Marty Nemko's Blog, page 361

Is There a Topic You'd Like to Hear My Wife and I Debate?

My listeners like when I debate my wife during my radio show. Is there a career- or work-related topic you'd like to see us debate?

Pristine Pleasures

I live to solve problems. That means I live in the negative---problems are by definition negative. I live in the complex---If a problem were easy to solve, I wouldn't be needed. I live in worry: What if I miss something? What if I can't solve it?

Yet I continue to be able to stay in that world of problems, decade after decade. Why? Partly because I'm often enough able to prevail. But partly because, outside that world of problems, I get my pleasures from things abundant and free, if you look out for them. I call them pristine pleasures. 

I list some in my PsychologyToday.com article today.  Perhaps one or more will please you, or better, trigger your own list of pristine pleasures.

Vetting an Employer

Many job seekers find the job very different than it appeared when they applied for the job.  

My PsychologyToday.com article today helps you vet an employer.

Advanced Tips for Launching or Relaunching Your Career

The federal government released statistics Saturday that supported findings reported a couple of years ago in The Atlantic: college graduates are having a helluva time launching their career. 

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I attempt to offer help for those starting out or attempting to restart their career.

How Do We Really Feel About Mass Syrian and Other Immigration?

Especially when the media shows us wrenching images of struggling Syrian refugees, it's easy to support their mass immigration to Europe and the U.S. 

But it's a complicated and emotional issue. I try to explore both sides in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Integrity in a Job Search?!

It's ever harder for not-stars to land good, stable employment, so it's tempting to use such deceptions as hiring someone to write your resume and feed you B.S. answers to cover up your weaknesses, employment gaps, etc. 

My PsychologyToday.com article today makes the case that such subterfuge is not only unethical but not pragmatically in your interest.

Vetting Employers

Many people regret having taken a particular job because they didn't realize what the organization, boss, or job was really like.

The savvy job seeker vets the job and employer in all these ways:

1. Ask colleagues for recommended employers or work groups within an organization. Describe the sort of environment you work best in: fast-paced, high-level, quiet, relaxed with emphasis on work-life balance, techie, etc.

2. Read between the lines of advertised jobs. Ads that, for example, ask that the candidate be "high-energy and self-motivated" gives you a clue.

3. Check out a company on Glassdoor.com. It offers reviews of companies. Like all such reviews they're overweighted by shills and the disgruntled but if there are a number of reviews, the noise tends to cancel out.

4. During the interviews, ask questions to tease out info on the job, the boss, the coworkers, and workplace culture. For example, "What would you expect I'd accomplish in the first 30 days?" or "Every boss is different. In what way are you different from other bosses?"

5. After being offered the job but before accepting it, ask if you can visit your workplace both to negotiate terms and get a feel for the place. Hang out in the break room and ask employees questions like, "I've been offered a job here but haven't accepted yet. Is there anything you feel I should know that might not appear in the employee handbook?" Of course, you won't always get revealing answers but it can't hurt to ask.

Vetting an employer that way puts the odds of your being happy in your new job in your favor. The other component is you: your skills and your attitude. Also do a good job in those departments, and I'm betting all will be well.

Coping with Waiting

Waiting for a response can be frustrating. I offer some tips in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Musings During a Walk

I made notes of  thoughts I had while taking a walk today and posted them as my PsychologyToday.com article today.

In Praise of the One-Second Pause

Waiting one full second after someone finishes talking yields remarkable benefit to the speaker and to you. I flesh it out in my PsychologyToday.com article today.