Eight Tricky Interview Questions

Does the thought of going on a job interview cause your palms to sweat and your body to break out in hives? Stop itching; you're not alone.

The vast majority of job seekers admit to emotions ranging from mild uneasiness to downright panic leading up to their interviews. The good news is there have been no reported cases of job seekers who died of nervousness during a job interview. So relax and follow these simple tips for keeping your anxiety at bay before and during your interview.

First, take the proper amount of time to prepare for your interview. Being well-prepared will boost your confidence and lower your anxiety. Experts recommend that you spend at least three hours preparing for each interview.

You should draft answers to the most common interview questions and practice speaking them out loud. You also should read up on the company with which you will be interviewing and prepare some questions of your own. This lets the interviewer know that you are truly interested in the company and the position.

As a final step in your preparation, make sure you have good directions to the interview site. Some job seekers make a dry run to the interview site to ensure the directions are correct and to estimate the amount of time they will need to get to the interview on time.

Going into a job interview is often like entering the great unknown. Although every interviewer is different and questions vary from industry to industry, there are some questions that are common across the board. Reading through the following questions and developing your own answers is a good place to start in your preparation. Once you have done that, remember practice makes perfect! Nothing impresses a potential employer like being ready for whatever is thrown your way.

Why should we hire you?
Here's the chance to really sell yourself. You need to briefly and succinctly lay out your strengths, qualifications and what you can bring to the table. Be careful not to answer this question too generically, however. Nearly everyone says they are hardworking and motivated. Set yourself apart by telling the interviewer about qualities that are unique to you.

Why do you want to work here?
This is one tool interviewers use to see if you have done your homework. You should never attend an interview unless you know about the company, its direction and the industry in which it plays. If you have done your research, this question gives you an opportunity to show initiative and demonstrate how your experience and qualifications match the company's needs.

What are your greatest weaknesses?
The secret to answering this question is being honest about a weakness, but demonstrating how you have turned it into a strength. For example, if you had a problem with organization in the past, demonstrate the steps you took to more effectively keep yourself on track. This will show that you have the ability to recognize aspects of yourself that need improvement, and the initiative to make yourself better.

Why did you leave your last job?
Even if your last job ended badly, be careful about being negative in answering this question. Be as diplomatic as possible. If you do point out negative aspects of your last job, find some positives to mention as well. Complaining endlessly about your last company will not say much for your attitude.

Describe a problem situation and how you solved it.
Sometimes it is hard to come up with a response to this request, particularly if you are coming straight from college and do not have professional experience. Interviewers want to see that you can think critically and develop solutions, regardless of what kind of issue you faced. Even if your problem was not having enough time to study, describe the steps you took to prioritize your schedule. This will demonstrate that you are responsible and can think through situations on your own.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
The secret to this question is being specific and selecting an accomplishment that relates to the position. Even if your greatest accomplishment is being on a championship high school basketball team, opt for a more professionally relevant accomplishment. Think of the qualities the company is looking for and develop an example that demonstrates how you can meet the company's needs.

What are your salary expectations?
This is one of the hardest questions, particularly for those with little experience. The first thing to do before going to your interview is to research the salary range in your field to get an idea of what you should be making. Steer clear of discussing salary specifics before receiving a job offer. Let the interviewer know that you will be open to discussing fair compensation when the time comes. If pressed for a more specific answer, always give a range, rather than a specific number.

Tell me about yourself.
While this query seems like a piece of cake, it is difficult to answer because it is so broad. The important thing to know is that the interviewer typically does not want to know about your hometown or what you do on the weekends. He or she is trying to figure you out professionally. Pick a couple of points about yourself, your professional experience and your career goals and stick to those points. Wrap up your answer by bringing up your desire to be a part of the company. If you have a solid response prepared for this question, it can lead your conversation in a direction that allows you to elaborate on your qualifications.

