Is Facebook the new company spy?

You can read the original story here. The link was posted on Twitter by @socialtweedia.

It was a cover story with as many holes as Swiss cheese. A Swiss woman, working for a Swiss company, called in sick, claiming a migraine. I don’t know much about migraines, but I gather you want to lie in a dark room and do as little as possible.

But instead of taking cover, so to speak, the woman used the opportunity to post to her Facebook account. Apparently she used her iPhone to update Facebook from her bed in her darkened room.

“If you are well enough to use Facebook, you are well enough to come to work,” the company said. They fired the woman for lying.

The woman claimed the company was spying. Maybe they were.

What did this woman do wrong?

First, when you work for a company, don’t “friend” colleagues unless you have a special account for business purposes. This woman admits she accepted a Friend request from someone in her company. This mysterious X had an account without a picture.

Second, when you’re sick, stay hidden. Some companies understand that you will fake a dentist appointment to attend a job interview at a competing company. Mental health days are common. Just be sure you won’t run into someone you shouldn’t.

My hunch is that the company had a hidden agenda. We don’t know if this woman had a history of missing work. Maybe they were looking for an excuse to fire her.

Alternatively, perhaps they felt they couldn’t overlook a public transgression. Anyone could see when this woman updated her account.

What is your opinion? Click on “comment” below.

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Threatened with a layoff? 5 Things *Not* To Do

These days, almost everybody feels uncertain about jobs. Fear can lead to paralysis or panic, which in turn lead to bad decisions and searches for a  quick fix. Here are five tempting actions that are best to avoid.

Mistake #1: Hiring a firm to “blast” your resume to a thousand or more prospective employers.  These programs do not get people jobs and they may actually backfire. Employers can spot these campaigns a mile away.  You’ll be branded as naive, desperate or worse.

Mistake #2: Paying anyone who promises to get you “in front of” potential employers. The only people who can do this legally are recruiters. They are paid by employers, not by job seekers.

Mistake #3: Sharing your story with online chat groups and forums. You never know who will be signed on. Some people have gotten jobs through these sources but you must move slowly and carefully.

Mistake #4: Investing time trying to hold on to what’s gone. If your boss (or boss’s boss) has the power to decide your future, then of course it pays to do all the right things: putting in face time, going the extra mile, taking on projects that add to the bottom line.

But we have all met dozens of people who said, “My division was sold. My job will definitely be gone in six months.” And they’re still working long hours. My favorite story: A friend actually attended an all-day training session, knowing her job would be gone in 3 months.

Mistake #5: Waiting to mobilize a support team. When you feel stressed, it’s easy to spend time sharing horror stories with colleagues and friends. A true support team won’t let you dwell on what went wrong. You will be encouraged to take action and move forward. You will be encouraged to recognize your strengths and build new confidence.

We tend to know our true support team when times are tough. And sometimes we have to face the hard task of choosing to let go of downers to be with strong, positive people. You may find yourself reaching out to new friends and recognizing the hidden qualities of family members.

You can also bring in professionals: coaches, therapists, financial advisors and more. Recruiters, colleagues and prospective employers can support you, but you are always “on.” Find a place where you can let go and talk honestly. That way you’re more likely to present your game face when you most need it.

This article came from my ebook – just $9.97 – Guide to Surviving a Layoff. Download from the Reports page.

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Apprentice Los Angeles: Who’s responsible?

Watching The Apprentice Los Angeles this week, I was reminded of a conversation about a seemingly unrelated subject: football.

“Larry” had played football in high school and college. When he watches a game, he says, “I would never boo a player. Sometimes one guy seems to make a mistake – but he was doing his job. Another player wasn’t following the game plan.”

And that’s what happened here.

Kristine – the competent-looking lawyer with the rimless glasses – teamed up with Nicole to create a promotion for some new condos in Las Vegas. Of course, Kristine’s game plan was a little shaky: she wanted to get out from under the shadow of Heidi, whose competence shown on most tasks.

But as Kristine worked on the brochure, Nicole decided to take a nap. Kristine decided to let Nicole sleep. After all, she reasoned, Nicole had been useless on this task so far.

So Kristine decided to write the whole brochure herself. She attempted to do the work of 2 people.

And she came close…except that she got one phone number wrong.

True, in marketing, that’s a very serious mistake. On my own articles, getting the contact information wrong means, “What’s the point?” If they can’t find me, why bother to advertise?

But if Nicole had been doing her share of the work, Kristine might have had time and energy to pay attention to those little details. If they had worked together, they might have proofed the brochure more accurately.

So who should get fired?

In real life, hopefully you wait to collect more data to establish a pattern. But someone else’s mistake can make you look bad, in football and in business. You weren’t supposed to be on the receiving end of a catch, but it comes to you anyway…and you miss. You weren’t supposed to handle this part of the job…but the other person disappears.

Almost always, these situations tend to be lose-lose, once you’re caught up in them. Best to prevent them from happening in the first place. Football players don’t always have a choice but professionals can make a concerted effort to hang out with winners, even if they risk being overshadowed.

A controversial call, either way.

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