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#JobSearch : How To Quickly Rebound From A Layoff. Networking Is The Top Job Search Strategy. A MUst REad!

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Losing your job is one of life’s most stressful events. Unfortunately, most people are unprepared for this life-changing news. Last year employers let go 321,970 people, reports Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, Inc. For the first six months of 2022, 179,506 became unemployed. Ellen was the HR Manager at a midsize company. Distraught, she called asking for career help, saying she’d just been laid off from her employer of 12 years. Ellen was shocked, having a hard time trying to accept this had happened to her. “I am a dedicated employee,” she said. “I worked long hours through the pandemic, and now I realize my loyalty means nothing. I feel so betrayed. I’ve become depressed. I am 59 years old, so I’m worried my age will prevent me from finding a new job, and I need to work,” she said with panic in her voice.

When the job ends like that, you need some time to process this loss. You’re likely to experience a complete range of feelings: fear, isolation, loss of identity and confidence, depression, and some trepidation. Try writing out the emotions and give yourself a few days to recover. There is one mistake you must not make. Be very careful you do not burn any bridges with your boss or former employer, no matter how angry you are. Avoid complaining on social media. One VP of Recruiting shared she was ready to make a job offer and went to see a candidate’s LinkedIn profile. She read recent posts he’d made, and several were very critical of his former employer. Because of that, he lost the high-paying job she was about to offer him.

As a career counselor with decades of experience, I shared something with Ellen that helped reassure her. If you are suddenly unemployed, now is the best time for that to happen. Why? It’s a job hunter’s mecca. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the time unemployed people remain out of work. The average unemployment duration was 7.5 weeks between leaving a job and obtaining a new one. That is significant when you consider what it was a few years ago, when it took at least five to six months to land a new position. So, reframe your thinking and focus on this opportunity to land a better, higher-paying job.

Great News: Your new job will likely come with a pay hike—and a big one. The most significant salary jumps almost always come from leaving a job and taking a new one. CNBC reports that the typical increase is now about 10%. Yet when you talk to recruiters who are in the trenches trying to hire new employees, they all complain that it’s taking a major salary increase to get people to accept their job offers. They report that when the average professional switches jobs today, they will likely get a pay increase between 15-35%. Unfortunately, the accurate figures of what employers are paying today aren’t incorporated into the salary data available on the internet. Whether you are a Baby Boomer, Millennial, Xer, or GenZer, HR managers report that people at all levels are starting with better salaries than they left. Being unemployed seems to have no impact on the salary offered.

 

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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 …

Know Your Real Value

You have marketability talents other employers would be interested in. Do a self-assessment of what your accomplishments are, the knowledge you have acquired, and most of all, the accomplishments and results you have achieved in past roles. To begin your job search, define your actual worth as an employee performing your type of job. You may worry that you were overpaid, only to learn you were underpaid. For example, a laid-off Boeing engineer stated he didn’t know what his skills were worth to other employers. He researched the subject and uncovered salary surveys and in-depth salary data on Payscale.com that were enlightening. As a result, he landed a new position at Hewlett-Packard that paid $20,000 more than his prior salary.

Networking Is The Top Job Search Strategy

Connections are key. Ensure you are using LinkedIn to connect to all former managers, colleagues, vendors, customers, friends, clients, etc. They are vital sources of insider information and knowledge about job opportunities. LinkedIn has made networking easy, allowing you to reach out and send a personal message. A terrific strategy includes asking a colleague for a referral to their employer by passing your resume on to the hiring manager. Referred applicants always get heightened attention. For more specifics, read the Forbes.com article “Here Is A LinkedIn Secret Weapon To Land A Job.”

One of the country’s top job search strategists, Hannah Morgan, who writes a newsletter and blog, offered her best advice on getting hired.

“Uncover the hidden job market via LinkedIn,” says Morgan. “An impressive LinkedIn profile is where you start. Ensure that recruiters find you by creating a more compelling headline instead of the default that lists your current job title. Customize your headline to spell out the type of roles you are looking for and note any special expertise. As you craft your profile, use the LinkedIn “About” section to tell your story. Include the kind of information you’d use in a cover letter or how you’d answer this question, Tell me about yourself? Write the “About” section in first person, which means use “I” throughout this section.”

Morgan continued, “Sell yourself effectively when you write about your work experience on LinkedIn. Take credit where credit is due. Be specific on how the employer benefited. Did you save time or money? Did you create something new? Don’t just list the job title, employer name, and dates of employment. Be sure you outline the results you achieved working at your current and previous positions.” For additional guidance, read “How to Write an Impressive LinkedIn Work Experience Section.”

