‘Career’ Articles at Everyday People

Never Look Back !!

I have some questions for you. Do you enjoy being in your job? Is it what you expected? Are you engaged yourself?

These are the types of questions you would use to have a conversation with an employee to help them gauge whether they are enjoying their work or not. In HR we may do this as part of coaching or it could come up in an employee review. It seems like a natural occurrence when we are trying to assist others, but do we ask them of ourselves?

In HR we are very comfortable and willing to help other employees, but we rarely take care of ourselves. We think that career management is for everyone else. To be honest, I’ve fallen in to this trap during periods throughout my career. It’s easy to do. We’re willing to tell people to be reflective and we may even assist them in finding different roles. This is a great facet of our job and something that most enjoy.

I get concerned that HR people don’t manage their own careers. I get the sense that many (not all) trudge through their function on a daily basis. There’s a more prevalent vibe that we “tolerate” what we do instead of thriving in it with passion. It caught me when I was shuffling through my endless, and constant, stream of music this weekend when I was enjoying “Could Have Been Me” by The Struts. When you get to the chorus of this rocking song you hear:

“I wanna live better days, Never look back and say, Could have been me, It could have been me.”

That hit me because I don’t want to ever be the person who has regrets about what could have been in the past. I don’t want to be in a situation or job where I have more “what if’s” than I do accomplishments. When I started working, I never had these types of thoughts because the expectation of the workplace was more that you went to work out of need or obligation. The social norm was that you worked because you were supposed to.

I don’t look back and have poor feelings about some of my jobs, but I wish someone would have encouraged me to own what I do and where I do it. I have to say that when I finally started to do this, I began to truly enjoy HR and all it has to offer. It changed how I practiced and it drove me to make sure that others in my profession step back as well.

When we are engaged in what we do, we can model it for others. If HR isn’t personally engaged, then they can’t expect others to be engaged. People will replicate the behavior they see more than they will in responding to some program you throw together.

I love what I do and I love the company where I get to practice HR. It doesn’t stop me from managing my career. Far from it. I’m always looking at what I do and how I can impact the organization and our people. It has allowed me to look ahead and never look back.

This week I encourage you to reflect, refuse to just trudge along and move forward. You owe it to yourself, your company and to those you impact !!

Golden Years !!

“Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere . . .” David Bowie

As you read this, you’re probably starting your next work week. What does that look like for you? I can’t venture to say what the details are in what you do because everyone’s job is different. What I’m wondering is – do you have a “job” or are you in a stage of your “career” ??

This year I hit a milestone that never seemed within reach when I graduated college. I am entering my 30th year in Human Resources !! I haven’t been in the same role or at the same company, but I’m still in the field I began. I honestly would have to say that I’m more geeked about HR now than when I started !!

Now, I can’t say looking back that I saw each position I held as a step in my career. In fact, I would even say that the goal coming out of college was not to have a career, but to secure a job. I wanted to be out on my own and be able to provide for myself. It never dawned on me to think of anything but short-term objectives. Also, I have to admit the focus of work was to keep my job and make sure I didn’t lose it.

When I look at the profession, and also at all types of occupations, I think the predominant thought of employees is to keep their job versus growing in a career. This is a reflection of a company’s culture. Honestly, we have more of an expectation for people to “show up” than we do for them to contribute, perform and thrive.

This needs to change. It’s a hidden obstacle within a company’s make-up that is hindering it from excelling by not expecting the best from its people and encouraging them to grow. We tolerate people taking up space each day and think that this is how work works.

I’d love to see HR take the lead in shifting how we view our roles, but we need to be willing to make the first step. HR people don’t typically manage their own careers. We assume positions within organizations, but we never step back and evaluate if this is where we want to be or if it’s what we want to be doing. Aren’t you tired of going to work and just “existing” in your role ??

You really shouldn’t settle. I understand there are times over the course of your work life cycle where you may have to take a job because there aren’t other options. Even then you can choose to approach each job you have differently. It shouldn’t be “taking you nowhere.”

I would encourage you to find HR folks who have managed their career well and connect with them. Ask them what has worked for them and what hasn’t. See how they evaluate work, HR and their lives in general. Trust me when I tell you that they won’t find this intrusive at all. The folks I know that manage their careers well are willing to share their ups and downs.

This week, step back and take a look. Do you just have a job or are you performing at the most recent stage in your career? If it’s only a job, it’s time to change. This may mean changing your role, or it may only mean changing how you approach what you’re doing and understand that it’s part of your career.

You have to understand that you’re in your golden years right now. Don’t wait for some mythical time that is supposed to be bestowed upon you in the future. Time to take hold of who you are and flourish now !!

