ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > November
November 2007
Do-gooders do well
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Suppose you are just out of school and you are scrounging for things to add to your résumé to make yourself look qualified. Philanthropic activities can be highly valued by your future employer and are worth including in your résumé, if you LEGITIMATELY participated, and didn’t stand on the sideline with a bottle of beer in your hand.
Say you helped plan the event, rallied others to make contributions, coordinated post-event follow-up, or participated in other activities that demonstrate you are a trainable, employable person then these philanthropic endeavors have meaning.
On the other hand, if you are an extremely experienced executive with two pages full of accomplishments about how you made money for your employer ( i.e. reducing costs, increasing revenue, or rolling-out process improvements), then you need to carefully consider how heavily you emphasize your philanthropic activities.
Every company sees those that we fondly call ‘do-gooders’ differently depending on the company’s culture. Some companies see these outside activities as a distraction that may interfere with your ability to impact their bottom line. Other employers immensely value employees who are connected to their community and will interpret your philanthropic activities as a way to publicly represent their brand with a “we care” message.
Good public relations for your employer can mean better consumer perceptions, particularly in companies that have a consumer-focused clientèle. Typically larger organizations can ‘afford’ to have employed staff spearhead corporate task forces in support of nationally-known, well-respected organizations such as the United Way or March of Dimes.
Often, volunteering for employer sponsored philanthropic campaigns can be of great benefit to your career because you have a chance to become visible to senior managers or executives who participate in these initiatives.
Whether through internal or external relationships, networking is still the number one way that more than half of all job seekers find their next job. So during this season of giving, maybe giving your time, one of the most valuable commodities you can offer, is a great career strategy.
However, pick a charity that you feel philosophically aligned with. Look at http://www.idealist.org to find one that’s right for you. You need to be a part of a charity that you can support whole-heartedly.
When your heart and your talents are married together toward a common goal, you can accomplish things that may change lives, especially yours.
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Whose job is it anyway?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Are you being micromanaged?
Most of us have experienced a superior with high demands or an overcritical eye, but is your boss a micromanager? A micromanaging supervisor deprives employees of independence with an assignment or task. And when you think you’ve reached a final product, your superior hands down a hyper-criticized copy of your work. He might as well have done it himself.
What affect does micromanaging have on employees?
Being victim of a micromanager can reduce office morale and lessen the resourcefulness and talent of employees. If a worker can’t have a little freedom with their endeavors, they might be less enthused to do their job.
Here are some symptoms of micromanagement:
- The most obvious signal of an overpowering boss is their hunger for control. It’s their way or the highway and they won’t hesitate to assert their power over you.
- Another sign of micromanagement is demanding unnecessary tasks to constantly monitor the work of employees. They require hourly accounts of your activities, pining for knowledge of what you’re doing every second of the workday.
- Many can easily identify the indications of a perfectionist. Micromanagers have the need for everything to be exactly as they want it, even if it means pushing aside the experience and insight of their colleagues.
What incites micromanagement tendencies?
Micromanagers do sometimes have reason behind their tedious displays of authority. They believe they’re doing everything capable to produce flawless work. They might even be feeling pressure from their superiors as well. So when you think you’ve just about had enough, take a minute to consider why your overbearing boss is so autocratic.
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The art of an effective handshake
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you taken your handshake inventory lately? Do you shake like Arnold Schwarzenagger or more like a limp noodle?
A firm handshake along with at least 3 seconds of eye contact shows strength and vigor and creates a favorable first impression. You can speed up rapport with another by extending your hand and smiling.
A strong handshake also projects confidence and sets a professional tone. Lots of people have questions about this ritual. Men and women are not sure about who should initiate the handshake. People from outside the U.S. may have been raised with different expectations re: how and when you shake hands.
Patti Wood, a body language expert, suggests some rules for ‘the perfect handshake’:
- Rise - if seated unless you are eating.
- Always use your right hand to shake. That means moving your cell phone, briefcase, etc. to your left hand before the greeting.
- Smile briefly but don’t overdue it. Women need to watch this one as smiling too much can reduce their personal power.
- Face the person head on or heart to heart. This shows you are straight and open.
- Wipe off clammy hands and hold drinks in your left hand to avoid freezing your recipient.
- Move the arm fully outward, not too close to the body.
- Go “palm to palm”: Shows you are open and honest.
- Match the pressure of the other person. This is not a contest to see who can shake hands the hardest.
What bothers you about the way people shake hands? Do you think people should avoid the handshake when they have a cold? Does a strong or weak handshake matter? What cultural or gender differences have you observed?
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Drowning in E-mail?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a recent AJC article, our friend Bill Hendrick talked about how e-mails affect our productivity in the workplace. It’s true that in the past fifteen years, the way we work has been irrevocably changed. In the name of progress, we’ve all had to adjust whether we like it or not.
Most people who have been in the workforce long enough to know the difference will agree that our e-mail in-boxes have virtually replaced the traditional in-boxes that used to rest heavily on the corners of our desks. Still there are some differences of opinions as to whether or not the advent of e-mail has made our work easier or more arduous.
Certainly, e-mail has saved a few trees in its day by eliminating a number of paper memos. It’s great for tracking correspondence, but for that same reason it doesn’t forgive poorly worded responses typed in anger or haste.
It has also increased the speed of business. Some will agree this is good, other will not. It also raises a few questions about urgency in business communications:
If I send a business-related e-mail about something that is important to me, and she doesn’t reply within two days, do I have the right to be indignant? Is it reasonable for me to assume she is a slacker? What if I don’t hear back from her within a week? What if my message is time-sensitive?
