Posts Tagged ‘new job’
Think Twice Before You Change Jobs
You’ve got the itch to change jobs. This might be a good time to make the move.
The Wall Street Journal has just reported, “Job-seekers from rank-and-file workers to senior executives are preparing their resumes for what may be the strongest fall hiring season in years.”
“Before you jump to a new job, be certain you have good, sound reasons for wanting to make a change,” advises Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor at Common SenseAtWork.com. “You may believe you can accelerate your career with a new job. You may be bored or running away from personal problems.”
First, ask yourself, “Are there things I can do to make my present situation more acceptable?”
Don’t be lulled into believing that the grass will necessarily be greener in another pasture. Or that a new pasture will be a great deal different from the one you are grazing in now.
Except in the most extreme reasons, do not leave your present job until you have another one firmly in hand. If it was ever true that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, it is when a job is concerned. Remember, it is always easier to get a job when you have one.
What Do You Want?
Take the time to figure out what you really want to do.
What will it take to make you happier? It is not enough to know what you want to change from; you need to know what you want to change to.
Be specific in answering these questions. Don’t allow yourself to be driven by a sense of vague malaise to make a change just for the sake of change. If you can’t spell out in writing the valid reasons you want to move to a new job and be equally specific about what you want that job to be, don’t set the process in motion.
Recognize that you are contemplating a serious and difficult undertaking, even under the best of circumstances. There is always some risk to your present situation when you start looking around. What will your present employer think if the word gets around that you are “looking”? At best, the whole process is usually disruptive and can be traumatic for you and your loved ones. Determine that you have the courage to live with the dangers and uncertainties of making a change.
Survey the situation. Be sure there is a market for the skills you have to offer where you want to live.
If You Go, Go Full Speed Ahead
If, after giving the matter careful thought, you are convinced you would be better off in a new situation, go for it full speed ahead. The search for a new job is not a time for half-measures. To vacillate between courting new employers and sitting back in a coy mode, hoping to be courted, will surely breed frustration. Mount a campaign and invest whatever time and energy are required to reach your objective.
If you have something to offer that the market wants, you will find a new job. However, it will take time. There may come a point when you decide that by comparison your present situation looks quite attractive. So you may decide to stay put, at least for the time being. So don’t burn bridges behind you.
And don’t worry about there being a stigma attached to changing jobs. A lot of other people are shopping for new jobs at any given time. It has been estimated that today’s college graduates can expect that on average they will have held eight different jobs by the time they are 40.
In fact, some personnel recruiters argue that your resume will be stronger if it shows some changes in jobs, so long as the reasons for changing are positive.
Ramon Greenwood is former senior vice president of American Express; a professional director for various businesses; a consultant; a published author of career related books and a syndicated column. Senior career counselor for http://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com.
Visit http://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com, to sign up for his f#ee semimonthly newsletter or contact him at ramon@CommonSenseAtWork.com
Making New Friends
How do we make friends? More importantly if dropped into a new city or a new job or a new school, how do we go about making a new friends? Most of us don’t really think about it, but just sort of allow people to float in and out of our lives without really paying any attention to how we pull new people into our lives.
Years ago, my son was four years old and starting preschool. He had been begging to go for about a year and was thrilled that he was finally there. He had longed to play on their playground. He really loved all of the noise and commotion of such a large day care center. He was fascinated by the sight of all those other children running around laughing and playing. He was so excited to dive in and start hanging out with those other kids. He was naturally outgoing and energetic, and had wonderful social skills so I knew he’d get along just fine. I was a bit surprised when he came up to me after a few weeks and said that he was really struggling because as ‘the new kid’ he didn’t have any friends.
“How do I get some friends to play with me?”
I told him that every week I would give him a new assignment. I explained to him that you don’t want to run through these steps too fast because it makes people nervous and they’ll push you away. You want to give them time to adjust to you as you go through these steps.
For the first week all he had to do was smile a nice big smile and say, “Hi!” He needed to walk around saying ‘hi’ to teachers and students alike. Whoever seemed cool in his opinion. He didn’t have to be a geek about it and say ‘hi’ to everyone, just those he thought seemed kind of interesting. This gives people the impression that you’re an upbeat positive person, but not too pushy. Greet them everyday with a smile on your face.
For the second week, he had to start adding their names to the cheerful greeting. When you see someone you like, smile real big and say “Hi Joey!” or “Hi Suzy!” or “Hi Anthony!” Just start learning their names and adding it to your hellos. This way they’re already used to your pleasant greetings and it just personalizes it a bit. Greet them with a personalized greeting everyday.
For the third week, I told him to give them an honest compliment along with the greeting. Don’t make it something big and embarrassing, but something small and comfortable for them to hear you say out loud in front of others. “Hi Joey! I love your Ninja Turtle T-shirt!” or “Hi Suzy! I really like the way you color within the lines, looks great!” or “Hi Anthony! Nice haircut dude!” The key to this step is honesty. You have to find something you truly like about the person to compliment. People get an odd feeling and on some level can sense when others are being fake or insincere with them. Be honest, be upbeat, and personalize the greeting and the compliment. Again, do it every day. Consistency really matters. You’re not just making them feel good about themselves, but creating a public image of yourself as a consistently upbeat positive person.
