Thursday 6th April Newsletter

Egg-cited for Easter? 🐣 We are! Now for today’s email:

• This guy applied how many times? Read Tyler Cohen’s story.

• Singing your own praises — Without sounding big-headed.

• The office chatterbox: Our expert tips on how to handle them.

THE BIG IDEA

The 40th time’s a charm

“Third time lucky”, goes the saying. Not for everyone though. And certainly not for Tyler Cohen, who applied for a job at Google 40 times.

That’s right: Tyler, who previously worked as an associate manager at DoorDash, got rejected 39 times before landing his dream job. Think that’s a little loco? Well, so does he.

In a LinkedIn post, Tyler writes the following: “There’s a fine line between perseverance and insanity. I’m still trying to figure out which one I have.” We don’t know about you, but we’re inclined to say that it must be a bit of both!

After his 3-year-long intolerance to hearing “no”, Tyler now works as a manager in Google’s Product Strategy & Operations... And the 60K likes under his LinkedIn post suggest that people are really rooting for him, despite his questionable insistence.

Do you think you would have persisted this much in his position? We can’t say we would have. 😅

TALKING POINT

Brag about your successes (without sounding like a jerk)

We’re often taught that bragging about our successes can come across as big-headed. And that it’s better for others to notice and sing our praises. But is this the truth?

Do you have a coworker that coasts through but manages to keep moving up? If so, they’re probably not afraid to brag about their successes. This helps them advance faster.

Bragging at work isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just stating facts. So, how do you do it without sounding like a jerk?

• Have the confidence in yourself to succeed.

• Bring up your wins when it’s relevant.

• Make a note of your successes to share in appraisals.

• Use the power of social media.

Do you share your successes at work? Let us know how!

TODAY’S ADVICE

Office chatterboxes: Where’s their OFF button? 🔇

Look at you concentrating on your work. We’re so proud of you! You’re working towards your deadlines, responding to every urgent email and —

Wait. What’s that noise? Ah, the office chatterbox. Do we hear a “yay”? No? Thought so.

But don’t worry. Here are three simple strategies to get them to finally shut up.

1. Politely tell them you can’t chat. Explain that (while you really want to hear about how their weekend went) you’re super busy right now and that you have to deliver an urgent project pronto.

2. Find an excuse to end the “conversation”. This could be having to visit another department or picking up the phone to update a client about a project. (Or you could just pretend to call someone.)

3. Ignore them. Harsh? Yes. Effective? Also yes. If you don’t engage with them, they’ll soon realize they’re monologuing to an uninterested audience and go back to their desk. Hopefully.

If all else fails: Hit them across the head with your keyboard. Kidding! (Or are we? 😈)

More on difficult coworkers

DON’T MISS

👠 Do you stand all day at work? You’ll want to read this.

🎨 Design the best infographic résumé with our step-by-step guide.

🌎 These 20 countries have the highest average salaries.

😕 Do you feel like the office outcast? Maybe it’s time for some self-reflection.

STUFF WE LOVE

These pens make note-taking a lot more fun 🖊️

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Boasting a comfortable rubber grip and refillable gel ink, the PILOT G2 Premium Gel Ink Pen is ideal for the everyday overachiever. Grab then pen ➜

Prefer something more colorful? Look no further than the PILOT FriXion ColorStick Pens, the first erasable fine point marker pens. Grab the set ➜

WATERCOOLER CHAT

Easter traditions from around the world 🌎

Many people link Easter celebrations with Easter egg hunts, bonfires and hearty feasts. But Easter traditions vary greatly from region to region! Here are some customs worth reading into from around the globe:

🎨 Sawdust carpets. To welcome Good Friday, people across Latin America adorn their streets with colorful, intricate patterns made entirely of sawdust. These are called “alfombras”.

🧙‍♀️ Easter witches. In Sweden and Finland, children dress up as witches on Maundy Thursday or Holy Saturday. They distribute handmade cards and greetings from door to door. And receive treats in return.

🪁 Kite flying. In Bermuda, people craft colorful, hexagonal kites and fly them on Good Friday.

🥚 Egg setting. In Jamaica, people crack an egg into a glass of water late at night on Maundy Thursday. The shape that forms a few hours later is said to indicate what their future holds.

How do you celebrate Easter? Reply to this email and let us know!

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

TED Talk: Why comfort will ruin your life

Back in 2008, Bill Eckstrom lost his job as a high-paid executive. In this talk, he explains why that was one of the best things to ever happen to him.

His personal experiences and the years of research he’s conducted since have led him to conclude the following: what makes us uncomfortable is what makes us grow.

MEME IT

Like what you read? Reply and let us know your thoughts.

Created with care by Chris Leitch, Joanna Zambas and Electra Michaelidou

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