More New Year’s Resolutions for your Career

Today, I was delighted to read an insightful article by Dr. Tom Denham, a career specialist, with his ideas of effective new year’s resolutions.  I suggest that you click on the full article at http://blog.timesunion.com/careers.  The most impressive thing about Dr. Tom’s list is that he obviously sees one’s career development as an ongoing – dare I say daily? – process.  Thus you would keep your resume current even when there isn’t an interview in sight.  You would keep your computer skills current just because. Etc.  Read the article and challenge yourself to play by his suggestions. Be ready for the opportunities of the new year.

Thanks, Tom Denham.  I couldn’t have made your points any better myself.

Thank you, clients

As I consider my work this year, I marvel at how difficult life has been in 2009 for so many people.  And some of you found your way to me.  You think I helped you, and I hope that’s so.  You think I know the answers, or maybe you have figured out that I only know a few of them.

What you don’t know is how much I have learned/been reminded of from you this year.  Here is a sampling:

• creative people can also be organized, and need help in explaining that to others,
• organized people yearn to express their creativity, which is also hard to explain,
• family leave is an excellent time to explore career changes,
• people can internalize trends in their own professions, which can be depressing indeed,
• fearful people can take enormous risks,
• spiritual struggles are hard for some people to express, easy and natural for others,
• keeping your day job can be okay if you are doing it with a purpose in mind,
• writers just keep on writing no matter what,
• new college graduates can get discouraged way too easily in this economy,
• the most confident-appearing people need positive feedback as much as anyone,
• career clients are almost all willing to do homework that is specific, not willing to do it if it is vague,
• career counselors can be struck dumb by their own ignorance sometimes, which may be a good thing.

Thank you for reaching out.  Thank you for keeping your appointments and for coming on time (our horrendous traffic notwithstanding).  Thank you for paying promptly. Thank you for sharing your work experience and your aspirations.  Thank you for showing me your portfolios. Thank you for letting me know how the interview went.  Thank you for recommending me to your friends. Thank you for your amazing understanding when I am forgetful. Thank you for reading my blog and making comments.

Thank you, associates

I continue expressing my gratitude by focusing on those individuals and businesses who support, promote, or in other ways enhance my ability to do business.  No sole proprietor does it alone.

• To Nancie Park and the gang in continuing education at Prince George’s Community College, thank you for continuing to facilitate my work in training, whether providing contracts, hand-outs, schedules, or a good laugh,
• To Larry Zimmerman at MNCPPC (That’s the Maryland Park and Planning Commission for those of you who read this from afar), who continues to hire me to train, including bribing me with maple donuts,
• To the anonymous folks at Paypal, who keep the money flowing in an accurate and rapid fashion,
• To Adrienne, my business rep at Verizon, who cheerfully and effectively explains all those little charges that come up for renewal annually,
• To Aisha at Salon Nuance, who continually advances the cause of greying beautifully, leading by example, skill, and tact,
• To Catherine Holmes and her team at CPP, who keeps the career world up to speed in the latest data behind their assessments,
• To Ann Poritzky, my marketing person, who has the unique ability to babysit my blog when I’m on vacation (everyone should have such a friend),

To you, I wish a blessed holiday season.  I hope you know that you are appreciated for all the support you offer during the year.  It is great to know that you are there.

Happy Thanksgiving, 2009.

The lessons of that first job…

Think for a moment about your first job.  It affected you for the rest of your life.  It may have been the most tedious thing you ever did, or it might have been a really productive step into adulthood.

In my case, it was both.  I was a summer clerical worker in a small insurance/real estate office in Tampa.  I liked answering the phone, felt important when I handed out messages to people, prepared bills, made coffee.  My role model had been Della Street from the Perry Mason show, and this job, at $1 an hour, made me feel important.

The downside was the tedium of the real estate contract.  I knew how to type, but oh, those maddening little lines on contracts to fill in!  I never got it right the first time, and I loathed that part of the job.  It was an inspiration to go back to college and prepare to do something – anything – other than typing home sale documents.

And what do young people think about it?  I recently talked with 20-year-old Danny Karbeling, who has spent time in the workforce as a camp counselor and as an assistant in a graphics reproduction business.  Danny has learned a few things:

• managing time by prioritizing,
• meeting very nice people, both as colleagues and as customers,
• getting a paycheck, which ends up not going as far he thought it would,
• just doing the job without waiting for a lot of instruction.

If you have the opportunity to be working with a young person, remember these few points and be that encouraging supervisor or colleague.  You might be creating a positive memory that will last a lifetime.

Ask an Intern: What did you do this summer?

If other interns are like Jackie Witkowski, they are going back to college with stories to tell – beyond their expectations.  Jackie is completing a twelve-weeks’ stint at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, and will be heading back to DePaul University in Chicago.

What did Jackie, a twenty-one year old from St. Louis, actually expect?  Well, she expected that she would do whatever she was asked, that maybe she would get involved in a special project, and generally enjoy her first visit to the nation’s capital.

