fired

5 Ways You Might Be Sabotaging Your Job

Samantha Stauf — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 09:30:16 +0000

You've been fired — again. Are you starting to sense a pattern? The solution to any problem is to look at the root cause. While the job might simply not have been a good fit, people who have suffered a string of job terminations might want to consider that they may be a small part of the problem.

No, I'm not saying you deserved to be fired — but you may be engaging in sloppy or naive behaviors that don't do you any favors in the workplace.

Here are five bad behaviors that might be sabotaging your job.

1. Sharing your future career plans

Do you have grand plans to escape your current job? Do you plan to jump ship in two or three months?

Stop and think before you mention it to any coworkers — including those you consider friends. Word gets around the office quickly, and sooner or later, the news will make its way to management.

Next time the higher-ups need to lay someone off, individuals with one foot out the door might be the first to go. Even if you don't seriously plan to start sending out resumes tomorrow, your company won't be incentivized to keep someone around that they suspect is actively looking for another job.

Can you afford to be pre-emptively fired? If you can't, wait until you actually have a new position lined up and intend to put in your two weeks' notice.

2. Engaging in gossip

Unfortunately, people can be pretty mean, and high school behaviors aren't always left in the past. Water cooler gossip runs rampant in many professional settings, but don't let that be an excuse to join in. As tempting as gossip can be, you need to steer far, far away from it.

Unfounded rumors and gossip can hurt not only your coworkers, but come back to bite you as well. If you're constantly earning a reputation as a big mouth and a backstabber, none of your colleagues will want you around — and management probably won't, either. (See also: 8 Career Moves That Prove You're Finally a Grown-Up)

3. Imitating your coworkers' bad habits

Your colleagues may have some bad habits. They might watch movies on their computer, or mess around on Twitter all day while on the job. Don't assume that because they're getting away with it, it's fine for you to do the same.

There may be more to the story than you realize. Maybe management doesn't care if your coworkers are messing around on Twitter, because they do their job well and turn in assignments on time. Maybe office politics are at play. Maybe your office mates are just good at not getting caught. Regardless of their situation, if you're regularly following in their footsteps and slacking off, you could be putting your job at serious risk.

4. Inability to take criticism with grace

No one is immune to criticism, and at many jobs, you'll be subject to regular performance reviews. Savvy professionals should keep an open mind, make note of the manager's suggestions, and work to create an actionable plan to improve their performance.

Workers should, in most cases, never:

Blame everyone else without looking at their own part in a problem.
Verbally attack the manager.
Deny knowing about an issue if the manager has brought it up a dozen times.
Refuse to acknowledge a problem and discuss improvement.
Act put-upon, as if expectations of doing an assigned task is a hardship, or;
Try to shift the subject by bringing up coworkers' issues.

If you don't quite understand why the manager has an issue, you can initiate a respectful discussion. Just make sure that the manager understands the discussion is to help you grasp the problem, so a solution can be properly discussed.

If you genuinely believe the change isn't needed, it might be better to concede for now. Do it the manager's way. You can fight the battle to change any inefficient norms later. (See also: Ace Your Next Performance Review With These 7 Tricks)

5. Bad attitude

Yes, jobs can be soul-sucking grinds. Yes, the managers might be slimy ladder climbers. Yes, you might feel that the organization takes every chance to whittle away at your quality of life.

No, you shouldn't aggressively express your displeasure with every word and action.

Why? One individual with a bad attitude can insidiously infect the quality of the entire workplace. An unhappy employee can pass on their discontent and anger to their coworkers. Weeks of murmurs about all the perceived problems will eventually negatively affect everyone around you.

A bad attitude can also lead to subpar work and rude behavior toward customers or coworkers; both of which can eventually lead to a job termination.

No one expects you to be upbeat and perky all the time. Just try to rein in the attitude a tad.

By eliminating a few bad habits, you'll be on the road to a less ruinous career path. (See also: How to Keep a Personal Problem From Hurting Your Career)

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This article is from Samantha Stauf of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Ways You're Being a Terrible Employee

Paul Michael — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:30:04 +0000

You may think that being a good employee is all about doing great work, and nothing more. Actually, that's quite far from the truth. A great employee builds great relationships at work, takes the initiative, and cares about the success of the company. If you are making four or more of the following blunders at work, you're quickly on your way to becoming a terrible employee. (See also: 12 Reasons You Deserve to Get Fired)

1. You're All About the Gossip

Every workplace has gossip and rumors. Good employees will ignore it, brush it off, or just avoid talking about anything that is idle chatter. Bad employees, however, relish the opportunity to talk about anything from company problems and other coworkers, to rumors of layoffs, mergers, or people about to get fired.

If you find yourself being drawn into watercooler gossip, you have several options. First, you can simply make an excuse and walk away. Or, you can deftly change the subject to something non-gossip related. Finally, you can always talk to HR about some of the malicious gossip flying around, and they should look into it.

2. You Are Never on Time

Late for work. Late for meetings. Late for everything. Some people consider lateness to be the height of bad manners, and they have a point. When you are late, you are saying, "my time is more important than your time," or even "I really don't care what you think, I'll turn up when I'm ready." Maybe you're just really bad with time management, or you have a rotten commute that makes it hard to get in on time. But if everyone else in the office can get in on time, you really have no excuse. Use your smartphone to give you alerts well before your workday begins, so you have plenty of time to get where you're going. Do what you can to be on time, because nothing says "terrible employee" like someone who isn't even around.

3. You Complain — A Lot

We all have gripes with our jobs. There is no perfect workplace, and there will always be things that could be better. Yes, it's fine to bring up issues when they need to be addressed. But there is a big difference between occasionally alerting your boss to an issue, and whining in every meeting and one-on-one. They say that the "squeaking wheel gets the grease" and to some extent, that's true. However, in a work environment, it is usually much easier to replace that squeaking wheel. If you have complaints, see what you can do by yourself to solve them. If the issue is with a coworker, talk it out with them first. If there is a problem with equipment, or scheduling, bring solutions to the table. Don't be "that" employee — the one everyone avoids talking to because they cannot stand the tirade of negativity coming their way.

4. You Won't Do Anything Beyond Your Job Description

No doubt you have heard something like this coming from a coworker; "Look, I'm not paid to do that, so I'm not doing it." Or, "That's not my job, why should I?" It is not uncommon these days for job descriptions to be very fluid as technology advances, and cutbacks hit firms everywhere. Sometimes, what you're being asked to do may be well beyond your job description, but if you can do what is being asked of you, step up and do it. The chances are, everyone is being asked to hit a few curveballs, and deal with things outside of their usual scope of work. Do your part, chip in, and you'll be valued. If it gets ridiculous, though, then you have the right to say something. You should not be doing the jobs of two or three people, but at least show your commitment before raising concerns.

5. You Spend Too Much Time Slacking Off

The distractions are everywhere. Many of us work on computers every day, and the Internet is right there, beckoning us. A few minutes shopping on Amazon, read the latest headlines, then a quick check of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and SnapChat. Before you know it, you've spent an hour or more doing nothing productive. This is actually stealing. Your employer is paying you for that time, and you should be doing the work they pay you for.

6. You Take Credit for Work Others Have Done

Nothing kills morale in a workplace like someone else taking the glory for a project that isn't theirs. If you have ever done this, or do it often, you are being a terrible employee. Businesses operate on the idea that it's a team environment, with each person doing his or her part to make the whole company successful. By swooping in and taking credit for the hard work other people have done, you are creating an atmosphere of distrust and negativity. Coworkers will be less likely to share with you, communication will break down, and the whole department you work in can become soured and tough to work for. If you are given credit for a job by accident, step up immediately and tell the boss who actually did the work.

7. You Abuse Those Sick Days

Coming in to work sick is bad enough. You're not going to be at your best, and you run the risk of giving other people in the office your illness. But what's worse is doing it so you can call in sick when you're perfectly healthy to enjoy a day off. Sick days are there for a reason. The company is giving you paid time off to heal, or feel better. To abuse this so you can go to a ball game or spend a day by the pool is just not fair, to anyone. Next time you're sick, use a sick day. When you need a personal day, use one of your vacation days.

8. You Make a Lot of Mistakes

We're all human. We all make mistakes, and the occasional error here or there should never be cause for concern (unless those errors result in something catastrophic). However, if your work is always coming back to you for revisions, or your manager receives constant complaints of poor quality work, then you need to get your act together. Whether it's constant grammatical errors in an office environment, to shoddy work on a building site, mistakes made weekly, or even daily, should not be tolerated. Plus, it often falls on other employees to fix your errors, burdening them with extra work because you can't get it right. In this case, you must try harder to clean up your act.

