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Dealing With A Job That You Hate

You have a job that you hate. No, “hate” is too soft a word – you despise it! If you have another job lined up, you’d quit today and not even bother to give notice.

We’ve all been there. And with the increasing frequency of job changes these days, it’s more likely than ever that you will have such a job – sooner or later.

Is there a constructive way to deal with a job that you hate? Absolutely – and here are some recommendations.

Plan An Exit Strategy – Now!

I’ve always thought that one of the worst responses to having a job you hate is one of the following common justifications:

“I’m tough – I’ll just dig in and work through it.”
“I can’t afford to leave.”
“Maybe it’ll get better if I just wait it out.”
“Maybe I’m the problem – I’ll try to do better.” (This one could be legitimate!)
“I can’t leave; I have too much time invested in this employer and besides, I have seniority.”
“I don’t want to give up my vacation time.”

On the surface, each of these responses sound noble, or at least beneficial. But each probably also misses the mark!

If you have been feeling uncomfortable on your job for a long time, chances are the negative feelings that you have do have a basis in fact. There are several possibilities:

Your boss or other significant co-worker(s) may not like you – and they’re not trying to hide it.
You’re doing work that doesn’t fit your personality and talents.
The company is going nowhere.
The company is very dysfunctional (no matter how long you “wait it out”, it will never get better).
The job may not be a good fit.
You’re not particularly good at the job you have.
You could be doing better somewhere else – and deep down you know it.

If any of these reasons – and it’s usually a combination of several – play a part in the fact that you hate your job, staying there won’t improve the situation.

Do some deep meditation in regard to your job, and make sure that you can articulate the reasons why you hate it. Those reasons are probably totally legitimate. And that means it’s time to plan an exit strategy from your job.

An exit strategy will serve at least three purposes:

It will enable you to quit your job – at least eventually.
It will give you a purpose, given that your job probably doesn’t.
It will create a positive focus, to help offset the negative energy flowing from your job.

An exit strategy may not give you a chance to quit your job tomorrow. But it will point you in the right direction, and give you something to hope for.

Continue To Do Your Best Work

Once you decide that you are going to leave your job, continue to do your best work. This is particularly true if you are a Christian:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…“ – Colossians 3:23

In addition to the fact that we are all ultimately working for the Lord, there are several reasons why you need to continue to do your best work:

If you don’t, you may develop a bad attitude that could carry over to the next job.
You want to do all you can to get a good reference from your current job.
At a minimum, you want your coworkers to think positively about you – you never know if you might be working with some of them in the future.
You need to keep your skills up – the best way to do this is by applying them conscientiously each day.
Your work is a reflection about who you are – make sure that your work continues to reflect the person you want others to see.
Our work is one of our best faith witnesses to the rest of the world.

Do your best work until the day you walk out the door – everything will go better with you later if you do.

Be Ready To Take A Step Down

If you really hate your job enough, you should be prepared to take a step down in either pay or position, or both. A very good friend of mine used to say from time to time, “Sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward.” Most of us want to believe that we can continue going forward no matter what the obstacles are. But sometimes you have to step around obstacles if you can’t go through them.

This is usually the case with a bad job. You may have to work for less elsewhere in order to get out of that job. No matter how much you want to avoid taking a step back, it may be the cleanest, easiest way to get out of the situation you’re in now.

If you hold out for a better paying and higher position, you run the risk of self-destructing on your current job. Never assume that your boss and coworkers don’t know that you hate your job. Very few of us are so poker-faced that we could pull that off. Sooner or later, you could end up getting fired – and then you’ll have no job.

Also, taking a notch down on a new job could be a necessary step in order for you to gain new skills that will help you to go forward. It may also help to get yourself in a situation that you feel better about your work. The better you feel about the work you’re doing, the more progress you can make.

Plan To Exit Gracefully

Even if you are planning to leave your job, be at peace with everyone in your workplace. And once you leave, keep any negative opinions about the company and its employees to yourself. If you really hate your job, this can be especially difficult to do. But you need to resist the urge.

Jobs today are something of a revolving door. It’s no longer something that you “own” – but rather an experience that should last only as long as it’s necessary. And when it’s time to move on, we should do it with the grace and humility befitting followers of Jesus Christ.

Are You Preparing for the Next Recession?

By // by Kevin M

This is a bit of a depressing topic, isn’t it? After all, we’re in the middle of summer and it’s just about the peak of the high vacation season, right? Why try to throw cold water on everyone’s good times?

Three reasons:

The economy is already showing signs of slowing,
The presidential election will be over in three short months, and no matter who wins it’s anyone’s guess what will happen after that, or even
I’m a mean person who’s trying to rain on everyone else’s summer fun.

