job Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Dennis E. Gilbert

15
Nov 18
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What Will You Do If Your Career Strategy Fails?

Are you in full stride for your career? Have you been thinking about making a change? It is common to feel indecisive or stuck. Have you thought about what you’ll do if your career strategy fails?

Nearly everyone has jumped out of something. They’ve left the meeting early, dropped a class in school, or given up on a personal relationship.

They’ve bailed.

Getting In or Getting Out

Getting involved in something is easy. You raise your hand, give a nod, or click to sign up. What do you do if you want out?

Most people who walk into a room, leave by the same door. Jump in your car, you get out the same way you got in.

In our career, we’re told, “Don’t burn your bridges.”

If you’re unhappy there is a way out. It may very well be through the same door you got in. Do you want to bail or is it just a rough patch?

What Matters Most?

Organizational culture matters. Your boss matters. Neither usually change easily or quickly. Both are common reasons for leaving.

What if you decided that leaving didn’t support your long-term strategy. Could it make more sense to tough it out? What can you learn from any adversity connected to the situation? Is there something to value about staying a little longer?

It’s a tough spot. Do you feel like your career strategy is off? Does it feel like things have broken down and are not repairable?

A bump may not be failure.

Career Strategy Fails

What causes people to leave the meeting, drop a class, or walk-out on a relationship that may not be perfect? Often, there is a time to move on. The best question may be, “Is it now?”

Here are my thoughts. Don’t stay because you feel that you don’t have a choice. Don’t go just because you can. Remain connected to your strategy for growth.

Happiness matters, but a couple of bad days may not be a sign that your strategy is failing.

Don’t sacrifice long-term goals for short-term feel goods.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

09
Nov 18
2

How Are You Creating Your Career Story?

Tags : career change job networking story

Everyone has a story, right? What is your story? I hear a lot of stories about doom and gloom. I hear a lot of embellished stories, and stories that may not even be real. What is your career story?

Career Story

If you aren’t happy with your story, the good news is that you can change it. It really doesn’t matter if you’re early in your career, mid-career, or even in the sunset. Your career is about your story.

We have stories all around us. There are biblical stories, stories of the land before time, and stories about developing nations, economies, and intellect. Your career is not about a single moment. It’s built across time.

If you don’t like how your story is starting you can change it. If you don’t like the flow, or the emerging ending, you can change it.

Sometimes the biggest hurdle is understanding your career is not a job. It is not a place, a city, a town, or an industry sector. It is something you’re building.

Seeking Change

If you feel that you need to do something different, don’t wait. You’re going to have to get involved. Make changes, grow your network, find more moments that build your story.

It may begin with what you’re telling yourself. Have you assessed your competencies? Do you need new skills, retraining, or updating? Perhaps.

Keep in mind however, that many people get the opportunity of a lifetime in an area that they aren’t so skilled. And now you’re asking, “How?”

The answer is easy, they have some boxes checked, but they are using their relationships (networking) to create the next opportunity.

What is your next moment? What if you look for the next part of your story, instead of a job. Invest in doing something that feels natural, feels good, and creates connection?

It’s time to build more of your story. People are waiting to hear it.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

06
Jul 18
4

Overlooked, Why Fitting In May Leave You Out

Tags : career hire job overlooked promotion

It starts with the job offer. The day your employer decides to extend you a job offer may be the first moment you become stuck. Do you feel like you are being overlooked for advancement? Are you wondering what you can do now?

Not everyone is trying to build a respectable career, some only want to supplement the family income. The truth is that most organizations need some of both types of employees.

Point of Hire

When you ask the hiring manager for the behind the scenes honesty about job applicant choices it probably won’t be long until they use the word, fit. Employers are looking for the best fit for the current job opening.

Both potential candidates and employers struggle with finding the right balance of fit versus satisfying future needs.

But you got the job. Six months ago, or ten years ago, and you’re looking for the sure-fire method to advance your career.

Seeking Advancement

There are really only two answers for this situation. One is that this employer is not where you should hang your hat and you should seek a new employer. The other is, that you need to be the best choice for advancement.

Neither answer may be easy, but from my experiences those are the cards you hold in your hand.

Assuming you want to stay with the current employer you must become the best fit for the new or advanced role. That typically occurs with proof.

Proof that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities, or that you are prepared to get them. It also means the right attitude and continuous demonstration of commitment.