9. You Play the Blame Game

Finger pointing is one aspect of office politics that never fails to cause problems. When something goes wrong, if you're one of the first people to start assigning blame to others, you're not being a team player. Yes, maybe it was Janice in accounting who messed up. But maybe you should talk to her first and see what happened. Maybe it was really you, but you know you can slime your way out of it by throwing blame in someone else's direction. Don't be a finger pointer. If you made a mistake, own it. If someone else did, let him or her fess up. You don't want to be seen as the one who rats at the first opportunity.

10. You Swear Like a Sailor

Admittedly, there are some workplaces that have no problem with this kind of language. Certainly most places involving manual labor are not going to care about f-bombs. But in a professional environment, swearing constantly is just not… well, professional. Imagine having a meeting with a lawyer about an important case, and being greeted with a tirade of colorful language more at home in a Guy Ritchie movie. Would you trust this lawyer? Does he or she seem like the best person for the job? Maybe you'll go with the lawyer who doesn't sound like Vinnie Jones. Swearing in meetings can also make people feel uncomfortable, to the point that they will speak to HR about it. This will reflect badly on your manager, and your department, and bad language can actually be viewed as harassment.

11. You Steal

What's a few paperclips, right? Or a ream of paper? And hey, why pay for toilet paper when you can grab a couple of rolls from the bathroom? It may not feel like you're doing anything wrong when you take a items worth pennies. However, multiply this by every employee in the building, and suddenly your company is losing thousands of dollars every year in "liberated" goods. If you need the items to work from home, that's fair enough. But if you're snagging paper from the copier to print out your tax returns, or taking coffee filters for your machine at home, you are stealing from your employer. It's not a gray area. It's theft.

12. You're Not Proactive

Imagine being a firefighter and walking into a burning building only to see a fellow firefighter standing there watching it burn. "Why aren't you putting out this fire?!" you yell. He or she responds with, "You didn't ask me to." That may seem like a ridiculous scenario, and it would never happen because firefighters know better. But in other places, it happens all the time. Good employees will take the initiative. They will solve problems without being asked. They will initiate new projects that can benefit the company. Bad employees will wait for the order, and do nothing until it is given. Don't sit there waiting to be asked. What can you do to help? What can you do to create opportunities? Be the go-getter.

Does this sound like you or any of your coworkers?

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

11 Financial Moves to Make the Moment You Get Fired

Tim Lemke — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 10:00:05 +0000

Just about everyone goes through a job loss at some point in their lives. Hopefully, any job loss you endure will only result in a short time out of work, and minimal financial hardship. But even if you expect your time between jobs to be short, there are a number of things you should do right away to ensure you can make it through a stretch of time with no income.

As someone who endured two layoffs in the past, I can tell you that these steps will help keep you afloat until you land a new position.

1. Determine if You Are Eligible for Severance and Vacation Pay

If you've been let go from a job, employers will often provide severance pay based on the length of time you worked there. You may also be paid for any unused vacation time. The company should explain your eligibility for these funds upon your termination, but if not, make a point to check with the human resources department. In some cases, you may have to engage an attorney to fight for what you believe you are owed.

Companies generally aren't required to offer severance at all, but there are instances when you may feel you are due money for uncompensated overtime or other reasons. Just keep in mind that benefits may vary depending on if you were fired for cause or laid off through no fault of your own.

2. Assess Your Emergency Fund

Now is the time when your savings will come in handy. If you've followed the advice of many personal finance experts, you have at least three months of expenses available in liquid savings. But now is the time to assess precisely how much you have and what your expenses actually are. With proper savings and cuts to your spending, you should hopefully be able to pay your bills until you get back to work.

3. Reduce Unnecessary Expenses

You may think you're living frugally, but now is the time to really strip life down to the bare essentials. Your expenses should really come down to your rent or mortgage, utilities, and a modest food budget. (Keep the Internet and cell phone services, as you may need them for your job search.) But that cable TV subscription? Kill it. Gym membership? Suspend it. Avoid going out to eat, or shopping at high-end grocers. And turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees. Every penny you save now is money that will help get you through to the next job.

4. Assess Your Health Insurance Situation

If you received health insurance through your employer, your benefits may no longer be accessible to you. It's likely that you are eligible for COBRA benefits, which provide discounted coverage between when your benefits run out and when new benefits kick in. After a job loss, you usually have 60 days to apply for COBRA benefits, and they last between 18 and 36 months, depending on your situation. At this time, it's also worth exploring insurance options available under the Affordable Care Act at HealthCare.gov.

5. Apply for Unemployment Benefits (But Don't Necessarily Claim Them Right Away)

If you've lost your job, there's a good chance you'll be eligible for compensation from unemployment insurance. In most states, unemployed people are entitled to up to 26 weeks of benefits that are a portion of their previous salary. Note that earnings from part-time or freelance work can be deducted from unemployment benefits. You don't necessarily have to claim unemployment benefits right away if you still have some money coming in, but it's still important to research options and get your name into the system immediately after a job loss.

6. Accept Outplacement Service if It Is Offered

You may feel like you can do a job search by yourself, but if your former employer is connecting you with assistance for free, take it. Outplacement professionals can help you update your resumé, assess your skills to see what jobs might be right for you, and even help you with interviews and salary negotiations.

7. Update Your Resumé and LinkedIn Profile

Hopefully, these are things you've kept more or less up-to-date anyway, but if you haven't looked at them in a while, give them some attention now. You don't have to necessarily reveal that you are between jobs, but it's important to have up-to-date information on your skills and accomplishments. Be sure to make several resumés based on the different types of jobs you may be pursuing. (See also: 30 Minutes to a LinkedIn Profile That Gets You Hired)

8. Collect All Your Retirement Account Information

If you've lost your job, you're no longer going to be able to contribute to your company's 401K, or other similar retirement plan. You don't necessarily have to do anything with the account right away, but eventually, you may want to roll your old 401K into another 401K or IRA.

In the immediate term, make sure you save the login and password information to the account, as well as any relevant paperwork. It will also be important to check your account balance to see how much of your matched contributions were "vested." If you leave a company after a short amount of time, it's possible that the company can reclaim some matching contributions.

9. Adjust Your Auto Insurance Premium

What you pay for auto insurance is often partially based on how much you drive. If you are no longer commuting to work, you may be able to reduce your premium slightly by arguing that you're driving less. Your rate is especially likely to go down if you're no longer driving and parking in a dense, urban area.

10. Take a Breather

It's okay to take some time off before doing any hardcore thinking about your next career move. While you don't waste a lot of time in getting back to work, it's important to make decisions with a clear head. Do you want to remain in the same field? Do you want to start your own business? Do you even need to go back to work full-time? There is a lot to think about, so take some time. This is as much a financial move as one for your mental health, because the last thing you want to do is rush into a job that you're not suited for and find yourself back in the unemployment line again.

11. Reallocate Some Investments for Income

If you have some investments in a non-retirement account, it's worth examining whether you can adjust them to produce some income. It's not necessarily a good idea to immediately sell a large quantity of stocks or mutual funds, especially if they are for long-term savings. You certainly don't want to do anything rash. But perhaps a portion of your portfolio could shift to bonds or dividend stocks that will help bring you some extra cash.

What other money moves should you make after getting fired? Share with us in the comments!

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This article is from Tim Lemke of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How Long Can You Really Live on Unemployment?

Dan Rafter — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:00:19 +0000

If you lost your job today, how long could you and your household survive on your unemployment income? How much of an emergency fund do you need to help you bridge the gap between your unemployment benefits and the full-time income that you'd no longer have? Most people don't know the answer to this question, says Kirk Cassidy, president of Senior Planning Advisors in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

"No matter if you have a full-time job or you are already in retirement, you need to set aside a certain amount of money each month for emergencies," Cassidy says. "You might think that your income is stable. But it isn't. Your income is unpredictable. Something can happen, and you need to be ready for it."

Sudden unemployment ranks as one of those unpredictable events. But losing your job is something you should plan for, even if you feel secure at your place of employment. You need to know how replacing your full-time income with unemployment benefits will impact your household budget. You need to know how long it would take for the money in your savings to run out, and how long it might take before making your mortgage and auto payments becomes a financial burden.

How Much Unemployment Will You Get?

