Career Strategies

Procrastinating

Today's work culture expects us to multitask, run from one project to the next, and constantly be on the go. The urge to procrastinate indicates your brain is overtired, overstressed, and needs to slow down. Indulge and take a time out. You'll come back refreshed, and better able to focus on the tasks at hand.

Being Bored

We equate being crazy busy with being important. Allowing yourself to be bored is frowned upon. Yet folks who allow themselves the space and time to be bored have more mind space to be creative, come up with ideas, and solve problems.

Saying "No"

Most of us feel like we have to say "yes" all the time -- yes to our co-workers, yes to our supervisors, yes to our friends. If you're wondering why you don't have the hours in the day to complete all of the things you've committed to, take stock of what you've said "yes" to. Learning how to graciously say "no" to things that ultimately don't matter will free up the time you need to focus on the things that will contribute to your success.

Ignoring Your Weaknesses

The typical job review focuses 10% on your strengths, and 90% on the weaknesses you "need" to improve. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, ignore them and focus on your strengths. Serena Williams' obvious strength is her ability to play tennis. How many Grand Slams do you think she would have won if she had spent time focusing on her weaknesses?

Doing Less

Today's work culture tells us we should do more, more, more. Some of us pile so much on our plates there's no way we can do justice to them all. So take some stuff off your plate. Remember the adage, "Jack of all trades, master of none."

Leaving Early

Instead of being the first one to unlock the doors and the last one to lock them, make a point of leaving early to do an activity you enjoy, or to spend time with family or friends. Creating balance in your life will allow you to recharge your batteries and return to the office refreshed, and that will show in your work.

Giving In to Distractions

Feeling like you should avoid the chitchat at the water cooler? Turning down lunch invitations so you can get more work done? Don't resist distractions if you're in the mood for them. When your brain is begging to engage in other activities aside from work, give in, within reason. Allowing distractions will give some parts of your brain a rest, while engaging other parts.

Tuning In to Technology

Take a short break and play a computer game, watch a video, check out your favorite news sites, or spend a few minutes social networking. Just a couple of minutes of alternate activity can get dull brain synapses firing up again.

Stressing Out

It's okay to feel a little bit stressed. As a matter of fact, a small amount of stress, such as the kind of stress you experience when you place yourself in a challenging situation, can keep you alert, energized, and ensure you perform your best. Just make sure to moderate stress levels; high levels of stress are not good for your health!

Daydreaming

Go ahead. Close your eyes and imagine what could be. Not only does daydreaming create a respite from the current grind, it also fosters ideas, creativity, and ultimately growth.Imagining things is an integral step to accomplishing things.

Getting Angry

Sure, you should always maintain a professional demeanor at work, and that means no yelling, no screaming, and no swearing. But that doesn't mean you can't get angry and blow off steam. Letting your emotions out can result in feelings of increased control, confidence, and ultimately a positive attitude. Just be careful how you do it.Vent in a private area where others can't hear you, or write your feelings down on paper.

Being Messy

Obsessively neat people spend time and effort on order that could be better spent on more important tasks. It probably won't surprise you to learn that moderately messy folks are more creative than their cleaner counterparts, but did you also know they are more efficient? Of course, complete disarray is never okay. Schedule regular times to tidy up, but let things go in between.

