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What Your Desk Says About You Can Affect Your Career
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by Vanessa Ryan
Vanessa Ryan is a real estate broker, stock trader, and corporate recruiter.
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Your desk is the one place at work where you can express your individuality. But watch out! What it says about you can affect your relationship with your boss, your co-workers, or your clients.
Here are some tips to make a positive image and still keep your independence.
1. Choose Your Photographs Wisely. Pictures of children, your wedding, or a snapshot of you and your girlfriend show you can manage relationships. You value your roots--and your job, because these people depend on you. But too many pictures makes people think you'd rather be home than at work. And of course, leave the r-rated ones of your wife or girlfriend at home (even if she is a hottie!).
2. Sports Fans Beware. Coffee mugs and stationery from the hometown team are great for career boosters, especially if you work in the same city as the team. Just don't support a rival team or you'll be on the outs with everyone.
3. What You Read At Work Is Just As Important As When You Read It. If it's cool to read at your desk, choose newspapers and over tabloids. And always keep a current copy of a publication specific to your industry even if you never read it. (You can't lose points with that one.) But of course, the less you read at your desk the more it looks like you're working.
4. Don't Be Too Neat or Too Messy. A cluttered desk means you're working, but keep it well-stocked and clean it at the end of the day, or when you're on vacation, and you'll be known as the go-to guy when your boss needs help. Just don't be too anal. Obsessive neatness or fussiness means you probably can't handle an emergency. (One last tip: if you are a messy-desk person who wants to reform, don't clean off your desk before lunch, because when you come back everyone will think you've been fired).
Published: Jul 14,2008 17:33
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Andy Cowan
Andy Cowan, an award-winning writer, whose credits include Cheers and Seinfeld, regularly contributes humor pieces to the Los Angeles Times and the CBS Jack FM Radio Network.
Paul M. J. Suchecki
Paul M. J. Suchecki has more than 30 years of experience as an award winning writer, producer, and cameraman. He's written numerous newspaper and magazine articles. Currently he writes, produces and shoots for LA CityView Channel 35 and his more than 250 articles for Ehow.com are approaching half a million readers.
Coby Kindles
Coby Kindles is a freelance journalist, screenplay writer and essayist. She has been a staff writer at Knight Ridder and a regular contributor to The Associated Press.
Debbie Milam
Debbie Milam is a syndicated columnist for United Press International, an occupational therapist, family success consultant, and motivational speaker with more than 20 years experience. Her work on stress management, spirituality, parenting, and special-needs children has been featured in over 300 media outlets including First for Women, The Miami Herald, Elle, Ladies Home Journal, The Hallmark Channel, PBS and WebMD.
Dan Rafter
Dan Rafter has covered the residential real estate industry for more than 15 years. He has contributed real estate stories to the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Business 2.0 Magazine, Home Magazine, Smart HomeOwner Magazine and many others.
Jack Nargundkar
Jack Nargundkar has been repeatedly published in Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. He is also an author of "The Bush Diaries" published in July 2005.
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