Each state has its own formula for determining the amount of unemployment benefits available to individuals who are out of work or between jobs through no fault of their own. The maximum amount of money that you will receive each week depends on how much you were earning before you lost your job. But no matter where you live, don't expect to receive unemployment benefits that equal what you used to earn on your job.

For example, in New Jersey as of 2015, you could receive a maximum of $646 each week in unemployment benefits. But if you live in Tennessee, that weekly maximum was only $275 as of 2015.

In most states, you'll be able to receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks, or six months. Two states provide unemployment benefits for longer — Montana, at 28 weeks, and Maine, which provides benefits for 30 weeks.

Eight states as of 2015 provide unemployment benefits for less than 26 weeks: Arkansas (25); Michigan, Missouri, and South Carolina (20); Kansas (16); Florida and Georgia (14); and North Carolina (12).

The formula for how much you will receive each week varies according to state. As an example, in Massachusetts, the state looks at the last four quarters in which you worked. It adds your total wages from the two quarters in which you earned the highest amount of money and then divides that amount by 26, the number of weeks in the two combined quarters, to determine your average weekly wage. The state then divides that average weekly wage in half to determine your weekly benefit amount.

Here's an example from the website of Massachusetts' state government: Say you earned a total of $18,840 during your two highest-paid quarters in the last four. Divide that figure by 26 and you get $724.61. Divide that in half to get $362.30. Round to the nearest dollar to leave you with $362 in unemployment benefits each week.

That's just one example. But you can see that even with unemployment insurance, your weekly income is going to take a big hit. So how long can you survive on this reduced income?

Other Factors to Consider

To determine this, you must consider a host of factors. What are your current monthly expenses? What can you cut — the usual suspects such as cable TV, healthclub memberships, magazine subscriptions — to reduce this amount?

You must also look at the income coming into your household each month. Add your unemployment insurance benefits to this while removing the money you formerly brought home each month from your full-time job. Maybe your spouse or partner works. This extra income can buy you more time to survive on unemployment benefits.

You also need to consider your savings. Financial experts recommend that you build up enough money in an emergency fund — for most people this will be a standard savings account — to cover six months of your household's typical expenses. The problem is that most U.S. households have not done this.

In May, the Chain Store Guide released a report saying that 40% of U.S. adults said that if they lost their incomes, they could only maintain their current lifestyles for one to three months. The report found that 21% of adults wouldn't be able to do this for even one month. (See also: Is Your Emergency Fund Big Enough to Keep You Afloat?)

This means that plenty of U.S. households haven't been saving up for an emergency fund.

Paul Metler, co-president of Senior Planning Advisors, says that this is a big mistake. A well-stocked emergency fund can be an important safety net for households trying to live partly on unemployment benefits.

"I don't know how many people have saved up enough in their emergency funds to provide them with a healthy cushion should they lose their jobs," Metler says. "It does take planning. It does require you to live within your means and not overspend. There is no book that can magically tell you how to do it. You have to look at your own situation and budget accordingly."

If you've ever been unemployed for a stretch, how'd you manage?

This article is from Dan Rafter of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Fired? Here's How to Keep It From Hurting Your Career

Mikey Rox — Tue, 05 May 2015 09:00:25 +0000

Getting fired can destroy your self-confidence and devastate your personal finances, and that's just the start. Handled wrong, getting fired could have a long-lasting negative impact on your career, depending on the circumstances.

But don't become discouraged, or think that no one will hire you. Keep your chin up, and check out these five ways to minimize damage to your career after getting fired.

1. Get Creative to Minimize Employment Gaps

It's vital to minimize gaps in your employment history. Even if you can't find a job right away, you might be able to volunteer with a local organization or offer your skills to companies on a freelance basis until real employment comes along. You don't need a lot of freelance clients — just enough to keep your skills sharp and show employers that you're active in your field.

2. Choose References Carefully

If you were laid off or downsized and left the company on good terms, getting a good reference from your old job likely won't be an issue. But if you were fired because of a bad attitude or poor work performance, your immediate supervisor might not put in a good word. However, if you had a great working relationship with another manager or a team leader, ask this person to provide a letter of recommendation or reference. With so much competition in the job market, the last thing you need is a bad reference slowing down your efforts.

3. Avoid the F-Word

Some people use the word "fired" regardless of the circumstances of their departure. Technically, "getting fired" can apply to any type of involuntary termination. But if you weren't let go because of poor work performance or because of anything you did wrong, avoid the F-word and use more accurate terminology, such as "I was laid off," "My position was eliminated," or "The company downsized." These explanations sound better and might alleviate some of the stigma associated with being unemployed.

4. Be Honest

While it's understandable to downplay getting fired, it's important to be honest with the interviewer. Don't say you were laid off or downsized if you were unmistakably fired for misconduct or subpar work. The interviewer will mostly likely contact your previous employer, and if he learns that you lied or even slightly exaggerated the reasons for leaving the company, this can hurt your chances of getting the job. However, you don't necessarily have to go into extensive details. Keep your answer simple and short to avoid raising additional questions.

5. Exit Gracefully

The way you conduct yourself after getting fired can also affect how fast you're able to bounce back. If you make a scene by yelling, cursing, or acting unprofessionally in another manner, your employer will take note of this behavior. And when future employers call the company for a reference, your former employer may provide all the dirty details about your rude departure. If you exit gracefully and remain professional, this might persuade a former employer to provide a good reference, even though you weren't the right fit for the position.

Have you ever been fired? Do you agree with these tips? Do you have any tips of your own to offer? Let me know in the comments below.

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The 8 Worst Things Good Employees Do

Mikey Rox — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 10:00:12 +0000

Most of us like to think of ourselves as good employees. We show up for work on time, do our jobs to the best of our abilities, are team players, and put in more than enough hours. But, even good employees can commit career sins — and most of the time we don't even know we're doing it. (See also: 12 Reasons You Deserve to Get Fired)

Read on to learn the eight worst things good employees do.

1. Buckle Under Pressure

Some jobs are super high stress — and that can take a toll on an employee after an extended period of time. But as a professional, it's your duty to take these situations in stride and weather the storm to the best of your ability. The last thing you want to do is send the impression that you're just not cut out for your position.

"There are times when the environment of the workplace, company culture, or pressure from coworkers, peers, and upper management may influence [good employees] to act outside of their normal behavioral pattern," says Michael Lan, senior resume consultant at Resume Writer Direct. "Being pressured to meet a quota within a certain deadline, or accomplishing a number of set goals and tasks increases an employee's stress level. Some employees will consequentially buckle under this pressure and make questionable or 'bad' decisions in order to keep up with demands."

You should always strive to handle yourself with poise, but if you think your work demands are consistently unreasonable, schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss.

2. Make Too Many Excuses or Apologize Too Much

"Over-justifying or over-communicating why something isn't ready is a horrible habit I've seen employees fall into," explains Michelle Brammer, marketing manager for eZanga. "When employees over-justify or give too much communication as to why a task isn't complete, I'm left questioning their judgment or dedication to their job."

As a result, Brammer says, the barrage of apologies may come off like you can't manage multiple tasks or responsibilities — and that's never a good look. Instead, simply reaffirm your commitment to completing the over-due task ASAP and deliver. If there's something meaningful preventing you from timely completion, by all means do discuss it with your boss.

3. Blend Into the Crowd

Know what happens to the rank-and-file? They get lost in a sea of nobodies just doing their jobs. Is that who you want to be? Let's hope not.

"Between being a showy braggart and muffling your hard work, there's a comfortable middle road that you must find in order to claim the benefits of your labor," offers Constance Dunn, communication and manners expert and author of Practical Glamour: Presenting Your Most Beautiful & Polished Self. "Otherwise, you might find yourself plodding about in the same role, year after year, while others — perhaps less talented others — sprint ahead with promotions and raises."

In an effort to avoid this trap, Dunn suggests making it your business to socially congregate with co-workers, even if it's standing around the coffee machine or going for a coffee run with the pack.

"Don't wait for them to ask you what you're working on; go ahead and offer interesting tidbits about your current projects in a conversational way," she says. "This is one strategy to increase your visibility and communicate your competency in the workplace."

4. Rest on Their Laurels

Becoming a sheep is one thing, but giving up on career advancement altogether is a whole other ballgame — and one in which you ought not be participating. You don't want to be just a good employee; you should get up every morning to be the best employee. That's the only way you'll see the kind of promotion you dream of — but you have to work for it.

