How to Survive When You Lose Your Job (Part 3 of 3)

By Eric L. Frederick, RLLD


ROANOKE, Va. — When you lose a job, there is a series of things that should be done immediately. And unless you prepare, unless you are proactive, you are not going to know what to do in that situation. Each experience is unique, but these steps should prove helpful.

Step 3: Ask Others for Help

Give yourself enough time to find the right job. America is full of unhappy, “under-employed” people working jobs where they are not getting the kind of responsibility and feedback they want.
Ask your boss and co-workers for help. Where should you go to start looking for a job? Maybe somebody knows of a company that has positions available. In my case, I walked out of the hospital, cleared out my desk and went to that scout meeting (see part 2).

My assistant scoutmaster—an electric company salesman—had been fired two days earlier. The two of us tried to figure out how we were going to approach the problem. In the laundry industry, my job opportunities ranged from coast to coast. He was in sales, and he eventually got a job with a sporting goods company. He found that job by applying with every company he could find.

I had to ask myself some hard questions: What is my greatest asset? What am I going to do? With me being out of work at least three or four months, where will I get the information I need quickly?
I referred to my National Association of Institutional Linen Management (NAILM) directory, as well as brochures that I had collected while at association conventions. I picked out 50 people I knew across the country—Bill Webb in Cincinnati, Theresa Spears in Houma, La., Bill Riggs in Chicago, and Willie Fudge in Northern California among them—and wrote letters explaining that I had just been fired and asking if they knew of any openings. I included what I was looking for in a job, as well as my salary requirements.

My news must have created a shock wave, because it wasn’t long before I was hearing from people from all over. Their responses varied from “What in the world happened to you?” to “Hey, I want to help you.” I had people calling me on a regular basis to find out how I was doing.

One of my resource books, What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles, contends that management skills break down into three areas: data, people and things. These skills are basic to all industries, the book points out. If you are a good manager of people in the laundry, then you will be a good manager of people in a food processing plant. Management requires certain innate skills. The technical expertise may vary, but you can always learn the technical expertise.

Step 4: Stay Positive and Keep the Faith

As you search for a new job with your hat in your hands, guard against the psychological effects of being out of work. Your self-esteem suffers. And if you do not believe in yourself, why should a potential employer? When you start job hunting, your self-image should be polished. My sister-in-law was rejected by four different companies, but she never felt bad about it because she believed it was the companies’ loss, not hers.

You can send out hundreds of letters—I did—and receive responses from many companies that are not interested. You may never hear from others. At that point, it may be hard to keep your self-confidence high, yet this self-confidence is exactly what most prospective employers are looking for.

When I interviewed for a position at Methodist Hospital, the administrator I spoke with (who later became my boss) told me, “Eric, if positive self-image has anything to do with your ability, you are going to do a super job.” Your attitude about yourself is obvious during an interview. If you have friends who are also job-hunting, talk to them, exchange notes, and become part of a mutual support group.

What is the best way to find out about job openings? I contend that it is not through newspapers, and it is not waiting for the help of trade unions. Contact the people you know in your field and tell them you are looking.

I learned about the Methodist Hospital job from Theresa Spears, whom I had written. She didn’t know of any openings but cared enough to call Bobbie Butler on my behalf. He called me long distance to tell me about the job opening at Methodist.

I was fortunate, because within the first 30 days I had heard about 30 openings that met my salary requirements. I think there are jobs to be had out there right now, but the trouble is finding them. And you won’t unless you make a concentrated effort. Put in the same effort at landing a new job as you would in holding one.

What Color Is Your Parachute? calls résumés “the great paper chase.” Everybody has one. As you grow older, update it regularly and make certain that it accurately portrays your skills. But keep in mind that résumés are used to weed out people, not to select them. My boss at Methodist Hospital needed to find a replacement for his assistant and told two organizations that he was looking. After just three weeks, they had received 256 résumés for that one job.

Don’t say much to the personnel department when it is in the process of weeding out people. Say only that you want to know a little more about the equipment involved and ask if you can talk to the person who is doing the hiring. The only reason that I got the Methodist Hospital job is because I sought out the top man and talked to him. He asked if there was anyone he could call to ask about my ability. I gave him two or three references, and I later flew in and talked to him. I filled out an application and gave him a résumé after I was hired.

Do not put too much faith into what many people say is the best way to get a job—sending your résumé along with a nice cover letter. If you are going to do that, at least do it a little differently. For instance, don’t put it on white paper. Out of the 256 résumés my boss received, I guarantee that there were at least 254 on white paper. Don’t just let yours sit in the stack. Put it on gray paper, light blue, anything but white. It will stand out and might prompt the personnel director to take a second look.
Much of what I’ve written is to get you to think and be proactive. You should never wait until the last minute to plan your course of action. Although it’s not the most comfortable thing to think about, it will help you deal with the situation if you are prepared.

Network with your friends, maintain a positive self-image, and use a résumé if necessary (don’t keep a stack of them). If you are going to visit an institution to talk to the administrator, chances are he/she has already told you what he/she is looking for as far as experience and skill are concerned. Write your résumé if asked for one, emphasizing the qualities being sought.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are desperate to find employment, the two things that you are going to need the most are other people, and some sort of faith in God. With these, you will survive. If you set your goals properly, you are going to make it.

