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#JobSearch : How To Write Networking Emails That Get Opened. Networking to Connect with Decision Makers. Great REad!

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Building strong relationships is an essential part of your career, but they don’t always happen organically. As with any other aspect of your career, creating close and meaningful connections takes time and work.

And every new relationship has to start with an introduction.

There are lots of ways you can meet new people and expand your network in a professional capacity. For example, attending industry events, through your current job, or online using networking sites like LinkedIn.

But how do you go about turning these brief encounters into solid working relationships?

Well, the best place to start is with an introductory email. But it can be tricky to know how to word this correctly. Especially when you’re targeting other busy professionals. After all, you’ve probably sent a few emails straight to your junk folder in your time.

However, there is a way around this. Here’s how to write networking emails that get opened.

Do your research on the recipient

First and foremost, you need to do as much research on the recipient as possible before you even consider sending that email. You need to be able to prove to them that you’re reaching out for a valid reason, that you can add value, and that you have something in common. If you don’t know enough about them or their current position, that is going to be much harder.

So before you begin, carefully check out their online presence using tools like LinkedIn and their company website to ensure you know who you’re conversing with.

That way, when you come to write the email, you can create something that is engaging are more likely to get opened. You also increase your chances of getting a response as you prove to the recipient that you’ve done your research and have something to offer them.

 

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Create a captivating subject line

Subject lines can make or break an email.

Think about it; this will be the first thing your recipient reads and will determine whether they choose to open the email at all, let alone read it. Therefore, you need to create a compelling subject line that is going to implore them to click on it.

This can be tricky if you don’t have much experience with email marketing or networking. However, there are some simple steps you can take for success.

You must ensure that your subject line is short and attention-grabbing, ideally around three to five words that will immediately garner their interest. It’s also important to make these personal, for example ‘nice to meet you, {their name}’ or ‘following up from {event name}’.

Remember, you don’t want your subject line to get cut off in the preview, so keep it as concise and engaging as possible. This will increase the chances of them opening your email in the first place.

Keep your introduction concise

OK, so the subject line has got you through the door, and they’ve opened you’re email; you don’t want them immediately sending it to junk because they lose interest.

Therefore, it’s not just your subject line that needs to be short and sweet. In the body of the email, you need to give a quick introduction that gets straight to the point. At this stage, you should briefly state who you are and where you work and clarify to them why you’re reaching out.

Although you might have lots you want to talk to them about, save this for a follow-up call or meeting. Everyone is busy, and you don’t want to immediately put them off by jumping in with huge rambling paragraphs.

Mention common ground

Although your email shouldn’t be too long, you should take this opportunity to mention some of the things you have in common aside from your field of work. For example, did you attend the same college, or are you from the same hometown? This increases your chances of them replying and, once again, shows you did your research.

You could also take this chance to complement any of their impressive work, especially if they were part of a project you particularly enjoyed or admired.

Let’s caveat this: don’t be creepy or come across as if you’re brown-nosing. Make sure you are always genuine and the tone is professional but conversational.

End with a strong CTA

Finally, you need to make sure you end your email with a strong CTA (call to action) that will encourage them to get in touch. This might be asking them to look at your resume or arrange to meet for a coffee, but whatever the case may be, ensure you provide them with your preferred contact details in the email.

 

Forbes.com | October 13, 2022 | Andrew Fennell

#YourCareer : Skills You Need To Cultivate Now To Be Competitive In 2023. Prepare for Downsizing & Layoffs.

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The key is to have a skill stack that makes you holistic. Having only one or two specific talents won’t be sufficient for the world we’re entering. You’ll need a combination of different talents and skills to advance within your organization or do well in a job interview.

Businesses desire people who are strong communicators, cultivated interpersonal skills, and can write well, along with a high level of emotional intelligence and empathy. You’ll also need a balance consisting of knowledge about artificial intelligence, software coding and all sorts of tech platforms and apps. It doesn’t stop there. As we’ve seen the acceleration of trends during the pandemic, things will continually change, and you’ll need to be flexible and always be learning.

The New Year Is Nearly Here

It’s hard to wrap your mind around the fact that we are only about two and a half months away from the New Year. Most people can’t wait to put 2022 behind us. However, just because you turn the page on the calendar, it doesn’t mean that everything changes for the better.

From now until the holiday season, it’s likely that we’ll see high rates of unemployment, the stock market continuing to plummet, and home and apartment prices out of reach due to high mortgage payments. The primary reason for the negativity is that the Fed war being waged against inflation calls for a contracting economy, higher interest rates and costs, along with businesses cutting expenses which largely causes worker layoffs.

 

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Having Money Helps You Get Through Tough Times

One of the first things you need to do in a contracting economy characterized by job losses, falling stock prices and rising costs caused by inflation is to save as much money as possible. Building an emergency fund can help you weather the storm and potential bouts of unemployment. If you spend beyond your means and lose your job, it could be financially ruinous as seeking out a new opportunity during a recession is difficult. Having money offers a safety vest to stay afloat during tumultuous times. It offers you options. Instead of accepting a low-paying, go-nowhere dead-end job because you can’t afford to be out of work, a financial nest egg will offer the chance to wait things out. You’ll have more time to search out and find the job you desire that pays well and offers future growth potential.

Becoming Adaptive To Change

You have no other choice than to embrace change. We’ve seen how fast and volatile things can get. Look at the toxic way we now interact with each other in person and on social media. The economy, stock and job markets feel like they’ve gone haywire. Throughout most of last year, we benefited from robust hiring, skyrocketing stock prices, and the creation of new and exciting startups.

