How to Handle Awkward Situations at Work

How to Handle Awkward Situations at WorkIts always nice to get as friendly as you can with the people youll spend so much of your waking adult life working alongside. But building personal relationships at work can create a few sticky situations. Here are a few of them, and what to do when you find yourself in trouble. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1.When You Get Promoted and Your Coworker DoesntYou get one, your friend in the same position doesnt. Now theres resentment and a new power dynamic to negotiate. You cant share your work drama with the same abandon anymore, because youre in different roles. The kind of belly-aching youre accustomed to is no longer appropriate. Also be prepared to withstand some initial resentment.Either way, its best to talk about it once out in the open. Be proactive. Address the aspects of your relationship that have to change according to your work functions, but emphasize what aspects of your friendship do not have to change. Check in, be humble, and be honest. Itll help you both navigate the new situation if youre still on the same page and can express some solidarity.2. WhenYou Become Friends With Your BossYou and your boss have become close outside of work. You get in a fight. It makes things awkward at the bro. This is normal. All friends fight. The only tricky bit is not compromising either of your jobs. Keep things civil and professional, and try not to be too defensive. If its a minor thing, take a bit of distance, cool off, then send an olive branch schmelzglas to smooth it over. If its major, make it clear that it will not impact your daily office routines, but make a plan to chat outside the office after work.3. When You want Skip Out on a Social EventYour coworker wants you to double date Fun, right? But you dont want to. Thats totally fine. Youre under no obligation to do so. Trouble is, turning it down can be a little tricky. Youll want to be as firm as possible, witho ut being mean. When in doubt, try to downshift. Say youre super busy and would prefer to have some one-on-one time, maybe coffee or lunch Eventually, shell get the hint.4. When YoureFighting With Your CoworkerThis is the same as fighting with your boss, just that the stakes are slightly lower. Though you also have the potential to damage the others reputation in the office. Be careful not let the fight spill over into the work day and make either of you act unprofessionally. Otherwise, the same rules apply.5.WhenYou Dont Want to Make Friends With EveryoneYoure close with a couple of your coworkers, but not another. Youre under no obligation to let this other coworker into your clique. People have the right to chose their friends and you are not required to be friends with people just because you work together. But do be sensitive to the feelings of the person you are not including. Avoid talking about all the fun stuff you and your pals are going to do in front of this other coworke r. Its the kind way to behave.6.When You Dont Fit in at WorkIf youre the one on the outside of the cool kids clique at work, dont worry. It doesnt say anything about you necessarily. And you certainly shouldnt take it personally. Be warm and civil with your coworkers, and then divert your friendship-forging attention elsewhere. Make sure you maintain an active and fulfilling social life outside of the office so you dont get discouraged by not being part of the crowd. The upside here is that youll focus more on your work and not be as easily distracted by office banter.7. When You Overhear Hurtful GossipYou overhear your coworkers talking about you behind your back. Resist the temptation to throttle them. You dont have to confront them, but you shouldnt hide and pretend you didnt hear either. Take time to cool off and give them the space to do the adult thing and apologize. If they dont, theyre probably not worth talking to.8. When Your Coworkers are Mooching Off of YouAre you always paying for the coffee trip? The happy hour round? Rather than quietly resenting this state of affairs, give your coworkers the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to set things right. Try saying, Hey, you mind grabbing this round? I got the last few. Or something equally casual. Its awkward the first couple of times, but youll be glad you got better at asking. Its better than slowly going broke

