ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > July
July 2006
Job Offers: An Ethical Dilemma
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Imagine that you’ve been unemployed for more than six months. Despite your best efforts of networking, applying for jobs, and actively seeking new employment, you still haven’t had even one interview turn into an offer.
At this point, your finances are in dire circumstances: You only have $137 left your savings account, you’re close to losing your home, and the lump-sum severance package you were offered is nearly depleted, you’re running up your credit card balances higher and higher each week.
And finally, your hard work pays off! You’re invited to interview at a small company for a position that pays well, but will not challenge you in the long term.
The hiring manager calls you the next morning and offers you the position. Out of pure excitement to be working again, you immediately accept the position and arrange to start work the following Monday morning!
Two weeks into your new position, you receive a message at home from a former colleague.
Upon returning the call, you learn that she has recently taken a management position at a well-known company and needs to hire someone for a new office that her company will be opening across town. Because you’ve worked together for years, she knows you’d be the perfect fit and offers you the job. She’d like to know if you could start in about a month.
You’re elated because the new position is a much better fit, and although the pay is similar, you’d have to drive across town each day.
Of course, there’s the obvious ethical issue…what are you going to say to your current employer?
You’ve made a commitment to you current employer, they’ve invested time and money in training you for your new role, and you certainly don’t want to burn bridges with your current boss, because you genuinely like him.
On the other hand, the new position offered to you by your former colleague would really be your first choice. Do you make the move?
Is it wrong to leave your current employer after six weeks?
Spineless boss alert
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you ever worked for a spineless boss? The manager that makes you wonder how they are able to stand up straight because they don’t have the backbone (communication skills) to speak openly and honestly with their own boss.
Their boss intimidates your manager so you miss out on getting the raise or promotion you felt you should have received.
Or they’re afraid to ask their boss if they can give you the extra two days off you desperately need after the 67-hour workweek you just put in!
And then there is the manager who is afraid to communicate to their subordinates, so now staff does what ever it pleases. People are running roughshod over the boss and the place is in chaos. It happens…
Not everyone put in positions of authority is equipped with the vital communication skills needed to get the job done.
Being able to communicate to superiors, subordinates and peers effectively is a mastered skill.
There are training classes, books and tools available to help managers improve their communication effectiveness, assuming they have the necessary confidence and the desire to improve.
Having a mentor helps and experience is the best practice.
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Thinking of switching to Pharmaceutical Sales?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You could become a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative today!
So many people think being a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative is a great job, Why?
- Mostly beautiful coworkers.
- Freedom from a boss breathing down your neck, a day with your boss every now and then, but most days - Freedom.
- Flexibility - if you need to take off early on Friday to go to the doctor, arrange your schedule to allow it. It is that easy.
- Dinners/social events that introduce new products.
How can you see if you can find a job as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative?
Check out medreps.com or of course ajcjobs.com.
If you haven’t had sales experience or anything in science, try a tough sales job - copier sales, etc. to see if you can make it.
Many times if you get in and work successfully in a known tough market, you can make the transition.
Taboo interview questions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are certain questions that can and cannot be asked during the pre-screening and interview process by a potential employer.
Here are a few of the questions that can not be asked:
- How old are you?
- Are you married?
- How old are your kids?
- Who will take care of your kids while you are at work?
- Do you have a car to get to work? (Unless it is required to perform the job)
- What year did you graduate from high school?
- What religion are you?
- What is your sexual orientation?
- What country were you born in?
Questions that can be asked:
- Are you 18 (or 21) years of age or older?
- Do you have adequate transportation to get you to and from work on time every day?
- What is your highest level of education?
- What schools have you attended and what degrees, certifications, etc. did you obtain?
- If hired, are you able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation?
- If selected, do you have the required documentation to prove that you are eligible to work in the U.S.?
Interview questions should be focused on the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the position.
Depending on the type of job, certain personal questions may be acceptable to ask. As an applicant, you should ask if you are not sure.
