Archive for Work
What will happen to Bear Stearns Employees?
Posted by: | CommentsNo one knows for sure at this point, but these types of events are why I’ve been advocating that you take control of your career. With the latest ‘Bear Stearns’ debacle it shows you are not even necessarily safe and secure at a huge investment bank. That’s why it always pays to keep your network alive and to never be caught off-guard by these types of events. Things you can do in good times and in bad are:
- live within your means
- have a nest egg saved for these types of events
- build a network of people in your industry
The first company I worked for got bought out and I was laid off a few months later. The next company had some rough patches and at that point I vowed never to be ‘out of control’ again. I wanted to be in control of my career. This is all about being proactive rather than reactive.
Do All Jobs Suck?
Posted by: | CommentsDumbLittleMan says Recognize that all jobs suck. I totally agree. He’s got lots of great points on transforming your career. But make sure you understand what work is for. It’s not to hang out with buddies after work, have access to free video games and beverages. It’s to make money so that you can have the lifestyle and freedom you desire.
The Big Lie
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s another great post about the Big Lie our parents told us and my comments.
Work-Life Balance
Posted by: | CommentsI posted a comment on this great post about work-life balance.
Should you be afraid of Outsourcing?
Posted by: | CommentsI wrote a blog post you can check out back in 2004 about Outsourcing.
Stuart Crawford of IT Matters writes about outsourcing/offshoring in the context of providing IT services to clients but it is also relevant to most of us workers.
How To Work Remotely
Posted by: | CommentsWouldn’t you like to avoid rush hour traffic, wasting hours getting to and from work, the cost of parking or annoyance of traffic? Wouldn’t you like to help the environment by reducing the pollution from vehicles? Or how about working from home without the annoying co-workers popping by for a chat? Or someone drenched in perfume that gives you an allergic reaction? Or getting much more work done? All the above can be achieved by working remotely. With technology, it’s really quite easy to do.
Unfortunately it’s still resisted by many employers. So at this point in time it’s up to you to ‘sell’ the idea to your boss.
The keys to working remotely are as follows:
1. Ask
‘Ask and you shall receive’. I expand that to be ‘Ask with the expectation of success, and you shall receive.” As with many other things in life, in order to get you need to ask. I’ll bet most people who think their boss wouldn’t let them work remotely haven’t even asked.
2. Have some leverage
Of course when you ask you have to have some leverage. You are a valued employee or contractor with unique skills as I’ve mentioned before. If you are absolutely determined to work remotely then you need to have options. Ask around and go on some interviews mentioning that you need to work 2 days a week remotely because you have some small clients that you’re still working with, or you have a small child at home, etc. These should be true statement. It’s often easier to get remote work for new jobs. Be prepared to follow through if you get rejected. Before I ask for anything I ask myself, ‘What will I do if they say no?’ There has to be a consequence prepared ahead of time.
3. Show the value
Start small. Ask to work remotely for one day and see what happens. During that day you make sure you get a ton of work done. Then you can expand over time. I worked on a contract for 6 months out-of-town, then when asked to extend I said only if I can work remotely. I showed the value first and committed to my obligations, then asked at the point of contract extension.
For more information on getting your boss to let you work remotely, check out The 4-Hour Workweek
