Ella Discusses Wages, Finding The Right Job

Dear Ella,

I work in the Internet/creative marketing industry. My company promised raises to everyone in February -- raises that were supposed to take effect by mid-April. It's now August and the company is telling us that they cannot afford to give us the raises they promised. Any recourse?

Dear Any Recourse,

If it's any consolation -- you are not alone.

You work in an industry that was hardest hit during this past market decline. While hundreds of similar companies have opened and then closed their doors within the last 18 months, the good news is that your company is still in business and you still have your job.

The nature of the beast is the bottom line -- it has to take precedent in order for a company to survive. All companies are looking at ways to reduce spending costs in order to show profits during this volatile economy. So while your company prematurely promised you all raises (poor management decision), keep in mind that the majority of the players in your market are now on the street looking for jobs that unfortunately will probably pay them far below what they were formally making.

If increasing your wage is your main concern, you may need to move to an Internet creative marketing firm that specializes in health care or other industries that still have money to spend exploring new marketing channels. Wish I had better news, but ...

Dear Ella,

I work for a company that offers holiday pay as one of their benefits. As we are only allowed to work a maximum of 40 hours a week at our company, I expected that this Fourth of July we would receive our pay for our 40-hour work week and a day's holiday pay, but this was not to be. We were told that we would receive only 32 hours of base pay for the week of the Fourth and the vacation pay for our Independence Day holiday, which fell in the middle of the week, would make up the other eight hours.

Ella, it would have been easy for me to work an additional eight hours of overtime to get my 40-hour workweek in, but we were told we could not do this. I consider this to be an unfair treatment as our company handbook states clearly that we are entitled to holiday pay, too. Is this fair?

Dear Is This Fair,

More than ever before, companies today (in order to retain valuable employees) need to be sensitive to the integrity and execution of the policies they set. By not honoring their commitment to these policies, they undermine the stability of their internal and external work force with these mixed messages. You cannot change the management decision of your company to sidestep their corporate responsibilities; however, you can learn by their decision -- a decision (I suspect) that is not inconsistent with their past company behavior/practices.

The lesson is this: You work for a company that does not value its employees or honor their commitments. While a company may be looking for new ways to reduce spending, they cannot alter policies unfairly just to save money at the expense of the trust of their worker base. If these unfair practices continue, your company will close or be sold while they still have something to sell. It's time to look for opportunity and integrity elsewhere.

Dear Ella,

I was recently fired from my job because I reported my manager's threats that I not get pregnant. I have been telling this scenario to potential new employers, but once the interviews are over, I never hear from them again. What can a former employer legally say about an employee during the reference check call? My last employer is saying I was fired due to poor work performance. I'm not sure what to do.

Dear Not Sure What To Do,

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. You should NEVER say anything negative about a former employer in a job interview -- all they will think is that when and if you leave their employ, you will speak negatively about them, too.

But more importantly, they will have an underlying concern that you are difficult to manage. This is not a good thing.

If you feel you will receive a negative reference from an employer, don't use them as a reference. Just say that you left on terms not convenient to your former employer and this may have damaged their perspective on you as an employee. Leave it at that.

Legally, a company can (if asked during a reference call) give you a bad review -- and there is really nothing you can do about it, especially if it's backed up by formal reviews that are dated and on file that substantiate their position. Cut your ties and let it go. Take a deep breath and remember: things could be worse -- you could be them. Good luck and let me know where you land.

Dear Ella,

For the past three years, I have been trying to take care of my family, but can't find a job I either enjoy or will pay me a wage commensurate with my skill set and experience. I am currently enrolled at a local college where I am working on an associates degree in micro-computer applications. I have been sending out resumes along with my military history, but to date have had no responses to my correspondence. I am really getting tired of applying for jobs that offer no feedback to or interest in me. How do I get ahead in life?

Dear How Do I Get Ahead In Life,

I suspect that the problem and the solution may lie in the construction of your resume. A resume is the most important marketing tool a job seeker has to get an initial interview with a company. You need to read my article on How To Write A Resume. This hyperlink can be found at the bottom of each column I write - so READ IT carefully and reconstruct your tool.

As far as finding a job you really enjoy: Most people do not work at jobs they really enjoy but rather, ones (jobs) they find fincianly rewarding and stable and somewhat pleasant. There has to be a balance between what you want and what you can do -- know not only what you want in order to accept a job but what you are willing to give up in order to get it.

Dear Ella,

I started my job in January as an administrate assistant to one of our directors. A month ago, our office reorganized and now I sit within the marketing department. There are six marketing specialists in the group with whom I have no direct contact or responsibility to. They all talk amongst each other, but never to me. They invite each other out to lunch; talk about interoffice goings and comings, etc., but they never include in their dialog. Is there anyway I can get them to include me in their conversations without seeming like a conversation crasher? I don't even think half of them know who I am or what I do.

Dear Conversation Crasher,

Take the lead and introduce yourself -- it's that easy. This marketing group may have incorrectly interpreted your fear of rejection as a disinterest in them and their work. It's not easy to assimilate into a new group, but someone has to take the first step to open the lines of communication -- so do be a "conversation crasher."

Arrive a bit early to work next week and go up to each of the six marketing people individually as they arrive and introduce yourself. Let each of them know that while you are new to their area, you are not new to the company and that you are interested in supporting them in the achievement of their goals in any way you can. You may be surprised at how this first step can quickly break the ice and lead you not only into an alliance with a whole new group of colleagues, but also a whole new group of comrades. Don't wait; seize the moment (and all that).

Dear Ella,

I have been a stay-at-home mom for four years. I have been considering re-entering the work force on a part-time basis, but have been having trouble finding decent-paying positions that allow flexible scheduling. I have a B.A. degree and good previous work experience in sales and customer service. I am interested in resources that could put me in touch with employers who have flextime employment and/or employers who have computer work that could be executed from home. How do I locate them?

Dear How Do I Locate Them,

Write an ad that speaks to your skill set, abilities and availability and post it in your local paper under "jobs wanted."

Because of your particular needs, you need to take a personal approach to finding suitable employment -- I would do this by canvassing your local business community on foot. Go in and introduce yourself. Ask to speak to the office manager directly and tell him/her what services you have to offer and ask them if they would be interested now or in the near future in using your skills on a part-time contractual basis to help in the overflow of their office administrative work.

Also contact your local chamber of commerce for a list of small- and mid-sized companies in your area. Select companies that you think may have a need for outside contractors and contact them directly, too. You can also put up flyers offering typing services to students at your local colleges or universities. You've heard of "Miller Time"? Well, think of this as "Beat the Bushes Time."

P.S. Don't forget to wear comfortable shoes.

Next week: Mailbag

All rights reserved by Ella Kallish.
Written by Ella Kallish.
For more information on Ella Kallish, go to www.ellakallish.com.
Ella Kallish is also available for corporate and group seminars.

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