Business

When you are told by a professional they will call you late, you may feel put on the back burner. Try to see it from their point of view though. They may need time to review information or to talk to a supervisor. An event or project may be in the works but not moving … Read more

It is hard to wait for information, and being too assertive can rub professionals the wrong way. You have to balance letting them know you are eager for information and you are being too pushy for it. As a professional response to “I will let you know,” you can say thank you and emphasize that … Read more

When your boss sends you birthday wishes, it shows that he is interested in you as a person outside of work issues. Therefore, the answer does not have to be formal. Respond to “Happy Birthday” from your boss with a thank you followed by some appreciation for thinking of you. For example, “Thank you so … Read more

Formal interactions are just some of those challenges that no one prepares you for, although everyone seems to know how to handle them. In a casual conversation, someone might say, “Nice to meet you,” and you’ll confidently respond with “You, too.” But what if we take this seemingly simple interaction and move it to email? … Read more

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: you reformatted your resume, secured your references, and composed a genuine and constructive cover letter. You managed to make it past the first round of applicant evaluation and were offered an interview; you presented yourself with professional mastery and impressed your potential employer. After all of this, you … Read more

You’ve polished your resume, researched a variety of companies, and submitted some applications in hopes of receiving a quality position. You wait and then…you get the bad news: rejection. Although being rejected is never fun, most employers will provide at least a written response to inform you that you’ve been rejected; it has become much … Read more

People work to get compensation for their value. It’s not uncommon to ask for a pay rise. But what do you do when HR says that the expected compensation package is too high? If HR says the expected salary is too high, highlight the value you add to the company. If possible, you should prove … Read more

Celebrations, meetings, and conferences usually have presentations. The people who do these presentations are invited in advance so as to prepare because there’s so much that goes into coming up with a presentation. But how do you decline a presentation offer? To politely decline an invitation for a presentation, you should give as much notice … Read more

If you aren’t required to work on the weekends, don’t feel pressured into saying yes when you are asked. Sure, the overtime pay can be nice but it isn’t always practical. It isn’t always worth it for your physical or mental health either. Breaks from work can help you feel rejuvenated and reconnect with your … Read more

When coming up with an email address, there are a lot of tempting combinations that you may wish to try. Depending on where this email address will be used, whether in a personal or professional setting, will influence what some of your choices will be; using smartcat69@gmail.com isn’t a good idea if you work as … Read more