Are You Unappreciated at Work?

Nobody likes to feel unappreciated.  It is demotivating when your hard work goes unnoticed and it feels like somebody else is always being recognized.  It can make you feel like giving up and finding a job where you are actually valued.  Before you make any big decisions, stop and take the time to consider a few questions:    

Are people aware of the work that you're doing?  Could it be that you're not being appreciated because people aren't aware of your accomplishments?  Sometimes you need to toot your own horn and tell people about your successes.  You never know when your manager is going to be in a meeting deciding which job to eliminate, and when they are, you want your achievements to be at the top of their mind.

Do people have a problem with your personality?  Being liked by your coworkers and managers is very important.  Even if you are top performer, if people don't like you, you will never be truly appreciated.  If you don't have a lot of friends or allies, stop and ask yourself why.  Have you made an effort to connect with your coworkers?  Do you help and support them when they need it?  Have you behaved in a way that has annoyed people or made them angry?  If you aren't sure, find a coworker that you trust and ask them for their honest feedback. 

Are you sure that your performance is strong?  Could it be that you are the only person who is mistaken about your performance?  Is it possible that your performance isn't as strong as you think it is?  If you aren't clear on your manager's priorities, you could be spending a lot of time focusing on tasks that your manager doesn't care about, while you neglect those responsibilities that are crucial to your job.  Ask your manager for feedback on your performance so that you can be clear about where you stand and you can make adjustments as needed. 

What is making your feel unappreciated?  Take a step back to analyze your feelings.  Think of times in your life when you have felt appreciated and ask yourself what's different.  What do you need to feel appreciated?  Do you need your manager to periodically tell you that you're doing a good job?  Do you need to be given more opportunities to expand your skills?  Or do you just need to be left alone to do your work?  Is it possible that your manager actually does fully appreciate your work but is not expressing it effectively?  Before you jump to conclusions, take the time to consider that your perception may not be completely accurate.


Now that you have delved a little deeper into the situation, you are in a better position to determine your next step.  Don't just hope that things will get better; you have to take action.  You don't want to just allow yourself to stay unhappy in your job and if you truly are not appreciated by your employer, it is not good for your career.  What are you going to do about it?  Are you going to change your habits or behaviour?  Will you start focusing more on promoting yourself?  Are you going to talk to your manager?  Will you work on modifying your own perception?  The key is to make a decision and get moving!

(Written by:  Karen Bivand, Photo from:  photostock/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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When the Interviewer Offends You

Interviews are meant to challenge you, but some interviewers can be downright insulting!  When you leave an interview feeling offended, you may start to wonder if you even want to work there.  Before you make any decisions, ask yourself these questions: 


What was the interviewer trying to accomplish with the offensive question or comment?  The interviewer's behaviour may have been very deliberate.  Since most job seekers are well rehearsed,  the interviewer may have been trying to surprise you in order to get a natural reaction.  Think about what the interviewer said and try to determine what they may have been trying to accomplish.  Were they trying to see how you respond to stress or confrontation?  Were they trying to push you to see how well you can handle a challenge?  If you can determine the motivation behind the question or comment, you may find that it was actually not offensive at all.    

Was the question legal?  Did the employer ask a question that reveals discrimination within the company based on prohibited grounds such as gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, age or sexual orientation?  This could be a red flag if it truly reflects the values of the organization.  While the attitude of one person may not be reflective of those of the organization, it is troubling if that individual's discriminatory behaviour is tolerated.  However, don't be automatically offended if a company asks you if you consider yourself to be a visible minority; they may be asking because they have an affirmative action program in place. 

Are you being too sensitive?  Being interviewed for a job is a unique experience.  There are few other times in your daily life when you have to defend your skills and justify the decisions that you have made in your career.  Since most us are not used to being challenged in this way, we may overreact to the things that the employer says during the interview.  It is likely that the employer intended no offense and that it was simply a miscommunication.  

Can you learn something from the interview?  Sure, the interviewer may have been rude and insensitive, but what can you take from the interview?  Did they point out a potential weakness that you have that you weren't aware of?  Perhaps it is something that you can work on.  Sometimes the most useful feedback can come out of unpleasant circumstances. 

Since we all go into interviews with so much hope, if the interviewer is offensive, it can be very disappointing.  Try not to take it too personally.  It may still be an amazing opportunity, and even if it isn't, another one will come along soon.   

