by Angela Copeland | Feb 28, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Fired, Human Resources, Layoff, Stress
Part of my job is to work with professionals who have recently become unemployed. It’s incredible how many people are impacted by layoffs each day. Often, the person was let go due to something outside of their control. Their company reorganized and laid off an entire department. The employee had a great track record of loyal service.
Ultimately, the company had to look out for their own best interests. Perhaps they needed to eliminate a department that uses out of date technology. Or maybe, they need to scale back operations in order to survive. Even though an employee is sad to lose their job, typically they understand that this sort of thing happens.
This is the part that I don’t understand, and I’m not sure if I ever will. Approximately eighty percent of those I speak with have had the same experience. They went to work one morning, and started to do their job. Then, their boss called them and asked them to come to their office for an unplanned meeting. The boss informed them of the reorganization and told them their job would be ending – effective immediately. The person was then walked out of the building.
Company reorganizations are a part of life. The situation I just described doesn’t have to be. Without fail, when I speak to someone who has gone through this experience, they’re broken – often for months or years. They have gone from a loyal, productive employee one day to a hopeless, crying person the next.
It seems that the company feels that if they give the individual some kind of financial payout, this procedure is acceptable. In reality, the sadness and depression the employee is facing is only partially about money. What it’s really about is losing their identity. It’s about being walked out of their workplace as if they’re a criminal. It’s about being suddenly separated from those they have considered their second family for years. It’s like going through a death.
It seems there’s an assumption that a jilted employee may strike back. They may doing something to get retribution while they’re still in the office. I have never seen a single job seeker who was given advanced notice do anything other than be appreciative that their company gave them a heads up.
Companies are slow to implement new strategies. This means that very often, big layoffs were planned months in advance. Months when the impacted employees could have been planning their next move, if they had more notice. This time would not only help them plan, but it would help them to avoid the giant emotional loss that comes along with being walked out of a building you have worked in for so long.
Try to be empathetic with the employee. Put yourself in their shoes. They aren’t just a number. Employees are people who have given years of their time and their heart for their companies.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Feb 27, 2018 | Creative Careers, First Job, Marketing, Podcast
Episode 159 is live! This week, we talk with Bart Cleveland in Austin, TX.
Bart spent over 30 years growing brands like The Ritz-Carlton, Coca-Cola and CNN. Now, he helps creative professionals plan and execute successful career through Job Propulsion Lab. Bart is also a contributing author of the book, “The Get A Job Workshop, How To Find Your Way To A Creative Career In Advertising.” He will also be speaking this year at SXSW on the topic of “Building the Creative Career You’re Meant To Have.”
On today’s episode, Bart shares:
- Whether you should start your creative career at an advertising agency or at a corporation
- What you can do when you’re starting out and have very little experience
- How to demonstrate your creative potential in a job interview
- What you can do to lay the foundation toward an executive level marketing career
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Bart, visit his website at www.jobpropulsionlab.com. You can also learn more about his talk at SXSW by visiting www.sxsw.com.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send me your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.
Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
by Angela Copeland | Feb 26, 2018 | Job Offer, Job Search, Newsletter
When you’re in the middle of a job search, it often seems like things will never end. You’ve been looking for months and months. The rejection has been painful. You have wondered if you’ll ever find a job. You’ve gotten enough automated emails to last a lifetime. You’ve had enough of family members and friends asking how your search is going – when you know it’s going nowhere.
This pain is especially true if you are in between jobs right now. If you’re not working, you may wonder how in the world you will pay the bills. The search has been going on for months and months. You’re not sure what to do.
Then, very often, the most unexpected thing happens. Out of the blue (and after searching for months), you get a job offer. Then, a day goes by and you get a second job offer. And, if you’re really lucky, a third offer begins to roll in.
When you’re in the middle of searching, this scenario seems virtually impossible.
But, strangely… I see it happen over and over. A job seeker will be at their wit’s end. They’ve been looking and looking for a long period of time when suddenly, a number of offers come in all at the same time.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why this happens. I suspect it is related to a few key factors. After a certain amount of searching, the ball has started to roll. Employers know about you. Your resume is being circulated. Perhaps you’ve had a few interviews. Maybe you’ve even gotten better at searching as you’ve gone along.
Whatever the reason, multiple offers (all at the same time) can be hard to sort through – especially when you weren’t expecting them at all. So, where should you begin?