Now it’s different. On an almost regular basis, businesses are announcing layoffs, hiring freezes, job offer rescissions and allowing attrition without replacing the quitting workers. The new era may cause you to switch jobs or embark upon new careers. You may be required to go into an office five days a week, told to stay home and work remotely, or become a digital nomad. To adapt to changes, you may need to continually reinvent yourself and pivot to new career directions.

On the positive side, if you are good at critical thinking and problem-solving and have a flexible attitude, you can go with the flow. To succeed, keep your eyes open for changes that will usher in new and exciting opportunities that coincide with your skill sets.

Learn To Code, Write, And Speak Well

In the new digital work world, you don’t have to be a software engineer, but it will be helpful to possess a comfort level with new technologies. Take some online courses in coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics or cybersecurity. It wouldn’t hurt to start dabbling in the metaverse and virtual reality.

The ability to write well, speak intelligently, and communicate clearly and effectively is prized by major corporations. These skills greatly enhance your marketability. It’s essential to continue learning to keep up with new developments and trends impacting your job and career. If you become a lifelong learner, you’ll stand out and be far ahead of your cohorts. Since we are all online, you must be digitally fluent and active on social media to garner attention, burnish your reputation, and possibly lead to job offers

Resilience And Grit

It’s said that good times make weak people, which leads to tough times that make strong people. The harsh reality is that our lifestyle and financial situation may be less than our parent’s. Finding a job, building a career, and purchasing a home or vehicle, won’t be as easy as it used to be.

No one will be coming to your rescue. In a rougher economic climate, you’ll need to rely upon yourself. It’s a reversion to the archetype of rugged individualist that characterized the early American colonists and wild west cowboys. Back then, people didn’t solely depend upon the federal government but made things happen through their unyielding hard work, efforts and determination.

There could be times when your skills and talents aren’t appreciated, and you’ll have to start all over again. You’ll need to be mentally and emotionally strong to deal with downsizings and losses in your 401-k and retirement plans. It shouldn’t be surprising that you must continually switch jobs and pivot to new careers.

Teach yourself how to be self-resilient, and build the confidence to pursue what you want. It’s okay to have fear and trepidation, but you must keep forging against all odds and obstacles.

The future of work will offer new and different types of roles. Some jobs may no longer exist due to technological advancements. The rapid advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other software tools create a need for human creativity, which may open new doors for you. By starting right now, you’ll be far ahead of your peers by being more prepared and competitive by the New Year.

 

Forbes.com | October 12, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#JobSearch : How To Prepare For The Massive Downward Shift In The Job Market. The Days Of Quitting Without Worry Are Gone. MUst REad!

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The music is fading out, and the party’s almost over. Up until about six months ago, the job market was blazing hot. Companies couldn’t find, recruit and onboard candidates fast enough to satiate demand. Businesses had difficulty retaining people, as they’d freely switch jobs to obtain better offers and higher compensation.

With record-level inflation rates, rising costs and a contracting economy, the job market is losing its luster. The September jobs report indicated that the Federal Reserve Bank’s program to fight inflation has taken a toll on hiring. The number of new jobs created, while solid, is still far below July and August—showing a slowdown in hiring.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

The Days Of Quitting Without Worry Are Gone

You now need to think very deliberately about your job, career and how to navigate the next year or so, which will likely be volatile. Job offers won’t be as lush as they were in 2021. If you can’t get the base salary, bonus and stock options you want, look into the benefits to see if there are other ways that you can benefit with a job switch.

Here are suggestions of what you should do to navigate your career during challenging times:

  • If you like working at your company, do everything in your power to make yourself useful and indispensable.
  • When searching for a new job, conduct an inordinate amount of research to know what you’re getting yourself into.
  • Find recruiters who specialize in your field, as they have close connections with the human resources and hiring managers, can advise you throughout the interview process and know about roles in the hidden job market.
  • Look into hiring a career coach and résumé writer to help you, especially if you haven’t been on a job hunt in a long time.
  • Put together an elevator pitch, role-play interviewing and prepare answers to commonly asked questions.
  • Get active on LinkedIn to be noticed. Cultivate a network of like-minded people to help you find job leads and make introductions to the target companies you want to work with.
  • Consider going back to school or taking online courses to learn new skills.
  • Be mentally and emotionally prepared for a long, drawn-out interview process. There will now be more applicants searching for jobs. Businesses will feel they can take their time waiting to hire the best person at the lowest salary.
  • Clear your head and carefully consider why you are leaving your current job.
  • Don’t quit your job unless you have a job already lined up.
  • Everyone will tell you what to do. Be skeptical of who is offering career advice.
  • Pivot to a fast-growing industry or reinvent yourself by learning new skills.
  • Don’t blindly accept a bad offer with a company and people you’re not comfortable with. Instead, weigh your options and think rationally.
  • Break your negative thinking. You won’t interview well if you bring the baggage from your last firm to the interview. No one wants to hire a person who bad mouths their former boss and co-workers. Nor do they want a person who is negative and bitter.
  • Make sure you know if there is a work-life balance at the company you’re considering moving to. Inquire if it’s a remote, hybrid or in-office work style.
  • Reduce your expenses, put money into an emergency fund and pay down high-interest-rate debt.

Data Shows White-Collar Workers Are Staying Put

The latest World Economic Forum Chief Economists Outlook report contends that a worldwide recession is “somewhat likely” and almost unanimously predicts wages won’t be able to keep up with escalating prices. According to new data from LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index, pessimism prevails. Almost 50% of active job hunters self-reported that they lack confidence in their company and overall workforce. Even though the workers registered their discontent, many are holding back hunting for a new role. The Wall Street Journal reported that white-collar professionals are hanging onto their jobs and not joining the Great Resignation trend compared to frontline and other deskless workers.

