Attention

Take Cover

Last month I said don’t get me started about cover letters still being a thing. Well, somebody got me started so fasten your seatbelts.

Waste is my pet peeve. Money, food, potential, any kind of waste annoys me. Since 74% of hiring professionals say they do not read an applicant’s cover letter, writing them feels like a waste. First, you have to tailor your resume to every job description. Then you have to write a cover letter that does not duplicate your resume. Finally, you must repeat the process for all your job applications. Why do we still have to write cover letters?

Introduction

Cover letters are most effective when you know who the hiring manager is, but they don’t know you. Check their social media profiles. Invite them to connect on LinkedIn. Ask your network if anyone knows them and if so, request an email introduction. Google them to find areas of common ground you can mention in the opening paragraph to personalize your cover letter. Think of this as an opportunity to showcase your written communication skills. Articulate your thoughts and ideas in as few words as possible. Demonstrate your attention to detail by using action verbs to indicate you researched the company and understand the job requirements. You usually have to apply on the company’s website, but applicant tracking systems (ATS) are not your friends. After applying online, email your cover letter and resume directly to the hiring manager. Include a note saying you applied online and, for their convenience, you attached copies so they can easily identify you in their ATS.

Initiative

Cover letters are useful for addressing employment gaps, career changes, or special circumstances. Briefly explain the situation, give context, and share how the result makes you the best fit for this position. For example, let’s say you are a software engineer who got laid off. While looking for a full-time position, you helped a non-profit develop a tool to standardize their donor database. In your cover letter, say something like, “You’ll notice in my resume that my last position was eliminated seven months ago. I’ve filled that time gap with a project for my favorite non-profit. I developed a tool to standardize their donor database. Now supporters only receive one request per campaign. I will use what I learned from this project to help you improve your customers’ experience.”

Interest

Cover letters give voice to your enthusiasm. Managers want to hire employees who want to do the specific jobs they have open. If you apply for a job just because you need the paycheck, that attitude will seep into your cover letter. Differentiate yourself from other applicants by explaining why you are interested in the company, what attracts you to the role, and how you can contribute to the organization’s goals. These specifics signal to the hiring manager that you have put both thought and effort into what a relationship with the company could look like.

If it’s a job you really want, then write a cover letter and make the most of it. Personalize it by adding details from your research on both the company and the hiring manager. Highlight people you both know. State why you’d like to work for them. Include links to your portfolio or awards or quotes from clients who appreciated your work. Build a case for why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

Should cover letters still be a thing? Please share what side of the debate you’re on in the comments.

Job Insecurity

As of April 30, 2023, 168,243 tech employees have been laid off. Losing your job through no fault of your own can be devastating. You feel rejected, hurt, angry, embarrassed, maybe even panicked. Now what?

What Not to Do

Retaliate – It’s tempting to act on your anger and lash out. For example, if your former employer is a bring-your-own device to work environment, then you may feel like withholding the projects you did for them. Upload their stuff from your personal laptop to their shared drive and put it behind you. You may also be tempted to indulge in some trash talk the next time you’re on social media, but disrespecting the organization and/or its leadership only reflects badly on you. If you were a hiring manager, would you interview someone who publicly maligns a former employer?

Rush – Take the time to find your best opportunity. Rushing into a new job that isn’t a good fit can lead to further stress and disappointment. While you may need money immediately, it’s better to take a temporary and/or part-time job both for the paycheck and the time it gives you to keep looking for an organization whose culture excites you.

Ruminate – Overthinking how unfair the situation is does not help you move past it. Triggers are everywhere. Well-meaning people ask you about it and the story is painful to tell over and over. Come up with a neutral elevator speech you can easily remember and deliver it every time someone asks you what happened. Something like, “They had to downsize so now I’m free to accept a new role. Do you know of any open positions?”

