IS IT YOU?: A recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
published in time for Labor Day, discussed what they say in a
growing workplace phenomenon: annoying co-workers.

The article, which cited careerbuilder.com as its source,
included a little quiz which we pass along today. Tomorrow, we’ll
tell you how to score yourself to see if you are, indeed, an
“annoying co-worker.”

How many of these statements describe you?

1. You make provocative statements to “foster dialogue” or
needle others.

2. You often find yourself delivering a discourse consisting
solely of buzzwords and catch phrases.

3. You make up nicknames for all of your co-workers and refer to
them only by these names (e.g.,”Good job, Chachi!” or “I’m going to
have to disagree with you there, T-bone!”).

4. Your office is completely decorated in your children’s
pictures and artwork.

5. You have plastered your cubicle with photos of yourself taken
with famous people.

6. It is your trademark to recite rhyming or other cutesy
messages as your voice-mail greeting.

7. The questions you ask at meetings are preceded by long
monologues of your views and accomplishments.

8. You routinely eat odiferous lunches at your desk.

9. You bring in dishes that you tried to cook but didn’t turn
out quite right as “special treats” for your co-workers.

10. People seem tense – even panic-stricken – when they see you
coming their way.

11. Others back away from you as you speak.

12. You send flurries of e-mails to the rest of the company
telling them what you are doing (e.g., “If anyone needs me, I’ll be
in the bathroom.”)

13. You vigorously chew or pop your gum.

14. You wear strong perfume or cologne.

15. You assume co-workers are fascinated by your personal
problems and exploits.

16. You interrupt others while they are speaking or are deep in
conversation.

17. You are moody and don’t care who knows it.

18. You often give others assignments as they’re walking out the
door for lunch or to catch the train home.

19. You borrow staplers, scissors and tape from others’ desks
and forget to return them.

20. Your dialogue with others often ends with the other person
shouting, “You are so annoying!”