Keep a positive attitude and be able to describe in an interview why you are right for the job. Demonstrate the value you’d bring with specific details of the past results you delivered and how that prospective employer would benefit if they hired you.

 

Forbes.com | October 18, 2022 | Robin Ryan

#JobSearch : 4 Ways To Minimize Career Risk In A Market Downturn. Great Read!

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As multiple companies (Intel, Warner Bros. Discovery, Robinhood) announce layoffs, aspiring career changers like Kera might decide to pause their efforts. If you’re already anxious about the economy, you may not want to add on the anxiety of a job search. Even if you’re lucky enough to land a new job, job security is more tenuous for the new hire — you might be first-in, first-out in a market downturn. If your emotional and mental health is tenuous, the stress of a new job might be too much.

How do you move forward with a career change given the emotional and mental health issues during this pandemic and economic downturn? This is probably the most significant issue holding me back from actively pursuing my career pivot rather than continuing to “plan” for it. I still have a job that still provides a paycheck for now at least, and even though I am deeply unhappy in this job I am very hesitant to make that leap for fear of not being able to provide for my family (I am the sole income earner at the moment) just for a chance that I might be happier in a different job / company / industry. – Kera

However, you don’t have to quit your job right away. You can still move towards your dream career without jeopardizing your income. Even in a down market, you can minimize career risk while maximizing your chances at landing a job you love.

1 – Learn to be happy in an unhappy job

Jay worked in a niche area of tax where the typical career path stayed at one level for years. He was feeling stagnant, but generally liked his work and colleagues. Rather than quit a mostly good situation, he tackled the specific area of concern – his lack of growth and challenge – by pursuing professional development outside his job. He took on an adjunct role and became active in his trade association. While he eventually left his job, it was years later, and his outside-of-work efforts were significant in helping him land his next bigger role.

As Jay did, pinpoint the specific reason for your dissatisfaction with your current job, and work on that specifically. You might be able to find enough fulfillment outside of work that your unhappy job counts for less of your overall well-being. Or you might be able to work with your manager on restructuring the scope of your job, changing up your schedule or improving your work environment. Figuring out how to be happy in an unhappy situation helps minimize career risk for several reasons: 1) you’re not in a rush to leave and won’t settle for a suboptimal move; 2) you increase your resilience which is a helpful trait for managing the invariable ups and downs of a job search and overall career; and 3) you maintain an upbeat demeanor which makes you more attractive to employers, including your current one.

 

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 …

2 – Start your career change quietly

Maybe you have already tried talking to your manager, or changing other areas of your life instead of your job. But you know for sure that it’s your job at the root of your unhappiness, and it has got to go. You can look for a new job or work on a career change confidentially, without jeopardizing your current job security.

Never use your work computer, email address or other work-provided resources for your search. Schedule your research, networking and other activities for lunchtime, breaks and after work. If you’re working from home, make sure you’re available when you’re expected, and don’t get sloppy about taking off so much time that you can’t get your work accomplished.

3 – Target a career change that doesn’t require a pay cut

It’s a myth that changing careers means making less money. One policy analyst moved from non-profit to technology, so he actually made more money after switching industries. You can help your chances by targeting high-paying industries. Then, save your raise as a buffer in case of a market downturn!

Even if you’re already in a high-paying industry, a career change may still be feasible. An investment banker moving to education did give up the big banking bonuses, but she actually made the same base salary when making the switch. She was able to land a senior enough role in her new industry by focusing on transferrable skills and expertise to the new industry – something all aspiring career changers should do.

4 – Negotiate your next job offer with job security in mind

There’s a real risk of moving to a new job, and being the first-in, first-out in a downturn. Before accepting a new job, negotiate a severance package if your job is eliminated or restructured into something materially different. It doesn’t cost the company anything to guarantee your severance because they only pay for something they do (like job elimination or restructuring). Guaranteed severance clauses are typically structured so they don’t get paid out if you quit or get fired for cause.

In addition to aiming for guaranteed severance, you can improve your job security by thoroughly researching a company before you join. Is their industry growing? Is their market share within the industry growing? How strong is their financial position? How strong is the specific department you are joining?

