7 Steps to Guest Blogging Success on Your First Try

7 Steps to Guest Blogging Success on Your First Try 11 Showing off your expertise in a guest post can lead to new career options, and you don't even need to be a blogger. Why do this? Darren Rowse's ProBlogger.net is one of the most popular blogs in the world with well over 150K subscribers. Darren blogs regularly but many of the posts on ProBlogger are guest posts written for Darren by people like you and me who are simply trying to get exposure to such a large audience. And it works; I can think of a number of bloggers that I began following after discovering them there. But guest posting isn't only for bloggers. Anyone can use it to get attention from potential employers and clients, or to simply add a publication achievement to their resume. Here's how you do it.eval 7 steps to guest blogging success 1) Choose the right blog(s) By choosing the right, personal brand-relevant blogs to guest post on, readers will come to associate you with those blogs and their niches. The right blogs are ones that:eval Accept guest blog posts. If the targeted blog has guest posting guidelines, that's a good sign. Cover topics relevant to your personal brand Have a large audience, or at least a small, engaged audience that comments a lot (this shows that they're action-takers) 2) Choose the right topic Regardless of how wide a niche or industry is, everyone has their specialty for which they'd prefer to be known for. Reinforce that idea by putting out guest posts that are directly related to your specialties. Search the targeted blog to see if your topic has been covered before. If not, you know what to do. If yes, cover the topic from a different angle. 3) Write a darn good guest post You need to impress, and the only way you're going to do that is if your guest blog post is good because Good + Audience = Popular, i.e. Lots of Positive Attention. If you're not sure what “good” is, search through the targeted blog(s) to see which blog posts were most popular and try to understand why. You can also ask someone (the main blogger? an editor?) at the targeted blog for suggestions, although they're most likely to be receptive if your first message to them already has a good guest post attached that they can quickly publish. If you're not very confident in your blogging skills but are confident in your other skills, try to come up with a way to leverage those other skills in the guest post, like making a video of yourself or getting somehow to help with the actual writing while you supply the idea and details. 4) Use a hard-hitting byline Your guest post should include a short byline about who you are and mention a recent achievement you had that is relevant to your guest post and its audience. Link to your main personal brand-building web presence, such as your LinkedIn profile or professionally-relevant personal blog (if you have one), and give instructions on how to contact you about the guest post or anything else. If the targeted blog won't let you include a byline, don't guest post there. Also, make sure they don't forget to add your byline and once the guest post is published, double-check that all the byline links are working. 5) Promote your published guest post Share it with your colleagues (current or past), work contacts, partners, friends, family, anyone you think who will appreciate it, and encourage them to share it further as well. Post it to your social media accounts, mention it in any online forums, Facebook pages and LinkedIn groups that you actively follow. Contact the other blogs you considered targeting, and tell them about it. Perhaps they'll invite you to guest post as well. 6) Follow all reactions to the guest post If you chose an active blog where people comment regularly, and published a thought-provoking guest post, people are going to react, including people who can lead you to your next employer. Join the conversation by responding to all comments on the guest blog post itself, by watching for feedback in all the places you promoted the post, and by googling for some of the key phrases in your post to see if anyone quoted you. 7) Keep the guest post updated Have a thought to add after the guest post was published? If you can update the guest post itself, great. Otherwise, leave a comment beneath the guest post with your new insight. If you have a lot more to add on the topic, why not propose a followup guest post? Conclusion The more popular your guest post, the further it will spread, with each sharing being a recommendation of something you just achieved, which implicitly recommends yourself too. Better, the guest post will usually stay in the blog archives forever, continuing to impress readers and grow your personal brand with each visit. Best of all, you don't even need to have your own blog to leverage guest posting, but you do need to follow my recipe above if you want the best shot at guest post success. I originally published a version of this article on the terrific Personal Branding Blog.

