ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2008 > February
February 2008
Family friendly workplaces: Good or bad?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a tight economy, where employee bonuses and raises aren’t as frequent and generous as they once were, one of the solutions that some companies are have come up with to ease the pinch is offering more flex time for employees. Many are now promoting a “family friendly” work environment, which allows employees to work flexible hours when they have a sick child at home, or they need to attend a school function featuring their children.
But how does this benefit you if you’re one of the single or childless employees at your office? Does this mean you’ll have to work extra hard to pick up the slack when your co-workers are gone? Are you expected to stay late to finish an important project, while your co-worker leaves to rush over to the day care before 6:00 pm? Are your plans to meet friends for dinner after work any less important?
Of course the flip-side of that is from the perspective of the person who’s juggling both a career and a family. Because you have fewer family obligations, are you getting more attention and praise from the boss for putting in extra hours? Are your assignments more exciting? Are you moving up the corporate ladder more quickly than they are?
And let us not forget that we have many different kinds of family units to be considered in this conversation. What about the grandmother who is the primary care-giver for her grandchild? Or what about the couple who live in a long-term domestic partnership, but aren’t legally married? Are your employers sympathetic when a loved one falls ill and you need to be there? Do any of these groups feel slighted because traditional definitions of the family don’t fit their circumstances? Are the benefits fair?
The question of fairness comes down to whether or not you are being singled out (for the good or for the bad) because of your family status. Are you given assignments simply because you don’t have a family at home? Or are you getting more perks because you do?
While the move toward family friendly workplaces should be applauded, companies should be sensitive to the message that they’re sending to all employees when it comes to providing time off, or flex time and assuring that these policies and perks are being applied equally and fairly, not only on paper but in practice.
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Common cover letter crimes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You have the education, the skills and the contact to get any job you want, but there always seems to be something between you and these opportunities. Maybe it is your cover letter?
Cover letter Crime: You’re so excited about a new job posting that you rush to put your resume and cover letter together. It looks great to you, but you misspelled a few things, including the company name.
Cover letter Right: Your enthusiasm is great, but instead of getting yourself an interview, you have secured a spot in the trash for your resume and cover letter by failing to look at your cover letter with a critical eye. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you by using spell check on your computer. Because this function doesn’t catch everything, make sure you proofread your resume and cover letter several times. Also, have a friend or family member check your work so that they can bring a fresh perspective to your resume and cover letter. Another thing to keep in mind when you’re writing a cover letter is that not all company names follow proper spelling and grammatical rules. Check the company website to get the correct spelling of the company name and of the person you are submitting your cover letter to for employment consideration. Also, never assume gender or marital status of the person who will be receiving your resume and cover letter. If you can’t find the information online, call the company receptionist and ask.
Cover letter Crime: When you read the job posting, you noticed that you had most of the skills required, but there are a few things you need to learn to be qualified for the job. You decide to admit in your cover letter that you have some things to learn, but try to offset it by highlighting your other skills.
Cover letter Right: If you feel like you might not be qualified, do not mention it in your cover letter. The tone of your cover letter should stay positive, focusing more on what you can offer the company, instead of on what shortcomings you have. Feel free to mention relevant skills and accomplishments in your cover letter, but do not focus on what you don’t have to offer. If potential employers have questions about your experience, they’ll ask.
Cover letter Crime:You feel like if you might be working for someone, then they should know all about you, so you include in your resume that you have three children, love to hike in your spare time and volunteer at the Presbyterian Church down the street.
Cover letter Right: You should never get too personal in your cover letter. Remember, you’re being hired for what you’re supposed to do on company time, not the things you do at home. You should only include information that is relevant to the job at hand. Never include anecdotes, personal photos or private information. Employers will have a hard time taking you seriously and you might put them in a sticky situation regarding discrimination policies. Keep your cover letter strictly professional so that you don’t give future employers preconceived notions about you.
Cover letter Crime: Your friends like to call you the life of the party. You’re creative and independent. You try to show your future employer this by printing your resume and cover letter on yellow paper with a plaid border.
Cover letter Right: Creativity is great, but in this case, you’re showing that you’re not quite willing to follow protocol. You should print your resume only on white or cream resume paper. Use a standard font with black ink.
Cover letter Crime: You need a job and you need it bad. At this point, you’ll take whatever is available, so you mention that in your cover letter to show that you’re flexible.
Cover letter Right: While you think you sound flexible, you really just sound desperate. Your cover letter should make you sound determined. You have fantastic skills and experience. You don’t want to give any employer the perception that you’re willing to take just anything. If you do, you’ll end up in a position for which your are overqualified and underpaid. Reserve your right to be picky.
