6 Tips for Dealing with a Younger Boss

6 Tips for Dealing with a Younger Boss6 Tips for Dealing with a Younger BossGetting a new manager typically translates into a different working environment, different expectations, and different communication styles. And a significant age difference between you and your new manager can make these differences mora pronounced. While an age difference can certainly result in an odd dynamic, there are several things you can do so you and your new young anfhrer get off to the best possible start.1. Own your reactionIts common these days to have multiple generations in the workplace. But when your babo is significantly younger than you, it can lead to negative emotions. A study by the Journal of Organizational Behavior found the average age differences determine how frequently older subordinates and their coworkers experience negative emotions These emotion frequency levels, in turn, relate to company performance.You may tempted to question why your company made the decision to hire or pr omote this younger person. What does it say about your experience and how the company values your contributions? These questions are normal, so before you draw conclusions, acknowledge your reaction to the news. Its ok to feel this way. After you experience your emotions, ask yourself why its bothering you. Is this a job you wanted? Are you afraid your boss doesnt have the experience to lead well? If you are uncomfortable for one of these reasons, give your new boss some time. They will likely answer these questions. If you realize youre only upset because of your ego, take a minute to consider changing your feelings toward this change. You have the ability to make an impact on your own thoughts.2. Acknowledge the elephant in the roomYoure probably not the only one feeling awkward about the situation. In fact, your boss may have similar feelings. If you feel the tension, talk about it. You can make a joke about the strange relationship, but address it so it doesnt impact you and you r teams ability to be successful. You can see this conversation as an opportunity to build strong communication with your new boss.3. Set expectationsAsk your boss how they work best. Do they respond to texts or emails first, or would they prefer a call? Are they a morning person, or do they prefer to stay late to finish a project? Setting expectations about work habits early in the relationship can alleviate potential miscommunication. It also helps to know how to reach your boss quickly if issues arise.4. Share your knowledgeBe confident in what you bring to the team. Your experience gives you insight into situations your boss may not have been exposed to yet. Share the knowledge youve gained in your years of working. This puts you in a position to be your bosss trusted resource. The more your boss understands your knowledge and abilities, the more opportunities you will have for your own growth.5. Keep an open mindJust because someone is younger doesnt mean you cant learn from th em. According to Harvard Business School Press Geeks and Geezers, The one key asset that our leaders share, whether young or old, is their adaptive capacity. The ability to process new experience and find their meaning and to integrate them in to ones life is the signature skill of leaders.Consider how your new boss was able to rise to this point in their career. Whats the key skill they have that could help you be more successful? It may be management skills, something technical, or how to navigate the corporate environment. Regardless of what positive quality of theirs you settle on, be sure to keep an open mind. Youll learn more than you mightve expected.6. Build your networkUse this new experience to build your network. Ask contacts if theyve had a similar experience, and use their knowledge as additional support to navigate the relationship with your new boss. Theres a chance it wont work out with a new boss, regardless of their age. Building strong communication in your networ k can help you find new opportunities with other companies if you need to move on.In the end, a new boss, regardless of age, will change your work environment. The key to managing this change is open communication and building trust. Focus on what you want to accomplish and how you can work with your new team to get there together.A version of this post previously appeared onFairygodboss, the largest career community that helps women get the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits, and work flexibility. Founded in 2015, Fairygodboss offers company ratings, job listings, discussion boards, and career advice.

Customer Service Associate Job Description Sample

Customer Service Associate Job Description SampleCustomer Service Associate Job Description SampleCustomer Service Associate Job Description SampleThiscustomer service associatesample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements.Customer Service Associate Job ResponsibilitiesMaintains customer relationship by responding to inquiries documenting actions.Customer Service Associate Job DutiesPrepares for customer inquiries by studying products, services, and customer service processes.Responds to customer inquiries by understanding inquiry reviewing previous inquiries and responses gathering and researching information assembling and forwarding information verifying customers understanding of information and answer.Records customer inquiries by documenting inquiry and response in customers accounts.Improves qualit y service by recommending improved processes identifying new product and service applications.Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities.Accomplishes customer service and organization mission by completing related results as needed.Customer Service Associate Skills and QualificationsProduct Knowledge, Informing Others, Data Entry Skills, Organization, Analyzing Information , Verbal Communication, Reporting Skills, Managing Processes, Customer Focus, General Consulting Skills, Multi-taskingEmployers Post a job in minutes to reach candidates everywhere. Job Seekers Search Customer Service Associate Jobs and apply on now. Learn more abouthow to hireSample Interview Questions How to InterviewBenchmarking 101 How to Pay New HiresHR Salary Information Employee Compensation

