As a career coach, I have heard thousands of stories about people being angry about how they were treated when they left a company.
One time, a woman came into my office because she couldn’t land a single interview, let alone a job. I asked her what happened. Boy, did I get an earful! She was so mad that I just let her vent until we could talk.
She had put her heart and soul into the company for years. She felt disrespected and was treated poorly by new owners. She was not appreciated for her work, and had been unfairly pushed out of the company. She was not fired, but she left the company under a cloud.
THE EMBOSSED NOTEPAD
She was using a really nice black notepad. You know the kind. You open it and there is a pad of paper, loops for a pen, and a place for business cards. I suggested that she was sending out mixed messages. She hated her old company, but was still using something with its logo.
I suggested that she give it away and buy a new one that was neutral. She didn’t want to do that because she had used this one for years. But she was open to my idea.
I asked if she had any other items with the company’s logo, such as a cup. It turns out, yes, she had a few in her kitchen. I suggested that she get rid of them. She thought it was an odd idea to remove some cups to find a job, but decided to do it.
She got a new job within the month!
PRODUCTS WITH A NAME AND LOGO
I sold promotional products at an earlier part of my career, so I am aware of how branding is used.
- Maybe you won a sales contest, went to Mexico, and came home with things that show the event’s name and date.
- Maybe you have a favorite football team. Team colors and mascots create a group of people who recognize each other.
HOW TO FIND NEW RELATIONSHIPS TO PRODUCTS THAT HAVE LOGOS
- Go through your home and office. What do you have? T-shirts, hats, and jackets? Pens or a notebook?
- Get rid of everything that reminds you of something negative. Throw it out, give away, or put into storage, then find neutral substitutes.
TRY IT, STARTING WITH THE CUPS IN YOUR KITCHEN
You will be surprised at how much lighter you will feel now that you are not dragging around negative energy that came with you when you left your job. A cup can be more than just something to drink from!