6 Signs That You Should Quit Your Job

6 Signs That You Should Quit Your Job

by | Jun 6, 2017 | Career

Staying in the same job offers comfort and consistency, but many workers outgrow their position, lack room for advancement and miss out on potential career opportunities. Staying in your comfort zone is definitely easier than quitting and navigating the job search market, but the rewards may be worth the risks. This is because new jobs offer fresh challenges, excitement and growth prospects.

Morning Sickness

If the first thing you feel in the morning after waking up is dread, then maybe it’s time for a career change. Ideally, you should be excited to start your day, upbeat about your long commute or thinking about what you will accomplish by the end of your shift. If the job doesn’t make you happy and fulfilled, having nice bosses, coworkers and customers isn’t enough to keep you motivated. Taking inventory of the pros and cons is the best way to identify and decide if a career change is truly needed.

Pros vs. Cons

Create a list with at least a few descriptive categories, such as like, dislike and talents. The first column should include things that you like and love about your past and current jobs. The second column should include things that you dislike doing and lack competencies in, such as math or desk work.  The third column should have things that you passionately enjoy doing and dream about experiencing. These could include hobbies and extracurricular activities. Identifying non-negotiable items and values will help you to creatively brainstorm new career goals.

Time to Be Selfish

Many workers sacrifice their own self-interests for the sake of their friends, family, and community. For example, some people are pushed by their parents into pursuing a degree they loathe, but others relocate to unfamiliar cities to help out family members. Jobs that involve intense public interaction, such as teaching, social work, and customer service, benefit the community but burn out the dedicated workers. If you have already devoted years to civic or familial obligations, maybe it’s time to transition to a career that revolves around your needs and preferences.

Stress Management

Certain industries experience high turnover rates because of stress and pressure. This includes everything from waitressing to firefighting to executive management. If work-related stress is seriously affecting your health, it’s time to consider your career options. The negative variables that physically and mentally impact you, such as the work, people or culture, may be adjusted through internal adjustments. For example, an experienced waitress may be ready to change restaurants or apply for supervisory positions. A stressed out supervisor in the service industry may simply need to transfer to an itinerant, specialized or administrative position.

The Wall

Workers who are overqualified for their position may be stuck in a career rut that fails to utilize their skills and training. Sometimes, management simply doesn’t want to acknowledge that you have more to offer or that you are making significant contributions. This is true if you have been repeatedly been passed over for promotions, not given challenging assignments or awarded with due recognition. The more that your innovative ideas and experiential advice are answered with denials or silence, the more you should consider a job change. It’s a good idea to use available career resources to find your dream job.

Toxic Environments

Most workers won’t directly experience bullying, harassment or verbal abuse, but they may have to silently suffer in unpleasant or passively aggressive work conditions. This could be a narcissistic boss, self-centered coworkers, and bureaucratic leadership dynamics. Human resources could be driven by policy adherence and cutting corners instead of investing in employees. The company may be driven by profits at the costs of sustainability, quality products, and customer satisfaction. Any of these growth-inducing behaviors may motivate you to switch careers.

In the end, a job isn’t just about a salary and stability, it’s about a quality of life and personal achievements.  The BLS states that the average adult spends 8.8 hours in work-related activities during the week, which is anywhere between 180 to 200 hours per month. Holistically analyzing and understanding all the dimensions of your skills, career goals and personal dreams will help you find the job that will make you thrive and grow.

Are you ready for a career change? Check out all the open positions up now at sirvo.com/search!

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7 Ways to Make Your Resume Stronger

7 Ways to Make Your Resume Stronger

by | Apr 21, 2017 | Career

When you’re looking for a new job, your resume is typically the first contact that potential employers have with you. Your goal is to use your resume to create a great first impression–not by lying, but by putting your best foot forward and showing people exactly what you can do. These tactics will allow you to create a stronger resume that will help bring you to the top of the stack.

1. Build your experience. You know that you have to have experience in order to get a job, and you have to have a job in order to get experience. There are, however, some other ways you can get some great experience that’s relevant to your job. In the hospitality and restaurant industry, this might include:

  • Volunteering for events that require a great deal of customer service
  • Finding opportunities to cook for friends, loved ones, and other events–especially if you get paid to do it
  • Organizing local events, including those that aren’t for profit

2. Put the important details first. You have approximately six seconds to catch the attention of the manager or recruiter reading your resume. That means you want to put your most important details at the top of your resume, where they’re easier to see.

3. Keep it clear and simple. It’s tempting to pad your resume with extra words, especially if you happen to have, for example, a page-and-a-half long resume that you’re trying to stretch to two pages. Instead, cut it down: a clear, concise resume is much more appealing than one that appears to gush or to contain unnecessary or excess information.

