Five types of difficult employee (and how to manage them)

Five types of difficult employee (and how to manage them) by Michael Cheary It’s an unfortunate fact that your colleagues won’t always be easy to get along with…The problem is, if that member of staff is someone you manage, not dealing with the situation effectively could have massive repercussions when it comes to workplace morale not to mention seriously harm your working relationship with your staff.To help you decide the best way to get address the situation, here are five types of difficult employee, and what you can do to manage them:The Lazy OneWho they are: The lazy employee comes in many forms, but they always have one thing in common: they’re not pulling their weight. Not to be confused with the under-performing employee. It’s not so much that they’re struggling, but more that they just don’t really care. Lazy by design.How to spot them: Their favoured habitat is basically anywhere other than their desk. Can often be seen chatting to numerous people around the office, scrolling through Instagram, making yet another round of coffees in the kitchen or just generally disappearing for hours on end.What to do: Because lazy employees are usually adept at covering up their lack of productivity, you may find it tricky to catch them in action â€" but don’t fall for their excuses. Remain firm and redirect the lazy employee to appropriate tasks, and make sure you regularly check in on their progress. Once they know their shirking has been spotted, they’re usually much more inclined to pull their weight.The Overly Ambitious OneWho they are: Ok, so there’s nothing wrong with showing a little ambition. However, it does begin to become a problem when people blur the lines between determination and just trying to outdo everyone around them. They’re the employees who will try to undermine your authority by cross-examining you, questioning your instructions and, sometimes, by blatantly going their own way instead of yours. Let’s face it, nobody likes a try hard.How to spot them: Often seen hol ding court, advising and micro-managing their colleagues, these employees tend to need constant input and reassurance so that they feel valued. If they begin feeling like they’re underappreciated, can have a habit of inventing things for themselves to ‘be in charge of’. Think ‘Floor Champion’ or ‘Officer in Charge of Staples’, or any other title which gives them license to start bossing other people around.What to do: These employees may be irritating but they can be kept in check. It’s all about delegation. By regularly ensuring they have enough work to do, they feel more appreciated and less likely to show off at every opportunity. So give them their dues and let them work hard. It’s all they ever really want.The Dramatic OneWho they are:   AKA ‘the Dalai Drama’. As the title suggests, these are the employees who don’t feel their day has been a success unless there have been a few tears, a little bit of shouting and a betrayal or two. If no real drama is av ailable, they’ll either get on board someone else’s or do their best to invent some.How to spot them: The first person on the scene if there’s any hint of a situation going south. May also be seen pacing angrily up and down the room, or trotting out one of their own self-created catchphrases (e.g. ‘Why am I doing ALL the work’, ‘Have you heard what happened?’, and other terrible attempts at making them the centre of attention).What to do: The best approach in dealing with these employees is to remain short and sharp. Remind them that the workplace is no place for gossip, or unnecessary drama, and ask them to keep it as professional as possible moving forward. Just make sure that there isn’t an underlying issue before you talk to them. The constant need for drama can sometimes be used to cover something bigger.The ‘Hilarious’ OneWho they are: The perennial class clown in school, their main aim in life is to get as many laughs as possible. Think of them as a frustr ated stand-up comedian. Always up for a laugh and willing to put themselves on the line for the sake of ‘banter’. ROFL. LOL. Etc.How to spot them: They’re the one in the silly hat. Literally. Outfits may also contain t shirts with slogans on them, or other equally cool pop-culture references. May also sometimes be seen hanging around the watercooler, trying out their latest material. Literal or metaphorical.What to do: In reality, they’re usually the last bothersome of all bothersome employees. Well-meaning and cheerful, they just want everyone to be happy. But if their shenanigans are causing too many disruptions, it’s time to get things in check. Instead of singling them out, sit down with the whole team to talk about the importance of maintaining focus. You don’t have to be a killjoy; but you do have to place the emphasis back on productivity.The Cynical OneWho they are: This is the employee who never cracks a smile. Not even when the day’s over and it’s time to h ead home. They’re the person who walks in and out of the office with the weight of the world visibly resting on their shoulders. Just watching them is likely to put you in a bad mood.How to spot them: They’re the one person in the office who doesn’t want to come for an after work drink or team lunch. Unlikely to contribute to office chat, unless it’s purely to say something negative. Other employees have given up trying to include them in things. Almost as if their attitude is contagious, AKA the Bad Mood Domino Effect (definitely a real thing).What to do: Nobody likes seeing someone unhappy. And cynics may not be simply bad tempered but could potentially be unhappy, stressed over personal troubles or struggling with something else which makes it hard for them to work. The best way to deal with employees like this is to offer them support. Whether it’s an extra pat on the back now and then or a little time in the office with you for a chat, is up to you and your instincts. But never, ever write them off.When all else failsSometimes, despite our best efforts, difficult employees become too much to cope with.If that’s the case, a tough decision about their future might need to be made before it’s too late. It might be that they’re not the right fit for the business, and asking them to move on will benefit both parties. It might just be that they need to be managed a bit more proactively, and they can improve their approach.But make sure you think things through carefully before making any drastic decisions. They might be difficult to work with, but they could still be good employees. You just need to help them find the right balance moving forward.Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and ac knowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features Workplace culture

