An increasing number people who travel for a living are concluding that their lives are out of balance. More than half of all business travelers say the time they spent with family has been significantly reduced as a result of being on the road, compared with 39% in 2001. And more than one-third said social time spent with friends suffered through the demands of traveling for their company, compared with 28% in 2001.
If you feel you're on the road too much, here are five steps toward positive change.
1. Tap the brakes before you get into an accident. Years of heavy travel will take a toll on most people. If you can think of your career as a car ride, remember to hit the brakes every now and then. That means taking breaks from traveling.
2. Use the tools you have to set a reasonable pace. This is a struggle for any business traveler — even the ones who have achieved a better balance. Microsoft Outlook's Calendar function is a good tool. It allows you to identify the most important appointments and it prompts you when they're due. While that's far more efficient than writing everything down on a memo pad, it is possible to have too much of a good thing where every little "to-do" item starts popping up on your screen, frequently interrupting your concentration. Another option is Franklin Planner for Outlook (www.franklincover/fpo) which lets you further prioritize your appointments. It also integrates nicely with Outlook. A caution: Technology alone won't put your life back into balance. But it can help.
3. Ask yourself: Do I really need to be there in person? A lot of business meetings can be accomplished virtually, with the help of Web conferencing software. The use of "virtual meeting" technologies experienced an uptick after 9/11, as companies cut back on business travel. But even now, as corporate travel heats up again, there are still plenty of smart reasons to pick Web-based meeting applications over an in-person meeting. Not the least of these is the fact that you eliminate the stress of traveling.
4. Remember: Garbage in, ugh, garbage out. When you spend time on the road, you tend to eat food you normally wouldn't (and in quantities you wouldn't) drink things you wouldn't, put off exercising and get insufficient sleep. Whoa. That alone is enough to knock your life out of balance. Try to maintain as many elements of your “regular life” on the road to maintain your health. Pack essentials that support familiar routines and diet.
5. Don't forget your friends, family and loved ones. It's possible to burn the figurative candle at both ends to have a successful business. But, the whole exercise seems rather pointless if you alienate everyone around you in the process. Don't think of your colleagues and relatives as obstacles standing in the way of your success — tethering you to the office when you should be out on the road drumming up business. Think of them instead as your support group. They'll be there when you need them.
Is bringing your career into balance an all-or-nothing proposition? Not necessarily, small steps and best practices repeated over time help you have a life and a career.
By Christopher Elliott
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
How to Avoid the Counter-Offer Trap
Counter-offers may be flattering, but what do they truly represent? A sincere renewed commitment to a resigning employee? Not exactly--they are no more than an employer’s attempt to minimize loss. Loss is significant when even the average employee resigns, so it is important that employees see through the manipulation and make an educated decision based on their own interests and professional development.
Labeling a counter-offer as a means of manipulation is arguably a strong accusation, but after years of seeing candidates reject great opportunities, only to succumb to false flattery, no other description seems adequate. The majority of employees are keen to receive the attention of their employer, despite there being times when their work and personal needs have gone unrecognized during their tenure. This makes a counter-offer an even more attractive option as it appears to be the acknowledgment that had previously been so conspicuously absent. The problem, of course, is that it is not the real recognition they seek and is not on a par with accolades and promised that are offered without the pressure of a resignation letter on the table.
Seeking new opportunities should never be used as a means of increasing salary. Despite any apparent improvement in working conditions and salary, the real battle is lost as ultimately, the employer’s hand has been forced and thus loyalties have been compromised. Employees desiring better professional prospects or higher pay should fight on the merits of their contributions to the business without resorting to threats of departure. If this is not possible and career development opportunities are not enough to offset an employee’s wants, needs and career objectives, then they need to work towards finding new employment with a determination not to look back. Making this decision closes the door to counter-offers and ensures that new opportunities are sought for the right reasons and without secondary motivations.