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Introverts in an Extroverted world
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you get your energy from within? Are you annoyed by the many people in your workplace who expect quick off the cuff answers? Do you need time to decompress after a social engagement?
You may be an introvert living in an Extroverted world. Most workplaces are not geared to this more reflective type of personality.
We need to work together so it helps to get to know what makes the other half tick.
Are you a misunderstood Introvert?
What advice do you have for the rest of us who draw our energy from other people? Should we leave you alone more?
Extroverts - how do you handle the introverts in your life?
Race Matters in the workplace
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What goes on in the workplace regarding race?
I often hear, “we all get along fine.” But what does “getting along” have to do with equity in the workplace and equal access and opportunity in the workplace.
Some say regardless of race, everyone’s unique skills and abilities are appreciated in the workplace especially in this day of increased competition and the squeezing of profits.
There are all kinds of reasons that individual employees don’t get ahead and some of the reasons are based on workplace biases of all sorts.
Race is a challenging and important workplace issue.
For example, historically the workplace challenge has been for people who are African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American.
In the past, there have been and sometimes still are overt examples of personal racism such as physical aggression and name calling. Many companies have adopted a policy of zero tolerance regarding such incidents.
However, there can still be many incidents of institutional racism that from one person’s perspective can seem subtle. But depending upon one’s life experiences and race, the incidents are not so subtle at all.
Incidents of institutional racism show themselves in many ways: a person not getting an interview, not getting hired, not getting a promotion, missing out on informal mentoring, not receiving the same wage for the same job title, not getting a stretching assignment or opportunity, not being included in important meetings or social events, not getting opportunities for personal development and not “being in the loop.” Some folks don’t even get the opportunity to “hear it through the grapevine.”
Incidents of institutional racism can often go “unnoticed” or be “disregarded.” Again depending upon whom you are and often depending upon your race, you may or may not identify with such incidents that way.
From my experience, there is much to be learned from the people who are willing to share and contribute their experiences with institutional racism.
In addition to it seeming to be subtle, it is often woven into the policies, practices, preferences and traditions of an organization. However unintended or unintentional, it is none-the-less present in the day-to-day happenings of the workplace.
How have matters of personal and institutional racism shown up in your workplace experiences?
Has your ethnicity been a roadblock between you and that rewarding promotion? Has race ever impacted your relationships with coworkers?
Cookies, containers or baskets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who doesn’t love the girl and boy scouts? But when there are twelve employees selling their kids cookies, who do I buy from and who is going to get upset if I don’t anything from them?
What household doesn’t need Tupperware? Why do I feel obligated to go to the bosses’ wife’s T-party to purchase plastic containers?
Those Longaberger products are cute. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I am not interested in coming over to your house on Saturday to buy expensive designer baskets.
Does your office staff get bombarded with coworkers attempting to sell their goods and wares? When has it gone too far? How do you turn it around?
A few suggestions to consider:
- It is a good policy to limit what can be solicited and sold at work - none is an option
- Ask for a policy to be put in place and for a list of who can sell what, when and where
- Utilize a bulletin board with a ten-day maximum, no more than twice a year
- Limit management’s ability to solicit from employees
- Ensure that this is not a conflict of interest
- Ensure that solicitation is carried out during off duty time
Stressful job getting you down?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bad boss, lazy coworkers, deadlines that creep closer and closer, interruptions every other minute, multiple projects, family problems that follow you from home, email, voicemail, cell phones - what stresses you out?
Workplace stress can siphon away your productivity, your quality time at home and can make you sick.
Stress and burnout are old topics but as long as there are jobs and people, stress will be lurking.
Here are some examples of stress-busters, I’d appreciate your help in adding to the list.
Organize yourself:
- Set goals, short-term or long-term.
- Take time to get organized in the morning, make lists, schedule yourself.
- Block off quiet time - no emails, no phone calls.
- Make good files and keep them in their places.
Remove Distractions
- Keep your email from popping up on the screen, pulling you away into the false sense that you’re really getting something done by cleaning it up or answering everything.
