Stealing from the workplace: 10 ways we steal at work

None of us would consider ourselves thieves, to be listed among the child molesters or the murderers or even dead beat dads who owe tons of back child support or corporate embezzlers. Most of us consider ourselves honest, hardworking middle class Americans who are loyal to their jobs, or at least make an honest day's pay, right? Well, maybe, maybe not so honest.

Have you ever made personal copies on the office copy machine? I have. We stole the paper and the ink. Stole, you say? Isn't that a little harsh? After all, what's a couple of copies? Well, a couple of copies, say 5 a week, give or take a bunch, over the course of a year, multiplied by 30 other employees doing the same thing, adds up to... well....a lot of copies and a lot of lost money.

Here are ten ways we steal at work:-

-making personal copies

-using the company's fax machine for personal use

-taking longer coffee or smoke breaks. Do you take 15, 20 or 25 when you're supposed to take only 10 minutes?

-getting and making personal phone calls at work.

-running personal errands on company time. You know, running by the bank to deposit your check when you were on your way to the post office for your boss, or even worse, stopping at the dress shop to browse, while running errands for the office...tsk, tsk...

-making long distance phone calls, or using your company's cell phone for personal calls, tons of them.

-usurping company time for personal things such as....napping or daydreaming, doodling, painting your fingernails, reapplying makeup, snacking, balancing your checkbood, cleaning out your purse, listening to the ball game or watching tv, reading your romance novel, gabbing and gossiping.

-taking pens, paperclips, manila folders, rolls of tape, staples or stapler, ruler, stamps, whiteout, envelopes or paper for home and personal use.

-surfing the web, playing pc games such as solitare, looking at porn...uhoh!

-taking a longer lunch break.

-getting to work late and leaving early but logging in and out on time. Ten minutes late, leaving 15 minutes early every day or so...just think about how those minutes add up! 20 minutes a day times five working days, almost two hours a week, after one year you will have gotten paid for 96 hours that you did NOT work! Now that's stealing!

Think about it. Be an honest employee.

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Important first job advice

What ominous and delightful words: “My first job.” Some fear it and some can’t wait until they have the opportunity to experience it. What does a first job provide? Money. In a real sense, that’s why most people (at least on the outside) look forward to it. It pays and we can all use some cash, right? Even deeper is a sense of responsibility and self-sufficiency that underlies the monetary benefits.

Nobody wants to live with their parents forever. Eventually you have to get out and support yourself. Along with this independence comes a number of things. Likewise, independence itself comes from a number of things, starting with your first job. In many ways your first job teaches you responsibility. There are the issues of accountability, financial responsibility, personal growth and maturity, and, of course, perseverance.

You have to show up to your job or you’ll be fired. That’s that. There is no choice in the matter. Attendance is mandated. If you are sick you generally must find someone to fill in—that is your job, not your supervisor’s. Attendance is required as is quality. If you don’t do a good job or show that you really would rather be somewhere else, it’s unlikely (unless there is an uncharacteristically tight job market) that you will find yourself continuing long in your present position.

Fiscal responsibility is also learned. Most teens have few qualms about spending their parents’ money, but are significantly more tight in regards to money that they spend many hours of “useless” drudgery (or great joy) earning. Those new shoes might wait just a little bit. Budgeting becomes crucial, especially if the teen is involved in saving for a car or paying his/her car insurance. The teen suddenly has to budget entertainment and things they want now with greater entertainment or better things later. In addition, to keep track of and store money, checking/savings accounts (with balance books) are needed. More than anything balancing their own checkbook will teach your children financial responsibility.

Of course, personal growth is a result of all these things. Being able to spend ones own money the way he/she chooses is a great show of freedom as well as a great responsibility-inducing thing. Your teen is now free to do more of what he/she wants independently of your finances. The very fact that they are taking on the responsibility of a job speaks volumes for their maturity (and in many cases for their tolerances of menial chores). Your teens, while possibly not liking their job, will certainly feel more “adult” because of it.

Perseverance is also learned very readily. Unless you are entering the job market fresh out of college (or high school) and ready to begin your career, it’s likely that you won’t get a job that matches your skills particularly well. In fact, you may end up flipping burgers, mopping floors, or stuffing brochures (easy jobs aren’t always fun, either). When you do what you don’t want to do because you know you have to do it, you grow personally and you exercise perseverance. All of these factors combine to create the unique experience of having a first job.

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Tips for interviewing

Many people fail to get the most from an interview because they don’t know what’s expected. From job searches to journalism, the following do’s and don’ts will help you in your next interview.

DO your homework – not just for the Who and What, but also the Why.

Coming into an interview without knowing the background of your subject is rude and irresponsible. Basic preparation includes knowing the proper pronunciation of names, functions within the organization, and if possible, a more complete background of the individual. Stronger still would be to determine what this person is hoping to hear from your conversation. If you can adequately predict what’s going to happen, you have the best chance of not being caught off-guard.

DON’T pretend that you know much more than you do.

The point of an interview is for the listener to understand the speaker’s area of expertise. At the end of the interview, your subject should be able to give an accurate portrayal of this to a third party. If you try to mislead the subject, you will wind up with a weak interview – either from a lack of your understanding for the subject, or from the subject’s lack of trust in you. Admitting your ignorance isn’t just honest, it’s also the best way to get to a point where true learning can occur.

DO repeat answers to your subject.