What to Do

Reflect – If you are not given a reason for your termination, ask. Knowing why you were chosen may prevent similar issues from happening in the future. Then take stock. Do a personal SWOT analysis. What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? (If you need help with this, DM me.)

Request – Will the organization help you find another job? Will they be a reference? Do they have a connection they will introduce you to? Will they hold a seminar for those who are getting laid off to help with resume reviews, mock interviews, and networking skills? If not, will they pay for a session with a career coach as part of your severance package? If you are eligible for unemployment benefits, file a claim as soon as possible. Avoid making large purchases or taking on debt. These temporary measures can help you stay financially afloat while you search for your next role.

Review – Update your LinkedIn profile and personal website. Adjust your resume and cover letter (Yes, cover letters are still a thing. Don’t get me started.) to highlight your most relevant skills and experiences. Customize your application materials to each position you apply for. This is a job in itself, so after a session working on those, practice self-care and do something that makes you feel good.

How you handle this setback reveals your level of emotional intelligence. Imagine it as a growth opportunity. When you frame it that way in your mind you have great illustrations to draw on for your next job interview.

Have you ever been laid off? What did you do to recover? Please share in the comments.

Persist to Resist

The great philosopher, Rick Springfield, sings, “Nothing that matters comes easy. Nothing that comes easy ever really matters.” Goals that matter are not easy. Sometimes that is because of what you have to resist in order to achieve them.

William James work was instrumental in establishing psychology as a legitimate scientific discipline. In his book, The Principles of Psychology, he defines the ability to confidently and repeatedly resist temptation as conscientiousness. It’s a broad personality trait that includes carefulness and organization, but mostly restraint. Conscientious restraint is a clear indicator of health, contentment, and prosperity and it’s like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it gets. What temptations are preventing you from reaching your goals at work?

Social Distractions

It takes time for your brain to shift focus. For example, you take a break to check Snapchat before a meeting. You get caught up in your friends’ stories. Before you know it, half an hour has gone by. Then, you have to shift your focus back to prepare for the meeting. You enter the meeting wondering why you don’t feel adequately prepared. Time spent on social media, personal texts, and in-person/DM interruptions add up to hours that sneak up on you. You can better focus your attention by pausing notifications from your email, direct messages, and texts and closing your office/home office door. When you resist social distractions, you get more done in less time. The moral of this story: Silence your phone and put it out of sight.

Multitasking

Multitasking is a myth. Humans do not multitask. Only computers multitask. Sure, maybe you can walk and chew gum at the same time, but those activities aren’t particularly taxing on your brain’s executive control processor. But sending an email during a videoconference is. When you do that you are not multitasking, you are task switching. Either your email will suffer or you won’t remember what the last speaker said. You may be able to do all the things and in quick succession, but you are still doing them one at a time. The more you slow down and do things deliberately, the faster you can accomplish each task. The moral of this story: Resist the temptation to multitask.

Setting Yourself Up to Fail

If you have the most brainpower in the morning, then why do you check email first thing instead of tackling your most difficult assignment of the day? If you know that you work on a project until it’s done before allowing yourself a break, then why are you surprised your result is full of mistakes? If you interrupt your work to handle random tasks that pop into your head, then why are you frustrated with the time it takes to shift your attention back to the task at hand? If these scenarios describe you, then start setting yourself up to succeed. Tackle your most difficult projects when you have the most brain power. Set a timer for 30 minutes and take a seven minute break when it goes off; preferably to hydrate and maybe step outside for some fresh air. Keep a scratch pad and pen on your desk so when a random chore enters your mind you can write it down to do later. The moral of this story: Know yourself and play to your strengths.

What temptations do you resist in order to get work done? Please share in the comments.

Risky Business

Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels

Back in October, we talked about how employers need to iterate their employee retention strategies to adapt to the new, non-traditional, workforce if they want to stay in business. One current retention and recruitment strategy is encouraging employees to bring their whole selves to work. October’s discussion ended with the acknowledgement that for some demographics authenticity at work is not always a wise choice. For example, people of color, other-abled, LGBTQIA+, older, and immigrant workers, to name few.

