What to Do When Your Boss Takes Credit for Your Work? plus 1 more | Career Rocketeer

What to Do When Your Boss Takes Credit for Your Work?

Posted: 28 Apr 2011 03:30 AM PDT

Among the many things that bad bosses have been known to do is to take credit for your hard work or ideas. You don't like it when a peer does it, but with that group, you feel you might have some recourse to stifle what they're doing. What do you do when a boss does it?
The line between a legitimate ethics violation and simply representing innovation in the department can at times be hard to tell. There are some perspectives to have first before taking any action.
You need to understand that the boss has a job to do and that is, not only directing your work and that of your peers, but also "managing up" with their boss. Their boss is looking for continual improvement in results of the organization, along with the dialogue of what innovative ideas the group is coming up with to stay competitive. In other words, the discussion frequently doesn't involve the specific person who accomplished something or the origin of ideas or proposals. Certainly, that type of information has its usefulness with the big boss for such things as promotions, salary increases or tactical decisions. The higher you go in the managerial food chain, the less detail is desired.
There may be times when your boss is speaking to other people in your organization and refers to your work or ideas without giving you credit. There are several possibilities for why they aren't giving you credit at that time:

It's not relevant to the discussion.
Your work or idea may be part of an overall direction the boss has identified; and there may be a number of people in the mix.
Your idea may be a spinoff of something the boss has been talking about or a spinoff of a group discussion.
They may have legitimately forgotten who the originator was.

In other words, you may be sensitive about "getting credit" for things when there is no need to be. You need to look at their actions in the circumstances to see if it genuinely warrants your reactions. However, there are times and certainly bad bosses who will blatantly represent your work and ideas as their own and perhaps your peers, as well, on a consistent basis. It is this situation that calls for some careful footwork for you to pursue.
The biggest issue is not so much what they did; it's the possible impact on your career. In order for you to get promotions and growth, the people above you have to observe your accomplishments, growth and potential. It's not always obvious at that level to know the details, so they may rely on your boss to be the one to fill them in. If your boss is using it to advance their own growth without any support of you on the way up – you have a problem to deal with.
What can you do without stepping on a land mine? Here are four suggestions:
1. Privately ask them if they had remembered that you originated the work. Have a non-defensive discussion to let them know what you noticed to get their version of why the omission took place. Discuss how the gaff can be rectified and move on. Don't attempt to nail them, it will only go bad.
2. Document and publish your ideas and work. If your organization does status reports, this is a perfect time to put in black and white your great work. It also makes it more difficult for other's to stake a claim. Even if your group doesn't openly publish status reports, you can still do one each month and copy your boss, along with any other key players you think would benefit. Look at this as a form of communication.
3. When it's time for the annual raise/performance review, ensure you document your accomplishments prior to the process being kicked off. This way, it will help the boss remember your results.
4. Look for public opportunities to subtly inject a bit of ownership into your work and ideas. This is known as self promotion, which makes some people cringe. The deal is, if you don't promote yourself, who will?
When the bad boss takes credit for your work, it's insulting and degrades any environment for trust. Most of the time, these bosses really aren't trying to rob you of any glory, but they're being thoughtless. You can adjust both your thinking and, when needed, your behavior to make sure your career stays on course.
Looking to get happy in the job you're in? Take this quiz to find out: http://www.nextchapternewlife.com/quizzes/TenWaystoGetMoreFromJob.pdf From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran at http://www.nextchapternewlife.com

Author:
Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals. Her programs cover: Career growth and enhancement, Career Change, Retirement Alternatives and Job Search Strategy. Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results? Discover how by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com

I’ve Owned a Business! Why Can’t I Get a Job?

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:45 AM PDT

It’s not a rare occasion for me to talk to someone that is surprised that they are struggling in their job search after having had tremendous experience in running a business as an owner. They believe that the skills they gained in having overall financial and operational responsibility should make them a great catch in the marketplace.
Why aren’t they getting calls back?
It’s a tough predicament. Indeed, they often have gained tremendous experience and have a lot to offer a company. However, there is a lot of perceived additional baggage that goes with hiring a former business owner as well.
What are the issues, and what can be done about it?
Here are some observations…
Whether they are true for any one individual or not, some negative preconceived notions of former business owners are:

They’re used to having complete control, and so can’t work well on a team.
They must have earned a lot of money, and will become dissatisfied with a lesser salary.
They must not be very effective if they aren’t still running their business.
They are a jack-of-all trades, but master of none.
They may have a bad attitude after not having their own business any longer.
They will be uncoachable because they’ve been able to make up their own processes and rules.
An entrepreneurial spirit can’t be quenched and they will leave to go out on their own again.
They will be dissatisfied in having responsibility in only one functional area rather than all areas.

…and others.
Depending on individual circumstances, all, some, or none of those things may be true. However, the reality is that many of these things come to mind when a recruiter or hiring manager sees a resume of a previous owner.
So, does that mean they are doomed? Not at all. However, some self-evaluation, and a different approach is definitely called for.
Be honest with yourself! Take a look at those objections. If you’re honest with yourself, are any of them true for you? If so, you first need to deal with them. If they’re not true for you, or once you’ve dealt with them, you need to be able to articulate how and why those notions don’t apply to you. Many of those questions won’t get asked in your networking or interviews, however, they are often thought. So you need to address them proactively.
Responding to ads won’t work! Unless a job posting specifies that they are looking for a previous business owner, it’s not likely you will get a call by applying and waiting. At the same time that they consider your resume, they are also likely looking at someone who’s done the same role they are seeking to fill at another company. Although your experience may encompass more than the other applicant, they appear to be a more obvious and direct fit.
In order to be considered, it will require proactive networking, follow up, and introductions on your part. It’s your responsibility to help them connect the dots and see your value for the role, rather than hope they will see past their biases on their own. Don’t wait, find connections and professionally make calls on your own.
Know your fit! Although you may have had responsibility for Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Technology, HR, Organizational Development and every other aspect of your company, you are likely still to only have your greatest knowledge and strengths in one aspect. Focus on your strength and pursue the most appropriate opportunities. You will be most confident and credible in the areas you know the best. Trying to portray yourself as having expert knowledge in a wide variety of areas will not likely give a potential employer confidence in your fit for any one specific role.

Landing in a position as an employee after having been an employer is often a challenge. It can be overcome, however, networking and connecting with people directly over the phone and face-to-face is much more critical than for the average job seeker. Be honest with yourself. Articulate your answers to their often hidden objections, don’t simply respond to ads and wait, and know your best fit.
Network, network, network… and you will reach your goal!

Author:
Harry Urschel has over 20 years experience as a technology recruiter in Minnesota. He currently operates as e-Executives, writes a blog for Job Seekers called The Wise Job Search, and can be found on Twitter as @eExecutives.