Forget burnout. The new workplace syndrome du jour is: boreout.
The term "boreout" was coined by business consultants Phillippe Rothlin and Peter Werder to refer to workers who are underchallenged (aka underemployed). They estimate that 15% of office workers suffer from this problem; they don't have enough challenging, interesting or meaningful work. Think Homer Simpson. Or the character of Tim in The Office.
While we may find these fictional characters comical, there is nothing comical about the real life experience of boredom and underemployment. People who suffer from "boreout" often pretend to be busy, stretch out their work tasks in order to fill time, or spend their workdays on private matters. The explosion of the Internet, email, and cell phones into the workplace has also expanded the myriad of ways in which people pretend to be working when they are not. In a study conducted by Dan Malachowski, one-third of the 10,000 respondents to his survey said that they spent an average of two hours of office time per day on private matters in an effort to kill time.
This is not a small problem. For employers, it translates into a remarkable number of wasted hours. For employees, it translates into a stagnant and dull career path. A daily dose of boredom undermines self-confidence, competence and self-esteem - a recipe for mediocrity. It also contributes to high levels of stress and often takes its toll on both mental and physical health.
We can point our fingers at employers who refuse to delegate meaningful tasks or take the time to grow and develop their employees; but ultimately each individual is responsible for his or her own growth. If you are sleepwalking your way through your workday, you have two choices: bite the bullet and talk to your boss about your career development needs and/or find a new job that is more challenging and meaningful.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
In the Category Titled "Always Be Prepared"
After a quick three-day trip to San Antonio, Texas I was flying home to Chicago on a crowded Southwest Airlines flight. Having gotten the dreaded middle seat, Iwas relieved that there was an adorable little boy sitting on his father's lap in the seat next to me. I figured it would make the time go faster if I could spend it entertaining a cute little one-year old.
It took me about five minutes to figure out that the father spoke very little English and his son was barely speaking any language at all -- except, of course, the universal language of crying when something was bothering him. Most of the time it was easy to figure out what he wanted: the sun was in his eyes, he was bored, he was thirsty. There was really a very limited repertoire.
The father seemed like a very nice man. But it was obvious that he didn't speak the language of childhood either. He didn't shield his son's eyes, bring a toy for hims to play with or ask the flight attendant for juice. I was pleased to help with those small challenges. The father seemed relieved; the child appeared content.
But it was a shortlived contentment. I admit that I was a little surprised to see the father pour the entire large can of apple juice into his son's bottle and dismayed to see the child gulp it down in two minutes flat. When he started crying for more, the father poured his coke into the baby's bottle and he gulped that down too. Right on schedule, the baby spit up on all three of us. We spent the rest of the flight trying to clean ourselves up.
Fortunately I was headed straight home from the airport. But I can think of many occasions when it might have been otherwise, when I might have been going directly from the airport to a business meeting, wearing business attire - not blue jeans.
I hope you will learn from my experience. Always have a business suit with you (in case your luggage gets lost). But don't wear your only business suit on the plane - carry on an extra suit with you or change into your business suit when you deplane. Then sit back and enjoy the ride.
It took me about five minutes to figure out that the father spoke very little English and his son was barely speaking any language at all -- except, of course, the universal language of crying when something was bothering him. Most of the time it was easy to figure out what he wanted: the sun was in his eyes, he was bored, he was thirsty. There was really a very limited repertoire.
The father seemed like a very nice man. But it was obvious that he didn't speak the language of childhood either. He didn't shield his son's eyes, bring a toy for hims to play with or ask the flight attendant for juice. I was pleased to help with those small challenges. The father seemed relieved; the child appeared content.
But it was a shortlived contentment. I admit that I was a little surprised to see the father pour the entire large can of apple juice into his son's bottle and dismayed to see the child gulp it down in two minutes flat. When he started crying for more, the father poured his coke into the baby's bottle and he gulped that down too. Right on schedule, the baby spit up on all three of us. We spent the rest of the flight trying to clean ourselves up.
Fortunately I was headed straight home from the airport. But I can think of many occasions when it might have been otherwise, when I might have been going directly from the airport to a business meeting, wearing business attire - not blue jeans.
