Resume, Job Help, & Job/Career Advice

[Thruth]

Yes, but it's going to tempt me to go in on Monday and just select everything not directly sent to me (no CC), not from my boss, or my boss' boss and just go "Mark as Read".

Delete them. If they are important someone will resend or - heaven forbid - actually call

 

[Journeyman]

That's standard, no? I receive 500 on a good day.

Really? What the heck are they all about? Are they actually relevant to work, or are most of them irrelevant rubbish?

 

[Fwiffo]

I had a direct request time with me because of one of his development goals; cultivating leadership skills of one thing or another. It sounds like he used that development goal to join a cult. I spent over an hour with him as we did some joint exercises on challenges in professional life and what to do about it until he was claiming something against one of the tenets of my principles: past behaviour predicts future performance. I wonder if he was stark mad knowing my personality and my nature to criticise and try to convince me otherwise knowing that I'm a stubborn man and my core beliefs are unshakeable. No, the future is not a blank slate of whimsical optimism. It is bound by reality and the pragmatism of one's capabilities and opportunities. I should have just started the hour long session quoting the Gladiator movie, "What you do now echoes an eternity."

 

[fxh]

Que?

You think past behaviour predicts future behaviour or he does? I can't make sense of above.

 

[Fwiffo]

I do.
It's the best predictor.

He had some traumatic family experience, loss, children are a shambles, separation and he needed something to pick him up so he says he can't use that because he was rubbish and he'll continue being rubbish.

They have seminars in Australia too. You should go. I know they'd appreciate your vicious sarcasm.

 

[Fwiffo]

Oh the point was he was saved by the cult and I need saving too.

I was humouring him but I could have picked something like I'm unhappy with Allah only letting me shag six women or some other contrived situation that'd make fun of it.

 

[fxh]

OK now I kinda get it. I agree. The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.
People can change behaviour but promises and words aren't evidence of change. Changed behaviour that is sustained is evidence of change.

Often people with shitty pasts are helped by cults.

Your workmate isn't into Landmark Forum is he?

 

[Fwiffo]

Ding ding ding, fxh wins a prize. I have a harder time there were three development goals and he used one to spend on this rubbish. At least I am comforted company funds weren't used for it.

 

[Journeyman]

Your workmate isn't into Landmark Forum is he?

I've got a good friend - well, a formerly good friend - who is very deeply involved with Landmark. He kept on hassling me and hassling me to attend an introductory session and would call me up while he was at a session to talk to me about it and to try to persuade me to come along. I kept on telling him that I wasn't interested and that I was fine but he didn't take the hint and so we drifted apart as I didn't want to keep on hearing about Landmark.

 

[fxh]

Landmark are unprincipled dull bullies and sharks.

 

[Fwiffo]

Landmark are unprincipled dull bullies and sharks.

And thus fxh has spoken ex cathedra.

 

[fxh]

Pretty much everything I pronounce on should be considered ex cathedra.

 

[Fwiffo]

Hopefully my new boss has landed and moved into his new flat.

I am preparing a welcome or transition package from my interim boss to the new one. I have profiles for all of my staff. Last year's performance review and this year's draft for me. I have last year's review for my full time directs. I have a presentation I use to introduce the team and what we do to anyone new, but he has seen it before. I included my CV. I also included last month's metrics and activity highlights for the team. What else?

 

[fxh]

If I was the new boss I'd start tough.

Show me how your team has improved the company bottom line over the last 2 years.

Tell me what we would need to restructure if we just abolished your dept.

 

[Fwiffo]

Show me how your team has improved the company bottom line over the last 2 years.
Tell me what we would need to restructure if we just abolished your dept.

That's easy to see with my department. He asked me what needs to change. He also asked me what's working well - I haven't a bloody clue. I said I wasn't a half glass empty person, I was told I was a quarter glass empty.

Also he asked for feedback if he introduces things that don't work. I probably shouldn't say we're Canadians, we usually just agree and get along with it. After all, that's why we have the monarchy.

 

[Fwiffo]

What compels a grown adult man to wear snow pants to work in the financial district? Did dress codes fall to a new low?

 

[Thruth]

What compels a grown adult man to wear snow pants to work in the financial district? Did dress codes fall to a new low?

You poor, poor Torontonians made national news because it was -20 with the windchill. LOL. No wonder he is wearing snow pants. Same reason downtown TO is overrun with Canada Goose.

 

[fxh]

32C here today. Idiots on train dressed as if going to gym and swimming pool.

