Office Politics – Choosing to Play the Game or Being an Individualist

Ahh, office politics…even the words may cause your head to begin to throb or your stomach ache. Office politics can be so distasteful that you may wish to avoid it all together. You may view the price of being liked in the office as too high. But before you decide you’re better off being an individualist, consider that you may limit your success and potentially even your happiness in your current career by doing so.

If you stop for a minute and think of the most successful person you know in the company you work for, you will realize that he or she likely has to rely on and trust a good number of people in order to achieve his or her results. As an employee, it is important for you to look for ways to also build connections and rapport with people. It is important for you to do so for a number of reasons. First, you will be seen as someone who has the ability to get along with others. Secondly, assuming you are a good worker, your ability to get along with others will mean that you will be more esteemed by management. Believe it or not, it can sometimes be harder for managers to find someone who can get along well with others than someone who has the skill and proficiency for a job. If you have both, you’ll likely be more valued by your employer. Thirdly, it will help you achieve your work goals by providing resources and relationships that you can positively leverage at crucial times in your career.

Because most companies take a promote from within philosophy, an employee who is visible and well known by senior employees and management will often have a greater opportunity for advancement. Properly playing office politics can lead to the necessary upper management visibility and exposure. Thus, unless you want to hamper your career growth and often the happiness that goes along with the fulfillment of aspirations, it is time to learn how to play the game of office politics.

Layoffs & How to Overcome Them

Layoffs are a risk we face as employees of any company. And though it would be great to think we’d never face a layoff during the course of our career, it definitely happens to the best of us for a number of reasons.

There are certain signs to watch for when a layoff may be in the future. First, if a company has had a steady financial downturn and revenue or profits have been consistently low for a while, one of the places companies often look to cut costs is labor. Or, if the company seems to be ‘cutting costs’ frequently, then this could mean things are not going well for the company, so be aware. Another way to know if a layoff might be coming down the pipeline for your company is to ask someone at a certain level (i.e., management) who might know. It’s true these things are often held highly confidential until the company’s ready to communicate to the mass population, but you can often read between the lines based on your manager’s response. Or, if upper management seems to be slacking off or more ‘on edge’ than normal, this could be a sign, as well. Often, companies restructure or move offices offshore (to other countries) to cut costs, which may also mean a layoff for some in an organization. A little closer to home, if you’re suddenly being cut out of meetings, get little response from the team on your projects or presentations, or you’re simply being treated differently by your coworkers or manager, these may be signs that a layoff is in your future.

So, what happens if you are an individual who receives the unfortunate pink slip or severance? There are some items to focus on to get the ball rolling quickly for your next career move. First, mentally prepare yourself. Don’t look at the layoff as a negative, but realize being terminated from your old position can open up new opportunities for you. Determine what you want your next position to look like, and go for it! Second, if your company offers outplacement services as part of the severance package, take full advantage. Outplacement companies can offer anything from career counseling, resume preparation, job search training to interview techniques and preparation. If your company doesn’t offer outplacement services as part of the package, you may want to look for an outplacement service company or career coach on your own. Third, make sure your tools, like your résumé and cover letter, are up-to-date. After all, these are your marketing tools. Next, start networking right away with others you know in the industry, on line with social utilities like LinkedIn, at relevant networking events, or with recruiters and placement firms that focus on your industry and field of experience. And finally, start applying for positions for which you’re interested!

It’s true a layoff can happen to the best of us, but it’s easy to remain standing or get right back on your feet by following these tips!

Self Preparation for the Performance Review Process

It’s that time again… Yeah. That’s right; time for a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your performance… Or, in other words, your performance review session. Why, you might ask, do you need to go through this dreadful process (for many) to have this face-to-face session with your supervisor? Well, aside from the fact that many companies require it, what if you were told that this meeting was in fact an opportunity for you as an employee? That’s right! Many of us look at the performance review session with our manager as some sort of punishment, when in fact, it could be looked upon as an opportunity for us to discuss our personal viewpoint around our performance, in addition to our goals and aspirations from a career standpoint. Think about it. How often do you get the one-on-one undivided attention of your manager to talk about you specifically? It’s your time to shine, and as nerve racking as it might be in some cases, it’s important you take the opportunity at the time it presents itself to you.

In order to help alleviate some of the nerves and help you better prepare for the performance review process with your company, be sure to know what you’re achievements for the year have been. This might mean keeping a record throughout the performance period so you can easily recall your achievements and tasks. Also, keep in mind that the performance review process is often as nerve racking for your manager as it is for you. Typically, they’re not out to get you, but instead, to provide honest and direct feedback about your performance and development. Again, take advantage of this opportunity for the one-on-one face time with your manager to discuss your goals and objectives, in addition to your performance!

In summary, with the right amount of preparation, employees can look at performance feedback time as an opportunity in regards to career improvement and advancement.

The Never Ending Challenge of Time Management

Time management. Just the thought of time or lack thereof can cause exhaustion. Many managers and employees have so much on their plates they wonder how in the world they’ll get it all done! It’s not uncommon to hear the phrase, ‘there’s just not enough hours in the day!’ And with the world we live in today, that phrase can seem like an understatement to many. At the same time, we all have the same number of hours in the day to work with, and it’s critical we take control of our time and what we do with those hours through proper time management.

