8 Rules of Talking Politics at Work - The Muse

8 Rules of Talking Politics at Work - The Muse8 Rules of Talking Politics at WorkThe golden rule of discussing politics at work is to not discuss politics at work. But with politics being discussed everywhere you look nowadays, its pretty difficult to completely avoid talking about it when youre at the office.With that said, just because it is everywhere doesnt mean that you just bring it up whenever theres a lull in conversation. After all, youve probably seen just how quickly one Facebook status posted by a friend can turn into a full-out comment war. In an effort to avoid that (but not pretend like were all robots who are in a bubble from nine to five), Ive come up with a few new golden rules for having these tough conversations. And then leaving them with your dignity intact.1. Assume the BestIf you kick off a conversation thinking the worst in people, then you wont be able to accept their points as valid, and the whole talking about current events experience will be lousy for ev eryone involved. Assume that the people youre speaking with care about these issues just as much as you do- and they dont disagree with you for the sake of disagreeing with you, but rather because of their own set of beliefs and values. 2. Stay InformedIf youre planning to have these conversations at work, it would be in your best interest to stay informed as to whats happening. And that doesnt just mean reading tweets or sticking to the same blog you check every day. No, if you want to have a good conversation, you should be getting your information from a variety of sources. Not only will this bolster your points, but itll probably also open your eyes a bit.3. Use I StatementsEven if you think your opinion should be the law of the land, you should start every sentence with I think. Because even if the other person agrees with you, its never a good idea to put words in someone elses mouth. And if you start to hear yourself saying You it might be time to step away, because the only thing that follows you in these conversations is usually an accusation. 4. ListenBe prepared to listen twice as much as you talk. If youre starting this discussion just to hear your own voice and get validation for your opinions- stop, save it for your friends. Only jump in if youre trying to move the conversation forward, not if youre trying to win it. 5. Ask QuestionsIt isnt enough just to listen to others speak. You can figure out where theyre coming from simply by asking a few open-ended questions. Questions like Can you explain that a bit more? or Would you mind sharing how you came to that conclusion? tend to work wonders in keeping the conversation civil. And hey, you might just learn something and change your own mind.6. Choose Your Battles (and Battlegrounds) WiselyWhen you overhear people in the kitchen talking about a situation thats near and dear to your heart, take a beat before jumping in. Is this your CEO and COO? If so, are you sure you want to risk offending them wi th your viewpoints on international policy? If it is people you feel comfortable going back and forth with, is this the right place to do it? Do you think everyone in the kitchen will feel comfortable (and not want to run to HR) when the conversations over? 7. Know When to Step AwayThere is always that one person who is just looking to get you riled up. Theyll advance a crazy hypothesis and then defend it like the gospel. Or, theyll make inflammatory remarks about personal issues because they know its something you care a lot about. Dont take the bait. Simply put your headphones back in and get back to work. (Or, fine, dont get back to work- watch a YouTube video that you know always makes you laugh first.)8. Be AwareBefore delving into your points, take a moment to take stock of your audience. Are they willing? Or, are they just waiting for their food to finish heating up in the microwave? Sure, Laura mightve initially brought up a candidates statement from the night before, but th at doesnt mean she should be subjected to all your thoughts on the topic. Make sure youre having a conversation, not standing on a soap box. Off-topic workplace discussions are meant to relieve the pressure of your regular job. Dont let a discussion about politics threaten your sanity, your friendships, or worse, your career. Commit these rules to heart, and you should steer clear of any conversation disasters.

3 Follow-Up Questions to Ask When You Didnt Get the Job

3 Follow-Up Questions to Ask When You Didnt Get the Job3 Follow-Up Questions to Ask When You Didnt Get the JobIt happens to all of us- we find a job were excited about, carefully craft our resume and cover letter, send in an application, go through multiple interviewsall to find out we didnt get the job. Its a deflating and disappointing situation. However, learning from our past experiences is the best way to improve ourselves and land the next job. Asking for feedback from a recruiter or interviewer can provide you with valuable information. While you may be tempted to outright ask why you didnt get the job, youll have better luck if you ask questions that are centered around your performance. Consider these three follow-up questions to ask when you didnt get the job.What were one or two things I could improve on in the interview?To up your chances of getting a response to your question, make it easy on interviewers. If your interview was fairly recent, its likely the interviewer c an quickly think of one or two things off the top of their head you can improve upon. This question is broad enough that you may receive feedback that ranges from concern with a specific answer you gave, nerves that got the best of you, or even poor performance on a sample work test.Do you have any feedback on my resume or cover letter?A lot of job seekers struggle with writing a strong resume and cover letter. Feedback on these two items could make you a much stronger candidate in your next potential job opportunity. If the HR recruiter indicates that your documents contained typos or lacked originality, fix it ASAP before you apply to another job.Was I missing any relevant skills or experience?If you think you aced the interview, but still didnt get the job, asking this question may help you figure out if someone with more experience beat you to the job. If the recruiter says that you were lacking any skills or years of experience, think of ways in which you can fix it for the nex t job application. Perhaps a class, a certification, or some volunteer experience will help.Asking for feedback when you didnt get the job can take guts. Not every employer will oblige either. According to AOL.com, a survey of the tech industry found that 52 percent of those who DO attempt to get feedback, never get a reply. If youre one of the lucky ones to get a response, be sure to take the advice to heart and use it to land your next job.Readers, have you ever asked follow-up questions when you didnt get the job? What questions did you ask and did you get a response? Share with us below

Amazon expands on its free one-day delivery for Prime members

Amazon expands on its free one-day delivery for Prime membersAmazon expands on its free one-day delivery for Prime membersAmazon Prime members now have an even faster shipping option on more than 10 1000000 products. Amid a shipping war between e-commerce giants, Amazon announced Monday it now offers expanded free next-day delivery on over 10 million items launching in North America before expanding globally to Prime account members.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIn a statement released on its website, Amazon touted the new achievement which marks the biggest shipping announcement since it introduced two-day shipping in 2005.We will keep adding more products and expanding our delivery areas to ensure Prime members get their products faster than ever,the website read.Amazons announcement comes just weeks after it initially spitballed the idea during its earnings call. The compan y in April said it would invest $800 million into the service to decrease the shipping window in half. Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky said one-day delivery was going to increase the convenience of the consumer.But Amazon immediately felt competition from the outside. Walmart started its NextDay delivery service shortly after Amazon announced its plan, a non-membership offer which allowed next-day delivery on orders over $35. Walmart offers the deal on 220,000 products which is dwarf comparedto Amazons 10 million which includes electronic devices, household goods, books, and more.The company said it will continue adding products to the new shipping option.Amazon has made an assertive effort to enhance its delivery game. The company unveiled its Amazon Scout, a six-wheeled robot wagon powered by an electric battery that was being trialed in a neighborhood in Snohomish County, Washington. Amazon unleashed six of them throughout the neighborhood and the robot has been making deliveries since January.