SavvySugar

Do You Know Your Work Email and Productivity Facts?

SavvySugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:45:11 -0800

Love it or hate it, email has become the chief form of communication in the workplace. We apply for jobs via email, we send our reports via email, we communicate with clients, our bosses, our co-workers and even our nonwork pals throughout our busy workday via our special @ address. Have you ever stopped to think about how quickly you react to new messages, or how much time you're actually spending reading emails? Take this quiz and find out!
Photo courtesy of The CW

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10 Ways to Write a Better Email

SavvySugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:30:47 -0700

How you write a work email isn't going to make or break your career (well, in most cases). But your email etiquette can affect how seriously you're taken, and even how well you're liked, in the workplace. Read on for 10 things to keep in mind before hitting send.

Check (and double check) the recipient list. Is there anything worse than realizing you’ve just forwarded your co-worker’s email - with commentary - back to your co-worker herself? Always double-check the name(s) in the "To" field to make sure your email doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
Make small talk. Keep it short and sincere, but remember that a few niceties in an email can go a long way. It doesn’t take much time to throw in a comment about the weather or a "Have a great weekend," and it could make your email that much more well-received.
Proofread yourself. Nothing says "You’re not worth my time" to your recipients like a typo-ridden email. Do the courteous and professional thing and give your email a once-over (or two) before sending.

For the rest of your professional email crash course, keep reading.

Woman Gets Fired For Emailing in All Caps, Bold, and Red

SavvySugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:30:42 -0700

Most people agree that typing in all capital letters is the Internet equivalent of shouting, and one company interpreted an employee's habit of emailing in all caps, red, and bold as confrontational. So confrontational, that the company told the employee to hit the road.

Vicki Walker was an accountant for ProCare until she was let go for her style of communication. ProCare claimed she "caused disharmony in the workplace by using block capitals, bold typeface and red text in her emails." But Walker had the last say in the dispute, when The Employment Relations Authority in New Zealand ordered ProCare to compensate Walker with $11,500 for unfair termination.

What do you think of the situation; was the company in the right or wrong with its reasoning for firing the employee?

How Often Do You Check Your Personal Email at Work?

SavvySugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:15:38 -0800

Source

Study: Email Creates Greater Workplace Deception

SavvySugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:00:42 -0700

It's hard to imagine what work would be like without the convenience of email. Memos and inter-office mail would replace the send and reply world we work in now, and there's some speculation that this type of environment would create a more trustworthy workforce. Researchers tested email versus written communication and discovered that subjects were more honest when putting something in writing versus typing.

The testers told the subjects they had $89 to divide between themselves and a stranger. Each used email and a pen and paper to describe their plan for dividing the pot, and 92 percent of them lied about the pot's size via email while 64 lied on paper. Liuba Belkin, a co-author of the study relates the findings to the workplace: "You’re not afforded the luxury of seeing nonverbal and behavioral cues over e-mail. And in an organizational context, that leaves a lot of room for misinterpretation and, as we saw in our study, intentional deception."

Co-author Terri Kurtzberg adds, "People seem to feel more justified in acting in self-serving ways when typing as opposed to writing." Do you think the study's assessment of email communication is accurate?

Source

Six Things to Consider Before Writing an Angry Email

SavvySugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:00:25 -0700

It's easy to get worked up at work. Sharing close quarters while juggling everyone's different communication style, temper, ego and the overall office hierarchy can create a ticking time bomb.

When you do get upset it's important to address your frustrations in the most professional manner possible so you don't regret anything you say later. If your instinct is to immediately sit down and write an email (whether to your co-worker, supervisor or boss) I suggest considering the following things first:

Can you just talk it out? Confronting the issue verbally allows the person you are upset with to give you some sort of explanation for the behavior and the opportunity to defend his or her self.
Is it worth it? Like mom always said, it is important to pick your battles. Sometimes I get really upset about a situation or someone's wording, but if I spend five minutes thinking about it I realize it's not the end of the world. Try the subtle route before you light the fireworks.

For some additional suggestions, read more.

