Five Phrases to Never Use at Work Again

There are a lot of reasons to avoid saying something dumb at work- you love your job, you respect your coworkers and bosses, and so on. We spend a lot of time focusing on how to improve ourselves at work, but for some people the best way to improve could be focusing more on what you say. Below is a list of five phrase to never use at work, courtesy of Paul Petrone.  

1. “That’s not my job.”

When it’s used: Someone asks you for help for a task that is outside of your core job description and you don’t really want to do. Rather than spend some time helping or just saying no, you say this instead.

And immediately regret it.

What people hear when you say it: “I’m out for myself only.”

A better option: If you don’t have time to help someone at that moment, tell them you can’t do it or you can do it later. But don’t say it isn’t your job ­– ultimately, your job is to help your organization win, so helping where you can is part of your job.

2. “We’ve tried that before.”

When it’s used: Someone – generally, someone who has been with the company for less time than you – suggests an idea. Instead of giving historical context but hearing them out, you shut them down with this phrase.

What people hear when you say it: Either “I don’t want to put the effort in” or “I know everything and you know nothing”, neither one of which is particularly good.

A better option: Hear them out. Maybe what’s being proposed has been tried, but wasn’t done well. So let the past experience inform your next move, but there’s always room for a new approach.

3. “There’s no budget for that.”

When it’s used: A person has an idea they are really passionate about. Similar to the last example, rather than hear it out and weigh the merit, you shut it down by saying there’s no money.

What people hear when you say it: “Keep your head down and do what’s expected.”

A better option: Great ideas should be funded, or perhaps there is a way to do it with a minimal budget. But killing every new idea with “there’s no budget for it” is a surefire way to minimize your team’s creativity.

4. “I told you so.”

When it’s used: A colleague has an idea, you say it is a bad idea, and they do it anyway. They fail. As if that isn’t enough, you pile on top of them with this.

What people hear when you say it: “I was actively rooting against you.”

A better option: “I told you so” has never helped anyone, and the person almost assuredly realizes that anyway. A better option here is simple – silence.

5. “That doesn’t follow procedure.”

When it’s used: Someone has an idea that doesn’t jive with the standard way your company has done things.

What people hear when you say it: “There’s only one way to do things here.”

A better option: Most rules are not absolute and, if a procedure is blocking progress, change it. Blindly adhering to the way things have always been done destroys innovation.F

Are These Bad Habits Ruining Your Productivity?

Everyday we make countless choices that influence every part of our lives . What we often don’t realize is that even making one wrong choice can ruin our productivity. Take a look at the list below to see if you’re falling into bad habits that ruin your work day.  

Tackling your easiest tasks first

Do the hard stuff first. Some people call this strategy "eating the frog," based on a quotation attributed to Mark Twain: "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day."

Some researchers say willpower decreases as the day goes on, so it makes sense to work on tasks that require lots of focus and concentration in the morning. Others disagree that willpower is a finite resource.

If nothing else, it makes practical sense to start with the hardest tasks, since you never know what scheduling conflicts will pop up later on.

Constantly checking your email

The siren call of your inbox can be hard to resist. Yet research suggests that switching between tasks -- say, doing research and checking for new email -- takes up to 40% longer than doing one at a time. Even when you think you're being more productive by multitasking, you're probably not.

One simple solution, from psychologist Ron Friedman, is to silence your phone so you don't receive email alerts or to close your email tab while you're working on something important. Designate specific times to check and respond to email in batches.

Keeping your phone on your desk at work

Turning your phone on "vibrate" isn't enough. Actually, turning your phone off isn't even enough. Research published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research suggests that the mere presence of your cell phone nearby can hurt your cognitive performance -- even if you're unaware of its influence. The best solution appears to be keeping your phone in another room entirely.

Staying seated all day

Office jobs aren't exactly conducive to getting a lot of physical activity. But you don't need to be up and about for hours at a time. A growing body of research suggests that even if you get up and move around for a few minutes several times a day, you're improving your overall health.

Recent research, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and cited by The New York Times, found that people who were active for a total of about an hour a day had half the mortality risk of people who didn't. And it didn't matter whether they were active in 5-minute increments or in longer chunks.

Staring at a screen for hours at a time

Staring at a computer all day can lead to "digital eye strain," resulting in symptoms like dryness and blurriness, Business Insider's Erin Brodwin reported. Enter the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds, Rahul Khurana, the clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmologists told Business Insider's Kevin Loria.