It’s a simple phrase, but one that will save you from dangerous misunderstandings later: “So what you are saying is...” Interviewers inevitably put things in their own words. After all, you are far more likely to remember and understand it that way. But that doesn’t mean that you’ll always get them right. Repeating answers, when done in moderation, confirms that you are on the same wavelength as your subject. More importantly, it confirms that you are listening intently.

DON’T look at the clock.

An interview is an intimate and personal experience. After all, where else do you get complete and undivided attention paid to you? When you let your subject know that they are working under a time limit, you undermine the trust and depth of the experience. This prevents the sharing of greater insights.

If your schedule is truly tight, let the subject know at the start of the conversation. That way, they won’t be taken by surprise or think that you are blowing them off... and they are much more likely to work with you to give you what you need, during the time constraints.

DO make eye contact. DON’T be a slave to your notes.

Many interviewers avoid eye contact and focus on reading and writing notes during an interview. Neither tactic helps you achieve a rapport. You don’t have to make a lifelong friend, but the simple act of making frequent eye contact shows respect for the individual as a thinking person, rather than an aid to the notes you are filling out. Without that rapport, your chance for a truly great interview is minimal.

DON’T end the interview without covering the bases.

No interview is complete without checking to see that all of the bases are covered. Even if everything seems to have been said, a simple “Is there anything we missed?” can save you from a big miscue.

DO follow up with the subject.

When you complete a good interview, you have also created an opportunity for future dialogue. Following up with your subject with the results of the interview adds to your roster of contacts. After all, you never know when you might need to speak to the subject again.

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Creating a winning resume

The path of your career is greatly dependent on a single piece of paper: your resume. It is as important to a businessperson as a portfolio is to an artist. Very rarely do you get an interview before that piece of paper is assessed and approved. Your resume is a prospective employer’s first impression of you and it’s your strongest tool. Presenting a professional package is imperative and arming yourself with a refined resume is worth your time and effort.

Success begins with concise clarity. All of your experience, employment history, abilities and attributes need fit on one page. Gone are the days of lengthy objectives and summaries, so it’s a good idea to compile an outline of the information you wish to convey.

The first section of your presentation should be work history. Your last three to four jobs is adequate, but if you feel prior history is pertinent feel free to list it off. Your most recent employer is listed first, accompanied by the dates you worked with that firm. If you just moved or have lived in many places, it’s also good to include the location--city and state is all that’s needed. Under the heading for that employer state your job title and responsibilities.

The second section should include a summary of your education. College, trade school and technical training are accounted for here. You’ll want to list the name and location of the institutions, as well as your course of study and any degrees, diplomas or certificates attained. Refrain from listing your high school unless you’ve just graduated or it’s the highest level of education you have completed.

Lastly, the third section addresses skills, interests and personal achievements. Although this section should take up the least amount of space on your resume, it should be packed with information. Listing computer knowledge, activities and awards helps give your resume a face and demonstrates that you are multi-faceted.

In some cases it is appropriate to also state a career objective before job experience is listed. If used, the objective should be written in an active form like: “To obtain an entry-level position in the e-commerce industry”.

Getting your information organized can be quite a chore, but doing so will make writing your resume a breeze. Here are some points to keep in mind when composing the document.

Don’t go nuts with underlines, italics or fonts. Keep it simple with one style. You can bring attention to key factors like names, titles and dates by formatting the text in bold or by changing the font size.

Use active language when listing off job responsibilities. By using the present tense, you are communicating that you still have the ability to perform these tasks. For example, instead of saying: “Assisted customers and wrote reports”, try using: “To assist customers and write reports” or “Assisting customers and writing reports”.

Write the resume like it’s being read by a speed-reader because it will be. Doing this will help to keep the language concise and will prepare the document well for its purpose. Instead of using complete sentences or thoughts, whittle your words down to the most important statements.

Garnish your presentation with a logo or letterhead. This is how you give your resume personality. A little creative license can be used here, but remember you must still convey professionalism. Err on the side of caution--if you have to ask yourself if what you’ve concocted is appropriate, it probably isn’t.

By following these guidelines, you and your resume will be set for success and it won’t be long before you’ll be adding your dream job to the top of the page.

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Need help writing a resume?

The combination resume combines both your skills and your track record. If you are looking to change careers, and want to highlight your skills, a combination resume is a great way to look good on paper. Here is how to lay it out!

Summary

This is the first area on the resume. Highlight your general skills, such as creativity, independent working, deadline-oriented, etc. Emphasize your experience as well as skills. A good example of this would be “Designer with 15 years of experience, including freelance and advertising agency work. Extensive experience in meeting deadlines, creative interpretation, and graphic artwork. Proficient in a variety of software suites.” By writing a summary, you can press the reader to read further by highlight experience, skills, and specific background.

Experience

This is the second area on the resume. Write the job titles and duties here. Make sure that your job descriptions do not over lap. For example, if you are a career administrative assistant, make sure you list the job title as administrative assistant, and list EVERY duty you performed during your admin. career. This is great for lateral moves with changes in job titles, but not duties. List the titles! Also, add any volunteer experience, adult education, etc. to this area. If you are changing careers, DO NOT leave this information out! List all the software you are familiar with. Basically, every thing you feel that puts you as advantage should be listed in this section!

Work History

This is where you list your work history.

Education

List your college credits, and any certifications you may hold.

Other Information

List awards, hobbies (such as web page design, not baking!) and other important information.

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