Regardless of their intentions, some find it too difficult, both emotionally and practically, to turn down the rewards a counter-offer may bring. For many this may be increased salary, better benefits, improved working conditions, or even stock holdings in the company. It is only by seeing these perks as a mitigator of loss and not as a recognition of achievement or gesture of understanding that they can be viewed in the correct light.
Expect a counter-offer: any good candidate is sure to attract the attention of their employer and therefore be offered more favorable employment than their current circumstance. By learning to expect this beforehand, surprises can be avoided later and candidates are able to recognize that these benefits would have been offered upfront if the employer truly wanted to recognize their contributions and them as a person.
Why can employers offer so much when faced with a resignation? The main reason is that the cost of hiring a new employee is so prohibitively high. To determine the cost, one needs to add: the loss of opportunity and output of the former employee; those of the staff needed to interview new candidates; and the price of a recruitment agency or advertising platform to solicit new applications. This equation often generates a cost in excess of $20,000, and this is only for lower level positions and under conditions when the position is filled quickly. In situations where the employee is senior or has a large influence on the organization, costs mount quickly with added factors such as the impact on morale, training costs and temporary coverage costs. If you were the manager, a couple of grand pay rise seems cheap – doesn’t it?
With such loaded motivation, employees should never consider a counter-offer as a sign of recognition. They should also consider carefully what life will be like for them in the company after their attempted resignation. Will they still be considered loyal? Will their manager feel forced to make concessions and be bitter as a result? How will this effect career development prospects? Has anything really changed?
Accepting a counter-offer does not only have an effect on professional development opportunities within the company, but may also cause ill feelings on the part of the company originating the offer, as well as with the recruiter. Recruiters lose face when candidates pull out of accepted engagements at the last minute. This can affect an employee’s reputation in the marketplace and future access to new opportunities.
By seeing a counter-offer as a tool of manipulation, employees see through the machinations of an employer that is desperate to keep their costs in line. Praise, development, accommodation, rewards and bonuses are given during an employee’s tenure with an organization and not because of resignation. Employees who interpret a counter-offer as praise are missing important career development opportunities, negatively affecting their future with their present employer and potentially compromising their job opportunities in the future.
To avoid this dilemma, be clear about your reasons for seeking alternative employment in the first place. Expect a counter-offer and be determined to turn it down, regardless of the salary. Be proud of yourself for making employment decisions in a calm and logical manner, looking out for your own personal development opportunities and career growth. No one else will, nor will they start to simply because of your decision to leave.
Labeling a counter-offer as a means of manipulation is arguably a strong accusation, but after years of seeing candidates reject great opportunities, only to succumb to false flattery, no other description seems adequate. The majority of employees are keen to receive the attention of their employer, despite there being times when their work and personal needs have gone unrecognized during their tenure. This makes a counter-offer an even more attractive option as it appears to be the acknowledgment that had previously been so conspicuously absent. The problem, of course, is that it is not the real recognition they seek and is not on a par with accolades and promised that are offered without the pressure of a resignation letter on the table.
Seeking new opportunities should never be used as a means of increasing salary. Despite any apparent improvement in working conditions and salary, the real battle is lost as ultimately, the employer’s hand has been forced and thus loyalties have been compromised. Employees desiring better professional prospects or higher pay should fight on the merits of their contributions to the business without resorting to threats of departure. If this is not possible and career development opportunities are not enough to offset an employee’s wants, needs and career objectives, then they need to work towards finding new employment with a determination not to look back. Making this decision closes the door to counter-offers and ensures that new opportunities are sought for the right reasons and without secondary motivations.
Regardless of their intentions, some find it too difficult, both emotionally and practically, to turn down the rewards a counter-offer may bring. For many this may be increased salary, better benefits, improved working conditions, or even stock holdings in the company. It is only by seeing these perks as a mitigator of loss and not as a recognition of achievement or gesture of understanding that they can be viewed in the correct light.
Expect a counter-offer: any good candidate is sure to attract the attention of their employer and therefore be offered more favorable employment than their current circumstance. By learning to expect this beforehand, surprises can be avoided later and candidates are able to recognize that these benefits would have been offered upfront if the employer truly wanted to recognize their contributions and them as a person.