Build Your Written Communication Skills

Build Your Written Communication SkillsBuild Your Written Communication SkillsWritten communication skills can be useful, even crucial, for career success. If youre good at business writing, youre more likely to create a good impression. But if you arent getting the homilie across clearly with your words, your chances for getting jobs, promotions, raises and bonuses may be harmed.Whether youre sending a winning cover letter to a hiring manager, a memo to a colleague, a report to your team or an email to a client, crisp, highly focused and error-free writing signals that youre someone who is organized, knowledgeable and detail oriented.Conversely, written communications that are long-winded, imprecise or strewn with typos leave readers wondering how you handle other aspects of your job. If your business writing abilities are a weakness, the time to improve is now.How can you develop written communication skills?Writing can be intimidating, but as with most things, practice helps. So d oes learning the basics. You can do that by taking a business-writing course at your local community college or in an online workshop. Asking a trusted coworker, friend or family member to review your words can also help.To get you started, here are five steps that can make a real difference in developing effective written communication skills1. Have the right mindset Before you begin any writing project, gather the necessary resources and have them nearby, including research materials. The more prepared you are, the more relaxed youll be as you start. First-rate writing does not happen by accident. Before placing a single finger on the keyboard, take a moment to organize your thoughts and identify the primary purpose of the written communication. Who is your audience? What do you want people to know or do when they finish reading what youve written? Keep those answers top of mind as you write.Robert Half has been helping job seekers find great career opportunities since 1948. Let u s help you find the right job for you.GET HELP FINDING WORK2. Sort it outMake sure you have a game plan in place. What is the main message you want to get across? Its helpful to handwrite all the key points you want to make in advance so you dont forget any. Also create a brief outline of what youd like to cover in a logical order. This step can be particularly useful for larger documents that need to address many issues.3. Write in a straightforward mannerProfessionals with strong written communication skills know its critical to get to the point immediately with any message or you may lose your audience. Between emails, texts, the web, memos and reports, people are on information overload - and they wont wade through overly long messages.Many people also weigh down their written communications with buzzwords, cliches, jargon and pretentious prose. This approach only muddles the message. For example, Lets have a quick meeting is much better than Lets mindshare to align and synergi ze our deliverables. Impress readers with your cogent thinking, not your mastery of corporate-speak. Nobody will miss the overused cliches and fancy $5 words.The KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy is a good one to follow. Include summaries at the beginning of big reports, and use bullets or numbers to separate individual points (like weve done with this blog post). Also avoid using acronyms or industry jargon. Use too many confusing or annoying abbreviations and your audience may move on to another pressing task, missing your message altogether.4. Stay professionalAs you try to improve your written communication skills, take everything you write seriously, steering clear of any controversial or sensitive subjects. This can be easier said than done. Seriously, who doesnt want to joke around with coworkers in emails about a ridiculous new company policy? You never know when your email or other message could be forwarded, though. When in doubt, think about whether youre comfortab le with the entire company - including your boss - reading what youve written.5. Check it again - and againMaybe you feel like your written communication skills are on track as you make a compelling case for updating your offices phone system. However, as you put together your masterpiece, youre moving along so quickly that the document is filled with typos and spelling mistakes. No worries, you tell yourself. Youll just run a spellcheck, and all will be fine, right?No. Spellcheck can and does miss a wide range of errors. So its worth spending a few extra minutes to reread messages yourself, and even have another person check them or read them aloud to yourself.Build your written communications skills and always review what you write for typos, tone and clarity. That way, you can make sure youre getting your point across clearly and wowing people for the right reasons.Subscribe to the Robert Half newsletter for free articles and resources to help you succeed in your career - all sent directly to your inbox. Tags