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People@Work: College Degree in Hand but No Job, Grads Head Back Home

By DAVID SCHEPP

A saturated job market is creating headaches for recent college graduates who are finding it difficult to land a job, or at least one that pays well enough so that they can afford to live on their own. For many, that means they're right back where they started -- living at home with their parents.

A new survey of last year's graduating class shows that 80% moved back home after getting their diplomas, up sharply from 63% in 2006. According to the CollegeGrad.com poll of 2,000 respondents, nearly 70% of recent grads didn't have jobs lined up when they graduated. A similar number said they moved back home after graduating until they found a job.

Many recent grads are returning home because they can't find a job or they lost one soon after starting it, says Barry Miller, manager of alumni career programs and services at Pace University in New York. And if moving home isn't difficult enough, he says, many young adults face pressure from parents eager to see the start of a return on their financial investment in a college education.

Some graduates with whom Miller has worked say their parents want their kids "to take anything, rather than really look [for] a job that really matches their academic preparation and interest," he says. Grads need to let their parents know the reality of how difficult it is to find employment in today's job market. Many parents don't realize that the lack of jobs available to young people is unprecedented, Miller says.

"Living at Home Is a Lot Easier"

Julie Lavin, a 2009 graduate of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., moved back to her parents' Long Island home after she was unable to find a job that pays the kind of salary that would allow her to live on her own. She works as a sales assistant at WPLJ, a New York City radio station, assisting nine account executives who sell advertising.

"It's a great first job out of college. I'm learning a lot and meeting a lot of people. And it's fun," says Lavin, 23, who holds a bachelor's in communications. "But it's not necessarily what I want to do." What's more, though she's gaining work experience, the pay isn't great, which makes living with her parents all the more necessary.

Lavin isn't eager to strike out on her own and have to live paycheck-to-paycheck as do friends who hold similarly paying jobs, she says. "Living at home is a lot easier," she says. As an example, she says that after a long day at work, she comes home to dinner already prepared. Though she doesn't pay rent, Lavin does help out around the house, cooking or doing other household chores, she says.

Still, she says, after getting used to living away from home while attending college, moving back was a "huge adjustment."

Awkward Moments

Alexander Shippee moved back to his parents' suburban Connecticut home after graduating from Marist just a few weeks ago. The English major started work two weeks ago as an unpaid intern at Communication Group, a small Manhattan-based public-relations agency.

Though he isn't paid, the company does pick up commuting and other costs, so his expenses are low. "It's really saving me a lot of money and giving me experience at the same time," says Shippee, 22. He hopes the opportunity will lead to a full-time job, allowing him to move out on his own when his finances are more settled.

Living at home does have its awkward moments, Shippee says, such as when his parents offer to pay him to "watch the dog" while they're out of town for a week. Nevertheless, he says, "they're being very supportive. And I don't think I can really underscore how important that is right now."

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Transcription Might Just Be the Right Job For You

By Ajay Prasad

With people preferring to work from home, and with the internet opening opportunities to wide base of fields, transcription has become a favored job among many. The work of a transcriptionist includes transcribing reports and other administrative details while listening to audio or video and using software for the purpose. There are different fields in transcription that require specific skills - the general skill sets for being a good transcriptionist being the same otherwise.

One of the most important of all the skill sets needed for this vocation is the passion for the work. You must have answers as to why you would like being a part of this industry. If you have the will and the passion, everything else will fit in. Again, in case you are working from home, you need to be able to manage time and priority. You should be able to finish your work without delays and should be capable of doing the major part of the work without assistance. A good relationship with the company that you are working for also counts in getting the work done easily. Organizational skills, thus, become a must when it comes to being a transcriptionist for marketing purposes.

The work profile of transcription includes typing and listening. This work, thus, requires a proficient typing skills and acuity in listening. You must also have a good reading speed which in counted in words per minute. A good reading along with a good typing speed always forms an essential skill set. Usual typing speeds of 60 to 80 words per minute are the industry requirements.

Transcriptionists are required to listen well. They must have a very good coordination between their ear and brain, which helps in quick transition of topics and keywords from the dictator.