In this survey 64% of employees said they felt pressured to conform to certain expectations and standards dominating their workplace culture. For example, some hid their political views and information about their families in order to fit in the organization. If you agree with the 64%, then your choices are leaving your authentic self at home, try changing the culture from within, or find another job. What’s the right choice for you?

Be Assimilated

If quitting is a luxury you can’t afford, then remind yourself that your job serves a purpose. It pays your bills which gives you options in other areas of your life. It is okay for now. You do not have to retire from this job. If bringing your whole self to work does not align with your organization’s norms, then you must assimilate. For instance, if your company has a strict dress code, then your tattoos or hair may not conform to the culture and you must obey their rules. This conformity is exhausting and can negatively impact your productivity, so carefully monitor your job performance. For example, regularly update your “Atta Baby!” file.

Become a Change Agent

Bringing your whole self to work means being open and authentic about who you are, your values, beliefs, and experiences. If you are in a minority group, (like those mentioned earlier), then you are in a position to enhance your organization’s DEIB initiatives. Be aware that participation may involve communicating painful memories forcing you to relive them. Not only is this work, it is usually unpaid work. If you choose to help change your company’s culture, then please prioritize your mental health. For example, enlist an ally to help you set boundaries on how authentic to actually be.

Beware

Every organization has its own culture. If you get another job, that culture may not fit either. If you decide to find new employment, then look for key phrases in the job description to determine whether or not that organization champions authenticity. For example, phrases like value alignment, access to reliable transportation, and ability to complete tasks with or without reasonable accommodations, signal that you may have found a company with a culture where you could be your authentic self. Keywords like young and energetic, strong English-language skills, and compassionate nature warn you to keep looking.

It’s in a company’s best interest to create an environment where all employees feel safe and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Authenticity fosters productivity, improves employer-employee relationships, and inspires collaboration. More authentic collaboration leads to more ideas. More ideas lead to more innovation. More innovation leads to more products/services. More products/services lead to more growth.

How do you encourage authentic diversity in your workplace? Please share in the comments.

Recognize Not Normalize

The workplace was turbulent from the start, but it feels downright tumultuous these days. Mass hirings are transitioning to mass layoffs. The Great Resignation is transitioning to The Great Regret. The pandemic is transitioning to the sansdemic. Change is hard. People react emotionally and these emotions can be negative. Left to simmer, negative emotions produce toxins. How easy is it for you to identify toxicity in your workplace?

Sunday Scaries

Often, your body tells you that you are in a toxic situation before your brain recognizes it. Do you get the Sunday Scaries? If the thought of going to back to work on Monday morning after having the weekend off makes you feel tired, depressed, or physically ill, then your body is trying to tell you something. There are plenty of examples of toxicity in the workplace, but let’s focus on the big three: managers, environment, and habits.

Managers – Your manager may be toxic if they:

have unspoken expectations (e.g., you are surprised to find a Sunday morning project meeting on your calendar)
have unrealistic expectations (e.g., they expect you to answer the emails they send late at night)
do not give you agency to do your job (e.g., insist on controlling everything you do and how and when you do it)
don’t listen (e.g., they consistently interrupt you when you are talking)
publicly embarrass you (e.g., in the all-hands meeting they announce that you missed a typo in the last meeting’s minutes)

Environment – Your workplace may be toxic if:

bullying is allowed (e.g., a coworker habitually yells to get what they want)
microaggressions are common (e.g., jokes about women and/or people of color are laughed at instead of banned)
you can’t trust your coworkers (e.g., you are intentionally excluded from emails containing information pertinent to your responsibilities)
you are not treated with respect (e.g., your coworker sits on top of your desk to talk to your office mate)
it’s like the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz. “O my! People come and go so quickly here!” (e.g., employee turnover is high)

