Strong feelings often dictate or accompany job changes. Regardless of how you feel about your soon-to-be former employer, always try to leave a job in the most professional manner possible. By that, I mean give appropriate (usually two weeks) notice, do your best to finish up -- or hand off - whatever work you have left, and say goodbye nicely. Otherwise you will burn an employment bridge unnecessarily. While there may be hard feelings between you and your employer that make it difficult to maintain your integrity and professionalism, your reputation travels with you. While you can't control what other people say about you, you can control your own actions and responses.
And then there's the issue of references. While many companies have internal policies that define what employers can and cannot say about former employees, those rules are usually generated by the Human Resources Department to serve as guideliness. Contrary to popular belief, employers also have a First Amendment to free speech. They are free to offer documented and honest opinions. However their rights are not absolute. If what they say about you may influence a future employer to discriminate against you (on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity or other federally-protected categories), they can end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit.
Because of their concerns about lawsuits, many employers have adopted a minimum requirements standard. They will verify the dates of employment, job title, and salary history. But they won't comment on performance. While this is good news for employees with skeletons in their employment closet, it actually imposes a problem for people who have nothing to hide because future employers may erroneously read something negative into the silence.
You can circumvent this problem by thinking through your references carefully. In many cases, it makes sense to choose a former colleague or manager or executive who can speak openly about your performance because s/he no longer works for the company. Of course I am assuming that you will choose someone who you trust to say great things about you. You can also "prep" your references by letting them know what job you have applied for, and who will be contacting them. That way, they can be prepared for the call.
The bottom line: Don't give your enemies any ammunition that they can use against you. And then make sure that your friends/supporters are saying all the right things on your behalf.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Managing Upward
If I believe everything that I am told, there is no such thing as a good boss.
While I grant that there are a lot of bosses who haven't really learned how to manage or supervise other people, there is also an art to learning how to make your boss a better boss aka known as "managing upward."
Many people believe that it is the responsibility of the person in authority to figure out how to develop the talents and abilities of the people they manage and, in a perfect world, this would be true. In the real world of work, many bosses are more preoccupied with building their own careers than they are about the careers of the people who work with and for them.
Too often the boss-employee relationship is viewed through the lens of a parent-child relationship when, in fact, it is a relationship between two adults. Granted one of those adults has more authority and power. But you still can use your influence to get your professional needs met.
Unfortunately many people carry excess emotional baggage into their relationships with authority that mirrors the relationships they had with their parents when they were growing up. On more than one occasion, I have seen talented and successful adults crumble into tears and/or throw temper tantrums at the slightest criticism from their bosses. You know that your throes of a transference reaction (relating to your boss as if s/he is your parent) when your emotional response is clearly excessive, given the circumstancdes. Of course, no one likes to be criticized but constructive criticism can be helpful. Learning how to accept and grow from criticism is part of what it means to be a responsible adult.
If you're one of those people who has constant "boss trouble" there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Don't assume the role of victim. As an adult you always have options. If you feel that you are being scapegoated or exploited, consider what those options are. Does it make sense, for example, to discuss the situation with other people in the organiation -- not in the form of gossip but in the spirit of problem solving and team play.
2. Avoid power struggles with your boss. Your boss has more real power than you do, this will always end badly.
3. Talk to your boss about how you feel; but don't accuse, blame or criticize. When you are talking about your feelings, you need to be able to do so without crying or raging against the person who you feel has wronged you. When you are able to discuss your situation professionally, there is a greater likelihood that you will be treated with respect.
4. Not everything is personal. Although you may be effected by your boss' bad mood, it may have nothing to do with you or your performance. Don't personalize issues and events that aren't personal.
5. Accept responsibility for your own behavior. If you made a mistake, learn from that mistake and move on. Beating yourself up for your mistakes won't make you feel better and it certainly won't make you more successful.
While I grant that there are a lot of bosses who haven't really learned how to manage or supervise other people, there is also an art to learning how to make your boss a better boss aka known as "managing upward."