Is the burden on me, as the sender, to follow up since I’m the one who needs the information? Or is the burden on the recipient to respond in a timely manner?
At the end of the day, when it’s time to power down your computer or plug in your blackberry and step away from work, has e-mail made your work life easier or has it chipped away at your productivity?
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Are you SAD?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s late November, the time has changed and you leave for work in the dark and return home in the dark. Do you find yourself with lower energy levels during the day, weight gain, social withdrawal, oversleeping, and other signs of depression?
It could be that you’re suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is an often unrecognized contributor to problems on the job such as absenteeism, lower productivity and difficulty getting along with coworkers.
Generally, this disorder is worse the farther North you go in latitude, however, Atlanta is far enough north that the disorder is much more common than you would think.
Although SAD affects women more than men, it can occur in the fall and winter no matter your gender, age or health history. Interestingly and perhaps dangerously, the symptoms of SAD are often misdiagnosed by health care professionals as hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, mononucleosis or other viral diseases. That’s pretty scary considering the recommended treatment for these disorders!
So what can you do if you think SAD has you down? Light therapy at specific intensity, duration and time of day can be helpful, but you should talk with your health care provider or a mental health professional to see if light therapy is what you need or if more extensive treatment is needed. To judge whether your symptoms of depression are significant, there are numerous depression scales available on the net. This tool specifically addresses SAD.
We tend to ignore the possibility of depression or SAD. Our culture puts such a stigma on the inability to function due to problems with the “mind”. We’ve received those messages of “just suck it up and go on” all our lives.
The increasing periods of darkness before and after work can make getting through the day hard, especially if you suffer from depression already. Have you ever experienced SAD, do you have any advice to add or is this just another of excuses people look for?
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The writing on the wall….
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Your boss is on the line and her voice is very tense. She wants to see you in her office right away.
Your palms clam up right away as you head over there. She delivers a bee sting.
She tells you that wrote you up because you had a disagreement with one of your coworkers.
You didn’t tell her about this because you thought it would all blow over.
Should she have listened to your side of the story first and dealt with the problem in a more subtle manner?
Have you ever been written up at work? Was the issue about a major problem or minor incident?
What happened next? Did you miss the writing on the wall?
Do workplace consultants make a difference?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you ever been in a company that brings in a workplace consultant? Usually this happens to facilitate a change; to address a particular efficiency issue; or because the boss has a friend who has a friend who’s a consultant. The vibe from most employees is that these are highly paid wasters of time suck up resources better used for - raises.
The consultant comes in for a day or two, gets a feel for the lay of the land and comes up with a plan to educate the misguided employees. Some workers observe this process and experience the epiphany that they have the same knowledge so why aren’t they getting paid for giving the advice they’re being given by the “consultant”. Bad reasoning, everyone knows, you’re a part of the problem.
With consultants you have to be careful. the consultant’s first question to the person writing the check may have been “OK, what do you need me to say?” Remember, even if you’re assured of anonymity, NEVER really open up and dish on everything that’s wrong with the company. Whoever is paying for the consultation may have access to everything anyway. You can be labeled as a problem employee.
In group sessions, even if you disagree, it’s easier to sit there and let your eyes glaze over than make a big deal of it. Consultants usually want some discussion but disagreement slows the day down and they don’t get to all their points. Watch the boss, take your cue from his behavior.
Before I’m flamed by every consulting firm in Atlanta, I’m sure there are some good guys out there who make a difference. However, I tend to see consultants not as bearers of wondrous knowledge, but as folks just like me who happen to sell themselves well and have a show to take on the road.
I’d be interested in hearing your anecdotes on our favorite consultations you’ve seen on the job. Any further advice on surviving their emergence in the workplace?
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Become unforgettable to employers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the millions of resumes that are out there, how do you stand out to a hiring manager? Here are a few easy tips that make an amazing difference.
Personalize the summary in your resume to be the perfect candidate. A summary gives an overall idea of your strengths. Be sure you go the extra mile to read the job description and adjust your summary to include strengths from your career that apply.
Get the cover letter to precisely the correct person that will be reviewing it - KNOW THEIR NAME! Don’t just address your information To Whom It May Concern. Find out the hiring manager’s name. The extra effort you put into your cover letter will be appreciated. Think of your mail. If it is a handwritten envelope with your name, aren’t you more likely to open it? So is the Hiring Manager.
Intelligent questions in the interview are key. Research the companies that you will be working for. Most people forget that aspect. Have some great questions when the interview is winding down and you get the typical, “Do you have any questions?”
Don’t be a quitter. Be armed with information so you don’t give up on the job search to quickly. It is said that for every $10,000 you want to make it takes about a month to land that job. So if you want to make $70,000, you may have seven months of job search before you land your dream job. Don’t be hard on yourself - all good things come to those who wait.
Why do you have two ears and one mouth? Listen more than you talk in an interview. Gain further knowledge about the job you are seeking before the interview and gather information during the interview to be sure this job will be a good match long-term. You are in an interview to decide if you want to take this position, so focus on weather or not it will be a position you will enjoy.
These minor tweaks to your job search will make a lasting impression on the interviewing manager. Make yourself a top candidate and your job search will be a breeze.
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Keep ‘Frenemies’ closer at work or not?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who needs friends at work when there is one individual, your lunch buddy or coffee pal perhaps who is constantly trying to upstage you?
How do you cope with coworkers who claim to be your best friend, but then he or she coldly stabs you in the back by stealing your ideas, projects and taking all the credit?
Is he or she your friend or foe? How safe is it to trust your Frenemy?
