Do these New Year resolutions sound familiar: I’m going to lose weight, start exercising and find a new job.
The “USA Today” newspaper was introduced on Sept. 15, 1982. Management described its innovative approach of reporting news as a short overview of major news events going on in the world. They believed people didn’t have time to read lengthy news stories and that consumers were looking for a short description of the biggest stories in 10 minutes or less. The approach has proven to be successful, and I find it ironic that we now have “tweets” which is an even shorter version of sharing one’s opinion about the news.
When I was twenty years old my mom told me, “Before you get married look at your girlfriend with both eyes wide open. Once you get married close one eye because you’ll see things you can’t change.” When we’re in love, we’re extremely optimistic. We overlook our partner’s flaws and some people even believe they can change their spouse once they get married. I can almost hear you laughing. I’m going to take my mother’s advice, close one eye and describe why this story has relevance to your career.
It’s not that unusual for people to have a personal trainer, nutritionist, financial advisor, physical therapist and chiropractor. When we’re younger, a family physician is sufficient; as we grow older, the list begins to expand, and often includes, a cardiologist, dermatologist and optometrist. Before I turned 50, I made fun of the seniors who constantly talked about their physical ailments — and now I’m one of them!
How many people are unhappy in their jobs? Would you estimate 30 percent, 40, maybe 50? The Pew Charitable Trusts reported that 30 percent of people feel their jobs are “just a job to get them by.” According to Forbes, 52.3 percent are unhappy at work, while 63 percent are not engaged in their jobs. And, finally, the New York Daily News reported that 70 percent of U.S. workers are unhappy with their jobs.
Oh, it feels good to get promoted. We all enjoy the obvious benefits that come with a promotion such as a pay raise and a new job title. But I think it’s the recognition that feels the best. Our culture is all about winning; that’s why we enjoy TV shows like "American Idol" and "The Biggest Loser." On weekends we watch sports and nothing is bigger than the Super Bowl. Let’s face it, we’re obsessed with winning.
Ask someone for help and they’ll be glad to help you out, but don’t tell me what to do. There’s a reason our parents taught us to say please and thank you. As kids we grow up being told what to do by our parents, teachers and other authority figures. Once we become adults, we want to be independent and make our own decisions.
I’m a baby boomer, and I grew up in the 1960s hating the establishment. I never wanted to “work for the man" but having a family and paying the bills forced me to compromise and work for a large employer. Or, as my parents called it, I got a "real job."
I’m a Baby Boomer, and I grew up in the 1960s hating the establishment. I never wanted to “work for the man,” but having a family and paying the bills forced me to compromise and work for a large employer. Or, as my parents called it, “Get a real job.”
Imagine receiving this phone message from your boss when you get home: “Hey, could you call me back at your earliest convenience? Thanks.” It’s safe to assume this would make most of us feel a little anxious. Did I do something wrong and will my boss assume it was my fault before he listens to both sides of the story?
Before the 1990s it was not unusual for someone to work more than 30 years for one employer. We use to make fun of the fact that they would receive a gold watch at their retirement party. I think it’s ironic that today many of us don’t even wear a watch, we check our cell phone or Fitbit if we want to know what time it is.
Here’s an “Aha” moment in the employment business. Most people are looking for a new job because they’re unhappy with their current circumstances. They either don’t like their boss, their co-workers or in the worst-case scenario they’ve been fired. If they were really happy with their current circumstances, why were they surfing the internet looking for a new job?
Someone once said everything is negotiable. My mother bought and sold antiques, and that was definitely her philosophy. But when it comes to negotiating your salary the picture is far more complex.
The job market can be a confusing place. If you believe the data, the unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in decades. But, the experts suggest this is because many people have stopped looking for work and millions more are underemployed. So, has the job market really improved or should people continue to be anxious? You could research this question, but today I’m going to suggest we apply a little bit of common sense.
Some of my best ideas have hit me when I’m walking the dog, playing golf or driving a few hundred miles in my car. My worst moments are when I sit in front of the computer at 9 a.m. Monday and I tell myself, “OK, it’s time to write a good column.” Creativity doesn’t follow a schedule. It happens when it happens, and you need to pay attention or else you’ll miss some great opportunities.
