What to Do When You Work on a Dysfunctional Team - The Muse

What to Do When You Work on a Dysfunctional Team - The MuseWhat to Do When You Work on a Dysfunctional Team While no workdistributions-mix is perfect, there are shades of gray when it comes to dysfunction. While you hear about the toxic workplace- one that is so rife with negativity that you feel dread and anxiety even before you arrive at your desk- you probably know that its elend always so easy to just smack that label on an entire organization. After all, you may really like your company and your role, but find that youre working on an incredibly chaotic team. You may also find that when theres ongoing conflict in your department, that dissatisfaction can carry over into other parts of your overall happiness and well-being. And thats because dysfunctions like annoying background noise. Its always there, subtly impacting interactions. While it may not be influencing your work or mood to the point where youre thinking about quitting (yet), its important to manage the situation befo re it does get out of control. Here are some steps you can take1. Figure Out What Youre Dealing WithBefore you can take steps to address the problem, you have to evaluate what exactly youre dealing with. Look for patterns in team dynamics. Is everyone always steamrolling each others opinions? Does the group meet infrequently and lack direction, or does everyone feel collectively overwhelmed by outside expectations? The more you can pinpoint the problem, the faster you can move to step two.2. Figure Out What You Can ChangeOnce youve identified the problem, you can identify what you can and cant fix. A big problem I see with my clients is that they let little annoyances build up. For example, they dont confront difficult co-workers or directly communicate with their boss about whats going on. Instead, they make assumptions, internalize issues, and have erroneous expectations that they dont vocalize. And these actions only allow problems to fester, perpetuating the dysfunction. Lets sa y you find yourself working overtime because the rest of the team isnt pulling their weight. You can broach the topics with your boss using a simple, three-line assertion message First, summarize the situation and describe the facts Ive stayed until 8 PM working on the product launch for the last five days.Then, indicate your feeling, stance, or perception My sense is that we need to re-evaluate the workload and resources dedicated to the project. I have a few ideas for how we could approach this.Finally, make an explicit request Id like to have a meeting with you to discuss. What time on Monday works best?Notice that using this approach shows youre proactive. Youre not interested in blaming others or complaining- youre looking for solutions. I know its scary, but identifying what you can change and speaking up breaks the cycle. Whether youre a team leader or just a team member, its important to assertively call out problems when you feel comfortable doing so (and I know that comfor t depends on your organization and what the problem is). Read More How to Be More Assertive at Work (Without Being a Jerk)3. Figure Out What You Can Learn From the SituationIf you determine you cant change anything (or change enough), remember that you do have full control over your actions and attitudes. Make the best of a less-than-ideal situation by seeking out unique opportunities to grow and learn new things even when the cards are stacked against you. By doing so, you embrace a growth mindset, reframing a challenge as an opportunity for personal and professional progress.For example, I had a client who felt like her manager welches blocking all of her ideas. She reframed her mindset about the situation and saw that it was a chance to exercise and hone her negotiating skills, which turned it into a fun experiment for her rather than something she dreaded. Read More The Mindset Change You Need if You Work in a Competitive CompanyAnd the final step Figure out whats best for you. Ultimately, its crucial to have good boundaries between your work and home life and take care of yourself first. If a dysfunctional teams affecting your health and you cant seem to right the ship (or honestly, dont think its your place to do so), dont waste months or years trying to make things better. At the end of your day, your well-being is your number one asset. Consider your long-term plan for your career, and make your own professional and personal goals a priority.