I hope you will learn from my experience. Always have a business suit with you (in case your luggage gets lost). But don't wear your only business suit on the plane - carry on an extra suit with you or change into your business suit when you deplane. Then sit back and enjoy the ride.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
What Do You Want to Be...Now That You're Grown Up?
This will make me sound ancient. But when I was growing up there weren't many celebrity role models available to women. You could be a glamorous sexy actress like Marilyn Monroe, a perfect wife and mother like June Cleaver (Beaver's mom) or a competent damsel in distress like Lois Lane. But I didn't live in Hollywood, I lived in Skokie, Illinois where most of the women were wives and mothers. When a woman worked outside of the home, it was always in a nurturing and caretaking role: secretary, teacher, nurse.
When new dreams and possibilities opened up to women, our fantasies changed as well. While many young girls still dream of being ballerinas and movie stars, they also dream of becoming doctors and lawyers and news anchors.
Boys' fantasies haven't changed nearly as much. Young boys still dream of becoming the next superhero or superathlete. What has changed is that they now have to compete with girls for the top spots.
With so many choices available, it is hard to know what to choose (at any age.) Choosing a career involves a journey of exploration and self-discovery. This often involves a separation process. By that I mean separating what you want for yourself from what your parents want for you. I am reminded, for example, of how difficult it was for one of my investment banker clients to acknowledge and accept his daughter's desire to do humanitarian work in third world countries rather than follow him into the world of high finance. To her credit (and his) she was a determined young woman who was able to convince her father that she had to follow her own dream...even if it meant living a different life than the one that he had envisioned for her.
In my career counseling practice I often work with young adults to help them clarify their own dreams and forge their own paths. Along the way, we almost always encounter the "How am I going to tell my parents?" question or, in some cases, "My parents are going to kill me when they here this" scenario.
Part of growing up, of course, is taking responsibility for your own life choices. That may also mean giving up the need for your parents' approval and even financial support. I cannot overstate the importance of this. Living your parents' dream is a recipe for unhappiness. No one can live your life for you - not even your parents. You don't become a grown up simply by adapting to cultural conventions (getting married, buying a house, having a baby). You become a true adult when you live an emotionally authentic life, a life that is consistent with your values, talents, and needs.
Keeping that information in mind, what do you want to "be" now that you're grown up?
When new dreams and possibilities opened up to women, our fantasies changed as well. While many young girls still dream of being ballerinas and movie stars, they also dream of becoming doctors and lawyers and news anchors.
Boys' fantasies haven't changed nearly as much. Young boys still dream of becoming the next superhero or superathlete. What has changed is that they now have to compete with girls for the top spots.
With so many choices available, it is hard to know what to choose (at any age.) Choosing a career involves a journey of exploration and self-discovery. This often involves a separation process. By that I mean separating what you want for yourself from what your parents want for you. I am reminded, for example, of how difficult it was for one of my investment banker clients to acknowledge and accept his daughter's desire to do humanitarian work in third world countries rather than follow him into the world of high finance. To her credit (and his) she was a determined young woman who was able to convince her father that she had to follow her own dream...even if it meant living a different life than the one that he had envisioned for her.
In my career counseling practice I often work with young adults to help them clarify their own dreams and forge their own paths. Along the way, we almost always encounter the "How am I going to tell my parents?" question or, in some cases, "My parents are going to kill me when they here this" scenario.
Part of growing up, of course, is taking responsibility for your own life choices. That may also mean giving up the need for your parents' approval and even financial support. I cannot overstate the importance of this. Living your parents' dream is a recipe for unhappiness. No one can live your life for you - not even your parents. You don't become a grown up simply by adapting to cultural conventions (getting married, buying a house, having a baby). You become a true adult when you live an emotionally authentic life, a life that is consistent with your values, talents, and needs.
Keeping that information in mind, what do you want to "be" now that you're grown up?
Friday, May 9, 2008
Where's Your North Star?
You don't have to be an Astronomer to recognize the wisdom of the metaphorical North Star.
The North Star is the only star in the universe that stands still and lets the rest of the night sky revolve around it. Whenever you feel lost or confused and don't know how to get back home, all you have to do is remember to look for the North Star to point you in the right direction.
