Feature Article: Dealing With a Bad Boss: Strategies for Coping
Special Feature: Do's and Don'ts of Dealing With a Bad Boss
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
What's New on Quintessential Careers
The Career Doctor: Answering Your Questions
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Notes from the Editor: About this Issue...
Speaking of workplace bummers, we had one of our own recently. It seems that AOL
allows its customers to block e-mails that customers don't want to receive. Apparently
when a certain number of AOL customers reject e-mail from a given address, ALL e-mails from that address
are bounced back to the sender. That's what happened to QuintZine two issues ago. Every QuintZine
we sent to every AOL subscriber was sent back to us.
And it wasn't just QuintZine -- AOL bounced back every piece of e-mail from our quintcareers.com
addresses, including personal e-mail to friends and business-related e-mail. AOL assumed that because
a few recipients blocked QuintZine, we must be spammers -- even though every recipient
of QuintZine has willingly subscribed to our newsletter. Because we could not devise
a workable solution, we had no choice but to drop 900+ AOL subscribers from our
subscription list.
While we applaud AOL for its aggressive anti-spam measures, we are saddened that
so many AOL subscribers are no longer able to receive the publication they subscribed to.
And we are further saddened that a handful of AOL subscribers blocked QuintZine in the
first place when it would have been just as easy for them to unsubscribe.
We don't want anyone to receiveQuintZine who no longer wishes to. Conversely, we want
everyone who DOES wantQuintZine to be able to continue to receive it.
Bottom line: If you don't wantQuintZine, PLEASE unsubscribe rather than asking your
Internet Service Provider to block our address.
We figured that the end of the year is a good time to look at workplace bummers --
with the thought that the new year may bring a resolve to either improve workplace conditions
or get a new job.
We at Quintessential Careers wish you a lovely holiday season -- with no workplace bummers.
Look for our annual Year-End Index the week of Dec. 29. Our next regular issue of QuintZine will be
Jan. 5. See the end of this issue for a preview of what's coming up next year.
--Katharine Hansen, Credentialed Career Master, Certified Electronic Career Coach,
and editor at
kathy@quintcareers.com
Editor's In-Box: QuintZine Letter to the Editor
I always enjoy your articles, and this current issue (Nov. 17) was particularly
timely as we have just released a report of our own
Employment
Skills Survey conducted earlier in the year of major graduate recruiters.
I thought you might be interested in the "New Zealand perspective" -- you'll see it doesn't vary greatly from the U.S.!
Congratulations on the anniversary of Quintessential Careers.
Thank you for all your great work on this site -- it has proved
invaluable to my work!
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Years ago, when I was a marketing manager at People Magazine, we had a
boss who drove all his employees nuts. “Pete” would start wandering the hallways at
4:30 to make sure no one left work before 5, he would give assignments but then
micromanage them to death, he seemed to enjoy being in everyone’s business,
and he rarely gave good performance reviews -- unless somehow it reflected back
on him. We referred to him as Napoleon Pete. All-in-all, Pete drove everyone in the
department crazy, and little-by-little just about every member of the
department left. Pete is a perfect example of the workplace axiom that
job-seekers join great companies but leave because of bad bosses.
Maybe you have a boss who is sexist or racist. Or perhaps a boss who takes all the
credit for himself. Maybe your boss thinks you have no life outside work and makes
you stay late everyday. Or perhaps a boss who gives out too many tasks with impossible
to meet deadlines (or constantly changing deadlines). Maybe your boss is a pathological
liar. Or perhaps the boss plays favorites.
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This site, dedicated to the improvement of workplaces, offers a 10-minute briefing
all about the keys to a meaningful, productive workplace, along with three free online tools:
Difficult Dozen Help Zone
Workplace Snapshot
Instant Advisor
The site also offers writings by Tom Terez, the brains behind Better Workplace Now, including "Civility At Work:
20 Ways to Build a Kinder Workplace" and "Lessons from a Principled Leader."
Visitors will find a game board for Buzzword Bingo, along with a healthy dose of workplace humor.
Site visitors who register for free "Bronze Key" access can use the Instant Advisor free tool to obtain action
ideas tailored to individual workplace situations, visit the Awesome & Awful Boss Hall of Fame, go to the Download Center
to download, print, and circulate thought-provoking articles as well as obtain an excerpt from the book, 22 Keys to Creating
a Meaningful Workplace. A newsletter is also offered.
Additional kits, books, and tools for improving one's workplace are available for a fee.
To maximize your job opportunities, you'll need to cover a lot of ground. One way to do that is to post your resume
on all the best job boards, large and small. It may take some time, but it's well worth the effort. If you want
to save 60 hours of research and data entry, consider using professional resume-posting service like
ResumeRabbit.com.
