by Angela Copeland | Jul 23, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Media, Negotiating, Negotiation, Newsletter, Vacation
A good vacation can be one of the most relaxing things you can do for yourself. Whether you prefer the beach, camping, or grilling out in your backyard, down time is something we all need. Unfortunately, we’re not all getting this much needed time to relax. Can you relate?
In the United States, there’s no minimum vacation or holidays that companies are required to provide to workers. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that 77% of employers offer paid vacation time. On average, employers give ten days of vacation after one year of employment. The number of vacation days grows based upon tenure. After twenty years, most employees receive twenty days of vacation. In addition to vacation, many companies offer holidays.
It’s interesting to compare our vacation to other places. In France, employees are granted a minimum of five weeks of vacation. In Australia, the minimum is four weeks. In Belgium, the minimum is twenty-four days. In Denmark, the minimum is five weeks. Now, it’s not to say that there aren’t other countries with smaller vacations. In some areas of Canada, the minimum is ten days, for example.
But, what are we really doing with our two weeks of vacation? You probably guessed it. In many cases, not much. I recently heard an interesting term, “vacation shaming.” It’s an all too familiar idea where employers place negative feelings and shame around the idea of taking time off.
This vacation shaming causes us to feel uncomfortable requesting time away. Despite receiving two weeks of vacation each year, many Americans are only taking about half of it, according to a survey conducted by Glassdoor.com.
Even if we are taking vacation time, many of us are staying plugged in. We answer emails, take phone calls, and sometimes attend meetings remotely. There’s a fear of getting into trouble and losing our job while we’re out.
For employees who do choose to take vacation, some companies set rules that limit the options available. For example, a company may have a policy that an employee may not take more than four or five consecutive days in a row. For those with an international destination in mind, this can really limit the options.
Being successful at work if often tied to being the best version of yourself that you can be. And, that requires you to take care of yourself. Vacation is a great place to start on this goal.
If you’re looking for a new job, do your best to learn about the company’s policy about taking vacation, both official and unofficial. Many online review sites can provide an employee perspective.
Then, don’t forget that vacation time is negotiable – just like salary. When you negotiate your offer letter, know that you can ask for additional time off.
In the long run, taking time for yourself is more important than any amount of vacation shaming. We all need a break sometimes.
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
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 | Jul 16, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Happiness, Media, Newsletter
Do you ever feel like you’re struggling to take your career to the next level? If so, you’re not alone. Many of the job seekers I speak to each day are struggling with similar feelings. They have not received the achievements they expected to get by now. Perhaps they’re coming up on an important birthday, such as thirty or forty or fifty. They haven’t received the awards they would have hoped, or the plum promotion they were counting on. They’re making less money than they had planned for.
Often, they see peers and friends who are making more, and are going up the corporate ladder faster. It can be upsetting, especially if the job seeker was a top performer in school, is a hard worker, and is intelligent.
I recently had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Prasad Kaipa from San Francisco, California. Prasad is the author of the book From Smart To Wise. He focuses on helping professionals to “ignite the genius within” and to connect with their noble purpose.
This is quite a lot to digest. So, let’s focus on one piece of the discussion. One of the things that resonated with me was this idea. “What got us here won’t get us there.” Dr. Kaipa shared the concept that your situation changes over time. He tied this back to the idea of a core competence. Very often, we are promoted through our careers because we have a core strength or set of core strengths that we rely on. But, as we go up the ladder, a different skillset is needed for each role.
Dr. Kaipa explained, “In time, we need to develop a second capability. We need to be able to develop a second core strength. Now that we are in the current position, even though the current set of skills helped us to get here, now that you are a Vice President, you need to learn how to become a President.”
Dr. Kaipa continued, “The unfortunate part is, whenever we feel we are not reaching our potential, we use the same set of skills that got us here, harder and more often. We don’t really reexamine whether the strength that we have that has become our signature strength has become the nail in our foot. I think that kind of a pausing, reexamining, and getting reflection both internally and from other people is what gets us to where we want to go.”
This makes a lot of sense. When we feel like we are failing at something, it’s possible that we’ve outgrown our old toolkit. It’s possible that new strengths are needed. And, sometimes we don’t even know yet what those strengths may be.
If you are struggling to reach your full potential and would like to hear the full interview with Dr. Kaipa, you can find it on the Copeland Coaching Podcast, and download it for free on Apple Podcasts.
