Ignore This Outdated Career Advice (and What to Do Instead)
When it comes to getting and keeping a job, much of the conventional wisdom you learned as a child has turned out to be irrelevant. Forget the advice that you should completely separate your personal and professional lives; What is the protocol for following your boss on Instagram?
I hesitate to participate in the generational battle that sees baby boomers pitted against millennials and the rising power of Gen Z in the workplace. (I purposely didn’t mention Gen X because being unnoticed is all Gen X needs.) That said, it’s hard to get professional advice from someone who started his career with a newspaper ad and a firm handshake.
So which career advice stands the test of time, and which should be discarded? Tony Frana, career services manager at FlexJobs and Remote.co , tells Lifehacker some of the most outdated advice their career coaching team uses all the time.
Obsolete: Always write your resume and cover letter using formal language.
It’s complicated. While you should always check application materials for spelling and grammar, the same old “to whom it may concern” language will definitely not help you stand out as an applicant.
Updated: Serve your language in the company
As you research the company and its culture, try to align your resume and cover letter appropriately. Frana advises when you’re writing your cover letter and resume, “Use language that matches the tone and voice of the company or industry you’re applying for, which in turn helps demonstrate that you’re a great fit for that company .” “For example, overly formal language can alienate a sloppy startup. On the other hand, don’t risk joking in a cover letter to a team that clearly takes itself seriously.
Deprecated: jumping from job to job looks bad
You may have heard that “jumping from work” will ruin your resume. While the older generation can expect to stay at the same company for decades, Millennials and Generation Z have no such guarantee. Frana says that “hanging out at a job that makes you miserable doesn’t do you or your employer any good.”
Updated: Make the gig economy work for you
Don’t be afraid to resume your job search if you feel out of sorts. According to Frana and her team of career coaches, “People who jump from job to job or even career to career are no longer regarded with suspicion.” If you jump, make sure you can explain your reasoning in the next interview. Even better, make sure you can explain why your gig range will benefit your future employer.
Outdated: When your interviewer asks about your weaknesses, suggest strengths.
The idea of always turning your weaknesses into strengths is an old climax. “My biggest weakness, you ask? That I care too much. That I’m a perfectionist. That I work too hard…”
Frana points out that while this sounds like a good idea in theory, it doesn’t work in practice: “There’s a chance you’ll come across as arrogant or unaware of your true weaknesses.” Give the interviewer credit when it comes to spotting your bullshit.
Updated: Be honest and ready to get better
Talking about your weaknesses in an interview sounds like a disaster, but you can make it work for you. “Acknowledging that you have a weakness and being aware of it goes a long way in showing the hiring manager that you are willing to explore what you are good at and what you are not good at,” Frana says.
As you prepare for an interview, take the time to come up with an answer to the proverbial “greatest weakness” question. Your response is to honestly acknowledge the weakness and then immediately move on to all the ways you are working to overcome it.
Deprecated: Keep all your social networks private
Whether or not you want your boss to follow you on social media, it’s unrealistic for many of us to completely separate our personal lives from our work personas. Many of us even consider our colleagues to be friends, and it seems like outdated clerical logic to pretend you don’t have a life outside of work.
Update: It’s ok to be human
As long as you feel comfortable, it’s usually okay to connect with colleagues on social media. Obviously, you’ll cross the line by tweeting nasty comments about a colleague, or posting beach photos when you said you were sick, or anything else that compromises your integrity as an employee. Don’t be surprised if you face repercussions at work for this online behavior. Otherwise, don’t be afraid to like your manager’s tweets. In fact, social media can help remind your team that you are a multi-dimensional person in and out of the workplace.
Traditional advice for Generation Z
There is professionalism that is timeless, and most of it comes down to respect. Gen Z tends to be more fearless about criticism of their workplace (which I think is a positive cultural shift), but there are still guidelines for how to be polite.
For example, Frana mentions the so-called ” big resignation ” and the tendency of some employees to abruptly leave their current positions, which is called “anger withdrawal”. Frana says it’s “always better to leave on good terms, even if you ‘hate’ your boss or disagree with your employer.” Frana continues: “While you are looking for a new job, do your best to manage your situation and focus your efforts on putting together a career search action plan . There’s something to be said for walking the high road and carrying yourself with as much poise and grace as possible.” Channel your dissatisfaction with your past job into motivation for a new one.
And finally, there are a lot of remote work tips and tricks that all generations have learned at once over the past few years. If you’re feeling nervous on the first day of your new remote job, here’s everything you need to know about making the most of it .