Times Have Changed, Again!

                           Know What is Expected of You as an Employee

 by Brian Connors

In the late 1990's through mid to late 2000's, the business world was different. Employers had no choice but to succumb to every whim, desire, perk, benefit, need, wish, etc. of every employee that they hoped to land, and over time, as difficult as it will be for some to admit, that created an era of employee entitlement. Employees, for the most part, could do a pretty good job, do some of their required tasks, and make a good chunk of change. Employees didn't really need to bend over backwards, didn't really need to be superhuman, didn't need to exude a Dale Carnegie-esque attitude in the way they dealt with coworkers, clients, and managers. Screeeech! Those days are officially over, gone, and dead ... time to face that reality, and move on into this new area where, if you aren't clearly indispensable, you are gone.

To succeed in keeping your job, getting promoted, or landing that new job in this new era, you'd better tuck some pride away, open your eyes, and quickly get yourself up to speed on what it is going to take to survive and succeed in this new era. Harsh words, but these are unprecedented times. You can still succeed and make all your dreams come true, but there are some lessons that school books don't necessarily get a chance to cover.

Make no mistake: in every industry - IT, defense, sales, non-profits, and even in some areas of the marked obviously the hardest hit by the downturn, such as mortgage brokerages and real estate firms, there is a top class of employee who are not only surviving, but thriving. These people aren't better than you, smarter than you, and by gosh not luckier than you. No, in fact, the simple, common theme of those who thrive even in the most challenging of markets, niches, industries and skill areas is ... drum rool please ... willingness to change. Pretty obvious, I know. Painfully simple, yes. Yet, many won't change, don't realize the need to change, or don't realize in what direction to change ... so let's dig deeper and try to hone in on what employers are looking for in this new era.

From the dot-com boom to the recession, a nearly ten-year span, tech skills were all that mattered. Not, tech skills are not alone sufficient; it's back to the basics in nearly every category of business life. Relationships, partnerships, long-term attitudes, handshakes that mean something ... sadly, these are areas that suffered in the hot market of the last decade, but now it's just those areas that will help set you apart from those who remain stuck in the "Entitled Era."

Now it's back to basics: personality first, understanding business need, building relationships, verbal skill, handshakes. Employees expect and need a business person to be a business person ... and the definition of a business person is one who is able to dynamicalloy create business opportunities and value, for the most part, out of thin air.

The statistics and market press can be bleak, no doubt about that, but don't be fooled. For well-educated people with real career drive and a willingness to change, learn, and adapt, the future is as bright as ever. Here are a few real world tips to help you understand what employers want in their employees these days. Make no mistake, employers absolutely undrstand that their only ticket to success is finding and keeping as many good employees as they can possibly afford, so if you can bring your unique experience to the table and show an employer or prospective employer some of the following, your chances for continued employment or for landing that new job increase dramatically:

1. You don't have to work twelve hours a day, but in your regular work day, you'd better be ready, willing, and able to show passion!

2. Learn how to focus ... multi-tasking is the death of productivity. Focus with brutal attention on each and every task at hand. Plan your day, and then work your plan. If you ever again show up to work without a plan, don't even bother getting out of the car.

3. No excuses, don't complain, there is no such think as luck, you are entitled to nothing ... own everything, take accountability for everything!

4. Be positive! Never be a source of negative office gossip. The boss finds out who the sources of negative energy are, whether you know it or not, every single time. It's in the boss' mental personal file for you forever.

5. Personality is more important than ever. If you are shy or introverted, no matter what your career, you'd best get to the bookstore and buy every book you can on public speaking, self confidence, Dale Carnegie, etc.

6. Don't assume that your boss knows you are excited about your job. And don't just tell them. Constantly (without being a teacher's pet) show them the types of things you are doing to better yourself, to land a new client, to go above and beyond on a project.l If you are waiting for that opportunity, you'll still be waiting as attention, raises, and promotions go to your co-workers who are going way above and beyond.

7. Get out of your comfort zone. Make that uncomfortable client call or vendor inquiry first thing in the morning. Sit down with that difficult project manager at 8 AM. Attack a new system issueon your own time at night, before the morning meeting. Trust me, employers, managers, bosses, etc. are becoming vigilant in looking for the "sheeps" of the company. Everybody has to become a producer, from the receptionist to the President. Scared of sales, the phone, confrontation ... better get over it, real quick.

8. Your boss wants to see people in the office step up and do the out-of-box tasks. While it's always been on the boss' docket, the boss wishes an employee would step up and help him or her out! In years past it was an irritant. These days, just "doing your job" makes you dispensable.

We could go on and on, and perhaps we will in future issues ... for now, if you'd like to continue this conversation, hear more, or just chat through how some of these apply specifically to you, please don't hesitate even for a moment to reach out to me. I'm more than happy to advise, guide, and assist you to an enriched career path over the long term. That's what I'm here for.

About the Author

Brian Connors is I.T. Division Manager at AllSearch Professional Staffing. He can be reached at brianc@allsearchinc.com, (410) 560-1702, or at his LinkedIn page.