Have you ever wished you were the top executive in your department? For many, becoming a C-level executive can be a lifelong goal. Whether it’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, or Chief Financial Officer – the C-suite has real perks.
Let’s start off with recognition. Making it to the C-suite means that people respect you. Not only do you know about the subject matter at hand, but you’re a strong leader and you make a big difference to the company. Then, there’s the pay. C-level execs often make exponentially more than other employees.
Making it to the corner office can often take years of hard work and sacrifice. When you make it there, it’s like you’ve found your destination. You’re where you were always meant to be. The climb is over. It’s time to get to work, making a lifelong contribution.
I suspect there as a time when this was true. But, generally speaking, that was a time before me. Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of C-level executives at work. And, as I reflect back on those great folks, they’ve all switched jobs since I first met them.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the average tenure for a Chief Marketing Officer was 3.5 years in 2016. The average tenure of a CEO was 7.2 years and the average tenure of a CFO was 5.7 years.
These tiny numbers make some sense. As companies are pressured to make money, they constantly revise their business strategies. And, new strategies require new strategists.
The problem is, when a company changes their corporate guard, the executives left without a job are hit hard. It can take them months, or years to find new employment on the same level. It most certainly leaves the impacted executives wondering what’s wrong with them.
In reality, nothing is wrong. It may have taken them ten or twenty years to land the title of Chief. That period of hard work was like a long interview. And really, each company only needs one CEO, one CMO, and one CFO. They are both the most coveted roles and the rarest.
So, what’s the point of all of this? I don’t want to discourage you from a corner office dream. But, if this is part of your future career, take today’s business environment into account with your personal career plan. The C-suite has changed. Once you do land a top spot, carefully plan your financial future. By living below your means and creating a financial safety net, you loosen the corporate handcuffs that can otherwise hold you hostage.
If you’ve already made it to the top and you find yourself without a job, remember that you’re not alone. This is a phenomenon that many executives are facing today. To make it through with the least number of bumps and bruises, give yourself a generous amount of time to land your next big gig.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
Episode 154 is live! This week, we talk with Amy Wrzesniewski in New Haven, CT. Amy is a professor of organizational behavior at the School of Management at Yale University. Her research interests focus on how people make meaning of their work in difficult contexts, including stigmatized occupations, virtual work, and the absence of work. She also researches the experience of work as a job, career, or calling. Her current research involves studying how employees shape their interactions and relationships with others in the workplace to change both their work identity and the meaning of the job. She teaches both on managing groups and teams, and global virtual teams.
On today’s episode, Amy shares:
The tie between purpose and meaning in work
How closely our career is tied to our identity
Why we may regret our occupational choices mid-career
Whether or not having purpose at work can increase your success
A common mistake job seekers make
The impact of unemployment on our identity
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.
Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
If we learned anything from 2017, it’s that there’s more going on behind the doors of Corporate America than we thought. What initially started as a few rouge senior level executives showing their birthday suits to employees ended up revealing a much larger problem. The issue was far more widespread than we may have realized.
Who could have guessed what momentum the #metoo movement would have? It seems that people from far and wide (and from all different backgrounds) can relate.
As shocking and disappointing as this new reality is, there’s one very positive thing coming out of it. It’s getting us talking. We’re talking to each other about our experiences at work. And, it’s getting us to rethink what we want in our workplace.
As a young engineer, I remember how odd going to work felt. Not only did I feel different than my coworkers, but they thought that I was different than them too – and they told me so, through their words and their actions. I remember bringing this confusing topic up to loved ones who worked in different industries. I often felt dismissed. “This problem has already been solved,” was the message I received back. So, like many other people, I learned to work around the problem.
But now, we’re talking. And, we’re aware that maybe there’s still some work to do. And, we’re thinking about what we want – and who we want to be in the future. Although the public dialogue we’ve been having isn’t perfect for lots of reasons, it’s a start.
2018 is a great year to think about what a healthy workplace looks like to you. Where do you really want to work? What values do you hold dear, and do they align to the corporation’s values? Is your boss someone you respect? And, even if your company treats you well – do they treat your coworkers with respect?
Very often in business, there are things much more important than money. Yes, we go to work each day to receive a paycheck. But, it’s so much more than that. On some level, it’s our identity. Where we work and who we work with shapes who we are. It shapes what we think about.
I don’t know about you, but I would rather make a little less money and work for an organization that I believe in. And, I definitely don’t want to work for a company that isn’t treating everyone fairly and with a basic level of respect.
If you’re still feeling the shock of 2017, 2018 may be a good time to check-in with yourself about your company.
Does the company offer a product or service that you believe in?
Do you feel like you’re doing purposeful work?
Does the company treat all of its employees with a level of respect and equality?
Do your personal values align to that of the company and its executives?
Many times, these are things we forget to think about when we’re searching for a new job. In the moment, we may just want to land an offer.
But, when there’s a little downtime, it’s always a good idea to think back and reflect. Is this company a healthy place to be? Is this how I want to spend my life?
And, if the answer to these questions is no… it may be the right time to start looking. After all, January is the perfect time to kick off your new job search and your new you!
