The Hidden Downsides to Working From Home

For an estimated 3.7 million American employees, home is where the office is, at least half of the time. The number comes from Global Workplace Analytics, and the research shows that employees who are not self-employed are working from home at higher rates.

But for all of its allure, telecommuting might not be as good an idea as you might think. A thorough review of past research on telecommuting is published this month in Psychological Science in the Public Interest (PSI), and it highlights a few things to keep in mind if you are one of the around 3.7 million.

The study, authored by the professors Tammy D. Allen, Timothy D. Golden, and Kristen M. Shockley, reinforces the idea that people who telecommute once in a while are generally happier and perform better than they would if they constantly worked in the office.
In 2014, approximately 25 million people worked remotely at least once a month. But those who telecommute about two days per week or more were found to be less satisfied than their cubicle-bound counterparts. According to the research, telecommuting is a dish best consumed in moderation.

Why?

For one, telecommuting can be socially isolating, and can potentially decrease productivity. There are also health considerations, like the way a desk or chair is set up.
“Another topic is the impact of telecommuting on physical activity,” the authors write. “This issue is important in that the health risks associated with extended periods of time spent sitting—such as excess weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and premature mortality—are becoming increasingly well known.”
As noted by the Atlantic, telecommuting can also turn into a schedule that's erratic, which can exacerbate a disorganized or "all over the place" feeling in people who telecommute frequently.

RELATED: What It's Really Like to Work at a Call Center

The PSI study shows that working from home does have notable positives. Employers who allow their employees a choice in how and where they worked saw reports of increased job satisfaction, as well as loyalty. The results suggest that these factors could play a roll in reducing turnover for employees; if workers are allowed a say in where and how they work, they will stay with an employer longer, which is better for everyone involved.
Additional research conducted by other authors also suggests that people who telecommute are more likely to receive higher performance evaluations.

What can you do?

If your employer doesn't currently offer telecommuting and it's something you'd like to try, consider suggesting it to him or her. If the opposite is true, and you don’t have a choice in working from home, make sure to set up a sweet home office that will help keep you on track.

Diana Crandall







How To Get Hired Today Blog           work from home, telecommuting,  job search, productivity

Why You Should Get Back in Your Box

Why You Should Get Back in Your Box

Certain business phrases have entered our business vernacular and unfortunately stayed there. Like the notion of “work/life balance,” people who are “born leaders,” or the fallacy that “there are no new ideas.” Not only do they start to lose their meaning, many of them are just plain wrong most of the time.

Case in point: “Think outside the box.”

What is wrong with that one, you ask? Shouldn’t people open their minds to fresh ideas and new experiences — and not be confined to their own rigid ways? There is nothing wrong with thinking creatively, expanding your mind, taking chances. I think you should.
My problem with that expression is that it is not fair to the box, which has earned an undeserved reputation for small-mindedness and a stifling incapacity to allow growth. On the contrary, I find that the box is not such a bad place to be.
Before becoming the CEO of Aha! I spent many years working on corporate strategies and building great products. The more time I spent focusing my attention on key company and product decisions, the more experienced I became. Spending my time there actually led to the idea of creating a better tool for product managers to do their jobs. It also helped me understand the strategic framework that separates good teams and products from great ones.
Here is why I think everyone would benefit from spending more time working in their box:
Laser focus
People who are comfortable working in their box have confidence in knowing who they are and what they are meant to be doing. It gives you a framework to practice and perfect your art with concentrated focus. That repetition gives way to self-assurance and mastery that can only come when you are working in your zone.
Deep knowledgeEver hear the expression “Jack of all trades…master of none?” Generalists may boast of a wide range of experiences, but they lack the deep knowledge necessary for excellence. It is better to become an expert on a few things than to know a little about many things. Working and thinking inside your box allows you to dive deeply into your chosen field.
Quick decisions
Spend enough time working in the box, and you will hone your ability to make fast decisions. You will make quick decisions with confidence because you have seen the question before. Since you already have built clear decision frameworks for yourself based on previous patterns, you do not have to waste time agonizing over all the possibilities. You can respond immediately with assurance, and return your focus to the work at hand.
Sharp instincts
Most experts do what they do so well because of their experience and pattern recognition. Think of a veteran doctor diagnosing an illness or a conductor leading an orchestra. As a result of spending countless hours working in their narrow field, their senses are so well-trained that any anomalies immediately jump out and catch their attention.

