Simply Hired Blog

Communicating with the Boss

By Michael Reiss 

Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Or rather, the hand that signs your paychecks. One of the most important lessons in your career will be how you handle working under a supervisor and reporting to a lead. However you characterize your relationship to the boss, there are varying degrees of professionalism that you should always maintain (and as a manager, I should know). Whether you like your supervisor, respectfully work together or hold them in total disdain, it is important to keep the lines of communication open and have frequent face-to- face meetings.  Keep these five simple reminders in the forefront as you pursue a career at any level to ensure professional success.

• Don’t be full of surprises. Make sure your boss is kept up to date on your current work to limit future disagreements and confusion. Honesty and clarity is the best policy.

• Keep track of your all your accomplishments, big or small. If you ever seek a promotion or raise, it is vital for the boss to be aware of your recent accomplishments without having to send a reminder.

• If you need work covered, cover your bases. If you need to be out of the office for any reason due to sickness or handling a family emergency, your boss needs to be kept up to date on your work so she can cover it without losing steam.

• Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Let’s hope this uncomfortable situation doesn’t happen to you. But unfortunately, many people let their egos get the best of them and some workers justify that a climb to the top warrants squashing those they feel are threats to their ascent. If you are not getting along with your boss or colleagues and suspect their intentions when it comes to compromising your position, maintain close contact. It may seem counter-intuitive, but this will help monitor the situation to limit any potential damage to your reputation.

• Spend a little bit of quality time.The more time you spend with your boss (during work) the more time you have to build your unique relationship and get a handle on their personality. Develop rapport and a deeper understanding that allows your work to get approved and completed that much sooner.

These tips will help to snag stellar recommendations, leave you without burned bridges and a sense of ethical boundaries that keep you in high regard. 

Michael Reiss is the president and founding partner of Landover Associates. Landover Associates is a technology recruiting firm that runs on non-commissioned recruiters and no voicemail. For over twenty years, our staff has worked closely with Fortune 100 company reps and tech start-ups in the NYC area while also placing programmers around the world. If you've ever wanted a professional to represent your job search, find us at www.landover.com

Is the Interview like a First Date?

By Robyn Melhuish

A recent article in the Huffington Post compares the job search to dating. Julie Kantor isn’t the first person to make this analogy, but she brought up some great points to support it. But then I came across this article about how the job search is NOT like dating. The author obviously takes a different approach and makes some valid points, but I wasn’t sold. Because setting aside the cutesiness of a how-this-is-like-that blog post, I really do think drawing parallels between the two can be useful in how you approach the job search, and specifically, the interview.

Anyone who’s ever been on a first date knows how awkward conversations with strangers can be. But despite the accepted discomfort, if both people see something worth pursuing, that first date will lead to a second, and then a third or fourth before it gets serious. Then there will be countless more dates before a couple decides to make the ultimate commitment.

Obviously the analogy isn’t perfect. Accepting a job offer isn’t quite as permanent as the decision to get married, but it does involve choosing to work with people who – on some days at least – you will spend more waking hours with than you do your spouse.  And yet, many times this decision is made after a couple hour-long conversations between a time-pressed manager and an eager candidate who is on their very best behavior.

That’s not to say the purpose of the interview is to trip up the candidate – it’s not. But it’s also not an all-out competition to find who has the most relevant experience for the job. It’s about getting to know each other – flaws and all – in order to make a good match.

Candidates can aid the “matchmaking” process by answering questions as thoughtfully and honestly as possible. Of course you’ll put your best face forward, but make sure it’s a true representation of who you are and not simply who you think the company wants you to be. Candidates should also come prepared with a list of questions to ask to help them determine what it would really be like to work for that company such as:

How would you describe the corporate culture?

What is your management style?

How are top performers recognized?

What would others in this role say is the biggest challenge they face?

Being this direct on a first date might not win you a second, so perhaps in this regard, the interview is not like a date. But this aside, approaching the interview like a first date can help you to stay focused on your goal. Of course you want to make a good impression, but you also want to make sure your “date” is someone you’d like to spend more time with. Because as much as you may need a job, the interview process is your opportunity to make sure this is the right job for you.

Robyn Melhuish is the editor at MedReps.com, the leading website for medical device sales jobs, pharma sales jobs, and biotech sales jobs. In a competitive industry like healthcare sales, the MedReps.com career center strives to offer candidates advice that will give them the advantage they need.

Seasonal Job Opportunities Available Now

The holidays are upon us again, which means many organizations are beginning to hire seasonal workers to accommodate the holiday rush. This is a great time to take a job to help pay the bills or maybe to take advantage of those employee discounts for your own personal shopping. It is also an opportunity to take a part-time job that could turn into a full-time gig.

According to the Simply Hired U.S. Employment Outlook in August, the retail industry job growth increased by 11.6% and retail salesperson job openings increased by 10.3%. Organizations such as Saks Fifth Avenue also report an increase in seasonal hires over last year. This is in line with the nationwide trend of a 2.5% year-over-year job openings increase.

Check out these hiring companies:    

Saks Fifth Avenue

Hiring: 700+ jobs available. Making 200+ seasonal hires.

Location: Nationwide

Types of seasonal positions: Sales Associate, Sales Support Team Associate

Bimbo Bakeries (includes brands like Sara Lee and Thomas’)

Hiring: 900+

Location: Nationwide

Types of seasonal positions: Shipper, Dock Worker

Target

Hiring: 2,000+ 

Location: Nationwide

Types of seasonal positions: Store Team Members 

Best Buy

Hiring: 14,000+

Location: Nationwide

Types of seasonal positions: Store General Manager, Warehouse Worker

UPS

Hiring: 1,000+

Location: Nationwide

Types of seasonal positions: Package Handler, Delivery Drivers

The Fantasy Football Approach to Job Searching

By Robyn Melhuish

It’s that time of year again. Nothing eases those end-of-summer blues like the kick-off of football season. Whether you’re partial to NFL, NCAA, varsity, or little league, for many, the return of football season means the return of all that’s right with the world. It also means the return of fantasy football.

