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#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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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 …

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.

 

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 …

 

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).

 

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 …

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.

 

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 …

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

 

#BestofFSCBlog : 14 Things to Do After you Get Fired. Rule #3- Important: Don’t Sign any Severance Documents. MUst REad for All!

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The words “you’re fired” are terrifying to hear, both for contestants on “The Apprentice” and for everyday, hard-working Americans. If you’ve just been fired from your job, your instinct might be to cry, to shout and to spend a much-deserved vacation on your couch sulking in sadness. But you shouldn’t.

Being fired does not mean the end of the road for your career. It just means you have a new full-time job: managing your finances carefully while earning new employment.

How? By remaining level-headed, persistent and proactive.  Here’s what to do if you have just been fired.

1. In the room when it happens, there are certain things to avoid.

Whether it’s a company layoff or termination for alleged misconduct, you are likely to find yourself in a room with your boss and a member of human resources. When you’re told you’re being let go, it’s important not to do a few things.

2. Don’t shout or storm off.

Managing a professional relationship with your employer may be crucial to finding employment elsewhere.

3. Important: Don’t sign any severance documents.

Not yet at least. U.S. News recommends running any offered severance package by a lawyer; you may be able to negotiate for a better package. In fact, Forbes suggests that you might be able to ask for more than just money: Consider asking for an extension of health and retirement benefits.

During your negotiations, you can also determine how both you and your former employer will describe your separation to third parties. If possible, persuade your former company to agree that your separation was mutual when potential employers reach out.

 

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 …

 

4. Don’t resign.

If you intend to apply for unemployment, it’s in your best interest not to resign, even if your employer is pressuring you to do so. Only under rare circumstances – if it’s clear there was misconduct and you won’t be able to file for unemployment, for instance – would resigning be a wise option for your resume

5. Ask questions.

Getting fired isn’t just a list of don’ts, however. Asking questions is one critical thing you can do in the room when you’ve been terminated. Whatever you want to know, you probably have a right to know — severance details, benefits extensions, reference policies, unemployment information and why, specifically, you are being let go.

If you are emotional at the time of your firing and unable to think clearly or react appropriately, it’s acceptable to request a scheduled meeting later that day or week to discuss the details. However, if possible, it’s better to handle your questions right then and there and part ways.

6. Consider wrongful termination.

It is possible that your firing qualifies as wrongful termination. In fact, an estimated 250,000 workers are wrongfully terminated every year, according to The Balance.

Per The Balance, “an employee can be considered to have been wrongfully terminated if discrimination is involved in the termination, if public policy is violated or if company policy states guidelines for termination and those guidelines were not followed.”

Laws regarding wrongful termination are tricky, especially when employment is “at will” and discrimination is difficult to prove.

Take Dennis K. of Boston, Massachusetts, for instance. Dennis worked for a private company with very conservative values, which made his position as an openly gay man very delicate.

“I always met my goals, and my clients loved me,” Dennis recounted. “No one had any problems except my boss and a couple of the managers. But it wasn’t something provable. It was just a feeling.”

Unfortunately, his anecdotes about his boss being extra hard on him would not be enough to file a wrongful termination suit. Dennis eventually found employment elsewhere, but his story is one of many each year that demonstrate just how difficult wrongful termination suits can be.

7. In the weeks after, relax and regroup.

In the weeks following your termination, it can be tempting to freak out, to get angry or to do absolutely nothing at all. But your unemployment status should be a time when you work harder than ever — after taking a little time to relax and regroup, if necessary.

8. Go to the doctor, like, now.

It’s likely that your health insurance will be discontinued at the end of the month. Get a physical, an eye exam and a dental cleaning while they’re all still covered.

Don’t forget to look into healthcare during your unemployment, like COBRA or options on HealthCare.gov.

 

9. Take a look at your budget.

Realizing that you no longer have a dependable paycheck can be frightening, especially when you don’t know how long you’ll go without pay. Spend time with your budget, cutting expenses where possible – entertainment and travel, for instance – and dip into your emergency fund if you have one.

