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#YourCareer : Laid Off, Furloughed or Fired: Understanding the Differences. MUst REad for All!

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Innovation and reinvention are common themes in the modern workplace. This can often result in shifting resource allocation and employee headcount. The coronavirus pandemic has also resulted in many workers losing their jobs, temporarily or longer term. Regardless of economic conditions, employers cut staff for various reasons. It is unlikely that you will work for the same employer from college graduation to retirement the way some in previous generations did. You could face a sudden change in your employment status at any point in your life.

Human resources and career experts say it is important to be prepared and to understand your position.

1. Furloughed vs. laid off vs. fired: What are the differences?

“We have to let you go.” This phrase no employee wants to hear can also be accompanied by some confusion. There are some important differences between being furloughed, laid off or permanently terminated, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Not all employers make accurate and consistent use of the terminology, so it is also important to understand the context of the separation. If you find yourself having this conversation with your employer, be sure to ask questions to figure out what it means for you.

Terms you should know:

  • Furlough: A temporary reduction in hours where an employee remains on the payroll but isn’t actively working or is on a reduced schedule. In some cases, an employee may be furloughed without work for weeks or months. Alternatively, an employee may work fewer days a week and take home a smaller paycheck. Furloughed employees may have an easier transition back to work because they remain on the payroll and usually maintain benefits like health insurance.
  • Layoff: A layoff is usually a temporary dismissal, during which the employer intends to rehire the worker. Layoffs often convert into a permanent separation if the employer doesn’t rehire the employee. Layoffs often don’t have predetermined time periods, and could last for weeks to months. They occur when work is no longer available at no fault of the employee. Usually, a layoff means an employee is removed from the payroll and stops receiving benefits such as health insurance.
  • Permanent separation: A termination without intention of calling the employee back. Depending on the context, this type of termination could include a so-called “reduction in force” or a firing. Employers can offer reasons such as elimination of a particular position, budgetary constraints, misconduct, violation of company policies or an employee not being the right “fit” for a role.

 

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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?

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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 is important to understand the distinctions. A clear understanding of whether you are being furloughed, laid off or permanently terminated could mean the difference between having health-care coverage or not.

If you are laid off or fired for reasons unrelated to conduct, you will typically lose your health-care coverage, though you may be able to continue your existing plan under Cobra, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, a federal law that allows employees to continue their employer-provided health insurance. However, you will probably have to foot the bill for 100% of the cost of the plan.

Under furlough, on the other hand, employees usually keep their health-care benefits, but not in every case, says Amber Clayton, HR Knowledge Center Director at Society for Human Resource Management. She says that some employers’ health-care plans only cover employees who work a certain number of hours a week, which could mean furloughed staff lose eligibility.

Employers and workers should both keep a close eye on the language in their insurance policies in the event of a furlough.

In brief
  • A furlough is a reduction in hours, while a layoff is a temporary dismissal.
  • If you are fired it might be called permanent separation and could be due to your position being cut, budgetary constraints or misconduct.
  • Your benefit entitlement may differ depending on which situation you are in.
  • It is important to assess your skill set and plan your next move.
  • Take steps to keep your mind-set positive
2. Think about what is next.

Loss of income is a big financial burden for most people. A 2019 study by the Federal Reserve found roughly four in 10 Americans wouldn’t be able to come up with $400 in a financial emergency. It is important to come up with a plan to support yourself during your period of unemployment, whether that means taking out a loan, filing for unemployment benefits or taking on a different type of work than you are used to.

The next-step checklist:

  • Communicate with your employer. If you have been furloughed, check in regularly with your manager to get updates on the timeline for when you can return to work. If you were laid off or your position was permanently terminated, don’t be afraid to ask HR if there are other opportunities or open positions at the company that you can explore.
  • Get your finances in order. Even if your separation is a temporary layoff or furlough, you can and should look for other work. This is also a way to ensure that you get at least partial unemployment benefits, which you can apply for at your state’s unemployment insurance office. Some states require applicants to prove they have been actively looking for work. You have every right to work another job while you are furloughed.
  • Look for different types of work. If you are having trouble finding open positions similar to your last one, start thinking outside the box. “Think in terms of a portfolio rather than thinking in terms of a singular skill, singular professional, or singular career,” says Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, founder of Reinvention Academy, a consulting firm focused on helping clients embrace change.

After you are laid off, furloughed or terminated, think about how you can use the time to diversify your skill set. Consider taking on a new kind of job that you might not have considered before. “Think of it as an opportunity to develop a skill and get paid for it,” says Dr. Zhexembayeva. She compares our career paths to journeys. “We all have a kind of bigger project, like a highway, but we also have country roads in the form of little side hustles.”

3. Getting laid off or fired may require you to shift your mind-set.

It is normal to feel anxious or upset about the loss of a job, especially when it contributes to financial stress. Try to channel your negative energy into positive action as much as you can. Remember that change is normal.

On average, U.S. employees had spent a little over four years in a job in January 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For workers ages 25 to 34, that average was just 2.8 years.

“If you are changing careers by choice or because somebody made that choice for you, the No. 1 thing is to stop thinking of it as something shameful,” says Dr. Zhexembayeva. “You are living in the world, and you will be facing a lot of disruptions. It’s not the fact that you avoid the disruptions that make you [a] success, it’s the fact that you stand up and keep going that makes you successful.”

Try these tips for positive thinking:

  • Write down your strengths. Make a list of your professional wins over the past year and use that to structure an action plan on how you will do more of it.
  • Practice mindfulness exercises. This doesn’t just have to come in the form of meditation.Any repetitive activity that you don’t find stressful will do, from running to cooking.
  • Get creative. Think about the skills you have that you could monetize. Do some research on how other people have made money with the same expertise.
Resources
  • Your local unemployment office. Not only can you file for unemployment benefits there, but these offices often offer resources to job seekers such as résumé-writing courses and interview practice.
  • Try a “Fear to Action” exercise. These free exercises can help you figure out the next steps you can take by drawing connections between your fears and their potential impact.
  • LinkedIn and Glassdoor. Set job alerts for your industry.
What to do next
 WSJ.com | February 24, 2021 | By Alex Janin 

#JobSearch : An Unexpected Perk Of Remote Work- It’s Easier To Job Hunt. Great REad!

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Before Suzanne Garner worked remotely, part of her job hunt and interview prep included practicing driving to and from her potential new office, previewing the route and the stoplights that could delay her. But since she started working from home seven years ago, she says “all that stress goes away” now when it comes to job searching: To interview for a new job, she doesn’t have to make excuses for being out of the office, schedule calls for early morning when her boss won’t overhear or hop on a plane to meet potential employers—let alone do homework on traffic routes.

