by Angela Copeland | Mar 16, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Frustration, Newsletter
One of the most frustrating feelings can be a loss of control. There are things you wish you could influence. You try. You go out of your way to plan for everything that could go wrong. This can feel especially true at work, where there are so many things that can impact your ability to succeed.
When you find yourself in a frustrating situation, it’s important to step back for a moment. Ask yourself what’s really in your control, and what’s not. So often, we get caught up in the pieces not in our control. We wish for different outcomes. We play out different scenarios in our minds. We spend a lot of time and mental energy thinking about what went wrong, and what we could do differently.
But, the thing is, you can’t beat yourself up. If you’ve done your best, you have to let the rest go. Now, does that mean you should accept things that you don’t agree with? Absolutely not. You’ve got to take note of them. Write them down in a journal, so you can keep track and remind yourself later. Don’t dismiss your feelings.
Then, when you’re in a better space, reflect on what really went wrong. What was in your control, and what was outside of it? Sometimes, the things outside of your control are related more to company culture than to any one thing. There may have been something you could have done differently. But, there may have also been larger forces at work.
With that said, acknowledging the impact of outside forces on your life is important. For example, if you’re working in a toxic work environment, pay attention. If you’ve done everything within your control and things are still too difficult to feel comfortable, it may be time to move on.
Now, I’m not suggesting you run from job to job. Every job has pros and cons. Simply running from place to place won’t fix the issue. But, sometimes you come across a work culture that’s more than you can bear.
Perhaps you don’t feel safe at work. Or, maybe workplace gossip is intense. Or, you may have an overly negative and critical boss. Whatever the issue is, you have to be honest with yourself. If you’re truly unhappy to outside forces that are impacting you, you have to look for other options. It will allow you to take your control back. It will allow you to find your power.
You don’t have control over the behavior of other people. But, you can control how you react. You can keep a positive attitude in the face of difficult times. You can decide when it’s time to move on. Keep your focus on what is within your control, so that you can move past what isn’t. This will not only allow you to take control, but will prevent what’s outside of your control from controlling you.
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.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts 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 | Mar 9, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Newsletter
Loyalty is an interesting idea. Companies expect it. Many demand it. You must be a loyal employee. You must put the company’s best interest first. Even if you don’t agree, you should toe the company line. Otherwise, your worst fears could happen. You may find yourself without work.
What I find interesting however is this. In the past, companies offered loyalty in return. Companies provided pensions. They provided security. You could work at one company for thirty years and then retire comfortably. You could even work your way up the company ladder. It was reliable.
Unfortunately, companies are no longer able to provide the same level of loyalty to employees. Or, perhaps they choose not to. Whether it’s a more competitive market or different expectations, retiring from one company is much less likely today than it was forty years ago.
But, despite the market changes on the company side, most employers still expect the same level of loyalty from you. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about honesty and integrity. Of course, we should all be honest. Every day, we should do our best work.
Many companies expect you to stick around through thick and thin. They expect you not to look for a new job; not to return the phone calls from recruiters. Honestly, it seems that because most jobs are considered ‘at will’ and you can be fired anytime, loyalty is expected in exchange for a job – now. But, next week, next month, and next year aren’t guaranteed.
So where should your loyalty lie? I would argue that it should lie within ourselves. In today’s job market, you’re the CEO of your own career. Think of yourself like a small business or a consultant. You are in the driver’s seat. You have to be. It’s your job to build your resume over time. It’s your job to seek promotions. And, it’s your job to be sure your training is up to date. With all that said, it’s also your job to protect your reputation by showing up each day – by doing your best and by being honest.
You cannot simply turn over your loyalty to a company. Much like a romantic relationship, loyalty must be earned over time. You cannot blindly give up your power. You cannot assume you’ll be taken care of.
If you think of yourself like a small business, you’ll be off to the right start. Your employer is like your client. Do the best work for them each and every day. In exchange, they’ll compensate you. But, like a small business, you never know when that client will decide to move in a new direction. So, you have to be ready. Small businesses are always looking for their next client. They’re networking. They’re setting up a situation where they are not dependent on any one revenue stream.
Do your best today, but be loyal to your future vision.
