Some days I look through old posts, reminding myself of posts that I've written that I like and that I should link to. Often, this process serves to let me procrastinate writing while pretending to be engaged in writing. If I were a body builder, this would be me looking in the mirror instead of lifting weights. Yesterday I was trolling for posts, and I remembered this one, about hiring a babysitter. I never link to it because I can't read it. I get physically ill. It was a short, stinging moment during an absolutely terrible time in my life. But a part of me likes that sting.
Careers
-
Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist
-
This is what it looks like to have a hard time making a change
19 Nov 2009 | 10:28 pm -
How to know if you'll be good at sales
19 Nov 2009 | 10:39 amIt’s clear to me that emotional intelligence is the most important skill for success in adult life. And the consummate career application of emotional intelligence is the sales department. So I’m fascinated by sales. I used to think I’m not that good at sales. For example, I’m an open book—I have very little ability to bluff or play my hand close to my—actually, what is that expression? I don’t even know the expression. But then, when I told one of my mentors that I’m not good at sales, he said, “Of course you’re good at sales. You’ve gotten three companies… -
What makes a blog successful?
17 Nov 2009 | 6:10 amI have always thought that blogging is a way to reach your career goals. It’s hard to write a blog if you don’t have a goal. You need to know what blogging success looks like to you, so you know what you're aiming for. Like most goals in life, my definition of blogging success has shifted as the circumstances of my life have shifted. 1. Post regularly without messing anything up. My first goal was simply to understand how to get my writing onto the Internet. All the buzzwords overwhelmed me: feeds, trackbacks, SEO. I understood none of it, and it took weeks to get up the nerve to… -
Don't be a snob about career advice
16 Nov 2009 | 7:53 amI have found that the best way to manage myself is by asking for a lot of help. The question is, how do you know who to take advice from? The answer is not always intuitive. For example, you'd think that if Bill Gates wants to give you career advice, you should take it, right? I mean, the guy’s had a pretty decent career. The problem is that if he doesn’t care about your career, he’s going to give you generic advice. Here are five other counter-intuitive principles I have used to figure out who to listen to when it comes to my own career: Listen to people who hate you. People ask… -
How to make business travel manageable
11 Nov 2009 | 9:29 pmLast year I traveled almost every week. Some weeks I traveled to three different cities. If you are excited about business travel, thinking it’s a free ticket to see the world, you should stop reading now. But if you are having trouble maintaining your personal life in the face of tons of travel, these tips from a cynical traveler will make life easier for you. 1. Stick with your priorities. When people travel to another city, why do they throw out their to do list for sightseeing in random museums? If you have on your top three things you want in life: go to the gym, stay in touch with…
-
Simply Hired Blog
-
Best and Worst Metro Areas – September 2009
18 Nov 2009 | 5:06 pmThinking about relocating? It may be worth considering some of the cities on our recently released list of the Top 15 Best Metro Areas for Job Seekers. The metro areas on this list were determined the most favorable by a ratio that compared the number of unique (non-duplicate) jobs per job seeker (unemployed) in the month of September 2009. Many of the cities on the list consistently appear on the Best list month after month, signaling a healthy job market in that area. Top 5 Best Metro Areas for Job Seekers: Burlington-Plattsburgh Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg El Paso (Las Cruces)… -
Simply Hired Video Series: Performing a Basic Search
12 Nov 2009 | 11:31 amWe're introducing a new video series that goes in depth into the many job search features on SimplyHired.com. First in the series is a How-to video on Performing a Basic Search. Learn how to search for a job on SimplyHired.com in under two minutes! There are more videos on their way. So if you've ever had a tough time trying to figure out how to use Simply Hired in any aspect, comment below with what YOU want to see! -
Jobs for Veterans
11 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pmHappy Veterans Day! At this time, America’s veterans face another opponent after returning home: unemployment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are close to a million unemployed veterans 18 years and older living in the United States. However, this group of the population has highly transferable skills, not to mention many have active security clearances that appeal to organizations that deal with restricted information. Simply Hired has a special job search filter especially for our country’s veterans. The veteran job filter provides results from the DirectEmployers… -
Simply Spooky
4 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pmSimply Hired had quite a great time at our annual Halloween party last week. The office was decked out, we had plenty of food to munch on including bat wings (jerk chicken wings), deviled eggs, dirty toenails (Cajun pumpkin seeds), and dirt (chocolate fudge parfait), and of course, there were plenty of games! The Simply Hired employees came to the party dressed to impress in all sorts of costumes. Attendees included Duck Duck Goose, Michael Jackson, a T-bone steak, Russell from Pixar’s Up, a Simply Hired International cowboy, and Simply Prime - the most powerful Transformer of them all (who… -
Revamped Employer Resources Section
3 Nov 2009 | 6:11 pmSimply Hired is announcing the launch of our new and improved Resources section for employers. This Resources section (http://www.simplyhired.com/resources) provides valuable tools and updated information for employers to improve their job listing visibility and more effectively recruit qualified candidates online. This starter set of the new resources section includes: SEO and Social Media Guide - This guide shows you ways in which you can get your jobs more visibility on search engines and social media sites. The recommendations in this guide apply both to Simply Hired’s JobRank as well…
-
Marty Nemko
-
Keys to a Great Screenplay or Stage Play
11 Nov 2009 | 9:24 pmIn preparing to write my stage play, "The Sexiest Man Alive," I read three fine books on the craft: The Art and Craft of Playwriting, Naked Playwriting (terrible title, fine book) and In Their Company (interviews with 50 iconic playwrights).I took eight pages of single-spaced notes but here are the nuggets I most want to remember:Most memorable characters are likeable, even the villains, who you admire for their brilliance, soft spot, etc.Write for people smarter than you. Make your characters smart, if only street-smart.Make your audience eager to know what will happen next.Your protagonists… -
You May Need Not Baby Steps but Micro Steps
8 Nov 2009 | 11:40 pmI suggested to one of my career counseling clients that she call 20 potential employers. She exclaimed, "I can't even say hello to a store clerk and you want me to cold contact 20 employers?"That reminded me of how fear-filled many people are. So if even a baby step feels too big, ask yourself what is the microstep you could take: the step that is so easy, you wouldn't be tempted to procrastinate it.For example, if you're too scared to cold contact even one employer, try writing a script for a 10-second pitch. Then read it aloud, perhaps into a recorder. Listen to the recording and keep… -
How to Outsource, Offshore to India
8 Nov 2009 | 11:30 pmSilicon Valley insider and India specialist, Sramana Mitra says you can get your low-level work, such as data entry done in India for $2 an hour, basic programming for $5 an hour, and webmaster-level work for $10 an hour.And it's easy to find such workers: elance.com, odesk.com, and guru.com.She does recommend you interview them (Skype video and audio calls are free worldwide) and ask for references. Be sure they can communicate effectively verbally and in writing--You want to be sure they understand what you want done.Also, try them out on a $50 or $100 project before hiring them for a… -
Hot Tech Fields
8 Nov 2009 | 11:24 pmI interviewed Silicon Valley insider Sramana Mitra on my NPR-San Francisco show today. She said most of the action is in:Search engine optimizationHealth care information technologyOnline training and educationGamingMarketing using social media (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)CleanTechiPhone and to a lesser extent, Blackberry and Droid apps. -
How to Make Peace with Working in a Bureaucracy
2 Nov 2009 | 4:13 pmWhether working in a company, nonprofit, or government agency, many employees are frustrated with the politics, lack of autonomy, and slow pace of getting things done.But most employees are too scared--often understandably--to quit and become self-employed or to work for a tiny company, where job security is an oxymoron and resources are what one seeks rather than has.So what's a wage slave to do? Of course, there's no perfect answer but I had a client today who now feels more willing to stay in his corporate job because of a suggestion I made: When experiencing your bureaucracy's…
-
On the Job by Anita Bruzzese
-
8 tips to help you find your way in this tough job market
17 Nov 2009 | 7:36 amWhile I knew there was a good chance the unemployment rate would go up, when I heard the latest figures were 10.2 percent, my reaction on Twitter was automatic: "Double ugh," I wrote. It was exactly how I was feeling at the moment. Then, I did what I always did: I picked up the phone and started asking experts on how job seekers could succeed in this tough market. Here's what I wrote for my Gannett column:You may not think you have a superpower, but if the only way you’re looking for a job is by applying to companies or job boards on the Web, you’ve just become invisible. Phil Haynes says… -
5 tips for working at home with your significant other
9 Nov 2009 | 9:49 amThe tough times have brought about a lot of changes, both personally and professionally. One of those changes has been a lot of people launching their own businesses from home. But what happens when you and your significant other both start working from home? Will it work? Will it cause a rift so wide you'll never recover?That was a question I posed to Scot and Kate Herrick this week for my Gannett column. Here's what they had to say....Actress Bette Davis once said that the key to a successful marriage was separate bathrooms.For Scot and Kate Herrick, it’s headphones.The Bellevue, Wash. -
Could a Union Be Coming to a Cubicle Near You?
4 Nov 2009 | 7:39 amMy Dad was a blue-collar worker. His favorite job was working on the railroad, but the only job I really remember him having was at an oil refinery in Oklahoma. It was a dangerous, dirty job, but he never complained. He worked at that oil refinery for several decades, until one day they closed it and laid off more than 900 people in my small town. It was devastating, but I think my father took it especially hard because he had served for many years as the union's president.Guys would call our house at all hours of the day and night, looking to my Dad for some guidance on what they would do… -
2 Big Myths About Work You Need to Ditch
28 Oct 2009 | 8:22 amWhen I was writing my last book, one of the things I focused on was that the world of work was different than the world outside of work. OK, this isn't exactly an outstanding revelation to many of you, but to lots of people, it is.When people are at work, they think it's sort of an extended living room. They believe that they can say and do anything they want, because, by golly, this is America. Home of free speech, independent living and 450 cable channels.But the truth is, when you go to work you sign an employment contract, and that gives the employer the right to expect certain things… -
4 ways to keep your confidence during a job hunt
21 Oct 2009 | 9:22 amI hear from a lot of people who are out of work. In the early stages of job hunting, I've found most people are usually pretty confident. They know they have valuable skills and have worked hard -- what employer wouldn't want to hire them?Then they get initiated into this job market.Months later, the confidence has left their voice. They're angry, depressed, frustrated and demoralized. I'm no psychologist, but I do my best to provide them with career information that might help them. Still, it's frustrating for me to see so many great people feel so bad about themselves because they can't…
-
The Inside Job
-
Why the Marginally Attached are Misunderstood
19 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pmMost media references make this group sound like they're all losing hope. -
Will Productivity Kill a Job Rebound?
5 Nov 2009 | 11:29 amGary Becker says not. -
Unemployment Extension Clears Senate
4 Nov 2009 | 2:29 pmThe Senate passed a final procedural hurdle today in the move to extend unemployment benefits. -
White House: 650,000 Jobs Exist Because of Stimulus
30 Oct 2009 | 8:16 amNew reports will show the recovery spending is having the intended effect. -
Unemployment Extension to Get Senate's Attention Next Week
23 Oct 2009 | 2:05 pmThe stakes are high for a federally funded benefits extension that has been delayed in the Senate.
-
Everyone's Blog Posts - talent revolution
-
Don’t Give Up!
So many of us are looking for our big shot, the chance to do what we dream about, or looking to get that job or opportunity that lies right in front of us. With the tough recessionary conditions and the struggling economy we have been hit by obstacles and roadblocks that have kept us just short of our desires. While enjoying a “use it or lose it” vacation week, I got the opportunity to read some non-business novels and found Joel Osteen’s “It’s Your Time” in my lap. Now whether you enjoy Osteen’s books or not, he has a motivating message to share that we can all learn from. He… -
Badge of Honor
Any of you that have kept up with me over the past 10 days knows that, last week, I was in Dallas at the 2009 People Report Best Practices Conference. It just so happened to be the best conference I’ve ever attended. Hands down. I even considered writing a love letter to it. Couldn’t quite find the words though. I considered making a list of the people I had the incredible fortune of meeting, and the people with whom I reconnected. Couldn’t do that either. It would have gone on for days. It finally hit me as I was unpacking after returning home. I pulled this out of my bag: I’ve… -
Your Private Life and Your Professional Life are the Same Online
You’ve heard it before: Much like a work-related function versus a happy hour with friends, there are different rules of protocol with a LinkedIn interaction (professional) versus a Facebook interaction (personal). In fact, according to this recent poll, 43% of people believe personal and professional social networks should be kept separate. Good luck with that! While common sense dictates that I don’t post photos of my kids on LinkedIn, and I don’t post my resume on Facebook, the belief that your personal life and professional life are separate is pure fallacy. It's just augmented… -
Location-Based Services in the Business
One of the areas I've been fascinated with lately has been the advent of Location-Based Services (LBS) applications on Smart Phones. There are a number a good applications that help you find friends and recommendations, based on where you are. Brightkite and Loopt are two examples of LBS services that help you explore your city and what your friends are up to. Foursquare takes that concept even further by making a competitive event out of exploring your city, and some businesses are wisely taking notice by offering deals to Foursquare "mayors" (i.e. repeat customers). Repeat customers and… -
"Crush It": A Quick Book Review
If you haven't yet read Gary Vaynerchuk's new book, "Crush It," then stop reading this and go buy it. Right now. It's a fantastic book, a short read, and it is overflowing with ideas. As soon as I finished reading it on Monday, I found myself pacing through the house. Involuntary pacing. And, I'm more psyched now than ever. Join me.
-
Jobacle
-
3 Ways to Use Twitter at Work
20 Nov 2009 | 5:37 amTwitter is all the rage these days. Even organizations like ESPN and CNN are using their own accounts to spread their message far and wide. But for some people, employers may discourage the use of Twitter in the workplace. I'm going to share a few ways that might help you to get your tweet on at work. In my previous job, Twitter was blocked, but I found some workarounds. In my current position, Twitter is not blocked, and I have used it to great success with researching and connecting to other professionals in my industry. I can definitely make the case for tweeting on the job! -
Making Common Workplace Fears More Manageable
19 Nov 2009 | 5:41 amYou’re probably thinking that I'm going to talk about the fear of public speaking, which is often identified as our #1 fear. But I’m thinking of more subtle fears that people don’t always discuss that make the workplace extremely difficult for some workers.As a therapist, I’ve treated people with diagnosed anxiety disorders, but also milder anxiety symptoms and signs. Worry over finances, health issues, parenting, school and relationships fall into that category. These fears fall somewhere between the two. What kinds of fears do people struggle with at work? -
6 Reasons Staff Evaluations FAIL
18 Nov 2009 | 6:19 amI've worked on staff evaluations before, but this year, as I pressed forward on a batch of them, it occurred to me how royally f'd up the system is. With the economy still 'uncertain,' many companies are stingier than ever when it comes to raises and praise. Apparently the two go hand-in-hand. The suits think that if you shower an employee with commendations, they will expect a raise to match. But since 2009 is the year of the tide wad, it appears most organizations are holding back in all categories.The annual review is designed to keep employees happy - but not too… -
Obama to Hold '09 Job Forum
17 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmCNNMoney.com says that President Obama plans to hold a job forum at the White House in December to brainstorm about job creation. Those invited to the forum will include CEOs, small business owners, economists, financial experts, and representatives from labor and non-profits. (Jobacle is patiently awaiting our invite). The president is facing a 10.2% unemployment rate but says there have been encouraging signs of economic growth and a slowing of the loss of jobs in recent months, but also said employers are still reluctant to hire and millions are desperate to find work. -
How to Look Productive While Goofing Off
16 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amIt’s not online Shopping, It’s “Research”We’re approaching that time of year where workers typically develop a case of “holiday distraction disorder.” Most of us become overloaded with holiday plans and the end-of-year work push. (I’ll suggest some stress-busters later this month.)There’s much discussion about being productive in this time of layoffs and working leaner/meaner. But let’s not forget the fine art of looking productive while goofing off. Now, I’m not talking about the slackers in your office - any efforts they make…
-
Standout Jobs
-
Inbound Recruiting Increases the Quality of Hires
18 Nov 2009 | 10:37 amI recently wrote a post entitled, The Future of Recruiting is Inbound inspired by the concepts of inbound marketing. I hope you’ll check out the post and let me know what you think. -
Employer Branding 2.0
10 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amWhat is employer branding? The most commonly used definition of “employer branding” is Brett Minchinton’s from The Employer Brand Institute, which defines employer branding as, “the image of the organization as a ‘great place to work’ in the minds of current employees and key stakeholders in the external market (active and passive candidates, clients, customers and other key stakeholders).” A company’s employer brand is made up of numerous components. Corporate Eye blog breaks these components down quite well. What’s important to realize… -
5 Tips for Getting Started with Employment Branding
10 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amEMC is a huge company. As such they have the resources to develop comprehensive employer branding and recruitment marketing campaigns, targeting specific audiences with different messages and tools. Dan Schawbel (who works with EMC on their social media efforts) describes 10 employer branding strategies used by EMC to become an employer of choice. Some of the highlights: Employee testimonial podcasts Employment branding blog Visual identity (branding) Twitter careers The goal is to leverage different technologies – be it audio, video, Twitter, social media, etc. – to distribute a… -
Inbound Marketing and HR
10 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amI recently met Dharmesh Shah, co-founder of HubSpot. HubSpot is a software product, which they call an Inbound Marketing System. The premise is that marketing departments and small businesses need to make themselves more available and accessible online, which in turn will attract those people that are looking for them already (but to-date haven’t found them.) It’s about blogging, search engine optimization, leveraging social media and social networks, and measuring everything to understand what’s working, what’s not working, etc. Unlike outbound marketing (think:… -
Short Versus Long-Term Recruitment Strategies
10 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amThe most common approach to recruiting – especially for small and medium-sized businesses – is really short-term; a “shotgun strategy” whereby a company realizes it needs to fill a position and races around to do it as quickly as possible. Of course, in too many cases, they needed to hire that person a few months ago, and only pulled the triggered on tackling the problem when it became dreadfully obvious. Companies can’t ignore short-term recruitment strategies – for example, posting on job boards with a 30-45 day window to drive job seeker attention and…
-
Brazen Careerist
-
The Horrible, Horrible Truth Hidden In ‘Twilight’
20 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pmSo the eagerly anticipated new movie about abstinence vampires and the women who love them comes out today. And I’ll admit, I’m not a fan. I tried reading the books (well, the first one, anyway). I couldn’t get past the first 100 pages. I tried watching the first movie, and wound up leaving the room after the first hour*. I wanted to understand this trend; I really did. But I’m just not in the demographic that enjoys this sort of thing. Maybe my problem lies in the central conceit of the story’s romance between the two characters, which has been elaborated on… -
I’m An Addict…Of Coffee
20 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pmI believe in starting my day out by taking the time to brew fresh coffee. It is the pause before the storm. I love the sound my coffee machine makes as it brews. It reminds me of the way my grandparents coffee percolator used to sound every morning when I would visit them growing up. (Percolators make terrible coffee by the way, they just sound cool) I look forward to the smell of coffee brewing. There is nothing like coming into the kitchen in the morning and smelling the coffee, it smells like…victory. Pouring the first cup and taking the first sip is what it’s all about. Pouring… -
Jared Allen And Mullets. Oh yeah, And Marketing.
20 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pmIf you’re new to Analogous Friday, welcome to the your awesomeland. This is a little doo-dad I do every week (on a Friday, no duh) where I share with you a wicked video that I’ve come across for your entertainment. Then, after said entertainment, I’ll make some asinine analogy for how it relates to marketing and business. Then, in the comments, you continue the analogousness and come up with your own. So, those are the rules, kiddos, let’s get ready to rumble! Today’s video features Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings, but you don’t even have to be a sports fan to… -
Gen Y, I’ll Be Your Mentor
20 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pmAs an older member of Gen Y, I know that I have a wealth of knowledge to impart to my younger generational brethren. I help out as a “coach” to potential new hires at my company where I talk to them about the firm or give interview advice. On a larger scale for the past 4 years I have been guest lecturing at Penn State University where I always try to give real world honest advice. I talk about being a professional, dealing with office politics, minding one’s personal appearance and online brand, and most relevant to seniors… how to get a job in today’s market. -
Announcing the Winners of the Brazen Careerist Brand Rock Stars Contest!
20 Nov 2009 | 10:22 amCongratulations, Krista Reaves (@kristamarie1)! You just won a Garmin GPS! Here is Krista’s prize-winning tweet: Congratulations to our runners ups, too. Each Brazen Careerist member listed below will be receiving a $25 iTunes gift card: Mary Qin (@laelene) Mario Awad (@marioawad) Connie Rice (@daytonafood) I had a lot of fun with this contest! One of the coolest parts was that some of the brands we were talking about jumped into the conversation. Which tells me that there are more brands out there that are starting to “get it.” Thanks again to…
-
About.com Job Searching
-
Your LinkedIn Profile When You're Unemployed
19 Nov 2009 | 11:31 pmGeorge is just one of the job seekers who have written to me asking what they should put in their LinkedIn Profile when they are unemployed. It's definitely an issue because even though you, like many other people, are out of work, you want to present yourself in a positive light to prospective employers and to networking contacts. Krista Canfield, Senior PR Manager at LinkedIn has suggestions: "If you're currently unemployed list your current position as "open to opportunities." If you just recently lost your job, make sure you update your status field in your profile so your network… -
Job Search Holiday Travel Tips
18 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmDo you have Thanksgiving travel plans? When you're traveling while you're in the midst of a job search, it's important to be able to not miss out on emails or phone calls from prospective employers. Hiring doesn't stop, just because of the holidays, and staying connected could give you an advantage over other candidates who don't check messages until they get home from a trip. You won't want to miss out on a job opportunity or a conversation with a connection who can help your job search, because you're not at home or out of touch. As long as you have the right job search travel tools… -
New Unemployment Extension News
18 Nov 2009 | 9:01 amUpdate November 20: Here's additional information from the National Employment Law Project on unemployment benefits running out at the end of the year: The National Employment Law Project (NELP) released a new analysis finding that one million workers will become ineligible for unemployment benefits in January 2010 unless Congress reauthorizes the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's unemployment insurance programs by the end of December. The critical benefits provided to jobless workers by the ARRA are set to expire at the end of the year, which means that even with the latest 14 to 20… -
Employee Benefit Packages
17 Nov 2009 | 10:26 pmWhether you are job searching or deciding on a job offer it's important to review what benefit coverage is provided by the companies you're interested in and to decide whether the employee benefit package is one that fully meets your needs. Not all benefit packages are created equal and it's better to be informed, upfront, rather than have an unpleasant and possibly expensive surprise later on. For example, a former colleague of mine accepted a new job and presumed that his benefits package would be equivilent to what he had at his old job. It wasn't - it provided single health insurance… -
How to Manage Your Job Search
16 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pmIt's important to manage your job search and keep track of the job leads you find, the jobs you've applied to, the resumes and cover letters you have submitted, and the networking contacts you're outreaching to. If it sounds like a lot, it is. There are ways to get (and keep) your job search under control though. Spending time managing your job search, keeping it organized, focused, and on the fast track will help you find a job faster than if you don't have a plan in place. Even though you're going to spend some extra time getting organized, it will save you time in the long run. It will…
-
The Work Buzz
-
What’s Your Most Embarrassing Interview Moment?
We've all had embarrassing moments. (I'm going to keep it professional and not share mine with you here, but I assure you, it's one for the books.) Anyway, as I was saying, we've all had embarrassing moments. For some people, it unfortunately happened in the worst place possible: the interview. If you're ... -
A good boss is …
Our friends over at The Hiring Site recently asked recruiters and hiring managers to explain what makes a good leader. They compiled the responses and created an excellent, 11-point list of qualities that define a true leader. Among the many traits are integrity, communication, confidence and passion. Not surprising, right? However, ... -
More Companies Hiring for the Holidays
In the past few weeks, we've talked a lot about seasonal hiring and we got a huge response to the blog where we posted 10 companies hiring for the holidays. Based on all of your comments, it sounds like a few of you are looking for some more options. Ask and ... -
“Can We Have Bikini Fridays?” And Other Strange Requests…
Thankfully, for everyone in my office, one of my co-workers did not request to institute bikini Fridays -- but someone else did. And that's not even the weirdest thing! In a new survey by CareerBuilder, hiring managers shared the most memorable requests or recommendations they have received in the office suggestion ... -
How to prove you’re needed
If you've read our posts before, you know we encourage workers to make tactful departures. We also encourage workers to be direct with their bosses and be confident in their abilities. Now, what happens when these two situations converge? You get a memo dripping in red ink. As regional blog Torontoist ...
-
Escape From Cubicle Nation
-
10 ways to stimulate the economy with your brain
5 Nov 2009 | 10:58 amI don’t know about you, but I get mighty tired of reading newspaper articles and blog rants about the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of stimulus money on our economy. What makes me frustrated is that we waste hours a day fighting with each other about things outside of our control, instead of using our own brains to do something about our local economy. So here is my list of 10 things you can do, right now, to stimulate a small corner of your local economy without spending a dime: Mentor a new business owner. If you know how to build an effective website or display goods more… -
Spreading the addiction of the TED conference one city at a time
30 Oct 2009 | 2:24 pmThere are few things that get me fired up late at night like watching TED videos. For the uninitiated, TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and is a conference that takes place once a year. The videos from TED are shared free on their website, and the talks are enough to get you standing up with your fist in the air, clutching your heart with tears streaming down your cheeks, or doubling over with laughter. TED is undertaking a new initiative which is to encourage local communities to sponsor their own events, called “TEDx.” We are hosting ours here in Phoenix,… -
Last chance to attend live Escape from Cubicle Nation workshop in 2009
28 Oct 2009 | 4:20 pmThe fabulous and enthusiastic crew from last week’s Escape from Cubicle Nation Workshop in London. Photo by the handsome and talented TMSRuge. I communicate on Twitter so frequently that I just realized some blog readers may not know that my last live Escape from Cubicle Nation workshop will take place on Wednesday, November 4 at the Hotel Belamar in Southern California. I will be joined by the fabulous and talented Colleen Wainwright, otherwise known as Communicatrix, who is an amazing resource for branding and social media. This will be my last workshop of the year, and the last… -
Response to Chris Brogan about Overnight Success
25 Oct 2009 | 4:05 pmSitting in the Dallas airport after having spent the weekend speaking and participating in Milana Leshinsky’s Coaching Millions Super Summit, I watched Chris Brogan’s 3-part video series on Overnight Success and felt my heart melt. I related to so much of what he talked about, since I have spent so much time this summer on the road, promoting my book. Getting out in front of people is critical, spreading the message of hope and connection through entrepreneurship is imperative, and creating a powerful business model that serves people well and provides well for my family is a… -
The beauty of dirty laundry
19 Oct 2009 | 2:38 pmAt the management conference I attended in Pärnu, Estonia last week, we had a speaker from Denmark, Morten Lund, a long-time entrepreneur who had, among other things, made good money investing in Skype. As he launched into his presentation, he said: “I have founded over 88 startups. And at the moment, I am bankrupt.” Due to a failed investment in a newspaper business in his native Denmark, he had lost a lot of money. But, he said, he actually was feeling quite good. He was spending lots of time with his four kids, whom he obviously adored. And he remained passionate about…
-
Lisa’s Generation Relations Blog
-
NY Times: Bridging the Workplace Generation Gap
14 Nov 2009 | 1:50 pmHi All! I was recently interviewed for an interesting NY Times article: Bridging the Workplace Generation Gap: It Starts With A Text, written by staff reporter, Alina Tugend. It’s filled with interesting stats and research findings about the current generational gaps within the workforce. Here’s a snippet of the article: …The point, she says, is not to look like a 26-year-old or even to necessarily act like one, but to be open to the fact that times have changed. And if we 40-plus-year-olds refuse to acknowledge that, we’re only punishing ourselves. This is particularly… -
New Study Reveals Young People in America Are Very Stressed Out
10 Nov 2009 | 3:06 pmHi All, This is not good. I remember when life was a bit more carefree for young people…but this new research study conducted by the American Psychological Association shows that times have sure changed since I was in junior high and high school. Sure, we/I had stress back then, but not to the levels young people have today. About the survey, “Stress in America”: The 2009 Stress in America Survey was conducted online within the US by Harris Interactive on behalf of the APA, from July 21 – August 4, 2009 among 1,568 adults ages 18+. This report also includes the… -
How Millennial Moms Are Different from Older Generations
3 Nov 2009 | 6:25 pmHi All, Clearly I have been swamped! My blogging time has suffered, but there’s only so many hours in a day… I came across this article a week ago but just now getting around to telling YOU about it. See? I am behind. I spoke at the big SEMA event in Vegas yesterday, and then head to Philly on Thursday to speak at the Annual SOPHE Conference. Lots happening!! Oh, and my new book, Millennials Into Leadership, is coming out in 2 weeks. I need to clone me right now. Here’s the scoop: So much time is spent on discussing Millennials (aka Gen Y) as kids and/or young 20-somethings,… -
Several Hot Companies Hiring Run By Generation X or Millennial CEO’s
26 Oct 2009 | 9:25 pmHey All! The job market may be tough, but there are some hot companies that are hiring in this economy…and according to Fortune’s new 40 Under 40 list, these companies are owned or run by members of Generation X or Millennial (aka Generation Y) CEO’s…yes, people under 40. And are they all tech startups funded with new VC money? Uh, no. Oh, and did I mention quite a few of the CEO’s only list a high school diploma as their highest education level completed…or a Bachelor’s degree? CNNMoney.com published this article last week, so check it out. Quite a… -
New Podcast Show Features Millennials Making a Difference
21 Oct 2009 | 5:40 pmHi All! I’m so excited to announce the launch of my new podcast show, Millennials In Motion! It went live today so check out the interview. Each month I’ll conduct interviews with Millennials (aka Gen Y) who are impacting business, entrepreneurship, music, entertainment, politics, sports, education, society and more! I’ll also interview organizations and services who support young people in a variety of important ways. http://millennialsinmotion.podOmatic.com/ My first episode is with Millennial entrepreneur, Ryan Healy, co-founder of BrazenCareerist.com, a career management…
-
CareerDiva
-
Top ten lists suck
20 Nov 2009 | 7:24 amI’m going to preface this blog post by saying, I probably have written a top ten list or two in my day. But, for the most part, top ten lists can be pretty useless, even mine. Top ten places to live for work. Top ten growth jobs. Top ten interview mistakes. Sure living in Hawaii and working as a nurse sounds great, but how realistic is it for most of you out there? And if you’re going to a job interview with smelly armpits and unbrushed hair there’s a good chance you’re not reading top ten lists. No way around it, invariably most points on such lists are stretches or… -
Bring back the passé and deadly work necktie!
