Office Politics

Office PoliticsOffice PoliticsWho isnt worried about their job rightnow? No matter how high up on theorganization chart, any executive who isnt looking over his or her shoulder thesedays needs a reality check. We areall vulnerable in this kind of economic turmoil and with unprecedented businesschanges likely in 2009. It seemslike an excellent time to brush off the lists of dos and donts in theimportant and still-popular game of Office Politics.Do Understand where the power is, how decisions are made Know the mission priorities of your operation Volunteer to champion new projects Appreciate the culture of your operation and adapt to it Communicate your successes assertively Accept responsibility for mistakes quicklyDont Point fingers (those who live in glass houses ) Complain (people will listen politely but no one wants to hear) Dwell in the past Advance your own career by hurting the business or harming colleagues Second-guess decisions already madeThis last one is critical, espe cially in adifficult, fast-moving environment brought on by the current economicclimate. In a new book aboutcareer success (Theres no Elevator tothe Top by Umesh Ramakrishnan) the author quotes Coke CEO Terry Marks whosays When we break huddle, whenwe leave there, everybody runs the play.If the quarterback thinks youre running a post and you run a curl,youre going to have an interception.Youve let everybody else around you down, not just yourself.Even worse is the co-worker who breaks huddleand runs over to the sideline to complain about the play to the coach or otherteam members. Alsoproblematic is the player who is still complaining in the second half of a gameabout a play run in the first quarter.Not only will it turn teammates against him, the behavior runs a seriousrisk of screwing up the next play called and the one after that.I know some free thinkers in the careerspace wish for a less dogmatic set of principles but sometimes the truth is thetruth. Human nature really doesntc hange and the fundamentals of good teamwork are eternal.

Cell Phone or Smartphone Policy Sample for Workplaces

Cell Phone or Smartphone Policy Sample for Workdistribution policysCell Phone or Smartphone Policy Sample for WorkplacesThe following cell phone policy refers to cell phones and smart phones that are generally used by exempt employees as they pursue the effective performance of their jobs. These employees use their phones at home, at work, at client locations, and to address the needs of customers. They are an intrinsic part of the employees ability to perform their jobs effectively. Different rules for phone usage apply in a manufacturing facility or in another location where the employees ability to accomplish their work is dependent on other employees working simultaneously. In these work settings, smartphone use is restricted, generally to breaks and lunchtime. Cell Phone or Smartphone Policy Sample This policy about cellular phone usage applies to any device that makes or receives phone calls, leaves messages, sends text messages, surfs the internet, or downloads and allows for the reading of and responding to email whether the device is company-supplied or personally owned. Company Owned and Supplied Devices or Vehicles Policy Sample An employee who uses a company-supplied device or a company-supplied vehicle is prohibited from using a smartphone, cell phone, hands-on or hands-off phone, or similar device while driving, whether the geschftlicher umgang conducted is personal or company-related. This prohibition includes receiving or placing calls, text messaging, surfing the internet, receiving or responding to email, checking for phone messages, or any other purpose related to your employment the business our customers our vendors volunteer activities, meetings, or civic responsibilities performed for or attended in the name of the company or any other company or personally related activities not named here while driving. Use of company-owned vehicles or devices for personal business is discouraged. Personal Cell Phone,Smartphone or Similar Dev ice Use for Business Your company is aware that employees currently use their cell phones for business purposes while driving in their personal vehicle and using their personal cell phone or similar device. Due to research that indicates that smartphone or cell phone use while driving is dangerous, and may even approach the equivalent danger of driving while drunk, according to some studies, your company prohibits employee use of personal cellular phones, either hands on or hands free, or similar devices, for business purposes related in any way to our company, while driving. This prohibition of cell phone or similar device use while driving includes receiving or placing calls, text messaging, surfing the internet, receiving or responding to email, checking for phone messages, or any other purpose related to your employment the business our customers our vendors volunteer activities, meetings, or civic responsibilities performed for or attended in the name of the company or any oth er company related activities not named here while driving. You may not use your cellular phone or similar device to receive or place calls, text messages, surf the internet, check phone messages, or receive or respond to email while driving if you are in any way doing activities that are related to your employment. We recognize that other distractions occur during driving, however curbing the use of cell phones and smartphoneswhile driving, is one way to minimize the risk, for our employees, of accidents. Therefore, you are required to stop your vehicle in a safe location so that you can safely use your cell phone or similar device if you need to make or respond to a phone call.Engaging in your company business using a cell phone or similar device while driving is prohibited. Employees who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary actions, up to and including employment termination. Why Is a Cell Phone or Smartphone Policy Important? Businesses that supply cell phones and smartphones for their employees to use on business-related missions and tasks need to have a solid policy on which employees receive training. While the safety of employees is the paramount purpose of the policy, employers are smart to cover themselves legally as well. At the end of the training, employers need to ask employees to sign a receipt acknowledging that they understood the policy and will comply with the training provided by the employer. Banning texting and talking on the smartphone while driving supplies the employer some legal coverage if an employee is involved in an accident while using the smartphone. Aside from legal coverage, by banning smartphones in meetings, the employer should experience more productive, interactive meetings where the attendees are focused on the goals of the meeting. And, this is positive for the business goals. DisclaimerPlease note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a world-wide audience and ?employment lawsand regulations vary from state to state and country to country. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.