Truth be told, poor time management skills at work can have a significant impact on other aspects of our life. For example, lack of good time management skills can take a toll on our work performance. When that happens, we get stressed and our health suffers. Or maybe you tend to work late into the night and your social and family life takes a hit. We end up finding ourselves in a bit of a ‘rat race’ kind of scenario. And though it might seem impossible at times, it is possible to manage your time effectively. However, it might take a bit of effort on your part in the beginning, but taking the time (no pun intended) to learn effective time management skills will make you more efficient and save you time (and your sanity) in the long run for all aspects of your life.

Some simple pointers, like better organization or prioritization, can make a huge difference. However, it’s often easier said than done, but with some perseverance and consistency, time management is a skill that can be mastered!

Researching Your Next Career Move

How often have you heard someone say they were unhappy they were being looked over for a promotion at work? Or maybe they simply complain they’re unhappy with where their career’s heading? Maybe this describes you? The good news is, we can push all negative talk out of the way and put ourselves in a position of control when it comes to managing our careers… In fact, it’s important for an individual to take ownership of his or her career, especially if they have certain goals and aspirations they’re looking to obtain throughout the life of a career (though we may wish it were true, in most cases, no one else is going to do it for us)…

So, now that it’s understood that we need to take control of developing our careers, an important part of career development is career research for our next career move. Whether you’re fed up with your current position, are looking for development opportunities, or simply need a change, it’s important to be clear on the steps to take to move forward. The thing is many of us simply don’t know what to do or where to go to move forward with developing our careers. It’s not uncommon for HR specialists to get many questions around what an employee should do when they want to move to a different function or look for opportunity for promotions.

The good news is there are many resources available to move us along in our careers! OnlineTraining2Go.com has a good reference article that provides a checklist of the pertinent steps to remember anytime you’re researching your next career move. You can find the article at: http://www.onlinetraining2go.com/articles/Your_Next_Career_Move.pdf.
It’s important to look for resources such as this that will help you focus on both researching your next career move as well as preparing for it. With resources like this, it’s easy to move forward and put yourself in control of your career!! Whew!

Leadership Development

Leadership. A word that is misunderstood over and over again. Leadership is often associated with a title, and though it’s true that there are many managers who are good leaders in the workforce, leadership is not a word reserved to describe those at supervisory level and above. In fact, there are many employees in supervisory level positions who do not possess good leadership qualities. At the same time, there are many non-supervisory level employees in any given organization who are natural leaders. With that being said, what truly defines a leader, and how are they developed?

To name a few characteristics a leader may posses, a leader:

• Can motivate others.
• Has good interpersonal skills.
• Can make decisions.
• Helps develop others.
• Takes initiative.
• Understands the organization.
• Continues to learn and educate themselves.

In an organization, it’s important for Human Resources to understand what it takes to develop leaders. To foster leadership within a company, a good HR department will:

• Research and assess their company’s needs.
• Work on a strategy and provide tools and training to develop various leadership skills.
• Identify potential leaders within the organization and set up a strategy to develop them specifically.
• Educate themselves to be better leaders and facilitators within the organization.

It is equally important for individuals and managers outside of HR to understand how to develop themselves and improve on leadership skills. To develop leadership, an employee should start with:

• Understanding and getting involved with their organization.
• Educating themselves by researching and taking advantage of any leadership training offered. This may include development and training for interpersonal, organizational or personal skills.
• Encouraging their HR department and managers to do more for their organization.

There are many tools available and easily accessible to help you get a head start in the area of leadership development as an individual or HR professional. A good place to start is OnlineTraining2Go.com. For more leadership information, click on the following link: http://www.onlinetraining2go.com/articles/OT2G_Leadership.pdf.

Job Search Elevator Pitch Do's & Don'ts

‘So, tell me about yourself?” Many of us have been asked this question while going through the interview process. While this question is not meant for you to share your whole life story it gives you a chance to get comfortable with the interviewer. You should take this time to smartly summarize your background and list your achievements. This is also a good time to explain the reason why you are seeking the position with the company. Doing this gives the interviewer an opportunity to quickly gauge the company’s requirements against your background. You should regard this question as an opportunity to impress the interviewer with a clear, concise, yet benefit-focused elevator pitch.

There are a few do’s and don’ts when preparing a personal elevator pitch

Do’s

• Keep your pitch short and concise, intertwine information that is relevant to the interpersonal and professional skills required for the job
  
• Support each of your accomplishments with an action word using words such as I achieved, I formed, or I led
  
• Choose a statement that correctly defines your personality and your ambitions.
  
• Rehearse your elevator pitch by reading it aloud, first in front of the mirror, and then among your family and friends.
  
• Always establish direct eye contact with the other person and don’t forget to smile.
  
• Offer a firm handshake as this depicts your warm personality and enthusiasm.

Don’ts

• Never ask the person to do something for you following your pitch.
  
• Avoid using industry-specific jargon. Many times someone in HR does the first round of interviews and they may not be familiar with your industry.
  
• Remember not to fidget or look down while giving your elevator pitch
  
• Avoid using jokes or awkward humor.
  
• Don’t rush in creating your elevator pitch you don’t want to come across as nervous or a poor communicator.

Remember, a thoughtful, confident, and benefit-oriented job search elevator pitch may help you make a lasting impression on the other person. Therefore, it’s simply worth the efforts!