I’m not sure that we ever really got out of the last recession, or if the last one wasn’t just an uglier continuation of the one before that, but the reality is that we have a downturn every few years. Since the last one officially ended sometime during 2009, 2013 seems like a good guess on the arrival of the next one. That gives us about a year to prepare, and that’s Reason #4 why I’m writing about this topic.

In the strange way that life works when we’re prepared for trouble, it never seems to happen! So how do we prepare for the next recession?

Avoid (or Tone Down) Major Purchases

Major purchases do two things that hurt us when the economy turns bad: 1) they drain savings, and/or 2) they put us in debt. I’m talking about cars, houses, furniture, boats—anything that has the potential to cost a couple thousand dollars or more.

Before making any major purchases, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I actually need this item, or do I mostly just want it?
Will this item put money in my pocket? (for example, a car for work, or a computer for business)
Were I to lose my job six months from now, will I regret having made this purchase?
Even if it’s something we truly need, do we have the ability to buy it without draining our savings or adding more debt?
Would a decent second-hand model get the job done?

Major purchases can’t be easily undone—especially in recessions.

Find Income Sources Outside Your Job

For most of us, the biggest threat from recessions is the loss of a job. One of the best ways to deal with this (in advance) is by creating income sources outside your job. It’s not just a matter of adding more income, but also of exploring and developing other career directions. This is especially important if the business or industry you’re in is already wobbling.

{Learn how to honor God in the workplace}

Working outside your job will give you the experience and business contacts and references that might enable you to transform a side job to your next full time position. Get your foot in the door before the economy takes another slide.

Another option is to start a side business. You can start it and grow it while you’re still on your employer’s payroll, but if you lose your job you can ratchet the business up to full time.

Say NO to New Debt

The last thing you ever want to do is to create financial obligations during good times that you’ll have to pay for during not-to-good times. This is what drives foreclosures and car repossessions. If you want to avoid that fate, don’t add any new debt.

And while you’re at it, start working on paying off old debt. Debt is a big enough pain during good times, but its pure excess baggage you don’t need to be lugging around during the bad ones. If you lose your job, you can always cut expenses quickly, but debt takes time. You have that time right now.

Build Up Those Savings

At a minimum, a fattened bank account can give you breathing room to deal with a sudden job loss or other financial calamity. It enables you to face problems without having to borrow from banks, or beg from family. Start working on increasing your savings now.

Remember those major purchases I recommended that you not make? You can add to your bank balance with the money that you didn’t spend on them. And the extra income from your side job or side business can go right in the bank too. A year from now you could have a few months living expenses sitting in the bank, and that’ll feel good.

Get In Shape

This reads like my most ridiculous preparation, but actually it isn’t. In fact, it’s far from it. Exercising, dieting and improving your overall physical condition are always important, but never more than when hard times hit.

Consider:

If you’ll be in the job hunt sometime next year, you’ll be glad lost a few pounds and toned up a bit. When jobs are hard to get, they often go to those who look the most capable of doing them.
In the event you have to juggle two or three income sources, you’ll need the increased stamina getting in shape can bring.
The healthier you are, the less you’ll need to spend on healthcare, and the less time you’ll lose from work.
Concentrating on your health could be the significant distraction you need that will boost your mental and emotional state at a time when finances are getting difficult.

A recession will come whether or not you’re prepared. But if you are prepared, there’s a good chance it won’t be your recession! And if it doesn’t come, you’ll be better prepared for what ever else you want to do in your life. Like that run for financial independence you may have been putting off for a few years.

photo credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

How The IRS Wants To Help You With Your Job Hunting Expenses

By // by Khaleef Crumbley

Normally, when we talk about tax deductions, we immediately think of IRA contribution limits, the standard mileage rate, or self employment tax. However, with so many people being out of work or working part-time hours, the job market is being flooded with applicants. This is why it is important to look at the tax deductions related to job hunting expenses.

Summer used to be the season for job hunting. I received a ton of announcements and advertisements for career fairs, resume services, and headhunters during the summer. However, since the economy has tanked, I get them all year long!

Due to this fact, the IRS has released a list of tax benefits for job seekers. So, while our Senators debate another payroll tax holiday, see if you qualify for any job search deductions.

A Few Guidelines Regarding Job Hunting Expenses:

You can deduct employment and outplacement agency fees you pay while looking for a job in your present occupation. If your employer pays you back in a later year for employment agency fees, you must include the amount you receive in your gross income up to the amount of your tax benefit in the earlier year.
You can deduct amounts you spend for preparing and mailing copies of your résumé to prospective employers as long as you are looking for a new job in your present occupation.
If you travel to an area to look for a new job in your present occupation, you may be able to deduct travel expenses to and from the area. You can only deduct the travel expenses if the trip is primarily to look for a new job. The amount of time you spend on personal activity compared to the amount of time you spend looking for work is important in determining whether the trip is primarily personal or is primarily to look for a new job.
To qualify for a deduction, the expenses must be spent on a job search in your current occupation.