The world’s experts know something that the rest of the world has not caught onto yet. They understand that there is a certain beauty in knowing what you know.

Sometimes that means focusing on one area and consciously eliminating unnecessary pursuits and distractions that only take you further away from where you want to be.
The next time you feel like you are being pulled in several different directions, get back inside your box and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised with the clarity you gain and progress you make towards being your best.
Have you ever tried to get “back in the box?”








How To Get Hired Today Blog             Job search, dream job, resume, goal setting, interview

How to Find and Get Your Dream Job

In a recent post I suggested the primary reason Why Good People Underperform is that the jobs people were hired to do were poorly defined before the person was hired.

As a result of this post a lot of job seekers cried out for help.    

It’s a big problem – getting the right job – and it's one I’m working with Prof. Todd Rose at Harvard University to help solve. Rose is the author of the soon-to-be bestseller, The End of Average, and president of the Center for Individual Opportunity. He is currently focused on figuring out how work can be better designed to maximize individual performance rather than force-fitting candidates into ill-defined jobs. He contends that this is one of the reasons the workforce is highly disengaged and why good people underperform.

Until a solution to this problem is available, here’s the advice I offer job seekers to get a job that better matches their needs and interests. 

Define your ideal job but don’t tell anyone…yet.

First figure out what you like to do most and what you do best. There needs to be a big overlap here or this “get a better job” exercise is a big waste of time. Define all of the technical skills required to get this job, the non-technical skills (formerly known as “soft skills”) and the size of the teams you’ve successfully worked with and led. You’ll need to fill in any skills gaps before anyone will take you seriously so get started with this right away. Maybe Lynda.com or some other online training portal can help here. 

At some point in time, you’ll need to prove you’re competent to do the work you’ve just defined. I suggest candidates prove each strength with a real accomplishment. Here’s a slide deck you can use to get prepared for this. It will guide you through the whole interviewing process.

Find companies that do what you want to do.

Start looking for jobs that best match your interests on Indeed and LinkedIn but DO NOT APPLY! You’ll use these as leads. More companies are using microsites or talent hubs to group similar jobs. Start digging into these and become very familiar with the types of work the companies are doing and any new company initiatives underway. It’s a clue that these companies are expanding if they’re hiring lots of sales people, so check this out, too.

Then follow these companies. LinkedIn has a new feature for recruiters that prioritizes candidates based on their skills and how long they’ve been following the company. So this will help you get higher on the list if you do apply.

Get noticed and get referred.

Still don’t apply.

Instead you need to get referred to people who work at the targeted companies. If you have the skills, are following the company and are referred by someone in the company, you will be at the top of the list. Recruiters always review referred candidates first. However, you’ll need to own this networking advice before getting referred: 

Networking is not about meeting as many people as possible. It’s about meeting a few people who can recommend you to other people you don’t know.

Here’s a video on how to implement this 20/20/60 networking plan I advocate.

Make sure you’re interviewed properly.

Make sure you’ve practiced the interview tips in the PowerPoint guide. But the big one is to ask forced-choice questions. At the beginning of the interview ask the interviewer to describe the job and some of the challenges involved. You’ll then need to prove you can do the work by giving an example of something you’ve accomplished that’s most comparable. To ensure all of your strengths and interests are covered, just ask the interviewer if the strength is important for success. Then describe an accomplishment proving you possess it.

Too many interviewers will ask you questions that don’t relate to real job needs, so this more direct approach will ensure you’re assessed properly.

Negotiate the job content, not the compensation.

The essence of a more “dreamlike” job is doing work that better matches your skills and interests. I suggest a career move needs to offer a 30% non-monetary increase. This is the combination of job stretch, job growth and a richer mix of more satisfying work. If you’re being offered a job and have the opportunity to negotiate the terms, focus more on modifying the job in some way rather than emphasizing more money. Not only will the hiring manager be impressed with the approach, you’ll also be more engaged and more productive.  

Design, find and get your dream job.

