The Working Woman's Woes: A Bit of a Wild Hair

"Can’t someone who can conjugate French verbs, write statistically dense research papers and explicate the poetry of William Blake be trained in computer programming, supply-chain management and other skills valued by hiring managers? An entire generation hopes that C.E.O.’s somewhere believe that giving them an opportunity is the right — and the smart — thing to do."

 Robert W. Goldfarb, Management Consultant, Author
Read the full article HERE

On my recent wanderings on the New York Times Website--a special note of appreciation to RoroBird for turning me on to daily visits--I discovered an Op-Ed targeting the education vs workplace divide. Well, what better fodder for the "Working Woman's Woes" serial?! And from such a recognized source!

I must say, for all the great and relevant points the author makes, and there are many, Mr. Goldfard paints a bleak picture of the job marketplace. I found the entire piece a bit resigned in tone. And that, my good friends, I refuse to accept. The job marketplace has changed, but that doesn't mean the tide hasn't turned in some positive ways. A diploma is less impressive these days than a varied and tiered resume (at an impossibly young professional age). Employers DO want to see discipline, experience, and some level of improving performance before taking a risk on an employee. All points, by the way, that Mr. Goldfard cites. He even appeals (almost without any hope) to CEOs to see beyond the "hard skills" that many Liberal Arts graduates may be lacking initially, and value their learned appreciation for working in dynamic, multi- fields and systems. As a Liberal Arts degree holder, I couldn't agree more.

EVEN the most technologically innovative companies benefit from having a balance of employees — most with technical degrees, others with broader educations. Valuable products and services emerge from the clash of ideas between analytical professionals and managers whose greatest strength is their intuitiveness. ~Goldfarb

But, despite all of the obstacles, there is a shifting tide. A new breed of very interesting professionals has developed: the A La Carte Employee. Please do not immediately interpret this phrase negatively; I use "a la carte" in this context to describe a generation of professionals who have become quite creative in their quest to build a varied resume, and still circumvent the "entry level" employment race.

Many friends, myself included, have walked circuitous paths toward developing a career.  Some people do still head straight to the top, and I am proud of them. Some professionals still practice the "foot in the door" tradition: hold a full time job in administrative role, and wait to climb your way up in a company. This works sometimes--but often, the wait can be long. Or, these folks use the buffer of being gainfully employed to job hop into another company. The way I see it, that is not indicative of a lack of employee dedication. It frustrates me to hear employers complain about "unmotivated" professionals. Yes, I know some members of my age bracket have confused the instant-gratification expectation of Twitter with the real world. But the majority of us are not that dense. We know we must work hard to achieve something at a young age. Or at all. Talented, young employees are jumping ship because businesses are afraid to resume the old practice of laying out an attractive promotional path. To build talent, you need diverse workers: to keep talent, you need encourage their development (and consequently, their dedication to your company). It doesn't need to be a fast track, but there needs to be a track. Anyone hearing me out there?

Back to my main point--the "a la carte" professional. A few years ago, I worked retail part time in order to bridge an employment gap. During that time, I met graduate students, engineers, and recent graduates all in the same boat. The inspiring thing about that environment (when we weren't singing the "full time pay, where are you!?" song), was the creativity used by young professionals to change their situation. One was working part time retail, while moonlighting his graphic skills to a non profit, building a solid portfolio and networking; another was working on a vocational degree by evenings to pair with his liberal arts education; another launched a low cost enterprise based on cleaning houses, and organizing wealthy ladies' closets (not kidding). Others, myself included, continued honing our previously employed skills with contracted work, spending our evenings researching new markets, and looking for innovative ways to interpret old industry needs. Or fields to which we might need to transition. Others volunteered, or made great contacts with their regular customers, and thus landed them a job. But the entire group had one thing in common--and this is true no matter what "bridge" field a person is working (or volunteering) in--they used innate skill sets in a wide range of activities, relying on their resiliency and intuition to tackle completely foreign problems. I mean, how many engineers are public speakers? Or how many finance educated professionals do you know who can plan a staff event? But, those incidences showed flexibility, and an "a la carte" approach to professional training. Basically, they volunteered to be stressed out just to have an opportunity to learn. Amazing how those old sayings, like "life is the best teacher", always turn back up, isn't it?

