Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

How Not to Get Fired Like the Yahoo! CEO

Last week, Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson was called to step down from his position following a scandal involving his credentials.  An investor recently discovered that on Thompson’s resume, the ex-CEO claims he graduated with a computer science degree from Stonehill College, when in fact he finished with an accounting degree.  A computer science degree did not even exist at the school at the time.

When the truth came out, Thompson blamed a headhunting firm for misrepresenting his education when he was in the process of being hired by eBay in the mid-2000s.  It didn’t work.  The firm fought back by providing Yahoo! with a copy of Thompson’s original resume – fake degree and all.

A while back, I talked about how to cope productively in the wake of scandal.  And cope productively Thompson did not.  For all of the details about what he did wrong and how you can avoid it, check out my recent post on the Quickbase blog.

How to Avoid Trouble Online

By now, you’ve probably heard of Crystal Cox, the blogger who was sued for libel by Obsidian Financial Group after Cox wrote that some of their business practices were illegal. Cox is now required to pay $2.5 million because a judge ruled she was not a journalist and therefore not entitled to protect anonymous sources.

This is a scary story because one definitely gets the sense that Cox thought she was doing the right thing and had no intention of getting into hot water over it.  And I suspect that millions of casual social media consumers are in a similar boat right this minute.

Self-Censorship is Key

My rule of thumb for staying out of trouble online is not to post anything – anywhere – that you wouldn’t be comfortable seeing on the home page of Google, or that you wouldn’t want read by your grandmother or religious officiant.  This (usually) means no posts or images involving sex, drugs, or radical politics.

It’s Not Always Obvious

When you are employed with an organization, what you can and cannot post online takes on a whole new dimension.  In general, you should always think before you post, because there are the obvious no nos (such as not writing that you hate your company or that you are looking for a new job) and the not-so-obvious no nos (such as posting a company announcement on Facebook or giving a colleague a reference on LinkedIn).

Privacy Controls Are Not Everything

You are not excused from careful consideration if you make use of privacy controls on your social media networks, or if you don’t think you are “friends” with anyone who could disapprove.  This approach is by no means full proof.  As an example, a young professional I know in Chicago got fired after she called in sick but sent a live tweet to her friends from a Cubs game the same day.  One of her friends re-tweeted the remark, which eventually found its way back to the young professional’s boss.

Know the Rules

It is also critical that you understand that company’s policy when it comes to social media.  Hopefully, this is written down somewhere.  If you can’t find it, ask a contact in HR.  Otherwise, you could end up posting something that will cost you your job.  Even if you were completely in the dark and your intentions were totally innocent, at-will employment laws in most states mean that an organization doesn’t need a serious reason or in depth process to let you go.  And worse, if word gets around why you were fired, it may be difficult to secure another position because other organizations will be leery of your lack of discretion.

Thou Shall Not Resume Blast or Defame

Staying out of trouble online involves more than just social media too.  When you’re job hunting, be aware that when you post your resume in a public place, you risk your boss or HR department discovering it while sourcing candidates.  And, in light of the example at the top of this post, please do not defame anyone on a website.  It may seem like a good way to let off some steam, but your comments could come back to haunt you – if not legally, then personally or professionally.

If you’re a bit freaked out by this advice, that’s good, because it means you will be more vigilant. Remember: if in doubt about a piece of information, keep it to yourself.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

 

How to Apply for a Job Internally

In this job market, when it’s generally safest to stay where you are, the internal move has become a popular option for dissatisfied employees.  But how should you handle the delicate matter of applying for a different job in your organization?  For advice, I turned to Alison Green, who features this question in her excellent eBook How to Get a Job: Secrets from a Hiring Manager.

Don’t Act Rashly

Alison recommends that before you apply, you should be reasonably sure you actually want the job.  You should not interview for positions you either don’t want or don’t know too much about yet, as that’s wasting everyone’s time.  You can sniff around for information, but do not do anything definitive until you are certain there’s a good chance you’d take the position.

Tell Your Boss First

Once you formally throw your hat in the ring (i.e. submit an application), you won’t be able to hide the news from your boss, so your current manager should hear it from you, not from someone else.  Alison instructs us to be prepared for her to react badly.  “Be ready with an explanation that will control the fall-out – for example, this is an opportunity you can’t resist and you really want to grow your career in a company you love.”

Do a Thorough Wrap-Up

According to Alison, unless your boss is totally unprofessional, she should be able to handle the news like a grown-up, and you’ll be on your way.  I will just add that, of course, you'll want to stay busy doing top-quality work and putting things in order until your very last second working in your current position.  When you’re staying with the same organization, it’s even more imperative that you keep your reputation spotless and don’t burn bridges.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

 

Do You Talk About Yourself Too Much at Work?