So, be sure to save all records of any of these job hunting expenses. Don’t forget things such as printing and copying your resumes, paying headhunters and agencies, and even travel costs.

Other Things To Note About Job Hunting Expenses:

You may not deduct expenses incurred while looking for a job in a new occupation.
You cannot deduct job search expenses if you are looking for a job for the first time.
You cannot deduct job search expenses if there was a substantial break between the end of your last job and the time you begin looking for a new one.

So, in order to deduct job search expenses, it can’t be your first job search and it can’t be in a new field. Of course, just to complicate things, the IRS does not go on to specify what a “substantial break” actually is. However, if you decide to start your own business and become a young entrepreneur, then there is another set of tax laws that govern your situation.

To find out more about deducting job search expenses, see IRS Publication 529. If you have any questions regarding any other issues, please visit our tax help page. Also, be sure to contact us for professional tax preparation once you are ready to file.

Be sure you are aware of the tax filing delay, as well as the fact that the tax filing deadline has been extended this year. To get the most out of your financial situation in 2011, you should know the IRA Contribution Limits, 401k Contribution Limits, and the Income Tax Rates for 2011!

photo credit: nidhug

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6 Free or Frugal Ways to Show Appreciation to Employees

By // by Khaleef Crumbley

As a result of the downturn in the economy, many companies have decided to do away with raises and bonuses. If you are a manager or a business owner who is searching for ways to demonstrate employee appreciation and employee recognition for all of the hard work performed by your workers throughout the year, without breaking the bank, then keep reading. This way you can ensure that your employees don’t choose a different career path once the recession is over!

Here are six simple things that you can do to demonstrate both employee recognition and employee appreciation:

Employee Appreciation for Free!

Offer Flexible Schedules

Not all employees need to work a 9-5 schedule. For those who have work responsibilities that can be handled during any hour, this may be a great benefit to them. Think about it, if you have a harsh commute when working a 9-5 shift, changing your hours to 7-3 would do much to reduce the stress and cost of your commute!

Allow Employees to Occasionally Work from Home

Telecommuting is becoming increasingly popular. If it isn’t possible to allow your employees to do this full-time, allow them to choose one day each week on which they can work from home.

This will not only save on energy, water, and all other costs associated with having more bodies in your building, but it will also save the employee on gas and wear & tear on their car (or paying for public transportation)!

Offer Opportunities for Additional Training

This would be a real benefit to employees, as they will have a chance to learn additional skills – or improve on what they already know – and position themselves for promotions and other opportunities!

This can be as simple as having members of your IT staff offer periodic training in MS Office, or other commonly-used software; or as complex as implementing a rotation program where employees are allowed to function in different positions and develop new skill sets!

Have Dress Down Days

Allowing your employees to dress down for one or several days a week can help to lighten the mood of a stressful work environment (of course this gesture is meaningless if you are not already being a godly employer)! It may also help to change the dress code to a more casual one – especially for those employees who do not need to meet with clients/customers.

Employee Recognition on a Budget!

Partner With Local Vendors

There are two ways that you can do this. First, you can leverage the buying power of your group of employees to get massive discounts for them – this can work for anything from cars to computers to tax preparation!

Second, you can barter with local vendors – providing your services to them in exchange for free services for your employees! Even if you aren’t able to give a raise or bonus, you can still provide a tangible benefit to your workers by providing them with a free session with a local tax preparer or financial consultant.

Another great way to show your appreciation for your employees is to bring in a local massage therapist once a week to provide free basic massages! Here are some other gift ideas to help you get started!

Celebrate Employees’ Achievements Each Month

Depending on the size of your workplace, this may need to be handled at the department level. Cater a basic lunch (a pizza party works for me) and give simple awards to your employees. You can have them vote on things such as “the most helpful coworker”, or “most dependable”, etc; then give out these awards once a month or quarter!

Broadcasting various customer/client accolades may add a nice touch as well. This would definitely be a great way to show employee recognition and employee appreciation for a minimal cost.

You can also use this as a time to acknowledge all of the birthdays that occurred during that month.

Set Up a Rec Room

If you have the space, set up a recreation room for your employees. You can include a TV, an air hockey game, pool table, or even a massage chair! You have to set a few guidelines on when this can be used, or you can just trust your employees to be responsible and get their work done in between their air hockey tournaments.

