ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > August
August 2007
Keeping up with deadlines
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t you hate arbitrary deadlines that fly in like torpedoes and ruin your plans for the day? Have you ever been handed a project on a Friday with the deadline listed as Monday morning? Do you ever wonder just how long that project or “must-have” information has been sitting on someone else’s desk?
A study in Sweden in 2004 found that the pressure of meeting an unexpected or intense deadline increased the risk of suffering a heart attack the following day sixfold. The incidence of heart attack was also highest on Monday mornings. So beware of deadlines on Mondays - maybe you should just stay home.
No, seriously, deadlines can evoke serious physical symptoms related to extreme stress that can - in the short-term or the long-term - create a health condition that is life threatening. Imagine that, I know I’ve felt tense and angry at being given an unreasonable deadline but now I know I’d better get that anger under control or find a way to blow off some steam. Procrastination can accelerate the stress level when you realize it’s crunch time.
When faced with deadlines, what can make the difference in your stress levels? First, talk with your boss, chances there is some flexibility in the deadline. Rational conversation about what needs to be done and what is realistic may make a difference. Secondly, if there is no talking to your boss, and you’re feeling paralyzed, you can overcome the inertia by just taking a first step, then another. Sometimes developing a plan can help identify the logical approach for completing the project. Another strategy is to delegate some of the others to a secretary, administrative assistant or other team member. Dividing the work among other parties that should reasonably help can bring the project along and in on time.
A key point is to avoid procrastination. Everyone is busy and if your job is like mine, interruptions prevent focused work for extended periods of time. Setting a schedule and finding small blocks of time to complete stepwise tasks can help. At the end of the project, when the deadline is met, reward yourself - take an afternoon off or get a massage, life’s too short not to give yourself a pat on the back.
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Is the housing market slump impacting you?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since the middle of the year in 2006, the housing market has taken its toll on many people and companies, affecting homebuilders, home supply companies, realtors and mortgage professionals, and this is just to name a few that have complained of the slowing market’s impact.
Now the slowing of the housing market is coming after everyone’s jobs. Housing-related positions are being downsized left and right. Everyone from the people who build houses, deliver supplies, manufacture appliances and make furnishings are all feeling the pain of the housing market downturn.
In 2005-2006, some said the industry was creating 25,000 to 50,000 new jobs each month. It would stand to reason that the industry would now have to take some of these jobs back.
If the market you work within is housing-related, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put some feelers out. Now is a great time to think ahead in terms of your career. Where is it going?
If you see it going south, maybe it is time to update your resume and start networking. There are many industries surging. Don’t be a victim of the housing bubble burst.
What to do:
- Update your resume and cover letter. These are crucial for any job search.
- Be sure you have business attire if you’ve been out of the job market for a while so you have appropriate attire during your interviews.
- Start networking and be sure to check out job openings online (I personally like Indeed.com and Linkedin.com).
- Start talking to people. Where are others going that you work with? Are they thinking about a shift?
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Career path still in the air?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Deciding what you want to be “when you grow up” is no easy task. And many of us, even after we’ve grown up, still don’t know what we want to be!
I remember having a conversation with my mother when I was a senior in high school, trying to decide where to go to college and what I might major in. I clearly remember the anxiety I felt and how overwhelming the pressure seemed. I knew that at eighteen years-old, I had the capacity to make decisions that would either propel me toward success, or that would “mess up” my life in ways that I could never change.
I remember saying, “How am I supposed to make a decision that will affect what I’m doing when I’m forty years old? I don’t know what I want to be when I’m forty. I don’t even know what I want to do this weekend!”
As I grew up and dedicated my own career to helping people make career decisions, I have learned that the truth is: Most of us don’t know exactly what we want to do when we grow up. And that’s okay.
Narrowing down career options can be especially tough for people who come from families where everyone else has always known exactly what they wanted to do for a living. It’s important for both parties to understand that career indecision is very normal.
Other people are so afraid of making a career mistake, that they avoid making a career choice at all. They often float from one job to another, they may or may not enjoy their jobs, but deep down they never really feel fulfilled.