Some people start out just wanting to share quality information, and so others listen to them in order to learn and reap of the benefit of the experience and knowledge.

Unfortunately, many of these same people become addicted to the attention paid to them, and they gradually become narcissistic.  Their advice becomes less about situations that apply to the audience in general, and more about, well, them. Their conversations become a string of “I think X, I feel Y, and I do Z.”

I see this primarily in workplaces and online, but it’s rampant in social situations as well.  Let’s say you’re at a party.  If you’re a good listener, and you know how to ask relevant questions in order to show interest in other people, you will inevitably be stuck talking to someone who is more than happy to go on and on about herself.   She may invite you to respond to a remark, only to instantly turn the conversation back to herself.

Effective communication is absolutely one of the most underrated and critical skills in business today.  And you can’t be a good communicator unless you are constantly at thinking about how what you are saying is perceived by others.  Now, while some people won’t find self-absorbed colleagues all that annoying, others will be driven up the wall and may actually go out of their way to avoid working with them.

Here are a few suggestions to keep from monopolizing conversations:

Every time someone asks you a question, ask one in return.

Then listen to the answer, and ask a follow up.  For example:  “Do you have kids too?  How old are they?”  If the person is giving you one-word answers, probe a bit to see if you can get them to open up.

When conversing one-on-one, don’t speak longer than a minute without a break.

Even if you’re relating a long story, stop and ask for feedback or encourage the other person to interject a thought.

Monitor your own contributions.

If you know you have the tendency to talk about yourself a lot, choose a conversation in which you pay careful attention to the number of times you spontaneously bring up your own experiences or opinions.  Take notes immediately following the conversation so that you can be as accurate as possible.

If you write, don’t always default to your own experiences.

Remember that others don’t care what you did yesterday, they want to know what they should do tomorrow.  If you want to include a case study or anecdote, select someone else’s story to prove your point.  Similarly, make sure that the opinions you present are routinely backed up by facts.

Self-absorption can sneak up on a person, and the best way to fight it is awareness.  By recognizing that you’re focused too much on yourself, you can actively take steps to make sure you’re protecting your work relationships.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

See Yourself as Others See You

Over at the Harvard Business Review blogs, Linda Hill and Kent Lineback have a terrific post on the importance of knowing how your words and actions are perceived by those who report to you.  As Linda and Kent rightfully point out, though, getting a truthful answer is easier said than done.  Here are some of their top recommendations for getting honest feedback about how others see you:

Establish ongoing human connections

Is there an easy give-and-take between you and your reports? Are you able to carry on a real conversation about a variety of topics, business and personal? Can you disagree and respectfully discuss your differences? Without such connections, which require time to establish, little else you do is likely to uncover others' thoughts and feelings, especially about you as a boss.

React calmly and constructively to negative feedback

You needn't accept everything you hear. But when you disagree, do you seek clarification, pose thoughtful questions, and ask for examples? Or do you respond angrily and deny defensively what you're hearing? Only as people test your tolerance will you slowly build a reputation for a willingness to hear and accept candid comments.

Seek out perspectives in the context of a specific task

Asking broad, general questions can feel threatening to those you're asking, particularly if they work for you. So, develop a practice of checking in with people at the beginning and end of a piece of work.  Use the specific piece of work as a setting for a candid discussion of what worked and what didn't, where you might have done less or more, and what you should do differently next time.

Build an internal development network

Communicate regularly with a group of trusted advisers who are willing to provide their honest reactions to how you’re operating within the organization.  Members of your development network are most likely to be peers and colleagues and may include a more senior mentor.

Tap your boss

A good manager is willing to pass on what she hears about you from others.  She also has access to organizational information and commentary not available to you and so can offer a broader perspective on how you're perceived.

As Linda and Kent point out, being able to accurately understand how you are perceived requires putting in time and effort to establish strong internal relationships, which, as a manager, helps you in many other ways as well.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

4 Ways to Succeed at an Online or Offline Start-Up

I recently had the opportunity to meet Sarah Fudin, a young professional working with 2tor, Inc, an education start-up company that partners with elite universities to bring master degree programs online, in particular USC's Masters in Teaching online program.  Sarah felt that my readers needed some tips for succeeding in a start-up organization, and here's what she suggested:

Be prepared to work hard and expect rewards: The start-up climate is fast paced and crazy at times so expect to work hard, but also expect that people will notice your hard work and reward you.  The environment is not so crowded that stellar results get lost.

