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My boss is evil (and 10 other career excuses)

By WTOP Staff

Why do so many hard-working employees suddenly turn evil — horns, pitchfork and all — the day they become a manager?

Oh, I know: Because calling the boss evil is the go-to explanation for your career dissatisfaction. You and I know that it’s way easier to bash the boss than to take personal accountability for your career.

Plenty of employees hate their jobs, but instead of acting they pout. To make the situation even more toxic, they whine about it with their co-workers, blaming others and projecting their disengagement.

SEE ALSO: 5 perks job seekers should think about (beyond money)

The boss becomes evil when he or she sees your negative behavior or hears about it from others. The boss starts pressuring you for more engagement and productivity, and you retreat further. Here come the horns (from your perspective).

Pop Quiz: Have you used any of these excuses lately? (Okay, if you haven’t, maybe you’ve heard a friend use them?)

  1. I work hard and my boss doesn’t recognize my effort.
  2. I have no work-life balance thanks to this company (and my boss).
  3. Other people are getting promoted, and I’m always passed up.
  4. I don’t have any time to work on my career because I’m working so hard in the office.
  5. If I network and look at other opportunities, my boss will think I’m disloyal.
  6. I should be promoted since I’ve been around forever.
  7. My company is not giving me challenging opportunities to grow.
  8. My company has me pigeon-holed in one type of job and I’ll never get out.
  9. Management is a bunch of yahoos – they don’t know what they’re doing.
  10. I don’t believe in (or understand) the company’s strategic direction.

I’ve been there, done that — I’ve uttered every excuse in the book.

During my 30-year sales and marketing career, I’ve been extremely lucky — except for one brief year, when I was completely miserable. Even when I had a great boss, when I wasn’t feeling good about my career, I slipped into boss-blaming or company-blaming.

Realistically: It was easier than facing the harsh reality that I needed to do something. The options?

  • Plan A: Choose to do something to moderate my work style in order to alter the perceptions holding me back from career growth.
  • Plan B: Develop a plan to move on with my career, mitigate my risks, and avoid jumping into another “stuck” role.
  • Plan C: There is no plan C, because remaining miserable isn’t an option.

The good news is that both options A and B can be very rewarding. However, whether you’re changing your work style or you entire career path, both take time, both can be frustrating, and there are no shortcuts.

For option A to work, you need to embrace any negative feedback and make difficult course-corrections. On the other hand, option B requires careful planning, a desire to compete for a new position, and the willingness to learn the latest job-search techniques. Either one can pack a blow to the ego.

Catch yourself the next time you abdicate your career growth to anybody else — nobody cares about your career more than you do. What choice will you make? Option A or Option B?

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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