How to Handle Stress in the Workplace

It is no secret that the workplace holds many opportunities for stressful situations to occur. How you handle those stresses is the key to your survival and growth within an organization and as a person. Switching jobs when things become challenging at your current company leads to a resume that shows instability and unreliability and it takes a lot of explaining to convince an employer that you aren’t a flake. Here are some common stresses we can experience in the workplace and some ideas on how to successfully get through them.
1. My boss and/or co-worker is a jerk - At one point or another I think we have all been in a situation where a boss or co-worker’s behavior makes the daily experience less than tolerable. While you might feel like lashing out against this person, and they might very well deserve it, the workplace is not the best place to get verbally ‘UFC’ on somebody. Companies err on the side of caution when witnessing any type of confrontation and equally reprimand both people regardless of who is right or wrong. Therefore you must maintain composure and avoid taking the immediately more-satisfying path of spontaneous retribution. Initially, consult your company’s manual to fully understand the process of how to deal with this situation. Once it is evident that someone has become a problem for you, make sure to document all incidences, so you can clearly communicate your points to Human Resources. When making these types of declarations in an official capacity, not having your ducks in a row, will make you appear emotional, irrational, and unfounded in your concerns, and you will not be taken seriously. Also, be sure not to spout off to other co-workers within or outside of your department about this person. You never know who their friends might be outside of the workplace or perhaps they haven’t yet learned the virtue of discretion.
2. The company is in financial trouble - Rumors fly around the workplace like a bad joke, so before taking action make sure what you are hearing is true. If it turns out that the company is losing money, don’t assume that means your job is toast. Do a little legwork to get the facts. Whether it is asking your boss, Human Resources, or simply checking the Internet to see what the experts are saying, be sure not to automatically go along with the wrong assumption. Sometimes companies will intentionally spread that type of rumor to “thin out the herd”. It is much easier, and cheaper, to have employees leave for other jobs instead of having to lay them off and pay a severance.
3. Job description changes - As an employee it is absurd to think that you won’t be taking on additional tasks outside the boundaries of the official job description. In fact, if you aren’t being asked to take on added responsibility, it is likely an indication that your employer isn’t considering you to be promoted any time soon. That being said, there is a point when it is obviously crosses the line into being unfair. Some bosses pile on work until you can’t take it anymore, under the assumption that you can easily be replaced with someone else. After you finish primal scream therapy in your car, it is time to turn this negative into a positive. Sit down at home and create a list of everything you do that is outside of your official job description. How many of your boss’s tasks are you handling currently? Having taken on these responsibilities, what value have you added to your department, other departments, and the corporation? Once you have finished this list it is time to update that resume. Hold on though. I am not suggesting you do this so you leave your company for a new job, at least not yet. Initially this document will be used to apply for other internal corporate positions or, if there isn’t any room for promotion, to show your boss what you do that warrants a pay increase and title change.
4. Passed over for promotion - You have been with your company for 10 years and the guy who just started last year was just promoted to the position you also applied for three different times. What do you do? Do you “get the message” and immediately throw yourself into the market for a new job? Maybe you do eventually, however there are usually a few steps you should try first. As uncomfortable as it might be, try contacting the hiring manager by phone not email, and inviting him/her to lunch or to speak for 15-30 minutes onsite. Be as pleasant as possible in this invite, not showing the slightest hint of bitterness or frustration. Their initial thought in you scheduling this meeting might be that you want to berate and insult them or beg for the job you didn’t get. This however is not the case. At the meeting, express thanks to them for taking time with you and say, “I am pleased you found the right person for the XYZ position. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed but am sure that you saw things in the other candidate that led you to believe they would provide better value to the company. The reason I wanted to meet with you today was so you could show me the things that I need to do in order to be seen as a more value-added employee.” Any good hiring manager will be impressed at your initiative, maturity, and class.
5. Co-worker is being paid more than you- Waiting on hold for a customer, your eyes aimlessly wander around the office until, like flypaper, it sticks on the paycheck stub on a co-worker’s desk in your group. The gross amount is significantly more than yours and they perform the exact same tasks you do. Plus they have been there less time! Before you look like a fool running to your boss, get the facts. Does the person have a college degree or some type of advanced education that you don’t have? Even though you are doing the same job right now, having the advanced education will allow that person to be promoted to other areas in the organization, thereby making them more valuable to the company. Likewise, it is also important that you understand the person’s prior work experience. They may have only been at your company for a short time, but in their previous positions they very well might have gained more experience than you have. Companies aren’t in the habit of throwing excess money at their employees unless they anticipate a better return on that investment. Instead of arguing about your value versus theirs, it is time to consider upping your value. Obtaining your college degree, industry-related certifications, or learning more about your industry will improve your chances of career growth within the organization. Overtime, as you are able to use these things to demonstrate more value and a commitment to excellence, a company will recognize that and label you as a high-potential employee.