Part 1

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How to Survive When You Lose Your Job (Part 2 of 3)

By Eric L. Frederick, RLLD

ROANOKE, Va. — We hear about global financial problems every day. We have seen the economic downturn and how the new healthcare law puts economic pressure on our facility’s bottom line. Several friends of mine have lost their jobs or been demoted in the latest round of cost cutting. While administrators make the tough decisions they believe will keep their facilities afloat, it is painful to watch the suffering of dedicated department managers.

In 1980, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Harvard Business School was devoting a segment of its MBA program to the topic of changing jobs. The article stated that one professor would begin the course by telling his class, “I will guarantee you that each and every one of the graduates of this program will be fired sometime during your career.” That is quite a statement considering that they are considered the best in the country. Therefore, it is logical that laundry/linen managers should assume that we are going to get fired at some point.

When you lose a job, there is a series of things that should be done immediately. And unless you prepare, unless you are proactive, you are not going to know what to do in that situation. Each experience is unique, but these steps should prove helpful.

Step 1: Establish That You Are Fired

Let’s start with my first point—establishing that you are fired. That doesn’t sound difficult, yet what happens is the boss will say, “You have been a good employee, but I have to let you go. But I don’t want it to look bad on your records, so you can either resign or I’m going to fire you.” What would you do in that situation?

While the end result is the same, there is a big difference between resigning by choice and resigning under duress. In Utah, where I lost my job, if you resign, you are not eligible for unemployment compensation. You are eligible for compensation if you are fired. I suggest familiarizing yourself with the laws of your state.

So, if you are fired, accept it. It’s not going to look any better on your résumé that you resigned a good job than if you were fired.

The first thing that you want to be able to do is to say to the boss, “I have two weeks vacation that I’ve earned and I expect it on my severance check.” In most companies, this is a vested right. The big question is whether to ask for severance pay. Most companies will give either a set amount or one week’s pay per year based on seniority. But unless you ask for it, your company may not offer it.
Realize that the person sitting behind the desk who has to tell you that you are fired is probably feeling bad, too, because he or she doesn’t know how to handle the situation any better than you. As far as I know, no one has made an in-depth effort to teach people how to fire top management people. We are told to make it short, don’t try to make it sweet, don’t try to cover it up, don’t try to be nice about it, just bring the employee in and tell him that he or she is fired.

When dealing with top management people, it’s a whole different story. Managers receive severance pay and vacation pay. They could be in a position to hurt the company down the road, therefore the company doesn’t want to alienate them. So ask for severance pay, and about any vested rights you might have in a profit-sharing program or pension plan. Many of our allied trades companies have excellent profit-sharing programs. You need to know about your rights prior to such a meeting.

Step 2: Determine If Your Boss is Suitable Reference

The next step is to find out what kind of a reference you are going to get from your boss. Get the story straight immediately. If your boss says, “Look, you have caused me more headaches than you were worth,” don’t use him or her as a reference. If there is any doubt in your mind, ask for a letter of reference.

Take responsibility for your own life. When it happened to me, I was crushed. That evening, after surprising my wife by coming home at noon, I attended a Boy Scout Troop meeting. We were showing a film called Wilderness Survival. That may not seem to have anything to do with surviving a job change, but it was exactly what I needed.

The first segment was on the psychology of being lost in the woods. The film emphasized that if you are lost in the woods and you decide that you are going to be found the next day, you’ll do absolutely nothing to support your life. You are not going to build shelter, find food or water, or start a fire! When the next day comes and you have not been found, you are a day hungrier, colder and thirstier. People have died in the woods waiting to be found “tomorrow.”

The main point was if you are lost in the woods, plan on being lost for seven days. I applied that to my unemployment situation; I decided that I was on a national job search and planned on it taking three to four months to find a job; today, I recommend planning on six to nine months between jobs.

This is important because it is going to make you sit down and take inventory of your finances, your energies, your skills, and the people you know. Tell yourself you are going to have to survive for six months on what you have received in severance pay and what you have in the bank. This will immediately relieve a great deal of pressure. If you say, “I’m going to find a job next week,” you are not going to plan, you are not going to prepare, and you are not going to budget your resources.

With this in mind, you may well want to take advantage of COBRA to maintain your health insurance.

You don’t want to be without insurance for six to nine months. The most disastrous thing that can happen to you during unemployment is to have to go to the hospital for a major operation without having coverage.
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How to Survive When You Lose Your Job (Part 1 of 3)

By Eric L. Frederick, RLLD

ROANOKE, Va. — We hear about global financial problems every day. We have seen the economic downturn and how the new healthcare law puts economic pressure on our facility’s bottom line. Several friends of mine have lost their jobs or been demoted in the latest round of cost cutting. While administrators make the tough decisions they believe will keep their facilities afloat, it is painful to watch the suffering of dedicated department managers.

In 1980, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Harvard Business School was devoting a segment of its MBA program to the topic of changing jobs. The article stated that one professor would begin the course by telling his class, “I will guarantee you that each and every one of the graduates of this program will be fired sometime during your career.” That is quite a statement considering that they are considered the best in the country. Therefore, it is logical that laundry/linen managers should assume that we are going to get fired at some point.

I found this hard to accept, because I held the popular belief that people were only fired for being incompetent. But I have learned that it is not the only reason. Your boss, for example, might have a son, daughter or friend who needs a job, and might feel that the laundry is a good place for them to start.