Give feedback to yourself
It may not be accurate to call a computer a machine, but it seems like computers will soon operate every machine in the world. The internet isn’t a machine, but I would be lost without it. I own a hybrid car, and a few years ago I parked it in the airport parking lot for several days, and when I returned it wouldn’t start. I called Triple A and when the truck arrived the young man told me he never jumped a hybrid car before, and he wasn’t sure what to do. Before he could call his office, my wife had a video from YouTube on her computer and she taught him how to jump-start my car. He was embarrassed, but we got our car running.
People lose jobs for a wide variety of reasons. In a majority of cases it’s through no fault of their own.
I am lucky to be part of a small group of homeowners called “lakers.” It’s reasonable to assume that a laker owns lakefront property, but simply owning lake property is not sufficient justification to be designated as a laker. This is a title you must earn, and during my third year on Cayuga Lake, I was provided the opportunity to earn my stripes.
It’s no secret that our infrastructure in the United States is in need of repair. The most widely accepted rating is a D-minus, and that’s both good news and bad news.
Career Advice
Internships are generally shorthand for “newbie getting experience, for no pay.” And they can be a beneficial career step when you’re a student, recent grad, or otherwise starting a new career. But internships are also increasingly problematic: many feel that companies take advantage of interns to provide labor that should be compensated more fairly. Unpaid […]
The post Don’t want an unpaid internship? Here are 5 ways to build your resume appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
When we think of switching jobs, we often think that it involves a big shift, whether it’s a jump in seniority or job title or a big raise in pay. “Climbing up the corporate ladder” is how we tend to see our careers. But what if a smaller change is better for you in the […]
The post Could a lateral career move be right for you? appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Not every career path is linear. Sometimes an unexpected disruption takes us off one trail and puts us on another. And in our work lives, that can mean losing a job, taking time off to care for family, or dealing with an illness or injury that keeps you out of work for a time. Whatever […]
The post Own your career break: how to explain your time away from the workforce appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Getting promoted is (obviously) amazing for the validation, growth, and potentially more money it brings. It’s also one of the biggest challenges for employees: how do I actually get one? But unfortunately, there’s no slam-dunk answer to that question. Promotions happen for a variety of reasons: team realignments, success on a particular project, recognition of […]
The post These 8 traits will make you more promotable appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
In an episode of “The Simpsons”, Homer leaves his longtime job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant to pursue his dreams of being a professional bowler. A short time later, reality sets in and he returns to the power plant to grovel for his job back, at the feet of the merciless Mr. Burns. That’s […]
The post What is a “boomerang employee”? Here’s why you should welcome them to your company appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
If “bookworm” is one of the top ten words to describe you, chances are you’ve at least thought about a career in publishing or editing. Or maybe you’re like I was, just out of school: holding an English degree in one hand and a lifelong love of books and writing in the other, but unsure […]
The post Everything you wanted to know about becoming an Editor appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
No matter who you are and what field you work in, these past couple of years has been rough. Dealing with a global pandemic and a new normal in virtually every industry has left people feeling overwhelmed and stressed. This has been compounded by the Great Resignation, leaving open jobs and gaps that need to […]
The post How managers can help their teams deal with burnout appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Congratulations! You’ve worked hard, shown that you’re ready for more, and leveled up at your job. But after all the effort of advocating for yourself and making sure your work is top-notch, getting a promotion can trigger a feeling of, “Okay, now what?” First, of course, you celebrate, and start thinking about how you might […]
The post Congrats on the promotion! Here’s how to navigate your new role appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
The job market right now can feel like a weird place. The Great Resignation is putting employers on the spot, creating more space for employees to get better offers—in theory. In reality, this isn’t always the case. Not every industry is seeing this bonanza market for applicants. Also, people who are dealing with unemployment or […]
The post 8 tips for negotiating a job offer appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
When you’re picking a major in college, it’s kind of a leap of faith. You pick something you’re good at and interested in, something you vaguely want to do as a career someday. And unless you’re picking a major that’s tied directly to a specific job already, like pharmacy or veterinary science, you likely get […]
The post Majoring in math? Here are 7 jobs you should consider appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
The hiring landscape has been…rocky of late. In the two years since the pandemic started, uncertainty and shifting economics have made it a major challenge for companies and job seekers alike to know where they stand. And while it’s hard to know what’s going to happen for sure six months, a year, two years from […]