Writing an Effective Cover Letter For a Resume

Writing an Effective Cover Letter For a ResumeWriting an effective cover letter for a resume is one of the most important parts of the process. The letter serves as your initial introduction to the potential employer and helps them decide whether or not to offer you a job. So it is very important that you do not leave any stone unturned. In this article, I will share with you the things that you should keep in mind while writing an effective cover letter for a resume.Before you start writing the cover letter, first you have to know the person whose resume you are going to write. You can either get the resume of the individual from the employer or directly from the internet. Once you have the resume in your hand, now you are ready to write an effective letter. Make sure that your letter is not too generic or too personal.Before you even begin, always remember that the most important part of the letter is the introduction. This helps the employer or the recruiter to get a brief idea ab out the person. If you can present the person in an attractive way then chances are the employer will be tempted to call for more information.One of the most common problems of hiring managers is to choose between resumes. The hiring manager often has many doubts in his mind as to whether to consider a certain resume over another. So you have to make sure that you present the employee in a positive way. If you are able to convince the hiring manager then you have probably made the first impression.Remember that the most important thing is that the hiring manager will be able to look at the resume. Therefore it is essential that you always make sure that the letter is neat and well written. A badly written letter may not only be unprofessional but it may also harm the employee's image. Therefore, make sure that you take time to make sure that the letter is well written.You must also make sure that the letters are filled with details. When you come across a particular problem or diffi culty on the resume then explain it clearly. Remember that the employer may not be able to understand a single word that you have written.The next thing that you must always remember is that the letter must be brief. It should contain information which is useful to the employer. However, do not leave any blank spaces. You should always be able to insert a personal touch in the letter.Do not forget to include your contact information in the letter. Remember that if the letter is not accepted then you may not be able to provide the information that the employer requires. So, it is always important that you are able to give the required information to the employer.

