When Bad Jobs Are Not Really Bad

When badeanstalt Jobs Are Not Really Bad When Bad Jobs Are Not Really Bad Some would disagree. Bosses and academics may argue that any job that is accepted and turns out as the employee expected or expects to turn out on average can never be a bad job, just so long as it is actually a voluntarily accepted paying job and elend work on a chain gang or some other form of literally involuntary servitude.Yet, viscerally and intellectually, many of us recoil from what seems to be such an absurd idea, especially given how horrific or crazy some kinds of work can seem to observers and to those doing it, once they start the job.On Average, Not Bad? Then Not Bad, PeriodOther bad-job skeptics argue that if, on average, the typical worker in a given job category comes out ahead, those who dont cant complain about the jobs being a bad job. To whine about their specific job outcomes, as Barry does, is, the critics maintain, as unreasonable as Las Vegas losers complaining about poker decks or rou lette wheels (actually maybe even more unreasonable, since the house on average wins at the expense of the gambler, unlike the average boss).unterstellung bad-job skeptics are invoking the mathematical concept of expected gain, which measures the average expected payoff of choices in terms of a combination (actually the multiplication of) their risk and reward. For example, tossing a coin and betting $1 each time has an expected gain of zero, because, after many tosses by one or many individuals, the average payoff will be zero- reflecting the fact that heads are just as likely to come up as tails. On average, a bet on heads (or tails) will lose as often as it wins. You cant complain because you lost, betting on your last or only coin toss or the job you want to toss, if, on average, the payoff to workers or players is zero (fair, but only break-even) or greater than zero (net gain).When Bad Jobs Are Really Not BadOf course, a job that exacts more than welches bargained for, because of unforeseen developments like a tsunami or employer fraud, can become a bad job. But what about the voluntarily accepted job (actually a redundant phrase, since job should, by definition, be voluntarily accepted employment) that turns out exactly as expected? Can it really deserve to be called a bad job by the worker who has it?Here are more details about the possible arguments that would appeal to both heartless sweatshop bosses and well-intentioned dads encouraging their kids to take that summer job at the car washIf the expected gain from the job for an individual or on average for all workers in that job category is greater than zero, then,by definition, the job cannotlage be bad. This summarizes the point made above. If the job someone has accepted involves exactly as much labor, time, risk and resources (LTRR) and sacrifices of whatever available alternative uses of his LTRR as he rationally expected and agreed to, and it results either personally or on average for all work ers in that category in the net gain expected, the job cant be bad.The worst job may not be a bad job Obviously, since some jobs pay more cash (goods, perks or resources) per unit of labor, time or resources, some jobs will, of course, be better than others- a lot better. But, when making comparisons with better paying, safer, cleaner, etc., jobs, those comparisons are purely academic if the alternative jobs are unavailable, representing not even opportunity costs. However, if those jobs not only exist, but are also truly available to him, the rational worker will accordingly take one of those better jobs - which still only makes the job he previously voluntarily accepted relatively worse rather than necessarily and absolutely bad, in terms of the conditions and rewards it specified and which were agreed to.The point here is that the worst of the jobs is not automatically a bad job. It just means that its not as good as the alternatives. Hence, it is, as a minimum, conceivable that among a complete listing of all jobs, one of them is the worst, without being at all bad. If this sounds strange, rather than obvious, stop thinking about jobs. Think about movies instead Titanic, you say, was better than Avatar, but neither was as good as Terminator. Hence, you believe that Avatar was the worst of the three. But that doesnt mean Avatar was bad.It judging whether a job is bad or not, it must always be borne in mind that every job represents a voluntary exchange by two parties- the worker and the employer (including a private customer or client). In exchange for payment in cash, goods, services or other rewards, someone does something for someone else, often using up personal resources, such as paint or bandwidth, to finish the job.In the end, if the money or other rewards received are, as expected (or at least on average among all workers in that job category), worth more to the rational and informed worker than is the labor, time and resources used up and risks ta ken to do the job and the rewards are offered in exchange for the cash, goods or services, the job is a good deal, not a bad one. In every such case, the work (on average, at least) represents a net gain. The individual worker or the group comes out ahead, or on average stands to come out ahead. How can that be bad?This line of argumentation is perhaps best used on Mona, the teenager on Barry, the software salesman and on the factory workers, if their jobs are, in fact, exactly (on average among them) what they expected them to be when they accepted them- including the conditions and salary as net gain.On the other hand, to Chinese factory workers who have had horrible surprises, e.g., in the form of unexpectedly dangerous working conditions and/or broken promises, thrown at them, this analysis does not apply. Nonetheless, mathematically speaking, if the calculated and resulting expected positive payoff, a.k.a. expected gain, is greater than zero and approximately equal, the job is, on this argument, never bad- even if for a particular worker the outcome is not as good as it is for the average worker doing the same job in the same company or industry.A job that is truly bad will be one in which the reward received is worth less than the anfangsbuchstabe or eventual costs and risks accepted by the worker (i.e., a job that has gone bad or one taken on through bad judgment in the form of initial miscalculation of the payoffs and associated odds, or an irrational debt-wish). In the same mathematical terms, bad job means a job in which the expected gain is less than zero at the outset or is revised to less than zero once the job commences.If the job turns out exactly as expected, it cant be called bad, unless the worker was crazy enough to knowingly accept a losing proposition. If there is no net gain (i.e., a break-even situation) expected or there is a net loss to the worker expected at the outset, the job-takers judgment deserves to be called bad, as well as the job itself.Learning from Jack NicholsonTo understand this point about average payoffs and jobs, think of failed wannabe and A-List Hollywood actors If on average their expected earnings are greater than zero and with attractive calculated risk-to-reward ratios that allow for spectacular success, being an actor, for them, would not fall into the category of bad job, even though it may turn out badly for many, indeed, most, actors. For every 100 struggling actors among the 150,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild (recently merged with AFTRA), serving upscale lunches in L.A., there may be as few as one Jack Nicholson eating that lunch, but eating and buying anything else his heart desires, and enjoying a colossal income that evens things out, job-wise.Thats Hollywood.That makes acting probably fair..and probably not a bad job.In Part II How a bad job is like a snoring husband, and other unexpected insights into jobs we hate.

