How to Escape a Toxic Work Situation

iStockphoto.com | Prapakorn Sonwong

In case you haven't heard the news, we’re in the midst of the “Great Recession.” A record number of workers are quitting their jobs, and the reason is simple – they're fed up and aren't going to take it anymore.

We spend more time at work than with our families, and each year it seems you do more work for less, and what you have doesn't go as far. Many people work in such an environment, and they are the lucky ones. Take the description above and throw in an unhealthy dose of toxicity, and you have all the makings of a waking nightmare.

If you believe your work is in a toxic environment and want to make a change, it may seem like a simple case of get-out-as-quickly-as-you-can. However, it's never that easy. Even if you think you are in a place that's all bad, it's easier to tie a knot than untie one. If you're in a toxic work environment, here are some things to consider:

1.     Is the job worth salvaging? It's time to do a serious, objective, emotionless, cost-benefit analysis of leaving your toxic job. That means giving as much weight to the "benefit" part as the "cost part". If you feel your mental and physical health is in jeopardy and you're in a desperate situation that needs to change, you should be as equitable as possible when assessing the cost vs. the long-term cost.

2.     Can you afford to leave your job?  That's the rub. If everyone could afford to leave their job, employers would have to treat their employees well. Unfortunately, we live in an upside-down world, and the reality is that few people, regardless of their profession, can afford to weather a prolonged financial storm. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How quickly can you get a new job? Be realistic. When was the last time you updated your resume or been on a job board? Do you really know the landscape? Do not assume you can quickly find a new job. Do your homework.

• What is your marketability? Things have changed. Yes, the job market is strong right now, but nobody should consider a professional move before researching the possibilities. Separate hope from reality. Even if you are a highly qualified candidate use to writing your ticket, that may not be the case now, and you don't want to end up in another toxic workplace, so check your ego at the door.

• Do you live in a region with lots of jobs? Job seekers often overlook location and availability. If you live in a metropolitan area with more job options, you face more and more high-quality competition than a smaller market with fewer options with more viability. Can you and are you willing to relocate to whichever region may be better for you? Think about it.

3.     You can't fight City Hall. That’s an old axiom, and it applies to trying to change your workplace culture. Some businesses are so toxic that they are never going to change. Is it more realistic to find satisfaction outside your current workplace?

4.     Conduct your job search with caution.  If you believe your work in a toxic work environment, wait until somebody finds out you're interviewing for other jobs. Don't put it past any organization to exact retribution if they find out you want to leave or if you put in your notice. If you are working remotely, you may have more flexibility to search for new jobs and interview but use the same rules when looking for a job while in the office – use discretion. Also, know that many companies are now using monitoring tools to chaperone remote workers. Don’t apply from your work laptop – use your personal equipment and personal time to interview.

5.     Treat your exit with grace and dignity. Take the high road. Do the right thing. Give two weeks' notice. Do your best work. Don't slack off. Reputations carry. If your workplace is toxic while you're there, imagine what will happen when you leave. Resist the urge to write a final scathing diatribe describing the company's ultimate downfall. Even if you're right, nobody will care at that moment, and you will look bad.

6.     Don't burn bridges. Not burning bridges is difficult when that's the only thing you want to do. You don't ever want to see any of these people again! Right? Think things through. Try and exit with empathy. For example, you may not be happy with your immediate supervisor, but maybe they shielded you from even more toxicity. If it's an environment toxic for you, it's toxic for everyone. Don't be cavalier about throwing people under the bus as you leave.

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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.

Hiring Goes Dead During The Holidays – Or Does It?

iStockphoto.com | SergeRandall

There's a chill in the air and jack-o-lanterns on the porch. Jumbo bags of candy fill the stores, and Thanksgiving fixings are creeping in. It's the holidays! October-November-December is the sprint to the finish line, and the starting gun went off ten days ago.

A common perception among job seekers is that businesses push a big shiny red PAUSE button during October-November-December to focus on holiday parties and year-end vacations – and there is some truth to that. By no means universal, many companies experience a hiring slow down (but not necessarily freeze) in the last months of the year. A variety of factors play a role:

• Companies with a January to December fiscal year may budget new hire positions to start in the 1st quarter of the new fiscal year.

• Companies want to boost their year-end balance sheet. Pausing new payroll expenditures is an accounting method that helps achieve that end.

• People take holiday vacations, and if enough staff who are part of the recruiting and hiring process are absent, hiring slows down.

• End-of-year job duties often require more time and effort. Whether you're a college professor administering and grading finals, a social media manager hammering away at holiday KPIs, or an accountant doing year-end, your core work consumes your time.

That perception is part reality, but it's also a part myth. There is no reason to slow down your efforts to find a new job during the holidays – especially the 2021 holidays. Things are not back to normal. The job market remains uncharted and uncertain, so this holiday season is still guesswork on many fronts. Here are some quick things to consider:

·      Hiring is always happening. Even during bona fide hiring slowdowns, hiring is happening. Whether evergreen jobs that recruit 24-7-365 or seasonal surges, hiring is happening right now. Take one of the examples above. A company may defer new hires to the new fiscal year and crank up that process in earnest in January, but they may start posting openings in December. But you won't know if you take the holidays off and stop applying for jobs!