A good amount of computer knowledge is essential, as the work profile of a transcriptionist requires working on computers and specific software such as MS Word as the text editor.

Since, this job profile requires a lot of reading and writing, the transcriptionist must be proficient in grammar and communication. Grammar focuses on the punctuations and the sentence structure. Language plays an important role here. Communication skills take priority when you have to deal with clients. Specific fields in transcription require good knowledge about the jargons that are used for the fields. If the transcriptionist is involved in medical transcription, he must have the efficacy to understand the medical terms used frequently. He also must have the details about the human body, the anatomy, and the physiology.

People who wish to be a part of this challenging vocation must have the ability to apply common sense as when needed and with great accuracy. There will be cases when the data that is given to you would hold no meaning to you, often there will be difficulties in the dictation- a good transcriptionist should be able to figure out the context to which the dictator is referring to and must be able to finish his work using the same.

If you posses these skill sets or are willing to learn to incorporate them, transcription might just be the right job profile for you.

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How to Acquire Some Experience Before Your First Pay Job

By Funom Makama

After graduating from the University, you begin searching for Jobs and all you see in adverts is specificity in demand for applicants with experience and not just that, but years of it. Does that mean companies are no more interested in fresh graduates? Even the experienced ones started from somewhere and if they discourage 'fresh brains' how would they acquire the experience then?

First, you have to know that it is very possible to gain some experience while studying. This is not necessarily achieved by doing some part-time Jobs. After all, most professional Jobs may not accept part time Jobs. But if you manage to get one, then kudos to you! But if the possibility is slim, how can you acquire this experience almost every firm needs? Before we proceed, let's pause to review the academic calendar. A normal academic calendar is 8-9 months for a year. So, if peradventure your academic session is 8 months, you are assumed to cover one year after the completion of this period.

Now what? Apply for Holiday internships. Look for jobs closely related to your field of study. When your friends are thinking of enjoying the summer holidays with family friends, or touring around Europe in 2 months or spending time in the beach, or even watching the summer world cup competition, you can be working. DO not bother whether you'll be paid or not, your sole aim is to get the experience and ensure that after your internship, you get an attractive certificate. You can also apply for volunteer Jobs. Even though most of the volunteer jobs readily available focused on Children and camping, you may be fortunate to find 'semi-professional' ones related to your field. You can do this twice a year during the summer and as well during the winter.

Okay! Let's say you worked for approximately 3 months in the summer and maybe 3 weeks (which is approximately a month) during the winter. You've worked for approximately 4 months that year, which is already half an academic year and for you, it would be counted as half a year. If you do this for 2 years, you now have one year experience. If for 4 years, then you have 2 years experience. Another advantage of this is that even after graduation; you can easily get a Job with the organization, or go back to them for an added one full year experience before you begin your search for a better Job. Another plus is that, if you are very good, they can persuade you to stay by upgrading your pay check. But most importantly, you have acquired the experience you need.

Note that some professions are very difficult to get jobs under the holiday internship programs, especially when your year of study is concerned. For most European Medical Universities running the 6 year-medical undergraduate study program; a first year and second year medical student, and sometimes even a third year student may hardly get a holiday internship program, because these are pre-clinical periods of the student's medical program. Well, just apply for another internship program, and if lucky something close to the medical field. But here is another alternative. Apply for an 'unprofessional self-training program' personally to any public hospital. This will enable you work like an apprentice under any medical professional you will work with. Look for teaching or specialist Hospitals owned by medical schools or government bodies. You may not necessarily work, but you would be allowed to see technical procedures, surgical operations and other medical procedures. You may be lucky to be attached to a professor or specialist who can give you some basic coaching, comprehensible at your level. This is a lot easier to achieve if you go for Hospitals in another country or even another continent (if you can afford it).

It is very good to relax, have lots of fun and even be adventurous during your long holidays, but it is better and even more productive to use them to acquire some experience, as you still will have much more opportunities later in Life to relax and have fun. Acquire some experience as you study now and find it a lot easier to fit into the Labor Market later.