"The worst things good employees do is to not tactfully push to advance their careers," says David T. Waring, editor of FitSmallBusiness. "Often times good employees trust that good work will be rewarded automatically. Especially in larger companies, this is not always the case, and often times it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. While good employees do not want to turn into whiners, making sure that you keep yourself top of mind with those that have the power to advance your career is simply good business."

5. Allow a Lack of Self-Confidence to Hinder Success

Ever had an idea in a meeting, but were too afraid to lay it out there for fear of sounding stupid or getting that condescending "Really?" look from the boss? I have, so I feel your pain. But keeping mum on a creative or productive idea is never going to help your cause — ever.

Jason M. Schulz, benefits consultant and retired U.S. Army Captain, agrees.

"[Some employees are] afraid to speak up when appropriate to do so for fear that they will be ostracized, but then complain later around the water cooler," he says. "Truth is, most of those employees that think their idea is great when they hear it at the water cooler, really want them to voice their opinion when asked by the boss. And managers aren't just asking for ideas for their health; they genuinely want to see things from the workers' perspective."

6. Micromanage

I quit a job because I was being micromanaged; it's bad news for a control freak like me (who also has a tendency to micromanage; I'll admit it). The people with whom you work don't like it either — trust me. So if you have a propensity to be this kind of pest — yes, I said a pest — stop it immediately.

John J. Brady, executive director and principal of Protem Partners, reminds us that if you can't identify the micromanager in the office, it might just be you.

"Most micromanagers do not realize that this label applies to them. They get great feedback as they hold themselves and members of their team to a very high level," he says. "The problem is, they fear anything less than perfection will hurt their hard-earned credibility, and their very image of perfection gets distorted such that they fail to see the inefficiencies they create and, in most cases, the errors they create by sending a message that only they are competent. Dysfunction and burnout are the usual results."

7. Work More Than They Contribute

Brady also details the fine line between working and contributing — two very different things — that could be holding you back.

"Many employees feel insecure about their station at work and, as such, never take vacations, send emails at crazy hours and, in an effort to make sure their commitment is known, talk about it [incessantly]," he says. "Every major study shows that quality and productivity falls after a certain number of hours and without proper breaks from work. The result is that they do good work instead of great work, and they come off as a martyr to management and to colleagues. It doesn't help their career, let alone anyone else's, and isolation is a frequent result."

The takeaway? Relax, boo, you got this. Strive for success, but not too hard, and enjoy a day (maybe a week even) to yourself once in a while.

8. Fail to Think About the Boss's Objectives

Most of us are so busy at work concentrating on our own tasks that we don't give a second thought to what may be on other people's plates, particularly the boss's. It's in your best interest to squash this bad habit today.

"Many excellent employees get nothing but stellar feedback, but wonder why they never get promoted," Brady explains. "At a minimum, you need to think about the business from at least one level up, and then frame your work to fit that set of objectives. Doing a great job at one level doesn't lead management to presume you could excel at the next level, unless you are consistently showing that you know how your current work fits into a larger framework."

Something to consider the next time you're up for review.

Are any of these habits yours? Or are there other worst things you've seen your good coworkers do?

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Signs You Should Quit Your Job

Brittany Lyte — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 10:00:08 +0000

A startling number of Americans are unhappy in the workplace. Studies show that nearly three-quarters of corporate employees would realistically consider finding a new job today and more than half say they chose the wrong career to begin with. (See also: The 5-Step Plan to Quitting Your Job)

So how do you know when it's time to call it quits? Look for these eight sure-fire signs you should be moving on — and up — to better places.

1. You Don't See Eye to Eye With Your Boss

If the person who's supposed to be raising you up is bringing you down, it might be time to skedaddle. Studies show that bad bosses affect how your whole family relates to one another, your physical health, and your morale while in the office. They also raise your risk for heart disease. No job is worth putting up with woes like that.

2. Your Commute Is Killing You

Americans spend more time commuting (100+ hours per year) than they do vacationing (80 hours), an unwelcome reality that triggers neck pain, obesity, loneliness, divorce, stress, and insomnia, according to research out of Sweden. So if the twice daily traffic jam is driving you mad — and tampering with your health and love life — then it's probably time to move closer to the office or launch a job search closer to your neighborhood.

3. Your Skills Aren't Being Tapped

If you're being underutilized, sooner or later you're going drift into a sea of boredom and indifference. That's not good for business, and it's not good for your professional growth, happiness, or self-esteem either. Here are the tell-tale signs: You've been skipped over for assignments that perfectly fit your skill set, you've been passed over for a promotion on more than one occasion, and your workload has been reduced or simplified.

4. You Want to Be Your Own Boss

A Business Insider survey found that 22% of executives want to call it quits and launch their own companies. Why? Because they want to do things their way. Among Generation X workers, the biggest reason for pursuing a solo enterprise is a deep distrust of corporations. All told, 63% of adults under 30 either own their own business or want to someday, according to a University of Phoenix survey. Among those who are not already entrepreneurs, 55% hoped to be in the future.

5. Your Company Is on the Fritz

There's no need to go down with a sinking ship. If your company is on its way out, it might be wise to make your exit — sooner rather than later.

6. You Don't Believe in Your Work

If you're not proud of the work you're doing, it's probably time to make some adjustments so that you are. And if your work or your company's ideals are at all in conflict with your beliefs, be they religious, social, or otherwise, your time would be well spent to figure out how to reconcile that — which could mean finding a new job. You'll never reach your potential if you're doing something you don't stand behind 100%.

7. The Office Culture Is Toxic

If you've ever said, "My job is killing me!" — you could be right. Research shows that people who work in hostile environments are more likely to die sooner than those who work in atmospheres that are more favorable. Death aside, toxic work environments are known to provoke aches, stress, and signs of depression. While more favorable than death, these are symptoms no one should have to suffer.

8. Your Work-Life Balance Is Out of Whack

Work has a way of getting in the way of what, for many of us, matters most: family time. These numbers offer a glimpse at the epidemic: 55% of all employees say they don't have enough time for themselves, 67% of employed parents say they don't have enough time with their kids, and 63% of married employees say they don't have enough time with their spouse, according to Families and Work Institute's National Study of the Changing Workforce. Striking the right balance is typically touch-and-go, but if you're severely under-serving yourself or your loved ones, it may be time to find a new job that offers more flexibility.

Have you ever quit a job? Why? Please tell us about how you stopped taking it anymore in comments!

This article is from Brittany Lyte of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

12 Reasons You Deserve to Get Fired

Kentin Waits — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:00:09 +0000

The recession might be over, but that doesn't mean any of us can afford to be passive about holding onto our jobs. If you think you may soon be having an uncomfortable conversation with HR, it's time to find out why. (See also: Job Hunting Tips for the Recently Fired)

Here are 12 reasons you're getting fired.

1. Social Media SNAFU

Venting about your employer, boss, or co-workers on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media site can get you fired. Avoid other career-killing social media mistakes and remember — six degrees of separation is about one and a half degrees online.

2. Refusing to Play the Game

I don't know what the game is where you work, but I know there is one — and I bet there are a lot of folks playing their hearts out. The game usually involves demonstrating your passion for the work, coming in early and staying late, and working to impress the right people without falling all over yourself. Call me cynical and old-fashioned, but if you haven't learned how to play the game, you haven't really learned how to stay employed.

3. Not Giving Your All

Those cheesy motivational posters are wrong; it's impossible to give 110%. But consistently settling for 70% is a bad strategy if want to duck and weave past a pink slip. Doing a bit more than required, volunteering for a committee or two, and diplomatically making recommendations for process improvements adds value to what you do and can help secure your employment long-term

4. Clicking on Caps Lock

TYPING IN ALL CAPS READS LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING and shows a fundamental lack of professional etiquette and insight. It may be trivial, but people get fired for trivial things every day. Cut it out.

5. Skipping the Finer Points of Good Etiquette

Good business etiquette is both valuable and rare, especially if your job involves direct work with clients or partners. Not grasping the finer points of dining, interview, or meeting etiquette can jeopardize business relationships, flag you as inexperienced, and kill a career.

6. Making Yourself Non-Essential

If you're not actively looking for new ways to add value to the company you work for, you may be inadvertently planting the seeds for your own dismissal when there's a hiccup in the market. Besides being first-rate at your job, look for those tasks that no one else wants to do and position yourself as the go-to person for each.

7. Mixing Your Personal and Professional Life

When it comes to job security, it's good policy to save the drama for your mama. Allowing personal issues to consistently affect your work erodes your professional image and can make letting you go as easy as switching off a bad reality show.