Waiting until late afternoon to take a break from work

Take that break mid-morning instead. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests that the more time that's passed since the beginning of the workday, the less useful a break is. Breaks taken earlier in the day are more likely to replenish resources, including energy, concentration, and motivation.

Interestingly, that same study found you don't necessarily have to engage in non-work-related activities during a break. Just make sure you're doing something that you like to do and you choose to do. In other words, making some headway on a work project you're excited about could be even more restorative than browsing social media.

Staying up too late

Scientists have identified a common phenomenon they call "bedtime procrastination": "failing to go to bed at the intended time, while no external circumstances prevent a person from doing so."

For example, you keep watching one episode after another of a not-that-interesting TV show.

This isn't just silly -- it can be dangerous. As Business Insider previously reported, in some cases sleep loss can be just as deadly as smoking.

Turn off the TV and get ready for bed. You'll be grateful tomorrow, and years later.

Building Stronger Work Relationships in One Easy Step

How many times a day do you find yourself asking people “how are you”? In most social settings, it's considered to be a polite greeting, but when it comes to your coworkers is there a better way to start a conversation? According to Forbes, in many work circumstances questions with more substance are vital when it comes to establishing strong working relationships. When simply asking someone how their day is going, you are not going to learn anything new about them, nor are you portraying any real interest. Next time you walk into a meeting or are assigned to a team project, considering using one of the following openings to really get the conversational ball rolling.

#1. What was the best part about your day?

#2: What work is most exciting you this week?

#3: What new ideas are giving you energy lately?

#4: Tell me one thing you’ve learned recently that inspired you.

#5: What is one thing we could do right now to make this (day, project, event) even better?

How To Find the Right Recruiter for You

               Here at Worlco, we’ve been successfully pairing IT professionals with new companies since 1982. However, we understand that people who have never worked with a Recruiter before may be a bit hesitant to start. Below, you’ll find a list of ways to find the right Recruiter to help with your job search, courtesy of Forbes. And remember, whether you are an individual looking for a new opportunity or a company in need of new IT professionals, contact Worlco to help you get started today.

1.  Start by asking current colleagues and former co-workers with similar backgrounds as yourself who they would recommend.  It is always a little tricky, as you don’t want too many people at work to know that you are thinking about finding a new job.

2. In addition to the referrals, search LinkedIn to find recruiters that specialize in placing people in your field. Send an introduction and invitation to connect on LinkedIn.  Once connected, see if you share any common connections. If you recognize some familiar faces, contact them and ask about their experiences with the recruiter.

3. Look at the recruiter’s activity on LinkedIn. See if they posted jobs that are in line with the types of jobs that you are seeking out. Review any negative or positive comments posted about the recruiter.

4. Check if the recruiter has been with the same firm for a reasonable amount of time or if they seem to jump around a lot. If you see a lot of movement, it could be a warning sign. The constant job changes could suggest that they are moving around to find the next, hot area and really don’t care about building long-term relationships with candidates.  Excessive jumps could mean that they are staying one step ahead, as they may have burned bridges with corporate clients and candidates at the prior search firms. It could also demonstrate that they may be smooth talkers, get hired, but really aren’t that good and quickly move on to another place.

5. Is the recruiter an expert in one or two areas and have they been doing it for a long time? It is preferable to find a recruiter who specializes, so that they really know an area well. If they have longevity, it is fair to say that they will have many contacts and clients that could help you in your search.

6. Are they connected with a fair amount of human resources and high-level professionals in your area of expertise? If so, that is good sign they have many connections to help you.

7. Search to find out if the recruiter has a website and how many relevant jobs they have on it. If there are a large number of current jobs that match-up with your skills, it is a good sign.

8. Check out all the job boards and search for opportunities in your space. Are there a few recruiters who consistently post jobs that are relevant to you? If so, bounce the names off of your work associates. Also, Google search them, check out their LinkedIn profiles and visit their website.

9. Email a résumé to the recruiter and judge their response.  Is the recruiter interested in speaking and meeting with you?  In the meeting, are they sincerely interested in building a long-term relationship or only looking for a quick placement? Do they listen to your needs, goals and desires? Do they try to force you into roles that you are not interested in? Does the recruiter have their pulse on the job market? Does it look like a shady organization or a well-established firm?

10. Does this person have a proven track record of success? The key is to find an experienced recruiter who specializes in your area of expertise and has a long history of successful placements. Also, once you find the person, make sure you are comfortable partnering with them.