The Art of Bragging Appropriately (and Why Its Crucial for Todays Business Professional)

The species of Bragging Appropriately (and Why Its Crucial for Todays Business Professional) The Art of Bragging Appropriately (and Why Its Crucial for Todays Business Professional) Few professionals cananswer behauptung questions, regardless of their title or prestige. I know this from firsthand experience.Over the years, Ive had the honor and privilege to provide career coaching and consulting services to many individuals. Ive worked with people ranging from entry-level job landlandseekers to executives at Fortune 500 companies such as Merck, Wells Fargo, and Capitol One.Based on my experience,Id estimate99 percent of professionals have never learned the art of bragging appropriately. Its not really their fault. Most professional development programs offered by organizations are awful at teaching professionals to brag appropriately about themselves. Professionals are rarely taught why this skill matters, much less how to cultivate and use it.And since most of us havent learned to brag appropriately or experiencedthe benefits of doing so, we dont even realize it is possible to brag appropriately. To many of us,brag appropriatelysounds like an oxymoron. All bragging feelsoff-putting to us, and we consequently steer away fromever doing it.However, I would argue learning this skill of bragging appropriately should be a priority for all professionalstoday.As you probably know,staying at one job throughout your entire career is no longer an option for most. It is vital to be well versed in the art of bragging appropriately, becauseyou never know when you are going to findyourself looking for a new job - or in fear of being laid off.Plus, the business and job-seeking landscapes largely exist angeschlossen now. With everyone displaying their portfolios for the world to see, you need to be able to articulate what differentiatesyou from competitors and how you can bring value to employers.While bragging appropriately maynot feel natural or comfortable, it is a skill you need to develop.On the bright side, Ive found that when most people learn the distinction between simple bragging and bragging appropriately, they arent so turned off by the concept. They begin to understand the value ofit.How to Brag AppropriatelySo, how does one brag appropriately?There are a few key points to understand about bragging appropriately before we look at an exampleBragging appropriately requires the use ofrelevant statistics and information that highlight your value.Bragging appropriately requires you to effectively communicate your experiences, qualifications, and impact in a way that people can easily understand.Bragging appropriately requires clear, concise communication.Bragging appropriately is not only an art form, but an ongoing, evolving process.For instance,let me tell you a story. In 2017, LinkedIn contacted me based on my branding insights and posted content. The company wanted to hire me as a 1099 contractor to provide consulting on branding strategie stojob seekerswith premium accounts.If I were to stop there, you may or may not be impressed, depending on the context and your current needs.But what if I told you I was 1 of only 35 people LinkedIn chose for this project? Of all 500 million LinkedIn users, the company felt that only 35 of us were qualified for this project - and I was one of them.It is likely that, upon hearing this, you would be more impressed. You would start to see what sets me apart from others, regardless of whether my particular brand of expertise is relevant to your needs.Im using this specific example for a couple reasons. The first is to show a way to brag appropriately that would make a big impression on both your target market and your network. Maybe someone in my network wouldnt need my services right now, but at thevery least they are more likely to remember my specialized skill set. Perhaps they will recommend me to job seekers on LinkedIn in the future.The second reason Im using this example is thi s If I hadnt personallylearned the skill of bragging appropriately myself, I wouldnt haveasked the project manager at LinkedIn a question like, How many other providers did you choose for this project?I asked this question because I was trying to grasp how competitive of an achievement this was. As an educated guess, there are thousands of people on LinkedIn who provide a similar service.LinkedIns choice to select me out of these thousands puts me in a more elite category.Youll also note that my appropriate bragging is not based on a personal estimation of how great I am. I am simply sharing facts with you.Another exampleImagine a professional basketball player selected to play in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game is speaking to a group of peopleabout this accomplishment. Lets say this is a group of tourists, and the player is trying to convince them to come see a game.If the player is bragging inappropriately, he might boastabout how great at basketball he is. And lets assume these people dontknow much about basketball they have never seen him play before. This player has already established credibility in other circles, but in this context, his bragging is likely to be received as off-putting.It probably wont carry much weight with the group to whichhe is speaking. These people will likely have no interest in attending the gameBragging appropriately to this same group of people, on the other hand, would consist primarily of stating facts. Instead of saying how great he is at basketball, the player can share that he was 1 of 24 basketball players chosenby the worlds largest professional basketball association to play in agame viewed by more than 7 million people around the world. Based on these simple facts, the group may actually be interested in attending a game to see this man play.Can you feel the difference?Hopefully, these examples illuminate for you the distinction between bragging and bragging appropriately. I also hope you see now how impactfulbragging appro priately can be on your professional success.I believe business professional across the board need to learn the skill of bragging appropriately. If you want to effectively compete in todaysjob market, you need to start developing this skillnow.Scott Engler is the author ofThe Job Inner-ViewandLegends of the Recruiting and Career World.Read his latest,The Problem and the Solution,on his website.