Keep it clean and appropriate. Standing up for yourself or expressing your frustration isn't always easy. If you write an email read it over and think about how you might feel if you received it. Watch your language and keep it professional. Don't use cuss words or euphemisms for cuss words. It is always better to be the bigger person.
Are you off base? Sometimes words get exchanged and both parties are left in confusion. Verbalize your argument as observations and fact, not accusations. Consider the other person's intentions before you react.
Emails are permanent. Emails can be forwarded to anyone in the company. They often come across as more harsh than a conversation and are a permanent record of your thoughts. Keep that in mind before you click "send."
Should you speak to the boss or HR? If you feel a co-worker or boss isn't behaving appropriately talk to your boss or HR. Don't feel like you need to handle HR issues yourself. HR exists to support you and the company.

Source

Travel Tip: 3 Steps to Take If Your Flight Is Cut

SavvySugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:45:14 -0800

You think you've done a good job, booking a flight months in advance of your planned travel. But with airlines cutting costs - and thus flights - all the time, there's a chance you will see that foresight going right down the drain. If you get the dreaded "Itinerary update: Flight change" email, look for these three things:

Check destination airport and connections. If the airline is no longer serving that airport or if the new time you'd arrive is drastically different, they may reroute you to another local airport - fine if you're familiar with the area or aren't meeting people, but if that exact spot is where you're joining family, it can be a problem.
Check times. Make sure your new departure, connection, and arrival times work for you and be comfortable with the window between any connections. Most US airlines will offer a full refund if your new flight arrives either 90 minutes earlier or later than the originally scheduled one.

See the last step when you read more.

Check for other flights. Look for alternatives before you call the airline. Although there are no guarantees, you may be able to change to a different flight that day with less of a wait or one that arrives at your exact desired destination. While swapping carriers is trickier, know which airlines have code-share partnerships, as changes between those linked airlines can be possible through the same agent.

Ask Savvy: How Do I Follow Up on a Job I Want?

SavvySugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:00:31 -0700

Dear Savvy,

I have a question about a job I applied for earlier this month (Oct. 4). I got a reply the following morning because my resume didn't download, and I replied with an apology and another attachment a few hours later. I didn't hear back and wasn't sure what to do.

On Oct. 14 I got an email saying that they still had some part-time positions available if I was still looking for employment, to which I answered, yes, I was available and still interested. I asked for a phone number and if I could call, and offered to come in to discuss details or interview. I ended by saying that I looked forward to meeting with her and thanked her. I haven't gotten a reply since.

I really need a job and this one is in my hometown. How do I proceed? Should I look up the business phone number, call the career center, or follow up with another email? What would I say in an email? I'm not sure what to do - do you have any advice?

Savvy says: Job searching etiquette can be such a guessing game. To see my advice, read more.

You got lucky when the employer reached out and asked for your resume when it didn't work the first time. Many would move on to the next one without blinking. You lucked out again when they followed up with you to see if you had interest in part-time opportunities, and you did the right thing by responding promptly. The two week gap after they reached out to you makes me think things have changed on their end, but you'll never know unless you ask.

Because they contacted you via email and you haven't spoken before, use email to get in touch with them now. When you do email your contact, say that you'd been alerted of job opportunities a couple weeks ago and are following up to see if that's still the case. Be friendly, say something kind regarding the company, and keep it short.

If this job doesn't work out in your favor, keep chugging with your job search and learn from your mistakes next time around. Triple check any attachments you send to a hiring manger, making sure they are the proper attachments and they open correctly. Good luck!

Have a question for me? Ask away by posting your questions in my Ask Savvy group.

3 Places That Give Free Resume Advice

SavvySugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:59 -0700

Professional resume services aren't the only places to find help on updating your resume. Objective advice can be had without paying for it, if you know where to look. Take your chances by bringing your resume to one or more of these places recommended by The Wall Street Journal - they're free, so you have nothing to lose.

Library: According to the WSJ, your local library might offer classes on resume basics or one-on-one sessions with a staff member to help with revisions.
Alumni career services: Your alma mater's career center could be a resource for resume advice. Some will interact with you in person, over the phone, or via email.
Government-sponsored job centers: There are more than 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers across the country that give free career advice; find your local center at ServiceLocator.org.

Back to Basics: Interview Dos and Don'ts, Part 3

SavvySugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:59 -0700

Recently, I taught a workshop on interviewing to 400 high-schoolers. I had to find a way to keep the information short, sweet, and simple for the 17-and-under crowd, and in doing so, I realized I was getting a pretty nice interview refresher myself.

For the workshop, I broke down the interview process into dos and don’ts for before, during, and after the interview. I've already given you my basic tips for before and during an interview; to see my dos and don'ts for after your next interview, keep reading