Why can employers offer so much when faced with a resignation? The main reason is that the cost of hiring a new employee is so prohibitively high. To determine the cost, one needs to add: the loss of opportunity and output of the former employee; those of the staff needed to interview new candidates; and the price of a recruitment agency or advertising platform to solicit new applications. This equation often generates a cost in excess of $20,000, and this is only for lower level positions and under conditions when the position is filled quickly. In situations where the employee is senior or has a large influence on the organization, costs mount quickly with added factors such as the impact on morale, training costs and temporary coverage costs. If you were the manager, a couple of grand pay rise seems cheap – doesn’t it?
With such loaded motivation, employees should never consider a counter-offer as a sign of recognition. They should also consider carefully what life will be like for them in the company after their attempted resignation. Will they still be considered loyal? Will their manager feel forced to make concessions and be bitter as a result? How will this effect career development prospects? Has anything really changed?
Accepting a counter-offer does not only have an effect on professional development opportunities within the company, but may also cause ill feelings on the part of the company originating the offer, as well as with the recruiter. Recruiters lose face when candidates pull out of accepted engagements at the last minute. This can affect an employee’s reputation in the marketplace and future access to new opportunities.
By seeing a counter-offer as a tool of manipulation, employees see through the machinations of an employer that is desperate to keep their costs in line. Praise, development, accommodation, rewards and bonuses are given during an employee’s tenure with an organization and not because of resignation. Employees who interpret a counter-offer as praise are missing important career development opportunities, negatively affecting their future with their present employer and potentially compromising their job opportunities in the future.
To avoid this dilemma, be clear about your reasons for seeking alternative employment in the first place. Expect a counter-offer and be determined to turn it down, regardless of the salary. Be proud of yourself for making employment decisions in a calm and logical manner, looking out for your own personal development opportunities and career growth. No one else will, nor will they start to simply because of your decision to leave.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Advice on Re-recruiting Key Team Members
Bosses should always assume that their best employees are getting calls and offers from their competitors. Bosses should think of retention as re-recruiting their work force. This means applying the strategies and tools of external recruiting to current employees. It means proactively reaching out to top talent on a regular and ongoing basis. Top talent must continually be challenged to keep them.
The answers to the following questions can often determine whether or not they will stay on their jobs:
1. If you could make any changes about your job, what would they be?
2. What things about your job do you want to stay as they are?
3. If you could go back to any previous position and stay for an extended period of time, which one would it be and why?
4. If you suddenly became financially independent, what would you miss most about your job?
5. In the morning, does your job make you jump out of bed or hit the snooze button?
6. What makes for a great day?
7. What can we do to make your job more satisfying?
8. What can we do to support your career goals?
9. Do you get enough recognition?
10. What can we do to keep you with us?
Although they can be useful at review time, these questions don't have to be asked in a formal session. Bosses are encouraged to schedule time when they can introduce these topics in an informal manner - over a cup of coffee or lunch, for instance. The key to success is promptly addressing issues that could lead to losing a key member of the team, or making sure that the employee has a full understanding of situations that cannot be easily changed. Using this technique can actually enhance communication between managers and their employees.
Source: MRINetwork
Ten Questions the Boss Should Ask Every Employee
Thursday August 9, 9:00 am ET MRINetwork(TM)
The answers to the following questions can often determine whether or not they will stay on their jobs:
1. If you could make any changes about your job, what would they be?
2. What things about your job do you want to stay as they are?
3. If you could go back to any previous position and stay for an extended period of time, which one would it be and why?
4. If you suddenly became financially independent, what would you miss most about your job?
5. In the morning, does your job make you jump out of bed or hit the snooze button?
6. What makes for a great day?
7. What can we do to make your job more satisfying?
8. What can we do to support your career goals?
9. Do you get enough recognition?
10. What can we do to keep you with us?
Although they can be useful at review time, these questions don't have to be asked in a formal session. Bosses are encouraged to schedule time when they can introduce these topics in an informal manner - over a cup of coffee or lunch, for instance. The key to success is promptly addressing issues that could lead to losing a key member of the team, or making sure that the employee has a full understanding of situations that cannot be easily changed. Using this technique can actually enhance communication between managers and their employees.
