Friday, August 12, 2011

The Work Buzz's Latest News: Why saying, “This is not part of my job,” is a big career no-no

Why saying, “This is not part of my job,” is a big career no-no

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 10:42 AM PDT

By Sonia Acosta, special CareerBuilder contributor
For years, we've been hearing the same thing around the water cooler, at the bar or perhaps on the unemployment line. The economy is tough. Jobs are scarce. Companies are looking for employees that will do more for less. And yet, those with a steady job are still braving the words, "This is not part of my job." These words can be an employee's (or soon to be former employee's) worst enemy and here's why.
Tracy A. Cashman, general manager at Winter, Wyman, a staffing firm headquartered in Waltham, MA explains, "Unless you are an accountant and they are asking you to clean a bathroom, that statement ["This is not part of my job"] is almost always a bad idea." Clients usually describe ideal candidates as those who will never utter those words, she explains. "These days all companies are looking for multitalented, team oriented employees who see the value in contributing to the overall business success of the company, whether or not something is in their formal job description."
Darrell W. Gurney, career strategist and author at CareerGuy.com, explains, "In any economy, not just the challenged one we are in now, it is important for career professionals to practice good politics, good PR, and good manners."
Responding to additional or unusual task requests at work with, "This is not part of my job," can make you come off to an employer as lazy, selfish and uncooperative. "Bosses remember who makes it his [or] her job and who doesn't," cautions Patrick Scullin, managing partner at Ames Scullin O'Haire, Inc., an advertising agency in Atlanta, GA. "They respect people who give of themselves, especially in a down economy."
So, it's a bad thing to say. You get it. But what can you say instead when you genuinely feel the task being asked of you is outside your skills set or spills over your already very full plate? Here are four tips you can follow instead of saying, "This is not part of my job."
1. Be candid.
Explain why you do not feel you would be a good person for the job, suggests Scullin. Do you need time to research how to complete the new task? Will it conflict with your existing priorities and deadlines? Clearly communicate all of your concerns in an honest and professional manner. Your boss will respect your honesty and reflect on your concerns.
2.  Offer an alternative.
Don't feel comfortable completing the task? Ask whether there is another task you can complete, suggests Scullin. This way, your boss knows you want to help, but that you want to do so in the most productive way possible.
3.  Redirect.
Bonnie Hagemann, CEO of Executive Development Associates in Oklahoma City, OK., suggests you redirect the task instead of simply saying no. "It's important to redirect the requester to a more appropriate solution," she explains. "You still appear collaborative. The task still gets done, and everybody wins." It is OK if a task is outside of your strengths, but be prepared to help find the right person to complete it. Never leave your boss out in the cold. Help in any way that you can. It will be appreciated and noticed.
4.  Think before you write.
Jeff Gordon, founder of InterActive99 in Pasadena, Calif. cautions against making a hasty reply that can and will come back to haunt you. "If the request comes in via e-mail and you're totally annoyed, get up and take a walk," he suggests. "Remember, the person asking for help is not doing so maliciously or out of ill-intent." Take the time to calm down and get your head in the right place. If the request comes in verbally, say you will gladly look into it and get back to them. Take a breather, think it through, and formulate your answer with a clear head.
Here's a final word of advice from Scullin. "With the national unemployment rate at 9.2 percent, anyone with a job should want to do everything within his power to keep it. Even if it means stretching oneself like Gumby after a yoga class." How's that for workplace flexibility?

Behind the Camera: Top 5 Movie Jobs

ResumeBear Blog

Behind the Camera: Top 5 Movie Jobs

Posted: 11 Aug 2011 08:03 AM PDT

Sure, it might be nice to be the star in front of the lens, but there are so many components that go into creating a movie, and the job opportunities cover a wide array of talents. You might have to start out as a Runner or Best Boy to get to these top movie jobs, but it'll be worth it once you get there.
1. Director – Right up there with Actors, Directors are known for putting their unique stamp on a production. Arguably the best film job behind the lens, this role lets you make your vision of the script come to life on screen. This means you have a hand in just about every aspect of production to create a cohesive, artistic picture.
2. Producer – The Producer for a movie ensures flow—that Actors, sets, and other components are going to be where they need to be, when they need to be there. As a Producer, you take on a role that's less artistic, and more administrative and business-oriented, but you provide the necessary components to allow the artistic people to do their work, going between the set and the production company's offices on a daily basis.
3. Editor – As the Editor of a film, you're left with perhaps the most difficult task of all: creating a movie where none exists. You patch together film rolls of various scenes, Actors, and locations, as well as adding special effects, music, and lighting techniques to create a story. It's in the editing room that all of the elements of a film come together, and you decide what's in and what's out.
4. Screenwriter – Without you, there wouldn't be a film to begin with. The Screenwriter is the ultimate creator of the film. You construct the story, the setting, the dialogue, the characters, and you put it all down on paper. Creating a story meant for film necessitates cinematic elements, a specific length, and, above all, an interesting plotline.
5. Film Composer – Sometimes, the reason the audience feels something for a character is not the Actor's magnificent ability to cry a single perfect tear, or the Director's skill in capturing that single tear at the right moment in the exact right way. It's actually because you—the Film Composer—decided that that moment called for a certain note from a violin. As the punctuations on scenes, the original compositions for a movie become synonymous with the film, and can make or break the emotional resonance of the delivery.
Annie Favreau writes and works for Inside Jobs, a career exploration site where people can explore what opportunities exist and learn what paths can take them there. You can read the original Medical Technician Jobs article on the Inside Jobs site.