Someone may come in and do a super sales job on contract laundry management. For years, institutional laundry managers worried almost exclusively about the threat posed by commercial laundries. The growth of contract management is proof that this section of our industry is here to stay.
Hospital management consultants are recommending combining departments and reducing job titles along with associated benefits. One hospital just called in all its department managers and told them they were fired. The ex-managers were told they could reapply for their jobs, which had been retitled and downgraded.

Your facility could be bought out by one of the larger chains that doesn’t believe in operating on-premise laundries.

A number of years ago, 60 Minutes aired a special about a job marketing service. Clients included 200 people earning from $75,000 to $400,000 annually. Agency policy was that clients paid 10% in advance of what they hoped to make, and the agency agreed to market them for six months but with no guarantee they would get a job. Do you know how many the agency placed? Three!

Why is it that even industry giants don’t feel comfortable when it comes to selling themselves? Why are we so scared of that part of our lives? Statistics tell us that the average job tenure for all U.S. workers is 3.6 years. This means that the average worker conducts a job hunt once every four years.
In facing a job change, it doesn’t matter what business you are in. You can work for a chemical company, uniform supplier, hospital or commercial laundry, and sooner or later we will all face the same problem. The odds against a person going through their lifetime working for just one company are overwhelming.

What are you supposed to do in the most difficult type of job change? You know, the one where you walk in one day and your boss says, “Don’t take your coat off. I’ve got some bad news for you.”
In 1980, I went to the National Association of Institutional Linen Management’s (NAILM) annual meeting in Kansas City. Three gentlemen responsible for reviewing nominations for NAILM’s top annual award selected me as the Laundry Manager of the Year. Back home, due to a 2-year-long corporate conflict, I lost my job. Ten days after being named laundry manager of the year, I was looking for a new job. I couldn’t believe it, nor could anybody else.

If Job is Lost, One Must Take Action Immediately

When you lose a job, there is a series of things that should be done immediately. And unless you prepare, unless you are proactive, you are not going to know what to do in that situation. Each experience is unique, but these steps should prove helpful.

• Establish that you are fired; this is of vital importance. Some companies do not give vacation pay to employees who leave voluntarily. Most would never give severance pay to anyone who resigns. It is more difficult to establish your eligibility for unemployment insurance if you leave a job by choice.
• Insist on receiving your vacation pay. You’re entitled to any vacation time you have earned in the form of monetary compensation. Many reputable firms have that condition written into their employee handbooks, so there’s seldom an occasion when an argument is necessary.
• Ask for severance pay. This kind of compensation is more of a custom than an inalienable right. Some companies have never paid it. But a valued employee may be able to shame a company into some kind of concession, even if it’s only a week’s severance pay for every year of service. One way to handle this is to use an assumptive approach. “Tom,” you may say, “how much severance pay do I have coming?” If he hesitates, you can add, “I figure I have at least 16 weeks for the eight years I’ve worked for you.” You’ve asked for two weeks per year, but you’d probably settle for one.
• Protect your vested rights in a profit-sharing and/or pension plan. This is where you may receive an unexpected dividend as a result of being fired. It all depends on the individual plan your company has and the vesting formula of that plan.
• Get a commitment on a reference. You’ve worked hard and loyally for “Tom” these eight years and helped him save face on numerous occasions. There shouldn’t be the slightest doubt that he’ll give you a good recommendation should anyone phone to ask about you, right? Maybe. Once you’re out the door, “Tom” may not feel a shred of loyalty toward you.
• Ask your boss and co-workers for help. They may offer to furnish you with job leads. If not, then ask for them. Get all the contacts you can. Many people will try to help because, deep down, they know that there for the grace of God go they.

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9 Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money

By Ilya Pozin |  @ilyaNeverSleeps
Don't show 'em the money (even if you have it). Here are nine better ways to boost morale.

The ability to motivate employees is one of the greatest skills an entrepreneur can possess. Two years ago, I realized I didn’t have this skill. So I hired a CEO who did.

Josh had 12 years in the corporate world, which included running a major department at Comcast. I knew he was seasoned, but I was still skeptical at first. We were going through some tough growing pains, and I thought that a lack of cash would make it extremely difficult to improve the company morale.

I was wrong.

With his help and the help of the great team leaders he put in place, Josh not only rebuilt the culture, but also created a passionate, hard-working team that is as committed to growing and improving the company as I am.

Here are nine things I learned from him:

1. Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.
   
2. Get rid of the managers. Projects without project managers? That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it. What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down! Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.
   
3. Make your ideas theirs. People hate being told what to do. Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”
   
4. Never criticize or correct. No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
   
5. Make everyone a leader. Highlight your top performers’ strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.
   
6. Take an employee to lunch once a week. Surprise them. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.
   
7. Give recognition and small rewards. These two things come in many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques.
   
8. Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.
   
9. Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.

About the Author

Ilya Pozin founded his first company, Ciplex, at age 17. The digital marketing and creative agency caters to small businesses and startups. Ciplex, which has received the Inc.500/5000 award for two consecutive years,  is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York, Jerusalem, Serbia, and Germany. In 2010 Ilya hired a new CEO and moved into the President/CMO role so that he could focus on building new ventures.   Originally from Russia, he currently resides in L.A. with his wife and daughter.

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Rough Recording: One Hit Combo (Parokya & Gloc 9)

Recorded on August 3, 2010 at Chito Miranda's room...

"Eto yung video ng recording ng One Hit Combo. Ni-record lang namin 'to sa kwarto ko. ---@chitomirandajr (twitter ko)"



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Gary Vaynerchuk's Advice to Entrepreneurs

Focus on Your Strengths



No 4-hour Work Week



Crush it!