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.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts 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 | Mar 2, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter
When is the best time to leave your job? Have you ever wondered when you should look? Most people wait until things are painful. Change is hard. It hurts. So many people wait until the daily pain at work outweighs the pain of change.
Here’s the problem with this idea. When you wait until the pain is too much, you’re letting someone else control your outcome. You’re waiting for the very last straw. You’re waiting for the last thing to go wrong. You’re allowing external factors to drive an internal decision. You’re allowing someone else to decide when you should leave.
And, on top of that – if you wait until you’re at the last straw, your entire outlook changes. You’ll be running away from the things you hate rather than toward the things you love. You’ll be impatient. You may be stressed in interviews. You might be willing to take less money or less vacation. If you’re not careful, you may even share your work sob story with your future hiring manager or future colleagues.
If you wait until things are bad, you may also risk being laid off or even worse, fired. As attractive as some company buy out packages may be, the stress of looking for work when you don’t have a job is much higher than when you do. Just recovering from a layoff takes time.
So, when should you look for something new? I’d argue that you should always keep your eyes open. In today’s job market, you cannot assume your job is secure.
But, the topic of when to leave makes me think of a friend — and social parties. Years ago, a friend shared to me that she likes to leave a party while things are still fun. Most people wait to leave until the very end. They wait until it’s winding down. But, by then, guests have potentially had too much to drink. It’s later than you might like. And, the party has typically gone downhill in some way. But, if you leave on a high note, you have a wonderful time with no bad memories of the party’s aftermath.
The same applies at work. Leave while you still have a positive relationship with your colleagues and your boss. Leave after you’ve done a great job on a project. Don’t wait until things are spiraling down. Don’t wait for the last straw.
Looking while things are good also allows you to find a job that you want. You’re not desperate. You need to be paid fairly. You have requirements around benefits, such as vacation. You may want a job that’s considered a promotion. Perhaps you want to work in a new part of the business.
When you aren’t at the final straw, you can take your time. You can evaluate options carefully to find something that’s the right fit long term – not just the right fit right now.
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.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts 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 24, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Interviewing, Job Interview, Job Search, Newsletter
Have you ever had a panel interview? It’s one of those job interviews where you show up and instead of one person interviewing you, three do. Or, if you’re really lucky, five or six will. I’m not talking about a situation where you have one interview after another. I’m talking about a single interview where you’re facing off with multiple people at a time around a single table.
If you interview people, you should know that panel interviews are scary for the candidate. I’ve seen this at all levels, from right out of college to senior executives. Very rarely are people comfortable with this kind of interview format. If your goal is to be welcoming, avoid this interview setup if you can. Or, provide as much information to the candidate ahead of time so they can prepare.
If you’re the candidate, you should know that the company doesn’t intend to scare you. They have probably scheduled you for a panel interview because it takes less time. They can interview you all at once. Also, a panel interview is not a place where you’ll find yourself attacked by the panelists.
In your mind, you may picture an adversarial meeting at work. It’s you versus a team of people when something goes wrong. But, that should not be the case in a panel interview. You don’t yet work at the company and should be welcoming and kind.
In a panel interview, it’s very likely that each person will have one or two predetermined questions they will ask you. And, it’s also possible that not everyone in the room is excited to be there. They may also be nervous. Or, they may be doing the hiring manager a favor by participating in the panel.
Before you have a panel interview, ask the human resources recruiter for an agenda of the people you’ll be talking to. Use that agenda to research each person, so you’ll be prepared in advance. During the interview, stay calm and be friendly. Treat each person equally and with respect. Be sure to shake the hand of everyone you meet.
Afterward, send each person a thank you email. Don’t send one mass email. Send a separate email for each individual person. If you can, customize each email to reflect something that aligns to the person’s background or something they honed in on during your interview. But, keep it positive. Don’t use the emails to apologize. Thank the person for their time and keep going. If you’re feeling especially interested in a role, take the time to also send a hand written thank you note to every person. If you do this, you’ll very likely be the only candidate who did – and it will make you stand out in a good way.
Remember: every interview is practice for the next one. And, you don’t have to answer every question perfectly to get a job offer.
