February 15, 2017 Ask Patrice about . . . what should I do when it looks like my supervisor or company are planning to fire me?

Unfortunately, we have all had jobs that were great but we’ve also had several that sucked. If the writing on the wall says there is a strong chance that you and/or your position are on the chopping block, here are seven things to protect you and create leverage in your departure.

1. Connect with human resources, labor relations, and your employee “handbook.” Learn your rights (i.e., does the government agency allow all permanent employees to have up to a year before they can be let go). It’s always good to know starting every job if you can be fired “at will.” All companies are different but most can simply let you go whenever they want to. Understand your review process and if you have had previous positive evaluations of your performance; present a good argument as to why you believe it has changed.

2. Understand the politics: It could be as simple as your VP wants to hire her former colleague and friend to have your job – because that’s her friend. If it’s a personality issue, chances are it will never be resolved in your favor (especially if the conflict is with senior staffers). So dust off your “C.Y.A.” (Cover Your Ass) file that you should have started the moment you got hired. Every “great job” email and “thanks for the help” Post It, (and a copy) of anything positive that internal and external clients have said about you. It’s not too late; ask a current client and others to write a letter about your most recent successful project or general letter of reference. After you have the positive feedback, create a one page summary of your major accomplishments.

3. Document everything: In addition to your CYA file, you need to keep a DAILY log of all communications and connections with others. Did your SVP cancel your review meeting for the 5th time? Are you excluded from meetings? Anything and everything needs to be recorded.

4. Understand the other issues: Unfortunately even in 2017 people are still discriminated against because of their race, age, sexual orientation, gender, religion and much more. If you have solid evidence that this is much more than someone simply not “liking you.” Consult with an employment lawyer to help you better understand your legal options, but most likely to help negotiate your exit with the most money in your pocket. For example, let’s say you’ve worked at a job for the past two years and it’s simply not working out with your new SVP. An employment attorney may be able to guide you to help request and negotiate that the company will pay one week for every year and to NOT contest unemployment.

5. Strategize with professional mentors and contacts that might have knowledge and expertise of both the process and the key players: Truth is you may not want to or be able to pay a retainer and hire an attorney, but you can tap into the “intellectual property” of others. Cast a wide net and ask others for advice and even perhaps how they navigated the same or a similar situation.

6. Circle back with HR: Present all positive evaluations, feedback and input. Communicate your desire to explore potential ways that you can part ways from your employer. Unemployment benefits, extended healthcare or company paid benefits, outplacement services (i.e., help with resume and recruiters).

7. Walk Away: If you have tried all that you could with or without the advice of legal counsel, and you’ve gotten the best severance package you can get, take it and move on. At some point your happiness and freedom to find a new job that you love is worth so much more. As you leave, work on developing the story you will tell to other professional contacts and potential employers.

It sucks to be fired even from a job that you hate. Even if you only have a couple of years of experience, you still may be able to get more than a “thank you and good luck to you.” Brush up on your negotiation and networking skills and assemble a dream team to help assist you with a graceful “positive” exit.

October 19, 2016 Seven Things to Think About When It Comes to . . . Things You Never Imagined Could Help Get You Hired in a Hurry

Tired of sending out your resume with no response? Are you finding that all the traditional ways to find a new job are not working? Here are seven surprising things that can help you land a job quickly, along with suggested activities most that you can do in less than 10 minutes. You’ve tried things your way, why not join week three of our #LOPP30daychallenge and see if some new ideas can make a huge difference.

1. Create a professional Pinterest board: Who said Pinterest is only for female foodies, future brides and fashionistas? Pinterest is a new and powerful way to display images and photos of brands, projects and companies that you’ve worked with. It’s also a great platform to profile your professional accomplishments such as, the logo you helped design for a new product package or the beautiful event you produced for more than 500 people. Wow prospective employers and demonstrate that you think outside the box with a beautifully arranged professional Pinterest board.

