by Teena Rose

Your boss is a jerk, idiot and a moron. A fool, schmuck and a bonehead. The problem is, you don’t have a lot of options because you’ve grown accustomed to receiving a paycheck every two weeks. Therefore – for the time being anyway – you have to deal with it.

Many workers can relate to the axiom that “job seekers join great companies but leave because of bad bosses.” Everyone has the brutal boss story. They can come in any shape, size or sex. Your boss could have that not-so-wonderful trait of thinking that you don’t have a life outside of work, or that you should always put work ahead of everything else, including family. Whether it’s the grouchy, overbearing male boss or the bipolar, neurotic female one, coping skills have become a valuable skill in today’s workplace.

The bad boss even has the power to make you sick. A two-year Finnish study that appeared in The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine concluded that employees who had to deal with difficult or unfair issues at work were more likely to become physically ill. The study, which included 7,000 workers, says that workplaces with supervisors who rated poorly experience a 41 percent higher risk of absence due to illness for men, and 12 percent higher for women.

In order to manage a boss that’s an overbearing fusspot, who takes credit for your work and fails to support you in any way, shape or form, you must first step back and analyze the situation. Does your boss have any clue that they’re no good? A bad boss is a relative term, and if your fellow employees and higher-ups in the company don’t have the same feelings that you do, maybe a little introspection is in order.

However, if there’s a consensus that you’re putting up with a boss that makes Attila the Hun look like an understanding human being, then it’s time for you to put a plan into action.

The first thing to do is get to the source. Try to get to the bottom of what makes him or her bad. Do you have a micromanaging boss that must look over your shoulder about every detail, or a hands-off boss that fails to provide leadership, direction or feedback? Is your boss a good person, but incompetent and way overwhelmed, or a tyrant whose insecurity makes him or her rule with an iron fist? Regardless of what lousy traits you encounter from your work supervisor, the bad boss will always be as synonymous with the corporate culture as the cubicle. So here are a few ways to cope:

Is it me? This is a very important first step. Be honest with yourself and take a practical approach to whether you’re performing well or not. Your problem could be that you just don’t share the same values with your boss, which in turn forces you to lash out at his or her management style.

Talk isn’t cheap This may seem uncomfortable, but just like any good relationship, communication is the key. Have a sit-down with your boss and tell him or her what you think is missing in terms of support and direction. Believe it or not, it is possible to do this in a constructive way, and you may even be praised for being honest and forthcoming.

Take the high ground? Don’t ever sink to the bad boss’ level. Act professional no matter the situation and don’t do anything that compromises your job, like slacking off at work or confronting your boss while you’re angry.

Open a vent: Find a mentor to shape your career and outlets to let off steam. Resist the temptation to trash the boss with coworkers, however. Someone who seems like a trusted friend at work may end up telling someone who then relays your trash-talk to the boss.

Speak Up and Stand Out

Think of a take-charge leader and names like Teddy Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Donald Trump and George Patton come to mind. What’s wrong with this list? Well, there’s way too much testosterone running through it and not a woman in sight.

Obviously, there are many great women throughout history who have led nations, movements, agencies, universities and corporations. But the term take-charge is synonymous with men and is a characteristic that women still struggle to embrace.

The irony of this is that women are typically considered to possess better communication skills than men, and the essence of good leadership is the ability to communicate a clear and meaningful vision. But while women place a high value on interpersonal communications with friends, family, husbands and boyfriends, a refresher course on communication in the workplace might not be a bad idea.

Generally, men tend to have the upper hand on women when taking charge in the business world because from an early age they learn aggressive, authoritative behavior that translates into being able to handle workplace situations. Women who outwardly show these traits tend to get noticed and will be thought of as confident by both male and female supervisors.

Women’s rights activist Faye Wattleton offered this advice: “Whoever is providing leadership needs to be as fresh and thoughtful and reflective as possible to make the very best fight.”

