Federal Jobs DO Pay More

Federal Jobs DO Pay MoreFederal Jobs DO Pay MoreFederal Jobs DO Pay MoreWell, the word is finally out. I had known this for quite some time anecdotally, and now the numbers are being reported to show that yes, federal workers are very well paid, and, in many cases, are better paid than their private sector counterparts.According to a recent article in which USATODAY analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 180 federal salaries were better than private sector levels. In contrast, only 36 private sector salaries exceeded federal pay.Add to that the fact that federal benefits averaged $40,785 per federal employee in 2008 vs. $9,882 per private worker, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.At a time when job news is grim, this development makes a $600 federal resume a good investment.Check out the USATODAY article to binnensee specific job salary comparisons between private industry and the federal government. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website to see find mo re salary data for your field.

Colleagues know how to push our buttons just like family does

Colleagues know how to push our buttons just like family doesColleagues know how to push our buttons just like family doesWe all know about work spouses, the extra close co-workers who can finish our sentences, empathize when were having a bad day, and share the best and worst part of our geschftszimmer experience, but sometimes the work dynamic can start to mimic otherbei elements of a family dynamic - and not always in a good way. Carolyn Thompson, Managing Principal of the Merito Group, puts it this way The bossy sibling will always be the bossy one. The martyr who relishes publicly sacrificing themselves on behalf of others will always do that and expect to be recognized for doing it. The people we grew up as are still with us in the workplace.If youve ever rolled your eyes at the infuriatingly oblivious attitude of the office brat, or wondered how youve suddenly been designated the office mom, it might be time to take a closer look at the potentially unwelcome family dynamic of your professional life. A few years back, Anna Urnova, a student in an executive coaching and consulting program, wrote her masters thesis based on the premise that our family dynamics may affect our future group dynamics, specifically in the workplace. While Arnovas control group was hardly scientific she asked 10 executives to tell her about their fruchtwein memorable work team experiences and childhood family story - she looked for parallels and themes in the data which showed the ways family system dynamics influenced the way behauptung individuals then related to others in work teams.Family archetypes in the officeBut it isnt just theory. Even just by looking around, its easy to see how colleagues take on - or are assigned - family roles like the patriarch, the mother, the sibling rivals, and the black sheep.In 2014, Sonya Rhodes, PhD, and Susan Schneider, authors of The Alpha Woman Meets Her Match, wrote about the ways work relationships sometimes mimic family relationsh ips A colleague may bring out old feelings you had about your siblings. If youre an older child who is dutiful and has a notable opposition to colleagues who slack off like your younger siblings this is why.Many women in positions of authority, no matter their age or stage, can somehow almost be forced into the category of work mother - whether they want to fill that role or not. Its strange that grown adults with free will will see any woman in authority as a mother, but its also a testament to the power of those patterns formed in childhood.In their article Rhodes and Schneider explained it as the psychological theory of transference where, without realizing it, the female boss relates to her subordinates as the older sister, or mother. The reverse is very much true as well employees will project their feelings toward their mothers - whether they were nurturing or competitive - onto the most senior female in the office.The father figure in the officeSimilarly, men in the office are seen as fathers - and anyone with daddy issues, in the words of Forbes writer Jenna Goudreau - is likely to try to work them out on colleagues. As Goudreau writesMore often, however, the behavior is subtle and insidious. Weliky says her clients first notice their own negative emotional reactions. Many report feeling patronized by a managers tone of voice (like a pat on the head), noticeably cower in the bosss presence or consistently worry they will get in trouble.And this will ring familiar to many who have been baffled by office power dynamicsWeliky believes women are especially vulnerable to the father-daughter dynamic at work because of the way they were socialized and (still-present) gender stereotyping. More likely to be pleasers who seek approval from an authority figure, they may apologize too much, avoid eye contact, allow condescension or not verbally assert themselves. Two men, she says, are mora likely to become buddies or lock horns in a power struggle.Its one th ing if thats your choice, but what do you do when a family type role has been forced on you in the workplace - and