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Job Interviews - Job Seekers Behaving Badly

By Lorraine E. Wright

A few months ago, I had coffee with my friend who was acting as a hiring manager for a busy medical business. Let's call her Suzette. I asked her if she had any interesting stories about interviews she'd done. Suzette proceeded to tell me stories about applicants who behaved so inappropriately, that if I didn't know her so well; I would have sworn she was making them up. Let me share a few of the more entertaining ones with you.

1. Surprise! Applicant A walked into the office, and handed her resume to Suzette. Suzette inquired, "Didn't you see in the job posting that the application was to be made by e-mail or fax only?" Miss A replied, "Oh yes, but I decided to come in anyway because I was certain that if you met me in person, you'd love me and want to give me the job." She proceeded to give Suzette a big sales pitch about how great an employee she'd be. Suzette's comment: "If she wouldn't even follow the specific directions in a job posting, how was I going to get her to follow directions in the office? Also, she was pushy." She didn't get the job.

2. Why are you even here? During the interview, Suzette asked Applicant B if she knew about the company, and if she'd done any research beforehand to find out about them. The response: "Oh no, I'm much too busy to be bothered with stuff like that." Wrong answer! Suzette's comment: "If she was so uninterested in us that she couldn't even bother to find out what we did, why did she even show up for the interview?" She didn't get the job.

3. Pushy much? Applicant C strode into the office for her interview like she owned the place. After answering a few questions, she asked, "So do you mind if I look around?" As she walked around she fired off more questions. "How much vacation will I get? What is the pay? Is this where I'll be sitting?" She acted as if getting the job was a given. Suzette's comment, "If she was that pushy and aggressive at the interview, how was I going to manage her once she worked for us?" She didn't get the job.

4. How do you spell incompetent? Rather than fax or e-mail a resume as requested, Applicant D sent Suzette a text from her cell phone. It read something like, "Can't email resume. Cmputr brkn. Wn can u meet me?" Guess what? She didn't get the interview, let alone the job.

So what have we learned, other than that some people need to attend Remedial Interviewing 101?

a. Study the job posting to be sure you respond exactly as requested. Don't think that faxing a resume instead of mailing it will impress the employer with how innovative and unconventional you are. The employer will just think you either can't read or can't take direction or both.

b. Nothing is more insulting to a hiring manager than to make time in their busy schedule to interview someone, only to find out that person simply couldn't be bothered to spend any time researching the company. At the very least, find out what the company does, and if you know the name of the hiring manager and the president, that's a big plus.

c. At the interview, be confident but not pushy. Be on your best behaviour and don't assume you'll be offered the job, unless the hiring manager tells you it's yours.

I'm guessing that anyone taking the time to read this article would never dream of committing the job interview faux pas of the applicants mentioned here. Still, we can all improve, so do a little research. Don't be another hiring manager's horror story!

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So You Are Ready to Find a Job