(Written by:  Karen Bivand, Photo from: Ambro/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

5 Things that You Must Do on the Morning of Your Interview

It's the day of your interview.  You're nervous, but you know that you are a good candidate for the job.  What can you do to make sure that your performance is as strong as it can possibly be?  Follow these steps and you will set yourself up for success:


1.  Do a quick review of your resume and the job description.  Even a five minute glance over can help.  By putting the job requirements and your experience into your short term memory, you make it easier for yourself to recall the pertinent information at the interview.

2.  Give yourself a pep talk or call one of your cheerleaders.  To perform well at an interview, you need to feel good.  Positive self talk or encouraging words from a friend or family member can put you in the right frame of mind.  

3.  Make yourself look good.  Have a shower, iron your shirt, clean and polish your shoes- do whatever you need to do to look your best.  Keep in mind that the employer will be judging you on your appearance and on the way that you present yourself.  Also, when you look good, you feel good, which will make you perform better.

4.  Take some quiet time to reflect.  Before your interview, schedule a quiet moment when you can relax and be alone.  Having some peaceful time to collect your thoughts beforehand can help you appear more confident and composed when you walk into the interview.

5.  Give yourself lots of time to get there.  You don't want to be rushing to get to your interview.  If you give yourself plenty of time to get there, you won't need to worry about traffic and you will be able to take a quick look in the mirror before you enter the office.  

You never really know how an interview is going to go until you are actually in the room, but if you take some extra time to prepare yourself, you can rest assured knowing that you did everything in your power to perform well. 

(Photo from:  Feelart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

How to Be More Persuasive

Do you have a difficult time getting people to see your point of view?  The power of persuasion can be useful in all areas of your life.  Luckily, it is a skill that can be practiced and improved upon.  Follow these tips and you will find it easier to convince people to move in your direction:

Determine what is important to your audience.  What motivates the person that you are trying to convince?  What are they currently trying to achieve?  Find out the answer to these questions and keep focused on what is important to them.

Choose the right time for your pitch.  Sometimes your success or failure to persuade somebody can all be determined by timing.  Remember when you were a child and you would wait until your dad was in a good mood before you would ask him for something?  The same principle applies here.  Pay attention to when they seem to be more relaxed and open to conversation.  If they aren't a morning person, it may be better to wait until after lunch.

Speak their language.  Consider the person that you are trying to persuade and speak in a way that makes them feel comfortable.  For example, if you are speaking to a professor, you may want to elevate your language, however, if you are talking to a group of high school students, the use of slang (as long as it's current and appropriate) may be more effective. 

Appeal to their sense of reason.  Most people are reasonable and are willing to consider a well-thought out argument.  Take your time when making your case and provide details and lots of examples. 

Consider reciprocity.  Whenever you are trying to persuade somebody, their burning question is always, "What's in it for me?"  How will your proposal positively affect them?  If it won't, is there something else that you can do for them?  If you go out of your way to assist them, most people will return the favour. 

Build a rapport.  It is a lot easier to be convincing if they actually like you. Smile and turn on the charm and they will be more likely to say yes!

Communicate clearly.  If your argument is complex and confusing, few people will buy into it.  Practice making your argument as if you were talking to a child.  People are much more inclined to agree with you when they can easily understand you. 

Don't get emotional.  Once you lose control of your emotions, there is a good chance that you've already lost the battle.  If you get emotional when you are trying to make a case, many people will perceive that as a weakness.  They may believe that you have a very personal stake in the situation and that you're not being rational.  Do your best to stay cool, calm and collected.  If you need some space to collect your thoughts, then step outside and return to the conversation when you're feeling more composed.   

Never mistake persuasion for manipulation.  Persuasion considers the other party's best interest, while manipulation does not.  If you are trying to manipulate someone, sooner or later they will figure it out.  Remember, the most persuasive people are empathetic and remain focused on maintaining positive long term relationships. 

(Written by:  Karen Bivand, Photo from: stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

When Your Coworker Makes a BIG Mistake

At work, we are put on a team with our coworkers.  We don't get to choose them, we may not even like them, but they are on our team.  When one of your coworkers makes a mistake, it can significantly affect you in your job.  It is very touchy situation because on one hand you want to help your coworker, but you also need to protect yourself and the company.  Here are some steps to guide you through this precarious situation:     

Assess the potential damage.  How will the company be affected by this mistake?  Could the error potentially harm anyone else?  Is there a chance that you could be blamed?  In order to determine the best course of action, you need to assess the potential damages. 

Consider your own motivations.  Why do you need to bring attention to this mistake?  Will this mistake harm anybody if it is left undetected?  Be sure that you are not just taking the opportunity to make yourself look better at your coworker's expense.

