I’m in the wrong job!!

“It sounded like a good job…one that I could learn and do reasonably well. And it paid, well, good enough. Now a few years later, I hate it!”

Sound familiar? I’ve heard it a lot and there are several ways to tackle this one.

1. What is it about the job that you hate? Which tasks? Which people (personalities)? What aspects of “the system?” Is it the employer or the whole industry? Before you can create a cure, it helps to know the symptoms. What things do you not hate about the job? The more specific you can be, the easier it is to find a remedy.

2. Are you ready to make the leap and change careers? You don’t necessarily have to start all the way over. Take inventory of what you do well – especially those things that are just part of who you are and how you do things (transferable skills). Get a friend or two to help you with this. It is often hard to see these things accurately about ourselves.
Do you know what field or industry you want to work in? If so, what technical skills or areas of knowledge do you need to develop? The Dept of Labor’s Dictionary of Occupational Titles is a good place to start looking. Then, you must talk to people who are in the field to get a reality check.

3. If you want to change industries, then use your current skill set to get into an organization within the industry. All organizations have the same basic infrastructure. Use their tuition reimbursement program to go to school while you work and gain industry knowledge – a big plus when it comes down to candidates with the same degrees. Experience often trumps good grades.

4. Talk with others who have made career changes. You may not go the same route, but you could gain a new direction or resource.

The key is to create a plan for making the career change, then work your plan. Be open for opportunities that take you toward your career goals. Having the goals helps you avoid the opportunities that take you off course.

Feeling stuck?

Feeling stuck in your job? The only kind of work you get is what you’ve always gotten. Your boss and colleagues have carved an image of you in their minds of what you do well and how they can depend on you. Some call this pigeon-holed.

You don’t necessarily have to change your employer to change your job. Most of us aren’t willing to make a voluntary leap into unemployment right now, but our sanity is driving us to the edge.

One way is to change the way others see you so that you can take on new challenges and learn new skills.
Take a step outside yourself: How do you respond to last minute changes or interruptions? Do you offer solutions or just complain? Are you helping others develop their skills and find solutions? People will avoid us if we aren’t someone that they enjoy being around.

Are you a top-notch performer with your current work? Mastering your current job is usually a prerequisite for doing anything else.

Are your technology skills up-to-date? Are you the go-to person for system or application issues? Can you get the maximum output from your system. Can you share your knowledge to help others be more productive?

Do you know what skills you want to use or develop? What you’d like to learn? If so, then seek out people who have those skills and ask them their guidance for learning them.

What do you know that you’d like to apply to solve a problem? Develop a sample, template or prototype. Describe what currently is costing time, effort, money and how your solution could reduce or eliminate those costs.

Look for a problem to solve. Propose a better way of doing something that will help make others’ work more productive. Volunteer to work on a project or task forces as a way to not only learn, but offer your perspective. Demonstrate your team-player skills.

Do you know how to connect with resources to be the person with the “answer,” especially in a crisis?

These are 7 ways to begin to peck your way out of your box.

Rethinking Retirement – Boomers and GenX

Where do you fit into the workforce? Today’s organizations are facing challenges like never before with our current demographics. Check out this article for some interesting thoughts for both managing staff as well as your own career.

What do Employers Look for in Hiring Boomers?

Employers must hire people that can advance the organization’s mission, strategic goals and contribute to the team and well-being of the organization. Some hire for a good attitude and offer training on the specifics (customer service jobs are prime example). Candidates must be well-versed in explaining how both their transferable skills and industry or professional skills are applicable to the job or organization.  Research the organization, talk to people who work there via many of the online and networking resources.  Employers want people who have taken the effort to match themselves with as much public information as possible.

Employers want people who can become productive as quickly as possible. This means there are skills that are now ‘basic’ that were specialized just 5-10 years ago.  Of course these include computer skills. Check your profession for  current trends,  issues, and leading thinkers/writers to see if there is an area you need to update.  Attend professional association meetings to learn, discuss, and share resources as well as let people know you are looking for employment.

Employers want people who have, can develop or share talents that will enhance the organization. Many organizations have established Competencies that distinguish their talent from the competition.  Most professional associations have competencies or standards.  Many job descriptions and interview questions are based on these competencies as well as the specific job needs.  Candidates can prepare responses to include examples of how they have demonstrated these competencies. A baseline set of competencies can be found at OPM for both staff and leadership levels.

