The longer you’re out of work, the less likely you are to get a job. This kind of employment catch-22 leads otherwise honest people to consider some less-than-ethical tactics … some of them pretty creative. In this week’s blog roundup, we look at why lying on your resume is still a really bad idea; plus, how to delegate, and a few tips on getting clearer instructions from your boss.
(Photo Credit: Death to the Stock Photo)
Alison Green at Ask a Manager: Should I Pay a Company to Create a False Work History for My Resume?
Consider this Ask a Manager reader, who writes:
I have been unemployed for nine months now. I am scared that I’ll easily hit the one-year mark, and the financial stress is adding to the psychological pressure, emotional toll, and mental fixation. It is a crappy situation to be in.
I heard there is this company that “closes” your employment gap for a small fee. Basically, you’d be working for a fictitious company in a fictitious location with a fictitious title. I have contacted them and they are legit. Based on my judgment, they are nice and caring and discreet and reliable and professional. Their mission is to help put people back into work. They indicated that during the past few years and since they’ve been in business, they have never been caught even once. In fact, if the employment end date is put down as N/A (“present”) on the resume, the odds are quite slim that they’ll even be called.
There are naturally pros and cons to using this service, but it may be worth the risk. I need your advice. What would you do if you were me?
You can probably guess Green’s answer, but it’s good to remember why, exactly, lying is never a good idea.
Lindsay Shoemake at That Working Girl: Why You Need to Delegate – and How!
“Delegating is definitely a learned skill,” Shoemake writes. “No one can convince me that we walk into the workplace knowing how to effectively execute our own jobs while also handing off work to others to help us succeed. With that being said, don’t worry if you’re not a master delegator just yet. It takes time!”
To help you learn how, she offers a few tips … including the all-important “be gracious.” Learning how to be appreciative of people who do their jobs well, especially when they’re helping you accomplish your professional goals, is one of the most valuable soft skills you can pick up.
Anita Bruzzese at 45 Things: 3 Tips for Getting Clearer Instructions From the Boss
“You’ll figure it out.”
These are the words often imparted to an employee as the boss hands off an assignment. If the employee is lucky, then that may truly be the case. But many of us have been in the position of being confused – and possibly even totally clueless – about what the boss wants.
The question, of course, is how to get the boss to be more specific without alienating him or her. Bruzzese’s advice helps you do just that, without spending longer than necessary stumbling around in the dark.
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