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Lifetime Health Problems of Call Center Agents

by Benjamin Robert Johnson


As a public lifetime health educator, one of the countries I have visited is the Philippines. Among any others, this country brags of its proficiency in English communication. Gladly, most English speaking countries like my country, the US, take this opportunity to outsource some of their call centers here.

Primarily, cheap labor is what prompted foreign businesses to outsource here. As what I have observed, many Filipinos set aside their childhood dreams to work in call centers. How sad it is to note.

Call centers often lure young professionals because of a relatively high starting salary of 15,000 pesos (a lot higher than average laborers) and not to mention allowances, signing bonuses, good work performance, and other incentives.

In reality however, companies are exploiting the cheap labor here in the Philippines. A Filipino call center agent earns on average around $4000 dollars a year lower than Thailand with $4,900, Malaysia with $5,200, and Singapore with $16,900.

Not to mention the lifetime health problems attributed in working at a call center. These include:

1. Stress problems. Call center agents are always under pressure since they are constantly monitored. Low job discretions with high performance monitoring contribute to stress and rapid burnout. Months or years under stress can cause heart problems, nervous breakdown, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, and many others.
   
2. It causes boredom and lack of interest. Call center agents work the phones for the entire duration of their shifts unlike other jobs where people get a chance to go out and get fresh air, read newspapers, surf the internet, and take some snacks. Some call centers may be loose on these things but not loose enough compared to other industries. Boredom and lack of interest can cause a death knoll of the brain – it reduces brain power. For long, it contributes to memory loss even at a younger age.
   
3. Very potent source of anxiety. Since everything is monitored, low score translates to corrective memos which can cost an agent his job; this constant monitoring cause anxiety to agents. On the losing part, penalized agents do not even have enough opportunity to appeal. In some companies, even tenured agents issued with corrective action memos get terminated.
   
4. Females suffer from Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). According to a survey by the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research, a 10-minute break period is allowed for personal use like going to the restroom. This becomes difficult to workers more specifically to females since a cold working environment encourages frequent urination.
   
5. More exposure to unhealthy foods and lifestyle. Bars, restaurants, and convenient stores accommodate night shift workers. We all know that foods serve in these places are highly processed or packed. Thus, this leads to unhealthy food choices and unhealthy manners like smoking or severe drinking of coffee. These bad practices can further lead to lung cancers, high blood pressure, depression, cellulite problems, and even malnutrition.
   
6. Body clock is disrupted. Disrupting one’s biological clock more often can cause manic depression and heart problems.
   
7. Less socialization leads to emotional problems. Since the time followed is of the client’s, there is less time for the family and friends. Weekends and holidays are rarely off and there is prevalent overtime or extended time. Dr. Prandya Kulkarni, who writes for United Press International Asia, adds that young BPO workers, who receive high salaries, do not have the maturity and emotional capability to handle their wealth. This sudden wealth syndrome has led to such high-risk behaviors as loose sexual practices, drug addictions, and alcohol abuse.
   
8. Exhaustive workload creates lifetime health vulnerabilities. According to studies, exhaustive workloads can lead to various diseases like hypertension, cardiovascular illnesses, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, and high risks of cancer. Also, more medical needs are created to cure these heart diseases, or even cut off body fats, and even reduce cellulite build up for agents. Medical expenses lead to more financial problems.
   
9. Exposure to health hazards. An independent study shows that working in call centers shows high incidences of eyestrains symptoms, musculoskeletal symptoms, voice disorders, and hearing problems.
   
10. Causes intellectual drain and immaturity. A Foreign independent shows that agents usually have a monotonous lifestyle, it only involves work, eat, sleep, and a little socialization. This common lifestyle often leads to communal apathy or in Filipino terms they call it “walang pakialam.” Since call center agents are engrossed with their work, they do not have time to respond to social needs and concerns which can directly benefit them as a community and as a country. If this mentality is imbibe, then a worse social cancer of apathy will surely pull the Philippines down as it is happening today.

Myriads of lifetime health problems are faced with call center agents. Lack of education, social awareness, and public response made this things happen. It gives individual health problems and a social cancer if these problems are not addressed.

Source: Lifetime Health Problems of Call Center Agents

Recommended Read: Common Health Problems of a Call Center Agent

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Health Hazards in Call Center Jobs?

There was a health concern now rising among call center population in the industry.  Although there was no thorough study on the short and long term impact of being a call center agent, there was an increasing rise on health and psychological problems amongst the call center population according to a recent industry survey.
The question now is whether the high paying job is commensurate to the hazards it poses to the call center agent.

The call center job in the Philippines is offering hefty salary and benefits to those willing Pinoys who take the night shift job. However, recent rise in health problems and concerns suggests that it’s taking its toll on the call center agent’s health both physically and mentally. Ronnie P., 26 year old single male, is a typical customer care call center agent. He is already self supporting and is paying for his own pad from his own salary. He has been getting a lot of attention from his superiors because of his excellent performance which also pays him more than his contemporaries.

However, Ronnie is experiencing some radical changes in his body.  And he will tell you that it was doing him no good.  His weight had grown to 120 kilograms, or about 264 pounds, and he was missing out on social life as he worked long overnight hours at a call center. Now, he is thinking of quiting the call center job to the dismay of his boss when he discussed this in one of their huddles.