- Turn off the phone, the blackberry, the instant messenger - for a while anyway.
- De-clutter your desk. Piles of files and papers are distracting and contribute to that overwhelmed feeling.
- Learn how to keep coworkers at bay. Know how to short-circuit the office gossip - even if the goods are really juicy! Make rounds before settling in and touch base with everyone (if reasonably possible), then they’ll leave you alone for a while.
Take care of your health - things your mom told you:
- Exercise regularly - at least 30 minutes a day
- Consider massage on a routine schedule
- Don’t skip meals, eat healthy and don’t eat at your desk
- Relaxation techniques - try to relax during and after work using breathing techniques, meditation or yoga
- Treat yourself to something fun - shopping, music, or good food
- Take a mental-health day occasionally
Manage your expectations and those of others - particularly those in charge:
- Know that you will never be finished with everything on your desk, something new will always come up. If you were ever really through, you wouldn’t be needed.
- Don’t over-commit yourself to everyone - know your limits and when to say no to a new project or group.
- It’s better to promise less and deliver more - makes you look like an over-achiever when you actually accomplish it.
- Try to manage your boss - without him/her picking up on it - you can do it!
I have found if you don’t take care of yourself, no one else is going to do it. No job is worth your health and your future.
How do you handle stress in your workplace and avoid the health threats associated with high levels of job stress?
What do you do that REALLY works when you’re job is getting you down?
Assessment tests: good or bad?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you ever lost out on a job opportunity because of an assessment test that you took?
There are thousands of assessment tools on the market now that are supposed to help employers decide who will fit into their work environment the best.
I know of companies that swear by certain tests that they use, and that they would never consider hiring without the benefit of this ‘objective’ assessment.
One recognizable company I know advocates using handwriting analysis as a hiring assessment tool.
Before the top candidate could be considered for an offer, their signature written down three times on a piece of paper was sent to a ‘Madame Woo’ in Chinatown in New York City.
About ten days later the company would receive an exhaustive seven page document describing the candidate’s personality traits in complete detail.
Not too long ago, I decided to take some assessment tests myself to see what kind assessment tool I might like to incorporate into our selection process we provide to employer clients.
The first assessment I took would reveal what kind of job for which I would be best suited.
They ranked three job areas where I would most likely excel. Two of the areas seemed fairly normal for me, but the third really blew me away.
It said that I had the personality traits to be a top notch oil rig driller!
I have never seen an oil rig except on TV or in the movies, have no idea how one works, and besides, hard hats and high heels don’t compliment each other, at least in my way of thinking.
For the next assessment test, I got a few of my employees to be guinea pigs and do the testing along with me.
After taking the tests two of the three (including me) scored poorly in the areas that are necessary to do our jobs properly.
According to this assessment, I should fire myself and our manager of client services who has a wonderful performance record!
I am sure that of the countless assessment tools and instruments on the market today, that there are those that are valid indicators of behavior traits.
I understand that a lot of metrics go into validating the effectiveness and accuracy of an assessment test.
I wonder how much follow up is done to see how the candidate tested actually lived up to the expected performance or behavior indicated on an assessment.
I can tell you right now that I would make a lousy oil rig driller.
How private is your piercing?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
All of a sudden one day at work, we had an employee who was not able to go through the metal detector without setting it off.
It was shortly discovered, after a very embarrassing conversation for all, that the person had a very private area of their body just pierced.
The confirmation process was even more embarrassing I am sure!
An applicant recently walked in, with three rings in the eye lids, one hooked under the nose, a spike through the chin, a silver ball on the top of his tongue, ears that were lined like a picket fence, accompanied by two large Scottie Pippin style hoops.
He had more silver on his head than I have in my kitchen drawers.
It was painful to look at and very tough to stay focused during the conversation.
I kept looking at the little silver ball on his tongue. Ouch!
I am pretty open-minded, but I have more questions than answers.
I still appreciate the one ring in each ear. Does this make me old fashioned?
At what point is piercing a private thing or a work thing?
How much metal can one person take? Is this the diversity of new?