Now, for the uninitiated, fantasy football allows an individual to draft a fictional team of real NFL players to compete against other fictional teams. Using a predetermined scoring system that accounts not only for touchdowns and field goals but also passing yards, rushing yards, etc., the owners of said teams will track the real-life performance of their individual players to arrive at a score for their team. The various teams within a given fantasy football league “play” each other every week.

The level of commitment involved with running a fantasy football team can be rather intense. But it’s not just this intensity that makes fantasy football a good model for the job search. I argue that the same tactics that win fantasy football championships could win you your next job.

1.      Do your research – Fantasy football enthusiasts may spend weeks researching players before going into the draft, factoring in the player’s position, past performance and even their health. Likewise, job seekers must do extensive research to identify the companies they want to pursue and the people in their network that can help them succeed, factoring in their position, past performance, and in the case of a potential employer, their fiscal health!  

2.      Know your stats – Before and after the draft, owners of fantasy football teams study players’ stats to gauge what kind of performance they may give on a given Sunday. Job seekers must know their own stats and be aware of which professional accomplishments will be most impressive to a potential company.

3.      Change tactics regularly – Dedicated fantasy football players will meticulously plan each week’s lineup for maximum effectiveness. Job seekers should also tweak their strategy depending on the company and job they are applying for. Just like the starting lineup, your resume, cover letter, even the way you prepare for the interview should never look the same way twice.

4.      Improve your odds – What’s the best way to increase your chances of winning a fantasy football league? Play in multiple leagues of course. This doesn’t mean you should apply to every job you’re remotely qualified for, but you should employ multiple tactics and not wait to hear back after each application or interview before moving onto the next.

5.      Keep playing – Winning your league’s championship is the ultimate goal, but achieving it doesn’t mean you won’t play again next year. For the job seeker, getting a job is the end goal, but you too should keep playing even after you’ve started the new job. Your game may not be as intense, but it’s still smart to stay in touch with what’s happening in the job market for your industry.

Whether you are an avid fantasy football enthusiast or if this blog post is your introduction to the topic, the parallels are hopefully clear. Dedication, research, and commitment, along with a little luck, can get you to your goal – whether that goal is a league championship or a new job.  

Robyn Melhuish is the editor at MedReps.com, the leading website for medical device sales jobs, pharma sales jobs, and biotech sales jobs. In a competitive industry like healthcare sales, the MedReps.com career center strives to offer candidates advice that will give them the advantage they need.

Volunteer for Your Next Job

If you’re job hunt is stuck in neutral, then get out of your own way, and give back.

By Robin Fisher Roffer

I know it seems counter-intuitive, but if you’re feeling paralyzed by uncertainty and doubt, my best advice is to resist isolating and get out into your community. You’ll find that running a marathon to help find a cure for cancer, volunteering at a local museum, lecturing at a college or industry event, advocating for a worthy cause or mentoring young people will make you look like a leader, someone who has dimension.

Non-profits provide a great platform for strengthening skills and trying out different areas of business.  Say you’re a research executive, but you’re sick of stats and want a job in event planning. Perfect. Volunteer to put on a fundraiser! You may find the experience needed to reinvent yourself and the right people in the room who can help you get into a new career.   

Getting behind a cause is good for business and makes you look like a hero. In fact, research shows that most Americans would rather do business with brands that are responsible and contribute. The same is true for personal brands. By advocating for a greater good, you will up your own stock and change perceptions.

Case in point, Bill Gates has enhanced his personal appeal through his philanthropy. By doing good work to improve education and stop disease in poor nations, he shifted the focus from the negative press accusing Microsoft of being a monopoly to important issues and groundbreaking solutions. Oprah is known for her generosity. U2’s Bono and George Clooney are major advocates for fairness and peace. By giving back, they gain respect, admiration and staying power. And so can you.

By channeling your deepest desire to be more than what you are today into something that’s going to help others, you’ll feel like a million bucks. Bottom line, giving back will make your personal brand more relevant to those in your sphere of influence and that equates to bigger opportunities.

At my company Big Fish, I have been fortunate to work on Nickelodeon’s, “Big Green Help”, Lifetime’s breast cancer awareness campaign, Comedy Central’s “Comedy RX,” a hospital-based program promoting the healing powers of laughter and more. In addition, I give a portion of our billings to The Aquarium of the Pacific and put that fact on every invoice. My work in the pro-social arena makes me feel good and it’s helped keep me stay in business for over 20 years.

Keep in mind, that true advocacy happens at the nexus of integrity and inspiration. Choosing a cause should take into consideration your personal values, beliefs and creative ideas and line-up with your company’s mission and vision. Here are three questions to ask yourself to help you choose a cause that’s right for you:

1) What are you passionate about, e.g., nature, children, art, politics, music…

2) What talents do you have that could be leveraged to make a difference?

3) Is the cause good for your brand? Does it align with where you want to go?

If your career has been going south, or you’ve lost your job or you’ve suffered a set back at work, one sure-fire way to change the negativity around you is to do good work—both on the job and out in the world.  Just imagine… the next time someone asks you what you’ve been up to, you’ll have quite an inspiring story to tell.  

Robin Fisher Roffer, founder and CEO of Big Fish Marketing, is America's leading personal brand strategist for executive level career professionals. She's the best selling author of 3 books including The Fearless Fish Out Of Water: How To Succeed When You're The Only One Like You. Discover Robin's secret formula for igniting your career with a personal brand at 8 Steps To Igniting Your Personal Brand.