If things are going to be rough almost immediately (i.e., you live paycheck to paycheck), you’ll need to consider housing with lower costs, downgrading to a car with lower, or no, monthly payments or even getting a roommate.

10. Get a temporary job or side gig.

If finances are challenging during your unemployment, find a temporary job, like retail or food service.

This will also prevent a gap in your employment. In today’s gig economy, you can consider self-employment options like freelance writing or driving for Uber. Remember, though, that some gigs may require an upfront investment or may not pay out immediately.

11. Take care of yourself.

In an interview with Monster.com, Dr. Melodie Schaefer, from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, identified self-care as a crucial practice during unemployment.

This means staying fit, whether it’s working out or taking a walk in the park, and engaged, like a game night with friends and family. Keep mentally fit by doing crossword puzzles or free brain training apps.

12. File for unemployment.

If you were not terminated because of clear misconduct, then it’s likely that you qualify for unemployment. The Balance recommends checking with your state’s unemployment office to see if you’re eligible.

In general, the unemployment office will side with you over your employer unless there is a clear, demonstrable offense for which you were let go. If you’re not sure, just go for it.

That was the biggest regret for Nichole B. of Dayton, Ohio, when she was terminated last spring for metrics that were beyond her control. Because there were some discrepancies about her performance, she wasn’t confident in applying.

“I didn’t apply for unemployment and I wish I would have. I wouldn’t have gone through nearly as much of my emergency savings as I did,” Nichole said.

Nichole’s story, fortunately, had a happy ending. Shortly after beginning her job search, her previous company unofficially admitted it was wrong for firing her and did the unthinkable. “I was approached by my former company and asked to come back,” Nichole explained. “I ended up returning because they offered me incredible pay, a better schedule and a manager title.”

13. Update your resume and start applying for jobs.

The most important thing you can do when fired is to begin looking for work again. The shorter your gap in employment, the stronger your resume — and finances — will be. The Balance explains that resumes and cover letters need not address your termination; just stay positive: “There is no point in bringing up the circumstances of your leaving until you have to.”

14. In applications and interviews, be honest.

While you can typically avoid mention of your termination in your resume and cover letter, honesty is key in your applications and interviews.

In fact, lying on an application can disqualify you from unemployment benefits and could be grounds for termination at any point, should that company hire you.

Senior talent acquisition specialist at Forrester Research, Abigail Smith, gave some solid advice for anyone who has been fired and is prepping for their first application or interview. “Do your homework on the company. See if you know anyone who works there or a second connection who could maybe introduce you to be referred in,” Smith said.

She added, though, that “honesty is the best policy when it comes to why you were fired.”

Smith and any other skilled recruiters or hiring managers will be sure to get to the bottom of your employment history in an interview. “I will typically ask what made them change companies,” Smith said. “Really what I want to know is if they left on good terms. If performance was the reason they left, how were they measured for success in that role? What limited them from performing well?

“If there is a gap in employment,” she continued, “what were they doing during that time? It could be anything from small side projects to helping a family member. We are all human. Just have a good explanation for the gap!”

In short, be transparent about your termination when asked or, if possible, find a way to bring it up before they ask and pivot with what you have done since. If it was downsizing, say so and move on. If it was performance related, explain what personal and professional steps you have taken since to improve yourself and ensure it won’t happen again.

Getting fired can be emotionally, mentally and physically draining, and, if mismanaged, the termination can wreak havoc on your finances. Be proactive in the face of termination, stay positive and don’t give up. Your next big career move is waiting for you

 

Businessinder.com | August 6, 2018 | Timothy Moore, The Penny Hoarder 

#JobSearch : Why You Have A Better Chance Of Finding A Job In September. You Have a Small Window of Opportunity. A MUst REad!

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The Adult Version Of Going Back To School

September is one of the best times to kick off a job search. Not all seasons are the same when it comes to interviewing. Some times of year are considerably more active than others. January and September rank highest on the list of the hottest times to embark upon a job search.