“Before working remotely became more commonplace, I didn’t even search for companies outside of driving distance,” says Garner, who lives in San Diego and has worked as a marketing director for Boston-based, health information platform Outcomes4Me since late March. “Working remotely certainly provides more flexibility in terms of time and where you can meet when it comes to interviewing.”

With the pandemic-induced pivot to more virtual work, more and more job seekers are experiencing not only the freedom to interview for remote-based jobs—but the ease of doing so outside the view of their manager’s watchful eye. Gone are the days of having to throw on a suit jacket at least a block away from the office to secretly dress up for an interview. For many, the muffled, heads-down calls to coordinate interview logistics are a thing of the past. No longer are sick days needed to head across town—or across the country—for an interview.

Much has been made of how the Great Resignation is being driven, in part, by the access workers have to a national pool of remote jobs. But there’s a less trumpeted factor at play: Many obstacles to interviewing are eroded for job seekers who are in the privacy of their home office, working flexible hours and able to step away at a moment’s notice.

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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?

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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 …

According to the latest update from WFH Research, a project started in May 2020 by an economist and professors at Stanford University and ITAM in Mexico to track working arrangements and attitudes, nearly half of the 2,000 U.S. workers surveyed say working from home has made it easier to interview for prospective jobs.

In writing about the findings, which the researchers say they plan to continue exploring in the coming months, they write that “working from home can make it easier to take 30 minutes to an hour to do a virtual interview, or browse job ads and fill applications on a personal device without worrying about coworkers and managers snooping over your shoulder.”

One of the researchers, Stanford professor Nicholas Bloom, says when your boss knows you’re interviewing for another job, it can be bad news. “If you are actively looking for another job and you interview with three or four different companies, that’s extremely hard if you’re working in the office everyday because you have to come up with several excuses,” Bloom says. “Maybe you fabricate an entire ailment—I don’t know. But it’s hard.”

Interviewing while working remotely allows employees to schedule even more interviews than ever before, says Carly Mednick, a2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and founding partner at recruitment agency Monday Talent. “If you take into account an hour-long interview, commute to the office and back, we can be talking two hours or more of time to carve out.”

With location no longer a requirement, the job pool has not only widened; the search process has less friction. When it came time for Maia Thornton to interview for her new job as a senior knowledge specialist at Bain & Company, she didn’t have to worry about booking flights and taking time off to travel and could instead focus on nailing the interview.

“It was really seamless for me to still do my job and then also look out for my own career development,” says Thornton, who is currently based in Columbus. “I leaned on LinkedIn, and I didn’t have to worry about traveling and taking days off work.”

Working from home makes scheduling those interviews easier. For B.J. Schone, who joined feature management platform LaunchDarkly as director of learning and development in April, the biggest perk of the remote job search was the time saved.

“Maybe that’s why it’s easier for some folks to be switching so much during the Great Resignation,” San Diego-based Schone says. “You can just hop on a Zoom call from your own room and conduct all the interviews there.”

He says jumping offline for a 30-minute interview or quick chat with a recruiter was easier to schedule at home. So was filling out job applications.

“For many employees, it was like they’re going to preschool, and being watched, making sure they are at their desk or in the cubicles,” says Antonio Neves, a career coach for mid-career professionals.

The role has switched, Neves says. Job seekers are now interviewing employers just as much as employers are interviewing them. Employees, especially mid-career professionals, he says, have more leverage now and are more often deciding “to dip their feet in the water to see what’s out there.”

Going forward, the ease of interviewing, Bloom predicts, will lead to permanently higher employee turnover and impulse job changes—the same way online shopping has increased impulse spending. “We will see the same with people changing jobs because it’s so easy now when you’re working remotely to do it very quickly,” he says. “You can have jobs where you apply in the morning, schedule an interview for later that day and, if you’re a great candidate, have a job offer at the end of the day.”

Forbes.com | June 1, 2022
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#BestofFSCBlog : The Summertime Vibe Shift In The Job Market. Corporate Leadership Abhors Uncertainty. Must REAd!

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There is a vibe shift that takes place during Memorial Day weekend. It signifies the unofficial start of summer. The local town pools open and so do public beaches. You can feel the change in weather. The sun is shining and winter clothes are stored away. The kids are happily counting down the days until school is over. Parents start planning family vacations. The collective mood positively changes, especially for those who live in cold climates for most of the year.

What To Expect When Job Hunting In The Warm Weather

Vacation schedules wreak havoc on the hiring process. If you are seeking a new job, be mentally prepared, as there is a downside to this period. Historically, from around now to the middle of September, there is a steady slowdown in hiring. Since people generally plan vacations for the summertime, the folks involved with the hiring process may not be around.

Every year we see the same scenarios play out over and over again. The human resources professional quarterbacking the interview process places an out-of-the-office notice on her email and phone message. By the time she returns, the hiring manager is in Disneyland. Then, the candidate is on a beach somewhere.

Since interviews now require three to around 10 rounds with personnel from the group, along with other divisions, it becomes nearly impossible to get everyone aboard with the interviews in an orderly fashion. Due to the fractured schedules, it’s difficult to schedule interviews, momentum is lost and the applicant is left out in the dark.

There’s A New Challenge For Interviewees

You’ll likely run into resistance when applying for a job and getting called for an interview. Inflation, supply chain disruptions, rising costs, the war in Eastern Europe, overinflated valuations of startups and a plunging stock market are taking their toll. There have been a number of tech companies that have enacted hiring freezes and started conducting some downsizing.

Corporate leadership abhors uncertainty. With all of the issues swirling around, it’s easier for hiring managers to slow-walk the process or simply put it on hold. They’d rather take a wait-and-see approach. As we get deeper into the summer, it’s a convenient excuse to say, “We might as well wait until September, when everyone is back from vacation, and can then start looking at candidates once again.”

This doesn’t mean you should give up looking for a new job. It’s meant to manage your expectations. If you interview and don’t hear back, you’ll know that it’s not just you. This is a systemic matter for the time of year.

 

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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 …

On The Positive Side

There is a wild card. Even with all the geopolitical drama over the last month or so, America still has around 11 million jobs available.

If the Federal Reserve doesn’t raise interest rates too quickly, the stock market stabilizes, inflation calms down and China starts reopening and shipping goods to the United States, as Covid-19 cases subside, America may see renewed optimism.

Many people pull themselves out of the job market, since they have trips planned, just want to destress, enjoy the peaceful time away from the office and don’t look forward to enduring an interview process in 90-degree weather.

Both hiring personnel and prospective job hunters will tell themselves, “I’ll enjoy the summertime and get back to the search in the fall.” They’ll add, “After two years of being in a lockdown and worried about catching or spreading Covid-19, I just want to enjoy life for a while and not have to deal with any additional pressure.”

There is a contrarian game plan. You may want to put some travel plans aside for a while. With fewer job hunters around, there is less competition and you’ll stand out. If a company desperately needs to quickly hire and there are not too many other candidates, you have a better chance of succeeding and winning the offer.