 

[Fwiffo]

I went to some mindfulness seminar the other day with some executive coach who is teaching you - what looks like glorified yoga meditation.

Potential Project | Focused Minds Organizational Excellence

Other than teaching you to turn off Outlook and social media alerts and stop multitasking - things I already knew, I thought it was quirky and eccentric.

We were asked to close our eyes, sit up and meditate for 45 seconds. I was asked to stop thinking of anything and to focus on my breathing. Since I was extremely uncomfortable doing this, I actually noticed I stopped breathing.

Then we were asked what we felt. I replied, "I lost 45 seconds of my life I'm not getting back."

Modern day workers are focused on their job: A. 70% of the time B. 60% C. 53.1 % or D. 40%. Answer is C. So the speaker said, "What as a CEO does that tell you about your staff?" I said, "That he should cut half his staff's salaries because they're not even working."

Then there was talk about mindless boring work. What are the solutions to doing boring work? My answer was, "I delegate it."

Someone complained with the trends to open concept offices, workspaces and cubicles can be very distracting now. My answer was, "Get promoted and get an office."

The seminar ended with a deeper meditation for 3 minutes and 45 seconds. I got so bored I opened my eyes, realised I didn't get in trouble, so I proceeded to look at some of the girls in attendance. And then at the end of the meditation, his mobile emitted a "ding!" sort of like the final scene of Mad Men.

Fortune 500 companies apparently pay for this. Maybe I have serious issues meditating or tuning things out. I use alcohol for that.

 

[fxh]

Companies can be bullshitted into anything called "training" when they don't have a clue what they are doing. It always runs with the latest woo and fashion. These days its mindfullness.

 

[Thruth]

Companies can be bullshitted into anything called "training" when they don't have a clue what they are doing. It always runs with the latest woo and fashion. These days its mindfullness.

it is the current darling isn't it? makes me gag

 

[Fwiffo]

Crafting promotes mindfulness or benefits similar to meditation. An example is knitting. That's what the television said in the lift.

 

[Fwiffo]

My DISC profile changed a bit. 7 years ago, I was a high D and high C with a tiny bit of I. Now I have literally zero I (well 1) and my D is higher (I know that). I'm still high D and high C - just my highs are higher.

I've always had an S component right before my C.

On their DISC pattern I went from Creative to Investigator.

 

[Fwiffo]

I have some management training workshop next week and I have to come up with a few minutes of "I have a dream..." in front of my peers.

As I'm not an African-American civil rights activist, I cannot plagiarize. I thought of wearing blackface, but the instructor gave explicit edict not to copy Martin Luther King.

What shall I have a dream about? Something professional? Something personal?

 

[fxh]

Why is there always nonsense in "management training" - have any of these people every done any management or read any research?

 

[Fwiffo]

It says he has a psychology background and then went into commerce to teach MBAs. Retired from my alum and moved to a competitor's business school.

Still thinking what my dream should be.

 

[fxh]

What has he managed?

 

[fxh]

Tell him you have a dream someone will teach you management skills not airy fairy bullshit.

And ask if there's any convincing research those skills can be learnt.

 

[Fwiffo]

What has he managed?

Nothing. He's an academic. Yes, I understand it's like a Catholic priest trying to teach you about marital life.

Tell him you have a dream someone will teach you management skills not airy fairy bullshit.

And ask if there's any convincing research those skills can be learnt.

I was trying to solicit realistic ideas.

 

[Fwiffo]

My diary was the busiest so I only saw my boss a few hours before he proposed a new structure for his team. He'd have fewer directs than he currently has and two departments folder under me. I'd have in excess of 40 under my umbrella over three offices and at least one manager.

I don't know whether I should alter my plans of leaving in the second half of the year for that. I retain the same title.

My archnemesis is reduced to a rump of one. My ex interim boss will be strengthened - fewer in numbers but better quality.

 

[Fwiffo]

I'm getting to the point where my boss is my age or may be younger. Should I let it bother me? Should it motivate me? Am I being left behind? I was watching Margin Call the other night and wondering.

That said, getting the top job or the corner office has never been a goal of mine.

 

[Thruth]

I'm getting to the point where my boss is my age or may be younger. Should I let it bother me? Should it motivate me? Am I being left behind? I was watching Margin Call the other night and wondering.

That said, getting the top job or the corner office has never been a goal of mine.

Why should you care if you have no aspirations to be a "boss"?

