Ask yourself these questions when deciding if you should move for a job

Ask yourself unterstellung questions when deciding if you should move for a jobA job offer in a new city, state, or country can be a hugely tempting opportunity. Change of scenery New job New people Excitement But before you make this huge life decision, there are some questions to ask yourself first. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Is this really what I want?A job may look like the total right fit on paperits in your field, its more pay, its in a city youve always wanted to live in. But before you say yes, think about what this job means for your goals. Will you be able to grow in the job? How does it align with your career goals? What is your next step after this job? It can seem premature to departure thinking about your next job, but if this isnt a role where youre going to be able to grow and evolve in your career, youre changing an awful lot in your life to take it.How stable is this job offer?This is also a chance to do a little e xtra digging on your potential companys future. If it seems like its on shaky ground, your awesome opportunity may turn quickly into sudden unemployment. If you can, seek out feedback from others whove worked there before. If you start seeing patterns like high turnover or major disgruntlement from former employees, then you might want to give some second thought to whether this is the job and the company you hope and expect it will be.How will this affect my personal life?Lets put the career move aside for a secondwhat about outside of work? If youre moving alone to this new distribution policy, are you ready for the challenges of doing a new city or town all on your own? What are your resources going to be? If youre moving as part of a couple or a family, its time to consider their needs as well. Will you be happy while your spouse is miserable and unable to find a job? Will your kids need to be uprooted from friends/school/activities? Work-life balance is essential in any career, so you need to think about how your home life will be changed by this work move.What are the costs and the logistics of moving?If youre accepting a new job in a new city or town, your new company may cover moving expenses, like moving trucks, car rental, temporary housing, or realtor fees. But the company might not. Before you accept and commit to moving for this new gig, be sure youre aware of what your new company willand wontcover to get you there. And its not just the obvious moving costs as well. Will you need to buy new furniture? What are average housing and living costs in your new place?If a move is going to cost you thousands of dollars, and this isnt reflected in your new salary, then youre making a huge financial commitment as well.Grabbing a new job and moving to a new place can be exhilarating, and a great jump-start to your career. But before you sign that offer letter and start packing the U-Haul, its important to think long and hard about whether its truly the righ t choice for you.

