Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Baby Boomers in the Workplace

Baby Boomers in the WorkplaceBaby Boomers in the WorkplaceWhat sets the Baby Boomer generation apart in the workplace from theTraditionaliststhat preceded them and the generations that followed them? The Baby Boomers Generation Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The oldest the 79 million Baby Boomers reached age 65 in 2011 and the youngest will get there by 2029. Following World War II, the average age of marriage dropped, and the number of children increased dramatically, making the Baby Boomer generation substantially larger than the Traditionalists. Conveniently, this bevlkerung explosion corresponded with a post-war economic boom (aided by theG.I. Billand the growth of consumer suburbs). But in the early years of the boom, schools were overcrowded, colleges didnt have enough seats, and competition for starting jobs was intense. As a result, the young Baby Boomers learned to compete for resources and success. Common Characteristics of Baby Boomers Work-CentricBa by Boomers are extremely hardworking and motivated by position, perks, and prestige. Baby Boomers relish long work weeks and define themselves by their professional accomplishments. Since they sacrificed a great deal to get where they are in their career, this workaholic generation believes thatGeneration XandGeneration Yshould pay their dues and conform to a culture of overwork.Baby Boomersmay criticizeyounger generationsfor a lack of work ethic and commitment to the workplace. IndependentBaby Boomers are confident, independent and self-reliant. This generation grew up in an era of reform and believe they can change the world. They questioned established authority systems and challenged the status quo. In thelegal workplace, Baby Boomers are not afraid of confrontation and will not hesitate to challenge established practices.Goal-OrientedWith increased educational and financial opportunities thanprevious generations, Baby Boomers are achievement-oriented, dedicated and career-focus ed. They welcome exciting, challenging projects and strive to make a difference. CompetitiveSinceBaby Boomersequate work and position with self-worth, they are quite competitive in the workplace. They are clever, resourceful and strive to win. Boomers believe in hierarchal structure and rankism and may have a hard time adjusting to workplace flexibility trends. They believe in face time at the office and may fault younger generations for working remotely.Self-ActualizationBecause the Baby Boomers grew up in a time of mass middle-class affluence, they had time and energy for self-actualization, and the Traditionalists values of conformity and loyalty started to fall apart. Work for the Baby Boomers shifted from a source of stability to a means of self-actualization and self-expression, moderating the Traditionalist love of hierarchical management with an emphasis on structural fairness and equal opportunity. How Baby Boomer Values and Ethics Impacted the Legal Workplace The Baby Boomers entered the legal profession at a time of expansion and change, bringing with them their long-established competitive and workaholic ways and importing their views on social change and self-expression. In law firms, corporations, and other legal employers, Boomers insisted on a modicum of feedback and argued foryearly standardized performance reviewsto level the playing field for all employees. With the booming economy, it was relatively easy to advance up the ranks to law firm partnership, even though hard work and substantial billable hours were still required. The joke among many Boomer law partners is that theyd never be able to make partner today, and probably wouldnt have had the credentials to even be hired as an associate. Over the course of Boomer careers, firm salaries and equity payouts exploded, and theyd largely avoided student loans and other debt, due to the expansion of public education and the booming economy, leaving partners at the top of a seemingly endl essly widening pyramid. Outside of the relatively conservative firm context, Boomers used the legal workplace to fight for their deeply-held beliefs, advancing the rights of women and minorities in the courts via impact litigation. Women started to become a more frequent presence in the legal workplace (as attorneys, rather than secretaries), opening up opportunities, but also creating areas of frisson and conflict. As women flooded into the workplace, the birthrate dropped substantially, resulting in the baby-bustGeneration X- 25% smaller than the Baby Boomers. As the booming economy slowed down, Generation X entered the workplace, bringing derision and concern over their slacker values, but also a degree of tech-savvy know how that the legal profession had never before seen. This generational segment constituted a large majority of law firm leaders, corporate executives, seniorparalegals, andlegal managers. By 2010, nearly 70 percent of law firm partners were Baby Boomers. However , the oldest Boomers began reaching retirement age in 2011. This sets the stage for an unprecedented turnover of leadership in the coming years.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Answer Interview Questions About Bringing Work Home

