On Careers
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The Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Career in the New Year
Continue reading… 2 CommentsYou're probably seeing a lot of articles this week with headlines like "Ten Best Career Resolutions for 2009."
"Update your résumé," they'll advise. "Acquire a new skill." "Do more networking." "Work smarter, not harder."
Good ideas. But here's a better one: Have a Plan B .
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Will Oprah Hire VP of Book Selections?
Continue reading… 5 CommentsHere is my confident prediction for 2009: Oprah will hire a vice president of book selections for her show. This is a new position and one that you will not find on any job board. You may apply here in the comments, if you want.
It was revealed yesterday that another of her guests fabricated some of his book, just like James Frey before him. It made the news, and you can read more over at my home blog at www.whatwoulddadsay.com. If one mistake is an accident, then two must be a trend, and a potential third mistake for Oprah and Harpo cannot be good. Oprah cannot go on recommending authors who are allegedly fabricators and prevaricators. Trust and credibility and all that . . . Nielsen.
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5 Small Things That Annoy Interviewers
Continue reading… 10 CommentsLast week, I wrote about ways to ruin a job interview. This week, here's a list of things that will secretly annoy your interviewer--none of these are necessarily deal-breakers, but they're all things that your interviewer won't appreciate.
1. Showing up way too early. It's good to plan to arrive early so you have a buffer against being late--but kill those last 20 minutes at a nearby coffee shop, not in the company's reception area. Many interviewers are annoyed when candidates show up more than five or ten minutes early, since they may feel obligated to interrupt what they're doing and go out to greet the person, and some (like me) feel vaguely guilty leaving someone sitting in their reception area that long. Aim to walk in five minutes early, but no more than that.
2. Underdressing. It doesn't matter if the office where you're interviewing is business casual; you still need to put on a suit and look professional. It signals that you take the job seriously. Sure, you might get hired if you wear a sweater and pants instead--I've hired people who wore that to the interview. But why wouldn't you want to play it safe and wear a suit? You can wear business casual when you're working there, after you impress them in the interview where you wear a suit. -
The Accusations Employers Avoid
Continue reading… 2 CommentsStay in the workplace long enough and you're sure to hear these accusations. Sometimes they are true and sometimes the accusers fail to consider how management may be striving to avoid the opposing accusation.
"You sent me to the training workshop because you don't want me in the office" versus "You refused to send me to the training workshop because you don't want to develop my skills."
"You gave me special assignments because you wanted to set me up for failure" versus "You gave special assignments to others so they'll have more experience when a promotional opportunity arises." -
Give to Get: Altruism Makes You Happier and Healthier
Continue reading… 0 CommentsWhether Christmas is your holiday of choice or not, Merry Christmas! In keeping with the spirit of the season, I want to talk about giving. Not the consumer-driven variety we tend to associate with this holiday, but one that is more altruism-based.
Question: Is giving part of your life strategy?
If it’s not, it should be. I don’t say that from a finger-wagging, “Thou Shalt Give” perspective. I say it from a personal benefit point of view. Study after study on altruism has shown that giving in its many forms can strengthen both physical and psychological health, contributing to your happiness, health, positive relationships, and more.
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How to Cheer Up This Holiday
Continue reading… 0 CommentsDoes this feel to you like the gloomiest holiday since, well, forever?
You’d be forgiven for feeling that Winter 2008 offers us little to celebrate. The economy’s in the tank. We taxpayers have to pay for the errors of people who should’ve known better. Corruption in high places has reached new lows. Even the weather, in many parts of the country, is kinda crummy, if not downright life-threatening.
Working Girl has been trying to think of something optimistic to say in this winter of our discontent. She doesn’t want to bring a sneer to your face by being annoyingly Pollyanna-like. People are facing real problems.
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I'm Just Sayin': Holiday Musings From the Chairman
Continue reading… 0 Comments. . . Over the holidays, a lot of job talk will be going on, with 85 percent of you worrying way too much about your résumé. Résumé work is No. 5 on the priority list.
. . . Reworking your résumé as a first step is like spending too much money in your start-up on logos and business cards.
. . . If your adult kids are home for the holidays, resist giving them advice all the time. Just enjoy their presence.
. . . Sometimes kids just want you to listen. No advice, please.
. . . If you really hate your job, don't go on and on about it at home. I don't care if it makes you feel good to "vent."
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Give Kindness to the Workforce This Season
Continue reading… 3 CommentsI did something last Friday night that I've never done before.
I answered survey questions from a telemarketer.
When the phone initially rang, my instinct told me to ignore it--or worse yet--pick it up and give the caller a piece of my mind.
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9 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview
Continue reading… 5 Comments1. Answer your cell phone. If you forget to turn it off and it rings, turn it off immediately, apologize profusely and look mortified.
2. Ask questions about the company that could have easily been answered with a modicum of research. I've had candidates say, "So what exactly do you guys do?"
3. Badmouth an old boss. I'll assume that'll be me you're talking about some day. -
Why I’m Recounting the Kindness of Colleagues
Continue reading… 0 CommentsToo often we can readily recount those times when we encountered cruel or thoughtless behavior in the workplace. That is why a periodic review of the kindness that has shaped and boosted our careers is important.
I recall:
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How to Enjoy Work Again
Continue reading… 5 CommentsIn my work helping people create careers (and lives) that light them up, one of the ideas I use is something I call "managing your Gain-to-Drain Ratio."
It's a simple idea. In a nutshell, managing your Gain-to-Drain Ratio means bringing more of what energizes you into your life and reducing or eliminating the things that drain your energy. The more Gain and the less Drain you have, the more energized and engaged you'll feel.
You can apply the idea to all parts of your life—work, relationships, health, finances, etc.