Even though it’s normal, indecision shouldn’t be ignored. Invest in yourself and in your own happiness and do a little research on career options. Talk to people who have experience in the areas that you’re interested in to learn more about what they do. Look into meeting with a career counselor or taking some career assessments.
People who are the most fulfilled professionally are often the same people who aren’t afraid to get out there and make their own happiness. What do you want to be when you grow up?
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Is your career love life on the rocks?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you find yourself going through the motions day in and day out without the old spark that used to make every moment worthwhile? Are you staying in this ‘career relationship’ with your employer for the sake of the kids, sacrificing your innermost desires to provide them the best life you can? Or are you feeling insecure, afraid that another employer might reject you?
I’ve always seen our professional life as strikingly similar to our love life. When it’s time to break up, getting out of a bad relationship can be just as hard as finding a good one… sometimes harder. In every relationship, it’s important to constantly assess whether your needs are being met.
Rest assured your employer get their needs met and when they don’t you’ll find a ‘Dear John’ letter on your desk in a heart beat. One way to stay in love with your career long after the honeymoon is over is to venture into the right one from the start. However, finding the right match is like gambling if you don’t know who you are and what you want most out of your career?
In the dating game, people have no problem taking personality assessments that help match them up with the right partner. Since you will probably spend as much time in your job as you do in your relationship, doesn’t it make sense to give it at least as much consideration?
As a career coach, I highly recommend you use objective tools to assess what type of personality you have and what careers best suit you. Recently, I coached a mid-career professional who was ready to make a change. His options seemed limitless and he casually mentioned he would love to move out West and own a ranch some day. I encouraged him to take the Strong Interest Inventory career assessment and the results showed the ideal career for him was ranching/farming, closely followed by entrepreneurship. What a perfect match!
Why should he get suckered into an office job when he has all the attributes to be in love with his career life for years to come? Although Career Assessments are not quite like looking into a crystal ball, it can help you discover what you need most to be happy at work and give you the motivation to pursue your professional passions. Invest in yourself and dare to love your job.
Is your job your boyfriend? Ever feel like your personal life comes second to you career?
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Calculate your professional value!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The average salary in the U.S. is $36,764; check on the approximate salary for your position and how you compare. Now obviously the salary for positions is based on a number of things, but it is important to conduct competitive intelligence when it comes to your pay. If you don’t keep an eye on how you stack up you may find yourself grossly underpaid.
Stay competitive Where do you begin in determining a fair salary for your position? You can determine the approximate value for your position by utilizing information that you can easily find online at the United States Census Bureau or through a company such as Salary.com. This information should give you a good start to understanding your value to an employer.
Be smart If you find you are not making what you should, discuss this in your next review. Consider discussing your compensation more in depth. If it means you need to make a change, start looking around for other positions while you are employed. You immediately forfeit your negotiation power when you are not employed. Start researching the type of company you want to work for, the position you would like and the direction of your industry - the future.
So be aware of the average salary in your field. Remember to conduct continuous research on the salary of similar positions. If you determine you are undervalued, get your resume ready for a potential change. Then if necessary, take the next step and start interviewing. The main goal is: Make what you are worth!!
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As the summer draws to a close…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you’re a working parent, summer’s over and you have to be breathing a sigh of relief. Having the kids back in school - in an identified location for 7-8 hours a day can be so comforting after a summer of not being sure where they are or trying to pull fun activities out of a hat on a daily basis so they won’t be “bored”. I’ll trade helping with homework, dealing with occasional obnoxious teachers or rigid requirements any day to the stress of trying to balance job with the schedules and unexpected activities of kids during the summer.
What worked for you this year? Personally, I found that a good series of sports camps, some overnight camps and a little planned tutoring kept my son off the street, generally happy and in productive mode. Despite the initial resistance, at the end of each experience, he admitted enjoyment, made some new friends and often learned something. Another thing that worked was proactive planning. Impromptu or planned strategic strikes like inviting the friends to our house for pizza and music or the occasional trip to White Water kept the teenage floundering around for something to do in the evenings at a minimum.
