Should This Guy Be Worried About His Job Security?

Amazingly… some people actually reach out to us at FOT for advice. So, here’s an issue sent to us by a reader who wanted our collective counsel. Read the scenario – and then hit us in the comments for your take. From the reader:  

The Issue: A VP I used to work with at Company A, who followed me to Company B and became my manager, will soon become my manager again at Company C.  I need some advice on how to gauge where I stand with him and whether, based on our history, I should just start looking for work.  

Some Background: VP and I worked at Company A, but in different departments.  We had a good working relationship, but no deep ties.  VP briefly became my manager during some reorgs before moving on to another position in Company A.  Three months later, I left Company A for a similar role in Company B.  

While I was at Company B, VP called me to say he’d been let go from Company A, so I referred him to our leadership team.  He was hired at Company B in a different department.  After a few months and some reorgs, he became my manager.  All was good until the business went downhill with the economy.  Because of that, he RIF’d me and a few others as the business was winding down.  While I looked for work, he didn’t respond to my calls or emails for networking help. 

After a few months being unemployed, I landed a role at Company C.  Company C acquired the remains of Company B.  Some reorgs followed and now VP is going to be my boss again in Company C.  Obviously, I work in a volatile industry and this guy is a survivor.  If I want to survive too, how do I gauge my situation with him and make sure I’m not on his hit list? 

Wait – so who’s on first? Did ya follow? Here’s what our crew had to say – 

Kris Dunn - First up, there’s nothing in your scenario that suggests he RIFed you the first time around because he didn’t like you.  Sounds like he had some tough choices to make.  BUT… If you were my friend and I was giving you survival advice, I’d give you the following nugget: Don’t be a tourist Alice.  Wait around and ring your hands over this and you get what you get.  Take action to let people know what went down the last time and what your concerns are, and you win.  I’d have a sit down with him and let him know what you’re anxious about. Let him tell you the last RIF had nothing to do with your work – let him tell you it’s all going to be OK.  Before you have that conversation, find a HR pro that supports the client group (manager and up, not a transactional person) and tell them the same thing – you think if push comes to shove, you’re going to be out.  Do the same thing with the person who runs the show above him.  The more people who know that you got RIFed before and he made the call, the less likely they are to allow him to make the same call again.  Bet on that.  Or, you can be a wallflower and see how that works out.  Throw the fastball. You’re welcome. 

Josh Letourneau – Your once-again Boss sounds like a textbook a$$hole.  He reached out for your help; you delivered; he got the job.  Then he RIFs you and dodges your fair request for networking help. So, here’s the deal – you know what he’s about… and I doubt he’s brushed up on his “Leadership” 101 skills. 

Personally, I believe you have no choice but to avoid him and start investigating new opportunities. Don’t signal anything is wrong; play dumb and bubbly.  Like Sun Tzu says, “Sharpen your swords in silence.”  You’ve nothing to gain by signaling your left blinker, but step on the gas. 

Tim Sackett – Hey Job Hopper (I kid) - I try not to buy into conspiracy theories and tend to look at the facts: 1. When VP lost his first job – he called you for help (that says a bunch); 2. VP had to RIF you – it’s business, that happens, not personal; 3. VP wouldn’t help you out after being RIF – many reasons for this, but probably mostly surrounding “Covering their own Ass”.  Sounds like you’re both survivors, I would invite the person to lunch/dinner under the guise of wanting some career advice. VP will probably accept and then you should have this direct conversation.  Most males in executive positions like taking on the mentor role – if you set it up this way, I’m sure you’ll get what you need. 

Steve Boese - Dude, you’re already on the hit list. The VP already RIF’ed you once, ignored your requests for help, and now since he is back in a position of power, there is no doubt he’d throw you, his ‘friend’ in front of the train if need be.  How to survive? Find a way to get off of the carousel that keeps putting him right back in crappy situations dealing with execs that it seems have figured out how to play the game just a little better than him. Failing that, go on a preemptive strike, mark your territory, and hope the element of surprise knocks the VP off his game.  And update your LinkedIn profile. 