How to Sell Yourself Without Selling Out

For most people, the word sales conjures up images of slick hucksters with painted-on smiles and polyester suits, tactless and saccharine in their approach. Therefore it isn’t too surprising when talented job seekers recoil at the prospect of having to “sell themselves” in an interview. Here are some ideas on how to convey your value to an employer without being overbearing and overconfident.
The main difference between the stereotypical salesperson described above and a top-end sales executive is one thing...the ability to listen. The majority of clients I have helped with their career-transition over the years, whether they are an industry newbie or a seasoned veteran, have had a misconception of what it means to sell their selves during an interview. The common perception of “selling yourself” has been to communicate each task accomplished in every position they have had to an employer, while simultaneously conveying their strong work ethic and ability to “pick things up quickly”. This, however, is a recipe for disaster that often leads to a perception that you are more focused on yourself. The goal of a successful interview should be to create enough rapport with the hiring manager so, to put it simply, they like you. Regardless of whether or not you have the top skills in an area, an employer will not hire you without feeling a personal connection. As a point of reference, a candidate should reach the level of rapport with a hiring manager that equates to being the type of person the boss wouldn’t be embarrassed having over for dinner with his family.
Here are some ways you can sell yourself in an interview without feeling like you are selling-out:
1. Ask questions – Be an investigator. Learning more about the position by asking questions not only shows your legitimate interest in the position but also functions to transform the interview into more of a conversation. More often than not, when candidates ask an employer to tell them more about the position, other job aspects, that weren’t on the ‘official’ posted job description, arise.
2. Make sure you understand exactly what you are being asked – If you attempt responding to broad statements such as, “Tell me about your work history”, the odds of your answer being shorter than 5 minutes is slim. Counter something like this by stating, “I would be happy to. Would you like me to tell you about my most recent role at XYZ Company?” Provide an answer that is detailed but concise and then STOP TALKING! Don’t fear the silence. That is your cue to ask the first question and begin the conversation that will lead to the positive rapport you need.
3. Ask why the position is open. Find out which strengths the previous person in the role had that were viewed as valuable. If the person was terminated, ask what his/her weaknesses were and what led them to initially hire them. Having this information allows you to better understand which aspects of your background to focus on or which to ignore. If the employee’s strength was in tying his/her shoes, then it would be wise to bring up the fact that at XYZ Company, you won an award for shoe tying. If the employee was terminated for attendance, it would be a good idea to mention that you didn’t miss one day of scheduled work all year.
4. Don’t say ‘No’ – Saying ‘No’ implies you have absolutely zero knowledge of what the employer is asking you about. Make sure you relate your similar experience to what it is they are asking so they have enough ammunition to hire you when the time comes. Without any related experience, no matter how much an employer likes you, they won’t be able to justify the hire to themselves or their superiors.
5. Is there anything else I can tell you about myself to assure you that I am the right person for the job? – Many times, employers make decisions based on assumptions they have made about you. Whether it is the content of your resume or the type of companies you previously worked for, an employer might think you lack a certain skill that in fact you have. This question will give an employer more confidence to ask a question that might, for one reason or another, have been tough to ask. Even if you lack direct experience with an area of concern, using the strategy explained in #4 should help you navigate through any objections presented to you.