10 Secrets to Being a Successful Corporate Web Worker
I’ve been on both sides of the fence as a corporate web worker. I’ve been one myself, telecommuting from my home office, and at other times, I’ve managed people who worked from home both part-time and on a permanent basis.
Telecommuting and working from remote locations works well for me, and it has worked for many, but not all, of the people that I’ve managed. I’ve seen examples of both extremes: people who were incredibly successful as web worker and those who got their telecommuting privileges revoked.
Being able to work from home is a nice benefit, but only if you can continue to successfully perform your job, and there are a number of things that you can do to help improve your chances of success. Here are my top tips for being a successful corporate web worker.
- Office space. Start by finding a place where you can work remotely without distraction. I’m one of the lucky ones with my own dedicated home office with a door that I can close to distractions. If the best place you have to work is a kitchen table and you have family or roommates at home, working from home might not be the best option. The key is to find some arrangement where you can focus on your work. This could be a location in the house, a coworking space or even a garage / workshop.
- Set goals. Know what you plan to accomplish and set goals for what you will accomplish when you are working remotely. Obviously, you should do this anyway, but it becomes even more important to have solid goals when you are working outside of the office, since you’ll need to be able to justify your efforts to your manager who can’t just walk by your desk to see you hard at work.
- Know what you need. Make sure that you have everything that you need to accomplish those goals that you outlined. Do you have access to that document you need to update and solid connectivity to all of your networks in the office? Nothing ruins your day like planning to complete a specific task and realizing that you left some critical piece of documentation or technology sitting in the office.
- Great output. In most corporate environments today, you’re judged on your output. If you can demonstrate to your manager that you have consistently high quality output while working remotely, your chances of success are pretty good.
- High volume of output. Quantity is just as important as quality when it comes to working remotely. If all you have to show for your day of remote work is one really high quality email, you probably aren’t going to be successful. Make sure that you are cranking out the deliverables to prove that you are working hard and not goofing off.
- Focus on work. Stay focused on your work-related activities, and remember that you are working from home, not taking a day off. Save the laundry, dishes, and other household chores for after you finish a solid day of work. You should be doing the same work, just from a different location.
- Be present. Because you aren’t in the office, you’ll need to find other ways to keep in touch with your coworkers. Stay online, keep your IM client open and use any other collaboration tools available so that your colleagues can see that you are online and available to them.
- Be responsive. Respond quickly to email and phone messages to demonstrate that you really are working and that people can get answers from you regardless of your physical location.
- Planning. Plan your remote work days to focus on a couple of big tasks that require quiet concentration, but that you can show off at the end of the day as solid accomplishments. I like to save big creative tasks for the days I’m working at home where I can focus with fewer distractions. Creating reports, documentation or writing presentation materials are all great remote tasks for me.
- Show off. I know, nobody likes a showoff, but the harsh reality in business (any business) is that people are busy, and if you don’t tell your manager how awesome you are, then she might not notice. Make sure that you take the time to let your manager know exactly what you accomplished when you were working remotely. If she knows that you will do a great job regardless of where you are doing the work, then she’ll have no reason to doubt your ability to work remotely, and it won’t reflect negatively on you when it comes time for that yearly performance review.
What are your secrets for being a successful corporate web worker?
Photo by Dawn Foster used with permission.
How to Find Your Soul Job
Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher, originated the theory of soul mates. He believed that humans were born with 4 arms, 4 hands, and 2 faces. Zeus, Greek King of Gods, saw this as a potential threat and split everyone in half; thereby, condemning everyone to a life of trying to find their other half in order to be whole.In modern day life, we consider our soul mate as someone who has similar characteristics, dislikes and likes, as well as compliments our differences. What if the same concept applied to finding our “soul job?” This would be a job that we enjoyed going to everyday, yes, there would be some bad times as well as good times, but there is still a sense of fulfillment and gratification at the end of the workday. It is important to note that a soul career/job doesn’t have to satisfy us financially, but gratify us emotionally and intellectually. Here are a few tips in finding and “mating” with your soul job:
- Find a career/job that you would enjoy, even in the most challenging times.