For one senior level executive (who was the first to coin the term in this context) the North Star represents the business issue. When he gets annoyed and/or enraged with one of his bosses or colleagues or direct reports, he reminds himself to look for the North Star. By that he means: "What is the business issue?"
This is his way of redirecting his attention toward the business problem that is embedded in the conflict and away from the politics of personalities. It keeps him on a more even keel and enables him to maintain his composure and professionalism.
While it's definitely better to work with people you like and respect, it's imperative to learn how to work cooperatively with all different kinds of people. While everyone professes to hate "office politics", office politics are part of organizational life. You can neutralize your attitude toward office politics by reframing the concept. It isn't just about "kissing up" to people who can help you; it is about building professional relationships that are constructive.
Whenever you find yourself over-reacting to some real or perceived slight, try asking yourself: Where is the North Star? What am I trying to accomplish here? And what is the best way to accomplish that goal?
For one executive who, at the moment, finds herself working in a very chaotic professional environment (that is constantly reorganizing itself), her goal is to keep her job. To do that, she needs to be part of the communication grapevine. But she also knows that malicious gossip won't help her accomplish that goal. Rather than caving into the temptation to join into the gossip, she focuses her attention on getting things done. Her goal is to be able to demonstrate her value through her accomplishments.
This is its own form of security. Should the time come when she wants or needs to find a new job, her skills and accomplishments will be her new North Star. She will be able to identify them clearly and use them to guide her safely to a new employment destination.
To do that, you must know your own Achilles heel(s) or weaknesses and strategize to overcome them. In a future blog, we will turn our attention to some effective and interesting ways you can do this. For now, it's enough to introduce the concept of the North Star as a guiding metaphor for a successful work life.
The North Star is the only star in the universe that stands still and lets the rest of the night sky revolve around it. Whenever you feel lost or confused and don't know how to get back home, all you have to do is remember to look for the North Star to point you in the right direction.
For one senior level executive (who was the first to coin the term in this context) the North Star represents the business issue. When he gets annoyed and/or enraged with one of his bosses or colleagues or direct reports, he reminds himself to look for the North Star. By that he means: "What is the business issue?"
This is his way of redirecting his attention toward the business problem that is embedded in the conflict and away from the politics of personalities. It keeps him on a more even keel and enables him to maintain his composure and professionalism.
While it's definitely better to work with people you like and respect, it's imperative to learn how to work cooperatively with all different kinds of people. While everyone professes to hate "office politics", office politics are part of organizational life. You can neutralize your attitude toward office politics by reframing the concept. It isn't just about "kissing up" to people who can help you; it is about building professional relationships that are constructive.
Whenever you find yourself over-reacting to some real or perceived slight, try asking yourself: Where is the North Star? What am I trying to accomplish here? And what is the best way to accomplish that goal?
For one executive who, at the moment, finds herself working in a very chaotic professional environment (that is constantly reorganizing itself), her goal is to keep her job. To do that, she needs to be part of the communication grapevine. But she also knows that malicious gossip won't help her accomplish that goal. Rather than caving into the temptation to join into the gossip, she focuses her attention on getting things done. Her goal is to be able to demonstrate her value through her accomplishments.
This is its own form of security. Should the time come when she wants or needs to find a new job, her skills and accomplishments will be her new North Star. She will be able to identify them clearly and use them to guide her safely to a new employment destination.
To do that, you must know your own Achilles heel(s) or weaknesses and strategize to overcome them. In a future blog, we will turn our attention to some effective and interesting ways you can do this. For now, it's enough to introduce the concept of the North Star as a guiding metaphor for a successful work life.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Playing The Odds: Are Job Fairs Worth the Price of Admission?
Yesterday I heard an amazing story from one of my former clients. He told me that he landed the job of his dreams at a job fair.
This may not be as amazing to you as it is to me. But, in my 20-plus years working as a career counselor and job coach, I have never once heard anyone (client or friend) tell me that they landed a job at a job fair. Mostly I hear how depressing job fairs are -- so many job hunters, so few jobs.