• The holidays are typically a boom time for retail and hospitality – two sectors that need a blockbuster season from coast to coast. Businesses hope there is a shift from online shopping back to in-store, and there are full airplanes, hotels, restaurants, and bars. There should be a seasonal surge in hiring.

• Companies can't find workers and have sweetened their recruiting efforts to avoid a worker shortage heading into the crucial holiday season. The means increased compensation, signing bonuses, and retention efforts.

• Global supply chain issues are already impacting the 2021 holiday season. ("There Really is a perfect storm of supply chain issues, a logistics expert explains." 10/04/21]. Companies large and small can't move their product. In the United States, there is a truck driver shortage, and transport ships hover off the coast of our ports, unable to unload their wares. Staff are needed to resolve these issues – and a surge in supply chain hiring in the fourth quarter is quite possible this year, when consumer demand skyrockets.

• When the office empties for the holidays, some people choose to stay behind. They use the quiet time and free time to catch up. Some of those people are recruiters and hiring managers.

• Remember that you know you will not get the job if you do not apply. Be vigilant over the holidays because so many others won’t. Your resume and work ethic will stand out in a less crowded field. You cannot predict when a little extra effort will turn into a real opportunity, but it is easy to predict what will happen with no effort at all.

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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.

How Should I Dress for A Job Interview?

iStockphoto.com | Diamond Dogs

Before the recent COVID-19 driven work changes, professional dress codes were fluid. For many years, even companies with stodgy traditional dress codes had "Casual Friday," which, somehow, was still more formal than other companies' daily requirements. It's all fashion and fun until management issues special memos reminding employees of the well-known long-term benefits of wearing shoes (yep, seen them). Job seekers believed it was apropos to match their dress for interviews with the company's dress culture – it wasn't.

After lock-downs, quarantines, work-from-home, masks, Zoom, and many other factors, the professional dress code has gone from fluid to fuzzy. And, yes, in some cases, fuzzy means slippers. Yes, fuzzy slippers are hilarious, but they are not professional (however, people interviewing for fuzzy-slipper-designer positions should be fine).  

Your job interview attire should be professional, formal, and job-appropriate. Your default position should be your "Sunday's best." You can always dress down, but you can't dress up.

Here are some sartorial tips to consider when dressing for a job interview:

1.    You can't go wrong with a suit. For almost every interview, a suit and tie (if applicable) are the best options. Being overdressed won't hurt you. If you're a creative type interviewing at a creative company, you can go with a more hip, edgy, flamboyant suit, but still a suit. If your interview is with a more traditional and conservative company, go with a Brooks Brothers/Ann Taylor style suit. In the end, you can't go wrong with a suit. Let's call a professional suit the Standard Rule. The beautiful thing about a suit is that if you get to the interview, and you are told you’re overdressed, you can probably take your jacket off without penalty.

2.    The Standard Rule applies to companies with casual dress codes. You've heard Company X has a casual dress code – i.e., "People wear jeans." You want to dress down for the interview to fit in with the company culture, but chances are that's a mistake; I’ve personally witnessed interviewers dressed in Levi’s and a tee shirt ding a candidate for not dressing professionally enough. That said, there’s always exceptions (and people being judgmental) – if you show up in a suit and tie, maybe they'll think you're an undercover narcotics officer and beat you up in the parking lot. The person who sets up the interview will know the most appropriate attire; ask them for clarification on what you should plan to wear. 

3.    Ask the person who sets up the interview for clarification. Still aren’t clear? You’re not alone – career professionals toss terms like "casual," "dressy," and "professional" around a lot, but they mean different things to different people and companies. Whether a recruiter, hiring manager, or somebody's assistant, the person who sets up the interview should know the internal expectations of job candidates' dress; ask them and do what they say. 

4.    The Standard Rule may apply for positions with casual dress codes. What if the position is a warehouse job, manual labor, or involves working outdoors? Dressing up can rarely hurt you, but use your best judgment. A suit and tie, if applicable, may not be the best option for the roles mentioned above. However, consider dressing up for the interview.

5.    The Standard Rule applies if you're pounding the pavement. Let’s say you’re applying for jobs at the mall; this often involves dropping off resumes in person. You're in front of someone for a brief time, and you make a crucial first impression on whoever accepts your resume. Dress to impress! In many real-world cases, looking sharp and professional is sometimes the difference between your resume going into the circular file (that's the trashcan) or the hiring manager's inbox.

6.    The Standard Rule applies for remote interviews (e.g., Zoom). In case you haven't heard the news, you can't go wrong with a suit. Treat a Zoom, or any other remote video interview, like an in-person interview. You're not going to show up for an in-person interview in fuzzy slippers, and the same standards for remote interviews should apply. You make an instant impression on video. It's easy for your Zoom interview to start on a positive note – dress in job interview-appropriate attire right down to the shoes nobody can see. Look professional, or you’ll convey a "don't care" attitude that's an unnecessary hurdle.

7.    BONUS TIP: Keep an extra jacket/blazer and tie (if applicable) in the car. If you start casual and arrive at the interview to see other candidates dressier than you, you can make a quick retreat and dress up before your interview begins.

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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.