“You are making nice money. But the trade-off is also big,” said Ronnie, who now spent nearly three years at a well known call center company in Manila, answering customer calls from the United States.

Call centers and other outsourced businesses like software writing, medical transcription and back-office work employ more than half a million young men and women in the Philippines, mostly in their 20s and 30s, who make much more than their contemporaries in most other professions.  The estimate will grow fast in the next 2 years.

They are, however, facing sleep disorders, heart disease, depression and family discord, according to doctors and several industry surveys.  Experts agree that the brewing crisis could undermine the success of Philippine’s hugely profitable outsourcing industry, which earns billions in dollars annually and has shaped much of the country’s transformation into an emerging economic power.

Heart diseases, high blood pressures, strokes and diabetes are among the many illnesses that call center agents face in their career.  The lack of sleep has many ill effects to the human body and sooner or later, it will catch up to those who inadvertently abuse their bodies for money, according to some doctors we interviewed for this purpose.

Reliable estimates on the number of people affected are hard to come by since there is no serious effort yet to look deeply into this looming problem that can take its toll on the national health insurance system in the future. Despite this, government officials and experts agree that it is a growing problem.

“After working, they party for the rest of the time,” and industry spokesperson said at a public meeting last month. They “have bad diet, excessive smoking and drinking. We don’t want these young people to burn out.”

The BPO industry, more particularly the call center sector has come under fire because the sedentary lifestyle of its employees combined with often stressful working conditions make employees more vulnerable to heart disease, digestive problems and weight gain than others. Some complain of psychological distress.

Most call center jobs involve responding to phone calls through the night from customers in the United States and Europe – some of whom can be angry and rude.

It is monotonous and there is little meaningful personal interaction among co-workers. That can also be true of other jobs like software writing and back-office work.

“There are times when the stress is so overwhelming that the agents will fail to cope up with it leading to various problems such us being irritable and restless.” according to Dr. Jose De Vera, psychiatrist.

The complaints are varied, but marital incompatibility and relationship issues top the list, Dr. De Vera added.  This  often because the long, odd working hours which means that couples do not have much time to be intimate together.

More women than men ask for help, he said. The outsourcing boom has created new employment opportunities for Filipina women, but there has been little change in social and family expectations. Adding workplace pressures and stress to an already overwhelming responsibilities at home, which often includes taking care of kids and in-laws, leaves women workers with multiple stresses.
For those single women, loneliness can also take a toll. “There is no social life,” said Linda, who worked at night and either slept or watched television during the day. “You are not meeting new people.”

The main trade body of the outsourcing industry, said many of its member.  Some companies have recognized this phenomenon already and are taking the right steps to alleviate the call center agents problems.  Call center firms were already providing advice on health, gyms and money for regular checkups

Some have set up 24-hour help lines for counseling by psychologists, while others have connected with health clubs and counseling companies. Some even built day care centers for children and routinely sponsor group outings by their employees.

But will this be enough to work?  We believe there should be more focused attention on this threatening problem rather than to resolve issues on a piecemeal basis.  Companies should contribute to the study of the lingering effects of call center work to their agents and set aside funding to find solutions to those findings.

You, what do you think?

Do you believe that there is a health hazard to the call center agent job?  If yes, what do you think the industry, the government and the call center agents do to solve this problem?

Source: Pinoy Call Center Jobs Blog
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Read: How to Use Intention to Experience a Desired Change. (At the end of this article you can watch the full movie of "The Secret." Go there now.)


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Rumor: Justice League Movie In The Works After Superman And Green Lantern Sequels

Plans are being put together for Justice League movie for either a 2015 or 2016 release.

DC Entertainment will be spearheading the film, and it will be distributed by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.



Geoff Johns, DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and Co-Producer on the Green Lantern movie, will be on the Justice League movie as an Executive Producer, and will be doing the initial treatment for the film before a writer is brought on to pen the screenplay.

David Goyer (screenwriter on Man of Steel) is said to be the initial favorite for the screenplay.

As Johns hasn't started work on the treatment yet, story details will not be made known, just production details within the next few months as to what it will hold.

The reason for the later release date is to get the movie right and do it proper.

They want Christopher Nolan and wife, Emma Thomas, to be involved in the film in some capacity, most likely as producers. Don't expect Christian Bale as Batman; it will be a new actor in the role.

However, Henry Cavill and Ryan Reynolds could appear as their respective characters, Superman and Green Lantern -- but it is too early to tell.

There is a strong indication that the Justice League movie will be part of a shared universe.

WB wants another Superman movie released before Justice League; however, don't expect that story to be compromised for Justice League, as the next Superman film will still be treated as a stand alone film.

Another Green Lantern film before Justice League is also a possibility. It's being said the Green Lantern sequel will definitely be better than the first as Sinestro will be the villain, and also that the sequel will act as the first step towards a joint universe in which hints towards other heroes can be intergrated more easily (than lets say a Superman sequel).

Source: ComicBookNews
             ComicBookMovie

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Discountitis

By Rene Espinosa

“Discountitis” is fast spreading like a virus among salespeople.  It is a sickening condition which renders a sales agent unable to secure orders at the normal price.  At the slightest hint of price objection, the sales representative will immediately discard his ace right under his sleeves ---  discounts.

Time and again, whenever I am asked to conduct sales training, company owners, Presidents and Sales & Marketing Heads will tell me, “Our people know very little how to handle price objections.  They seem to think that without giving a huge discount, the product or service cannot be closed.”