Habits – Your work habits may be toxic if you:

feel like you have to always look busy (e.g., downtime makes you nervous)
interpret every ambiguously worded email negatively (e.g., you think your report is shoddy because your manager requests further explanation)
are a loner (e.g., you don’t ask questions because you’re afraid to appear stupid)
engage in office gossip (e.g., participating in negative conversations about coworkers that you would not if they were present)
frequently put off assignments you don’t like (e.g., the client survey results are ready for data analysis, but you dread sifting through their ideas for improvement)

Points to Ponder

Toxicity causes burnout which makes talent quit. If you are an individual contributor in the workforce, fighting toxicity is like trying to turn the Titanic around. If toxic habits are holding you back, you can change them, but is your reputation already damaged? Searching for another job is daunting, but if you are experiencing a toxic boss or environment, then please consider dusting off your resume and activating your network.

What are examples of toxicity that you faced? Please share in the comments.

Terms and Conditions

I serve the technology community and they use many industry-specific acronyms in conversation. I’m often asked by non-technologists to define these terms. Plus, recently multiple episodes of Jeopardy! have featured contestants who worked in tech and categories about technology. It struck me that some tech terms are now used in mainstream conversation. So, here are seven acronyms that you can add to your vocabulary.

2FA: This means two-factor authentication. You will also hear MFA which is multi-factor authentication. These are security protocols that protect sensitive information. For example, when you want to access your bank account online, you may enter your username and password, then receive a text message with a code to enter before you are granted access. Here is a resource to learn more.

AI: This is short for Artificial Intelligence. It’s a computer that acts like a human.When you are on a website and someone pops up on the screen offering to help, that is an example of AI called a chatbot. You ask a question and the chatbot can direct you to appropriate areas of the website because it has learned from visitors who came before you asking the same or similar question. Here is an explanation that may interest you.

BI: This acronym stands for Business Intelligence. It is the process an organization uses to collect, cleanse, and present data. This could include filtering the data to answer a question and visually presenting the results in a graph. Companies use a data management tool (software) that provides a dashboard where they can filter the information to see specifically what they need to know to make decisions. Here are examples.

BYOD: Or, Bring Your Own Device, is when the organization you work for allows you to use your phone, laptop, etc., for business purposes. Here is information on the pros and cons of BYOD.

ERP: This is shorthand for Enterprise Resource Planning. It is a software platform (there are many) that everyone in an organization uses to manage their work. For example, both Human Resources and Accounting can use the same ERP, but for their own specific purposes. Here is some useful information.

NFT: A Non-fungible Token is a digital asset that represents real-world objects, like art, that were created, and only exist, online where they are bought, sold, and/or traded. Here is a more in-depth explanation.

SaaS: This is an acronym for Software as a Service. Instead of installing software on each of your devices, you access it from the cloud through the internet. Then you can use an app and connect to the software on all your devices. You no longer buy the software every time you need the new version, you pay a subscription fee usually monthly or yearly. Some examples of SaaS are Gmail, Spotify, and Dropbox. Here is a comprehensive look at Saas, including PaaS (Pizza as a service).

I have a habit of rattling off acronyms and industry terms. KPI, PIP, and WFH come to mind. On occasion, this makes communicating unclear. So, if you ever stumble over any shortcuts in my articles, feel free to DM me. What acronyms have you run across lately that I did not mention? Please share in the comments.

The Rise of the Quiets

COVID spotlighted the Greats: the Great Retirement, the Great Resignation, the Great Reshuffle, the Great Rethink, etc. Now, the transition to post pandemic is highlighting the Quiets: Quiet Promotion, Quiet Quitting, Quiet Promoting, Quiet Thriving, etc. Just like the Greats were in play with or without COVID, the Quiets are not new. It’s just that now employees feel empowered to discuss them openly and employers are pushing back. We’re going to devote the next four weeks to exploring the rise of the Quiets. First up: Quiet Promotion.