5 Hot Vacation Spots You Can Squeeze into a Long Weekend

5 Hot Vacation Spots You Can Squeeze into a Long Weekend Grab a cup of coffee or tea (I prefer Matcha), and take a seat. Youll want to be sitting, because you may very well be here for a while, booking flights and accommodation long after you read this.Youve got a long weekend ahead of you, and youre probably imagining some sun-swathed respite from your cubicle, perhaps under palm trees on a blonde beach somewhere remote. Maybe youre a winter sports aficionado, and snowcapped mountains are beckoning instead. Whatever the case, youve got about three or four days and youll want to make the most of those days without having to spend too much time traveling.With that said, here are six memorable vacation spots that you can fit into a long weekend.1. Vail, ColoradoVail, Colorado lures weekenders all year long. The ski town is full of powdery slopes that snake their way through frosted foliage and directly down to the doors of toasty lodges serving up locally brewed beers and hot chocolat e. In the colder months, your mornings will be spent riding, and your afternoons will be spent in true aprs-ski fashion.And if you spend time in Vail during the warmer months, the weather will lull around the mid-70s to the mid-80s with low humidity perfect for day hikes, mountain biking and river tubing through the forests that paint the horizon yellows and oranges. In fact, Colorado boasts 53 fourteeners (mora than any other state), many of which are in Vail. Two for consideration include Grays Peak (14,278 feet) and Quandary Peak (14,265 feet).2. Montreal, Quebec, CanadaMontreal, the largest city in Canadas Quebec province, is an easy drive for those on the east coast and a not-so-terribly-long flight for those on the west coast. And because many of Montreals boroughs were once independent cities themselves, theres a lot of diversity from the cobblestoned, French colonial Vieux-Montral to the artsy, bohemian Plateau that attracts all types of weekend vacationers from all acros s the country.In the colder months, the city is a winter wonderland and, in the warmer months, its home to a number of Canadas summer festivals like Jazz Fest, Le Mondial de la Bire and even the Food Trucks Festival. Whatever time of year you go, youll be spoiled for choice with weekend activities.You can spend the day people watching in Parc La Fontaine, hiking up Mount Royal or eating Canadas famous poutine (French fries and cheese curds doused in brown gravy and a whole slew of toppings like bacon and chicken and sausage and eggs and vegetables and anything you can imagine).3. Boston, MassachusettsBoston, Massachusettss capital and largest city, boasts a wealth of weekend activities for visitors. Because Boston is one of the countrys oldest cities, founded in 1630, there are tons of museums touting the citys history and modern day charm. Consider the Boston Tea Party Ships Museum, for example, where you can actually walk across authentically restored ships and launch cases of te a off a deck yourself. You might also want to wander through the Museum of Fine Arts, which welcomes mora than one million visitors each year who come to view the mora than 450,000 pieces of art.You can also take walking tours to other historical sites, such as the Paul Revere House, the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston, built around 1680, or the Old State House, which is one of the countrys oldest public buildings built in 1713. You might also consider spending an afternoon walking the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail or stuffing your face with seasonal seafood around every corner.4. Austin, TexasAustin, Texas is an American city unlike any other. It smells of sweet creamed corn and barbecued brisket at all times, especially if you take a stroll down Austins Rainey Street, which is full of food trailers and traditionally American restaurants. Youll find some of the best barbeque at eateries across the city like Franklin Barbecue, La Barbecue and LeRoy Lewis.Meanwhile, over on t he citys famed Sixth Street (dubbed Dirty Sixth), youll have a whole range of live music centered around country, blues and rock from which to choose. After all, Austin is the countrys live music capital.And if youve had enough eating and drinking, you can walk it all off by exploring Austins eclectic street art scene or just unwind at the Barton Springs Municipal Pool, a three-acre spring-fed pool.5. Moab, UtahIf you want to go somewhere a bit more active, give Moab, Utah a shot. Moab is the only place in Utah where you can experience two of Utahs Mighty 5 National Parks from one location. You can explore the towering depths of Canyonlands National Park and then adventure through the red rock landscape of Arches National Park.Specifically, Moab boasts Slickrock, a 10.5-mile loop of Navajo Sandstone, widely considered one of the best bike trails in the worldwith some of the best views of Utah (think a red rock panorama that stretches from the Colorado River to the 13,000-foot La Sal Mountains). Youll also find a wealth of Native American rock art there.Whats perhaps even more interesting about Moab, however, is that there are dinosaur tracks at other sites like the Bull Canyon Overlook and Copper Ridge, and you can even check out dinosaur bones and other archaeological artifacts at the Museum of Moab.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram her_report,Twitterherreportand Facebook.

