Please join me in welcoming Sulley, the newest member of the Get Hired and Beyond family! Sulley will be providing a dogged amount of job search advise, in his perspective, when he takes a break from napping and snorting. Sulley's advice can be seen when you like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gethiredandbeyond. Check it out!
Sulley has some great advice, but sometimes he, like his mommy, gets the old sayings a little messed up. Join us today for some humor!
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Today, I took on the undertaking of all undertakings! I decided to peel the wallpaper from our half bath. Now, allow me to explain that this is not only the smallest room in my home, but one of the smallest rooms I had ever seen. Until I got started... Now, everyone knows about the heaping plate of spaghetti which you can eat for hours and not make a dent in? That was my 4 wall inferno! To explain further, I am not someone who enjoys manual labor. I am not reveling in an almost finished product. (I lost all feeling in my dominant hand and needed to stop.) Understand that, at 5'3", I was not doing well at getting the wallpaper saturated close to the ceiling. In fact, where I left off were the uppermost corners. I took a couple of risky moves all around: risking my manicure (I'm girly!), stepping on what I didn't realize was a very wet vanity, and just being on a ladder in general is not typically a safe bet with me being more klutzy than most. So...where are we going here? Today, I appreciated what painters do (and why they charge so much) more than I ever thought possible! Having pulled out mature plants from my yard, laid 20 or more bags of mulch, and now, scraped (most of) a room of wallpaper, I have an increased respect for those working physically hard to make a living. It's tough! I could have called my painter. But I figured I'd save some money and put in some sweat equity. I also did not realize that, while it's not the toughest job, it's the opposite of fun! Additionally, when I hear people who tell me they can/will do "anything" for a job, I realize that first, they are coming off as exceptionally desperate, and secondly, while I technically could peel wallpaper, there is no way on this side of hell that I plan on doing that a second time over! Ever! If we ever look at a new house, it will be wallpaper free prior to move-in. I could, but I won't, and that's something that unemployed people must be aware of! And in case you are wondering, HGTV is very misleading. It takes more than 30 minutes to renovate the walls in a microscopic bathroom! Your Top 5 Reasons to Wear a Suit to an Interview Are: 1. If you don't, your competition will! Do you want to be known as a second choice because you didn't make a good first impression? 2. No matter what level of position for which you are interviewing, a well pressed, well fitting suit always looks professsional. 3. You want to be considered for the highest job for which you are capable! Most C-level executives don't go into business meetings casually. (I know there are a few companies that tout a very casual atmosphere. Do your research.) 4. Even in a casual environment, a suit draws attention to you, not your clothing. 5. Wearing a suit ensures you are not showing too much skin. (Make sure a skirt suit hits just above the knee or lower.) Even in the heat in South Florida in August, it's best to err on the side of more professional! As Barney Stinson on "How I Met Your Mother" says: Suit up!!! Why are you waiting to update your resume? Are you thinking you are stable at your job? That can only update your resume right before you send it out? Are you waiting to practice interviewing until you have an interview time on your calendar? If so, you are too late! Let me explain... If you wait until you are laid off or actively seeking a job, you are selling yourself short in a variety of ways. First, you are not adding valuable information to your resume in real time, thereby forgetting important details, such as the topic you presented, the old and new software you worked with, and the training you completed. You are missing portions of valuable work experience which set you apart from other employees. A company knows what your general job description looks like. Yet, they have no idea how you have made the position yours, by adding the personal touches only you provide to personalize your role. Secondly, you are not tapping into the hidden job market, networking, thereby passing up what could be your dream job. Everyone is always in the market, unless you own your own company. Even then, there could be enough of an offer to potentially interest you. You cannot explore opportunities if you are not refreshing on paper, thereby reinforcing, your strengths to yourself. Think about it. Like anything else, interview practice takes time. It takes a lot of effort, rehearsal, and practice. You won't get the luxury of time, if you are scrambling to meet with a job coach the day before your