Employers want people they can depend on to reap the investment of hiring and training. Most are not looking for 20-year commitments. Many jobs take significant time to learn the nuances of the work, the customer and the organization to be most effective performers. Boomers need to know the type of commitment they are willing to make and how they can continue to contribute if health issues arise. This is true for any age candidate.

Boomers may be able to take advantage of others changing jobs as the economy picks up. Use your non-traditional candidacy to your advantage. Be ready to state the specific positive attributes your offer and how it can be an advantage to the employers.

I Am Not a Micro-Manager, Or Am I?

It was one of the small things that rang the bell in my head.  I was just being helpful, or so I thought, but she didn’t.

I take my own bags to the grocery like so many of us. But  irritates  the checkers to change their rhythm of dropping things into the plastic bags. It takes them out of auto-pilot. So I’ve befriended my fav checker and promised her a prize for the most creative grumbling at seeing these odd sized canvas bags on the belt. She adjusted the straps and gets the bag set on the platform and I help by holding it open.

The other day we had gotten the bag situated and she started filling it with the bulky items.  I noticed that one item could be moved to allow more items and adjusted it. “Don’t be touching things after I’ve bagged them!” she barked at me. I duly hung my head and apologized. It’s all a melodrama game we play. But it made me think.

How many times have I, in my attempt to be helpful, have I created more stress by removing autonomy in the way someone does their task?  Why don’t others see that I’m just trying to “help?” Because my trying to ‘help’ is about me, not them.  The best thing I can do is get out of their way and let them be successful. Or be just close enough to lend a hand when they need or ask for help.

Yes, my favorite checker did get the prize for grumbling.  And now she grumbles bigger each time she sees me coming.  Always with a big grin.

Under-qualified for the Job?

Can’t get promoted?

Tired of new hires that you have to train?

Does the next job in your career path, or in your organization, require skills or a degree you don’t have? Feeling stuck in dead-end job?

I’ve heard this frequently in both the public and private sectors.  Recently I’m hearing it loudly in agencies federal government.  Yet, agencies are desperate to move forward in reaching their vision an fulfilling their mission but don’t have the talent or skills in current workforce. Then there is the hiring process…but that’s a different discussion.

How do we bridge the gap? Both the organization and the individuals have the challenge and the responsibility.

Teaming with HR and subject matter experts, managers at various levels can identify and clearly describe the type of talent, skills they need today and going forward. It is more than just updating old job descriptions. It is a critical analysis based on bridging the gap between the present and future needs of the organization. The deliverable is a set of competencies [with examples of how demonstrated] relevant to various levels and skills/knowledge. Resources for developing those skills can be included. This is not just a training class, but looking at the variety of opportunities to be exposed to new ways of thinking, doing and solving problems.

Individuals can  read the job postings/descriptions. But more helpful is talking with others in the  role you want – both in your organization and in other organizations about what helps them be successful. It’s often more than just specific knowledge, but the ability to appropriately use and communicate it. Ask what helped them and resources they used to develop their skills. Many are low or no-cost. Others may be a hefty investment.

If an education degree/cert is needed, explore what components of that degree are valued Why a BS over a BA? For some hiring managers (HR) the degree shows a level of commitment and perseverance. Others look for the discipline, maturity, learning and thinking skills. For higher levels (Masters or PhD) it indicates discipline, commitment and depth of knowledge.  In some cases the educational experience indicates a status desired to effectively relate to key people (colleagues, customers, senior-levels, etc).

It is up to each of us to pay attention to how we need to either communicate the skills we have and are not using, or update our skills in a way that will help our organizations achieve their mission.

Are You a Bad Boss?

Most of us don’t think we are a bad boss. The really bad bosses aren’t reading this because they don’t care.

Here are 4 clues  of a bad boss.  What would be especially useful would be your ideas on how to help someone be a better boss. (hint: This isn’t always just what the boss needs to do.) I’ll get it started…

1. I do not acknowledge, or refer to staff members by name. Did you forget it? Is it hard to pronounce? Have you made up a nickname that is easier for you to use?  Our names are very personal and we like hearing them, especially when used kindly by those whom we hold in esteem or have authority.  Keep the parental tone way down – you know the one your parent used when you were in trouble.  Shortening or creating a nickname for someone may be like rubbing salt in a wound. Ask them for proper pronunciation and privately check in to ensure you are getting it right.  The best way to remember names is to know something about the person, not just their appearance or voice.