What Not to Say to Your Boss

Think before you speak” is always a good policy, and in the workplace the maxim could be further refined to “think before you blurt out something to your boss that could hurt your career.” We checked in with some bosses, and came up with this list of 15 phrases bosses definitely don’t want to hear:
1. “I’m only doing this job for the money.”
No boss wants to hear that your sole motivation for showing up is your paycheck. She may know that money is your motivation, and you may know she knows, but it’s still better left unsaid.
2. “I’m broke/in debt/one step away from bankruptcy.”
Your financial woes are not your boss’s concern. Period.
3. “I’m going to quit after I (fill in the blank).”
No matter how noble your future plans are -- you may be saving to start your own company or go to grad school, for example -- it’s usually best to keep those plans to yourself or to refer to them only vaguely. If your boss knows there is a definite end date to your employment, she may start to shop around for your replacement before you are ready to leave.
4. “I partied a little too hard last night.”
Buck up and get through the day with some ibuprofen, extra undereye concealer and coffee. But don’t share the sordid details of your night on the town with your boss. He’s just as likely to react with (unspoken) disdain as sympathy.
5. “It’s not my fault.”
Are you a whiny 8-year-old or a take-charge professional? Assume responsibilityand take steps to fix a problem that you did, in fact, create. And if you are being wrongly blamed for a problem, saying “let’s get to the bottom of this” or “what can we do to make it right?” is much more effective than saying “it’s not my fault.”
6. “I’m bored/this job is boring.”
Didn’t your mother ever tell you that only boring people get bored? If you’re constantly twiddling your thumbs, ask for extra work and be as specific as you can. And if you’re busy but think your assigned tasks are less-than-stimulating, start gazing about how you can get the job you want, either within your companyor elsewhere.
7. “My job is too easy.”
Sure, you may think a monkey could do your job. But don’t give your boss any ideas -- your company could probably pay a monkey less than it pays you.
8. “I can’t work with so and so. I hate him.”
Involving your boss in personality conflicts should always be your last resort. So unless you are being threatened, scapegoated, encouraged to participate in unethical behavior, or your colleague or customer is engaged in other egregious workplace conduct, try to work it out between yourselves first.

9. “I can’t do that because of my other job.”
In your boss’s mind, a second job is not a valid excuse for why you can’t stay late, work extra hours or finish a project on time. She may question your priorities, and rightly so.
10. “Oh my Gawd! How did you do this job before the Internet/text messaging/Skype?”
Although not a cardinal workplace sin, making your boss feel old will not score you any points.
11. Sigh. Grimace. Eye roll. Wretching noises.
Actions can speak louder than words. A poker face and silence are golden when you’re displeased with your boss.
12. “Do it yourself!”
No need for explanation. Just never say this. Ever.
13. “It’s always been done this way.”
You don’t want to gain a reputation as an inflexible dinosaur, so keep an open mind about how you do your work. And if you’re convinced that a new way of doing things is going to harm your company, present your case without using “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” to support your position.
14. “Let me set you up with...”
Avoid the urge to play matchmaker for your single boss. The potential benefit is far outweighed by the potential risk. For that matter, any socializing with your boss (even something as simple as befriending him on Facebook) can cause you to share too much information, so consider limiting social interactions entirely.
15. “Sorry, I must have drifted off.”
C’mon, wake up! If you’re caught with your eyes closed, feign deep concentration rather than admit you were dozing.

By Megan Malugani, Monster Contributing Writer

Career Strategy: Be the Glue

“Be the glue” has to do with your role in the company, but not the one that is detailed in the job description. Being the glue isn’t about what anyone has written down for you. It’s the job you work your way into as part of a career strategy. It’s a way of dedicating a piece of yourself to your success; and to the success of your boss, your department and your company. But let me warn you about a few things first because I know a number of you that are “the glue” now, or have been in the past and are comfortable in the role. You haven’t seen it as a career strategy, you just do it.

The warnings:

1. You aren’t really appreciated. In fact, very few people know the unique role that you play in the office. Even though you are highly aware of the problems you prevent and the stability that your efforts provide the team. Sometimes your boss may not even recognize what you are doing.

2. You won’t get paid for it. It’s outside your official job description. And likely won’t be identified on your objectives for the year. So any potential bonus will still be tied to your core responsibilities.

3. You don’t get promoted. In some ways you’ve created a small cocoon of stability. You’ve become so good at a job that it would be too painful to lose you. Glue is sticky.

But here’s the problem. You love playing this role. There is tremendous personal satisfaction in keeping the ship afloat; keeping customers happy, and not letting things fall through the cracks. So you’ll probably keep doing it. Even with the above warnings. It’s in your blood. And I love you for it.So here are a few ways to continue being yourself. Create a bit more positive PR and the beginnings of a career strategy.

Be Proactive About New Projects: For example, if you decide to be the informal owner of the price list and take pride in catching errors, suggesting updates or format improvements. Why not suggest that as a permanent role for yourself? Assuming no one else already has that job. If someone does and you still want to play the role, offer your help formally to the person. Everyone appreciates extra eyes and ears. Assuming your fixes go to them and not to others (could embarrass the formal owner).

Tell People What You Are Doing: If you see a problem about to happen. And notice that no one is else is on it. Go ahead and fix it. But don’t let the day pass without making sure the person most likely to appreciate the catch hears about it. And depending on your company and it’s communication culture, that may be your boss. If the company is more open, you can communicate it directly to a cross-functional head. You are not bragging here. It is an FYI that a problem was avoided. And perhaps an opportunity to share other ideas to improve a process.