Do you work with over-metallized coworkers?
Ever been discriminated against because of your piercings? Or can you cover them up?
Need a clue?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Career Summaries speak volumes about you. They lead off your resume like a book title.
If you give a 30,000 foot view of what makes your career story unique then readers read on. If not, you’re gone.
Who are you? What makes your background and experience unique? Why should a prospective employer want to meet you?
Differentiate yourself with as few high-powered but relevant words as possible in order to engage your reader.
Some people don’t need introductions but most of us do.
Imagine being able to say this about yourself.
Career Summary: Generous entrepreneur with laser-focused portfolio management acumen and unprecedented 30+ year record in M&A success stories, business transformations, and high-yield shareholder ROI.
Guess who? Need a clue?
The person is an avid bridge player too!
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Can you handle interviews?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are some quick tidbits of advice that may help you ace your interview:
Research the company before the interview. Become knowledgeable about the industry and company for which you are hoping to be working with. You can start with the company’s annual report from its Web site, if available.
Prepare yourself but do not memorize. Think of your results, challenges, successes and throughout your career. Think of these things in terms of how you were able to overcome and successfully handle challenges that came your direction throughout your career.
Have questions for the interviewer. The job you will be interviewing for will be just as important to you as the interviewer. Be sure you ask any questions you have (not salary or any of the no-no’s). You will demonstrate knowledge and intellect in asking good questions.
Close of the interview. The end of the interview is your time to close with “a positive, energized and very interested in the company” close. When the Interviewer is closing with “Do you have any questions?” that is your cue to ask about the company or about the position. Some good ideas are:
What will I be contributing to the organization in my position?
What makes your company different from others?
What is your corporate culture?
What differentiates your company from your competition?
How would you describe the most successful employees in your company?
Follow-up. You leave the interview and feel good about the position. Now go to your car and write down what just happened. Write the topics discussed, the characteristics the interviewer described for the position, and other details. This will help you write a thank you letter that shows both your interest and that you are a perfect match for the position.
Play this interactive game, Nail the Interview to see how good you are in an interview situation.
Can you beat the highest salary?
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Reality shows - real lessons?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Confession time: I have been a viewer of reality shows since MTV’s first series of Real World. As a professional, I don’t think I am supposed to blatantly own up to that.
I still find most friends and colleagues loath to admit they sneak a peak but when I find a fellow fan, we happily chat away.
Yes. I KNOW they are edited and represent a slanted view of what happened. I also understand that the players are often not being genuine.
Yet, aside from offering pure escapism, these programs sometimes offer a few pointers for navigating the work place. I try to look at them partly from this vantage point.
I limit myself to a few each season, like Bravo’s Blowout, (Egotistical Jonathon and his growing empire of hair salons and products), and Project Runway (where emerging fashion designers compete to show their collection during New York’s Fashion Week).
These shows offer plenty of lessons in group dynamics.
Of course, in the well known NBC show, The Apprentice, you don’t have to look far beyond the Donald’s hair to see the workplace in action.
I agreed with Carolyn’s eye rolling at the young women’s inappropriate dress on Season 1. I cringed when Lee, in Season 5 chose friendship over logic in allying himself with Lenny.
The backstabbing, communication and gender issues have been juicy.
Trump University could use a little more substance, but hey, it’s an effort.
These shows are even getting some legitimacy. The American Management Association has done some post game analysis for the past few years.
I have heard that some Apprentice cases have even made it to prestigious MBA programs.
So, which shows do you watch, even occasionally? Do any of them have some workplace lessons for you or are they just a way to unwind at the end of a stressful work day? What do you love/hate about these shows?
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Whose grass is greener?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since the economy began its decline in the Spring of 2001, I have found myself consoling and encouraging new college graduates who, despite all their hard work, are wrestling with frustration of graduating without a job offer in hand.
Having been a college student during the administration of the first President Bush, in the midst of another war in the Middle East, and facing a similar economy, I can certainly empathize.