There are concerns over a possible recession, hiring freezes and layoffs at companies ranging across all sectors. There have been announcements from a wide array of companies and sectors, including Bed Bath & Beyond cutting 20% of its corporate staff, Snap laying off 20% of staff and Ford jettisoning 3,000 salaried and contract workers in the United States, Canada and India. Boston-based online retailer Wayfair cut 870 jobs worldwide. Apple laid off about 100 contract-based recruiters. Walmart downsized around 200 corporate employees and online brokerage Robinhood parted ways with 23% of its staff.

How The U.S. Got To This Point

Starting with the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve Bank made accommodations to financially support the economy and stock market. Its policies remained largely the same leading up to the current Federal Bank Chair Jerome Powell.

During the pandemic, the Fed enacted policies, along with the government, to inject trillions of dollars into the economy, along with other measures to provide much-needed funds to families and stimulus to keep the economy afloat and people from losing their jobs. One of the results was the creation of massive bubbles in the stock and cryptocurrency markets, as well as venture-funded startups.

Now, Americans are paying the price for the bursting of the bubble. The programs led to runaway inflation, which has created another tax on people and companies. As costs rise, businesses raise their prices and families struggle.

Something needed to give. It started with hiring freezes and job cuts. This is likely to continue until the government can figure out some way to extricate the U.S. from the current environment, which may include a recession, high inflation and possible stagflation.

 

Forbes.com | October 11, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#JobSearch : 3 Salary Negotiation Mistakes To Avoid When Countering A Job Offer. Great Read!

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A week ago I received a job offer. I counteroffered and 3 days later they told the recruiter that they denied my counteroffer and were rescinding the offer altogether. No explanation. Have you ever encountered this before? – Terri

Having a job offer rescinded for making a counteroffer during the salary negotiation is rare. In over 20 years of recruiting, I have only seen it firsthand one single time: A senior manager in advisory services had verbally accepted an offer after a long back-and-forth. Not a week later, he asked yet again for more money (and not a lot of money, less than five percent of the total package). Not only did the prospective employer decline the counter, but they pulled the offer altogether.

In the senior manager case, the deciding factor wasn’t that the candidate made a counteroffer on salary. The candidate counteroffered multiple times during the long earlier negotiation, as did the prospective employer. What killed the offer was that the candidate had gone back on their word and could no longer be trusted.

Mistake 1 – Don’t accept the job before making your counteroffer

Terri doesn’t mention accepting the offer and then counteroffering after the fact. However, maybe Terri inadvertently did that by appearing to accept the original offer. This might happen if Terri had earlier proposed the salary that was offered, and the counter was for a new, higher number. You absolutely can renegotiate if you propose a lower salary early on in the hiring process (here’s how) but it’s critical that you don’t say outright you would accept that role at that salary.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Mistake 2 – Don’t issue an ultimatum (or even seem threatening in any way)

Another key mistake to avoid when delivering your counteroffer is to make it an ultimatum: “I can’t accept anything less than X” for example. Maybe you felt the salary offered was low, and in the heat of the moment, your tone let on that you were offended. Unfortunately, the prospective employer may take your emotional response as anger and feel threatened or simply annoyed. You want a collaborative back-and-forth.

The ideal first response to any offer – even one with a terrible, lowball, you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me salary number – is: “I’m so excited at the prospect of working together. I’m sure I’ll have questions about the offer. Can we set up some time to discuss after I’ve had a chance to review it?” This works because the first sentence is unequivocally positive, but at the same time, you don’t accept the offer (see Mistake 1). The next sentence plants the seed that there will be back-and-forth, but you don’t specify about what. This way, you don’t give anything away prematurely while you’re still thinking about your negotiation strategy. The last sentence pushes the negotiation out to the future, buying you time to think about what you’re going to ask for and how you’ll do it. You want time to prepare exactly what you’re asking for since it might be more than salary, such as non-monetary factors like flexibility.

Mistake 3 – Don’t assume rejection of your counteroffer is the end of the negotiation

When you do make your counteroffer, expect some pushback so you’re not deterred when it comes. To be a strong negotiator, you need to be able to move forward after hearing “No” (here are ways to overcome 10 common negotiating obstacles) Negotiating all aspects of the job offer can take several rounds of going back and forth. Even the most straightforward job has multiple items to confirm, all of which can be negotiated – salary, title, start date, exact job duties, who your direct manager would be. For management and executive roles, the compensation structure typically has multiple moving parts — salary, performance bonus, company stock, retirement contributions, etc. – each of which might require negotiation.

Companies appreciate good negotiation skills

Making a counteroffer to the first job offer is generally a good thing. As long as you don’t fold at the first No, you don’t issue ultimatums or make threats and the counteroffer isn’t a surprise after the prospective employer already thinks you’ve accepted, then you will be OK. In fact, you’ll be more than OK when you showcase your savvy negotiating skills, and your new employer is even more excited that you’ll be joining and on their side of the negotiating table the next time.

Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Ceniza-Levine Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | October 6, 2022

#YourCareer : U.S. White-Collar Remote Workers May Lose Their Jobs As Companies Hire Globally To Cut Costs. Remote Workers May be at Risk. MUst REad!

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Remote workers may be at risk. Working from home became the norm during the pandemic. As the economy reopened, people demanded to continue working remotely, as it offers a better work-life balance. When micromanaging bosses called for staff to return to the office, workers pointed out the success of remote work. Productivity was at a high level, the economy held up well, stocks were flying, and plenty of jobs were available. By all accounts, employees put in long hours during the week and worked weekends.

However, nothing is perfect. One of the downsides was that remote workers could be seen as second-class citizens by management. Being out of sight could lead to being out of mind. The remote workers risk getting left out of important meetings and conversations.

