How to Get Back at Your Boss?

MSN Money
CHICAGO, January 27, 2009 - They lie, they cry, they yell a lot. They’re bad bosses and 43 % of workers reported they have quit a job to get away from them, according to a survey of more than 8,000 workers by CareerBuilder.com, the nation’s largest online job site. Workers who are dealing with problem supervisors will be happy to hear that help is on the way.

CareerBuilder.com just launched a new online Anonymous Tip Giver tool that enables you to provide "constructive" criticism or fun advice for bosses or co-workers without revealing your identity.

By logging onto www.anonymoustipgiver.com, users can select from one of four outlandish characters and choose a unique voice to deliver a tip for the recipient. You can write up your own advice or select from a list of pre-made tips such as "One out of 10 people think your barking dog ring tone is funny, that one person is you." You can even record your message over the phone. Without revealing your identity, in an instant the fully animated tip is delivered right to the recipient’s e-mail box. Voilá! Bad boss problem solved. Annoying co-worker situation addressed.

"Anonymous Tip Giver is part of CareerBuilder.com’s new national marketing campaign, which is officially launching at the Super Bowl," said Richard Castellini, Chief Marketing Officer at CareerBuilder.com. "The campaign is a lot of fun and is chock-full of tips to help workers ‘start building’ better work experiences."

CareerBuilder.com’s survey found women (48 %) are more likely to quit because of a bad boss than men (39 %).
Age also plays a role in who stays and who goes. Approximately:
- 48 % of workers ages 35-44 left their jobs because of a bad boss
- 40% of younger workers, ages 18 to 24 left
- 41 % of older workers, ages 45 to 54 left

Some survey respondents shared real life examples of bad boss behavior that borders on the bizarre, including:

-Hid in weird places in order to spy on employees
-Took a bite of someone’s doughnut while they were away from their desk
-Held a meeting while locked inside the bathroom
-Brought a gun to work and cleaned it in an area behind employees
-Tap danced on employee’s desk
-Showed everyone a kidney stone he had passed
-Broke down and cried during a meeting, "Why don’t you like me?"
-Kept his lunch in a freezer intended for human organ storage
-Used a taser gun on a subordinate
-Declared "Talk like a pirate day"
-Rode a child’s scooter through the office

Looking for the Right Company? Then Do Your Research

Graduating and still searching for the ideal opportunity?

If you are then you need to get started on your company research if you haven't yet started.

Here is an excerpt of an article I published last year.
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The internet has grown overwhelmingly as a result of our curiosity and our insatiable need to learn new things and remain informed. However, despite the volumes of available information, recruiters continue to be surprised when candidates demonstrate their lack of research in the interview.

The following are some of the questions you might want to consider in your search for more information about a company.

1. Is the company financially sound? What were their revenues last year and who are the major competitors? Without a subscription, you can find basic information about company size, products, management team and competitors at Hoovers on-line. Using some of this information in conversation at an interview, will impress hiring managers who will see you as a candidate that understands their business.

2. Is the company in an industry that has growing or shrinking opportunities? Some industries have experienced growth in recent years and will continue to do so while others have experienced significant declines over recent years and will continue to do so. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) to see projections on growing and declining industries from 2004 to 2014. This information will give you insight on long term opportunities with the company.

Read the complete article here at Associated Content.

Get your Business off and Running - Map the Future

10. "Map" the future.

You have probably already heard the axiom, which says that people who write down their goals are much more likely to achieve them and people who visualize success have a better chance of actually being successful.

The success of your business depends on preparation, practice and planning. Create a vision for what your company should look like, and create a map to get there.

The great thing about the map is that although it doesn't guarantee where you'll end up, it gives you the courage to start the journey.

Lawyers Search for Alternative Careers

Yesterday I wrote about seeing the possible upside of being laid off.

Dee, an attorney, stopped by and shared her comments. I followed Dee's comments to her blog - Power Of Attorney: Not Happy Hour At The Bar where she shared some insight for lawyers looking for a career makeover and searching for alternative careers.