Remember, with whatever programs you implement, you should seek to do one of two things. Demonstrate your appreciation to your employees by providing a tangible benefit to them (more than just a “thank you”); or make the workplace more enjoyable by creating a more relaxed atmosphere.

Both of these goals can help to foster an attitude of loyalty in your employees, even at times when you are unable to offer raises and bonuses!

Reader Questions:

For Employers

In what ways do you demonstrate your appreciation toward your employees?
In your mind, how far do these, and similar, measures go in fostering worker loyalty during a time of salary freezes?
What else would you add to this list?

For Employees

Does your company offer any of these non-traditional benefits?
Does this change how you view your employer at all?
What else would you add to this list?

photo by bettyx1138

This post was featured in the following blog carnivals:

Festival of Frugality – Spend It Edition

How to Honor God in the Workplace

By // by Khaleef Crumbley

Recently I wrote a 3-part series for Redeeming Riches on how God expects us as Christians in the workplace to conduct ourselves. First we looked at Biblical Instructions for Workers. Next, we looked at a Command for Managers. And lastly, we examined a Business Owner With Integrity.

Jason, has allowed me to summarize those topics here (click on the links above to read the full articles):

How to Honor God as an Employee

Ephesians 6:5-8 instructs us as follows:

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

From this text, we developed the following points:

God expects us to be obedient to our boss
It does not depend on the character of our boss
It protects the integrity of God’s name (1 Timothy 6:1)

Then we gave several practical ways in which we can work toward this goal:

Be honest
Act with integrity
Be on time
Be respectful even when we disagree
Don’t gossip
Work as hard as we can

It is in these ways that we can begin to honor God as employees!

How to Honor God as a Manager

In order to see this clearly, we must consider Ephesians 6:9

And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

There are two main points to consider from this passage:

The manager must foster an atmosphere of mutual respect.
A manager’s authority does not act outside of love. Since this is a strange concept (even for Christians in the workplace), allow me to quote myself (I’ve always wanted to say that ;-)):

Yes, I know that “love” is not the way that most people would describe how a typical boss leads, but that doesn’t take away from it’s significance.

Keep in mind that this passage is part of a larger section dealing with relationships in general – more specifically, relationships in which one party is in authority over the other. Husbands are told to “nourish and cherish” their wife, fathers are told not to “provoke [their] children to anger”, and employers are told to “give up threatening” when dealing with their workers.

In each one of these relationships, those in authority are to lead with love and respect for those under their care and supervision!

***Remember to go to the original article to see the full explanation***

Then we gave several practical ways to be obedient to God in this area as well:

Understand that you and your employees are equal in God’s eyes
Have respect for your employees
Realize that God is in control and you are His servant
Set reasonable expectations
Keep the lines of communication open
Be consistent
Never ask your employees to do wrong (Acts 4:19-20)

Remember that you must make it possible for there to be mutual respect between you and your employees, and your leadership must be governed by grace and love.

How to Honor God as a Business Owner

Deuteronomy 25:13-16, Ezekiel 45:10, Amos 8:4-6, and Micah 6:10-12.

He is a Man of Integrity
He is a man who has the right motives
He is one who puts people above money – also consider Luke 3:10-14 and Luke 19:5-8

God expects us to live a life that pleases and honors Him at all times, and that doesn’t stop once we enter the workplace! Whether we are a worker, manager, or a business owner, we need to have integrity.

A Couple of Real-Life Examples

Recently, I had the opportunity to do work for a couple of godly men that take these commands very seriously. In both cases it was part time work (I perform many jobs on the side) and all the terms were set in advance.

In the first case, my boss had a [positive] change occur on his end which didn’t affect me at all; however, he contacted me and let me know that because of this change, he was able to double my pay! All he told me was that something came up that allowed him to increase my pay. And this was before I did any work for him!

In the second case, I began to do work for someone else, who contacted me soon after I started and alerted me to a change in our terms. He indicated that he would be doubling my pay effective immediately because he was so pleased with my work! He told me that he feels that good work should be rewarded.

In both of these cases it made me feel both encouraged and humble at the same time. I was encouraged to see two business owners who took the commands of scripture seriously, and had a desire to use their position to be a blessing to someone else.

I was humbled because God moved on the hearts of these men to be a blessing to me. Neither one of them were under any obligation to increase my pay since I had agreed to do the work for the original amount!

It is one thing to read God’s word and imagine what a blessing it would be to see someone who is striving to be obedient to His commands, it’s another to actually see it in action!

No matter what stage of life and work you are in, may you be encouraged by the scripture that is laid out above to be faithful to God in all that you do!

photo by peasap