As adults, we still harbor the dreaded back-to-school mindset. Once the summer ends and September starts, we begrudgingly accept the harsh reality that we need to get serious about our careers again. No more long three-day weekends on the beach or family vacations. We sadly say goodbye to the leisurely coasting through August and mentally prepare for getting back in sync with the daily grind.

Why It’s Slow And Frustrating In August

Human resource professionals, recruiters, hiring managers and others involved in the hiring process have been taking it relatively easy during the summer months, especially towards the end of August.

There are too many interruptions in the interview process during the summertime. As it’s prime vacation time, job hunters are frustrated by the lack of communication and intermittent interview requests. Job hunters are at the mercy of the vacation schedules of the corporate people involved with the hiring process.

It’s a cycle of one after another being out of the office, making it difficult to build momentum in the search. A job seeker needs to wait around as the HR person is away on holiday, then when she returns, the hiring manager is flying out to see family in another state or country. Upon the return, others tasked to be part of the interview cycle take their last bit of paid time off.

 

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Article continued …

Hiring Starts Revving Up Again

September is the unofficial tacit acknowledgment that we must get back into gear. Managers complain to their HR departments that they are not receiving enough candidate flow. They complain that the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting trends are causing problems. The managers say, ‘we don’t have enough staff to keep up with the workflow,’ and they are afraid to fire the people who are coasting as they recognize it’s not easy to find replacements, and if they do, the salary demands and workstyle requirements will be much higher.

Feeling the heat, HR and internal corporate talent acquisition personnel ramp up their hiring process. They post job advertisements on LinkedIn and other sites, start outbound reach outs to solicit potential candidates, and consider promoting from within.

There is a small window of opportunity to source, recruit and onboard new employees. We have a stretch of around three months to procure talent from September to the beginning of December. Job hunters and companies must be active as the situation quickly changes around Thanksgiving. Once the holiday season commences, and we get closer to Christmas and Hanukkah, the job market slows down.

How You Can Take Advantage Of This Time

Try to block out all the challenges we’ve been confronting: record high inflation, a possible recession, higher interest rates, layoffs, monkeypox, and potentially getting dragged into Russia and the Ukrainian conflict.

Instead of looking at the bad stuff, view September as a reboot. Take bold steps to find a new job or advance within your current firm. Ask colleagues who found a great new job who were their recruiters. Get in touch with the headhunters and share what type of role, compensation and corporate title you seek. Now that companies are ordering people to return to the office, investigate what position a target company is taking; will it be remote, hybrid or in-office?

If you’ve neglected your resume and LinkedIn profile, start updating them. Reach out to people in your network to find interesting, lucrative job leads. Brush up on your elevator pitch. Roleplay interviewing with others to practice before you go on official interviews.

Since the job market is more tenuous compared to 2021, it’s understandable that you may not want to switch jobs. If that’s the case, initiate a campaign to advance within your current firm. Request a conversation with your boss to discuss your future. Share what you want to do next. Push a bit to get a timetable of how fast you will advance and what you specifically need to do to exceed expectations.

What To Watch Out For

September is a good starting point, but it’s not perfect. You need to be aware of timing issues. For example, white-collar, tech and other mid to high-level professionals expect a hefty bonus around January. Find out if the company will make good on the money you’ll be leaving behind.

Employees in fields such as Wall Street and the tech industry receive large bonuses, stock and options in addition to their base salaries. After a lengthy interview, the person may tender their resignation in October.

With a two or three-plus notice period, the person may start the new job in November. This could cause a challenge for the company doing the hiring. The firm may push back on paying out tens of thousands to the incumbent to compensate for the money they are walking away from. Some managers feel it’s not worth it to buy out a bonus, stock and options for only working at the new company for one month or so and move on to other applicants.

As you’ve noticed, we are going through fast-changing times. Thoroughly check out the company that you’re interviewing with. You want to find out if they have any layoffs planned, how they dealt with prior downsizing, and if they are in a stable financial situation or facing problems. If you know someone at the company, discreetly ask them if they can fill you in on any potential issues that could change your mind about continuing the process.

