How to Keep Your New Job

In this economy, a job is like a bar of gold. A bar of gold encrusted with diamonds and pearls, with the cure for cancer etched into it.

Forbes magazine says 25% of new employees don’t last a year, and 50% are gone by 18 months. So if you land a new job, it’s quite important to keep that job. There are plenty of other people who want it.

Some advice for the newly employed:

Make sure you and your boss have the same understanding of your job description. Maybe you applied for Assistant Regional Manager, but your boss hired you for Assistant to the Regional Manager. Or perhaps you and your supervisor agree on the title, but not on what the job responsibilities are. Employers have a tendency to make positions more attractive than they are, just as job applicants exaggerate their own qualifications.

If there seem to be any differences between what you and your boss expected, bring the issue up at once. You might be doing a great job at what you thought your position was, while your boss might think you’re screwing up. Clear the air, make sure you’re on the same page, and don’t overuse tired cliches like “clear the air” and “on the same page.”

Don’t march in on day one and try to change everything. Some particularly egotistical people (especially in management) think they need to establish themselves on the first day as the new gun in town. As soon as they hit the ground, they are running –right into other employees, who may not appreciate the new person marking his or her territory.

Don’t try to remake your office, department or company as soon as you arrive. First, there may be perfectly valid reasons why your new company does things the way they do them. And second, your bosses and co-workers don’t know you or trust you yet. No one wants a stranger to show up and tell them everything they’re doing is wrong.

Spend at least a few weeks meeting your co-workers and discussing why they do what they do the way they do it. Then, once you’ve established yourself, start making suggestions to co-workers, and instituting your way of doing things with subordinates.

Promote yourself. You may be doing great work, but when the layoffs come six months from now, the newest hires will be the first to go. And if none of the managers can remember who you are or what you do, they will have no compunctions about letting you go.

Meet as many people as you can at your new job. Stay in communication with your supervisor, and keep him or her apprised of what you’re working on. Go to work parties and after-work drinks. Get noticed — it’s much harder to lay off a friend or acquaintance than a total stranger. And networking will promote your career in other ways as well.

Be honest if you don’t know what you’re doing. New hires are often terrified to admit they’re not sure how to complete a task, or are unclear on their job requirements. If you don’t know how to deal with something, there are two choices — face the embarrassment of admitting this to your boss, or never get the task done and turn what may be a small problem into a big disaster.

I’ve had to go to a new supervisor and say “I don’t know how to do this,” and face the boss’ confusion and anger. But your resume said you could [job skill]! What kind of a [insert job title here] doesn’t know how to do this? The problem may stem from you and your boss have differing ideas about your job description; or maybe the person you replaced had a different skill set than you do.

But keeping your problem a secret will only make it worse. Learn what you need to learn, and the problem is solved.

Don’t be tardy; dress appropriately; stay late; work hard. I shouldn’t have to add these, but apparently not everyone knows that the first 90 days of your job are like a trial period. Do your absolute best.

Got any further advice for new employees? Let us know in the comments.

Tags: currently employed, job advice, office politics, social networking

Thinking About Job Relocation?

As a result of the global economic meltdown, companies are trying to find ways to cut costs. In addition to compensation freezes and layoffs, some firms are relocating to areas with lower real estate or rental prices, and where workers are used to drawing smaller salaries.

In order to keep your current job, you may be asked to move — to a new city, a new state, possibly even a new country. This can be one of the hardest decisions you’ll have to make. And moving is right up there with divorce, a death in the family, and losing your job as a life event that provokes stress and doubt.

Some advice:

Only relocate if both the job and the company are secure. Sometimes this is hard to gauge, and you may have to take a leap of faith. But the last thing you want is to uproot your life to a new city, just to lose your job three months later because the company is failing. And remember, when you join a new office, if they do decide to hold layoffs, the “new” people at that office will be the first to go — even if you’ve been with the firm much longer.

Consider the effect on your family. If you have a spouse and children, their happiness should be more important than your career. Still, they have to eat, so the relocation may be necessary. Discuss the issue with your family. Listen to what your kids have to say. Make the decision as a family unit, and the upheaval will be easier to bear.

Get help choosing a new place to live. It happens all the time — someone planning to move to a new city or state finds a great apartment or house close to the work site, and seals the deal. And it’s not until you arrive that you find out your new home is wedged between a crack den and a drum school.

Find a local native, and get some advice about which neighborhoods would be right for you and your family.

Meet as many locals, as soon as you can. There are two reasons for this — one is that you and your family are leaving your whole support system, friends and possibly family, behind you. Start making friends, both at work and in your neighborhood. Join a club, or take a class. Building up a social group is key to finding happiness in a new city.

Also, if your company should lay you off, you won’t be all alone in a new place. Some of your new friends and business colleagues may be able to help you find new work.

Got any more advice for those considering relocation? Let us know in the comments!

Tags: economic meltdown, job security, networking, relocation, social networking

Are You Employable?

Everybody wants to find employment. Well, almost everybody.

But how many people worry about their employability? How much do you do to make yourself attractive to employers?

Here are some examples:

Be open to new careers. Your experience may be valuable to a firm in a different field. Don’t trap yourself within one industry — you can always return to it later, especially if the skill sets are similar.

Be relocatable. If you’re willing to move to another part of town, another town, another state, or even another country, guess what? The field of available jobs just grew exponentially. Some companies will even pay to move you. This is harder if you have a family. But if you can do it, then be brave and take the plunge. Apply for jobs in places you think you might like to live, and let recruiters know you can relocate. And if someone calls about a job in some place of which you have never heard, listen to the offer. It might lead you to a great new life!

Clean up your web presence. It’s not that companies look for reasons not to hire you. It’s that they have so many applicants, they can afford to be selective. So if you are putting things on web sites and social networks that would be perfectly appropriate in your personal life, but might make an employer nervous — take them down. Of course it’s not fair. Do you want a job, or not?

Take classes. No matter what your career, you should always keep your skill set fresh. Take classes, attend workshops, and go to conventions. It’s fun, it’s great for networking, and it impresses employers. It is also expensive, so choose carefully.

Have great references. Employers love nothing better than to be able to speak to another professional within their industry, who is willing to speak enthusiatically about a possible hire. It’s better than any resume, cover letter, or even letter of recommendation. Of course, if you want an employer to love you and talk about your great work, you have to be lovable and do great work. Or have something on him or her for blackmail puposes.

Tags: career change, classes, Internet, job search advice, job skills, professional references, relocation, social networking