Cover letter Crime: Your know your skills are good, but you want to make yourself stand out. You decide to embellish in your cover letter. What the company doesn’t know won’t hurt them, right?
Cover letter Right: No, it won’t hurt the company. It will hurt you. You should never, ever lie or exaggerate in your resume or cover letter. You shouldn’t lie about your salary, skill level or period of employment. Misrepresentation is grounds for immediate dismissal at most companies. Even if you have a few gaps in your work history, employers respect much more a person willing to admit they were fired or laid off than they do someone who lies.
Cover letter Crime: You have so much to say! You have heard it’s okay if your cover letter is two pages, so you make it three.
Cover letter Right: Say what you need to say and say it fast. The average cover letter gets only 30 seconds of a reader’s time. Anything past the 30 second mark won’t get read. Keep your cover letter concise. State your purpose for writing the letter in the opening paragraph and then launch into your skills. You’ll impress potential employers with your ability to get to the point. Your cover letter should be between three to five paragraphs and stay on one page.
Cover letter Crime: This cover letter writing stuff is hard. You give up and decide not to apply for the job.
Cover letter Right: If you’re having trouble with your resume or cover letter, ask for help! There are several resume-writing companies that will work with you to maximize the potential of your resume and cover letter. These companies will assign a contact person to you who will them work with you to define your skills and create a winning resume and cover letter.
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Job searching strategies during rumoured recession
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The truth is that many companies are currently downsizing and keeping new hires to a minimum, especially now with a recession looming on the horizon.
Since you very well could be the key to improving a struggling company at times like these, networking is crucial. Reaching out directly to secure “informational meetings” can help surmount the obstacle — “we’re not hiring right now.”
In fact, a low-pressure meeting in which hiring is not discussed can have great results. Making your credentials known creates a new dynamic—an ever-so-subtle call to action for the employer. It’s the difference between knowing a store has a great product and actually stopping in and finding yourself unable to leave without making a purchase!
Informational meetings can lead to real interviews. In the best case, an employer may create a position once they know who you are and how you can solve their most pressing problems. Or, you may just get a head start on learning about positions that have not yet been made public. The worst case is nothing concrete comes from the meeting except they are now aware of you and hopefully impressed enough to consider you in the future.
Anyone in advertising will tell you that creating awareness is the first step to attracting a buyer. Networking sites like LinkedIn can also help you use your network to secure these low-risk meetings.
The more awareness and interest you are able to build around yourself, the greater your chance of being chosen when employers are ready to “buy.” Another tip: once you secure a meeting, learn more about “what keeps that person up at night” (professional-speaking!).
Inquiring about their challenges may allow you to determine how you can spin your story to become part of their solution. Economic shifts require more strategic and aggressive job hunting methods. Sending resumes alone isn’t going to get the job done. Pick up the phone and build awareness now.
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What’s your plan for life after a layoff?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just been laid off? Is this the first time it’s happened to you or second or third?
This scenario is never pleasant but it’s best to be prepared in today’s turbulent job market.
What does one do in this situation? Send out a million résumés or just sit back and smell the roses for a while?
In a way, there could actually be an upside to being let go. It could be time for you to seek out training, travel or perhaps it’s time to really think about a drastic career change.
What’s your plan for life after a layoff?
When do you tell your boss you’re expecting?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So, you’ve just found out you’re expecting. Chances are you’re excited about this new chapter in your life, but just as the big news is sinking in, it hits you: “What am I going to do about work?” It’s the eternal working woman’s dilemma. How does your job factor into your pregnancy?
For some, the decision has already been made. They must continue to work or they want to continue to work. Others have already decided that they will accept the loss of one income and will plan accordingly.
The decision to work or not work following the birth of a child is a supremely independent decision that can only be made by the expectant parents. Your circumstances are unique and you are the most qualified to decide whether or not you will stay in the workforce, regardless of what someone else may think about your decision
Either way, at some point you’ll have to tell your employer what’s going on. How soon you decide to tell is also a personal decision for which there is no right or wrong answer.
The first thing you may want to do is contact your Employee Benefits office to make sure that you’re health insurance is all set and to ask any questions you may have about maternity leave policies. Obviously, you have more anonymity if you’re working for a larger organization than if you work for a small company. But remember, your HR staff should be trained to respect your privacy, regardless of how small your company may be.
Many women will choose to keep the news quiet during their first trimester, once the danger of a miscarriage has passed. Others consider their co-workers their friends and are more willing to share the news sooner. Still others, may continue to hide their pregnancy well into their second trimester, to avoid being passed over for promotional opportunities or important projects.
As with any other development that might affect your job, it’s a good idea to share the news with your direct supervisor prior to sharing it with other co-workers. Even though you may feel that this is the right thing to do, if you’re not especially close to your supervisor, this may not be your first choice. So, how do you decide?