blogging4jobs

Talking About Religion: not so easy

Posted: 11 Aug 2011 04:29 AM PDT

"Does religion terrify you?" – a question I saw on LinkedIn a while back…
Is it proper to ask questions about religion in the workplace or on a professional network like LinkedIn? While HR often causes us to wonder about “what is ok” – I like to think about what isn’t ok…
I have long held that if there were only one way to believe than that one way would have been made clear long, long ago and the many (all human life) would know that way and follow with a sincere love and desire to do "what is right".
And yet this is not the case, there are many ways to believe, many sanctuaries in which to worship – including the grandeur that is our beautiful earth, and there are nations, across this earth, where ritual, tradition, and governmental rules guide how belief is fulfilled or carried out. [Judgment is not mine but reserved for one far greater than I – whomever or whatever that might be.] The perspective that each of us carries within us rises to lead our actions and beliefs. Perspective. No one could possibly understand what my perspective is or how my core beliefs have been established. They are resultant of the life I have lived, the pain and joy I have experienced, and certain teachings that have reached inside of me and wrapped around who I am like a tenacious, clinging vine.
Each of us finds a way to live with ourselves and the life around us: to live with selfish and/or angry thoughts, to live with the harsh realities that have become "normal", why I have less or more than my neighbor, why I suffered domestic abuse and she did not, why they live in squalor and we do not, why this nation is fortunate and that is not, why the way they love is wrong but ours isn’t, why my skin color or sex or age is not the right one to get the job but his is, why should she have so many babies when others cannot, and so on…, so many reasons to hate. This should not be a part of any religion and yet there it is front and center on almost every newspaper, the topic of almost every sermon, and the center of almost every war: You are different than I and that is wrong.
Just Sad.
How can differences be wrong when, supposedly, a greater being created everything? Differences are to be embraced and learned from.., they are ways for me to learn tolerance and erase selfishness, not ways to keep you or anyone else down.
How you choose to live can be determined by one question to ask yourself, "what is my purpose?" When you can answer that with true conviction, the rest will fall into place.
The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Simple enough and yet practically everyone has trouble truly living it.
It isn’t any of the following:
– “Treat others the way you think they should be treated."
– “Tell others the way they should live.”
– “Believe what I believe because that is the right way.”
– “Love the way I love because your way is sinful.”
If this simple golden rule were adhered to and lived, there would be no need for the thousands of years old ten commandments or even governmental laws. Many say that one man cannot make a difference, I do not believe this. One man, one woman or one child can make one difference at a time, all the time.
What difference will you make?

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for the online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology. She is also a proud mother of four residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a contributor for Blogging4Jobs. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Life of an Entrepreneur: Home Office vs. Coworking

Posted: 11 Aug 2011 04:17 AM PDT

virtual workforce, working moms, workplace culture, non-traditional workforce, workshifting, telework, business owner work from home, coworking

This is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. It’s really weighing on my mind. For the last two years I have officed out of my home. I work from the living room, kitchen table, my bed, or home office answering calls, helping clients, and running my business. I love the freedom. I can work when and how I want, but it comes at a price.
That price is a combination of factors:

Loneliness. I work with clients mostly over the phone and internet, but there are times I miss the office banter and conversations one has in the office spaces. Social media allows me to stay engaged with others, but there is something to be said for looking someone in the eye and talking about sports or their family in casual conversation.

Work/Life. Because my office is my home I have a tendency to work like a crazy fool. It’s my husband’s birthday this week, he’s also working from home and I feel like we’re missing family conversations that don’t happen with my eyes glued to my laptop computer.

Distractions. I alluded to these distractions in “The Domestic Man” post I also wrote this week. Because I work at home, I can’t escape things like my messy kitchen or toys scattered on the floor. It’s hard to tune these out. I’m compelled to pick up and clean up instead of getting to work.