The Best Thing to Say When You Feel Totally Unprepared in a Meeting

The Best Thing to Say When You Feel Totally Unprepared in a Meeting Picture this Yure in an important meeting with senior leadership. The CEO is sharing the firms strategic plan, including how the company will leverage big data to gain visibility into market opportunities producing measurable ROI.Umwhat?You do a quick scan around the conference room. Heads nod in agreement as the CEO concludes.Self-doubtkicks in. Am I the only one who hasno ideawhat she just said? Even though youre totally confused, you dont ask questions for fear of losing face.Later while grabbing coffee, a colleague divulges that they were lost amidst the jargon. Yet they didnt speak up. Though you shared the same opinion, you both stayed quiet.Is this simply ironyor is something more at play?This phenomenon is calledpluralistic ignorance. It describes a situation in which a majority of people in a group privately disagree with an idea, while incorrectly assuming others in the group accept it. Instead of standing up for our beliefs, we go along with what the group seems to favor.Pluralistic ignorance is surprisingly common in the workplacefrom the boardroom to how we evaluate our personal success. It even affects attitudes towardsflex-work policiesandthe gender wage gap.Typically, youre not the only one who feels confused or who wishes they could speak up.Its time to do away with the myth that asking questions makes you look dumb.While there may be no such thing as a stupid question (as the old saying goes), there is such a thing as agreatquestion.If youve been holding back and not speaking up on account of the pluralistic ignorance effect, itll pay to invest time in becoming a master atSocratic questioning.Try this smart, strategic way of expressing yourself at the right time, assertively and with tact.This includesclarifying questions,such asWhat do you mean by?Could you put that another way?If I heard you correctly, what youre saying is?Andprobing questions,such asWhat would be an example of?How did you decide?Could you expand upon that point further?Theres definitely adeep-seated fear of speaking upin a group, so dont beat yourself up for feeling tentative about it. Its normal to be worried youll embarrass yourself, feel rejected or lose peoples respect. But its a good exercise in self-assuredness to get used to believing in yourself enough toknow that speaking up wont make you look stupid or foolish. In fact, youll look proactive and engaged in the conversation.On the other hand, if you are the one presenting and you feel caught off guard by someones question, you can use phrases likeLetme get back toyou about that.Great question. Whats your sense of the situation?Thanks for the feedback. Give me some time todigestwhat Ive heard.If it makes it easier to tiptoe into this new territory, start out by testing yournew skills in small groups or one-on-one situations before transitioning to speaking up in high-stakes situations like client meetings.--Melody Wildingis a c oach and licensed social worker who helpsambitioushigh-achievers manage the emotional aspects of having asuccessfulcareer. Her clients include CEOs and C-level executives at top Fortune 500 companies such as Google and HP, as well as media personalities, startup founders, and entrepreneurs across industries. She also teaches Human Behavior at Hunter College in NYC. Get free tools to grow your career confidence atmelodywilding.com.A version of this article originally appeared on Forbes.