4. Personalize your resume. Think about the specific job you’re applying for, then put relevant information first or emphasize it more clearly. For example, if you’re applying for a hospitality position, your time as a customer service representative at a call center might showcase your ability to prioritize customer service and handle high-stress situations. On the other hand, if you’re applying for a job as a restaurant manager, you might be better suited to discuss your previous experience in the restaurant industry at the top of your resume.

5. List accomplishments, not skills. It’s great that you have customer service skills–but what have you done with them? Instead of a rote list of your skills, use active language to describe what you’ve actually accomplished with them. Which sounds more appealing: “good at dealing with customers” or “effectively managed customer interactions and diffused tense situations” as you describe your previous management position?

6. Keep it real. Don’t lie on your resume. This seems obvious, but all too many prospective employees fall prey to the urge to exaggerate or even manufacture information about their previous positions. If you want the job, be honest: chances are, someone will check before you’re offered the position. Lies will make it evident that you aren’t a suitable candidate.

7. Proofread. This is a critical step in the resume writing process–especially if you’re using a template or copying and pasting from someone else’s resume. You must be sure that you’ve checked your spelling, avoided major errors, and, most critically, put your information in your resume, not the person’s you copied.

Crafting a strong resume is the first step in attaining the employment you’ve always wanted. Don’t just slap it together; instead, take the time to do it right, building a strong resume that reflects your accomplishments and explains to a potential employer why you’re the right fit for the job. Don’t forget to include a cover letter detailing your interest in the position and why you think you’re a good fit, if relevant. Your ability to get the job of your dreams could hinge on the quality of that first communication with a prospective employer.

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6 Ways to Come Back from a Suspension Like a Boss

6 Ways to Come Back from a Suspension Like a Boss

by | Apr 14, 2017 | Career

Getting suspended from your job is incredibly stressful. Regardless of whether you were incriminated for something beyond your control or you deliberately did something that got you in trouble later, you don’t really want to lose your job–especially if you don’t have another one waiting in the wings. Coming back from suspension like a boss is a great way to convince your employer of exactly how valuable you are and ensure that your standing with the company remains intact.

1. Communicate professionally and responsibly with your employer throughout your suspension. You should know going in whether or not you will be paid, how long the suspension will be for, and when you can expect to return to work. Keep communications relevant and professional, and resist the urge to contact them too often in case they’ve “forgotten” about you, but do make sure that you know exactly what will be expected of you in order to return.

2. Clearly define expectations with your employer before your return to work. This is particularly important if you were suspended for something that you didn’t realize would get you in trouble–for example, derogatory comments on social media regarding a colleague. If you have been suspended for behavior that is covered in the employee handbook, make sure that you review it so that you know exactly how to behave when returning to work.

3. Avoid even a suggestion of misconduct. If you have been accused of negative behavior against a colleague–harassment, romantic entanglement, or violence–make sure that you are never alone with that colleague. If possible, avoid being alone with that colleague and close friends of theirs, which could cause a misrepresentation of the facts.

4. Know your rights. If you live in a right to work state, your employment can easily be terminated–and in some cases, you may feel as though you’re in danger of termination soon after returning. If this is the case, make sure that you know your rights and what is considered an acceptable reason to terminate your employment.

5. Be apologetic where appropriate. If you were guilty of misconduct, be apologetic and assure your managers that you’re going to do better in the future. Have a real, actionable plan in place to improve your work behavior so that the misconduct doesn’t occur again. You want to present a capable, competent appearance to your managers to assure them that you’re going to come back and give your best to the company.

6. Abide by any restrictions placed on you. These restrictions may be inconvenient for you. They may be equally inconvenient for your colleagues. Dedication to abiding by these restrictions, however, will assure your managers that you’re committed to doing what’s necessary in order to restore your place within the company and go forward with a much better view of what is expected of you. Whether the restriction is that you’re unable to be alone with a specific individual or that you’re unable to enter certain areas unsupervised, be gracious and stick to the restrictions. The better you are about adhering to the rules, the sooner your position will return to normal.

Returning to work after suspension can be awkward, uncomfortable, and difficult to manage. You can’t know what’s been said about you while you were gone or how your colleagues are going to react to your return. You can, however, move forward professionally with confidence: your employer likes your work enough that they were willing to have you come back in spite of an indiscretion, and that says something!

By putting on your most professional attitude and committing to a solid work ethic from the day of your return, you can put your suspension behind you and improve your employer’s vision of you in the future.

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