Overlooked

For the organization, perfect employees are often hard to come by, but perfection is usually not their goal.

Prove that you are the best fit and you’ll succeed.

If you are certain that you’ve been crossed off the opportunity for advancement list and that you may be overlooked forever. You probably should consider doing everything you can to continue to fit, but privately you should consider seeking a different employer.

It starts at the point of hire. If the fit is exactly what they need and that need or additional opportunities do not develop across time, fitting in may leave you out.

Out of what? Out of opportunity since you are the best fit for the [current] job.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

20
Jun 18
-

Job Candidates and Picking The Right One

Tags : candidates fit hiring job

So many choices, which will you choose? Job candidates often come by the dozens, or even more. What factors or indicators do you use? Best resume, most personable, or the one who appears to be the best fit with your culture?

Certainly, all your choices are often connected with the specific job. Not all jobs in your workplace are the same. They are not always seeking the same level of skills or talent, and not all of them will hold the same potential for growth.

How do you decide?

Irony of Choice

Go to your local grocery store or farmers market, who has the best watermelon? The crate has fifteen or twenty, which one is the best? Searching from the presentation is challenging, it is hard to know what is inside.

Banana’s they are another story. As they ripen, which bunch will be the best? You have dozens to choose from, the pick is yours.

Do you take a chance? What is your best guess? How often are you successful?

Job Candidates

It may be true with people too. We search around on the surface. We look at the outside, the packaging, the presentation, and the stand out.

Pushed against time, we feel pressured to make the decision sooner rather than later. We want the best pick.

We may review resumes, curriculum vitae, and let technology do some of our filtering. Telephone calls are scheduled, we may hold face-to-face interviews, and we may spend a little time scouring the web for any bad press.

Clothing is often judged, the presence, the fit, and an assessment of the feeling. Is there comfort, appropriate confidence, and how will we get along?

References may be checked and for some candidates we may ask around. Who knows this person and what will they say about them?

Do you make the right choices?

The Right Pick

You can take your best guess with the watermelon or bananas, neither will last for very long.

Who is the best job candidate? How will they change across time?

It seems you really have two indicators, what you see on the surface and what you will get.

Remember that the grocer often chooses what you’ll see.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

18
Jun 18
-

Your Salary and What It Should Be

Tags : job pay position salary solution

People want to make money. At least, most people do. Many want to pile on gobs and gobs of it. They need to pay for a car, a house, and their food. Is your salary what it should be?

There are always some fundamental factors involved in the work that you do. Certainly, the level of skill and talent are important. Universities, trade schools, and certificate programs enroll lots of people every year. Each person is determined to become of more value.

What Matters

If you are in the distribution business, or the retail sector, a degree in engineering may not matter that much.

If you are in the manufacturing sector, the fact that you can shoot 3-point baskets all day long or sing the lead role at the community theatre may not matter that much.

Your salary is important to you. Your job or the job that you seek has likely been classified by the organization as having a value and an associated salary. For nearly all jobs it is not about what you can do, but more about what the organization needs from you.

Your Salary

The best path for anyone insistent on earning more money is not to push their employer. It is to fulfill the employers needs the best.

Here are a few of many ways this can happen:

Bring more awareness to your job role by consistently doing great things that attract attention because they are of great value to the employer.
Improve your own skills to align with the needs and demands of the employer and arrive ready to give.
Be compelling enough with your work that the employer believes the risk of losing you is more expensive than replacing you.

The third one is the trickiest. It has significant risk.

Be mindful of how employees are treated. Are they tools to complete a job or are they bringing value that can’t easily be replaced?

Value is based on perception. So is the salary range of your job.

The difference between being the cheapest solution or the most expensive solution is always based of the perceived value of the buyer.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

13
Jun 18
-

Job Descriptions For The Small Business

Tags : C-Suite descriptions job measurement roles

According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up 99.7% of U.S. employer firms. Chances are good that you, or someone you know is employed by a small business. Are job descriptions really necessary for the small business?

C-Suite View

Many small business CEO’s are not so motivated to have job descriptions in place. Unfortunately, some just don’t connect with the reasons why it matters. They may consider it to be a nuisance, and just another reason to avoid human resource subjects.

Too much red tape, a waste of time, and not connected with making money (in their mind) so the ROI just doesn’t seem to justify the effort.