interview. You are already going to be nervous, and are not going to be focused enough to absorb all the information about the company, the position, and how to most effectively answer questions. I have seen people from entry level to C-level make the same mistake, time and time again. The last minute is too late! If you wait until the car is empty to fill up with gas, you're going to be pushing it to the nearest gas station. And where I'm sitting, in South Florida in July, that just doesn't seem pleasant. Refuel. Give yourself a little bit of time. Stop scrambling. You will make a better impression! "You're a temp. As long as you don't poop yourself, you'll be fine...Even if you do, they'll probably keep you" "We are being paid minimum wage. That means minimum work" If you have not seen this brilliantly written show, it is about 2 working girls aspiring to own their own cupcake business. And these 2 girls get into some funny stuff together! In the episode, Caroline wants to be the star temp, and be what a company would look to hire. Max, the "bad girl" of the show is going in to collect a paycheck, and unfortunately, what too many people think of temp work. In many cases, temporary work is the doorway to a future long-term opportunity. If a temp is good enough, has the work ethic a company seeks, and the right attitude, there is a strong chance he/she will be hired. Companies create positions for the right hire more than they advertise! Also, when the company calls an agency, they don't know if their employee is actually in the Bahamas, or whether he/she is interviewing! Always be the right candidate. And whatever you do, don't poop yourself on the job, even if Max says it's ok! I can be a lot of things to a lot of people. I have been a career coach, therapist for high level candidates who have been laid off after 15+ years in their C-level roles, and I have written hundreds of thousands of resumes in my career. However, what I cannot do is tell you what you want to do when you grow up. My mind reading skills are really poor (I have not won the lotto yet!)
I can guide you towards specific goals based on your interests and strengths. I can share suggestions on ways to get on a career path and keep the wheels turning so you can get better opportunities in the future. However, I am incapable of telling you what to do, what you will love, and what you will hate. I wish I were able to do such a thing. As a child, you may have wanted to be a doctor, astronaut, or fire fighter. Perhaps, a ballerina or a trapeze artist. One day, you realized the schooling was too expensive or too long. Or that (in my case), I was never going to be a professional dancer because of my propensity to walk into walls! In my career, nobody says: "I went to school to be a recruiter" or "I wanted to be a recruiter since I was a kid." Recruiting is a role that people fall into. The advice I can give you is to know your interests, strengths, and limitations. Be honest with yourself! If you don't want to complete 10 years of postgraduate education, becoming a doctor is not going to be for you! That doesn't mean there are no jobs in the medical field waiting for you today. With proper guidance and an honest assessment of your passion, you can quickly be on the road to a successful career journey! Many of us get caught up in the strive for being the best we can be at work and at home. Yet, something is a little off. Perhaps the laundry is piling up. Maybe your spouse is a little more on edge than usual. Or it could be that it's time to buy some larger slacks. Whatever the case, we all need to evaluate the work/life balance equation on a fairly regular schedule.
You should never be victim to the parable where your child saves enough money to buy an hour of your time, asking you to come home early enough to eat with him/her. As we gain more responsibility at work, time commitments increase. What are some ways to balance the seesaw of life? Take a little "me time" every day. Even 30 minutes to work out, explore a hobby, or mindlessly surf the internet. This needs to be non-work related. Catch up on your favorite show. Take a long bath with a magazine. Whatever gets you to unwind. Take a little family time too. Unplug from your work cell and catch up with your spouse. Throw a ball with your son. Have a tea party with your daughter. Play a board game with your family. Spend some quality time with the people for whom you are working. Show them how important they are to you. If your spouse works in the home, give him/her a much needed 30 minute child free break for "me time". It will pay you back in dividends! Nobody will benefit if you never unwind, or if you have a heart attack at your desk. Make each day count for you and those you love! There is a lot to be said for job satisfaction. We spend more time with our colleagues than our family members. With that, there are details to seek out when you are looking for employment and things to consider when it becomes time to head back on the market.