It may help to think about how it would be perceived if your uninformed boss overhears two co-workers planning an office baby shower for you. If your boss would be upset about being kept in the dark, telling him or her first may be the right decision.
In the end, there’s no one-size fits all approach. You must make the best decision you can given the information you have at the time. Getting advice from others who’ve had to make this decision can also be helpful.
How and when did you share the news with co-workers that you were expecting?
Knowledge is power - Be smart about your job search
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It is important to start thinking now about any career moves for 2008. Since impulse decisions in your career almost never work out exactly how you expect, think ahead to get ahead. With unemployment up, you will want to begin carefully considering your next position today. What are you thinking you want to do at this point in your life? How will the changing market impact the industry you are considering? Are you making the money you want to make? Where are you in your life? Now is the time to begin to ponder these questions. After you find yourself in terms of your career, next it is time for research.
Basic Research Start researching the industries and companies you are thinking about. Use Hoovers.com to research the company and to see the long-term direction that an industry is heading. Suppose you always wanted to work with Coca Cola Company, well this is a great time to start researching the industry and, more specifically, the company of most interest - in this example Coca Cola Company. Look up how they have been doing year after year - financially and in terms of growth. Order an annual report. It will really allow you to better understand the company you think may be a good match for your background. You’ll be surprised at how much you will find out.
Polish your old resume Add your new accomplishments to your resume. Update your resume by adding any promotions you’ve had. Make sure your resume has less duties and more accomplishments. This will make you feel more confident when you go into an interview and allow you to show prospective employers what you’ve been successful with in the past. Your resume should be reviewed to ensure there are not any grammatical or spelling errors or omissions. Once you’ve reviewed your resume for typos, make sure your resume makes you stand out from others. This means your resume lists, not only your responsibilities, but also how you completed those responsibilities better than others in your same position. If your resume reflects a results-driven work history, your background and experience are sure to stand out in a crowd. If you need help with your resume, check out E-resume.net.
Informational Interviews Set up an informational interview with people in the industry to see what you need to do to get into the market. An informational interview is NOT an interview to get a job, but to learn more about a company, industry or specific position. You find a company that interests you and its competitors. Then you set up an informational interview. An informational interview will allow you to sit down with someone within the company that will provide the tools you need to land a position in the industry that is of most interest. In this type of, you need to have a list of questions for the “interviewer”. Be prepared. Don’t seem thrown off. Seem very together and personable. Try to create a bond with the person you speak with. They may be the one calling you for an interview at a later date. Click here for more information on informational interviews.
Now that you are armed with information, it will be easy to select the companies you are interested in and actively pursue them. Handling a career move with this knowledge will allow you to accept a job that will really be a true match. You will know what you are getting into and be happy about it. Now maintain this throughout the entire interviewing process. Stay ahead by knowing as much as you can each step of the way.
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Ace that interview!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In Sunday’s edition of ajcjobs, we offer lots of tips and advice to help you have a successful interview.
Knowing which kinds of questions you may be asked is half the battle, then answering them to the best of your benefit is your golden ticket to landing the job.
Recognizing the difference between a behavioral interviews and informational interviews will give you an edge too.
Play our interactive game, Nail the Interview, for another fun way to gear up for that all-important interview!
Good luck!
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Lessons to learn from last year…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The advent of a new year gives each of us a chance to evaluate our prior year with the clarity that hindsight allows if you are willing to look at the past before declaring your goals for the future.
Usually each year of our life is full of lessons learned, some with heartache and others with ease. Each year of your life provides a chapter to your story that warrants reflection as well as opportunities for enrichment because of the roads you have traveled.
This past year I found a creative outlet - pottery - which has taught me much. This form of self-expression has allowed me to uncover things about myself that I never knew a hobby could.
I have found many life metaphors in this past-time. I’d like to share a few. While spinning a wheel of clay, you must not hold on too tight, yet you must maintain unwavering boundaries.
You must stay extremely focused on what you are attempting to create, but you can’t over control the endeavor or your clay becomes unbalanced. Centering your clay is the foundation upon which the rest of the art form will be based.
Achieving appropriate centering is the only way to build a piece successfully. Careers seem to be very analogous to these ideas. Often in your career, if you hold on too tight, you breed insecurity.
If you fail to sustain good boundaries, you open yourself up to being taken advantage of professionally. When you don’t find a way to remain centered in your life, you can lose what you love most - family, friends, and self-respect.
I encourage you to look back on 2007, ask yourself what it taught you and how you are going to apply those principles so that you can begin scripting the life you most desire, professionally and personally, in 2008.