Americans are once again in a precarious position. There is record-high inflation. Jerome Powell, head of the Federal Reserve Bank, has said he needs to cool down the economy to whip inflation. The Fed’s aggressive program will impact both businesses and American families. He concedes that his policy will lead to “pain,” causing companies to cut costs and lay off workers. The leadership at major corporations will likely consider ways to save money and curtail expenditures.

White-Collar Jobs Moving To Other Countries

People are the highest cost for many service-oriented organizations, such as banking, finance, tech and online-based companies. Well-educated and highly paid white-collar professionals tend to work remotely and earn significantly more than blue-collar workers that are required to be in factories, warehouses, fulfillment centers or construction sites and restaurants.

If the economy stumbles into a recession, the stock market keeps plummeting and families are having a hard time making ends meet as inflation and high interest rates eat into their emergency funds, it’s only a matter of time until CEOs start considering cutting jobs in the U.S. and hiring workers in lower-cost countries around the world.

It’s already been proven that the technology is robust to manage remote work at scale. C-suite executives, looking to save money, will be happy to jettison leases in high-cost cities, once they lapse. As Silicon Valley tech giants are watching their share prices plunge, they may realize that offering their thousands of workers free food, massages, laundry services and other amazing amenities is no longer reasonable. ESG proponents will love that people won’t need to commute each work day to and from their offices. Next will be swapping out highly paid, remote software engineers for the same talent in lower-cost countries.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

It’s Already Happening

Startups, such as Remote.com and Deel, are well-experienced in making it easy for companies to hire personnel worldwide. These organizations have already established the mechanisms and systems for global corporations to hire, onboard and take care of the taxes and compliance for remote workers in countries throughout the world. AngelList Talent scours the globe to find job candidates who want to get hired remotely. Its suite of tools makes it easier than ever before for companies and remote candidates—including those who live outside of the U.S.—to connect. Candidates can share what kind of remote-work culture they want, along with time-zone preferences and other important factors.

Job seekers will take assessments to demonstrate their skills above and beyond what’s printed on the résumé. Engineering and video examinations showcase and evaluate skills across borders. Engineering candidates can take assessments for frontend, backend, iOS, Android, and more and choose to display their top scores on their profiles for recruiters to see. Their skills and ability transcend geographic boundaries and are judged by their merits—not where they reside.

We’ve Already Seen The Digital Nomad Trend And The Mass Exodus Out Of Big Cities

During the pandemic, Wall Street bankers, hedge fund managers, tech titans and others fled big cities, such as New York, for the Hamptons, Palm Beach, Martha’s Vineyard, suburbs of Connecticut and New Jersey or jetted off to exotic locations.

During the outbreak, there was a fast-emerging trend of workers taking residence in other countries as digital nomads. People have taken to doing their job at the beach or near ski slopes. Some decided to relocate to lower-cost locations within the U.S. to save money, while still receiving the same pay.

Several countries encouraged Americans to migrate there with special visas and open arms. Since tourism was down due to Covid-19 and their economies were hurting, Barbados, Estonia, Bermuda and Georgia opened their doors to Americans, inviting them to come work, pay taxes and contribute to the economy.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | October 3, 2022

#YourCareer : New Trend: ‘Acting Your Wage’ Is Detrimental To Long-Term Career Success. Your Efforts Should Directly Match the Rate of Pay. Thoughts/Comments?

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Acting your wage is the next viral trend emanating from TikTok after quiet quitting. According to the TikTokers, if your boss is only paying you minimum wage, that means you should just do the bare minimum amount of work.

It’s about setting boundaries. The ethos is that if the company and managers fail to offer empathy, encouragement, the compensation you deserve and psychological safety to do your job without the fear of being yelled at or abused, there is no reason to overextend yourself working and let it affect your quality of life.

Your efforts should directly match the rate of pay. According to proponents of this work style, there’s no reason to work after 5 p.m. or on weekends. While white-collar quiet quitters are just biding time, blue-collar “act your wagers” are only doing precisely what they are paid to do and nothing more.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Variations Of Quiet Quitting And Acting Your Wage Have Been Around Forever

Quiet quitting and acting your wage are nothing new. There have always been people who just coasted along. In the ‘90s, Gen-Xers were labeled as “slackers” by Baby Boomer bosses, believing that they were lazy and just coasting through the workday. During the pandemic, remote workers were accused of cyberloafing. In the 1960s counterculture movement, the Boomers were considered lazy hippies by their Greatest Generation parents. In the ‘50s, the Beat Generation was derided as “dangerous, marijuana-smoking miscreants.”

Young People Were Dealt A Bad Hand

It’s understandable, especially for young people, to be disenchanted and disengaged with work. Gen-Zers grew up in the shadow of Sept. 11. They lived through the great financial crisis, the pandemic, wars, losing their senior year of high school and a chunk of their college experience when schools sent them home, political and social upheaval, runaway inflation and high-interest rates making it nearly impossible to save money, purchase a home or lead a life anywhere near their parents’ lifestyle.

Job postings for entry-level positions require three or more years of relevant experience. Companies will extend an offer, but it’s an unpaid internship or merely a contract with a vague promise that it can turn into a permanent, full-time role.

The Acting Your Wage Mindset Is Hazardous To Your Career Health

Despite the bad hand dealt to this cohort, slow-walking your job isn’t the answer. You may temporarily feel good when you say “no” to the boss and assert your autonomy of not being forced into working long hours without any appreciation or extra compensation.

After a while, this attitude can become entrenched. It’s an “us against them” mentality. Workers will spend more time extricating themselves from working than the actual work.

You Can Do Better Than Just Scraping By

Instead of getting caught up with this tit-for-tat mentality, break the mold. You’re wasting precious time working a dead-end job that you hate. Determine what you want to do with your work life. Think of what type of job or career would make you happy and can offer a more-than-fair compensation. Then, embark upon pursuing your dreams.

