The Era Of Career Inertia: What Do You Do If There’s Nowhere To Go?

iStockphoto | Harvepino

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, “The New Headache for Bosses: Employees Aren’t Quitting,” (11/6/23) the Great Resignation has given way to record low attrition rates at many large companies. Nobody is going anywhere, which means two things. First, when financial projections overshoot reality employers balance the budget by cutting staff. Second, if you’re not cut, record-low attrition rates mean record-low promotions.

For example, let’s say you work for one of the companies featured in the WSJ article, like a big bank or pharmaceutical company, and your career is suddenly on pause because of low attrition, looming and corresponding layoffs, and a contraction, if not elimination, of internal advancement opportunities coupled with a more restrictive and competitive external job market. That puts high-performing and ambitious professionals in an epic bind. 

The immediate issue is you may be caught up in a wave of terminations. If you remain where you are, you’re stuck and you’re not learning the new skills and gaining the next level of work experience that advances careers.

What do you do if there’s nowhere to go?

1)    Acknowledge the situation. The shift from mass quitting to no quitting has been so swift and unexpected, that you may not be aware of this trend and its potential consequences. The same applies if you work somewhere that’s the opposite in every way to the corporate behemoths that were the focus of the WSJ article, but your employer’s existing structure has built-in limitations. Take a look at your situation and make a sober and honest decision about whether or not your personal circumstances are likely to be affected by the current labor stagnation.

2)    Assess your options. If you believe your job may be in jeopardy or you can’t advance in your current position, take an honest look at your situation. For example, let’s say you work for a company where the top-level jobs earn a percentage of sales. Naturally, if you do not make a percentage of sales you want to advance into the role that does. If you can’t, it follows you would want to go somewhere you can. What can you do to help yourself land a position like that somewhere else?

3)    Stretch the boundaries of your job. Being stuck in your job doesn’t mean you have to be complacent. Chart out new initiatives and responsibilities. Develop novel approaches to squeeze all you can out of your position. If you elevate your experience and visibility, it can only help down the road. On your resume, self-initiated growth demonstrates a proactive mentality and an advanced level of professionalism.

4)    Take opportunities where you can. Training? Take it. Upskilling? Do it. Earn professional certifications. Attend conferences.  Join professional organizations. Connect with alumni groups. Volunteer. Fill your quiver with as many arrows as you can.

5)    Speak to your manager. If you work at a company where the pathways to advancement are vague, speak to your manager. Ask what they are. Have a candid conversation about your personal goals and how best to position yourself to reach them, whether it’s with your current employer or into the great unknown.

6)    See what’s out there. You may be a member of the 73% of people who reported this year that they plan to stay at their jobs, but you may consider that now is the time to explore other opportunities. Just dip your toes in. You may discover the grass really is greener where you are, but you don’t really know until you do the research.

7)    Do your best work. Top-performing employees typically rise to the top. If you do an exceptional job, advancement will come your way. Some extra patience and innovation may be needed in the current climate, but your professional accomplishments will be rewarded.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Thriving In A World Of Management By Objectives (MBO): Lessons From Glengarry Glen Ross And College Football

iStock | Deagreez

In a renowned, gut-wrenching scene from the film version of David Mamet’s classic working man’s play Glengarry Glenn Ross, a “trainer from corporate” played by Alec Baldwin unloads on a group of salesmen:

“You certainly don't pal. Cause the good news is – you’re fired. The bad news is you've got, all you got, just one week to regain your jobs, starting tonight. Starting with tonight's sit. Oh, have I got your attention now? Good. Cause we're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anyone want to see second prize? Second prize’s a set of steak knives. Third prize is you’re fired. You get the picture?”

You can find the scene here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czOpDN8Knr4

That’s what’s known as “management by objectives” (MBO). In other words, at work you have a goal, and you need to meet it. Or else. And in this situation, the salesmen (not to be misogynist, but it’s only men in the cast) have one week to close enough deals to place first (new car) or second (set of steak knives) in the monthly sales contest or lose their job.

