Archives for August 2011

The writing is on the wall: You’re about to get fired.Once the wheels are in motion, it's often hard to get momentum back on your side. The best thing to do is to start pursuing other work options. However, if you feel strongly about staying with the organization, you can employ several strategies to attempt to hold onto your employment status. Just keep in mind that it’s a long shot.First, you want to be sure your intuition is correct and you’re actually on the chopping block. Make sure paranoia hasn't seeped in, and assess the situation by talking it through with people who understand how the company works. You should also seek advice from a neutral third party. This can be a career coach, therapist, or even a stranger on a message board.If you’re still convinced you’re going to get fired, here’s what to do:Sneak attack. Catch your boss off guard and request an impromptu job assessment. Document the main points you discussed in a follow-up email so … [Read more...] about Getting Fired? Try Stalling Your Employer

Quitting your job and changing career may seem like a daunting task, but that doesn't mean it is impossible. You want a change, but where do you start? Here are a few ideas to help you make the change: Don’t Settle It is possible to change careers at any stage of life though, it might take some work. Don’t settle for your current career if you do not enjoy it or if it is not what you want to do with your life anymore. No job is perfect all the time, but if you find yourself dreaming about a new job regularly, it could be time for a career change. Try to cacth yourself if you are feeling resigned about making the change and remind yourself regularly that it is possible. Reading articles about people who have changed careers or done something similar can be good inspirational fuel to remind you of where you want to go next. Identify Areas of Interest Start noticing what you are interested in and naturally drawn to. Don’t worry initially about whether or not … [Read more...] about Make That Career Change!

One of the biggest mistakes any employee could ever make is underestimating the power of social networking sites. There is a reason why most employers ban these sites while employees are in the office, and that’s because employees not only waste time on these sites, but also tend to post things they shouldn’t. Companies have fired employees or overlooked job applicants due to the content of their social networking profiles making the management of these sites more important than ever. Reputation Management isn’t just for large companies, it’s for individuals as well, especially those wishing to maintain or secure employment. If you are employed and hold accounts on a few social networking sites, there are a few things you should consider doing to save your personal brand. Such things include: Watching What You Say Watching what you say on Facebook or Twitter doesn’t just mean avoiding proclaiming your hatred for your boss or lamenting that you wish you had another job, it means … [Read more...] about Saving Face to Save Your Job

Do you find yourself reaching for an energy drink around 4 p.m. on a work day? Or are you just revving up for your day’s work? Finding your peak work hours is a great way to boost your productivity. We usually do know our own energy body/mind rhythms of energy, but if you examine your work/productivity patterns, you can maximize those times. Morning Person vs. Night Owl People usually describe themselves as a morning or night person. But you don’t have to buy into your own stereotype: you can take some control over those energy cycles and be more productive at supposedly “down” times, because that self-talk can become self-fulfilling. In the “Flow” Published in 1991, Mihaly Csikszenmihalyi’s book “Finding the Flow – the Psychology of Optimal Experience,” is a concept that’s still applicable to work styles today. When you’re in the “flow,” you are so absorbed in a task that you lose sense of time, you … [Read more...] about How to Maximize Your Peak Working Hours