The Number One Method You Need to Be Using for Writing Resume for Promotion

The Number One Method You Need to Be Using for Writing Resume for Promotion Do bedrngnis assume youre a shoe in for the job because you previously get the job done for the organization. If youre on the promotion track, you will most likely be asked to submit a resume to your employer even when you have been with the company for many decades. Never burn bridges if you plan to remain with the business. For instance, if youve been with the business long enough, you have in all likelihood mentored new employees. Your own personal development program should consist of goals which are both feasible and measurable. While its said that difficult vocabulary shouldnt be used, it is suggested that jargon linked to your particular area or industry ought to be utilized as keywords. When youre working on acquiring a promotion, it can take some effort to become noticed by management. When you submit an application for an internal promotion, its far better pay attention to your contributi ons to the organization. If youre short on experience and searching for an entry-level position, you might want to highlight things like grades, awards, and so forth. Just remember to take care of everyone respectfully even if its the case that you dont get the job. Simply take the opportunity to be certain youre in an ideal place to create the best impression on the job and to find that promotion youre seeking. You might be thinking, Yeah, I already knew that, but what you might not know is that a resume written to make an application for an internal position is a little different from the resume you would write if you were searching for a work elsewhere. New Ideas Into Writing Resume for Promotion Never Before Revealed If youre asking for a management role, you have to showcase your management abilities. If youve got many abilities, the previous skill paragraph may be called Additional Skills. Learn about the three kinds of skills you are able to highlight and the way it is possible to incorporate them into your resume. Below youll observe the best skills required to fulfill an administrative site. All About Writing Resume for Promotion Realize that though you previously do the job for the company, managers in various departments might not be acquainted with your work. If you dont supply the info necessary for the hiring agency to ascertain your qualifications, you may not be considered for the job. Hiring managers may pass you over in the event that you do not own a strong resume as you look for a job. They are more concerned with your current responsibilities rather than what you were doing three years ago. Top Choices of Writing Resume for Promotion At the same time, reading some leadership books will also aid you with the sort of language you wish to use on your resume to describe yourself. In truth, its better to leave your reader with a couple questions theyd love to ask you. In addition, there are many methods to communicate 1 idea util izing different action verbs, which enables you to bring some spice to your resume. Do not assume that, because youre asking for an internal promotion, the individual reading your resume will be conversant with your work. The One Thing to Do for Writing Resume for Promotion When you contact the business you originally left, list it again with the info about that position. Your experience should deal with every necessary qualification in the job announcement. Then stack each work title and the dates you held the job below the name of the organization. You may often receive a great starter list right from the work advertisement. Your professional profile is a brief paragraph that tells the employer about your abilities and the way they directly relate to the job that you seek. Concentrate on these sections to understand whether you meet the requirements for the position. Utilizing action verbs in resume writing is as simple as any other schriftart of writing, so long as you know what things to include and what things to look for. At times the Skills and Accomplishments section is a distinct section. Guidelines and minimum requirements for promotion will be different from state to state, so you are going to want to understand what promotion resembles in your individual area. You must organize your resume to aid agencies evaluate your experience. Make certain you get the info youre looking for.