Don’t Let Too Long Go By: If you’ve been the glue for a long time, you are in a tougher spot. When you let people know what you are doing, it might be met with “Great and thanks”. The longer you are doing an informal leadership role, the less it will be overtly appreciated. There’s a nit of human nature in there, I think. People practice complacent appreciation. If you decide to take on a new role on your own, make sure you begin highlighting your contributions right away.

Be The Glue In The Most Public Way Possible: And here are the best places. Consumer or customer facing departments tend to get the most attention. If you take care of the the consumer (the one spending money with you) or the customer (the one providing cash flow), you will have more exposure. Sales people will love you. The CFO will smile at you. And so will the marketing department. Especially in this new era of social media where consumers and customers have an increasingly louder voice. Other important places to be the glue? How about a nice cost savings or other type of efficiency. Reducing or preventing costs pay big dividends.

Get Your Informal Responsibilities Written Into Your Official Responsibilities: Find a job no one owns or one that needs to be added and get it added to your official list. You are more likely to be rewarded and appreciated for something that is a part of your formal responsibilities. And when the informal role is now obvious and of value to your boss. Helps their career strategy as well. And maybe it’s a job you love but isn’t loved by its current owner.

Teach Someone New To Be Your Replacement Glue: If you’ve shown an ability to keep things running efficiently. If you are indispensable. You need to make sure that you can be safely promoted. By making sure someone can become the glue after you’ve moved up. Find others in your department with a similar need or pride in being a safety net. Or offer to help your boss write a formal job description and hire them.

Learn A Key Skill That Lets You Be More Credible: If your informal role is in helping sales get ready for presentations, become a Powerpoint expert. Keeping projects on time and on budget? Learn Microsoft project. The more you can formalize your tools, the more people will see and appreciated your skills. As more than just a small thing you do to help out.

Does this describe you or someone that has worked for you in the past? If so, how have you worked through the issues I’ve identified? And how do you suggest someone get appreciation for their informal role? And build a career strategy.

Tim’s Strategy for November 15, 2010

The Key to Career Resilience: Know Yourself

Being valuable to your company won’t provide job security. But knowing yourself to create career resilience is vital today. For years I’ve taught people how to develop from the “inside out” to build confidence and success in their career strategy. As many are finding in our downsized world, when the “what” they do (role, title, skills) vanishes – they’re challenged with: “If I’m not that, then what or who am I?” As a career consultant in high tech during the boom years I saw people succeed, grow careers, obtain rewards, and often develop lifestyles in line with success achieved. When positions or programs were eliminated, while confident in their skills and knowledge, people were at odds to find a ‘second act’, transferable skills, or motivated interests.

Makes sense – when busy working we’re ‘heads down’, focused on what ‘is’, not what’s coming or not (trends). We lead busy personal lives leaving little time and often no perceived need to plan for the ‘what if’s’. Well, plainly speaking, now the rubber’s met the road. Knowing yourself, fully, is key to navigating the present and future. While job search strategies are crucial, your greatest career strategy is self knowledge. A house without a foundation crumbles. A career strategy ‘house’, without a solid foundation of self knowledge, is vulnerable to all the elements. Greater knowledge, e.g. strengths, motivators, what makes you ‘tick’, values, creates more choice, building career resilience.

Think about it this way—where would you prefer to sit in your ‘Career Car’:

- Driver (you’re at the controls)

- Passenger (helps driver, but has no controls)

- Kids in backseat (headsets and texting – just ‘along for the ride’), or last, but not least . . .

- Trunk (no vision, trapped, no choice).

Your career strategy actions are designed to align knowledge of yourself with your target sectors or roles. And today, more than ever, you have to know the ‘fit’ better than anyone – well before the application and interviews. We don’t know if today’s promising industries will propel the workforce: e.g., Green technology, media tools creating ‘just in time’ efficiencies and information transfer. But one constant remains – you must be prepared, knowledgeable and strategic. There’s truth in the phrase: “No one knows you better than yourself”. But when we’re concerned, anxious or depleted, we forget that axiom – and if remembered, we no longer believe it. Commit to getting (reacquainted) with yourself. That’s part one. Part two: It’s not only what you know about yourself – it’s what you do with it.