For those who get out of their search mode, they’ll be met with tough competition once everyone gets back into interviewing when the summer ends.

Easy-To-Do, Career-Enhancing Tips

If you aren’t thinking about a job switch this summer, consider how you can advance your career over the summer lull. Usually, companies offer Fridays off or at least a half day. There is an unwritten rule that there’s more leeway during the summer months. Work and the pace of things appreciably slow down.

You can use this extra time to get ahead. Sign up for some online classes. Get a needed license or certification that you’ve been putting off. Now that the pandemic has largely ebbed, cultivate a mutually beneficial network of like-minded professionals. Ask for career advice. Invite a person who is in the role you’d love to have for a cup of coffee. Inquire about how they got to where they are and see if they’d offer some tips and suggestions.

Reach out to recruiters to get on their radar. Request an online or in-person meeting to discuss your short and long-term career goals. Now that they know you, the recruiter can keep her eyes open for when the perfect job opens up. If you are unsure of what to do next, enlist the help of a career coach. The same holds true for your résumé and LinkedIn. There are professionals who can write or enhance your résumé and beef up the LinkedIn profile.

Since business generally slows down, schedule a meeting with your boss to go over expectations and see if there is anything you could do to improve, add on new challenging tasks or feel out if there are any internal lateral moves you could make. By the time September rolls around, you’ll be prepared and ready to take your career to the next level.

Jack Kelly  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | May 30, 2022

#JobSearch :Why You Should Start Preparing For Rejection When Interviewing. With Both Stock Market Drop & Higher Inflation, the Job Market will Tighten Soon.

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The United States has been accustomed to a hot job market with plentiful jobs and an abundance of interviewing opportunities. Over the last year, the job market offered so many opportunities that there were months when 4 million Americans quit their jobs, feeling confident that they’d find a better opportunity.

Economic and geopolitical events will most likely change the job market landscape. Record-high levels of inflation, the Federal Reserve Bank stopping its policies that pushed vast sums of money into the economy, the Biden administration curtailing financial stimulus packages to families and other events will have a deleterious impact on both the consumer and companies.

As costs significantly increase, businesses need to pass it on to the customer. Tech companies have already initiated hiring freezes and job cuts to save money, hunker down and get through this new, more austere period. The spigot of venture capital funding will be tightened.

Fortunately, there are still more than 10 million jobs available. We need to keep a watchful eye out for the JOLTS report that provides the data on the number of roles available, as it may soon show fewer jobs open.

The result of all of this is that when you are interviewing, it’s likely to be harder, with more meetings that lead to nowhere. Since the future is cloudy, executives are not sure what to do, so they’ll slow-walk the process. It will be easy for businesses to dump the extra work on the current employees and wait to find the perfect candidate who will accept a lower compensation package.

 

Here is what you need to know while you are interviewing to keep your sanity.

Mentally Managing Rejection

No matter how successful a person is, there is always rejection in their journey. If you are once again turned down for a job, take some time to accept, process and grieve. After a short while, dust yourself off and start again.

There is nothing to be ashamed about. People get rejected all the time. An all-star athlete is traded to another team. A popular politician is voted out of office. Famous actors get rejected for roles all the time.

Try to learn how to be resilient. After feeling bad, you need to focus on bouncing back. To do this, avoid fixating on the loss. Be honest with yourself. Think of anything you did or didn’t do, which could later serve to improve your next interview performance.

The good news is that interviewing is a numbers game. The more interviews you go on, the higher the chances you have of finding a new job. This is why you need to brush yourself off and get started right away. As you attend more interviews, you’ll improve your performance. You’ll start anticipating commonly asked questions and be armed with great answers.

It’s helpful to cultivate a supportive network to share your feelings. You’ll likely hear the same stories from them too, as it’s not unique to get rejected. Try to keep a sense of humor and perspective. There will be other jobs. You may end up finding a job that is far superior to the one you lost out on. In hindsight, the rejection was the best thing that ever happened to you.

 

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

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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 …

Adjust Your Expectation

If a colleague interviewed and found a job three or six months ago, their experience will not be similar to what you will be going through. It will take longer, you’ll lack feedback and get ghosted. There is a good chance you won’t receive an offer. If you do, it may be substantially lower compared to what your coworker received.

On the positive side, you can take solace in the fact that it’s not just you that is experiencing this new change. Nearly everyone else will be in the same position. This may not make you happy, but at least you’ll know that it’s not your fault.

You Need To Remain Confident

When the job market swings dramatically from buoyant to somewhat challenging, it can be jarring. It’s easy to start feeling dejected after not obtaining invitations to interview or constantly coming in second or third place. After a while, it’s easy to start losing confidence. After taking so much time and energy to interview, not receiving offers can damage your self-esteem.

You need to practice positive self-talk. This entails continually reminding yourself of all of your great qualities. Keep in mind all of the times you triumphed over adversities. Think of your reasons for going after this new role. It could be because you’re trying to earn more money to provide a better life for your family. This powerful reason will help you power through the difficulties of interviewing and getting rejected.

Accept The Change

If you’ve been accustomed to easily finding jobs, it’s natural to become complacent. In a blazing hot job market, you don’t haveto try as hard, since hiring managers desperately need the help. Their standards will be lowered and expectations not too high. This is changing due to the new reality. You now must bring your A-game to the interview.

You need to study the job description and prepare an elevator pitch that shows you possess all of the requisite requirements. Search LinkedIn to learn all about the people who will be interviewing you. Use the profiles to consider mutual commonalities that will enable you to quickly bond with them. Ask your recruiter for all the insider information about the company, the hiring personnel, corporate culture, compensation ranges and what they are looking for in a candidate. See if you know anyone at the organization and ask them to put in a good word and recommend you.

Role-play interviewing with trusted friends and peers. Ask for constructive criticism. You may have been too casual, as the job market was hot. That attitude won’t work in a cost-cutting environment.

Think Of Interviewing Like A Marathon

Interviewing during tough times is hard. Getting rejected hurts your ego. It is easy to give up. Instead, frame the process as a marathon. It’s actually, at times, more akin to a Tough Mudder competition, along with a decathlon.

Just as top athletes need to be in peak condition to perform, you need to view interviewing similarly. Prepare and perfect your presentation. Make sure that you take care of yourself. Try meditation, affirmations, manifestations, yoga or whatever you like to do to get psyched up.

Rejection Stokes Passion And Great Achievements

Overcoming adversity can empower you to achieve great things. It is easy to let rejection get the best of you. The harder part is to learn from the experience.

The key is leveraging rejection in your favor. It could serve as the motivating factor to try again with greater vigor and passion. A Jedi-type mind trick is to feel that if you can rebound from a setback, still feel fine and have the people you love still care for you. You’ll be empowered and unafraid to take on new challenges. The lesson learned from rejection is that with the right mindset, it’s only temporary, but can build your inner strength, which can help lead you to achieve great things in the future.

