One of the biggest challenges in advising managers on the Generation Y "problem," is answering the question "Why do Gen Y workers act like this?" Bloggers, journalists, and lecturers across the nation suggest different views on this, but here's a new perspective. We (Gen Y workers) have grown up without being allowed to fail. We have been entitled to success in all we do, so that when we do fail, we have problems coping.
For example, some junior high and high schools have either abolished failing grades or lowered the standards for passing grades. In May of 2005, the Arizona Republic ran an article that reported AZ State Officials lowering passing grade standards for graduating senior exit exams for High Schools Diplomas. Outside the classroom, consider secondary school athletics. In my secondary education in Seattle's Eastside suburbs, no student was ever cut from any school athletic program. Everyone had a chance to play, because to cut someone could damage their self-confidence.
So now Generation Y-ers are leaving school and getting into the workplace; guess what? We're failing in ability to complete tasks. We leave jobs that don't give us the benefits we want or end up being much harder than we thought during interviews. We complain that we're not being treated fairly, and then when we are treated well, we ask for more.
To the managers, the best way to combat this is to mentor your employees. When an employee makes a mistake, remind them that it happens and help them back to their feet. Be patient, but firm - they must understand that they need to move on and learn from failure. Do not tell them "it's okay, you gave it your best shot, you're still a winner." If they failed, it probably wasn't their best shot.
To the Generation Y-ers, get used to the fact that life isn't going to be as easy as high school or some of college. You will fail - it's going to happen and the only thing you can do is reflect on it (briefly), then learn from it and move on. You are not entitled to never-ending success, you are merely entitled to develop your potential, and that requires both success and failure - both result in learning.
I was recently approached by a colleague that voiced some concerns about her new job. Visibly stressed, she expressed how much she loves her job, but wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. As the conversation progressed, it became crystal clear what the problem was... she had a micromanager on her hands.
Micromanaging has much more of a profound effect on employees than merely causing their direct reports stress and anxiety. This management style can lead to lower productivity, sick employees, and loss of efficiency.
So why does this happen? Well, there is no clear cut answer. Whatever the reason is, being a domineering boss is not a good managerial practice. That being said, if you like your job, the pay, the company and leaving is not an option (yet), you will need to find a way to deal with your micromanaging boss. Here are some tips that will hopefully change the dynamics of your relationship:
Look in the mirror: Have you given your boss reason to doubt your abilities? Have you been late to work recently? Are you missing deadlines? If so, this behavior needs to be addressed first before you point the finger.
Suggest regular follow-up meetings: Your boss obviously likes to know the ins and outs of what you do daily, so why wait for him to ask. Set up a scheduled 15 minute meeting a few times a week or daily (if needed). This will hopefully reduce some frustration and address his concerns on your terms.
Work with her, not against her: If your boss is very sensitive about timelines and chatting at work about personal issues, make sure you are always on track and save the chatter for your lunch break. Find out what means the most to her and make sure you work with her to get it done.
Tell him, tell him again and don't forget to remind him: If your boss is someone that wants to know every single detail, let him know and make sure you do it with a smile. When repeatedly questioned, our natural instinct is to become defensive. Rather than do this, over-communicate by keeping him in the loop on relevant details.
Always be prepared: Take notes, keep emails and most importantly- always know the status on all your projects. Always be ready for questions. Don't give your boss more reason to lurk over your shoulder.
If all else fails and you see no signs of improvement, it may be time to transfer to a different department or seek other employment. Start dusting off your resume and go somewhere that makes you happy!
The tight labor market has become a salary and benefits coup for many job seekers. Although there have been a couple of blog posts here on the Big Time that offer advice about negotiating a salary, now that qualified candidates are becoming so hard to come by they are finding themselves in the cat-bird seat when considering their salary and benefits.
I came across this recent article posted on the Society for Human Resource Management web site that features a survey of workers and their desired benefits. The study also discovered that some candidates have turned one job down over another because of more money. So what does this mean for candidates in high demand, especially in the managerial and supervisory positions? You could have your pick of jobs and employers, based on your needs and desires for salary and career advancement.
Now, does this mean that you should request an outrageous, unrealistic salary with benefits to match? Of course not. But it does mean that you could command a significant increase in pay from the employer of your choice.
Remember though, just because employers are more willing to offer a higher salary for better qualified candidates doesn't mean that negotiations should come without preparations. So check out these Big Time posts on salary negotiation.