8. Getting Embroiled in Office Politics

Some work environments can be as political as a swing state in late October. Diving in headfirst and picking sides gives you a 50% of being right and a 100% chance of showing how easily distracted you are. Learn how to beat office politics and still get ahead.

9. Snoozing or Boozing

No surprises here. Sneaking a nap or a nip at work is usually an epically bad idea. And with office holiday parties coming up, sticking to a moderate personal drink limit will help you avoid those regretful lampshade-on-the-head moments that leave you red-faced Monday morning.

10. Stealing

Hey, Sticky Fingers, it may feel like a fringe benefit, but few companies see it that way. If you're tempted to pocket random goodies from your employer, it may be a sign that you feel stuck or that you're not being fairly compensated. Be proactive about both issues or move on.

11. Sleeping In

Who hasn't woken up feeling like a sack of wet concrete? These are the moments when we suddenly tap deep reserves of creativity to craft the most elaborate excuses for being late or taking a half-day. But as our inner storytellers dream, our careers can get creamed. Wake up, slam a double espresso, and defend your professional turf.

12. Playing Hooky

It might not have been a big deal in sixth grade, but playing hooky in your professional life can have lasting consequences. Don't assume (cough, cough) taking sick days when you're feeling great, ducking out early, or adding 15 minutes to your lunch hour is going unnoticed.

If you're guilty of multiple axe-worthy offenses, it might be time to hope for the best and prepare for the worst by keeping an eye out for signs you're about to get fired. If you make the cut, wipe the sweat from your brow and let 2015 be the year you turn over a new leaf. Like much of life, our professional lives can be reinvented with focus, discipline, and the right motivation.

Have you ever been fired? Did the experience change how you approached your next job? Share your favorite stories below.

This article is from Kentin Waits of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The First 5 Things You Must Do After Getting Laid Off

Ashley Watson — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 15:00:04 +0000

A few weeks ago, I was laid off for the very first time.

I managed to stay calm and do everything I needed to do to make sure I wouldn't end up on the streets in a month. I think it was the shock, but whatever the reason, it taught me that I am stronger than I realized and that I have a tremendous support system. (See also: Job Hunting Tips for the Recently Fired)

These are the five things I learned to do and to keep in mind if you lose a job.

1. Don't Panic

Yes, this seems obvious. However, it is something I told myself from the minute I started cleaning out my desk. And it helped tremendously. For many people, panic can be crippling. Sometimes when I get overwhelmed, I become paralyzed and don't take care of the basic tasks I need to do to get myself through a crisis. Neglecting basic needs can affect your overall health and ability to keep moving.

When you are in a state of panic, you are also more likely to make poor decisions. Most psychologists will tell you that after any loss, it is important not to make big decisions. Before you sell your house or relocate, give yourself some time to find another job. You may find a job that pays more than the one you lost. It's also important to understand what an actual panic attack looks like and what to do when you are having a panic attack. Just keep telling yourself, "Don't Panic." You will be surprised at how much this simple statement will help you get through this time and land on your feet again.

2. Apply for Unemployment and Contact Creditors ASAP

After giving myself time to process everything and take a deep breath, I applied for unemployment benefits the day after I was laid off. This is important to do as soon as you can because it can take weeks for you to get your benefits if you qualify. Also, be sure to check for benefits that you might need immediately, such as health insurance. I called my state's Medicaid office right after I called the unemployment office, and I asked them to expedite the process because I needed a refill for an expensive medication in just a few days. They were very sympathetic and moved the process along quickly. Many people are understanding if you just explain the situation.

Additionally, if you have any outstanding bills, such as student loans or utilities, call to see if they will work with you until you get your unemployment benefits. Most companies are willing to do this, and if you have student loans, you can get a temporary forbearance until your unemployment starts, at which time you should be able to defer them. Your unemployment office should offer several services that can help you navigate the free resources that are available to you.

3. Reach Out to People for Support

While I was fairly good about making sure I filled out all the paperwork and made all the necessary phone calls after I lost my job, it all hit me at once a few days after it happened. That's when I knew I needed to call my former therapist to make an appointment. I also called my friends, not only for moral support, but also to see if they could get together for coffee or just to hang out. I knew that I didn't need to be in my apartment alone.

You can also find job loss support groups. Ask your local unemployment office, or try social media. I found a few of these support groups on LinkedIn. Whatever your method, it's important to get your support system in place early on so that you have someone to turn to if you do start to panic.

4. Don't Burn Bridges

Make sure you follow up with any loose ends from your job, such as transferring health or life insurance policies. If you get fired, don't cause a scene. I've seen other co-workers get fired, and a few of them caused such a scene that the HR person had to hover over their desks as they were packing up. Luckily, my situation was different, and they at least let me leave with dignity.

But I also called my former manager a few days after I had time to process to tell him that I didn't have any hard feelings and to also ask if he would be a reference. Most importantly, don't put anything out there on social media that would hurt your chances of finding another job. I've seen friends post long, angry diatribes about their former employers, which I encouraged them to remove. Harboring anger is not helping your emotional state, nor will it help you land a new job.

5. Be Gentle With Yourself

During a crisis like this one, blaming yourself will not help; it will only make it worse. Try to take the judgement out of any of your actions, unless you are praising yourself for applying for another job or giving yourself a break. Give yourself some breathing room.

Sherrie Bourg Carter, Psy.D offers some useful advice along these lines. Her first suggestion is to take time to recover, but she also argues that part of the recovery process is to focus on what you can control rather than dwelling on what you cannot control. For instance, you cannot control what has already happened, so worrying about getting fired is living in the past, which will only bring you down. Worrying about finding another job can also hold you back. Spend that energy on making your resume stronger and finding the right job.

Immediately after I got the news, I called one of my most practical friends, who reminded me that I could do all the necessary steps the next day and that I should just give myself the afternoon to call loved ones and process what just happened. This was sage advice, because I was in no state to take care of business. But the occasional gentle reminder to be kind to yourself and focus on what you can control throughout this process will make a huge difference in your ability to function and figure out the next steps.

Have you ever been laid off from a job? How did you cope?

This article is from Ashley Watson of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Job Hunting Tips for the Recently Fired (and Some for the Rest of Us, Too)

Lauren Treadwell — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 10:36:24 +0000

Job hunting after you've been fired can be an intimidating task, especially in a tight job market. It may not be a cakewalk, but there are ways to make getting your first post-termination job a bit easier. And once you've cleared that hurdle, the impact a firing has on future job searches decreases. (See also: 6 Tax Deductions for Job Hunters)

Get Your Emotions in Check

Getting fired is one of the most distressing things a person can go through. The uncertainty of sudden unemployment coupled with the humbling experience of being dismissed instead of leaving by choice can cause anger, feelings of inadequacy, anxiety about your future, and an overall depressed mood. These reactions are completely normal, but they're also unhelpful.

To get yourself back where you need to be, focus on positives instead of negatives. Think about your strengths and what you can contribute to an organization. Forgive yourself for any failures and make a conscious decision to move on. If you make peace with the situation, feel confident about what you have to offer, and adopt the view that you've only experienced a minor setback, getting back out into the working world will be a whole lot easier. (See also: Lose Your Job Without Losing Your Identity)

Reassess Your Situation

Once you've dealt with the emotional side of the situation, you've got to get analytical. Think about what went wrong, why, and how you can stop it from happening again. Next, ask yourself some important questions:

Where do you really excel?
Which areas of your expertise do you need to build?
Are you utilizing your skills and knowledge in a way that was satisfying to you? If not, what would you rather be doing?

Getting fired can be the push you need to break into a new area of your field or start a new career altogether, so as you're evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, and goals, think about how they would fit into new positions or industries. Don't be afraid to look into other locales for new opportunities.

Take Immediate Action

Getting fired is one of the worst times to take an extended break from working. A hole in your employment already sends up red flags to prospective employers. Revealing that you were in fact fired before that gap could lead them to believe you have even more serious issues. Plus, the longer you go without making progress, the more those negative emotions you're trying to control start to fester.

Start your job hunt as soon as possible. The same day you receive your walking papers is a perfect time to begin, but you can take a few days to get your emotions together if you need it. If your search starts getting lengthy, say more than a couple of months, you may want to look into freelance and volunteer work or enrolling in job-related courses to fill the hole. You'll look better to employers if you've been keeping busy since you were laid off. (See also: Getting Work Experience Without a Job)

Optimize Your References

You'll need extra good references to take the sting out of the nature of your previous departure. References from pre-firing employers are good, but references from the job you were let go from are even better. Fellow employees should be able to substantiate the explanation you gave about your parting as well as tell potential employers about your positive contributions.

