Work Environment

I have received a couple of emails from people in jobs working for tyrants.  Yellers, screamers, liars, manipulative madmen, you get the picture.  If half the stories are true, it's more than awful. I don't know if it's a trend, or happenstance or unfortunate circumstances.  The stories are difficult to read and people are looking for help and answers. I can offer only what I know from experience and read and refer people to other good blogs - get your materials up to date, keep looking, keep networking and try and stay positive.   These words feel rehearsed, overused and shallow.  I wish I could offer more - like a decent work environment.  But I can't.  

I am appealing to you collective group of great HR and career people.  I promised the writers that I would share everything I receive.  If you don't want to post here, feel free to email me. What advice, counsel and words of encouragement do you have for those who are working for really awful bosses?   

Thanks to all for your input.  

Job Sharing

From the mailbag.  A reader writes,"Can I apply for a full-time job and then ask if it can be shared  with another person--each of us at half time?"

Answer.  Certainly.  There is nothing that prevents you from applying for a position in multiple iterations.  Before you do that, I would recommend some due diligence and research.

First, know as much about the position as possible.  Have a realistic concept of how the position would be shared, how work would be divided and where each of you bring strength.  That being written, do not apply for all positions as a job share.  It's not realistic.   Focus on jobs and employers that would support a shared job.

Second, do as much research about the employer as possible.  Talk to human resources,  connect with current employees, seek out hiring managers and supervisors -   ask for and conduct as many informational interviews as possible.  Is this a company that will be open to and support shared work?

Third, anticipate and address in your cover letter(s)  as many of the concerns as possible. Concerns you would have heard in the informational interviews - what hasn't worked in the past or departments not willing.  And support the prospect of a job share with as many benefits as you have identified.  Perhaps you will save the business in benefits; maybe you will be able to outline less down time when one of you is on vacation, the other fills in.  Know each others strengths and weaknesses.  Be able to speak to how you work together.  Demonstrate that you have put the thought into dividing the work and being successful.   Do the research.  Do the work beforehand. 

Last, be prepared for no.  Working through a job share situation can be additional work for all parties - hiring departments and managers, human resources and employees.  Companies right now have a premium of qualified candidates.  The goal of hiring is to alleviate work; job shares can create it.  If the answer is no, be gracious.  If you have the opportunity to talk to the hiring department or human resources, ask for feedback on other opportunities.  How you handle this conversation could be a tremendous springboard to other opportunities. 

Any additional thoughts? 

Exceptional Service worth a mention

I have to write about something extraordinary.  It's about a free picture and exceptional customer service.

Walgreens has photo printing coupons right now.  I take a few pictures and watch for these.  I received an email this morning and was excited about a free 8 x 10 picture. Walgreens is a few blocks from my house and it was an easy stop to pick up my picture. I sent my picture for printing and while out running errands, swung by to pick up the picture.  When I went to the photo desk, there was no photo.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.

The woman who helped was incredible.  She had me log in to my Walgreen's account to retrieve the picture.  She thought that perhaps that I sent it to a different Walgreen's store.  Perhaps but I didn't think so.  After some digging, the woman lets me know that they have located the picture.  It is at a Walgreen's up the road.  No problem, I will just run up to the other store and pick it up.  No, she says, I will print you one right here, while you wait.  Seriously.

She downloads the picture and sends it to the printer. She is going to print my picture, FOR FREE, while I wait.  So of course, I do what any good consumer does, I keep shopping.  I find all kinds of great deals, including SD cards for almost nothing.  Along with my free picture, I walk out with a bag of great deals.

Kudos Walgreens!  The staff at 28th St and Kalamazoo in Grand Rapids made our visit to the store extraordinary and will now be our store of choice.  I will happily drive by Rite Aid to get to it.

Vacation of sorts

I am on the first two week vacation in over 15 years.  It is delightful, delicious and amazing.  But, I still had some work to do - a post over at a fabulous website, Women of HR.  Take a read, won't you?

What it's like "out there"

I have been on a much needed and much enjoyed vacation for the last couple of weeks.  Well, it look me a week to catch up on my time off.  It's nice to be back in the groove.

This trip took something out of me.  While I was traveling up north, I met a number of people who are in job transition - some unemployed, some under-employed, some on the edge, others having given up.  They don't know me.  They don't read blogs.  A few know Facebook.  Twitter is a noise the morning birds make. Foursquare sounds like something on Mars.  How many followers I have or number of blog hits is more than immaterial and sounds like Greek.  This cloud is irrelevant to many of them.

It puts a lump in my throat listening to these stories.

A few stories in particular stayed with me.  One story of a single mom with her children struggling.  Her ex-husband has been unemployed for the last two years and doesn't help. She is working three part time jobs trying to stay ahead of the bills and keep a roof over their heads.  She doesn't want pity or welfare or handouts; she would love a good job with benefits so she can take care of her family.  She talks about moving but needs a job to go to, a car that could reliably get her there and a place to stay when starting over.

Another person works part time and suffers with medical issues.   He would work more if he didn't lose Medicaid insurance.

There are others.  You know some of these stories too.  What is WRONG WITH THIS SCENARIO?

I listen to more stories of people who can't sell their homes and can't find jobs.  With all my knowledge, my experience and my electronic presence,  I can't do a damn thing for them.  I can't create jobs.  I know great people in the state of Michigan who are ready, willing and able to work.  My words feel hollow but I wish I could do more, to bring jobs here.  I know that I am not the only one wishing this.