By Jerry J Corliss

It's tough out there for a job seeker- although the economy is improving, it's still a difficult task to find a job in many areas of the country. This article will attempt to give you a few tips to make your search for a job a successful one. It's written with the assumption that you are willing to take a job that may not be exactly what you want or what you've trained for, but instead you're looking for a job, any job, to make ends meet and keep food on the table. You can always look to trade up to a better position once you're working at something and the money is coming in.
First, make a list of all your skills and qualifications- not just the ones you list on your resume or those in your chosen career, but all of them. Think about all the jobs you've had, even the ones you weren't fond of, and what skills you took away from them. Did you have a fast food job as a teenager? Did you work part-time in college? What positions did you fill, and what skills did you learn? These things can be helpful in your search for work, even if you trained for a different professional career. Remember, the point is to gain employment- you can always find a better job once you're working.
Now, once you have the list, sit down and start pouring through your local job ads, and look for jobs that correspond to your skill list. When you find an ad that seems promising, see if your resume can be re-written to emphasize the skills you have that will be useful in that position.
As far as finding job ads, check the newspaper carefully- some companies have not yet started to use the Internet to fill vacancies, and still use the printed page to find new employees. There are many major sites on the Internet that will allow you to post your resume and search for jobs; check these often, at least once a day, and submit your resume to every job you think you might be able to do, even if it's not in your chosen field. Check the Craigslist for your area, but beware of spam and scams; these abound on Craigslist. Be discriminating about what jobs you post to on Craigslist because of this; you don't want your personal information being given to scammers!
Temp agencies are also an excellent choice- they want skilled people to fill positions, they'll hunt down jobs for you, and, if they're reputable, they'll be very professional about giving you your paycheck. Although most temp agencies make their money from taking a percent of your wages for a time, they wouldn't last long as a business if they took too much. After all there are many worse things than working with a temp agency, and unemployment is definitely one of them.
When you interview, remember to be neat and tidy, even if it's just for a menial position. Even if you're interviewing with a fast food company, if you're a man, wear a shirt, tie, and dress pants, and if you're a woman, wear a nice blouse and dress pants or skirt, and both genders should wear clean shoes. It goes without saying you should have recently showered, and you should arrive for your interview slightly early. This will be the first time they see you, and as the old saying goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression. Be polite, courteous, and answer all questions as honestly as you can while still painting yourself in a positive light.
Don't be discouraged if you have a few interviews that don't go anywhere; it's all good practice (and your interviewing will benefit from practice!) You never know, they may call you up somewhere down the line with a position for you. Just keep at it, check the job postings twice a day, keep sending out those resumes, show up for interviews clean and polite, and you will land a job! Best of luck!


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Car Salesman Tips - It Is Your Business

When you are a car sales professional one of the best car salesman tips you will ever hear is that you need to think of yourself as a business inside a business. When you think about it you really are operating as a business because in most cases your car salesman income will be a car salesman commission. If you don’t sell any cars, you won’t make any money.

More Car Salesman Tips

Car Salesman Tips – Your Business

A career in car sales can be very lucrative when you treat it like a business of your own. Just like you would in any business you are always working to make your customers happy, prospecting or advertising for new customers and staying in touch with your previous customers. When it’s your own business you control how much you earn, you decide how hard you are going to work and you decide how successful you will become. When it comes to car salesman tips, running your car sales career like a business will make it grow and prosper like any business.

The best part of having a business inside a business is that you do have to worry about doing all the other things a business owner has to do that takes them away from producing income. You won’t have to worry about accounting, payroll taxes or any of that stuff that will take you away from making money. You won’t have to take care of building maintenance or clean the bathrooms. (I know many small business owners that do) You can focus on selling cars. You can apply all your energy to being a car salesman or car sales woman, and we all know you can sell more cars when you are focused on success. Watch for more tips for car salesman on the blog.

Later, Fresh Up on the Lot

K.B.

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Job Searches - How to Improve Your Chances in a Job Loss Situation

By Olive Bush

Job cuts are big news right now. We know the chop is going to come and it is coming down swift and hard. Instead of worrying and fretting about how to survive should the axe swing your way, here are some thoughts to consider regarding job searches and how to improve your chances in a job loss situation.

1) Get proactive: pull out all the stops and start looking immediately. Scour all the local and national ads as well as online job ads. Don't forget to check your own staff notice board. Your company may be in a position where although involved in job losses, they need to fill different roles within the company, either where you are based or at a different location.

2) Fine tune your CV: Having a professional-looking CV is key to improving your chances in a job search. If you need help, check online for guidance. It needs to be clear, with all the relevant information easy to follow. You want to appear attractive, professional and worth investing in, so take all the time you need to make sure it's right.

3) Get networking: who do you know? Make a list of every single person you know and what they do (don't forget to include all the people you have met at weddings etc.) Start chatting to see if they know of any new opportunities opening up. Who is the top person in your sector or industry? See if you can attend functions where you are most likely to meet and find a way to introduce yourself. If you want to improve your chances in job search situations, you have to swallow your pride and get proactive.