Software Engineer vs. Systems Engineer

Software Engineer vs. Systems EngineerSoftware Engineer vs. Systems EngineerAn IT software engineer and systems engineer actually have a lot in common.Both need to understand underlying business and support requirements to design solutions. They must both draw on techniques and processes from multiple disciplines when solving a complex problem or set of problems. And they are both expected to bring several years of experience with various programming languages to their roles, and to collaborate with quality assurance (QA) and hardware engineers.As for general differences between the two positions Software engineers tend to focus more on implementing software, while systems engineers work with users and domains. If youre considering a career in either position, read on for some more details about what to expect and how to train for eachThe software engineerAn IT software engineer designs and creates engineering specifications for building software programs, and should have broad infor mation systems experience. Software engineers typically work with QA and hardware engineers to develop testing plans. Other responsibilities might involve determining what development methodology to use and documenting software requirements.Minimum requirements for this role, according to Robert Half Technologys Salary Guide, include a bachelors degree in computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering or a related discipline. Most candidates for software engineering jobs also have several years experience in specific programming languages, such as C and C++, Java or Visual Basic .NET. Programming languages required will vary by employer.The systems engineerA systems engineer in IT does some of the same work as a software engineer in that he or she develops software components. But systems engineering also involves specifying, building, maintaining and supporting technical infrastructure. That infrastructure can include the build, test and production environments used to deliver Software as a Service, and the systems used to monitor the performance of deployed software solutions. A systems engineer also may be called on to perform high-level root cause analysis for service interruptions, and help bring services back online once a problem is resolved.The minimum education requirements for the system engineer role mirror those of a software engineer a bachelors degree in computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering or a related discipline. Like systems engineers, software engineers typically have several years of experience working with multiple programming languages and are capable of collaborating with QA and hardware engineers.Soft skills are especially important for systems engineering professionals, as they must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and nontechnical users. Many employers will want a systems engineer candidate with extensive experience working with specific hardware and software systems, and the ability to demonstrate that he or she can design, analyze and troubleshoot IT at a systems level.Learn what starting salaries are for systems engineers and software engineers */FIND SALARIESNext stepsIf youre thinking about becoming a software or systems engineer, consider taking one or more of the following stepsLearn different software development methodologies, as developing software components and installing and maintaining software systems are likely to be among your job requirements in both fields.Consider signing up for a massive open online course (MOOC). Massachusetts Information of Technology, for example, offers many of these courses on systems engineering topics. If you just want a primer, find a resource that offers an introductory class.Pursue continuing education to learn an in-demand programming language, hone your soft skills or earn a certification.We can help you get your next software engineer or systems engineer jobUPLOAD YOUR RESUMEThis post has been update d to reflect more current information.