First, create a spreadsheet in Excel. Outline all the details of the job offers side-by-side. Include information such as annual base salary, annual projected performance bonus, vacation time, and healthcare benefits. This will allow you to compare the two (or more) offers – by comparing just the facts.
Compare the job descriptions and the job titles. Is one job in the perfect industry for you? Does one job have a more impressive title? Does one allow you to do work you really love? This is important to consider. Many job seekers are more interested to do a job they love than one that pays the most money.
Think about the differences in the company culture. Do you get along with the boss at one organization better than the other? Does one company feel more comfortable to you? Very often, your relationship with your boss and your coworkers will determine your future success at the organization.
Consider details such as location. Is one job located within driving distance, while the other will require you to uproot your family? If you do have to move, is the increased cost of living worth it?
There are so many factors that influence which job offer we should take. The one that’s the most important is your gut feeling. Do you love one of the jobs, and have real hesitations about the other? Listen to yourself! I can’t tell you the number of job seekers who told me that they knew they were going to fail BEFORE they ever started working at their future employer. They always had a feeling that they couldn’t place.
At the end of the day, getting multiple offers is unexpected – and typically very positive. Before this happens to you, take the time to write down what you would ideally like in your next job offer. When multiple offers begin to come in, you will be able to compare your goals to the reality – without the anxiety that comes along with being hit with offers.
If you’re still struggling to find a job, keep moving. The best way to find a new job is to continue to look. If you look hard enough, you may find that an offer (or three) will come along when you’re least expecting it.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
iTunes or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Feb 21, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Career Fair, Career Resources, College, College Graduation, First Job, Graduate School, Job Search
College is expensive. Private college is even more. My undergraduate school is now charging approximately $50,000 per year, just for tuition. Assuming you’re paying of pocket, that’s two hundred thousand dollars for a four-year degree, not including room and board.
I love my college, but this is bananas. The idea that a student or parents are expected to come up with this much money for school is difficult to wrap the mind around.
The high cost of college makes you wonder what the money is for. College is more than a finishing school. It’s more than a place to learn about history. It will set the foundation for your future professional career.
To facilitate this career, many colleges offer a career resources center. But, they are typically opt-in. In other words, career resources isn’t a priority.
If finding a job is the ultimate goal, why doesn’t every college offer a mandatory class about just this topic? Along with history, math, and writing, why isn’t there a class in how to get a job? After all, we spend four years learning the skills we need to do the job. Why not have a course in how to get that job?
It seems simple. Universities could use leverage existing career resources staff, or they could find outside coaches or professionals. Fundamentals might include elevator pitch, resume writing, and professional networking.
If students knew how to get a job, they would be more likely to land one upon graduation. They very well might make more money, and in turn, the school would become more valuable. If your school already has a program like this, that’s excellent news. But, sadly, most of the students I speak to don’t have such a course.
If you are evaluating where you want to go to college (or graduate school), consider this. Most schools publish what’s called a post-graduation report. You can typically find it through a straight forward internet search such as “post-graduation report for Harvard University.” This report will typically share information, including: which industries graduates work in, which companies hire graduates, where graduates live geographically, and how much graduates make.
The how much graduates make portion is important. Graduates from certain colleges (or with certain degrees) make much more (or much less) than other graduates. This is real. Companies will very often pay a graduate from a pricey school more than one from another school. Or, they will pay graduates with science or computer backgrounds more than those with art or history backgrounds. This may seem intuitive, but the post-graduation report outlines it clearly.
The next question is – will this education have a good return on investment? Education is an investment. It’s an investment in future income. Fortunately, there are ROI calculators online that can help think through this process. At the end of the day, the college and major you select may be influenced by the ROI of the degree.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Feb 20, 2018 | Happiness, Podcast, Stress
Episode 158 is live! This week, we talk with Kathryn Gates in Austin, TX. Kathryn is a psychotherapist and fitness specialist who works with adults, teens, couples and families. Kathryn’s mission is to support her clients in healing their pasts and embracing their creativity to find their unique life purpose. This is Kathryn’s second time as a guest on the Copeland Coaching Podcast!
On today’s episode, Kathryn shares:
- The types of issues employees are the most frustrated with at work
- How to decide if you’re in the wrong job — or the wrong workplace environment
- How Kathryn was able to transition her own career from personal trainer to psychotherapist
- How to reduce your stress at work
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Kathryn, visit her website at www.gatestherapy.com. You can also check out her new e-book, Do NOT See A Therapist: until you’ve done these 5 things, available in March on Amazon.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send me your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.
Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
You must be logged in to post a comment.