Career risk exists whether you stay where you are or make a move

Sure, career change entails risk and discomfort. However, staying where you are still carries risk, and if you’re unhappy where you are, you’re already uncomfortable. The risk in staying put is that you still might be laid off, even if you are long tenured. Furthermore, your inertia might cause your skills to atrophy, your expertise to get outdated and your motivation to disappear – making you less competitive, once the market does improve. The best way to minimize career risk is to continually grow and challenge yourself – including stretching past your fear towards your dream career.

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 15, 2022

 

#JobInterview : How To Talk Positively About A Negative Job Experience. MUst REad!

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You don’t have to love everything about your current job. It’s no surprise to prospective employers that there are aspects of a candidate’s current job that are suboptimal. That’s why the candidate is looking or agrees to an exploratory interview or returns the recruiter’s call. That said, no employer wants to feel like you’re looking at them only because you want to get out of wherever you are.

The “positive twist” that Ivy is asking for is simply a reframing of what you don’t like in your current job to the aspirational thing you do want in your next job. Talk about what you’re looking for, not what you’re running from.

Here are five common job complaints and how to put a positive spin that helps your candidacy move forward:

1 – If you think you’re underpaid

Never talk about compensation as a reason for wanting to leave your current job. It just makes you sound like money is a primary motive, which is a shortsighted way of managing your career. Of course, money is a motivator, and you can and should negotiate for what you deserve once an employer expresses interest in hiring you. However, the driving motive should be career-related.

Employers want ambitious people with long-term aspirations. Highlight how broad your scope of responsibility is and how you’d like a similar or even larger role. This sets the level of your role, which indirectly sets the compensation expectation. You can also highlight specific wins and their impact on the bottom line. This introduces money into the conversation but in terms of the value you’d bring, which also indirectly sets a compensation expectation.

 

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 …

2 — If you don’t like your boss

If you’re asked to describe your boss, don’t talk about what drives you crazy and pretend it’s okay. That’s just lying, and you might attract more of the same in your next role. Instead, think about a small specific thing they do that is okay, and then quickly shift the conversation back to the job at hand. For example, if you have a micromanager, for interview purposes they are someone who gives detailed instruction or who asks for exactly what they want or who gives continual feedback. If you have a yeller, they are passionate. If you have an idiot, they are hands-off. Then talk about your ideal work environment, and get the interview focused back on the best case, not the worst.

Many interviewers don’t ask about your boss, so definitely don’t offer. Even when you are asked about them, it’s typically to get a sense for the current environment you’re in. It may be in the context of asking how you like to be managed. It could be a trick question to see if you do go negative – and are the type of person who talks behind other people’s back. The only positive way to spin this question, if it pushes your hot button, is to be quick, gracious and focused on the next question.

 

3 — If you disagree with the company direction or are concerned about its business prospects

You don’t want to go into too much detail if the company isn’t doing well because you might give away confidential information. If you’re not sure, assume all financial details and other numbers are confidential. Instead, you can point to the broader industry or the general economy as a reason that you’re listening to other opportunities.

What if the economy is strong, your industry is growing and even your company has had positive media coverage, but you don’t have faith in the leadership or strategic direction? In a strong market, keep your motives general. You’re open to opportunities because you like hearing what else is out there. You recognize that business can shift quickly, so you like to keep your options open. You have seen situations where conditions change unexpectedly (you don’t have to specify that this situation describes where you’re at), and so you’d like to be prepared.

4 — If you feel mistreated

A project did worse than expected, and your boss blamed it on you. A recent restructuring means you’re now stuck doing less desirable tasks than others in your group. You once had resources that are now taken away. There are many legitimate reasons why an employee can feel slighted, frustrated or upset.

However, your prospective employer can’t help with any of these things, so there’s no point in raising upsetting experiences in a job interview. If you’re worried that you’ll leave one blaming boss for another or be stuck doing tasks you don’t really want or think you have resources only to have them taken, then earmark time in your search for thorough due diligence once you get an offer and know who your new boss is, what the job scope is supposed to be and what resources are supposed to be yours. Till then, find another reason that is motivating your move, and do not discuss problems specific to your old company with potential new ones.

5 — If you want to do something else and no longer want your current role ever again

Don’t get defensive if you get calls for the same old jobs you no longer want. It makes sense that employers will target people who have done the job before. Have people to refer so you build a relationship, and pivot the conversation to what you are looking for, not a diatribe on why your current role no longer suits you.