For the fourth week, I was going to have him include an invitation to play with him in with his greetings, but he never got that far. He was having such a good time with all of his new friends that he never really bothered with any more lessons. He was very popular and well loved from that point on.
Every time he’s changed schools or neighborhoods or started going to a new church or gone away to camp or whatever, he has always used that same system to make new friends. It’s foolproof and always works for him. He’s just started high school this year and is incredibly confident in his ability to make new friends. Now, he simply walks up to strangers, flashes them his best grin, in a charming and almost clown like manner he greets them with a big hug, and will tell them he loves them before he even introduces himself. He just hams it up like a beloved comedian and delivers whatever silly greeting will make kids laugh. It’s beautiful to watch him. There isn’t a shy bone in that kids body!
Can we as adults do the same thing? I know that if I really look at my own behaviors, the times that friends have seemed a bit scarce were when I wasn’t doing a lot of reaching out and greeting them. If I wasn’t personalizing my conversations towards them and I wasn’t handing out the compliments, then new people didn’t seem to stick around and develop into friendships. Most people are a lot more insecure and shy then they let on, and they really feel good when someone else notices them enough to learn their name and to greet them with a real compliment. It usually makes them feel comfortable enough to respond and to begin opening up.
It’s a really simple exercise? consistently greet them, personalize the greeting, and then add a compliment to the greeting, if you aren’t friends by then, offer an invitation along with the greeting. People love to feel likeable. This system lets them know that you think they’re likeable without making you feel like an uncomfortable nerd. It’s slow enough paced to not be forced, unnatural, or pushy. We humans have funny little behavioral rules and rituals that we follow instinctively and red warning flags pop up when someone doesn’t approach us just right. Deep down, I think we’re still just as skittish and easily spooked away as the first cavemen. Give them time to check you out. It’s amazing how beautifully this works.
Copyright 2003, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow’s Edge
About The Author
Skye Thomas began writing books and articles with an everyday practical approach to spirituality, motivation, and inspiration in 1999 after twenty years of studying spirituality, metaphysics, motivation, and parenting. More of her articles can be found at www.tomorrowsedge.net as well as free previews of her books.
Prepare for Your Performance Review Before You Start the Job
When you start a new job, you probably realize the first three months are critical to your long-term success. Everybody’s eye is on the “newbie” as you learn the ropes. “Does anybody want to go to lunch?” is the wrong thing to say in a run-during-lunch or never-leave-the-desk culture.
You may begin your job by reading a stack of manuals. Or you may dive right in to fix a crisis or install a much-needed systemd.
Your first step… Logical first steps, right? Wrong! Your very first step should be to set up a meeting with your boss to find out what will count in your new job.
What You Need to Know
* What does your boss expect: outcomes, budget, and dates. Be as specific as possible.
-If you’re designing a training program, by what date will you have brochures? Attendees?
-Will participant evaluations of the program influence your own evaluation?
* What is the next step in your career path?
-How can you prepare yourself for promotion?
* Does your company evaluate by numbers, e.g., 5 is outstanding and 3 is average?
-If so, what would you need to demonstrate for a top score?
* Is your boss expected to “curve the grades?”
-If the boss is limited to three “outstanding” ratings out of ten people, learn whether the top scores have traditionally been awarded to the same people each year.
* Try to learn how your boss will be evaluated. You may not be able to ask directly but you can expect to be rewarded for helping your boss score points.
Reality Checks
Begin keeping a record of your activities and accomplishments. Write entries every week, if not every day. Save evidence of accomplishments so you can be ready to document your performance.
Finally, as you learn the ropes, compare formal and informal rules.
Tom’s boss said, “We want you to revitalize this product line.” After considerable work, Tom managed to increase sales of a dying product. He was horrified to receive a “Below Average” evaluation. His company maintained the line as a loss leader. They wanted a caretaker, not a manager. Tom was the wrong person for that job.
Angela was hired “to raise standards and prominence” of a private college’s new program. She soon realized the school needed money and she would be rewarded for increasing the number of tuition-paying students. She turned her efforts from program content to marketing. If she were uncomfortable in that role, she would have sought a new job.
The Bottom Line
Don’t wait a six months or a year to find out what your boss expects. You may even be able to lay a foundation for these discussions during the hiring process.
Regardless, a supportive boss will welcome your initiative. Those who insist on vague standards (“hey, we all know what we’re supposed to do”) or feel insulted by the question (“are you worried I won’t give you a fair shake?”) are sending a loud, clear warning: “Danger ahead.”
I offer one-to-one consultations on career strategy.
About The Author
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.