4) Seek financial help. If you know you are likely to suffer with money shortage - don't wait. Check out the Moneymadeclear website which has numerous step-by-step guides to help with finances in job loss situations and also have free printed guides. The Financial Services Authority have tried hard to make an accessible site with good quality help, so make use of it. Check what redundancy money you will receive and also what benefits you would be entitled to in case of job loss situation. Having all the information to hand will help stem the worry.

5) Use what's available. If your job search produces zero results and you have your own computer and internet access, research ways to turn it into an income producer. Use what you have now. Internet marketing is big business and currently there are 2 billion online users. This has created a worldwide marketplace. People are using it to showcase their idea, product or service to provide for their families where other sources have failed. Invest your time and money to gain up-to-date training on using this amazing resource for your own benefit.

If you can't afford to wait see what fate has in store for you, check out the following link. http://www.earnyourwealth.co.uk Other people have done all the hard work for you by creating a business model that can be put to work today. When all your job searches fail - here's how to improve your chances in a job loss situation.

Olive Bush is an online marketer teaching people from around the world to make money online and how to build their home based business.

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Stop Treating Your Business Like a Hobby!

Written by Sharon Michaels

I’ve learned from personal experience that you can grow a successful and profitable business part-time or full-time, but not “some-time.” To make it on your own, you must be mentally and financially committed to the success and profitability of your business. So, if your business is not as successful as you’d like it to be, ask yourself these questions: Am I serious about succeeding? Do I have the desire, passion and determination to grow and sustain a moneymaking business? Do I feel as if I am dabbling in my business? Do I have the mindset of a successful business owner? Am I treating my business as if it were a hobby? Study your answers carefully. Listen to what your instincts and emotions are telling you. Are you giving yourself permission to succeed? The key to success in business is to take yourself and your business seriously. Here are Nine C’s of Success for developing, growing and maintaining a successful business and an entrepreneurial mindset. The more you implement these Nine C’s—emotionally and physically—the more successful and profitable your business will become. 1. Be Consist. Working your business consistently means setting goals, developing a viable plan of action and working the plan regularly. Consistency in business equals reliability, and reliability is an essential element for establishing and maintaining customer loyalty. 2. Make a Commitment. The emotional, financial and physical commitment you make to yourself and your business can mean the difference between thriving and failing. Either you are committed or you are just playing. Commitment is an internal conviction that says, “I will not quit before payday.” 3. Cultivate Connections. It’s not what you know, but whom you know. In business your professional connections can save time, energy and money. Referrals from past customers/clients, fellow business owners, and even friends and family, can give your business the added exposure and revenue it needs to succeed. Cultivate your professional connections with loving care. And remember—it’s not just what your connections can do for you, but what you can do for them as well. 4. Concentrate! Focus your business-building energy on the things that are important to growing and maintaining a successful and profitable business. How you spend the important moneymaking hours of your day determines how successful and profitable your business becomes. Concentrate on keeping the important things important. 5. Radiate Confidence. Build confidence in your business and yourself. Self-confidence is a powerful success tool that can help you stretch and grow beyond your comfort zone. 6. Hone Your Craft. Learn the professional skills you’ll need to conduct business successfully. Make the time to learn about your industry, understand your target market and know your product better than anyone. Hone your business-building skills and knowledge until they become second nature to you. 7. Build Credibility. Without credibility your business reputation suffers. Here is a business-building rule of thumb: Do what you say you are going to do and do it on time. Integrity is vital to a successful business. Deliver on your promises and exceed your customer’s expectations! 8. Stay Current. Stay current with the trends in your industry and target market. Look, listen and analyze what is happening in your field, in the economy and in the lives of your target market. Stay on the cutting edge of what your customers need and want. 9. Nourish Your Customer/Client Base. Your client/customer base is twofold, consisting of both current and future clients. Current clients are “gold,” so treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. Keep them informed and interested in doing business with you by sending out a newsletter or writing a blog. Most importantly, nothing creates loyalty like great customer service. Future clients hold the key to sustaining a successful moneymaking business. Your day-to-day activities must include time to prospect for new clients. Use the Nine “C’s” of Success as the basis for creating a business-building plan of action. Growing a successful business means knowing what you want and then having a practical and workable plan in place to make your personal and professional goals a reality. Treat your enterprise like the moneymaking business you want it to be—not like a some-time hobby. careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