Even if you only have positive experiences, you will encounter the negative interviewer

It’s well worth your time to learn how to handle difficult questions because you will encounter difficult interviewers. Some people frame all their questions to put others on the defensive. What was your biggest mistake? Tell me about your least favorite boss. How do you deal with a difficult client? The negative interviewer tries to stress you out and bring you down. The positive twist is to not let negative interviewers or negative questions bring you down, but rather move the interview back up with your aspirational talk and focus on the ideal.

Forbes.com | October 13, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#BestofFSCBlog : Reality Check- Recruiters are Not your Friends. There’s No Such Thing as a Professional Job-Finder. MUst REad!

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This fact may burst a bubble for most job seekers. The hard reality is job seekers have the wrong idea about what recruiters and headhunters do for a living. When one starts a search for a new job, the first professional they may try to connect with is a recruiter. A recruiter would know where to find a job…right? They can take the resume and push it to everyone they know…right? Dead wrong.  

Here is the hard-core truth. Recruiters are too busy to call anyone their company isn’t ‘interested in’ for a specific job. Recruiters will not return phone calls, voice mail, email, or text messages to strangers or applicants who don’t meet the minimum job requirements. They are already overwhelmed with communications trying to find the ‘perfect candidate.’ If you are not ‘the match,’ – you can talk ’til you’re blue in the face,’ but it won’t change circumstances. You will only waste your and the recruiter’s time.

There’s no such thing as a professional job-finder. Resume writers, career advisors, career counselors, life coaches, or outplacement service professionals may operate with parallel tasking – but they’re not job-finders. Recruiters are candidate finders. It’s not their responsibility to find a job for job seekers. Don’t blindly contact recruiters and ask them to help you find a job. 

 

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 also a numbers game – job seekers submit resumes, aim for multiple interviews, and hope for an offer letter. Recruiters review hundreds of resumes from websites, headhunters, or employee referrals for each position, query the resumes for matching keywords, and send the top 5-10 results to a hiring manager. The hiring manager picks the top three to interview and make a decision based on salary (budget), availability, knowledge, skills, experience, abilities, and personality in the interview.  

It sounds harsh, but it is reality. Finding a job is not a matter of justice, fairness, or luck. No one owes anyone a job. Recruiters are your ‘friend’ only if you meet the immediate requirements of an open job requisition. Recruiters don’t have time to invest in job seekers, their inconveniences, and their car or family problems.  Recruiters do care about recruiting, filling jobs, keeping hiring managers happy, and staying within a staffing budget. They will be polite to qualified candidates and perform the steps necessary to get that candidate hired.  Likewise, hiring managers do not care about applicants’ inconveniences and problems.  Hiring managers care whether the qualified candidate has great skills, stays within a labor budget, and can get the job done.  

Recruiters and headhunters are ‘people finders,’ not ‘job finders.’ They have a set number of specific openings at any given time and usually only hire one person per seat. One. Recruiter’s jobs are to conduct a ‘high throughput’ process. It is a matter of getting the right resume with the needed skill set to the recruiter to solve a company’s problem.  

Job seekers must ask when the decision will be made during the interview. If the company is interested in hiring, they’ll call. If you know when the position closes, call the day after if you haven’t gotten a ‘sorry, we found another more qualified candidate’ message. One call…no more. Drop that job lead into the dead file if you get a voicemail and no callback. Most recruiters have an email management system within their ATS, and there is a chance they’ll notify the ‘rejects.’ But most likely, they don’t have time for follow-up. 

To summarize, there is little point in calling a recruiter to ask them to help you, the job seeker, to find a job. Job seekers should recognize the recruiters’ viewpoint for what they do for a living. It is up to the job seeker to find that job and apply. It’s not a recruiter’s responsibility to help the job seeker find or get that next career position.

 

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 | October 13, 2022 | Dawn Boyer, Ph. D. 

 

 

 

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applicants, ATS, Candidate finders, Career advisors, Career counselors, career position, communications, dead-file, email management system, employee referrals, experience, fairness, follow-up, friends, headhunters, high throughput process, hiring manager, hiring managers, interview, job finders, Job requisition, job seekers, justice, keywords, knowledge, labor budget, Life coaches, minimum job requirements, offer letter, Outplacement service professionals, people finders, perfect candidate, personality, Phone calls, professional, professional job-finder, qualified candidates, Reality check, Recruiters, resume, Resume writers, review, skills, strangers, text messages, voicemail 

 

#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.

 

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 …

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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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.

 

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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 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.

 

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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 …

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.

 

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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 …

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.

 

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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