Surprise: Meet Your New Job

Q. "I thought I did all my homework before taking this job - but everything has changed! I'm working 12-hour days to complete assignments they 'forgot' to tell me about. My customer list includes all the problems nobody else wants. What can I do? And what questions should I ask when I look for my next job?"

A. This question has come up a lot recently. Some suggestions:

(1) Before taking any action, try to find out what's going on just by observing, listening and noticing your environment.

(2) Test the waters. If you feel comfortable, say something neutral like, "Based on our interview, I anticipated working on X and Y. I am happy to be working on Q and Z -- new challenges!"

Then listen for the response.

Frankly, many managers walk around in a half-dazed state. They don't even realize they changed your assignment.

Others will go into denial: "Change? Nothing's changed! What are you talking about?"

Or a puzzled, "Yeah - I thought you'd really enjoy Q and Z - I did you a favor."

Or (very rarely) "Yes - Hal had a heart attack and we had to switch everybody around." "We just lost our biggest account and we're all scrambling."

(3) Explore opportunities elsewhere in the organization.

Maybe your department had a vacancy for a good reason: an impossible boss or ridiculous mission. Once you're in the door, it's often (but not always) easier to transfer than to get hired as an outsider.

Once you've concluded, "There's no hope," prepare to do even more homework for your next job. There's no foolproof way to research an organization and anyone can be caught by surprise.

But you should be able to meet with at least 3 or 4 future coworkers, including some recent hires. Observe their work areas, body language and attitude.

And you can ask them some tough questions (worded more tactfully, of course):

"What was your biggest surprise about working for this company?" "What's the best and worst part about working here?" "What changes have you observed in the last few months?" "What's the average length of time most people have worked here?"

And although I avoid pollyanna-ish cheer, people tell me they do find silver linings. After serving a stint in the nightmare department, they find a welcome elsewhere. They discover hidden talents, pick up new skills and/or become more marketable.

It happens. Surprise works both ways.

Talking back to the head hunter on performance reviews.

On a recent post, a recruiter "The Headhunter" columnist answered a reader's question about performance reviews. "I haven't had a review in 4 years," the reader said. "What should I do?"

The columnist advised the reader to press the issue. If necessary, he said, "Go to the Human Resource department. It's possible your boss isn't following policy."

But here's a counter argument.

What are the nonverbal signals? Are you getting raises and rewards? What's your relationship with your boss?

More important: Are you more marketable today than you were 4 years ago? One year ago? Six months ago?

Staying marketable is your best protection against bad reviews, no matter what.

For more:
http://wwww.midlifecareerstrategy.com/perfreviewbook.html

Does relocation bring happiness?

Today's Wall Street Journal column, Getting Going by Jonathan Clements (Page D1 of the Personal Journal)reviews the age-old question: Why what you have is never enough. He reports a study by academics Daniel Kahnemanand David Schkade. They asked university students in 2 US locations - midwest and California - where they think "someone like themselves would be happier." Both picked California, mostly because of the weather. But, say the authors, you're doing a lot of the same things in both places: grocery shopping, chores and work. True. But grocery shopping feels different here at the Metropolitan Market or Trader Joe's, as compared to a Safeway or Albertson's that's the only game in town. And chores actually vary. When I lived in a house, my chores were quite different. In a smaller town, or certain regions of the country (or world), you may trouble hiring services to meet your specific needs. In the US, many large cities feature services on craigslist.com -- affordable and accessible. Sometimes the geographic cure really works. Sometimes the grass really is greener...literally and metaphorically.

From Self-Employed to Corporate: Step Back or Leap Forward?

You've had your own business for the last 5 years. Your biggest customer is going away maybe your family clamors for a "real" job with benefits.

Can you survive in a cubicle after tasting the joys of flying solo?
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Here's what I've found.

For the first 6-12 months, back-to-corporate workers tend to have fun. It’s like playing a new game. And you may get lucky and find your new home.

If it's been awhile since you did the job search thing, your resume may need a makeover.

Pick up a handful of books from the bookstore. Draft your resume. Get feedback from executives in the field and/or company you are trying to enter. If you get inconsistent or negative feedback, bite the bullet and work with a professional consultant.

Most of my clients hide their brilliance and don’t do justice to their many talents and accomplishments. These days, you have to be “out there.”

Avoid any service that promises to get you a job or get you “in front of” managers who can hire you. Stay away from the resume blasters.

(4) Expect to be amazingly productive in your new job.

Working on your own has given you perspective. You guard your time more carefully. You ask, “Do I really need to do this?” You’ve learned to figure things out yourself before you ask for help.

But once you’ve been on your own, you probably caught the bug. Now’s the time to plan in a leisurely fashion. Take classes. Visit the Small Business Administration. Attend networking events featuring business owners.

But be very, very discreet. Your company wants to believe you’re committed to stay forever, even though they rarely reciprocate.