Many people believe that it is the responsibility of the person in authority to figure out how to develop the talents and abilities of the people they manage and, in a perfect world, this would be true. In the real world of work, many bosses are more preoccupied with building their own careers than they are about the careers of the people who work with and for them.
Too often the boss-employee relationship is viewed through the lens of a parent-child relationship when, in fact, it is a relationship between two adults. Granted one of those adults has more authority and power. But you still can use your influence to get your professional needs met.
Unfortunately many people carry excess emotional baggage into their relationships with authority that mirrors the relationships they had with their parents when they were growing up. On more than one occasion, I have seen talented and successful adults crumble into tears and/or throw temper tantrums at the slightest criticism from their bosses. You know that your throes of a transference reaction (relating to your boss as if s/he is your parent) when your emotional response is clearly excessive, given the circumstancdes. Of course, no one likes to be criticized but constructive criticism can be helpful. Learning how to accept and grow from criticism is part of what it means to be a responsible adult.
If you're one of those people who has constant "boss trouble" there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Don't assume the role of victim. As an adult you always have options. If you feel that you are being scapegoated or exploited, consider what those options are. Does it make sense, for example, to discuss the situation with other people in the organiation -- not in the form of gossip but in the spirit of problem solving and team play.
2. Avoid power struggles with your boss. Your boss has more real power than you do, this will always end badly.
3. Talk to your boss about how you feel; but don't accuse, blame or criticize. When you are talking about your feelings, you need to be able to do so without crying or raging against the person who you feel has wronged you. When you are able to discuss your situation professionally, there is a greater likelihood that you will be treated with respect.
4. Not everything is personal. Although you may be effected by your boss' bad mood, it may have nothing to do with you or your performance. Don't personalize issues and events that aren't personal.
5. Accept responsibility for your own behavior. If you made a mistake, learn from that mistake and move on. Beating yourself up for your mistakes won't make you feel better and it certainly won't make you more successful.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Managing Job Jitters
All this talk about a recession is giving people job jitters, as companies continue to plan and and implement layoffs. Anxiety is understandable; paralysis is not - since there are some things that you can do to alleviate some of your insecurity.
Here a few suggestions:
1. Find a way to "add value" to the organization you work for. During difficult economic time, employers appreciate resourcefulness. If you have ideas about ways to generate revenues, cuts costs, or make better use of existing resources, this would be the time to share them.
2. Be reliable. Show up on time, work hard, and participate as a team player. When employers have to make difficult decisions about layoffs, they may work harder to protect the people that they can count on.
3. Evaluate your marketability and, if necessary, upgrade your skills and your resume. Marketable skills and good marketing tools are two essential elements of "employment security". No one can guarantee you a job; but you are guarantee your own future with a proactive approach to your own career.
4. Expand your network through social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Friendster. That way, if you do lose your job, you won't have to scramble to build a professional network from scratch. And, in the process, you may even uncover some interesting new opportunities for yourself.
5. It's natural to be nervous. But panic is not an option. Rather than passively fantasizing about your catastrophic future, build a constructive career plan that doesn't over-rely on any one person or place.
Here a few suggestions:
1. Find a way to "add value" to the organization you work for. During difficult economic time, employers appreciate resourcefulness. If you have ideas about ways to generate revenues, cuts costs, or make better use of existing resources, this would be the time to share them.
2. Be reliable. Show up on time, work hard, and participate as a team player. When employers have to make difficult decisions about layoffs, they may work harder to protect the people that they can count on.
3. Evaluate your marketability and, if necessary, upgrade your skills and your resume. Marketable skills and good marketing tools are two essential elements of "employment security". No one can guarantee you a job; but you are guarantee your own future with a proactive approach to your own career.
4. Expand your network through social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Friendster. That way, if you do lose your job, you won't have to scramble to build a professional network from scratch. And, in the process, you may even uncover some interesting new opportunities for yourself.
5. It's natural to be nervous. But panic is not an option. Rather than passively fantasizing about your catastrophic future, build a constructive career plan that doesn't over-rely on any one person or place.
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