5 Resume Tips for Older Professionals

5 Resume Tips for Older Professionals5 Resume Tips for Older Professionals0By law, age should not be a consideration for employment. However, older job seekers sometimes fear it may be an issue. Turn those worries into action by offering employers a stand-out resume that gets them excited by what you bring to the table. Below are five resume tips for older professionals that will have hiring managers looking at your qualifications rather than your age.Here are five resume tips for older professionals1. Target your document.Regardless of an applicants age, a resume should demonstrate why the candidate is the best choice for a given position. Focus on creating a strong case.The single biggest mistake older job searchers make with their resumes is believing that a resume is a comprehensive career history instead of a marketing document that outlines your qualifications for a targeted job, says Duncan Mathison, co-author of Unlock the Hidden Job Market 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times are Tough. Begin by looking at job postings to understand what your targeted employers are looking for and tailor the resume to highlight only those items that match their needs.2. Choose an effective structure.Dont feel bound by convention when presenting your background. Stating things in alternate, yet still truthful, ways can make your document livelier. Two possibilities Mathison suggestsRemove the dates from your degrees and add a section under Education called Professional Coursework. This allows you to highlight the most relevant and recent knowledge needed to perform in your target job. Guess how many hours of training you have had and add relevant course titles. For example, More than 300 hours of professional development courses, including topics such as Effective Performance Management, Cloud Based Computing, and Social Media Marketing. Notice you do not have to list all training you have had, just the relevant topics.Drop off early career jobs, particularly i f they do not directly support your qualifications for your targeted position. If some early career jobs are a critical piece towards your qualifications to your targeted job, close out the Experience section of past positions with a Previous Experience item. Follow that with a brief statement such as Early professional and progressive positions including . . . where you list only relevant job titles.3. Keep up with the times.Remove references to outdated technology. Include your LinkedIn URL (and be sure up-to-date info and a professional-quality photo await the potential viewer). Take courses in your fields hot topics or in areas where you might be lacking. Anything you can do to dispel stereotypes of older workers being stuck in the past will support your candidacy, and lifelong learners get noticed.4. Be proud of your accomplishments.Remember that age can be an asset. Seasoned candidates have a variety of life experiences from which to draw upon and can cite real-world examples of traits employers value such as loyalty, ability to meet deadlines, innovation, and teamwork. When you start seeing yourself as a prized vintage wine, chances are others will too.5. Seek input from others.Finally, dont be afraid to get help. A professional resume writer can work with you to craft an application that truly showcases your abilities and maximizes the chances of getting through the automated resume scanners many firms use nowadays. At the very least, run your resume by a few trusted friends or members of a job-seeker support group. These extra eyes may spot ways you can be clearer, more effective, or convey a better tone.Readers, have you utilized the above resume tips for older professionals? Share your successes and challenges with us below

6 Tips for Making the Most of LinkedIn in 5 Minutes

6 Tips for Making the Most of LinkedIn in 5 Minutes6 Tips for Making the Most of LinkedIn in 5 MinutesLove it or loathe it, LinkedIn is one of the fruchtwein powerful networking platformsfor many job seekers, andone of the most widely used tools among hiring managers and recruiters for finding and vetting top talent.In fact, one survey found that a whopping 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn as part of their recruiting process.So, needless to say, your LinkedIn profile and activity can play a pretty major role in your job search.The good news is, there are plenty of things you can do in even just five minutes to improve your profile, expand your network, and generally start making the most of LinkedIn.Here are six tips for making the most of LinkedIn1. Get social. In the Fast Company piece, If You Can Only Spare 15 Minutes a Week for LinkedIn, Do This, its recommended for users to get social. How? Start by liking peoples posts who are in your industry (or who youd like to make a connecti on with), or offer advice or tips to others. You can even endorse peoples skills- just make sure you really know the person and can vouch for what youre praising- then hope that the lovefest is requited for your profile, too.2. Update your photo. Recently got new headshots? Post an up-to-date and professional photo that represents the current you- not the you from 15 years ago.For more tips on how to choose the right photo, check out this post3. Share. Show off your expertise by sharing interesting information you come across. Remember that these articles or studies should relate to your industry or professional interest. (So no, were not suggesting you share the latest viral video of dancing dogs.) Be sure to include a quick write-up of why youre sharing it, why its important, and/or any opinions you have on it, and youll slowly but surely start building some LinkedIn cred.4. Update, and edit, edit, edit.Sure, you filled out all the sections in your LinkedIn profile, but when was t he last time you actually looked at it? At this point, some of the info you have on your profile is sure to be out of date, so take a fiver and go through each section. Remove any mistakes, like misspellings, an incorrect name, and links that no longer work. Make sure that your profile is up-to-date, neat and tidy, since its a real representation of you and your work. Plus, some employers compare your resume and your LinkedIn profile. You want to make sure that they match. Remember, sloppy is as sloppy does.5. Write away. LinkedIns blogging platform allows every user the ability to write about whats on their mind. But if youre thinking, Im not a writer, that doesnt matter. You need to take advantage of this great feature, and keep in mind that you dont have to pen the next great American novel. Five minutes. Youcan easily write a blog post in five minutes, if its about something youre passionate about. It can be short and sweet, and once you get used to writing (and get positive fee dback for your thoughts and ideas) youll likely want to write more.6. Follow, and unfollow.Be strategic and smart about who you connect with on LinkedIn.Its important to remember that LinkedIn isnt like other social media sites, where having 1,648 friends (or in this case, connections) makes you the cool kid. Having random connections with even more random people can weaken your brand. And yes, you are your own brand, no matter what industry youre in. Dont feel guilty about decliningrequests from people who have nothing in connection with you or who might not be in your best branding interest.Even if you think that you are totally maxed out time-wise, you definitely have five minutes to spare to spruce up your LinkedIn profile Make those 300 seconds count, and youll soon reap the remote job rewardsDont forget to join the Job Search Group on LinkedIn for more helpful job search info like this