Those of us in Career Services have always known that the activity in our offices is a perfect barometer for labor market trends.
The decline of on-campus recruiting is logically correlated to the decline in employment. To determine whether or not today’s college graduates are facing a tighter job market than those who came before them, one only needs to glimpse at the unemployment rates over the past several decades.
In tracking national unemployment rates in ten year intervals since 1946, when the unemployment rate averaged 3.9 %, up through present day, the trends look like this:
- May 1956 - 4.3%
- May 1966 - 3.9%
- May 1976 - 7.8%
- May 1986 - 7.2%
- May 1996 - 5.6%
- May 2006 - 4.6%
Certainly, a myriad of other social and economic factors have affected the labor market over the past 60 years, so a true, apples to apples comparison can’t be achieved in the scope of this conversation.
However, as it’s viewed through the lens of the average unemployment rate, today’s job market isn’t so bad!
The downside is that as colleges and universities crank out more graduates, the value of having a college degree has shifted. No longer the competitive advantage that it once was; a bachelors degree is now commonly viewed as a prerequisite to maintaining a middle class lifestyle.
Interestingly enough, Americans who are now in their 40s and 50s faced far worse economic conditions when they graduated college, but they also graduated at a time when fewer people finished college, giving their bachelors degrees more value in the job search.
So, what do you think? Whose grass is greener?
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Kitchen etiquette at work
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Shared living spaces can be a source of contention among even a few people who live in a home together.
When dozens of co-workers have to share them, imagine the possibilities for conflict!
Unfortunately, many — maybe most — of us don’t have to imagine. We’ve been there. And perhaps the setting most ripe for squabbles is the company/department kitchenette/breakroom.
Nearly every office has the food thief; the slob who leaves dirty dishes lying around to be cleaned by the kitchenette fairy; the “scientist” conducting long-term experiments in the refrigerator with very-perishable foods; the coffee drinker who leaves a half-inch of oil-like sludge in the bottom of the pot; the multitasker who leaves food in the microwave while he/she is off attending to other pressing matters and everyone else is waiting for a turn to heat up some lunch…
Lunch-swiping incidents often make the most colorful stories.
At one former job, I put a box with one Hot Pocket in it (originally there were two in the box) in the freezer.
When I returned later in the day, the box was still in the freezer and the Hot Pocket was gone!
At another workplace, a serial food-thief had the gall to take out someone’s sandwich, bite it and, apparently deeming it unworthy of theft, put it back into the refrigerator.
This same never-captured thief would eat other people’s leftovers in to-go boxes.
To prevent any additional food-related heartaches, I now have a tiny Diet Coke-and-yogurt-sized refrigerator under my desk.
I still have to roll the dice with the community freezer, however. Fortunately, most thieves seem to turn up their noses at frozen vegetarian cuisine.
How does your office keep the peace in the kitchenette? Or is that an impossible dream?
Check your emotions before boarding
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
About a decade ago, Daniel Goleman in Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. (Goleman 1995) proposed that emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) was a stronger predictor of human achievement than IQ.
For years, IQ had been considered to be the leading characteristic that predicted success in the work world.
EQ, however, is more than just intellect. EQ is defined in terms of being aware of personal emotions, being able to control emotions in most situations and sensitivity to the emotions of others.
This awareness leads to empathy, personal motivation and the ability to love and be loved by others.
In the business world, EQ plays out in the ability to get along with others, to control emotions in the workplace and to tend to the emotional needs or coworkers and subordinates.
Developing your EQ should lead to success – shouldn’t it?
Critics say that EQ is a little too touchy-feely. Commonly used measures of EQ are criticized as being too easily faked because most of the questions are a little too obvious.
Someone who is of moderate intelligence can quickly determine the socially acceptable response and easily come off as emotionally intelligent.
Some critics propose that emotional intelligence cannot be easily correlated with job performance and actual success in business and personal relationships. Others say EQ is merely another dimension of personality.
In terms of the EQ in the workplace there are two dimensions: personal competence (self awareness and self management) and social competence (social awareness and relationship management).
