When Is It The Time To Move On?

A group in Linkedin by the name of Connect: Professional Women’s Network,Powered by Citi recently has a discussion on the subject above and managed to garner a number of great responses. 

I think it’s a valid question because we do ask ourselves sometimes. Probably the fact you are reading this, this question is at the top of your mind now. I think it’s great to know the signs or indicators because moving on is a huge decision when the answer might just be a short vacation.

So, what's the best gauge? 

Perhaps the following responses might give us some clues:-

• In general- a good indicator is- "Am I getting energy from this job or losing it?"
• When you are bored more often than not....when you are not using the creativity of which you are capable....when you can afford it. It's always good to blend practical decision making with job satisfaction percentage.
• Prior to setting up my own business, for me it was when I no longer felt challenged in what I was doing and found that I was getting bored and restless.
• Realizing I am losing more than I am getting from work. This happens over a course of years. When I feel like work is draining me in a negative way, it's time to assess the situation.
• When you show up for work, and have no more ideas for the company or the office itself. If everything has truly dried up, and you risk becoming a robot at work, time to move on.
• I believe when you feel you can no longer do what you do best the majority of the time and you don't feel as though you are learning and growing in that role, or in that organization, it may be time to move on. Also pay attention to your internal clues will tell you. If you feel drained and the thought of going to work really weighs on you, it may be time.
• I always encourage people to look for signs that they are valued more outside their company than inside. When your company takes your skills or contributions for granted or doesn't seem to value what you bring to the table as much as people you collaborate with externally, it may be time to start conversations with those who value you more.
• The proportion of time spent using strengths is a good indicator of whether or not one is personally fulfilled in work. When the majority of the time--not just a day or week, but the overall pattern of work hours--is spent on areas other than strengths, it's time to find a different role, different company or different career. There needs to be an alignment of head, heart and gut for a position to work well. If one is out of line, it's time to make a change.
• I have 2 triggers both learned over a long life of mostly great jobs.
  1. When it is clear that your skills aren't appreciated at the level you need personally.
  2. When your skills and compensation level don't match. The appreciation sometimes has more value than the money. Maybe the best indicator is when all you get from an annual review is another job title. If you are getting more responsibility and no compensation then something is wrong.
• When you realize your values and those of your employer have diverged so wildly, there is no possible way to continue on the same path. When you are getting the accolades, but not the promotion. When you are offered no opportunity to grow into the role you know you can excel at, because your supervisor won't recognize your potential in anything but the niche you've already been assigned in his/her mind.
• When the job is no longer fun. When getting up and going into work gets harder and less enjoyable and becomes more like a task and just walking through the door makes you unhappy, then it is time for a change.
• You move on when you get up in the morning and think Oh S---! I have to do this again!
• Satisfaction comes in many forms. I realize that financial security is not my big motivator, and perhaps that is because I've not had the experience of living on the edge financially. I am very conscious of the limitations of time, and I consider the use of my time as an important measure. If this is my last day, how do I want to live it?
• I like the "Grow and Go" technique. Whenever I feel that I have gained sufficient knowledge to do all that my position requires and it no longer presents a challenge to me, then it's time to move on to the next level. If that's not possible where I am, then it means looking outside of the firm. I don't think a person should stay in a position until they are bored, depleted, or doing just enough to get by.
• For me, it starts with prayer and the direction God is taking me. If I'm working for someone else it's when I know that I've given everything I have into it and am still hitting a wall. I've honored my leaders... I've given the best of myself into a role and in the job... I've done all I know to do to stand strong. I haven't quit or given up just because it was hard. I went beyond my emotions and kept trying to "make it work". --Years ago someone told me if you don't have peace don't "do this or that". In a "role" or "job" when I no longer have peace that I'm in the right place for my life, and I can sincerely say I've given it everything, it's time to go. All of that is wrapped up in what God is speaking to me at the time.
• Life is not about being stagnant, we have so much to live for and strive for and all we have to do is keep trying new things, venture out, find your spot in the glory of the sun as it shines on your lovely being!

From the comments above, there seems to be a consensus on the point when you feel bored, undervalued and not challenged, then it’s time to pack your bag and go.

Don't underestimate ourselves - we can out-grow our jobs!