We all know that it can’t be peaches and cream everyday. For example, firemen realize that they are going to be saving lives and going into fire and smoke-filled homes and buildings to save lives, but they still do it. They understand the threats and still come to work everyday and give 110%. You can do the same.
Explore the unexpected. Think outside the career box.
Ever thought about working in a job that you would otherwise think unsuitable for you? Currently, you may be a clerk or cashier in a retail store, did you ever think about being a doctor or a nurse? Think about why you haven’t started on the journey to being who you want to be, and then think about what it takes to become whole and get the job you really want. It may seem frightening at first, because you are considering the time, money, and effort, but wouldn’t it be worth it? Aren’t YOU worth it?Conduct research
After thinking about what you really want to do, determine what steps you will need to complete to accomplish your goals. Will you need to go back to school? How long will it take? Do you know someone already in the field that can give you advice and even be a mentor? Now is the time to begin living the dream that will become a reality. Be realistic, you know you won't be a certified nurse in a year. Realize time constraints, be optimistic. This will make getting your soul job all the more satisfying.
Look for alternative opportunities within your current employer. It takes some people a lifetime to find a soul mate, and some are still unsuccessful. Finding a ‘soul job’ requires keeping an open mind, being persistent and ambitious. Does your half have what it takes to get what you want to become whole?
So you like the company you are with, but the job position isn’t really what you want to do. Be consistent and check the job board or company listings. Be subtle and let people know you are interested in taking on more responsibilities in order to reach your goal within the company. If the job you desire requires more education or experience, refer back to tip #3 and research what you need to do to get to where you want to be.
Written on 4/02/2010 by Dewoun M. Hayes. Dewoun has worked as an administrative professional for over 15 years, starting as a legal secretary. She writes at the Office Professionals Place, a blog that is committed to training, educating, and consulting professionals with the necessary tools, tips, and techniques needed to institute the “pro” in professional. Photo Credit: hydropeek
Know How and Why Using Keywords to Search For Jobs Online is so Important
Searching for a job online can be a fairly simple process. However, getting hired for one of these jobs is significantly more difficult. Getting hired for a job that is posted online is so difficult because the competition for these jobs is great. Companies may receive hundreds or even thousands of applications from highly qualified candidates. You may be one of these highly qualified candidates but if your resume does not stand out you will likely be overlooked. Doing everything to stand out when you are searching for a job online is very important. However, it is even more important to refine your job search instead of just entering your location and a few vague keywords. This article will provide information on how you can refine your online job search to ensure you only receive the types of results you are really seeking.
The first step you can take to refine your job is to carefully consider the keywords you are using in your job search. Just about all job search websites allow you to enter keywords to narrow down your search results. However, if these keywords are not selected carefully you will not receive the types of results you are seeking. For example if you are an obstetric nurse and are looking for a new job you would not just enter nurse as a keyword. This does not refine your search nearly enough because it will generate result for all types of nursing jobs. However, if you add the word obstetric to your keywords as well as other words and phrases associated with obstetrics your results will be much more suitable.
You can also highly refine your online job search by location. The easiest way to do this is to enter the zip code of the location in which you would like to work. Also, if there is the option to limit the radius around this area, you can refine your search even further. By keeping the radius relatively small you will only receive search results in a small area surrounding your target area. However, if you perform the online job search with a much larger radius you will receive job results from areas further away from your target area. You will have to decide which type of radius is ideal for you. If you are looking to relocate to a particular area a larger radius may be acceptable because you can purchase a home close to your job location. However, if you are looking for a job in your current location you will likely want to keep your radius relatively small unless you are willing to relocate or endure a long commute.
Online job searches can also be refined by salary ranges. Some online job search engines allow users to enter a minimum salary, a maximum salary or both. This type of feature appeals to job seekers who are only willing to accept a job with a certain minimum salary or a job in a certain salary range. This may include job seekers who are currently employed and do not want to make a lateral career move. It may also include job seekers who are interested in relocating and have estimated they will need a minimum salary in order to maintain their standard of living in the new city. There are salary calculators available online which will assist users in determining these values. These calculators typically require the user to enter their current salary and location and their desired location. Based on this information the calculators determine the salary the employee will need to maintain the same standard of living.
Know How and Why Using Keywords to Search For Jobs Online is so Important