You might as well start where you are now. Let the boss know that you feel overlooked and underutilized. The employer and employee can job-craft a solution to improve the situation.

The slacking can’t go on indefinitely. Either the manager will get ticked off, or the cyberloafer will get bored and either move on to another job or step up their game. Rather than coasting, show management how awesome you are by being productive. While everyone else is on cruise control, you must rev up the engine and blow past all your co-workers. It won’t be too difficult, as they don’t care.

People will start noticing you. Managers will want you on their team and projects. Promotions will come your way. Recruiters will hear about you and headhunt you for better-paying roles at other firms. Your confidence will grow, along with the skills that you’re honing. The best revenge on your boss and company is to succeed and make more money than they earn.

If you’ve tried to grow and advance within your organization to no avail, don’t default to acting your wage. Take the loss and move on. Start contacting recruiters, ask people within your network for job leads, check out job boards, go on informational interviews and acquire any new skills or credentials needed to procure the job you want.

How To Find An Act-Your-Wage Or Quiet Quitter

This cohort is not currently inclined to leave their jobs right now and don’t hate what they do for a living, but are not motivated or energized. When you are in the office, it’s easy to pick them out. They’re the ones who are looking over their shoulder to see if anyone notices them scrolling through social media instead of doing their job. They arrive at the office at the crack of 9:45 a.m., disappear for more than an hour for lunch, can’t be found when needed and sneak out the door at around 4:35 p.m.

When working remotely, it’s easier to coast. You go through the motions. The person will put in the bare minimum amount of effort to ensure they don’t get called out by the boss. They’ll work a little, then scroll through social media, maybe watch a Netflix series, call some friends, take a nap and slow roll the day away.

These folks don’t want to be fired; however, they aren’t engaged and don’t see long-term potential for growth, so there isn’t a burning need to put in a lot of effort. It’s a delicate balancing act of just working enough not to get busted. Some also choose to balance family activities, hobbies, food shopping and other nonwork-related matters during the day.

Disengaged At Work

According to a Gallup poll, only 33% of American workers are engaged in their jobs. More than 50% self-reported that they’re “just showing up” and 17% describe themselves as “actively disengaged.” These workers lack a real close connection to their job. They go through the motions. They’ll likely talk badly about a manager behind their back, gossip, spread rumors and treat customers and clients rudely. This toxic attitude could infect others and become detrimental to the company.

Cruise control could also be a result of a person feeling unappreciated, not given a voice at the table and overlooked for promotions. In this instance, it would be productive for the coaster to discuss the matter with the supervisor.

Being engaged at work is essential for the success of the individual, business and customers. If a person loves what she does for a living and derives meaning and purpose in her daily responsibilities, she’ll do a great job. Her boss, peers, subordinates and customers will appreciate her efforts and show gratitude.

Antiwork Reddit And Lying Flat In China

The r/antiwork subreddit “Unemployment For All” on Reddit has 2.2 million “idlers” who subscribe to the mission statement, boasting, “A subreddit for those who want to end work, are curious about ending work, want to get the most out of a work-free life, want more information on anti-work ideas and want personal help with their own jobs [and] work-related struggles.”

Idlers complain that they are frustrated by their jobs and bad, overbearing bosses. Other members say they aren’t inclined to search for a new job and just want to quit and stay home. The postings on the site reflect their anger and resentment. They contend that companies take advantage of them, push for longer hours than they were initially told, pay them inadequately and demean them.

Quiet quitting and acting your wage is happening in China too. As China was ramping up to take on America’s economy, tech titans in the country were celebrated. Billionaire Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, called for a tireless work ethic, on behalf of his employees, to eclipse the Americans. His work culture is known as “996.” Ma wanted everyone to work 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

Like the idlers on Reddit, the younger generation of Chinese workers have started to push back against Ma’s rise-and-grind culture. Gen-Z workers are accused of slacking off by refusing to work overtime, delivering medium-quality work, going to the toilet frequently and staying there for a long time, playing with their mobile phones or reading novels at work.

Not Everyone Is Slacking

In addition to the r/antiwork subreddit, there is also a large r/fatFIRE group. This crowd eschews the traditional wealth management advice of drastically cutting costs and living a frugal lifestyle to save money. The more than 325,00 members talk about ways to get rich. These motivated, success-oriented people discuss stocks, business deals, how to find high-paying jobs and other ways to make money and leave the workforce in their 30s or early 40s.

Their mantra is to “retire with a fat stash” and live off the dividends and payouts from their investments and side businesses. Many seek a cash flow of around $100,000 a year as the benchmark for calling it quits and leaving the work world. Their definition of having enough money to spend $100,000 yearly in retirement requires a portfolio of around $2.5 million.

 

Forbes.com | September 29, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

 

 

#JobInterview : Green Flags In An Interview That Signal You’ll Get The Job Offer. Important to Know these Signals. A MUst REad!

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Job hunters are all too familiar with red flags during the interview process, warning them to run away. It doesn’t happen too often, but once in a while, you can catch a break and find a wave of green flags, indicating that this will be the right fit.

Here are green flags that you’re doing well, the interviewer is vibing with you and all signs point to a job offer.

The Subtle Turning Point From Typical Interview Questions To A Casual Conversation

There is a turning point in the interview when you notice a subtle shift in the conversation. The interviewer pivots from asking the traditionally bland, cliché questions, such as “please tell me about yourself,” and starts focusing on you as a human being.