Source: MRINetwork
Ten Questions the Boss Should Ask Every Employee
Thursday August 9, 9:00 am ET MRINetwork(TM)
Monday, August 6, 2007
Job Hunters Hire Experts to Clean-up Online Image
Job hunters perfecting their resumes for that dream job are being urged to also polish their online profile -- and clean it up if needs be, with a new breed of companies emerging to help mold Internet images.
Recruitment experts advise job hunters to Google themselves before stepping out into the competitive job market to see if a search pull ups that blog entry written about legalizing marijuana or drunken party photos with friends.
"The internet brings a new dimension to the application process. Sometimes it can work to your advantage, and sometimes to your disadvantage," employment Web site Careerbuilder.com spokeswoman Jennifer Sullivan told Reuters.
Various surveys have shown that employers are using online searches to check out potential candidates -- especially as some of the early Internet surfers become bosses themselves.
A study of 1,150 hiring managers by Careerbuilder.com found 26 percent of managers admitted to using search engines such as Google and 12 percent of managers said they used social networking sites like Facebook.com in their hiring process.
Those numbers may be low, but not the repercussions.
Of the 12 percent who checked social networking sites, 63 percent declined to hire an applicant based on what they found, citing lying about qualifications and criminal behavior as two of the top disqualifiers.
But with hiring managers and job seekers using new and different ways to stay one step ahead of each other, new technology has emerged to help both sides of the game.
For $10 a month, ReputationDefender.com will search your name everywhere -- even "beyond Google" -- including password-protected sites, and give a report of their findings.
For about $30 a month, clients can have them do a clean-up, which involves ensuring all links to, for example, a college kegstand on Facebook.com or a disparaging blog entry from a former partner, will not appear during an online search.
"More than half of my clients use us just to search and don't even ask us to clean anything up," the company's chief executive and founder Michael Fertik, 28, told Reuters.
Fertik, a graduate from Harvard Law School, said it's important for everyone to know how they're perceived online.
"Often pictures that are intrinsically innocuous get taken out of context, and then can become punitive," said Fertik.
PROS AND CONS TO ONLINE PROFILES
While ReputationDefender.com caters to individuals not employers, DefendMyName.com services both camps.
The two-year-old Portland, Maine-based company, a division of QED Media Group LLC, will conduct an online clean-up for any size client, from individuals to large corporations. Some clients are companies seeking positive brand image online.
Using proprietary technology, company founder Rob Russo said DefendMyName creates links to promotional sites and blogs on clients in order to bury negative search engine results.
"Online searching has taken on an essential role in the corporate world when people are scouting new employees. It is becoming an actual part of the hiring process along with a criminal background check," Russo told Reuters.
But it is not always to job seekers disadvantage that potential employers can check them out online.
The Careerbuilder.com study found 64 percent of hiring mangers had their hiring decision confirmed by information found online and 40 percent of managers said their decision was solidified by seeing that a candidate was "well rounded" and showed a wide range of interests."
Beth Murphy, an advertising assistant in New York, whose boss admitted to searching her profile on Facebook.com, said being scoped out online helped her land the job.
"In seeing my Facebook profile, they thought I seemed like a well-rounded person. They saw pictures of me doing service work in Africa immediately followed by pictures of me hanging out at a football tailgate," she told Reuters.
By Stephanie Bagley
Mon Aug 6, 8:33 AM ET
Recruitment experts advise job hunters to Google themselves before stepping out into the competitive job market to see if a search pull ups that blog entry written about legalizing marijuana or drunken party photos with friends.