Ask for help when you need it: Don’t be afraid to ask colleagues or managers for help if you don’t understand something.  Everyone is stretched thin in this sort of environment, but everyone also deeply cares about the work you are all doing for the greater good of the company. 

Don’t turn down happy hour:  The start-up environment promotes working closely with your colleagues and you’ll probably become pretty friendly with most of them.  Be prepared to be invited to happy hours, office bowling events, etc., and be sure to show up.  Such events are a great way to get to know colleagues on a personal level, make new connections and network.

Know what your colleagues are working on:  Remember that you're all on the same team.  Find out what others are working on and share what you’re working on – sometimes they’ll overlap and you can help each other achieve the company's goals.

Work Effectively Across Cultures

Over at Harvard Business Review, Amy Gallo recently had a fantastic post on how to collaborate with people from different cultures – a skill that is now necessary for all managers.  Gallo interviewed Mansour Javidan, the Director of the Global Mindset Institute at Thunderbird School of Global Management and author of  “Making It Overseas,” and Andy Molinsky, a professor of organizational behavior at the Brandeis University International Business School and author of “Switching Cultural Codes.”  Here are some of their top recommendations:

Prepare for Some Discomfort

Working across cultures is likely to push you out of your comfort zone, and out of the cultural lens you’ve maintained since you were a child.  Don't beat yourself up for feeling awkward. Accept that it is part of the process.

Be Aware of Your Actions

When you have to deal with someone who has a different cultural background, you need to learn to manually manage your cultural lens. You must be cognizant of your actions and ask yourself questions you haven't had to before: What is the right thing to say? What is the right way to say it? What is my body language saying? This awareness allows you to adjust your behaviors so they are better received and understood.

Acknowledge Differences

Rather than skirting around disparities, both sides of a cross-cultural collaboration should explain how they typically work. But once those dissimilarities are on the table, don't harp on them. Instead, focus on what you are trying to accomplish together. This shared goal serves as the basis of your work and your relationship.

Beware of Stereotypes

Once you've done the advanced research about the work practices of the culture you are going to work with, be careful with what you've learned. Stereotyping can be offensive and ineffective. Understand what the typical response or approach is, but also remember that all individuals are different.

Build Trust and be Curious

Fostering confidence is done differently across cultures. People tend to be more guarded in task-oriented situations so use a social setting to establish a personal relationship. Invite your counterpart out to a meal or coffee. During these interactions, be curious. Learn how to say a few words in the other person's language. Ask what it means to be a successful leader in their country.

Create a Hybrid Culture

The goal is not to adapt to one culture or another but to decide on a way that you are both comfortable working. Managers of global teams often end up building a hybrid culture. The key is to be flexible. Through discussion, you can find an integrative solution that works for both parties.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

How To Make Money Off Your Social Media Skills

Who better to learn from than someone who has been successful at what you're trying to do?  That's the case with Alexis Grant, a former writer and editor at US News and World Report who has just launched a thriving social media consultancy.  Alexis has written a book, How to Build a Part-Time Social Media Business, and was kind enough to share some of its highlights with us:

1. Recognize the opportunity. Yes, most people make money through a full-time job. But if you can’t find one, or you want to make some money on the side, putting your social media skills to use can be a great way to do that. The challenge: finding someone who will pay for those skills.

The good news is, there are lots of individuals, organizations and companies that will pay to tap into your knowledge and ease using social media. While it’s second nature for you to use Facebook and YouTube, business people often don’t have the time or desire to learn how to use those networks strategically. That’s where you come in!

2. Think about what services you want to provide. Do you want to coach individuals one-on-one to use social media? Or draw up strategies for companies that want to create communities online? Or maybe you want to run social-media campaigns for organizations – an approach I recommend in my e-guide, partly because clients often pay for those services on a monthly retainer rather than with a one-time check.

3. Beef up your experience. If you took advantage of summer internships during college, you might have enough experience – both to know what you’re doing and to convince clients that you know what you’re doing – to jump right in.

If you don’t, look for ways to practice these skills. Can you create a social media strategy for a parents’ friend’s business? Sit down with a neighbor for a social-media coaching session? Volunteer to spread the word online about a campaign or cause?  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need a full-time job to gain this experience. Look outside the box for other opportunities.

4. Use your network to land clients. You’ve built up awesome followings on Facebook and hopefully Twitter and LinkedIn – now use them.

Tell your network about the services you’ve decided to offer, so they’ll think of you when an opportunity arises. Don’t be shy about asking your friends (nicely) to spread the word; if they like and trust you, they’ll want to help you succeed. And make sure to take advantage of an often-overlooked networking gem: your parents, and even your friends’ parents. Let them know about your new consulting biz, so they can refer you to their friends when the timing’s right.