My pet peeve for the summer was the “summer reading assignment”. Ok, I know they need to keep up their reading and that the summer just cannot be completely hedonistic but what’s with this? We had to have 25 current events articles summarized, indexed and pasted onto sheets of paper neatly logged into a notebook. Another family had 5 “classic” novels with summaries for each. All of these assignments are due “the first day of school” with dire consequences promised if not completed. Ok, how many of you found out about this the last week of the summer vacation and had to really push the kid to finish?
What were your successes on the family front this summer? What were the disasters? How did this impact your workload at the office?
Did you have those long nights when the teens were out of the house till the wee hours while you spent the evening at home waiting and worrying about being sharp the next day? What was your backup plan when the daycare options fell through? Let’s have a recap and get ready for next year.
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Friends with your boss?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Your boss sends you an invitation to be her “friend” on MySpace. Do you accept and invite her into your “cyber” world?
A place where you share photos, invite people to parties and update your inner circle on what’s new in your life? A refuge that allows you to actually escape from the pressures of the office? Or…do you ignore her invite and hope she will forget about it!? Actually, neither.
I posed this “workplace cyber” drama to a group of emerging managers in a recent leadership seminar. Opinion was unanimous that you need to tread carefully in this situation. The group suggested that you should have a conversation with your manager and politely but firmly refuse. For instance you could say, “Thanks for reaching out to me. I make it a policy not to mix my personal and business lives. However, I would be happy to have lunch or coffee if you would like to connect.”
Part of success in an organization is managing perceptions. Giving your boss access to the possible off color remarks of your friends or the photos from the latest bachelor party probably won’t help when raise time comes around.
What are your thoughts on this one? Have a healthy rapport with your boss or is it hard to draw the lines of professionalism with him/her?
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The importance of job applications
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So much emphasis is put on writing a proper resume these days, few people talk about job applications anymore. The fact is job applications are still out there and we shouldn’t neglect to address the proper way to complete an application.
Sometimes a job application is just a formality to be completed at an interview. Sometimes they’re done online. But occasionally, there are companies who do it the old-fashioned way, on paper and in person.
The first thing to know about filling out a job application is that it is the first impression you will make on that employer. The people who greet you when you arrive to complete an application are most likely the same people who will greet you when you arrive for an interview, so it is critical that you present yourself professionally.
Granted, you may not want to arrive at an auto body shop dressed in a three piece suit. However, wearing slacks, dress shoes, and a button down shirt with a collar delivers a much better first impression than arriving jeans and an over-sized t-shirt.
Next, you should always come prepared. This may mean that you need to do a little homework in advance. Bring with you a list of your previous jobs from the past ten years or so and a fine point pen with blue or black ink, in case you need it.
Your list of jobs should include company name, address, and phone number, as well as the name and title of your former supervisors. If your former supervisors are long gone, then provide a contact from your former company’s human resources office, who can verify your employment. Having this information handy will make filling out the application much easier.
Finally, pay attention to details. Look over the application before you start writing, so that you don’t enter information into the wrong slots. Print as neatly as possible. Do not abbreviate (e.g. If your last job was Assistant Manager, don’t write “Asst. Mgr”) and work carefully, so that you don’t make mistakes. If you are unsure about something listed on the application, ask for clarification before you answer. And always complete every section. If a question does not pertain to you, write N/A (for “Not Applicable”) in the blank.
The neatness of a job application is often used to screen people for their attention to detail. So, don’t let sloppy work eliminate you from consideration.
Whether it’s a staffing service or a retail store, a restaurant, or any other company that requires you to fill out an application in person, the impression you make when you arrive will factor heavily into whether or not you get an interview and a job offer.
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Sex, lies or videotapes ruining job prospects?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t let it be the reason why you aren’t hired!
As a job seeker we should all know the importance of a good impression in an interview, but with the Internet we need to be sure we know what happens after the interview as well. These days recruiters use the Internet to their advantage to avoid sending candidates that are not appropriate for their clients to interview. So they do a little more homework on their candidates in most cases.