The absolute best reference is one from your former managers or other higher-ups. The viability of this option depends on the reason you were fired and how well you performed before things went south, but having a positive reference even after you've been fired can make a huge difference. To maximize your chances, you could try sending a post-termination letter admitting any wrongdoing, and thanking the employer for the opportunity and learning experience. Even if you messed up bad, this bit of mea culpa can sway your old boss toward giving you a good — or at least better — reference. (See also: How to Get Great Job References)

Describe Your Job-Hunting Activities Wisely

The way you present your circumstances can have a big impact in your job search. Using a statement such as "Actively pursuing new opportunities" in your cover letter and online job networking profiles lets employers know you're available without disclosing exactly why. If you're taking a new career path, Deborah Jacobs of Forbes Magazine recommends a statement such as "Currently seeking to leverage my Equity Floor experience and education into Investor Relations." This kind of phrasing works well when you're discussing your job status during interviews, too. (See also: How to Make a Good Impression at Your Job Interview)

Be Upfront, but Not Too Upfront

You definitely don't want to make any mention of your firing on your resume, cover letter, or online networking profiles. However, you also don't want to wait so long that the employer finds out on their own while checking references. The best time to broach the subject is during the interview. Wait until you're asked to describe your previous job or why you left your former position, and then give your explanation.

In the event that you really messed up and don't want future employers to know about the job at all, you could simply leave it off of your resume and avoid bringing it up during interviews. This works better if doesn't have much relevance to the position you are seeking or if you were only there for a short time, but you may still be able to pull it off if you have other career-related activities to fill in the blank. Keep in mind that this will not work for people who are applying for jobs that require background checks or complete disclosure of all previous positions, such as in government, financial, and legal work.

Prepare Your Explanation

You'll need to formulate a statement that gives potential employers the facts surrounding your firing without injecting resentment, blame, or other negative emotions into the story. Even if you feel that your termination was unjustified, you need to avoid bad-mouthing your old boss or coming across as defensive. Interviewers only need to know what happened, why it happened, if there was anything you could have done differently, and what you've gained from the experience. Most importantly, you have to come up with a reason the mistake won't happen again. Above all, do not lie. There's a chance a potential employer will learn the real story eventually, especially if the job is within the same industry, and being dishonest is the surest way to disqualify yourself from a job.

Planning out what you'll say makes it easier to be upfront about the situation, but discussing these kinds of stressful subjects can still make you uncomfortable. Even when you're telling the truth, anxiety can cause you to stutter, avoid eye contact, perspire, and flush red — all tell-tale signs of lying. To avoid raising an interviewer's suspicions unnecessarily, practice your explanation in front of the mirror or with another person, until it sounds natural and authentic. (See also: Body Language Mistakes That Sabotage Interviews)

Word Your Departure Carefully

Even if the truth seems pretty bad, there are ways of making it come across better. Avoid use of the word "fired," because that particular expression carries a stigma that interviewers may find hard to overlook. Using phrases such as "I was let go" or "My employment was terminated" tones down the inherent harshness of the situation. Pairing your big reveal with an aptly-worded statement can then shift the focus from the negative subject of your discharge to the positive subject of what you can contribute to the company. Something like, "My limited sales skills simply couldn't keep up with the fast-paced production required by my previous employer and I was let go. However, I believe my graphic design skills will be well-applied in this position as an advertising assistant."

Tell Them What You Did Right

Referencing situations in which you excelled at your previous job assures potential employers that you weren't just flailing around Mr. Bean-style, leaving confusion and calamity in your wake. Highlight your successes, such as the number of new accounts you brought in or the projects you completed. If you were better at one aspect of your job than another, put emphasis on the duties you did well. Have your references mention these things as well to support your description.

Show What You've Learned

One of the most effective ways to decrease the impact being fired has on your job hunt is to demonstrate that you've addressed the issues that lead to your firing. If the problem was a lack of knowledge, tell interviewers about the steps you took to fill gaps in your expertise, such as engaging in self-study or enrolling in continuing education courses. If the problem was due to interpersonal issues, explain how you've learned to work with a greater variety of personalities and viewpoints and now have the ability to handle similar situations better. No matter what the reason, the key is to describe how the knowledge you gained will help you be successful in the position you're applying for.

Have you ever been fired from a job? How did you get hired afterward?

This article is from Lauren Treadwell of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Getting Fired? Ask One Question to Get Free Money

Carlos Portocarrero — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:00:02 +0000

Getting fired is never easy. There are a whole bunch of emotions that you'll experience: from anger to sadness to very serious concern for your future.

All valid emotions. None of them will do you any good.

But a few weeks ago I discovered a question that can actually make you some money if you ever get fired. It has fast become my number one "if you get fired" tip.

If you get tapped on the shoulder and asked to step into HR's office, don't forget to ask them this one, very important question:

Will you give me the unvested portion of my 401(k) account?

What does it mean?

If you've been a responsible employee, you've been contributing to your 401k account — at least up to the company match. But most companies have a vesting schedule — which means that money they "give" you isn't "yours" until you've worked there for X amount of time.

So after one year, you only "get" 10% of the total they've matched. After three years, maybe it's around 20%, and so on. The longer you stay, the more of it is yours.

But technically that money isn't yours until it's vested.

But a lot of employers are willing to give you the unvested portion of your 401(k) account if/when you're being let go.

Especially if it's not performance related and they just need to downsize. It's not that big of a deal to them and in an effort to make these kinds of moves as painless as possible, there is a good shot you'll get this money.

The worst thing that can happen? They say no.

Has anyone out there had success with this?

This article is from Carlos Portocarrero of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Get Laid Off: A Step-By-Step Guide

Paul Michael — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:03 +0000

It seems ironic in this economy, and with a high unemployment rate, that anyone would want advice about getting kicked from a job. But last week a question was posed to me, and it was genuine — “How do I get laid off?”

When I dug below the surface of the question, I realized that the person in question was just done with the job (like this), but didn’t want to quit outright. Instead, being laid off was a more favorable option, with reasons including severance pay, vesting for stock options, contractual obligations, and a much more fitting job opening up soon in another company. Some people even call this the “no job vacation.”

In this obviously rare situation, quitting is not ideal. Being laid off is a better solution, but believe it or not, being let go or even “fired” can be difficult if you’ve been doing everything right. You need to change the dynamic. As someone so tactfully explained to me, it’s like purposely acting like a jerk in a relationship so that the other person breaks up with you.

So, if you’re in the awkward position of looking for a way out of your current job, here are some tips I have received from different industry professionals and HR websites that give you a way out without destroying your career. Some are perfectly ethical, others, well you decide for yourself.

To start with, the ethical list:

1. First and foremost, check in with HR to see what kind of severance pay and other benefits your company offers. You need to know where you stand.

2. If all looks well, let HR know that you’d volunteer to take redundancy if there was downsizing at the company. Not only are you making life a whole lot easier for HR, you’re also planting the seed that you’re not 100% committed to the job.

3. Let other people take credit for your good work. And, adversely, you can take some of the blame for projects that went wrong. Even if you weren’t actually working on it, people love a scapegoat.

4. Nurture your own replacement. If you see a bright, shining star with serious ambition, you can let everyone know that they’re perfect for your role. A few comments here and there like “wow, that Brian kid is one amazing worker…he’s even teaching me a thing or two, and I earn way more than him!” OK, well choose your own words, but you get the idea.

5. Start using up your remaining vacation time. This is free money and it’s also a good way to get noticed for being absent a lot.

6. Have a computer? It’s time to become a web surfer. Employers really don’t like you using the Internet at work to do your shopping and watch movie trailers. Don’t be blatant about it, but if Ebay is on the screen whenever your boss walks by, it won’t make you look like employee of the month.

7. Sleep at your desk during your breaks. Not every day, but dozing off once in a while can certainly help you stand out as a mediocre employee. If you don’t have a desk, use the break room or another public place. Remember, there’s nothing that says you can’t take a nap during your breaks…it just doesn’t look great.

8. Renegotiate your salary. It’s usually a delicate subject but now, you have nothing to lose. It can give you the confidence to ask for more and you may just get it, giving you a reason to stay. If you have a new job offer, why not take the terms you received at your new job and ask your old job if they will match it?

