Amy Lindgren

Now and then I like to write about random thoughts that are too small or personal to make into a column. Holiday weeks are a good time for small bits, so here are some things currently on my mind.

Dirty desks

File this under E for “eww.” According to a press release I received this month, desks have 400 times more germs than toilet seats. Did I say eww?

A few years ago — pre-COVID– a popular television commercial showed a woman going to work and then going about her day, touching about a billion things along the way. “Touch” the narrator said when the woman pushed the elevator button or opened her office door. “Touch,” we were reminded, as she got a vending machine snack and sat in the cafeteria. Before long the sponsor was revealed to be a cold medicine, or perhaps a cleaning product.

It’s a sad note for the advertisers that I remember the ad but not the product. In any case, that commercial came to mind when the good folks at Serpple (www.serpple.com) sent the release with nasty statistics about germs and the standard tips for wiping everything down. Oddly, Serpple is an SEO firm, not a cleaning or cold remedy company. But fair’s fair — they sent the release so they deserve credit for the story idea.

In the meantime, here’s my reminder: It’s cold and flu season, and we’re still dealing with COVID, so it’s not a bad idea to sanitize work surfaces a little more often. You don’t want eww to become achoo. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

Wearing PJs at work

The same group sent another press release, this time about the importance of getting dressed, even if you work from home. Wearing pajamas all day has never been tempting to me, but I can appreciate that some people enjoy a more relaxed vibe. The point made by Serpple is one of psychology: If you dress like you’re ready for a nap, you’ll work like a napper too.

I’ll add my thought, which is common advice for ambitious workers: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Of course, that assumes you want a more prestigious position, not one where you’d dress down even further. It’s all about strategy.

Speaking of strategy, why am I getting press releases about germs and pajamas from an SEO company? My guess is they’re counting on a sense of fair play. If enough writers credit them for their tips, and if readers actually go to their site, they’ll get bumped in search engine rankings. Well, that’s clever.

Awards

It’s fun to get an award, and even more fun to tell others. That said, most of us don’t have either experience very often. I entered a contest earlier this fall and was quite happy to learn last week that my weekly column had won first prize in its division. You can see more about that at www.eppyawards.com.

There, now that I’ve done my bragging, let me tell you the real reason for bringing this up. Besides being fulfilling to receive, awards can help your career. Whether you’re being honored for an internal achievement or receiving recognition from an outside organization, awards signify excellence in your work. They’re also confidence boosters, confirming that others respect what you’re doing.

The problem with awards is that you can’t wait for someone else to nominate you. While that might happen, most work-based prizes require effort from the recipient. You’ll need to find the contest, pull together your materials and submit them on deadline. Sometimes there’s also an entry fee, which you should pay attention to: Is this a legitimate award or one of those vanity deals where everyone “wins” so long as they pay?

To find appropriate contests, start with related professional associations. They often recognize individuals and teams as a way of promoting the field. You can also find award programs sponsored by community organizations and foundations. And of course, your employer might (or maybe should) offer opportunities for recognition.

Sometimes the competition is stiff, so don’t beat yourself up if you don’t land on the podium. I haven’t entered very many contests myself but I’ve found something interesting about the experience: Just pulling together my best work for the entry turns out to be a confidence boost. If you try it, you might also find that slowing down to review your work is a reminder that you’re growing and improving. Fingers crossed — tell me how it goes.

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Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.