True, she enjoyed herself.  But her 40-hour work week quickly progressed from all-around helper in the Education Department of the museum to, well, running a few things on her own.  Here’s the short version of how her responsibilities rocketed upward:  the already-small department was depleted by job changers, including the Intern Coordinator and the Volunteer Coordinator.

• Suddenly, instead of assisting the intern coordinator, she was organizing other interns in all the departments for training, sharing, and socializing.
• Instead of assisting the volunteer coordinator in continuing education training,  she was herself  coordinating a special tour at the National Gallery of Art for the museum docents.
• Instead of reporting to coordinators, she suddenly reported directly to the Director of Education.

As one of the weekly volunteer docents at this museum. I noticed Jackie early in the summer.  She introduced herself to one and all, asked to sit at the information desk and began to learn the answers to questions posted by visitors.  She remembered names from week to week.  She kept on smiling as her workload shifted in responsibility.

Jackie’s performance did not go unnoticed.  The chairperson of the Department of Education, Deborah Gaston, describes Jackie as a rock star.  Ms. Gaston, who has seen many interns, says you can tell early in the summer who will be capable of increasing responsibility and ownership of projects.  She cites evidence of the high quality of Jackie’s work:

• She wrote enthusiastically, prolifically, and  professionally for the new blog on the museum’s website (http://womeninthearts.wordpress.com).
• She displayed an excellent work ethic.
• She had a fine grasp of the basics of art history, as shown in her blog postings.
• She asked for help when she needed it.
• She continually showed a fine sense of humor, something needed in an art museum in these tight times.

As Jackie returns to her senior year in college, she reflects on the lessons learned during her internship:

• You need to immerse yourself in your work as soon as you arrive – there is no time to lose.
• You need to meet every single person you can and learn as much as you can about the work of the whole organization.
• You can leave your internship with vastly increased confidence in your own ability.
• There are many career paths that lead to your goal, not just the ones that professors tell you about in the classroom.
• You can stay in touch with your new friends and associates, because you’ll be looking for a job very soon.
• You can plan a return visit as soon as possible because it will keep your network alive.

Ms. Witkowski has set a high standard for interns at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  She is to be congratulated for  recognizing  opportunities and for creating solid accomplishments to carry back to college.  Other interns, please take note!

Time for a Job Change

How do you know when it’s time for a job change?

I am not talking about the obvious – being laid off, being told to start looking.  Those painful situations have the advantage of clarity – you know what you have to do.

For others, the situation is not clear.  I think there is an art to knowing when it is time to take steps.

Signs:

• Your role in staff meetings comes under fire,
• You become identified as a problem when you raise a concern,
• You are not given the tools/authority/assistance/space  you need to do your job.

I know one person whose job included bidding on contracts for continuing education.  He consistently told his superiors that there was increased competition for a major contract, and he needed to come in with a lower cost.  They refused to let him do this.  To no one’s surprise, the contract was awarded to someone else.  I mentioned that yes, it was time to look for another job before people started noticing that this was a highly-paid individual without much to do. The loss of the contract could be blamed on him.  Yes, he started looking, and now has a very responsible job in a major university.

Are you getting an uneasy feeling that nothing is going your way?  I suggest that you take a few steps now:

• Update your resume,
• Set up a few lunch meetings,
• Get on an ad hoc committee to solve an industry-wide problem,
• Get your financial affairs in order for a time of transition.

Yes, tough times make it challenging even to consider leaving a job with a steady salary.  Take the time you need. You will feel better knowing that you are moving in a direction of more respect, more opportunity for success and recognition, more real satisfaction.

If you would like to share some signs that it is time to look for another job, I invite you to post a comment.  This will be of help to other readers.

The Joy of Being Quoted

It’s a professional milestone to be interviewed on a topic one holds dear, and that honor has just happened to me.  Kenya McCullum, a writer on topics in the career field (among others) interviewed me on the topic of the last day on the job: dos and don’ts.  I was happy to share my thoughts because I have plenty of them on the topic.  I’m researching and writing on the subject of how to leave a job, so have a few things to say based on stories I’ve heard.

What does it take to become an expert?  Information, of course, lots of it.  You need people to tell you stories, you need communication to others that you are researching the topic and you need to be willing to talk about it.  Ultimately, you need  recognition. Someone needs to know of your passion, research, sources, and all-around interest in the topic. And in my case, that someone is Maureen Anderson, founder of The Career Clinic. Maureen, a champion networker herself, is generous in sharing names and ideas when possible.  Maureen connected me to an inquiry from Kenya McCullum, and I became one of her sources in a recent article on what to do and not do on the last day of your job.