Its American Business Womens Day; Thrive by Starting a Business You Love

Its American Business Womens Day Thrive by Starting a Business You Love Its American Business Womens Day Thrive by Starting a Business You Love In thinking about American Business Womens Day on September 22, Im filled with gratitude and inspiration. The U.S. certainly has its share of gender inequality, but as a former school teacher turned womens entrepreneurship coach and CEO of my own company, I know it is possible for women to transform theirentrepreneurial visions, aspirations, and energy into reality.And yet, according to a recentTechCrunch article,only 17 percent of new business endeavors have female entrepreneurs at the helm. Women are still in the entrepreneurial minority.Just as women are good for the world of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship is good for women. It offers an unprecedented chance to take control ofyour career and tap into your unique gifts and passions while earning more money and enjoying greater freedom.Many womendream of doing just that, yet wonder Can somebody like me, with just the spark of an idea, actually start a business and make money?The answer is a resounding yes.However, starting your entrepreneurial journeymay require challenging some of yourcore beliefs. Maybe you were told that work cant be fun or that you have to be realistic about whats possible.Maybe you were encouraged to be nice, to be quiet, to minimize your accomplishments, and to dim your own light.One common core belief I encounter in coaching women entrepreneurs is the idea that a womanmust curb her femininity in order to be successful in business. In the competitive, dog-eat-dog business environment, women must adopt the hard edge, appearance, and mannerisms traditionally exhibited by men to be great workplace leaders and entrepreneurs.The reality is that, as women, our unique feminine qualities can become our greatest business assetsCooperative SpiritWomen are gifted at prioritizing the needs of others. We have an intuitive understanding of how to create meaningful connections and exceptional working relationships with clients and colleagues.This is I what I refer to as a cooperative advantage. The emphasis is on cooperative as opposed to competitive. By prizing collaboration over competition and contribution over greed, women are able to leverage communities and relationships as valuable entrepreneurial resources.Valuing GenerosityAccording to TheHuffington Post,64 percent of donations are made by women, globally speaking. Indeed, women are innately awareof the needs and challenges of our times, and we often feel a deep sense of social responsibility. We have the opportunity to build businesses that champion much-needed social change and give back to our communities.From working with women entrepreneurs for the past decade, Ive found that once our needs and the needs of our families are met, we tend to lose interest in generating more money. When we adopt humanitarian causes or service-based missions above and beyond our immediate client bases, however, we rise above our typical income levels. Now, we have reason to generate more. This positive cycle gives impetus to our entrepreneurial prowess.People-Pleasing TendenciesThroughout history, women have been accused of people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, and perpetually putting others needs before their own. But guess what thesevery qualities are why we now excel in business With a good dose of awareness, we can leverage our people-pleasing tendencies into powerful skills that help us attract clients and keep them.In leveraging our unique feminine qualities, we may not start the saatkorn types of businesses as men, and thats okay. Were starting businesses because we want balance between our careers and our families. Were starting businesses because we long to be the masters of our own schedules and we want to express our creativity and our true selves at work. We want to share our deeply innovative gifts with the world. We want to work for ourselves on our own terms without compromising who we are.This, too, is possible. The women Ive worked with have built successful and sustainable businesses on their own terms as authors, health practitioners, consultants, coaches, manufacturers, retailers, real estate agents, day spa owners, healers, clothing designers, aspiring public speakers, restaurant owners, and much more.Through these initiatives, they have claimed their financial freedom and self-determination. Most importantly, they have thrived.This American Business Womens Day, my advice is this Hold onto your idea, believe it is possible, and bring your whole self flaws and feminine qualities included to the table.Sage Lavine is the CEO of Women Rocking Business.