Although several proponents of EQ propose that emotional intelligence can be improved through study and practice, you have to wonder if what everyone calls EQ isn’t just good social skills learned in childhood.
How much emotional competence can be seen in the typical office?
Recent entries on this blog focus on anger in the workplace, demonic bosses from hell, co-workers with the self-awareness of vegetables – the examples are endless.
Is anyone paying attention to emotional intelligence any more or was it just another passing fad?
Is EQ worth the effort? Was EQ just another concept that made a lot of money for those who could write intelligently about something that should be obvious to most anyone?
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Reaction to Enron founder Kenneth Lay’s death
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sympathy and outrage were just two dimensions of the reactionary scope that outpoured yesterday as news of Ken Lay’s sudden death surfaced.
Within hours, online blogs and news sites were rife with discussion about the trial, it’s findings and the plight of Enron victims.
Lay was to be sentenced for fraud in October. See a photo gallery and timeline of the Ken Lay-Enron rise and fall.
It is also being speculated that his sudden death may not financially ruin his survivors.
Do you think justice was denied by Lay’s death because he will never spend time behind bars now?
Note: Some of these comments may appear in Sunday’s Jobs section.
When can you Start?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is “wow” what you usually hear at the end of your interview?
If not, you may want to go visit www.littongroup.com and learn more about how to get the unquestionable ‘buy sign’ from the person sitting across the interview desk.
Jay Litton, is the creator of a unique interview methodology, called wwWoW!(TM) that is certain to help get that job offer. Why do you need to know how to interview in this powerful style?
Most people don’t differentiate themselves in the interview process.
They wait for the interviewer to interrogate them about their job history, education, and skills.
This reactive interview style assumes the interviewer knows how to interview.
The bad news is most don’t and some interviewers are more nervous than you.
Not only do many hiring managers loathe interviewing, they don’t feel like they have time for it.
The result is that you will often find yourself answering some over generalized, canned questions about where you think you want to be in five years.
Your response is to give a less than sincere reply that you read out of an interview book.
The problem is this all too familiar cycle doesn’t help either the company or the candidate. Reactionary interviewing doesn’t help you build credibility; it simply makes you blend in with the masses of interviewees who have never learned the art of ‘wwWowing’ the interviewer.
Jay Litton’s interview techniques are completely proactive, and set you a part from your competition with distinction.
To ‘wow’ the interviewer you must come to the table with solutions, not questions.
You must have researched the company’s current challenges in more depth than what everybody else can find online.
You must be prepared to produce and deliver a presentation for that ‘dream job’ that let’s them know you are ready to become an internal asset if hired, rather than another salaried liability.
If done properly, the wow technique will dramatically enhance your odds of landing a job, and probably making more money with a company who values innovative, clever people.
I believe you’ll enjoy hearing “wow, that’s impressive… when can you start?” instead of “don’t call us, we’ll call you!”
Prada boss a devil?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I went to see the movie ‘The Devil wears Prada’ this weekend and it instantly reminded me of the fashion woes I experienced when I first entered the work force right after college.
I had to trade in my comfortable jeans and t-shirts for power suits and pumps. I was even shocked that I couldn’t get away with flip-flops on casual Friday (who came up with that rule????).
After three years in a corporate environment, I think I have finally managed to dress appropriately depending on my work schedule and still allow my personality to come through.
Luckily, I have never been scolded about my fashion sense and haven’t had a grouchy boss but this Access Atlanta story points out a few examples of demanding bosses.
Unlike Ann Hathaway’s character in the movie Andy Sachs, most of us don’t have a fashion magazine’s clothing department to dive into so we can look trendy.
Not everyone can afford the best designer clothes, have you found any cost effective solutions? Are you good at finding bargains on a budget?
Here are some pointers to help you dress to impress your devil boss!
Do you still struggle to adhere to your office’s dress code? Have you ever been reprimanded by your boss for dressing too plainly or for being to glamorous?
Do you feel like you always have to keep up with your fashionable boss just to please him or her?
