Be lady-like to succeed at work

Here's a suggestion for women who want to succeed at work – try resisting the temptation to act like men, suggest researchers.

Their studies show that women who take an aggressive approach are often less likely to get ahead than those who exhibit more feminine traits.

If however, they try to conform, promotion comes their way, the research from George Mason University in Virginia found.

The findings, which will dismay feminists, suggest the best way for a woman to succeed in a man's world is to act like a lady, reports the Daily Mail .

They tally with past research that showed women oozing with self-confidence, assertiveness and other characteristics linked with successful management can be side-lined at work in favour of meeker types.

It is thought that while such traits are highly-prized in men, go-getting women are penalised for not being feminine enough and are seen as less likeable.

The study appears in a journal published by the British Psychological Society .

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Is your boss a woman?

Having a female boss could work in your favour if you're a man. However, if you're a woman, you could be in for some rough times...

We protest against the partial treatment meted out to them, rant against their sexist ways and cry hoarse about the universe's unfair preference of Mars over Venus. But, for all we say about men being chauvinistic pigs (and swines of other categories, orders and denominations too), turns out, if you're looking to move ahead in your job, your shiny, perfect, beautiful female boss, could be the single biggest impeding force (think Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada). And in all probability, you're not surprised by this conclusion either. Because you've experienced it yourself —not only from your boss, but also from the girl next door (or cubicle), who appears to do absolutely everything in her power to make you look bad in front of the team.

According to a study published in the Social Science Research journal, women managers who break through the glass ceiling are more likely to support their male colleagues than their female co-workers. In fact, far from encouraging, they obstruct other ambitious women. Software engineer Rakini Yogesh says that though it might not be blatant, this behaviour has been observed in several offices, including her own. "There is definitely a trend where female bosses tend to favour men, when it comes task allotment and appraisals. Also, in a team with a female boss, it is not the only men who complain (largely driven by ego) but also girls, because they feel they're getting a raw deal, where the boss wants to be the only woman on top. Sadly, we girls are not favoured by the male bosses either, because many of them think we're 'just girls' after all."

HR consultant Ramesh Kumar reveals that this matter has been studied in HR circles and various conclusions have been drawn upon. He says, "One of the strongest possibilities is that female bosses favour their male subordinates because they don't want it to look like they're being partial to their own kind. Also, they want to meld in with the men, so that they can get more popular. In very rare cases, they do it out of insecurity — in the competence or looks department."

Sociologist Rashmi K believes that a large number of women do have some residual internalised misogyny. She explains, "In the older days, there were very few positions for women and as a survival tactic, they brought down their peers to get ahead in the game. But now, there is place for everyone — girls have to realize this. They don't have to bring one down to move to the next level. As for the bosses, they have to get professional and embrace their power to mentor their juniors, male and female, equally."

However, copy writer Shama Prasad, strongly believes that women indeed do share a strong kinship at the workplace. "In my office, the male to female ration is 5:1, and my senior, a woman, takes extra care of the junior girls, mentors us and gives us all the opportunities to grow. We share each other's work woes and thrive on the support we get from our girlie-network. In comparison, our male boss is utterly bigoted."

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How to impress your boss

Here are tips to impress your boss...

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Honesty best policy for job seekers

Looking for a job? Don't lie on your resume, suggests a new study, which found honesty pays off for job seekers.

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Working for long can be 'dangerous'W

 Sitting too long at work can be dangerous for your health, suggest experts.

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How power influences interpretation

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Got a colleague who is grumpy?

No two people we meet in life are the same. One needs to deal with people in the right manner, not

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Age 33 is the 'busiest time of our lives'

A survey has suggested that 33 is the age when we are the busiest in our lives, with hardly any time to balance our busy work, family and social activities.

So much so, a third of 33-year-olds say they get an average of only five hours sleep a night, reports The Daily Mail .

66 per cent people claim that they spend more than 38 hours a week in the office and 60 per cent are forced to double bookwork and social appointments to try to squeeze everything in.

Fifty-six per cent regularly need to take work home to complete it, according to the study conducted by Hotmail .

Ninety per cent of 33-year-old women in the survey said they thought they were busier than men of the same age.

But there's some good news - once we hit 55 the pressures on our lives get easier, largely because our careers have peaked by then and our children have left home. At that age we have an average of one hour and 23 minutes to ourselves each day.

"We also must organise ourselves during particularly busy periods in our lives to ensure we can enjoy life and get the balance right. Too much work and no play should not be an option," said TV presenter and actress Lisa Rogers.

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Wearing glasses boost your job prospects

Wondering what is the sure-shot way to get a job? Well, wearing you glasses to the interview might help, suggests a new UK study.

The research has found that people are more likely to get a job if they wear glasses to their interview.

According to the College of Optometrists study, a third of British adults think glasses make someone look more professional and 43 per cent think glasses make people look more intelligent.

However, it is because of an old stereotype that people develop bad eyesight by reading a lot, say experts.

"It's great to see a shift in how we perceive glasses. However, it's important to remember that regardless of fashion trends, wearing spectacles is about seeing clearly and comfortably - not just appearance," the Telegraph quoted Susan Blakeney, Optometric Advisor to the College of Optometrists, as saying.

Cary Cooper, of the Lancaster University, said some people may have more self confidence when they wear glasses.

"It is not surprising that businesses want to employ intelligent staff but the idea that intelligent people wear glasses is an old stereotype that has not gone away," he said.

"In fact, glasses are a poor indication of intelligence because you can have bad eyesight for a number of reasons and then choose to wear contact lenses.

It is possible that some people have more self confidence and change their behaviour when they put on glasses, which could in itself improve their chances at interview," he added.

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5 People you should avoid dating at work

Things really can go wrong when you become romantically involved with someone at your workplace – and what matters the most is who you're dating.

A new Vault survey of more than 2,000 workers found that of those who have had an office fling or romance (59 per cent), 30 per cent said it affected their personal or professional relationships with other co-workers.

Eighteen per cent said their workplace dalliance led them or their romantic partner to leave the company.

According to ABC News , here's a list of five people you should never date to avoid becoming one of these workplace-dating casualties.

1. The Intern
So much can go wrong when dating an intern, assistant or any other underling that such temptations are best left alone. If your colleagues find out about this office romance, there could be cries of favouritism.

2. The IT guy or gal
Nothing beats having your request for computer assistance rise to the top of the tech support queue. But fall out of favour with your technically inclined valentine and you'll have to endure the tech support call of shame any time your computer has the hiccups.

3. The boss
Throw sex, unrequited love and/or an ugly break-up into the mix and there's no telling how far your professional reputation could plummet.

4. The boss's spouse
Sleeping with a married co-worker is never a good idea. But sleeping with the boss's significant other is nothing short of career suicide.

5. The serial dater
Cozy up to the office philanderer and you make yourself a prime target for professional gossip and hostility. Not only can your reputation plummet overnight, your colleagues may have a hard time taking you seriously.

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