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#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -5 Things I Wish My #Boss Didn’t Know About Me. A MUst REad for All!

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Recently, a friend of mine was fired from her job of 11 years. The reason was for a violation of a policy – a policy that had never been strictly enforced. Her evaluations during her first 10 years had been impeccable.

During that 11th year, her teenage son had developed behavioral issues and she was forced to leave work on several occasions, using personal and sick time to do so. She was honest with her boss about the situation. To this day, she is pretty certain that the termination was due to her rate of absenteeism and the fact that her boss knew her son had drug abuse issues. He was looking for a reason to fire her.

 Of course we know that workplace discrimination is illegal. And companies are very careful about this. Other discrimination, however, can be very subtle and even occur at a subconscious level on the part of a boss. Knowing about my friend’s experience, I have assessed my own situation, and now wish my boss didn’t know certain things about me. And it’s not stuff like my online degree. It’s the more personal stuff.

Here are 5 things he(My Boss)  knows that probably won’t get me fired but may color her perceptions when it is time for raises or promotions.

 My Political Affiliation

My politics are no secret, as anyone who views my Facebook page knows. And I am pretty open about them with co-workers. My boss clearly knows, and that could influence her decision about a promotion, because we are not on the same side of the spectrum.

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

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 My Wife’s Income

My wife holds a top executive position, and while my boss doesn’t know her exact salary, she certainly can guess the range. My boss might not think I “need” a big raise because we are doing well already, and a promotion might go to someone else who is struggling more than me financially.

 My “Second” Job

I do some freelance work on the side, not because I need the money, but because it is nothing like the work I do during the day, and I enjoy it. Now I am wondering if my boss thinks I am not giving my “all” to the company. And if the company ever adopts a policy against moonlighting, she’ll have to address it with me. If I hadn’t opened my mouth, it would never become an issue.

 I Was in Therapy Once

To me, going to therapy if there are personal issues is the smart thing to do. I now realize that there is still a stigma attached to this in the minds of many, and I wonder if that includes my boss. She could worry that I might become unstable.

 My Religion (or Lack Thereof)

I am an agnostic, and am very open about this. And in the course of a few casual conversations during happy hours, my boss and co-workers now know this. This was probably not a wise move, since I now know that my boss is a strong Christian. Could this impact my future? I don’t know, but my beliefs should have remained private.

My friend’s experienced has wizened me. If I leave my current job for a new position, I know what I won’t reveal ever again.

Daniela McVicker

FSC Career Blog Guest Author:

Daniela McVicker

Writer at Freelance

FSC Career Blog | July 5, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #FiredEmployee – 7 Things to Do Immediately if You Get #Fired . MUst Read!

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In the moment, getting fired can feel earthshattering. But for such a seemingly catastrophic event, getting fired is actually quite common. Business icons like Steve Jobs, Anna Wintour and Oprah Winfrey were all famously fired at some point in their career. In fact, in 2010 Wintour told a conference audience, “I recommend you all get fired. It’s a great learning experience.”

There are also a whole slew of reasons why the firing might not have even been your fault. Setting reasonable boundaries in a chaotic work environment, raising “elephant in the room” issues that management is afraid to address or even delivering such stellar results that you embarrass your boss can all be hidden reasons for being handed the pink slip. And if getting fired was really your fault? This is an excellent learning opportunity.

Once you get the news, you need a gameplan. You’ll want to carefully plan your next moves while at the same time ensuring that you have an exit that is seamless for all parties involved. Here are seven steps to take to smoothly propel yourself from your current situation into a cushy new gig.

1. Ask The Right Questions

Once you receive notice of your termination, a good first question to start with is: Why was I fired? While it can be painful to have your shortcomings laid out in front of you, ultimately, learning about your flaws will help you grow. That way, you’ll be less likely to repeat the same mistakes and risk getting fired again in a successive job. Plus, it’s great fodder for the ever-common interview question about what your greatest weakness is! And if you find out that the company is letting you go because of structural changes that have nothing to do with your individual performance, then it’s a weight off your shoulders.

You’ll also want to ask questions about whether there are any other positions available internally at the company, whether your employer would be willing to write a recommendation for you, what the final date of your departure is and anything else the company expects from you before you leave.