Beginners Guide to Online Job Hunting

Beginners Guide to Online Job Hunting The internet has revolutionised the job-hunting process over the last decade; instead of pounding the streets with a stack of CVs and spending days hunched over a well-worn phone book, many of us can now apply from the comfort of home, altering cover letters to suit each employer and editing the CV at a moments notice. The job market has been transformed too, with most positions now advertised exclusively online easy enough to find for the computer literate, but what about those new to this form of job-hunting? To help you out, weve put together a guide to the most common ways of finding a job online. Get your CV up to scratch and read on to find out where to get started: Recruitment Sites Recruitment agencies are a long-standing institution of the job market, but as more and more launch online services theyre arguably a lot more helpful than they once were. The process can be a lengthy one, but the more you put in, the more youll get out an adage which strongly applies to all forms of job-hunting! As well as uploading your existing CV, youll probably be required to fill out the same information again for each agency you sign up for this is so that they can digitally categorise you into the right sector, depending on what your skills are and the positions youre looking for. Once youre signed up, your relationship with the agency will be somewhat mutual agents receive commission from employees when you get a job, so you both stand to benefit from a successful application. While the agency will endeavour to contact you with jobs that suit your requirements, youll also be able to browse their listings and automatically apply to vacancies. If you do see one you want, look to see if the company is advertising on its own site before applying through the agency, as youll look more proactive you can always mention the agency in a face-to-face interview later if you want to. Personal ads While job listings from websites like Gumtree and the Friday Ad are in no way comprehensive, they are always worth checking, as excellent opportunities can often pop up from small businesses, and if you do find a job you like its far easier to make direct contact with the person in charge of hiring. You can e-mail employers via these sites, but it seems to be more effective to call. Expect an impromptu phone interview, and have your CV to hand in case you need to refer to your work experience. Attempt to make a face-to-face appointment frame your call around organising an interview rather than just inquiring and talk in terms of what you can bring to the company. Ask for a personal e-mail for your contact too, so that you can send your CV and cover letter in advance. Employer websites If youre looking for a position in your local area, its a great idea to take a look at the company websites of your nearby shops and services. Large national stores will often throw your CV away if theyre not looking for staff, so rather than wasting your time and money dropping CVs off everywhere, apply online. This is also a great way of grabbing those companies who choose not to advertise through recruiters for example Wren Kitchens have their own careers site, which they use instead. Applying directly through an employer makes you look far more interested in the company rather than what the role can offer you. In many cases, it may also be worth calling their head office and finding out the name of the person in charge of hiring, so that when you submit a cover letter you can address it to the right person. This will make your application stand out more, giving you a far better chance at landing an interview. Social media One of the first things you should do when looking for a new job whether for a CEO or sales assistant position is to set up a LinkedIn account. LinkedIn allows you to create a professional profile online, and connects you to other people who work in your industry and in your area. Its particularly useful if you have friends in the sector you wish to work in as you may find that they are connected to companies you wish to apply to, giving you an instant personal contact. It also means that your work history will be one of the first things that come up when an employer searches your name far better than your Facebook or any other non-professional site! You can also ask previous colleagues and employers to leave recommendations for you, which potential employers can read when they visit your page. In recent months, Twitter has become an informal network for professionals. The benefit of Twitter is that you can follow anybody whose posts interest you, allowing you to choose daily updates on your industry, including job vacancies and upcoming businesses. You can also make direct contact with somebody at the top, as most business owners run their own accounts just ensure your own feed is professional and relevant, to make an excellent first impression! Author:  This is a guest post by Katie Jones, who has had a keen interest in interior design for years and wants to help more people get into the creative industry.

Gen X are the revolutionaries (and the NYT coverage of shared care stinks)

Gen X are the revolutionaries (and the NYT coverage of shared care stinks) How ironic that right after I post about dangers of Mommy Porn, the New York Times exacerbates this problem to include men. Take a look at the insipid photo that illustrates the article about shared care by Lisa Belkin. But first, a disclaimer: I know Lisa, shes super nice and fun, and she talked with me about how I could be the person in the article who is the train wreck example of shared care. A second disclaimer is that Amy and Marc, featured there as the poster children for shared care, are also people Ive helpedabout how to pitch themselves to the media so they could get some articles written about themselves and get a book deal. And they, too, were nice. So its ironic that I am going to bitch about them now. Specifically, Im going to tell you why I wanted to rip all their heads off when I read that piece about shared care. 1. Shared care shields people from the reality that their careers are not great. Its rare that shared care works long-term for someone who is very good in the business world. Some people are great at management, some people are born leaders. These are people who catapult up to the top of the business world, in whatever sector they are in. And they love their work. These are not the people who do shared care. It is simply not appealing in the long run to the best workplace leaders. The people who think they want to try this usually end up frustrated after downsizing their career for shared care. Read closely and youll see examples of this in the article. In fact, there is not an example of someone who is competing at the very top of their field who ended up enjoying shared care. 2. You need a lot of money to do shared care. With one stay at home parent, you only need one parent to pull in a ton of money. With shared care parenting, you need two people who can make miracles happen in their chosen profession; two people who are so clever and specialized that they can figure out what to do for work that is part-time. Already, this is a big feat since the Washington Post reports that most women who stay at home full-time would rather work part-time but they cant find the jobs. But you also need people who have salaries high enough so that if you made both the salaries part-time, the family could still not only survive, but actually grow and still be financially okay. Look, I know that usually when the topic is money and people are saying they dont have enough to do what they want with their lives, I am a hard-ass and I tell them to move to a place with a lower cost of living. But I cant help noticing that most people who make shared care work have their families helping them, which means they have to stay in the vicinity of family and do not have the ability to move to more economical locations. 3. Shared care kills two careers. I am about to support this claim with very sloppy research from people I have met. But this seems okay because the New York Times is announcing a major trend based on interviews with what appears to be about ten couples. So based on my own research of about ten couples who did shared care and hated it, everyones career takes a huge hit. Dylan Tweney, editor at Wired.com, told me that his career definitely took a hit from doing shared care with his wife and daughter for two years. He freelanced, and he points out that you cannot grow a business if you are working four hours a day. You have to always be earning money, so you cant afford to take time to expand your markets. 4. Shared care requires an unlikely match of personalities in a marriage. Newsflash: Not everyone has the personality to stay home with kids. There are some people who get their energy from leading. Those people need a team to lead. There are some people who are caregivers. They are energized by meeting peoples personal needs. In fact, pairing those two types makes great couples. Corporate life is designed up for leaders to thrive, and leadersyes, provendo better when they have a caregiver type at home, taking care of their personal life. Heres some more news: Its unlikely that two caretakers would marry each other. They just dont. They are not attracted to each other. I have not much to prove this except that I am conscious in the world. And so are you, so you know this intuitively. And this means that marriages are not generally optimized to work for two people who both want to stay home with their kids. 5. Shared care caters only to detail-oriented types. Shared care might actually be the most inefficient division of labor in the history of humanity. With one stay-at-home parent, he or she maintains a schedule, checks in with no one, and announces to the work-at-the-office parent what will be happening at home. With shared care, the schedules are insane. When Tweney talks about the intricate schedules he and his wife hadthat actually required the help of neighbors because they didnt have family nearhe says, Its definitely more efficient to have one person in charge. There is a lot of overhead to managing shared care. And this is a theme even with the people in Belkins article who love shared care. For some peoplevisionaries, big-picture thinkers, leadersmanaging the details of a shared care schedule would be mind-numbing and soul-crushing. The fundamental problem with Belkin declaring a revolution in parenthood today is that the revolution is in a demographic she is not a part of. Its like the New York Times covering the blogosphere. They dont get it, so they focus on the craziness instead of the mainstream. But the real trend that we really have here is that Generation X puts parenting before anything elseeven men. Gen X is horrified by the self-centered parenting that they received. And Gen X is an inherently revolutionary generation. We have little to lose: We are the first generation in American history to earn less than our parents. We are a generation largely berated and misunderstood by the media, so we have no great image to protect, and we have been handed nothing on a silver platter, so we have nothing to squander. The history of the revolutionsFrench, American, Russianis the history of people with nothing to lose recognizing the need for change. Generation X is that group today. And shared care is just one, small way that Gen X is expressing their revolutionary nature: with their parenting.

Tips on How to Make a Professional Resume

Tips on How to Make a Professional ResumeThere are many ways on how to make a professional resume and you should know how to choose the right one. In fact, making it will become easier for you if you are familiar with its basic principles. With this, it will be easier for you to write your professional resume. This will help you find your right career path, which would ultimately lead you to the right job.The first principle in how to make a professional resume is to make sure that you have the right qualifications. It should include your skills and knowledge in your background. For example, if you want to join an accounting firm, then make sure that you have appropriate accounting skills. In fact, you will be surprised to see that most employers need to know about your knowledge in accounting. Hence, you should take proper steps to emphasize this on your resume.The next thing that you need to remember is to ensure that you use appropriate language in your professional resume. You sh ould write the summary of your professional experience, achievements, education and special skills using the correct language. If you will be able to accomplish this, then the next step would be easier for you. You can start writing your professional resume using the right language. Make sure that your writing style is neat and clear.To know how to make a professional resume, you need to think of a suitable title for your professional statement. What you should consider is that your title should make your statement known to the reader. A brief but catchy title can make your work more memorable to them. On the other hand, this is what will help you make your statement visible and noticeable. So, you should write your professional statement in a way that it will stand out.As a part of how to make a professional resume, you need to include a list of the benefits that you bring to the organization. It should be clearly stated, in such a way that it will be easy for the readers to unders tand it. Moreover, you need to consider the points that are important to the organization. For example, they may include the salary range, benefits that you can offer and special skills that you can give.One of the most effective ways on how to make a professional resume is to take extra time in writing the professional statement. For example, if you will be applying for an accounting job, you need to make sure that you take extra time in listing the experience that you have had in accounting. You need to state all the skills and knowledge that you have gained from your experience.There are some points that you need to keep in mind while you are making a professional resume. For example, you need to be careful about the spelling of words. Since, you will be using this for your resume, you need to make sure that you are making it properly. You should also focus on the content of your writing.How to make a professional resume should not be difficult. In fact, it will be easy if you wi ll follow the simple steps mentioned above. Thus, take proper note of these tips and make a good professional resume. The result would be that you will be able to earn more money and get hired in the right position.

Need to Know Info about Landing the Interview - CareerAlley

Need to Know Info about Landing the Interview - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. By Ryan BradshawFaculty member, Retail Management at American Public University When I finished the interview I smiled, thanked them for their time, shook their hands, and walked out confident that I had landed the job. I immediately emailed each of the committee members. I sent a text to one of my mentors in which I told him, No one today could have done a better interview than me. This wasnt ego talking. I had prepared well and I felt the flow of the moment. A few weeks later I got the call for the second interview and ultimately the job offer, which I accepted. Resume writing, getting the interview, and the interview itself are like many things in life both an art and a science. The following are a few thoughts on the topic of getting the interview that you can add to the monumental amount of information on the topic. The 5-Sentence Cover Letter Ive read that you should not even include a cover letter these days, but I still believe in them. The cover letter is an opportunity to show off your professionalism through writing and organization. This can blow up in your face if you make grammatical and format errors, so always have a proofreader (more than one is better). The best approach to the cover letter is brevity. It should be no more than five sentences. I like to begin a cover letter by valuing the reviewers time by stating, I know your time is valuable so I will keep this brief. This speaks directly to the reviewer instead of the generic, here are my qualifications, education, and experience, or, I saw your ad for the position. In another concise sentence, highlight the most valuable aspects of your education and experience. I then like to address my fit within the organizational needs of the position. Lastly, ask for the interview (closing the deal) in order to be given the opportunity to expand upon how you can benefit the organization, followed by a courteous and classy closing remark. That is it: simple, concise, powerful, and to the point. The Killer Resume There was a leader who was about to leave an organization I worked for to assume the role of president of another organization. I invited him to lunch before he left to just be able to pick his brain. The best piece of advice he shared with me that day was to develop my resume every year. We live in an instant gratification culture. As Veruca Salt of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory said it, I want it now. However, building a killer, content-filled resume does not happen overnight. Anyone can have a degree which is the fundamental building block of a resume and work experience. You need to add more headers and content. Think about the following topics: volunteer work, non-profit work, publications (professional blogging, articles, work related publications, etc.), presentations, activities, memberships, teaching/training experience, certifications, committees, professional development, areas of expertise, and references. There are more, but you get the idea. I also recommend collecting other peoples resumes and borrowing ideas on how to strengthen your own. But, and its sad I have to write this, keep it honest. Lying on your resume is not a good idea. Begin thinking about where you are now, where you want to be, and what your resume needs to look like to get there. About the Author:Ryan Bradshaw is an ABD doctoral candidate studying student motivation and educational leadership. His dissertation is examining intrinsic and extrinsic motivational differences amongst undergraduate majors. This article fromOnlinecareertips.comwas republished with permission. Career Tip of the Day:9 Reasons Why I Wont Hire You Suggested Reading:Mindset: The New Psychology of Success We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

Revealed The Cornerstone of Job Search Success - Hire Imaging

Revealed The Cornerstone of Job Search Success - Hire Imaging Having worked with job seekers for more than 25 years, I’ve seen many changes in how the process works. It’s evolved with technology and of course, adjusted to economies and job markets in general. Communications now go way beyond the resume, to include a whole suite of communication tools. People connect and network online, as well as face to face. It’s transformed from a push to pull market. One thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that the job search can be frustrating and disappointing. Many job seekers hear “no” a lot. Or worse, after painstakingly customizing their application documents or making phone calls, they don’t hear anything. Waves of self-doubt and insecurity often follow with this scenario. Well, there’s something else that has not changed. And it’s relevant to handling the frustration and disappointments. It sounds too simple. It’s not simple. But it’s crucial to job search success. It’s best summed up using my husband’s mantra: You can’t catch fish without keeping your line in the water.” In the job search, it’s a big body of water. Those opportunities are out there; some are hidden. You look for weed beds, underwater drop-offs, shady or land points. You ask family, friends and networking contacts about opportunities. You look for businesses or organizations that are prospering. You do your homework through informational interviewing and research. You need the right bait and equipmentâ€"from resumes to pitches. Patience is key. You won’t catch a fish with every cast. And even when you get a bite, you need to land it in the interview. Sometimes you’ll do everything the right way; and you won’t catch a thing. Sometimes you’ll make a mistake; and you’ll still catch something. But there’s one thing that is certain: if you don’t apply and get out there, you won’t get anything. If you don’t cast your line and keep that line in the water, the fish are not going to jump into your boat. A friend of mine had a plaque on her wall that read, “You never give up; for that is the time and place the tide will turn.” Keep your line in the water. This could be the big one.