Tips for First-Time Recruiters

Tips for First-Time RecruitersTheRecruitingReel Episode 3 is live Featuring greg_savage and AllThingsBiz Watch it hereClick To TweetThis geschehnis of The Recruiting Reel is a must-watch for first-time recruiters. Greg Savage, a recruiting guru, provides tips for new recruiters so they can grow and thrive in their recruitment careers.Heres the transcript of the episode Josh Tolan My name is Josh Tolan and Im the CEO of Spark Hire, the leading video interviewing platform used by thousands of organizations around the world.And this is The Recruiting Reel, a video series in which we discuss real recruiting challenges with prominent recruiting experts to provide you with actionable tips you can apply to yur own recruiting.Todays show features Greg Savage, a global recruiter with 35 years of experience owning, managing, and growing staffing businesses across the world. Hes the founder of leading recruitment companies such as Firebrand Talent Search, People2People, and Recruitment Solution s. Recently, Greg was voted as the most influential recruiter in Australia in the past 60 years. So listen up because he has some powerful insight to offer.Todays topic is Tips for First-Time Recruiters. And there is no better person to provide these tips than the man himself, Greg Savage. So without any further adieu, Id like to hand it off to GregGreg Savage Youre a new recruiter and Im going to give you two tips.The first is this There is a secret formula about success in recruitment. Not many people know it, Im going to tell you. The formula is lots of appropriate activity. In this business you have got to do a lot of the right things. Those things will be typical things like interviews, client visits, phone calls, but that will also be things to do with social media, sharing, and brand building. But its not only about activity, its the quality of that activity. You have got to be working continuously to learn about finessing your skills getting better at the craft of recruitm ent. Its activity and its the quality of that activity and the third part of the secret formula Im telling you which will make you rich and famous is target market. Youve got to do a lot of activity of a high quality but youve got to do it with the right people Theres no point in visiting customers who are never going to give you business. Theres no point interviewing candidates who do not have the skills that are in demand in your marketplace. That is the golden secret that even experienced recruiters dont know, and Im telling you for nothing Quality. Activity. And doing it with the right people.My final tip from day 1 Never ever mess with your reputation. The only thing you will have when you move from job to job is your reputation. Your reputation is made up of moments of truth. Those being the interactions you have with clients and candidates. Remember its not only the candidates you help its the ones you dont help. Treat people with respect, do what you say youre going to do, never screw anyone over, and in the long-run your reputation will get you there. Have a great career in recruiting its cool if you doJosh Tolan And now you know why Greg has experienced this much success. That was awesome. My key takeaway from thatGet in the way of opportunities. Perform lots of high quality and targeted activity to ensure youre always in the best position to succeed. And, always be mindful of your reputation. Following this formula, youll be on your way to a successful career in recruiting.I want to thank Greg Savage for being the featured expert on our show today. I encourage you guys to visit his website at gregsavage.com.au and follow him on Twitter, greg_savage.Thanks for watching the third episode of The Recruiting Reel. I want to point out that our first 3 episodes have featured experts from 3 different continents. We really appreciate all the support and are excited to keep it rolling. For additional HR and recruiting content, head over to hr.sparkhire.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Also, follow us on Twitter, sparkhire. And subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to know about the newest episodes of The Recruiting Reel.Happy recruiting

How to Interview for a Job When Youre an Older Worker

How to Interview for a Job When Youre an Older WorkerHow to Interview for a Job When Youre an Older Worker10Over 40 and searching for a new career? Prepping to interview for a job? Some career experts suggest that older workers shouldnt be surprised if they encounter age discrimination. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) forbids discrimination against those 40+ during the hiring process, as well as once on the job, some hiring managers may hold unconscious biases against older applicants. Some may believe, for example, that veteran workers are behind the times when it comes to new technologies or less energetic than their younger counterparts.For this reason, its important to approach job interviews thoughtfully when youre a more seasoned professional.Here are some dos and donts for workers of a certain age who dont want age discrimination to be a factor when they interview for a job.How to Interview for a Job When Youre an Older WorkerUse your experience t o your best advantage.Older workers bring many benefits to the table over younger candidates, including a longer work history. Use this experience to wow your interviewers by focusing on how your past positions have positioned you perfectly for the current job. Some advance planning by practicing fhigkeit interview questions can go a long way with this one.Keep your attitude in check.Older workers and younger workers alike may sometimes fall prey to revealing a problematic attitude during their interview. If you find yourself sitting across from a twenty-something interviewer, your ich may kick in, causing you to present yourself in an unfavorable light. Even if you feel like you have more experience than someone younger who may be part of the hiring committee or even your future boss, be sure to keep your attitude positive. Focus on the companys needs and what you can do to help the team achieve them.Give your resume an overhaul.If it has been a while since youve been on the job ma rket, you might need to start from scratch in the resume department. You want to be sure that your resume does not appear outdated or inappropriate when it comes to use of current formats and technologies. If youre uncertain about the best way to present information on your resume, consider consulting with a professional resume service to have it revised or rewritten. Having something updated and fresh for employers to peruse during your job interviews will go a long way to aid your job search.Be social-media savvy.In todays job search, having an up-to-date resume is no longer enough to land an interview, which is the first step to successfully interviewing. Research from Bullhorn has shown that almost all recruiters and staffing professionals now rely on social media sites- like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+- when seeking job candidates. As a starting point, if you havent already done so, create a LinkedIn profile to indicate your industry and job history. If you feel uncomfortab le navigating certain sites, social media experts can help you craft a professional page to attract the attention of potential employers.While job searching as an older candidate can present some unique challenges, you can overcome them by anticipating potential pitfalls, identifying your strengths, and taking the time you need to thoroughly prepare for your interview.Looking to change careers? Start your job search here