Last but not least, it's nice to have a higher salary but there are other considerations when seeking a new job. You might be passing up a great company to work for more money.
School is back in session, and for many college students that means choosing a major that may or may not impact their potential for future career success.
There appears to be a debate as to the relative importance of a graduate's major to their career advancement. According to some in the industry, college majors are not all that important to determining whether or not you are qualified for an entry-level job. Still, others agree that college majors are very important, especially for first time job seekers.
A recent post on Secrets of the Job Hunt titled "College Kids: Your Major is Important" reveals survey results of top employers, where the number one most important consideration when hiring entry-level employees is the student's major. My take is that the importance of a student's major largely varies on a case by case basis. For example, students planning on a career in the field of medicine or electronic engineering may fare better with a related major. For others with aspirations of being in sales, a specific major may not be as important.
Although you do not necessarily have to know from your first day of college what major you are interested in pursuing, you should have a good idea by your second full year. Typically, the first year of college is focused on basic, required skills to graduate. But, once you are ready to start your sophomore year, that's when it becomes very important to choose a major and stick with it.
Usually, those who enter college have some basic idea as the type of career they are interested in pursuing. So when choosing a major, remember that in some cases, it may be the first step towards choosing your career path.
When some of my past managers were my age, they would tell me that having a job meant for you to go in to the office, work from eight to five, and do your work to the best of your ability. If a call came down from the manager or director's secretary requesting your presence, it meant one of two things: either it was time for the annual review, or it was time for a tongue-lashing for something you did wrong.
We're past those times now. Whether you're in a small, medium, or large-sized company, more frequent communication between employees and management is required. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran an article about how such improved communication helps to improve retention. It reassures managers that tasks are being completed and Gen Y employees that their work is an integral part of the company's strategy and mission.
What is sometimes more important than the act of communicating, is the way in which it is done. E-mail communication is great - as a supplement to interpersonal communication. If you have a serious topic to discuss with a manager, schedule a time to talk with them. Don't e-mail personal or private topics of concern. Not only because it is inappropriate, but because there is no way to track where the e-mail may go after you send it or if the e-mail is read by a secretary or assistant first.
This is a two-way street. Managers also need to take the time to engage in personal communication with their employees. If you are going to take the time to congratulate an employee on exceptional performance, walk down the hall and tell the employee. If you need to discuss a specific concern, talk about it in private.
After having been in the recruiting and staffing industry for more than 20 years, I can honestly say that I've seen it all - the good, bad and ugly. These experiences prompted me to create a series of videos highlighting various tips and advice to help you land your next job or advance your career. Each month I'll post a new tip - so check back.
This month's video highlights five interview blunders that spell disaster - things that I see all the time. A candidate with *all* the right credentials comes in for an interview and shows up late in beach attire, cell phones go off and answered, names of companies pronounced wrong and even parents showing up.
Whether you're looking for work at a corporate office, small business or Fortune 500 company, the right interview skills and career advice can mean the difference between coming in first place or runner-up. Check out the rest of my series of Recruiter Tips in the coming weeks. I hope that you find them useful and good luck!
Ever find yourself apologizing on the phone for noisy coworkers? It's Hard to be professional or productive with loud, boisterous cubicle mates interrupting you at every moment. If you've had to deal with an annoying coworker, tell us about it.
Q: Dear Seymour: I am very stressed at work and feel overwhelmed. How can I relieve some of this stress and better cope?
- Submitted by Juanita Tomilton, Evergreen, CO
A: Dear Juanita,
You are not alone. With downsizing, corporate shifts and a competitive workplace, workers now carry a heavier workload than ever before and are paying the price by feeling stressed and overwhelmed. It's important, however, to avoid feeling like a victim, and develop a role of helplessness.
Stop, take a deep, slow breath and commit now to solving the situation. You can't wait for someone to rescue you. It is your situation, and you, more than anyone else, have the responsibility for changing it. You have control over how you respond to your circumstance. To help you deal with work stress, make changes and improve your work situation, try the following:
Stay in the moment. Focus solely on the task at hand. Don't worry about what else you need to do, the situation in general, or who to blame. Remember the value you bring to your work.
Get organized. Organize your paperwork and emails, and write your to-do list. Decide which tasks are not essential. Tackle unwanted projects first so you aren't dreading them. Finish a task before starting a new one. Minimize interruptions by saying "no." To be a doer, you can't do everything.