What Is It?

A Quiet Promotion happens when you are given more tasks and/or responsibilities beyond your job description, but no increase in compensation. It can be tricky to spot because going above and beyond your job description is the traditional path to a genuine promotion. You typically have to prove you can do more before you are given more (especially if you identify as a woman; don’t get me started…). Here are a few clues that you were quietly promoted:

You have the same job title as your colleagues, but you have more work than they do
You have absorbed all the duties of a coworker who left and there is no end in sight
Your manager asked you to be a “team player” and you don’t feel like you can refuse

If these sound familiar, you have a couple of options. One is to ask for a real promotion. The other is to get another job. Either way, these three ideas can help.

Document

Update that “Atta Baby!” file on your desktop (DM me if the concept does not sound familiar)
Keep a daily activity log including what you did (especially the extra duties), when, and approximately how long it took
Note (with statistics, if possible) how what you do (especially the extra duties) moves the organization closer to their goals and aligns with their mission

Communicate

After gathering your documentation, schedule a 1:1 with your manager
Prepare for it as you would a performance review
Begin the conversation with a curious mindset. For example, lead with something like: “During several weekly reflection exercises that I do to self-monitor my job performance, I noticed something interesting…” and present your case
Note your manager’s reaction. It will be very revealing

Strategize

If your employer just lost a major client, or your company is in a hiring freeze, then no one is getting promoted. If you can be patient, do. It allows you to accumulate more documentation and contemplate whether this job and/or company is still the right fit for you. If you can’t be patient, the documentation you gathered sure looks good on a resume.

By the way, the phrase “other duties as assigned” is included in most job descriptions. That can be a good thing. You want your job description to iterate. It allows you to grow and advance. The problem comes when an organization uses the phrase as a loophole to assign an employee responsibilities beyond minor tasks related to the employee’s position.

Have you ever received a Quiet Promotion? Please share your experience in the comments.

Your Favorite Things

We have arrived at the end of another year. Being the data geek that I am, I analyzed the stats to see what articles received the most views. If you missed these conversations, or you’d like to revisit them, here are the top three most viewed articles in each category.

Time

Time for a Brand Refresh

Too Young to be Done

Time for a Change

Energy

Battery Low

You Can Talk to Me

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Child-free by Choice

Join the Resistance

Treat Me Right

Money

Back to Basics

Isn’t it Romantic?

On the Road Again

Thank you for walking down memory lane with me. The best holiday gift you can give me this year is your feedback. What topics did you like? What other topics would you like to discuss? What challenges at work do you need help solving? Please share in the comments.

Something’s Burning

Last month we talked about burnout and how, as employees, we can both recognize and minimize it. On the other side of the organization, what can employers do to help extinguish burnout?

Why is Burnout the Employer’s Problem?

Because employees who burn out quit their jobs and replacing them is expensive. In their 2020 Recruiter Nation Survey, Jobvite found that retention is the second highest recruiting priority according to the HR professionals who participated. And according to Legaljobs, 45% of employees in the United States are job hunting. Turnover can cost an employer up to one-third of an employee’s annual salary due to lost productivity as well as recruiting efforts.

What Can Employers Do About It?

Set Reasonable Boundaries – For example, if you send emails at 7:46PM on weeknights, texts at 9:12PM on Saturdays, and/or direct messages at 6:12AM on Independence Day, then you are assigning someone a task. A valuable employee is at least going to stop what they are doing and reply no matter how many times you type, “No rush.” Even if you don’t expect the employee to do anything about your request at the time, you are still imposing a mental load on them. Now they have to remember to remind you of the thing you wanted them to do when you contacted them outside of normal work hours. Establish rules around communication. Include acceptable hours, expected response times, and appropriate modes. For example, if there is an emergency requiring their attention outside of normal work hours, then you will call them instead of email or text. Reiterate these boundaries once a quarter. BTW, most email platforms have a feature that allows you to send your message during someone’s normal business hours. Please use it.