 

Forbes.com | September 5, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 6K Reads! The Real Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Ahead At Work—And What You Can Do About It. Bosses will Hold you Back for Their Own Selfish Reasons. A MUst REad!

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You’d like to believe that you’ll rise to the top if you’re talented and a hard worker. However, it’s a naive way to look at your career. For most people, no one is going to come to your rescue and sweep you off into the C-suite. Instead, bosses will hold you back for their own selfish reasons.

The Boss Holds You Back Because You Do All The Work

Your supervisor knows you are a rockstar, but keeps it a secret from others within the organization, especially the top executives. Your boss purposely wants to hold you back. Secretly, the supervisor feels threatened by you.

They know that you are amazing, but can’t afford to lose you if you get a promotion and advance within the ranks. Without you, they’d be lost. The supervisor desperately needs you to make them look good. Rather than extolling your virtues and telling everyone about your accomplishments, the boss hides it.

The reality is that you’re too good at your job. If you were promoted, no one could step into your shoes. This leaves you stuck in place. The boss won’t tell you the truth because it’s cruel and unethical to keep you trapped for their benefit and to your detriment.

 

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Article continued …

You Are Not Playing The Right Game

In school, you’re told that if you pay attention and work hard, you’ll get good grades. However, they don’t teach you about the real world. Working hard helps, but that’s only a tiny part of being successful. It’s not enough. You need to play the game. You need to shmooze the right people, get on the fast-track projects and make yourself known.

This means you have to get good at navigating and excelling at office politics. You need to work smart and let people know of the great work you’re doing.

It’s important to cultivate and build strategic relationships with people who can help grow your career. Seek out mentors who can show you the way, introduce you to key players within the firm and teach you how to avoid pitfalls.

Layoffs And Hiring Freezes

The current economy and job market for white-collar professionals aren’t great. On a nearly daily basis, there are announcements of layoffs, hiring freezes and job offers being rescinded. In this type of environment, you need to fend for yourself.

Everyone is trying to avoid being the person who will be let go. It’s a game of survival. Budgets are slashed. Cost cuts are commonplace. Management doesn’t have an appetite to promote and advance people. They are more focused on just keeping their heads above water. Your advancement or promotion is far down on the list of their concerns.

What You Need To Do To Turn Things Around

There are only four months left until the New Year. You have ample time to start laying the groundwork for a promotion and raise right now. Don’t wait until the last moment, as it will be too late.

You want to signal and have evidence that you are a much-needed employee. Keep meticulous track of all of your wins. Make sure that your boss is aware of what you are doing. Do this in person, as well as in writing. You want a paper trail of emails, memos, and texts citing all of the great work you’ve done. Point out the times when you exceeded expectations. Go above and beyond your responsibilities and keep your manager informed of the impact you’re making at the organization. In addition to the boss, subtly let others know of your accomplishments.

Play The Game

Go into the office regularly. With fewer workers around, you’ll stand out. Make sure that your presence is known. Chat with people in the hallways and cafeteria. Get in front of other managers, let them know what you’re up to and ask if they need any assistance.

Purposely send emails and texts and leave voicemails early in the morning, late at night and on the weekends. It may be rude, but these actions make the recipients notice that you’re working long hours and have a strong work ethic, unlike some of your co-workers who are quietly quitting.

Pop into the boss’ office to inquire what you can do to help them. Avoid fraternizing with people who tend to complain, gossip and are going nowhere fast. No matter how bad things get, always remain positive. While work-at-home attire has crossed over to the office, stand out by dressing as if you are a few levels above your station.

The Pitch For A Promotion

Before you know it, December will roll around. It’s time to capitalize on all the work you’ve done to break out and get to the next level. Put together an elevator pitch that concisely and succinctly sets forth all the great things you’ve done over the last year. Use this data to ask for a promotion, higher corporate title, a raise and larger bonus.

Be Prepared For Pushback And Go For The Jugular

Since your boss has been holding you back, there may be some resistance. If this happens, you need to be direct. Let them know that you know that they know you’re the one who’s been doing all the work. It may be uncomfortable, but call your supervisor’s bluff. Tell the boss, after all you’ve done, if a promotion, raise or bonus are not in the cards, you’ll let their manager know what’s been going on.