This "a la carte" group came away with what exactly? Well, experience in customer service, problem resolution, team environments, a newly sharpened ability to self-motivate, and the oh-so-valuable experience of trail and error. The "a la carte" group could quite effectively demonstrate that "hard skills"--or those particular to one type of employment position--weren't the wheels that kept the cart moving: the individual talent was the key. Many employers are beginning to see the benefits of hiring young professionals with competence over traditional experience. But I never claimed the wave is fast moving. So, take advantage of whatever employment situation you find yourself in. If you are unhappily employed, keep on finding new things to try on the side. If you are unemployed, pair your traditional job hunt with some random experiences that will make you a better person. At the end of the day, investing in your own competency and personal skill sets is the way to a) get noticed by current employers for recognition, b) improve your visibility in the job market, and c) ensure that the job you land, you will have the confidence to carry.

Plus, doesn't "a la carte" give you that little bit of adventure that we all crave? I am still waiting on someone to ask me to write a consumer review of skydiving. So far, no one has called. But I haven't given up hope of dancing on the "edge" with my technical expertise!

The Working Woman's Woes: The Unforgiving Workload

 Despite my many attempts to delve further into one of my favorite topics—navigating the ever changing workplace—I admit to abandoning this entry on multiple occasions.

Why? Well, my explanation is a fitting one: I have been juggling THE workload.
The serial took second priority.

Shortly after drafting the bones of “The Working Woman’s Woes” series, I made the decision to shift roles at work. At the time, my juggling act was quite impressive on its own: after participating in a 6 month staff restructuring process, I assumed a new role as the Development Manager for roughly 18 counties in SWVA. It was an exciting endeavor. I was fortunate to play a significant role in developing the job description for my new “responsibilities”. Leaving the Grant Manager position behind was not scary, it was an opportunity. One that did—oh yes, it did—stretch me. Unfortunately, we were not in a position to hire a replacement in my former role quickly, so I juggled. And my department was incredibly supportive. It all worked out beautifully, though I was overwhelmed, for a few months.

But a new twist was rapidly approaching—and the experiences that I have had in the months since, have given me a whole new perspective on “time management.” In February 2012, I took a role overseeing the local presence of a state incentive grant. In retrospect, that whole journey requires a bit of faith to believe. My current Director has known me for several years, and had approached me to write for a multi-year project funded by SAMHSA. Well, after days juggling two roles at one organization, and the responsibilities of privately contracted grant writer by night, I was stretched. But we were awarded the funding. Then, I was asked to apply for the project coordinator position. And today I have shifted my responsibilities into the realm of project management (plus, development duties, but that will wait for another day!).

Rather than waxing poetic about the positive results of finishing before the deadline, or learning to prioritize your to-do list Covey style, I think I can accurately sum up the best stress navigation method in four words: consistent performance & expectation management. 

Your Level of Effort Should be Predictable—

Don’t run. This isn’t the boring “never deviate from the routine” sort of lesson. But there is one truth to your relationship with your employer: with consistency of performance you will develop trust, and with trust you will have the freedom and autonomy to take the risks you want to take. 

On the few occasions that I, or my friends, have noted strained relations in the work place, it usually falls on the doorstep of low effort performance. What does that mean? Well, I actually don’t think it has that much to do with delivering the “stellar” performance, or of never missing the mark on a project. Life happens. We will never be 100% successful at everything—and if you are, I would wager you have taken few chances with your skill application. Up the ante.