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
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 | Jul 9, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Company Culture, Media, Newsletter
It’s often said that employees don’t quit jobs. They quit bosses. Can you relate? If you’ve ever left a job, there’s a good chance you might agree with this idea.
If you’re looking for a new job, one of the first things to consider is the management you’ll be working for. I often believe that finding the right environment is just as important (if not more so) than finding the perfect title.
Glassdoor recently released their 2018 Top CEOs list. The list is created based on anonymous U.S. employee feedback received on Glassdoor.com between May of 2017 and May of 2018.
A company CEO sets the direction of the company, and influences the managers below them. It’s safe to stay the CEO is a great place to start when you’re thinking of where you may want to apply next.
The number one spot this year was taken by Zoom Video Communications’ CEO Eric S. Yuan. Yuan has an impressive 99% approval rating. The top five spots are filled by Michael F. Mahoney at Boston Scientific (99% approval), Daniel Springer at DocuSign (99% approval), Lynsi Snyder at In-N-Out Burger (99% approval), and James Downing at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (98% approval).
Four CEOs have made the Glassdoor Top CEOs list for six years in a row, including Marc Benioff at Salesforce (#10 with 97% approval), Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook (#16 with 96% approval), Lloyd C. Blankfein at Goldman Sachs (#77 with 92% approval), and Tim Cook at Apple (#96 with 91% approval).
These A-ratings are very impressive compared to the average CEO approval rating of 69% for all CEOs.
Zoom Video Communication’s CEO Eric S. Yuan shared his philosophy on the kind of company he wants to create for his employees. “I need to make sure I’m happy, and that my employees are happy. Asking myself that question, I realized if I’m not happy, my kids, my family will be impacted. Our employees will also be impacted. So that’s why our company culture is to deliver happiness. It’s personal to our company’s values. We’re going to care about each other, really focus on delivering happiness to each other. Ultimately, as a company, we deliver happiness to our customers.”
If you’re job seeking, you know that finding a job that fits both inside and outside of work is key. Unhappiness is like a domino. If things aren’t going well at work, chances are that they are going to follow you home to another area.
As you’re job searching, keep this in mind. Don’t simply look for the best title or the most money. Look for a great, healthy company. Very often, that starts with the CEO. Check out the entire 2018 Glassdoor Top CEOs list to learn more about the top 100 CEOs who made the cut. And, check out the company reviews on Glassdoor for even more information about how employees feel about their workplace.
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
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 | Jul 2, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Happiness, Media, Newsletter
I hope you have a wonderful holiday week! I know I’m looking forward to spending time with friends, grilling out, and watching fireworks to celebrate this Independence Day. This holiday is also a great time to reflect on your career.
Are you feeling happy, or is something missing? If you’ve been thinking of making a change, this could be the perfect time. But, finding a job can take months. If you want to make a change, it’s important to get started before the winter holidays begin to approach.
Often, one of the sources of job frustration can be a lack of control. Whether you’re not doing the kind of work you enjoy, don’t like your boss, or are underpaid, you may feel helpless. It’s this helpless feeling that can really impact you each day as you go in. It can make your day seem longer, and tasks seem harder.
Finding career independence starts with identifying what is within your radius of control. What can you do today that will help you to gain more freedom tomorrow?
First, I recommend keeping your resume up to date at all times. You’ll be prepared, and you won’t forget important details later. On top of that, keep your LinkedIn current and connect to your colleagues. You never know when things could change.
If you’re not using your favorite skills at work, look for ways to keep your expertise up to date. Consider taking on small consulting projects, or volunteer at a non-profit. You may even want to take a class or two to keep any certifications current.
If you’d like to acquire a new skill, the same advice applies. Enroll in a class. There are many options at local colleges, and online. If you don’t have an opportunity to try your new skill at work, look for a way to volunteer your time – either on a non-profit project or at a part-time internship.
Nurture your network. Take the time to attend networking events. Get lunch and coffee with coworkers from previous jobs. Stay connected.
Reevaluate your priorities. Often, a source of unhappiness can be tied to a shifting of what’s important to you. Early in your career, you may have been willing to work for hours on end just to make the most money possible. As you’ve grown older, financial stability may be less important. You may now be looking for work-life balance, but are still saddled with a 60-hour per week job.
As you can see, much of the independence we crave is tied back to a self-awareness of what’s important to us. And, unlike Independence Day fireworks, career freedom rarely happens all at once. It doesn’t go off with a bang of beautiful lights. Independence at work takes time. It takes commitment. It takes a little dedication each day. But if you’re committed, over time you will find that independence, and the happiness that comes along with 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
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 | Jun 25, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Negotiating, Negotiation, Newsletter, Salary, Salary Negotiation
Have you ever been asked, “How much do you make?” in a job interview? This question usually shows up during the first phone call.