9. Look into employee benefits and start asking thoughtful, insightful questions. For instance, why doesn't your company have a day care program? What’s the paternity leave policy? Can I get reimbursement for professional conferences? Start circulating this discussion among other employees. At the very least, you will stand out as a hero to them and, possibly, a thorn in the side of HR.

10. Start enjoying every available company perk. If you have employee discount programs, use them often and in large amounts. If you get reimbursed for further education, take lots of classes.

11. Talk enthusiastically about additional education and training in a field completely unrelated to your job. For example, if you work at a tech company, talk about how excited you are about getting your new real estate license.

12. The most important rule, and the simplest: Do the minimum. Be less than you can be. You should never be exceeding expectations if you’re looking for a pink slip. As I heard once, “she had delusions of mediocrity.” So should you. This is a surefire way to place your head on the layoff chopping block, and when used with another tip from above, it could get you the pink slip and severance package you’re looking for.

Now, I also got a whole lot more tips that were phrased as “more sketchy” ways to get laid off or fired. I would say some of them are unpleasant, others just plain rude. I would also say that this is a list of things you should avoid in your quest for the pink slip. This may get you fired, but you don't want to burn a bridge completely that may affect your career later down the road.

13. Take a look at the code of conduct for your office and begin to bend a few rules, or even break them. Start to mess around with the dress code. Play your music a little louder.

14. Create your own, more flexible hours. Turning up five minutes late, taking longer lunch breaks and leaving early shows a nice lack of commitment.

15. Redirect your efforts to the wrong places. Spend 8 hours on a pointless task that should take 30 minutes. Rush a job that needs more attention. You’re still doing your job, but you’re doing it poorly.

16. Get noticed for all the wrong reasons. If you have a lot of meetings to go to, don’t feel afraid to make comments that are completely inane or make no sense at all. You can also say nothing, and spend the whole meeting doodling and staring out of the window. Put you phone on extra-loud and get people to call you all day. Let your appearance go, stop brushing your hair, allow a stain or two to appear on your shirts.

17. Be annoying. A great way to do this is to start cornering people with pointless questions that are a waste of time. Spend 10 minutes discussing something that should take 10 seconds. Ask the most obvious questions that you should already know the answers to. Hang around in the coffee room and start long conversations. When people start to avoid you, you’re on your way.

18. Become the biggest naysayer in history. Now, every idea is a bad idea. Nothing will work. The coffee tastes bad. The boss sucks. No one wants to work with someone so negative, and it puts you at the top of the lay-off pile.

19. Stop smiling. Be miserable. Act depressed. Remove yourself from conversations. Use one word answers. If you can’t annoy people with your loud music and silly comments, you can get under their skin by being about as much fun as a funeral.

20. Start forgetting things. Small things, big things, just have a memory like a cargo net. From meetings you should be at, to vital tasks, this is another surefire way to raise the red flag that your time has come.

21. Interrupt people, often, and with nothing more to add. That guy who keeps butting in when you’re talking, only to basically repeat what you just said, well maybe he’s looking for a way out of the door.

22. Memorize a bunch of useless quotes and start repeating them whenever possible, especially if they’re out of context. You can make quite an impression in a meeting if you’re asked for projected sales figures and instead come back with “Like all dreamers, I mistook disenchantment for truth.”

23. Send emails “accidentally” to the wrong people, revealing facts and figures that should not have been revealed. If the boss gets an email from you that was clearly meant for someone else, and the contents are less than flattering, that will certainly be a red mark against you. You can also send pointless or personal emails to the whole company instead of just friends, like a funny youtube video or your own ad for a garage sale.

24. Be messy. Stop cleaning up after yourself in the break room. Miss the trash can when you throw things away. Leave your office or cubicle looking like the aftermath of a twister. Untidy is one thing. Being a slob is quite another.

25. Use the office equipment for personal use, including job searching (obviously not the actual one you’re going to). It may even be prudent to leave your resume in the photocopier. And make plenty of personal calls, preferably talking loudly while doing so.

26. Do not keep secrets. If the boss tells you something private and personal, and asks you to keep your mouth shut, you may want to let that one slip out.

27. Start parking in the reserved spots. It will really bug those people who think a reserved car parking spot is important, and they will most likely be in charge.

28. Become a prankster on a daily basis. Whoopee cushions under chairs in the meeting rooms. Fart gas. Glue on the phones. Once is enough, but when you keep doing it you become a disruptive pain.

So there you have it; some advice to follow, and even more advice to avoid. Do you have any more tips? Do you think anyone trying to get laid off is just asking for trouble? Let us know. And remember, this is not advice for most of us — just the few people who desperately want an exit strategy.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

You’re Fired! 20 Signs That a Pink Slip is Coming

Paul Michael — Wed, 23 May 2007 23:10:57 +0000

There are two types of employees. One has a good idea of what they do, who they are, and what position they play in the company. They are savvy. They know the score. They are under no delusions, and will no doubt leave for another job long before they are ever considered as cannon-fodder. (See also: Laid Off? You May Have to Fight for Unemployment Benefits)

And then there's the other kind. The guy who could get Gandhi to hate him. The woman who spends most of her day chatting on the phone to friends or doing online shopping. Or the nice chap in sales who is completely oblivious that the recent merger means his job is now obsolete. They all have Ostrich Syndrome. They couldn't see a pink slip coming if it was 8ft tall and glowing in the dark, screaming "you're fired!"

You want to avoid being in that second category at all costs. So I've compiled a handy list. If you can answer yes to THREE or more of these questions, you may want to think about sprucing up your resume and dry-cleaning your best interview attire.

1. Are you no longer in the loop about, well, anything?

This is a huge telltale sign. Suddenly you're finding out about company news from the cleaning lady or the new girl in accounting. If you were formally in the know about all things business related, but now suffer from "the company's doing what??!" disease, the writing is probably on the wall.

2. Did you recently screw up big-time?

We're not talking a minor faux pas here. Did you lose money on an account that was previously bulletproof? Oh dear. Were you caught having sex on the boss's desk with the boss's spouse? That's probably not a career-enhancing move. Unless you're a real dope, you know if you have screwed up. And if you know, HR knows. It may not be the final nail in your coffin, but it's a nail in the coffin nonetheless.

3. Are people avoiding you at all costs?

Eye contact is difficult to make with someone if you know his or her head's on the chopping block. Small talk is just as tough. It's best just to avoid that person altogether. So if people are no longer doing that fun "stop 'n' chat" in the hall, or the coffee room empties when you arrive, then guess what…you may be a marked man or woman.

4. Did your last performance review read like a train wreck?

Most of the time, a performance review is a whole bunch of niceties. The boss really doesn't want to say anything TOO good, because everyone has room for improvement. But generally, they praise within reason and avoid anything too negative. So if your review paints you as a stupid version of Homer Simpson with less talent than a Backstreet Boy, well, that tap on the shoulder is coming.

5. Has your company recently been sold or merged?

This is rarely good news for about 90% of the staff. Sure, management is fine. After all, they negotiated the deal. But whether you were sold or merged, the outcome is the same…changes will be made across the board. A merger means duplication of many jobs. Duplication = redundancy. Being sold means new management, and they always have new plans for the company. New plans that includes cutbacks and layoff. Basically, watch your back if there's a new name on the front door.

6. Are you being given impossible jobs with no chance of success?

This one is underhanded, which is why it's so popular. The company may need a big reason to give you the boot, especially if you've done everything right and are the life and soul of your department. Enter the impossible task. "Ahh Wilkins, we need you to expand our new line of warm, alcohol-free beers to construction workers." "Johnson, how's that line of umbrellas doing in the new L.A. store?" You get the picture. If you've been given a thankless task, at least be thankful for the blatant tip-off that you're about to be let go.

7. Do you now have less responsibility than the intern?

Ouch. Being stripped of your responsibilities is a sure-fire sign that there's something unpleasant on the horizon. After all, you don't fire someone who's got a ton of important work to do, with loads of people underneath him/her. So, over time the poor sucker in management's sights will be given a new job title, less work, less people (or no people) and will eventually have a hard time finding anything of any real value to do all day. Not long after this, that same employee will be out on the street. In fact, if you're at work and have enough time to read this article, you may very well be in the firing line.

8. Has your office, cubicle or working space recently been down-sized?

Remember poor old Milton in Office Space being moved from one small space to another, until he was eventually sat in the dark, in the basement, dealing with pest problems. Well, this is not so far from the truth. When employees are in the firing line, it's a lot easier to move them around and downsize their environment without worrying about their morale. If you are reading this in your new 6ft by 6ft cubicle with no lights on a 1999 PC with a 200MB hard drive, you're not exactly a valued employee any more.