Consistency is about a two things: first, it sets the stage for building your reputation on a solid work ethic; and second, it is the perfect motivator for advancing your professional goals in a timely manner through uninterrupted levels of effort (thereby avoiding the strained 4:59 pm submission deadline every week). What it should never be about: stifling your creativity. For your employer, a consistent level of engagement in every project, whether you love it or hate it, will prove that you are both competent and thoughtful in your work. As such, if you NEED to shout “Mayday!” on a Wednesday when the to-do list threatens to crush you, chances are the boss will acknowledge your cries. And you will get the extension you need, or the necessary support to get the job done. And the hurdle will be cleared, and all will be well.

On the other hand, when have you ever heard of the lazy guy in the office not getting “the” lecture after filing for an extension? Not a frequent occurrence. 

Consistency will both help you maintain control on your projects, as well as keep you focused on the end game. Consistency is based on a long term plan; and I should hope—please?— that that is an ambitious one.

 

Do Not Pretend You Can Spin Golden Thread

There are few situations in which you are going to be rescued by a supervisor or client, just because “they lowered their expectations.” Admitting your limitations is part of being a good employee or business owner. If a supervisor or a client comes to you asking for a very ambitious product—whether due to the time commitment or the sheer difficulty level—then you need to call on your honed negotiation skills. 

Granted, when you are growing a business or first starting out in your career, you do not have the luxury of sending away potential business or projects. You need to make ends meet, and you need to build a portfolio from somewhere. As you move forward in your career, however, the number of projects that you are juggling will only grow in size and difficulty level; when that happens, a well-placed, “No”, will serve you well.

It stands to common sense that a client will appreciate a surprise over a disappointment any day. As the saying goes, “under-promise and over-deliver”. That strategy rarely backfires if you remember to promise a good product from the get go. At the end of the day, your supervisors or your clients do not care about the other 400 things waiting on your desk, or the 20 unreturned voicemails in your inbox, or even the fact that you haven’t had a vacation in 6 months. They care only about what you can tell them concerning their product, their interests, and their investment. Which means, you have now entered into the field of TIGHT ROPE WALKING! Welcome! It will be fun! You will not fall…most likely.

To balance all of the things you have on your plate—in addition to performing consistently, and being affable, and finding a good mentor (see previous serial installment)—you need to find that sweet spot where you can advance your own interests while managing the expectations of those around you. Please note: this is not a lesson in personal profit. Managing the expectations of those around allows for honest communication, better time management, and ultimately a much better product. Profit is the by product.

If you are too stretched by multiple projects or incessant details, it simply doesn’t matter what level of effort you put in—something will suffer. And so begins to cycle of compromise. You lose the ability to control your collaborative partners. You lose say in when a project reaches fruition. Worst of all, you lose confidence in the quality of your product. Stress makes for shoddy workmanship. Your skills are your legacy, your currency, and your source of personal achievement. If you allow others to enforce unrealistic or intangible expectations onto those skills, then you will risk compromising those strengths in the name of an unshared goal. 

Navigating Cubicle-ville, or your own makeshift desk from home, is a delicate thing. Some days I succeed. Some days, I see the edge of the cliff approaching and force myself to talk through the stresses with my Director. It is never 100% comfortable. But it is necessary. To become a successful, confident, and effective professional, there is no escaping the mounting to-do list. It is going to grow and grow and grow. If you are doing your job well, the pace will likely accelerate before you have time to learn the art of “no”. But, if you have been consistent in your performance to that point, then a minor blip on the success radar will be forgiven and forgotten—just try not to make it a habit.

The Working Woman's Woes: Mentors

~Mentors~

Feel like a post straight out of left field? Read the Overview here like a good reader! 

Best advice I was ever given: find a mentor. It isn't easy. I have not perfected the art by any means, and I wish I could have started at 17. Still, I have discussed the matter at length with friends all across the nation (and world), each in different professions. The need for a mentor never fluctuated in any of those situations. In several cases, the mentor presence made the difference between promotion at the 1 or 3 year mark. Same college pedigrees, same GPA profiles, similar college internships, often obsessive work ethics, similar corporate/non-profit cultures and still...different promotional timelines.