William Tincup - Clear the air regarding your past work experience together.  What did he like from your performance and what should you have changed?  Get clarity!  Specifically, what does he want to see from you now?  Make sure you have a firm grasp of his expectations of you in this role.  Also, ask him how he learns from these twists and turns in the market / his career.  Give him an opportunity to teach you something about office politics.  Lastly, build a plan.  A plan to stay and how you’ll exceed his expectations and a plan to leave – get ready for an exit – your choice or his.  Be prepared. 

Marissa Keegan - I’m a fan of building relationships, asking tough questions, and being prepared to hear tough answers. Since you are going to be working with this boss again, and the trend makes it look like you’ll be stuck with him in some capacity for much of your career, it’s important to get into his head.

Invite him to coffee and tell him that you’d like to meet so you can talk about his expectations for you moving forward in this new role. Start off by asking him easy questions – where he sees the department going, how you can help him out. Then get a little deeper and ask him the really hard question. “Based on what you know about me from our previous time working together, what is one change that you’d recommend me making that would make me a better employee moving forward?” It’s scary, so hold your breath, listen to the answer, and don’t debate it. Thank him for his honesty and let him know that you’d love that same kind of feedback moving forward. Sometimes hearing the truth isn’t easy but if we become better at asking for, and receiving, the truth we’ll always know where we stand with our bosses. 

Jessica Lee - With the advantage of seeing everyone’s responses before I started writing up mine, lol… what I’ve concluded is that everyone will read into your situation differently which means there’s pretty much no way for you to know the truth of the matter. You can ask for a sit down, take the boss to coffee, get some clarity, all that feel good stuff… but honestly, you’re never gonna know if he’s telling you the truth. Even if you ask him questions point blank. So, let’s think about this as actually being an issue about you, and not that boss. Can you live with not knowing what the truth is? Can you not let this issue get all wacky in your mind and just focus on the work going forward? Can you not live in fear? The answer is probably no, if you’re writing in to FOT for advice. You’re never gonna know the truth, so you’re never gonna trust him, so… it’s time to move on and start fresh. 

Posted by Jessica Lee on Tuesday, November 02, 2010 at 07:33 AM in FOT Mail Bag, Job Seeker Advice | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) 

Poaching Seeds of Doubt

By Sharon L. Florentine

Poaching. Logic would have predicted the high unemployment rate would have put an end, at least temporarily, to the practice of recruiters and hiring companies competing for each other’s employees. Logic would be wrong, said a number of recruiters and hiring experts who spoke to TheLadders.

High unemployment has simply created more competition for employed candidates. “Our clients want the candidates who are currently working for their competitors,” said one Texas-based executive search professional who wished to remain anonymous. “They feel that these folks are obviously valuable since they haven’t been laid off, and they’d rather hire them than a candidate who may have been unemployed for some time and who they see as undesirable.”

As a result, executive search firms are under increasing pressure to poach employees and are forced to hone their skills at dislodging candidates from employment, which became harder to do during the recession that bred a desire among employees for job security above all other entitlements.

It’s usually about more than just a higher salary, said the recruiter from Texas. These ‘poachees’ are offered greater upward mobility, the opportunity to work on new products and up-and-coming projects, a better work-life balance, educational opportunities, etc.

When it comes to poaching, most executive recruiters practice a two-step tactic to dislodge the employee, the recruiter said. The executive search firm plants the seeds of doubt about leaving safe employment for a better opportunity and the hiring company (usually a human resources manager or hiring manager) picks a ripe candidate when they’re ready. It’s a bit of salesmanship, he said.

“We have to plant the seed of doubt, and then the hiring manager has to close the deal. In partnership with our hiring manager, we put on our salesperson hat, and we go to work finding out what we have to offer to incite those folks to move out of their current job.”

Once the candidate is sufficiently intrigued, and the seeds of doubt are planted, the recruiter said, the hiring manager or human resources manager at the client is responsible for closing the deal and making good on what the recruiter has promised.

