Artisan Blog

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We know you have a great attitude and are generally a happy person. You’re grateful for what you have and always have a friendly smile for those around you. Ever notice that sometimes people are scowling back at you? Those people have learned how to prevent themselves from being happy and you can learn a lot from them, if you want to:  Read more

One of my roles is Vocal Coach and I’m spending many hours working with some Middle School singers this month while they are preparing for auditions. Some of the work we are doing is very technical—breathing, tone, pitch—but some of the work is on their presentation. Especially with the exceptional singers. And this work is making me think about presentation in other areas of life.

Whether you find yourself in an elevator with someone you want to connect with, in a job interview that you really want to ace, or even meeting with a client about a project, the level of confidence in yourself that you express could be the difference between success and frustration. Here are some tips for expressing yourself confidently (even if you may not feel it) in singing and in life: Read more

 

Whether you’re a veteran interviewer or hiring your first employee, you’ll probably agree that the interview is the most important part of the recruitment process. Therefore it’s critical to ask the right questions. While our version of the Proust Questionnaire offers a few out of the box questions (designed in some cases to stump potential employees or just see how creative they can be), here are a few of the more typical questions every interviewer should be asking: Read more

Everyone speaks without thinking on occasion, and we’ve probably all hit “Send” when we wish we hadn’t. However, there are times when what you say (or type) at work can have big repercussions. Unlike our personal relationships, where it can be easier to apologize and move on, office blunders like this could land you out of a job! Here are a few “nevers” to remember: Read more

There comes a time in every job interview…the awkward silence. No one is talking.   

It’s okay. Let it happen. Read more

Last week we talked about some of the qualities of a boss who is also a leader. One of those qualities is a willingness to listen to and reward creative solutions offered by members of their team.

As marketing professionals, we know how to develop successful strategies to reach our potential customers, but sometimes we could also benefit from thinking of our boss as a “target audience” when we have creative and innovative ideas: Read more

With the US laser-focused on the Presidential election season, it's a good time to talk about how to handle some office politics.

Your office doesn't indulge? All cultures have some politics going on, even if it goes on below your radar. Managers have agendas, executives have vision (or visions) and every employee should be keeping the company's long-term strategies in mind if he or she wants to move up in the organization.

Handling internal politics can, however, be a challenge. Read more

Are you getting email alerts on more than once device? All day long? Do you read them right away? Do you answer them right away?

Stop!

As important as effective communication is, it is probably not the most important part of your job and is certainly not the most important part of a freelance project, especially if you are working on a deadline. But we've all had those days when email alerts seem to interrupt us every couple of minutes [ding!--that was mine] and everything seems urgent when it's in a popup window.

Here are some tips for not letting email be the only thing you handle in your workday: Read more