Think Before Showing That Ink

Although body art such as tattoos and piercings are becoming less taboo, many employers still require their staff to hide visible markings. When young people are deciding about how and where they will decorate their bodies, they should think about their future careers, say former students. Tattoos on parts of the body that cannot be hidden—hands, for example—can automatically close doors. When interviewing, potential employees should cover all visible tattoos and piercings until they learn the culture of an organization.

 –From The Shorthorn at UT Arlington

Great Mentors Have These 7 Traits

An experienced mentor who helps guide a new employee can make a huge impact on an individual’s career. However, finding the qualities that make a good mentor in one person may prove difficult. Instead, experts suggest looking for one or more mentors who together have the following characteristics:

• Confidence. A mentor should be well established in his or her career. One with a dissimilar background is an even better choice because it’s less likely the mentor will fear the mentee becoming a threat.

• Someone who is willing to “pay it forward” rather than someone who is still climbing the corporate ladder will likely be freer with his or her time.

• Self-awareness. Individuals who can communicate the steps that led to their success are imperative.

• Honesty. Mentors who offer advice and criticism are more helpful than ones who are merely cheerleaders.

• Specificity. A mentor who can tell the mentee specific ways to improve (“Do X and Y to make your numbers”) is more valuable than one who gives vague advice (“Keep up the good work.”)

• Discretion. An individual who knows to keep confidences allows a mentee to speak more freely.

• Experience. Those with a longer work history can offer perspective and help the mentee truly grow.

–From Fast Company Magazine

Business Phone Call Making Comeback

Once the preferred method of communication, business phone calls have been on the wane since e-mail and smart phones have changed the way we make contact. However, new software for office telephoning is bringing the phone call back.

Using computers to dial voice calls, this new technology allows callers to leave their desks and look at e-mail or other documents while they speak. These new voice technologies combine text and voice communications and even allow people to transfer a conversation to a smartphone mid conversation. By making voice communication more like being online, the technology provides searchable archives of conversations, too, making the new applications especially attractive.

–From The Wall Street Journal