just asking the boss to repeat herself, then you show you are not paying attention. If you ask a question that deepens and expands the discussion then you demonstrate that you are paying attention, reflecting on what is said and adding to this." 

Here are nine questions to ask your boss that can help boost your career:

1. How will we gauge my success in three, six or 12 months?
It's important to know the metrics of how you and your boss will gauge your success, and to have a working timeframe, Ceniza-Levine says. You need to know that you are working on what matters and aiming for results that will be measured. The less subjective you can make your work, the better it will be for you come bonus or promotion time.

2. How do you prefer to communicate and how often? 
It's important to talk to your boss formally for things like performance evaluations, but it's also imperative to know how to get feedback on an everyday basis, Ceniza-Levine says. Does the boss want you to check-in every day, every week or only when a specific project is happening? Do they want you to swing by unannounced, make an appointment, send an e-mail or call first? 

"People have different expectations in terms of frequency and method of communication, so ask how your boss likes to communicate and adjust accordingly. If you need more or less feedback, this will be something you need to communicate," she says.

3. What does my career path look like at this company?
This is a tricky one. On one hand, asking this question shows that you are focused on making a long-term career at the company. On the other hand, you have to be careful not to appear as if you are constantly looking outside, Ceniza-Levine says. Ask this question after you know that your boss is happy with you in your current job and then you can decide what your next move is.

4. What areas do I need to develop to advance my career?
This shows your manager that you're being proactive in making something happen for yourself. You're trying to get explicit direction regarding advancement, and asking for specific feedback shows that you aren't assuming what your weaknesses are. 

"You don't want to assume that you need more strategic planning or more analytical skills," Ceniza-Levine says. "Maybe they really value relationship building and the time you spend in front of the computer is time better spent meeting people in other departments."

5. What's our top priority?
Oftentimes, bosses assign employees more work than they realize. Asking him or her upfront what takes precedence makes your boss choose among the many projects you may have been assigned, Ceniza-Levine says. This is important so you know how to budget your time. You want to know the top priorities and save your best work for these. 

6. Let me see if I understand this correctly ... am I missing anything? 
After your boss has explained something to you, it's beneficial to summarize what you've heard so that the boss knows what information you retained and can fill in the details where you may have missed something, Ceniza-Levine says. Repeat what your boss says so that you are on the same page about next steps, otherwise you're in for a rude awakening when the due date comes around. 

7. What are my strengths?
You want to know your strengths so you can build on these to advance your career down the line.

"Sometimes people value things that you don't realize; it might be so natural to you that it is unnoticeable," Ceniza-Levine says. "Now that you know your boss notices and likes this strength, you can find a way to incorporate more of it into what you do." 

8. What can I do to help you?
Asking how you can help is important because it shows you are willing to go above and beyond, Ceniza-Levine says. Make sure you've completed everything already asked of you, otherwise it might seem like you're angling for something other than your current job. 

9. I'm working on projects X, Y and Z -- do you think I can handle this task?
As mentioned earlier, managers don't always know if you have too much on your plate. If you ask before committing to a new task, your boss's priorities will dictate your choices -- not your personal preference, Ceniza-Levine says. By listing what you already have going on but offering to do more, you come across as willing to go the distance. 

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

PMP Certification is the Right Choice for Project Managers

By Amit Doda

PMP certification is being widely recognized as the standard qualification for project managers in a large number of companies worldwide. Project managers with PMP certification are in huge demand and they also earn better pay packages compared to their peers who do not have a PMP certification. The PMP certification not only enhances the skills of a project manager but also strengthens their resume. PMP is one of the most rigorous examinations in the field of project management. Read ahead to know why PMP certification is an important addition to a project manager's skill set:

• The PMP Advantage: A PMP certification adds to your accomplishments as a project manager. This certification indicates that you are skilled in preparing and executing plans for a variety of industries. It also means that you possess the necessary skill levels to see a plan through its implementation and to its closure.
• World Wide Recognition/Standardized Recognition: PMP certification provided by PMI is one certification that is recognized as a standard by industries across a wide spectrum of fields. Project Management Professionals are needed in industries like health care, engineering, construction, insurance, food and beverages, finance, manufacturing, information technology, insurance and many more.
• Constant Improvement: With every renewal of your PMP certification you learn more and more.
• Better Job Prospects: The job options available for a PMP certified project manager are limitless. PMP certification implies that you have a thorough knowledge about project management and you are ideal for the role of a project manager. Your worth as a project manager keeps on increasing as you gain experience by working on quality projects.

Get Your Boss to Say Yes to Telecommuting 

Robert Half International

As employees and businesses increasingly recognize the benefits of telecommuting, the number of professionals working remotely has grown dramatically. By many indications, the practice seems here to stay. A recent report by technology research firm Gartner Inc. revealed the number of employees worldwide who work from home at least one day a month reached 82.5 million by the end of 2005, double the figure from 2000. Gartner predicts this number will grow to more than 100 million by 2008 as technology continues to advance at a steady clip.