I can’t help but recall one company where I’ve conducted a sales training program.  In order to simulate a real situation, I asked somebody to play the role of the prospective customer and another to play role of the customer service representative or salesperson.  As a matter of course, the “customer” inquired about the various services of the company and then the price of the one she liked the most. The “salesperson” with much enthusiasm explained the different packages and then told the “customer” the price.   

When the customer showed reluctance and raised concern about the price, immediately and without batting an eyelash, the salesperson offered a whooping 30% Discount.  I could see the very upset reaction in the eyes of the General Manager.  If her people would dispose this way in her presence, the more they would do so in her absence.  Her people would offer discounts left and right at the expense of the company’s profit margin.

How do you handle requests for discounts?  How do you handle price objections?  If you are leading a group of salespeople, you should see to it that your people will internalize them.

1. Before Answering Your Customers’ Price Objections, You Must First Answer Your Own.

If the salesperson himself believes that the price of his company’s product or service is too high, he will not be effective in handling the price objections of the customer.   I believe this is very essential.  In the words of Martin Shafiroff, “All great business successes have strong convictions in what they are doing.  Essentially, the first person you must sell to, if you want to succeed, is yourself.  I believe this is vital.  When you believe in what you are doing, the other party evaluating your comments is going to react accordingly.”

Along this line, business owners or sales leaders must make it a point to give a product orientation to their people.  The purpose is not merely to explain the products but more importantly, to convince them of the value of the products.  This can be done once in a while or during sales meetings.  Remember, if the salesperson is sold himself, then he will not easily cower even under a Herculean pressure.

2. Remember, Many Ask For A Discount Or Raise Price Objections Merely As A Force Of Habit.

Studies show that many who ask for a discount do not expect that their request will be granted.  As Kelley Robertson has put it, “Recognize that people ask for more than they expect to get.” Believe it or not, a lot of prospective customers are just giving it a try.  With or without a discount, they will still buy anyway.  Unfortunately, many customers are far better than the salespeople when it comes to sales presentation or negotiation.  The customers present with more conviction (i.e., the plausibility of a bigger discount) compared to the way the salesperson presents the value of his product. That is why, the stark fact is that, it is the salespeople who often get the shorter end of the stick.  

3. Even If You Have To Give Discounts, You Must First Defend The Price You Have Initially Given.

Picture this in your mind.  Suppose, for example, that you are looking for a second-hand car and I come to your office to offer my Honda Accord.   Let’s just say that my initial offer is Php600,000.  Smirking, you shot back with, “Come on, just give it for Php560,000.”  To your complete surprise, my immediate reply is, “OK, Php560,000.  Deal!”   What would you feel?  Even if you got what you asked for, you would still feel short-changed, don’t you agree?  

If, instead of giving in immediately, I replied, “You know buddy, I could really sell that car even for Php640,000.00  if I were not in a hurry.  I just need money very badly now.  But with its well-maintained engine, new seat covers, etc., etc., Php600,000.00 is a jackpot for you.”  Now, you may still try to haggle down the price.  I may just repeat my justifications but if I have to, I will say, “OK, just to finish the whole thing.  Let’s settle for Php575,000.00.  Even if you manage to ask for more concessions and let’s say, you’ve succeeded to scale it down to Php560,000.00, what would you feel?  You’ll get the impression that you’ve bought something valuable, right?

4. You Should Use Some Effective Techniques To Win In A Sales Negotiation

The next time you find yourself entangled in a negotiation, do not use a knife while your opponent is using an M16.  Allow me to offer a few techniques you may find useful.  To make it easy for you, I will use alliteration - they all start with the letter “S”.

(a) The first is called the SURPRISE technique.

As the title suggests, it is a visible reaction to the offer or counter-offer of the opponent.  If somebody asks for a big discount, for example, instead of appearing calm and composed, you make the other person uncomfortable about his offer by appearing shocked and surprised.  

“What! 30% Discount!”  Unless the other person is a seasoned negotiator, he will lower his expectation for a 30% discount.

(b) The second is called the SUMMARY technique.

Price objections are raised because the prospects fail to appreciate the value of the product.  He looks at the price and it looks far bigger than the benefits the product offers.  Your role as sales professional is to make him see again and again the benefits of using your product.  Here, you can make a brief recap about the different advantages and benefits of your product or services (e.g., safety feature, savings, etc.).  “Mr. Prospect, you did say you wanted this feature.  Likewise, you mentioned it would meet the objectives of your company if the quality is . . . ?  Moreover . . .”

(c) The third is called the SLICE technique.

You can break down the price into smaller units.  Let me illustrate.  Suppose, for example, that you are selling an equipment worth Php96,000 with a lifespan of ten years.  Instead of talking with the prospect about the astronomical amount of Php96,000, you can talk to him about his investment per year which is only Php9,600.  Then you can further break it down and tell your prospect, “This equipment will definitely increase your profits (or reduce overhead costs) year after year for a very small investment of Php 800 a month.  Makes good business sense, don’t you think so?”   

Here’s how a real estate salesman may deal with Mr. Cruz, a prospect who has been renting an apartment for Php15,000.00,  If Mr. Cruz is really interested in a property with a monthly amortization of Php20,000.00  but raises price objections, the real estate salesman can respond with, “Mr. Cruz, what we are talking about here is the fulfillment of your dream for your family.  Your investment here is only Php20,000 a month.  Considering your monthly rental, it means that we are talking of an investment of only Php5,000 a month or Php1,250 a week or less than Php200 a day.  Mr. Cruz, for Php200, will you deny your family a house they can call their own?”