New Employee Promoted Over the Longer Term Employees

New Employee Promoted Over the Longer Term EmployeesNew Employee Promoted Over the Longer Term EmployeesAn employee who has worked for a non-profit agency for a year wonders about the fairness, legality, and impact on employee morale of an agency decision to promote a new employee over longer-term employees. He says that the job posting, along with job postings for the same job title since that time, stated that a bachelors degree was required. The employee asking the question has a bachelors degree. The employee adds that since he was hired, another rolle who did not have a bachelors degreewas hired to perform the same job title. This person only has an associate in arts degree and has been with the agency for approximately four months. This person has less education, experience, and qualifications than the other employees in the agency, however, this employee was recently promoted to a coach position. No notice was posted that a supervisor position was opening and, apparently, no o ther employees were considered for the versetzung. The supervisor who held the position prior to this was promoted to a newly created position. Recognizing that the employer does not have to post position openings, but can they legally hire and promote an employee who is less qualified than other workers? Aso, in case you were wondering, you can assume that the other workers do not have any negative performance issues. Companies May Hire and Promote Employees Without Oversight The fast answer to this persons question is Yes. Companies can hire whomever they wish to hire and promote employees in the same way. The only exceptions to this involve professions that involve licensing (you cant hire a surgeon who isnt a licensed doctor) or if you have specific contractual requirements, as in a union-represented workplace. But, breaking down each of your additional questions should provide the answers you need. Assumptions to Make While Reviewing Each Response First, you said the as sumption should be made that the other workers dont have any negative performance issues, and thats fair. But, you need to pause a minute and assume that the decision makers at your agency are rational people who want to get the job done and the clients served well. So, with these two assumptions in mind. Here are your questions and the answers. Why did they hire a person who wasnt qualified? Employers and employees all have a strange vision of what the word qualified means. Often its a list of tasks and duties in a job description that includes the required degrees or certificates. But since you said that this job requires a bachelors degree, and not, say, a bachelor of science in chemical engineering, its highly likely that no specific skill is needed for the job that would manifest itself in the degree required. Often people use the required degree as a proxy for general characteristics, such as exhibiting the maturity to stick to a task or process, having the ability to writ e coherent reports, and having an understanding of how to do research. If the local state university hands you a degree, the employer can check those items off the requirements list. The degree says that you have them. If you dont have the degree, they have to dig a little deeper to find out if you can do those required duties. So its entirely possible that this new hire has all of those skills that a degree would rubber stamp and just lacks the degree. Why was no notice given of an open position? As you said, no other people were considered for this role, so why post? If the hiring manager had already decided who she wanted in the role, posting the position would have been a waste of everyones time. If the employer knows who will get the job, why go through applications and interview people who never had a chance at the job. If you were applying from outside, wouldnt you be unhappy that youd taken a day off work (or if you were unemployed, gotten your hopes up and paid for a babysi tter) so that you could interview for a job you had no chance of getting? In this situation, no opening really exists for internal or external candidates. Why promote the person who has the least experience? The reality is that the employer may be making a very smart move. Often, employees think promotions to supervisory positions are a reward for a job well done. Logic exists for this employee belief- after all, you dont want an employee managing a position in a situation in which they know nothing about the job duties and challenges. But managing people requires a very, very different skill set than doing a task. Smart companies recognize this and put people who have supervisory skills and talent into management roles instead of just promoting the person who is best at doing the work. Its quite possible that this person was hired precisely because she had the aptitude to manage and possibly experience about which you know nothing. Is promoting a new employee over existing employee s wise? Yes and no. The problem isnt that the employer hired an employee who has different qualifications than the other people in the department- its how the existing staff feels about the new colleagues promotion. Its really demoralizing when youve worked hard, and the person who has been there for four months gets the promotion. For this (and other) reasons, companies often have a minimum length of time you have to work in a position before you can receive a promotion or transfer- in many cases six months. Your organization would have been wiser to hire this new person directly into the supervisory role rather than first hiring her and then promoting her. The senior managers could have introduced her as Jane, who has great management skills, and were really excited about finding her instead of Jane, your new coworker- now shes your new boss. What should the other employees do about the new coworkers promotion? Well, if youre happy in your job, just keep working. Support your new supervisor in her new role. Remember, she didnt choose to put herself in that position, so dont blame her. If you really want to move up in your organization, its time to ask what you need to work on. It is recommended that you go to your former supervisor (not the newly promoted one) and say, Im really interested in moving into a management role. Can you help me figure out what skills I need to work on to earn a promotion into a management role? Notice, you do not say, Why did you promote Jane? Ive been here three years and my reviews are awesome. She doesnt even have the degree required. Focus on your own skills. You may find out that you really need to learn better communication skills or that your organizational skills need to become stronger. Your manager may be surprised that you want to move up into a management role. Remember, bosses arent mind-readers and they often draw conclusions that are false. And, what if your leadership team isnt rational? Unfortunately, this is a po ssibility as well. Your new supervisor could be the big bosss niece, or she could have been on the same cheerleading squad in high school, or the senior leadership team could be making an ill-conceived, poor decision. But if any of those situations are true, you would notice bad management in all areas of the business, not just in this one new hire. Regardless of the circumstances of the current promotion decision, its important for an employee to always approach business issues from the idea that the person making the decision is doing what they think is best. Take the time to look for the positive reasons for your employers actions before complaining. - - - - - - - - - - - - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance journalist specializing in Human Resources. Suzannes work has been featured on notes publications including Forbes, CBS, Business Insider and Yahoo.