Read the article!  She connects some valid points made by all kinds of career specialists to the recent resignation of Sarah Palin, herself a controversial figure.  Despite Palin’s polarizing reputation, there is a uniformity of advice from all of McCullum’s sources.  In reading the story, you will find today’s conventional wisdom on behavior for your last day.  You can find it at www.examiner.com/x-13521-SF-Workplace-Communication-Examiner~y2009m7d25-10-things-Sarah-Palin-should-not-do-on-her-last-day-at-work.  Great job, Kenya. I think you enlightened your readers on a topic that all can use at key points on their career paths.

Burned any (job) bridges lately?

• You resigned and told them what you really think.
• You were laid off and told them what you really think.
• In a performance appraisal, you spoke what was truly on your mind.
• You told an underling what you really think about his/her performance.
• A problem co-worker got promoted after doing less than you do, and someone asked you what you think about it.

In your answer, you may have burned a few bridges that could have furthered your career, or at least enhanced your professional reputation.

It’s understandable, we’ve all done it, and it remains a mistake.  Describing your job in anything less than positive terms always carries a risk.  Of course, it felt wonderful for a moment or two.  You had carried these negative feelings for quite a while, and you got pushed too far.  Incompetence, unethical practices, prejudice, favoritism, clique-ish behavior, and being ignored can build up internally, and most of us have expressed these feelings to the wrong people, at the wrong time.

Stop! Remember that jobs are hard to come by these days, remember that loyalty just might be rewarded, remember that you may need to be a better self-promoter.  A graceful exit is worth a lot these days.  You don’t need to stay in a negative situation, but it may take some time to find a more comfortable situation.

You need to practice your reaction to the above-cited situation.  How about these possibilities?

• I learned a great deal in this job, and I plan to carry that information with me to the new place.
• I will miss the chance to enhance my skills in customer interaction.
• Yes, I agree that I need to be more accurate in my work, and here’s what I’m doing about it…
• Timely attendance at work is of prime importance, and I have some concern about your record.
• Joe is enthusiastic about his job, and I hope he will be encouraged to continue to grow.

Pollyanna-ish?  Yes, it is.  But you will gain nothing except momentary satisfaction in badmouthing, backstabbing, or whining.  You’ll feel proud to be the person who can put a positive spin on a negative situation, at least on the job.

If you would like some counseling on how to make the best of a bad situation, in particular, how to plan a positive exit strategy, please contact me.  There are steps you can take that will keep you on the occupational high road. Please contact me at www.anneheadley.com or leave a note here.

Fewer workers + more work = your opportunity to shine

As a career counselor, I hear it  from  burned-out employees: 

They let go three people and now I’ve inherited their jobs as well as mine.  I don’t think I can do it.

Well, that’s true if business goes on as it did.  You did not suddenly become a party of four.

Now is your chance, though, to shine as an innovative, willing, flexible, valuable worker.  It’s time to schedule a meeting with the boss. Your points to make:

• I have a few thoughts about our priorities, as I’m sure you do, too.
• Clients/customers are changing in their habits/needs/questions.
• Although our turn-around time may have to be lengthened, we can improve our overall customer service by …

I hope you get the idea.  Although the characteristics of your job are unique to you, the opportunity exists for all employed people to shine, learn new skills, and expand their horizons in these challenging times.

What is not on the list for your meeting with your supervisor?

• Whining,
• I can’t do this,
• It isn’t fair,
• Why me?
• I’m stressed and I need to get out of here.

What is your immediate goal?  I hope it is to keep your job.  Ask your unemployed friends – it’s a rotten time to be job-hunting.  They would join me in urging you to work harder and smarter at your job, to contribute possible solutions instead of complaints, and emerge from this in a stronger position to move ahead when the recession is over.

If you would like to talk with a career counselor about your situation and how to make the most of it, feel free to contact me by visiting my website at www.anneheadley.com.

Part-time work: still a golden opportunity

How do you feel about part-time jobs?

• it doesn’t pay enough to live on,
• what would I do with the rest of my time?
• too much responsibility for the time I’m putting in,
• I’m not included in workplace decisions.

Or consider these points:

• It’s a foot in the door,
• I have to start somewhere,
  
• I can make myself so essential that they will offer me more work,
• It’s easier to get this job,
• I have more time to job-hunt,
• I have time with my family,
• The hours may be more flexible,
• I can keep going to school.

There is wisdom in both lists, because part-time work has its advantages and disadvantages. Maybe your feelings about it are tied in with your life and its components, such as the age of your children, your financial situation, and your educational reality.

There is something else to consider that is much more driven by our critical economy. As unemployment numbers continue to rise, it is important to remember three things:

1. those numbers from the Labor Department do not include part-time employment.
2. employers, uncertain about their own futures, lack the confidence to offer full-time jobs, but are willing to offer part-time,
3. excellent part-time workers will be in a position to be offered full-time slots when economic growth is more established, probably next year.

So yes, if the position is offered to you, if it provides a chance to earn money and gain some worthwhile experience, take it. Take a chance on your future and say yes to part-time work. You may look back and be glad that you did.