youd like to break free of that unwelcome dynamic?One of Goudreaus sources says knowledge is powerHeres the way out Once you observe the patterns, they begin to loosen. Understand where they started. Then transform them.But theres a lot more to it.Getting out of your office role draw boundariesAmy Baxter M.D. a former emergency pediatrician and pain researcher, segued into the entrepreneurial life when she created Buzzy, a palm size pain blocker meant to numb the pain of a needle, especially for children. Dr. Baxter uses the work style she developed while working in the E.R. in her business life as well Keeping a clear work friendship barrier is really important is one of the ways she keeps things clear and professional at work. She expands by saying, you want to have a culture where you feel comfortable hanging out with each other outside the office, but not a web so you feel responsible for catching each others out of the office drama. Dr. Baxter says as a woman in business, shes learned one particular lesson thats always stayed with her Never keep a jar of candy on your desk. Youre not there to feed them. Youre not there to give them treats when theyre feeling bad. Dr. Baxter explains that its a natural female thing to nurture, but theres a pleasure in keeping things professional and productive. (Part of that pleasure is not having to field emotional crises all the time).Dr. Baxter admits I think that because my leadership style in the company is similar in a trauma bay, I dont exude the warm, fuzzy, lets chat about it vibe. She explains that the only person she ever had to fire was someone who among other things, sought relationship advice which was out of the scope of a boss subject. When working with family, watch the dynamicsSometimes the family dynamic works though. Stephanie McTigue, the owner of CoFi Leathers, creates high fashion handb ags and boots and keeps things all in the family. McTigue consults with her husband, in the guise of a financial advisor, her father (and former partner) as a leather consultant, her mother as a schlussverkauf professional and her sister as a copywriter. McTigue uses her family rules as business rules. One struggle for McTigue was the idea of keeping emotions out of the boardroom When working with family members, everyone knows each others hot buttons, she said. We were all trying to have an equal say in the direction of the business and how to make it grow.For that reason, McTigue found it crucial for both family members and employees to define their individual roles. As to the notion of becoming the work mom, mother of two McTigue doesnt necessarily see it as a bad thing. I aim to help my kids identify their strengths in life. I support them in being independent, talking openly to me about issues, approaching me with their wants/desires in a constructive way, and implementing thei r strengths to tackle what they are good at. I hope that I foster these same characteristics in my employees. She also provides positive feedback on a job well done and encourages her team to have a work/life balance.Employees are different, but theyre not children - even if some behave that wayThompson explains that even among adults in an office environment, some employees actually need more mothering and hand-holding, and some need less, but of course it depends on how hard theyre leaning on you to provide something that might not interest you.For women in the office, Forbes points out that if someone flips out over small, standard corrections or other day-to-day work that others take in stride, its worth examining whether parental patterns and the fear of earning love is shaping the employees behavior First, notice if your reactions are overblown. If you get very upset, panicky or teary over a bosss offhand comment, there may be real issues with your own father that need to be worked through outside of the office. Weliky says that women who experienced absent or distant fathers may continue to seek approval from men or have lower levels of confidence later in life.She also says sibling rivalries and work ethics are visible in the office Some (employees) expect an award for coming to work every day on time and others are striving to win the sales contest. Every employee and every manager is different. And sometimes that means that even the reluctant office mom might need some cheering one Managers and executives need recognition, too. Just because they are the leaders doesnt mean they dont need a thank you or an attaboy once in a while.The key feature for managers and employees alike, however, is that its about finding your own balance and comfort zone. Remember that the office isnt family if only because everyone is there not out of love, but because they are getting paid to be there.Its especially important to make sure that people dont use managers as a n emotional garbage can to unload all their frustrations constantly. That can wear down managers energy and time, and, after all, that kind of venting is what real family and friends are for. While its okay to mentor your employees, Dr. Baxter admits thats a different thing than being a constant listening ear to make someone feel better - aint got no time for that.