They’ll start pointing out your commonalities. You both live in the same town or attended the same college. The connection opens the door to pleasantries and playing a game of trying to think of the people you both know and reminisce over shared experiences. The interviewer stops with the standard corporate, cold and clinical facade that human resource professionals and hiring managers put on to show that they are serious and mean business, and starts smiling and laughing.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

The More The Interviewer Talks, The Better Your Chances Are

Although the conversation is flowing and you’re getting excited, don’t dominate the interview. Allow the interviewer to do most of the talking. This runs counter to commonly offered career advice. The more the hiring manager talks, the better the position you’ll be in. As the person keeps speaking, there’s a feeling that the candidate must be great because they’re enjoying the conversation and feeling excited about finding a suitable applicant. Basically, the interviewer talks themself into liking you. To keep this going, ask open-ended questions that will keep the interviewer talking.

Things Start Looking Good

It gets better when the interviewer brings up the subject of compensation, benefits, vacation days, paid time off and all the amenities and perks offered by the company. When the person brings up the names of people that you’ll be working with and offers interesting tidbits about their personalities, the green flags are waving.

The interview feels like time is flying by and you discreetly check the clock. You realize that the meeting has gone over the allotted time, and the interviewer doesn’t seem to mind or try cutting it off. This is another wonderful green flag. It’s like a first date that is going well and neither party wants it to end anytime soon.

It is music to your ears when the hiring person politely asks, “I know you’ve been here for a while. I don’t want to be rude, but do you possibly have some more time to meet the team?” The green flag shows that they feel you’re the right match and would like to corroborate their impression by introducing you to some of the people you’d be working with.

When the interviewer begins itemizing what you will be doing on a daily basis, as if you already have the job, it’s a green flag. This may be followed up with offering a little insider gossip about the company and some of the people, managing expectations for when you start.

More green flags are when the hiring professional asks if you have other offers pending and how soon you can start.

If They Say This At The End, You’re Probably Getting The Job

When the interviewer ends the meeting by giving you a tour of the office and points to an area saying, “Here’s where you’ll be working,” the green flag is waving strongly.

This may be followed up with providing detailed next steps in the hiring process and offering details of how you can navigate the different personalities of the colleagues and managers you’ll be meeting with.

Before leaving, the HR professional or hiring manager says, “It was a pleasure getting to know you. Your background and skills are right on point. If you’re interested, I’d love for you to come back to meet with a few more people. In the meantime, could you please get three references and check if there are any stipulations in your employment contract that we need to be aware of?” Then, it’s followed by, “Christine in human resources will get everything set up. I look forward to seeing you again. It was a pleasure meeting you!”

Don’t Worry If An Offer Isn’t Immediately Extended

While all the green flags are waving and you end the interview feeling great and empowered, don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear right back. There are larger issues that companies need to contend with. Runaway inflation, high costs, supply chain disruptions, a likely recession, layoffs, job offer rescissions, geopolitical issues and a plummeting stock market are all concerns of business leaders. The uncertainty leads to inertia. Lately, many companies are slow-walking the hiring process, as they need to cut costs and are concerned about the future.

If you feel like you’ve been ghosted, take the initiative and get in touch with the people with whom you interviewed with. Politely, email, text, LinkedIn message or call the interviewer to let them know you are still interested and gently inquire how long the process may take and whether you are still in the running. If you are fortunate to know an insider at the company, ask if they could fish around to see what is going on.

In the interim, remain positive. It’s not you; it’s happening to almost everyone. To play it safe, keep working hard to save your current job. Hedge your bets by seeking out recruiters and going on other interviews.

 

Forbes.com | September 26, 2022

#BestofFSCBlog :Over 5K Reads! 5 Tips To Beat The Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Increase your Chances of Beating the Bots & Get That Interview. GReat REad!

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You know the job you want, and you know you’ve got the right skills and experience to be successful, but you’re yet to be invited for an interview. In fact, you’ve rarely received so much as a follow-up email. Surely that many recruiters can’t have passed over your RESUME/CV?

Before you start to doubt your credentials, there might be one important step you haven’t considered. As with so many areas of our lives, many hiring professionals now rely on technology to help them screen applications.

So the problem is that an actual person might not see your RESUME/CV for a long time after you submit it. Instead, it will pass through an applicant tracking system (ATS); an HR tool that determines whether your RESUME/CV is a match or not based on keywords.

 

This means you need to become an expert in beating the bots. The good news is there are some simple steps you can take to get your RESUME/CV past an ATS.

 

Include the right keywords

The most important thing you need to do is ensure that your RESUME/CV contains the right keywords. Recruiters will search for RESUME/CVs based on set keywords and criteria relevant to the role, so if you haven’t included these in your application, it will likely go unnoticed.

These keywords could be specific skills, qualifications, and job titles that showcase your experience. The best way to ensure you’re ticking the right boxes is to look through the job description and pick out the specific requirements set out by the employer. You can then pepper these keywords throughout your RESUME/CV.

For example, if the recruiter is looking for a ‘web developer’, be sure to get the job title in there. Not only this but be sure to highlight important skills such as ‘project management and ‘testing’. You could also include specific tools if the recruiter has listed them, such as ‘CSS’ or ‘JavaScript’.

In doing so, you make it much easier for the ATS to scan through and find all their relevant keywords, flagging that you’re a good match for the recruiter’s search criteria.

 

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

 

Cut the fluff

When it comes to writing a strong RESUME/CV, it’s always important to ensure you only include the most relevant information. However, when trying to beat an ATS, this is even more important.

Though it might usually be beneficial to give details of your passion for the industry, how you’ve risen through the ranks, and your willingness to keep learning, these are rarely termed a recruiter will search for using an ATS.

Therefore, it’s best to cut the fluff and keep your RESUME/CV clear, concise, and absolutely to the point. Stick to actionable skills, qualifications, and job titles that you think recruiters might be searching for.

