Bulletin Board by Amy Winter

It seems stealing occurs in the office — and I am not referring to taking paper clips or staplers. Employees must deal with co-workers stealing ideas. Twenty-nine percent of workers say a colleague has received praise for their suggestion, according to a survey by OfficeTeam, a staffing service that questioned 444 employees.

Those idea-stealing workers will most likely get the credit without any consequences. More than half of the surveyed employees said nothing when a co-worker took their suggestion. Some workers (26 percent) spoke up to let others know they played a part in the assignment, while a smaller majority told their boss the truth or confronted the idea-stealing employee.

"Today's workplace is more competitive than ever and, unfortunately, there are people who will go to great lengths to make themselves look good or get promoted, including taking credit for someone else's ideas," says Robert Hosking, OfficeTeam's executive director. "Being proactive in sharing your vision with your manager and colleagues early on can help ensure others know the concept originated with you."

OfficeTeam provides tips to help employees receive deserved credit:

— Update your manager. Be sure to keep in touch with your manager regarding your suggestions and the progress being made in your assignments.

— Pay attention to patterns. If co-workers continue to receive praise for your ideas, it is probably time for you to be more confident in sharing your contributions.

— Talk to the co-worker. Make sure you understand why your colleague was given credit for your idea. Don't jump to conclusions before talking to him or her about the situation.

— Speak up with you receive undeserved credit. Your co-worker will be thankful that you corrected the error.

Recognizing employees for their hard work is just as valuable as receiving praise.

"Employees and supervisors should acknowledge those who help to move an idea forward," says Hosking. "Most business successes are the result of collaboration, not the efforts of a single individual."

For more information, visit www.officeteam.com.

STICK TO FORM FOR RESUMES

When it comes to creating resumes, managers would rather receive a chronological resume with the most recent work history listed first. Seventy-five percent of managers favor the chronological resume compared to the functional resume, according to a survey by Accountemps, a staffing service that questioned 150 executives. The managerial answers to this resume question have changed little in the past 10 years.

A chronological resume is arranged by dates of employment, while a functional format is arranged by job skills.

"Chronological resumes allow job-seekers to present their career progression to prospective employers in a straightforward, easy-to-follow way," says Max Messmer, the chairman of Accountemps.

"Functional resumes, which emphasize skill sets rather than jobs held, are popular among professionals in career transition or who have had lengthy gaps in employment, but they are not a favorite of employers. It is often better to address a career challenge directly than try to write around it."

Accountemps provides suggestions for frequent resume obstacles:

— Gaps in employment. In your cover letter, write a concise explanation for spaces in employment history.

— Lack of work experience. Include internships, part-time positions or volunteer work to strengthen your work history.

— Desire to change industries. Emphasize your skills and achievements that could be carried over to another career field.

For more information, visit www.accountemps.com.

To find out more about Amy Winter and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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