When I was in school, I worked for this large company where its policy seemed to be to freeze workers during summer days. (Perhaps to preserve them for later?) I actually used to bring a small and unobtrusive blanket to work that doubled as a shawl in the winter. I would wrap my legs in it as I sat at my desk, typing furiously to keep my fingers from getting frostbitten. I also frequently got sick that summer because at the end of my shift I would tumble out of the fridge and right into a frying pan.

I know summer just ended but I think the United Nations is onto something with its request to workers to Put Up With Less Air Conditioning in the Summer. The workers in the U.N. skyscraper in Manhattan were told that they could wear less clothing and dress more casually so that management could turn down the freeze and save energy in the summer. At the beginning of the summer it was estimated that "about $100,000 would be saved by turning the thermostats up five degrees to 77 Fahrenheit (25 Celsius) in the U.N. secretariat building and to 75°F (24°C) in conference rooms, during a trial run in the scorching month of August."

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Jowita

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Who am I? Who am I? Hi there, I’m, er, well, I like reading and I am, hmm, well, I like writing too and I like travelling. I’m a reader. I guess I’m a travelling reader-writer, actually. Wait, is this what you’re asking me? Or you asking me who I am in relation to this position? Well, in that case, in that case ...

At this point, if my interviewer hadn’t fallen asleep or exploded I’d be quite surprised.

"Who are you?" is one question you should always be prepared to answer in an interview. It’s an odd question and it sounds, at first, so exciting -- they want you to talk about yourself! But you soon realize that it’s quite a tough question; it may be a lot more than you are prepared to tackle, in fact.

This is why the How to Figure Out What an Employer is Looking For article identifies "Who are you?" as one of the five little shockers you should be prepared to answer in a job interview.

The authors Bob Rosner and Sherrie Campbell write: "Every job applicant should have an answer for this question before the job interview even starts. Yet many of us still struggle to answer it. You want a short answer that is tailored to the job you're trying to get. Here's an example. ‘I'm a writer who can bring even the dullest topics to life with counterintuitive advice and attitude.’ That line actually got us hired once."

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Jowita

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I’ve been unfairly fired before. Unfortunately at the time, I didn’t really know my rights and didn’t know how to find a lawyer to take legal action. What follows is a termination letter I joked about writing. In this case, you will agree that I have every right to take a disciplinary action here, won’t you?

Dear Lucy, the cat,

I am writing to tell you that Smith & Bydlowski household is considering taking disciplinary action against you.

This action is being considered with regard to the following circumstances:

August 2, 2008 – August 4, 2008: Going into hysterics over a few small fleas, (possibly) PRETENDING to have a cardiac arrest, stomach tumour and allergic reaction, and as a result causing our household significant financial loses.

August 28, 2008, middle of the night: Pulling out fish bits from the compost and strewing them all over the carpet.

September 16, 2008, 8:30 a.m.: One large squirrel chewing through the window screen and jumping on our bed with you looking on and not doing anything to scare it away.

You are invited to attend a disciplinary hearing on September 19, 2008 at 5 p.m. that will be held on our deck with the management parties present where the above items will be discussed.

You are entitled, if you wish, to be accompanied by another work(!) colleague (Nunu, the cat) or a trade union representative.

Yours sincerely,

Jowita

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Long time ago, the editor-in-chief of a magazine I worked at gave her two-week notice. I really got along with her and she liked me too, so I asked her if she could write me a recommendation letter, a general one. What she wrote was quite nice and I’ve saved that letter and attached it to many cover letters I’ve sent out. In fact, I have a small file of reference letters from a number of people I worked for -- I got into the habit of asking for one whenever they or I would leave a job, with no specific job in mind, just as a kind of performance review. It’s a good practice, especially if it’s your tendency to add "References Available Upon Request" at the end of your resumé – they better be available, you know?

In the article You Can Be Your Own Best Reference in The Globe and Mail, the author, Randi Chapnik Meyers, talks about the practice of saving those words of praise not only to show to prospective employers but also to use as leverage when asking for a raise or promotion. And another important use of praise, she finds, is that it can boost your ego. Some people have resistance about asking for references if they’re still with the company – sure, they don’t want it to look as if they’re planning to leave but there is a much more significant reason for saving those words of praise than the ones already mentioned. These letters (and "way-to-go" emails and cards) can serve as rescue rafts if you ever get fired. One woman sued her company for firing her for making a huge financial mistake. She won the appeal when her reference file revealed she’s had an impeccable employment record for 20 years.

Similarly, it is a good practice for employers to save those “Thank You” cards. They show that you’re a good boss.

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Jowita

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A few weekends ago, I went to a friend’s cottage and one of the guests had a little dog with him named Maddox. It was a Jack Russell terrier with the most incredible stamina and the sweetest personality. The dog spent most of the day chasing sticks, swimming, rolling around in dirt, hanging out with the people at the cottage and generally just being entertaining. I was sad when it was time to leave. I knew I would miss Maddox’s mad barking and happy face.

I love dogs and grew up with dogs around. I agree with the article Why More Offices Are Going to the Dogs, which says that dogs are a welcomed and positive presence in the work environment. I think it’s true that having a pet around makes us all little softer and a little more genuine and that could have a positive effect on our work relationships. At the same time, I know that it’s unlikely that most offices would allow a dog or another animal to be a permanent workplace fixture. Some people suffer from allergies and not everyone loves dogs as much as I do. Still, it’s nice to see how accommodating some companies are. I’m waiting for the time when it will be okay to have a nap at work ... wait. Never mind.

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Jowita

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I’ve written about difficult workers previously but as it turns out there’s still more left to be said. A friend of a friend works for a woman who is really disrespectful and drives her employees crazy with her demands. For instance, one time she allegedly threw a sandwich at one of her assistants. People are quitting that workplace left, right and centre.

This made me think of the movie The Devil Wears Prada which contains a cartoonish (no, the movie is not a cartoon) version of what a bad boss is like -- unrealistic demands, fits of anger, lack of respect. Recently, I had a flashback about a manager at a fast food joint where I used to work a long, long time ago. She was so dysfunctional that she made people cry. (And I said in an earlier entry that I never had a difficult co-worker -- phew, my memory probably blocked that one).

In the article Dealing With Specific Types of Difficult People, Part 2 the author, Tim McClintock, takes a look at different types of difficult workers. He divides workers into categories and gives advice on how to handle them. I wish I had read this many years ago when my former manager was being unpleasant. I would’ve known how to deal with her better, instead of just feeling stuck.

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Jowita

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All my life I wanted to wear glasses, but I happened to have perfect vision for a long, long time. When I went on a trip to Paris and had to squint my way through the city I realized that I had possibly gotten my wish. So upon returning to Toronto I had my peepers checked -- and left the optometrist’s office with a prescription for my long-coveted glasses.

I went through many pairs (at some subconscious level I seem to like to leave them in cabs and/or sit on them) and for a short time I suffered from cool frames syndrome. (Mine were purple-pink with a wild slant.) After some time I realized that I had become “that girl with glasses” and that this carried a certain stereotype -- the one where I was smart, bookish, perhaps really well organized. I had no problem with that image. Maybe that’s why I always wear my glasses to job interviews.

So it was to no surprise when I read about people wearing fake glasses to appear smarter. In The Globe and Mail article Do These Glasses (I Mean Flasses) Make Me Look Smarter? the author, Nadja Sayej, talks about the interesting trend of job seekers donning a pair of fake glasses to an interview . People wear flasses to look professional and impress their bosses and co-workers. (One 22-year-old manager quoted in the article wears fake glasses because he wants to look more mature...)

I think fake glasses are a little cheesy, but I shouldn’t be too smug about my real glasses status and all the benefits (?) that come from me looking so serious.

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Jowita

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Over the years I’ve been called many different things: Joe, Jo!, Yo, V., Lolita, Velveeta (cheese), Joey… When I was younger I didn’t correct people -- I was too shy or maybe too depressed to bother. Now I do correct people but I can wholeheartedly relate to Misa Friesen-Kobayashi in The Globe and Mail article Name
Game: How Do You Say That Again?

She says that mispronunciations “can cause irritation, frustration, awkwardness, embarrassment, failed communication, even workmates avoiding each other out of fear of botching a name.” The article states that resistance to learning the proper pronunciation and spelling of a co-worker’s name may be perceived as disrespectful. It also talks about how people with different names spell their names phonetically and how they can be assertive but friendly when correcting others. Friesen-Kobayashi says that if people are still mispronounce your name after a few weeks have passed, it is “no longer socially comfortable” to correct them.

If you’re struggling with someone’s name, simply ask them to repeat it -- till you learn it. Despite having a difficult name myself, I’ve always had trouble asking people to repeat their names -- I thought it would offend them to find out that I couldn’t learn the first time. But I will try to make more of an effort now.

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Jowita (pronounced Yovita)

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I won’t lie -- I’ve watched reality TV before. In fact, I watched an entire season of America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 10 even though I was uncomfortable and a little ashamed. (But, deep inside, I was actually enjoying it.) I’ve also seen an episode of Blind Date here and there and I sat transfixed once this summer watching The Real Housewives of Orange County. It’s so bad for you. But so good at the same time. Like donuts.