Talk to your coworker privately.  Your first step should always be to privately speak to your coworker.  Find out exactly what happened and what your coworker is doing about it. 

Offer to help.   Is there anything that you can do to help your coworker mitigate the situation?  Your coworker will appreciate your support and you never know when you may need them to return the favour. 

Determine how the mistake can be prevented next time.  Why was the mistake made? Was your coworker distracted?  Is there a problem with the current procedure?  It is important to determine the cause of the mistake so that you and your coworker can take steps to ensure that it doesn't happen again. 

Only escalate if it is absolutely necessary.  Escalating a coworker's mistake is not pleasant, and it should only be done when there are no other options.  If the mistake is going to cause harm and you aren't able to prevent it, then you need to let the manager know immediately.  It is better if your coworker tells the manager, but if they are unwilling, then you have to do it.  Since you are aware of the situation, if you don't let the manager know, you are also responsible.   

We all make mistakes.  Today it was your coworker, but tomorrow it could be you.  Do whatever you can to help your coworker, but be sure to protect yourself.  Just because it wasn't your mistake, doesn't mean that you're safe.  Stay alert, keep focused and wait for this to blow over.  

(Photo from:  Marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

I Hung Up on an Employer!

Cell phones are notoriously glitchy and with so many people using them to job search, phone issues cause more awkward situations than ever before.  So what should you do if you're talking to your dream employer and the line suddenly goes dead? 

Don't panic.  This is probably not the first time that this employer has been hung up on and it won't be the last.  Stay calm so that you can effectively respond to the situation. 

Call them back.  You want to continue this conversation as soon as possible, so call the employer back immediately.  If you get their voicemail, leave a message.  They may be calling you and leaving you a message at the exact same time.  If that's the case, then try again. 

Apologize.  Regardless of the reason, nobody likes being hung up on.  It makes you appear unprofessional or like you're not actually interested in the job.  Apologize and provide a brief explanation, but then move on.  Don't dwell on it.

Consider getting a new phone.  Any phone can drop a call, but some phones (and service providers) are worse than others.  Does this happen to you a lot?  Do your friends and family complain about your phone?  As a job seeker, you need your phone to be reliable.  If your phone is consistently causing you problems, then it may be time to invest in a new one.

It is both embarrassing and frustrating when your phone cuts out on an employer.  It's hard enough to get an employer to call you, so when technology teams up against you, it feels like you don't even have a chance.  Don't take it so hard.  Everyone has this problem at least once and employers are used to it.  As long as you address the situation with grace and professionalism, it won't hold you back.   

(Photo from:  imagerymajestic/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

When Your Interviews Don't Turn Into Job Offers

You've been putting yourself out there and you've even had a few interviews, but the job offers just aren't coming.  You are starting to wonder if your interview skills may need some work.  What can you do to close the deal and convert your interviews into offers?  Here are some tips that may help:


Reflect on your recent interviews.  Take some time to sit down and think about your last two or three interviews.  How do you feel that they went?  How did the interviewers respond to you?  Did their behaviour towards you change during the interview or did it stay consistent throughout?  Was there any particular question or issue that they seemed concerned about?

Ask the interviewers for feedback.  Contact your last few interviewers and ask them for feedback on your interview.  Let them know that you're still looking for a job and that you're trying to identify any issues that may be standing in your way.  They may not be willing to share any feedback with you, but it's worth a try.

Do practice interviews.  The best way to rehearse for an interview is by doing practice interviews.  There are lots of non-profit job search agencies that offer this service, or you could ask someone who works in your field.  Just make sure that it is somebody who can provide you with valuable feedback and who will be able to accurately assess your interview skills.  If possible, videotape the interview so that you can see for yourself how you look and and sound and make any necessary corrections. 

 Prepare answers to common interview questions.  Even though you may be exceptionally skilled in your job, it is possible that the answers that you provide in you interviews are weak.  Make a list of ten to twenty common interview questions and prepare your ideal answers.  Remember that a strong answer is specific, detailed and includes examples.  You don't need to memorize the answers, but if you read over them before your interview, your answers will be stronger. 


Re-think your interview attire.  How do you dress for interviews?  Are your clothes neat, clean and freshly pressed?  Do you look professional?  Are you clean and well groomed?  Find somebody who will be honest with you and ask them for their feedback.  

It is not easy to get interviews, so you don't want to go through too many of them before you get a job offer.  If you've had three or more interviews without a job offer then it may be a good idea to step back and reflect.  Most importantly, stay motivated and keep up your effort.  Once you start getting interviews, a job offer is usually just around the corner.     

(Photo from:  David Castillo Dominici/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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