And fighting the best fight at work starts with a little self-promotion. Men don’t always get things handed to them at work. They tend to be shameless self-promoters because they know that being recognized is part of the game. Now, it’s not necessary to be an over-the-top Don King-type or an annoying name-dropper, but promoting yourself is the best way to get you and your work noticed. Drop subtle hints about the success of a project you worked on. Include your job title when introducing yourself at conferences, parties, and workplace functions. Take credit for achievements and make a note of getting your name in the workplace grapevine.

The corporate culture is no longer just a man’s world, but they still have a solid grip on power positions and making policy. This environment makes it even more important for women to step up in order to stand out. As the late Canadian feminist Charlotte Whitton quipped, “Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”

It’s also not as difficult as it seems to get recognized at work. Approach it as a vital part of your job. It’s unfortunate, but you could be the hardest worker in the office and not get the deserved credit because you consider it as “just doing your job.” Perceptions mean everything at the office, and are just as meaningful as what you actually accomplish. That might seem a bit dishonest, but it’s simply a fact of life in the workplace.

Increase your visibility by volunteering for assignments and offering positive comments during meetings. There’s probably a stack of business cards a mile high in your desk drawer. Use these as a contact tool to get your name out there. Real estate agents are professionals who understand the importance of name recognition. Since people tend to only need their services every five years or so, it’s necessary for a successful agent to establish his or her name in the community.

You don’t have a public relations firm working for you, so you’ll have to take on the job yourself. If you stay proactive and productive in the self-PR arena, the dividends might just be a better job, better salary and a fulfilling career.

Facts, Figures Give You the Power to Negotiate Salary

It would be nice if we all had a wizard that followed us from job to job, acting as a financial guiding force throughout our careers. Well, this isn’t the movies and the workplace definitely isn’t Fantasyland.

There is, however, a little tool called a salary wizard that’s popped up on the Internet and can be found at many prominent employment websites like Monster and CareerBuilder. It’s a device that has come in handy and helped give employees valuable information for determining what they’re worth, which is the No. 1 concern for most employees. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 89% of workers say salary is the most important factor when deciding on whether to take a job or turn it down.

Everyone would like to know if they’re paychecks are up to snuff when compared to other workers in related fields. But finding this out doesn’t come naturally. It’s not like your boss is going to volunteer information on what other companies are paying and whether or not your compensation package is fair. That’s something you’re going to have to do on your own.

The first thing to determine when evaluating your salary is understanding the total package. For instance, let’s say you’re in the job market and Alpha Company in Sacramento, Calif., has made you an offer of $50,000 per year with above-average benefits and three weeks vacation, while Beta Company in San Francisco has offered you $70,000 per year with standard benefits and two weeks vacation. At first glance the job with the higher salary looks great, but the cost of living in the San Francisco area makes the compensation package offered by the Sacramento employer the best bet. The two cities are separated by just 100 miles, but are world’s apart in living costs. The average cost for a home is roughly 40 percent higher in San Francisco, which also trickles down to higher costs for rent. The website Moving.com has plenty of research material and a city comparison tool that provides dozens of useful statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor.

When determining the best compensation package, always take into account benefits. In today’s world of skyrocketing medical costs, the difference between two company plans can result in thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.

Once you’ve armed yourself with the facts on how much you should be making, use them. But use those facts wisely. If you’re interviewing for a new job, never bring up salary during the interview process. Employers should make the first move and then the negotiation begins. Some companies will ask for a salary history or preferred salary range. Don’t mislead the employer, but keep this area as flexible as possible. If an employer is thinking of offering $75,000 and you blurt out that you would be happy making $70,000, you’ve cost yourself five grand.

Throughout any negotiation, remember to always remain positive and realistic. Don’t go overboard with your expectations. At the same time, don’t get taken advantage of by employers who want to pay you less. The bottom line is that when you have the ability to make an informed decision, the power is yours when negotiating a compensation package that’s fair for everyone.

About the author: Teena Rose “… because not all resumes and cover letters are created equally.” Resume to Referral offers sample cover letters within “20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer,” a sample brag book in “How to Design, Write, and Compile a Quality Brag Book,” and sample pharmaceutical rep resumes in “Cracking the Code to Pharmaceutical Sales.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 at 7:21 am and is filed under On the Job. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.