A survey conducted by Robert Half International mirrors the forecast: 87 percent of executives polled said there will be increased telecommuting in the coming decade. While the proliferation of high-speed and wireless Internet access has made telecommuting much easier than in the past, many professionals are adopting this work style not only because it's convenient, but also because it allows them greater work-life balance. In addition, rising gas prices and lengthy commutes have made working from home -- or even cafés and satellite centers -- an appealing option.

If you'd like to work remotely, you'll need to show how the arrangement is good not only for you but also for the business. If you are uncertain about how to approach your boss, consider the following steps to create a convincing argument:

1. Gather the facts. Start by contacting your human resources department or consulting the employee manual to determine whether your company has a telecommuting program already in place. If one exists, you can build your proposal on actual policies. Of course, you may discover rules that prohibit or limit telecommuting. If this is the case, tap your professional network to identify people who have worked remotely and ask them what steps they took to secure the arrangement.

2. Consider all angles. Although telecommuting presents many benefits, remember that not everyone performs well outside the office. The best candidates for telecommuting are self-disciplined, feel comfortable setting priorities and deadlines, and are able to work independently with minimal supervision. In addition, some tasks, such as graphic design or research, lend themselves more easily to telecommuting than others. If much of your work requires face-to-face contact or ongoing access to equipment and materials that are situated only at the office, you may want to reconsider this option.

3. Prepare a written proposal. If you are convinced telecommuting is right for you, make your case in writing. A written proposal enables your boss to consider your ideas carefully, demonstrates forethought and underscores your commitment to the proposition. It also serves as a crucial tool if your manager must obtain approval from higher-ups. Your document should include:

• Employer benefits: How will telecommuting increase your productivity or help the company reduce costs? Remember, there must be something in it for your employer.
• Qualifying characteristics: Are you self-motivated and well-organized? Do you have a history of dependability and proven work habits? Describe qualities that will allow you to thrive outside the office and, wherever possible, cite supporting evidence of these characteristics.
• Outside evidence: Add punch to your proposal by including applicable articles and studies that cite the benefits of telecommuting, such as increased business performance and productivity. This may be particularly valuable if your company has no telecommuting program in place.
• Safety measures: Many firms are concerned that allowing staff to work remotely increases the likelihood that confidential information will be compromised. Ease your employer's fears by including a description of the security measures you have in place at home, such as current anti-virus software and active firewall settings. Your company's information technology department also may be able to provide hardware or software that allows you to access the firm's systems securely from remote locations.

4. Consider alternate proposals. If you think your boss will resist the idea of you working from home, consider proposing a trial period. You can even suggest an "out" clause that enables either of you to discontinue or adjust the arrangement before the end of the trial if the situation proves problematic. Convincing your company that you are a good candidate for telecommuting is only half the battle. Once you begin working from home, you have to prove the arrangement continues to benefit both parties. Here are some strategies:

• Record on- and off-site responsibilities. Distribute to your team a list that shows which of your job activities will be accomplished at home versus in the office. Include information on how you will ensure key relationships with co-workers are not hurt. This will show your boss that your absence will not affect the progress of group projects.
• Make sure you're easily accessible. Let everyone know which days you will be working from home and give them your contact information. Check in frequently and pledge to return phone calls or e-mails within a given period. Assure your boss you can come into the office if you are needed urgently.
• Build in accountability measures. Your manager's biggest fear is likely that you will be unproductive without close supervision. Keep him or her informed of your progress by submitting a weekly report of your at-home activities, or setting up regular evaluation meetings to review your accomplishments.

If the possibility of working from home appeals to you, put together a case that indicates how such an arrangement could benefit you and your employer. By considering all aspects involved, anticipating your manager's concerns and continuing to demonstrate the advantages of telecommuting, you may soon find yourself among those who dial, rather than drive, into work.

Robert Half International Inc. is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 330 offices throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. For more information about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.

Will Your Social Networking Profile Get You Hired or Fired? 

Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing 

By now, most of us have heard a handful of horror stories about how a person's online profile wrecked his or her job search or career. Yet, every day people swarm social networking Web sites making the exact same mistakes. Maintaining an "It-won't-happen-to-me" attitude, many people have no idea that the derogatory statements they just posted or the lewd pictures of themselves online may cost them the job of their dreams.

Fortunately, some job seekers are wising up to how they present themselves in cyberspace. Rather than developing a profile that could quickly get them fired, savvy professionals are increasingly social networking Web sites to find jobs, develop key contacts and advance their careers. 

"Having an online identity is becoming increasingly important as a way to establish your credibility and personal brand and to attract career or business opportunities," say Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton, co-authors of "Seven Days to Online Networking." To ensure that people create a profile savvy enough to help them land a job, they offer the following tips.

How to get hired 

Be consistent from site-to-site. Too often recruiters and hiring managers get mixed messages about job candidates based on their online profiles. For example, you might have a LinkedIn profile that portrays you as a driven go-getter with an excellent sales background, but your MySpace profile portrays you as someone who lives the life of an 80s rock star. Make sure that every profile you create portrays the same person -- someone who's respectable, professional and high achieving. 