Job fairs are like speed-dating for the unemployed. You have about 30 seconds to make a good impression on a recruiter, knowing that there are people lined up both in front of you and behind you vying to make the same coveted first impression.
So how did this man (my former client) manage to do the impossible? For starters, he chose the right venue. Since he was looking to make a transition into the entertainment industry, he attended an entertainment industry job fair. But he also did something unusual. Although he is a management professional, he attended a job fair that was targeted towards seasonal workers (i.e. summer help) and this alone helped him standout from the crowd. When one recruiter reviewed the people he met that day, he instantly remembered the experienced professional who was willing to wait patiently in line for his turn to make contact.
He also has the benefit of good communication skills. As a sales professional, he knows how to establish eye contact, build instant rapport, and communicate effectively. He also knows how to look the part. No one needs to tell him how to dress for success.
But what about the rest of us? How can you (or someone you know) convert a job fair experience into a real job opportunity? It helps if you think of it as a process that begins before the actual day of the event.
A few tips to get you thinking in the right direction:
1. Pre-register, if possible. Many job fairs encourage attendees to pre-register and submit your resume in advance. This enables recruiters and hiring managers to identify candidates who interest them. If they know who you are before they meet you, it is much easier to make a connection in the allotted time.
2. Get a list of the companies/organizations that will be attending the job fair. Use the list to research those organizations that interest you.
3. Develop a game day strategy. It is usually best to prioritize your list so that you can organize your day effectively. Try to meet with your "high priority" employers early in the day before the lines are too long and both of you are numb from the stress of the experience.
4. Create, practice and perfect a 30-second commercial explaining your skills and experience. But avoid the temptation to deliver it robotically. No matter how many times you've said the same thing, you've never introduced yourself to this particular person before. They are meeting you for the first (but hopefully not the last) time. To make your time count, you have to be a real human being. Whenever possible, use your research to tailor that presentation to the specific person that you are talking to.
5. Be prepared to participate in a longer interview. If a recruiter gets interested in knowing more about you, they may ask you to sit down with them in a more (semi-private) area so that they can learn more about you. This is more like a real interview albeit still in a more abbreviated form. At most, you can expect 5-10 minutes with the interviewer. Try to be mindful and respectful of their time constraints and keep your answers short.
5. Bring lots of resumes and business cards to leave behind with recruiters. This is another opportunity for you to create a more lasting impression.
6. Follow up and follow through. After the fair is over, send thank you notes and, if appropriate, another resume to those recruiters who expressed an interest in you. If you don't hear back from them within a week, follow up with a phone call and/or email to express your continued interest in working with them. In some cases, it is the professional follow through that really impresses potential employers and enables you to stand out from the crowd.
7. Manage your expectations. Granted, landing the job of your dreams at a job fair is a long shot. But every so often, it pays to play the long shot.
This may not be as amazing to you as it is to me. But, in my 20-plus years working as a career counselor and job coach, I have never once heard anyone (client or friend) tell me that they landed a job at a job fair. Mostly I hear how depressing job fairs are -- so many job hunters, so few jobs.
Job fairs are like speed-dating for the unemployed. You have about 30 seconds to make a good impression on a recruiter, knowing that there are people lined up both in front of you and behind you vying to make the same coveted first impression.
So how did this man (my former client) manage to do the impossible? For starters, he chose the right venue. Since he was looking to make a transition into the entertainment industry, he attended an entertainment industry job fair. But he also did something unusual. Although he is a management professional, he attended a job fair that was targeted towards seasonal workers (i.e. summer help) and this alone helped him standout from the crowd. When one recruiter reviewed the people he met that day, he instantly remembered the experienced professional who was willing to wait patiently in line for his turn to make contact.
He also has the benefit of good communication skills. As a sales professional, he knows how to establish eye contact, build instant rapport, and communicate effectively. He also knows how to look the part. No one needs to tell him how to dress for success.
But what about the rest of us? How can you (or someone you know) convert a job fair experience into a real job opportunity? It helps if you think of it as a process that begins before the actual day of the event.