5 Social Media Photos to Avoid Using During a Job Search

5 Social Media Photos to Avoid Using During a Job Search5 Social Media Photos to Avoid Using During a Job SearchAs a job seeker, you know how important it is to put your best foot forward during your job search. One of the ways to do just that is by having a great profile photo on your social media channels that represents you in the best light. Problem is, many times, what one person might consider flattering, another could perceive as a huge faux pas. If you want to be successful during your job hunt (i.e., land a job), below are five social media photos to avoid using during a job search.Five social media posts to avoid during a job searchStart your search for a flexible job here1. The Party Girl (or Guy) PhotoSure, you looking slamming in that festivitt pic, but posting a photo of yourself at a party is a definite job search no-no. While no potential boss expects you to never ever go to a party, you shouldnt advertise your busy social calendar online, either. And that especially goes for any photo in which youre holding a glass of anything that could be construed as beer, wine, liquor, etc., as these can get your job application pitched to the trash can ASAP.2. A SelfieWhether you love them or hate them, selfies (and their sticks) are here to stay. That doesnt mean that you have to use a selfie as your social media photo, though. After all, your boss-to-be doesnt need to see you taking a shot of yourself using your bathroom mirror (and spying all the clutter on your bathroom counter, to boot). Grab a friend or family member to take a nice photo of you with a clean, well-lit background- and save the selfies for your private Facebook page.3. Your Wedding PhotoWhile you might have made a beautiful bride (or groom), you dont want to use a wedding pic as your social media photo. For starters, depending on when you got married, the picture could date you (e.g., your poofy taffeta 80s wedding dress can give it away), and you dont want to give a potential boss a gl impse into your personal life before hes even had the chance to call you in for a job interview. That said, you should get dressed up for your social media job search photo, though. Men should wear a suit and women can wear either a dress, or a blouse and a skirt or pants, to make them look as professional as possible.4. A Family Photo You color-coordinated all of your outfits to match, and the photo of you with your family got a ton of likes on Facebook. Surely, its good enough for your job search social media profiles, right? Wrong. Employers arent really allowed to ask you if you have children or not, but posting a photo of your kids automatically answers that question for them. Unfortunately, some hiring managers have a bias against job seekers who have children, and might pass over your (very qualified) job application in favor of a childless candidate. Yes, its illegal, but it does happen. So let a potential boss judge you by your skills, qualifications, and prior work experie nces- not the number of children he can count in your family photo- and opt for a pic of just you.5. A Quote-Filled PhotoYou live by the mantra Carpe diem. But that doesnt mean that it has to be the first thing a hiring manager sees when he searches up your social media profiles. Try to avoid using quotes as photos- and ditto for adding them at the end of your email signature, too. Keep it simple and straightforward by using an image of yourself in a well-lit environment with a clean background- and seize the day instead by focusing your efforts on having a great job search that puts you in the best light possible.During any job search, there are always a bunch of dos and donts. But make sure your search goes smoothly by posting the right pics of yourself- and avoiding the wrong social media photos.Readers, have you ever posted one of the dont social media photos above? Did you find that it affected your search? Let us know in the comments belowphoto credits istockphoto.com