How to Step Back Into Leadership After Maternity Leave

How to Step Back Into Leadership After Maternity LeaveHow to Step Back Into Leadership After Maternity Leave Youve just experienced a few crazy months- a mix of newborn bliss and stress. Preparing to step back into your pre-mom role, as the leader of a company, can be scary and guilt-ridden not to mention challenging. For a motzu sich who is returning to the office after maternity leave , reentry can be a bumpy ride. After three or so months at home with her baby, she has to shift her attention back to work, a move that can feel sudden and startling. Throw in some sleep deprivation and new concerns like childcare and breast-milk pumping, and its no wonder that some women come back from maternity leave briefly- only to quit shortly thereafter, suggests Manon DeFelice , Founder and CEO of Inkwell, a global flexible work innovator focused on helping startups, small to mid-sized geschftslebenes, and nonprofits thrive. If you love your job, and want to stick with it aft er maternity leave, there are many things you can do to prepare. As you get ready to step back into a leadership role, use behauptung ideas to make the process more enjoyable and less stressful. You were a fierce leader before, and youll be a fierce leader again. It may be hard to see that when youve been at home with a newborn baby for 3 months, covered in spit-up and unshowered for days. As you step back into your leadership position, revisit your many career achievementsGo back through the last 5 years in your career and list down all that you are proud of. This can be a really great way to reconnect your mind with your skills and capabilities. To step back into that work identity. Even more so, it reminds you that you are a very capable woman, suggests Michelle Sorrenesen , leadership and mindset coach.Do this in the weeks leading up to your entry back into the office, as you wrap your mind around what it means to be a full-time employee and leader again.Time away from the offi ce has likely done a lot for your leadership skills. As a mom, you have a new way of looking at the world, and therefore will return with new priorities and leadership tactics. Use this as an opportunity to re-think your leadership role, hone in on how you can do your job best, and turn those new skills into styles that can address the various needs of your job and employees.According to leadership experts at project management startup Unito , there are four main leadership styles to think aboutHow do your old and current skills lend themselves to these leaderships styles? How can you use your new mom mindset to be a better leader? After fine-tuning your skill set and style, youll step back into the office feeling confident and ready to take on the challenges ahead of you.Instead of jumping back in full-time, slowly rejoin the team on a part-time basis, if you can. This is especially important for focus, and if you want to be a full-time working mom long-term. As a leader, theres a lot expected of you, and getting back into that role slowly may be better for you mental health. Lauren Smith Brody , founder of the Fifth Trimester movement explains Focus is an enormous issue when you first go back phasing back in really helps, according to numerous studies and many of the mothers I spoke with. Unsurprisingly, women who experience those distracting daily re-entry regrets most likely intend to leave their jobs. Also unsurprising- but so important- is the fact that women with shorter leaves have more of those regrets. If you can extend your leave, even only part-time, you increase your chances of staying at work long term.If you cant come back on a part-time basis, ask to have one extra day off each week, or to work from home one day each week . This slow re-entry into work as a leader will be critical to managing the stresses that come with it, in addition to the new mom guilt youll be feeling.You may be experiencing a range of emotions with each passing day t hat youre back in the office. You may feel alone in that, but youre not. Lori Mihalich-Levin, founder of Mindful Return - an organization that helps new moms and dads navigate the uncertain terrain of working parenthood - shares her experience When I went back to work after leave, there was an unspoken rule that I wasnt supposed to talk about how hard it was. Or that I was struggling. Or that I had changed and grown as a person and employee. There were plenty of other women in my office who had gone on maternity leave and returned, and yet I felt isolated.Then one day after my second return to work, I sat down with a colleague who had just recently come back herself after maternity leave. We shut the door and found so much power in talking about our shared experiences.Instead of holding it all in, find your community at work. You may discover that people you never connected with before are now the only ones who understand what youre going through. Its hard to be vulnerable in th is way, but it will make for an easier transition. You may even find new leadership allies that never existed before you left.The business has been humming along without you, which means there have been changes, from new hires to upgraded tools. Before stepping back into your leadership role, do the background work. When checking-in, ask forWhen maternity leave ends, its time for you to step back into your role as a company leader. Use these ideas to make a potentially-bumpy transition easier to manage. Remember why youre a successful leader, focus on phasing back in if possible, and get any prudent information before your first day. All of this will ensure a successful transition and ensure that you feel happy with both your new job and your old one.