“Ten secrets of mastering a major life change” mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com
Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294
How To Take Your Freelance Writing Chances
Your initial freelance writing assignments are the best way to present yourself to your client for repeated work. If you provide for them a good product, at a good price, they are likely to come back time and time again. The goal of any career, particularly as a freelancer, is to have steady business. Instead of continually needing new clients or another job to fill your day, why not utilize repeat business? When you make the most of your freelancing time you are helping yourself to gain more business and maintain that which you already have.
For many people getting that first job is the key to success. It is the hardest part of working because more and more people want quality providers and want to use someone who is proven and worth the risk. You cannot get these jobs if you are new. But look at it another way. When you do get to that point, it is important to make the most out of all assignments so that you get return business from that client. This could be any number of things, but should always focus on maintaining a strong working relationship with the client. Providing them with good work, timely work, and listening and meeting their needs will have them coming back to you time and time again.
There is another, even more important, reason to build your business like this. That is referrals. When you do an outstanding job for people, they return time and time again with more business. But, they also tell people about your talents. This can be an outstanding way to use the jobs you get to create more jobs for yourself.
Now, that is not to say that you can not search for new writing job vacancies in other realms as well. But, you must strive to maintain the employment that you already have. By building strong relationships with your clients, you can help them continuously meet their needs while building your business.
Visit http://www.FreelanceWritingResource.com for more Articles, Resources, News and Advice about Freelance Writing Jobs.
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The Everyday Business Ethics Crisis Or Im Mad as Hell and Not Going to Take it Anymore
Breaking news may feature the Enron debacle, WorldCom activities, or accounting problems but we live our everyday business life making ethical choices that affect our employment and businesses. Consider the ethical choices made in these situations:
-A restaurateur hired a firm, used the firm’s ideas, benefited from them and refused to pay for the services rendered.
-A partner used intellectual property created by another partner for his own personal benefit.
-An independent consultant who was hired to sell a particular firm’s services and products used that firm’s database of customers and prospects to sell his own speaking services.
-An employee took a new job with a prospect’s firm and continued on working both jobs until the first employer found out and fired her.
-A business person volunteered to perform specific services for a nonprofit organization and failed to perform those services, did not make other arrangements to perform the services, or even acknowledge that the commitment had been made.
-An employee used hours of regular, paid, in-office time to research how to start her own new business.
While these are not on the newsworthy scale of an Enron, they are on a scale that affected each business involved, some even resulting in disastrous outcomes.
We all try to learn from our own mistakes and from those of others as well. We now employ lawyers to write, review and potentially defend every business agreement. We are ready to go to court if need be. The distressing fact is all of that preparation and cost still will not stop someone from behaving unethically. And unethical behavior may indeed still be legal behavior.
What is so difficult about applying the concept of right and wrong to everyday business decisions? I would venture a guess that, sociopathic behavior aside, the vast majority of business people know when they are about to do something that is ethically questionable. Most will have a debate in their own minds about should I or shouldn’t I. What is your instant response when you get change for a $20 when you know you gave the clerk a $10? The answer to that internal debate is what determines our ethical behavior.
While we can point fingers at corporations, lawmakers and politicians, we have a personal responsibility to contribute to the ethical fabric in our everyday life. So how can we support each other is those debates? What can we do to help each other arrive at an ethical decision and behave in an ethical manner?
I challenge every ethical business person to step up and make your voice heard when you witness unethical behavior. You not only have the right, you have the responsibility to do so.
I challenge every business organization, every chamber of commerce, every professional association, every Rotary, Lions and other Club, to participate in a meaningful way in actively rebuilding business ethics. Not just in your mission statement, but in your day-to-day member services and even through your own leadership.
There are many ways to start right now to begin rebuilding a strong culture of business ethics. Use your ubiquitous brown bag lunch sessions to address the everyday dilemmas of business ethics. Select a speaker for your next luncheon who can address the process of making ethical decisions. Have round table discussions about solving ethical problems. Schedule an ethics workshop at your next leadership retreat.
And on a personal level, participate in those meetings, sessions and roundtables. You can also mentor other business owners, business people, employees and students in the practical applications of day-to-day business ethics. We need you to let your colleagues know that you find it unacceptable to behave in an unethical manner. Make it plain and simple. Be clear with your peers that they can expect you to be ethical in your actions and that you welcome communication if they ever think you are behaving otherwise.
Let’s apply the 80-20 rule. If 80% of business people are operating in an outwardly supportive, ethical environment, don’t you think it will affect the 20% who are going through that internal ethical debate? We can affect this ethical morass we find ourselves in. Let’s stop blaming the rest of the world, take a look in the mirror and make some changes.
* From the 1976 film “Network” written by Paddy Chayefsky. The line was delivered by Peter Finch who played anchorman Howard Beale.
Gloria Berthold is President of TargetGov at Marketing Outsource Associates, Inc. She is one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women, a Winner of the Innovator of the Year Award, Past-Chairwoman of the Baltimore/Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce, a national speaker, educator and expert in government contracting and effective business-to-business marketing strategies. She can be reached through http://www.targetgov.com