It Only Takes 3 Chords !!

I don’t know if many people were as excited as I was about some music news this week, but I was Geeked !! Rock giants, AC/DC, released their seventeenth album called Rock or Bust. I’ve heard a few tracks and it sounds much like their whole catalog.

You may not be a fan of these Metal legends, but I found myself immersed in them because the Classic Rock station on Sirius XM was “taken over” as AC/DC radio. Members of the band shared their past experiences and their excitement over their new work.

AC/DC is one of those bands who people have been critical about because they follow a simple three chord method to their songs. It’s true that their songs don’t have a ton of musical variety, but they have released songs that will be played for generations to come.

So, what does this shout-out to one of my fave bands have to do with HR ?? Everything, but it takes you looking at something that is missing and how this can fix it !!

I continue to come across HR people who are in transition. I am surprised that the first time I meet them is when they are looking for a job. It is disappointing because I have this crazy goal that I want to be connected with as many HR people as I can. I don’t want to see anyone who isn’t a part of a greater HR community.

I don’t understand it. I don’t understand how you can be in HR and not be intentionally connected to others in our field. These connections are so much more than a method to find another HR gig. They result in strong, life-long relationships filled with resources and knowledge that you can’t get on your own. It’s just not possible.

I don’t feel that everyone should try to have as many contacts as someone else, but you should have three !! You see, I believe in the power of mentoring. I don’t follow the definition that you find in many HR circles stating that you set up a mentoring relationships for a set period of time and then it should fade away. I think that this approach often turns out one sided and focuses on someone’s specific need instead of looking at the whole.

So, here’s the model I do follow !! You can’t have a mentor unless you mentor someone yourself. The three “chord” model makes sure that you are giving as well as learning from someone else.

I also feel that you should seek out these triads intentionally. I have a few mentors who I’ve been with for decades and I have a few mentees who have been with me for many years as well. I also make sure that the relationships are as deep as needed. The mentor/mentee relationships I have vary from somewhat more on the surface to others that know no end to their depth !!

In fact, I just reached out to a friend to ask if I could have him be a mentor and work with him in 2015. His response was awesome – “color me intrigued and honored.” I’m excited to see where it goes.

So, I ask you to join me and set up your trio of connections !! Remember it only takes three chords to make a band !! To get you started, I leave you with this . . . (you’re welcome.)

Image courtesy of Old Skool Hooligan Tees

Do You Love Your Job ??

Today is a first for Everyday People !! I’m away on vacation with my amazing family, so I decided to have a guest post. This is the first guest post ever for my blog, so I only have the BEST person to break this barrier – Dr. Daniel Crosby, PhD !!

Daniel is a dear friend and an incredible resource. He is doing great work with Suited Jobs that you MUST check out !! Suited is a tool that provides fit scores for
your company culture, job and provides suggestions for work that might better
suit you. Now, for the good Dr. !!

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One-sided relationships never work. This maxim sounds true, yet too many of us think that it doesn’t apply to our jobs.

Being highly committed to your job not only helps your employer, it helps you. Researchers have pointed out several benefits:

You’ll go above and beyond to be innovative and creative in your work.
You’ll be more motivated.
You’ll take less stress home with you.
You’ll be more likely to be recognized for your work.

Take an honest look at your relationship with your job. When was the last time you did something for your job you didn’t have to do? When was the last time you went out of your way for your job and didn’t complain? When was the last time you woke up excited to spend time with your job?

If the fire is no longer burning, just take a lesson from James Ziemer and find reasons to be committed to your work.

James Ziemer, the former CEO of Harley-Davidson, started with the company in 1969. Only he didn’t start as an executive. He entered the organization as a lowly freight elevator operator. In this job, he was responsible for hauling motorcycle equipment from floor to floor. Only he wasn’t hauling just any old parts. To Ziemer, they were the crown jewels of the company. In the years that followed, Ziemer became familiar with the operations of other parts of the business; he later worked in the manufacturing, engineering, accounting, parts and accessories, and finance departments. All of these experiences, in one way or another, would prove instrumental as he took on an executive role. Ziemer’s early experiences with Harley-Davidson were inextricable from the perspective he held while sitting at the top of the company.

Remember Ziemer’s story when thinking about your own work day. This new perspective can change how you look at mundane tasks and help to rekindle the old flame. Think of your job tasks as paving the way to something bigger and better.

Making cold calls? Sales skills will come in handy when negotiating your first large-scale acquisition.

Crunching numbers? You’ll need that skill when calculating your own salary.

Remember to look at the big picture. You might not be sitting pretty with your trophy job at the moment, but you’ll be proving to yourself that you are ready for more than just another quick Hollywood-type fling.