The post The 2022 hiring trends you need to know appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Early on in the pandemic, we started hearing that remote work is the “new normal.” And to an extent, that’s still true. But even after two years of the new normal, some persistent (and unfair) myths about remote work continue to pop up. Myth #1: Remote work is less productive work Even when public health […]
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Starting a new job is like starting a new anything else: stepping out of the familiar and into something unknown can cause major anxiety, even if you’re not usually prone to that kind of thing. If you’re about to start a new gig and want to make sure your first week sets the right tone […]
The post New job? These tips will help you get off to a fearless start appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Even before the pandemic hit, many companies and recruiters were already struggling to find and keep the top talent in a shifting job marketplace, especially in fields like tech and healthcare. And now, with the Great Resignation in full force and the Covid-19 pandemic in yet another new phase, filling open positions with the best […]
The post How HR can attract top talent in 2022 appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Ah, the new year: the time when all of us reflect on the things we’d like to do better with our fresh calendar: eat better, sleep better, spend more quality time with loved ones, etc. And while some of these resolutions stick better than others (raise your hand if, like me, you’re already slacking on […]
The post New year, better you! 7 work habits you should ditch in 2022 appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Cover letters may feel like a throwback to the now largely gone days of printing out your resume on fancy paper and sending it, but they’re still holding on as an important part of the job search process. They’re partly a formality, but you should really look at them as a chance to set the […]
The post Need the perfect cover letter? Follow these 6 rules appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
When you’re job hunting, the job description may feel like a mere blip on your way to applying for the job: you read it, decide whether or not you want to apply, and then move on either way. But how closely are you really reading it? A job description isn’t necessarily a Rosetta Stone for […]
The post Decoding the job description: what you need to know before you continue your job search appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
If anyone has ever said to you, “You shop like it’s your job,” then this might just be your favorite time of year. For those who are looking to start turning the satisfaction of buying things into a more profitable (and personal credit card-friendly) career path in the new year, then there are definitely options […]
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With so much changing and left uncertain in a pandemic world, adaptability has become one of the most prized qualities around—for both employers and employees. For companies, it means being able to strategize and succeed even when external forces are chaotic. For workers, it’s more about testing the boundaries of traditional work roles and routines […]
The post How to recognize (and hire!) a “learner” appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
The first days at a new job can be a total whirlwind. You’re meeting people, doing piles of onboarding paperwork, and making all sorts of notes for yourself. Soon, you’ll be a seasoned veteran in your new role, but for now, things can feel busy and even a little overwhelming, no matter how great your […]
The post Just hired? Here are 8 questions you should ask your new boss appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Nothing about the job market has felt “normal” lately—but that isn’t going to stop things from changing yet again as we move into a new year. (Surprise!) If 2020 and 2021 were about dealing with an unprecedented situation and figuring out how to cope, 2022 is going to be about how to move forward. Job […]
The post How the job search will change in 2022 appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
Did you hear about the Procrastination Pride parade? It’s been moved to next week. Old jokes aside, procrastination is a painfully familiar concept to most of us. It can be a huge productivity and momentum killer, even when we’re putting things off for good reasons. The end result is the same: a rush of activity […]
The post Quit procrastinating! How to break the habit for good appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
As the dreaded phrase “Great Resignation” swirls around HR circles, recruiters and hiring managers have the unenviable task of filling a growing number of open positions in one of the most challenging climates in a very long time. Yet you charge on because getting the right people in place is the only way to move […]
The post Need a hiring boost? Think like a CMO! appeared first on TheJobNetwork.
There have been a lot of lessons for all of us over the span of the pandemic, but when it comes to our post-pandemic work lives, one may be more significant than the rest: we can work from anywhere. Companies that were once hesitant to establish work-from-home (WFH) protocols now have hybrid or remote work […]
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As the work world struggles to get back to normal (whatever that means these days!), you’ve probably heard about The Great Resignation. As the lore goes, employees have been galvanized by the pandemic’s changes, and have decided to quit their jobs in the hopes of finding one that aligns with their post-pandemic lives better than […]
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