An Oregon Vacation!

Off to Oregon!

My wife and I are taking a trip to Oregon beginning tomorrow for 12 days. We are going to Mt. Hood, east to Idaho, a cruise on the Snake River, a visit to Creator Lake, and a drive up Highway 101 returning to Seattle.

I will try to post my observations about employee during the trip.

Thanks.

Glyn

Do You Have a Difficult Boss?

An article in The Dallas Morning News – July 17, 2011, issue edition on page 1J, “Tips to Deal with Difficult Bosses” from the Creator Syndicate discusses five types of difficult bosses.

The article quotes a study by Office Team, a staffing service organization that questioned 441 employees.  The survey found that 46 percent of respondents have worked for an unreasonable boss.  Among these employees, 35 percent of the employees stayed with the organization and tried to deal with the boss, 24 percent remained with the organization and suffered through distress, and others decided to time to leave the organization.  Further, 27 percent quit when they found another job, and 11 percent could not take it anymore and quit without another job opportunity.

Here are the five types of difficult bosses and suggested coping strategies:

1.    The micromanager: This type of boss will literally look over your shoulder to make sure the duty is performed to his/her idea of perfection. Strategy: Show your boss that you can be trusted with your assignments by making all deadlines and maintaining an eye for details while keeping the manager updated on your progress.

2.    The poor communicator: This type of boss doesn’t give direction. Deadlines and objectives fail to be communicated clearly. Strategy: When working on an assignment, ask to make sure that you aren’t missing any important information. If confused, request clarification.

3.    The bully: This type of boss wants it only one way.  Many times, this boss can be bad-tempered and become easily frustrated. Strategy: You must defend yourself.  If you have a suggestion, support your idea with reasoning, but remain in a calm manner.  Getting angry will only make the situation worse.

4.    The saboteur: This type of boss doesn’t acknowledge hard work performed by others.  Workers are rarely identified for a job well done.  This boss will take praise for employees’ successes and blame others if they fail.  Strategy: Try to display your contributions to upper management.

5.    The mixed bag: This boss is constantly changing – a friend one day but turns on you the next.  Strategy: Try not to be affected by the manager’s mood swings.  When you detect a manager is in a bad mood, avoid him/her as much as possible.

I think that an important teaching point for managers and aspiring managers is to make sure your management style is not one of these five.  As a matter of fact, you should use the opposite approach in managing.

 

 Can you relate to these types of difficult bosses?  I can.   Please share your experience with other readers of this blog.

Thanks!

Glyn    

The Potential Impact of Skype for Job Seekers

An article in The Dallas Morning News – July 17, 2011, issue edition on page 1J, “Skype and the New World of Work” discusses Skype and its possible implications.  However, I thought the article did not deal with the possible use by organizations to interview job applicants.

When I was with a consulting company, we conducted technical interviews by telephone with applicants to determine their skills in specific commuter languages and systems.  This interview was critical because it was the primary basis for the hiring decision. Frankly, I often wondered if we were actually interviewing the applicant or the applicant’s friend who actual had the required skills we were seeking.

I think that a Skype interview would certainly improve the validity of the remote interview. Face-to-face communications is the richest method for communicating.  In addition, a Skype interview would permit both parties to assess if there was a “fit” between the applicant and job opening and would also save time and money for both parties.    

If you have not used Skype or similar technologies, I suggest that you update your Internet communication skills. Skype can be downloaded for free! 

For you active users of Skype, what do you think about job interviews using Skype?

Thanks!

Glyn    

Questions for Job Seekers

An article in The Dallas Morning News - Parade in the July 17, 2011, issue on page 6, “Start Your Job Hunt” includes the following seven questions for job seekers from the book Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview by Ellen Gordon Reaves:

1.    What’s your time-line? – Figure out how long you can afford to look.

2.    Do you know what you really want to do? – List three skills you enjoy using, three tasks you don’t like performing, and three companies you’re interested in.

3.    Do you have a 30-second pitch? – You should be ready with a sound bite describing what you’re looking for and what you can offer an employer.

4.    Do you have supporting materials? – You’ll need a business card with contact info, a businesslike cell phone message and social media presence, a resume, and a cover letter tailored to each job.

5.    Do you look ready to look? – You need to get a haircut and perhaps buy new interview clothes.

6.    Do you have a job-hunting space? – It can be a library or a Starbucks – but you need a place where you can focus.  You’ll also need a quite spot from which to make calls.

7.    Who’s in your network? – List all the communities you belong to: volunteer, sports, virtual, religious, neighborhood, high school, college, etc.  Identify friends and current/former colleagues with whom to set up exploratory interviews.

I think that Ms. Reese’s questions are excellent and that every job seeker should develop an action plan to respond to each question. My studies indicate that trained job seekers will become employed significantly faster than those who are less prepared. 

    

Are you a prepared job seeker?   Please share with readers of this blog your suggestions as to how job seekers should prepare for interviews.

Thanks!

Glyn    

Personal Appearance at Interviews

An article in The Dallas Morning News in the July 10, 2011, issue on page 1J, “Personal Appearance and Attribute Could be Hurting Your Chances for a Promotion” by Amy Winter, Creators Syndicate provides some suggestions about job applicants’ appearance  at interviews.  Here are some no-no’s:

1.    No bad breath 

2.    No exposed tattoos

3.    No wrinkled clothing

4.    No messy hair

5.    No casual clothing

6.    No excess perfume

7.    No excess make-up

With respect to clothing, when I joined IBM, we were instructed to always wear a suit, white, and tie.  Mr. Thomas J. Watson, founder of IBM, wore a starched white shirt, tie, and suit when he was selling meat scales to merchants in upstate New York. He said that a salesman’s attire should not detract from his/her message.  During my first days at IBM I noticed someone wearing a blue shirt.  I inquired as to why he was allowed to wear a blue shirt.  I was told that the individual was 300 percent of his sales quota!

Please share with readers of this blog your suggestions for job seekers’ personal appearance at a job interview.

Thanks!

Glyn