No Formal Office. There are times when a prospective client wants to meet with me to discuss a project. There are times when a coffee shop just isn’t enough.

As an entrepreneur and business owner, this is not something that is going to go away, and I’m not yet ready to set up shop and hire a large staff that warrants a large office space. I don’t know if I will ever be. The potential solution is what is called coworking where groups of entrepreneurs and creatives office together in an open, shared, and collaborative space.
The idea of renting a space that costs money is a point of contention between me and my husband, Greg. He considers it a want instead of a need. Plus $650 a month for a private 250 square foot room is a large, additional expense. I, however, feel like I need my own space to focus my thoughts, conversations, and work. Have you made the switch to an office or coworking space? If you did, what successes, failures, and obstacles did you encounter?
I’m looking forward to your comments. Greg, however, has his mind made up . . .
Photo Credit Open Forum.

Why Finding a Job and a Career is Like Kissing Frogs | Career Rocketeer

Link to Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

Why Finding a Job and a Career is Like Kissing Frogs

Posted: 11 Aug 2011 03:30 AM PDT

By now most of us know the story of the princess who had to kiss a frog to find her prince. The general belief these days, is that she probably had to kiss a few frogs before finding the one that magically turned into the man of her dreams. I often use that analogy for finding a great career or job. You have to do a lot of frog kissing before finding one that will truly resonate with you.
Yet, we are an impatient group and frequently forget that in order to find greatness, we have to be willing to seek and discover. It's not an overnight, quick-fix situation. It also takes some effort, which is another thing that many of us have in very short supply.
Let's look at patience and effort when it comes to finding a job and discovering a career:
Recently, I read a figure that the average job search for the unemployed was now 211 days, which is almost double what it used to be in pre-downturn days. That's 8 months of looking; and we can all tell stories of people we know or talk to who have been out of work for 2 years. That means if you're looking for a job, it's going to be a marathon, not a sprint. For most people job searching, that translates into a lot of time to fill.
For people who are working and looking for a job, it will take much longer, because they can't spend as much time or conduct the level of actions necessary to yield quicker results. There is a belief that it's better to have a job when you're looking for a job, but that also means it's harder because of the time constraints. You have to get serious about time management.
You have to achieve the right attitude and perspective. You can choose to be impatient with the process which translates poorly when you present yourself; or you can choose to realize it is a process driven by time and number of activities. You have to manage your attitude, your time and how many actions you take each day that will get you the job. Yes, that means that MOST of the frogs you kiss will be wrong for you, but you have to keep kissing the frogs. Oh well.
The same message is true for discovering the right career. The best thing you can do is to check out a career that you reject. That means you're looking and that means you ARE kissing the frogs. You might be shocked at how very few people will go in search of the right career. I spoke to a person recently who had been trying to figure out a new career; and in a very disheartened statement, said they had looked into a specific career only to discover it had aspects to it that they wouldn't want to do. I congratulated them, which surprised them. It was good to be on a mission of discovery. You won't find something unless you spend your time researching. Now they know about that career, it wasn't their dream career. Another frog, please.
I can't over emphasize the importance of putting in some effort on both of these endeavors. Once again, in our instant gratification world, we kind of think like all we need to do is hit the enter button for a google-like answer. It doesn't work like that. You have to work at it. You have to be doing multiple things at the same time. You have to talk to people, ask questions, do research, and find out about business and trends. If you're in job search, you can't simply submit resumes to online job postings – you have to have multiple job search methods. If you aren't getting interviews – you have to change what you're doing. If you're looking for a new career, you have to go in search and do many of those same things, BUT it has to be you and you have to put in the time and effort.
Lots of frogs, lots of kissing. The payoff is huge for dream careers and dream jobs.
And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to the Career Makeover Newsletter AND eWorkbook "Should I Stay or Should I Go" – both dedicated to Your career success, when you visit: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.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

Top 6 Critical Soft Skills of Job Seekers

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 11:00 PM PDT

All job seekers should make a point to highlight their soft skills because be assured, employers need and want them! Here are six of them...

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.

Why Networking Offline is Still Crucial for Executives

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 10:30 PM PDT

If you can, it's important to always try to do as much offline networking at social functions, over lunch—and even in an elevator—as you possibly can.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.

How a Cease & Desist Letter Saved a Career

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 10:00 PM PDT

After discussing legal options, they decided upon a "Cease & Desist" letter, one of the most common remedies for neutralizing a negative reference.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.

Are You Too Hard on Yourself?

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 09:30 PM PDT

If you want the person hiring you to focus on what you can do, you need to focus their attention on the positive by remaining focused on it yourself.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.