Interesting, because this same demographic is represented in much of my client base. I am often working with them to help improve morale, reduce employee turnover, and grow their business. Is the lack of job descriptions part of this problem?

Job Descriptions

Job descriptions can serve many different functions. Of course, they are largely designed to help the employee understand the expectations of their job. In many other ways they provide vital links for organizational success.

Here are a few of my favorite ways formal job descriptions contribute to organizational health, they:

provide clarity to the employee of what is expected;
ensure that every job has a purpose and that the purpose is connected to the mission;
appropriately motivate employees and create pride in their work;
set standards for roles that link to strategies for growth;
help establish qualitative (perhaps quantitative) measurements.

Many job descriptions are a collection of statements with creative verb usage. For a manager, we may see many statements that include words such as: manage, direct, or supervise.

Regardless of job level, the best organizations are getting even more creative to include cultural factors that are important for the organization. So we now see softer words such as: add energy to, encourage, and engage.

Job descriptions matter. Yes, they matter for small businesses too.

Organizations that want people to take pride in their work must first take pride in their people.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

13
Mar 18
-

Hard Work Is The Best Way To Get Lucky

Tags : career hard work job luck motivation

Do you count on luck to carry you forward? Does hard work have anything to do with luck?

Look around on your daily commute. There is someone thinking that they need more luck. They need luck to get a better job, advance in their career, or find a way to rapidly increase their retirement account.

Do People Get Lucky?

It does happen. Publishers Clearing House claims it will release $7k a week for life to someone who finds luck. The convenience store is always selling lottery tickets.

Some will flock to the store that sells winning tickets, because of course, that store is lucky.

Luck probably has something to do with your odds, your chance of winning, right? Can you get lucky with your career? Is it really all about luck?

Often your odds of winning in any kind of large lottery pool are slim. Buy a single ticket or buy ten. It doesn’t change your odds very much.

Lucky Job

Are people lucky with their job? Do they get the best job because they are lucky? Those who are in stop and go traffic, or cruising along on the interstate, will they get lucky? What about the people on the train or those boarding the plane, will they get lucky?

I don’t believe much in luck. I seldom play the lottery. However, I do believe that we can put ourselves into better positions to get lucky.

The singing sensation probably sings more in order to get the lucky break to be discovered.

An entrepreneur or an inventor knows that more visibility will increase their odds of market success.

People counting on luck to find a new job are probably putting themselves into a position that allows luck to work in their favor. Perhaps more networking, replying to job ads, or doing more of their best work.

Hard Work

Will hard work help you get lucky? What will increase your odds?

Don’t quit too early, don’t give up too soon. The harder you work the better your chances.

Luck rarely happens to those who are not giving luck a chance.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

26
Feb 18
-

Job Responsibility, Is It Given or Taken?

Tags : duties job leadership responsibility

You have a job to do, is that job responsibility given or taken? This can be a little confusing, and some may argue a point either way.

Given or Taken

Imagine you are about to walk into a meeting with a large contract in hand, or maybe you are about to present a 50 page report to the board of directors, or perhaps launch your new start-up. Was any of that work assigned to you? Was it assigned as your responsibility?

As you are about to step into the metaphorical spotlight, did you tell yourself, “I’ve got this!” Sure, a few friends or a co-worker may have backed you up with, “You’ve got this,” but ultimately you have to take responsibility.

It is interesting sometimes to think about what you assign to yourself as compared with what is assigned by others. Not surprising when you stop to think about it, responsibility can be given, but it also must be taken.

Take Responsibility

In our workplace, the secret may not be about assigning responsibility but it may be more about taking it. If fact, this is applicable in all aspects of life.

Certainly, teams are important, but often someone has to take the shot. We see it in basketball, ice hockey, soccer and many other sports. Who calls that shot?

In the baseball game, we may have the second baseman and an outfielder both running for the catch. What do they yell? If you believe you have the catch, you typically call it. One doesn’t stand back and shout, “You’ve got it, I’ll watch.”

Job Responsibility

In your job, your gift may be taking responsibility. You take it first, you take it the most, and if necessary, you back up someone else who is in the process of taking it. It may still be a team effort, but someone often has to step up.

Someone may assign you job responsibilities, but you still have to take them.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

14
Aug 17
-

3 Common Fears Holding Back Your Career

Tags : career confidence fear job promotion

Many people work hard during their career. Some believe that they are focused and committed to achieving more. Some believe they are creating their own legacy. Others feel stuck or stalled. Which one are you? What is holding back your career?