 

Use traditional headings

Your RESUME/RESUME/CV should be broken up into sections to make the information easier to digest. However, you need to ensure you’re using standardized headings and making them clearly different from the body text. Otherwise, you might confuse the ATS, prompting the tool to organize your information incorrectly. This will make it harder for recruiters to run searches and find your RESUME/CV.

With this in mind, it’s best to stick to traditional headers like a personal profile, key skills, work experience, and education to help organize your information, and ensure all headings are big and bold.

The same applies to job titles. Be sure to use clear and traditional job titles, specifically those listed on the job description. Avoid any quirky titles you might have had in the past, such as developer evangelist or cloud chief architect, as these will only be confusing and could cost you an interview.

 

Format your RESUME/RESUME/CV correctly

An ATS might be very technically advanced, but it still has limitations. At the end of the day, it is a machine and not a person, which means poor formatting can make it impossible for the machine to scan and understand your RESUME/CV.

To give yourself the best chance of beating the bots, you need to make sure your document is left aligned, with margins of at least half an inch. Also, be sure to use standardized fonts such as Arial or Verdana and no smaller than font size 10.

Ensure all information is contained within the body of the document and nothing has spilt into the header or footer. This will boost your chances of application success.

Choose the right file format

You’ve spent hours carefully crafting your RESUME/RESUME/CV, so you don’t want to fall at the final hurdle. You need to make sure you save your file in the most reader-friendly format. Some job descriptions will specify the type of file you should submit; however, if this is not the case, it’s best to stick to a Word document or PDF, because they are easily readable by machines. Never submit your RESUME/CV as an image file because most ATS will not be sophisticated enough to pull words from a non-text-based document.

Keep these five tips in mind as you continue your job search, especially if you suspect your RESUME/CV will be going straight to an ATS and not to a person. This will increase your chances of beating the bots and securing an interview.

Forbes.com | September 27, 2022 | Andrew Fennell

#JobSearch : Lost Your Job?  First Steps First. Great Ideas to Get Through the Unemployment Period.

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Nothing is more worrisome than being out of work and dreading the bills coming in the mail that you can’t afford to pay.  Scarier yet is not having funds for job shopping (gas money or interview clothing).  Here are some ideas to help you get through the unemployment period and make time without a job work to your advantage.

Your full-time job while unemployed is applying online for jobs. Once you lose your job, you should immediately research your state’s unemployment benefits options.  In some states, a two-week waiting period must be reached before application; in other states, you may be eligible on the first day of unemployment. You must file for the benefits. In most states, you may do so online via an Internet-based application. The state will require forms completed pertaining to the circumstances leading to the job loss. Be truthful. If you were fired, state the honest reason. Not all states deny unemployment benefits for being fired unless the termination was for extreme reasons (e.g., embezzlement, equipment destruction, theft, avoidable OSHA-related safety incidents, or vandalism).

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Regardless of the waiting period, the employment commission in each state is one of the best places to search for a new job.  Many companies post job openings to comply with the EEOC mandate for the 3-5-day public posting of positions, and they can do so for free. The state also supplies job listings within an easy commute to your city and surrounding areas.

Apply directly to public job openings – some companies will allow resume uploads into their Automatic Tracking Systems (ATS), even if there are currently no job openings (this is called ‘resume farming’  by recruiters). Alternatively, apply online by uploading your resume to proprietary resume databases, e.g., Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Indeed, or USAJobs.gov (resume loading for the job seeker).

You don’t want a blank space on your resume where you were unemployed if you can avoid it. Recruiters are not fond of seeing extended periods of unemployment (the UNNA syndrome – Unemployed Need Not Apply). However, after the 2009 housing crash and the COVID pandemic, they are more used to seeing these phenomena of long periods of unemployment. The good news is that there are two rich opportunities to add content to your resume, allow you to meet new people, and network for new employment opportunities.

First, offer your time or assistance to non-profit organizations or obtain training to enrich your job skills. Many small non-profit organizations (NPSs) are desperate for grant writers, volunteers, mentors, and specialists. There is a shortage in these skills for many small NPOs who can’t afford to pay salaries for these job skills – your local paper may run lists of NPOs needing assistance.

Second, if you can’t do the education or training and can’t offer assistance as a volunteer, the next best activity is to go into business for yourself as a consultant. Shop the market for companies needing your skill set as a 1099 consultant (a local city business license may be less than $50).  You never know when your skills sets may turn into a more realistic method to replace that lost salary.  Recruiters will note you didn’t let the dust settle after a job loss and view you as a more viable candidate.

While you are unemployed, get the training (or education) you didn’t have time to take while you were working, and add industry or trade certifications to the achievements on your resume. Take classes to advance your education beyond the courses or degree you last achieved.  There may be inexpensive adult education classes in your city that provide insight into a fresh new topic for you. Computer skills are one of the hottest training needs in any industry. If you gain insight into how software or a process works, it will move you ahead of the job’s competition.

As you achieve the training, education, or volunteer work, add it to your resume as the most recent ‘employment’ activity.  The longer you are unemployed, the more obvious the non-productive activity and the less viable a candidate you become to recruiters.  Filling that gap with volunteer activities, education or training, and/or part-time consulting work demonstrates you are still a viable and highly qualified candidate.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., is an associate of First Sun Consulting, and the owner of D. Boyer Consulting – providing resume writing, editing, and publishing consulting services. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or http://dboyerconsulting.com.  

Bio: Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., manages and operates a consulting firm in Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach (Dahlgren), and Gloucester, VA.  Her background is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry.  She is the author of 940+ books on business, human resources research, career search practice, women’s studies, genealogy lineages, and adult coloring books.  Her books are listed on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

 

FSC Career Blog | September 19, 2022

 

#JobSearch : How Companies Mislead And Take Advantage Of Job Seekers And Employees. Welcome your Comments/Suggestions!