Forbes.com Author:   Jack Kelly

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | May 25, 2022

 

#JobSearch : Helpful Tips For Your Job Hunting Journey. Great REad!

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An ancient Latin proverb applies to most any pursuit in life: “If the wind will not serve, take to the oars.”   That timeless counsel seems especially pertinent for anyone searching for employment. Doubly so in a volatile job market.

        Question: How do you stand out?

Some experts predict that, by 2025, people in their 30s will comprise the majority of the world’s workforce. Most of those people are still navigating the early stages of their careers. They’re facing the challenge of establishing their own personal “brands” and standing out in a crowded pool of applicants. Unfortunately, many of the applicants in that pool are ill-prepared for launching—not to mention advancing—their careers.

Mark Zides can help. As founder and chief executive of CoreAxis Consulting, an award-winning talent management firm, he teaches young adults the skills they need to climb the ladder of career success.

His new book is The #PACE Process for Early Career Success. It offers a rich combination of real-life experience, research, and specific tips along with a dose of tough love.

In this instance, PACE stands for Plan, Apply for, Commit to, and Evaluate your ideal career path.  Finding the right job can be tough. Mark Zides shows how to grab the oars and row to success.

Rodger Dean Duncan: What is it about today’s work environment that makes it so difficult for the upcoming generation to get traction with their careers?

Mark Zides: The virtual nature of the workplace makes it difficult. There isn’t an opportunity to drop into someone’s office to ask a quick question. It’s difficult to build relationships in the workplace that help establish trust and credibility. There’s an inherent perception of the Gen-Zs coming into the workplace that they’re not as prepared as prior generations, which is a challenge they need to debunk with good work ethic in order for society to feel they are making an impact.

 

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

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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 …

Duncan: What mindset seems to be most helpful for today’s job seekers?

Zides: It’s extremely important to be open and agile. The professional world is one that is ever-changing, and anyone who gets stuck in the weeds gets left behind. Being open to change will alleviate a lot of stress and make you an invaluable resource. While staying open, agility is key. The world moves fast, which means you need to, as well.

Duncan: You encourage job hunters to “train your hustle muscle.” Can you elaborate?

Zides: Your “hustle muscle” is a combination of behaviors and actions that a job hunter needs to perform to be successful. The job market is dynamic and challenging. Today’s job seeker needs to become an elite networker, both inside the company that they’re looking to be employed by, as well as with the connections they have who can help them get into the desired organization. Job hunters need to approach the market in a progressive way, where they are planting many seeds and establishing many connections that can help them ascend beyond just the hiring manager’s inbox, into other influencers in the organization.

Duncan: Networking is obviously important in job searching. What best practices do you recommend?

Zides: Everyday, a job searcher should be making at least five connections through LinkedIn that they believe would be mutually beneficial. As part of their networking strategy, I recommend joining LinkedIn groups that are in the ecosystem of the industry and community they are looking to join. Follow leaders in the industry on the platform that you aspire to work with. Attend virtual (and in-person if available) events to get your name and face out there.

Duncan: What role does personal brand play in a job candidate’s search for the right fit?

Zides: A first impression is a lasting impression, whether you like it or not. Your personal brand is critical to building a professional image. Your brand is something you must live by. It’s something that must align with the work you create and your professional performance. When searching for a role, make sure your branding, messaging, goals, and beliefs align with the company you’re looking to work for.

Duncan: Most people know that an interview can make or break a job candidate’s opportunity, and these days many interviews are virtual. What are the keys to making the most of a Zoom interview?

Zides: First and foremost, make sure you show up dressed for the job you want. Look professional and share your camera. When you’re talking with the interviewer, look into the camera. Eye contact in person is key, and making the extra effort during the interview will go a long way. Make sure the place you setup not only has great lighting, but is quiet. Silence your phone and make sure there aren’t any distractions around you. Finally, when the interviewer is talking, use the mute button to eliminate any background noise you may not be aware of. This will also show active engagement in the conversation.

Duncan: You quote Winston Churchill as saying, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” How does that apply to someone who’s trying to stand out in the job applicant crowd?

Zides: The reality is that you can interview for ten jobs and be turned down by all of them. But you cannot quit. Do not lose your momentum, enthusiasm, energy, and desire to land a job. If you are going through this experience of failure, learn from your past interviews so you don’t make the same mistakes in the next one. Polish your approach, or even try a new one. Ask past interviewers what you could have done better. Just make sure you have thick skin and don’t become defensive. The key is to never lose your passion for what you believe in and always stay true to yourself and the goals you have set for yourself. The right job will come along, and it will be worth the wait.

Duncan: The first 60 to 90 days seem especially important in acclimating to a new work environment. What’s your counsel on making the most of that breaking-in period

Zides: With any new role, the first 60 to 90 days are critical as they build the foundation for your future success. During this time, it’s important to learn as much as you can, to not be afraid to ask for feedback and direction, and at the same time to not be afraid to make mistakes. Because that’s how you learn.

It’s also a critical time to start establishing your company network and connections. Find yourself a mentor(s) and learn from them. Be a team player. Become part of a community at the company that makes you feel included and where you’re making an impact to your peers, team, and the organization. Always be curious. Ask for feedback and direction from your manager or other leaders on your team.

Finally, outwork everyone. Be heads down, focused, open, agile, and help where you can but not to your main role’s detriment.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | May 24, 2022

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 5K Reads! Career Experts Offer Advice For People Who Are Worried About Layoffs. Tons of Expert Links/Articles. A MUst REad for ALL!

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There was a huge pent-up demand for workers once the economy reopened, along with a surge in spending as people left their homes to dine out, shop in stores, attend events and travel.

An influx of companies is announcing layoffs and downsizing. The rationale for the decisions is due, in part, to economic and geopolitical events.

 

The stock market boomed and everything looked rosy. Rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, the cost of everything increasing and threats of an escalation in the Russia and Ukraine war have struck fear in the hearts of corporate executives.

They started to think that perhaps they were too exuberant in their hiring and now feel the need to tap on the breaks, hold off on hiring and consider some layoffs to conserve capital.

This may all turn around soon for the better. However, if there are more layoffs and job freezes, here’s some advice from career experts on what people can do to be prepared for quickly engaging in a job search.

 

Great Tips to prepare for Job Layoff or Transition:

  • Immediately begin to prepare.

  • Know your transferable skills and your unique, differential advantage. Only here do you find true job security.

  • Update your résumé with quantifiable, measurable benefits accomplished in the past 18 months.

  • Refresh your LinkedIn profile capturing all of your upskilling, certificates and accomplishments. Make sure it’s complete and robust.

  • Join LinkedIn groups and participate.

  • Network. Network. Network.

