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Nikki Winston, CPA: Okay. So I wanna talk today to those of you who have ever left a job because you didn't like it. You maybe were bored with what you were doing. Maybe it was beneath you, or you just did not feel like you were adding any value. You didn't understand how the work that you do at your desk is part of something bigger or something grander that makes the department better or faster or provide some deeper insights that weren't there before.
The thing that we need to talk about today and the thing I want you to understand is that you cannot say that you don't like your job if you haven't challenged it. So again, you can't walk on a walk around and say, I don't like my job, or I'm quitting because I hate this job, but you've never challenged what it is that you're doing. So this is what I'm talking about. When you come into a new job, many cases, you're a backfill, and you're coming in to pick up where somebody else left off, who may have quit, or been fired, or laid off, or whatever. So, a lot of times, you're inheriting whatever that person had, whatever they were responsible for, and there's this expectation that because you're new, they need you to follow whatever that other person was doing first.
Right? And, you get to a point where you're onboarding in the job, and you're ramping up and starting to figure out how things work. But you never go back and question what you're doing, why you're doing it that way, if it can be done a better way, and how is this helping paint a better picture for the department, for the company, etcetera. And, until you go back and do that assessment, you're basically doing somebody else's job. The job of somebody who's no longer there, and you have to figure out if you're doing it the right way, if you're doing it the best way.
And then, that's where the added value comes in in your role, is that you have that eye to say, there's an opportunity here. Or you feel like, we can do this a lot better. Or, I don't know. I'm I'm I have accounting examples going through my mind of, why do we close the books in 11 days instead of 6 days? What's the bottleneck?
What's taking us so long? Are we waiting for invoices to roll in when we can accrue and move on? Or are we bottlenecked by some report from HR about contract labor that we still have not received, and it's day 5. Things like that. Asking those bigger questions instead of being a warm body in a seat is how you add the value in the role.
So, one thing that you will hear me talk about ad nauseam, if this is your first time, welcome. If it's your 50th time, welcome back. One thing you'll hear me talk about ad nauseam is having conversations with your manager and, occasionally, your skip level, your manager's manager. And the reason for that is a lot of the turnover, when we decide to leave a job, or we quit, or fired, laid off, whatever the circumstance is. It's just like being in a relationship.
A lot of your reason for leaving is probably something that could've been addressed with a conversation. And it really blows my mind, the number of people that I talk to, either we're at a networking event, they've booked a career assessment with me, they've reached out in some capacity. And one of the things I ask everybody is, how often are you talking to your manager about what you have going on, about what's keeping you up at night, how they can support you, days that you have off that are coming up soon on the calendar, in case somebody needs to cover your work. Because it might be on their calendar, but you might have put it on the calendar 3 months ago, but they forgot, because there's a lot more shit going on. And so, it it blows my mind because these are the the things that need to be talked about, And this is the purpose of you booking time with your manager.
At minimum, once a week. It can be 20 or 30 minute conversation. Doesn't have to be super formal. There are some managers, and I'm gonna talk about this in detail in another episode. I think I did already.
Yeah. So there's already an episode where I've gone into detail about the importance of managing your manager. And keeping in mind that your manager is also managing their career. They're managing people. So they're having things come down on them from their managers and their skip levels.
And then they have to disseminate things to you and still be there for you in terms of guidance and coaching. So, you have to make sure that you keep yourself on the radar, and don't expect your manager to approach you to have conversations or initiate these sorts of things. Because at the end of the day, and the beginning of the next, you are in the driver's seat of your career. And, this is an aspect of you taking charge and really owning your career and building the career that you want. And so, if you have not had these conversations because you feel like, that feels awkward, or I don't know how to initiate the conversation, or I don't wanna just be sitting in the conference room across from my manager, and we don't have anything to talk about.
And I was the same way early in my career when I was trying to figure out how do I make sure that my manager knows that I exist, because there's a bunch of people on my team. I don't wanna get lost in the sauce. And I said I put myself in my manager's shoes, and I said, if I was my manager and somebody came to me and wanted to talk to me, what are some things we should be talking about? And so, talking about what's on your to do list, what you have going on at work, a recent meeting that might have happened, a team meeting, or a department meeting, something that you wanted to dive deeper into. Admin kind of stuff.
Hey. I just just so you know, my my week long vacation to Mexico is coming up on the 23rd. I just wanna just kinda put that out there just so you know. You know? And it like I said before, it might be on the calendar already, but over communicating is better than not communicating or having a conversation with your manager, and you're blindsided by the things that they're saying to you, because there's no regular cadence of communication.
So there's even times where you can go in there and say, hey. I'm in this role right now, but a year from now, I wanna be in that role, or I wanna do this, or go to that department. So start having those conversations now and putting those things in the air so that however your manager can support you in getting to your next your next role and where you wanna be professionally, they might know somebody in that department. And they can help you starting to with with you getting that exposure to that department that you wanna work in or that senior level role that you're going after. And it's really important for you to put that stuff out there because not every manager is going to say, hey.
You're new to the team. Or even if you're not, hey. Let's talk about where you are with your career and what you wanna do and how I can support you. Not every manager is going to make themselves available in that way. Could be because that's just their personality, or it could be because they really want to, but they don't wanna pile something else onto their plate.
But, if that initiative is coming from the team, then most managers will make time to say, yes, let me be available and be present with Nicole and talk through some questions and and some some things that she wants to talk about. And then that might lead to you influencing your manager to initiate conversations with other people on the team as they begin to see the value in having these conversations. And so it's it's really it's it's tough to move around in the corporate streets by yourself. Because you're usually a phone call, a meeting, an email away from somebody who knows the somebody who knows the somebody that can push the button. Right?