Say that you will start searching for a new job. Recognizing that the company is allowing attrition without replacement and hiring freezes are in effect, the manager will likely give in. They’ll realize that without you and no replacement on the horizon, management will discover that your supervisor is a fraud and has been riding your coattails for years. It’s a bold move, but sometimes you need to play hardball to get what you want to advance and succeed.

 

Forbes.com | September 1, 2022 | Jack Kelly

 

#YourCareer : Quit Your Job? Change Careers? This New Book Can Help You Make Better Decisions. GReat REad!

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Laurence Alison is a professor of psychology at the University of Liverpool and the Director of Ground Truth. Dr. Neil Shortland is a world expert on military decision making, who has worked with The Ministry of Defense (MoD), the United States Department for Defense and National Institute for Justice. Their new book, Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On, includes some high-stakes examples from military campaigns, terrorist situations and natural disasters, but offers valuable information for everyday life decisions, including career moves.

If you’re debating whether to take a new job, weighing a change of career or thinking of starting a new business, Decision Time offers specific advice and general frameworks to break down complex, sometimes amorphous decisions into actionable steps. Here are five favorite takeaways from the book that are particularly relevant to career decisions:

“When faced with what seems like a decision, your initial task is to work out whether there is, in fact, a decision to be made at all….We often find ourselves falling into this pattern of agonizing of decisions that are not available to us, or that we do not have the power to make” – Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland in Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On

 

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Article continued …

 

Too many unhappy people stay at their jobs because they think the first decision is “Should I take a new job?” or “Should I start that new business?” They fritter away their scarce free time and energy belaboring over how difficult it would be to make such a transition or how much salary they might have to give up or how hard it would be to find something new, rather than actually starting the process. As Alison and Shortland point out, you need to make sure there is a decision to make, and in the very beginning of career exploration, you don’t have an offer to respond to or a new business to launch. Your immediate decision is to get started with something. Quitting your job or putting up funds for a new venture comes much further down the road, but it paralyzes people unnecessarily.

“Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many are left?  Answer: Five. Why? Because there’s a world of difference between ‘deciding’ and ‘doing’.” – Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland in Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On

 

With complex decisions like a next career move, there are lots of smaller decisions that need to be made first and acted upon before getting to the dramatic crossroads of stopping whatever you’re doing to take up something new. In the case of a new job, this includes figuring out what you might want to do next, researching other companies, looking at job postings, updating your marketing material, refining your interview technique and more. This is where deciding meets doing and what drives a job search forward.

 

“Many people assume that the biggest ‘mistake’ you can make when making a decision is to choose the ‘wrong’ thing. But our experience and research has led us to believe something very different: the biggest ‘mistake’ you can make is to do nothing.” – Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland in Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On

 

When changing careers – to a new industry, new role, or from employee to entrepreneur (or vice versa) – the potential regret of making a wrong pivot keeps some people stuck where they are. But this just trades the potential of being unhappy for the certainty of staying unhappy! If quitting your job turns out to be a mistake, you can go back – there have been enough people who have done that that the Great Resignation has been met by the Great Return. If you pivot to a new industry or role and prefer your original one, you can rebrand the pivot into a learning experience. If you launch a business and it fails, as long as you avoid financial ruin, you can make back the costs. Jeff Bezos has a useful decision framework about making decisions quickly when they can be reverted and taking extra time and care only when they cannot. With careers, few decisions cannot be unwound.

“Decisions are just as much about when you do something as they are about what you actually do.” – Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland in Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On

 

Alison and Shortland emphasize the importance of timing in decision-making – the “when” and not just the “what”. Timing is critical in many career decisions. When you lobby for a promotion, the right time is when you have had a big win. It is also before decisions have been finalized so you can make your case while budget and titles can still be allocated. When you make a big transition (e.g., to a new job, to a different career, to launch a business), the better time is when there aren’t other momentous events happening in the household. If your significant other just started a big new job, they won’t be able to provide extra support during your transition. If your child is just entering school or you’re moving residences or a family member needs medical care, you will be pulled in too many directions.