But that’s the “push’ factors, those that affect your current position. On the other hand, we can have “pull” factors, say in the form of an amazing opportunity that is too good to be missed out. That is definitely a sign we should deeply consider. 

Is Marisa Mayer Going Backwards With Her Telecommuting Policy?

All Yahoo employees must work in the office by June this year, so said the new CEO of Yahoo, Marisa Mayer. In the past decade with the advancement of technology, telecommuting has been applauded as breaking the traditional 9-5 clock system.

I remember when I first started working the first thing I was introduced in my orientation was the punch card system. Every morning, this little event of making sure my punch card produces black print sweat me out quite a bit especially if my bus was running late. I would be rushing like a mad lady if I discovered that I might get a red print. Needless to say, it’s stressful. I’m so glad those days were over.

With the advancement of technology, telecommuting was introduced. It was good news to many especially for jobs that do not require physical presence in the office all the time. To me, this idea is progressive and liberating. We are after all adults that know our job and what it takes to do a good job. If we do not meet the standards or targets set, the consequences are clear. We don’t need a “referee” to look over our shoulders all the time and certainly the reason of not performing if ever is not due to not enough time spent in the office!

One of the best benefits of telecommuting is that it saved a lot of time – it makes so much sense especially when work can be done in the comfort of a home or anywhere else besides the office – not to mention the stress from beating the traffic and as a result, more time can be spent with family and etc. If a worker can generate same results, i.e., no effect on the job performance, why telecommuting is a bad idea now?

I’m not sure whether Yahoo has done a feasibility study before they came out with this policy or not. If they have hard evidence that concluded telecommuting was bad for business, I would like to hear it.

So far the only rationale of why the shift is that they believe by having everyone in the office, they will have many "fun" new initiatives, people feel "energy and buzz" when they work in the office, and some of the "best" work is done when you run into someone in the hallway. This sounds more like “we wish this will happen if everyone is around.”

I don’t deny physical meetings are powerful and the connection generated from such can rarely be replaced by a virtual set-up. It’s like the Recruiters conducting a face-to-face interview – it certainly gives us more information as compared to a tele-interview or via a google hangout.

However, in our context of work, there are some work like programming and writing that are best done in a place that the individual feels most comfortable – more likely achieved in the comfort of his home. Why restrict that? Of course, there is some type of work in which regular communication with colleagues help, say marketing. And therefore, meet up in the office and brainstorm! Why can’t there be options and flexibility? It’s an irony to see a technology company taking this step.

From the hiring strategy perspective, it might not augur well when companies like Virgin encourages people to work wherever they work best, whether that be from home or from the office.

So, if you are a talent, which company will you choose to work - Yahoo or Virgin?

Top 10 Talent Trends In Malaysia For 2013

What’s in store for 2013 in Malaysia? I’m no prophet and do not wish to make speculations that at best remain as guesses but one thing for sure, General Election is certain to take place. And because it’s GE, the results would have some impact on the general economy and that ultimately would very much affects everyone that is either in business or in employment. Whether the after effects of GE will generate positive results or not, we shall wait and see.

If you desperately need some forecasts, there’s one from the Malaysian Government: they had predicted a slow growth across the services sector and oil and gas with more modest growth in manufacturing and construction.

And from this website, Hays  gave their take on the top 10 talent trends for 2013. This is what they think:

1. Use of expats: The Malaysian Government is rolling out changes to its Immigration Department including a new Expatriate Services Division to officially open in early 2013. The new agency will manage services related to in demand expatriate workers. As part of the pre-launch activities, the government issued Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) status to 21 corporate leaders in “National Key Economic Area” sectors such as business services, oil and gas, financial services and education. This type of Malaysian visa allows people to work for up to 10 years and will be offered to expats with the right skills signalling continuing demand for expat talent.

2. Economic outlook: Domestic demand for goods and services strengthened in 2012 and is expected to increase further in 2013. Malaysia’s GDP is expected to grow by at least 3.8 per cent next year, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Economists from Bank Negara Malaysia and the World Bank are optimistic projecting growth of more than 4 per cent while the Malaysian Government expects GDP growth of up to 5 per cent if global conditions improve.

3. Continuing skills shortage: Skills needed in Malaysia cover both white-collar and blue-collar roles. These include ICT and knowledge workers and those with finance skill sets, as well as building sector trades, particularly welders.