After filling in one simple online form, they'll instantly post your resume on up to 85 of the top career sites at once.
Within minutes you'll be seen on Monster, HotJobs, FlipDog, Dice, CareerBuilder and more, where 1.5 million employers
and recruiters search for candidates daily.
ArtCareer.Net --
a job and career site for job-seekers in the arts. You can search for employment listings (full-time, part-time,
project-based), and educational (fellowships, assistantships) and artistic opportunities in the visual arts --
as well as post your resume. Also offer (fee-based) career guidance and links to art-related resources.
Free to job-seekers.
bigapplehead -- where college students and recent
college grads can search for all types of jobs and internships in the New York metro area (including
New Jersey and Philadelphia) as well as post your resume. Also expanding into Boston and Washington, D.C.
markets. Also includes an online forum to network with other users as well as a job-matching agent.
Free to job-seekers.
FoodandDrinkJobs.com -- the online job site
for professionals in the food and beverage industry. Job-seekers can browse or search for job listings
(by keyword, location, industry, job function), create a job-search agent, and post your resume. The
site includes all types of job postings -- entry-level, full-time, part-time, and international.
Free to job-seekers.
WomensMedia.com -- a great site for working women, this site
provides the latest in-depth material to help working women advance by promoting a positive attitude in women, a respect for women’s talents,
and a way out of the cycle of seeing women as victims. Includes articles, discussion/networking forums, and more. Free.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
Quintessential Careers Celebrates with Real Wolrd
Quintessential Careers Celebrates 7th Anniversary the 2003 Real World Panel & Networking Event
Successful recent Stetson University alumni shared their real-world expertise with students
during the fifth annual "Real World Panel" discussion sponsored by Quintessential Careers
and Stetson University's School of Business Administration, held Wed., Dec. 3 in
the Lynn Business Center's Rinker Auditorium. The event was again dedicated to the memory of
1999 Stetson business graduate David Bigman of DeLand, who died in June 2001.
Eight Stetson graduates of the past six years discussed job hunting and life after graduation.
A networking reception included additional alumni. More than 100 people attended the panel and networking
event, the last of three celebrations of the seventh anniversary of Quintessential Careers.
Based on years of research, the Jackson Vocational Interest
Survey (JVIS) accurately measures your interests, showing how
they relate to the worlds of study and work, and mapping out
your route to an interesting career.
Steve writes: "I just started a new job, and I have quickly gotten the impression that the position will go nowhere, so
I want to keep looking for another job, but I want to stay where I'm at until something else comes up. Is there any
etiquette I should be aware of, and will it look poorly in the future when I apply to another position and have only
spent a short time in my current position?"
Jenna writes: "I am currently trying to chose a career path. I will be going to college soon taking medical radiography
(to become an x-ray and ultrasound technician); however, I don't think this is the career I really want (bad hours
and too much human suffering). I want to do something that is a little unusual -- not your average job. I want to retire
early and comfortably. I want to learn a lot of new things on my way. Some ideas I've had are commercial pilot, architect,
and something in astrophysics. What I really want are ideas for cool careers. Careers that when someone asks you what you do
for your living, they feel intimidated by your answer! I don't know what's out there. So... any great ideas?"
Lorna writes: "I interviewed with a prospective employer last Thursday for a customer-representative job. During the
interview, I felt really confident and thought that I made a good impression with the interviewer. Today (Sunday), I
received a letter from the employer stating that the position that I interviewed for was not the best for my qualifications.
I would like to ask you if it is appropriate for me to call them and ask the particular reason why I did not get the job.
This is the first job interview that I failed to get hired. I feel that I have done something wrong. Please advise."
Nikki writes: "I have been out of college for two years. During those two years I was a public-school teacher. Now
I would like to make a career change toward international business. I enrolled into a graduate program for international
management and commerce. What kind of job should I seek to gain experience in this field? How can I land the position
with my education experience?"
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Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Looking for a career in sales? According to industry recruiters, December is one of the busiest months in the sales sector
for hiring new staff. One expert says companies like to have new people on board before January so they can get maximum results
over the course of the year.
Read the full article by the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
No. 2: Our first tip suggested that you write your life story. Now, use a highlighter to mark
words in your story that best describe you. Arrange these words in a list, with your favorites on top.
(They will be mostly, action words, won't they?) You're on a treasure hunt! ....to be continued...
