【推荐1】How to Say No to Your Boss

Saying “no” to a request can be a difficult thing, especially when the person making the request is your boss.    1     The following steps are helpful.

Give yourself some time to think about the request before saying “no”.

If the request arrives via email, don’t reply right away.     2     If your boss asks you in person or on the telephone, request some time to give it thought and tell her you will get back to her by a specific time. Consider the request carefully to determine whether you have to say “no”.

Prepare your answer before telling your boss “no”.

Anticipate questions she might ask in response to your answer, and decide how you want to answer them. Rehearse your conversation with your boss out loud to help build your confidence before the real conversation.

Choose the right time and place to speak with your boss.

Have the conversation in private if your work situation allows you to get a moment alone with your boss. Keep in mind your boss’s workday pressures and work style. If she is a morning person and gets grumpy (脾气暴躁的) in the afternoon, be sure to speak with her before lunch.

    3    

If your boss is asking you to take on more responsibility, that shows that she has faith in your ability to do the job. Acknowledge that it means a lot to you before telling her that you feel you cannot do it.

Tell your boss why you have to say “no” to the request.

    4     Your boss will be grateful that you answered honestly, rather than trying to take on a project you cannot handle.

Offer an alternative solution.

For example, if your boss asks you to serve on a committee, suggest someone else in the company that you think may be interested and capable of serving.     5    

【推荐2】Businesses are now in cost-cutting mode. Title inflation (头衔通胀) has crept into the workplace. Layoffs, hiring freezes and concerns about a recession (经济衰退) are plaguing employers.

To balance this unique economic environment, employers have figured out a way to comfort employees and job applicants without spending more money. They are offering impressive titles to soften the blow of not providing a raise to internal employees or big compensation to job candidates.

An employee’s title is their identity. It gives them credibility in the office and makes them feel more powerful. In this sense, the policy is a sensible way to help keep staff and attract top candidates.

But if you don’t really deserve the new title, it could come back and trouble you. Recruiters will be pleased to find a candidate who is a pe rfect fit for a significant, well-paying position in terms of skills, background, and previous experience. However, a stumbling block arises when they notice the candidate has a higher title than the client offers. Since a recruiter wants to make a placement and earn a fee, they won’t waste time and will seek out other candidates who are a better fit.

Even if the recruiters decide to contact the candidate, there’s a good chance the candidate won’t accept. Because most people aren’t aware that their title was inflated and believe it was a reward for their outstanding performance. Understandably, they would be offended if they received a lower-level post. Now that you are at a certain level, you don’t want to go backward.

What’s more, if your current title is too high, it raises red flags. For example, when searching for a new job, if your title is “director,” but the new role is under that level, the interviewer will curiously inquire, “why do you want to go down in title?” There will be an assumption from the hiring manager that something isn’t right. They may feel that the job seeker is leaving before being fired and willing to downgrade. Rather than trying to figure out the motivations of the candidate, they’ll move on to others who have a cleaner story without any baggage.

【推荐3】For average working people, they normally change their careers five to seven times throughout their whole lives.     1     Without that, you are just a dreamer.

It happens that you neglect thinking about your career when you are busy, but you must spend time considering your current situation and your ideal career path to develop a specific career plan.     2     When you have a better understanding of yourself and what you want, you are more likely to make a plan that suits your goals and lifestyle. By this kind of self-reflection, you will discover the type of career you want.

    3     You probably need SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound to prepare for success. Studies prove that SMART goals work better when they are written down and shared with others. Sharing enhances your sense of responsibility while writing down allows you to commit them to memory.     4    

Now that you have understood what you want and had your goals set and written down, it’s time to make career decisions. First, list pros and cons of different decisions. And then think about how each path lines up with your values.     5    

How do you feel when talking about your career? Do you want to stay where you are or are you ready to make a change to take steps to achieve success? Reflect, set goals, and make your decision, and you’ll be on the right path in no time.