Her piece made me think about all the professionals who think the grass is always greener on the other side; who think that happiness is just a higher paying career away.

If I had a dime for every time I have heard a disheartened professional say that if they just had a better paying career, they would love it more - I would be rich. Turns out that lawyers, a career with significant compensation, can struggle with career choices too.

I really appreciate Dee making it clear that changing careers is not only about following dreams and passions. One real dilemma Dee highlights is the need to balance following one's dream, as hefty student loans hover over every career decision. I agree with Dee that there is too much banter sometimes from career coaches who dangle the carrot of the perfect career, if you just dream hard enough. We all know it takes more than "wishin and hopin" and I think Dee captures that well.

Read Dee's complete post here - Lawyers Search for Alternative Careers.

Why New Grads Get Overlooked for Promotions

If you are a new grad or in the Class of 2009, it is not too early to start thinking about how to succeed at work and get promoted.

CareerBuilder.com, the online job board, recently drafted this list of 10 reasons why employees might not be promoted at work.

Save this list -- your phone, your iPod -- doesn't matter, keep it accessible.

1. You're not up to the job (or to put it crudely, you're a slacker).
2. You're stingy on your level of commitment. Just doing "fine" or "acceptable" work will not take you up the ladder.
3. You are not visible enough to the people who have the power to promote you.
4. You're difficult to deal with. Moving up the ladder will entail managing people. You are difficult to deal with.
5. You haven't yet mastered the job you're in and you already want to move higher...
6. You're just too good at what you're doing and there's nobody to replace you.
7. You're not presentable.
8. You have enemies.
9. You are competing with "superstars," meaning that the competition may be too fierce for you.
10. Your employer is not in a position to promote you due to factors unrelated to you or your performance (tight budget or low turnover).

I would add an 11th and 12th reasons for you to think about:

11. You don't know what you really want out of a career
12. You don't have a mentor who is lobbying on your behalf.

Source - Why You're Not Getting Promoted, CNN/ CareerBuilder

The Up Side of Being Laid Off...

Hearing CNN's Anderson Cooper report on 70,000 additional layoffs yesterday reminded me of conversations I have had recently with three pink slipped professionals.

These three mid career professionals were laid off from positions in pharmaceutical sales, home security and retail management.

Once the initial shock and anxiety dissipated, all three were actually seeing some of the upside of being laid off:

1. All three thought being laid off was giving them time to think and possibly execute a career makeover.

2. Two expressed less workplace stress once the pink slip actually arrived. The company wide anxiety and speculation pre lay off was more stressful.

3. All three were thinking about additional education and training; one in a related field and two in new careers.

4. Two want to start a business - one in property management and another in a home child care business. Both thought the unemployment payments would offer a financial buffer to start a business.

5. One felt that layoff forced her family to examine their personal spending habits and life choices. It seemed once they looked at their budget, they realized they could improve the situation with her as a stay-at-home parent. After child care and eating out expenses, she felt a work-at-home business might help them net more.

6. All three realized they needed to consider multiple income streams.

I know that times are tough, but as an optimist, I have a habit of encouraging people to consider the upside of being laid off. I think many people are staying positive about the future.

Can you see any upside of being laid off?

Job Skills Employers Want from Students

Students considering vocational training should pay close attention to more than just academics. Althouth good grades are important, because it demonstrates positive behavior, it is not all employers want from new grads.

Employers continue to be concerned about the lack of soft skills they need from good employees. Some of these soft skills that employers want from new grads include:

-good attendance
-positive can-do attitude
-strong communication skills
-actual work skills

This information was summarized in a 2006 study written by researcher Paul Barton for the Education Testing Services.

A National Association of Manufactures' survey where employers select multiple reasons, shows common reasons employers reject applicants:

-More than 66% cite a lack of "soft skills"
-About 33% of employers cite lack of experience
-About 33% cite inadequate reading and writing skills
-Academics and school achievement rank below soft skills for employability

Although the manufacturing sector is declining in the US, new grads should pay close attention to skills required beyond graduation. The skills required by employers cuts across all industries and jobs.