Professional Resume and Cover Letter Writing Services - How to Find the Best

Professional Resume and Cover Letter Writing Services - How to Find the BestProfessional resume and cover letter writing services are everywhere you look nowadays. While some people may think that getting a professional to write the letters for them is too much of a hassle, there is actually an easy way to make this part of your job. With a little research and forethought, you can make sure you have everything needed to get started right away.The first thing you need to do is make sure the professional service you are using is qualified to write professional resume and cover letters. You want to hire someone who specializes in this area of writing. When you are considering a certain service, ask if they have worked with individuals or businesses in the past. If they have, see if the letters were written in such a way that can be easily understandable by the applicant.You also want to make sure that the person you hire is able to customize the letters according to your business. You s hould feel as though you are dealing with someone who can know what your company's goals are so that the letters you will be receiving are easily understood. The letters will be your marketing materials and will also be what clients and potential clients will read. So, you need a letter that can convey all the essential information about the service you provide in a manner that will encourage clients to take you up on your offer.Also, when you are considering professional resume and cover letter writing services, see if they have experience handling various types of resumes. Many businesses need to deal with this task every day. If you are going to hire a service that has no experience handling resumes, you might end up wasting your time and money.Of course, you want to choose a service that has a reputable website. The website should not only contain professional information, but it should also offer helpful tips and advice on how to write a resume. In addition, it should also offe r other services, such as making sure the letter is professionally formatted and well-written. You need to feel confident that when you place your resume and cover letter through the service, the final result will be something that the business can use.You should also be sure that the service you are working with has the expertise to write what you want on the letter. You don't want to send out a letter that is written poorly. Most professional resume and cover letter writing services will allow you to submit a cover letter or resume. But, you may want to check with the website to make sure they are able to offer you more than just a resume and cover letter.It is important to remember that getting professional resume and cover letter writing services can help you reach the highest level of success. This doesn't mean, however, that you have to spend money in order to get a professional to work with you. If you are able to find a service that offers free samples, you can receive profe ssional feedback that you can use. You can also make sure the services are accredited to help ensure that you are going to get high quality materials.Getting professional resume and cover letter writing services can be beneficial. But, it is always best to research a service before taking them up on your offer. After all, nothing says you should hire a professional when you are unsure of who you should be hiring.

Ways to Use Holiday Season to Your Advantage - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Ways to Use Holiday Season to Your Advantage - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You can always develop your career if you really want and believe it or not holidays are perfect for it. During holiday season, it is easier to get in touch with people because you have a perfectly valid reason for it.   Therefore, it is up to you to use this excuse and advance your career. Below you can find tips for making the most of this holiday season. Attend Events: Even if you don’t like parties or gatherings, stop by for half an hour so that you can be seen. Especially, attend to your employer’s holiday party. Greet your bosses and talk to people in other departments. Most importantly enjoy the party and socialize with your coworkers! Network: Holidays are perfect for networking. There are so many events and parties you can attend and as a result, you can make new connections or reestablish your connections with former friends or coworkers. Try to get to know new people and make new contacts. A big smile always helps. You never know maybe you may need those contacts one day. Say Thanks: Use holiday season to thank people. Show your gratitude to your coworkers, clients, managers and others. Send them greeting cards or gift certificates. Make sure to make your gift personal and if possible, use hand writing. Sincere relationships are always important in life. Also, you never know who will help you the most in the future. Look Back: Holiday season is usually a slower season for many unless you are in retail. Use this slower month to reassess your career. Did you achieve your goals this year? What worked well and what didn’t? Rather than following your daily routine, give yourself some time and think about these. Also, write down what you want to achieve and how you can achieve it. Start working on your plans for next year. Get Together with Your Team: If you are leading a team, do a look back session with them as well. Make this a group activity. Listen to their suggestions and brainstorm for new ideas. Strategize for next year. Also, you can take them to a holiday lunch or dinner. This will improve their motivation and will bond you as a team. Take a Few Days Off: If you have any vacation days left, take this time off. Use it for spending time with your loved ones, doing some shopping and preparing yourself for the New Year. Relax a little bit, enjoy these wonderful days and prepare your mind and body for the coming year.