4. Staff turnover: The outsourcing sector is still seeing higher rates of staff churn than many others sectors and this is expected to continue next year. Many younger workers in this sector are increasingly mobile as they search for better pay and conditions in new job roles.

5. Rising salaries: Malaysia this year introduced a minimum wage for the private sector with businesses having until January 1, 2013 to comply. “I would have to agree with economists that setting a minimum wage could help address wage inequality and encourage greater workforce participation rates here,” says Chris. Overall, salaries are expected to see modest growth over the coming year with the largest increases expected for a range of “in demand” roles such as ICT roles, some manufacturing jobs, engineering roles, banking and finance roles and jobs in the pharmaceutical sector.

6. Focus on female workforce: The Malaysian Government has set a target of increasing female workforce participation to 55 per cent by 2015. It is currently about 47 per cent. “Boosting the female workforce participation rates is a way of increasing productivity and addressing skills shortages,” says Chris. “However, Malaysia has a unique problem. Unlike other Asian countries where women leave the workforce to raise families and then return later in their lives, Malaysian women tend not to return.”

7. Need for staff development: The report, Learning, Talent and Innovation in Asia, compiled by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management and the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and reported in the latest edition of the Hays journal, analysed the talent challenges in six parts of Asia, including Malaysia. It advises Malaysia to follow the Chinese example of investing in talent strategies and helping staff develop business skills, particularly leadership and people management capabilities.

8. Public investment: Malaysia’s public investment, increased by almost 30 per cent in the quarter to June 2012 largely off the back of $450 billion worth of new infrastructure projects. These projects will continue to take shape in 2013 creating jobs and domestic spending.

9. Social media: Malaysian job hunters, particularly Gen Y and Gen X, are increasingly comfortable using social media as part of their job search and personal branding efforts. Malaysian candidates of all ages also appear to have a good awareness of the career perils posed by social media such as posting inappropriate remarks online. Employers are also being encouraged to include social media as part of their recruitment mix but to seek expert guidance to ensure they protect their brand and adequately test claims candidates make in their online profiles.

10. Unemployment Going into 2013 the unemployment rate across the Asia and the Pacific will continue to hover above 10 per cent, but in Malaysia the rate remains very low by global standards. Unemployment increased from 2.8 per cent in mid-2012 to 3.4 per cent for the year but is expected to hover around three percent in 2013.

From the Recruiter’s point of view, I believe growth will continue albeit modest. As for which jobs are in greater demand, I can tell you point 8 on public investment is seeing results - the market is already witnessing a higher demand than usual for construction related jobs. So if you happened to be a Civil Engineer, you can look forward to a good year ahead. Probably a good time to make a move if you have been toying with that idea. Needless to say, when the demand is high and supply is scarce, you certainly have a greater bargaining power. All the best!

Workaholism – The Socially Acceptable Addiction

When talk about addiction, what generally came to mind would be drugs, coffee and alcohol. It is an addiction when you have difficulty saying no to it. Instead, your mind is preoccupied with the thing or activity all the time. For a short time, I was addicted to golfing – for instance, I can play 36 hole of golf a day and can go on for another 9-hole of night golfing if I can have my way. So, I know exactly what I’m talking about.

But seriously, can anyone be addicted to work? Of course, it is absolutely possible.

However, a work addict seldom gets condemned. In a way, it’s one addiction that is socially acceptable. For instance, you would be excused when you missed a family function because you need to work late…again. Tell them any other reason, you’ll get a lecture for sure.

Bryan Robinson, PhD, one of the US’s leading researchers on the disorder and author of Chained to the Desk and other books on workaholism has this to say, “Yes, workaholism is an addiction, an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and it's not the same as working hard or putting in long hours."

The problem is since it’s socially acceptable, no one really cares about the danger of workaholism.

It was said in Japan, “death by overwork” caused 1000 deaths per year, nearly 5% of that country’s stroke and heart attack deaths in employees under age 60.

So, if work consumes you and destroys your personal life and death in the instance of Japan, is it worth being an addict?

I don’t think anyone wants to die prematurely due to work. But majority of us do not even know we are already an addict.

In Working Ourselves to Death, Diane Fassel describes several dozen characteristics of workaholics. Generally, the most common ones include:

• Denial – the common excuse: “I need to provide for my family.”

• Multiple addictions: if you study most workaholics, they have other addictions too such as food, cigarette, alcohol and etc.