Sex
Let’s suppose you’ve been searching for Mr. Right and have been pouring your soul to find the perfect mate on a risque video for a web dating site; make sure it cannot be linked to your resume.
Lies
If you have a personal website, be sure it is professional, accurate and doesn’t give out too much information to an employer. Give more honest information about yourself that you can’t put on a resume such as your hobbies or that you are President of PTA. Since you know they are looking, make it work to your advantage.
Videotape
If your Survivor application videotape is ready for submission, just be sure you are professional in the video and wouldn’t mind an employer’s knowledge of that information. You never know who’s watching so be sure to keep your private life your private life.
Be sure you are professional in your resume presentation, cover letter, interview and follow up and keep your personal life - personal, then you can land the job of your dreams. Don’t let the Internet wreck your chances of a new job; make the Internet your best friend in your job search.
Have you ever found out that a online dating profile or videotape has ruined your chances of landing that dream job? Ever had a white lie exposed because of your MySpace page?
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Micromanager issues?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
More and more people complain of being micromanaged. What is the psychology of this disorder? Does the micromanager not have enough to do in their job so they feel they have to do yours as well? Does this boss have trust issues? Is this person a workaholic who stays day and night poring over every aspect of his department, seeking weak links, fearful of not meeting the expectations of his micromanaging superiors?
How does a worker survive in a supervisory straight jacket and avoid the stress and disruption caused by micromanagers in the workplace? Is jumping ship the only option?
A healthy manager knows the abilities of his staff, builds them up in areas of weakness and lets them handle their jobs with minimal assistance. It’s important that a manager trust his people to be professionals until proven otherwise. If he knows the employee is weak in writing skills, review their work before it goes out, help them fix the errors and then let it go. Empowerment is the key.
The true micromanager reads, edits and rewrites the employee’s work before it goes out. He then takes the glory when things work out well and distributes the blame when it doesn’t (If only I had competent staff). The micromanager doesn’t pay attention to employee development only survival of self (or self-glorification - I work so hard, because no one else can do it as well as I can). Micromanagement is the opposite of empowerment; it often involves giving people responsibility without giving them the full power needed to be successful in their work.
Do you micromanage or have you been micromanaged? Micromanagement is one of the most difficult dysfunctional behaviors to deal with in the workplace. If you’re the micromanager, you’re headed for a breakdown when you can’t manage down to the level you really want to. Your employees roll their eyes and may tolerate you if it’s just too much trouble to look for another job. Among the micromanaged, your morale is in the toilet and you long for freedom from oppression and another job. Maybe a solution is a support group like micromanagers anonymous - but really, can you imagine the meetings?
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Avoid a document disaster!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In this age of electronic information, where credit card companies are actually launching ad campaigns that portray cash transactions as slowing down business, paper may very well seem old fashioned, even the green kind!
Your resume itself may only find its way onto paper once you’ve snagged an interview and are finally able to ‘hand out’ that watermarked parchment that so eloquently chronicles your career story.
Unquestionably, the benefits of the electronic age are enormous. In addition to saving trees, it is saving lots of cash for organizations as they begin storing all their formerly paper documents on mega-servers in the sky, instead of high-rent office buildings.
We’ve have been lulled into believing there’s no need to keep paper copies of almost anything? We take for granted that the information we need is being safely kept in someone’s massive data warehouse, awaiting our retrieval on demand. However, the bad news is that databases crash, and paper copies can get lost or destroyed.
Imagine being that candidate who gave notice to his old employer, eager to start his new job, only to find out that the copy of his degree was no longer on file at their college.
Whether it’s a flood, fire or the latest internet virus, even twenty years later you may have to prove you earned that degree, got that promotion, or won that top producer award. Career-influencing documents are some of the most important ones you’ll ever have.
You, not anyone else, is responsible for keeping copies of them, both paper and electronic; to make sure you avoid document disaster. Important documents like these often define who you are and legitimize your professional life. Having them handy can mean the difference between getting that job or not, which may mean having your rent money or not.