"The internet brings a new dimension to the application process. Sometimes it can work to your advantage, and sometimes to your disadvantage," employment Web site Careerbuilder.com spokeswoman Jennifer Sullivan told Reuters.
Various surveys have shown that employers are using online searches to check out potential candidates -- especially as some of the early Internet surfers become bosses themselves.
A study of 1,150 hiring managers by Careerbuilder.com found 26 percent of managers admitted to using search engines such as Google and 12 percent of managers said they used social networking sites like Facebook.com in their hiring process.
Those numbers may be low, but not the repercussions.
Of the 12 percent who checked social networking sites, 63 percent declined to hire an applicant based on what they found, citing lying about qualifications and criminal behavior as two of the top disqualifiers.
But with hiring managers and job seekers using new and different ways to stay one step ahead of each other, new technology has emerged to help both sides of the game.
For $10 a month, ReputationDefender.com will search your name everywhere -- even "beyond Google" -- including password-protected sites, and give a report of their findings.
For about $30 a month, clients can have them do a clean-up, which involves ensuring all links to, for example, a college kegstand on Facebook.com or a disparaging blog entry from a former partner, will not appear during an online search.
"More than half of my clients use us just to search and don't even ask us to clean anything up," the company's chief executive and founder Michael Fertik, 28, told Reuters.
Fertik, a graduate from Harvard Law School, said it's important for everyone to know how they're perceived online.
"Often pictures that are intrinsically innocuous get taken out of context, and then can become punitive," said Fertik.
PROS AND CONS TO ONLINE PROFILES
While ReputationDefender.com caters to individuals not employers, DefendMyName.com services both camps.
The two-year-old Portland, Maine-based company, a division of QED Media Group LLC, will conduct an online clean-up for any size client, from individuals to large corporations. Some clients are companies seeking positive brand image online.
Using proprietary technology, company founder Rob Russo said DefendMyName creates links to promotional sites and blogs on clients in order to bury negative search engine results.
"Online searching has taken on an essential role in the corporate world when people are scouting new employees. It is becoming an actual part of the hiring process along with a criminal background check," Russo told Reuters.
But it is not always to job seekers disadvantage that potential employers can check them out online.
The Careerbuilder.com study found 64 percent of hiring mangers had their hiring decision confirmed by information found online and 40 percent of managers said their decision was solidified by seeing that a candidate was "well rounded" and showed a wide range of interests."
Beth Murphy, an advertising assistant in New York, whose boss admitted to searching her profile on Facebook.com, said being scoped out online helped her land the job.
"In seeing my Facebook profile, they thought I seemed like a well-rounded person. They saw pictures of me doing service work in Africa immediately followed by pictures of me hanging out at a football tailgate," she told Reuters.
By Stephanie Bagley
Mon Aug 6, 8:33 AM ET
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Six Must-Ask Interview Questions
Interviewing can be a gut-wrenching process. Most books on how to interview list hundreds of questions you need to be ready to answer, but few talk about the questions you need to ask.
Take more control at your next interview by asking some pointed questions of your own. Here are six must-ask questions and why you should know the answers.
1. What happened to the person who previously did this job? (If a new position: How has this job been performed in the past?)
Why You Need to Ask: You need to know any problems or past history associated with this position. For instance, was your predecessor fired, or was he promoted? Is this a temporary position or brand-new? The answer will tell you about management's expectations and how the company is gearing to grow.
2. Why did you choose to work here? What keeps you here?
Why You Need to Ask: Although you may like this company, you're an outsider. You need to find out what an insider has to say about working there. Who better to ask than your interviewer? This also forces the interviewer to step out of their official corporate role and answer personally as an employee and potential coworker.
3. What is the first problem the person you hire must attend to?
Why You Need to Ask: You need to be on the same page as your new manager, as well as be clear on what the initial expectations are and that you can deliver. What you don't want is to allow yourself to be misled about the job’s requirements and end up overwhelmed and over your head after the first week on the job.