Make no mistake, there is clarity. Stress be damned. Close deals – be rewarded. Fail – and you’re fired. There is no gray area.

Recently, there was a real-world example in the college football. Brian Ferentz, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team’s offensive coordinator, was given a new public contract for the 2023 season that is very specific about the objectives he must meet to remain the offensive coordinator. His contract even has a nickname – the “Drive for 235,” or 25 points per game for 12 games of the regular season and 1 post season (25 x 13 = 235), and also win 7 games.

Once again, there is no gray area. It’s math and numbers don’t lie. As of October 30, his scoring numbers were trending poorly (averaging 19.5 points per game) with little-to-no prospect of overcoming a deficit enabling him to get 325 points. He would have then needed to score 39.8 points per game in their remaining matches to make their target. He was informed by the university he was going to lose his job after the season. Cold, but that’s MBO.

At the beginning of the year, stakeholders agree on the measurement of success and build accountability into the management structure. MBO can be specific metrics like Brian Ferentz’s contract, or things like sales objectives, the successful completion of a complex project, or any role where there is a clarity of expectations and individual accountability.

By now, the basics of management by objectives should be clear. This strategy is just one of many management theories authored by “the founder of modern management” Peter Drucker. Management by objectives focuses performance measurement on the individual instead of past results or the quality of organizational processes. The “Drive for 235” and the Glengarry Glen Ross sales contest are about clearly defined objectives for individuals.

If your job is governed by objectives, here are some tips to help you thrive in that environment.

1.     Clarity, clarity, clarity. Typically, management by objective is a strategy employed organization-wide. Each individual manager and employee have their own MBO that governs their performance assessment. The onus is on you to know the details of your objectives and what is expected of you. If you don’t have clarity, it will most likely be more difficult to hit the expected marks that will determine your future (and promotions, increased compensation, more challenging work, etc.). Understand what objectives you need to meet and what happens if you don’t. Demotion? Termination?

2.     Influence what you can influence. You know (or should know) your business. If you are faced with a set of unrealistic goals that you believe cannot be achieved, or you are not provided with the tools you need to succeed, you should quantify your objections and bring the disparities to the attention of whomever you need    to amend them. MOB can be a collaborative endeavor, but you must be proactive if you want to have input into how your success will be measured. You may have to explore other options if failure is built into the system. This happens so be cognizant of it.

3.     Recognize that your MBOs are your bible. You have to assume that Brian Ferentz had a steady drumbeat going through his head – 7 wins and an average of 25 points per game. Just like him, you need connect everything you do to your objectives. You, and you alone, are responsible for achieving the objectives you’ve been tasked to achieve. If there are obstacles that you believe are not going to be solved and will remain intractable – and which will prevent you from meeting your targets – speak to your manager about them before they fester. Head of issues before they envelop you.

4.     Keep your cool. Management by objectives can be stressful. While clearly defined objectives give you clarity about what you must do, you still need to do it! There’s a lot of pressure involved. High pressure situations can make people act in abnormal ways. For example, let’s says you have sales quotas that you must meet and you’re going to come up short. The temptation to engage in unethical behavior to reach the goals you need to reach, or misrepresent the data, can be overpowering. In fact, the explicit story of Glengarry Glenn Ross is how the salesman respond to their make-or-break situation. Like all great stories, the characters face a moral decision. Most make the right choice. In this story, one doesn’t. And he pays the price.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Looking To Amp Up Your Career? LinkedIn For Job Hunters

iStock | Victollio

LinkedIn remains the top professional networking and job-seeking digital platform. For job seekers it is a place to promote your professional story, network, access training courses, and, for the ambitious, be a content creator and power user. The insider tip is that every recruiter mines LinkedIn for candidates or immediately visits a potential hire’s LinkedIn profile after reading their resume.

If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, you may consider setting one up as soon as possible. If you already have a LinkedIn profile, it never hurts to review your existing page to see if can be improved, or commit to those updates you know you need to make but haven’t. Here is a refresher on the LinkedIn basics.