“If we’ve accomplished what we set out to do, then by the second interview, these candidates are starting to think, ‘Maybe I’ve been too focused on this company (or job or career path).’ ”

To read original article:
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What Separates Highly Motivated People

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Have you ever asked yourself what separates highly motivated, highly successful people from everyone else?

No matter what walk of life they come from, people who are motivated to achieve success share certain traits, says Gail Cohen, lecturer and consultant who is the author of Thinking Outside the Lines: Power Thinking for the 21st Century.

“There are 10 things that are common denominators — 10 things that highly successful people do that you can do and I can do,” Cohen says.

As you read through the list, consider which attributes you already possess and which ones you need to improve upon, she advises.

Highly motivated people …

1. Have extraordinary purpose
They set their goals high and are always reaching for the top.

2. Are willing to take risks
They have the confidence to step out of their comfort zone to try new ideas or strategies.

3. Participate fully in life
They take part in their organizations, in their families and in their communities.

4. Are energetic
They’re willing to jump in and take things on — and have the mental energy necessary to get it done.

5. Are humble
They’re not afraid to admit they don’t know it all. They’re eager to keep growing.

6. Are committed to life-long learning
They know their stuff and are always in the process of learning more.

7. Possess an attitude of success
They act as if it were impossible for them to fail, as if their success is a done deal.

8. Are persistent — with options
They never give up until they succeed, but they’re willing to try a variety of options to get what they want rather than to keep hitting their head against the same brick wall.

9. Strive for health in all aspects of their lives
They work hard to take care of themselves physically, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and socially.

10. Rise above adversity
They rise above the small stuff to achieve greatness in their lives.

Find yourself lacking in some of these areas? Identify others you know who possess these traits and ask them to mentor you or find out how they went about developing these attributes, Cohen recommends. Read about famous people who have the characteristics you’d like to improve in yourself and see what you can learn from their experiences.

Tips to avoid employment scams during your job search

With the rise of online fraud, it is increasingly important to protect your personal information during your job search process.

Be wary of employers that:

• Try to obtain personal information including Social Security Number or personal financial information.
• Extend offers of employment without first interviewing you.
• Charge a placement fee or start-up fee.
• Require you to transfer funds, receive and deposit funds or receive packages, particularly from addresses located outside of the United States.
• Are unable or unwilling to give a detailed description of the opportunity and job duties that you will be performing.

These are signs of a potential scam. Many legitimate employers use online advertising as well, but if you run across any of the above circumstances please be sure to thoroughly investigate the employer.

You can use online sources such as the Better Business Bureau or Google to research employers.

If you feel that you may have been a victim of fraud or provided too much information to an employer, you can report the incident at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Learn more about current employment scams Better Business Bureau’s Employment Scams website. The Federal Trade Commissioncan offer some helpful information about identity theft and ways to protect yourself.

Home Businesses Tips

Research the Market.

Before you begin operating any kind of business it is important to define your market. In other words carefully research who would be interested in buying your product or service and what would they be willing to pay for your service or product. You also need to have a good idea of how many people would buy your product and how often.

Have a Detailed Business Plan.

The more detailed the better. Many companies fail because they did not have a realistic start up plan. This plan should include all possible start up costs as well as making sure that you have enough money to survive on until your company is up and running. Most companies will not start to show any profit for at least six months.

Make a Schedule and Stick to it.

Even though you will be working from your home you need to have schedule. Many people who start home based business find that although they working long hours they are not accomplishing very much. Be sure that when you are writing your schedule you allow time not only for the actual work but for any time needed to do the mundane chores that have to be done to keep the company operating. Chores like the daily or weekly accounting, or doing equipment checks and maintenance.

Separate Your Personal Life as From the Business.

Many people who open a home business find it very hard to separate their business life and their personal life. It is essential that you let friends and family know that even tough you are at home you are working. Set your hours and stick to them. I.e. Do not take personal calls, get a separate line installed or get an answering machine if you have to.