4. What can you tell me about the individual to whom I would report?
Why You Need to Ask: It doesn't matter how wonderful the company might be; your time will be spent working for a specific manager. You need to find out who this person is and what kind of manager he is -- earlier rather than later, before personality clashes develop. If you're an independent type used to working through solutions on your own, for instance, you'll chafe when you find you're being supervised by a micromanager.
5. What are the company's five-year sales and profit projections?
Why You Need to Ask: You need to know about the future of the company you plan to spend several years of your life working for. It doesn't have to be this exact question. For example, you might want to ask about the company's future plans for new products and services or any planned market expansion. Of course, you've done your own research, but nothing can beat an insider’s observations and insights. This also shows you've done your homework and are serious about this company.
6. What's our next step?
Why You Need to Ask: This is your closing and the most important question to ask at the end of the interview. You need to know what happens after this point. Many books advise asking for the job now, but most people may feel too intimidated to bluntly do so. And with more candidates already scheduled for interviews, they're not likely to make you an offer yet. You may also need to do some additional research on the company, making it too early to ask for the job.
A good compromise: Take the lead and set a plan for follow-up. You'll also be able to gauge their enthusiasm when they answer. Don't forget to ask for your interviewer’s direct phone number and the best time to call.
What to Remember
As a job seeker, the key to a good interview is to find out as much about your potential employer as possible. Asking these six questions will not only make you appear more committed as a candidate, but will also give you better insight into both the challenges and opportunities that may lie ahead for you.
by Joe Turner
Monster Contributing Writer
Take more control at your next interview by asking some pointed questions of your own. Here are six must-ask questions and why you should know the answers.
1. What happened to the person who previously did this job? (If a new position: How has this job been performed in the past?)
Why You Need to Ask: You need to know any problems or past history associated with this position. For instance, was your predecessor fired, or was he promoted? Is this a temporary position or brand-new? The answer will tell you about management's expectations and how the company is gearing to grow.
2. Why did you choose to work here? What keeps you here?
Why You Need to Ask: Although you may like this company, you're an outsider. You need to find out what an insider has to say about working there. Who better to ask than your interviewer? This also forces the interviewer to step out of their official corporate role and answer personally as an employee and potential coworker.
3. What is the first problem the person you hire must attend to?
Why You Need to Ask: You need to be on the same page as your new manager, as well as be clear on what the initial expectations are and that you can deliver. What you don't want is to allow yourself to be misled about the job’s requirements and end up overwhelmed and over your head after the first week on the job.
4. What can you tell me about the individual to whom I would report?
Why You Need to Ask: It doesn't matter how wonderful the company might be; your time will be spent working for a specific manager. You need to find out who this person is and what kind of manager he is -- earlier rather than later, before personality clashes develop. If you're an independent type used to working through solutions on your own, for instance, you'll chafe when you find you're being supervised by a micromanager.
5. What are the company's five-year sales and profit projections?
Why You Need to Ask: You need to know about the future of the company you plan to spend several years of your life working for. It doesn't have to be this exact question. For example, you might want to ask about the company's future plans for new products and services or any planned market expansion. Of course, you've done your own research, but nothing can beat an insider’s observations and insights. This also shows you've done your homework and are serious about this company.
6. What's our next step?
Why You Need to Ask: This is your closing and the most important question to ask at the end of the interview. You need to know what happens after this point. Many books advise asking for the job now, but most people may feel too intimidated to bluntly do so. And with more candidates already scheduled for interviews, they're not likely to make you an offer yet. You may also need to do some additional research on the company, making it too early to ask for the job.
A good compromise: Take the lead and set a plan for follow-up. You'll also be able to gauge their enthusiasm when they answer. Don't forget to ask for your interviewer’s direct phone number and the best time to call.
What to Remember
As a job seeker, the key to a good interview is to find out as much about your potential employer as possible. Asking these six questions will not only make you appear more committed as a candidate, but will also give you better insight into both the challenges and opportunities that may lie ahead for you.
by Joe Turner
Monster Contributing Writer
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