There is always a lot of chatter about fear and what holds people back. Some recognize their fear, look it in the eye, and overcome it. Still there are others, unfortunately, who claim to be the victim of wrongdoing, tough breaks, and unfair treatment.

It seems that there might be plenty of all of that to go around. Are there fears holding back your career?

3 C’s of Career Stall

Here are three common fears that hold people back:

Competition. Competition motivates many people and that is a good thing. Other people really don’t want to compete. It might be easier or safer to hold back, to not face the risk, and just move along. Recognizing competitors is exactly what many career stalls need to get jump-started.
Critics. If you are doing anything, achieving anything, making moves and getting noticed you’re definitely going to have some critics. On the highest level, it may be worth listening to a few of their comments, just to keep you moving in the right direction. However, much of it should be left behind or sent to the curb with yesterday’s garbage.
Change. Stable, normal, the same—are all within our comfort zone. Change makes us uneasy, nervous, and afraid. You might always order your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant, and that is OK. In order for you to really reach for something more you’re going to have to give up something you’re comfortable with and replace it with something new.

Holding Back Your Career

Honestly, fear more than anything else holds people back. It isn’t a lack of talent, intelligence, or opportunity, it is fear.

We might convince ourselves that we aren’t worthy. The timing might be wrong, the situation not quite right, often it is our own narrative that holds us back from progress.

Let go of any negative fantasies. Use competition and critics as a motivator. Be willing to give up something that you are holding on to.

Cut the cord, break the chain and unleash all that you have.

Stop holding back.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

25
Jul 17
2

3 Reasons Why Being Polite at Work Matters

Tags : etiquette job manners polite workplace

Recently I’ve heard a lot of chatter about manners, being polite, and proper etiquette. Being honest, much of that chatter stems from conversations about our workforce generations. However, I’m not convinced that it is a generational issue, does being polite at work matter?

Some might argue that work is work and just doing your job is all that is important. Does doing your job mean that you are not social, courteous, and polite?

Of course, in some very specialized circumstances perhaps you can work in a vacuum or behave like a robot. A word of caution though, if you want to behave like a robot then you might very well be treated like one.

Polite Matters

Politeness matters and it is often connected with the concept of rude behavior, an image or stereotype that every business or individual should choose to avoid.

Here are three of many reasons why being polite at work matters:

Greetings. Greeting people with a kind, friendly, and caring attitude is important for sales and for customer service. Every business needs people (internal and external) who can be friendly with their greetings. It is important for networking, for revenue and profit, and simply put, it builds a good image and strengthens professional reputations.
Reduces Anxiety. People sometimes joke about anxiety medication, but in many real life situations, people have high anxiety in the workplace. When our anxiety levels go up our communication skills go down. We might stop talking, start reliving past negative experiences or simply stop listening.
Improves Decisions. Everyone makes decisions every day. In our workplace roles, we often encounter important decisions that condition business results. When the culture and atmosphere is more polite and courteous it keeps people from being hung up on non-productive issues which dramatically improves the decision making process.

Being Polite

Is being polite part of your performance measurement? It probably should be, even if it is not formally connected to job performance. It is something that every individual should strive to deliver.

Jokes about needing coffee, or not being awake yet, or accusations that someone is too chipper in the morning should be minimized. They are all poor excuses.

There are other behaviors too. For example, meeting etiquette is often problematic. Expressing that meetings are boring, showing up late, and having side conversations while someone else has the floor are all signs of poor professional etiquette.

Have you witnessed behaviors that should be improved? Do you believe being polite at work matters?

– DEG

Originally posted on July 25, 2017, last updated on November 5, 2019.

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Tag Archives: job

Nov 18

-

Getting In or Getting Out

What Matters Most?

Career Strategy Fails

Nov 18

Career Story

Seeking Change

Jul 18

Point of Hire

Seeking Advancement

Overlooked

Jun 18

-

Irony of Choice

Job Candidates

The Right Pick

Jun 18

-

What Matters

Your Salary

Jun 18

-

C-Suite View

Job Descriptions

Mar 18

-

Do People Get Lucky?

Lucky Job

Hard Work

Feb 18

-

Given or Taken

Take Responsibility

Job Responsibility

Aug 17

-

3 C’s of Career Stall

Holding Back Your Career

Jul 17

Polite Matters

Being Polite

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