19 Nov 2009 | 6:05 amThere’s a silly story on the cover of the Wall Street Journal that shows how insane all the fear over swine flu has gotten. Now doctors’ ties may be harboring the flu virus. Believe it or not, the American Medical Association has been pondering banning the necktie for docs, in addition to getting rid of long sleeves and other types of clothing. Why don’t we just have our doctors stand naked before us. That would be an interesting twist, no? Anyway, it got me thinking about men and ties in general. I asked my hubby this morning when was the last time he wore a tie to work and… -
Punching a clock, for the first time
18 Nov 2009 | 5:39 amI remember the first job I had as a teenager where I had to punch a clock. It was at a Syms clothing store on Long Island, NY, and in some ways that job as a sales associate helped my career. I’m reflecting on that job this morning because I just read Sy Syms, the owner of that discount apparel chain, died yesterday. Here’s some of his obit in the New York Times today: He was born Seymour Merinsky, and grew up in Brooklyn, the youngest of eight living children born to Russian immigrants. After serving in the United States Army and attending New York University on the G.I. bill, he… -
U.S. ain’t family friendly
17 Nov 2009 | 7:19 amFamily friendly policies will bankrupt a company and a nation, right? Wrong! A new comprehensive study finds that being nice to workers by offering them programs such as paid sick days and parental leave actually helps competitiveness. “There simply is no negative relationship at all between decent working conditions and competitiveness or job creation,” said Jody Heymann, founding director of the Institute for Health and Social Policy at McGill University, about a worldwide study that was conducted in conjunction with McGill and the Harvard School of Public Health. Here are some… -
“Going Rogue,” aka , dogging your old boss
16 Nov 2009 | 6:25 amOne nugget of career advice that tends to get everyone agreeing is that you should never bad-mouth an old employer. I tweeted this morning about whether putting down an ex boss is a good idea, and PatricePinkFile summed up the conventional wisdom on the topic: World too small to burn bridges But, in this age of venting about almost everything, such advice may seem a bit old-fashioned, no? And geez, every Tom, Dick and Harry citizen journalist has a forum to spout off about crummy bosses. You can tweet your feelings of being wronged by an old boss, or you can Facebook, LinkedIn, or just blog…
-
Employee Engagement Zingers
-
14 Employee Engagement Zingers: Eclectic Resources (2)
20 Nov 2009 | 1:42 amZinger’s eclectic employee engagement resources: This selection includes contributions ranging from learning 2.0 and loyalty matters to nine question sif you care enough to forty great resources for a community management strategy. Top 10 Trends in Learning 2.0. Very informative slideshare by Rodd Lucier. http://bit.ly/1Q5LAu Peter W. Hart on loyalty matters. http://bit.ly/3svLTM Research finds leadership skills inadequate to meet current and future demand ~ George Ambler http://bit.ly/2tfDmB Scott Young on What if You Have More Than One Passion? http://bit.ly/wvgXa Beyond… -
Employee Engagement Zingers: Eclectic Resource Mix #1
19 Nov 2009 | 10:07 amHere are some fine links on employee engagement ranging from the weakness of one tactic for employee engagement to a decreased focus by managers on inspiration, direction, motivation, and accountability: Employee engagement beyond the single tactic. Well done Mitch McCrimmon. http://bit.ly/4499wZ Employee engagement? 11 Pathways to employee disengagement. http://bit.ly/3T1q9e Unique but not alone. Lisa Haneberg posts excellent story on mentorship. http://bit.ly/2tRbPI GRAPH-EECHH. Naked ladies turn into Christmas Trees. http://bit.ly/370nAL Johnnie Moore – people who are preoccupied… -
3 Lessons from Constructive Living For Employee Engagement
19 Nov 2009 | 2:55 amHow do you GET to work? Photo Credit: Construction Signs on Flickr. Are you constructive? I appreciate the following quotation that David K. Reynolds used to start his book on Constructive Living from Thomas Merton in INC, July 1992, p.11 If I insist that my work be rewarding, that it mustn’t be tedious or monotonous, I’m in trouble….It’s ridiculous to demand that work always be pleasurable, because work is not necessarily pleasing; sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. If we’re detached and simply pick up the job we have to do and go ahead and do it,… -
What Must Die? A Poem for Organizational Transformation
18 Nov 2009 | 3:18 pmIn a flap Can you spare some change for organizational transformation? Will our rigid cocoon pyramidal structure morph into a vibrant butterfly of co-created conversations? Will we become what we are capable of becoming, Or get stuck on a stick on inertia, Overtaxed capacity leaving barely enough energy to change toilet paper rolls? If you want change You must determine what will die Because daring to only want more is a recipe for diminished energy to make anything happen. We must let go, loosen up and say no Let the ending lead to the beginning To transform our no into a constructive yes of… -
11 Pathways to Employee Disengagement
16 Nov 2009 | 2:57 amHow Not to Conduct an Employee Engagement Initiative (satire). Ms Julie Carter, a student at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, asked an excellent question: One question I have is about how a company would go about implementing an employee engagement program. Are there any specific guidelines or initiatives? Before I offer the positive suggestions in a later post, I would like to examine how not to implement a program. The top 11 ways to ensure employee disengagement: Use Fear. Only engage in employee engagement because you are fearful of falling behind the competition. Tell…
-
J.T. and Dale Talk Jobs
-
‘No Calls or E-Mails, Please’
17 Nov 2009 | 7:32 amDear J.T. & Dale: I applied for a job online for which the ad said, “No e-mails or calls, please.” I am used to seeing this in ads, but since I am also (unfortunately) used to hearing absolutely nothing from potential employers, I don’t know how to check the status of the job. Should I call, since it’s been a few weeks since I sent out the resume? — Susan J.T.: I can appreciate your frustration with this pesky request from employers. However, when they explicitly put that in the ad, they really mean it. If you call, you’ll get labeled as someone who… -
Don’t Tell Me I Can Come Back & Then Leave Me Out in the Cold
17 Nov 2009 | 6:59 amDear J.T. & Dale: I was working at a company in Illinois when my brother got sick and I moved to Phoenix to help out. When I resigned my old job, the company told me the doors were open to me because I had “rehire” status. However, now that my brother is better and I’ve returned home, I reapplied and HR no longer will even answer my e-mails. Don’t tell me I can come back and then leave me out in the cold. — Jess J.T.: While I understand your frustration, it’s great that you got rehire status. That says a lot about you and your work. Dale: But what it does… -
Can Your Work and Personal Lives Be Separate?
10 Nov 2009 | 9:47 amDear J.T. & Dale: I’d like to take your advice and do more networking, but I don’t have much to work with. I haven’t kept up with former co-workers, and among my friends and family, no one knows anything about my work or that I’m now unemployed. I believe in keeping my work and personal lives separate. — Rick J.T.: I need to be blunt, Rick: Work and personal lives are NOT separate. They are interdependent, even if you try to compartmentalize them. For instance, when we are unhappy at work, it affects our personal life. And being unemployed certainly affects your… -
Applying for Unemployment Is Out of Question, Right?
10 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amDear J.T. & Dale: The company I work for was sold, and I went to work for the new owners. Recently my hours have been reduced to nothing. It might be 10 hours one week, nine the next. I have looked for other employment, but no one is hiring. I want to apply for unemployment, but if my employers call me, I have to work. If I don’t, that’s a refusal, and unemployment would be denied anyway. Any advice? — Ned J.T.: Sadly, this is a common way for a company to get employees to leave voluntarily. By cutting your hours, they are hoping that you’ll find another job, thus… -
The Next Job You’re Going To Hate
4 Nov 2009 | 7:33 amDear J.T. & Dale: You experts keep saying to “network.” Most jobs I’ve gotten by networking have turned out very badly for me. I won’t go into details, but they often ended in lack of advancement, being knifed in the back by a supervisor or other not-so-nice happenings. I have a long list of industries I’ve been in and know I have no desire to work in again — finance, insurance, retail, any type of food service, any job requiring answering phones or being on the computer all day and sales (including all the titles that try to hide that it’s a sales…
-
All Things Workplace
-
HR & Social Media: What Would Jesus Do?
20 Nov 2009 | 8:07 amAre you an HR person wrestling with how best to use social media?You've got plenty of company.At this week's IQPC Corporate University sessions there was an entire two-day track dedicated to Social Media. Speakers included Sharlyn Lauby and Jessica Lee, HR pros who know their way around the online community and the tools available to best do that. The questions from the audience surprised me since I've been online for some time: 1. Do we need legal regulations before we start using social media? (This was the starting point for a lot of people; their management wanted to nail down any… -
Men and Achievement: More Romantic Than Engaged?
17 Nov 2009 | 7:28 pmEureka, I've found it! Business-related research that finally allows the kind of cheesy headline to attract readers from all genres while losing my core group in the process. Please say you'll still love me in the morning. The headline in Science Daily reads:Men Choose Romance Over Success Men may be more willing than women to sacrifice achievement goals for a romantic relationship. This according to a new study by Catherine Mosher of Duke Medical Center and Sharon Danoff-Burg from the University of Albany. The findings challenge preconceptions that women are more likely to prioritize people… -
Five Good Tips For Busy People
16 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am"Unless you are an hourly worker in America, boundaries between work and leisure are dead. Work bleeds into life, and life bleeds into work. People have the smart phone, aka the “digital leash”. Work will never be the same. It’s already gone." Kris Dunn, VP of People, DAXKO, The Blurring Line Between Work and Life___________________________________________Kris and the group speak the truth. We all know it although we may not like it. So, what do you do to "mesh" the elements of your life without it becoming blurry. I'm not a fan of blurry; clarity yields a more… -
The Paradox of Choices
13 Nov 2009 | 6:20 amThe rallying cry of product managers and politicians is "Choices! We offer choices!"My observation? We really don’t like having too many choices. It makes us a little nervous. Every option leads to a chance to foul something up. Heck, a lot of people are more worried about not being wrong than about being right. So, we allow our experiences and habits to narrow our options to just a couple of familiar ones. It reduces the anxiety and relieves stress.So, how do you make genuine changes faced with the siren song of habits?The first move is to re-capture your sense of conscious choice in… -
Too Busy Doing Business to Do Business?
12 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amYesterday I met with a corporate Executive VP in New York City. I'll call him Phil. Phil said his division was struggling. But instead of leading the charge to turn things around, he was being called into meetings regularly to make lengthy, detailed, Powerpoint presentations explaining what was wrong. He was too busy doing business to be doing the business. Interestingly, one of his recommendations was for the company to get out of some of its operations because they were draining money and other resources. He explained that his people were spending too much time on things that no longer…
-
Jon Gordon's Blog | Developing Positive Leaders, Organizations and Teams
-
Inspire Confidence
16 Nov 2009 | 5:49 amHow do you inspire confidence in your team and yourself when you are facing challenges and things aren’t going well? How do you lift yourself and others up when you’ve been knocked down? And what do you do when self doubt rears its ugly head again and again? I was faced with this question a few weeks ago from a coach who wrote the following: “I am the Varsity girl’s golf coach at Hudsonville. As I listened to your message today I felt like my girls were doing everything right. So far this year each girl has improved their average by 5-7 strokes per 9 holes from last year. We have… -
Overcoming Adversity - TV Interview
12 Nov 2009 | 4:54 amI spoke to the staff of a homeless shelter yesterday and the local Fox station came to do a story. You can watch the clip below. I hope the message inspires you. “Your adversity doesn’t have to be your end. It can actually be your beginning.” -
The Benefits of Hard Work
9 Nov 2009 | 5:27 amI recently did an interview with Jamie Eckle for Computer World about the benefits of Hard Work. I thought you would benefit from it so here it is. Q&A: with Jon Gordon The author of Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else says the secret to success might be as simple as hard work. Q: I’ve read a lot of prescriptions for success, but these days you don’t hear much about hard work. It’s certainly a factor, but is it really the preeminent qualification for success? A:I really believe it is. Innovation doesn’t happen without hard work. Producing a… -
The Passion to Thrive
2 Nov 2009 | 4:54 amThe strongest may survive but it is the passionate that will thrive. Whether I’m speaking to an NFL team, school principals, or leaders of world class organizations such as Pepperidge Farm, Citizens Bank, and Northwestern Mutual my message is the same: If you want to be successful today you must load your “Energy Bus” with passionate people…. and most of all you must be passionate yourself. In the past you could be lukewarm and mediocre and still be successful. Not anymore. Now, in today’s competitive environment, your passion and your purpose must be greater than your… -
Play to Win
26 Oct 2009 | 6:12 amThere was a time in most of our lives when we had no fear-that feeling when we jumped from the jungle gym and slammed our little bodies to the ground. Perhaps it was when we went on our first roller coaster, or when we were in high school or college and felt that there was nothing we couldn’t do. No goal was unattainable. We were an unstoppable force that would think of something and then make it happen. Then, as time goes by, the world tells us more frequently that we can’t do what we want. The doubters laugh at our goals and try to persuade us from going after our dreams. They…
-
College Recruiter
-
How to Measure Results from Social Media Ads, Efforts
20 Nov 2009 | 6:26 amWhen evaluating various metrics and tools for tracking social media, what should marketing and communications professionals look for? First, know what you want to measure. The most complex tools in the world won't do you any good if they don't measure what your business needs to measure. So start with that. Second, look for tools that simplify your job rather than complicate it. If you can find one tool that measures everything you want to measure, invest in it. The alternative may seem cheaper on the front end, but the amount of work required to manage several tools and a dozen separate data… -
How to Find Recruiting Experts on Twitter
19 Nov 2009 | 12:04 pmMany newcomers and even some veterans to Twitter find the process of deciding who to follow to be very confusing. The Twitter home page, for example, has a prominent search engine but strongly implies that you search for content rather than people. I believe that both are important. In fact, I prefer to follow people who discuss content which is relevant to me. So how do you decide who to follow if you know the content but then get thousands and perhaps tens of thousands of matches back? Perhaps the easiest way of adding up to 100 highly relevant people in a flash is a free service from… -
My Worst Interview Experience Ever
19 Nov 2009 | 6:02 amI'm a fully recovered lawyer but before I made the tough decision to leave law, I interviewed for a summer associate position with a law firm back in 1990. Two interviewers and me in one of those awful on-campus interview room with air that smelled like it was imported every decade from the Soviet Union. One of the interviewers greets me like a cold fish and tells me that she's the human resources manager. She definitely knew how to take the human out of human resources. But it gets better. The other takes over and explains that she's the staff psychologist (really) and wants to ask me a… -
Obama Pressured to Create Jobs
18 Nov 2009 | 2:42 pmUnemployment is shaping up as a key battleground in the midterm elections. The Wall Street Journal's Economics Editor David Wessel says the Obama administration is keenly aware, and looking at smaller stimulus follow-ups to generate jobs growth: -
My Nightmare Interviews With Google
18 Nov 2009 | 5:42 am
-
Career College Central
-
Pell Report Illustrates Two Year College Transfer Success
20 Nov 2009 | 7:25 amI am a college success story. According to the findings of a recent Pell Report study, I should be recognized as someone who successfully transferred from a two-year community or technical college to a four-year college, eventually obtaining my bachelor's degree. But, my story took place some 25 years ago and much has changed in education since then. For starters, many more low income students are now taking college classes which means that quite a few will head off to community college for some advanced training. Some students will receive the technical training that they need while others… -
Taxing Relationships
20 Nov 2009 | 7:18 amRibbon cuttings. Press releases. Posed photographs with shovels in hand. Such are the tools colleges often use to illustrate their close ties to the business community. And as public institutions work ever harder to make the case that they serve as economic engines for their cities, states and regions, college leaders are likely to cozy up to the business world even more. read more -
Editorial: Expand Nursing Schools
20 Nov 2009 | 7:11 amMichigan faces an estimated shortage of 18,000 nurses in the next five years. Bachelor's degree nursing programs at four-year colleges and universities cannot accommodate all the students who want to attend. The state should allow community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in nursing. The two-year schools now offer associate's degrees in nursing that can lead to a student becoming a registered nurse. But increasingly, hospitals and other health care organizations prefer registered nurses to have four-year degrees, according to legislative testimony noted in a state House Fiscal Agency… -
E-Transcript Support Reaches Tipping Point; Docufide Now Servicing over 4,000 Schools Nationwide
20 Nov 2009 | 7:05 amLos Angeles, Nov. 19 2009 -- What started with only a handful of high schools and colleges exchanging electronic transcripts in early 2003 has now evolved into the nation's largest e-transcript exchange network, servicing ten statewide contracts and thousands of high schools and colleges in every state and over fifty countries, with over one thousand of those colleges electronically receiving Docufide's Secure Transcripts(TM). 2009 brought with it unprecedented acceptance and growth in the adoption of electronic transcripts. Docufide doubled the number of sending schools while expanding its… -
All Eyes on Pittsburgh
19 Nov 2009 | 7:00 amPittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl, just seven years out of college, is igniting ire with his plan to levy a 1 percent tax on tuition collected by the city's 10 nonprofit colleges and universities. Introduced as part of Ravenstahl's 2010 budget less than a week after he won reelection on Nov. 3, the so-called "Fair Share Tax" would raise $16.2 million in annual revenue for the city, his estimates claim. "We value Pittsburgh's nonprofit community," he said as he announced the tax. "They are our major employers, and a big part of why our economy continues to be strong.
-
Execpundit
-
Caine Speaks Texan
20 Nov 2009 | 6:10 pmA thoroughly enjoyable interview with Michael Caine in which he talks about learning American accents and getting old. -
The Pirate Problem
20 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pmBusiness Week looks at the increasing problem of piracyAs ransoms increase, so too have the pirates' ambitions. No longer do they merely operate in waters close to the Somali shore or in the Gulf of Aden. They have targeted ships much further out on the open sea. On Nov. 9, they attacked a 360 meter (1,180 foot) Chinese tanker some 1,000 sea miles off the Somali coast. The tanker was able to evade the attackers, but the case illustrates anew that the pirates have broadened their hunting grounds to such a degree that complete protection from warships is no longer possible. -
Stop Watch
20 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pmA powerful post from A View From the LedgeOur prayers are with you, Jeff. -
Ayn Rand Interview
20 Nov 2009 | 8:24 amWith the recent boost in the sales of Atlas Shrugged in mind, this 1959 interview by Mike Wallace of Ayn Rand is rather interesting. -
Better Meetings
20 Nov 2009 | 8:10 amMy post on 7 moves for effective meetings is up at U.S. News & World Report
-
WebWorkerDaily
-
Pogoplug Updates: Gets File Sync, Extra USB Ports
20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmPogoplug, a nifty little device that enables you to easily access your files from anywhere via the Web (see my previous post about it here) has been updated, with a second generation of the device being released. As Kevin over at jkOnTheRun reports, as well as sporting a fancier new design, the new version has three additional USB ports, making four in total, which gives you much more leeway to add storage and drives to your “personal cloud.” The product also has some new functionality, including automatic file synchronization for photos, music and movies, and global searching… -
5 Most Popular Posts on WebWorkerDaily This Week
20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pmJust in case you missed any of them, here are the five most popular posts on WebWorkerDaily this week: Mockingbird: Build Web Site Mockups Fast Thursday looks at Mockingbird, an easy-to-use wireframing tool. Teach an Old Dog New Tricks: How to Break Bad Work Habits Karen explains how to break bad work habits using the power of your mind. Your Office in the Clouds: The Best Online Virtual Desktops Doriano rounds up the options for virtual online desktops. 6 Tips For Using Google Wave On Your First Project While many of us are still scratching our heads trying to figure out how to fit Wave into… -
Thanks to Our WebWorkerDaily Sponsors!
20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pmWe’d like to say thanks to this month’s WebWorkerDaily sponsors: FreshBooks: Look Professional with FreshBooks. -
The Netbook: Six Months Later
20 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmIn an effort to curtail my disastrous gadget spending habits, I’ve decided to take a look at devices I’ve purchased with the stated intent of increasing my productivity, to see if intentions and reality reflect each other at all. Today, I’m turning my critical gaze on my netbook, which I picked up just over half a year ago. My particular netbook is the Asus Eee PC 1000HE, but the model doesn’t really matter. It’s a light device with a 10-inch screen, a small keyboard and an all-day eight hour battery. When I bought it, it was freshly released, and was generating… -
WWD Reader Profile: Bia Kunze, Dentist/Mobile Tech Blogger
20 Nov 2009 | 11:00 amWebWorkerDaily readers are a diverse bunch. Every week, I profile a different reader and ask them to share what they do, how they do it, and some of their favorite hints and tips. Who are you and what do you do? For my main job, I am a dentist. No kidding! But in 2001, I got a Palm m100 as a gift. I knew nothing about tech stuff or the web. However, I fell in love with that device, because it helped me a lot in my work. Now, nine years later, here I am: mobile tech-savvy, with the largest blog about mobility in Brazil, a podcast, writing in some magazines, talking on the radio and reviewing…
-
The HR Capitalist
-
Giving Feedback to Your Boss When You're In HR...
20 Nov 2009 | 7:45 amYou're in HR - a partner to whomever you serve... Guess what? That means you're supposed to tell people when they're messing up. For a lot of us, that's easy when it's employees and even the managers we serve in other departments. It gets trickier when we have to tell our boss that there's something rotten in Denmark related to... well, them. If you've been faced with giving your boss needed feedback as a HR pro, it comes in two different flavors -your boss is either a HR professional or a line manager to whom you report directly. I've always… -
You Want to Talk About Our Infighting and Politics? You're Fired... (A Cautionary Tale)
18 Nov 2009 | 7:06 amYou can't write them better than this. A disgruntled customer of American Airlines writes up a hard blog post on what's wrong with the AA website. Even goes so far as to draw up a new design for AA. Posts that on blog for the world to see. Interesting from a social media perspective, right? More from the guy in question at dustincurtis.com. "A few months ago, I wrote an article expressing my displeasure with American Airlines‘ hideous online presence. I also spent some time mocking up a redesigned version of their website. To my surprise, a user experience designer… -
Belichick on Culture: Sometimes You've Got To Say "What The..."
17 Nov 2009 | 5:56 amYou've been there before. People around you are playing the odds. They're shifting lanes on the freeway, following up on emails after a textbook two days silence and <gasp> electing not to challenge incoherent thoughts in meetings for political reasons. Everyone's doing it kid. Work the odds. Survive and advance. Play it by the book. Of course, if everyone is playing the odds, the collective experience of the pack is, well... AVERAGE. Sometimes, if you want to build or maintain something of significance, you have to say "what the <...>" and do… -
HR Pros: If You Can't/Won't Recruit, You're a Secretary...
16 Nov 2009 | 5:52 amI said the following last week on a show called the HR Happy Hour: "There's a word for HR pros who don't recruit - they're called secretaries". I thought about what I wanted to say for about 10 seconds before I said it. I pondered "administrators". Didn't get the effect I was looking for, so I opted for secretaries. I got some emails and tweets that said I called all HR pros secretaries. That's not true - I called HR pros who can't/won't recruit secretaries. Big difference. I'm a HR Generalist. My definition of that is… -
Special Note to Those Upset at the Blurring Line Between Work and Life...
13 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amStop whining. The revolution will not be televised - or at least that's what Flavor Flav told me. Beatings will continue until morale improves. Fights will go on as long as they have to.... Work/Life balance was one of the topics for a recent roundtable sponsored by Halogen Software (the HR Raging Debates Roundtable), one of my favorite vendors in the Talent Management sotware space. The roundtable participants include thought leaders: Josh Bersin, President and CEO, Bersin & Associates; Peter Cappelli, Professor of Management at The Wharton School; David Creelman, CEO,…
-
Forbes.com: Career News
-
The Weekly Layoff Report: AOL Not A-OK
20 Nov 2009 | 1:36 pmAnother week of painful job cuts in several industries. -
Where The Jobs Are: Dental Work
19 Nov 2009 | 11:49 amNational dentistry chains are growing, and they're hiring on all levels. -
How To Get A Holiday Job
17 Nov 2009 | 11:49 amEven in a terrible economy, many employers need extra hands in December. -
The Weekly Layoff Report: Layoffs Round Two For Some
13 Nov 2009 | 2:35 pmElectronics businesses were hit especially hard this week. -
Government Jobs You Should Apply For Now
12 Nov 2009 | 6:50 amAmerica's biggest employer is hiring. Here are some of the better opportunities at the moment.
-
Tammy Erickson
-
Newsweek's Sarah Palin Cover is Good Journalism
18 Nov 2009 | 12:21 pmMany years ago, when the idea of women in professional roles in business was much more novel that it is today, magazines were eager to profile female pioneers. As a very young managing director in one of the then-prominent management consulting companies, I received lots of requests for interviews. One of the first was from a major, serious business magazine. The writer conducted a lengthy interview on topics ranging from the nature of the work I was doing with my clients, my observations on key trends and evolving issues, the challenges of diversity in the workforce, and yes... a then-hot… -
Customer Experience Is Not About Coffee
4 Aug 2009 | 5:04 amI have been trying to send a wire transfer for over a week now. In the process, I've been asked dozens of times how my day is going, offered multiple cups of coffee, and declined repeated suggestions that perhaps I'd like to run a few errands while I wait. I've been smiled at, welcomed, and offered comfortable chairs. My responses have gone from the standard and polite, "fine, thank you," to the near-hysterical "not well" as tensions mounted. Still, no money arrived in the other person's account. As I had to explain to my friend in the United Kingdom who had not heard of the process, in the… -
Obama, Gates, Crowley, and the Baggage We Each Carry
27 Jul 2009 | 9:27 amMuch of my work over the past several years has wrestled with issues of diversity, specifically among the generations. My research has shown me time and again how powerfully and unconsciously our past experiences color the way we perceive events today — and how easily we form the wrong conclusion by judging another person through our lens. I've come across dozens of examples of mistaken impressions among the generations. For example, Boomers and X'ers are likely to react very differently if the corporation they're working for asks them to relocate. Boomers tend to be generally pleased,… -
Why Generation X Has the Leaders We Need Now
19 Jul 2009 | 7:58 amWilliam Strauss and Neil Howe, coauthors of Generations, posit that each generation makes a unique bequest to those that follow and generally seeks to correct the excesses of the previous generation. They argue that the Boomer excess is ideology and that the Generation X reaction to that excess involves an emphasis on pragmatism and effectiveness. As many of you know, I've spent much of the last year talking with members of Generation X — those of you born roughly in the 1960s and '70s. The book I've written based on those conversations (What's Next, Gen X? Keeping Up, Moving Ahead, and… -
Reconciling Short- and Long-Term Workforce Trends
27 Jun 2009 | 10:31 amMy last post prompted a question that I thought might be worth discussing broadly. JoAnn Becker asked what the major marketplace forces are today and the implications of those forces for the company and the worker — how the recession and shifting talent practices mesh with the trends outlined in the books Workforce Crisis (written for organizations seeking talent), Retire Retirement (written to Boomers), and Plugged In (written to Gen Y's). (My final book in the series, written to Gen X'ers, will be published January 2010.) First, the numbers. My books all describe a world in which the…
-
Sylvia Ann Hewlett
-
Women of the Workplace, Uniting
5 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pmBetween waves of layoffs and evaporating job opportunities, we're in a climate that naturally breeds an every-woman-for-herself mentality. A recent study by the Workplace Bullying Institute found that female bullies were alive — and, more than 70 percent of the time, kicking other women. But I've also seen companies encouraging their smart women to help their women colleagues in ways that are more than just heartening. In fact, I'm convinced they're part of a new way of networking. According to research for my new book, Top Talent: Keeping Performance Up When Business Is Down,… -
Go Pro Bono to Rescue Morale
30 Oct 2009 | 1:18 pmI recently ran into a friend who had joined AIG just before the economy imploded. While he's grateful to have kept his job, working for a firm regarded as one of the four horsemen of the financial apocalypse has its downside. "When I say I work at AIG," he says, "people react as though I'm in the porn industry." It's hard to get excited about work when your company is reviled. And it's hard for companies to attract and retain top talent when their reputations are under siege. A new study from the Center for Work-Life Policy, discussed in the book Top Talent and the special report "Sustaining… -
How Cisco Created Their Own Talent Incubator
20 Oct 2009 | 1:50 pmWhile there's been a lot of discussion about how the recession may be over, to many organizations and their employees, the view ahead is still one tough slog. The zeitgeist says it's far too early to dream about constructing your ideal job; survival trumps career development. Yet that's precisely the kind of thinking that will cause talented workers to tune out, turn off and, as soon as the economy picks up, take a hike. In researching my upcoming book, Top Talent: Keeping Performance Up When Business Is Down, we found that the number one reason that talented people love their jobs —… -
In Hard Times, Re-Commit to Flex Time
12 Oct 2009 | 8:55 amA major milestone is within reach: By October or November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women will outnumber men in the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. While I'm naturally delighted to see something approaching employment parity, I'm much more concerned about the reason for this historic reversal — and its ramifications. Women are gaining the vast majority of jobs in the few sectors of the economy that are growing. That's the good news. Although 80 percent of the 5.1 million people who have lost their jobs in this recession are men, women have not been… -
Are Your Best Female Employees a Flight Risk?
5 Oct 2009 | 12:01 pmOne of your company's most powerful competitive weapons may at this very moment be cleaning out her desk — or contemplating doing so. Can you afford to let her go? In researching my forthcoming book, Top Talent: Keeping Performance Up When Business Is Down, we found that in the wake of last year's financial crash, high-powered women were more than twice as likely as men — 84 percent compared with 40 percent — to be seriously thinking jumping ship. And when the head and heart are out the door, the rest of the body is sure to follow. Women are falling victim to two types of…
-
Marshall Goldsmith
-
Leadership Isn't About You
17 Nov 2009 | 12:30 pmThis week's question for Ask the Coach: I am having a difficult time leading my team. The team members will not follow my instructions, which I am sure would make our project much more successful. What am I doing wrong? What you're doing wrong is very simple: you have simply forgotten that your team is more critical to the success of your project than you are. Over the years, I have worked with many great leaders as an executive educator and coach. One client, Charlie (not his real name), in particular is still one of my favorites. He is the one who showed the most improvement — and he… -
Build Your Self Confidence Like a Leader
30 Oct 2009 | 11:38 amThis week's question for Ask the Coach: What can I do to build my confidence in my capabilities as a leader? You won't get to the top without self-confidence; to build it, you have to believe in yourself. Don't worry about being perfect — put up a brave front and do the best you can. That's it in a nutshell. Here's a little more background for you. Last year, as I often do, I taught a seminar for MBA students at the University of California at Berkeley's Haas School of Business. A second-year student approached me and told me he'd read my book What Got You Here Won't Get You There. "In… -
How Entrepreneurs Should Handle Succession
15 Oct 2009 | 7:42 amThis is second of two columns in which I address, in collaboration with my good friend and colleague, Dr. Steven Berglas, the unique challenges that entrepreneurial family businesses builders face in leadership succession. The first post describes how entrepreneurial founders can unwittingly sabotage the succession process. Entrepreneurs who create and build businesses from scratch are nothing if not street smart. They know business, as well as the trends that impact businesses. I am not certain that all successful family business founders know this statistic: most (60-70%) of all family… -
Why Entrepreneurs Sabotage the Succession Process
8 Oct 2009 | 12:50 pmThis week's question for Ask the Coach: In your book, Succession: Are You Ready? you describe the challenge of succession for the CEOs of major corporations. What unique challenges do you see for succession in entrepreneurial family businesses? My good friend and colleague, Dr. Steven Berglas, and I are currently writing a book that addresses this specific question. Given major demographic trends in the United States, this topic has become more critical today than at any time in our country's history. Millions of aging Baby Boomers who have founded businesses are now past or approaching the… -
Why You Should Choose an Internal Successor
17 Sep 2009 | 11:11 amThis week's question for Ask the Coach: I'm getting ready to move on. Should I look for my successor inside the organization or find a candidate on the outside? Developing a great successor is one of the most important accomplishments that a CEO — or any senior-level executive — can achieve. But, what's best for your organization, and for you? Should you develop an internal or an external successor? There are many reasons, both personal and professional, to invest in development for an internal candidate. To start, if a new CEO comes from outside the company, the board will expect…
-
John Baldoni
-
New Study: How Communication Drives Performance
19 Nov 2009 | 11:54 am"Courage, innovation and discipline help drive company performance especially in tough economic times. Effective internal communications can keep employees engaged in the business and help companies retain key talent, provide consistent value to customers, and deliver superior financial performance to shareholders." Watson Wyatt 2009 According to Watson Wyatt's newest communication survey for 2009/2010, companies that are effective communicators "have the courage to talk about what employees want to hear," "redefine the employment deal based on changing business conditions," and have "the… -
What It Takes to Lead Now
13 Nov 2009 | 12:17 pmA majority of managers just don't understand what it means to be a leader. That's a conclusion that I draw from a recent global survey by McKinsey and Company about what it takes to manage corporate performance. Only 48% of managers surveyed believed that they need to inspire and only 46% believed it was their responsibility to provide direction during this crisis. The numbers for inspiration and direction actually drop to 45% and 39% respectively when considered as behaviors for how to manage post-crisis. More troubling, only 30% of managers felt that they needed to motivate their employees… -
Use Humility to Improve Performance
5 Nov 2009 | 6:43 amI've written before about the importance of humility as a leadership trait. But, as was recently pointed out to me, humility is an important trait in employees, too. When people act humbly, they are acknowledging their limitations and accepting that they cannot go it alone. This mindset is valuable to a team because it serves as an invitation for others to help. Humility, however, is not an excuse for slacking. It also means having the willingness to help others do their jobs when the need arises. It is a means for allowing different personalities to coordinate with each other. Rick Hensley,… -
How to Create Clarity Amidst Uncertainty
29 Oct 2009 | 12:15 pmCompanies have the right to demand that employees pay attention to their jobs — it is a base requirement for performance. However, as the recent incident involving two Northwest Airlines pilots illustrates, when other issues are pressing, employees lose focus. As the story goes, the pilots were trying to figure out the new Delta scheduling system that now governs what flights they're assigned. (Delta acquired Northwest last fall.) In doing so, they overshot their destination by 150 miles and did not respond to repeated queries from flight controllers. As reported in the New York Times,… -
Developing Your Leadership Presence
21 Oct 2009 | 2:30 pmWhat about when you are pushed in front of the microphone or given very little prep time for something like an introduction of a guest speaker? This question came from Tonya in response to my previous post on developing your leadership pitch. Here's the quick answer, you walk to the microphone and you smile. You take a moment to size up the audience and then you say what you have to say briefly and to the point. Most importantly, as they advise running backs who score touchdowns, act like you have been there before. The great ones hand the ball back the referee; the wannabes whoop and holler.
-
Evil HR Lady
-
Some Advice on Quitting
19 Nov 2009 | 10:44 pmThinking of quitting or have an employee who is thinking of quitting? How you handle it can have a big impact on your future. Hop over to US New's On Careers and read about Employees should quit and how bosses should accept the news. -
And what do you want me to do about this?
16 Nov 2009 | 11:42 amI am an HR manager. I have employees who come to me with complaints about their supervisors and these supervisors are also my confidants as managers on the management team I am on. Do I keep their complaints to myself or share with the manager that I think will fix the issue with no problem?Employees whine. Managers whine. Evil HR Lady whines incessantly because she has a bad cold and cannot breathe properly. (No, it is not Swine Flu, or any flu. It is a cold, but if you want to feel sorry for me and make me dinner, please do. I really, really really dislike squash and mayonnaise. And don't… -
Evil HR Lady Gets a Little Mean
12 Nov 2009 | 12:10 amI got this e-mail this morning: Could u plz help me to writing my career development goals.That was all it said. I copied and pasted so I didn't accidentally correct grammar or spelling. (And yes, I'm guaranteed to make grammar mistakes since I'm picking on someone else right now. 'Tis Muphry's Law.)First of all, the answer is no. Although, if I was, the first thing I would do is say "u" and "plz" are not real words. So, your first goal should be to write out full words. Secondly, I believe you are asking a question, so it should end in a question mark. I do suspect that English is not this… -
Asking For Severance
10 Nov 2009 | 12:01 amIn January I will have been with the same company for 25 years. It is privately owned and has no HR department. About five years ago I spoke with the owner about where he thought the company was going and he assured me things were fine and to 'trust' him. I know he personally is financially secure and I have no problem with that, but the $600 a year profit sharing isn't going to get me very far as a retirement fund. I was given a very good raise a few years ago and make a good salary now. But, with the company running on a skeleton crew it is stressful. There is another person at the company… -
Too Much Information?
8 Nov 2009 | 10:51 pmIs it bad to write about my difficulties finding a job in my blog,if I'm going to include the URL in Resume?This is an excellent question. I think that if you are specifically going to include a blog URL on your resume you need to consider that blog part of your resume.For the record, my blog is on my resume at the moment, but I'm not actively looking for a new job. I may change my mind when I am looking for a new job. Of course, any recruiter would be remiss if they didn't google my name, and if you do so, I'm usually in the top 3 hits for "Suzanne Lucas." (There is a Suzanne Lucas who does…
-
What Would Dad Say
-
How To Think Like the Geezer Bandit
19 Nov 2009 | 4:25 amThe Rule of Three. First, I found and noted the success of @ShitMyDadSays, the now-famous Twitter account of young Justin Halpert, who writes about s$#% his dad Samuel, 73, says. Second, I copied hitchhiked on Nick Bate’s idea of How To Think Like a… series, with some added fun. Third, this morning, I see that San Diego’s banks have been ripped off by the…drumroll, Geezer Bandit, an elderly gent in his 70’s. Voila—THIS is how we get our ideas for blog posts. How To Think Like a Geezer Bandit by GL Hoffman 1. GET OFF MY LAWN! ohsorry, GIVE ME YOUR MONEY. 2. -
Why “Going Rogue” is a Good Thing.
17 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pmAre you a ‘rogue?’ Tell me why. For more information on what it means to be a rogue jump over to the piece on US News and World Report, by clicking here. -
How To Think Like a Pro Twitterer, et al
15 Nov 2009 | 8:30 amEd. Note. This is a takeoff of Nicholas Bate’s How To Think Like series on his blog here. I asked Nick if I could use his idea and he graciously agreed. This could be a meme so feel free to come up with your own series of HOW TO THINK LIKE posts, just link to Nick and me, if you would be so kind. Here are a few of Nick’s. How To Think Like a Pro Twitterer 1. Me 2. Me 3. Me 4. RT especially if really about Me 5. Me, ask for RT 6. Me 7. Join my affiliate group so all of us can talk about me How To Think Like a Poet by GLH –special for Alice Shapiro Poetry blog here 1. Not… -
How To Think Like…
15 Nov 2009 | 5:06 amEd. Note. What’s it’s like to be a FILL IN THE BLANK? Every job seeker wants to know, what it is like to be an architect, surgeon, or Starbucks barrista. So, for me, the father-like advice giver, it was easy to get caught up in Nicholas Bate’s on going feature of HOW TO THINK LIKE found on his blog here. I hope you can add your own, based on your own career or from your own observations. I will be adding some along the way, too. Enjoy. By Nicholas Bate How To Think Like: The Serious Start-Up 1. Switch on phone: sell! 2. Walk briskly (gym membership cancelled to save money)… -
Weekend Frustration: Job Creators Are Under Your Noses
14 Nov 2009 | 6:02 amEd. Note: I wrote this for US NEWS this past week but would like to re run it here, too. BTW, FastCompany contacted me because they were interested in it, as well, but wanted “more details.” I think it stands alone, for now. I am a serial entrepreneur. I start companies. So far in my career, a couple of homeruns, a double or two, maybe a single. Never a strikeout. Flyout maybe. Anyway. For the past THREE years, a colleague and I have been working on a new idea/company, nights and weekends. We have spent cash and time (’incubating’ and ’sweat equity’ are the…
-
Karen Burns, Working Girl
-
Job Making You Sick?
18 Nov 2009 | 5:57 pmYes, a job, even a job you are grateful to have, can stress you out so much it makes you ill. Or keeps you up at night. Or drives you crazy. Or makes you sad. Or all of the above. If that’s your situation, see this post for some ideas for handling adversity at work. And, hang in there. -
Where The Jobs Are
16 Nov 2009 | 9:53 amYou most likely know this, but here’s a reminder: The one part of the economy that has remained strong during the Great Recession is health care. Health care employment has actually gone up, at the same time that employment in general is headed toward the toilet. What’s more, given that the fact that each baby boomer gets a little older every day, this trend is likely to continue. Check out this item, with revealing graphs, from yesterday’s NYT. And read that list twice: “registered nurses, personal and home care aides, home health aides, nursing… -
When They Say You’re Overqualified
11 Nov 2009 | 3:59 pmIt’s hard enough looking for a job nowadays. When you are turned down because an employer thinks you’re “overqualified”–that’s even harder. If this is happening to you, mosey on over to today’s post at the U.S. News & World Report. Good luck. -
Free Job Hunting Help
9 Nov 2009 | 10:33 amLooking for a job? Feeling you could use some help with your cover letter, résumé, and interview skills? Here’s an opportunity to get all those things for free over at PongoResume.com. How? The fine folks at Pongo have kindly offered Working Girl five free months of their services. So Working Girl is gonna spread the wealth and give away a free month of job hunting help to the first five people who speak up. All you have to do is comment on this post and Working Girl will send you the secret code to access the Pongo services. No one wants to spend more than they have to for… -
Surviving The Boss From Hell
4 Nov 2009 | 10:03 amOkay, so you still have a job. Yay! But your boss is a bully. Or lazy. Or incompetent. Or racist. Or a lech. Or……just a bad boss. Boo. If so, check out today’s regular Wednesday post over at U.S. News & World Report. There just might be something there that helps.
-
Satisfying Career - Happier Life
-
How to be good Employee – lessons from SpongeBob
20 Nov 2009 | 3:04 pmIf you have a young child at home you probably have seen many SpongeBob Squarepants episodes over and over again. Yes, he may sound silly and act childish but SpongeBob has a lot to teach us on how to be a good employee..Here’s how I found some lessons to be learnt from SpongeBob: (Do share yours too!)SpongeBob is an enthusiastic and happy workerSpongeBob has been the “employee of the month” for many months and takes pride in displaying his monthly photo to his friend Patrick. He is also a very happy worker, we often see him singing while working and that happy toothy smile is the… -
Do you have any inappropriate Webpages or Posts we must know about?
20 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pmYes of course, this is an interview question! And as the web evolves and how we use the social networking sites or some new applications which would be popping up in the future, the interview questions would add more such questions to the list. If your answer is no, then there is not much to fear (assuming you are speaking the truth) but if the answer is yes or you say “no” to evade the question for now; you could be in trouble (trouble in the sense that you would not get the job offer if they find out you lied or face a later termination if you have a job contract which follows… -
5 Essential tips you MUST KNOW Before Launching Your Business
20 Nov 2009 | 10:48 amSeven out of ten new employer firms last at least two years, and about half survive five years. More specifically, according to new Census data, 69 percent of new employer establishments born to new firms in 2000 survived at least two years, and 51 percent survived five or more years.Source: U.S Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Business Dynamics Statistics.Looking at the above statistics the probability of your business being a success or a failure in say 5 years from now is pretty much 50/50!You have that special big idea and are all set to start your own businees, but looking at the… -
Down Economy Sprouts Entrepreneurial Bloom
9 Nov 2009 | 10:39 am"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”-- Steve JobsThe quote above is one strong inspiration to quit your job and to follow your dreams - to be on the adventurous entrepreneurial path. The slowdown in the worldwide economy is resulting in a job… -
Your Brain at Work
9 Nov 2009 | 10:22 amWhat are your biggest challenges at work?Time management, prioritizing, multitasking, staying cool under pressure, succeeding… and the list goes on. We all want a lot from ourselves and wouldn’t it be nice to know how exactly to achieve what we want.Here is a review of the book “YOUR BRAIN AT WORK – Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day long” that attempts to explain how our brains work at work and teaches readers how to organize, prioritize, and perform better in the workplace – despite a daily load of overwhelming challenges (and of…
-
Manager Skills And Management Development - Articles
-
Lesson #5: Invest Your Best Capital in Your Customers
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amIn growing the most successful circus in the U.S., Barnum came to learn that it was not enough just to get the sale. Instead, what was important was making sure that customer would come back time and time again. Barnum was a master promoter, but he knew there was no advertising as valuable as word of mouth recommendations. -
Stealing the Show: How Barnum Made a Success of Himself
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amHis association with ‘freaks’ and clowns has often led to him being overlooked as a businessman, but Barnum was indeed one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the 19th century. He started with nothing but determination, and used that to build a brand and an empire that continue to thrive today. How did he do it? -
Lesson #3: There is a Danger in Dreaming Too Big
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amWhen Barnum was struggling to find his way in the work world, he did just that – struggle. His early career paths were as varied as could be. From a lottery agent to a store clerk to a newspaper editor, -
The Greatest Show on Earth: Barnum Soars to the Top
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amIn 1836, Barnum met Joice Heth, a woman who would change the course of his life forever. Heth was blind and almost completely paralyzed, but she could still speak, and what she was saying sparked an idea in Barnum. -
P.T. Barnum Quotes
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amI had my room papered and carpeted previously to taking possession. Brass, for silver and gold I have none. Without promotion something terrible happens, nothing!
-
Newly Corporate
-
2009 Holiday Gifts For Young Professionals
19 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pmIt is getting to be that time of year again. It can be hard to shop for twentysomethings, but the team here at Newly Corporate does an annual brainstorm to identify great products for generation Y professionals. We try not to break the bank with our recommendations, but we don’t discriminate against more expensive objects of desire either. Everything we link to goes to amazon.com, so feel free to investigate the suggested products as well. We’re confident you’ll be able to find something nice for that young professional on your list! See the whole list! 1. LG Blue-ray player… -
5 Engagement Ring Buying Tips for the Young Professional
28 Oct 2009 | 10:36 amYes, it’s true, I have recently taken a major step in my life and asked my girlfriend to marry me. As part of this process, I went through what most men do: the search for the perfect ring. Based on my girlfriend’s answer to my proposal (Yes!) and all the positive feedback I have received on the ring post-proposal, I figured I would share what worked for me. No yes-answer guarantees but, here are my tips on a purchase that can be pretty daunting. 1. Decide whether you want it to be a surprise or you want to go shop with her. Being old fashioned, I wanted to surprise… -
10 Lessons from Creating an iPhone Application Start Up (Part 2)
30 Sep 2009 | 7:18 amThis is the second of a two part series (click here for part one) from a friend of the Newly Corporate bloggers, Eli Gratz. iPhone Apps and Start Ups are two of the most fascinating things for young professionals today and Eli has done both during his spare time (see http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com)! I asked him to share some of his experiences creating the Drink Specials App for the iPhone (available in the app store) and recieved 10 great lessons for young professionals looking to start their own businesses or develop mobile applications! 6. Be flexible on your vision, hold to your… -
10 Lessons from Creating an iPhone Application Start Up (Part 1)
28 Sep 2009 | 8:14 amThis is the first of a two part series from a friend of the Newly Corporate bloggers, Eli Gratz. iPhone Apps and Start Ups are two of the most fascinating things for young professionals today and Eli has done both during his spare time(see http://www.drinkspecialsapp.com)! I asked him to share some of his experiences and got 10 great lessons for young professionals looking to start their own businesses or develop mobile applications! Lessons 5-10 will be posted this Wednesday. A lot of people ask me about my experience as a first time application developer and new business owner. They… -
The Dream Home: PMI = a Starbucks a Day
3 Sep 2009 | 9:29 amWith all the young homeowners jumping into the market to get their $8000 in Obama cash (which is just driving up the cost of a house $8K-16K, but that is another matter), I have gotten a number of questions about what the right size for a down payment is and what costs are involved. We have a great analysis of what the tradeoffs are for different downpayment percentages in “The Dream Home (or Condo): Saving for a Down Payment” from our Dream Home series. Many of the questions though, are specifically around PMI or Private Mortgage Insurance. If you have a loan with less than 20%…
-
Michael Lee Stallard
-
Is Patriot’s Bill Bilichick Great?
16 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pmBill Bilichick is being criticized for his decision to go for it on a fourth down in last night’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. I wrote admiringly in Fired Up or Burned Out about Bilichick and Tom Brady’s leadership of the New England Patriots. Neither man is perfect, of course*, but there is much to admire. Steven Levitt’s Freakonomics column in The New York Times provides another reason why Bilichick is among the best coaches when it comes to team performance. Levitt argues in “Bill Bilichick is Great” that statistically the coach made the right decision… -
Why Employee Engagement Efforts Fail
9 Nov 2009 | 12:01 pmTo be successful, employee engagement efforts must educate and inspire then model, mentor and measure. Most employee engagement efforts educate employees and thereby lay out the rational case but they utterly fail to inspire. Research has shown that emotional factors are four times as effective as rational factors when it comes to the amount of effort people put into their work. Stories move people’s hearts, capture their imaginations and, as a result, they inspire people to make the effort to change. When we hear inspiring stories about great leaders and individual contributors… -
ASTD Webcast Download: Neuroscience Implications for Leadership
4 Nov 2009 | 11:37 amLast week I did a webcast for members of the America Society for Training and Development (ASTD). The webcast covers select research findings from the field of neuroscience and their implications for leadership, productivity, innovation and employee engagement. ASTD is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and development professionals. The webcast and slides are available at this link. (Note: clicking on the link will begin an automatic download of the webcast and slides.) -
Peter Drucker’s Kind of Leader
1 Nov 2009 | 10:47 amI don’t normally post on Sundays, but today I’m making an exception. Today is Frances Hesselbein’s birthday and in her honor I’m posting a chapter I wrote about her from my book Fired Up or Burned Out. Mrs. Hesselbein is the chairman of the Leader to Leader Institute. Recently, she was appointed a Chair for the Study of Leadership at West Point. Mrs. Hesselbein, thank you for your tireless efforts to advance leadership, your passion for inclusiveness, for kids, and for leaders in the social sector. And thank you for the personal encouragement you’ve… -
Employee Engagement Conference, Free ASTD Webcast
27 Oct 2009 | 4:23 pmThis week I’m chairing the Human Capital Institute’s Employee Engagement Conference in Boston. During the conference I promised to share some free resources with conference participants. Here are links to the Employee Engagement Network, the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement and the New Talent Management Network. If you like the stories and ideas I shared at the conference, you’ll love the book. Here is a free pdf download of Fired Up or Burned Out. The free book download is only available through Friday so hurry! I’m posting my slides…
-
msnbc.com: Careers
-
Generation X is increasingly ‘whatever’ at work
16 Nov 2009 | 4:36 amThey're antsy and edgy, tired of waiting for promotion opportunities at work as their elders put off retirement. Retirement - People - Generations and Age Groups - Seniors - Housing and Communities -
Your Career: More disabilities to be protected
15 Nov 2009 | 2:46 pmChanges to the Americans with Disabilities Act are redefining the definition of disability to include a host of workers with conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Health - Mental health - Disorders -
Workers may jump ship as economy improves
13 Nov 2009 | 9:42 amLayoffs, cuts in compensation and lack of opportunity are creating a disgruntled work force that's more likely to jump ship as soon as the economy rebounds, says research from the CEB. Workforce - Law - United States - Workers' Compensation - Legal Information -
Sponsored By:
13 Nov 2009 | 9:42 am -
Teacher shortage has given way to teacher glut
12 Nov 2009 | 3:05 pmWhen Lilli Lackey started college, talk of a growing teacher shortage gave her confidence that a job would be waiting for her when she got out. Teacher - Education - Educators - K through 12 - New and Prospective Teachers
-
Gautam Ghosh on Human Resources
-
Twitter and Career Success by Rosabeth Moss Kanter
17 Nov 2009 | 11:58 amInteresting post by Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter on the parallels between having influence on Twitter and the new competencies for success. In the 21st century, America is rapidly becoming a society of networks, even within organizations. Maintenance of organizations as structures is less important than assembling resources to get results, even if the assemblage itself is loose and perishable.Today, people with power and influence derive their power from their centrality within self-organizing networks that might or might not correspond to any plan on the part of designated leaders. -
How can firms leverage social technologies internally? 3 Scenarios
15 Nov 2009 | 7:52 pmOriginally posted at the 2020 Social blog Gaurav and Gautam collaboratively wrote this blog post on a wiki. This is the first in the series of blog posts where we will explore how social technologies, when used effectively within the organization, can create significant business value for Indian firms. A TYPICAL CONVERSATION Ever since I joined 2020 Social three weeks back, we have had several interesting conversations with Indian firms of all shapes and sizes on how to use social technologies within the workplace. The typical conversation starts when someone fills the “Ask… -
Building Open Organizations
12 Nov 2009 | 1:19 amOrganizations are primarily communities first – and profit making machines later believed Arie de Geus in the 1970s , however now businesses need to be social communities to survive and thrive. We at 2020 Social believe that businesses will move to the next level of growth not by doing the same things that they were doing but by embracing some of the biggest trends that are shaping today's culture. Some of these trends that are having an impact on the workplace are: Speed of decision making: As external change on organizations comes faster and faster, and as organizations get flatter and… -
Links for 2009-11-12 [del.icio.us]
The 2 indias - the haves and the have-nots -
People Power, says Cisco, is key to Success
11 Nov 2009 | 2:33 amAmazing post by Cisco's VP of Enterprise. Go read the full article. Some excerpts For most companies, people represent an untapped asset – a resource that becomes especially important for companies that must grow their business without adding personnel.This means that corporations must design a cognitive stimulus plan based on employee contributions, and business must embrace some admittedly unusual notions about how, where and when work occurs, and how employees collaborate. Some of these notions recently arrived from the Web 2.0, social networking realm.It is time, though, to recognize…
-
Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel
-
Personal Branding Interview: Scott McGrew
20 Nov 2009 | 7:23 pmToday, I spoke to Scott McGrew, who has 20 years experience as a television reporter, 10 of them as a technology reporter. His work has been seen on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and the BBC. He has been nominated for 10 Emmy Awards and reports on technology on the Bay Area’s NBC. In this interview, Scott goes over his impression of personal branding, why he has a website in addition to his NBC content, and then talks about authenticity. What’s your take on personal branding? I think people vastly underestimate the importance of managing their online presence. We’re all familiar with… -
Are You Qualified to Write a Book?
20 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm“I don’t know whether or not I’m qualified to write a book!” The process of helping others write books to build their personal brand often starts by addressing a curious paradox: Published books establish their authors as experts in their field BUT, What qualifies someone to write a book in the first place? Unfortunately, many otherwise-qualified individuals question their “right,” or “qualifications,” to write a brand building book to promote their career or build their business. These individuals are sabotaging themselves before they even… -
A Quick Way To Measure Your Personal Brand Using Twitter Lists
20 Nov 2009 | 4:15 amUse Twitter Lists to see how people are branding you on Twitter. Are the results what you expect? A simple branding test One of the nice things about personal branding is the ease of verifying your efforts- just ask people in your target audience what comes to mind when they think of you: If their answers match up with your personal branding, good job! Keep doing what you’re doing and look for ways to reach more people. If their answers don’t match your personal branding, try to understand why so you can decide what action to take. Is this really necessary? What if this… -
Secrets to Getting More Referrals – Part 1
19 Nov 2009 | 4:15 amAssessing Your “Referability” Factor Do you need new customers or clients but can’t seem to get enough of them? People generally want to make referrals when they can. It feels good to be able to connect those who can help with those who need that help. But, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. We’re all busy, faced with too much on our plate and not enough hours in the day, so the more painless you can make it, the greater your chances of getting the referrals you want. Here are four key questions to ask yourself to test the strength of your “referability.”… -
Personal Branding Interview: Pat Olsen
18 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pmToday, I spoke to Pat Olsen, who is a lead writer for the popular New York Times column, “The Boss” and also writes a 1st-person executive column for On Wall Street and Family Business magazines. In this interview, Pat goes over her writing background, gives journalism advice and more. What inspired your “The Boss” column for the New York Times? I was writing for other columns in the business section when my editor wrote to several of us freelance contributors to announce that there would be a new column. I’m not privy to how it came about, but it’s been…
-
Information Technology Dark Side
-
Book Review: The CSS Anthology
2 Nov 2009 | 7:12 amI’ve never felt skilled when it came to crafting the look and feel of an application. There were two components to my feelings of inadequacy: 1) Not understanding CSS and 2) Not being terribly artistic. The CSS Anthology has really gotten me past #1, and as a result I’m discovering that I am better than I thought at making a web site look good. Here’s what I like about this book: It starts with the basics. I think a lot of my struggles with CSS were the result of never learning the basics. The first chapter of Anthology, “Making a Start with CSS” was really very… -
Make It Little: Building a successful company in a micronomy
16 Oct 2009 | 7:28 amI gave this presentation at Indy Ruby Brigade on Wednesday and was able to record it. Make It Little: Building a Successful Company in a Micronomy from David Christiansen on Vimeo. -
Find Gimme Bugs by NOT Running the App like the Devs Do
14 Oct 2009 | 6:49 amA few weeks ago I found a javascript bug that was really just a silly mistake by the developer, but it was one that could have easily gone undetected. I found it because when I run the app locally, I always run it at this url: http://localhost:3000/trisano This dev runs the app like this: http://localhost:3000 His javascript made assumptions about the url that were never-false when run his way, but were immediately broken when run mine. So, while this probably sounds like a simple thing, it’s a good,routine practice to NOT run the application you’re testing just like the… -
Two test cycle case studies
2 Oct 2009 | 7:12 amI’m beginning to believe test cycle duration is a critical factor in the risk of a project: the longer the test cycle, the higher the risk. What exactly is a test cycle? Here’s my definition: test cycle(n): the shortest possible calendar time that it takes to start the test environment, prepare for a test, execute the test, collect and analyze the results, report bugs, recuperate, and start the next cycle To illustrate how this affects risk, let’s consider some real projects I worked on. Printing Policy Documents I managed a project that made massive changes to a policy… -
I learned a new testing oracle today from a DBA!
1 Oct 2009 | 6:35 amWell, he’s really more of an all-around data super genius, but anyway I learned something cool from him: The Principle of Least Surprise In other words, if the software could behave in multiple perfectly legitimate ways (based on all the other stuff in the context of the application), then you should go with the one that is going to surprise the user the least. I like this as a test oracle and as a tool for advocating bugs. In my environment at least, it’s easier to get iffy bugs fixed if I can provide alternative solutions that are easier to understand (i.e. less surprising to…
-
Career Opportunities
-
You are unique. Act like it!
6 Nov 2009 | 10:37 pmYou are unique. Act like it! By Douglas E. Welch Listen Discuss this column and podcast on the Career-Op Community Site Here is a little experiment. If you work in an office with cubicles, stand up on your desk and look out over the office. What do you see? If you work in an building with individual offices, walk down a line of offices and notice what is happening within. What are people doing? How are they dressed? What sort of decoration do you see? Now that you have done this experiment, let me give you a way of evaluating what you see. When you did your observations, did everything look… -
Get Career Opportunities Via Email
29 Oct 2009 | 11:20 amYou can receive Career Opportunities content directly in your email box. Use the form or link below to subscribe via email. Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner Subscribe to Career Opportunities: Helping to Build the Career You Deserve by Email From Career Opportunities with Douglas E. Welch Get more great content on Podcasting, New Media, Gardening, Los Angeles Events and Technology at WelchWrite.comGet Career Opportunities Via Email -
Your career needs a holiday
23 Oct 2009 | 3:02 pmYour career needs a holiday By Douglas E. Welch Listen Discuss this column and podcast on the Career-Op Community Site Win a Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer laptop sleeve from TechNewsRadio.com.Send email to technewsradio@gmail.com with the Subject Line: Tom Bihn Giveaway to enter today.Contest Ends November 1, 2009> It might seem a bit too soon to be thinking about “the holidays” — yet with Halloween only 2 weeks away they are rapidly approaching. For those working to “Build the Career You Deserve” the holidays might seem like a time yo slack off. Business will be… -
What I’m eReading…Grassroots Innovation
19 Oct 2009 | 9:04 pmAnother theme in the list of blogs and web sites I follow is innovation. Grassroots Innovation is written by Greg Eisenbach and a variety of innovation topics on a regular basis. Recent posts include “Yuck, the great contraction”, “Low cost beer packaging” and “The Dalai Lama’s Business Book.” Direct link to blogs and posts in this “What I’m eReading…” bundle Related articles by Zemanta Sharing Google Reader Shared Items with your Twitter followers (welchwrite.com) What I am eReading…Eat, Drink and Be Merry! -
Recently “Noted” Items from my reading
19 Oct 2009 | 12:43 amFrom Career Opportunities with Douglas E. Welch Get more great content on Podcasting, New Media, Gardening, Los Angeles Events and Technology at WelchWrite.comRecently “Noted” Items from my reading
-
Applicant
-
How to Build a Resume with Your 10 Biggest Screw Ups
18 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amAny conventional resume coach will tell you that there are some things you absolutely never put on your resume. And the best resume services will find a way to turn your top skills and achievements into benefits that will make your resume sparkle. But let’s face it: not everybody’s career is sparkling. What if your last two jobs were disasters? What if you were written up to HR for bad behavior? What if leaving the negatives off your resume leaves you nothing but your name and white space? In the job search, desperate times call for creative measures. You could make stuff up or… -
8 Signs Your Online University Is a Sham
16 Nov 2009 | 8:33 amKnowledge is power, and education is the secret to success—so if you’re pursuing a degree, you have made a very wise decision. Getting an online education is even smarter, considering the bad economy and your need to keep working while you study. Or it just might be the worst decision of your life. Not every online education venue is a branch on the tree of knowledge. So here are 8 signs that your online college is just another extension of the School of Hard Knocks handing out Masters Degrees in Gullibility. 1. The application asked for more financial information than background… -
Watch Out Job Seekers, Your Identity Is In Jeopardy
15 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pmAs a job seeker, you are networking and making sure you build your contacts and extend your network in order to be seen. However, networking whether online or offline can hurt you if you aren’t cautious about giving your information away. According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) the damage caused by identity theft in 2008 was $48 billion. In California, 20% of all identity theft related frauds were employment related, which is higher than credit card fraud in that state. Although the numbers are for California, with increasing layoffs and poor job market we are sure these numbers… -
5 “Social Media Don’ts ” For The Career Minded
12 Nov 2009 | 10:32 pmWe all know that social media and job search are now closely related. In today’s fast paced world, it is crucial to have a presence on different social media platforms in order to succeed and have a influential group of network. However, although it is important to be a part of the community, it seems like many candidates don’t realize that social media isn’t all fun and games. One slip of tongue (or finger) on one of these platforms can cost you your job. Below are five tips that are simple but something that needs to be reminded every so often to make sure your career and… -
10 Reasons Online Education Will Outdraw Traditional Universities by 2020
11 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amThere’s an old joke about the value of a liberal arts degree. It goes, “A science student asks, ‘Why does that work?’ An engineering student asks, ‘How does that work?’ A business student asks, ‘How much does that cost?’ And a liberal arts student asks, ‘Do you want fries with that?’ ” As we progress deeper into the digital age, traditional higher education as we know it is becoming more and more of a punchline. As InsideHigherEd.com has noted the number of colleges dedicated primarily to liberal arts has dwindled from 212 in 1999 to…
-
Where Great Workplaces Start
-
Can’t Find the Right Fit? How Using Employee Testimonials May Help
10 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pmA new study released by the American Psychological Association this fall shows that job applicants are more attracted to organizations when their websites include employee testimonials. The study appears to suggest that employee testimonials may be an important method of attracting top talent (Walker, Field, Giles, Armenakis & Bernerth, 2009). Other research also seems to support the use of employee testimonials. For instance, it has been found that others’ experiences in organizations influence job seekers due to their interpersonal nature (Van Hoye & Lievens, 2007) and… -
5 Energy Boosters for the Holiday Season
9 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amDon’t cheat on sleep. If you routinely deprive yourself of sleep, you’ll pay for it with fatigue. Adults need 7 to 9 hours a day; even an extra hour of sleep can dramatically improve energy. Tip: The best way to improve sleep is to maintain a firm time for going to bed and awakening. Get physical. Research indicates exercise is one of the best ways to increase energy. Avoid strenuous workouts that might overly tire you. Moderate activities such as a daily walk or swim are ideal. Fuel up. Several servings of fruits and vegetables a day should provide a noticeable increase in energy. Plus… -
I.T. Solutions for HR Professionals
3 Nov 2009 | 11:15 amJohn C. Rowland, Manager of Managed Services for Thinsolutions, talks about how using a managed service provider can help your organization. Posted in Training & Development -
Determining Employees’ Value to Your Organization
27 Oct 2009 | 8:36 amMeasuring performance may be a challenge for organizations this year. Some employers could find themselves using a performance measurement system that may not accurately measure what top performance looks like during a challenging economic year, particularly if performance and value of contributions has historically been determined by financial impact or the meeting of organizational, team and individual financial and budgetary goals. It’s possible that this may be the year that organizations will need to look beyond this scope and re-identify how employees’ value is defined. -
Want to Reward Your Employees? Change Their Job Title…
29 Sep 2009 | 11:47 amLooking for a way to reward your valued employees? Consider changing their job title. A new study by Pearl Meyer & Partners shows that employers can use job titles to retain and reward high performing employees. The study suggests that many employers title jobs with great flexibility and allow for alternative job names. For instance, many employers assign titles of Manager, Director, and Vice President to not just employees with supervisory responsibilities – but also those that have significant responsibilities in the organization and are individual contributors. In this way, employers…
-
Bailey Workplay The Alchemy of Soulful Work
-
Anthropology in Business and Industry: A Synopsis
28 Oct 2009 | 1:35 pmAs I’ve talked with folks about my academic training and work in the field of business anthropology, one common response I get is: “Wow! That’s cool! So, what in the world is business anthropology?” One of my assignments this week was to read a chapter written by Marietta Baba from a book called Applied Anthropology: Domains of Application and write a synopsis. I immediately saw it as an opportunity to post information on the field based on the writings of someone I greatly respect. I know it’s lengthy but hopefully it gives a sense of the history behind the… -
Six Criteria For A Healthy And Effective Workplace
26 Oct 2009 | 6:26 amSick and tired of being sick and tired about work? While indicators for workplace health my be declining, all is not lost. Ellen Galinsky at the Families and Work Institute notes there are six ways organizations can promote a healthier and more effective workplace. As a manager or executive, how does your organization rank based on these criteria? learning opportunities and challenge a good fit between work and personal life autonomy having a supervisor who supports job success economic security a work climate of respect and trust More from the CNN Health article… -
Five Things My Running Routine Has Taught Me
2 Oct 2009 | 7:21 amA little over a month ago, I was inspired by Alex, my business partner at BaileyHill Media, to start running again. Way (way, way) back in the day, I used to be fairly in shape. In college, I could run a decent eight minute mile but through the intervening years I stopped running regularly. Oh, I tried to pick it up again every so often, but I’d find an excuse to stop and let myself get out of shape again. As with all men who find themselves getting older, we begin to see our friends cope with health issues and weight problems. And then we wake up one day, look in the mirror and say (or… -
Seeking A Sponsoring Organization For Applied Research
28 Sep 2009 | 10:51 amFor those of you who may not know, I’m currently a master’s candidate in Applied Business Anthropology at the University of North Texas. My broad focus is working with organizations and helping them better understand their internal employee cultures. The capstone of the program is a practicum where students work with a sponsoring organization to design a research project to solve a very real problem. For me, I have two potential areas of interest and am searching for organizations which might satisfy one or both project possibilities. This will be a great opportunity for any company to… -
How Much Does Talent Really Matter?
24 Sep 2009 | 7:00 amRecently, I’ve come across some interesting thoughts on the nature and necessity of talent. This morning, Zig Ziglar at Great Management asked Does talent always prevail? And the answer is, “No.” In his article, Zig tells the story of Peter Vidmar, Olympic gold medalist, and why he succeeded when other athletes were more talented. Here’s a quote from Vidmar’s coach: Peter is not particularly talented. I’ve had boys who were more gifted physically, with more kinetic awareness, strength and flexibility. But Peter surpassed them all because of his singular…
-
JobMob
-
How To Best Use Twitter Lists for Job Search
19 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmLearn how Lists make job searching with Twitter so much easier. If you’re new to Twitter Lists, first read my handy guide How To Best Use Twitter Lists and then come back here. In this article you’ll find: Job Search Benefits of Twitter Lists 10 Ways Twitter Lists Can Build Your Personal Brand 10 Twitter Lists Best Practices for Job Seekers 17 Kinds of Job Search Twitter Users to List (with example Lists!) A Can’t Miss Twitter List Strategy for Job Seekers Which Twitter Lists Tools You Should Use and How More Reading About Twitter Lists & Job Search Job Search Benefits… -
Almost 3000 Words On Everything You Need To Best Use Twitter Lists
17 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pmThis tip-filled guide will show you how to get the most out of Twitter Lists. (If you’d like to learn about using Twitter Lists for job search, that’s coming up next here on JobMob. Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email so you won’t miss it.) In this article, you’ll find: The Many Benefits of Twitter Lists How To Create Twitter Lists in 3 Steps How To Manage Twitter Lists: Editing and Deleting How To Manage Twitter Lists: Following 10 Twitter Lists Best Practices 10 Ideas of Twitter Lists to Create A Must-Use Twitter List Strategy for Professionals Your Twitter Lists… -
The One Thing Your Personal Brand Must Have to Work
9 Nov 2009 | 12:01 pmA recent blog post by Jonathan Rick suggests that personal branding isn’t really that important for job search or career success. He’s both right and wrong. Jonathan’s article was guest-posted on Lindsay Olson’s blog. In the well-written piece, Jonathan takes a look at 3 people – Cyrus Krohn, David Kralik and Michael Krempasky - who barely blog, have almost no Twitter followers and a minimal Facebook following, yet are all extremely successful and famous for what they do. He says: “Clearly, these guys are major players in the digital media field. They speak… -
The Funniest Article Ever About Job Interview Tips
5 Nov 2009 | 11:00 amSteinar Skipsness created a fake office so he could understand how to succeed in job interviews. He filmed the whole thing, and the funny results led to 20 great job interview tips that are true anywhere in the world. This video is just one hilarious example of what went on: Click here to view the embedded video. I enjoyed Steinar’s work so much that I contacted him with more questions about it: 1) Where did you get the idea for the project? The idea sparked from seeing a friend of mind go on a few unsuccessful interviews. I consider him a really outgoing sharp guy, he was getting… -
A Complete Guide: How To Make An Israeli CV Out Of Your Resume
2 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pmImmigrating to Israel or making aliya? Here’s what you’ll need to prepare your resume for the Israeli job market. This is a guest post by Leah Aharoni. As you are embarking on your job search in Israel, the first order of business should be putting together a well-built CV. CV (in Hebrew korot chaim, sometimes abbreviated as קו”ח) stands for Curriculum Vitae and it is the Israeli equivalent of the familiar resume. While your existing resume already contains much of the information that Israeli hiring managers will want to see, you’ll need to make certain changes to…
-
The Career Key Blog
-
3 Principles for Helping You Learn a New Career or Job Skill
19 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amWe all know career success is linked to lifelong learning. To remain competitive and adaptable, we have to be constantly learning new skills and knowledge. It’s the only job security we have. But how do we learn? What can science tell us about the best, easiest way for us to absorb and become proficient in a new career field or skill?I’ve been fascinated by a new book, "Why Don’t Students Like School?” that offers some answers. In it, cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham looks at what techniques help students and adults think and learn effectively. I adapted some of his findings… -
Job Outlook for Careers Matching the Social Holland Personality Type
2 Nov 2009 | 10:41 amIt’s no surprise that careers matching the Social personality type are growing quickly with our aging population needing health care and our expanding community, education, and family needs.Although school districts nationwide recently suffered cuts in both teachers and counselors, prospects vary sharply by geographic area. While tenured professor positions are as difficult as ever to get, college and universities are increasingly relying on adjunct and other non-tenured positions to serve increasing numbers of students.These are just a couple of reasons to do your information interviews… -
4 Positive Actions to Make Your Ideal Career a Reality
22 Oct 2009 | 10:11 amIf you’re choosing a career or making a career change, infusing your decision-making with a positive approach will help you move forward. What are you doing right? And how can you choose a career direction that uses more of what works for you? Here are 4 actions to take in your positive approach:Find what “works” within yourself; each person has something that works.Focus on what you want your reality to be. Your focus = your reality.When making a decision about your future, take with you what was best about the past. You will be more confident and secure making a future career move… -
Lobsters, Chefs, and Career Exploration
19 Oct 2009 | 11:18 amI just read an inspiring career exploration story about a would be chef and high school senior, Chelsea Ciomei, who lives on Deer Isle in mid-coast Maine. According to a story in the local newspaper, the Island Ad-Vantages, she helped organize student volunteers to prepare and serve a “top chef” fund raising dinner for the Island Culinary and Ecological Center (ICEC). Several very high profile chefs donated their time to this event.ICEC’s “long term goal is to provide culinary and ecological education and training that will lead to job opportunities for Island young people, and open… -
Focus on What Career Interventions Work at CANNEXUS 2010
15 Oct 2009 | 12:58 pmOne of our scientifically valid assessments, The Career Decision Profile, will be in the spotlight at January's CANNEXUS 2010, the premier national career development conference in Canada. "Measuring the Impact of Career Interventions: How Do You Know It Works?" is especially relevant given this challenging budget environment. Every dollar has to demonstrate results.Felicity Morgan and Joan McCurdy-Meyers from the University of Toronto Mississauga Career Centre will be presenting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning (Jan. 26) of the conference. I took the liberty of quoting the abstract below from…
-
The CareerXroads Annex
-
Pay It Forward: Helping Military In Transition
20 Nov 2009 | 9:36 amLast July 29th and 30th , over 800 troops returning from active service in Afghanistan and Iraq attended a pilot 2-day event at Ft Dix, NJ. Volunteers included Tip of the Arrow, Fort Dix staff, ESGRA, and NJ SHRM members led by Sherrill Curtis from the NJ SHRM Garden State Council along with hundreds of professional coaches and 50 employers with openings. Information about the event was promoted extensively including through my blog and summarized later in John Zappe’s article for ERE.. ...but the core of this event, what made it a bit different from other initiatives was the… -
Social Media Summit: Moving Learning to Another Level
17 Nov 2009 | 11:58 amERE's Social Recruiting Summit (#socialrecruiting), held in New York yesterday [Monday, Nov 17] was a another milestone in the evolution of niche, community-focused experiences that may eventually change the way we think about "conferences"- how we approach them as attendees and how their "owners" monetize them. The fact that yesterday's subject matter reflected the medium was just coincidental. The combination of a comfortable guide (Laurie Ruettimann), diverse content (see next paragraph), pre-conference relationship building (#Monstersocial), intimate non-traditional setting (Comix… -
What Should Staffing Leaders Be Doing Now to Plan for the Hiring of Recruiters During Recovery?
7 Nov 2009 | 3:15 pmA future ERE Corporate Leadership Journal (not yet out) will include an article about what HR leaders should be doing NOW to plan for the hiring of recruiters during the recovery. John Zappe, the article's author, asked several members of our industry to respond to a series of questions (and then extracted contrasting points of view). I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. I was among those asked to contribute and, here is the unabridged answer I provided to one of the questions (which will, of course, be edited and combined with others in the final article): Q: (John) What… -
Déjà Vu All Over Again: The 2009 Social Media Conversation is But an Echo of the Internet Past
6 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pmIf Social Media is keeping you up at night, relax-- You've just been there before. (As we approach ERE's SM summit for what I'm sure will be an valuable day of conversation, I thought this commentary from our November CareerXroads Update might be interesting.) In 1996, just 13 years ago, the Internet was at a tipping point - not so new that we couldn't see its promise but also not so accepted that we couldn't imagine its dangers. As the debate raged on, the Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) and the Society of Human Resource Development (SHRM) conducted a broad-based survey of several… -
Speed bumps and time warps
28 Oct 2009 | 7:00 am8am on a dreary, rainy grey Wedenesday in a small corner of northern New Jersey. Lots of trees past their peak as I look outside from a brightly lit Panera Bread breakfast nook. I'm sitting by a very fake but still enjoyable fireplace. The fog and drizzle cloak whatever is left of the trees' color. I just backtracked 6 miles from the One Stop in the city of Dover, NJ to connect to Panera's wifi. Soon I'll spend a couple hours in conversation with 60 plus out of work professionals this morning. Dover is in a time warp- less than hour and a half drive from where I live…
-
Career News
-
Relocation: Are Employees Truly Willing To Change Cities for New Job Opportunities?
13 Nov 2009 | 8:19 pmAccording to a recent QuickPoll identifying relocation trends... * Four percent of women candidates are very willing to relocate for the right job * Forty-six percent of MBA candidates are very willing to relocate * Nineteen percent of diverse candidates are very willing to relocate When requesting that employees transfer for positions or offering candidates jobs in distant locations, be sure to provide guidelines that will help each candidate determine whether moving is the best choice for him/her. This will ensure that your company… -
Job Tip - How to Reinvigorate your Career Path
13 Nov 2009 | 8:17 pmReview your recent accomplishments and revise or establish new goals with your colleagues and teammates. Spring into action with your networking scene: attend a seminar, become involved in your professional associations, attend local business events and schedule networking lunches or informational interviews. For more tips visit CareerWomen.com -
Career Tips to Become a Top Executive
10 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pmThe key in career development success is in acquiring the right blend of skills. To achieve a coveted “C” level position, successful executives recommend the following plan of action: Formal business acumen is important. Acquire excellent financial management skills, as your backbone. Take classes in accounting and finance. Critical thinking is essential. Get your MBA earlier rather than later. Learn to lead by observing and absorbing the professional skill that aren't taught in college. Develop a network of professionals in all fields. Never Stop Learning--seek out… -
Recruiter Advice: Get The Interview
9 Nov 2009 | 11:22 pmA Corporate Recruiter speaks out on how Job Seekers gain a competitive edge to win the interview! "Make sure you are qualified for the job. Come prepared, be professional and tell me how you can help our company achieve our objectives. Don't come with your list of demands and what you think the job should be." Source: © The Career Exposure Network™ / CareerWomen.com -
The MBA Network: An essential resource for Career Success
30 Oct 2009 | 2:15 pmThe network you cultivate while an MBA student remains a vital and important tool for job success. In fact, most MBA alumns claim the MBA network is AS important as the management skills and tools gained during the program. According to a recent survey by the Association of MBAs, fifty percent of the respondents found a new job through word of mouth, highlighting the importance of networking. Personal referrals and recommendations continue to be a key source of new business with sixty percent of new business being attributed to their MBA network. Further, networking doesn’t just help…
-
Steve Pavlina's Personal Development Blog
-
Intimacy Abundance and Label-Free Relationships
17 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amIn this article I’m going to share some recent personal lessons about creating intimacy abundance. So this is more of a sharing piece than an advice piece. Even so, I expect you’ll be able to gain some helpful insights that you can apply to your own relationships. Society conditions us to attach certain labels to our relationships and then to assign meanings to those labels. For example, being single has a different meaning than being someone’s boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife. At some point in the course of your relationships, you may be tempted to change the… -
How to Visualize Your New Reality
9 Nov 2009 | 4:07 amThis is a follow-up to my last video post on Creating Abundance. In this article I’ll share more detail on how to visualize your new reality so that you become a vibrational match for it. This is an area where people make some critical mistakes when trying to manifest their desires. Slide Into Your New Reality Did you ever see the TV show Sliders? In that show a group of four people would “slide” through a portal between dimensions, spending each episode in an alternate version of earth. For example, they might enter a reality where the Nazis won WWII. Or in another reality… -
Creating Abundance – Video
5 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pmYesterday morning I woke up with the idea of recording a video blog on the topic of creating abundance. A little later I checked our forums and saw a request for me to post something more comprehensive on the topic of abundance. Well, I thought… that’s a pretty blatant synchronicity! Is it possible to use the Law of Attraction to manifest true abundance in your life, including financial abundance, social abundance, and more? Absolutely, it is. In this 35-minute video (split into 4 individual clips for posting on YouTube), I explain why people so often fail in this area, and I… -
A Few Updates
2 Nov 2009 | 10:42 amHere are some updates I want to share with you. Conscious Growth Workshop DVDs I received the initial DVD masters from the videographer — 8 DVDs total for the whole weekend. I’ll start watching them this week to see if any additional edits are needed to create the final product. After that I’ll need someone to design a cover/package for the DVDs and then get a bunch of them duplicated so we can start shipping them. For anyone who pre-ordered the DVDs at the workshop and paid via credit card, your card won’t be charged till the DVDs actually ship. It’s hard to say… -
Juicing and Physical Training
1 Nov 2009 | 7:18 pmFor most of the past year, I’ve been starting my day with a green smoothie for breakfast, but lately I’ve been getting back into juicing. I piled up a lot of experience in a short period of time when I did my 30-day juice feast a year ago. (I’d originally planned to go for a 92-day juice feast but decided to stop after 30 days.) Drinking fresh juice has many benefits. With the fiber removed, fresh juice digests very easily, so you don’t have to expend as much energy on digestion. This extra energy then becomes available for your body and mind. When I incorporate a lot…
-
ERE: Inside Recruiting
-
Hải quan điện tử: Những điều cần biết
Ứng dụng hải quan điện tử (HQĐT) trong bối cảnh hiện nay không còn xa lạ với doanh nghiệp (DN). Tuy vậy, DN vẫn còn nhiều thắc mắc về HQĐT, như: Khi nào chính thức áp dụng HQĐT? Trường hợp hệ thống mạng HQ gặp lỗi thì xử lý thế nào? HQĐT có phải theo quy định chuẩn không? Quá trình ứng dụng có ảnh hưởng đến hoạt động của DN? DN hưởng những quyền lợi gì khi tham gia HQĐT?... -
Barnes & Noble sắp bán e-reader Nook
Ngày 30/11/2009, các cửa hàng sách thuộc hệ thống Barnes & Noble sẽ bắt đầu bán ra thiết bị đọc sách điện tử (e-reader) Nook của Barnes & Noble của họ. -
Rèn luyện thân thể với Wii
Có thể xem Wii Fit Plus như phiên bảm hoàn chỉnh của Wii Fit đã ra mắt làng game hồi năm ngoái, và các game thủ đang sở hữu tấm thảm Wii Balance Board, không nên bỏ qua!
-
Bob Sutton
-
The Tension Between Getting it Done and Getting it Right
20 Nov 2009 | 1:11 pmI just went for a rather lovely long bike ride in the rain and was in a contemplative mood because I seem to be just a couple days from finishing my next book (I will tell you much more about it in a couple weeks when the powers that be agree with me that it is done). When I got back, I had received an email from Randall who gave me feedback that, in my forward to 40th Anniversary edition of the The Peter Principle:"I am disappointed that your forward did not mention what I believe to be the core insight in the book. Without this particular insight, the rest of the book… -
Leaders get the behavior they display and tolerate
20 Nov 2009 | 9:38 amI was at a gathering of HR managers and executives yesterday held at Pixar, and one of the participants made this observation at one point. Frankly, there were a lot of people and we kept rotating among groups, so although I write it down quickly so I wouldn't lose it, I got so lost in thought about it that by the time I looked-up, we were all rotating to different groups and I lost rack of who said it. I will try to figure out who it was -- yes, it is an oversimplification, but one of the most compelling ones I've heard. I especially like that word "tolerate"… -
Oh, So That Is God's Work
18 Nov 2009 | 9:01 amToday's New York Times has an encouraging article about the things that Goldman Sachs is doing to cleanse its image as a greedy and destructive force in the U.S. economy and society. Apparently Warren Buffett is teach their senior team a bit of humility, or at least how to feign it. This is all old news, but I can't stop thinking about the comparison between how the Rolling Stone described Goldman versus how CEO Blankfein did (a statement that got him in big trouble, by the way).In July, a story in the Rolling Stone called "The Great American Bubble Machine" started out:The… -
Testosterone Levels, Top Dogs, and Collective Group Confidence
16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pmMy favorite behavioral science website, BPS Research Digest, posted a summary of an amazingly weird and rather troubling psychological experiment. The upshot is that people --- both men and women --- vary in testosterone levels and (no surprise), when people with high testosterone levels aren't in leadership positions, "they can find it stressful and uncomfortable when denied the status that they crave." A bit more surprising is that the reverse is true as well, that "people low in testosterone find it uncomfortable to be placed in positions of… -
How Can You Help Your Boss Succeed?
15 Nov 2009 | 12:29 pmMany of the posts and comments on this blog focus on either how to be an effective boss or how to deal with a lousy boss. No doubt, all this talk about dealing with lousy bosses is fueled by The No Asshole Rule. But there is another theme that I believe deserves more attention here and elsewhere: How can people help their bosses be more successful? After all, when your boss succeeds, not only does he or she gain a better reputation, so do you, and it also usually means your team is doing better work. I was reminded of this last week when a I gave a talk to a…
-
Three Star Leadership Blog
-
How to measure leaders
20 Nov 2009 | 11:27 amShould leaders be humble or flamboyant? Or should they just make a difference?<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/threestarleadership/priq/~4/6ErG5qE34po" height="1" width="1"/> -
11/18/09: Midweek Look at the Independent Business Blogs
18 Nov 2009 | 9:23 amEvery week I select five excellent posts from this week's independent business blogs. This week, I'm pointing you to posts on what makes a great leadership development workshop, coaching, confronting bad performance, ethics, and a secret of leadership.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/threestarleadership/priq/~4/RbeWwBwdfP0" height="1" width="1"/> -
Book Review: Lead Your Boss
16 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pmne of the most frequent questions managers ask in my programs is: "How can I influence my boss?" Now I can recommend John Baldoni's Lead Your Boss to answer that question.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/threestarleadership/priq/~4/qbcmYx8imzA" height="1" width="1"/> -
11/15/09: Leadership Reading to Start Your Week
15 Nov 2009 | 1:43 pmHere are five choice articles from the business press to start off your work week. I'm pointing you to articles about Tweeting in traffic, Macy's and its CEO, ways to improve boss-team member relationships, best practices in communication, and business heroes of the Twentieth Century.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/threestarleadership/priq/~4/YktTAyq08SM" height="1" width="1"/> -
11/11/09: Midweek Look at the Independent Business Blogs
11 Nov 2009 | 1:07 pmEvery week I select five excellent posts from this week's independent business blogs. This week, I'm pointing you to posts on the tension between righteousness and relationship, getting the most from 360 degree appraisals, making courageous choices, recurring crises, and managing Gen Y.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/threestarleadership/priq/~4/3s75XjrPTLA" height="1" width="1"/>
-
Bigg Success
-
Why Women and Men Should Not Compete
20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amPicture a group of adults given a task to perform. Research has shown that, if one adult performs worse than his or her peers on that task, it will result in a loss of self-esteem. Furthermore, that person is likely to perform more poorly on that same task in the future. ___ ___ Now put a group of four- to five-years old kids in the same situation. There is no affect on the child who didn’t perform as well as his or her peers. So what do kids know that we adults have forgotten? They think they can learn new tricks, they can adapt. We adults think that an old dog can’t be taught… -
The Coming Age of Small Business-Part 2
18 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amMalcolm Gladwell wrote a great article for The New Yorker a while ago. He talks about how David beats Goliath. It’s a great read full of stories about underdogs. The main story is about a girl’s basketball team that made the national championships when they shouldn’t have won a game. The other stories – from David to Lawrence of Arabia – all support why these girls were able to achieve what they did. ___ ___ He cites a study that showed that small armies beat superior opponents a little over one-fourth of the time (28.5%). However, when these underdogs ignored… -
The Coming Age of Small Business – Part 1
17 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amIt’s one of the most famous opening lines of any novel. Charles Dickens, in A Tale of Two Cities, wrote, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Could the same be true for small business owners today? ___ ___ Many small businesses are struggling. According to Discover’s Small Business Watch, half of the small business owners surveyed reported cash flow problems over the last three months. The good news is the number is down slightly, but it’s still significant. It’s been tough to get credit. Vendors are more demanding than ever while, at the… -
This Killer Combination Leads to Bigg Success
13 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amPeople who reach bigg success aren’t constrained by the same forces we are. Baloney! It’s a myth that we all aren’t constrained in the same ways. But there’s a bigg difference between the average Joe or Jane and people who ultimately reach bigg success. ___ ___ Remove the constraints! The average person gives in to those constraints. Bigg goal-getters don’t see themselves as constrained so they don’t allow themselves to be constrained. They don’t waste time telling themselves all of the reasons why they can’t do something. They focus, instead,… -
Why Your Partner Must be Two Faced
12 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amBigg Success is two years old today! What a two years it has been! Over the past two years, you’ve given us two thumbs up in so many ways. You’ve made us one of the regularly featured business career podcasts in iTunes. You’ve helped us grow the number of people who visit our site every day. ___ ___ Bigg Success is not a two-seater. We love to hear from you. We’re so happy that you’ve been here to share your thoughts with us over the past two years. Because it takes two to tango. We couldn’t do this if it weren’t for you. We thank you so much for all…
-
My Global Career
-
Backing Your Career Passion
17 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pmAre you unfulfilled in your job? You are not alone. One-half of US employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, up from two-fifths 10 years ago. Perhaps it’s time to move on. But where? And will you be successful in your new job? Or would it be a case of “out of the frying pan into the fire”? You can minimize that risk. You should find a job that fires you with hwyl—the Celtic concept of passion, fervor, and spirit that can lift you to extremes of success. Then you need to check that market conditions at this job are favorable, and that you will be at least reasonably well placed to… -
Would You Work for a Transnational?
15 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pmIn a useful BusinessWeek report called Managing the Global Workforce we learned that winning the war for talent is a challenge that few corporations are well-equipped to handle. I wouldn’t call this news, but it’s certainly a macro-trend: as corporations morph from multinationals into transnationals that establish talent centers around the globe, talent management becomes a more strategic skill set for aspiring executives. Some b-schools are starting to teach these skills, but mostly it’s on-the-job training. The key takeaway for job seekers is that you want to work for a… -
So Much for Those Early Retirement Plans
10 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pmUntil recently, Jonathan Bernstein, a baby boomer and small-business owner in the Los Angeles area, had plans to “semi-retire.” On turning 60 in 2011, Bernstein had hoped to cut his workload in half, and he and his wife were contemplating purchasing a home in a state with a lower cost of living than California. But those plans have been scuttled now that the couple has seen values dwindle on both their home and Bernstein’s self-employed pension plan. Bernstein says his pension plan has dropped about 25 to 30 percent. “In pretty much all ways, we’re… -
9 Steps to Prepare for Behavioral Interviews
8 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pmIn a job interview, you may field questions about your situational behavior and decision making. That’s based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Behavioral questions (often not even framed as a question) typically start out: “Tell me about a time…” or “Describe a situation…” Example questions are: “Tell me about a time where you confronted an unexpected problem,” “Describe an experience when you failed to achieve a goal,” or “Give me a specific example of a time when you managed several projects at once.” Equip… -
Are You Ready to Escape from a Corporate Job?
5 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pmIn a weak economy the tendency is for workers to hold onto their jobs a bit longer than they would otherwise prefer. Is it possible that in a downturn the best thing to do is counterintuitive – quitting corporate America to freelance, start a business or return to college? Better now than never – even if you don’t succeed. In her book, Escape from Corporate America, Pamela Skillings, a career coach and blogger, says that moving back and forth between solo ventures or startups and corporate jobs is “really the only way to develop, learn and grow.” Why not take a…
-
Marketing Headhunter
-
Door-to-Door Selling: "Timing is Everything."
31 Oct 2009 | 5:10 pmATLANTA, GA - Tonight's Halloween, and our neighborhood is packed with kids. My wife and I have five kids, so Halloween is one of the most eagerly anticipated holidays of the year. I'm the candy guy in our house; When the doorbell rings, it's my job to give out the candy to trick-or-treaters.Obviously, everyone's in a festive mood ... At roughly 6:00pm, the little kids start to arrive. It's the usual mix of pirates, ghosts, princesses, etc. Smiles all around. You know the drill.Then at roughly 6:45pm, two co-eds from our local high-school ring the… -
Twitter and B2B marketing: A simplification.
22 Sep 2009 | 6:19 pmATLANTA, GA - I read somewhere that a great blogger will never start a post by making excuses for why he hasn't been blogging. Good thing I'm not a great blogger.As discussed last month, I have started devoting considerable time and attention to Twitter. My reasoning is basically this: Nearly 90% of my blog's traffic comes from Google, so once you have arrived at this page, statistically speaking, you are most likely to read one post and then call me, email me, or subscribe to my newsletter.I'm simplifying things, but that's what happens 90% of the time.And… -
What I like most about self-employment.
29 Jul 2009 | 8:35 pmSEATTLE, WA - What you are looking at is a fine example of lazy blogging! It requires almost no time or originality on my part, yet you'll enjoy yourself for the next couple of minutes and maybe even send a link to your friends. Call it McThought Leadership. Mark Twain would be proud. The video you're about to see features Amazon's Jeff Bezos explaining why his company bought Zappos. Frankly, it's hard to imagine that Zappos was so good at customer service that Jeff Bezos admired them enough to acquire them. But that's what the man says. Does Mr. Bezos… -
Web Usability: "Keeping an Eye on the Competition"
8 Jul 2009 | 5:53 pmDETROIT, MI - My friend, Kevin Ertell over at RetailShakenNotStirred has a great post on web usability titled "Is elitism the source of poor usability?"According to Kevin, "Most sites are still achieving single digit conversion rates even though customer intent-to-purchase rates are 20% or higher in most cases." Kevin suspects that this problem stems from sites being too complicated for the average user.I'm sure he's right. And it's not that users are stupid; it's that the average consumer gets hit with +5000 commercial messages a day and they just… -
Print Advertising and Reputational Search
20 Jun 2009 | 6:14 pmFUNNY STORY: From June 2005-March 2009, I was the only recruiter in America to advertise in Internet Retailer magazine. Online retail is my target market (for now), and Internet Retailer is my industry's flagship trade publication. Every month my ho-hum little classified ad was in the back, rain or shine, and every month no other recruiter's was. For 45 months. Imagine.I'm not bragging. I'm not. I'm just amazed, that's all.It was like getting away with murder. And it's not like my marketing strategy was some big, complicated thing: Every…
-
Business Pundit
-
This Week’s Links
20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pmBecker-Posner on whether the US will go the way of Japan. Dean Baker on the dollar’s rout (or not). Barry Ritholz on a potential new amendmentthat will create even more zombie banks. SportsBiz is a neat sports business blog that I recently discovered. Kim Grant has some of the best personal branding tips I’ve seen. The article targets writers, but her tips are useful for any entrepreneur with something to pitch. -
This Week’s Weird Jobs
20 Nov 2009 | 8:26 amImage: SpeechSuccess.com Has anyone ever asked you to be their best man or maid of honor? Did you enjoy it? If so, there may be a job in your future… 1. CA: Positions Available @ Private Women’s Gym Women’s Athletic Club is looking for part-time front desk help and instructors. Must be flexible, professional and dependable. Good ideas are always welcomed. If you’re male and tend to gawk, please be very good at hiding it. 2. CA: Bike, Segway, & Walking Tour Guides / Guerilla Marketers Our guests are always jealous that we get to do this everyday and get paid for… -
If Health Insurance Companies Were Jesus
20 Nov 2009 | 3:34 am -
Book Review: The Dollar Meltdown by Charles Goyette
19 Nov 2009 | 4:22 pmCharles Goyette has spent much of his life thinking about money. He has contemplated how it works, how governments manipulate it, and how it stores value. Goyette, a radio show host, precious metals pro, and libertarian, shares his views on fate of the US dollar in “The Dollar Meltdown.” In his four-part book, Goyette details where the US economy and dollar are now, how we got here, what might happen next, and how to protect your money. The topics Goyette presents are necessary reading for anyone wanting a well-rounded perspective on the current US economy. Even if you don’t agree with… -
8 Innocent Office Pranks That Went Horribly Wrong
19 Nov 2009 | 12:13 pmSometimes the most innocent jokes have the most tragic consequences… 8. The Fatty and the Photocopier In true dimwit fashion, this chump thought the age-old office prank of photocopying your ass would be funny, even though we’ve all seen it a million times. What he forgot to take into consideration was the even older saying: ‘Don’t sit on a thin glass platform with your nuts exposed if you are a sweaty, overwieght fatty.’ Woops. The board meeting the next day must have been uncomfortable – for more reasons than one. 7. Don’t Tell the Certified Insane…
-
One Louder
-
Navel gazing versus observing on Twitter
20 Nov 2009 | 11:31 amOversharers that we are, Twitter has been asking us "What are you doing?" and we have responded with responses, squeezed into that little box. I don't like having my personality squeezed so. And so I have opted to update my status on Facebook (or both Twitter and FB when I remember) and blog here where people can't tell me to "zip it, lady" part way through a post. Whatever. I feel like a performer who gets really bad stage fight and have found my happy place where I can perform without the self-doubt. When I have time. Well, that Twitter question, in my opinion, has encouraged a lot of… -
Meeting personalities
20 Nov 2009 | 7:54 amWhen it comes to meetings, I have multiple personalities. Truth is that I don't like meetings all that much. I get that they are necessary. But I think a lot of the meeting behavior wastes time. I know, I know, we should all spend a bit of time talking about our weekend and such. But I have things to do, people. And that feeling that creeps over me; the "OK, I'll ask about your weekend camping trip, but do you know what I have to get done today?". well, that can be a little distracting. There's how I am and how I want to be. And I am sure that some really well-adjusted, balanced person would… -
If this isn't evil, it's at least suckage
18 Nov 2009 | 3:27 pmAnd gimmicky. Using ads are one thing. I've gotten good at ignoring them. But requiring my attention? Well that is crap. Using the technical term. I don't like to tag companies with "evil." Because a lot of what people like to refer to as "evil" is really just companies opting for the interests of the shareholder over someone else. And companies exist to serve the shareholders; otherwise this nutty thing that we can an economy collapses completely. I understand unpopular decisions in the interest of shareholders. Anyhoo. So this technology ain't evil. But if it's used, it's really,… -
Up for one, down for two
17 Nov 2009 | 5:23 pmBrand logo, flushing toilet. Does there always have to be a difference? -
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
11 Nov 2009 | 2:15 pmHave you heard that grunge is coming back? As someone who missed the full-on grunge experience, Seattle-style. I really hope it's coming back. If so, it has some work to do. Maybe it's about the fashion. As much as I eschew anything with a collar (check it, friends....when was the last time you saw me in anything with a collar?), I love those cuddly flannels. I admit it, I totally "get" grunge. The messy hair? Not a problem for me. Wearing super-comfy clothes? OK, and? Other than the economy (haha..."other than"...), and my own lack of personal direction, I didn't find anything patently…
-
Career Hub
-
Enduring Truths for Careers and Job Search
20 Nov 2009 | 5:55 amThe University of Wisconsin has had many distinguished alumni and faculty who have been known to produce noteworthy quotes. The Winter 2009 On Wisconsin magazine cites many of these remarkable quotes in “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” Yes, that phrase... -
Are You Going To Cash In Your Ticket?
19 Nov 2009 | 5:21 pm"You're sitting on a winning lottery ticket - but you're too big a pussy to cash it in." Apologies for the slightly course language, but this is a direct quote from one of my favourite films – 'Goodwill Hunting' staring... -
Resumes: The Big Mistake Everyone’s Making
19 Nov 2009 | 8:43 amWhether you’re trying to secure a new job, new consulting project or contract work, there are two chief ways you differentiate yourself from your competitors. You do it by showcasing: a) The results you deliver and b) The unique way... -
What’s Your Unique Talent?
18 Nov 2009 | 7:45 pmUnique Talent = Natural Abilities + Your Unique Way Of Expressing Those Abilities Your Natural Abilities ■ What’s *that thing you do* which you’re so naturally talented at? ■ What’s the work you’ve done effortlessly ever since you can remember?... -
Why Cover Letters Are Overrated
17 Nov 2009 | 5:57 pmHere’s a conversation and some lively banter between me and a friend, a professional resume/CV writer. We were chatting about my (yawn) not so favourite subject - cover letters: Sital: “Job seekers who spend tonnes of time and effort on...
-
The Monster Blog
-
Giving Thanks for a Great Job Seeking Experience (and a New Job)
19 Nov 2009 | 4:44 amAs Thanksgiving approaches, I realize that despite months of underemployment, I have a lot to be thankful for this year. First and foremost: I have a new job. During my search for permanent, full-time employment, I got to know many generous people. I also had a chance to use my skills in ways I never thought possible, enriching my professional experiences and, ultimately, my value to employers. Sometimes, I even had great fun! And with my unemployment ending, my story here on the Monster Blog is coming to a close as well. I leave you with this list of what I am thankful for this year… -
Racing to the Finish Line with 2 Competing Job Offers
17 Nov 2009 | 12:11 pmBack in June, my sixth sense told me that all my hard work would converge and I'd be struggling with a decision about whom to work for. I even noted this premonition in my job search log book. I know it sounds hard to believe, but having 2 companies pursuing me as a potential new employee is a mixed blessing. The Hare and the Tortoise The firm that’s in the lead to win my talents -- let’s compare that company to a hare -- is a small European-based manufacturer with its American subsidiary a few miles from my home. The position they offer is challenging and… -
Reflections on a Successful, Often Sleepless, Job Search
12 Nov 2009 | 4:43 amMy protracted season of underemployment is coming to an end. The people in my life are relieved to hear that I will soon be employed full-time. To them, this is an encouraging sign that the economy is turning the corner. Reflecting on these past months, I think: What have I learned? The Power of One Throughout this job search experience, I’ve learned that often it’s the one tip, one idea or one contact packing the most value. Even just one of these factors can make the difference. Here’s an example: I just finished reading a lengthy book aboutinterviewing… -
Due Diligence and the Job Offer: More Than Salary and Benefits
10 Nov 2009 | 5:31 amSuccess! I have received a job offer from one of the two firms I have been interviewing with. The offer is reasonable in terms of salary and bonus, but, of course, there is more at stake than the total compensation package. So begins due diligence, part two, where I really take a look under the hood of this company. The Firm’s Well-Being Let’s start with my concern about the firm’s technical commitment and support. While waiting in the firm’s lobby for my final interview, I couldn’t help but overhear current employees complain about malfunctioning or… -
The Job Search Isn’t Over Until the Offer Is in Hand
5 Nov 2009 | 6:34 amAbout 10 days ago, I began a second and final round of interviewing, and everything went swimmingly. I was thrilled when the recruiter called to say there was a job offer in the making. But sealing the deal with this recruiter has been a bumpy ride. Usually the recruiter would have relinquished the offer process to the firm’s hiring manager or HR department by this point. The problem is, I have questions about the offer, which means the recruiter has had to chase down answers. Trying to untangle the phone conversations, I requested to see everything in writing. And so,…
-
Lisa Rosendahl
-
A Step in the Right Direction
19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amI have a new friend and I am on mission. My new friend is a Physical Therapist and my mission is to transform my gait. Yes, I have to change the way I run. You see, my feet sort of cross in front of each other when I run. And yes, that's a problem. Mr. PT says it's not the reason I can't roller blade but it is the very reason my knees are achy. I'm not so sure about this NOT negatively impacting my roller blading inabilities but I'll buy that it's taking a toll on my knees. How does one change the way they've been moving for 30… -
HR Carnival - HRevolution Edition
18 Nov 2009 | 7:06 amThe HR Carnival - HRevolution Edition is posted over at Trish McFarlane's place, the HR Ringleader's Blog. I love the headiness of events and conversations like HRevolution. By the looks of the writing, the thoughts and the ideas in the carnival posts I am not alone. Want to meet some smart people with great ideas, varying perspectives, differing opinions - and a little bit of humor? Click on over to the carnival, you will not be disappointed. If you are inspired to continue to conversation, share your thoughts in the next HR Carnival. Mike… -
When I'm Done
16 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amI am not content to have the job no one else would want. When I'm done, I will have a role others wish they had. Photocredit iStockphoto -
HR Carnival - 25 Pieces of HR Awesomeness
11 Nov 2009 | 10:17 amOk, I'm loving the new logo. How about you?! This rendition of the Carnival is hosted by Ben Eubanks, on his blog, Upstart HR. Well, along with the new logo comes 25 pieces of HR Awesomeness - and a challenge. I've known Ben for almost a year now and had the opportunity to meet him last weekend at HRevolution. He is a ball of fire, a barrel of ideas, and a commited contributor to and supporter of the HR Community. So, the idea of him throwing out a challenge is not at all unexpected. What's the challenge? Ben is challenging you to pick your favorite article, print it out, and… -
To Our Veterans
11 Nov 2009 | 3:21 amTo our Veterans and your families: Thank you for your service, your dedication and your sacrifice. Our nation honors you today. Veterans Day 2009 Would you like to reach out to a Veteran? You can share a personal story, say thank you yourself or just read some of the amazing tokens of gratitude through 11/15 on a site dedicated to acknowledging our Veterans. The folks at MeritBuilder will share the stories, thoughts and thanks with members of the military both here and abroad. Thank a veteran today.
-
The Chief Happiness Officer
-
Friday Spoing
20 Nov 2009 | 3:01 amThis is a real video of real cops on the streets of Copenhagen (close to where I live, actually) stopping people on bikes to… well, watch it for yourself: -
Friday Spoing
13 Nov 2009 | 6:34 amHere’s some happiness for ya: A dog welcomes his owner back from Afghanistan :o) -
Friday Spoing!
6 Nov 2009 | 6:40 amWhere can I go and try this? Looks like fun! Have a happy weekend :o) -
The Happiness Hat will hurt you until you smile
2 Nov 2009 | 1:37 amSmile, dammit: This is not meant to be taken seriously – this is art. Or social commentary. Or both. The Happiness Hat was created by Lauren MacCarthy, who calls it: A wearable conditioning device that detects if you’re smiling and provides pain feedback if you’re not. Frowning creates intense pain but a full smile leaves you pain free! The first in a series of Tools for Improved Social Inter-Acting. To me, this is a great commentary to the pressure to be happy that exists in society today. There seems to be a sense that “if you’re not happy, there’s… -
Friday Spoing
30 Oct 2009 | 4:53 amThis Friday it’s really more of a Spoooooooooooooooooing :o) Have a happy weekend!
-
ERE Blog Network: Cybersleuthing
-
What recruiters need to know about SEO
19 Nov 2009 | 2:09 pmFor some in recruiting, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is just another acronym in this already jargon-laden industry. However, SEO is a proven recruitment marketing tactic that has been around for years and should be incorporated into a company's recruiting strategy to increase applicant traffic to the corporate career site. Each month about 775 million searches are conducted on Google, about 226 million of them job related. That means that just under a third of the questions being asked on Google are related to job search. Is your recruitment brand being well represented? -
Jason Elias demonstrates his "Top 10 Way Staffing Firms can Increase Billings in a Down Economy"
24 Aug 2009 | 3:44 pmStaffing firms can increase their billings with Jason Elias creative ideas. Jason runs a successfull niche search firm in Australia, where the economy is getting hit as hard (or harder?) than ours. Jason is Australia's representative to the global NPA organization. Not only is he an experienced attorney, and a well established recruiter, but also has an easy presentation style making it a pleasure to watch him present. He sent us this summary of the top ten ways he's increase is revenues for his own business in the midst of the worst recession we've faced in 30 years: Top 10 Ways to Generate… -
Why is Semantic Search Important to Recruiters?
19 Aug 2009 | 12:41 pmThere is just too much confusion about so-called “Boolean search” so I’d like to clarify a few basic things: The Booleans are simply: AND OR NOT. There, now you know Boolean search. When recruiters talk about “Boolean search” what they are really talking about is creating search strings using sometimes advanced commands or complex search syntax to query specific fields inside of databases. Well, that’s the end of my list. Search syntax has been around since the beginning of databases. Each “database” (lumping in Monster, Goolge, LinkedIn and… -
Act While Others Wait – the Arbita Recruitment Genome Report
13 Jul 2009 | 3:23 pmIn May 2009, Arbita revealed the first survey results from the Recruitment Genome Report. The purpose of this multi-year research project is to define the most effective recruitment practices from among the thousands available. Below are my thoughts about the results, but you can download the full 11-page report for yourself here: http://www.arbita.net/Offer/Recruitment-Genome-Report-Download.html Why is this important to staffing leaders? There are so many tools and services in our industry, each vying for your attention and promising to be the only solution you need. However,… -
Why, and How, you can quickly find passive talent on Blogs
18 Mar 2009 | 9:43 amWhy are blogs still a very important part of our research repertoire? When it comes to finding passive candidates, today's unemployment reports are a temporary blip in the talent wars. This Sunday's NY Times featured an interesting article about how hard it remains in certain industries and functions to find top talent and that will apply to every industry as the economy rebounds, the huge Boomer generation ages out of the workforce, and new industries requiring unique skills blossom. In-demand professionals rarely have resumes floating around. So where can we easily find great talent,…
-
Managing Leadership
-
A particle off the old block
20 Nov 2009 | 8:18 amAs we saw last week, quantum physicists can be pretty strange folk – every bit, perhaps, as weird as the models they posit for how the physical world really works. One of them is unshakably convinced of the validity of, essentially, the whole of the science. He declares his faith in this as yet highly speculative, unproven modeling with a remarkable reference to a fascinating feature of it called quantum entanglement. Briefly, this describes a phenomenon in which two independent particles, separated by anything from a few inches to the breadth of the universe, nevertheless display… -
Book Review: Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market
13 Nov 2009 | 9:22 amSramana Mitra has plotted out a series of books on various aspects of entrepreneurial activity with regard to its effects on management and on the general economy. They all are formed around interviews with entrepreneurs whose experiences illustrate the main theme of each volume. The first was an overview of the elements of the entrepreneurial process. The next, “Bootstrapping: Weapon of Mass Reconstruction,” reviewed here, was targeted at the value of avoiding over-leveraging a new enterprise, but was found to reveal a good bit more about how such a focus drove intelligent, disciplined… -
Atomizers
12 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pmThe author of a popular book on modern developments in physics is a true believer in the validity of quantum mechanics. This remains a highly speculative theory, however. On the one hand, it is strongly supported by powerful evidence from mathematics. In fact, it is worth remembering that many researchers into the theory and its spinoffs do little more in an entire career than mathematical model-building and manipulation. But on the other, the further one ventures into the peculiar corners one is driven to by this highly theoretical logic, the less evidence from actual observation can be… -
Shoulders of giants
10 Nov 2009 | 3:26 pmToday marks the 234th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. It is an occasion for Marines to honor those who have built the legendary reputation of the Corps with their blood and spirit, and for those in uniform today to contemplate their role in bearing its brilliant battle flags aloft into the future. It also often is an occasion for the rest of us to wonder at this magnificent band of brothers – its incomparable combat record, its fierce loyalty and irresistible esprit de corps, its unrelentingly focused dynamism and invention. How do they do that? Generation after generation? In… -
Roundup: Caught up
9 Nov 2009 | 8:12 amContinuing from Friday’s post, today we are going to finish up reviewing some of the blog and press activity of the past few weeks which touches on themes we expect to address here soon. Again, virtually all of this material is on my daily reading list, and I mention that here because I think it would make an immediately effective addition to the daily scan of any serious manager or student of management; I hope you will be persuaded and add some of this to yours. Please provide me your feedback, in any event. Doers, directors and didactors. The Economist’s Schumpeter column is one to…
-
Employment Digest
-
3 Tips to Handle Resume Career Gaps
20 Nov 2009 | 6:29 amFirst things first: anyone who’s spent a considerable amount of time working professionally will have gaps in their resume. It’s a natural by-product of tackling new career opportunities,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Career Strategist – CareerTrends.net
20 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Should Women Over 50 Become Retired Stay at Home Moms and Entrepreneurs?
19 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amNow that women are getting older, what do we have left? Well, let’s take an inventory. Physically, our bodies are definitely not that of a twenty year old! Well, that was pretty obvious. How... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
What Are the Key Components to a Professional Resume?
17 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pmWriting a professional resume can be very challenging. Figuring out the right structure, style, sections to include, and formatting can lead to extreme frustration, and many hours and days of wasting... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Nancy Shone – HiTechResumes.com
17 Nov 2009 | 12:07 pm[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
-
Six Degrees
-
Meet Melbourne’s Charles Van Heerden, “Three Decades, Mandela to Change Management”
19 Nov 2009 | 10:55 am• This profile is one in a series titled Monday Member Showcase. It was originally published on RecruitingBlogs.com, a recruiting and HR community, where I am a featured contributor. To read the whole series please click here.” Sage words from ‘Van Heerden:’ “I am a firm believer in measurement. I have a value score for my contacts based on the level of interactions by email, phone or face to face. You have to make friends now with the people you may need later.” “… Rather than trying to fill traditional full-time roles, companies will have to… -
Two FREE Broadlook Exclusive Webinars: 7 Laws of Internet Research & Internet Search 101
16 Nov 2009 | 10:18 amIn an economic downturn, those who maintain and upgrade their sourcing skills gain the competitive edge in their job searches. Our friend, Donato Diorio had a groundbreaking 800+ attendees to his last webinar series. Wonder why? Few equal Donato’s expertise as a provider of internet search tools and this week he generously shares more tips and ‘how to’ information to become a better, more effective recruiter and sourcer. He is a personal friend I first was introduced to as a customer and now nearly five years later I am still learning from Donat Join Donato Diorio and fellow… -
Scott Gordon, Partner at Vaco Shares His Expertise
15 Nov 2009 | 11:55 pm• Scott Gordon, Partner at Vaco • Location: Nashville, TN • RecruitingBlogs Profile • Linkedin Profile: linkedin/in/scotthgordon • Facebook Profile: http://facebook.com/sgordon70 • Twitter Profile: http://twitter.com/sgordon70 • Your Website: www.TheAntiPimp.com • Personal Email RecruitingBlogs Article Contributions: “How to Tweet Yourself Out of a Job!“, “Renegades are the people with their own Philosophies“, “How many pound puppies have you hired?“ Q&A with Scott Gordon Six Degrees: How many applicants at your present employer do you… -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-15
15 Nov 2009 | 7:25 am@RecruitingBlogs "Hey, get me on that twitter community list" # No Internet, Wife's computer issues, lil ball in toilet not going down, iphone falls on toe (ouch), hit head on fridge – reset button today # At hospital with nine mm kidneystone just had catscan to confirm worse pain of my life. Started at 4pm in left side of abdomen. What a week # This week I was in the hospital w/kidney stone, had traffic school, had two days internet problems,hurt toe w/iphone drop,didnt win lottery. # Powered by Twitter Tools -
Meet Scott Gordon, Vaco’s Anti-Pimp, Struggling Vegan with Mantra Power
12 Nov 2009 | 2:26 am• This profile is one in a series titled Monday Member Showcase. It was originally published on RecruitingBlogs.com, a recruiting and HR community, where I am a featured contributor. To read the whole series please click here. Scott Quotables: “Trying to develop my own Mantra which seems to change every hour of every day.” “Working as hard as I can for the shortest amount of time so I can enjoy my life with those I love. I heard a quote that said “Life isn’t practice..you don’t get another chance..so do what you want when you want before it’s…
-
The Chad Enjoy the Game
-
Welcome to .jobs Universe
18 Nov 2009 | 4:38 amA question we’ve been hearing over the past few months with great frequency is What is .jobs? So we’ve created a new informational site called Universe.jobs. This site was created to help companies understand how their companyjobs can be used, moreover how the new geographicaljobs, occupationaljobs and combinationjobs domains will automatically benefit their online recruiting efforts for FREE. Why do we call it the .jobs Universe? Navigate through by watching the videos, reading the resources and blog which should provide a greater understanding and evoke more questions and… -
Getting Jobs to Veterans
16 Nov 2009 | 9:11 amInstead of only taking one day to thank veterans for everything they do lets extend thanks by challenging each other to do more for veterans daily, specifically those seeking careers. These candidates are STRONG with TALENT and deserve more hiring attention. That being said I’ll start the challenge by listing our current veteran initiatives. What is DirectEmployers doing for veterans? DirectEmployers’ staff, along with our partners NASWA, speak and provide workshops directly to local representatives responsible for aiding veterans trying to break into the hiring cycle. Our… -
Honor Vets and Vet-friendly Companies
11 Nov 2009 | 11:32 amToday is a day set aside to thank veterans for preserving freedom and to remember those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. I want to thank every one of my brothers and sisters at arms and also honor the companies who are hiring them as they come back home and into the workforce, not just today but every day. DirectEmployers’ Members who made the Military Friendly list. Union Pacific Railroad Company CSX Corporation USAA ManTech International Corporation Norfolk Southern Corporation Cintas Corporation Southern Company ITT Corporation, Systems Division The Home Depot Inc. Lockheed… -
Breaking the Cycle – Video
10 Nov 2009 | 6:19 amIn my post on Breaking the Cycle of job board dependency I shared some historical insight to our industry and I believe this video is the pretty cool compliment.. This is one of the most recent edu-marketing videos provided by DirectEmployers Association. Social Bookmarks Hide Sites -
Find Your Jobless Rate
9 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pmI was sent the following New York Times link which provides an interactive experience when researching the impact of the current economy on a variety of groups. “The Jobless Rate for People Like You” Use the blue arrows on the top of the graph or just mouse along the graph itself. Social Bookmarks Hide Sites
-
Lindsey Pollak Career Blog
-
Audio Download: Lindsey interviewed by William Arruda of Reach Personal Branding
20 Nov 2009 | 7:00 amMany thanks to William Arruda, founder of Reach Personal Branding and author of Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand, for interviewing me recently. Our topic was “Getting from College to Career in Tough Times” and here is an overview of the topics we covered: - Why careers for Gen Y are fundamentally different than previous generations’ careers - How college students and recent grads can avoid the biggest mistake in job hunting - What parents can do to help - What universities can do to help - Why social media is changing job hunting/career development forever… -
Podcast on MyPath.com: How to Get a Job Now
9 Nov 2009 | 9:17 amI’m excited to announce a brand new partnership with MyPath.com, a new online career management website guided by Manpower, one of the global leaders in employment services. MyPath provides you with a variety of tools and services to help you plot and plan your career journey. As MyPath’s “College to Career” blogger, I’ll be recording a weekly podcast on a timely job search or career management topic for entry-level job seekers. Click here to listen to my first MyPath podcast, “How to Get a Job Now.” Have a topic you’d like me to discuss on a… -
One Way to Help the “Lost Generation”
2 Nov 2009 | 7:00 amA recent BusinessWeek cover story called today’s graduates “The Lost Generation,” citing statistics that young people who graduate in recession years continue to earn less over the long-term course of their careers. This weekend, New York Times columnist Bob Herbert addressed the same issue, writing: “These recent graduates have done everything society told them to do. They’ve worked hard, kept their noses clean and gotten a good education (in many cases from the nation’s best schools). They are ready and anxious to work. If we’re having trouble finding employment for even… -
Are You Building Your Career Pyramid?
18 Oct 2009 | 3:36 pmI had the complete joy today of having absolutely nothing to do. It was pouring rain, SeamlessWeb delivered bagels and coffee directly to my door, and my husband and his best friend had plans to watch nonstop football. So, I camped out upstairs in our apartment — computer turned off! — and read pretty much the entire Sunday New York Times cover to cover. In addition to reading Bono’s op-ed, a review of Gail Collins’ new book about women and, as always, the wedding announcements (“the sports pages for women”), I came across an interview with Carol Bartz, the CEO of Yahoo. -
Virtual Internships: A Growing Trend and Great Opportunity
14 Oct 2009 | 9:35 pmThis is a guest post by my friends Lauren Porat and Cari Sommer, co-founders of Urban Interns. The job hunt is fierce. But a phenomenal new type of internship is on the rise, and it’s one that will boost your skills while at the same time allow you the flexibility of working from home and on your own clock. Employers are turning more and more to virtual interns, and we’re seeing a real rise in this on UrbanInterns.com. In fact, The Wall Street Journal published a story about this a few weeks ago. Other advantages of a virtual internship? You don’t have to go to school in a major city to…
-
The Anti Pimp
-
15 Google Interview Questions That Will Make You Feel Stupid
19 Nov 2009 | 3:49 pmJust in time for the weekend…. These are REAL questions asked by Google interviewers of candidates. Sheesh..I thought I asked some zingers! Have fun!! How many golf balls can fit in a school bus? How much should you charge to wash all of the windows in Seattle? In a country in which people only want boys, every family continues tot have children until they have a boy. If they have a girl, they have another child. If they have a boy, they stop. What’s the proportion of boys to girls in the country? How many piano tuners are there in the entire world? Why are manhole… -
WTF?? You don’t Tweet your own stuff??
17 Nov 2009 | 6:05 pmOne of the nuggets I picked up at The Summit of the Year over the past few days in Las Vegas. Click here to view the embedded video. -
I’m coming clean…
12 Nov 2009 | 8:05 amYOU are the most important to me. In the past few months, my time has been stretched to it’s limit so I’m taking a break. Taking a break from splitting my time between you and several other sites that request an articles..some weekly, bi-weekly and monthly. Each time I write for someone else, I feel like I’m cheating on you….so I’m coming clean. When I wrote for them, it was less time than I had to put together the best “stuff” for you. The content was strained at times and it sucked and it’s all my fault. Notice there are no other… -
Can’t find much motivation? Watch this….
8 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amClick here to view the embedded video. -
How to get a headhunter/recruiter to read your email
5 Nov 2009 | 6:25 amIt takes me 6 months to read a novel but I can read an email in 5 seconds. What’s the difference? I have NO idea what’s coming next in the latest John Grisham book I’m reading so I take my time and read it…taking in every word as if it were the last in the book. I don’t want to get to the middle of the book and realize that haphazardly skimmed an important section and missed a major portion of the plot. Again…so I read slowly. Emails are all the same…seriously. If you are following your 8th grade English standard “General Business…
-
HR Daily Advisor
-
How to Deal with Difficult Employees? Don’t Hire Them
20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amThe best way to deal with difficult employees is to avoid hiring them, advises attorney Dan Forman. BLR® founder and CEO Bob Brady says that while Forman is half-joking, he makes the serious point that difficult employees usually start out that way. They do not become different people after they get their ID badges and company e-mail addresses. Their “difficult” traits are usually there for all to see—if only we want to look. -
May We Require Masks or Telework to Fight the Flu?
19 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amYesterday's Advisor featured the EEOC's advice for avoiding ADA problems when preparing for swine flu. Today, we'll get the agency’s advice about work practices, and an introduction to a special program for smaller HR departments. -
Does ADA Block Swine Flu Inquiries?
18 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amEveryone's wondering what to do about swine flu, although some surveys show that companies haven't done much yet. When you do act, you could run smack into the ADA if you're not careful. -
Does Your Website Engage or Enrage Potential Candidates?
17 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amIn yesterday's Advisor, we offered Gerry Crispin's examples of great recruiting websites. Today, Crispin evaluates the visitor's experience on your recruiting website, and we look at a program for dealing with the most basic recruiting tool of all, the essential job description. -
Your Website, the Soul of Your Recruiting: Sinners Repent!
16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amMost people look at the WOW factor when evaluating an organization’s career website, says Gerry Crispin, but that's not the point. "Say you see a site filled with impressive technological tricks. That's cool," says Crispin, "but does it work?"
-
CEO Blog - Time Leadership
-
The Vanishing of a Species
9 Nov 2009 | 8:14 amI read a book called The Vanishing of a Species? A Look at Modern Man's Predicament by a Geologist, written by Peter Gretener on the weekend.The book was published posthumously and had been written mostly in the 1970s. It's largely a compilation of opinions and views on what impact man is having on the world and what it means for us.The book is divided into three parts. Yesterday, where we were... Today, where we are..Tomorrow - where we might go..He quoted from George Gaylord Simpson, a paleontologist whose research contributed heavily to our understanding of evolution, "Man was certainly… -
Getting Results: Five Absolutes for High Performance
2 Nov 2009 | 9:03 amI recently read Getting Results: Five Absolutes for High Performance by Clinton O. Longenecker and Jack L. Simonetti.Everyone of course is interested in getting results, so although the book does have a short chapter on why we need results, I don't think we need to be sold.The book comes up with five absolutes to get results:1. Get everyone on the same page - Focus on the purpose of your organization.2. Prepare for battle - Equip your operation with tools, talent and technology.3. Stoke the fire of performance - Create a climate for results.4. Build bridges on the road to results - Nurture… -
New York Marathon
1 Nov 2009 | 5:27 pmEven though it is only 8:30, I am tired. I ran the NY Marathon today.The day started at 5. Up to catch the bus to Statten Island. This involved walking about 8 blocks from the hotel in a light rain. Then wait a bit on the bus, drive for about an hour (made the marathon seem like a long way). Then we got unloaded into a waiting hour for about 3 hours. It was about 45 degrees F.The grounds where people waited were wet (although the rain had stopped by then) so I stood. More creative people had shower caps over their shoes. Many brought plastic to sit on.I knew we would be waiting so I had a… -
Growing @ The Speed of Change
30 Oct 2009 | 4:52 amI recently reread Growing @ the Speed of Change by a friend of mine, Jim Clemmer. When I say I recently reread it, I actually read it before it was published to give comments to the author. See my FTC Disclosure. The subtitle is Your Inspir-actional How-To Guide for Leading Yourself and Others Through Constant Change. One thing I love about Jim Clemmers' books (and he is a prolific author), is his liberal use of quotations, such as:"knowing is not enough, we must apply, willing is not enough, meanwhile we must do.."Goeth 1749- 1832 The basic theme of the book is how to thrive in turbulent… -
Purpose
27 Oct 2009 | 5:49 amI am just back from a 4 day retreat with YPO. Awesome time. Good people.I re-read "Purpose - The Starting Point of Great Companies" by Nikos Mourkogiannis. An excerpt from the book:"Leadership is the ultimate advantage. When it's present, it makes all other advantages possible. And poor leadership can turn even the best advantage into a disaster. If leadership is genius, then it is only effective because it is tightly linked to management. Leadership does not float in and out of an enterprise linke an inspiring butterfly coming in the window; its's not charismatic words and great deeds served…
-
THE M.A.P. MAKER
-
The power of the crossroads of possibility
19 Nov 2009 | 8:15 pmEach and every moment, you are at a crossroads with an infinite number of paths. Make one choice, and you head one direction. Make a different choice, and you zip off in another direction. When you look at it that way, the potential malleability of life is mind-boggling. And yet most of us fool ourselves into an artificially narrow view of possibility. We make assumptions about the way things are and - poof! - a path of possibility disappears. We persist with limiting beliefs that have no basis in our current reality. Poof! There goes another path. What would happen if you really and truly… -
Will you affirm the Charter for Compassion?
19 Nov 2009 | 10:05 amA while ago I posted about the upcoming Charter for Compassion. As I write this, 17, 710 people have affirmed it. Will you? Watch this video and visit the Charter for Compassion site. Clicking on "affirm" is easy. The challenge - and the potential goldmine - is incorporating the ideas more deeply into your life and spreading the ideas to others. If you want to make a difference with the way you show up in the world, this is a great place to start. -
Experiment: Do a news toxicity test
17 Nov 2009 | 7:53 amMuch of how we experience the world comes from the lens through which we view it. If that lens is weighted towards a sense of hope and possibility, that's the frame of reference we'll use as we go through our lives. If it's weighted towards fear and negativity, we'll experience more of that. That lens can have a profound impact on the life we create. Hope and possibility open doors to potential. Fear and negativity limit us. One way we create our world view lens is through what we choose to reinforce on a regular basis.That's why the news can have such a toxic effect. Every day we're… -
Increase your potential with trips off the beaten track
16 Nov 2009 | 11:12 amLeave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. You will be certain to find something you have never seen before. ~ Alexander Graham Bell Habit and routine play a positive role in life, to be sure. They help us move forward without wasting energy on mundane recurring choices. But too often they take on a life of their own. When habit and routine define your path rather than enhance it, it's easy to get bogged down in a rigid, limiting rut that ultimately narrows down your possibilities. Every day becomes a carbon copy of the day before. With no new inputs, the potential for new… -
Visual Self-exploration: Your Life in Pictures #2
16 Nov 2009 | 5:23 amWelcome to this week's installment in the Your Life in Pictures series. In this series, you will find photos to use as a point of departure for self-exploration. This week's photo: [Click on the image to see it full-sized.]Q: What insight does this picture offer about your career? About your life? Pictures have great potential for self-exploration, because they provide a point of departure for asking, "how does this apply to my own life?" There is no specific meaning to any of these pictures. They are simply here to give your brain/intuition/creative mind/etc. something to bounce off. Your…
-
Diggings
-
Monthly LinkUp Jobs Report: Most Industries Added Jobs In October
19 Nov 2009 | 11:34 amContinuing last Monday’s post about the October’s jobs report (in which new job postings on LinkUp rose by 4% from September), there is also positive news on an industry by industry basis. In October, 23 of 36 industries showed an increase from September in new job listings on LinkUp, while 21 showed an increase in total job listings. LinkUp, the fastest growing job search engine on the web according to recent ComScore data, only indexes job listings that are found on company websites. The October jobs report was based on a comparison between September and October job listings from… -
LinkUp’s October Job Report Shows Slight Signs of An Improving Job Market In U.S.
9 Nov 2009 | 9:30 amLast Friday, the Department of Labor issued its monthly jobs report for October and reported that the U.S. economy lost another 190,000 jobs in October (a number that will certainly be revised up or down in future months). October’s losses represent the 22nd straight month of monthly job losses, and unemployment rose from 9.8% to 10.2%, the highest level since 1983. Accounting for people who have given up looking for work or who want full-time work but have settled for part-time work, the unemployment rate is 17.5%. The total number of jobs lost since the Great Recession began in… -
Almost All Industries Shed Jobs In September
5 Oct 2009 | 11:44 amContinuing last Friday’s post about LinkUp’s dour jobs report for September (in which 47 states reported a decrease from August in the total number of job listings), there is equally as discouraging news on an industry by industry basis. In September, 29 of 36 industries showed a decrease from August in both new and total number of job listings on LinkUp. LinkUp, the fastest growing job search engine on the web according to recent ComScore data, only indexes job listings that are found on company websites. The September jobs report was based on a comparison between August and September… -
LinkUp Reports Grim Jobs Data For September
2 Oct 2009 | 11:12 amNot surprisingly given the grim jobs report issued earlier today by the Department of Labor, LinkUp’s September jobs report showed that the U.S. jobs market continues to struggle badly. New job listings on LinkUp fell by 14% during the month and total job listings dropped by 7%. On a state by state basis, 38 of 50 states reported a decrease in new job listings (39 of 51 counting Washington, D.C.) and, even more alarmingly, 47 states showed a decrease in total job listings. The Department of Labor reported this morning that the U.S. economy shed 263,000 jobs in September, far worse than… -
Job Board Industry Should Have Stopped Barry Trimble Before Minnesota Had To Sue Him
30 Sep 2009 | 7:42 amJust over a month ago, the New York Times ran a story about a job scam in Minneapolis and yesterday, the State of Minnesota sued the firm and its CEO Barry Trimble for scamming hundreds and perhaps thousands of job seekers. The firm, The Arthur Group, posted ads on Careerbuilder and other job boards and searched online resumes in order to bait job seekers into coming into the office for a mock interview and a free review of their resume. After thrashing the unsuspecting job seeker, The Arthur Group would try to sell a range services to help the job seeker ‘gain a competitive edge in a…
-
Work Happy Now!
-
Hard, Fun and Beautiful – Red Skin Edition
19 Nov 2009 | 6:57 pm(Can’t see the video? Then try watching it at Work Happy Now – The Hard, The Fun and The Beautiful – Red Skin Edition) Where we are free to talk about the hard, the fun, and the beautiful of our work week. Dealing with negative emotions isn’t easy. This past week I made a couple of blunders that made me beat myself up. I guess the event didn’t make me. I made the choice to beat myself up. I’m learning to just be with my emotions, instead of trying to force change. Emotional intelligence is maybe the most important factor to achieving work happiness. The more we can develop… -
Be One With Your Work
17 Nov 2009 | 8:14 pmI’ve been playing with drawing in relation to work happiness. I’ve found that there are parts of me hidden within a pencil that don’t come out on the keyboard. I’ve been messing with this medium on and off for about 12 years, but in the last year I’ve really been enjoying myself. I drew this piece when I felt really frustrated after trying to write a blog post. In my head the concept sounded brilliant then it came out of me like a big blob of stink. I was frustrated and wanted to punch my screen. You better not say that this cartoon character looks like me or… -
The Secrets to Workplace Leadership
15 Nov 2009 | 6:10 pmI shared a drink with a friend who manages a team of five people. He was wondering how people’s moods can fluctuate in such a broad range, which affects the quality of their work. One of his employees is always up and down. He is engaged with his work one week and then he seems to lose interest. His interest fluctuates and he isn’t sure why. We all have this problem it’s just that most of us force ourselves to stay focused. My friend told me that he has tried giving this employee various kinds of work to see what interests him, but that didn’t work either. I asked him if he ever sits… -
Hard Fun and Beautiful – Ripped Web Edition
12 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pm(Can’t see the video? Then try watching it at Work Happy Now – The Hard, The Fun and The Beautiful – Ripped Web Edition) Where we are free to talk about the hard, the fun, and the beautiful of our work week. This week has been uneventful. I realized that I kept trying to make it more exciting by creating more worry. I needed a little more drama to keep things interesting. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been noticing this pattern lately. I’ve been feeling the need to spice up my life with larger emotions. Next week I’m going to try to focus on relaxing with what is going… -
Nothing is 100%
10 Nov 2009 | 7:21 pmThis past Saturday I was going to take all day to work on my book. I woke up early, did some Yoga and was all set to go. I sat down in my office chair, opened the document up and stretched my neck a little, then jotted down a quick note into my calendar, then made myself a quick cup of tea, then heard my wife and son wake up and checked on them, then watched a quick Neil Young interview for a little inspiration, then laughed at myself for procrastinating, then got angry at myself for procrastinating, then (in my head) listed ways that the book will help my career, then finally got down to…
-
Digital Recruiting
-
Mash-Up my Career
17 Nov 2009 | 7:30 amSo, I read this article today about how you can use technology/sites to map your life history. I like this idea - overlay your life on a map of places you have visited, schools you attended, where you have lived etc add relevant content, photo's, links to friends etc Instead of carving your name on a tree (maybe with another name, date and a heart around it) you can create your life history in a dynamic, visual and interactive way - a 3G biography - a personal diary or history. Surely this is the future of logging your career experience? - a digital, real-time, resume: charting your work… -
Twitter & LinkedIn Partnership Merges Professional with Personal
10 Nov 2009 | 3:59 amOne of the best pastimes I've read on a CV from a prospective candidate was; 'reading, socialising and...thinking. In an evening/weekend they liked nothing better, than to sit down and have a good think.........this certainly put some thoughts into my head. It would seem that the anouncement that you can share your Tweets on your LinkedIn profile will also provide employers with an insight into your personality, pastimes and what makes you tick. As Biz Stone, Co-founder of twitter states; people are finding: 'the personna they create for themselves on the web is part of their resume in many… -
Its not Y!ou...it's..er....
9 Nov 2009 | 11:38 amWhat's a brand all about? Well,...employer brands, they are a representation and reflection of an existing, living, breathing organisation and its' culture, no? its actual values, it's reality...it's aspirations to an extent. I was in San Francisco on holiday recently and the Yahoo -'It's 'Y!ou' campaign was literally everywhere you went. I thought it was maybe a west coast of America, Silicon Valley-type campaign, but sure enough, when I got back to London and climbed into my cab and had a look around - it was eveywhere to be seen too. I thought...big media budget....hmnn...wonder who has… -
Social Web v. Destination Sites
6 Nov 2009 | 4:07 amHey there, I'm back after a bit of a break - on hols and busy busy at work. Here's something I wanted to share which is really interesting - its a post noting how traffic to brands destination sites is declining compared to the rising traffic on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Its all about the content and where its being consumed i.e. in the social web and less so at a brands own website. Is the writing on the wall for a company's website? Maybe not just yet, but it does reinforce the fact that clients should be engaging with their target audience where they are consuming… -
The RECaid Treasure Hunt; Thursday, 12th November, 2009
26 Oct 2009 | 4:33 pmFollow the trail of Farringdon's secrets and watering holes - two hours of light mental and physical exercise with socialising thrown in. Compete for prizes against teams from recruitment comms agencies and media.Help raise money for this worthwhile cause, in support of industry colleagues who have fallen on hard times.Thursday, 12th November, 2009 (from 18:30). £100 per team of 5 (including drinks, refreshments, and treasure).The RECaid Treasure Hunt has been devised by Ri5, and tested and declared fair and fun by experts.To enter please contact Karen Williams…
-
growing changing learning creating
-
Forecasting the flip
20 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amAnother way to assess the likelihood of scaling an innovation eluded my searching yesterday. This morning I found it in Chapter Four of the book: Disrupting Class - How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns by Clayton Christensen, Michael B. Horn and Curtis W. Johnson. In the words of the authors: It turns out there is a way to forecast the flip. ... one must plot on the vertical axis the ratio of market shares held by the new, divided by the old (if each has 50 percent, this ratio will be 1.0). Second, the vertical axis needs to be arrayed on a logarithmic… -
Will your innovation scale?
19 Nov 2009 | 10:42 amYesterday I was thrilled to discover, via LinkedIn, the announcement of a competition for business plans in the education space. So much of what I've explored in this blog could be restated as a business plan. I spent most of yesterday contemplating how I could reformulate my writings about disrupting higher ed into a scalable solution to the college dropout problem. The First Annual Milken-PennGSE Education Business Plan Competition defines it's parameters as: Educational entrepreneurship business plans should outline the problem they address, offer a solution, and discuss scaling… -
Formulating a total solution
17 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pmWhen we've developed an innovative product or service, the marketplace may not want it yet, understand it on their own terms or see any use for it in their personal contexts. They may be asking: What good is this to me? Why should I want to acquire this? How can I be the judge of the quality of this? Why should I trust what the sales pitch says about this? Those adventurous types that buy something before the herd has a clue that it exists, may be disappointed with their purchase of the innovative product or service. It may not work as promised, not function in the way they had hoped, or took… -
Inducing realizations
16 Nov 2009 | 8:41 amWhen we're presenting, authoring, teaching or designing instruction, we're relying on a field-tested theory about learning. We may assume that the only things coming to the minds of the learner are from us. We may otherwise assume we're competing with many other things that come to their minds besides what we're presenting. When we assume we're in control of what comes to learners' minds, we're inclined to think that we can make learning happen. We've simplified our world view to include so few variables that we're overconfident about our role in the complex interdependencies. We presume to… -
Leveraging your empathy for the learners
12 Nov 2009 | 7:21 amWhen we already know the material we're going to present, our minds become free to know the learners. We can spend time understanding them in ways they understand themselves. We can prepare to speak their minds and picture them in ways that induce more learning. This cultivated ability to empathize with the learners can be leveraged into more effective instructional designs, learner experiences and disruptive value propositions. When I've spent time "learning the learners", here's some of what I've discovered: There's a range of different expectations about what I will do for them, with them…
-
Career Transition Services Blog, Corporate Outplacement, Job Search Services at RiseSmart
-
Five reasons you can’t afford to skip performance reviews — even in a bad economy
17 Nov 2009 | 9:36 amThere are just 45 days left in 2009, and for many managers, it’s time for employee reviews. (Searching for “performance reviews” on Twitter at this time of year leads you to countless people who are either busy writing them, or nervously waiting to receive one.) It may have crossed your mind to skip or postpone performance reviews this year – as the business landscape keeps changing, the goals you made 12 months ago may seem unrealistic, or perhaps your organization has a freeze on salary increases. But no matter how bad the economy is, you cannot afford to miss giving feedback to… -
Coming up empty-handed on hires? Economists talk about why
11 Nov 2009 | 9:47 pmIt seems counter-intuitive. Even as the unemployment rate soars and nearly 16 million Americans find themselves out of work, many HR professionals are having a hard time filling their open positions. It’s not a quantity issue –- any ad HR posts is sure to result in hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes — or even a quality issue. It’s a qualifications issue. In times of change, industries morph more quickly than people do, resulting in a mismatch between available jobs and job candidates. We look to the Dow Jones Newswire for some analysis: Economists say the main problem is a… -
With 1 in 10 Americans out of work, what are the demographics of the unemployment line?
9 Nov 2009 | 8:24 amLast week, we saw the Department of Labor reveal the worst unemployment statistics the U.S. has faced since 1983, with a total of 15.7 million Americans officially out of work and looking. The new national average of 10.2% is an important psychological threshold — but what’s even more shocking to think about is that it is an average. Many locations and demographics are experiencing much scarier numbers. Who is most and least affected by this plague of joblessness? What is the demographic makeup of the unemployment line? The numbers vary from state to state, of course. For instance,… -
“What are you working on?” Show your co-workers with Twitter-esque microblogging tools (but not Twitter)
6 Nov 2009 | 6:46 amWe’ve seen the value of microblogging sites such as Twitter for sharing short ideas, links, and personal updates, but that kind of website is wayyy too public for business collaboration. (Think about all the secret projects, private sales figures, and other sensitive matters that you’d prefer everyone keep in nice, secure, private, trackable emails.) Nonetheless, there is a need for a new way to talk to colleagues — something informal, real-time, attention-based, and inclusive…. something a lot like, well, Twitter. In all honesty, your people may already be using services such as… -
Prep for a surprise interview with quick-but-deep Internet research
5 Nov 2009 | 4:39 pmThe scenario: You’ve been called in to interview with a company that you know virtually nothing about — and the interview’s tomorrow. While you’re excited that they want to recruit you, you’re sweating bullets at the thought of giving meaningful answers about this mysterious organization. The answer is quick, simple, and painless. Just turn to your computer. Research nowadays is easy, and often free. There are a wealth of great sites and services that specialize in getting you up to speed on an organization. Here’s the RiseSmart guide to making the most of the 24 hours before your…
-
Escape From Corporate America
-
Attention Career Changers: Free Makeover and 15 Minutes of TV Fame
10 Nov 2009 | 7:23 amA major women’s magazine is working on a TV special and looking for a career changer who could use a makeover to update your look, boost your confidence, and wow them at your next interview or meeting. If you’re a woman between the ages of 25 and 45 and currently searching for work, you could get a makeover from a dream team including a top NYC stylist and colorist, professional makeup artist, and fashion stylist. If you’re interested in this makeover opportunity, send an e-mail to mschaberg@hearst.com by November 15th, 2009 with your name, address, e-mail, phone number,… -
How to Quit Your Job
10 Nov 2009 | 6:38 amThis resignation letter is concise, creative and pretty freakin hilarious. Andrew is a genius. He is setting his bridges on fire and laughing as they burn. I love the psychotic threats mixed with prim distaste for lack of “foresight” and “acumen.” -
Time for a Career Break? Your Sabbatical Guide
3 Nov 2009 | 6:45 amHave you ever fantasized about quitting your job to travel the world? Maybe you don’t have to wait until retirement to experience the joys of the wanderer’s life. I wrote about the benefits of career breaks in Escape from Corporate America and I recently had the opportunity to meet some experts on the subject of how to take a successful sabbatical. Corporate escape artist Sherry Ott and her partners run a fantastic web site called Briefcase to Backpack — it includes valuable advice on asking for and planning a sabbatical and inspiring stories from people who have taken… -
Dream Jobs and Job Nightmares — Work-Related Dream Analysis
30 Oct 2009 | 3:35 amDuring this week leading up to Halloween, a holiday designed to let you live out your secret fantasy or nightmare for the evening, I have been plagued by weird dreams about work. I decided to do some research and it turns out that bizarre work-related dreams are very common. But what do they mean? According to self-proclaimed dream analysis experts, if you are dreaming regularly about your job, it’s a good sign that your subconscious is trying to tell you that you’re overworked or feeling overwhelmed by career issues. This is why I have now scheduled an overdue vacation so I can… -
Dream Job Posting — Chief Strategy Officer for Well-Funded Start-Up
19 Oct 2009 | 7:59 amI love nothing more than connecting a talented person with a dream job. So when a client asked me to help him find someone for a senior position, I jumped at the chance to do some matchmaking. This is a perfect example of the hidden job market at work. This position isn’t being posted on the job boards. You have to be tapped into the right network to even hear about it. And I know that someone out there in my extended circle is a perfect fit. Could it be you? About the position: The job is Chief Business and Strategy Officer for a NYC-based technology start-up with venture financing.
-
life@work
-
Time Keeps on Slippin'
20 Nov 2009 | 12:32 pmWhen everything appears to be spilling and leaking all over in my life, I notice how attracted I am to finding the perfect time management system.Ideally I'll find one that also cleans my house.Sue Shellenbarger wrote recently about her experiment with three different systems: Getting Things Done The Pomodoro Technique (requires buying a tomato shaped timer - fun!) FranklinCovey's Focus There are pros and cons to each, and she has decided to use the elements from each that work for her.I'm a huge fan of Leo Babauta's Zen To Done system as described in his E-Book. It's a simpler (and more… -
The Six Easy Steps to Making Great Decisions
12 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pmWe make hundreds of decisions every day, most of them mundane. Which shirt should I wear? What about breakfast? Will I return that call first or send that email? Most of us make it through these kinds of decision points with minimal angst.But the really meaty, complex decisions - the ones that strongly impact our lives and affect people we care about - can stop us dead in our tracks, unsure and overwhelmed.You know the ones I'm talking about: Should I quit this job and try to find something better? Do I want to change careers altogether, even though I've put 15 years into this one? Where do I… -
Unemployed? Use Your Time to Learn Essential Skills
3 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pmIf you're looking for work, you've probably been told to turn job seeking into a full-time job itself.This message has its heart in the right place (i.e., get off the couch and turn off the TV), but in reality, I know few job seekers who literally spend 40+ hours per week in their job search efforts.Unless you've got small children at home, chances are you've got a bit of extra time that you could spend in any number of ways - surfing the Net, buying groceries, planting bulbs, going to the gym. But this time is your opportunity to learn essential skills that regularly you don't have time… -
Green Jobs - What They Are and How to Find Them
29 Oct 2009 | 9:44 amThe Career Collective is participating in Job Action Day! Members have written posts that provide workers and job seekers information, ideas and concrete steps to secure their futures in a changed economy.Follow our hashtag #careercollective on Twitter!Is there anything cooler than green these days?According to a new study by Clean Edge, a green-industry research firm, "clean tech" jobs are on the rise: "We are just at the beginning of the 'clean tech' job creation era" and that renewable energy, environmentally-friendly building and manufacturing, and all aspects of energy efficiency will… -
How Not to Be a Cookie-Cutter Job Seeker
7 Oct 2009 | 9:55 amAs a member of a new community of career coaches and resume writers called the Career Collective, this post is one of many responses to the question, “Are you a cookie cutter job seeker?” I encourage you to visit other members’ responses, which will be linked at the end of this post by the afternoon of October 9. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.There's only one you, and if you're a job seeker, now's a good time to emphasize that.You know the bleak statistics about how many job seekers there are for every opening right now (it's six, in case you've been avoiding…
-
StellaCommute
-
Was It Prescient?
18 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pmStella dressed up as Lady Gaga this year for Halloween. If I may say so, my costume was pretty good, and as it turns out, highly appropriate for a telecommuter who relies on video conferencing to get things done. See this new video with Ms. Lady Gaga and Ms. Beyonce. I will point out that neither of them is really dressed to convey the "office" feeling on videoconferencing systems, but that may not, in fact, be the point.Stellacommute...there's no place like home. -
So Stella Just Woke Up
17 Nov 2009 | 5:35 amAnd realized that Thanksgiving is next week. Really, how did it get to be almost December so quickly? However it has come to be, the holiday season is upon us and I can't help but feel a little bit like the Grinch in my disbelief that it's happened again. Last year, Stella was going to try to organize a telecommuters' holiday party in her home town. That didn't get very far, largely because I just sat around and didn't really do anything. This year, I posted a Craigslist ad recruiting local telecommuters. Um, that'll work, right?So, taking it one step further: I'm declaring December 18th… -
Telepresence Gone Wild
16 Nov 2009 | 3:35 amStella often fantasizes about having a wireless webcam strapped to the top of a RC Car that she could drive around the Real Office. Sadly I lack the basic skills or cognitive capacity to make such a thing. If only I worked at a robotics company like these guys. Then all my Real Office fantasies might come true.Stellacommute...there's no place like home. -
Another Consolidation in Videoconferencing.
11 Nov 2009 | 6:28 amCisco bought Tandberg. Now Logitech has purchased LifeSize. Interesting. I am happy there is all this interest in teleconferencing, and it's probably a good thing that Logitech (which produces a ton of affordable cameras that many telecommuters rely on to show their co-workers their happy faces) is getting into the more high-end videoconferencing market.Stellacommute...there's no place like home. -
Trying to Look Good
10 Nov 2009 | 5:05 amStella loves to give shut-in fashion advice, but like the shoe maker's children, she isn't that fab herself. But I try, I really do. I try to pay attention to what is considered cute, and then do an approximation of that. But when you telecommute, it really feels like there isn't much point. As long as I look simply presentable from the waist up, things are good, right?Well, there are areas where you can play. Like hair fashion -- I've been growing it out, so perhaps I'll experiment with headbands, barrettes, and braids. Earrings, that's good. Scarves and wraps? Okay! I'm going to start…
-
Martial Development
-
On McDojos and Mob Justice
17 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pmSean Treanor’s article on the Bullshido phenomenon raises some important questions… Martial arts practice in America is entirely unregulated. There is no central body that issues standards, no set of accepted practices, no communication between different styles. State and local governments have nothing to say about who is and isn’t a martial artist. After all, consumers are free to make their own decisions. Unfortunately, it can be very hard to tell the difference between fantasy and reality when studying an ancient, esoteric and exotic discipline. Not many people have any idea… -
Chuck Norris Gets His Facts Right?
6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmDid you know? In 1982, Chuck Norris was choked out by the famous Gracie Jujitsu family. A decade later, everybody started copying him. We now know this phenomenon as the UFC. (pg. 57) On the set of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” Chuck Norris once took a live rattlesnake by surprise. Then he set it down on the ground, and grabbed it again. The director fleed the scene in terror. (pg. 2) Chuck Norris is half Irish, and half leg. (pg. 20) In the interest of full disclosure: I owe Chuck Norris a favor. It was by introducing his “facts” to the mainstream audience back in 2006, that… -
Watch “The Men Who Stare At Goats” Free Online
3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pmMaj. Gen. Albert N. Stubblebine III: The key to all of this…it has nothing to do with bending metal [spoons]…Lord Mercy, if I can do that with my mind, what else can I do? It wasn’t clear whether they thought I was nuts. In any event, the reaction that I got was, “we’re not very interested.” But as Jon Ronson’s investigation shows, they were in fact very interested. During the last few decades, the United States military has conducted a series of experiments in psychic warfare. On the record, these attempts to create superhuman “warrior… -
How to Defend Yourself Against Wild Animal Attacks
31 Oct 2009 | 12:41 pmIf you’re being chased by an angry bull, and then you notice you’re also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn’t really change things. Just keep on running. How to Fend Off a Shark Hit back. If a shark is coming toward you or attacks you, use anything you have in your possession—a camera, probe, harpoon gun, or fist—to hit the shark’s eyes or gills, which are the areas most sensitive to pain. These nose is not as sensitive as these areas. Make quick, sharp, repeated jabs in these areas. Sharks are predators and will usually only follow through on an attack if they… -
The Martial Artist’s View of Freedom
29 Oct 2009 | 10:00 pmYou’ll never know what freedom really means, until you’ve been pinned against the wall with no hope for escape. Google defines freedom as “the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints.” Popular culture and public schools promote this childlike view of freedom, wherein our supposed inherent rights are actually another person’s liabilities. By declaring health to be our inalienable human right, we would compel a doctor to treat us; by asserting the right to a minimum standard of living, we compel another to provide…
-
The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss
-
How to Hold Your Breath Like David Blaine, World Record Holder (and Now, Me)
30 Oct 2009 | 9:35 amLast night, world-famous magician and endurance artist David Blaine taught me how to hold my breath. For four months, David held the Guinness world record for oxygen-assisted static apnea (holding your breath after breathing pure oxygen): 17 minutes and 4.4 seconds. His record was then surpassed by Tom Sietas on September 19, 2008. David’s record for doing what I’ll describe is between 7 and 8 minutes. I was born premature and, unlike David, I couldn’t then remember the last time I held my breath for more than one minute. It has always been my physiological Achilles heel. -
How to Breakdance 101: Unleash Your Inner B-Boy
25 Oct 2009 | 5:54 pmAn impromptu b-boying lesson at home after some Bulleit bourbon. Don’t drink and dance. Breakin’ 2 did it. It was 1984 and I was convinced I would be a professional breakdancer. Alas, I was seven years old, and I looked exactly like this reader who left a comment on my tango instructional post: Tim, I’m pretty impressed by your achievements in tango, but what about tips on your first love? B-boying is a sport I’ve watched and attempted for years. Sadly, the minute I go from uprock to six-step I look like a two-year-old trying to find spilled jelly-beans. I don’t… -
Sneak Peek: The New and Expanded 4-Hour Workweek is Here
16 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pmThe 4-Hour Workweek was first published April 27th, 2007. I did my best to cover all of the bases when it debuted, but there were gaps. Though I included cases studies of families using lifestyle design, for example, it was hard to find more than a few the first time around. Not anymore. Things have changed. There are more than 30,000 comments on this blog, hundreds of people have shared their successes and failures via detailed e-mail, and both case studies and experiments continue to flow in from around the world. This doesn’t mean that the current edition doesn’t do the job… -
Random Episode 6: How Kevin Rose and Glenn McElhose Got Scammed in China – Ha!
8 Oct 2009 | 1:03 amTotal length: 20 minutes. This is a weekend edition of Random. It is a happy-hour special of Chinese scams. How did Kevin and Glenn get totally screwed by Chinese “art students”? More important, how do you avoid getting scammed while traveling? This episode lays out one of the most common scams and explains how to spot similar set-ups worldwide… Show Notes from Glenn: - Open intro with weird light: Kevin shooting a laser into a “7 Cups” vessel. Animation by Tynan. - Yin Bar, Beijing – http://www.theemperor.com.cn/ - Travel Website: www.virtualtourist.com -
The Best Decline Letter of All-Time: Edmund Wilson
7 Oct 2009 | 7:07 am(Source: Crooked Timber) Edmund Wilson, recipient of both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal for Literature, was one of the most prominent social and literary critics of the 20th century. He realized, like most uber-productive people, that, while there were many behaviors needed to guarantee high output, there was one single behavior guaranteed to prevent all output: Trying to please everyone. He had a low tolerance for distraction and shunned undue public acclaim. To almost all inquiries, he would respond with the following list, putting a check mark next to what had…
-
Hire-Engineers
-
Senior MMIC Design Engineer, North Dallas Suburb, TX Salary 90-125K + relocation
17 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amSenior MMIC Design Engineer, North Dallas Suburb, TX Salary 90-125K + relocation As Senior Design Engineer at this well-respected global technology company with clients in the mobile device and communications equipment markets, you will design GaAs-based Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit HBT power amplifiers. Reporting to the Engineering Director, you will also design other RFIC components such as Low Noise Amplifiers, Mixers, and Video Graphics Arrays. This fast-paced role will include detailed circuit simulations and layouts, linear and non-linear simulations, designing PCBs, and testing… -
Mechanical Engineer with P.E. (LED Displays and outdoor enclosures) – to $45/hr
12 Nov 2009 | 1:16 pmMechanical Engineer with P.E. (LED Displays and outdoor enclosures) – to $45/hr North Dallas Suburb. Seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design and certify outdoor enclosures for LED Display Systems. Candidate will either work on an hourly (W2) basis or present bid for scope of work. May consider working out of your home office or at the client site Requirements: 8+ years Sheet metal or extruded aluminum design. Must have BSME and professional engineering registration (State of Texas). Experience with outdoor LED design. Please send your MS Word formatted resume to resume [at] alynpatrick… -
3D Simulation & OpenGL software engineer – Tarrant County, TX
10 Nov 2009 | 11:22 am3D Simulation & OpenGL software engineer – Tarrant County, TX Seeking Senior Engineer who have worked in a training simulator environment (flight or amusement park simulation experience would be ideal). Will consider a Video gaming background with the right software background. Will work in a small but advanced team of engineers developing with the latest simulation technologies. This is a highly mathematical engineering environment but much of the software involves real-time graphics. Credentials sought include: 4 year Degree from accredited university. BSCS, BSEE, BSME or related… -
Analog FAE Engineer, North Dallas, DOE
29 Oct 2009 | 1:20 pmAnalog FAE Engineer, North Dallas, DOE Join an award-winning manufacturing and design company with a track record of consistent profitability growth for more than 15 years. Bring your analog circuit design expertise and FAE skills to this global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality electronics products with established clientele in the consumer electronics, communications, computing, and industrial markets. In this key customer-facing role as Field Applications Engineer, you will maintain relationships with engineering contacts, sales representatives and distributor field personnel. -
Senior IP Telephony Engineer (Network Architect) – $75-90K – Dallas, TX
22 Oct 2009 | 10:21 amSenior IP Telephony Engineer (Network Architect) – $75-90K – Dallas, TX Link your career path to this growing award-winning telecommunications company changing the face of VoIP telecommunications. The Senior IP Telephony Engineer will design, implement, and handle on-going maintenance of the IP backbone in a fast paced VoIP Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP) environment. The IP backbone is a highly complex, multi-site network and requires Softswitch (e.g. Freeswitch, Broadsoft), Cisco, Kagoor, Juniper, Covergence, etc. expertise and routing design expertise including BGP…
-
One Day, One Job
-
DivX
20 Nov 2009 | 7:55 amWe’ve looked at plenty of Internet video companies in the past, but we haven’t spent too much time looking at companies that provide the underlying technology that drives Internet video. DivX is a San Diego, CA based company that develops and licenses video codecs. Codec is short for compressor-decompressor, which is essentially technology that allows you to more efficiently transfer data. In DivX’s case they provide a codec that allows high definition video to be compressed without sacrificing quality on the other end. They’re a big part of why Internet video finally… -
Berry Plastics
19 Nov 2009 | 7:39 amA couple of days ago the blogosphere exploded (pun intended) with news about bomb proof wallpaper. The story originally came from Popular Science with a video of a wrecking ball trying to knock down a brick wall that has been reinforced with the X-Flex Blast Protection System (the video is included below). I always love news stories like this one, because it puts the spotlight on a company that you never would have otherwise. In this case it’s Berry Plastics, an Evansville, IN based plastics company. Their products range from agricultural films to plastic bottles and from drink cups to… -
Weebly
18 Nov 2009 | 7:53 amI’ve been building websites since 1998 (I think). Even back then, there were online services that made it easy to build a web site without any knowledge of HTML. The difference is that now there are services that enable you to make a website that looks good with no HTML knowledge. These website builders are extremely powerful, and server the purposes of most people who want a relatively simple website. Weebly is a company that offers the ability to create a free website and/or blog. They’re based in San Francisco, and they were named one of TIME’s 50 Best Websites of 2007. -
Big Ten Network
17 Nov 2009 | 7:46 amI love Ivy League sports. I really do. Although I think the league gets less respect than it deserves, I know that they’ll never be the Big Ten—even if a powerhouse like Cornell (hey, I’m biased) continues to excel at the national level in sports like Hockey, Lacrosse, Wrestling, and even Basketball. I didn’t realize how big Big Ten sports were until I walked around Chicago on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. The Ohio State bar is packed with Ohio State fans, and the Michigan bar is packed with Michigan fans. Everyone is dressed in their school’s colors—and these… -
WMS Gaming
16 Nov 2009 | 7:53 amUsually when I’m talking about jobs in gaming, I’m talking about jobs in the video game industry, but today “gaming” means something a little different. We’re going to take a look at WMS Gaming, a Chicago based company that produces the machines that you find in casinos. I found out about them from Brill Street’s list of Top 50 Gen-Y Employers in Chicago (which is surprisingly light on companies with entry level jobs available—I think the #1 thing a company can do to be “Gen-Y friendly” is hire new grads). WMS was founded in 1943 by Harry…
-
Slim Pickins' Pork
-
Squid-o-Rama
17 Nov 2009 | 5:29 pmThis post is really inspired by two trips I took this year. The first was to Jungle Jim's, the amazing grocery store outside of Cincinnati, where I had a great time grabbing new food. The second was my August trip to San Francisco. And while I did visit the Zuni Cafe (basis of my recent cookbook foray), I have to say that the most memorable meal was in Oakland at Oliveto.The common thread in both these trips? Squid-I picked up a bunch of frozen squid at Jungle Jim's (although the stuff is pretty much everywhere now), and the best part of the Oliveto meal was the red-wine braised squid… -
Beer and Beef
12 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pmApparently I'm an alchemist at heart, because I'm always attracted to recipes that take humble ingredients and transform them (usually through low heat and lots of time) into something sublime.My most recent foray into The Zuni Cafe Cookbook is just such a recipe: beer braised short ribs. The recipe is nothing more than browning short ribs (after they've been seasoned a couple of days ahead of time, a common strategy in this book), then, with the addition of thickly sliced onions, braised in beer and chicken stock until tender.Not much more difficult than this, and with some buttermilk mashed… -
Roast Chicken, Zuni Cafe Style
9 Nov 2009 | 5:17 pmAmong other things, Zuni Cafe is famous for its roast chicken (which requires a 45 minute wait). When I went in August, I didn't give it a try, so with the cookbook in hand, I figured I'd better make amends.I'm not a huge fan of chicken in general, but roast chicken in something that, when done well, is one of the most satisfying things to partake of. Deceptively simple, it is often the measure of a cook since there isn't anything fancy to hide behind; sort of the culinary version of the agony and the ecstasy, I guess.But I digress; I've had plenty of luck with Alton Brown's version of roast… -
New Book (Zuni Cafe) and for the love of sage
2 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pmAfter a few days off, I decided that my next foray into the world of cookbooks will be The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers, who owns and runs the restaurant of the same name in San Francisco (which I happened to visit in August).Like any good San Francisco cook, Judy Rodgers worked in Chez Panise under Alice Waters, and, unsurprisingly, this cookbook reflects her passion for local ingredients and simple foods. Unlike most new American cuisine how-to manuals, the cookbook and cafe tilt a bit more Italian than French, although her experience in French restaurants certainly is evident as… -
Back to the Grill
25 Oct 2009 | 5:24 pmMy grills are mad at me, and for good reason. My recent adventures with The Cooking of Southwest France did not afford many opportunites for cooking over the open flame.To rectify that, in the break before my next cookbook adventure, I went back to a classic, beer butt chicken.The particular recipe I use is pretty basic, so and any rub recipe will work (I like mine, which uses summer savory, a great addition):Once they've been rubbed, you know the drill-in goes the beer can, and off to the grill they go. I don't think my sense of humour is that juvenile, but this sight always makes me crack…
-
MeatHenge
-
No Name Bacon - a review
17 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pmLordy, it must have been 3 weeks ago when Chilebrown of Mad Meat Genius gifted me more than a few pounds of No Name Bacon. It wasn't long after when he posted his review of No Name Bacon. He and Ms. Goofy are a machine, they can get it done. I'm not a machine, I'm lucky to find clean underwear and get my wagon gassed up on a weekly basis. After going through 2 pounds ourselves here at Meathenge Labs and 1 pound to my sister and husband Meathead, we're giving the No Name Meat Company more than a few thumbs up. It's a good, solid commodity bacon. Good fat to meat ratio, great smoke flavor while… -
Saul's Restaurant & Deli - Berkeley California
8 Nov 2009 | 4:13 pmUrp, sorry. Saul's Restaurant & Deli has been open since 1986, doesn't seem too terribly long. But for anyone to has enjoyed the faire, it feels as though it's been a lifetime. My mother frequented it so often that if anyone she knew would come to eat, the waitresses would send home cookies for her. My sister and her husband Meathead go all the time, I'm sometimes in tow, pried from underneath from my rock. It's a little on the large side for a "deli", but perfect for a restaurant. Saul's has gone out of their way since the beginning to bring their customers not only an excellent Jewish Deli,… -
French Grocer - Marathon Texas
3 Nov 2009 | 4:06 pmEditor's note: Joe Bob and JLee continue on in their West Texas walkabout. We had breakfast at Marathon Coffee Cafe. Um, huevos and such. NBD. Cozy joint. They serve Big Bend Coffee (roasted in Marfa) here. And they sell the beans. If you're camping or touring, and you have brought the 'proper' equipment, get your beans here. And make it yourself, the right way. Get everything else at French Co. Grocer, Hwy 90 & Avenue D. They got wi-fi, ice, beer and food and medicine and love. We loaded up on stuff and headed to Big Bend Ranch State Park. Sorry no pictures. But I will tell y'all we saw many… -
The Ice House / a drive through booze load up station - Ozona Texas
2 Nov 2009 | 2:56 pmEditor's Note: Yay, another fine post from JLee and Joe Bob's trip to West Texas. I like the part where you can see they're selling portable carport thingies as well as booze & ice. 600 bux? We came across a few of these on this trip. Now, I've seen drive-up, window service liquor stores. These are drive-thru. You can load up cases and cases of stuff, and a whole lotta ice. I'm sure there's a story behind this way of doing business. I surely appreciate being able to just drive right into the store. Jlee -
Butterball's Table-Top Turkey Deep Fryer, made by Masterbilt - A Review
1 Nov 2009 | 7:35 amEarlier this year I received an email from a large ad agency, a man wanted to know if I was interested in reviewing Butterball's new table-top deep fryer for turkeys. Hmm, free fryer and it's large enough for a turkey? Duh. We'd chatted via email a few times for over a year, wasn't just some nameless droid in a cubicle somewheres, actually had a personality and seemed to get Meathenge. Butterball's version of the Masterbilt turkey fryer wasn't out yet, was going to have to wait a few months, no big deal. It finally arrived! Pretty darn large box, pretty darn large fryer. I opened it up and…
-
One Day One Internship
-
DivX
20 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amWe’ve looked at plenty of Internet video companies in the past, but we haven’t spent too much time looking at companies that provide the underlying technology that drives Internet video. DivX is a San Diego, CA based company that develops and licenses video codecs. Codec is short for compressor-decompressor, which is essentially technology that allows you to more efficiently transfer data. In DivX’s case they provide a codec that allows high definition video to be compressed without sacrificing quality on the other end. They’re a big part of why Internet video finally… -
Berry Plastics
19 Nov 2009 | 7:51 amA couple of days ago the blogosphere exploded (pun intended) with news about bomb proof wallpaper. The story originally came from Popular Science with a video of a wrecking ball trying to knock down a brick wall that has been reinforced with the X-Flex Blast Protection System (the video is included below). I always love news stories like this one, because it puts the spotlight on a company that you never would have otherwise. In this case it’s Berry Plastics, an Evansville, IN based plastics company. Their products range from agricultural films to plastic bottles and from drink cups to… -
Weebly
18 Nov 2009 | 7:57 amI’ve been building websites since 1998 (I think). Even back then, there were online services that made it easy to build a web site without any knowledge of HTML. The difference is that now there are services that enable you to make a website that looks good with no HTML knowledge. These website builders are extremely powerful, and server the purposes of most people who want a relatively simple website. Weebly is a company that offers the ability to create a free website and/or blog. They’re based in San Francisco, and they were named one of TIME’s 50 Best Websites of 2007. -
Big Ten Network
17 Nov 2009 | 7:52 amI love Ivy League sports. I really do. Although I think the league gets less respect than it deserves, I know that they’ll never be the Big Ten—even if a powerhouse like Cornell (hey, I’m biased) continues to excel at the national level in sports like Hockey, Lacrosse, Wrestling, and even Basketball. I didn’t realize how big Big Ten sports were until I walked around Chicago on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. The Ohio State bar is packed with Ohio State fans, and the Michigan bar is packed with Michigan fans. Everyone is dressed in their school’s colors—and these… -
Text 100
16 Nov 2009 | 7:59 amThis is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com. Text 100 is a global, high tech public relations agency. They call themselves the world’s only “global boutique PR consultancy” or “big agency 2.0.” Like the public relations industry as a whole, Text 100 prides itself in constantly evolving to meet its clients’ needs. Speaking of clients, I recognize nearly every name on their client list, which includes PayPal, MTV, IBM, Adobe, eBay and more. This…
-
Cube Rules
-
The seven biggest interview mistakes
19 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amThere are lots of articles out there about mistakes that are made during interviews that prevent candidates from showing their worth. This article isn’t about “dressing right” or “showing up late” — common sense stuff — but about the big mistakes people make that loses the job offer. Let’s take a look. 1. Failure to research the company You might think you know a great deal about the company you are interviewing with. Bank of America, after all, is a bank and does what banks do. And General Motors makes cars. So you think you know the company. -
Fail: I will leave my job when the economy improves
17 Nov 2009 | 10:27 amDeloitte is out with a new survey talking about the willingness of people across the generations to leave their jobs for new ones at different companies. They note: “that only about 37 percent of Gen Xers said they planned to stay in their current jobs after the recession ends, compared with 44 percent of Gen Yers, 50 percent of baby boomers and 52 percent of senior citizen workers who said the same.” While I don’t have arguments about the statistics, I’d contend that Cubicle Warriors aren’t waiting for the recession to end to seek work that matches their next… -
Sharing Sunday, November 15, 2009
15 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amHere is this week’s interesting and thoughtful articles about working in cubicles… My Nightmare Interviews with Google — Here on Cube Rules, we talk about how to answer the weakness interview question, all questions have three answers and others. Google interviews differently. Here’s a taste. 140 Google Interview Questions — Hey, if you are going to have an interview with Google, you might as well do your interview preparation from these. From the Seattle Interview Coach. Performance Management And The New Consumer of Work — Brand for Talent talks through… -
Serendipity Saturday, November 14, 2009
14 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amMorning over Lake of Ägeri by Tinos Augenblicke Enjoy your weekend. © Cube Rules, LLC, 2006 to now. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this in your news aggregator, Facebook or on your mobile phone, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. -
How to personalize your job search
13 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amThe job search is moving from art form to science. With the changes in the job market, plus how companies are posting for positions, what you did in 2001 to find a job won’t work in 2010. Or, at least, not work as well. Cubicle Warriors know that when you have six people competing for every available position, the beginning of an inefficient job search begins when you start looking for a job without having a job search strategy for you. In the past, it was simple — check the newspaper, check a big job board, get the job. That was then. This is now and the world changed. Your job…
-
Epic Living
-
Music Is The Language Of The Soul
18 Nov 2009 | 6:09 pmThis song from Sade runs through my veins. -
The Entrepreneur Connection
16 Nov 2009 | 6:37 pmIf you're not hanging out with other entrepreneurs (positive ones), you're crazy. Don't mean to be so direct, but it really can help. I've been discovering this in the last few weeks. Big revelation, huh? The power is found in the connection. You'll find you're not alone, which is often the case inside of an employment situation. Everyone is self-employed anyway. That's why this is not just for the self-employed. That's right, even if you're employed you should be doing all you can to connect with other like-minded folk. The universe is too big to go it alone. And if you… -
Don't Be Charmed By Security
30 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pmEven with the economic conditions here in the States, specifically the employment situation, many still seem to be charmed by security. I'm alluding to security in the form of career/work. Now certainly, some have all but concluded that security is a myth. But I find many career/work pilgrims are disturbed by current trends. I used to be in that group, but am now a freak of the not-so-weird variety. Why? I entered my period of mass disruption almost 4 years ago. Back then many felt certain about the future. Now... Well, let's face it, life (all things in) has never been… -
A Great Conversation About Winter Wtih Sting
28 Oct 2009 | 5:11 amCoinciding with the release of his new disc, If On A Winter's Night, I've posted this conversation with Sting. Over my life I have connected with Sting on multiple levels. This interview is a wonderful glimpse. Hope you enjoy. -
The Problem With Small Getting Large
26 Oct 2009 | 12:26 pmOne of my favorite merchants in the town I live in, is not one of my favorites anymore. They once were small and engaging, but now world domination seems to be the order of the day. No more "we'll search and see if we can get it" or "haven't seen you in the store lately." I miss being Eric to them. The problem with some entrepreneurs is they are trying to fill a void by being "uber-successful." What is forgotten is what get's left behind-the customer. By the way, the void above is rarely filled by getting large. I'm appreciating small these days.
-
The Change Blog
-
7 Keys to Successful Public Speaking
20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amThe year was 2001. I was asked to give a “toast” at my sister’s wedding; I reluctantly agreed to do so. The wedding day came and the wedding ceremony seemed to go by in a flash. Before I knew it, I was the next person to speak. My arm pits began to sweat profusely. I felt a cold chill run down my spine. I began to think of the thousands of the things that could go wrong. My heart started to pump blood as if my life was in imminent danger. I thought: “Why am I so nervous!” Have you ever felt this way? There was a time when I would literally “recoil” at the thought of speaking in… -
Want to Change? Stop Setting Goals.
18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amImage courtesy of Jesse Millan One of the most widespread ideas in the world of personal development is SMART goal-setting – it seems to have seeped into every self-help, business development and corporate training program out there. Just in case you’ve somehow managed to avoid attending these workshops – or more likely slept through them – SMART is an acronym for a set of criteria that people are encouraged to use to get really clear on the outcome they’re aiming for when they’re setting goals, because this increase your success in achieving your goals. The SMART… -
10 Steps to Creative Career Changes
16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amImage courtesy of Tiago Ribeiro A percussionist has a way of creating music out of a couple twigs and an iron pot. A dancer can turn an empty room into a mosaic of movement. Why not use your own inherent creative capacities to be the artist of your own life? We often feel trapped; unable to change directions while on the roads we travel. But just as a writer can overcome creative blocks when staring at a blank sheet of paper, we can all overcome the blocks that prevent us from seeing creative possibilities for our lives. I was an electrical engineer for over a decade before I decided to make… -
A Story of Change: The Slothful Genius
13 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amImage courtesy of MadMolecule I was (ok I’ll admit it, still am) a quite disorganized guy. In addition, I have a reputation for outstanding achievements at different competitions in the domains of physics, sociology, languages, chemistry, and so on. Due to this quite bizarre combination I was known as the slothful genius of the school. Now, regarding being a sloth – I admit my bad ways and do my best to improve. Regarding being a genius – oh boy, I don’t like to call myself one. Oscar Wilde, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi – they are the geniuses. I might earn… -
The Limits of Our Freedom
11 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amImage courtesy of h.koppdelaney Viktor Fankl, the Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning, ‘Between stimulus and response there is a space, and in that space lies all our freedom.’ In the most extreme conditions of privation imaginable, Frankl discovered that he was, remarkably, free to choose his response to any situation. I love this quote because it sums up the essence of my philosophy. I believe it is the cornerstone of a happy and effective life. A real, experiential understanding of this radical freedom is life changing, liberating and…
-
Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom
-
Get Work at a Small Company
19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amFrom my colleagues at the Wall Street Journal and John Crant, a career coach and founder of selfrecruiter.com, here’s some terrific advice if you’re seeking work at a small company: What approach should a job seeker take when beginning to look for work at a small business? Start by finding just one individual with a similar background or skill set as yourself. Do a People Search on LinkedIn to find this starter profile. Now search their current employer’s name to find other individuals with similar functions. Look at where all of these individuals worked before. Some places will… -
Students Need Personal Branding Too
16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amThose of you who are current students need to be concerned about your image beyond how you portray yourself in interviews. Here are some statistics to illustrate how your world has changed: 45% of companies conduct background checks on social networks (Careerbuilder 2009) 10% of college admissions officers conduct background checks on social networks (Kaplan 2009) Hiring is down 7% for the 2010 graduating class (NACE, September 2009) 63% of job-hunting college grads aren’t cleaning up their social network profiles (CollegeGrad.com, September 2009) 71% of college admissions officers… -
Office Politics Dos and Don'ts
12 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amDO - Set boundaries as to how you use various social networks (e.g. Facebook for personal, LinkedIn for professional) and make sure you communicate those boundaries so that feelings aren't hurt. DON'T let your boss and co-workers catch you chatting and playing with Facebook applications when you should be working. DO - Use your real name on Twitter to network with people you wouldn't have the chance to communicate with in real life. DO - send them valuable information or interesting tidbits about their field. DON'T - get caught up in the heat of the… -
The Ability to Learn is Your Most Important Skill
9 Nov 2009 | 7:38 amWhen employers talk about desirable skills they look for in new hires, they usually mean things like marketing, IT, budgeting, and project management. But what about the ability to learn? I’m not kidding. Let’s say a 20-something employee, we’ll call her Amy, starts a new job as a sales representative at a Fortune 500 software company. She graduated from college fairly recently and has never done sales before, so her boss expects her to have lots of questions as she proceeds to develop her first client relationships. He guides her through the process patiently, explaining in detail how… -
Dream Job Spotlight: Andrea Rubin, Director of Marketing, Yelp.com
5 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amI love profiling fabulously successful young professionals, and this time around, I decided to feature someone under 30 who has made it to the top ranks of a very twenty-first century organization. Check out Andrea Rubin, Director of Marketing and Community Management of Yelp.com, talking about how she got to this point in her career:
-
MN Headhunter/Nerd Search
-
November 2009 LinkedIn, Job Search And Social Media Seminars
18 Nov 2009 | 10:02 amFor those not familiar with me and are wondering if a session(s) would be a good use of your time I am an IT Recruiter with 12 years of experience and have been speaking to groups of all ages and skill sets in groups of 20-200 and now online for 7 years. Here is some background on presentations and interviews I have been a part of and recognition as a Minnesota Social Media Innovator: Presentations Interviews Minnesota Social Media Innovator While Be Your Own Headhunter is under going a facelift this is how to stay in touch with upcoming seminars: MN Headhunter RSS Feed MN Headhunter RSS Via… -
Minnesota IT Jobs With Minnesota Non Profits
17 Nov 2009 | 9:33 pmThe following new Minnesota IT jobs have been added on the MN Headhunter Volunteer Page: IT Specialist - Help Desk Level 1 - Full Time Job - Second Harvest Heartland Web/IT Coordinator - Full Time Job - Better Business Bureau of Minnesota & North Dakota Information and Database Analyst - Full Time Job - University of St. Thomas Technical Support Specialist – Full Time Job - Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health and Well Being (formerly - Central Center for Family Resources) Click weekly newsletter to receive the Wednesday message of nonprofit needs, IT jobs I am recruiting for, recruiter… -
9 Ways to Motivate Employees
16 Nov 2009 | 5:47 pmThe following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap From: David McGillivray Human Resource Management is about achieving the best from your workforce. Achieving high levels of motivation, engagement and productivity is impossible when employees are unsatisfied or actively looking for alternative employment. Do you know which team members are seeking alternative employment and are these team members critical to your business? It is vitally important to business performance and success to understand the answer to this question. HR Management can help you to understand employee… -
Why You Don't Stand Out From The Crowd - Here's A Tip, It's Your Resume
10 Nov 2009 | 6:24 amThe following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap From: Jessica Holbrook Ultimately your goal is to create a resume that will garner the right attention and eventually the right job. Problem is – your resume is getting you absolutely no hits, zero feedback, and not so much as one call from a prospective employer. Sound familiar? Keep reading to figure out why. – Your career summary is boring. It sounds like every other job seeker out there and is a large blanket paragraph that could describe half of the known workforce. Solution: Customize your career summary so that no one else… -
Twitter Lists As A Networking Tool
5 Nov 2009 | 11:45 amOne of the most frequent questions I get from (new) users of Twitter is who I should I follow. A great question and I would usually forward them to a directory like Twellow (for categories and/or location) or Twitterholic (for location and number of followers). There are lots of Twitter apps for this but they are for me the easiest to use and describe and they can get immediate results. But Twitter rolled out Twitter Lists and it has become my new best friend of the moment. Rather than go through the many, many followers of someone I like, respect, follow, or find interesting to see who they…
-
FreelanceFolder
-
Know Your Clients: How To Build Loyalty With Customer Surveys
20 Nov 2009 | 7:23 amDo you know what do your clients think about you?Many clients won’t even tell you if they are unhappy, instead they’ll simply stop using your services. You may never find out that anything was wrong.Loyal customers are important to your success as a freelancer. Even if a particular client no longer needs your services, you want him or her to to speak favorably about your business.One way to keep your clients loyal is to keep them happy — but how do you find out whether your clients are happy? The only real way to find out what a customer is thinking is to ask. That’s… -
Five Useful Ways Dropbox Can Improve Your Business
19 Nov 2009 | 6:29 amWhat would you do if something happened to your computer? Say, it caught fire, was stolen, or got drenched in your latte?If you were using a good backup solution you could just keep on working, otherwise you could be in a lot of trouble. For those of you who don’t already have a backup and file sharing solution in place, you’ll want to learn more about Dropbox.A computer-savvy client introduced me to Dropbox a few months ago as a way to share huge files without having to compress and email them to me. However, I soon discovered that Dropbox can do so much more — making me a… -
Ten Signs You Need To Refuse That Project
18 Nov 2009 | 8:16 amYou’ve worked hard looking for a freelance project. Finally, it looks like all of your hard work is about to pay off. Someone offers you a freelancing gig. Now it’s time to breathe a huge sigh of relief and dig into the project. Right?Well, maybe not… Unfortunately, not all freelance opportunities are created equal. It’s best to be cautious when accepting new work. Taking the wrong freelancing job can set you up for failure, or worse, damage your professional reputation.In this post, we’ll show you what to do if you need more information about a freelancing… -
FreelanceFolder Hits 20,000 Subscribers! You Get 50% Off :-)
17 Nov 2009 | 12:19 pmIt makes me very happy to announce that FreelanceFolder has just hit the 20,000 subscriber mark! It might not seem like much compared to some other blogs out there, but for us it’s a pretty big deal :-)In honor of hitting such a big milestone, we want to give something back to all of our readers — so for the next 7 days we’re cutting the price of The Unlimited Freelancer eBook by 50%. That’s just $14 for an in-depth 200 page ebook, and we’ll be running the sale all week.We’ll also be giving out another big-ticket item next week for some more celebration… -
How to Become a Freelance Web Developer: A Six Month Plan
17 Nov 2009 | 5:23 amNearly every day somebody asks me about how I got started as a freelance developer. Many people recognize that they would like to branch off into freelancing, but most don’t know where to begin. It’s this fear and uncertainty that keeps them from taking the plunge.Challenges like how to find clients, what to do about money, and how to set up your own site can be overwhelming at first — but the end result of having a successful freelance business is easily worthwhile. In order to help make your life easier, I’ve set up a simple month-by-month plan that you can follow to…
-
Keppie Careers by Miriam Salpeter
-
Three tips for making a career change in a tough time
19 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pmI hear from so many people who are in the midst of trying to make a career change. Sometimes, the change is very slight – a writer who wants to use her expertise to write about a different subject. Other times, there is a more drastic goal – a mortgage broker who wants to use transferable skills to get into the insurance business. No matter what the goal, this is a tough time to bridge to a career change. (I’ve written about this HERE.) If you are a job seeker thinking of a change, some tips to consider: 1. Do your research. Know what skills your targeted job and/or employer… -
Going rogue – advice for the rest of us
19 Nov 2009 | 8:45 amRogue (per Dictionary.com): –noun 1. a dishonest, knavish person; scoundrel. 2. a playfully mischievous person; scamp: The youngest boys are little rogues. 3. a tramp or vagabond. 4. a rogue elephant or other animal of similar disposition. 5. Biology. a usually inferior organism, esp. a plant, varying markedly from the normal. –verb (used without object) 6. to live or act as a rogue. –verb (used with object) 7. to cheat. 8. to uproot or destroy (plants, etc., that do not conform to a desired standard). 9. to perform this operation upon: to rogue a field. –adjective 10. (of an animal)… -
How having a blog can help you get a job
18 Nov 2009 | 10:20 amI am so excited to share news from a client who just landed a great job. In and of itself, a client landing a job isn’t extraordinary – that is the point of hiring me to help, after all! What is special about this client is that she was in a transitional search. She was finding that there were not a lot of opportunities in her field, so she needed to make a change. She was looking for jobs doing things she had not done before. Anyone who talks to me about transitioning knows that this is a tough time to make a career change. While I would never discourage someone from trying,… -
Networking with a purpose – ideas from Joe Lavelle
17 Nov 2009 | 5:09 amYesterday, I shared a review of Act As If It Were Impossible to Fail. (You can read it HERE.) Today, I want to share more from Joe Lavelle’s book! Joe talks about “Networking with a purpose.” This is so important. I hear from people all of the time who insist that they have been doing EVERYTHING for their job hunt – including networking. However, upon further inquiry, it is clear that they could be doing a lot more. Joe offers this advice, which I believe is right on target. (Points are his, commentary my own): Make meeting others a priority. So often, networking is… -
Act As If It Were Impossible to Fail – A review
15 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pm“…Act with enthusiasm and confidence – act as if it were impossible to fail. Your beliefs become your reality, and your expectations have a direct result on the outcome of any given situation. Concentrate on your strengths, your triumphs and your successes as you power up the corporate ladder” (p.177). – Act As If It Were Impossible to Fail, by Joe Lavelle I “met” Joe Lavelle, author of Act As If It Were Impossible to Fail – The Employee Handbook That Your Empoyer Hasn’t Given You, via Twitter and when he began to comment on this blog. He…
-
So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager...
-
Food Trivia Answer
20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amANIMAL CRACKERS"Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink,That is the finest of suppers, I think.When I'm grown up and can have what I please,I think I shall always insist upon these." by Christopher MorleyIn 1902 the National Biscuit Company's Animal Biscuits assumed the legal trademark name of BARNUM'S ANIMALS. They designed the colorful five-cent box that looked like a circus wagon cage, and attached a string so the box could be hung from the Christmas tree. In total there have been 37 different animals represented since 1902. The current lineup is tiger, cougar,… -
Today's Food Trivia
18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amThe product we know today came into being in 1902, but it had existed in similar forms for generations. During the Christmas season of 1902, packaging became an important factor. It was designed with a string attached to it so it could be hung as a Christmas tree ornament. In total, there have been 37 different varieties, currently there are 22. More than 40 million packages of these are sold each year, and they are exported to 17 countries. They are turned out at the rate of 12,000 per minute, and nearly 6,000 miles of string are used on the packages. Poet-philosopher Christopher… -
Don’t Blame Me For Putting The Napkins There!
16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amWe have a large pink bin (why pink I’ll never know) that all of banquets and the restaurant are supposed to place our dirty ivory napkins in. Then Housekeeping comes each day and takes the dirty napkins to the laundry in the basement to be washed. Sort of easy right?Every once in a while we need to rent special colored napkins for a social event. We can't put these napkins in the big pink bin ‘cause they’re rentals and we aren’t supposed to keep them. They must go in clear plastic bags that we hold on the loading dock in another bin (this time it’s black not… -
1 Week Left To Vote
14 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amOn a previous post, I asked my readers to vote for the favorite joke that I have posted on this blog. There is only 1 week left to vote. Click on this link to be taken back to the original post where you can read each joke. Then place your vote in the poll on the left sidebar. I'll reprint the winning joke later, thanks. Share Like this story? Share it with your friends and family on Facebook. Share -
Some Historic Banquets From The Past
12 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amIn the year 1213, England's King John (1166-1216) ordered 3,000 capons, 1,000 salted eels, 400 hogs, 100 pounds of almonds, and 24 casks of wine for his Christmas festivities.King Edward I of England in 1274 ordered his sheriffs to provide 278 bacon hogs, 450 porkers, 440 fat oxen, 430 sheep, and 22,600 hens and capons for his coronation feast. In 1377 at the Christmas feast of King Richard II of England, 28 oxen and 300 sheep were consumed.When George Neville was made Archbishop of York 1464, he celebrated with a feast that included: "300 huge loaves of bread, 300 tuns of ale (about 75,000…
-
JibberJobber Blog
-
Nick Corcodilos (aka: Ask the Headhunter): How to Work With Headhunters
20 Nov 2009 | 6:26 amI met Nick Corcodilos in Savannah at a conference. He was telling a bunch of resume writers that resumes were useless, and why they were useless. I thought it was a very gutsy thing to do – come to a conference as a keynote speaker and tell all of the professionals that their chosen profession (and for many, life passion) was obsolete. That is how Nick is: gutsy. Nick Corcodilos is an undisputed subject matter expert and thought leader in the job search space. He has been writing for syndicated columns for years, and many thousands of people have read and benefited from his work… -
Evolution
19 Nov 2009 | 9:22 amThree and a half years ago I had a business plan, and I had a vision statement for my business. I thought I would have a gazillion signups on JibberJobber, and that a percentage (high or low, didn’t matter – because even a low percentage of a gazillion is a lot) would have upgraded. I had no idea that in my future I would write a book or two, or become a professional speaker, or have a product to sell, or become an executive editor, or that I would have different profit centers I would work on. My business evolved… my business plan was for one discrete thing, but because of… -
Facebook for Executives (and professionals) Webinar
17 Nov 2009 | 7:32 amTomorrow at 4ET (1PT) I’m doing a webinar for Netshare called Facebook Essentials for Executives. I’m jazzed about this webinar and have been preparing for it quite a bit. Facebook has power in numbers – and I’m amazed at the connections I’ve made because of Facebook that I didn’t make in LinkedIn. I’m also amazed at the conversation that happens in Facebook that isn’t happening elsewhere. If you want to brush up on your Facebook understanding, or wrap your brain around a Facebook strategy for you, come on over to the webinar. It… -
I Love A Good Email Signature
16 Nov 2009 | 4:31 amIf you’ve heard me speak in the last year, chances are you’ve heard me talk about email signatures. I recently saw a signature that POPPED OUT – let me share it with you: I totally missed the middle name until I saw the hyperlink with the tagline. I LOVE THIS. I clicked on the hyperlink and guess where it took me? SocialMediaIsMyMiddleName.com Brilliant. Thanks for the excellent example of an email signature that helps brand a professional Scott! More information on email signatures as a personal branding tool at Today I (tearfully) Retire My Email Signature and A New… -
Big JibberJobber News: Create Log Entries From an Email
13 Nov 2009 | 7:49 amThis is a feature that has been on our list for over 18 months. We’re really excited to announce it is finally available to you (it is a premium feature). In a nutshell, this new feature allows you to create a Log Entry by sending an email to a special email address. When I say Log Entry, realize you can: Also create an Action Item, Associate it with multiple contacts, companies and job postings, and Change the time when you get an email reminder, if it is an action item. If you are not a Premium users use the Contact Us form and we’ll bump you up for five days so you can play…
-
Delightful Work
-
Trust Your True Calling Gut Feeling
5 Nov 2009 | 8:15 amCopyright © 2009 Tom Volkar. Visit the original article at http://www.delightfulwork.com/true-callings/trust-your-true-calling-gut-feeling/.Here’s a way for you to shorten the amount of time you spend before starting to work a true calling. Like most good things in life making a bold, strong start is half the battle. You have a pretty good idea of what your true calling probably is right now. If you are not yet enjoying the fulfillment and prosperity of working a true calling maybe it’s time for you to simply trust your gut. Gut feelings are a much more reliable source… -
Money and Authenticity
26 Oct 2009 | 4:22 pmCopyright © 2009 Tom Volkar. Visit the original article at http://www.delightfulwork.com/money/money-and-authenticity/.What do you think is the greatest indicator of wealth generation with a true calling? Is it doing what you love? Is it doing what you want to do? Is it being who you are? I’m not going to tell you here. You’ll have to go over to Barbara Swafford’s interview of me and read my answer in the comment section of this post. It’s one of the better answers I’ve ever given because the question about true calling and money was so good. Do you have… -
Big Link Rally Is Live!
15 Oct 2009 | 5:20 pmCopyright © 2009 Tom Volkar. Visit the original article at http://www.delightfulwork.com/true-callings/big-link-rally-is-live/.Friends, I am very appreciative of your support and interest in my brand new home. Big Link Rally has been in the works for months now and it now lives! Please have a look and be the first to comment on my inaugural blog post. -
Uniqueness Your Grandest Gift
11 Oct 2009 | 4:11 pmCopyright © 2009 Tom Volkar. Visit the original article at http://www.delightfulwork.com/true-callings/uniqueness-your-grandest-gift/.Your grandest gift is your blessing of uniqueness. You are one in 6,789,819,852 people in the world. Out of those almost 7 billion folks you are the one who is best equipped to create a profitable business following your true calling. Look to the right of this post. You’ll find a gift I’ve written in celebration of your uniqueness. It’s a True Calling Guidebook that gives you 9 powerful compass points to work the true calling… -
Is Your Business Authentic?