9. Do people whisper more, or does the conversation change as you approach?

If you're marked for termination, you'll be the last one to know about it. And being the grown-up responsible people that they are, your co-workers will be quite happy to whisper about your impending doom in a dark corner of the coffee room. Until you show up, when suddenly the conversation will change abruptly to something really original…like the weather.

10. Did your recently receive a pay freeze or, worse still, a pay cut?

There are a few reasons this could happen, none of them are good. Either the company is in trouble and they need to cut costs, or you're in trouble and they don't want to pay you. If it's the first one, you may not necessarily be in immediate danger but no-one wants to work for a company that's going down the tubes (read Who Moved My Cheese for more on that one). If it's the latter, well, your boss is basically telling you that you're about as welcome as a fart in an astronaut suit. Begin the job hunt immediately.

11. Have you seen a job posting for your company that matches your job description?

Human Resources can be crafty. They don't want to fire you without having someone waiting in the wings to immediately fill your shoes. That's why it's not uncommon to see your own job out on the Internet months before you eventually get canned. Worse still (and this has happened to someone I know) they hire your replacement before you're fired and get YOU to teach the newbie how to do your job. Nice. Then they fire you.

12. Does everyone hate you? I mean really dislike you with a passion?

If you're one of those people who are oblivious to this kind of question, please skip to #13. If you have a thread of common sense, read on. It's not an easy thing to face up to, but you can at least spot the telltale signs. Do you eat alone at lunchtime? Do people never laugh at your jokes? Can you clear a room faster than a pack of rabid pit-bulls? If you're ok at your job but are just not popular, that will be seen as affecting morale. And morale is not something to mess with. Either shape up your attitude, or find a new job that maybe doesn't require you to work with people on a day-to-day basis.

13. Have you recently been asked to take some time off?

Let's face it. Companies in America are not prone to encouraging vacation time (compared to Europe, where we get oodles of time off). If it's not to use up vacation you're about to lose, or for a genuine reward for a huge project you've just finished, then you are in trouble. When the boss tells you to take a break, they're more than likely telling you that they'd rather not have you in the office. Maybe they'd like to talk about you behind your back (which is a lot easier when your back is in Tahiti). Maybe they need time to figure out how to can you. Either way, it's all a lot easier with you out of the picture. Time off = firing scenario.

14. Are you noticing paper-trails between yourself and your superiors?

A quick word in your ear used to be just fine. A phone call was great. A stop 'n' chat in the hall was a regular occurrence. But now everything is happening via memos and emails. There's a reason for that. HR requires written/printed evidence of everything if there's to be a firing. A paper trail is necessary to determine that your boss did everything by the book, and to record every single one of your screw-ups. So, if you've gone from getting a few memos and emails a week, to a daily deluge of paper and a full inbox, these are warning signs that you're being watched very closely.

15. Are you finding it almost impossible to get approval or 'buy in' on projects?

Think back. A long time ago, people would green light your projects faster than the Road Runner on amphetamines. But that's no longer the case. The boss is suddenly silent when it comes to approval. You're being passed around fro middle-manager to middle-manager. You get voicemail 99% of the time you call someone for their opinion, and the other 1% it's their secretary…who then puts you through to voicemail. No-one is going to green-light a project from someone whose time is up at that company. They don't want to associate themselves with the kiss of death that is your idea. If it happens to be a great idea, no worries, they'll take credit for it once you're gone. The silent treatment is a sure sign of pink-slip disease.

16. Have you recently been asked to work on a "special project"?

This could have many other names. "New company initiative" or "Confidential research assignment" are other known terms for this. But it basically comes down to one role…the project takes you away from REAL work and puts you on something that's either mildly important, not important at all, is going nowhere, or is just plain useless.

"Hey Smith, how is that special project on frozen concentrated orange juice coming along?"
"Fine Sir. Can I ask what this has to do with the IT department?"
"Oh, you'll find out Smith. You'll find out."

Rule of thumb. The second you are asked to leave a project you know is important for one that sounds like a bunch of bologna, your career is heading south quickly.

17. Are your successes and accomplishments being glossed over?

This one's tricky to work out, because most bosses and coworkers are weasels who will happily play down your role in order to make themselves look good. But, judge this one by looking to the past. Did you boss used to praise you up to management? Were you a golden boy or girl? That's great. But if it's now impossible to get praise for doing something spectacular, like doubling company profits, then you're being disrespected and probably have a large 'fire me' target printed on your forehead. If you're not getting kudos, you may be getting fired.

18. Are you currently being 'retrained' or are taking coaching sessions?

Again, a tricky one. Retraining or coaching is often a way to try to save an employee who has lost his or her way. It shows that the company or your boss still gives a crap. BUT, it also has a darker side. It's another one of those 'cover the company's butt' scenarios, in which HR demonstrates they did everything they possibly could to make things work. And alas it didn't, so they had to let you go. Not a major warning sign on its own, but combined with a few others, this has danger written all over it.

19. Has your immediate boss or mentor gone bye-bye?

If someone you trusted and respected, like a boss or mentor, is no longer around for whatever reason (promotion, fired, quit) this could spell trouble. This person may have been the only one keeping the wolf from your door. And there's an easy way to find out. Is it now impossible to get projects approved? Are you being left out of meetings? Does nothing run smoothly now that this person is no longer on the scene? If this is the case, that's cause for concern.

20. Have you recently been promoted to a position of less responsibility?

What a cunning rouse this one is. It's quite simple but efficient. In your old position, it may have been very difficult or almost impossible to get rid of you. But if the company promotes you into a newly created role, with less responsibility and no direct reports, then you have a new scenario…position elimination. It's hard to fire someone. It's easy to eliminate a position. You can get rid of anyone, even protected classes (older folks, pregnant ladies etc) if you simply eliminate a position. So, be afraid. Be very afraid. If you were formerly "Account Manager" and are now "Director In Charge Of Special Project Development" you may as well clear out your desk right now.

Remember, THREE or more and you're more than likely heading for the unemployment line. Take a long hard look at your working life, and do something about it. After all, if you're not good enough for them, then they're not good enough for you.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Get Fired

Andrea Karim — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:59:29 +0000

In honor of the recent end of my employment, I thought I'd find some good tips on how to... well, to end your employment! Here are some of my favorites from around the interwebs:

Arrive late for work. Being on time is for wimps. Drag yourself out of bed whenever you feel like it. Stop to run an errand on your way to the office.

Don't forget the coffee. No not for your boss -- for yourself! You're already late so why not stop for a cup of coffee on the way to work?

Don't forget to get a muffin or a roll too (crumbs on your tie look really good).

Eat at your desk. I mean your coffee and roll, not your lunch silly. Why would you want to work through lunch anyway? And take your time — you're in no hurry to start working.

Take a long lunch. An hour for lunch? Are they nuts? That can't possibly be enough time to get together with an old friend and run a few more errands.

Have a drink. What's lunch without a couple of beers? It'll relax you. So what if you smell like a brewery?

Make personal phone calls. If you can't make your phone calls from the office, when else will you find the time? Don't make those calls short and sweet -- chat away.

Whenever a co-worker asks if you want coffee, say, "No thanks, it doesn't mix well with thorazine."

Bring several large mason jars to work and fill them part way with water and yellow food coloring; display them conspicuously around your work space. Tell anyone who asks about them that you are just taking part in an efficiency study that your boss came up with to cut down on the time employees spend away from their desks.

Tell your boss that you intend to spread out your vacation time by taking off one minute out of every 25. Spend all your time 'planning' your vacations.

Secretly replace the coffee your boss usually drinks with new Folger's Crystals.

Keep a tally of what your boss wears on 'casual' Friday. when you see a pattern develop, distribute the tally to co-workers and start a weekly pool.

Dress like a pirate for the office halloween party. Dress like a pirate every other day of the year as well.

Set everyone's desk and PC clock ahead one hour and go home early.

Some more good firing stories to be found here.

Forbes actually has some really helpful information on how to negotiate a decent severance package here. It's actually aimed at women, because much like negotiating a good salary, women aren't always that good at negotiating their golden parachute.

Who knew?

The best way to get fired like a man is to get hired like one. That means knowing the market value of the position so that you can position yourself from the start. Packing your parachute entails negotiating the best severance package possible. This should happen as salary and benefits are negotiated too, ideally before you even take the job.

(Picture by mozzercork)

This article is from Andrea Karim of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: