Being the Odd Man Out at Work

I wrote about the peer pressure I felt when I decided to not go on a partially subsidized company "bonding" trip in my A Different Understanding of Budget post a few days ago. It made me a little uncomfortable to have to turn down the opportunity. At the same time, I also wondered if it was a good career decision. Since I had to pay for part of the cost (ski equipment rental, lift tickets, gas, etc.), I felt justified not attending. If cost was not factored into the decision though, I believe not going would have been somewhat of a negative career move.

Why? First of all, it was the inaugural group bonding trip (partially) paid for by the company, and it took some lobbying for it to finally happen, too. Also, from previous posts, you may know that I work for a small startup of less than 15, which made my absence that much more noticeable. During my decision making process, I can't help but wonder if not going would make me seem like I wasn't being a team player.

10 Commandments of Pulling April Fools' Pranks

Happy (early) April Fools! I was reminded of an old survey showing that April Fools' pranks in the office are frowned upon by a high percentage of marketing executives. Granted the survey was conducted last year, it's still interesting to see the results. I mean things can't have changed that much in a year.

I work at a startup company in the San Francisco Bay Area where the culture is more T-shirt and jeans than suits and ties. Yes, there is a hierarchy, but it's not strict. Our day-to-day interactions are very friendly for the most part. My point is that jokes are well received in this environment. I guess I never really encountered a setting that disapproves of harmless jokes. In college, pranks or "hacks" were unofficially encouraged by the school. It was seen as a creative outlet. Once in a while, you'll see cars being stacked onto rooftops or an extra door added to a random part of the hall way. I once barricaded a friend's door by constructing a "brick" wall made of snack boxes.

They’re all in good fun, but if you're thinking of pulling a prank, there are some ground rules you should abide by to prevent bad blood between co-workers. Here are 10 commandments of playing April Fools' pranks everyone should consider:

Stop Dismissing Higher Education! It's Well Worth It

I've recently read a lot articles and blog posts relating to higher education. Everything seems to come back to the point of whether it's worth it to go to college or not. Many argue that due to the Great Recession and skyrocketing cost of higher education, a lot of college graduates are stuck with loads and loads of student loans while they can't find or hold down a good job.

It's true that employment opportunities are currently not what they use to be, but that's no reason to dismiss going to college altogether. Instead, it provides a chance for us to rethink what a college education means. On an individual basis, a careful cost/benefit analysis needs to be done when choosing a school. Nationally, though, we should bring attention to studies and debates to find ways to keep costs down.

Besides, why are we talking about less education when the rest of the world is becoming increasingly more educated? In a lot of countries, a bachelor’s degree is no longer enough. People are getting masters and Ph.Ds. in order to get jobs. On top of that, globalization means that we won't only be competing for jobs here in the U.S., we'll have to compete with those people with graduate degrees from other countries in the future (it's already happening now), whether we like it or not.

What to Do With Your Business Travel Expenses

I'm heading out to a conference for work tomorrow, so I thought it'd be a good time to mention something about business travel expenses. Believe it or not, employers are not legally obligated to pay for your work related travel expenses or give you a per diem. Most do it anyways, though, for the sake of good business practice because the trips you make benefit them a great deal. Every company has its own policy for this matter, so clarify with your employer as to what you can and cannot get reimbursed for. Depending on what you're most comfortable with, here are a few ways you can keep organized: