July 2, 2025 • 14 mins
Is your open plan office driving you to distraction with endless chatter and non-stop interruptions? This week on BIZ Inbox, Em Vernem and Sarah Davidson dive deep into the chaotic world of trying to get actual work done when you're surrounded by Sally's weekend dating disasters and the marketing team's passionate font feuds (we're secretly here for both, tbh).
Then we tackle that colleague who somehow thinks their name is written in flashing neon lights at the top of your to-do list – spoiler alert: it's not!
Plus, we reveal how to flip the script on redundancy in job interviews and turn your layoff story into your biggest power move. Welcome to BIZ Inbox, your go-to workplace advice podcast where awkward career questions get real-world solutions.
Got office politics nightmares or boss-from-hell situations? Send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain completely anonymous!
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HOSTS: Sarah Davidson and Em Vernem
SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell
AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to Amma mea podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hello, and welcome to biz in Box. Your work life sorted.
I'm m Burnham and you just stepped into your judgment
free zone for all things career related. Think of this
as your weekly career therapy without the hourly rates.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
And I'm Sarah Davidson.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
This is also my weekly career therapy as a lawyer
turned entrepreneur who's navigated everything from corporate boardrooms to startup chaos.
We are here to get real about those workplace challenges
that keep you up at night.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
And if you're new here at biz Inbox, this is
where all your professional dilemmas get solved with no names attached.
So whether you're navigating office dynamics, launching a side hustle,
or dealing with a tricky manager, we have got you
covered and your identity stays completely under wraps if you
choose to do so.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Today we are chatting about how to handle those colleagues
somehow think their email should just jump straight to the
top of your to do list, as well as the
delicate art of explaining a redundancy in job interviews without
sounding like you're making excuses. But first, let's chat about
how to manage the chaos of open plan offices.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Oh gosh, this question really hit deep in my soul
because it tackles our universal office struggle, Hailey wrote in
and she says, honestly, our open plan office is doing
my head in. I can hear absolutely everything, from Sally's
weekend dating drama to the marketing team's heated debate about
font choices. I've tried nose canceling headphones, but I can
(01:44):
still feel the chaos around me. How do you create
a proper productivity bubble when you're surrounded by distractions. I'm
desperate for some real world tricks that actually work in
an office where everyone seems allergic to inside voices. Oh,
she seems stressed.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I mean that's tough.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
They're tough conditions to work in if you're not able
to block out. But like, I already want to know
what Sally's weekend dating drama is, Like how do you
not get distructed by that?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
We are the exact opposite where like this is the
best office plan?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yes, tell me more. I think it's really hard if
you don't have an allocated quiet area. I feel like
a lot of officers might offer meeting rooms or more
private areas where you can go if you've got one
of those tasks that is really requiring you to get
in the zone. So I mean my first thing would
(02:34):
be seek out or ask if there is a quiet
zone or if you can allocate a quiet zone for
everyone to benefit from so that you don't have to
be everyone's buzzkill. They can chat while they work on
easier tasks. But there is somewhere to go if you
have something. Really surely there's somewhere if you have a
phone call that you can go. If there's not, maybe
bring it up and suggests that there is one. And
(02:55):
I think also most workplaces are pretty open for you
to say, look, I've got to really knuckle down on
this particular task. Can I go and do this from
a cafe or could I maybe even ask if there's
capacity for you to do part of it from home
if it's just an isolated task.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Because I think we all can.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Distill our work into like the easy work, the middlework,
and the really tough in the zone work. So maybe
structure your work day around when is the loudest and
when is the quientest and see experiment with kind of
what your workplace can allow you to do and then
what you can do within your own control as well.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
But that's a toughie.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's so tough because I do like an open office
plan because I have so many friends at work and
I love seeing them, but they definitely would be I
feel like, especially me as a big talker and a
loud talker as well, there would definitely be people who
are like shut up. So I think it's also maybe
just like talking to similar to what you say, like
talking to like your team leader or team manager and
(03:54):
be like, hey, these are the pockets where we need
to do deep work. These are the pockets that we
can like kind of socialize. Also if there's room to
bring up, if you can work from home, if you
like to work from home, or if there's a cafe
next door. I mean, I don't think a cafe would
be much quieter than your office. But interesting how the
noise canceling headphones don't work sometimes even like if I'm
(04:15):
wearing my noise canceling headphones, I have to play like
some sort of music for it to fully drown out everything.
So maybe just try doing that and just try not
to sing along to the songs. That you're listening to.
But good luck, because yeah, it does suck when you
are in the zone, but you physically can't fully get
into it because there are people around you who are
just chatting. And I'm sorry because I'm definitely one of
(04:36):
those people.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I know me too.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I feel like sometimes we're not the best.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Favor to answer these questions. I'm like, look, tap me
on the shoulder and tell me to shut up.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Shut up. I'll be fine.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
So our next question comes from Claire and she asks help, help,
help me. I've got this colleague who's it seems to
think their name is written in flashing neon lights at
the top of my to do list. Oh gosh, every
single request comes with and implied drop everything else energy,
even when it's definitely not urgent. I'm drowning in my
(05:18):
own work. But I don't want to be labeled as
not a team player or difficult to work with if
I push back. What's a professional but firm script I
can use to establish boundaries without coming across as unhelpful.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Oh, I mean the fine line that we all walk
between setting boundaries and not wanting to seem difficult. That's
the age old question, And I mean, I'm the one
who lives at the end of the spectrum, which is
just say yes, don't ruffle any feathers, just do it
all and drown doing it. So I also need an
(05:55):
answer to this question. But I do think there is
a way to word a response that does set up
some clear boundaries that's very accommodating to Yes, I have
received this, Absolutely, I can take care of it. I've
just got to finish the project that I'm working on,
but as soon as that's done, I will absolutely move
(06:16):
on to this. If you say it sort of gently,
it doesn't come across like you're being an asshole, but
you are pretty firmly.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Saying yes, ye do it by writing.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
And that sets up the expectation that you are actually
going to treat it as urgent.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
I feel like especially if you do it by email,
that's a really good way, and then it's on record
that you've said I can't do it today, but I
will get it done. I think that that also, if
it is really urgent, that puts it back in their
court to come back and say no, I need it today,
and if it sounds like they never actually do. If
they don't, then you've kind of answered you've solved your
(06:52):
own problem.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
I do that as the first point of call.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, definitely, I do the exact same. Also, you mentioned
they're a colleagues, so they're not actually your manager. So
I wonder if like it's a weird power dynamic here
where you don't I don't actually have to listen to
what they're saying, like why can't they do with their
own work? But I'm obviously just making things up, But
I would exactly say that, Like, just tell your colleague,
like put in a structures, say I have to do
(07:16):
these things first. I will get to that later and
exactly what you said so in writing, and if they're
not listening and they're still push maybe this is something
to bring up to your manager, not in like a
dobbing in sort of way, but just be like, hey,
I have all of these tasks and use the task
that your colleague has given you as well, and be like,
I'm struggling to understand my priorities here. Obviously you know
(07:37):
your priorities, but it's just showing your manager, like this
is all the other stuff I have to do from
this person, just to give it a context.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, absolutely, I think I sort of had and I
think I've mentioned this in previous episodes. When you're the
kind of person that really agonizes over how to word
something so that you are firm but not so gentle
that they can just like steamroll you, but not so
firm that you seem difficult. I have like a couple
of sentences copied and pasted in a draft email that
(08:05):
are just ready to go so that I don't overthink
it in the moment, and I've worked on them to
the point where I'm like, I'm happy with how that sounds,
and I kind of copy and paste. When I was
in a workplace, particularly in the law firm, because you
are getting things from all different air rys, there were
certain sentences around I really love to help you out,
but I just don't have capacity those kind of sentences.
(08:25):
I was like, have them ready to go so that
you know this sentence works, don't overthink it, don't reinvent it,
don't waste time agonizing over it. This is the right
level of formality, and just send it back.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
That's actually really smart, especially having those templates when you're
not actually being asked something, because if you're someone like
me who just like can kind of spiral. Sometimes I
get like a question that's like you need to do
this now, And if they've asked me that question when
I'm not in a good headspace, I can really act
on emotion. And I know a lot of people can
do this as well. And you can immediately maybe send
(08:59):
something that you wouldn't necessarily send, and it can be like, no,
I can't do that. Stop asking me things. So having
that template ready that you can send out, created in
a good headspace would so helpful.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
It's like a little library of responses that I just
keep there ready to go.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Okay, we are back with our final SOS. So we
have this DM that said I was laid off during
recent company restructuring. But I'm worried potential employers will assume
I was fired for performance issues. What's the best way
to own the story and interviews without sounding defensive. This
(09:48):
is such a good question, and so I'm giving it
to you because I actually have no idea.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
This is so hard for me.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
This is happening to a friend of mine recently, and
she said that she was made redundant because of company restructuring,
not because of her, and she is the best work
I've ever come across. But she actually doesn't want to
announce that because she doesn't want companies to not only
think it was a performance issue, but also take advantage
of her and know that she needs a job.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah. I mean it's a really hard one because I
guess they won't already know necessarily by the way that
your resume is structured. But I guess there's also a
potential in a lot of cases for them to find
out somehow or find out later.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I'm sort of the view that I really.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Think it's the way you frame any situation that is
the most powerful, and if there's a chance they're going
to find out anyway or that they'll find out later,
you can use something like that to your strength if
you sort of pitch it as Look, I'm in a
situation I never expected, but I'm really proactive and I'm
really adaptable.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
It is a cost of living crisis.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Times are hard, and I was made redundant in a
company restructure despite my suitability or whatever.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
But I really see this as.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
An opportunity to redirect myself. It's perhaps the push in
the right direction that I was looking for. I've been
pushed out of my comfort zone, and it's given me
an opportunity to make the changes that I wanted to
make all along. Like, I think that there are ways
to reframe your redundancy that make it seem like you
are adaptable to change.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Because the reality is, people face these things.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
They do face these things when it's not because of
what kind of a worker they are. And showing that
you're avoidant or like hiding it probably isn't the best trait,
But showing that you're willing to face it head on
and rewrite the story yourself is It's the same as
like a breakup.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Like obviously when.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
You go to a first date, people are going to
know you've had breakups before. You can't pretend that you haven't,
but you can frame it. It's like, I'm really glad
that that opportunity came to an end because i'd actually
outgrown my learning opportunities there, or I'd outgrown, you know,
the capacity for me to go in the direction I wanted,
or we weren't growing in the same you know path anymore.
I think there's ways that you can tell the story
(11:59):
in a way that you want to. It'll make employers
appreciate your honesty. But also the initiative that you're taking
to say, you might read this, this is how I.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Want you to interpret it. It's kind of a power move.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
If anything, it is such a power move. And firstly,
like you're in such a shit situation, like being laid
off is so shit. It's like you automatically take it personally,
it's so hard. You overthink everything. And I'd like to
think that other companies, especially a company that you want
to work for, knows that and understands that, Like I
(12:31):
think we have moved on. So many places go through restructuring,
especially now in this financial year, like so many companies
are having at hard and I feel like the right
company will know that and see beyond that and won't
like obviously won't think the way you're thinking. And oh
my god, good luck. I feel like you're going to
get the best job.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
And also, Astra the way you worted that last bit,
how to do it without sounding defensive. I think you
sound defensive if you hide it, yeah, or you kind
of treat it like it's some chip on your shoulder,
or not even chip on your shoulder, like it's a
black mark on your record. That's kind of you already
framing it in a way that makes you sound like
there's a reason why maybe it happened, whereas if you
(13:09):
just sort of say, look, guys, I was collateral damage.
It really sucks. But I'm treating this rejection as a redirection.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I think that's so refreshing.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
If I was an employer, I'd be like, Wow, you
have been dealt a really hard card and you're trying
to take control of your circumstances. That's a trait in
an employee that I would love, and not bad mouthing.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
The old company.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah, huge, I agree completely. Oh good luck, Astrid. We
are in your corner. I'm sure you're going to get
the best job out of this. Thank you so much
for helping us clear our biers inbox. If you have
a work question, send it our way. You'll find a
link to submit your questions in our show notes, and
we love listening and reading them all. They are so
(13:51):
so juicy and we are here to help you, so
please please please submit all of your questions. You can
leave your name on it, or you can remain completely anonymous.
We know that sometimes you don't want everyone knowing this
is you, and.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
That's so fair.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
A lot of these are quite personal, so please know
that you will remain completely anonymous if you want to
do so.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
And guys, the juicier the better, like these are keeping
us on our toes, and think of all the other
people in your situation who are just begging for some
kind of guidance. You're actually doing a public service. You
are your questions, including to us. So if you've missed
any of our previous episodes with some of the other
amazing questions that have been submitted, to scroll back in
(14:31):
your feed and we will be back in the biz.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
In Loocks next week Byzia Mamma Maya acknowledges the traditional
owners of land and waters that this podcast is recorded
on
You're listening to Amma mea podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hello, and welcome to biz in Box. Your work life sorted.
I'm m Burnham and you just stepped into your judgment
free zone for all things career related. Think of this
as your weekly career therapy without the hourly rates.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
And I'm Sarah Davidson.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
This is also my weekly career therapy as a lawyer
turned entrepreneur who's navigated everything from corporate boardrooms to startup chaos.
We are here to get real about those workplace challenges
that keep you up at night.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
And if you're new here at biz Inbox, this is
where all your professional dilemmas get solved with no names attached.
So whether you're navigating office dynamics, launching a side hustle,
or dealing with a tricky manager, we have got you
covered and your identity stays completely under wraps if you
choose to do so.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Today we are chatting about how to handle those colleagues
somehow think their email should just jump straight to the
top of your to do list, as well as the
delicate art of explaining a redundancy in job interviews without
sounding like you're making excuses. But first, let's chat about
how to manage the chaos of open plan offices.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Oh gosh, this question really hit deep in my soul
because it tackles our universal office struggle, Hailey wrote in
and she says, honestly, our open plan office is doing
my head in. I can hear absolutely everything, from Sally's
weekend dating drama to the marketing team's heated debate about
font choices. I've tried nose canceling headphones, but I can
(01:44):
still feel the chaos around me. How do you create
a proper productivity bubble when you're surrounded by distractions. I'm
desperate for some real world tricks that actually work in
an office where everyone seems allergic to inside voices. Oh,
she seems stressed.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I mean that's tough.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
They're tough conditions to work in if you're not able
to block out. But like, I already want to know
what Sally's weekend dating drama is, Like how do you
not get distructed by that?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
We are the exact opposite where like this is the
best office plan?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yes, tell me more. I think it's really hard if
you don't have an allocated quiet area. I feel like
a lot of officers might offer meeting rooms or more
private areas where you can go if you've got one
of those tasks that is really requiring you to get
in the zone. So I mean my first thing would
(02:34):
be seek out or ask if there is a quiet
zone or if you can allocate a quiet zone for
everyone to benefit from so that you don't have to
be everyone's buzzkill. They can chat while they work on
easier tasks. But there is somewhere to go if you
have something. Really surely there's somewhere if you have a
phone call that you can go. If there's not, maybe
bring it up and suggests that there is one. And
(02:55):
I think also most workplaces are pretty open for you
to say, look, I've got to really knuckle down on
this particular task. Can I go and do this from
a cafe or could I maybe even ask if there's
capacity for you to do part of it from home
if it's just an isolated task.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Because I think we all can.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Distill our work into like the easy work, the middlework,
and the really tough in the zone work. So maybe
structure your work day around when is the loudest and
when is the quientest and see experiment with kind of
what your workplace can allow you to do and then
what you can do within your own control as well.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
But that's a toughie.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's so tough because I do like an open office
plan because I have so many friends at work and
I love seeing them, but they definitely would be I
feel like, especially me as a big talker and a
loud talker as well, there would definitely be people who
are like shut up. So I think it's also maybe
just like talking to similar to what you say, like
talking to like your team leader or team manager and
(03:54):
be like, hey, these are the pockets where we need
to do deep work. These are the pockets that we
can like kind of socialize. Also if there's room to
bring up, if you can work from home, if you
like to work from home, or if there's a cafe
next door. I mean, I don't think a cafe would
be much quieter than your office. But interesting how the
noise canceling headphones don't work sometimes even like if I'm
(04:15):
wearing my noise canceling headphones, I have to play like
some sort of music for it to fully drown out everything.
So maybe just try doing that and just try not
to sing along to the songs. That you're listening to.
But good luck, because yeah, it does suck when you
are in the zone, but you physically can't fully get
into it because there are people around you who are
just chatting. And I'm sorry because I'm definitely one of
(04:36):
those people.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I know me too.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I feel like sometimes we're not the best.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Favor to answer these questions. I'm like, look, tap me
on the shoulder and tell me to shut up.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Shut up. I'll be fine.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
So our next question comes from Claire and she asks help, help,
help me. I've got this colleague who's it seems to
think their name is written in flashing neon lights at
the top of my to do list. Oh gosh, every
single request comes with and implied drop everything else energy,
even when it's definitely not urgent. I'm drowning in my
(05:18):
own work. But I don't want to be labeled as
not a team player or difficult to work with if
I push back. What's a professional but firm script I
can use to establish boundaries without coming across as unhelpful.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Oh, I mean the fine line that we all walk
between setting boundaries and not wanting to seem difficult. That's
the age old question, And I mean, I'm the one
who lives at the end of the spectrum, which is
just say yes, don't ruffle any feathers, just do it
all and drown doing it. So I also need an
(05:55):
answer to this question. But I do think there is
a way to word a response that does set up
some clear boundaries that's very accommodating to Yes, I have
received this, Absolutely, I can take care of it. I've
just got to finish the project that I'm working on,
but as soon as that's done, I will absolutely move
(06:16):
on to this. If you say it sort of gently,
it doesn't come across like you're being an asshole, but
you are pretty firmly.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Saying yes, ye do it by writing.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
And that sets up the expectation that you are actually
going to treat it as urgent.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
I feel like especially if you do it by email,
that's a really good way, and then it's on record
that you've said I can't do it today, but I
will get it done. I think that that also, if
it is really urgent, that puts it back in their
court to come back and say no, I need it today,
and if it sounds like they never actually do. If
they don't, then you've kind of answered you've solved your
(06:52):
own problem.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
I do that as the first point of call.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, definitely, I do the exact same. Also, you mentioned
they're a colleagues, so they're not actually your manager. So
I wonder if like it's a weird power dynamic here
where you don't I don't actually have to listen to
what they're saying, like why can't they do with their
own work? But I'm obviously just making things up, But
I would exactly say that, Like, just tell your colleague,
like put in a structures, say I have to do
(07:16):
these things first. I will get to that later and
exactly what you said so in writing, and if they're
not listening and they're still push maybe this is something
to bring up to your manager, not in like a
dobbing in sort of way, but just be like, hey,
I have all of these tasks and use the task
that your colleague has given you as well, and be like,
I'm struggling to understand my priorities here. Obviously you know
(07:37):
your priorities, but it's just showing your manager, like this
is all the other stuff I have to do from
this person, just to give it a context.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, absolutely, I think I sort of had and I
think I've mentioned this in previous episodes. When you're the
kind of person that really agonizes over how to word
something so that you are firm but not so gentle
that they can just like steamroll you, but not so
firm that you seem difficult. I have like a couple
of sentences copied and pasted in a draft email that
(08:05):
are just ready to go so that I don't overthink
it in the moment, and I've worked on them to
the point where I'm like, I'm happy with how that sounds,
and I kind of copy and paste. When I was
in a workplace, particularly in the law firm, because you
are getting things from all different air rys, there were
certain sentences around I really love to help you out,
but I just don't have capacity those kind of sentences.
(08:25):
I was like, have them ready to go so that
you know this sentence works, don't overthink it, don't reinvent it,
don't waste time agonizing over it. This is the right
level of formality, and just send it back.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
That's actually really smart, especially having those templates when you're
not actually being asked something, because if you're someone like
me who just like can kind of spiral. Sometimes I
get like a question that's like you need to do
this now, And if they've asked me that question when
I'm not in a good headspace, I can really act
on emotion. And I know a lot of people can
do this as well. And you can immediately maybe send
(08:59):
something that you wouldn't necessarily send, and it can be like, no,
I can't do that. Stop asking me things. So having
that template ready that you can send out, created in
a good headspace would so helpful.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
It's like a little library of responses that I just
keep there ready to go.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Okay, we are back with our final SOS. So we
have this DM that said I was laid off during
recent company restructuring. But I'm worried potential employers will assume
I was fired for performance issues. What's the best way
to own the story and interviews without sounding defensive. This
(09:48):
is such a good question, and so I'm giving it
to you because I actually have no idea.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
This is so hard for me.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
This is happening to a friend of mine recently, and
she said that she was made redundant because of company restructuring,
not because of her, and she is the best work
I've ever come across. But she actually doesn't want to
announce that because she doesn't want companies to not only
think it was a performance issue, but also take advantage
of her and know that she needs a job.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah. I mean it's a really hard one because I
guess they won't already know necessarily by the way that
your resume is structured. But I guess there's also a
potential in a lot of cases for them to find
out somehow or find out later.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I'm sort of the view that I really.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Think it's the way you frame any situation that is
the most powerful, and if there's a chance they're going
to find out anyway or that they'll find out later,
you can use something like that to your strength if
you sort of pitch it as Look, I'm in a
situation I never expected, but I'm really proactive and I'm
really adaptable.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
It is a cost of living crisis.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Times are hard, and I was made redundant in a
company restructure despite my suitability or whatever.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
But I really see this as.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
An opportunity to redirect myself. It's perhaps the push in
the right direction that I was looking for. I've been
pushed out of my comfort zone, and it's given me
an opportunity to make the changes that I wanted to
make all along. Like, I think that there are ways
to reframe your redundancy that make it seem like you
are adaptable to change.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Because the reality is, people face these things.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
They do face these things when it's not because of
what kind of a worker they are. And showing that
you're avoidant or like hiding it probably isn't the best trait,
But showing that you're willing to face it head on
and rewrite the story yourself is It's the same as
like a breakup.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Like obviously when.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
You go to a first date, people are going to
know you've had breakups before. You can't pretend that you haven't,
but you can frame it. It's like, I'm really glad
that that opportunity came to an end because i'd actually
outgrown my learning opportunities there, or I'd outgrown, you know,
the capacity for me to go in the direction I wanted,
or we weren't growing in the same you know path anymore.
I think there's ways that you can tell the story
(11:59):
in a way that you want to. It'll make employers
appreciate your honesty. But also the initiative that you're taking
to say, you might read this, this is how I.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Want you to interpret it. It's kind of a power move.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
If anything, it is such a power move. And firstly,
like you're in such a shit situation, like being laid
off is so shit. It's like you automatically take it personally,
it's so hard. You overthink everything. And I'd like to
think that other companies, especially a company that you want
to work for, knows that and understands that, Like I
(12:31):
think we have moved on. So many places go through restructuring,
especially now in this financial year, like so many companies
are having at hard and I feel like the right
company will know that and see beyond that and won't
like obviously won't think the way you're thinking. And oh
my god, good luck. I feel like you're going to
get the best job.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
And also, Astra the way you worted that last bit,
how to do it without sounding defensive. I think you
sound defensive if you hide it, yeah, or you kind
of treat it like it's some chip on your shoulder,
or not even chip on your shoulder, like it's a
black mark on your record. That's kind of you already
framing it in a way that makes you sound like
there's a reason why maybe it happened, whereas if you
(13:09):
just sort of say, look, guys, I was collateral damage.
It really sucks. But I'm treating this rejection as a redirection.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I think that's so refreshing.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
If I was an employer, I'd be like, Wow, you
have been dealt a really hard card and you're trying
to take control of your circumstances. That's a trait in
an employee that I would love, and not bad mouthing.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
The old company.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Yeah, huge, I agree completely. Oh good luck, Astrid. We
are in your corner. I'm sure you're going to get
the best job out of this. Thank you so much
for helping us clear our biers inbox. If you have
a work question, send it our way. You'll find a
link to submit your questions in our show notes, and
we love listening and reading them all. They are so
(13:51):
so juicy and we are here to help you, so
please please please submit all of your questions. You can
leave your name on it, or you can remain completely anonymous.
We know that sometimes you don't want everyone knowing this
is you, and.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
That's so fair.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
A lot of these are quite personal, so please know
that you will remain completely anonymous if you want to
do so.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
And guys, the juicier the better, like these are keeping
us on our toes, and think of all the other
people in your situation who are just begging for some
kind of guidance. You're actually doing a public service. You
are your questions, including to us. So if you've missed
any of our previous episodes with some of the other
amazing questions that have been submitted, to scroll back in
(14:31):
your feed and we will be back in the biz.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
In Loocks next week Byzia Mamma Maya acknowledges the traditional
owners of land and waters that this podcast is recorded
on
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