2. Create a personal website: Create an engaging yourname.com (i.e., personal website) that demonstrates your communications and digital skills, and overall professional experience. Your site should include: a profile that features your professional biography; an e-resume that incorporates social media links to help promote your personal brand; an e-portfolio that showcases your work samples and shares recommendations/references; and possibly a blog that highlights a hobby, interest, or professional skill. (FYI: Having a blog will give you a higher ranking, when prospective employers Google you, than those who don’t). Most importantly a personal website enables you to portray yourself as someone who “lives in color” and has a comprehensive and diverse personal and professional life. Register the domain for your personal website and/or use a site like Wix.com or Weebly.com. Create a one-page outline of the key pages/sections of your future site. Also take a minute to check out Figdig.com and carbonmade.com – two social networks that help people show off their creative skills.

3. Use the lingo: Research your industry’s top 10 buzz words and create an example of how to weave each into your cover letter or during an interview. Select three buzz word and practice using it in an interview answer.

4. Master a 1-minute pitch: Practice and perfect an amazing response for the question “Tell me about yourself?” by sharing a compelling story that emphasizes your relevant skills. Ensure your pitch includes three key parts: (1) intro: start prove you’re the best candidate for the job with an example of where you used and/or enhanced a key job-related skill; (2) middle: promote your personality by sharing your strongest point of differentiation i.e., that one thing that makes you uniquely you; (3) wrap up: end with a “gee-whiz” fact, such as how you got promoted from entry-level worker to a team supervisor in less than 10 months and demonstrating your confidence to hit the ground running in your new role.

Identify the three points and examples you’ll use for your 3-part elevator pitch that can be used both in an interview and one-on-one meeting in any setting. Rehearse each part by saying it out loud in front of a mirror or to a friend orfamily member.

5. Understand and practice the 7 core types of interview questions: Interviews may vary in length, format or even style, however, the content of almost all interviews is usually the same. Take time to prepare and practice your response to the following common interview questions. (1) The Intro: (See above “Tell me about yourself?”). (2)The starters and enders: What are your strengths and your weaknesses? List 3 positives traits and/or skills and one “positive” negative. When asked at the end of the interview, Do you have any questions for me? Always ask at least one question, such as “Can you describe the type of person who excels in your organization?” A question like this will give you great insight into how you might fit in at the organization, as well as points to highlight in your follow up thank-you note. (3) The classics: What were the responsibilities of your last position? and Why have you been unemployed for so long? or Why are you leaving your present job? Keep everything positive, upbeat and concise. (4) The scenarios: Can you give me an example of going above and beyond the call of duty at work? and Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way to finish them? Again, avoid anything negative and give clear examples. (5) The diplomatic tests: What was your former supervisor’s biggest weakness? and Have you ever worked for someone who took credit for your work/accomplishment? Watch these “traps,” whatever the situation, try to portray it in the most positive light. (6) The self-evaluation: How would you describe your work style? and What additional training or exposure would your last supervisor suggest? These are code for “do you work well with others?” and “what are your professional weaknesses?” (7) The unexpected curveballs: Sell me this pen, and tell me 5 ways to use a pen other than writing? and Tell me why fuzz is on a tennis ball? These questions are less about the actual response and more about demonstrating your ability to think quickly on your feet and to propose any possible answer. Practice one of these questions every day for the next week. Then Google “100 top interview questions” to make a list of other questions you might want to rehearse before your next interview.

6. Practice some unconventional networking prep strategies: Try some nontraditional yet effective ways to prepare for meeting someone new is to Googling them or research the job description of a position you’d love to hold in their organization. Both will give you unique and memorable conversation starters that will be different from 80% of the other people. Before or your next networking event, follow the LinkedIn company page of the keynote and others speakers and search the personal page of someone who currently works for the organization.

7. Make a picture speak a thousand words: Take a few minutes to add some visual interest to your resume. Simply doing little things like using a bold color such as blue, green or purple for your name and headings, or adding logos of the companies you’ve worked for, can help you stand out from the competition.

Studies show that color has a positive effect on our recall and recognition. However, when it comes to including a picture of yourself the experts say save the photography for LinkedIn or email and to not include it in your resume. Think of two visual elements that you can add to your resume to make it “pop.”

Sometimes we need to mix things up in order to create new opportunities. This week think of at least three new things that you can try to help break through the clutter and get you steps closer to a job offer or new business opportunity.