Got a New Job But Changed Your Mind Heres What to Do

Got a New Job But Changed Your Mind Heres What to DoGot a New Job But Changed Your Mind Heres What to DoThis scenario gives new meaning to the saying, Awkward Youve just spent the past few months convincing a hiring team that youre the perfect fit, and now youve got a new job. Youve told your recruiter, the manager, and a group that you thought were soon-to-be-teammates that you cant wait to work with them. Youve accepted the job offer- either verbally or in writing- that you competed hard to win. But now, youve decided that you dont want to take the position after all.What do you do now?The first thing is, take a deep breath and dont panic. Yes, its a difficult situation, but its not an impossible one. And depending on how far down the road youve gone with your negotiations and acceptance, it may still be appropriate to pull out.In fact, if you know for certain that you dont want the job, its probably better to tell the employer sooner rather than later. Once youve officially starte d your job, even more time and resources will be spent on your training and on-boarding than have already been spent on your recruitment and hiring.So accepting the post and then quitting soon after is not necessarily a better choice, or one that will endear you more to the company.Consider this advice about what to do in three different scenarios if youve got a new job but changed your mindHave you accepted the offer verbally?The best-case scenario for reneging on your acceptance of a job offer is if you only said yes verbally. Perhaps you got ahead of yourself in excitement about being extended the opportunity, and told the recruiter or hiring manager that you cant wait to start. But then, after you returned home, you did some research into the companys benefits package and culture, and suddenly got cold feet about taking the job. The contract is scheduled to come your way tomorrow- you havent signed anything yet. Are you locked in, or can you politely decline?The answer is that w hile its certainly not ideal to reject the job offer after giving the team a verbal acceptance, youre not bound to take it if you havent signed an employment contract. Yes, it will be disappointing to the hiring team, but it wont be seen as a breach of contract. A verbal acceptance doesnt hold as much weight as a written one, and declining the position at this stage wont likely burn any bridges, as long as you express your sincere appreciation for the opportunity and give a good reason for your change of heart.Have you said yes in writing?If youve given a written yes to a job offer- say in an email or text with your recruiter- does that count as a binding contract? The answer is, while youve taken it one step further by putting in writing your intent to join the company, if you havent signed an employment contract, you arent legally bound to take the job. Uncomfortable to say no now? Yes. Breach of contract? Probably not.Have you signed an employment contract?This is where things st art to get more complicated. Every companys employment contract will differ in its particulars, but generally, once youve signed a contract, you may be legally bound to accept the position. That doesnt mean, however, that there is no way out. Talk to your recruiter or the hiring manager about your predicament. If you have a valid reason for needing to decline the job now- such as a family emergency or health issue that has arisen unexpectedly- the employer may be accommodating to your situation. Just be sure that when you say no at this stage, you really mean no- because its likely that you wont be considered for a future opportunity with this employer, even if you have a valid excuse for opting out.Think long and hard before declining a position that youve already accepted. You dont want to take a job or join a company that youve decided isnt right for you- but you should be aware of the potential consequences of saying no at the 11th hour, after youve already formally accepted a p osition.