Take work, for example. You can start by making an inventory of both sides of the equation. For the Gain, start by asking, what do you love about the work you do? What is most fun? Most interesting? When do you lose yourself in your work? How about the people around you? Who are the people you really enjoy? Are there group interactions you find especially engaging?
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How to Handle a DUI in Your Job Search
Continue reading… 6 CommentsI had a misdemeanor DUI 10 years ago and have not had any tickets since then. I was recently laid off from my Hotel Security Director job after 10 years with the same company. I have an interview with another company for the same position and checked ye s to the question of have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony. Do you think this will limit my chances of getting the job?
I am pleased as punch that you checked yes on this question. Many people would have checked no, assuming it was so long ago that no one would find out about it. While that's possible, companies run background checks on people and it's unlikely. (And companies should run background checks. It's inexcusable not to.) Better to admit your faults up front. If you checked no and then they ran the background check, I can guarantee you wouldn't get the job.
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What to Say When You’re Laid Off
Continue reading… 4 CommentsMore than 1 million people have been laid off this year. If you are one of them and you're looking for a new job, good luck—and remember these five important things:
1. Before you hit the job-hunting trail, find a way to come to terms with your emotions. People, including employers, are repelled by anger, bitterness, or self-pity. You may well feel it. Just don't display it.
2. In your cover letter or résumé, you don't need to point out that you were laid off. So many people are in your same boat that the fact that your last job ended three months ago is not going to harm your prospects at this point.
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Bernard Madoff: Big Whoop
Continue reading… 7 CommentsI am of a certain age where I am no longer surprised by much that gets reported. The Siemens bribe scandal? Big whoop. Governor Blagojevich? What, you thought this stuff didn’t happen? Bernie Madoff allegedly swiping $50 billion? Shocking, but am I all breathless? No. Even Minnesota boy Tom Petters, who is accused of ripping off people off to the tune of $3 billion? Surprised me only slightly.
You understand, don’t you, that this kind of thing has happened before? Different players, different amounts, different circumstances. But we've been there.
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How a Cover Letter Can Make the Difference
Continue reading… 19 CommentsI'm continually surprised by the number of people who either don't submit a cover letter with their résumé at all or who submit a generic form letter. I generally assume these applicants are just résumé-bombing, applying to such a wide range of jobs that they can't possibly tailor their applications to each job. I don't want these applicants; not only are they ignoring instructions in their very first contact with me, but I want applicants who are interested in this job, not a job.
A cover letter is where you make a compelling case for yourself as a candidate, totally aside from what's in your résumé. The first thing you want to do is tailor it to the specific job you're applying for and, if possible, the specific company. Yes, it takes a lot longer than sending out the same form letter over and over, but a well-written cover letter that's obviously individualized to a specific opening is going to open doors when your résumé alone might not have. These account for such a tiny fraction of applications that you'll stand out and immediately go to the top of my pile. And I'll give you an extra look, even if your résumé isn't stellar.
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When You're Blocked By the Office Bureaucrats
Continue reading… 3 CommentsRegardless of your rank, you should never underestimate the power of others to circumvent, delay, and block your decisions.
Some classic bureaucratic smothering techniques are:
Mistakes. “The plans for the kick-off were sent to Brussels instead of the Boston office. Don’t worry, we’ll get matters straightened out.” Eventually. -
Why the Holiday Party Is Not a Party—It’s Work
Continue reading… 4 CommentsIt's the time of year for
Christmas HolidayWinter Parties! (I mean, seriously—besides skiers—who celebrates winter? With lights and trees? Geesh.) This means you may have a company party to attend.Yeah! Free food and alcohol! Prepare to gorge yourself and get plastered!
Or not.
I have my cardinal rule of work: When you are with people you work with you are at work. Got that? It doesn't matter if the party is being held in the company cafeteria or the local Holiday Inn. If there are people from work there, it is a work event, and you should behave accordingly.
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How to Believe in Your Success and Manage Risk
Continue reading… 2 CommentsSo much of the quest for success is mental. Our mind can be either our best ally or our worst enemy.
One of the best examples I know of the power of a positive mental approach is my friend Erden Eruc (I mentioned him before in this post on overcoming obstacles). Earlier this year, he spent a world-record 312 days rowing across the Pacific.
Today, he is in Manila, Philippines, preparing to pick his row up where he left off on his quest to circumnavigate the world by human power. I talked to him recently about a stretch of his upcoming row that would be particularly dangerous and challenging. That in turn sparked a conversation about the mental aspect of what he is doing.
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Looking for Joy on the Job (Even in a Recession)
Continue reading… 4 CommentsIs asking for joy at your job asking for too much?
You might think it is. You might say, "What kind of Pollyanna BS is this?"
But you're forgetting for the moment how important joy is. Yes, you can live without it for a while. But imagine yourself in 30, 40, or 50 years. Do you want to look back on a lifetime of arid, cheerless work?
That's why today's meditation is about finding joy on the job. Yes, even in a recession.
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When HR Is Bad PR
Continue reading… 5 CommentsHR, PR. PR, HR.
Most of the time, PR departments have it pretty easy. Press release here, a photo opportunity there. I understand that there are skills that good PR people bring to the team. But . . .
The latest example of poor PR was the auto executives' flying three separate corporate jets to D.C. to beg for our money.
This is not intended to be a "bash the PR guy rant," but something else is happening in the bowels of your company—this time in HR—that has a similar potential to bite you where the sun doesn't shine.
If you have a company of over 100 people, chances are good that you are getting a LOT of résumés now. Almost all of them are unsolicited . . . so your HR department, having much better things to do, is ignoring them and throwing them away.