So it doesn't have to be...
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This episode of #CareerConvos™️ with Nikki is about:
Speaking up in meetings, letting your presence be knownHaving an agenda for your meetings - even if you create your ownEverything you think and feel doesn't need to be put in the universeOwn the energy that you bring into the environmentWhether you're at the office or at the house, get dressed for workThere's nothing "soft" about soft skills, they're transferable and they can take you farThere are things at work that you can't control, but there are things that you can control: your appearance, your energy, your attitude, and your effort
"Don't be the person that people look to for gossip, but they won't look to for guidance." ★ Support this podcast ★
And if you take away nothing else from this episode, take this as your career advice from me: -
Don’t assume that your manager really knows what you're up to at work. They too have a career to manage + other people, so your stuff isn’t always top of mind. Join me to explore practical ways to manage upward and use your influence, regardless of your job title.
From improving communication to highlighting your achievements effectively, this episode of #CareerConvos™️ with Nikki gives you the tools to steer your career. Learn how to navigate office dynamics confidently so your hard work gets noticed.
Tap in and discover how to shape your professional journey strategically!
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You're burned out at work. Before you go looking for a new job, ask yourself: What are you running TO, or what are you running away FROM?
In this episode of Career Convos with Nikki, I'm talking about burnout, corporate drama, and the challenges of networking in a remote world. With over one-third of employees looking for new jobs and more than 7.8 million people having already left their positions, burnout is a significant issue we can't ignore. I'll explore a crucial question: Are you running to something better or running away from your current situation?
As you consider leaving your job, it's important to reflect on a few key aspects. I'll discuss what to evaluate before making a career move and how to navigate the corporate landscape during these turbulent times.
Here's a guide to go along with this episode to help you manage up and navigate the office antics: Smart 1:1 Guide for Employee Manager Meetings
Some highlights in this episode:
Burnout in the Workplace
- It's crazy that 7.8 MILLION people have left their jobs due to burnout, entrepreneurship, and other reasons
- Do you wake up excited to go to work?Corporate Drama
- Don't leave your job because of another person
- The impact of corporate culture on employee well-beingNetworking in a Remote World
- Don't get lost in the virtual sauce
- Strategies for building and maintaining professional relationships remotelySelf-Reflection Before a Career Move
- Key questions to ask yourself about job fulfillment
- Evaluating your motivations and goalsGet Help with a Career Assessment
If you're feeling overwhelmed or considering a career change, let's talk. Schedule a career assessment with me. Let's find the professional clarity you need to move forward with confidence.Also download the guide to having 1:1 conversations with your manager so it doesn't feel awkward or forced.
I hope this episode helps you find the clarity and motivation to take charge of your career. You deserve it!
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Welcome to CareerConvos™️ with Nikki, the podcast that’s all about owning your career and showing up as your authentic self. Whether you’re preparing for the CPA exam, navigating the corporate world, or building your own business, this is the career coaching you need to elevate your career.
I’m Nikki, a CPA, corporate accounting executive, and WERKin' Momma with a passion for sharing career experiences and guidance for accounting and finance professionals.
Do you have a professional development budget at work? I dare you ask for one.
Each episode is a conversation about what you need to know as you build your brand, work your way up the corporate ladder, and managing up, down, and across your organization. You'll get the unfiltered, unedited truth, as we have real conversations about what it really means to DO THE WORK to empower you to take charge of your career. So, grab your your water, your tea, your whiskey, or your coffee and let's go!Visit nikkwinstoncpa.com/career to schedule a career assessment with me plus explore resources like interview prep, building your brand, networking, and career coaching to help you elevate your career.
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Are you looking for answers to questions about your career? Email me your career questions and I'll answer on an upcoming episode of #CareerConvos™️ with Nikki.
Career Q&A: should I still give notice if I leave a job because of a toxic workplace?My answer is YES.
Don’t let a toxic workplace dictate how you carry yourself. Handle professional situations with grace no matter what. For these reasons:
Somebody’s coming into that job after you. Don’t make it harder for them because of what you had going on. In fact, make it easier for them because they’re about to be dealing with the same problems you dealt with. Once you allow the toxic workplace to rub off on you and impact your behavior, you’ll carry that, in some aspect, to a new role and worse…Into your personal life. How many times have you complained to a friend or family member about the fuckery you’re dealing with at work? Now you’re spreading the negativity that you’re trying to get away from to people you love. On that same note, I know you got some small words you wanna say to your manager. Are you willing to degrade your brand over it? It’s really not worth it and won’t make a difference because… point 5!The leaders in a toxic workplace already know their workplace is toxic, yet they do nothing about it.Toxic work environments permeate the ecosystem of a business. It shows in how the company treats employees, through interactions with customers, even how they pay their bills.
So the job didn’t turn out to be what you thought it was. You wound up working for a manager that shouldn’t have been a manager. It happens, it’s OK.
The takeaways:
Don’t let a bad work environment define you. Being in toxic work environments is a reminder to be more selective in the jobs you choose. Don’t take a job because it’s convenient or pays more - everything is negotiable. Preserve your brand, even if you don’t like your coworkers. All it takes is a hot second to destroy your reputation. Don’t buy in to the pettiness.You have to develop the ability to work with people you don’t like. That’s a deeper conversation.
What if an interviewer asks you why you’re leaving your job? Would you say it’s because of a toxic workplace or something else? We'll talk about that on another episode.
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