How to Address Being Fired or Laid Off in Your Next Interview

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2. Negotiate The Terms Of Your Departure

Ideally, you’ll want to negotiate the maximum severance pay you can muster. As a general note, severance is common in layoffs, but far less common when you’re fired for a cause. Except in certain cases, it’s not required by law for employers to give it. If you rely on the company for health insurance, it’s also important to put a focus on extending your health benefits for as long as possible. Be sure to negotiate all of these aspects before signing any documents like a non-disclosure agreement. If the company hits you with a pile of documents written in legalese, or all of this seems like an insurmountable task, you might consider retaining an employment attorney to help you with the process. Shelling out a bit for help in the short-term might save you headaches (and money) in the long-term. If you think you were wrongly terminated — for reasons like discrimination, whistleblowing or if the company breaches their contract with you — then an employment attorney is particularly helpful, as they can help you build your case towards getting the compensation you deserve.

3. Check if You Qualify for Unemployment Benefits

If you were terminated for misconduct — such as failing a drug test, stealing or lying — you will likely be frozen out of unemployment benefits for a time, although laws vary from state to state. However, being fired because of reasons like company cutbacks, being a poor fit for the job or a lack of skills likely means that you’re eligible for unemployment benefits.

4. Reach Out to Your Network

Besides finding jobs through job search websites like Glassdoor, your network is also a great place to start scouting for future opportunities. You can start by sending check-in messages to former colleagues, scheduling informational interviews in companies or industries you’re interested in working for and building your online professional presence. While you should make it clear to people in your network that you’re in the market for a new gig, there’s also no need to openly broadcast that you were fired, unless you’re asked directly. Especially in the week after you receive the news, take time to consider how you’re going to present the story of why you were fired to others. When you are presenting a rocky employment situation to others, Kerry Hannon, career expert and author of Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness, advises: “It’s always reframing it into what you learned from that experience, not why it was a bad thing.” Turning the story into a blame game is often less than professional. “Don’t blame them, and don’t blame yourself — just say it wasn’t a good fit,” says Hannon.

How to Network

5. Start Brushing Up Your Resume

After you receive notice about your termination, it’s never too early to start prepping for job applications. Start by sprucing up your resume with the details from your most recent job, as well as any skills you obtained during it. And, if it’s been a while since you last updated your resume, you might want to consider a complete resume overhaul — these templates are a great place to get inspiration.

6. Set Job Alerts

Although you still might have a few weeks to finish up at your current gig, the job search doesn’t need to wait until after you leave. While you might not have time to do an in-depth search while still heading to work every day, using job alerts can save you time in the job search and get a headstart on finding your next gig. Glassdoor’s job alert tool allows you to receive emails every time a job you’re interested in is posted. You can even filter the results based on categories like company rating, location, company size and more.

7. Have Faith In Yourself

In 2018, a 10-year study of over 2,600 executives published in the book The CEO Next Door revealed that of the executives who got fired during their career, a remarkable 91 percent found a new position that was as good — or better — than their previous one. Getting fired is by no means the end of your career. In fact, it’s an opportunity to do a sober assessment of what your career goals are, and the elements you need to shift to achieve those goals.

 

GlassDoor.com |  | Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : #LaidOff – What Not to Do If you Get Laid Off or Fired.

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When you’re out of work, no matter how you became unemployed, it’s tempting to dwell on what happened. That can be a dangerous road to go down, as focusing on the past can prevent you from achieving your future.

Yes, you may get asked about why you’re unemployed during a job interview, and it may be tempting to use that as a way to tell your side of the story. That, however, is a bad idea. Take the high road. Offer a factual answer, but don’t elaborate if at all possible–and bring up something positive.

Be upbeat even if you were wronged by your previous employer. Tell the truth, but keep it brief, and focus on your desire to find new challenges, not any bitterness you have over what happened.

1. NEVER DISPARAGE YOUR PAST EMPLOYER

In many industries, all of the major players–and maybe even the minor ones–know each other. The person interviewing you may know your past boss was difficult to work for or that the company has a terrible reputation.

That might lead the interviewer into opening the door to critiquing your past employer by leading off the criticism. Don’t take the bait. It’s fair to say “there were challenges, but I prefer to focus on what I learned from handling them.” Remember that even if the interviewer opens the door, you don’t have to walk through it.

