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 Can I Get An Entry-Level Job When All The Postings Ask For Experience?

iStockphoto.com | BrianAJackson

You've graduated from college or graduate school, and you're looking for your first "real" job. Yet, in reading the online job postings, it seems like every entry-level position requires several years of experience. Employers want it both ways.

Brain surgeons don't work for $15 an hour, but you wouldn't know it from some job postings. Employers want somebody who can increase sales by 95% during their first week, but they want to pay you like you're a teenager mowing lawns for extra cash over the summer. They can't have it both ways. Unfortunately, you have to play that game.

Here are some tips that may help secure that entry-level position:

• Get an internship. If you haven’t already had one, know that internships are a fantastic way to get actual work experience. An internship at a local radio station is better than running your student one. An internship helps recent graduates with all the previously mentioned tips. The work you do during an internship gives you professional-level experience that's great on a resume. Internships are your first opportunity to build a professional network, and one or two of those people may end up giving you a life-altering reference.

• Read the job description carefully.  Know that companies create payroll budgets based on job classifications, categories, or levels, and, commonly, the job level does not match the expected qualifications. There is no telling who wrote the job description or how much thought and effort went into it. Job descriptions are sometimes recycled or are cut and paste from the internet. Yet, the desired core skills are buried somewhere in the language. Try and decode what the employer truly needs. Is it Java programming? Is it sales experience? Is it the ability to design in CAD? The answer is there. Do your best to determine the core skill that an employer is really looking for.

• Read between the lines. Be realistic in your approach; if a job positing lists a requirement of ten years of experience, don’t bother applying as a recent graduate – you won’t get the job. On the other hand, if the role requires 1-2 years of experience, you can thread that needle. For example, maybe the job asks for a programmer with C++ and 1-2 years of experience, employers may take a chance on a candidate they feel is the right candidate, with the right attitude and the right mix of skills. By all means apply for this one – you can get it.

• Use your resume as a strategic communication tool. Revising your resume for each job is always recommended. Your resume allows you to control the narrative. Continuing the programming example, use your resume to spoon-feed your C++ experience to the recruiter and hiring manager, detailing any C++ courses, projects, or work you've done.

• Talk up your transferrable skills. Some jobs require knowledge and experience with a specific tool. For example, many businesses rely on Customer Relationship Management tools (CRMs) such as Salesforce. Recent graduates may have some experience with CRMs from an internship, but perhaps not the specific CRM platform a company uses. However, interacting with customers management software has become a sought-after skill; when you're in the interview, explain how your experience relates to the company's goals. You may not know all the ins and outs of a specific application, but you have the necessary transferrable skills to use that application and tie it to the needs of the business.

• Line up your references. References can help when you're first starting out. A solid professional reference vouching for your work ethic may be the difference between your first job and continuing to look for one. In 2021, the general view of young employees is that work is something they do when you force them to put down their phones.  Professional references may dispel that notion. Consider managers from internships, or professors from related coursework.

• Nobody wants to train you. Right or wrong, employers don't necessarily give you the tools to succeed. Once again, they want it both ways. They want someone who can take the reins and make an impact on day one like you've been doing the job for a decade, but they want to compensate you like you are the first person who history who doesn't have to pay rent and eat. Make it clear to the manager that you require little training, and you will be able to ramp up and add value on day one.

• Build that LinkedIn profile. Create a robust presence on LinkedIn that details your college projects and internships. Recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates to fill their open jobs. By having a great profile, they might find you!

• Don’t forget about the campus career center. Employers often contact the career center to fill entry-level positions that aren’t necessarily posted publicly. If you’ve graduated recently, make sure to register with them - it’s their job to try to get students placed into full-time roles. Gainfully employed graduates help their numbers, and tend to translate into donors down the road.

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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.