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‘Bulletproof Your Job’ author offers tips

NEW YORK — Let your boss know if your spouse is seriously ill. Don’t ratchet up the amount of time you spend on the job surfing the Web. And always leave work five minutes after your boss, so it looks like you’re always staying late.

These are simple ways for riding out these tough times, according to Stephen Viscusi, career coach and author of the recently published book “Bulletproof Your Job.”

“This is a jobs depression, and it’s not the time to take really long vacations or be on Match.com,” said Viscusi, who also hosts a syndicated radio show. “It’s time to perfect the art of looking busy and making sure the bosses like you. Nobody’s gonna fire someone they really know or like.”

Don’t let office rage get out of control

NEW YORK — Corporate spending is tight and economic forecasts are grim. Combine that with an annoying co-worker in the next cubicle, and you’ve got a recipe for some serious office rage.

Tom Musbach, managing editor for Yahoo HotJobs, gives these suggestions to prevent an angry or off-color comment from escalating into a workplace brawl:

Don’t take it personally. Often times, a co-worker’s irritability is not related to the job but instead something that happened at home.

Let people vent. It’s better that they voice their grievances than stew on them.

Walk away. Use the restroom, get a cup of coffee or use any other excuse to get yourself out of the situation.

If the incident is severe or repeated, you may want to document it and consult with the company’s human resources department.

Associated Press