You’d think that after years and years of reality TV, we would have had enough but there are new shows popping up everywhere. I know a few people who work in reality TV (although, they tend to call it “factual entertainment”) who say it is a huge and hugely profitable business. Just the other day, I read about the show Miss Sister 2008, essentially a nun beauty contest. (As of right now, the show is withdrawn).

So, perhaps it’s not a big surprise to read that there are even reality tv schools that prepare its students to handle rejection.

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Jowita

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Not long ago, the Toronto Star published a special section on Continuing Education. It’s worth checking out. I found it quite inspiring to read about people who changed their lives around and began new careers. But perhaps the most inspiring article was the one about seniors taking online courses to learn how to build websites. I think that is so cool that someone like Anna Carling, mentioned in the article Site-Building Course Untangles the Web, is 78 and has set up an alternative health site. Not only that -- she’s making money from it and has been able to hire her grandson to help her maintain the site twice a week!

The section mentions other people who continued learning so that they could follow their dreams and better their lives. I have a friend, Susan, who started a landscaping company a few years ago. She went back to school to take courses and learned about managing a business. This year she worked with a whole crew of people and had more clients than she could book. She is a former actress and a trapeze artist (yes) and she made this recent career change when she was in her late 40s. I often think that when I grow up I want to be just like Susan. I want to have the same drive and strength to do whatever I dream of doing.

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Jowita

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I was never a fan of Sex and the City but I’ve seen an episode here and there and managed to develop a strange urge to have a high-paid frivolous writing job, like , Carrie Bradshaw. I thought writing = glamour. I pictured myself walking in my high heels through the city with my sparkly pink lunch box/purse, throwing money around on shoes and martinis, talking in a drunkie voice to men and my somewhat emancipated women friends. My priorities have changed quite a bit since that time, but I always had this feeling that working in writing or editing could lead to great, exciting things. (I left the unrealistic and bizarre world of Carrie behind but the dream remained.)

The blog about working in magazines is called Dream Job TK , perhaps because some magazine jobs seem like a dream – you see your name in print, you go to shiny product launches, you get to meet celebrities. You also make a lot of money... not. That is, only if you believe what Sex and the City tells you. But if you read the Dream Job TK blog carefully, you’ll see that the author, Corinna VenGerwen, is giving careful and sobering career advice for magazine editors. Her advice has little to do with the glamour but lots to do with how to be good at your job or how to get that editing job that you’ve always dreamed of. It may never lead to Blahniks but it will be full of challenges and wonderful experiences.

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Jowita

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Recently, I was comparing notes about toxic work environments with a friend I used to work with a few years ago We both quit our jobs at a time when things went from bad to worse to wacky.

By the time we quit, we had exhausted every reason we could think of to stay and we had made every possible compromise we could make in order to stay in the job. There simply was no other way. Our boss’s boss was politically incorrect and some people who worked there had no qualms about making sexist or racist jokes. Our immediate boss refused to give us performance reviews or raises or pay us for extra time we had worked. By the time both of us left, we had zero fight left in us so we did nothing to lodge an official complaint; we just wanted to be out of there.

Most recently, another friend who gave a standard two-week notice at the same place, drove (about 20K) to work the next day, only to be told to pack her belongings and get out. It looked as if the boss wanted the experience and satisfaction of “firing” my friend so she made her drive to work to humiliate her.

In the article How To Handle an Abusive Boss the author, Steve Tobak, a former abusive boss himself, talks about how to deal with a difficult boss. He writes, “If you end up losing the war and getting terminated, be sure to remember my favourite parting line, ‘I've been fired by better people.’"

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Jowita

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I met my first one when I was 21 and got a job at a bank. I quite appreciated the semi-privacy it allowed and how it made me feel a part of a team, not cut off from my co-workers. I liked how most people refused to accept its lack of character and tried to personalize it by hanging pictures and inspirational slogans on it and so on. (I thought in a way that those decorations were like little insights into our individuality.)

I’m talking about the cubicle, of course. A few months ago, the cubicle turned 40 and to celebrate, here’s an interview with the man behind the cubicle in which he explains why the design is so damn featureless.

Today, I am in my third cubicle. It’s a bit of a mess, covered with papers and magazines, staplers, books and markers. In a way, I feel like my cubicle is my part-time home, although, I am ashamed to say, I have not really personalized it in any way.

On the other hand, I have a journalist friend who over-personalized his. His cubicle is jam-packed with towers of CDs, stacks of papers and a whole array of action figurines. A picture of his cubicle ended up in a magazine when it was deemed a security risk. Speaking of pictures, Wired magazine conducted the Wired News Saddest Cubicle Contest last year and the results were truly depressing. Er, enjoy? Saddest Cubicle Gallery.

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Jowita

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