I was recently told of a company president who bragged that 60% of their workforce were now contractors. This [was] after shrinking the workforce by thousands over time. He then went on to boast about the significant amount of healthcare dollars, benefits and other company savings.

His remaining employees now live in fear daily because of their new rolling layoff policy. At any time on any day, HR can show up at your cube, escort you to a conference room and let you go. No warning, personal improvement plan or feedback and little recourse.

We will all lose our jobs at some point in our careers……….. Bottom Line: Always Be Prepared.

Sweta Regmi, CEO And Career Consultant, Teachndo

This is how it starts. First, there will be a freeze, then a salary-raise freeze during a performance review, then no yearly bonus, then eventually layoffs. I have been there.

Some companies will do [temporary] layoffs, should you wait? This is the time to lay off people who are not part of the tribe. Management issues, those who are change-resistant and those who speak up will be targeted. If you are paid a high salary, you are an easy target too.

Listen to water-cooler talks. Rumor mills might be true. There may be constructive dismissal. Do not sign any new job description because it will forfeit the previous responsibilities.

Proximity bias is real [and] face time is in dire need. Taking on extra tasks is a strategy to stick around, but be mindful of work-life balance. Anyone can go from office pet to threat. Keep an eye out!

Start reactivating relationships with people who left. Transfer all your reviews and documents to personal emails, including the job offer you have signed, if severance is not paid properly. Lawyers need to see job offers.

 

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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 …

Erica Reckamp, Executive Résumé Writer And Job Search Consultant, Job Search Like A Pro

We’re headed for leaner staff in Q3 and Q4.

 

  • I’ve already seen rumblings in the C-suite and the inevitable fallout after a favored leader exits.
  • Recession is likely on the horizon, as the cycle of requests for wage increases, subsequent price increases and inflation needs to stop somewhere.
  • Companies unable to hire shift funding to automation over payroll.

 

It’s happening.

What can professionals do?

  • Up the visibility of your contributions (self-advocate, show up, chip in).
  • Build skills through online credentialing platforms or free coursework.
  • Strengthen your career collateral (résumé, LinkedIn, profile, bios, letters).
  • Consider a content strategy or social proof (LinkedIn, conferences, publishing, etc.)
  • Engage with your network! Start spreading some goodwill, as it will be needed whether a layoff hits you or someone else in your network

 

Virginia Franco, Executive Storyteller, LinkedIn And Résumé Writer, Cofounder, Job Search Journey

I’m starting to see signs that the job-a-palooza party might be coming to an end. Now’s the time to get your career marketing collateral together, shore up your network and make sure you have closed the skills gap for any roles of interest should you be worried your job is at risk.

Ed Han, Senior Recruiter, Cenlar FSB

I suspect that when such high-profile employers, like Meta, Amazon, and Uber, institute freezes, even employers who are feeling confident start to wonder if those shops know something they don’t and produce a ripple effect.

But even if so, this doesn’t mean that no employer is hiring. Even in a down market, someone is making money, after all. And this goes to the importance of job seekers building a target list of preferred employers. Go after what you want, instead of simply spraying and praying.

Marti Konstant, Keynote Speaker And Author, Activate Your Agile Career: How Responding To Change Will Inspire Your Life’s Work

There is another underlying trend that impacts the numbers. The alternative workforce, which includes freelancers, gig workers, contract and consultants, is now between 40% and 50%. This enables companies to still stay current and relevant, yet have the best available talent.

Adrienne Tom, Executive Résumé Writer And Job Search Strategist, Career Impressions

Unfortunately, what goes up almost always comes down. Now is the time to get ready. Don’t wait for the layoffs or cutbacks to be announced before putting a plan in place and getting your career tools prepared.

I don’t recommend moving or changing jobs if you like where you are, but be ready for the possibility that you may have to execute a search suddenly. It’s wise to always be ready—and always have a career management plan in place—but even more so if you are hearing rumors or feel uncertain in your current company.

David Lee, Career Coach, Heart At Work-Career Counseling And Outplacement

This upcoming shift is a great reminder of why it’s so important to ‘dig your well before you’re thirsty,’ to quote the Harvey Mackay book from around the time of the dot-com bust, and connecting with your network and seeing how you can be helpful to others versus only reaching out when you need something from them.

Rebecca Bosl, Career Coach And Executive Résumé Writer, Dream Life Team

The ‘music is still going’ and use this time to do all the things you need to do to land a job fast now. Build your network [and] refine your career marketing materials.

If you are sitting on the sidelines, get back in the game now before the hiring freezes and layoffs start.

Sonal Bahl, Founder And Career Strategist, SuperCharge

Push the digits. Go through your address book and send around 20 to 30 emails per day to people that include friends, ex-colleagues, former headhunters you worked with, parents you chat with at the morning school drop off…basically anyone who knows your first name and can recognize your face in a police line. And use these exact words (adapt for style):

Hi [Insert Recipient’s Name],

I hope all is well! Not sure if you know, my employer [Company Name] is going through a massive reorganization, and unfortunately my position, along with hundreds of others, is likely being made redundant. So, I’ve recently started to look for a new challenge in the [your desired field] field and am reaching out to you to ask for your help with any leads or contacts. I am looking for a [your desired level and role] position in or near [Desired Location]. I am also open to an in-house opportunity for the right company and role. If you know of any job opportunities or leads that you might be able to share with me, please send them my way, it would really mean a lot to me. Below, I have included a list of my dream companies. I have also attached my résumé for your reference, and feel free to pass it along. Thanks in advance for your help! I hope you all are doing well and hope to catch up with you soon. Take care!

Warm regards,

[Insert Your Name]

Those who care will respond immediately, and you’ll also find out who your real friends are! A one-liner follow-up from those you don’t hear back from would help too. Now, if you have dug your well before you’re thirsty, there will be plenty of fresh drinking water (opportunities) in your well (network). If you haven’t, outreach, outreach, outreach. No panic, just taking action.

Forbes.com Author:  Jack Kelly Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Forbes.com | May 12, 2022

 

 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 9K Reads! The Secret to Getting a Better Job After 50. Even in a Hot Hiring Market, it is Tough for Workers Over 50 to stay Competitive in Workplaces that often Value Youth over Experience.

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Even in a hot hiring market, it is tough for workers over 50 to stay competitive in workplaces that often value youth over experience.

The pandemic has been especially hard on older employees seeking to reclaim jobs lost in the early days of lockdowns. Many say they fear that the workplace upheaval brought on by Covid-19 has reinforced some bosses’ belief that professionals in their 50s and beyond are less inclined to return to offices or adapt to new ways of working.

Workers over 50 haven’t joined the jobs recovery to the same degree as younger peers, not counting the millions who retired early during the past two years. In January, nearly one-third of job seekers age 55 and older were part of the long-term unemployed, according to federal data, compared with 21.8% of those between 16 and 54.