Recruiting for In-Demand Healthcare Jobs

Recruiting for In-Demand Healthcare JobsRecruiting for In-Demand Healthcare JobsRecruiting for In-Demand Healthcare JobsThe healthcare industry is advancing rapidly as healthcare providers scramble to meet the needs of an aging population, ongoing and changing health issues, and technology advancements.TheBureau of Labor Statistics, projects that the healthcare and social assistance industry will generate the most jobs (5.7 million) over the next decade.Healthcare support occupations are likely to grow more rapidly in the coming decade, at 35 percent, with healthcare practitioners and technical occupations trailing closely at 26 percent.According to the Bureaus 2010-2011 Occupational Job Outlook (June, 2012), the healthcare jobs that will lead the pack areHome health aides 69%Physical therapist assistants 48%Physical therapists 39%Medical assistants 31%Registered nurses 26%Physicians and surgeons 24%Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 22%Nursing aides, orderlies and att endants 20%The reports below will help with recruiting and hiring these and other in-demand healthcare jobs.Find more information on healthcare hiring trends in 2012 Healthcare Job Conditions Report.musiknote You will need a PDF viewer application like Adobe Reader to viewthe documents below. Click here to download for FREE.Hiring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)Sometimes referred to as nursing aides, certified nursing assistants are among the allied health professions that are expected to show strong growth over the next decade. Expansion is due to an increasing senior population that will require long-term care to enhance quality of life.Hiring Dieticians and NutritionistsWith high rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, job prospects are solid over the next decade for dietitians and nutritionists who are needed to recommend adjustments relating to diet, as well as monitor the preparation and serving of meals.Hiring Home Health AidesThe third largest employment sector wit hin healthcare is home health aides. This group is expected to be one of the fastest growing over the next decade. As the growing population ages, more elderly and disabled clients prefer to remain in their homes rather than go to nursing homes or hospitals.Hiring Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVNs)Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses are expected to grow faster than the average demand for all occupations over the next decade as many are expected to retire.Hiring Medical AssistantsOne of the fastest growing allied health occupations, medical assistants are expected to multiply over the next decade as employers seek ways to save money and run more efficient offices, as the demands for healthcare services expand.Hiring Occupational TherapistAssistants (OT)The rapid expansion of occupational therapist assistants and aides is due to increased demand from the aging baby-boom generation, a growing elderly population, and the widening pool of children with developm ental disabilities receiving treatment.Hiring PharmacistsPharmacists are in demand due to the continual development of new drugs, the growing population of older people and the need for pharmacists to counsel the growing population of clients who take multiple medications.Hiring Physical Therapists Assistants (PT)Increased demand for therapy and rehabilitative services is due to the aging population and enhanced medical developments enabling trauma victims and newborns to survive.Hiring Physician AssistantsPhysician assistants are expected to have an increasing role in caring for patients, including the rapidly aging population, especially as states change their regulations and allow assistants to perform a wider range of procedures.Hiring Registered Nurses (RNs)One of the largest employment sectors within healthcare, registered nurses (RNs) are expected to be one of the highest in demand over the next decade as the growing population ages and the nursing workforce shrinks.

3 ways to work with someone who wont respond to your messages

3 ways to work with someone who wont respond to your messages3 ways to work with someone who wont respond to your messagesYou know when youre working on a huge assignment with a coworker, and while they mean well, they fail to respond to your emails, Slack messages, or calls on time? You might be wondering how to keep the ball rolling so you dont fall behind - and going through these emotional stages of waiting for someone to respond to your email, as humorously detailed by Levo.Here are three ways to keep things moving.Leave the ball in their court - but just temporarilyGive them a window of time before moving on.Ashley Cobert, a PR professional, writes in The Muse that you should give assignments deadlines.To prevent your email or voicemail from being put in the pile of whenever I get to it, ask specific questions or give action items, and provide a timeline for when youd prefer a response, she writes. With certain projects and clients, Ive found success with stating, Please prov ide feedback by Friday. At that time, I will be updating and sending this document to the rest of the team for review. Its a nice way to imply, If you dont get to it in time, youve lost your say in the matter.Do half of the work for themAlison Green, author of the Ask a Manager blog, writes on Quick Base that you should make it easy for the person to give you a quick answer.Some people put off responding to requests because it looks time-consuming and they figure theyll do it later (and then often just never come back to it). You can sometimes head this off by making it really easy for them to give you a quick response, she writes. For example, try to ask yes/no questions, so the person can respond quickly. (One thing that will help with that is giving a quick proposal and does that sounds okay to you? rather than an open-ended what should we do about X?) And keep emails short so the person doesnt have to wade through dense paragraphs.Talk to them in personYou could always approach them about it.Etiquette expert Peggy deutsche bundespost, author and a director of The Emily Post Institute, writes in Good Housekeeping about what to do when a colleague repeatedly doesnt respond to your emails asking for information, which holds up assignments and is making you think its hurting your reputation.She lists three options - taking the situation to her boss, confronting her, or escalating it to her boss/working around her, or creating a personal electronic reminder system letting you know when your email requests havent been answered.Post writes that the second option is the right choice.Its time to pay a visit to the woman - in person (not by email). Calmly explain your need for the information and the importance of the time frame. But keep an open mind and remain friendly. There may be many reasons why she isnt responding She could be overworked or she may not see your request as a priority assignment. Once youve amicably worked out the best way to get the informat ion - she may tell you to ask someone mora appropriate - the right person should accommodate you. If not, go up the ladder to her supervisor, she writes.