Seeking out that one great sounding board can be difficult for complicated reasons. There is the personality compatibility factor: you will not have success if you fail to identify with the person. There is the timing factor: sometimes there just isn't time to find one! We are busy proving ourselves! But find on you should. End of story.

Also, let us not forget the hard truth that not every industry has continuity: someone in hospitality can learn best practices for customer relations and apply them 80% of the time, while someone in public relations needs a mentor familiar with the regional and social markets that he/she is working in. Even more daunting, is the speed at which our communications are changing with the advent of social media. We may have constant access to knowledge, and the ability to share events and information, but there is still an etiquette of professionalism that applies to everyone...unless you are Perez Hilton. In which case, just stop reading. No, really. STOP.

"Would You Be My Mentor?"  

Initiating the conversation that leads to the non-verbal "yes, I will be your mentor" should not be nerve racking. You do not have to deliver an evite equivalent to the "Be Mine" hearts of February. I mean you are not approaching anyone for a date. And if you are (mainly the sisters out there) you should seriously reconsider your intentions! Rejection should not be the greatest fear in this case. If you just don't know where to begin, try this:

• Build a list of people whose work you respect, perhaps they are co-workers or superiors, but they might also be at another firm or organization. They might be in another career field.
• Use networking events for easy initial meetings, or leverage your personal and professional relationships to score a one-on-one introduction.
• Do not barrage anyone with 21 questions about work mere moments after learning his or her name; sometimes the most important lessons are in the personal details of someone's story. I.E. Why this area to work? Where was their start? So, listen. Find personal commonalities, like hiking or restaurants. The thing to remember is that GENUINE interactions should always be valued. You may be on an active search for a mentor, but you are also looking for a friend in this professional Yoda character.
• Never underestimate the value of your friends and family; sometimes, they can identify more readily than you why an obstacle at work is standing in your way. After all, they are stuck with your personal and professional eccentricities. 

"I Got an Email BACK! Now what?"

Professional courtesy dictates that you be the available one, as you are the one who needs something. Be patient. Do coffee whenever possible. Keep in touch with emails, or whatever mode of communication is best suited to the person you feel you can learn from. The reality is, unless you are the incorrigible Jeremy Piven on Entourage, most colleagues want to foster new talent in their field. That said, those professionals have lives outside of their careers: they paid their dues, found their niches, and deserve to ignore you during an 8 week period in the summer. Use that time to beef up your resume, or hell, improve your golf game. Something!

The key to making the most of a mentor relationship is to be appreciative of any advice or time you are given. And to maintain (a non obsessive level of) contact. Learn what you can. Life will always be the best teacher, so you are going to figure out just what not to say to the client whose marketing account you are courting the hard way. It is going to happen: you will make a mistake and have no one to blame but yourself. The beauty is that your mentor will help out once you have made the faux pas, since more than likely, he or she can tell you how to pick yourself up and move on...or, if you are lucky, just how to fix it.

One last thing: never presume to use the advice or connections of your mentor without permission. You have been given a gift in his or her knowledge. Respect that. If your mentor is with a competing firm or agency, under no situation should you scalp their professional plans. I have seen it ruin careers and reputations. Do NOT do it. Success almost always follows the ambitious, but respect in your professional circle follows integrity.

When One Person Is Not Enough~

I mentioned earlier that sometimes a field is complex. How can an architect, or construction site manager, do his job without knowledge of the topography, current technologies available, or personality of the target audience or construction crew? Well, I never said you should stop at one mentor. You didn't stop at Psychology 101 did you, Mr. Psychiatrist?  No, I didn't think so!

Lists! (You know I love those.) What what help you? If you are in media, maybe you need to have a seasoned journalist in your friend set...but would it hurt to have someone who can walk you through the ins and outs of the local industry issues? After all, if presenting a sensitive labor issue how do you navigate relationships between plant managers and the unions without alienating either? Or maybe a situation calls for some marketing expertise: if you are writing a column or preparing a human interest piece, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone advise you on the way to brand a story, pictorially and semantically. 