(d) The fourth is called the SUBTRACTION technique.

We have a saying, “You will only know the value of a person when he or she is gone.”  This is true of marriage and courtship, right?  (I am not an expert here, ha ha!).  Guess what?  This principle applies in sales presentation, too.  In order for your prospect to appreciate more the value of the benefits of your product, try “removing” them (mentally).  

So, one of the first things you can do is to determine the features that your prospects like the most about your product then “remove” them.  “Sir, this product has this AAA feature which guarantees more production in your poultry.  If it didn’t have this system like many other products today, the price could be reduced.  But do you want this product without the AAA feature?”   

As you can see, sales negotiation techniques are used to lower your opponent’s expectations or justify your price.  No, your people don’t have to be the next victim of Discountitis if you will exert efforts to train them and make them see the value of your product.

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Note:  If you want to learn more techniques in handling price objections and closing more sales, then don’t miss the special seminar – 39 Ways to Close More Sales to be conducted by Rene Espinosa on November 25 at RCBC Plaza.  For reservations, please call Powermax Consulting Group now at 470-1055.

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Do you have an interesting sales experience?  Like how you have handled a challenging objection or a difficult situation or how you have successfully closed a sale?  Inspire others by sharing it.  I may feature it in my seminar. Send it to rene@powermaxph.com  and  ren.espinosa@gmail.com 

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Canada's New "Super Visa"

Canadian officials on Friday announced a new two-year, multi-entry "super visa" for parents and grandparents of immigrants settled in Canada.

The move came after wait times for sponsorship of "family class" applications had grown to an unwieldy seven years or longer.

"Without taking action, those times will continue to grow, and that is unacceptable," said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney in announcing the move.

"Action must be taken to cut the backlog, reduce the wait times, and ensure that the parents and grandparents program is sustainable over the long run," Kenney said.

The multiple-entry "Parent and Grandparent Super Visa" will be valid for up to 10 years, officials said, and allow applicants to remain in Canada for 24 months before needing seek visa renewal.

The new visas will begin on December 1 and the will be issued, "on average, within eight weeks of the application," officials said.

Source: Y! News

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How a Few Bad Apples Ruin Everything

What harm can a handful of nasty or incompetent employees do? A lot more than you may think.

By ROBERT SUTTON

Superstars get a lot of attention from bosses. But bad apples deserve even more.A growing body of research suggests that having just a few nasty, lazy or incompetent characters around can ruin the performance of a team or an entire organization—no matter how stellar the other employees.

Bad apples distract and drag down everyone, and their destructive behaviors, such as anger, laziness and incompetence, are remarkably contagious. Leaders who let a few bad apples in the door—perhaps in exchange for political favors—or look the other way when employees are rude or incompetent are setting the stage for even their most skilled people to fail.

It's crucial for leaders to screen out bad apples before they're hired—and if they do slip through the cracks, bosses must make every effort to reform or (if necessary) oust them. 

Spreading the Vibes

It's easy to understand why bosses would rather focus on attracting and developing superstars. A mountain of research shows that stars and geniuses can deliver astounding results. And, obviously, it's more fun and inspiring to focus on top-performing, energetic employees.

But studies of everything from romantic relationships to workplace encounters show that negative interactions can pack a much bigger wallop than positive ones. The reason is simple: "Bad is stronger than good," as psychologist Roy Baumeister and his colleagues put it. The negative thoughts, feelings and performance they trigger in others are far larger and longer lasting than the positive responses generated by more constructive colleagues.

Consider research on bad apples and team effectiveness by Will Felps, Terence R. Mitchell and Eliza Byington. They examined the impact of team members who were deadbeats ("withholders of effort"), downers (who "express pessimism, anxiety, insecurity and irritation") and jerks (who violate "interpersonal norms of respect"). An experiment by Mr. Felps found that having just one slacker or jerk in a group can bring down performance by 30% to 40%.

How can organizations squash those negative influences? The easiest way, obviously, is to avoid hiring bad apples in the first place—and that means taking a different approach to assessing candidates for jobs.

The usual means of screening are often weak when it comes to determining if a job candidate is a bad apple. Candidates may have gone to the best schools or may come across as charming and brilliant in interviews—thus disguising their laziness, incompetence or nastiness.

That's why one of the best ways to screen employees is to see how they actually do the job under realistic conditions. Akshay Kothari and Ankit Gupta favor that approach. When they're hiring new people for their Palo Alto, Calif., company, Pulse, which makes a news-reading app for mobile devices, they consider evaluations from peers and superiors and do multiple rounds of interviews. But they say the most effective thing is to bring candidates in for a day or two and give them a short job to accomplish. (The candidates are paid for their time.)

Not only do they learn a lot about the candidates' technical skills, Messrs. Kothari and Gupta say, but they also learn about their personality. How do they deal with setbacks? Do they know when to ask for help and to give others help? Is the candidate the kind of person they want to work with? The partners say there have been several candidates who looked great on paper and came highly recommended but weren't offered jobs—because technical and interpersonal weaknesses surfaced during the selection process.

Play Nice or Else

Beyond smarter screening, it's important to develop a culture that doesn't tolerate jerks. The best organizations make explicit their intolerance for bad apples; they spell out which behaviors are unacceptable in the workplace and act decisively to prevent and halt them.