While getting a great job isn’t easy, it’s a lot better than taking a series of lateral transfers and five or ten years later wondering what happened. The above is a realistic way to get a better job. Surprisingly, now is the perfect time to get started finding it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How To Get Hired Today Blog    Get Hired, Interviews, Job Search, Resume, Dream Job

5 Things You *Must* Do to Follow-up After an Interview

You’ve made it through the last round, and now all you have to do is play the waiting game. It’s a nerve-wracking time, and you may jump every time the phone rings, but keep your cool and make sure you’re not breaking any of these interview follow-up rules:
1. Thank them within two days. 
Thank whoever interviewed you on the day of or, at the very least, the day after your interview. Thank every person who interviewed you. It’s best to send them individual thank-you emails or notes. Only send a thank-you note if you can drop it off in person, because if you snail mail it, it might arrive late.
2. Follow up within two weeks. 
Follow up after your thank-you note anywhere from a week after the interview to no later than two weeks. Don’t bombard them with emails and if you haven’t heard from them after the thank-you note and the first follow-up, wait another week to two weeks before doing one final follow-up. If you don’t hear back from them, it’s probably time to move on.
3. Choose the right person. 
Don’t follow up with everyone you met up with. Pick a person who’s in charge of following up with you. At the end of the interview, you can ask what the next steps are to clarify who should be reaching out to you. Most likely, you should follow up with either the hiring manager or the HR contact.
4. Use the same medium. 
If your interviewer seems to prefer a certain medium, like the phone or email, try to stick to that when reaching out to them. If she reaches out to you via email, respond with an email. If she calls you and leaves a voicemail, get back to her by phone.
5. Be careful with language. 
Choose your words wisely and be wary of sounding impatient or even putting pressure on the person you’re speaking to. Hiring managers need time to make a decision, and they may still be interviewing other people, so be patient. Meanwhile, keep looking for other job opportunities while you’re waiting, so you’re not pinning all your hopes on one position.



How To Get Hired Today Blog        Job Hiring Process, Interviews, Resumes, Recruiters

Negotiating Employment Agreements or the Real Reason Jennifer Lawrence Got Paid Less Than Bradley Cooper

Negotiating Employment Agreements or the Real Reason Jennifer Lawrence Got Paid Less Than Bradley Cooper

Somebody recently went through Sony’s hacked e-mails and found some that show Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams were paid less than the male leads in American Hustle. This prompted Jennifer Lawrence to write an essay titled “Why Do I make Less Than My Male Co-Starts?”
She blamed her lower pay partially on Hollywood being sexist and partially on her not wanting to appear “difficult” and feeling silly about negotiating regarding millions she didn’t really need.  As you can imagine, the essay sparked a whole lot of indignation about the “wage gap” and the sexism in the workplace when it comes to salaries, not just in Hollywood, but everywhere.
However, many of these responses focused on gender issues and failed to address Jennifer’s glaring violation of the cardinal rule of employment negotiations – IF YOU DO NOT ASK FOR IT, YOU WILL NOT GET IT.  This is not a gender specific rule, by the way. Some believe that men are better at asking or demanding to be paid according to their worth than women, but I personally do not think that’s true. In my experience, it’s more of a personality or experience issue than a gender-related trait.  If your personality is like Jennifer Lawrence’s (by her own admission) and does not allow you to ask, find a person who will ask and negotiate for you, i.e. a lawyer or an agent.
I see too often executives (men and women) not asking for what they want in an employment agreement, not asking about what the terms in their employment agreements mean, assuming that their employment terms are not negotiable, or giving up on negotiations too early in the process.  As in any negotiation process, knowledge is power.  So, here is a list of terms that are often negotiable in the executive employment agreements and that you should at least discuss with your employer and your attorney before signing an employment agreement:
1. Severance – is the employer going to provide severance and, if so, how much? Is death or disability a severance trigger? What will happen to medical benefit continuation, prorated bonus, equity vesting acceleration, extension of the option exercise period, or other benefits if the employment is terminated?
2. Term of employment – most executive employment agreements will specify a term of employment, which is, of course, an exception to the at-will approach taken with respect to non-executive employees.  If it is an at-will contract, ask for a specific term. Often, an employer will specify that the company may terminate the executive “for cause.”  What constitutes “cause” is purely up to the parties.
3. Restrictive Covenants – what restrictions will be imposed on the executive after he leaves the company? For how long? The length, geographic scope, term of restrictions and other parameters can be negotiated to strike a balance between protecting the company and allowing the executive to earn a living after he moves on.
4. Cause – does the “termination for cause” clause define what the “cause” is? Does it allow for a cure period, i.e. a period during which the executive can address the company’s concerns before being terminated “for cause”? Is the company’s board involved in the termination process and what are the steps in that process that the company and the employee will have to follow?
5. Good Reason – a “good reason” separation provision allows an executive to resign for certain pre-approved reasons, such as demotion, relocation and other events that would materially change the terms of employment.  What constitutes a “good reason” is negotiable.
6. Equity – will the executive receive equity in the company as part of the compensation? How much? When does it vest? What happens with it if the employee is terminated for cause v. employee leaves for a “good reason.”  Are there additional restrictive covenants tied to the equity award?
7. Arbitration – if a dispute about the employment agreement arises, where will it be brought?  If in court, will an executive want to give up his/her rights to a jury trial? If in arbitration, what arbitration body will decide the dispute and what rules will govern it? Who will pay for costs?
8. Assignment – what happens to the executive’s rights and obligations under the employment agreement if the company is sold or bought? Can the company assign the employment agreement to the new entity? Will it need the executive’s permission to do so?
9. 409A – When possible, severance, other payments and the employment agreement generally should be structured so as not to trigger coverage under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. If the agreement is subject to Section 409A, it should be written to comply with.  Failure to do so can expose the executive, among other things, to a 20 percent additional tax.
10. Other Provisions  –  there are many other employment provisions that an executive can negotiate.  A little bit of planning and persistence in the negotiations at the front end of employment will pay ten-fold at the end of that relationship

