Mark Swartz, Career Coach

Employee & Job-Seeker Tip

10 THINGSYOU

CAN’TTELL YOUR

BOSS

THINGS THATREVOLTYOUR BOSS

THINGS THATREVOLTYOUR BOSS11..

• You’re calling in sick. Or you’re back from a sick day. Don’t give your boss a play by play of the stuff

that came out of your body. Don’t use words like dry heaving. It won’t make your boss more

sympathetic, instead they’ll just cringe

• You got lucky last night. You’re beaming this morning. Even if you’re asked point blank why you’re in

such a good mood you should hold this one back. Otherwise, more cringing will result

1. THINGS THAT REVOLT YOUR BOSS1. THINGS THAT REVOLT YOUR BOSS

THINGS THAT WILL PUSH YOURBOSS AWAY

THINGS THAT WILL PUSH YOURBOSS AWAY22..

2. THINGS THAT WILL PUSH YOUR BOSS AWAY2. THINGS THAT WILL PUSH YOUR BOSS AWAY

• Don’t tell your boss you’re attracted to him or her. Don’t mention that your boss showed up in a sexy dream last night.

Don’t compliment his/her nice body. The imbalance of power in a romantic relationship with a boss is not in your favour

• You’re in a work meeting with your boss. There’s something very personal weighing on your mind. You were going to

wait until your next therapy session to raise it, but it’s messing with your head. Should you bring it up? No. Instead, book an earlier therapy appointment. Call your best friend. Write in your journal. Don’t put this on your boss’s shoulders

THINGS THAT MAKE YOUSOUND INDISCREET

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3. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SOUND INDISCREET3. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SOUND INDISCREET

• You have a wicked story about a boss from your past. You love telling it because your old boss sounds so ridiculous and

you come off like a hero. But portraying your former supervisor as a buffoon, or in any derogatory manner, will only make your

current boss worry about what you’ll say about them later

• We all have a past. We’ve all done things we aren’t proud of but learned from. They might be sure to get a laugh. But they

may cost you your professional image. Don’t tell your boss what you snorted in college. Don’t bring up that thing for which you were acquitted. Keep these “growing experiences” to yourself

THINGS THAT MAKEYOU SOUND LIKEA WHINER

THINGS THAT MAKEYOU SOUND LIKEA WHINER44..

• Your boss calls you into a meeting and delegates a task for you to complete before you leave. It’s almost quitting time

and you have plans, so you decide you’ll finish it tomorrow morning. Don’t tell your boss you can’t stick around

because you’re heading out to meet your colorist for a root touch up. You need to come up with a more compelling excuse

• You’re in a mood. You really don’t feel like working today. Never admit this, or anything that would make you sound like

an ungrateful, entitled brat. It could irk your boss into doing something that will remind you how replaceable you are

4. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A WHINER

4. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A WHINER

THINGS THAT DESTROY BOUNDARIES

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• Your boss keeps handing you projects with delivery dates you can’t possibly meet unless you stay late and come in on

the weekend. Don’t say “yes” all the time. Occasional overtime is normal. But you need to set expectations with your boss, otherwise you could burn out fast

• Don’t call your boss an expletive. Don’t tell your boss off. Some things are hard to take back. Hot-headed employees are

often deemed a liability. You don’t want to lose your job and burn your bridges. Get anger management if needed. If you really hate your boss, you should start hunting for a new one

5. THINGS THAT DESTROY BOUNDARIES5. THINGS THAT DESTROY BOUNDARIES

more on this topic:

10 Things You Can’t Tell Your Boss

more career advice:

http://career-advice.monster.ca

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