Delegate. Be specific about what you want done, be clear and take time to answer the person's questions. Set a realistic deadline for completion. Keep a log of all delegated projects and their status. Keep in mind that workloads are often cyclical - delegate during a crunch time.
Take breaks. Five minutes away from work will clear your head. Lunch breaks are not just for eating, they are also for mental breaks.
When you leave work, leave your work behind. Today's work has no natural bounds. Do not check e-mails, text messages or cell phone calls 24/7. Rest. If you need to catch up, block some time, get into the office early one day or stay late another but don't make a habit of it.
Remember that you have this job because someone believed in you and your talents. If you cannot find any way to change your situation, and you continue to feel overwhelmed, remind yourself that you are there by choice. Do you still choose it? If so, focus on the positives.
I recently came across a blog post about law students who do not want to practice law, once they obtain their degree. One blogger described his experiences and challenges with looking for a job outside the legal field, while possessing a JD.
One of the most intriguing parts of the blogger's post was in how he needed to explain to his interviewers why he wanted to work in a field outside of law. His insight is actually sage advice for anyone in a similar situation, with any variety of degrees or career choices.
Take for example teachers. Many times, teachers pursue degrees outside of teaching. Even though they may have to be certified by the state in order to teach, their degrees may be focused on English, math, history or other school subjects.
Some hiring managers may be skeptical about hiring someone with degrees outside of their chosen career path. They might question your commitment to their company, and you could be perceived as someone unsure of what you really want to do with your career.
Regardless of your degree and chosen career path, you will need to be prepared to show an interviewer that you understand the parameters of the job you are interviewing for, and showcase where your expertise would fit in.
I've recently read many articles about how little vacation time American workers are taking, and the impending implications of not taking a break from the everyday. Now the question is whether or not working longer hours makes you a more valuable employee.
Alvin Lim wrote a blog post on his ‘The Thinker' blog about working longer hours on a daily basis. Lim believes that working long hours (more than 9 a day), can be both good and bad. I happen to agree to with him.
Workers who are consistently burning the midnight oil may be working harder, but not smarter. We can all agree that in order to meet tight deadlines, sometimes the long hours are necessary. But some workers may not be working as efficiently as they should be, which could result in putting them behind on their work, leading to 10 or more hour work days.
On the flip, those who are never working past 5 or 5:30, may be perceived as having a lesser workload or uninterested in doing what it takes to get ahead. Not to say that you have to work overtime to move up the ladder, but working late every once in a while will definitely position you as part of the team.
As with everything, moderation is the key. So be sure to weigh when it's necessary to work longer and when to leave on time. You're guaranteed to achieve a healthy, balanced work-style.
Whenever I have a temp-to-hire or direct hire candidate going into a formal interview with my clients, the younger candidates always ask what is expected of them. I tell them that they need to conduct themselves positively and in the best light, while also maintaining honest integrity and professionalism. When the time comes for an interview, it is up to the applicant to determine what is expected of them, based on both the questions asked by the hiring manager as well as questions posed to the hiring manager.
But when a job offer comes along, it is up to the manager to make it clear what is expected of the new hire, right from the beginning. It is also the manager’s responsibility to clarify what the new hire can expect of the manager, the position, and the company. Too often, we assume the other party has a good idea of what is wanted and unknown expectations cause too much workplace animosity.
At times, I’ve believed that my managers ask too much of me; that their expectations are too great. Other Generation Y-ers just up and quit at this point, or at the least begin polishing their resumes for new jobs. When you’re faced with what you believe are unrealistic expectations, try to do one of two things. You can go right to the manager, and innocently suggest a bit of guidance in completing the task or better understanding what is wanted and by when.
For those of you (like me) who aren’t always as brave, the second option is much easier. Find a mentor in the office who can guide you, but isn’t going to do the work for you. You have to challenge yourself to grow in the company, and having that extra person there to coach and teach you will always help you erase your self-doubt when faced with a seemingly impossible task. You don’t want to become dependent on the mentor, but you do want to use their experience with the company and in personal development, to expand your abilities and develop your potential as an asset to the company.
I would also encourage managers to take the proactive approach and setting up new hires with a mentor right away. Mentorship programs will lead to better retention of employees and a reduction in younger employees jumping ship.
The nightmarish temp job ... we've all had them. Now you can relive every awkward, cringing moment with My Temporary Life, Spherion's original Web series based upon YOUR worst temping stories.
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