Networking in the New Age

For some, it’s a fun and exciting opportunity to meet new people and form relationships. For others, it’s a scary proposition to awkwardly interact with a bunch of strangers. Whichever of these categories you fall into, it is likely you have had some experience with networking in your career.

Most professionals know that networking can be a powerful tool that can make a difference in their career, yet many are hesitant or even avoid it altogether. In fact, 53 percent of working adults and job seekers do very little or no networking, even though 89 percent believe networking is beneficial, according to a new University of Phoenix® School of Business survey.

Professionals are also seeing a change in the concept of networking thanks to the evolution of social media. Tools like LinkedIn connect you with potential employers and fellow industry professionals at the click of a button. Online events, like TweetChats and Google Hangouts, allow you to interact with people who share common interests without leaving the comfort of your home or office.

With the advancement in and increased popularity of online platforms like these, it’s not surprising to learn that half (50 percent) of working adults and job seekers say they have networked on social media, with 17 percent saying they have utilized a career-focused website. But can, or perhaps the question is, should online networking replace traditional face-to-face interaction?

While social networking expands our ability to connect with professionals all over the world, professionals should employ a face-to-face networking strategy outside of the workplace to maintain a strong presence in their local professional community. Community events, conventions or trade shows, local industry events, or business or industry happy hours, are all great opportunities to expand your network.

Whether you are transitioning to a new job, seeking a promotion or re-careering, in today’s competitive job market, who you know and the relationships you have can make all the difference. Those who network have seen positive results such as finding new job opportunities, earning support from a person higher in the company, and receiving a raise or promotion.

Here are the top five tips University of Phoenix School of Business Academic Dean Rhonda Capron identified for working adults to engage in successful networking :

1. Be generous. When forming a new relationship, think about what you can offer that person as part of this networking relationship. Instead of scanning the room and thinking, “What can these people do for me,” approach each new relationship with generosity.
2. Be authentic. Approach networking with openness and authenticity. Get to know people on a personal level, understand the role they play, and be genuinely interested in who they are. From this perspective, networking can be a much less daunting and more rewarding process.
3. Don’t forget about external networking. Professional organizations (e.g. SHRM, Chamber of Commerce, etc.) are an incredible resource for ongoing networking opportunities with people who have similar professional interests. Affiliations with these groups allow you to gain a more comprehensive perspective of your field.
4. Keep social media accounts current. Before attending a networking event, look closely at your social media platforms to make sure they contain the latest contact information and job history.
5. Practice your elevator speech. If you were trapped in an elevator for 30 seconds and had to introduce yourself, what would you say? What are your strengths and weaknesses, background and accomplishments? What do you bring to the table that is unique? Jot notes down on an index card and practice prior to attending an event.

Your Personality Type Helps You Figure Out The Right Job For You