• Restlessness: some people simply can’t relax. They think about their work all the time even when they are with the family.

• Obsessiveness: Some people tend to be obsessed with perfection. Everything must be done according to their expectations and consequently, no work is ever finished. And they also have problem with delegation. Think Steve Jobs.

• Self-centeredness: Work addicts think too much about themselves and possess a sense of their own importance, sometimes in exaggeration.

Too much work like any addiction is bad for an individual. And having employees work long hours does not necessarily promise greater productivity for the company either.

Now, there is a difference between hard work and workaholism.

Bryan Robinson said it best, "Hard work put us on the moon and discovered vaccinations and built this country. But hard workers generally have some balance in their lives. They sit at their desks and think about skiing. The workaholic is on the ski slopes thinking about work."

Nadal vs Federer: Rivalry Inspires Greatness

It started with Pat Rafter – my interest in watching tennis. Or shall I say it started when I was playing evening tennis once a week in the late 90s. Whichever comes first doesn’t matter as I’ve to profess I’m a die-hard fan of grand slam finals - certainly when Federer is playing. I started to park myself in Federer’s camp since he defeated Pete Sampras in 2001. I admire his one handed back-hand and his artistry and elegance on court. He is able to bring beauty and grace to tennis that sets him apart from the rest of the power players.

I also like Nadal, not so much his playing style but I admire his tenacity and competitive spirit. I think he is the only player I know that would run for every ball. I like his humility and the way he downplayed his greatness. So, we are very fortunate to have two great players in this era, probably the best in tennis history to ever grace the stage and to watch them play against each other is a real treat to all tennis fans. And every time they play each other, the match is never a let down because these players give their all to the game. And most of the matches can be considered epics that fans would watch again and again. One of them is undoubtedly the Wimbledon Final 2008.

The French Open 2011 Final over the last weekend was almost an epic too. What I can draw from this match was whenever one of them has been broken serve, he will step up a notch higher in the next game and under pressure, came out better with remarkable shot making that simply made me speechless. You can say that’s what champions do, ever ready to perform under tremendous pressure. I say rivalry or competition draws out the best from them. They have the greatness within them and as they faced their toughest opponent, they push themselves hard to throw their best and whatever left out of them. Greatness is produced in such circumstances.

A match like Nadal vs Federer inspires us to see the good side of competition. Imagine if one player decided to give up early. No greatness would be witnessed. Organizations and individuals should therefore not shun competition but embrace it. We should not be afraid to challenge ourselves to think out of the box, to out-do and out-smart one another. Of course, it’s hard work too. One reporter asked Federer what did he do to win Djokovic in the semi-final. His reply, “I certainly wasn’t lying on some beach.”

The tougher the competition, the better it is. That’s how greatness is born!

Holiday Season...Can't Concentrate At Work

I like this time of the year. There are a lot of glitter, colors, and beautiful carols at the background wherever I go.

And most of the time, I felt a sense of “winter” (the song white christmas and decor in shopping malls kinda persuaded my mind to think so) and I can’t help but imagine myself being transported to another place, skiing and playing with snow.

But wait a minute, I’m in the office.

I should be working instead of day-dreaming.

This season dubbed as the holiday season makes concentration on work difficult. I'm sure I'm not alone.

So, are we less productive during this period? Should employers be concerned?

Surprise! A new survey from Accountemps said the week right before a holiday break can actually mean greater productivity at work!

One-third (34 percent) of senior managers surveyed recently by Accountemps said their employees are less productive the week before a major holiday. This compares to 44 percent of executives who cited pre-holiday productivity declines in a similar survey five years ago.

It seems the trend has changed for the better - that people are more productive than before!

Kathryn Bolt, an Accountemps executive, attributed this to many people working better under pressure.

“Although the results may seem surprising at first, it is evident that the need to stay focused and get as much work done as possible before [a holiday] break is a priority amongst many employees,” Bolt said in a statement. “To enjoy the season’s company parties, family festivities and other activities, it becomes greatly beneficial to put in that added effort during the work hours leading up to the break.”

Phew…that’s a great relief to employers!

Anyway, if you are in the retail industry, this is a joke! Who has time to think about holiday? The best time to earn big bucks is now...:)

Check out who’s hiring during the holidays? Click here