Raising a glass to classy departures
Count the Blog Break crew among those who think former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater could have handled his self-promotion to customer with a little more dignity.
In case you missed it, Slater quit his job on Monday – via the aircraft’s public address system and inflatable exit slide – after a dustup with an uncooperative passenger. He even managed to swipe some beer from the plane’s galley along the way.
The meltdown earned him immediate hero status among many people, particularly fellow flight attendants and those who have fantasized about quitting their job with a bang. Others though wisely caution would-be copycats from pulling off their own great escape. Criminal charges aside, employment experts suggest that Slater’s infamous stunt might land him on many companies’ no-hire list.
What do you think about Steven Slater? Is he a hero or an agitator? Would you want to work with him?
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Do you have a cure for boring meetings?
For some people, the work day begins with a ritual. Pour a hot cup of coffee, turn on the computer and check the day’s calendar. Once the caffeine kicks in and the morning cobwebs clear, a daunting slate of meetings hits you in the face.
A 10 a.m. staff meeting. An 11 a.m. budget meeting. A noon lunch-and-learn meeting. A 1 p.m. scheduling meeting. A 2 p.m. project meeting. A 3 p.m. meeting to plan the next meeting.
Where did the day go? It dragged on in an endless series of mind-numbing meetings.
Some meetings are necessary and even productive. Complex projects that involve several departments and an extensive task list require planning and regular meetings to keep up with everything.
But what about those meetings that quickly become an exercise in trying to stay awake as someone drones on and reads a PowerPoint presentation? How about a meeting that serves as a chance for showboats to regurgitate what they just read in a book about the principles of management? Or better …
Searching for your dream job? Try the ‘Office Space’ approach
In the classic workplace movie, “Office Space,” Peter Gibbons is in a rut. He hates his job at a computer company and can’t stand it anymore. Mind-numbing days of staring at endless lines of computer code and filling out TPS reports has left him at wit’s end.
As he stands next to the printer from hell, he tells two co-workers about an exercise that didn’t help him when he chose a career. I’ll let Peter tell the story:
“Our high school guidance counselor used to ask us what you’d do if you had a million dollars and you didn’t have to work. And invariably what you’d say was supposed to be your career. So, if you wanted to fix old cars then you’re supposed to be an auto mechanic.”
Peter’s problem was that he didn’t have an answer to that question. What about you? If you had a million dollars and didn’t have to work, what job would you do? Don’t limit yourself; the sky’s the limit.
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Dating a co-worker: Fair play or no way?
Apparently, gyms and grocery stores have nothing on the workplace when it comes to dating hot spots. According to a 2009 CareerBuilder.com survey, 40 percent of people say they’ve dated someone they worked with at least once. Surprisingly, of those surveyed 32 percent said they actually ended up marrying their office girlfriend/boyfriend.
There are upsides to finding romance in the workplace, like the spark of energy it can give you on a gloomy day. It’s also convenient. And I’m not talking about carpooling. The ease of getting to know other singles at work – as opposed to your neighborhood tavern – can make pursuing romantic relationships hard to resist. It has also become more acceptable over the years by companies and employees alike.
Not that you should consider any of that an endorsement of on-the-job dating.
Should love turn to scorn, there’s really no escape from your ex. Mutual friends, the parking lot, elevators, meeting rooms, hallways and the cafeteria …
Are you networking effectively?
By Alaya Boykin
We all have been told about the power of networking, but have we really been taught how to network effectively?
About three weeks ago, I attended a conference with Reid Dugger Consulting Group as the facilitators. Wrise D. Booker was the presenter, and she gave tips on networking effectively.
Effective networking is not about scheming, putting on facades or being pushy. When you meet a professional, it’s good to take the approach of what you can do for them and not what they can do for you.
People respond to compliments and praise, especially when it’s apparent that you’re thoroughly familiar with their work.
After grasping their attention by not talking about yourself at first, make the transition into your introduction.
LinkedIn and e-mail are great ways to network. Contact professionals right after you meet them while the connection is still fresh.
Keep in touch throughout the year, not just when you need something. Effective networking is all about …
Valuable training or a waste of time?
No matter what you do for a living, every job requires some sort of training. Nobody walks in and knows how to do everything in the job description. You have to learn how to perform tasks in accordance with what your employer wants, right?
But what about training classes or team-building exercises that don’t apply directly to your job? I know someone who was subjected to a monthly session where employees practiced breathing techniques and then hugged a tree – literally.
Do classes in communication styles or how to host productive meetings help your career development or are they a huge waste of time and money? Tell us about your experiences.
Follow AJC Jobs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajcjobs.
Job regrets
“You’re hired.” Two words we all love to hear. Whether it’s that first real job out of college, the one that follows months of unemployment, or the fresh start after years in the same position, landing a new gig is always exciting.
But what happens if the dream job turns out to be a total nightmare? Though it takes three to six months to acclimate to a new environment, recognizing that a job’s a real stinker can happen in less time than it takes Lindsay Lohan to say, “Not guilty.”
Job hunters are most often blamed for hiding imperfections. It’s no secret that companies do it, too, as perhaps you’ve already discovered. A misleading job description, the maniacal boss no one mentioned during your interviews, clicky co-workers – any one of those can quickly scrape the luster off a new job.
What’s the earliest you’ve ever left a job? Why did you leave? Did you leave it off your resume?
— AJC Jobs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajcjobs
Create your own job
By Alaya Boykin
Are you looking for the next great job? Instead of conforming to what is already in existence, maybe you should use your skills to create something new.
In the last five years, a lot of new jobs have been created − social media communications specialists, for example converge traditional outreach methods and new social media techniques within a company. Another recently created position is a user experience designer, which focuses solely on improving user interaction online.
Current economic times and a more demanding digital society have forced many workers to perform jobs that have never existed, and in many cases because multiple positions have been reduced to one. The requirement for employees to be more adaptable has increased at a staggering rate over the years.
Have you identified a particular job that doesn’t exist? Have you created a position at your company? Have you ever been the first person to hold a newly created position?
— AJC Jobs on …
Tools to use when looking for a job
Anyone who’s trying to find a job in the current market needs help in their search. Résumés, cover letters, newspaper want ads, online job boards, networking sites are just a few of the tools that can help jobseekers land a position.
So when a successful executive recruiter offers his help for free, it might be a good idea to take advantage of it. Skip Freeman is president of the HTW (Hire to Win) Group and author of “Headhunter Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed Forever!” He’s offering a free, full-color, 347-page eBook edition of his ‘Headhunter’ volume to the first million people who download it from the book Web site.
“That’s something I want to do. It’s also the right thing to do at this point, when unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing us here in the U.S., as well as worldwide,” Freeman said in a press release.
What tools have worked best for you in job searches? Have your job-search strategies changed in …
Don’t get robbed of your own ideas
By Alaya Boykin
Some of us are creative and skilled at crafting good ideas. What company doesn’t admire an innovative employee? Companies look to hire employees who can take them to the next level.
Believe it or not, employees who constantly push the envelope of new concepts can get taken advantage of. Sometimes, when taking an idea to management, it can get warped into something that veers away from your initial vision.
Other times, management might reap the benefits of presenting an idea that you came up with to potential clients, and not give you the credit you deserve. Things could also get messy if you casually tell a co-worker about an idea and he or she steals it.
Have you ever been robbed of a great idea at work? How do you protect your ideas so that you get the credit? If you had a million-dollar idea, would you present it to your boss or would you keep it to yourself and implement it on your own?
— AJC Jobs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajcjobs
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