“Ignore the choice and you’re giving up the chance to influence future events – and that’s one of the greatest chances life offers any of us, and never one to turn down.” – Laurence Alison and Dr. Neil Shortland in Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On

While Alison and Shortland remind the reader that sometimes there isn’t a decision to be made or, due to timing, it’s best to wait and take more time, they also talk about when to be decisive and make that choice. The book outlines different types of decision-makers so that readers can see what their tendencies are, the advantages these tendencies might convey and the disadvantages to watch out for. The book also offers different models for making decisions so that readers have frameworks to follow when a choice can be made. Because career moves have so many moving parts, the insights and information in Decision Time create a scaffold to help readers think through the different moving parts more carefully and objectively.

Make more informed choices. Neither rush, nor delay, but show impeccable timing. Recognize that no choice is actually a choice and likely a mistake. Take action once a decision is made. Only decide when you actually have something to decide. These are all excellent tips for making smart career moves and are covered exhaustively and engagingly in this highly recommended book.

 

Forbes.com | August 29, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#YourCareer : Fed Chair Jerome Powell Says Fighting Inflation Will Cause Job Losses: Here’s What You Need To Do Now. In these Challenging Times, you Can’t be Complacent. MUst REad!

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In a blunt 10-minute speech at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said he’s following through with his promise to raise interest rates and do what’s necessary to cool down the economy.

Powell didn’t pull any punches saying that higher interest rates will push down inflation to the Fed’s 2% target level. As a result, the U.S. will experience slower growth and a weak job market. He freely acknowledges that many Americans will feel the ‘pain’ and lose their jobs.

How We Got Into This Predicament

Going back to the financial crisis, before Powell, the Federal Reserve Bank used its financial tools to prop up the economy and stock market. The Fed’s policies remained essentially unchanged up until now.

During the pandemic, Powell and the federal government flooded the economy with trillions of dollars to provide much-needed funds to families and businesses. One of the united results was the creation of an everything bubble ranging from runups in the stock and cryptocurrency markets, and venture-funded startups that minted multi-billion dollar unicorn companies.

Powell is in an unenviable position to make the economy worse before it can get better. It’s frustrating that we need to trust Powell, who, along with Treasury Secretary Janet Yallen, missed the harmful effects of inflation early on, claiming it was only “transitory” and would subside after a while. It didn’t, and inflation hit 40-year record highs.

Americans are now paying the price for the bursting of the bubble. The Fed and government’s massive spending programs led to record levels of runaway inflation, creating another tax on people and companies.

How Does Powell’s Program Work?

To dampen the economy, Powell is raising interest rates and withdrawing all the quantitative easing policies that were in place. In a more fiscally restrictive environment, businesses will feel the pain.

They will no longer have access to inexpensive funding, and their costs will dramatically increase. One of the intended results is that businesses will enact massive layoffs to cut costs. On a nearly daily basis, companies are announcing layoffs, hiring freezes, allowing attrition without replacement and rescinding job offers.

Powell has been telling the country that he will cause pain by raising interest rates and through quantitative tightening. The problem is that Wall Street and others didn’t take him seriously enough. They were betting that he was bluffing and would eventually ease up.

After an initial shock from Powell’s policies, stocks plunged but later rebounded, as investors thought they were out of the woods. Their misplaced optimism may have been the impetus for Powell’s no-nonsense blunt message.

His thesis is that as the economy shrinks, people lose their jobs. As more people lose their livelihoods, they’ll forsake spending money on purchasing goods and services. When this happens at scale, the economy contracts, causing a downward spiral.

For instance, interest rates on buying a home nearly doubled recently. The housing market went from people bidding over the asking price to families walking away because they couldn’t afford to pay the higher monthly mortgage rates. Housing is one of the largest sectors. If people cannot buy homes, there will be less need for architects, real estate agents, contractors, electricians, carpenters, plumbers and other blue-collar professionals.