Reevaluate Productivity Goals – Are pre-COVID KPIs still in place? Should they be? How reasonable are they? The workforce is moving toward a productivity model where job performance can no longer be measured by when, where, or how many hours employees work. Consider normalizing flexibility. For example, in performance reviews commend the employee for taking their earned PTO instead of praising them for perfect attendance. Best Practice: Leadership models taking time off, flexible work environments, and/or remote work days.

Communicate – Listen with empathy to your team on a regular basis. Can you set up in-person office hours or a virtual coffee once a week to bond with your team? Find common ground. Support and encourage self-care and mental health. Record a 30 second video on your company’s instant messaging platform and send it (during normal hours, please!) to your direct reports. Remind them that the intense project they’re working on will get done more efficiently if they rest their brains for a few minutes every hour. In 1:1 meetings, invite employees to discuss challenges outside of the job that are negatively affecting their ability to work. Is the solution something the company can provide as part of their benefits package?

As we approach the holidays, I hope both employers and employees get some rest from their work. Maybe in front of a roaring fire in your fireplace or, like me, a fireplace online. Please let those embers be the only burnout you allow.

As a manager, what strategies do you use to ease employee burnout? Please share in the comments.

Extra Crispy

Have you ever stared unblinking and thoughtless at your work computer screen for five seconds then freaked out a little when you realized that actually five minutes had passed? No? Just me? In researching solutions for my problem, I discovered I may be experiencing the phase before burnout. Wouldn’t it be useful if we were self-aware enough to recognize burnout before going up in smoke?

Burnout Has Phases

Honor Eastly coined a two-phase description: crispy and burned out. Crispy happens when you are stretching your limits, but like it. While it feels good, you ignore your need to rest and eventually get stuck in your process sparking burnout. How do you know you’re getting crispy? Here are some signs:

You wake up in the middle of the night thinking about your to-do list
Annoyances you used to ignore (e.g., your teammate forgetting to unmute himself on the weekly check-in Every. Time.) now drive you crazy
You are depressed

What You Can Do

Too much housekeeping at work stokes the fire. Taking notes for the team every meeting, buying birthday cards for staff, and emailing calendar invitations do not get you paid nor promoted. Since the work doesn’t count in managements’ eyes, you don’t take it into consideration when you wonder why you are exhausted. It’s time to ask others for help, (e.g., “You know what, Stan? I took the meeting notes last time. How about Joe does it this week?”)

Your chores fan the flames. For example, just eating can be work: buying groceries, preparing meals, cleaning up the kitchen, washing the dishes, putting the dishes away. You feel like this constant stream of tasks don’t count because you don’t get paid to do them, but they drain your time, energy, attention, and money. Recognize that life requires administration and pay attention to your unpaid duties. Can you streamline any of them? Divide some up with your partner? Outsource any? For example, can you afford to order food in once a week?

The hustle culture pours gasoline on the blaze. I discovered the symptoms of burnout after listening to this podcast. Experiencing some of them, I set a timer on my work intervals to remind me to take more breaks. At a meeting with my business coach I said, “I’m experimenting with forcing myself to take more rest breaks during the work day.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I regretted saying them. When I heard them out loud, I felt like I was trying to defend being lazy. She reminded me that rest actually promotes better work results. That made me feel better temporarily, but then, why do I feel ashamed to rest during the workday? Why do I feel like I have to be on call 24/7/365? Because hustle culture trains us to be immediately responsive to others’ needs all the time. This behavior is unrealistic and unsustainable. Can you stop apologizing for being human? Can you get comfortable disappointing people?

When you start to feel exhausted for what you initially think is no reason, it’s time to stop, drop, and roll. Stop what you’re doing, drop the assumption that everything has to be done right now, and roll into a break.

How do you recognize when you’re moving from crispy to burnout? Please share in the comments.