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
For the tenth year, Glassdoor.com has released their Employees’ Choice Awards. For 2018, they’ve expanded the list of best companies from 50 to 100. Glassdoor CEO Robert Hohman explained, “We know today’s job seekers are more informed than ever about where they go to work, researching everything from company culture to career opportunities to pay philosophy and more. To help people find companies that stand out from the pack, the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Awards recognize employers that are truly Best Places to Work because they’re determined by those who really know best – the employees,”
The Glassdoor top company list is unique in workplace awards. It is based on the input of company employees who volunteer to provide anonymous feedback by completing a review about their company, their job, and their work environment. This year, Glassdoor is featuring six categories, honoring the best places to work in the U.S., Canada, U.K., France and Germany.
The Top 100 U.S. list of large companies (with over 1,000 employees) has a number of very familiar names. Facebook leads the charge with the coveted number one spot. Spots two through six are held be Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, In-N-Out Burger, Google and lululemon.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital also made the list at number nine. A scientist at St. Jude loves working there because, “The people are fantastic and welcoming! It feels more like a family career than just a job. The researchers and facilities are top notch, and everything is collaborative.”
Three companies have now made the list for all ten years: Bain, Google and Apple. Of these repeat nominations, Homan says, “These employers have shown an impressive consistency and ability to keep their workforces engaged and satisfied. Amount these three employers, the common attribute they share is that they offer company cultures that are unique to them and what’s more, they offer a company culture that their employees truly believe in.”
The Top 50 U.S. list of best small and medium companies (with less than 1,000 employees) includes Silverline at number one. New Home Star, New Century, Acceleration Partners and Zoom Video Communications took spots two through five. Other notable companies include social media tool Sprout Social and digital marketing agency Elite SEM. As one account lead shared, ‘The benefits are ridiculous. They sound too good to be true, but they’re not. Unlimited PTO, free lunch, free dinners if you work late, annual corporate retreat.”
One of the top factors that determines whether or not an employee wants to change jobs is often happiness and job satisfaction. During the interview process, it can be hard to tell which companies are healthy are which are struggling. Sites like Glassdoor provide insight into what’s really going on behind a company’s doors. And, best of all – the reviews are left anonymously, and the companies are not allowed to edit them. This means that you get the real scoop – directly from the employees. They’re like hotel reviews, but much more impactful to your future.
Angela Copeland is a Career Coach and Founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
Episode 139 is live! This week, we talk with Howard Behar in Seattle, WA.
Howard is a business leader, author, speaker, and mentor. For 21 years, Howard led Starbuck’s domestic business as President of North America, and he became the founding President of Starbucks International, opening the very first store outside of North America in Japan. He has authored two books, including It’s Not About The Coffee: Lessons On Putting People First from a Life at Starbucks – and The Magic Cup: A Business Parable About a Leader, a Team, and the Power of Putting People and Values First.
On today’s episode, Howard shares his insights on why the human connection is so important in business and at Starbucks. He also shares tips on how to understand what our employees’ value, the 6 values we should pursue in our careers, and how to tell if a company aligns to our core values.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Howard, visit his website here: http://howardbehar.com/. You can also follow him on Twitter at @HowardBehar.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.
Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
Growing up, it seemed like one of the perks of being an adult was a lack of bullies. After all, bullying stops after high school graduation, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. A few bullies sneak through life without giving up their bullying ways. Often, these meanies resurface at work, making your eight hours there much less rewarding. Maybe they’re unhappy with their own lives, or perhaps they have other personal issues at play. Whatever the cause, being on the receiving end of bullying is never fun.
After meeting a number of people who have experienced bullying, a few common themes emerge. First, being bullied is something we feel shameful about. We don’t talk about it openly because we feel bad that it’s happening to us. We assume we are the only person it’s happening to. We keep our thoughts locked up and allow them to eat away at us.
But, bullying is real. According to a 2017 study released by the Workplace Bullying Institute, 19% of Americans are bullied at work and another 19% witness it. Bullying affects 60 million Americans.
If we’ve been bullied, we may wonder what’s wrong with us. We assume the bullying is a reflection of us. We think that maybe we’ve chosen the wrong career path. Maybe we’re completely unqualified. We’ve been pulling off a total show until this bully figured out our game.
This internalization of workplace bullying is one of the most toxic experiences we can go through at work. It’s stressful. It takes away our power. And, it can undermine our confidence and our performance. 40% of bullied targets are believed to suffer adverse health effects.
Because I have the good fortune to meet many job seekers, I get a chance to see behind the curtains of what we’re all going through. If you are on the receiving end of bullying, you should know that you’re not alone. A workplace bully’s efforts is not a reflection of your abilities.
Aggressive behavior, whether it’s name calling, back stabbing, or undermining, is never okay at work. Period.
If you have found yourself on the receiving end of a bully, work to build your personal team of advocates. Find people you trust that you can talk to and who will be supportive of you as you find a way out of this situation. Document your experience, so you can reflect back on what’s happening over time. Look for opportunities to reach out to folks within your organization for help, such as your manager, coworkers, or human resources. And, consider looking for a job at a new company.
The solution to making it through bullying is not to just survive the day. Your end game is to thrive. You deserve to be treated with respect. Sticking up for yourself in this time of crisis is critical to your future success. Don’t let a bully’s efforts go on until you are both physically and emotionally run down. Work to end this cycle of unhealthy behavior today.
Angela Copeland is a Career Coach and Founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
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