You’ve applied online. The HR manager calls you. The conversation seems normal at first. They ask, “Why did you apply for this job?” and “Tell me about yourself.” The all of the sudden, bam! “How much do you make?” Or, they may try, “How much have you made in the past?”
These questions are tough, and they have more of an influence on your future than you may think. Whether you’re currently underpaid or overpaid, answering this question wrong can completely eliminate you from consideration. And, answering too low can also put you at a disadvantage.
A number of states and cities have started to reduce or eliminate this question altogether. In 2017, Delaware and New York City banned employers from asking about salary history. In January 2018, California banned questions around a candidate’s pay history. In July 2018, Massachusetts will join suit. In 2019, Oregon will ban employers from asking. New Orleans and Pittsburgh are also implementing this rule on city agencies.
It may not be clear right away what’s wrong with this question. Many companies think of it as finding out if the person fits into their budget.
But, the problem is this. If someone has ever been underpaid for any reason, including discrimination or just an unfortunate circumstance, that person will likely always be underpaid going forward. Asking the question, “How much do you make?” ensures that your future salary is based on your current salary.
But, what if you’re switching between industries and one pays much higher salaries? What if you’re switching between a higher education job and a corporate job? What if you’re moving from an inexpensive city in the middle of the country, to a pricey city on the coast?
Once you’re behind in salary negotiations, you will likely always be behind. Unless you’re protected by a rule that bans the question completely. Banning it puts the responsibility back onto the company to decide what a particular role is worth to them. It forces the company to pay employees more fairly, based on the work they produce – rather than their negotiation abilities.
If you find yourself being asked this question, do your homework. Before you’re asked how much you make, know the response you want to give. The less you need the job, the riskier you can be with your answer. I often advise job seekers to ask the company if they would feel comfortable to share their pay range with you. This allows the company to share their salary instead. Alternatively, you can offer your target range. But, base this range on data. Scour websites like Glassdoor.com for as much salary information as you can find about your job.
Pushing back on this question helps guarantee that everyone will be paid more fairly going forward.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Jun 18, 2018 | Career Corner Column, College, College Graduation, First Job, Newsletter
The summer is an exciting time for young job seekers. A new group of graduates has just been minted and are searching for their first full-time job. But, there are many pitfalls you may encounter along the way. Here are a few suggestions to help you in your search.
Don’t let your parents get involved in your job search. At the most, your parents should be providing you one-on-one guidance from the comfort of your home. Beyond that, it’s too much. Mom or dad should not be applying to jobs for you. They should not be perfecting your resume. They should not be editing your LinkedIn profile. They should not attend an interview with you. And, they definitely should not ever negotiate your salary for you. I get it. Your parents have been there and done that. But, in the professional world, getting your parents involved in a major faux pas. If you want to find a job, now is the time to talk to your parents. If an employer gets even a whiff of them through the interview process, it’s likely that you will be tossed out of the candidate pool.
Sharpen your online image. Employers will look at more than your resume. Right or wrong, they will look at your social media. Get in there and be sure you would be comfortable with the content. Reduce posts that focus on anything that might be considered controversial.
Perfect your phone skills. I can’t tell you how often a future employer has said to me, “Wow. I wish the candidate would learn how to answer their phone.” If you’re applying for jobs, you may get calls from phone numbers you don’t recognize. Answer in a polite, pleasant way that uses your name. An uncomfortable, “Hello?” is no way to begin a conversation with your future boss.
Be on time. When you’re early in your career, your real world experience is still slim. But, there’s one thing you can easily do: show up on time.
Once you’ve landed your perfect job, don’t start hinting that you want more money. The time to negotiate was before you started. Once you’re there, you’ve agreed to work for what they’re paying you. Nobody is planning to pay you more just because you’re the smartest, fastest, or best at the job you were hired to do.
Don’t expect a promotion every one to two years. I wish it worked this way, but it just doesn’t. Working your way up the ladder takes time. Promotions often happen when your level of responsibility has changed. Perhaps you’ve started to manage a team. Or, maybe your job includes a new area that it didn’t before.
Early on, your job is primarily about learning and growing. Take the time to learn as much as you can. Give back to the organization. In the long term, this will result in both a fruitful and successful journey.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
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