I have found at various points in my life that I have either made the wrong decision about working for a company, or over the course of time my attitude has shifted and it was no longer a good place to work. Here are some ideas to contemplate when you are faced with a difficult situation... In an interview: find out the realistic expectations of the role. Are you required to be on call? Will you be on backup if someone else is unavailable? Ask why the last employee left. Gauging turnover can assist you in understanding the job satisfaction of others. Being able to identify the job satisfaction of others will help you determine if it is the right role for you. Sometimes, crazy shit happens! I was hired into a consulting role, and 3 months in, all management and associates were new. Sometimes the dynamic shifts slowly, when new people are added or leave a company. Sometimes the directions of a company changes and the expectations of employees change rapidly. Management change is a key to job satisfaction/dissatisfaction. The number one reason I have heard for people to look for a new job is not clicking professionally with their direct superior. The main reason I took the position with the consulting company was that I liked and respected my manager. He was gone in a month! I was pretty upset. Sometimes, you know right away that the corporate culture isn't a fit for you. That gets upsetting because you just left a role for something new (possibly for more money) and you are stuck as not to be a job hopper. Hang in there!!! Something will change. Or you will. Being happy at our job involves more than our managers and job expectations. For some, it involves a camaraderie with your colleagues. I had a terribly paying job right out of school, but loved the happy hours and fun friendships with the others in my department. We kept a rough job lighthearted and had fun along the way. I am big on space. Where am I going to be working? Is it well lit and comfortable? I don't need to burn candles at work, but had an office where I was allowed exactly ONE personal item, and that sure felt stifling! Is there somewhere to eat nearby? Perhaps a lounge for colleagues to bring food? Does everyone eat at their desks? There are many intangibles that add up to defining a corporate culture. Be as aware as you are able prior to starting a new opportunity. At least, you won't be balancing Pad Thai on your keyboard and wearing it on your slacks like I have! Some signs that you may have a toxic boss:
-Are you so stressed when you leave work that you are shaking? -Are you concerned every day that your boss is going to fire you, even though you are highly productive? -Do you get panic attacks anticipating that you may see your boss early in the morning? -Are you looking over your shoulder and not sure why? -Are you scared of going to the bathroom because that's when the BIG KAHUNA does "rounds"? Working this way can leave you stressed, sick, and depressed! Toxic bosses are the grown up version of the playground bully. Since they have nothing valuable to contribute, they demean their employees and sap energy instead of stealing lunch change. That is not okay! There are a lot of unstable people in the world. Some of them are in management positions. (I'm not sure how either, but they are.) The best you can do in a toxic boss scenario is ensure that you have a good work life balance. Whether you prefer to work out or veg in front of the TV, make sure you have time for yourself to de-stress and detoxify from your day. Furthermore, don't take it personally! If the boss is like this with everyone, and you know it's a sick environment, don't personalize the boss's anger/insanity/instability. We all know that will only get you worse. Commiserate with your colleagues, because they understand, and chances are: nobody who is not in your situation will get the intricacies. But, don't wallow with your colleagues. Encourage each other. And always keep your resume on standby and updated! You never know when toxic boss is going to snap! Also, if it gets ugly enough, report the person to higher management or human resources. You don't want to be a victim of a losing battle involving harassment or retaliation. Know your rights within the law. And hang in there! There are great bosses out there too! 5. Splng ErRors/ERrors of Gram-r, or improper use of the English language.
4. You don't live a commutable distance from the job opening. Hint: Another country is NOT a commutable distance! 3. You applied to every advertisement the recruiter posted. We get that you need a job, any job, but for crying out loud, be selective! Desperation isn't attractive on anyone, including a job seeker! 2. Your resume does not showcase what you represent. It is bland, and not focused on contributions. Perhaps 2013 should bring a professionally written resume to your search. 1. Your email address is WAY to personal, showcasing either your age, sexual preferences, or something inappropriate that screams "Too Much Information!" |
AuthorJessica has over 15 years in job searching and resume development. She has been quoted in many national articles and has been noted as a subject matter expert in the field of employment. All information on this site is proprietary and the opinion of Jessica Renard. There is no guarantee that you will find a job based upon reading this blog. Archives
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