Where do you stand with these in demand job skills? Do a quick Skills Inventory!

Make an effort to find good examples of skills you possess that demonstrate positive behaviors and the ability to compete in the workplace and succeed at work. If you need to work during college, try to develop soft skills on the job.

These Resume FAQs and Job Interview FAQs will help job seekers showcase job skills and soft skills on a resume and during job interviews.

Get your Business off and Running - Chart your Performance

9. "Chart" your performance.

Keeping track of your individual successes and milestones is fundamental to your overall business success. So set goals for yourself and your business, and chart your progress.

Revisit your plans to make sure you're on target. If you're not, evaluate why and make corrections to get back on track or create a new track –if that is what you choose to do.

Many business owners forget the importance of setting measurable goals against which to benchmark progress and modifying those goals based on real-life performance.

Get Your Business off and Running - Align your Dreams wit Reality

8. Align your dreams with reality

Discovering and clarifying what you really want to do as an entrepreneur is key to your future success. If you don't know what you love to do, then your dreams should remain just that--dreams.

Successful people do what they love.

Dreaming about owning your own business but not exploring who you are and what you love to do won't help you move closer to the reality of successful entrepreneurship. Let's say your dream is to start an organizing business and you discover in your research that there are several competitors in your region.

This doesn't mean you should abandon the idea--it means you need to think creatively about your marketing plan and how you plan to differentiate your business from the competition.

On President Barack Obama's Inauguration

I wrote several weeks ago about the 30 Career Lessons one Should Learn from the Obama campaign.

I am hoping that in his inaugural address, President Obama will challenge us as Americans to take greater responsibility for our individual and collective lives and our future. That translates for me to personal ownership of our careers and our lives, especially in a time of such economic crisis.

I think these 30 career lessons from, now President Obama's career, are worth repeating on this outstanding day!

1. Set personal goals
2. Stay away from those who say “You Can’t”
3. Be true to who you are, regardless of the job
4. To land a meaningful job or grow professionally, expect some hurdles
5. Keep learning even through your job search and beyond
6. Develop a personal board of advisors for support
7. Surround yourself with diverse people with diverse thoughts
8. Develop a backbone. Even successful careers will have disappointments
9. Think around, outside and under the box; the way forward may not necessarily be clear or straight ahead
10. Don't expect your career path to be logical to everyone else; It must make sense to you
11. Don’t burn your bridges behind you; your affiliations are important
12. Be mindful of what your associations could say about you
13. You don’t need to have all the experience in the job description to apply
14. Push the envelope; job descriptions get rewritten all the time
15. Know you might be underestimated; Rise above it!
16. Some people will like you for the job and some will not
17. Know and understand your competition; do not underestimate them
18. Think transferable skills
19. You may have to say things during an interview to impress your future boss
20. Know how to build consensus and move ideas forward
21. Keep track of your accomplishments; no one else is obligated to do that for you
22. Beware people who hang around you, because you are successful – not because they care
23. Education and training mean something
24. Hard work and discipline will pay off
25. It is not a shame to strategically plan your career
26. Many people are not working in their college majors
27. The more people who support you and your ideas, the more successful you will be
28. You are always preparing for your next career opportunity, regardless of what you are doing
29. Savor your accomplishments; be confident and gracious when the accolades come
30. Know that the real work begins after you land the job!

Happy Inauguration Day!

Get your Business off and Running - Reshape your Perspective

7. "Reshape" your Perspective.

As you begin writing down your thoughts and ideas, don't give up just because you find you need to make changes to your original ideas. This is normal!

As a future successful entrepreneur, you can't afford to become functionally fixed on any one way of doing things. Factors influencing your decisions, including the environment, new technology, your budget or your time, are always shifting, and you might find you'll have to tweak your ideas to make them work.

It may be that you'd been looking at one market segment and now realize that for whatever reason, you might want to focus on a new target market. This does not mean giving up--it means reshaping your perspective.