The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima Society

The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima Society The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima Society The Future of Power Generation in a Post-Fukushima SocietyA Partnership of Rising Renewables and Promising Nuclear Technologies (2012 Arthur L. Williston Award Winning Paper Abstract) On paper, nuclear energy seems like a miracle of modern science, a futuristic way to cleanly produce large amounts of electricity. When nuclear power plants were first being built, it welches estimated that by the year 2000 there would be over one thousand nuclear power plants in operation. Today, there are only 439 worldwide, with a mere 119 of those in the United States. While nuclear energy is not without drawbacks, one of the biggest reasons that growth has stopped is the public outcry against it. Nuclear technology is seen as different from other forms of energy creation as it is not well understood by most of the general public. It welches conceived in secrecy, born of war, and f irst revealed to the world in horror. No matter how much proponents try to separate the peaceful atom from the weapons atom, the connection is fiercely embedded in the mind of the public.1 On top of its connotation with hugely destructive weapons, there have now been three major incidents at nuclear power plants Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and most recently, Fukushima. Disasters of this nature are mora extreme than conventional power plants considering radiation comes into the formula. The last nuclear power plant to be built in the United States was back in 1977. There are plans to have more built in the next decade or two, but they remain the same type as weve been building for 50 years. The newest trend in energy is renewables, but behauptung are low impact and most require a large area to create even a fraction of the energy a nuclear power plant provides. The question for the future becomes if we will outgrow ur dependency on coal and gas and what technologies will be impleme nted to do so. Renewable energy (or green energy) has been picking up a lot of momentum in the past decade or two, although it still has many limitations. The three major renewables are solar, hydroelectric, and wind. Solar power has been stuck with similar technology for decades, still plagued by inefficiency and expense. Hydroelectric powers issue is that much of its potential has already been tapped out by current damming systems. This leaves wind energy as the great hope for renewable power generation. The growth of the wind industry has been exponential in the past decade, and has only gained more ground due to the current climate of concern over nuclear power. After the Fukushima disaster, Germany declared that they were shutting down all nuclear power plants and put in motion a plan heavily involving wind power. It is easy to see why wind power is so attractive, but is it enough? Considering wind energys current limitations, is it really the solution to our energy crises, and reason enough to abandon nuclear technologies? 2008 saw more growth in wind energy than the previous decade combined, with 27,051 MW added to make a totalf 120,798 MW worldwide, which is a growth of 29% in just one year.4 This growth is not slowing down either. Technology having to do with modern wind turbines is ever evolving, resulting in more efficient, larger, and higher capacity turbines. On paper, wind power seems like a no brainer. While the building of a turbine is expensive initially, after the structure is there, it has almost no cost associated with it whatsoever. With many countries such as Germany abandoning nuclear power in favor of wind power, the scientific facts of energy generated by the wind are even more important to know and understand. When electricity became something that was necessary for society, the engineers building power plants had six major criteria concerning commercial electricity generators 7 Could they provide large amounts of electricity? Could they provide reliable and predictable energy? Could they provide dispatchable electricity? Could they service one or more of the grid demand elements? Could their facility be compact? Could they provide economical electricity? When you go through this checklist with older, non-green power plants such as coal or nuclear, its clear that the answer to all six questions is yes. Back in the early 1900s, this was enough, which is why coal is still the way we produce most of our electricity. Now however, a seventh criterion has been added 7 Is it detrimental to the environment? This has become not only an addendum to the first six concerns, but in some ways has overridden the other six completely. Going through each criterion with wind power, its easy to see that a society built entirely off of wind power and wind turbines simply will not work. In fact, the only one wind power passes is the latest addition to these criteria. And even that it does not pass with flying colors. In an independent scientific study done by the National Academy of Sciences, it was postulated that even by 2020, the U.S. CO2 savings will amount to only 1.8% thanks to wind energy. 