Building relationships takes a certain discipline

Debra Desmond

Many company business models have shifted from product-based to customer relationship-based in order to reap the gains through good and poor economies. We’ve seen the shift among many professionals as well who understand the power of networking because you never know when you’ll have to tap into its equity. So how have the people who do relationship building well manage themselves? There is a certain discipline; attitude if you will when consistently applied that has an affect on the habits of the relationship builder and others he/she connects with in his travels.

Fortunately there’s evidence that a socio-cultural shift has evolved from the win-lose, every man for himself to every man for each other in this economy. The culture of Linked In that uses the connections of others to benefit your goals has helped advance the cause. Search engine Google has helped us be informed as to the backgrounds of who we are seeking to form a relationship with. Keith Ferrazzi., author of Never Eat Alone and expert relationship builder, reminds us to do our homework. He recommends putting together a biography on a person before we meet them. If we haven’t taken the time to Google the person before meeting, shame on us, the author remarks.

To illustrate, I had a meeting with an individual who I had not previously met who interjected in his conversation that he was speaking to someone who was also an alum of a particular university. I interjected with the comment that he didn’t go to that school; something I learned from my earlier Google search of him. He responded, “No, but you did.” Oh touché, he obviously did his own search on me to know that.

Another tenet of quality relationship building is to escape the predominant expectation of reciprocity. This means that doing good for someone else can stand alone on its own merits. There is an implication I recognize that you’re putting your good intentions out into the universe without a one-for-one payback. It may mean that the return can come from a different place than where it was left.

The last tenet I’ll mention is the deliberate intent to being gracious and compassionate in your interactions with others. People always remember the generosity of spirit when it is sincerely offered. Let kindness take you to success.

What part of your relationship philosophy is consistent with these practices? In what way do they differ? What might you consider doing differently because of what you’ve read today?

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LIMA ALASAN UTAMA MENGAPA ANAK BUAH BENCI ATASANNYA

Memang benar, sebagai atasan kita tidak bisa menyenangkan semua anak buah. Masalahnya, apakah kita tidak disukai mayoritas anak buah, atau malah sebaliknya? Mengapa ada atasan yang tidak disukai oleh para anak buah? Apa penyebabnya ? Berikut ini adalah 5 alasan yang paling utama.

1. Karyawan butuh dihormati

Keluhan paling utama para karyawan adalah karena atasan mereka tidak menghormati mereka, dalam hal
a. waktu privasi ( misalnya sering telpon diwaktu tengah malam hari atau saat merayakan ulang tahun anak )
b. waktu kerja ( sebentar-bentar selalu dipanggil oleh atasan, sehingga ia tidak punya waktu konsentrasi kerja )
c. ketrampilan anak buah, selalu memandang rendah skill dan pengalaman anak buah. Jarang menanyakan pendapat atau sudut pandang bawahan.

2. Apakah Anda tipe "Watched-Dog Manager" atau "Under-Manager"?

Kedua tipe diatas, sama-sama tidak dihormati oleh anak buah mereka.

Watched-Dog-Manager tidak pernah percaya pada anak buah, selalu mengawasi setiap gerakan anak buah, tidak pernah bertanya pendapat bawahan dan anak buah jalankan tugasnya seperti mesin.

Tipe "Under-Manager" mengelola anak buahnya dengan banyak beri kebebasan dalam arti tanpa bimbingan, tanpa informasi yang cukup, tanpa komunikasi dua arah, susah bertemu dengan atasan, jarang diberikan dukungan moral, jadi sepertinya serba "Kekurangan" dukungan dari atasan.. Atasan tipe seperti ini mungkin tidak galak atau pemarah, tetapi ia tipe atasan yang "tidak terlihat" ( invincible leader ).