Answer Interview Questions About Bringing Work HomeAnswer Interview Questions About Bringing Work HomeDo you take work home with you? is a tricky question you may get during your next job interview. Its a good idea to think through your answer in advance. Get insight into why this question comes up during interviews, as well as tips for how to respond. Why Employers Want to Know Your View on Working at Home Employers ask this question for a variety of reasons. They might want to know that you are organized and can do all of your work in the allotted time. They also might want to make sure you maintain a decent work-life balance (which many employers believe will ultimately make you a happier, and thus better, employee). However, some employers really are looking for people who make work the center of their lives, and want to assess just how dedicated to the job you will be. Even employers who do not expect in-depth work on projects after business hours may want employees to frequ ently check email from home. For some roles, a certain amount of after-hours work is built in. For instance, a social media manager for a late-night TV show may have monitor online comments after business hours. Answering this question, therefore, requires you to know a bit about the particular company and job. How to Answer Before you answer, think about thecompany culture. If you know the employer values work-life balance or time management skills, you will want to emphasize your ability to complete your work during work hours so that you can focus on family or other activities after work. If the company requires employees to put in lots of extra hours and emphasizes the need for dedication and passion in the workplace, you may want to stress your willingness to bring projects home in order to ensure high-quality work. If you arent sure of what the employer is looking for, the safest way to answer is to emphasize yourorganizational skillswhile also saying that, when necessary, you will take work home with you. Try not to be negative about bringing work home, since that may be something that is common at the company. However you respond, do be honest. This question also provides you an opportunity to think about whether or notthe job is the right fit for you. Always remember, an interview is a two-way street. Just as the employer is finding out what you would be like as a worker, youre discovering what it would like to work for the company. If the employer clearly wants to you take work home with you on a regular basis, but you value your free time, you may want to consider not taking the job. Instead, look for jobs at companies that value work-life balance. Sample Answers When I need to, bringing work home with me is not a problem. I realize the importance of meeting deadlines and getting work done on time, and sometimes that requires extra hours in the office or at home.I am extremely organized and skilled at budgeting my time. When I begin a projec t, I create a timeline for myself that allows me to complete the assignment in a timely manner without taking my work home. However, I understand that sometimes timelines change or issues come up, and I am always willing to take work home with me when that happens. When I begin a new project, I often choose to take work home with me in order to ensure that I complete the project for my client on time. However, maintaining regular time to spend with my family is very important to me, so I try to limit this to the early stages of projects and to urgent matters. Im very aware of how speedily communications move in this industry. One email can be the difference between landing a pitch or having it go elsewhere. To that end, I try to be very responsive to email on my phone. I do a quick scan of my inbox several times a night when Im home, and look at my email during my early morning workout, too. I always encourage my team to reach out if anythings urgent. And, for the few times a year w hen I totally unplug, I prep with a back-up network so that all team members know who to contact for feedback and answers.

How to Be More Likable Around the Office - The Muse

How to Be More Likable Around the Office - The MuseHow to Be More Likable Around the OfficeYou can probably think of a handful of people at the office whom everyone seems to genuinely like, people who are indescribably charming and magnetic, people you want to work with and get to know better, people you want to emulate. Wouldnt it be awesome if you were one of those people? Of course it would beThe following seven tips are great (and easy) ways to be mora likable at work that you can put into action today.1. Find the Right Co-signIn the real world, the average persons probably reluctant to co-sign for someone on a new car or apartment. Luckily its much easier in the office to find a guy whos willing to take a chance and vouch for you. So identify the power players and work to build a relationship with those who are already well-liked and admired. Then, follow their example.2. Play Your Position Like an All-StarIts rare to catch LA Clippers point guard Chris Paul battling Dwight Howa rd for a rebound. Still, the six-foot Paul remains an eight-time All-Star because he plays his position really, really well. Figure out what you can excel at and work it. Maybe youre a numbers whiz, a vocabulary master, or confident presentation person. Do you know everything there is to know about Google Docs, or have more email hacks up your sleeve than anyone could possibly need? Whatever it is that adds to your awesomeness, take advantage of it and share your knowledge.3. Set Up Regular One-on-OnesMake a coffee date or out-of-office lunch plan with various co-workers throughout the week. They can be people you know well, people youre just getting to know, and others whose names youve just learned. Dont underestimate the power of a one-on-one interaction, which can quickly help you forge a connection with a new colleague. Learning about other departments is beneficial to your work, but if you can go deeper and discover something non-work related about the people you work with, al l the better. 4. Make an Effort to SocializeSomeone has to send the email or spread the sie sagen es about where to grab those happy hour drinks- could that person be you? Organize an evening get-together at a local bar, or offer to lend a hand to your colleague responsible for organizing these events. If drinks arent really a part of your offices culture, consider other ways to initiate social interaction with colleagues outside of business hours. Maybe theres a networking event a few of your team members could attend as a group. Or, perhaps, you put a feeler out there for a book club or sports team. Making an effort can go a long way in getting people to think youre pretty awesome.5. Find Small Ways to ConnectBond with your peers by keeping them up-to-date with the newest and fruchtwein exciting news. Listen to their interests and ask questions. Send restaurant reviews to the office foodie or share info on the summer concert lineup to the musically inclined crew. These recommendat ions are exactly the kind of gestures thatll make you a memorable colleague.6. Be the Office CheerleaderBe the biggest cheerleader on the team. When someone accomplishes a feat, whether big or small, be the first to clap and personally congratulate them. I used to keep a bottle of top-shelf bourbon in my desk drawer that Id whip out when a teammate closed a deal. The whiskey lovers among us would toast as a team. The camaraderie was contagious, and trust me when I say that it genuinely feels good to be there for others and root for their achievements- after all, wouldnt you wish for the same?7. Play 21 QuestionsLets say youve got a few minutes before a meeting starts or while youre waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. Instead of scrolling through the apps on your phone, make eye contact with a nearby colleague. Most people enjoy talking about themselves and their interests, so ask leading questions. Ask about their weekend, their kids, or their latest TV obsession. This move ta kes little effort but can pay off big time in making you seem approachable and friendly. An old buddy and co-worker of mine has far more friends than anyone Ive ever met. When we worked alongside each other he was the it-guy in the company. He had an endless string of dinner or drink invitations always. I once asked him the secret to his reputation. His answer was simple and became one of the best pieces of advice Ive ever received, Im the driver of every single one of my relationships in life. What he meant was that he made a point to get to know people and put himself out there. He did all of the above, and it paid off. Photo of meeting courtesy of Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images.