There are millions of people out there who dream of breaking up with the boss, company, and the mind-numbing, time consuming, and life-ruining work they have put up with for so long.
One girl made this dream a reality.
While at work at 4:30 one morning, Marina Shifrin finally cracked.
In a video she created for her boss, the 25-year-old says, "For almost two years, I've sacrificed my relationships, time, and energy for this job."
Then, with the help of Kanye West's "Gone," she proceeds to announce to her boss - and now the world - that she's quitting, and dances her way out the door.
Unfortunately, many employees wish they could do the same. According to Gallup, 70% of Americans don’t like their jobs.
The video, which now has over 4,000,000 views, has stirred some controversy. Many believe that she has severely hurt her brand by posting this resignation video. Others, however, applaud her bold move.
But Shifrin didn't just post this video on a whim. She said she put some serious thought into the matter beforehand, as she understood the serious consequences that could unfold.
“I thought about that a lot before I posted this video,” Shifrin said in an article on TODAY.com. “I started working when I was 13 as a babysitter and I’ve always had like two or three jobs… but our generation is seen as lazy. What’s the line between us being brats and expecting a perfect job or expecting praise at work or expecting to be just respected? We just get such a bad rap.”
However, some believe this 'viral high' she's feeling right now will quickly (and inevitably) turn into a major crash, leaving her jobless and crippling her career.
Comment via Huffington Post
On the other hand, Shifrin's cheeky and creative way of telling her boss to 'take this job and shove it' has been applauded by some. She's a hero to many who long to leave their jobs - or wish they had left their jobs sooner.
Comment via Huffington Post
So, what do employers think about this?
According to Shifrin, her company (and boss) are not taking the goofy (and very public) resignation lightly.
“Obviously the management isn’t really thrilled with me right now,” she said.
Whether or not Shifrin can get a new job in her desired field is debatable.
One concern for employers is that Shifrin could turn into the Taylor Swift of breaking up with bosses.
What if she decided she didn't like the job or her boss? Would she make another viral 'I Quit' video that could severely damage the company's image?
On the other hand, since the video spread like wildfire on the Internet, the move could actually work in her favor.
Her arguably courageous move has been acknowledged by some professionals as a positive thing.
“Clearly, she’s a woman that is creative and has a lot of energy," said Scott Gilmore, CEO of Building Markets. "We’ve all been in positions that weren’t right for us. There’s nothing wrong with quitting your job. Life is short.”
What do you think? Do you think Shifrin made a dumb, irrational move? Or, do you applaud Shifrin's audacity?We want to hear your thoughts. Talk to us in the comment section below (and don't forget to vote)!
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Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.