Kedua tipe atasan ini menebar aura yang tidak dihormati oleh para bawahannya.

3. Gaji Kecil + Atasan Otoriter

"Sudah gaji ngak cukup, atasan saya orangnya otoriter lagi…."

Banyak karyawan yang merasa gajinya kecil dan tidak cukup. Ditambah dengan beban kerja yang berat plus atasan yang tipe otoriter, maka karyawan semakin "malas" mendukung atasan langsungnya dalam menuntaskan tugas.

Seorang karyawan pernah berkata,"Sebenarnya saya punya kemampuan kerjakan tugas dalam 3 jam, tapi buat apa saya kerjakan cepat-cepat, saya sengaja kerjakan 2 hari. Buat apa saya mendukung atasan saya, dia orangnya otoriter, tidak mau tahu kesulitan saya dan lagipula gaji saya juga kecil."

Sebetulnya apabila hubungan atasan langsung dengan anak buahnya baik., keduanya saling menghormati, anak buah respek pada atasan langsung, maka keluhan gaji kecil, bisa diminimalisir.

4. Killing-Field-Meeting

Pada umumnya para karyawan tidak suka dengan pemimpin yang sering "membunuh" produktivitas mereka melalui media yang bernama "MEETING"

Ciri-ciri rapat yang "membantai" produktivitas dan semangat kerja karyawan adalah :

1. Sering lakukan rapat yang mendadak, sehingga bawahan tidak sempat mengatur jadwal kerja dengan efektif
2. Lakukan rapat tanpa notulen, sehingga membahas ulang masalah yang pernah dibahas ( dan buang waktu bawahan, akibatnya ia harus kerja lembur, karena jam kerja normalnya tersita dalam rapat tidak efektif )
3. Agenda rapat yang tidak jelas dan kemana-mana
4. Rapat yang membahas masalah 1 orang tertentu, sedangkan yang lain "dipaksa" untuk mendengarkan ( walaupun tidak relevan dengan tugas mereka )
5. Rapat yang tidak ada time-limit dan time-keeper
6. "Ditembak" dan dipermalukan oleh atasan didalam rapat

5. Atasan tipe "Lempar Batu Sembunyi Tangan"

Karyawan :"Pak tugas seperti ini cara kerjakannya bagaimana?"

Atasan : "Terserah kamu, kamu yang pikirkan?"

Karyawan :"Tapi saya tidak punya pengalaman Pak dalam hal ini. Menurut Pak, lebih baik cara A atau cara B?"

Atasan :"Terserah kamu....saya sedang melatih inisiatif kamu" ( padahal sesungguhnya ia juga tidak tahu cara kerjakannya)

Tetapi saat bawahan melakukan cara yang telah ia diskusikan, dan ternyata salah....si atasan jadi marah-marah dan menyalahkan anak buah.

Atasan model seperti ini sudah jelas telah kehilangan respek dari bawahan.



Dari lima penyakit best seller diatas, dapat disimpulkan bahwa penyebab utama atasan yang tidak disukai oleh bawahan adalah :

1. Ketrampilan Leadership - Management - Communication si atasan yang tidak efektif

2. Karakter atasan yang memang tidak kondusif

Alasan pertama lebih mudah diperbaiki, kalau si atasan selalu mau belajar dan memperbaiki diri. Yang agak sulit adalah alasan kedua. Kalau sudah menjadi watak atau karakter, akan makan waktu cukup lama untuk memperbaikinya. Tetapi lebih baik terlambat untuk memperbaiki, dari pada tidak sama sekali, bukan?

Dan yang terpenting dari semuanya ini, Anda ingin dikenang sebagai pemimpin teladan dan memberkati anak buah Anda, atau Anda ingin dikenang sebagai atasan yang menyebalkan. Putuskan sekarang juga!!!!

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