A few tips to get you thinking in the right direction:
1. Pre-register, if possible. Many job fairs encourage attendees to pre-register and submit your resume in advance. This enables recruiters and hiring managers to identify candidates who interest them. If they know who you are before they meet you, it is much easier to make a connection in the allotted time.
2. Get a list of the companies/organizations that will be attending the job fair. Use the list to research those organizations that interest you.
3. Develop a game day strategy. It is usually best to prioritize your list so that you can organize your day effectively. Try to meet with your "high priority" employers early in the day before the lines are too long and both of you are numb from the stress of the experience.
4. Create, practice and perfect a 30-second commercial explaining your skills and experience. But avoid the temptation to deliver it robotically. No matter how many times you've said the same thing, you've never introduced yourself to this particular person before. They are meeting you for the first (but hopefully not the last) time. To make your time count, you have to be a real human being. Whenever possible, use your research to tailor that presentation to the specific person that you are talking to.
5. Be prepared to participate in a longer interview. If a recruiter gets interested in knowing more about you, they may ask you to sit down with them in a more (semi-private) area so that they can learn more about you. This is more like a real interview albeit still in a more abbreviated form. At most, you can expect 5-10 minutes with the interviewer. Try to be mindful and respectful of their time constraints and keep your answers short.
5. Bring lots of resumes and business cards to leave behind with recruiters. This is another opportunity for you to create a more lasting impression.
6. Follow up and follow through. After the fair is over, send thank you notes and, if appropriate, another resume to those recruiters who expressed an interest in you. If you don't hear back from them within a week, follow up with a phone call and/or email to express your continued interest in working with them. In some cases, it is the professional follow through that really impresses potential employers and enables you to stand out from the crowd.
7. Manage your expectations. Granted, landing the job of your dreams at a job fair is a long shot. But every so often, it pays to play the long shot.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
No. 1 Complaint: Internet Job Hunting Doesn't Work
The majority of my job-hunting clients share a common complaint: The Internet Doesn't Work.
Regardless of whether they are career newbies, career changers, or experienced professionals - they are all frustrated by the lack of results they get from job postings. And with good reason. Although hard numbers are difficult to come by, several surveys have confirmed that only about 5% of job hunters find new jobs through Internet job postings. (Networking or personal contacts still garner the best results with 50-60% of job hunters finding jobs through this well-established route.)
So if you are one of those people who are spending the majority of your job search time in Cyberspace the likelihood of success isn't all that great. To put the numbers in perspective: Monster.com estimates that it gets 35,000 resumes a day and has boasted publicly that, since its inception, it has received 11,000,000 resumes. (If you aren't good with numbers that's 11 million.) While that may be great for the Monster.com business, it isn't good news for individual job hunters; it makes it nearly impossible for individuals to get employers and/or recruiters to notice them.
To be more effective, job hunters should use Internet listings as part of a comprehensive job search rather than rely on it to be some kind of magic bullet. While it's still a good idea to check out general job search sites (Indeed.com and Worktree.com are my favorites), many job hunters get better results with industry specific sites. (There's a great set of links at Quintcareers.com/indres.html)
But don't get lured into spending all your time there (and then complain that it isn't working.) If you really want to use the Internet effectively in your job search, use it to do company research, visit company websites, apply directly to companies that interest you, and generate networking leads.
This brings me to another cautionary note. While it's tempting to use sites like Linked in and Facebook to meet your networking needs, this also does not constitute a complete networking strategy. Like it or not, there's still no substitute for real face time with real people.
Regardless of whether they are career newbies, career changers, or experienced professionals - they are all frustrated by the lack of results they get from job postings. And with good reason. Although hard numbers are difficult to come by, several surveys have confirmed that only about 5% of job hunters find new jobs through Internet job postings. (Networking or personal contacts still garner the best results with 50-60% of job hunters finding jobs through this well-established route.)
So if you are one of those people who are spending the majority of your job search time in Cyberspace the likelihood of success isn't all that great. To put the numbers in perspective: Monster.com estimates that it gets 35,000 resumes a day and has boasted publicly that, since its inception, it has received 11,000,000 resumes. (If you aren't good with numbers that's 11 million.) While that may be great for the Monster.com business, it isn't good news for individual job hunters; it makes it nearly impossible for individuals to get employers and/or recruiters to notice them.
To be more effective, job hunters should use Internet listings as part of a comprehensive job search rather than rely on it to be some kind of magic bullet. While it's still a good idea to check out general job search sites (Indeed.com and Worktree.com are my favorites), many job hunters get better results with industry specific sites. (There's a great set of links at Quintcareers.com/indres.html)
But don't get lured into spending all your time there (and then complain that it isn't working.) If you really want to use the Internet effectively in your job search, use it to do company research, visit company websites, apply directly to companies that interest you, and generate networking leads.
This brings me to another cautionary note. While it's tempting to use sites like Linked in and Facebook to meet your networking needs, this also does not constitute a complete networking strategy. Like it or not, there's still no substitute for real face time with real people.
Career Expert
This is the first in a series of articles about the workplace. Before I begin sharing my expertise and opinions, I need to tell you something about myself.
My name is Arlene Hirsch and I am a nationally recognized expert in the field of career counseling. I have a private career and psychological counseling practice in Chicago where I work with adults who are trying to start, develop, and maintain successful careers. Although I do not specialize in any one career field, I have worked with people of all ages and at all levels. What makes me unique among my peers is my training in psychology which always informs my understanding of my clients and helps me figure out the best ways to motivate the people who work with me to create and achieve meaningful goals.
I have written a number of books including: How To Be Happy At Work, The Wall Street Journal Guide to Interviewing, and Job Search and Careers Checklists. From time to time, I toy with the idea of writing another book but, for now, I am content to share my expertise through this blog.
I also like to teach and am something of an itinerant professor. I have taught at Northwestern University in the Counseling Psychology program, at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management as part of their Executive MBA program, at Oakton Community College and DePaul University School for New Learning.
I have also been interviewed on lots of radio and television talk shows. Perhaps my strangest experience was the time I appeared on the Jenny Jones Show along with a panel of teenage girls who had dropped out of high school. As the career expert, I was tagged with the job of explaining their career options to them. I don't think they wanted to hear what I had to say: finish high school, go to college, map out a career plan. But it was fun anyway.
What I like most about my job is that I get to meet and help so many different kinds of people. Although I have been working in this profession for over 20 years, it is always interesting and there is always something new to learn. I also like the fact that my cat Shayna comes to work with me and often works as my "co-therapist." After all, a cat needs to earn her keep too.
As this blog progresses, my goals is to provide interesting information about different workplace challenges and trends in an effort to share my expertise with a wider audience.
My name is Arlene Hirsch and I am a nationally recognized expert in the field of career counseling. I have a private career and psychological counseling practice in Chicago where I work with adults who are trying to start, develop, and maintain successful careers. Although I do not specialize in any one career field, I have worked with people of all ages and at all levels. What makes me unique among my peers is my training in psychology which always informs my understanding of my clients and helps me figure out the best ways to motivate the people who work with me to create and achieve meaningful goals.
I have written a number of books including: How To Be Happy At Work, The Wall Street Journal Guide to Interviewing, and Job Search and Careers Checklists. From time to time, I toy with the idea of writing another book but, for now, I am content to share my expertise through this blog.
I also like to teach and am something of an itinerant professor. I have taught at Northwestern University in the Counseling Psychology program, at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management as part of their Executive MBA program, at Oakton Community College and DePaul University School for New Learning.
I have also been interviewed on lots of radio and television talk shows. Perhaps my strangest experience was the time I appeared on the Jenny Jones Show along with a panel of teenage girls who had dropped out of high school. As the career expert, I was tagged with the job of explaining their career options to them. I don't think they wanted to hear what I had to say: finish high school, go to college, map out a career plan. But it was fun anyway.
What I like most about my job is that I get to meet and help so many different kinds of people. Although I have been working in this profession for over 20 years, it is always interesting and there is always something new to learn. I also like the fact that my cat Shayna comes to work with me and often works as my "co-therapist." After all, a cat needs to earn her keep too.
As this blog progresses, my goals is to provide interesting information about different workplace challenges and trends in an effort to share my expertise with a wider audience.
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