It is perhaps little surprise that in the AARP’s most recent survey, 78% of workers between 40 and 65 said they had seen age discrimination in 2020, the highest share since the advocacy group began tracking the question in 2003.

Professionals who have kept careers progressing well into their fourth and fifth working decades say they have developed a few strategies.

Tackle age discrimination head on

Rule No. 1, they say: Confront the reality of age discrimination head on instead of avoiding it. Some say they are doing so by appearing youthful—both in person, for hiring managers and colleagues, and in writing, to the bots that screen résumés. Others are pitching themselves as indispensable mentors to younger colleagues.

“You have to never give up,” said Jennifer Kay Rouse, who at 61 started a new job this month as a customer-success manager after losing her sales-account-manager position in a corporate acquisition last year.

Ageism persists as one of the most insidious forms of on-the-job discrimination, according to academic research and employment experts. In a 2021 study, researchers at New York and Stanford universities found people who opposed racism and sexism at work were still likely to harbor prejudices against older employees and to believe such workers should step aside for younger colleagues.

Meanwhile, many job postings appear to target younger job seekers with terms such as “digital native” or “recent grad,” and employers focus recruiting efforts on rising talent rather than on proven veterans.

This month, unsealed court documents in an age-discrimination case cited emails in which an executive at International Business Machines Corp. referred to older workers as “dinobabies” and a plan to make them an “extinct species.” An IBM spokesman said “some language in emails between former IBM executives that has been reported is not consistent with the respect IBM has for its employees and as the facts clearly show, it does not reflect company practices or policies.”

 

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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 …

Punch up your résumé

Ms. Rouse of Waukesha, Wis., says that asking a job interviewer for constructive advice and punching up her résumé with language such as “solid reputation” and “high performer” helped her land her new job at an industrial automation company.

Ms. Rouse maintains a youthful look by staying fit and wearing what she described as an “edgy” haircut with hair on the back and side shaved underneath the top layer. After landing several interviews but not the jobs, she asked an interviewer to level with her “to satisfy my curiosity as to whether it is about age,” she said.

The interviewer didn’t address her age directly but suggested her lengthy experience might make some interviewers assume she had come in with a know-it-all attitude. So she tweaked her approach, emphasizing in interviews that she was a team player. And she acknowledged being older to make the point that she could mentor younger colleagues and was open to being mentored by them, too.

A résumé writer she found on LinkedIn for $125 also helped refresh hers with a more modern format and buzzy phrases, such as “exceptional customer relationships,” which she said yielded more bites from employers. Ms. Rouse now earns more in her new job than she did in her previous role.

“I love business, and I love strategizing to give customers the best outcomes,” she said. “I wasn’t ready to give all of that up.”

Evade the job applicant-screening bots

Employers can’t legally reject applicants based on their age, but ageism can arise subtly in job postings and the algorithms that screen them. Applicant-screening software can potentially filter out older workers whose résumés show lengthy employment gaps. Other details can also date candidates, such as WordPerfect proficiency or an AOL email account, career coaches and recruiters say.

Laid off in 2018 from a middle-management role in delivery and logistics at the company where he had worked for 17 years, 56-year-old Dale Johnston said he was prepared for the algorithms that would likely screen his résumé. Instead of “17 years,” for instance, he wrote “over 10 years.”

“I had to be very conscious about what I put in and time frames to get past the bots and AI,” said Mr. Johnston, who lives in Bellingham, Wash. “I wasn’t lying. I just wasn’t disclosing the full age.”

He also kept his hair closely cropped while interviewing, because it looks more gray when it’s longer, he said. After landing a job as an analyst with a municipality in 2019, then losing it to cost-cutting a year later, he used the same tactics to apply for a job as an operations manager for a logistics-transportation company, where he works today.

Ginny Cheng, a San Francisco career coach and recruiter, advises clients that it is better to delete early years of work experience from your résumé if they mostly date you.

“If your total work experience is over 25 years but your last 15 is most relevant to the new opportunities you are seeking, you can focus on the newer timeline,” she said.

The key, employment experts say, is putting the focus on your talents, not your age. “Employers value wisdom, so it’s important to emphasize what you’ve learned and what you’re good at, not the amount of time you spent in the labor force,” said Richard W. Johnson, director of the program on retirement policy at the Urban Institute.

Harry Moseley retired at 62 from his job as chief information officer at KPMG US in early 2018 but jumped back into the workforce a couple months later by repositioning himself as a mentor.

During what would be a brief retirement, he had let his network know he remained open to new ventures and helping coach at another company. A friend soon approached him with an opportunity as global chief information officer at Zoom Video Communications Inc. Mr. Moseley hadn’t thought he wanted to return to a full-time role, but the position excited him.

“It could be a lot of fun, and I felt like I could help,” he said.

At Zoom since March 2018 and working mostly from the New York area, where he lives, the now 66-year-old Mr. Moseley said he makes a point of not appearing resistant to change. “You kind of have to say, ‘OK, well, that’s how I used to do things,’ and you have to have an open mind and look at things in a different way,” he said.

At the same time, he uses his experience to guide colleagues. “I am who I am. Take me for who I am,” he said.

 

WSJ.com | February 22, 2022 | WSJ.com Author:  Ray A. Smith

#BestofFSCBlog : How To Make Your Job Application Stand Out. Whether you are Online or On-Site. A MUst REAd!

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Faced with too many job openings and not enough people to fill them, employers find it difficult to recruit top talent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 11 million job openings at the end of 2021, but only 6.3 million unemployed people. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to find a well-paying job with the perks and flexibility you crave. As companies hire more remote employees, they realize that they can recruit international workers, making competition stiff. And if you’re trying to make a career pivot, you may also be competing against more qualified candidates.

That’s why it’s still important to make your job application stand out in a global marketplace. Here are some ways to do just that.

Do your homework

One thing you must do is learn as much as you can about the company. Some research methods include reviewing the company website to understand its mission, values, products and culture. Talk to people that work there to get first-hand knowledge of the environment. Explore news articles and follow the company on social media so you are up to date on any breaking developments, including mergers or acquisitions. Then check out their competition to better understand the industry overall.

Customize your job application

It’s crucial to customize your job application and any other materials to the specific role you are applying for. The last thing you want to do is send a generic resume and cover letter to hundreds of employers. Instead, it’s much better to narrow your search to the positions you’re genuinely interested in and then tailor the application materials accordingly.

 

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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 …

Focus on what makes you unique

No one has the same skill set and background that you do. Take the time to determine what makes you unique. Think through the expertise and experiences you have and how they make you an ideal candidate for the role. Highlight the personality traits and skills that will enable you to contribute to the company in a productive way. Then choose examples from your background, and make sure that you reference the positive outcomes from previous roles as well as some of your notable accomplishments.