You also have to make certain that customers and clients respect the fact that although you are home, you do need time off. You are not available 24 hours a day.

Make Time for Yourself.

A lot of people who go into business for themselves do not understand that you need to take breaks and have time to relax. All people need to get away from the stress of the ”office” and the “pressure of work“. You can not properly function at a high capacity all the time. You will be more productive if you take a fifteen minute break and take a walk and come back to work refreshed than to try to work for 5 or 6 hours strait.

If you start off your business with these things in mind, you will have a much better chance of operating a successful home based business.

Disadvantages of Working From Home

Working from home sounds great. You do not have to get up and get dressed and race out of the house. You do not have to worry about traffic, delays or the weather. You can set your own hours, and you get to be your own boss. But, there are a lot of disadvantages to working from home and owning your own business that many people do not consider. They start their company and realize that it is not what they were expecting.

People who do work from home never get to leave the office. They often have trouble being able to separate the two. Depending on the business that you plan on having you may discover that you are getting calls at strange hours or that you end up working twice as much as you would with a nine to five job, or working for someone else. Clients and customers who realise that you do work from home often think that you are available any time day or night.

There is also a lot of pressure in owning your business that people seem to forget. In many cases you can not count on getting a regular pay check. And, there is no guarantee as to how much or how often that check will come. Will you be able to adjust to this type of financial arrangement?

Owning your own company often means that there is often nothing to fall back on if you run into problems. If you buy a new piece of equipment, or software it is up to you to work out problems and solutions. There is no one else to ask for help.

A person who works from home also has to have a lot of self discipline. It is very easy when working from home to get interrupted or distracted. There is no separation between the two and it is all to easy to stop for coffee with a friend who just stops by or to get distracted by something in the house that may require attention. It is very important to be the type of person who can sit down and ignore what is going on elsewhere.

Depending on the type of business that you are considering there may not be a lot of social contact. If you are operating an on-line business for example, you may find that you do not actually see other people for days, or until you leave the house. Many people discover that thy actually miss not having direct communication with others even if it is just around the water cooler.

Before you go jumping into a home business look at what type or person you are. Can you handle the pressure of not having a regular pay check? Can you solve problems on your own? Will you miss the people? Before jumping into your own business consider these things carefully.

The Importance of Having a Business Plan

The concept of owning and operating a home based business has a great number of appealing qualities. You do not have to rush out every day to get to work, you can select when and how much you want to work and you are your own boss. However, before you do decide to open one of these ventures it is extremely important to set up a good business plan.

People who start these often companies do not plan for many of the unexpected costs that do come up and they find themselves in financial difficulties very quickly. When setting up your business plan it is essential that you carefully outline in as much detail as possible everything that your business is going to require.

Take a careful look at all the equipment you will need. You will want to include all the big items that you are going to require i.e. a computer, fax machine printer etc. but, do not for forget to take into account that you are going to have to purchase all your own small business supplies as well. Pen, pencils staplers, all add up quickly are often forgotten or are over looked when people are doing their planning. You may have to install a second phone line so there might be hook-up charges or other expenses involved.

You should also take a look at which aspects of the business you are going to do yourself and which of any services you are going to have to contract out. Who will handle the accounting? Are you going to do it yourself or are you planning on hiring it out? If you are doing it yourself will you need to purchase additional software or books?

What about advertising costs. Are you able to do your own? What kind of advertising do you intend to do? Will you be putting ads in the local paper, posting flyers, using the yellow pages or doing it on-line. Even if you are simply putting up local flyers what are the costs of printing, paper etc.?

You are also going to want to make sure that you put money aside for unexpected emergencies. What if the computer breaks down? Or you get a virus? Will you be able to fix the situation or will you find yourself with a large unexpected repair bill?

The more details that you are able to put into your plan the better. Write things down and keep careful records. Many people who start their own companies go under simply because they did not do enough planning at the beginning of their operation.

Setting up the Home Office

Once you have decided to go ahead and open your own home based business you are going to have to look at where you are actually going to work. This area is going to be your office so it is essential that you take into account a variety of things. You want to be both comfortable and productive so you need to set things up accordingly.

What do you need for your business? How much space and equipment are you going to require? Do you need an internet connection, extra phone lines? What kind of furniture if any will you require? Write up a detailed list of all the things that you are going to require and plan the space that you have available to you.

Ideally, you will be able to have a separate area or room away from the rest of the family where you can set up and leave your things. You want to be in an area that will provide you with the least amount of distractions and noise. It is important that the rest of the family know that this is your work area and that they are not to disturb things.

If a separate room is not an option consider getting a portable partition. This will help to separate your office space from the rest of the house. It is also a good way of letting the family know that you are working and do not want to be disturbed.

If there are children in the home you may want to get a second line put in that is just for the business. At the very least you will probably want to have an answering machine or call display.

You also want to make sure that you will be comfortable working in that space. The furniture that you choose should not only reflect the business but be comfortable. The space where you intend to work should be a well ventilated area and has enough light. Do not just pick a remote corner of the house.

By properly setting up your own personal “office” space you will be more productive. This is especially true if you are able to provide yourself with a room or an area that is fixed and stable rather than trying to work at the kitchen table. Also by having your own area, even though you are at home, it will help you to mentally separate “work” home.

Advantages to Having a Home Business

In today’s modern world most families require two incomes. Because of this more and more couples are looking into the possibility of operating and owning their own home business. If you have never considered this you should look at all the advantages that can come from having a business that is operated from your own home.

Home based businesses are especially appealing to parents who require a second income but do not want to have their children shipped off to daycare. By operating a home based business you can have the freedom to choose your own hours and to plan your own working schedule around your children rather than trying to plan your children around your work.

You can also take advantage of using your home as a tax deduction. Tax deductions and benefits will very depending on which country, state or province you live in but with a bit of research or a good accountant many people are surprised at the amount of things that they are allowed to claim. Some people are able to claim to everything form heat to actual square footage of their house on their income tax forms.

A lot of people also find the thought of not having to commute to work very attractive. You do not have to get up and rush out of the house. Nor do you have to worry about construction, weather or traffic jams while you are trying to get to your job.

People who are operating their own home based businesses are also able to save money because they are not concerned with ensuring that they have proper work wear. There is no need to go out and get expensive suits or ties, nor do you have to worry about safety clothes or equipment.

Another great factor about having a home based business is that families often find they can manage with only one car. If the parent working outside the home is able to take advantage of the public transportation system or by car pooling then the other parent is free to have the vehicle all day. Alternatively if the parent at home does not need the car they can do the household errands after their spouses working hours.

A home based business is one of the best ways of allowing a family to be a family and still have the benefits of a two family income.

Time Management Considerations

One of the most difficult parts about owning your own company is trying to mange your time. People who do start up their own businesses often fail to take a realistic look at the time that will be involved. They plan the actual time to do their “work” but fail to realize the other factors that they are going to have to do to keep their business operating.

Who will take care of the accounting? If you are going to have someone else take care of the books, you will still have to spend time keeping track of the day to day operations. And if you are planning on doing it yourself have you allotted yourself time each day or week to get it all done?

Depending on the type of business that you plan on having you may be required to do your own advertising. Even if you are simply planning to post flyers around the neighbour hood , you have to look at time involved in printing, in getting them posted and replaced when necessary.

Another thing that people who are trying to work from home discover is that they are constantly being interrupted. You are not at ”the office” or “at work” so quite often friends and family do not realise that you are busy. It is important to let these people know that you are in fact working. You have to be very clear that this is your work time and it is not a good time for personal calls or coffee.

You also have to remember that you are going to need time for yourself. People who work from home often have difficulties separating the business from their down time. It is important to remember that you do need breaks and time for a social life.

When you are planning your work week or month, these types of activities all need to be accounted for. If you do not consider all these things carefully beforehand , you may find yourself spending hours and hours working but actually getting very little done.

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