 

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

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2. DON’T BASH YOUR OWN CHOICES

Focus on the opportunity ahead of you, not what might have gone wrong in the past. You, for example, may regret not leaving years ago–before a layoff or before market conditions forced you to quit. Don’t bring that up. Keep the conversation on the opportunities ahead of you, and use your past to demonstrate how you’ve built the skills for whatever is next.

It’s also important to make it clear that you’re excited about your future and not moving on because you have no choice. A lot of journalists, for example, have missed out on opportunities in public relations or other fields, because they spend time during interviews talking about the deterioration of their former profession. Employers want employees who want to be there, not people forced to do something else.

3. DON’T BE OVERLY WISTFUL

It’s fine to express admiration for your past employer. You don’t, however, want to act like a jilted boyfriend or girlfriend. Maybe you would have been an employee at wherever you worked forever if it was your choice, but your new employer doesn’t want to hear that any more than a new person your dating wants to hear how you’d take your ex back in a heartbeat.

IT’S SMARTER TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

Answer any questions you’re asked truthfully, but try to make your interview about the future. Lay out how your skills and experience make you a great candidate. Have a positive attitude, even if you just went through some negative things, and let the past be the past.

 

FastCompany.com | January 22, 2019 | BY DANIEL B. KLINE—THE MOTLEY FOOL 2 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : How to Save Your Job if You Might Be #Fired .

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Getting hit with a bad performance review or a warning from HR catches many people off guard, but according to career experts, there are telltale signs that your job could be in trouble that most people ignore, whether they consciously choose to or not.

For example, maybe you see your responsibilities being handed over to other employees. “If you find your once full plate is becoming increasingly empty, this could be a red flag,” says Joel Garfinkle, author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level.

Another sign: you’re no longer first to know information or you aren’t getting invited to those important meetings. And the most telling one of all: a bad review.

But just because the writing is on the wall doesn’t mean you can’t come back from a bad situation at work. Whether you receive a poor performance review or just suspect your boss is getting annoyed with you, knowing the signs you could be fired is key to preventing it from happening.

“If you’ve been put under performance review or feel like you may potentially lose your job this should be a warning that you take quite seriously,” says Joel Garfinkle, author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level.  “However all hope is not lost. Taking the initiative to improve your performance is a great first step.”

Be Proactive to Save Your Job

Once you are aware your job could be in trouble taking proactive steps to improve your performance is the best way to stay employed.

“So few people who get fired for performance reasons even bother trying to do what has been asked of them. Instead they focus on the unfairness factor,” says Suzanne Lucas, operator of the Evil HR Lady blog.

Sure, you may be hurt and in defensive mode, but communication with your bossis imperative at this point. Request a meeting with your supervisor and find out what steps you can take to make improvements.

After the meeting, come up with a plan of action and give your boss a timeline in which you will achieve those goals. Ask for a follow-up review to ensure you are doing what is necessary. Remember to be humble and take what your boss is saying to heart, even if you don’t think it makes sense.

How to Create a Post-Performance Review Hustle Plan

“Do what your manager is asking you to do,” says Lucas. “It doesn’t matter if your manager is dumb or doesn’t understand — if you do what she’s asking you to do, your chances of saving your job drastically increase.”

If having a discussion with your supervisor is out of the question, another strategy is to look at the people in your department that your boss likes or is happy with. Do they come in early and stay late? Do they respond immediately to any request the boss has? “Emulate the successful,” says Lucas.

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Prevent Landing on the Layoff List

When a potential firing is due to performance, a lot of what happens is in your control. But when it comes to layoffs, often times you have little say over who will be let go. Still, career experts say there are some steps you can take to hopefully prevent you from landing on that list.

According to Lucas, cross training is one way to make yourself more valuable in a company. You may be the best accountant the company has, but if that entire department is being shut down, it won’t matter. But if you are also good at finance, you may find yourself being moved into that department.

Why You Need to Start Skill Stacking

If you hear layoffs could be coming, Lucas says to figure out what areas of the company are profitable and try to get transferred there.

“Laying off employees is one of the hardest things an organization has to do,” adds Garfinkle. “When layoffs occur, responsibilities from terminated employees have to be passed on to those that remain. For this reason, the best strategy to employ to make sure you’re not one of those that are let go is to demonstrate your effectiveness as an employee.”