5. Figure out how – and how much – to charge. It sounds like it should be simple, but charging for consulting can be daunting, especially at the beginning. In most cases, you’ll want to charge an hourly rate or a project rate (which is loosely based on the hourly rate), so think ahead of time about which fee structure works best for any given client.

If you want to get a sense of what other consultants charge, ask that question in LinkedIn Answers or look for other inquiries that revolve around the same issue. Beware though, that prices for social-media consulting run the gamut. Base your rates on what you think each individual client will pay and how much you want to make off the work rather than what other people are charging.

 

Obama’s American Jobs Act: Job Seekers Should Target Small Businesses

On Thursday, September 8, President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve a nearly half-trillion-dollar plan called the American Jobs Act, which seeks to bolster the economy by cutting payroll taxes for employers and employees, aiding the long-term unemployed, and improving the country’s physical infrastructure.

Most notable, in my opinion, is the $65 billion designated to encourage small businesses to hire more workers.  This will be done by cutting employer payroll taxes to 3.1 percent for the first $5 million of a company’s wage bill, which Obama claimed will reach 98 percent of small businesses.  And those companies that increase their payroll over last year by hiring new employees or increasing existing employees’ salaries will receive a total payroll tax holiday. 

Stay Local to Find Employment

As a founding member of the Career Advisory Board, presented by DeVry University, I’ve often advised people out of work they should go local, and this is a critical piece of advice now more than ever.  Businesses with fewer than 500 employees make up half of the workforce in the United States, and over the last decade or so, have created about 70 percent of all jobs.  Even at the height of the recession, many small businesses were still hiring. Case in point: executive coaching firm Visage recently found that 54 percent of small business CEOs planned to add employees over the next 12 months.

If you’re a teacher, police officer, firefighter, or construction worker, you may find additional job opportunities opening up as a result of Obama’s plan. But everyone else on the market should at least consider making small businesses a search target.

Marketing Yourself to Small Businesses

When it comes to marketing yourself to small businesses, you must rely even less on the Internet, because many hire through word of mouth.  They want to bring in candidates referred personally by someone they trust, or candidates they have already seen in action.  Perhaps they have worked with these candidates in some capacity before, or have met them through third-party professional associations, chambers of commerce, or local volunteer events.  So if you want to be hired by a small business, you have to go out of your way to be visible in your community and leverage any opportunity to network in person. 

In an interview with a small business CEO or owner, you need to demonstrate a solid knowledge of the company and its mission.  Remember that many people start their own businesses because they have a particular vision, so make sure you understand what that is and can speak about it with passion.  Explain why you want to work with a small company as opposed to a large one to assuage fears that you’ll jump ship when a multi-national conglomerate comes calling.

Finally, it’s imperative that small business employees wear many hats, so emphasize your wide range of skills and your enthusiasm for picking up new ones.  For example, maybe you’re in finance but would like to learn more about sales.  Any way you can underscore your ability to work hard, impress customers, and mobilize a small team to get results quickly will earn you points.    

What Does Being a Mentor Mean?

I received this e-mail from a reader, and it’s not the first time I’ve gotten this question:

Dear Alexandra:  A college graduate asked me to be her mentor.  What does this mean?  I have two kids in high school and I’m a little worried that I don’t have time for such a thing.

Attached at the Hip?

It’s a valid concern.  You want to help out a young professional, but you also have a day job and a family.  You don’t want to spend several hours every week helping her navigate through every minute aspect of her job search, college-to-career transition, or problem at work.

Lay out the Relationship Clearly

Fortunately, a good mentor relationship doesn’t necessarily entail that you become your mentee’s third parent.  The key is to concretely establish the parameters at the beginning of the relationship so that you and your mentee are on the same page.  What are her expectations, and will you be able to meet them?  What is she looking for help with specifically? How often will you meet, and how/when will she contact you outside of those meeting times?  How long will the engagement last?

It’s Easier Than it Sounds

You don’t have to turn a mentoring engagement into your next giant project.  In fact, you may well find that you have the ability to help your mentee meet her goals and pursue her path with confidence simply by occasionally sharing your own experiences and what you learned from them.  This can often be done over one or two lunch meetings.  Most of my mentoring relationships have been relatively short-lived, and it’s a pleasure to see that the few hours I invest on the front end often significantly influence my mentee’s future.   You can make a difference without having to replace the time and care you spend nurturing the important individuals in your life.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.