Thursday Aug 7

BUSINESS MATTERS: Talk to boss before workload gets out of hand

By Mildred Culp / Daily News Columnist

Q: I used to work in pest control. I had the highest number of projects for one man and got good reports. Toward the end, my load increased so much I felt that management wanted me to make mistakes so they could fire me. When my field supervisor told me he was letting me go, he tried to make it sound like I hadn't been a good worker. He said that the division manager had wanted to fire me for several months.

Why are some employees given heavier workloads than their co-workers? How should I go about dealing with managers who've given me an impossible workload? In this industry, most people are fired because of personality conflicts.

Worker Bee



A: Your e-mail is almost all about productivity, which suggests that your interpersonal skills need to be developed. For some reason, your employer didn't want to keep you. Perhaps he needed to pay someone less. Perhaps you have curly hair. Who knows? Before you're ever this overworked again, tell your boss that in order to do your job well, you'll have to cut something. Offer several specific options. If you suspect a personality clash, speak with the person immediately to see what you can do.





THEFT

Q: I was asked to resign from my previous job in December and was denied unemployment. I should have appealed. I was with the company for more than 15 years and they accused me of stealing. Charges weren't filed, but a detective thought I was a scapegoat.

I need a job desperately. I'm at my wit's end. Is there something I'm overlooking? Have I been blackballed? My self-esteem doesn't exist. I am depressed, worried and scared to death.

Distraught



A: Find out if you're being blackballed by asking someone who interviewed you, took references, but didn't hire you if your references checked. If no one has contacted your references, get someone else to call the company and ask for a reference.

Your resume is a mass of details. Condense it to a page. Scrap the photo. Use an objective: PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT. Remove everything you can, including training, that refers to basic office skills. Convert "Capabilities" into "Accomplishments;" remove redundancies. Delete high school. Put your A.N. first. Follow its geographical location with a comma and the year earned. Do the same with your employment history. Insert promotions. Job hunt through professional associations related to health care and HR. Keep trying everything else.





EXPRESSING YOURSELF

It seems that 61 percent of America's workers want to get noticed for their uniqueness. The power of image might not lie in your wardrobe. Invest your style into office supplies if you want to stand out, recommends office products giant Staples. An online MarketTools Inc., survey of 1,070 working adults found that a $16 quilted leather journal will take you further than a $600 blue pinstripe suit. What?

An enormous 55 percent of workers endorsed "stylish office supplies" to gain attention. An even larger group, 81 percent, said that their productivity climbs when they're organized with business tools "that allow them to showcase their personality and make a statement." The company points out that these are far more economical than designer shoes. It doesn't end there.

The tools have the power of a shaman, apparently. A full 35 percent of respondents believe that office thingies can help you advance on the job, even get promoted. However, lots of people said that their companies need an extreme makeover vis a vis office supplies. Is this consumerism at work? On average, workers ages 18 to 24 spend $90.14 of their personal money per year on office supplies.

Hey, that's cheap. However, it would be cheaper and more effective to get outstanding results in their work.



E-mail your job-hunting questions to Dr. Mildred Culp at culp@workwise.net. Copyright 2008 Passage Media.