Consider Robert W. Baird & Co., a financial-services firm that has won praise as a great place to work. The company is serious about creating a culture where disrespect and selfishness are unacceptable. They call this the "no jerk rule" (though they use a more colorful word than "jerk").

The company starts sending the message during the hiring process, says CEO Paul Purcell. "During the interview, I look them in the eye and tell them, 'If I discover that you are a jerk, I am going to fire you,' " he says. "Most candidates aren't fazed by this, but every now and then, one turns pale, and we never see them again—they find some reason to back out of the search."

When the company makes a hiring error and brings aboard an employee who persistently demeans colleagues or puts personal needs ahead of others, Baird acts quickly to deal with or expel the bad apple.

Mr. Purcell's crusty approach won't work in every company culture. For an idea of how to handle the task with a more subtle hand, look at renowned chef Alice Waters, who has headed the restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., for 40 years now.

Biographer Thomas McNamee describes how Ms. Waters's love of people and food has spread to those around her. Along the way, though, many bad apples have been shown the door—but Ms. Waters doesn't hold it open. The process usually starts when one of her colleagues conveys the message that Ms. Waters isn't "entirely pleased." If the hints don't work, then that colleague—or someone else close to Ms. Waters—does the firing.

A spokesman for Chez Panisse says Ms. Waters does personally fire employees on occasion and "she manages to have that person feel as though they are making the decision to leave and it is better for themselves to move on and explore new opportunities." He also notes that a large percentage of employees have been with the restaurant for decades.

Keeping Them Close

There are times, of course, when an organization can't—or won't—remove a destructive personality. Maybe the person is a star as well as a bad apple, for instance, or is otherwise crucial to the operation. In such cases, leaders might try to use coaching, warnings and incentives to curb the toxic employee's behavior. Another tactic is to physically isolate the bad apple.

In one organization, there was a deeply skilled and incredibly nasty engineer whom leaders could not bring themselves to fire. So, they rented a beautiful private office for him several blocks from the building where his colleagues worked. His co-workers were a lot happier—and so was he, since he preferred working alone.

But beware: Leaders who believe that destructive superstars are "too important" to fire often underestimate the damage they can do. Stanford researchers Charles O'Reilly and Jeffrey Pfeffer report a revealing episode at a clothing retailer. The company fired a top-producing salesman who was a bad apple. After he was gone, none of his former colleagues sold as much as he had. But the store's total sales shot up by nearly 30%. The lesson, according to the researchers: "That one individual brought the others down, and when he was gone, they could do their best."

Mr. Sutton, a professor of management science and engineering at Stanford University, is the author of "Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best…and Learn from the Worst." He can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal

Recommended Read: How to be the Millionaire Next Door


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Munoz stops Leben in UFC 138 main event

Before UFC 138 ever started, Mark Munoz said that he believed he was finally hitting his stride and was ready to make a statement in the middleweight division.

The former two-time NCAA champion wrestler did exactly that with a hard-fought performance and victory over Chris Leben to cap off UFC 138. Munoz won via TKO when Leben couldn’t continue after the second round.

In what had to be one of the craziest rounds of the year, Munoz and Leben went after each other with reckless abandon during the first five minutes of their fight, throwing the fact that they had 25 minutes to battle out the window.

Leben on a couple of occasions looked to put Munoz away with guillotine chokes, as well as launching his signature sledgehammer lefts and rights. Meanwhile, Munoz played a very smart and tactical strategy putting Leben on his back and wailing away with what has become the most vicious ground and pound in the sport.
Munoz has learned so much about MMA since he started fighting that some wondered if he was going away from his wrestling too much, but he fought Leben with the best strategy available to him and he says that was the game plan all along.

“I had to get my angles, utilize my wrestling, hit my single leg and use my ground and pound. That’s what I did,” Munoz said.

 

The first round was a dogfight with back and forth exchanges, and both Leben and Munoz tried to gain a slight upper hand. As the fight wore on, however, Leben’s gas tank started to drain and Munoz was able to kick into overdrive.

A right hand came crashing down on Leben’s eye courtesy of Munoz, and a large gash was opened up as the former “Ultimate Fighter” season 1 competitor started to wear a crimson mask of blood. A brief doctor’s check allowed the fight to continue, but Munoz was unrelenting in his attack.

Seeing Leben as a wounded animal, Munoz went in for the kill and threw punches with all of his force behind him, looking for the finish. The second round horn sounded, but that was all she wrote.
As Leben’s corner checked on him, he simply said that he couldn’t see and that was all they needed to signify the fight was over and declare Munoz the winner.

“Chris Leben is a tough, tough competitor,” Munoz said about his opponent. “I knew I had to look out for his left hand, and he came with it. I had to get rid of my brawling instincts and I had to stick to my wrestling, so that’s what I did.”

While it certainly wasn’t the highlight finish he was looking for, Munoz punished Leben and definitely earned the victory. Following the fight, Leben paid Munoz credit for his evolved fight style and his ability to get the victory.

“Hard to fight when you’re choking on blood. He got me good,” Leben stated. “Munoz is a National Champion wrestler, he’s as good as they come on the ground and I definitely need to evaluate my ground game after that performance. He did a fantastic job on the ground. It takes a man to know to know when they’re beat and he beat me tonight.”

Sources: Yahoo! Sports and MMA Weekly
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