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Wed 14 Oct 2009

Desperate Workingwife: The Dreaded Call

Posted by Tripping on the Ladder under Crisis Mode, Desperate Workingwife, Family Matters, Job Loss, Now What?, Spouses & Loved Ones
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Diva Nikki  By Diva Nikki
 (c) October 14, 2009

You’re finishing up your workday, answering a few more e-mails and tidying up some papers on avt_divanikki96_largeyour desk.  The phone rings and you see on the caller ID that it’s your husband. 

Not uncommon – there are often calls like this at the end of the day to discuss what to pick up for dinner. So you answer, phone crooked between your ear and shoulder so you can multi-task while talking.  And then you hear the words…

“Honey…I’m so sorry to tell you this. But I just lost my job.”

The typing stops. Your hand comes up to hold onto the receiver because you need to hold onto something right now.  You no longer even see the papers on your desk because you’ve developed a sort of tunnel vision. And it feels like your heart just landed in the pit of your stomach.

How do I know?  Because I’ve been there.  Three times in six years of marriage, I’ve been there and gotten that phone call.  My name is Diva Nikki, and I’m a Desperate Workingwife.

Things you need to hear: Don’t panic, and you’re not alone.

Despite your initial instincts, should you be in the midst of one of these phone calls right now, remember the reason that the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was so popular was because it had the words “Don’t Panic” in large, friendly letters on the cover. (more…)

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Tue 13 Oct 2009

Information, Please: The Advantages of the Informational Interview (How to Get One, What to Ask About)

Posted by Tripping on the Ladder under In Transition, Job Searching, Now What?, Resources & Helpful Hints
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Diva Nikki  By Diva Nikki
 (c) October 13, 2009

Are you looking for potential next steps in your career but are not quite sure what that next step should be?  Or maybe there’s a manager in your company that you think would be great to work for–or a company you’d really like to be part of–but there are currently no positions posted.

An informational interview could help you in any of these situations. Unlike an official job interview, an informational interview is about gathering and sharing information in a casual way. You gain information about a manager or position in which you might be interested.  And you share information about yourself that – hopefully – will interest them.

So how do you get an informational interview? 
It’s easier than you might think. Remember, you’re asking someone to talk about themselves and what they do–something most people relish the opportunity to do! Good managers also keep their eyes open for talent, so you’re helping them by sharing your information, too. (more…)

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Mon 12 Oct 2009

The Battle of Old Peeptoe: You Share Your Best Stories for Small Rebellions Against the Boss

Posted by Tripping on the Ladder under In Transition, Stress & Stress Management
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Peeptoe

Jenaissance

 By Jenaissance
 (c) October 12, 2009


A number of years ago, back when corporate culture skewed more on the side of “button-down conservative,” a friend of mine got into a tangle with a boss who was difficult and unpredictable, at best. My friend, the underling, had little recourse, so she did what any young, entry-level professional with no authority could do: She waged her own private little battle against the boss.

Despite the company’s strict dress policy mandating closed-toe shoes, each morning she would strap on a pair of stiletto-heeled, peep-toe pumps (sometimes in lace, sometimes in leopard print, always over-the-top). Each tug of the straps was, in her mind, an “F You” to the horrible boss. She made sure to wear these shoes everywhere at the office—except, of course, in meetings with the boss herself.

I call it the “Battle of Old Peeptoe”—and there are many of these private battles against unreasonable and unlikable bosses being waged all across the country as we speak. (And probably even more so now that the down economy is requiring workers to put up with even more junk for less reward.)

While we at Tripping on the Ladder don’t endorse or encourage any of these strategies, we do find them entertaining, and we think you will, too. (more…)

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Sun 11 Oct 2009

Calling in the Reinforcements:If You Need Help Getting “Unstuck,” These Folks Can Help

Posted by Tripping on the Ladder under Getting Unstuck, Health & Wellness, Resources & Helpful Hints
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Jenaissance  
 By Jenaissance
 (c) October 11, 2009
 
 While it’s true that there are many wonderful support systems out there, it can be challenging trying to make sense of them all, much less honing in on the right person with the right skills to be of maximum assistance. Here, we lend a hand so you can find the professional advisors best equipped to help you move forward.

Professional Coach
A professional coach (or job coach) provides focused and personalized career-related counseling to professionals in job-related transition. A reputable career coach can help you identify your skills and strengths and apply them to meaningful employment opportunities. Career counselors often have a portfolio of assessment and inventory tools at their disposal to really help you hone in on who you are, what unique skills and interests you possess, what your vocational aspirations are, how to “sell” yourself vis-à-vis professional hallmarks you’ve achieved, and how to apply all of these elements to your next career venture. Professional coaching engagements usually last between two to six months. 

Call on a professional coach if you are looking for: 

  • Help identifying your skills and interests and possible career matches that tap into those skills and interests. 
  • Focused help with resume writing, interview preparation, networking plans, job search coaching and compensation negotiations.

What to look for:

  • A coach who has had some “real life” experiences as an employee him/herself.
  • Someone who is certified in at least a couple assessment tools (i.e., interest inventories, Myers-Briggs personality profiling, etc.).
  • A coach who is equipped to help coach through the “closing” stage of a new job opportunity, and who has first-hand knowledge about market pricing, compensation elements and negotiation skills.
  • Someone with a “point of view”—opinions, competencies and viewpoints that aid in career transition or securing a new position. (more…)

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Sat 10 Oct 2009

Ask the Experts: What to Do When Your Buddy Becomes Your Boss

Posted by Tripping on the Ladder under Ask the Experts
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Ladder

 By Tripping on the Ladder
 (c) October 10, 2009

 

He’s been your trusted work buddy–getting drinks with you after work, sharing war stories over tuna sandwiches at the deli down the street, and dishing  the office gossip at the water cooler. But now, out the blue, your buddy is about to become your boss.  

It’s one of the most perplexing, and potentially detrimental, challenges of the workplace. In this installment of our popular “Ask the Experts” column, professional coach Julie Paleen of Blue Star Group shares some tips for navigating this potentially dicey situation.

To read this and other recent “Ask the Experts” columns, click here.

Julie Paleen

 Featuring Julie Paleen
Professional Coach and HR Consultant, Blue Star Group
 

 

Do you have a question you’d like to “Ask the Experts”? Submit your question to editor@trippingontheladder.

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