7 It is clear that even if wind power could provide us with the type and quantity of energy the world required, it is a long way off from being lucrative or becoming the primary contributor to the power grid. So, assuming that the main reason wind power has becoming the nations fastest growing source of power purely on the fact that it is green, what kind of solution can we provide that satisfies not only the environmental concerns, but also releases zero carbon dioxide? The obvious choice seems to be a new generation of nuclear power plants. In their current form, it would appear that nuclear power plants are susceptible to failure, which is a much more dangerous than when any other form of energy fails. Radiation poisoning is a serious situation, and while two of the three disasters in the history of nuclear energy have claimed no human lives, they may have shortened some, and that sort of effect is difficult to measure.Fortunately, there are new ideas and technologies that along with increasing the safety of nuclear power also have other benefits, such as increasing the efficiency and convenience or decreasing the costs. These designs include Small Modular Reactors, Gas-Cooled Reactors, Liquid-Metal Reactors, and Molten Salt Reactors. These innovations improve nuclear power in several ways such as making them more efficient, smaller, easier to build, and most importantly, a lot safer.My father is an avid fan of German made strategic board games, and we have quite a collection of them at my home. While no game can accurately represent the complexity of the real world, one game in particular attempts to duplicate the situations discussed in this paper. The game is entitled Power Grid, and players must buy power plants and resources to power cities they build on the board. There are five different types of plants coal, gas, nuclear, trash, and green. The first four require the player to purchase fuel in one of the stages of the game, while green plants (which have pictures of wind turbines on them) dont require any resources at all. After playing the game many times, I discovered that it was impossible to win buying just the green power plants. While it seems like the best strategy (considering you never have to waste your money on any resources), the other power plants have a cheaper initial price and can power more of your cities on the board. Conversely, completely ignoring these green power plants also rarely ends in victory. To win the game, you must have a combination of conventional power plants and green power plants. In a way, this is a simplified model of the real world. In order to power our cities, we cannot rely solely on green energy. If we truly want to get away from coal fired power plants and those that release carbon dioxides into the air, then we have to combine these renewable energies with something else that fits all six of the requirements stated above. With new, safer, and more efficient nuclear power plants being designed and built, it is my belief that the best possible scenario for the future is to combine these plants with something like wind power. Both of these have great potential, and combining the two should address all seven criteria of making a successful power grid. The Williston Award is presented annually by ASME to the student engineer or recent graduate who authors the best acceptable paper in the area of civic service. References 1 John Byrne and Steven M. Hoffman. Governing the Atom The Politics of Risk. Transaction Publishers. 1996. 2 HydroElectric Power Risks and Rewards.The Electronic Universe. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. http//zebu.uoregon.edu/1998/ph162/l14.html. 3 Hutchinson, Alex. Solar Panel Drops to $1 per Watt Is This a Milestone or the Bottom for Silicon-Based Panels? - Pop ular Mechanics. Popular Mechanics. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. popularmechanics.com/science/energy/solar-wind/4306443. 4 Wind Power Growth.Reliable Plant Magazine. Industrial Info Resources. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. reliableplant.com/Read/17664/wind-power-growth-in-2008-exceeded-past-decade. 5 World Wind Energy Report 2010 (PDF). Report. World Wind Energy Association, Feb. 2011. 6 Madsen Krogsgaard. Offshore Wind Power 2010. BTM Consult. 22 Nov. 2010. 7 Droz, John. Wind Power How We Got Here. 11 Aug. 2008. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. northnet.org/brvmug/WindPower/HowWeGotHere.pdf. 8 OGrady, Eileen.E.ON completes worlds largest wind farm in Texas Reuters, October 1, 2009. 9 EnerPub June 8, 2007. .Spero News. 10 Kashiwazaki-Kariwa.Power Technology. 2011. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. power-technology.com/projects/kashiwazaki/. 11 Marcus, Gail H. Nuclear Power After Fukushima.Mechanical Engineering Magazine1 Dec. 2011. Print.