What better QuintZine than our Workplace Bummers issue to report that less than half of Americans say
they are satisfied with their jobs -- the highest level of discontent since this Conference Board survey was first
conducted in 1995. The decline in job satisfaction is found among workers of all ages, across all income
brackets and regions. Regionally, discontent is the highest in New England and West South Central regions.
Key findings:
The largest decline in overall job satisfaction -- from 60.9 percent in 1995 to 47.2 percent today -- occurred
among householders aged 35-44. This age group was once the most satisfied, but is now second to last.
The second largest decline took place among householders age 45-54, with the satisfaction
level dropping from 57.3 percent to 46.1 percent. This group recorded the lowest level of satisfaction.
The overall level of satisfaction among householders earning in excess of $50,000 has declined from 66.5 percent to 53.4 percent,
yet they still remain the most satisfied.
Among householders earning less than $15,000, there was no change in the level of satisfaction.
Currently, 45.4 percent claim they are satisfied, the same proportion as 8 years ago.
With only 43.2 percent of householders claiming to be satisfied with their current job compared to
59.7 percent in 1995, residents of the West South Central region are among the least satisfied in the nation.
Residents in New England are also among the least satisfied in the nation. Only 43.5 percent claim they
are satisfied with their jobs -- down significantly from 65.4 percent eight years ago.
Residents of the West North Central region are the most satisfied with their employment situation,
despite a decline in the level of satisfaction to 54.7 percent from 60.7 percent in 1995.
Promotion policies were the least satisfactory benefit of employment. Only 20.0 percent claimed they
were satisfied, down from 23.4 percent in 1995.
Bonus plans also received poor ratings. Only 20.1 percent claimed to be satisfied with their company's policies.
Educational and job-training programs did not fare well either. Only 29.3 percent claimed to be satisfied with these
types of programs.
The commute to work was rated as the most favorable aspect of one's job, with 57.9 percent satisfied
with their travels. But, here too, there was a decline in the level of satisfaction from 1995 levels.
Co-workers were also given a favorable rating. Despite a decline to 56.0 percent from 64.4 percent eight years ago, respondents
ranked their fellow employees as the second most satisfying aspect of their jobs.
College students and new grads should check out this e-book,
The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need:
How to Find -- and Get -- The Job or Internship of Your Dreams!
The book contains must-read contributions from 149 of North America's top employment experts
and is available risk-free for 90 days.
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* Dining etiquette
* Keeping Your Spirits Up During a Long Job Search
* Should You Take a Survival Job?
* Following Up All Job Leads: Don't Wait by the Phone
* Identifying Hiring Managers
* Ten Tips for Creating a Career That Lights Your Fire
* Identifying Your Passion's "Building Blocks"
* Career Assessment for New Grads
* Turning an Internship into a Job
* 10 Career Change Mistakes to Avoid
* Resumes for New Grads
* 10 Resume Mistakes
* The Scoop on Resume Length
* Moonlighting/Holding Multiple Jobs
* Career Focus Quiz
* Overcoming a Lack of Qualifications/Credentials
* Fighting the Overqualified Label
* Surviving and Moving Beyond Low-Wage Jobs
* Pre-Employment Testing
* 10 Things for High-School Students to Remember
* First in a Series Tracking College Plans of a High School Student
* Importance of Junior Year of High School
* How to Make a Temp Job Permanent
* Temping Your Way to Career Change
* Mastering Second (and Subsequent) Interviews
* Interview Damage Control
* 10 Interview Mistakes
* Exude Confidence in Interviews
* Job Satisfaction Quiz
* Job-search Time-Management Skills
* Reinvent Your Career at Midlife
* Working Beyond Retirement
* Workaholic Quiz
* Building Your Brand
* Pros and Cons of Nontraditional Careers
* Nontraditional Career Paths for Men and Women
* Make Your College Application Shine
* Changing Landscape of College Admissions
* College Admissions Annual Report/Panel Discussion
* Internet Jobhunting Annual Report
* Top 5 Networking Strategies
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
Quintessential Careers Announces Career Coaching
We now offer two types of career-coaching services!
Are you...
feeling stuck in an unsatisfying job?
facing a major change in career or job status?
searching for your ideal career or job?
seeking help in developing a job-search plan?
looking for a solution to job-search obstacles?
desiring to bounce ideas off of a career expert?
trying to discover the keys to career success?
Let Dr. Randall S. Hansen, The Career Doctor, help you work through all your college, career, and job-search concerns,
issues, and problems. He has helped hundreds of teens, college students, and experienced job-seekers identify obstacles, develop
action plans, and achieve success -- and he can help you!
And for an economical online-only career-coaching alternative,
visit The Career Clinic.
Quintessential Careers Advertisements
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Need a speaker for your career-oriented conference or
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