It's not you, it's me

For some people, the fear of rejection is as much a part of the job interview as a new pair of shoes and an updated resume.

Of course you put your best foot forward. You have prepared a plethora of answers to the many questions they could ask. You have pressed your best outfit, trimmed your nails, and refrained from cologne or perfume. You have extra copies of your resume and a list of references at the ready. But despite your efforts, things may not turn out the way you hoped. And if this is the case, there is one thing you need to know. One persons opinion on your suitability for a job is not a reflection your value as a person. This may seem like a stretch, but for some, it is hard to keep the personal out of personnel.

So if at the end of the day you don't get the job, take heart. Just because this wasn't a match doesn't mean there isn't someone else out there. Remember, there's more fish in the sea.

Who's running in your office?

While each of us probably believes that our own workplace has the worse office politics, one thing is certain; office politics are everywhere. More than other areas of politics, this realm is one area where no place is sacred and no topic taboo. From church to state there is a rampaging desire to know intimate details about co-workers, use this information against them, and take down anyone you need to in the quest for total and complete office domination.

I still haven't quite figured out the point of all of this. By all appearances it seems to take far too much energy for far too little results. But alas, office politics and their playground tactics are here to stay. And even if you don't consider yourself as a candidate, there's always the danger of being the fall gal. So what to do? For a few tips on how to stay ahead of the game and at least play on the positive side, check out http://content.monster.com/articles/3494/18170/1/default.aspx for some proactive ideas.

Eyes in the back of your head

Ever have the feeling you're being watched? Good. Because even if nobody is actually watching you, it's a good reminder that, if you have been diligent at building your network, you should be behaving yourself so that every one of your contacts would be proud to know you.

At the risk of sounding paranoid, a good rule to live by is to watch what you say, how you say it, and to whom you say it. Whether you are aware of it or not, each action you take in your career life will either contribute to a positive reputation or take away from it. The goal of networking is to create a positive impression of you to increase your career mobility. And so even when you are not actively networking, you must be on your best behaviour. Loose lips really can sink ships and crude jokes in coffee room are not be the best way to move up the corporate ladder.

The funny thing about networking is that the more years you work and the more people you meet, the smaller the world gets. All of a sudden there may be more people that know you before you know. And when your reputation preceeds you, let's hope it rolled out the red carpet and didn't shut the doors of opportunity.

Me - Job = Identity loss?

I read an article this morning that posed the question if Canada doesn't have winter, we will lose our national identity? Needless to say if, as a country, we are what we weather, than perhaps our identity is in a bit of trouble. Seeing ourselves through one perspective not only limits our potential for growth, it also keeps other people from seeing the multitude of things that are fabulous about our country.

Now take this same line of thinking and apply it to you. What is the source of your identity? Are all your eggs in one basket? It's safe to say that someones occupation can give insight into their life, how they spend the majority of their time and maybe even their interests. However, if our identities are only based on what we do for money, we run the risk of binding ourselves to incredibly limiting labels. And what happens when things change and we no longer have that title for reasons out of our control such as changes in our health, the economy or the labour market?

We're not entirely at fault. Our society needs labels to make sense of things. The important thing is for us to be aware of the necessity of understanding the labels we give ourselves and diversifying them from time to time. Remember to give yourself credit; you are far more complex than any single job, paid or unpaid, could hope to capture.

The contest: Are you master of your domain?

Master of your domain. Keeper of the gate. Lord of the manor. However you want to call it, each of us has ultimate control over our actions. And in today's world, self determination is a priceless commodity.

Today's job market requires more of us than ever before. I read recently that gone are the days of the career cocoon. Trends say that we can no longer find a nice job with a nice company and settle down for oh, say 30 years and let the chips fall where they may. For a lot of us, this is just fine. Who wants to let someone else make the decisions for something as important as one's life? Who's drivin' this crazy train?

You want it? Then go get it! Keep working and keep trying. Keep networking and keep holding out for the thing you want most. From position promotion to just plain satisfaction, it's up to you.

But there is a catch. Part of managing your own career means being responsible for the same things a steady employer would. Like regular RRSP contributions or a pension plan. Like health benefits and life insurance. Strategically moving from one position to another includes being aware of the reprucussions of each move. Ask yourself questions like; Will you lose out on pension or can you transfer any savings over? Will I have to modify my personal insurance plan?

Being Lord of you Manor means more than reaping the benefits, it also means making the tough decisions. But as long as you're fine with that, rule away.

What's your time worth?

They say that time is money. What I'd like to know is whose money are we talking about?

I am lucky enough to have an employer who gives me money, not only for my time but for what I do with that time. Showing up on time is the minimum they should expect from me, and where I get a chance to shine is how I spend my time earning my keep. You'd think that by the time you reach adulthood this would be a no-brainer. But how many of us will spend time Christmas shopping on the internet while at work this holiday season? Leave work early to get your grocery shopping in? Someone is paying you for those hours. If you think your time is more valuable, wasting someone else's money may not be the best way of showing it.

It's a given that time is short for most people these days, but it's my belief that if you spend your work day doing everything but working for your employer, it may be time for some work/life balance restructuring. In fact, spend your time like you would your money. They say that how you spend your money says a lot about you. How do you spend your time?

Money isn't everything. The good news is that time might not be money to everyone, but to everyone it sure is valuable.

Stepping up to plate or waiting for the plate to come to you?

Careful what you wish for. This is the lesson learned after finally getting that government job I had been pursuing for years. I finally had the thing that I had wooed and pursued, only to find that things appeared differently in the daylight of the working reality.

I soon came to realize that this was no place for anyone who was impatient, independant, or the slightest bit creative. Why? Because everything was guaranteed.

Since when is a guarantee a bad thing? Guarateed good pay, job security, and eventual promotion. All I had to do was show up on day one and then keep showing up. The problem for me was that I wanted to earn it. In my mind, if I worked hard enough, someone should acknowledge it, no matter how many people had been there longer than me. Promotion based on merit. Sacré bleu! Not as long as I stayed in the commune.

Equal opportunity is one thing. Abuse of that opportunity is quite another and so here is something to chew on: when was the last time you took initiative and stepped up to the plate? Are you waiting for the promotion to come to you or will you reach for the promotion?

I left that job in search of true passion and opportunity. I may never find it, but I'm willing to die tryin'.