How Can Job Descriptions Be More Gender Neutral

How Can Job Descriptions Be More Gender Neutral Langauge within job descriptions is an issue, whether we realize it or not. You put up a job ad but get 90% male applicants. This might be because the wording you have used is aimed at males applicants only. We need to take far more care and spend far more time on our job ads so they are not uninclusive of not only a specific gender but of specific age, race, culture and more. So we ask our panel of recruiting experts to assess the possibility of removing bias from job descriptions. Angela Bortolussi A few years ago I sat with my hiring manager, a Director of Engineering, and he said “Angela, I asked my wife to review the job description for our Front End Engineering role â€" she is also a Front End Engineer, and she told me ‘I wouldn’t apply for this role.’” He of course asked her “Why?” She mentioned the job description had so many hard stops in terms of qualifications. For example, you must have 8+ years of experience, React experience is a must, and a Computer Science Degree is a must. She felt that she was somewhat qualified but didn’t have the exact qualifications needed for the role, and ultimately wouldn’t attempt applying. He decided to take this into consideration and re-write the job description to become more gender neutral to hopefully increase the attention of women applying. (Guess what? It worked!) Keep in mind though it’s a tough to really understand the thought-process when it comes to candidates applying for roles. Whatever the reason is, I think we (women) respond to job ads/posts differently. Angela Bortolussi, Partner, Recruiting Social. Rebecca Fraser It is quite interesting how some words can be perceived as being more attractive depending on your gender. Removing gender specific words, an example may be he or she and Chairman or Chairwoman. This is challenging in some languages where they have grammatical gender and this may require job adverts and job titles to specifically confirm that they are being offered to all genders. Other language could be seen as more attractive to the male gender, such as describing the work environment as fast paced and challenging, or dominant and determined. Although many females will be attracted to this environment, research has shown that these words can be perceived as being about a male dominated work environment. Rebecca Fraser, National Executive Committee, Career Development Association of Australia. Lysha Holmes It is essential that a job description is written as a narrative to the potential employee regardless of gender. Avoid assumptions, focus on skills and attitude, potential and opportunity rather than a person per se and therefore stereotypes can be avoided. This should include imagery used to promote any post on social media. Lysha Holmes, Owner and Recruiter, Qui Recruitment R2R. Caroline Stokes Sometimes I see masculine language used in a male oriented environment, which can be significantly off-putting to female talent. On the other side, I’ve seen female oriented companies not create gender neutral language, and it’s off-putting for me as a woman to see how men would not be inclined to join their mission. I encourage everyone to review the job descriptions to ensure they relate to the culture and make the company approachable for all genders. Caroline Stokes, Founder, FORWARD and The Emotionally Intelligent Recruiter. Ruth Penfold There are great tools for this kind of thing now, the most common one people use is Textio. If you don’t have access to those tools, I would suggest relying on the network of people around you to act as editors and give you their honest take on this stuff.  Relative Insight conducted some research into this space, and using more feminine language was proven not to put off men, in the same way that masculine language can put off women. They looked at this across political campaigns, but the same is true across all mediums. Therefore by targeting your language more towards a female audience, you will find yourself appealing to a more gender neutral audience. Ruth Penfold, Director of Talent Acquisition, Shazam. Liz Sebag-Montefiore Focus on job titles, job descriptions and advertisements that are free from unconscious bias and  reflect best practice. Women may be deterred from applying in response to job descriptions that are  heavy with masculine coded language. Try to remove the need for gendered pronouns, ensure that  content has a universal appeal. Research shows that women won’t apply for a job they do not 100% qualify for, whereas men will  apply when they feel they’re only 60% qualified for. Try to convey that there is room for negotiation  around the qualifications and experience required so returning mothers are not excluded. Liz Sebag-Montefiore,  Director and Co-Founder, 10Eighty. Libby Herrmann Word choice is key to making job descriptions more gender neutral. Science and psychology have shown that feminine language is more communal, social and emotional versus contrasting masculine language. For example, using words such as committed (feminine) compared to determined (its masculine counterpart). If we are taking care to ensure a job advertisement appeals to applicants of all genders, we are likely to be more inclusive and less “stereotypically traditional” in whom we attract. There are helpful decoding tools available online to identify and remove gender bias in job advertisements â€" explore, search, discover! Libby Herrmann,  Client Relationship Manager, WilsonHCG. Poonam Mawani Job descriptions are so important. They are the first impression of a company’s  culture. There is software available now that can remove and replace gendered  descriptions and words. There are certain phrases that can either attract more men  or women. These should be identified and replaced to attract a more balanced  candidate pool. How a firm describes itself in a job description is also important. Poonam Mawani, Director, Azuki Accounts. Amanda Bell Luckily, this can be pretty easy. Review your job descriptions with the lens of “Who is the audience here?” If your answer is “any qualified candidate, regardless of gender,” you’ve done a good job! It’s not just about the presence of gender-specific pronouns it’s also about using language that is inclusive of all genders. Stay away from phrases like “kick ass,” “ninja,” and, believe it or not, “brah.” You can also ask a few employees of various genders to read the descriptions and solicit feedback. Amanda Bell, Director of Recruiting, Lever.

What You Need To Know About Resume Services

What You Need To Know About Resume ServicesResume services have become a huge industry since there are now so many companies, professionals and individuals that offer to help you. All of these services are different in some way. Each of them will differ in how they help you and also in the quality of service that they provide. Therefore, it is important that you research on the particular services that you wish to use before you commit to them.Since resumes are required for all kinds of positions, many people prefer to get one professionally done by someone who knows how to tailor a resume to fit your employment history. This ensures that your resume remains relevant to the job that you are applying for. It can also help you find a new position if the position that you have applied for does not require a resume. The professional will be able to write a resume that perfectly fits your work history.Another service that is popular is one that has the ability to create a resume that will match your employment history. This service will have templates that are specific to your job. This will ensure that your resume is both easy to read and that your job history is accurately represented in your resume.The websites that offer this type of service have several advantages. This will include the fact that you can use them to create a resume online from any location that you have access to the internet. With the use of templates and some coding, you can easily make changes to your resume.Another service that is very popular is one that offers assistance with creating a resume by asking you to upload a resume in a secure place such as a password protected area of their website. There will be software that you can download to use as a template that you can edit. You will then be able to put your own information into your resume.A third service that is gaining popularity is one that is able to create a resume for you based on information that you enter about yourself on the ir website. This is useful for people who have had jobs in the past that do not have a personal resume online. It will be useful to these people, since you will be able to get your resume completely customized for you.The resumes that are created by resume services are very professional looking. This is because all of the information in the resume will be entered manually to ensure that it is accurate. There is no possibility of mistakes being made, because this is just the way that this service operates.Resume services are not only available online but also offline. There are several agencies that have offices in various locations that you can choose to visit and get help from. It is important that you choose an agency that is open when you are able to visit them.

5 Tips on Getting Motivated and Productive When You Work for Yourself CareerMetis.com

5 Tips on Getting Motivated and Productive When You Work for Yourself â€" CareerMetis.com Over the past few years, you’ve probably heard that we’re living in a “gig economy.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over a third of the American workforce is comprised of freelancers. That’s over 50 million Americans, and the number is increasing each year.Self-employment is certainly nothing new. Home run and self-start businesses have been around for as long as industry has. But with new technology has come the rise of the gig economy, and, despite common misconceptions, it’s tough.evalIf you’re a freelancer, whether you design, write, do virtual assistant work or data entry, you know that the career doesn’t consist of working in your pajamas while you sip whiskey. Not every day, anyway. There’s a lot of competition, you are your own marketing team, and sometimes it’s just hard to get started in the morning.Having trouble getting motivated to start your workday? Here are five tips to get you motivated and productive as a freelancer.1. Treat your job like a jobevalWhen you first begin freelancing, whatever your industry, you probably spent most of your day looking for new clients. There’s a lot of marketing in freelancing. If clients don’t know you exist, they can’t hire you. The scope of freelancing is huge.Artists can be freelance workers, as can an IT security advisor. No matter what you do, you’re going to start off very small, and very disorganized.But as time goes on, you start to see some semblance of a work day. That is, if you’re doing it right. If you roll out of bed at noon and expect to be a productive freelancer, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Instead, you’ll need to treat your job like a job.One of the best ways to get motivated is to establish a routine for yourself. Get up in the morning â€" aim for the same time each morning â€" and start your day.Shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and plan to sit at your work station at the same time each day. Establishing routine in your daily life w ill help give you the motivation you need to begin working.2. Keep your focusevalMost freelancers work from home, and with a home office comes about a thousand distractions. You just remembered that you forgot to run the dishwasher last night. You just remembered that you have a leaky faucet in the bathroom. Or you just remembered that you bought some ridiculously good cookies at the grocery yesterday.Don’t do it. Sit your bottom down in your seat and continue the task you’re working on. When you’re done, you can reward yourself with a cookie. And one of the benefits of working from home is that you can fix leaky faucets â€" on your lunch break. Rewards are a great way to stay motivated throughout the day.Focus can be especially hard when you’re working on a difficult subject. You’ve got a design project for an absurdly picky author, a legal project covering complex wealth management or you’re working on a difficult writing assignment, something like rocket science or hu man genetic engineering. You’re going to want to take a break.3. Just do itEveryone has them. We all have days when we’re tempted to take the day off, and when that happens, you’re going to have to work especially hard. Turn off your phone, and turn off the television. If there are people around, hide yourself away somewhere.evalGet rid of all your distractions, then just do it. If you’re a writer or graphic designer, this is actually pretty easy. You can always complete your project first then edit later. For those of you who are data entry specialists or have job descriptions which require accuracy, you’re going to have to buckle down.It may be that all you need is a change of scenery. Try to bring your workstation outside, or work at the kitchen table today. The change in scenery can sometimes be the catalyst for a change in motivation level; try it out and see if it works for you!You should also try and get some exercise or at least avoid sitting down all day, because spending all day sitting can be very detrimental to your health.4. Phone a friendLet’s face it. Aside from park ranger, freelancing is probably the loneliest job on the planet. And even park rangers get to talk with the occasional coyote. There will be times when you feel unmotivated because you miss your work crew.When you were working your “normal” job, having coworkers was perhaps the only thing that kept you sane. There was something therapeutic about water cooler conversations, or the ability to commiserate with others about how much you hated your job.You’ll find a few clients who become friends, but you can’t talk to them about themselves, right? Instead, call a friend. Your friend may not completely understand the scope of your project, or even your career. But she can lend an ear while you complain about it anyway.eval5. Remember why you freelanceIn other words, make it fun again. First of all, you probably had your reasons for quitting your 9-5 to enter the world of freelancing. Maybe you wanted more time with the family.Maybe the commute was too much for you. Or maybe you needed flexible hours for medical or other reasons. Sit down and make a list of the reasons you’re a freelancer.Now, think about your job. Is this lack of motivation just normal wear and tear, or is there something in your daily workload that’s bringing you down? Do you have an abusive client, or do you legitimately find that you now hate academic writing? If there’s something bothering you, cut it out.evalThe beauty of freelance is that you get to manage your time. You choose who you work for, and if there’s a client who’s making your life miserable, you can quit him. If there’s a particular task you don’t want to do, you can eliminate it from your day.Remember why you started freelancing in the first place, and focus on bringing that workload back. Rebuilding a fun atmosphere is the best way to stay motivated in your freelance career.

Employer Discrimination or Just Weeding the Applicant Pile

Employer Discrimination or Just “Weeding the Applicant Pile” Employer Discrimination or Just Weeding the Applicant Pile? On November 20, the Wall Street Journal posted an article titled “Bosses May Use Social Media to Discriminate Against Job Seekers.” Without even reading the article â€" just the title â€" I was already…well, perturbed. After reading the article, I was only slightly less perturbed since the WSJ tried to be balanced in their reporting. However, given the “scare factor” of the headline, I want to take this time to talk to job seekers and provide some guidance. By “job seekers,” I am not just addressing anyone who is unemployed and searching for his or her next position OR someone that is employed but searching outside his or her company. The internal job seeker needs take their job search just as seriously, and behave as professionally as anyone in the first two categories. The hypothesis of the article is that some companies may discriminate against religion, sexuality and other candidate attributes inadvertently identified through personal social media content. Although the results, admittedly, were not statistically significant, the study cited involved fake résumés and social media profiles. Based on my three decades of experience, here is my feedback for job seekers: Companies are not looking for ways to discriminate. They are motivated to look for diverse candidates and have policies and procedures that prevent discrimination. Job seekers, don’t play the victim and believe otherwise. With the clients I coach, I often hear “I’m being discriminated against,” by ageism, sexism â€" particularly being a female in a male-dominated industry, or many other reasons. You just didn’t get the nod. Move on. Companies are looking for ways to put applicants in the “no” pile. And they are entitled to. With an average of 250 résumés per job posting, they need to narrow down the number of potential candidates who will get a phone or face-to-face interview. For my most recent hires when I was at Microsoft, I worked with my recruiter to sort the pile of applicants. I stopped having a “maybe” pile; and kept just “yes” and “no” piles. Do not confuse this with discrimination. You will never know why you fell into one pile or the other. Social media is the best way for companies to learn more about you beyond what is in your résumé and cover letter. If you are in job search mode, you should have information on your social media sites that you want employers to see. A 2012 survey by CareerBuilder.com revealed that a third (34%) of hiring managers say they have found information via social media that has caused them not to hire a candidate. Top reasons were inappropriate photos, drinking or using drugs, poor communications skills, and candidates bad-mouthing their prior employers. That’s NOT discrimination. On the positive side, companies are also looking for reasons to hire you. The type of content that helps job seekers gives the hiring manager or recruiter “a good feel for candidate’s personality, conveying a professional image, and background information that supports professional qualifications,” according to the CareerBuilder.com survey. There are so many free resources to help you use social media to your advantage, both as a job seeker and an employer. Seek them out and master the art of social media it’s here to stay!

The Best Unique Gift Ideas for Your Boss or Coworkers

The Best Unique Gift Ideas for Your Boss or Coworkers Relaxation You know what to get your friends, and your family members will straight-up tell you what they want … but what about your colleagues? Its not easy to come up with gift ideas for coworkers, and  your boss is even harder to buy for. As the holiday quickly approaches, don’t spend your time worrying about the perfect gift. There’s something for everyone on your work list right here. Even better? You might find something for yourself! Here are 87 unique gift ideas for coworkers and your boss thatll fit any personality and any budget. Relaxation You know how hard your coworkers work, so you know how much they can use a bit of RR with these thoughtful gifts. Candle Who doesn’t love a good candle? The flickering light and sweet scents make for a soothing environment that is perfect post-stressful day at the office. Make it even more festive with holiday-inspired scents. Try these ideas: Santa Farts candle, $12 You’re Soy Amazing candle, $21 Just Breathe candle, $39.95 Good Vibes Only candle, $64 Adult Coloring Books This is the type of gift an adult might shy from buying themselves but would love to have from someone else. There are lots of fun design styles to choose from, and coloring has been shown to reduce anxiety, too. You can get a different one for everyone on your team â€" and still have room left in your budget to #TreatYoSelf. Try these ideas: “Outside the Lines: An Artists’ Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations,” $13.63 “The Mindfulness Coloring Book,” $8.90 “Swear Word Coloring Book,” $4.27 Bonus: 36 Best Adult Coloring Books Coffee or Tea Supplies Coworkers get to know each other’s drinking habits â€"  at least as far as tea and coffee are concerned. You can gift your coworkers with their workplace drinks of choice or invest in a new accessory that will make sipping more enjoyable. Think cute mugs, tea diffusers, containers for personal supplies, etc. That way, each time your coworker brews a mug of the relaxing stuff, he or she will think of you. Try these ideas: Manatea Silicone Tea Infuser, $9.99 Let’s Do This mug, $16 Through the Day Tea, $30 Yoda Best Coffee Mug, $13 Primula Cold Brew Travel Bottle, $22.98 Bodum French Press, $24.95 Desk Décor A snazzy desk makes coming into the office just a little bit easier. Help your boss and coworkers get cooler desks with these ideas. Stationery Your company probably provides the basics, but, let’s face it, those are boring. Instead, upgrade your colleagues’ to-do lists, post-its and memo pads with stationery that has a bit of pizzazz. You can find frilly designs, funny ones or even crisp, clean, professional ones, depending on the recipient’s style. Try these ideas: Tinyprints personalized stationery, $0.89 to $3 per piece ban.do Straight Up Magic Sticky Note Set, $12 Make Today Lovely Jotter, $16 Write That Shit Down Notepad, $10 Bonus: Any/all 38 of these To-Do Lists Calendar Everyone has to keep track of the days, and a busy 2017 shouldn’t be limited to a Gmail calendar. Give your coworker or boss the gift of organization with a calendar that’ll make each day bright. Whether it’s classic or laugh out loud funny, they’ll be thanking you every time they jot down an important event. Try these ideas: Rifle Paper Co. 2017 Appointment Calendar, $26 2017 Someecards Year-In-A-Box Calendar, Varies Bubble Wrap Calendar, $27 Cartoons from The New Yorker 2017 Day-to-Day Calendar, $11.79 Paperweight Now that everything is digital, the paperweight might not have as much of a purpose. However, just as they’ve lost a shred of their functionality, they’ve gained a heck of a lot of personality. You can find a paperweight to match your colleague’s mentality, whether they’re inspiring, funny or a bit on the nerdy side. Seriously â€"  there’s a design out there for just about every desk, and, regardless of their utility, they look great. Try these ideas: Decision Paperweight, $18 Be … Inspirational Paperweight, $68 Dog Silhouette (available in various breeds), $12+ “Later” Oversized Clip and Paperweight, $18 Desktop Games We’re not talking about a computer desktop. Instead, give your coworkers the gift of gaming with a physical desktop game. You’ll find you won’t be wanting for choices. Game companies make everything from a wooden tic-tac-toe ($4.88) to a to a flick football complete with a goal post ($10.47). Or try these other ideas: Words Cubed, $17 The Storymatic, $29.95 Mini-Golf Sandbox, Varies My Cinema Lightbox, $15-90 Desk Organization Again, there’s only so much stuff your company will provide so employees can organize their desks â€" as far as personalization goes, though, you’re on your own. That’s why a sweet new desk organizer, whether it’s for paper or pens, will be something to look at and appreciate for its utility. Try these ideas: Cork Cactus Organizer, $15 ClipNote Desk Organizer, $12 Kate Spade Paper Clip Paper Holder, $29.99 Rachel George Mulholland Marble Pencil Holder, $39 Bunny Desk Organiser, $38.30 Whale Tail Bookend, $19.80 Cord Tacos, $16 Office Supplies Buying office supplies is tedious, which is why most people default to plain pens, pencils, and paperclips rather than shopping for something they’ll enjoy using. Don’t let your coworkers or boss use boring supplies day in and day out. Give them something unique and fun that that’ll make their day a little brighter. Try these ideas: Sayings Binder Clips, $9.95 Kate Spade What’s the Word Pencil Set, $19.90 Poketo Pattern Gel Roller Pens, $7 Plants Office workers who decorate their space with live plants experience tons of benefits. For one, studies show that people feel less stressed and depressed when they have office plants. The air is cleaner, there’s a decreased chance of illness, and those in the area feel more productive. It’s the perfect gift for a colleague. Try these ideas: Dinosaur planter, $16 Zen Reflections Juniper Bonsai, $28.89 Self-Watering Eleplanter, $35 You Rock Gold Dipped Crystal Air Plant Gift, $17 Tech Update Every efficient worker can use a new tech toy to make things even easier. Pick from these ideas. Mouse Pad Your work computer is one of the few devices left that’s not a touchscreen, but that might end up being a blessing if you’re still searching for a Christmas gift for a colleague. A fun mouse pad will be both useful and nice to look at … no more stock office mouse pads for your best work friends. Try these ideas: Donut mouse pad, $12 Piece of cake mouse pad, $10 Cactus mouse pad, $6 IPod, IPhone or IPad Holder Sometimes, it seems as though your phone is always in the way of your actual work â€"  or it gets lost in the fray of a particularly paper-laden desk. Make things easier on your coworkers by picking up a small holder for a phone, iPod or tablet to use while working. Bonus points if the holder serves a dual purpose, such as a holder/speaker or holder/charger. Try these ideas: Doiy Doughnut Stand, $14.49 Modern smartphone stand, $39.60 Wooden phone stand, $12.75 Charging station, $24.99 Screen-Cleaning Device The task of cleaning a computer screen can fall to the bottom of a packed to-do list pretty quickly, especially if you don’t have the proper cleaning agent on-hand. Make your coworker’s life easier by picking up a gentle cleaning cloth, cleaning solution or other device meant to make screens sparkle. Try these ideas: Shaggy Max iPad cleaner, $8.94 Smartie microfiber cloth, $7.99 Teraglove, $19.95 Screen cleaner kit, $11.95 Take-Home Treats Not every gift you give a coworker has to be office-oriented. These homey gifts strike just the right balance between professionalism and caring. Subscription Even though your relationship is work-related, you probably know a bit about your colleague’s interests. Try and find a coordinating subscription to a magazine or sample-delivery service, which allow recipients to try products related to their hobbies before making a purchase. Try these ideas: Fancy Box, $39 Spice Box Kit, $7/kit MistoBox Coffee Subscription, $19 Sock Fancy, $11 per month Graze Snacks, Varies Coffee Table Books Again, you know more about your colleagues than just their work ethic and job title. These are the types of purchases people simply don’t make for themselves, and finding one that coordinates with your colleague’s interests shows you’ve really been listening. Try these ideas: “Humans of New York: Stories,” $14.48 “The Dogist,” $16.58 Nat Geo “Rarely Seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary,” $27.19 “Home” by Ellen Degeneres, $23.79 “1001 Smartest Things Ever Said,” $8.41 DIY Classes You guessed it. Here’s another riff on your colleagues’ interests. Has your coworker ever said they’d love to learn to cook paella or learn karate? If you can remember something like that, take advantage. Buy an introductory lesson in that area and voila. You have a perfectly thoughtful and useful gift. Try these ideas: Art classes Pottery classes Exercise classes Cooking classes Baked Goodness Do you have a special recipe for cookies everyone in the office loves? This time of year is the perfect excuse to whip out the mixer, rolling pin and cookie cutters in the name of office cheer. The good thing is, you can’t go wrong with sweets, and they’re perfect for just about any level of office friendship. Try these great recipes to make for your coworkers: World Peace Cookies Peppermint Meringues Gingerbread Cookies Banana Bread Lunchtime Gift Cards In a similar vein, you can feed the masses their favorite lunches with gift cards. Load a handful of gift cards with just enough to cover the lunch specials. Then, hand them out and watch the smiles unfurl as people realize they have a free, delicious meal waiting at their favorite lunchtime haunt. Try $15 to $20 at a local favorite or one these popular lunch destinations: Subway Chipotle Panera Bread Now It’s Your Turn You work together every day of the year, so it’s only right to have your closest colleagues or boss on your list. With these categories and gift ideas in mind, it should be a whole lot easier to complete your Christmas shopping for your coworkers, too. If you need a little more help, remember, professional, grateful and personal are the three things you should be as you shop, and, with those parameters in mind, you can’t go wrong. Have more fun gift ideas for coworkers or your boss? Planning to get something from this list? Let us know in the comments! (Who knows, your idea may get added to this list!) And to get more articles to help you navigate the office holidays and help you preserve your sanity at work, subscribe to Punched Clocks to get  all the latest and greatest posts! #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:100%;} /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Join over 675 readers! Get expert career advice sent straight to your inbox!