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Recruiters have an inside look into how companies take advantage of job seekers and employees. With all the arguments over remote work or being forced to return to the office, one key issue is often forgotten: large publicly traded companies primarily care about making profits, lining the pockets of the top executives and keeping the shareholders happy.

They pretend to be concerned about the well-being of the workers when it’s a hot job market and top talent is in high demand. When the need to hire subsides, businesses immediately lay off employees, enact hiring freezes and dump all the extra work on the remaining people.

What To Watch Out For When You Are Interviewing Or Just Started At A Company

The Job Description: A Work Of Fiction

It starts with the job description. Noticeably, the compensation isn’t listed. Think of every transaction you do in life. The costs are clearly shown if you go to the supermarket, attend a sporting event or book a plane trip. While there are pushes to enact salary transparency laws, if you go on any major job board, you won’t see the salary, bonus or benefits clearly indicated.

 

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Long, Involved, Glitchy Job Applications

You are then forced to fill out a lengthy application that calls for sharing personal information and submit it into a clunky, glitchy applicant tracking system. There is no real need for this extra step, as the company also asks you to upload your résumé. Once you’ve taken an hour or so to review the job ad, answer all the questions and complete the applications, you’d like to believe that the firm would be gracious enough to contact you and let you know if you’re a fit or not. Instead, more often than not, you’re ghosted. Despite the time you have invested, there’s not even the courtesy of a reply.

You Are At A Disadvantage

The interview process is one-sided. The company tells you when and where you’ll interview, the amount of time you’ll need to interview, the number of internal people you will be meeting with and how long the hiring process will take is a mystery.

There will be long gaps between communications. There will be an absence of any meaningful feedback or constructive criticism offered about your performance—making it nearly impossible to improve your chances of shining.

How Much Does The Job Pay?

Usually, it’s good for the company to inquire about your salary expectations before commencing the interview process. Nonetheless, it’s all too common that at the end of a six-month interviewing ordeal, you are given a verbal offer significantly less than what you said you desired. The lowball offer is a test to see how desperate you are.

If you are in between roles, burning through your savings and eager to get back to work, the company believes you’ll suck it up and accept the offensive offer. The hiring personnel will be happy over how they saved the company money on the lower offer.

It gets worse when the company is cagey about bonuses, raises, promotions and benefits. Promises will be made and not kept. The hiring personnel will say, “The bonus structure is great! You can expect to earn a bonus of 20% to 30% of your base salary.’ They’ll add, “We aggressively promote people, provide stock and options, and our benefits program is top notch.”

When you ask for specifics, they dance around the topic. It’s awkward to push too hard, as you don’t want to come across as distrusting, so you let it go. Sure enough, the money isn’t there when bonus time comes around at the end of the year.

Human Resources Is Not Too Helpful

You’ll go to human resources and ask what happened. They’ll say, “Did you get it in writing,” to which you sheepishly reply that you did not. Cheerily, the HR person will tell you to make sure you get everything in writing within the offer letter contract in the future.

Sometimes an exploding offer is given. This means the company is putting pressure on you to make a quick decision within one or two days—to accept the offer or not.

This tactic preys on people’s insecurity. If you need a new job, but have a few other leads brewing, the applicant would prefer to have the time to pursue all options before deciding upon the best fit. The exploding offer forces you to forsake all the other possibilities and take the offer out of fear of not getting another one soon enough.

‘Sorry, We Went With An Internal Candidate’

You can spend weeks or months interviewing for a company and then be told, “Thank you. We really liked you and your skills are right on target. However, we are going in a different direction and promoting an internal candidate. Good luck with your job search!”

It would be sort of okay if they had told you at the beginning that there was a likely chance the job will go to an internal employee. Most people would understand and respect the fact that current employees get the first crack at internal job openings. You’ve wasted all of the outside interviewees’ time by withholding this crucial fact.

Rescinding An Offer

Imagine you’ve gone through the entire interview process and the hiring company extends an offer to you. You then execute the offer letter, complete your background check and tender your resignation at your current firm. You’re on track to start your new job and then suddenly, you receive an email from your new employer—or so you thought. It states, “We regret to inform you that we have made the very difficult decision to rescind your offer of employment. You will no longer be starting with us on your previously agreed start date.” You feel like you have just taken a sucker punch to the face, as the rug has just been pulled out from under you.

The situation now puts you in a precarious and very unfortunate position. Your world has been turned upside down, as now you find yourself without a job. Sure, you can go back to your former employer and beg for your job back, but you might have burned that bridge.

Regretting The Job Switch

With trepidation, you write a letter of resignation and tell your boss you’re moving on. Excitement is building, as you can’t wait to start your great new job.

At first, everyone seemed pleased. Then, over time, you notice that your tasks, assignments and responsibilities do not correlate with the original job description and what the recruiters and hiring managers told you.

It hits you that you’ve been the victim of a bait-and-switch. You were told one thing, but the reality is completely different. In fact, the role is lesser than the one you previously held.

Now, you’re stuck. Do you quit and cut your losses or stick it out for a year so that it doesn’t look like you are a job hopper? Either decision isn’t too great, leaving you feeling cheated and misled.

‘We Want To Know Everything About You, But Won’t Share What The Boss Is Like’

You realize that the company never provided any disclosures about your direct manager. Although they made you take a Myers–Briggs assessment test to find out if you are normal or not, the process isn’t reciprocal. It turns out that your boss is a monster.

The people involved with the hiring process conveniently left out that this job is like a turnstile, as people keep coming and going because the manager is so toxic. He’s a micromanaging bully that takes all the credit and hangs you out to dry when there’s a problem. This omission ruins your work and home life, as you bring back your anger, frustration and rage to the family.

 

Forbes.com | September 8, 2022 | Jack Kelly