Congratulations! You worked hard and got the job you wanted. You are probably hoping it will work out perfectly and that you will never have to look for a job again. Unfortunately, some of the factors affecting your job security are not under your control. Your new company could have a cutback, reorganize, relocate, be acquired by a larger company, or go out of business. But there are many things you can control to get off to a smooth start. Reviewing The Lessons Of The Past

• You have learned by now that no one is completely secure in any job. But you can increase your value to your new employer and your chances for success by thinking about following questions:
• Do you have traits or skill areas that you can improve in your new job?
• If so, what do you need to learn in order to function more successfully?
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Topic: Corporate Survival

An Overview:

The job of downsizing is brutal to those responsible for the actual task of termination. Perhaps this is because under normal circumstances, all pre- downsizing efforts are focused on who will be leaving, rather than on those who will be needed to keep it altogether.

When a company implements layoffs, it is essential that planning and preparation take the concerns and well-being of the surviving employees into account because layoffs can create a lost sense of purpose, or acting through rebellious silence or loss of motivation on the job. Layoff survivors see their work environment as being destabilized by changes, and then retention becomes an issue.

A mismanaged layoff can result in a vicious circle. Companies downsize to cut costs, but then are quickly forced to make new hires as surviving employees leave for what they perceive to be more stable environments. This turnover feeds a loss of production and lower quality of work that likely began with the initial layoffs, which triggers another demand for new hires. Since the cost of a single new hire is generally equivalent to one year’s salary, any savings from layoff are negated.

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Overview Mentoring helps employees successfully maneuver through the organization to enhance their performance and career growth. It is often paired with a segment of in-depth analysis of a person’s “psychology of performance.” Mentoring supports employees in goal clarifications and accountability. This one-on-one coaching experience engages employees to consciously think about his or her personal development and career aspirations. The coach/mentor explores with employees the many organizational, interpersonal and personal obstacles to their development. Mentors guide, counsel and provide feedback towards the achievement of goals and is an objective resource to help one think through issues and problem solve the challenges. This mentoring/coaching process holds one accountable and ensures significant improvement and skill building in support of driving your business objectives. (more...)

Have you ever had a time in your life when you realized you were just going through the motions? Going to work each day to get paid, so that you could afford to do the other things in your life you truly enjoyed? Have you ever thought, ‘there’s got to be more than this!?” Perhaps you feel that way now. What you may long for at a time like this is to regain your sense of self. To restore yourself and get a new sense of your well-being. To do so, you will need to align what is important to you deep inside with the daily life you lead on the outside. After all, you probably spend more time at work than anywhere else—shouldn’t you feel like you are contributing to your sense of self while you are there? What is Self-Renewal? Self-renewal begins when you take time out to reflect on what is working and not working in your life, to determine what is really important to you so that you can reframe, refocus, and rejuvenate. Self-renewal requires that you, by choice, step back—away from whatever it is that you are doing and that you look at what you want in life and work to determine how the two can be more synchronized. (more...)

Tips for Organizing your Desk During the Job Search Your desk is the most important part of your office when you are looking for a job. It is your private work space, However many people make the mistake of using your desk as a storage space which can add to confusion. In order for you to be focused on the task at hand, the desk should be clear and free of distractions, such as piles of paper, books, notes, bills, etc. In order to manage these items without losing them, find the information you need to work on, and still have a clear and organized work space, you need to create Action Files. Action Files are your Action Items; temporary homes where papers live until they either end up filed away permanently or thrown away. Your Action Files may sit on the far corner of your desktop, in a file drawer, or in baskets on a credenza. Whichever method works for you is fine. Label them appropriately according to what actions fit best with your job search. (more...)

Introduction: Work and Life balance is a process, not an outcome. The stressful situation of trying to balance life and work changes constantly and there is no single formula for attaining a balanced life. The key is to develop creative solutions as you approach the challenges of balancing the responsibilities and joys of your multiple roles. Some of the same skills and strategies you use at work; such as planning, organizing, communicating, setting limits and delegating can be used effectively on the home-front for achieving a satisfying, fulfilling well-balanced life both personally and professionally. Balancing your life is like a juggling act. Work, home, family, and the never-ending errands will continue. (more...)

Valuable News Trends to Help You Succeed in the Workplace Older Workers Continue On: It’s been said that some things simply get better with age, whether it is a vintage car or a fine wine. The same can be said about today’s older workers and job applicants – many of whom choose to remain in the workforce far past what had formerly been the expected retirement age. And many of these experienced workers make interesting choices, whether it is to take on consulting roles, explore entrepreneurial options, or leave their current title and industry behind entirely. Age biases do still exist, although the question of age becomes less of a factor to build a strong workforce. Companies are beginning to realize that while younger, less experienced employees may initially seem more cost-effective, it is more likely that younger workers will change jobs more frequently to build their careers while older workers may stay with the company longer. Therefore, the idea to stock your workforce with younger employees may not be the best bet in terms of a retention strategy.” (more...)

Top 10 Thoughts We’re Really Thinking When We Procrastinate and Feel Stuck If you don’t stay ahead of it, procrastination and feeling stuck are insidious little varmints that scuttle around the baseboards of life, contaminating your best intentions. These little saboteurs love to perch on top of your to-do list, gloating, knowing full well who’s Boss. For twenty years I’ve been coaching people how to defeat their own self-defeating behaviors, especially feeling stuck in procrastination. Clients ask why they sabotage themselves, and why they can’t seem to follow through. (more...)

Do you feel that someone is continually taking advantage of you? Do you seem to have to fight aggressively? Do you know how to win and get the resources you need? Do you struggle to get what you want from people whose help you need, but over whom you have little direct authority? If so, you may need to brush up your win-win negotiation skills. Effective negotiation helps you to resolve situations where what you want conflicts with what someone else wants. The aim of win-win negotiation is to find a solution that is acceptable to both parties, and leaves both parties feeling that they’ve won, in some way. There are different styles of negotiation, depending on circumstances. For instance: (more...)

It’s tough out there. Ask anyone looking for a job in nearly any field, and they’ll be able to recite a long list of challenges that job-seekers face on a daily basis. Companies are closing or suspending hiring for the foreseeable future, competition for open positions has never been fiercer and the outlook for the nation’s economy hasn’t been this bleak in generations. Now more than ever, job hunters need to be resourceful in their efforts to secure gainful employment and few websites offer more of these resources than LinkedIn. Why should you add LinkedIn to your job-seeking toolbox? Here are some very good reasons: (more...)