Ultimately, the community or market that you are working in has a personality. It has quirks, preferences, a type of audience. They all affect your professional success, and a mentor is able to share the tips and experiences that helped him or her assimilate and prosper. 

Build a network of confidantes around yourself that will allow you to serve your employer first, development your career second, and serve your community always. 

Feel like a post straight out of left field? Read the Overview here like a good reader! 

The Working Woman's Woes: An Overview

Why Such a Serious Series?!

Melanie, I feel your working woes.
But I don't endorse the cigarette.

After recognizing just how often my friends and I debate career matters, it became obvious that  a "how to get by when getting by is unforeseeable" series just might be in order. Eh voila. This career thing was born.

This is potentially the most sensitive topical area that the blog will ever cover: the workplace. Yes, I know. Some might argue that relationships are more dangerous to speculate online about, but Sex and the City removed any concessions for privacy in that arena. Tweens now sit around and discuss the proper way of "dumping a boyfriend"; i.e. "can you text him if you have only hung out twice?". Or if you are older (mature? debatable...) the questions are more suited to general romantic rules, such as "under no situation should you buy pets together", or "do not forget a birthday, no matter HOW much he/she protests a celebration."

 

No instead, I tackle relevant workplace generalities. We should be sharing the pain of career development, no? The scenarios from which these lessons are taken, hail from various personal experiences, those of close acquaintances, and the often-revisited "coming of age" tales of my mentors.

Some of the stories that I have learned from came to me objectively: I was data mining, and asked specific questions or advice about specific situations. Other stories that corroborate some of my soon-to-be-shared claims came from a more "informal" manner. Translation: wine and food opened the venting flood gates in college, during unemployment (the wine was of a lesser caliber then), and while holding the long vied for career positions. Years of informal research! Friend sharing over meals just tends to happen--and can be a grand source for vicarious learning! And all of my research leads me to highlight the following commonalities of career development:

1. Mentors: Get one. 
2. Navigating buy outs, mergers, and restructures.
3. Navigating sudden increases in work load. When there might not be an end in sight.
4. Navigating dress, drama and the deadly gossip chain.
5. Networking is not socializing. It just looks like it. 
6. Bills, bills, bills.  Yes, you have to pay them. On your own.

All of the issues above are important to me and to my friend set. So, I can only assume they bear some degree of relevancy for a professional class still working their way toward the "10 years in the field" mark. In my first installment, and in what is sure to be a revisited topic, I will be addressing Mentors. I can only hope that something will be useful, or at the very least, foster some conversation with whoever is reading this verbose little blog!

Navigating...ack, what AREN'T we navigating? Part I

The following scenarios are real. They happened. In this order. Some are ongoing. Bah, stupid twenties.

Property Manager is Missing in Action

You might recall the previous blog post about our fire-storm escapades. Well, during that rather tense moment standing on the sidewalk and watching the firemen storm through the house, we were educated on kitchen safety. By which I simply mean, our oven is dangerous. And not working. To catch you up, Gentle Reader, about one month after moving in we had some difficulty with the heating element. After about 4 attempts over two weeks to get a response, the property manager finally called the property owner and the element was replaced. That lasted...one day. It all came crashing to a halt when we realized that not only had the owner deliberately replaced the element and left the unit unplugged, but that the oven wouldn't STOP heating. ::sigh::

Fast forward 4 weeks: between Sisterita and myself, 6 aggressive emails and countless phone calls to every imaginable source had been completed. No word. Not from the property manager. We had no way to reach the owner. Dining out was getting expensive. And with the temperatures dropping, cold salad every night was not cutting it. At that point, we sent a nasty correspondence. I mean aggressive: demanding fixed equipment or back compensation for the 5 weeks of incurred dining bills. Not a proud moment, but it was a HELPLESS feeling 

When I finally reached the manager's wife, it was to discover that he was out of the country. 