 

GlassDoor.com |  | Posted by 

Your #Career : How To Craft A Strong (And True) Narrative About Why You Got #Fired …Just Parted Ways with your Last #Employer in a Less-than-Desirable Manner? When a #HiringManager asks, “Why Did you Leave?” Don’t Jump into the Reason Immediately. Here’s How to Spin It the Right Way (without dodging the question).

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Just parted ways with your last employer in a less-than-desirable manner? Chances are you’re finding it tricky to land a new job. You may find yourself in an uncomfortable position when a job interviewer asks you, “So why did you leave your last company?”

You’ll need to walk into that job interview with a narrative that reflects well on you, no matter what actually happened. The challenge is to create a story that positions you positively in the eyes of potential employers–yet remains true to the facts. Here are the four things your narrative needs to accomplish in order to walk that line successfully.

Related: This Is How To Answer Your Most Dreaded Job Interview Questions

1. SHOW RESPECT FOR THE COMPANY YOU LEFT

First, avoid answering the question directly. Do not immediately say, “I left because . . . ” It may feel like a dodge, but it’s important to lay a strong foundation first. To do that, start off by making it clear that you respect your former employer. No firm is likely to want you if you put down your previous company; any reasonable hiring manager will worry that you’ll eventually turn on them as well.

Sometimes being positive might take an effort, but it’s one worth making. That also means resisting the urge to blast the company on social media or even on platforms like Glassdoor that let you post anonymously. It often doesn’t take a sleuth to guess who might’ve uploaded a rant.

So kick off your account of why you got fired, laid off, or quit on a note of positivity–pretty much no matter what. Employees occasionally leave for high moral principles, criticize a company’s practices, and land on their feet by attracting a like-minded employer. But these scenarios are typically the exception. The general rule to follow is to speak favorably about your latest work experience.

Related: Exactly What You Should Do After Getting Fired

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

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2. EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU LEARNED

Next, turn to the contributions you made in your last job–how you advanced the goals of your company and strengthened your own skills. Sure, there were some areas that were less exciting, but in the narrative you’re crafting you don’t need to discuss everything. Explain how you gained professional experience in the role and how it positions you for the new one you’re interviewing for.

Mention, too, the leaders who influenced and mentored you, and describe how they helped you mature in your role. (By the way, don’t wait long after your departure to let those allies know you appreciated their mentorship. It’s not only common courtesy, but this bridge building will come in handy when you need a reference.)

3. STATE IN ONE SENTENCE WHY YOU LEFT–AS POSITIVELY AS POSSIBLE

The previous two steps should only take a few sentences–don’t spend too much time laying this foundation, otherwise your interviewer might cut you off and press you to give a straight answer.

Now we come to a crucial part of your narrative: explaining why you left your last job. Don’t lie. Clearly and succinctly state what happened, taking care to put the best possible face on the reasons for your departure. For instance, if you left as part of a corporate reorganization, emphasize those changes above all others. Those are “forces beyond your control,” and don’t reflect on your abilities or the quality of your work.

If you quit, explain that you contributed a great deal to your last firm but wanted a company where you could offer still more. If you were fired, explain (with an eye on your new firm) why the fit wasn’t quite right, but why you’re well-suited to this opportunity. Once you’ve laid the groundwork, these trickier lines are much easier to deliver candidly, confidently, and compellingly.

4. SHOW HOW EXCITED YOU ARE ABOUT THE NEW OPPORTUNITY

Your storyline isn’t done yet. Close out the narrative by showing excitement about the firm you’re interviewing with.

As the president of a company I founded and directed for 25 years, I interviewed tons of job candidates, and anyone we hired–no matter their work history, warts and all–had to convince me in their interviews that they’d love working here. The best candidates had researched our firm, and had thought long and hard about the position they were applying for. They talked more about the excitement of the job and spent less time simply praising themselves. They knew about our core offerings and who our major clients were. They did not overuse the word “I” but talked about themselves in terms of what they could accomplish in the new role. This positive, forward-looking, enthusiastic approach not only got them hired, but these were the folks who contributed the most as employees.

Good jobs are hard to come by, while bad jobs can continue to affect your career trajectory long after they’re over. Don’t let that happen. Present yourself in the best light, and others will see you that way. If you can develop, write out, and learn this narrative, you’ll be able to deliver it confidently and spontaneously in all your career conversations.

 

 

FastComapany.com | April 18, 2018 | BY JUDITH HUMPHREY 4 MINUTE READ