 It might seem that passive-aggressive behaviour is indicative of a dual personality, but it's not. Passive-aggression is an intentionally deceitful way to cut down someone without just coming right out and expressing your dislike for or anger with that person. Do have a colleague who displays such behaviour? Passive-aggressive colleagues who engage in disingenuous behaviour might pay you a compliment but not be sincere about it, or they might act very kind within earshot of colleagues, but cold and unfriendly when it's just the two of you.
Here is a 5 step strategy to tackling such personalities while keeping your cool. 1. Identify - not diagnose Identify the colleague's behaviour as passive-aggressive. However, refrain from diagnosing. The safest way to describe a colleague who you believe has these tendencies is to say, "She/He shows tendencies of passive-aggressive behaviour," instead of "She's/He's passive-aggressive." Be careful about discussing your colleague's behaviour with others or you, too, can be called out for being deceitful. 2. Avoid a tit-for-tat Refrain from engaging in a back-and-forth exchange with this colleague. It's virtually impossible to outdo a passive-aggressive person's remarks, and doing so simply puts you in the same category. One way to unsettle the passive aggressor is to pretend that you believe her/his compliments are sincere. Don't buy into the sarcasm or anger you believe underlies the misleading compliments or smiles. For example, when your colleague says you're exceptionally good at cozying up to your boss, which is clearly not a compliment, you could say, "Thank you, I like to let others see my talents and capabilities." 3. Develop a thick skin Learn how to control your frustration or your own angry feelings towards the passive aggressor. You may not be able to totally ignore her/him, especially if you work in close proximity. However, you can refuse to let the disingenuous remarks get under your skin. At some point, finding clever ways to frustrate someone gets tiring when the person at whom the actions are directed simply doesn't respond. Most times the passive aggressor is looking for a reaction. 4. Don't involve your manager Avoid asking your supervisor or manager to intervene. You may not get the support you want, because reporting minor incidents to your supervisor will cast a negative light on your ability to resolve workplace problems using your own resources. The only reason you should go to a supervisor or manager is to report behaviour that crosses the line into unlawful harassment that affects your ability to do your job. If the passive-aggressive colleague's comments and behaviour don't impact your job performance, then it's probably just a character flaw you will need to overlook. 5. Offer a timely truce Extend the olive branch to your colleague when you feel the timing is good to engage her/him in a conversation. At a minimum, tell her/him that the two of you don't have to like each and you don't have to be friends, but you can be respectful of each other. If the passive-aggressor is not receptive to this truce, simply state that you will no longer tolerate their behaviour. For more insight and tips, read this handy article!
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 The issue of gaps in employment history is a thorny one, and one that often gets posed at interviews. A large unexplained gap in your employment history can be a showstopper.
Many of us take time off. Sometimes, it's by choice. Sometimes, it can take time to find a new job. Sometimes it is not even a gap. If you’ve worked for one company for 10 years (something that is uncommon these days), you can be viewed as being complacent or lacking ambition. On the other hand a long unexplained gap in your resume can imply you are not employable. It can also imply you might have been 'dishonourably discharged' from a role and you have not included it in your resume. Even worse is when prospective employers might assume you are simply lazy and don't care much for your career. Honesty is the best policy! The following lists how you should explain these gaps in your resume: 1. Emphasise why it was that you were let go from your previous job. Say your company or department restructured or downsized, or your position was moved overseas and you lost your job or was made redundant. In case this coincided with a period of recession, site that to explain why it has taken time to find new employment. 2. Do not badmouth your previous employer. Do not bag your previous employer. Explanations that scream: “I didn’t like my previous employer” won't look good. Instead you can say the previous role was not a good fit. 3. If you left a job voluntarily, don’t be afraid to mention why. You might have taken the year off to travel, or for family. Perhaps you had a child. Perhaps you went back to University. These reasons are very acceptable to hiring managers. 4. Emphasise any activities you undertook during the gap to improve your professional standing. Make sure you mention any certifications or courses you undertook during the gap. This shows you have the initiative to pursue self-education. Remember to also mention any freelance or voluntary work you’ve done. 5. Use Your Cover Letter to Briefly Explain the Employment Gap When you have employment gaps that don't fit on your resume (you took time off to care for an aged parent or to raise a child) you can use your cover letter to explain the gap. 6. Use Dates to Cover the Employment Gaps in Your Resume When listing dates on your resume, you don't need to list the month/year if you were in a position for over a year or if your position spans multiple years. For example, you could say 2014 - 2016 (rather than May, 2014 - February, 2016) which would give you some room to cover the gaps. Your employment gap can also give you an edge. Surprised? Watch this video and see how you can turn a negative into a positive! Good luck and keep the faith.  More and more companies are turning to telephone interviews to screen candidates, reduce costs and narrow the pool of applicants for face-to-face interviews.
 So you have done all the hard yards - gotten shortlisted for the interview, impressed at the interview and finally you got the call offering you the role. However, you are not satisfied with the salary on offer and wish to nail the salary you want. Here comes the often tricky salary negotiation.
What you don't want to do is be too aggressive and offend your prospective employer - your future boss. Inexperience can often lead you to go straight for the jugular. Aggression does not work in this situation. No one likes a bully. So what do you do? What should your approach be so you end up in a win-win situation? Here are some tips:
Here is an article from Susan Adams from Forbes on how to successfully negotiate a desired salary once you have landed the job offer. Good luck! |
AuthorThe employment market has evolved and social media dictates how we market ourselves - so here we go - another blog - hope to add value with this one though! Archives
December 2016
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