How old are you?

There will come a day where you can no longer be the young gun. That applies to bosses & worker bees.

 

[Fwiffo]

Why should you care if you have no aspirations to be a "boss"?
How old are you?

Narcissistic tendencies; self-doubt. I'm old enough. Worst kept secret on this forum.

There will come a day where you can no longer be the young gun. That applies to bosses & worker bees.

Some of the people who apply for my openings are younger than me. I've always managed people older than me. I have come to accept that reality will change.

I never really thought of my impact on my older staff. Perhaps the stereotypes apply. I reckon I'm on the flipside now. My new boss is quite a workaholic, but being from Europe, has not mastered the art of working on weekends.

I've always maintained that I can occasionally outsmart you, often outwork you, and definitely outlast you with my stubborn willpower. Maybe like an ageing quarterback, I'm worried my deep passes are no longer going to be part of my repertoire. I'll have to work smarter.

 

[Thruth]

Narcissistic tendencies; self-doubt. I'm old enough. Worst kept secret on this forum.

Somewhere between Mid-30's and early-40's are you? Actually you drinking, eating, womanizing & weekend-warrior-working tendencies are well known. Your age is a mystery although you always make it seem that you are an old codger when you are not.

I've always maintained that I can occasionally outsmart you, often outwork you, and definitely outlast you with my stubborn willpower. Maybe like an ageing quarterback, I'm worried my deep passes are no longer going to be part of my repertoire. I'll have to work smarter.

You just have to adjust just like your hero Peyton did. Just stay off the HGH, you don't want your forehead to get any bigger.

 

[Rain Man]

I have an interview at Microsoft next week. It's not technically a Microsoft gig; it's for a manager-level position at a company that handles their global security ops -- executive protection, facility security, etc. It's a gig on their campus, though.

Generally EP/contract security is a dark suit / repp tie gig, especially since this is a management position that involves face time with VPs & C-level execs, as well as travel and integration with security teams and local law enforcement around the world. However, the instructional email says "business casual dress code is fine." VPs at The Evil Empire wear shorts and Crocs, for fuck's sake.

So, no tie. Got it. But then what?

Khakis and a tweed jacket? Charcoal slacks, fitted shirt? Raw indigo jeans, monks, and a blazer? I'm lost, here.

 

[Thruth]

I have an interview at Microsoft next week. It's not technically a Microsoft gig; it's for a manager-level position at a company that handles their global security ops -- executive protection, facility security, etc. It's a gig on their campus, though.

Generally EP/contract security is a dark suit / repp tie gig, especially since this is a management position that involves face time with VPs & C-level execs, as well as travel and integration with security teams and local law enforcement around the world. However, the instructional email says "business casual dress code is fine." VPs at The Evil Empire wear shorts and Crocs, for fuck's sake.

So, no tie. Got it. But then what?

Khakis and a tweed jacket? Charcoal slacks, fitted shirt? Raw indigo jeans, monks, and a blazer? I'm lost, here.

Business casual is "fine", meaning it is the low end of the scale for acceptable, so it does not preclude you from the standard interview package unless you think it will work against you.

 

[Rain Man]

Business casual is "fine", meaning it is the low end of the scale for acceptable, so it does not preclude you from the standard interview package unless you think it will work against you.

My gut tells me the same thing.

 

[Fwiffo]

At my current workplace, business casual is a suit without a tie. Jackets are mandatory. At my former workplace, interpretation of business casual ranged from khakis with a plaid or short sleeved shirt to something more formal and they finally just said suit and tie. I'd go high rather than go low. You can always just deflect any criticisms by saying you'll adjust for follow up interviews or you wanted to look your best. If you walk in and no one has a jacket, you can always use a break or intermission to just take off your jacket, roll up your sleeves, etc.

 

[Fwiffo]

Institutional Knowledge

My younger directs find me a dinosaur because they often remark one year is a long time in a company. One calendar year, never mind one fiscal year. I always preach that the first year is learning the tribal customs of your firm, who's who and where the toilet is. It takes two to three years before you can insert a truthful, measurable, lasting achievement you made in the organisation since organisations are made up of people, and it takes years to change the behaviours of people.

No, dreaming up improvements in a 9 month project and presenting it doesn't mean anyone improved.

The world doesn't work that fast - at least not right now.

 

[Fwiffo]

Work is recommending I take a Dale Carnegie course. What does it mean? Any of you gents participate in one?

8 weeks of 3 1/2 hours.