 

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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 our corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

 

Wall Street’s Harsh Reaction to Powell’s Speech

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, a bellwether index for the stock market, plummeted more than 1,000 points on the news. Other major indices plunged as well. According to Bloomberg, Powell’s bare-bones speech resulted in a massive loss of around $78 billion for the fortunes of some of the world’s wealthiest people. To be clear, unless a person sold their securities, it’s only a loss on paper. If the stock market turns around in their favor, the values may increase again.

  • Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and former CEO, lost $6.8 billion.
  • The high-profile Tesla CEO and possible Twitter boss, Elon Musk, lost $5.5 billion.
  • Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, watched as he lost 2.2 billion dollars
  • Grandfatherly Warren Buffett’s net worth fell by $2.7 billion.

 

What Workers Need To Do Now

In these challenging times, you can’t be complacent. Take action to protect your job or make efforts to find a safe role elsewhere. You may have to make some sacrifices. For example, you may prefer working remotely, but consider going into the office to be seen. Once key managers and executives notice your work ethic and productivity, they’ll view you as indispensable.

Below are areas you can be proactive now: 

1- Get in touch with members of your network. Ask around to see if anyone has some good job leads or can make introductions to a target company that you’d love to work for. If you decide to switch jobs, make sure the new firm is financially strong and doesn’t have plans to lay off employees.

2- Update your résumé and LinkedIn profile. Find recruiters who specialize in your space and can keep an eye open for opportunities. Don’t take too much risk with your investments in stocks or cryptos.

3- When you interview, don’t be afraid to ask tough questions. You want to ensure that the position is right for you and that you’re not just jumping on the first offer. Avoid disparaging your former boss, company and colleagues, as it’s a turnoff to interviewers. They’ll assume you’ll talk bad about them too when you leave.

4- If you want to remain with your company, request a meeting with your boss. Tell them you love the place, think they’re a great manager and believe in the corporate mission. Share with them your goals and aspirations. The best outcome would be that your supervisor is relieved the conversation isn’t about quitting, and they’re delighted that you’re committed to the company and want to advance. You can collaborate on a path to reaching your desired role within the firm.

5- Pay close attention to your finances. Pay off credit cards and other debt, as the interest rate will escalate. Reign in unnecessary expenses. Put aside money, in case you are out of work for a while. Find ways to earn additional income streams. This could include gig work, starting a side hustle or an online business.

6- Use this time to learn new skills that will make you more employable. There are many online courses such as the Flatiron School, Goodwill, Coursera and Codecademy. You could sign up to learn in-demand skills. The classes can be attended whenever you want. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a certificate, badge or accreditation that could help you advance within your organization or when you’re hunting for a new job.

Try To Stay Positive

It is easy and understandable to become despondent during tough times. You can’t let people pick up on it. Work on your mindset, as you need to be mentally strong during tough times.

Hiring managers and interviewers desire winners who are positive, confident and charismatic. Cast aside any negative thoughts and teach yourself how to come across as likable and charming. When a business conducts layoffs, management is more prone to retain people they like and are comfortable working with, even if it’s a choice between a more experienced colleague.

 

Forbes.com | August 27, 2022 | Jack Kelly

#YourCareer : You May Be Quiet Quitting, But Could Your Boss Be Quietly Firing You? A MUst REAd for All!

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Quiet firing is a largely unreported trend that has been going on for years. You may have experienced this directly, but didn’t know that there was an actual thought process and concerted effort on the part of the manager to get rid of you.

If you ever wondered why you felt persecuted and targeted, here’s what happens with quiet firings.

The Manager Has Something Against You

Sometimes a manager just doesn’t like you. The workforce isn’t different from the outside world. You become friends with some people and avoid others. The people you enjoy may share common interests and are generally on the same wavelength as you. The people you exclude from your inner circle may have different opinions or personalities that don’t resonate with you.

Bosses are human—despite what most people think—and anoint certain workers as rock stars and lavish them with attention, career-enhancing assignments, promotions, boosts in salaries, bonuses and corporate titles.

Conversely, if the supervisor never takes a liking to you, the treatment ranges from disinterest to making your work life so unbearable that you quit of your own accord.