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.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts 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 17, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Newsletter, Social Media
A reader recently wrote in with what is clearly an issue on the minds of professionals: social media in the workplace. In other words, should I be Facebook friends with my boss?
Today’s workforce is more casual than generations in the past. Many companies allow employees to wear jeans and tennis shoes to work. And, we’re being more open about our personal lives.
There are many advantages to this. Openness can help to move us closer from diversity to inclusion. It’s about being able to bring your entire self to work.
The digital marketer in me has made friends with colleagues on social media in the past. In the world of digital marketing, social media is part of your toolkit. It’s another way you get your job done. But, this is a rare phenomenon that doesn’t apply to many jobs. So, this takes us back at the original question. Should you follow your boss on Instagram? Should you comment on your employees tweets? And, should you connect on LinkedIn?
I may be old fashioned, but this is my take. Social media is for your family and loved ones. If a colleague is close enough, then perhaps they should be considered. But, beyond that, work should be separate.
There are many things in life that are best kept separate from work, whether it’s politics, finances, or love. Your social media life is one of those things. On top of the party photos that may appear on your Facebook wall, you may share your opinions on the current political climate. You very likely are sharing things with your close friends that are different points of views than your colleagues share.
The last thing you want is for your weekend activities to have an impact on your work. In your mind, it may make no difference. But, you never know when someone may treat you differently based on what they see in your social media. And, they’re not going to tell you.
Keeping things separated can also help to increase your perceived level of professionalism. I’m often asked to speak on topics around executive presence. Executive presence is very much related to how people perceive you at work. And, it will impact whether or not you’re promoted or thought of for more advanced work.
So, as tempting as it is to want to be friends on social media with your colleagues, think twice. There are many pitfalls to this that you may not see now. And, you may want to take it a step further. You may want to make a universal policy that you don’t friend anyone on social media who you currently work with. That way, no one person will get their feelings hurt when they realize that you’ve friended someone else, but not them.
The one exception to all of this is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an excellent way to maintain and grow your professional network.
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.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts 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 10, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Career Fulfillment, Newsletter
In this month of love, we spend some of our time reflecting on those who are special in our lives. It’s also a great time to reflect on our job, and whether or not we love doing it. Think about how you feel on Sunday evening. Are you neutral about work on Monday, or do you dread it? Are you able to relax on Sunday evening or are you filled with anxiety and dread?
Your relationship with work isn’t all that different than your relationship with a significant other. If you aren’t excited to be there, or even worse, if you hate it, it may be time to break up.
The good news is, in today’s career environment, people are switching jobs all the time. If you think you may be ready to move on, take the time to plan out your next move.
What is it that you dislike about your current job? Is it the people? Is it the hours? Perhaps the commute is just too long.
What would you like to see in your new role? What industry would you prefer to work in? What role do you want? What’s your target salary? What type of work environment would make you happiest? What commute would you like to have?
Begin to outline what you want in a new role. Think about what would make you happy. As you go through this process, try not to create a list that is only things that are the opposite of what you hate today. For example, if your current company has people with a certain personality, you may want to avoid people with that personality. However, think deeper; think about what types of people you would like to work with.
As you create a new role for yourself, you want to try to move toward something more positive. This is different than moving away from something negative. If you get stuck in the cycle of running away from something, you may quickly find yourself in a new situation that you also dislike.
While you’re doing your research, be sure to check out Glassdoor.com. Current employees leave reviews of their company to let you know whether or not they love their jobs. This can also be very enlightening. Just like travel reviews, you shouldn’t take every review at face value. But, if you read enough reviews, you may begin to see a pattern – positive or negative.
As in a relationship, don’t wait until things completely break to move on. Pay attention to the signs and plan your exit. Don’t wait until you find yourself in crippling emotional pain that can make working impossible. You deserve a fresh start. You deserve to be happy, or at the very least, not miserable. If you start looking, you will find that a new company will value you and your skillset – and you just might love your job again.
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.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts 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
One of the most frustrating feelings can be a loss of control. There are things you wish you could influence. You try. You go out of your way to plan for everything that could go wrong. This can feel especially true at work, where there are so many things that can impact your ability to succeed.
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