Ten phrases smart people never say

Ten phrases smart people never sayTen phrases smart people never sayThere are some things you simply never want to say at work.These phrases carry special power They have an uncanny ability to make you look bad even when the words are true. Worst of all, theres no taking them back once they slip out.Looking for an inspiring way to start your day? Sign up forMorning MotivationIts our friendly facebook inc robot that will send you a quick notlagee every weekday morning to help you start strong. Sign uphereby clicking Get StartedIm not talking about shocking slips of the tongue, off-color jokes, or politically incorrect faux pas. These arent the only ways to make yourself look bad. Often its the subtle remarks - the ones that paint us as incompetent and unconfident - that do the most damage.No matter how talented you are or what youve accomplished, there are certain phrases that instantly change the way people see you and can forever cast you in a negative light. These phrases are so loaded with negative implications that they undermine careers in short order.This is the way its always been doneTechnology-fueled change is happening so fast that even a six-month-old process could be outdated. Sayingthis is the way its always been donenot only makes you sound lazy and resistant to change, but it could make your boss wonder why you havent tried to improve things on your own. If you really are doing things the way theyve always been done, theres almost certainly a better way.Its not my faultIts never a good idea to cast blame. Be accountable. If you had any role - no matter how small - in whatever went wrong, own it. If not, offer an objective, dispassionate explanation of what happened. Stick to the facts, and let your boss and colleagues draw their own conclusions about whos to blame. The moment you start pointing fingers is the moment people start seeing you as someone who lacks accountability for their actions. This makes people nervous. Some will avoid workin g with you altogether, and others will strike first and blame you when something goes wrong.I cantI cantisits not my faultstwisted sister. People dont like to hearI cantbecause they think it meansI wont.SayingI cantsuggests that youre not willing to do what it takes to get the job done. If you really cant do something because you truly lack the necessary skills, you need to offer an alternative solution. Instead of saying what youcantdo, say what youcando. For example, instead of saying I cant stay late tonight, say I can come in early tomorrow morning. Will that work? Instead of I cant run those numbers, say I dont yet know how to run that type of analysis. Is there someone who can show me so that I can do it on my own next time?Its not fairEveryone knows that life isnt fair. Sayingits not fairsuggests that you think life is supposed to be fair, which makes you look immature and nave. If you dont want to make yourself look bad, you need to stick to the facts, stay constructive, and leave your interpretation out of it. For instance, you could say, I noticed that you assigned Ann that big project I was hoping for. Would you mind telling me what went into that decision? Id like to know why you thought I wasnt a good fit, so that I can work on improving those skills.Thats not in my job descriptionThis often sarcastic phrase makes you sound as though youre only willing to do the bare minimum required to keep getting a paycheck, which is a bad thing if you like job security. If your boss asks you to do something that you feel is inappropriate for your position (as opposed to morally or ethically inappropriate), the best move is to complete the task eagerly. Later, schedule a conversation with your boss to discuss your role in the company and whether your job description needs an update. This ensures that you avoid looking petty. It also enables you and your boss to develop a long-term understanding of what you should and shouldnt be doing.This may be a silly idea/I m going to ask a stupid questionThese overly passive phrases instantly erode your credibility. Even if you follow these phrases with a great idea, they suggest that you lack confidence, which makes the people youre speaking to lose confidence in you. Dont be your own worst critic. If youre not confident in what youre saying, no one else will be either. And, if you really dont know something, say, I dont have that information right now, but Ill find out and get right back to you.Ill tryJust like the wordthink, trysounds tentative and suggests that you lack confidence in your ability to execute the task. Take full ownership of your capabilities. If youre asked to do something, either commit to doing it or offer an alternative, but dont say that youll try because it sounds like you wont try all that hard.Related from LaddersNew study This is the one email mistake thats unforgivable (dont let t happen to you)6 things not to say in a job interviewThese are the 9 most annoying phrases peo ple use at work, according to a new surveyThis will only take a minuteSaying that something only takes a minute undermines your skills and gives the impression that you rush through tasks. Unless youre literally going to complete the task in 60 seconds, feel free to say that it wont take long, but dont make it sound as though the task can be completed any sooner than it can actually be finished.I hate this jobThe last thing anyone wants to hear at work is someone complaining about how much they hate their job. Doing so labels you as a negative person and brings down the morale of the group. Bosses are quick to catch on to naysayers who drag down morale, and they know that there are always enthusiastic replacements waiting just around the corner.Hes lazy/incompetent/a jerkThere is no upside to making a disparaging remark about a colleague. If your remark is accurate, everybody already knows it, so theres no need to point it out. If your remark is inaccurate, youre the one who ends up looking like a jerk. There will always be rude or incompetent people in any workplace, and chances are that everyone knows who they are. If you dont have the power to help them improve or to fire them, then you have nothing to gain by broadcasting their ineptitude. Announcing your colleagues incompetence comes across as an insecure attempt to make you look better. Your callousness will inevitably come back to haunt you in the form of your coworkers negative opinions of you.Bringing it all togetherThese phrases have a tendency to sneak up on you, so youre going to have to catch yourself until youve solidified the habit ofnotsaying them.Travis Bradberryis the co-author ofEmotional Intelligence 2.0and the cofounder ofTalentSmart.This article first appeared at LinkedIn.