Master a brief sound bite. When looking at your profile, hiring managers and recruiters want to learn more about you. The "About You" section of your profile offers the perfect opportunity to briefly describe your work history, strengths and notable achievements. This paragraph should be similar to a thirty-second elevator speech you may have already prepared about yourself. 

Develop a network. Some people prefer massive networks that consist of hundreds of strangers from around the globe. Others prefer a small network that includes only people they've befriended, are related to or have worked with. Crompton and Sautter suggest developing a network of between 50 to 150 contacts through each site. 

Showcase your skills through links. You should include links to your blog, webfolio or Web site, if they are relevant to your career. If you don't have any of these things, consider including links to any projects or work you might have been involved in that can be viewed online.

Strategically use keywords in the "Tags" section. Similar to using keywords in a résumé, this strategy allows you to list words that help other people in your network or search engines find you. These words can include your area of expertise, job titles, industries, hobbies and anything else that defines you as a professional. 

Just as there are plenty of things a person can do with their profile to help them stand out in cyberspace, there are dozens of faux pas people commit all too often. The following five mistakes are some of the most common social networking missteps. 

How to get fired

Post a scandalous photo. You know what I'm talking about: It's the photo of you showing off your hot, bronze body in a barely-there bikini. It's the portrait of you -- in all your glory -- bonging a beer while sporting a Bears' jersey at last week's tailgate. Profile pictures like this may be amusing and help you score a ton of friend requests, but they certainly won't impress your employer.

View or update your profile on company time. You can't help it. You have to accept a friend request as soon as you receive it. You have to know who has added pictures to their profile in the past hour. And as soon as you realize wakeboarding tops your list of interests, you have to immediately change your profile to reflect this. You jokingly refer to it as your Facebook addiction, but it's no laughing matter to your employer. Instead, it's considered a waste of company time if you're scoping out these Web sites while at work. 

Post information that conflicts with your employer's values. Remember that any thing you wouldn't want to share with your supervisor or co-workers is better left off your profile. This information may include how you spend your leisure time, how you feel about sensitive issues or any personal experiences you may have had. Also, be cautious about things your friends post on your profile that may portray you negatively. 

Reveal why you're a lousy employee. Ever taken a sick day to hit the beach, rather than nurse a cold? Or maybe you were supposed to work from home one afternoon, but your profile suggests you slept in and spent the afternoon catching up on your soaps. Believe it or not, some people actually make this information public on their profile! Whether you reveal this kind of information in your profile status or a friend has left a comment ratting you out, be aware that if others can see it so can an employer.

Vent about your employer, boss or job. Many social networking sites allow people to include their work history. Posting unnecessary, negative information about a particular aspect of the job, such as "Job sucks, but it pays the bills" gives an employer all the reasons they need to slap you with a pink slip. 

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. Her articles help people find meaningful work, develop their career and life plans and carry out effective job search campaigns.

Bad Work Habits (And How To Break Them)

by Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs

Experts offer this list of common bad habits at work -- and how to break them:

• Planning poorly. Do you spend your first hour at work wondering what you should work on today? "So many people, when they leave their office at 4 to 6 p.m., really have no clue what they're going to do first thing the following morning," said Glenn Davis, president of the Next Step Group, which recruits sales and sales management professionals for software and other companies. It's more efficient to plan your next day before you leave work.
• Spending the day in "email reaction mode." Answering every email message as it comes in may make you seem responsive, but it's not productive. "You feel like you're being a hero because you're dealing with all your email," said Valerie Frederickson, CEO & founder of Valerie Frederickson & Co., an HR executive search and consulting firm. "But it has nothing to do with achieving your goals."
• Abusing work-from-home privileges. Yes, you save time when you work from home by not commuting. But too many people are easily sidetracked by the laundry, their kids, a quick errand. "People like to say, 'I get so much more done'" working from home, Davis said. And some do -- but not everyone. If you work from home, make sure you're putting in a full day's work -- and that you're accessible to your colleagues during the workday.
• Putting personal life before work. Everyone has emergencies from time to time. But it's annoying to have to repeatedly fill in for the colleague who is late every morning because he's checking on his home remodeling project, or who misses an entire afternoon because she scheduled a routine dentist appointment for 1:30 p.m.
• Being late for meetings. People who show up 5 or 10 minutes late for a meeting cause a "domino effect," Davis said. Meetings later that day may be thrown off schedule because the earlier ones ran late. And people who show up on time feel their time is being wasted.
• Not taking care of health and hygiene. Leslie G. Griffen, an HR consultant and career coach, is sometimes hired by companies to approach an employee who doesn't bathe and ask them to improve their hygiene. The problem is twofold, said Griffen, principal of The Griffen Group. A sloppy appearance will cause a poor first impression. Also, "if your hygiene is bad, your health is probably bad," Griffen said. An added benefit of eating well and exercising: You'll have more energy.
• Using inappropriate humor. Your coworkers may not appreciate your sense of humor. Skip the off-color or "racially targeted" jokes, Griffen said. And be careful about sensitive subjects such as politics and religion.
• Not caring about your work. People like coworkers who are enthusiastic about what they do. Show that you take pride in your job by presenting yourself well, communicating clearly and doing your best work.