1.     Your LinkedIn profile is not your resume. While your resume and LinkedIn profile will share the basic facts of your work history and education (e.g., company/school names, dates), the content should read in a much different way. If your existing profile is a mirror of your resume, it’s time to upgrade. The recruiter or hiring manager already read your resume. If you’re creating a new profile, think of it as a billboard on the job market.

2.    EVERY recruiter uses LinkedIn to look for talent. Keep in mind that the professional social network and job market is only one side of LinkedIn’s business. The other is catering to recruiters and the people hiring their users. They are the most powerful power users on the platform and they are actively looking for people like you. That is the #1 reason professionals should have a LinkedIn presence. Not only that, but if you have a premium membership, you can contact recruiters or hiring managers directly through LinkedIn‘s InMail feature. A friendly succinct note to a recruiter may make the difference when pursuing an open job.

3.     A good head shot is essential. You must have a current professional profile photo – a good one. LinkedIn is not the platform to experiment with your look. Your profile photo is the first impression people have of you when they visit your page. Keep it simple and professional. No hats.

 4.     Have a full profile. Fill in EVERY applicable field. Provide as much additional information as possible. A packed profile increases your profiles searchability for all those recruiters, hiring managers, and potential professional contacts to grow your network. You want to be found. You’re a billboard, remember? For example, certifications, languages, volunteer organizations, sabbaticals, side hustles, certifications, are just a few examples. Don’t leave any of your hard work and accomplishments out. LinkedIn likes “completeness.” Anything less than a full profile looks lazy, which is not what you want to project.

 5.     Grow your network. It is a social network after all. Grow your network strategically. Don’t be shy! Step one: Perfect your profile. Step two: connect to as many people you already know and want to follow on the platform. That will trigger an organic process through you will slowly grow your network. You will receive invitations to connect from people with a few degrees of separation, or are in LinkedIn groups you join, and you should be open to accepting them. Step three: Be proactive. You can reach out and follow your peers, companies, people who inspire you, and the list goes on. Be judicious but open. Even if you’re a long time LinkedIn user, you should periodically review your network and see if it aligns with your current circumstances and long-term goals.

 6.     Create a Headline That Pops. Your headline needs to impart significant information in 240 characters or less. You may consider this tip when creating your headline.

Format: Position type ♦ About Yourself ♦Additional Info.

 Samples:

 ·      IT Solutions Architect ♦ Systems Designer ♦ Recent Graduate – The Academy

·      Network Design & Management Analytics Lead | Pursing CCNA

·      Human Resources Business Partner ♦ Employee Relations ♦ Available Immediately

7.     Write an Effective Summary. Here is where you really have to commit. For your summary, you have 2600 characters to use and each one counts. Your summary is a high-level explanation of who you are and what you have to offer. It should include your top skills, key accomplishments, and the value you add to any endeavor. Conclude with your call to action - what is the next thing you want to do?

8.     Write a Position Summary. Once again, you need to pack a lot of focused information into only 2000 characters or less. Summarize your position, detail what you’ve done, and punch the value you added in each case. An easy formula to get your started is the Three “W”s.

a.     W-ho is the company?

b.     W-hat are you doing, or what did you do, for the company?

c.     W-hat are your key accomplishments?

9.     Write About Your Education: Reminder: your LinkedIn profile is not your resume. The key phrase here is “write about.” Tell the story of your educational experience as if you were describing it in detail to a friend. Go beyond what you studied. Think about and express its impact on you as a person, not just as a student.

·      Format

o   School Name

o   Degree

o   Years Attended

o   Activities

 10.  Skills and Endorsements

·      You can select up to 50 skills for which to be endorsed.

·      Select and prioritize your Top 10.

·      This is searchable, and will help your results!

·      Include skills in your summary.

11.  Target recruitment firms. As long as you’re growing your network, include prominent recruitment firms. They’ve got access to jobs, and it can’t hurt to build a relationship online.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.