Kareer Kandor with Kathy, Volume 5

by Kathy Seaton

It has been awhile since I’ve posted a Kareer Kandor with Kathy piece where we take the opportunity to answer questions from our readers. We’ve gotten some pretty awesome inquires over the last few months. Don’t miss a word here—cause this is pretty good stuff. Check it out.

From Luci: I need to give two weeks’ notice but I don’t know when to do it.

Really? Buck up buttercup. So you accepted another offer and you need to quit your job, pronto. What are you waiting for? You hate your job. You wake up in a panic attack every morning because you don’t want to go to work. And you need to put a shot of whiskey in your brew just to check your email. I mean really, heyoo?

You know that at the least you will get your last two weeks’ pay while you’re waiting to start your new job. So just go for it and get it done.

I’m going to tell you something: some jobs are really like death certificates—just another toe tag on the cart. Buy the casket and bury it. The next gal that takes your old position is going to come around and write your eulogy anyway. And then your legacy is dust.

So don’t feel obligated or in the least bit regretful that you’ve taken on a new job. Enjoy a two-week vacation before you go off to the heavens of your next venture: TRAINING!

From Burt: My boss won’t answer my emails or texts. Therefore, I can’t get anything done. Any advice?

Well Burt, it sounds like you’re in a situation that most of us deal with during our days at the ol’ job. First of all, I think it’s disgusting when people blow me off. It’s totally unprofessional. I mean we’re all just trying to get our jobs done, right? And importantly, we’re looking for leadership.

This is what I would do. Try making phone calls rather than sending emails and texts and maybe you might have more luck getting a response.

Or better yet, think about scheduling a weekly update/status meeting with your boss at least once a week. If he or she is truly that busy then maybe you can utilize a face-to-face meeting as a way to get a lot of direction to get you through the week. This will allow you to lay out your priorities while getting input at the same time. Just make sure that you go in very organized so that you can get what you need from the boss man. And if this turns out to be a real consistent problem, you might need to go over your supervisor’s head to find a solution that works better for you.

No one is too busy to ignore emails, texts, or calls. Good luck!

From Fergi: Hello Kathy, I spend my days in meetings and then I end up having to take most of my work home with me so that I can accomplish something. Any advice?

Fergi, I struggle with this issue all of the time. Meetings are a drag and they can weigh you down like an anchor. The more meetings you sit in, the more work that piles up on your desk. And don’t you find that so many of these meetings are just a waste of time? There are lots of people that head up meetings just to hear themselves talk.

I would suggest mutiny, but that probably isn’t on the treasure map. But I’ve got a couple of ideas for you.

First, consider discussing this issue with your supervisor. You might be pleasantly surprised by his or her reaction if you layout your situation in a rational and logical way. It might be effective for you to discuss your workload, starting with the most pressing projects. Not only will that get you organized, it will also give the head honcho a good lens into what you really need to spend your time doing. Your boss will most likely find that you’re more useful and valuable spending time at your desk.

The other thing that you might want to consider is delegating. I’m sure that there are meetings that don’t require your attention. Make sure that you get agendas with your meeting invites so that you can determine whether it’s necessary for you to be there. And if you don’t receive the agenda, ask for it. Look for those meetings that involve planning and strategic development so that you’re using your highly sought after skills. You can look to your teammates to lighten the load and attend meetings on your behalf. Find the right person and just ask for a simple recap and then you can still remain in “the know.”

If those strategies don’t work—screw it and just don’t show up. I’m kidding of course.

That’s it for this week. Feel free to send in your questions and I will answer them in the next issue of Kareer Kandor with Kathy. You can email me at kstam@uci.edu.