Share your “why”

Employers don’t just want to know about your skills and experiences. They want to know why you want to work for them in the first place. In other words, of all the companies you could have chosen to apply to, why this one? What is it about this role that gets you excited? Take time to think through this question carefully. If you can’t come up with an answer, it may be a sign that it’s not the right company or role for you.

Let your personality shine through

Sifting through hundreds of resumes can be quite boring. Any effort to reveal more of your personality will go a long way. Don’t be shy. Do you speak a foreign language? Have you lived overseas? Did you climb Mount Kilimanjaro? Employers understand that they are hiring people, not robots. Ultimately recruiters and hiring managers want to know you better, which builds trust. It will also make you a more memorable candidate.

Think outside the box

Get creative when thinking of ways to make your job application stand out. One example is Jonathan Swift, a 24-year-old job seeker who wouldn’t take no for an answer. He decided to print paper leaflets containing the words “Hello, I’m Jonathan” alongside a QR code connected to his LinkedIn profile. Then he left them on the cars parked outside the company he wanted to apply for and was later offered a job. While not everyone may want to follow this approach, just delivering a job application in person rather than via email will make it more personal and help you stand out from the crowd.

The most important thing to remember during the job application process is this: be intentional! If you are just going through the motions, you are wasting your time. While you can get many things back, you can’t get time back. Time is priceless. Make it count.

Wondering if it’s finally time to make a job or career change? Take my 60-second career quiz and find out!

Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Castrillon Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Forbes.com | March 29, 2022

#YourCareer : Negotiating With Bullies – Get What You Want Without Losing Your Mind. In our Polarized Society, we have All Forgotten How to Persuade

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Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt is a judge for the Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals. She also serves on the Supreme Court of Ohio Board on Continuing Legal Education, the Ohio Sentencing Data Platform Governance Board and the Alvis, Inc. Board of Trustees.

With over twenty years of experience in the legal and political professions, Judge Beatty Blunt joined Negotiate Anything to discuss her most successful strategies for persuasive communication, as well as real-world tactics to use when negotiating with bullies.

State of Communication

Between covid, social media and the increased use of electronic communication, people are finding themselves with less face-to-face interaction. This encourages a phenomenon Judge Beatty Blunt refers to as “keyboard courage” – where technology makes it easier for people to say things they wouldn’t normally say in person.

In the professional setting, this can look like unnecessarily harsh tones or commentary in emails. While this behavior makes people feel powerful momentarily, this is the least effective way to persuade someone.

“In our polarized society, we have all forgotten how to persuade,” Judge Beatty Blunt shared. “All we are doing is arguing and trying to batter home our own point – which is not going to convince anybody.”

Persuasive Dialogue: What To Keep In Mind

When we think about successful persuasion, it’s important to remember two things: bullying isn’t effective and there is no “one size fits all” approach.

In difficult conversations, aggressive communication can move you further from your ultimate goal. Rather than approaching the dilemma with a sound mind and strategic response, the ego is calling all of the shots – and will likely end up breaking down any potential progress.

Additionally, when it comes to persuasion – everybody is different. Using the legal profession as an example, a strategy for effectively persuading a judge will likely differ from a strategy for persuading a jury. Similarly, persuasion will also vary depending on which judge you are speaking with.

Judge Beatty Blunt also encourages professionals, especially those in the legal field, to remember to answer the questions being asked.

“70% of the dockets are civil cases and 70% of time is spent on criminal cases,” Judge Beatty Blunt explained. “So time is essential if you are a civil attorney – you will need to make sure you are answering the questions the judge wants.”

 

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

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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?

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

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On Bullying: Strategies for Mitigating Conflict and Remaining Confident

Emotion Management

One of the most important things to consider when preparing for difficult conversations is how you will manage your own emotions and triggers. Once insulted or attacked – the ego works fast – often triggering a counterproductive response.

When it comes to emotions, the goal is to compartmentalize them, not suppress them. Make a list of your triggers. To the best of your ability, prepare for how you will respond if this trigger comes up during the conversation. One trick is to remain focused on your ultimate objective. Most importantly, make time to process the emotions later. Don’t be afraid to work with a therapist on this as well.

Allow Room for Silence

Judge Beatty Blunt once waited two minutes before responding to aggressive remarks from a colleague. Making room for silence has two distinct benefits: it allows you to process your emotions and plan for a productive response, and it shifts the energy of the conversation.

“When it gets quiet in a courtroom – it is heavy.” she shared. “I was just trying to get myself through the situation but looking back it probably was pretty effective because so many people are uncomfortable with silence.”

Respond Keeping Your Ultimate Goal in Mind

Once ready to respond, it’s important to remember your “why”. Another thing to remember is your own power. Everything doesn’t have to be a negotiation and when aggressive behavior is displayed – boundaries should be set. Sometimes the only thing to do is acknowledge you heard the commentary and end the conversation.

Judge Beatty Brown reflected on her response after those insulting remarks, “I sat there and let several responses go through my head,” she shared, “and then I just looked up and calmly responded, ‘Your insults are not persuasive. Is there anything further counsel?’ And the hearing was over.”

On some occasions it will be clear that that person just wants to be heard or validated. It’s okay to work that validation into a response while making it clear that negotiations are closed and the conversation is over.

Lead with Kindness

Though it will certainly be challenging at times, Judge Beatty Blunt encourages all professionals to lead with kindness where possible.

“Kindness is always the best way to go about it,” she stated. “That old saying about getting more bees with honey than vinegar – it’s true whether you are trying to talk with a spouse or persuade a client to use your services.”

Follow Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt on LinkedIn. To listen to the full episode, click here.

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Forbes.com | April 27, 2022

#YourCareer : How To Ask For A Raise Amid Soaring Inflation. Despite Historically High Inflation, a Labor Shortage, you Might Still find it Hard to Negotiate Salary. A MUst REad for ALL!

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Consumer price increases are hitting near-record, 40-year highs. A labor shortage is escalating. State pay transparency laws are making it easier to learn what jobs are paid. And a reawakened labor movement is forcing employers to be more responsive to workers’ demands.

If ever there was a good time to ask for a raise, it’s almost certainly now.

“People don’t perceive themselves as having as much leverage and power right now as they do,” says Ben Cook, the CEO of Riva, a salary negotiation startup founded with Harvard Business School experts. “Right now is a phenomenal time to go and ask for a raise.”

Yet despite this unprecedented wave of favorable conditions, you might still find it hard to ask your boss for more salary. For many, touting your own accomplishments—not to mention having a frank talk about money—feels awkward. If you’re a woman, you know you have to navigate tricky gender norms about how assertive people expect you to be.

And even as more workers talk openly about pay, negotiations tend to be information asymmetry at its worst, with managers typically having more data about what jobs are paid than you.

Despite historically favorable conditions—high inflation, a labor shortage, more transparency about pay—you might still find it hard to negotiate salary. Here, key steps to ask for more pay, and what to do if the response is no.