Making Your Work-Life Miserable

To shove you out the door, the team leader will give you the worst tasks. They’ll criticize everything you do. In your boss’ eyes, you can’t do anything right. In front of co-workers, they’ll yell at you for making a minor mistake and treat it as if it is a catastrophe. You won’t be invited to important meetings. There will be conflated reasons for why you didn’t deserve a raise, promotion, stock options or bonus.

The manager will openly talk poorly about you in front of others. The staff gets the message that you’re being targeted and will withdraw from interest in you, as they don’t want to invoke the anger and wrath of the boss.

Unrelenting criticism, public humiliations, nagging, fault finding, thwarting any chances of advancements and souring senior management on you will eventually wear you down. There is only so much abuse you can take.

After a while, you realize that things will never change. You start quietly quitting, getting in touch with recruiters and searching for a new job. You figure you’d rather leave of your own accord than continue being punished and ultimately fired.

Some companies prefer to make life uncomfortable for workers, so they depart of their own volition. With attrition, businesses won’t attract the headlines, touting the number of people laid off. They also may not have to pay severance packages.

 

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It’s Not Your Fault; It’s Just Business

After a blazing hot economy and job market in 2021, out-of-control inflation, recessionary worries, armed conflicts in Eastern Europe, supply chain disruptions, higher interest rates and other factors substantially cooled down the growth and enthusiasm. Businesses regularly announce job cuts, hiring freezes and job-offer rescissions on a daily basis.

The unpleasant reality is that managers are tasked with determining who will stay or be selected for a layoff when conditions deteriorate and the company needs to cut costs. It’s not an easy spot for the manager to be in. They’re told by senior management to evaluate their team and ascertain a ranking of the top performers down to the least productive members. The lower-ranked people are now in jeopardy of being part of the next round of layoffs. You may be a solid performer, but unfortunately someone has to go.

Why You Feel Micromanaged And Under Surveillance

In today’s litigious society, supervisors need to be careful before terminating an employee. The firing could cause the impacted person to claim that they were discriminated against and take legal action. An accompanying public relations nightmare and backlash will ensue, sullying the organization’s reputation.

To avoid this landmine, the manager needs to document why the person was chosen to be let go. They need to continually watch over your work product and offer constructive criticism when mistakes are made or a failure to meet the required goals.

Notes will be made to your file to create a paper trail of reasons as to why your performance was not up to standards. You’ll be called into meetings with senior-level executives to discuss your shortcomings and deficiencies. This sets up the paper trail leading up to the firing.

You’ll feel watchful eyes upon your every move. The manager will feel out your co-workers, clients and other collaborators to gain a sense of the quality of your work. Intrusive stealth surveillance software may be loaded onto your computer to see if you are actually working or surfing social media, online shopping or watching TikTok videos.

Sorry, It’s Time For You To Go

As the situation worsens at work, the company now possesses all the documentation to add you to the list of layoffs. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a bad employee or did something wrong.

Sadly, when companies are forced to cut costs, it’s the worker who gets the shaft. The C-suite needs to watch over the organization’s finances and reducing headcount is one of their go-to solutions. Try not to take it personally, as it’s only business.

Before Giving Up, Try Talking To The Boss

Although it may be a lost cause, you may want to have a conversation with your boss. Share with your manager that you feel that you’re being unfairly persecuted. Provide facts, data and any correspondence from co-workers and clients that show you are in fact a productive worker and good at your job.

Try to clear the air. Since you have nothing to lose at this point, be direct. Let the boss know that you are cognizant that there is a target on your back, believe the criticisms are unjustified and the rude comments made in front of colleagues are inappropriate and uncalled for.

Inquire if there is a way to reboot the relationship. It could start right now with an honest, nonconfrontational conversation in which both parties speak freely and actually listen to what the other person says.

Call for a fresh new start, which will include incorporating all of the feedback the boss has offered. Since it’s a two-way street, the manager must put aside their animosity and view you in a fresh new light untainted by past prejudices.

 

Forbes.com | August 25, 2022 | Jack Kelly