2. Most staff problems are annoying and I have much more important things to do, so I ignore them. Some things need to be talked through for staff to find their own answers. This takes effective listening skills and patience.  Some things need your position power (aka influence) to happen.  Minimize whining by asking what specifically action they want you to do and why. Have facts, not generalizations or assumptions, when you are looking for reasons to make a change.

3. My staff take things way too seriously; they can’t take a joke. As a boss, everything you say has the potential to have more power and influence with your staff than you may realize.  The only person to poke fun at is yourself.

4. My staff are professionals; they should know what to do. Why should I have to explain their jobs to them? We all operate from a set of assumptions and the problem is when they don’t match. Use the 5 W’s when discussing an assignment (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and any boundaries (budget, relationships, etc.) to help make a better match at these assumptions, there by reducing late and wrong work.

What are your clues?

Regaining Trust

It’s one of the squishy intangibles that makes all the difference in our work lives. If you cannot trust your manager – if you cannot trust your team – then no one is happy. Trust must be earned and that takes time, consistency and follow-through.
There are some specific things leaders can do to help that process:
1. More face time with staff and customers
2. Be clear about priorities
3. Genuinely ask for, listen, and act upon ideas and suggestions
4. Involve more or different people in high profile projects
Bates Communication has a survey and good article with more actions cited at this link.

Performance Review Time – Hearing feedback

Posted September 04, 2009 09:02 AM Hide Post
Giving and receiving feedback are two different sets of behaviors. Many resources are available for giving feedback effectively. Yet there is little to help us prepare to receive and participate in these conversations, and not dread them. It’s hard enough for people to give feedback and many don’t do it very well. You can help them get better at it and relieve some of your own discomfort. Here are some tips for constructively receiving feedback and use it to be more successful in your work and relationships. The key is for both people to feel they have been heard and understood. Getting to agreement is another step.

Conversation killers:
• Defending yourself or actions may be a natural reaction, but does not allow you to understand the other person’s perspective. Everyone has their own lenses, and you don’t have to agree, but it helps to understand their perspective to respond effectively.
• Dismissing the feedback – If you are thinking, “They haven’t seen me in any other context,” or “They are seeing me through what they want me to be, not who I really am,” consider the source. Also consider how this same aspect might be seen by others.
• Blaming others – “It’s not my fault…” Accept that you were dependent on others, and consider how you approached them with your request for help and how you may have contributed to the failure.
• Rationalizing -“Yes but…” Justifying your behavior as an atypical response necessitated by a particular situation or series of events won’t help to prevent it from happening again. Recognize the situation and be aware when it may be likely to re-occur so you can handle it better.
• Disagreeing – Telling the person why they’re feedback is wrong will not work. A better approach is to ask for examples and suggestions.
• Interrupting or finishing the other person’s thoughts gives the impression that you don’t really want to hear what they have to say. It comes across as dismissive and rude, rather than expedient.
• Sulking, or withdrawing from the person giving the feedback afterward will not encourage them to work with you in the future. Although initially appealing, this is not constructive.
• Ruminating on Feedback – If the feedback is less than glowing avoid the temptation to re-enact the conversation to a friend as this only re-engages your emotions. Do talk about it with someone else, but make sure you’re emotionally detached first.

Do’s
• Keep some perspective. If feedback relates to a specific instance or to one part of your life,
keep it in context. Now you know about it and you have the opportunity to do something about it.
• Evaluate the information before responding. Feedback is given through the other person’s
perspective. It may tell you more about the person saying it than it does about you. If you
don’t agree or understand, ask for an example.
• Make your choice how to use the information. Feedback can be a gift allowing you to grow and develop as a person, in a job or in a relationship. It is ultimately your choice how to act, or not, upon feedback received.
• Giving or receiving feedback can be an emotional roller-coaster if you let it be. Learn how to receive feedback gracefully, giving you the emotional head-space to learn and grow from the experience.

Our most frequent complaint in workplace surveys is “lack of communication.” When communication and feedback is offered, be ready to not just hear, but listen to understand their point of view. Only then can you decide your best response.

Does it Matter? Is It Interesting? Do I like doing it?

Daniel Pink’s 18 min video on TED.com is a great example of how extrinsic motivators (such as financial incentives) have a narrow band of effectiveness and often work in reverse.  By tapping into the intrinsic motivations of autonomy, mastery and purpose we can change not only how we do business, but how we work toward a better world. It’s worth a look:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html“>