On a mission's trip. Serving humanity. 

At what point are we allowed to be self-centered and rate our kitchen needs higher than that of mankind?

Mowing. Muscles. Mayhem.

Little to say: one of us (what is the point at utter humiliation?) tried to start the push mower. The pulley got caught, wrenched back, and caused some very serious tearing in the muscle region. Minor panic ensued after a short call to Dr. Dad hinted at orthopedic surgery. Fortunately, that passed. But we were down one dominant arm.

 Technology.

Two days after the pain and agony of trying to set up internet and cable (moving on up!), we had a minor setback. One day we woke up (cold, not able to make breakfast) and both laptops were dead. One personal, one belonging to the workplace.

It took two days to figure out, but apparently both power converters were fried during a power outage. Some semblance of order has since been restored. Post 5 days with limited technology access.

Frost Bitten

It is 34 degrees outside. Coats have been pulled from the abyss of boxes. Sisterita and I have fought the necessity of finding windshield scrapers. Satin shoes have been put away, and boots have been pulled out. All of this is trivial compared to the real problem: it is 34 degrees and we have no heat. None.

Apparently, we missed the memo that we have a dual electric/gas heating. So, with several appointments with the gas company made, missed, rescheduled and anxiously anticipated, we did they only thing we could: we put on hoodies and wrapped ourselves into a single multi-blanket cocoon on the couch.

Disheartened over being successful 20 somethings with no heat, we were in emotional turmoil. The obvious answer was to have bowls of ice cream to numb our "pain".
While shivering.
Wrapped in quilts.
The coup d'etat, the final blow to dignity, came abruptly when Sisterita yelled, "These sprinkles are the only things that make me happy anymore!" ::commence hysterical, dramatic giggles::

And then we ran out of sprinkles. And the tenuous grip on sanity was broken. No system is perfect. 

With this inaugural post, I have overcome my 20 month trend of procrastination!

Well, it sure took me long enough. I was 17 the first time I realized that others were blogging; did I join the circus of online over-sharing? Why of course not! What kind of girl do you take me for? But I wanted to. That anonymity, the language options, the freedom from drafting thesis statement after thesis statement...oh, it sounded glorious. But it required delving into the mysterious land of the internet. Which, most of you will now assume I am a relic (translate: too damn old to count), was terrifying. Email, oh yeah, I rocked that. With some ridiculously pretentious username, like scarletpearl (Hawthorne fans, anyone?). Oh oh! I figured out AIM! It was a proud day, I tell you. But a blog? I am a perfectionist, and we do not like to launch ourselves into situations with more than two unknown elements. And the blogsphere was just one large "uh?" So, I justified putting my curiosity off indefinitely. Mission: success!
Then, roughly two years ago I started craving a vehicle with which to complain. Yeah, I said it. I wanted nothing more than to be able to share with some nameless reader the trials and pains of growing into a non profit career for the first time. And dammit, I wanted that nameless reader to give me a proverbial "pat on the head" and accept my need to just be disappointed, confused, and petulant about life. The truth is, I am one of the most optimistic people you will ever meet...only you won't, because that is the point of this thing isn't it? But the early early twenties were rough; I was just out of undergrad, living in a new state with no friends, bursting with energy and lacking in know-how, and realizing that my interests and skills were outgrowing my surroundings. Insert major life change. I quit my job. I studied and thought very seriously about law school. I ran away across state lines and got a few friend "fixes". I burned through my savings and struggled to figure out the next step. Then, lo and behold, reality kicked in. "Self, you need money. Because, well, the Ramen is getting low." So, I took a part time job at a grocery store. "Uh, hey self? Some very cool projects are floating through your radar." So, I dabbled in nonprofit consulting, and loved it. Then, the grand coup d'etat: new job with an incredible organization, and the cherry on the sundae was a new lease with SparkNotes (little sister) in our very own town home! Casa de Fabulous-ity.