 

Still, there are ways to go into the conversation with confidence—and come out of it with a raise–or at least something else desirable you want. Below, find key steps to remember when you negotiate salary, and what to do if the response is no.

WAIT FOR A WIN

Timing is everything, especially when asking for a raise. Don’t plan it for when your boss is at her busiest or after a slip-up. And pick a time that immediately follows a win you can claim or a big sale you just clinched. “The timing of the ask makes a huge difference,” says Kathleen Downs, a senior recruiting manager for Robert Half.

You also don’t want to go in too late, after payroll budgets have already been set and promotions have already been decided. The discussion will more likely be a process that takes time. “A raise conversation is not one day, one half hour of time,” says Katie Donovan, a pay equity and salary negotiation consultant based in Boston. “It needs to be planned out usually for next fiscal year. Start it six months ahead. … it’s going to take a while.”

 

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

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Article continued …

PERFORM YOUR OWN JOB SEARCH

To get started, play the role of job seeker, looking for what not only your company, but others like it, are paying for new hires in similar roles. A small but growing number of localities, like Colorado and, by the start of next year, New York City and Washington state, now require employers to disclose pay ranges for new jobs.

Experts say that’s starting to have an impact on salary information in job ads, with employers publishing ranges elsewhere, too. “Do a theoretical job search—look to see what salaries in those places are offering,” says Linda Babcock, a professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University and the author of books on negotiation and women’s careers. “That can help you calibrate your request.”

With inflation soaring and companies having a harder time finding workers, employers fear the new laws will reveal inequities to current workers. Executives say a phenomenon called salary compression—when new workers with less experience are being paid similarly to those with more tenure and skills—is happening more now. A recent survey by Robert Half found that 56% of C-suite executives said they’ve seen pay discrepancies between new hires and more tenured staff in the past year.

If your employer isn’t being so conscious—and you see a job ad at your firm that pays more—it should help you. “Calmly and professionally say ‘explain to me what I’m misunderstanding,” Donovan suggests. “This person will be coming in and doing the job I’m doing right now. … Why would I not get paid what that person would get paid?”

ASK OTHERS WHAT THEY THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE

By now you know to do your homework before you negotiate salary. Look at web sites such as Payscale and Glassdoor. Ask professional associations for salary data. Find databases in your field. Look up Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

But such sources can sometimes be out of date or unspecific; in those cases, ask people who work in your field. If you’re uncomfortable asking someone what they make, says Babcock, ask people who might oversee a role like yours for their expertise instead. “Ask, ‘what do you think I should make for this position?’ They can use all the information they know, and you’re going to get a broader range of data.”

Or, if you ask a peer who works at another company, replace the awkward “how much do you make?” with an offering of your own salary and the question “how would that match up within your organization?” advises Downs. “There are ways to find out what other people are making,” she says, without asking the question too bluntly.

FOR WOMEN, MAKE A COMMUNAL PITCH—AND AIM HIGHER

The actual words you use really matter, particularly for women. Society views women as being “others-focused,” so when they ask for something for themselves, “there’s inherently friction there,” says Kathryn Valentine, the founder of Worthmore Strategies, a negotiation training and consulting firm for executive women.

Therefore, for women, it’s important to keep the conversation collaborative, communal and holistic, says Valentine, making your request in terms of how it can help your boss or the company. A sample pitch might say something like this, she suggests: “Last year I was able to bring in $500,000 in sales. I believe we’re on track to deliver 20% more this year. In order to deliver on that goal, I’d like to bring my compensation in line with market value, which is X. What do you think?”

A simple formula, she says, is to highlight past performance, combine it with future potential and follow up with a direct request. Then stop talking. “To make others feel comfortable, women will continue to talk and in doing that they [hurt their negotiating position],” she says.

Women, suggests Donovan, should ask for at least 75% of the job’s market value. Research has shown that women are more likely than men to be paid in a tight range around the median, and as a result, are less likely to be paid at the top end of the range. “Median pay for everyone is always lower than the median pay of the white guys,” Donovan says.

USE A SPECIFIC NUMBER—AND GO FIRST

Much negotiation advice suggests you should wait for the other person to make the first offer. But unless you have no idea what the pay range should be, says Valentine, research shows it pays to go first. Doing so means you “anchor” the conversation with your number, she says. “If you know the bargaining zone, you always put out the first number.”

She also suggests—again, particularly for women—starting with a specific number, rather than a range. At least in her experience with clients, “when you give a range, what they hear is the lowest end of the range,” she says.

Jennifer Trzepacz, the chief people officer for SymphonyAI, agrees. Without a specific number, it’s hard for managers or human resources professionals to know how you’re valuing yourself or what will close the deal. “When they say ‘I’d like a raise’ and they don’t say specifically what [the number] is,” she says of people who request a raise, “there are times when you go back and get them the raise and they’re like ‘that’s not what I wanted.’” As a result, they’ve advocated on your behalf for nothing.

WITH COUNTER-OFFERS, KNOW THE CULTURE

Be careful about using outside salary offers to get a raise unless you know how they’re typically received. “Different companies have different cultures about this,” says Babcock. “At some companies, if you come with an outside offer they say ‘let me help you pack.’ In other companies you don’t get a [raise] unless you have an outside offer, and it will help your supervisor advocate for you. But you really have to know what the organization’s culture is like.” If you’re not sure, ask peers you can trust about their experiences with presenting outside salary offers and how counter offers are viewed.

Negotiation experts suggest using the salary offer you’ve received to inform your market rate, or cast it as a surprise that’s come to an employee who’s committed to the organization. “You can say ‘I have not been looking, but this came my way and I was really surprised to see that they were compensating at 20% more. Can you help me close that gap so I can continue contributing here?’” Valentine suggests.

If you still don’t get the raise you want, pay experts say, ask what you need to do to get one—and then don’t let the conversation stop without concrete specifics. “You say, what needs to change so that you can say yes?” says Donovan. If they’re changes you can actually make, do them, and then come back. But if “they keep moving the finish line, then you know you’re never going to succeed there. Go look for another job.”

Or, think about what else you might want. If your boss says they can’t boost your base pay, consider negotiating for additional time off, eliminating responsibilities that won’t position you for a raise later or even more equity if it’s a startup. “We really encourage our clients to be as flexible as they can in terms of the currency in which they get paid,” says Riva’s Cook.

KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS

In the end, says Donovan, one of the best strategies for negotiations is just to try and keep asking questions. “You as the employee do not have to have the answers. You’re not teaching them anything they don’t know,” says Donovan. “The more questions you have for each no they give you, the more likely it will be that you get it. The winner of every negotiation is the person who can keep the conversation going. Once I shut you up, I win.”

 

Forbes.com | April 25, 2022 | Jena McGregor