6 Oct 2009 | 5:17 amCopyright © 2009 Tom Volkar. Visit the original article at http://www.delightfulwork.com/true-callings/is-your-business-authentic/.You may have noticed the hullabaloo around authentic business building lately. Most businesses can’t pull it off because it’s like trying to put a suit on an ape. No matter how sharp the suit the ape wearing it is still a monkey. If 60-80% of your employees are unhappy in their work it’s impossible to be an authentic business without expressing authentically. To make such a business authentic they’d have to say, “We hate our…
-
EffortlessHR Blog
-
Managing Change
6 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pmThe elections are finally behind us and the political ads are over – at least for now.President Obama has reiterated that he is an agent for change – change in how government works, change in who we are in the global experience, change in many other ways.So, what is change? All organizations go through change.There might be a change in management, or a change in policy, change in staff, change in location, change in customers, and even change in size of the organization as in mergers and acquisitions.We even face change in our personal lives – change in marital status,… -
Health Care Reform – Some thoughts
9 Sep 2009 | 9:51 amWhat’s a small company to do if required to offer health insurance? This is a question many small business owners are facing. The federal government is gearing up to tell the American business owner: When or how to form a union When to provide paid sick leave When to provide paid family medical leave and When to provide health care benefits All of these issues are important – not only to the business owner but to the employees that they hire. There are really three perspectives that we need to look at: The HR Perspective The Business Perspective The Government Perspective The HR… -
Understanding Diversity in the Workplace
8 Sep 2009 | 2:52 pmAs a business owner, consultant, and entrepreneur I have been told by many small business owners that “diversity” is really only applicable to larger businesses.When asked what diversity means to them (the small business owner), many respond it is about differences in race or gender.It is not about making the workplace a better place in which to work, but more about following the law. I believe that diversity is really about being open to the global community and being prepared to respond to inquiries and ideas from a diverse community.If one truly understands the diverse culture… -
Carnival of HR for July 08
8 Jul 2009 | 6:00 amEffortlessHR is honored to be hosting this week’s Carnival of HR. Thanks to HR Minion for keeping track and organizing the carnivals! As this is our first time hosting the carnival, please forgive any mistakes. Plenty of posts came in this week, so without further delay, let’s get going: Jason Seiden was the first to submit his article and writes about how social media is blending our personal and professional lives, making it harder to hide behind corporate facades in his post entitled “Ethics, social media, and… “profersonalism” Susannah from Advorto… -
EffortlessHR.com Introduces New Pricing Model
2 Jul 2009 | 1:34 pmWe have been hard at work with our new pricing plans and are proud to announce that effective today, you can find our new pricing at http://www.effortlesshr.com/ Our lowest cost plan is just $29.95/month and includes a full featured online HR Software solution. Let us know what you think and if we are crazy or not for offering the most affordable Online HRIS in the world. Related Articles Archos Vision PMPs get UK pricing, August release Windows 7 pricing: Some users fume as the rose-colored discounts … Windows 7E pricing for limited time Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog |…
-
Carve Consulting: Social Media, Corporate Social Networking, ePR, Social Recruiting, Reputation Management
-
LinkedIn gaining momentum in Australia
18 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pmWith now more than 1.1 million Australians using the corporate social networking site, LinkedIn, it is great to see an Australian office open with Clifford Rosenberg as Managing Director. Mumbrella has more details here. -
Round 2 of “If your survey says so…”
4 Nov 2009 | 10:11 pmIn a recent post I questioned if a survey’s credibility was damaged if its results supported those who have paid for it. It generated some interesting comments like this one: It does boil down to how the survey results are presented and the prupose behind this. And that’s coming from some one who surveys for a [...] -
Google street view to update Australian photos
2 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pmMake sure you hook up your grey water hose and water your front lawn, trim the hedge and maybe plant a few pansies - Google cars will be coming down your street this Summer capturing images for the Street View feature of Google Maps. Despite concerns about privacy as Asher Moses discussed in the Sydney Morning [...] -
Onrec Kennedy Recruitment Summit: Paul Harrison from Carve on Social Search
2 Nov 2009 | 6:58 amPaul Harrison, Managing Partner of Carve Consulting, will be speaking at the ONREC Kennedy Recruiting HR Summit on Wednesday, Nov 4: 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM in Concurrent 3. Paul, one of just a handful of international speakers at the event and a regular participant in European Social Media conferences, is delighted to be able to [...] -
Blog comments - to be or not to be?
22 Oct 2009 | 3:59 amDiscussing with a client recently about whether they should have comments on every page of their blog (which is actually a combination of a blog, a community hub and a website but is actually really just a blog) or to only allow comments on a few with moderation but on some without or not at [...]
-
Rehaul by Lance Haun
-
Get Over Yourself
19 Nov 2009 | 8:38 amSo you are Mr. or Ms. Big Shot. Okay, more than likely you are Mr. or Ms. Thinks They Are A Big Shot. Maybe you have a book or a TV show or a podcast or a popular blog or a big company or a big position or a fancy car. Maybe you are known. Maybe you are actually a big deal. Get over yourself. You know who was the worst about this for a while? Me. Ridiculous, right? It wasn’t even over anything big. My blog was gaining popularity and I started to receive many comments and e-mails a day. So what did I do? Acted like a diva about it of course. I started setting arbitrary rules as to what… -
Six Steps To Manage Change In Your Organisation
18 Nov 2009 | 7:38 amEditors note: Today’s post is coming of you courtesy of Chris Farmer of The Corporate Coach Group in the UK. Take it away Chris! Change is the only universal constant. You can be on one of two positions in respect to change: You can drive change. Or be driven BY change. Those who are the victims of change find that changes are usually for the worse. Those who drive change, find that the changes are usually to their advantage Do not be passive in the face of change. Be active in the face of change. In order for you to effectively manage a changing environment, you need to first: Take the… -
Why Work Anniversaries Still Matter
13 Nov 2009 | 6:17 amI was looking at a post by Paul Hebert’s i2i about service anniversary awards and it got me thinking about the inherent ridiculousness of the whole concept. Why are we giving awards for people sticking it out? “Oh hey Jimmy, you made it through another year. Here’s your bronze pin. After that, you can get your silver, gold and then platinum pins.” Don’t get too excited Jimmy. Those pins, watches, and plaques all meant something at some point. Getting an anniversary pin or plaque feels like getting the perfect attendance award back in school. It’s an… -
Veterans Day and The Carnival of HR
11 Nov 2009 | 11:47 amQuick post today. Just two things I wanted to mention: Veterans day is today and if you are like me, you kept typing Veteran’s instead of Veterans. My abuse of the language never ends. In any case, I wanted to send a special shout out to MeritBuilder and their site that seeks to recognize veterans. Second year running and still a great thing. If you get the chance, go by and check it out. Read some of the stories and personal gratitude or leave your own if you feel compelled. If you are looking at donating to charities that help veterans and their families, I would encourage you to… -
You Say You Want A Revolution?
9 Nov 2009 | 5:12 amI just got home from HRevolution and I am beat. I’ve been wrapping my head around some of the things we talked about, how it intersected with Talent Camp and some of my own personal revelations. There’s good news and bad news but first I wanted to touch on the unconference itself. HRevolution Was A Resounding Success You can correct me if I am wrong but I don’t believe Trish McFarlane, Ben Eubanks, Crystal Peterson or Steve Boese had any experience running an event like this before. Honestly, you couldn’t tell because everything ran incredibly smooth and surprisingly…
-
HRM Today Featured Posts
-
Retention vs. Loyalty * What’s Your Goal?
20 Nov 2009 | 4:11 pmI recently read an intriguing post on Bnet on the difference between customer loyalty and customer retention: “In this economy, customer retention is a great objective. But customer loyalty is even better. Why? Retention programs are often built on a financial transaction. Problem is, your value add to the customer is now about lower prices. Competitors can start to pick away your clientele simply by offering a better deal. Much better is the day when you have loyal customers. These folks have formed an emotional bond with your business that is not going to be broken when the store down the… -
Business in Touch with Its "Soft" Side
18 Nov 2009 | 4:59 pmListen up. To maintain a competitive advantage, most companies are paying attention to the development of professional “soft skills” to boost performance, according to i4cp’s latest study. Members can now download the results in PDF, PowerPoint and Interactive Data formats. The study found that, overall, 76% of study respondents have identified soft skills such as listening skills, persuasion and teamwork that lead to successful organizational performance. Among large and high market performing companies, the numbers climb. Eighty-three percent of companies with 10,000 or… -
How Does HR Add to Profits?
18 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pmSometimes, I get asked a question that really makes me stop and think. I have had the pleasure of teaching and speaking at least 25-30 times per year. A few weeks ago, I was teaching an HR Essentials class. We were discussing how HR adds value to the organization when a very smart young lady asked me, “Well how does HR add to profits?” I believe she cut to the chase…adding value really means adding dollars to the bottom line. So, of course I threw the question out to the class and asked for their input. Here is what they said: 1) HR prevents lawsuits 2) HR hires… -
The HR Profession – Part Two (People)
18 Nov 2009 | 4:53 pmOK…now that I’ve recovered from my rant about the human resources profession, let’s discuss the people part… I’ll start by pointing out the 800 lb elephant in the room. Are there crappy HR people in organizations? Yes. There – I said it. And, there may actually be a lot of them out there. Which is why magazines like Fast Company publish articles titled “Why We Hate HR?” But in order to change the perception of the profession, we have to start with ourselves. Still not convinced? Okay, for the sake of argument, let’s assume that every person in the human… -
Workplace Ethics and The Three Monkeys
17 Nov 2009 | 4:22 pmBroward County, my hometown, has made the national headlines again. First, it was hanging chads (remember them?), then Anna Nicole Smith, now a Ponzi scheme. The local news has been crazy lately. It started a month or so ago with the indictment of three local politicians on federal corruption charges. Shortly thereafter, another local politician was cited for ethics infractions. Then, a prominent attorney was accused of running a $1B Ponzi scheme out of his law offices, taking the prestigious firm to the brink of bankruptcy. So far, one CEO has pleaded guilty to fraud. The FBI and…
-
Punk Rock Human Resources
-
F@%k It Friday: Happiness
20 Nov 2009 | 3:45 amI had a friend ask, “Simple question, Laurie. Are you happy?” I responded, “I’m not a simple girl.” That’s such a stupid answer and I immediately regretted it. Those are the kinds of answers that make me want to puke in my mouth. So let me try answering this again. Of course I am happy. I have an awesome life. I don’t want for anything. Am I always happy? Pffffft, no way. I have flaws. I am hypercritical. Aways on edge, dissatisfied, looking for meaning where meaning doesn’t exist. I am kind of melancholic when it’s unnecessary. Let me… -
Employee Wellness Programs & Health Insurance
19 Nov 2009 | 3:45 amFatty HR writes, I work for a private company that is going to start penalizing employers through a premium increase if said employers don’t provide vital statistics to the insurance co.’s website. Plus, you have to gain so many points through exercise to avoid the raise in payment. There is concern over this amongst everyone, and personally I think it is a violation of personal liberties. I came across your site by doing a random search on this subject and saw at least one of your articles on this issue. Do you have any recommendations on where to start research to show… -
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Horror Stories from Workers
18 Nov 2009 | 3:45 amI spent a few days in New York, this weekend. Many stores in Herald Square will be open on Thanksgiving, and I was so dispirited by the news. I understand that people will flood that area for the parade, but it seems weird to me that anyone would want to shop for crap on Thanksgiving. Obviously I’m totally old school. It’s unfortunate that Americans must consume copious amounts of turkey and Banana Republic scarves on a national holiday. Want my advice? Skip the damn scarves and eat more mashed potatoes. It’s better for America. I also feel sorry for the workers who are… -
Punk Rock HR Question: Unemployed for Two Years
17 Nov 2009 | 3:45 amI’m traveling, today. Rather than respond to a slew of email messages, let me give you some career advice based on a few notes in my inbox. If you haven’t been able to find a job in two years within your field, the universe is sending you a message. You are no longer part of that field. It’s time to broaden your search. You should have expanded it six months ago, but I don’t want to judge you. Look for something else. Now. And no — going back for your MBA will not help. Don’t listen to your stupid brother-in-law who works in finance. He’s an idiot. -
Stage Fright, Public Speaking, and Anxiety
16 Nov 2009 | 6:45 amI’m hosting an event, today, where recruiting professionals will learn how to use new media tools to hire people in better, faster, and more efficient ways. That’s the goal, anyway. You don’t even realize how much work it takes for me to stand in front of people and talk. Executive leaders like Jack Welch have coaches and corporate communication teams to make them look great. I have a mirror, a flip camera, and a prescription for Xanax. Thankfully, my role on Monday is to help keep shit moving in the right direction. I’m a ringleader. The real stars are those who are…
-
askthecvcoach
-
19 Nov 2009 | 1:41 am
19 Nov 2009 | 1:41 amThis morning's one minute! A dark Thursday morning and it couldn't have been wetter, But the economy's recovering and life's getting better, With the job market improving and great candidates to supply, These are my CV tips I suggest you apply, Think about length - not too short or too long, Make that mistake and I'll think that you're wrong, I know it's hardwork - in fact it takes ages, To keep your career to a mere two pages, Don't use jargon, exagerrate or dare to tell lies, Substantiate achievements or your… -
The Apprentice
4 Jun 2009 | 1:41 am· After watching "The Apprentice" last night I was amazed that certain candidates hadn't learnt from the 2008 winner Lee McQueen's faux pas of lying on his CV. Or maybe the fact that he was the eventual winner made Loraine think it was acceptable to extend her tenure in one role by 12 months!! Apparently it's because she FELT like she'd been there longer. James made the school boy error of filling his CV with jargon that the interviewer didn't understand and thus failed to get his point across. For a free CV… -
The Returners CV
5 May 2009 | 3:00 amReturning to work after you’ve taken time out to look after your family can be difficult. An employer picking up your CV to see you haven’t been in paid work for the last eight years would probably consider you haven’t got enough up to date experience, given the rapidly changing employment environment and fast evolving office technologies. You know you can do the job, but how do you persuade an employer to give you an interview? First of all, look at what experience you do have. Make a list of any pre career break jobs. Whilst technologies and… -
Photographs on CVs!
17 Apr 2009 | 2:36 amAs part of The CV Clinic's commitment to keeping abreast of changes and trends regarding CVs within the recruitment industry we are delighted to announce the results of our recent survey that was sent out to recruiters, head hunters and hiring managers. In response to the question, “What should candidates omit from their CVs?” the most common gripe from recruiters was photographs (71%). This reflects the research carried out by the Guardian newspaper back in 2006 which stated over 60% of HR departments said that the inclusion of a photograph with the CV adversely… -
Top Tips for Creating a Functional CV
15 Apr 2009 | 10:33 amYou’ve just spotted the job of your dreams. You have all the right qualifications and experience, but it was five years ago, since when you been doing something completely unrelated. Or, you know you’ve got all the right skills but you just haven’t got practical experience in that particular area. Or, you’ve had lots of apparently unrelated jobs and your CV reads like a telephone directory. How on earth do you manage to convey to an employer that you’ve got what they need? Sounds familiar? Writing a conventional…
-
Coworkers.com Blog
-
Feature Update: Network Activity, see what your colleagues are up to
20 Nov 2009 | 7:59 amCoworkers.com is pleased to announce a new addition to your personal dashboard. It's an information stream called Network Activity. Now, in addition to seeing activities directly related to your own account, you can get a quick overview of updates related to your Coworkers.com contacts.Login (or Signup) today and check it out! -
Link to Feeback Requests with Custom Buttons
19 Nov 2009 | 7:05 pmWhen you request feedback using Coworkers.com, you have many options for distributing that request:Email your request to one or more peopleLink to it via simple URL - which can be pasted into email or social network etc.Embed a Graphic Button with link on a web page or blog (shown below)Instantly "tweet" your request on TwitterBelow is a screen capture showing the various Graphic Buttons we offer. Give it a try today, request feedback! -
CNN Radio Interviews Coworkers.com CEO
6 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pmTake a listen to CNN Radio. Our CEO, Jonathan Clay, was interviewed today on the topic of the newly announced unemployment figures (10.2%) and what people can do to manage their careers in this environment. http://www.cnnradio.com -
EmploymentDigest.net features Jonathan Clay – Founder Coworkers.com
23 Oct 2009 | 7:07 amJonathan Clay, President and founder of Coworkers.com, recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Vick at EmploymentDigest.Read the in-depth article and see the video interview on the EmploymentDigest.net website. We've also included just the video below:Read the full article here -
New York Post - Jobs column highlights Coworkers.com
2 Oct 2009 | 12:06 pmNew York Post Jobs column "The site stuff" has listed Coworkers.com among their "picks for what’s new, notable and work-related on the Web"Here are some highlights from the article:"By now we all know Monster.com and LinkedIn, but practically every day new Web sites launch that aim to help you find jobs, stay on top of your industry, improve your career prospects or otherwise help you along in your work life. We sifted through the latest offerings and compiled the following list of sites that are worth a click...""CoWorkers: This brand-new site follows the model of Ed Koch, who as mayor…
-
Maximize Possibility Blog
-
This Week's Featured Possibility Maximizer: Drops of Rain Newsletter
20 Nov 2009 | 5:12 amEvery week I like to feature a resource that I feel will help you Maximize Possibility in your organization and your life at work. This week I think I will be a little self-indulgent and feature a resource of my own: my Drops of Rain Newsletter The Resource: The Rainmaker Group's Drops of Rain Newsletter What it Covers: My twice-monthly newsletter explores a variety of leadership, talent management, and human resource topics through select articles and blog posts that I have written to help my subscribers improve performance in their organizations. In addition to this content, I always share… -
5 Ways to Keep "Accountability" From Becoming a Buzzword in Your Organization:
17 Nov 2009 | 7:45 pmI have noticed an interesting trend over the past year or so. It would seem that more and more attention is being paid to holding others accountable for their actions. Maybe the recent financial meltdown, corporate scandals, and the general abuse of public trust are responsible for this trend. Perhaps organizations are finally waking up to the dire need for accountability within their ranks... Whatever the case may be, you can't help but hear a lot more commentary in the media, on the web, and around the water cooler about holding others accountable. Heck, I'm even getting calls from sales... -
The Rainmaker 'Fab Five' Blog Picks of the Week
16 Nov 2009 | 7:13 amI like to start every week by pointing you to my choices for the top five talent management, leadership development, and human resource management blog posts from the past week. Below are my top five picks for the week of November 9th to the 15th, 2009. Enjoy! Dan Schwabel, Personal Branding Blog: 10 Personal Branding Prediction for 2010 - Curious what is in store for your personal brand in 2010? Head over to Dan's Personal Branding blog and take a look at his list of 10 predictions to get a leg up on the coming new year. While there, be... -
This Week's Featured Possibility Maximizer: Halogen Software's Raging Debates in HR
12 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pmEvery Friday I like to share with you a resource that I feel will help you to Maximize Possibility in your professional life and improve your performance at work. This week I've got an exciting new resource that I think you will really enjoy. Check it out! The Resource: Halogen Software's Raging Debates in HR What It Is: Raging Debates in HR is an interactive online forum where a highly respected collection of HR and Talent Management gurus weigh in on some of the hottest issues facing the industry today. The way it works is that a question is posed... -
The Rainmaker 'Fab Five' Blog Picks of the Week
9 Nov 2009 | 6:30 amWith all the great posts hitting the Blogosphere this past week on the topics of leadership development, talent management, and human resource management, I would like to point you to five blog posts that I consider to be the best of the best for the week of November 2nd through November 8th, 2009. Deb Owen, Beyond 8 Hours and a Lunch: You Can't Improve What You Don't Measure - Deb has a great post up about the importance of measuring performance and illustrates how you can add value to your organization by measuring what matters most. Jon Ingham's Strategic HCM...
-
Careersthatdontsuck.com
-
Also if you could improve cust…
20 Nov 2009 | 2:07 pmAlso if you could improve customer service in police stations Hearthis post Related PostsBe a millionaire. Create bette…@chicagoinfo lost my hot pink …Lost my bag in a cab in Chicag…Hot Job: MGR, HUMAN RESOURCES …Hot Job: Human Resources Gener… -
Be a millionaire. Create bette…
20 Nov 2009 | 2:05 pmBe a millionaire. Create better way to find lost bags in cabs. Hearthis post Related PostsAlso if you could improve cust…@chicagoinfo lost my hot pink …Lost my bag in a cab in Chicag…Hot Job: MGR, HUMAN RESOURCES …Hot Job: Human Resources Gener… -
@chicagoinfo lost my hot pink …
20 Nov 2009 | 1:57 pm@chicagoinfo lost my hot pink Swiss army carryon in a white cab in Chicago Hearthis post Related PostsAlso if you could improve cust…Be a millionaire. Create bette…Lost my bag in a cab in Chicag…Hot Job: MGR, HUMAN RESOURCES …Hot Job: Human Resources Gener… -
Lost my bag in a cab in Chicag…
20 Nov 2009 | 1:56 pmLost my bag in a cab in Chicago Hearthis post Related PostsAlso if you could improve cust…Be a millionaire. Create bette…@chicagoinfo lost my hot pink …Hot Job: MGR, HUMAN RESOURCES …Hot Job: Human Resources Gener… -
Hot Job: MGR, HUMAN RESOURCES …
20 Nov 2009 | 10:47 amHot Job: MGR, HUMAN RESOURCES at Printronix (Irvine, CA): MGR, HUMAN RESOURCESDepartmentHuman Resources.. http://bit.ly/2DMPa7 Hearthis post Related PostsAlso if you could improve cust…Be a millionaire. Create bette…@chicagoinfo lost my hot pink …Lost my bag in a cab in Chicag…Hot Job: Human Resources Gener…
-
Job Hacking
-
A story about finding a new job
17 Nov 2009 | 6:24 amA buddy of mine just accepted a new job. Hurray for him!He's a Dev Manager, and has been through this before, so he told his Supervisor that he had an offer on the table. His Supervisor had also been through similar before, and said, "So, are you done here, or can we do something to keep you?" My buddy said that he was not done, and laid out conditions that would make it worth his while to stay.His Supervisor then said, "O.K., let me see what I can put together for you, and I need to check in with HR." So, my buddy put on his waiting hat and returned to his work.A… -
Taking a grain of salt with layoff news
15 Nov 2009 | 9:53 amTechcrunch has an thought-provoking post about three firms which have just recently gone through lay-offs. They are: Microsoft RealNetworks Classmates More doom and gloom regarding the economy? Nah. Just companies which have internal problems or challenges with their current products (or both).Historically, job growth during an economic turn-around comes from new or small companies which are highly innovative and bringing new products to a market that may not yet exist. If you want good economic news about how our economy is rebuilding, look for newish companies bringing products to market… -
What's going to torture you in November?
4 Nov 2009 | 7:06 amPreparing for Thanksgiving Dinner? Having the in-laws stay over? How hard is this, I mean one day, two day tops, right?Here's my poison, should be F-U-N, FUN! -
Wonder if they'd believe it in Michigan?
3 Nov 2009 | 5:56 amInteresting graph, courtesy of Paul Krugman and the NYT.My mind goes to the nooks & crannies of the graph. How are the workers who used to make cars in the U.S. doing? Is the economic stimulus plan in China working, and if so, how have the workers creating the infrastructure faring in all this? What products are just about to be brought out into the world that will make our lives better? What longer-term behavioral shifts will we see in how people handle money, and assess risk?Finally, it's nice that it's going up and to the right, but my hunch is that it is about to flatten… -
6 Reasons why you need 100 megabit-per-second Internet service
1 Nov 2009 | 9:30 amFor as long as I can remember, I've been a technologist.But, I've not been necessarily good at communicating the future need. Actually, this is not my problem to own alone, it tends to be true for anybody who is selling the future without a picture or a demo.This does lead to funny conversations, though: Me on Email, ca 1985, "See, you can send a letter to people without using paper, or a stamp. And, they receive it immediately!" Mom's response, "But how would I send you a fun card for your birthday?" Me on streaming media, ca 1996, "You could watch all…
-
Polly Pearson's Blog
-
Quotables on Modern Management and Web 2.0
19 Nov 2009 | 11:13 amSome notable quotables from a presentation I was in this morning as they relate to workplace organizational models and the movement away from the industrial era norm of "Command and Control:""'Policies' are for the 1% who do bad things. 'Guidelines' are for the 99% of your adult workforce population."~~People have said to me, "I've worked my entire career to get to the top and tell people what to do. Now you're telling me to collaborate?!" [Visuals from an EMC presentation the organizational model shifts taking place… -
Two New Ways Social Networking Can Hurt / Help Your Career
16 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pmI see two new opportunities with regard to career management and social network participation emerging. One could hurt your career. The other could help.The story unfolds in an email exchange between two of my colleagues below (names and job opening removed to protect those who shared!). To jump to the chase, here are the two new ways:THE HURT:Even in Web 2.0 savvy companies, too much Tweeting is not a good thing. Today was the second instance I've heard of managers being freaked out by people with tsunami-esque tweeting habits. Of course, you could argue, it should all boil down to… -
Secret Competitive Weapon: "Employee Engagement and Trust" ... Really?
13 Nov 2009 | 1:55 pmAn industry analyst this week cited "Employee Engagement and Trust" among a certain successful company's top "Secret Weapons" in its competition against industry giants with mega brands.I'm sorry, what was that? How can sappy HR stuff be a competitive advantage or a key take away from a tech briefing for an industry analyst who is "one of the most recognized commentators on tech?"Because Employee Engagement and Trust is no longer the stuff of sappy HR folks. It is the stuff of wise business people.Gallup cites 25 - 29% of employees at any given… -
The 2.0'ing of Business Behavior
2 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pmWhen I share with people what I'm up to lately, my answers are often phrases like this: "Working on 2.0'ing EMC." "Building community and connections, aimed to better connect the people with the strategy." "Furthering the employment brand, and the EMC culture." Why? "Because people who feel engaged, respected, and connected build better relationships with customers and prospects, ... which furthers profit, revenue and shareholder value." "How can people salute the flag, if they don't even know the colors of the flag? (aka: How… -
A Tipping Point for "People" at Work?
30 Oct 2009 | 1:28 pmSomething is going on. I feel it. Business people, journalists and professors are suddenly eager to discuss -- for real -- "Employees" as "People." And I'm not talking about HR-focused execs. It is happening with, and among the BUSINESS LEADERS. You know, those folks who care about the sale, the customers, the EPS, the share price, and about public image. Why do I think this? Well, I couldn't help but notice the media, consultant, talent search, and author interest which continues to grow like snow on a windshield on a winter New England day. (Sorry about…
-
David Sandusky's Hire Educated
-
Executive Recruiting the Wyckoff Way on Your Brand Radio
10 Nov 2009 | 8:37 pmCLICK HERE for the 10/01/09 podcast with Luke Wyckoff on Blog Talk Radio Visit Your Brand Radio LIVE on Blog Talk Radio every Thursday at 4:00MTN Retained executive search is art and a science. At least the way Luke Wyckoff and his firm Wyckoff Consulting do it. The Science part is unique with a proprietary six-step Wyckoff Executive Search Tools™ (WEST) science to pinpoint precise behavioral, cultural, and competency matches. What is even more unique is Luke Wyckoff because as Your Brand Radio listeners know well, your business is not unique, but you Luke Wyckoff are! Invite your friends,… -
Recruiting and Retaining Brand Champions
15 Jul 2009 | 7:43 amHuman capital is an ongoing challenge in any economy. Recruiting and retaining the best is a game won by those with great awareness of culture and a process to attract the right people while maintaining a challenging and supportive environment to retain top talent. I can’t think of a better way to go about enjoying recruiting and retention success than learning what it means to recruit and retain brand champions as my friend and collaboration partner, Rex Whitman outlines so well in his AmEx Open Forum article. Posted in Interview, Personal Brand, Recruiting Tagged: culture brand,… -
Networking for CEOs
16 Jun 2009 | 1:56 pmC – level executives made it to the top for many reason and their network or networking is a significant part of the story. The challenge at the top is keeping the network fresh and being deliberate about scheduling time to connect with the connected. Adding value back to the connections along the way is critical as well. Many think that once at the top, executives no longer need to network. That is strategy for failure as the unemployed CFO will tell you when they seem to be network dry and starting over. Or worse, have a reputation for just showing up for “coffee” when… -
Complications of Personal Brand Simplified
18 Apr 2009 | 12:46 pmIn executive recruiting, my clients and/or associates would often describe a certain “kind” of person we need to be recruiting for a particular business plan and culture. Within industry or disciple that “kind” of person had a name. An example statement would be “Get me ’a’ Brett Godfrey“ Get me ‘a’ Brett Godfrey does not mean get me Brett Godfrey. There is a huge difference. The cost associated with Getting the CEO and co-founder of Virgin Blue including his bleeding heart passion for the company makes Brett rather… -
How to Gain Experience
30 Mar 2009 | 2:43 pmMany people are venturing into the unknown as you read this. New careers for people with little business experience to people with many years of the wrong experience as they kick down new doors of new industries. We hear daily from college students as they enter the “real world” with no experience that having no experience is challenging the ability to get past Human Resources. We hear from experienced professionals that they struggle getting seen at all because the resume does not have the “right” experience for the job opportunity. You know you can do…
-
THE MBTI BLOG
-
Using Assessments for Employee Development: They are The Starting Point not the Destination
13 Nov 2009 | 7:49 pmIt may be a shock to some of you, but I do not believe that assessments are the answer to all situations. I will wait for a moment while you process that earth-shattering reveal.Now, I clearly believe in the value of assessments, especially the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument. However, an assessment is just a piece of paper unless it is properly debriefed by a certified practitioner and then used by the recipient to better understand themselves and others. An assessment is not a crystal ball, nor will it tell you the meaning of life. I was reminded of this fact today when I met… -
"Shhhh....I'm an ISTJ. Don't tell."
5 Nov 2009 | 6:32 pmMyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioners will be the first to tell you that all personality types are created equal. There is no one best or worst personality type. And yet, even the most experienced type practitioners may admit that at times, they wish they had a different personality type. Do we just want what we don't have? Ladies, you will understand this analogy- if you have curly hair, what do you wish you had? Straight hair. If you have straight for, what do you spend hundreds of dollars trying to make your hair do? Be curly.I don't generally think there's a problem with type… -
The Obligatory Halloween-Themed Post- I'm Going as an ENFP This Year!
28 Oct 2009 | 10:46 pmAside from the fact that it's only 2 days until Halloween, and it's necessary for all bloggers to write a Halloween-themed post, I happen toLOVE Halloween. It is by far my favorite holiday.What's not to like? Dressing up as someone/something else? Randomly bugging neighbors you would normally never acknowledge? Getting to peek inside of your neighbors houses? FREE CANDY? The question of whether you will get a trick OR a treat? Wearing a mask so no one knows who you are? The ability to remain in character as long as you want? Making art out of vegetables? Watching "It's the Great Pumpkin,… -
Money, Money, Money, money, MONEY....and Type- a webinar.
19 Oct 2009 | 4:23 pmSorry...every time I talk about money I get "For the Love of Money" by The O'Jays in my head. Seriously, though, couldn't we all use a little bit of money advice these days?Well, the latest APT eChapter webinar talks about just that...The 8 Functions of MoneyUsing the Function Attitudes to Understand and Improve Your Money ManagementFacilitated by Ray Linder, MBA, Owner of Goodstewardship and APTi's Vice President of Finance TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. EDT/ 12:30 PDT PLEASE CHECK DAY for PACIFIC RIM TIME ZONES (www.timeanddate.com) Friday in NZ, AUS, HK The program: Money can wreak… -
Guest Blog Sharing an Activity for the FIRO-B or FIRO- Business instrument
7 Oct 2009 | 7:25 pmReaders have submitted questions over the past few months asking for new activities to help create those wonderful "a ha" moments during training. Specifically, one reader asked for help with the FIRO instrument. Because she is certified to administer the MBTI, she is also qualified to purchase and administer the FIRO-B and new FIRO Business tools.I've asked Sherrie Hayne, a consultant with CPP, to share one of her favorite FIRO activities, and she was kind enough to agree. Sherrie is a MBTI Master Practitioner and is also a MBTI Certification Trainer. She has had extensive experience…
-
TheJobBored
-
What Does It Mean When They Say They’re Still Interviewing Candidates?
18 Nov 2009 | 11:06 amHere’s a quick Ask Brian question that has been sitting in my inbox since last week. It’s a short question, but I think I have a short and possibly unpleasant answer. Here goes: A reader asks: What does it mean, a week after my interview they say they are still interviewing candidates? Brian sayz: Unfortunately, it probably doesn’t mean much good for you. Not to be too harsh here, but interviewing is like dating. When you’ve found the one, you kind of know it right away. The long and short of it is, if they thought you were the one, they probably wouldn’t be… -
Retiree Job Search Tips – Job Tips For Over-65 Job Seekers
27 Oct 2009 | 2:22 pmInteresting article in the New York Times regarding retiree job seekers and the special job search problems facing retirees and those over the age of 65. …In fact, there are more Americans 65 and older in the job market today than at any time in history, 6.6 million, compared with 4.1 million in 2001. Less well known, though, is that nearly half a million workers 65 and older want to work but cannot find a job — more than five times the level early this decade and this group’s highest unemployment level since the Great Depression. The unemployment rate for older Americans is still much… -
The Virtual Job Interview – Job Interviews Via Skype
20 Oct 2009 | 5:20 pmAn article in Time Magazine suggests that virtual job interviewing, via skype especially, is something jobseekers are seeing more and more of. This makes tons of sense to me. For out-of-town interviewing, the money savings alone are astronomical. But also, think about how this is more convenient for interviewer and interviewee alike. Less pressure, less procedure… possibly a greater chance of getting down to brass tacks. My tips for this sort of thing are pretty much along the lines of what the article suggests. You still want to dress up. You still want to be professional (send the… -
The Facebook Job Search – Or How To Find A Job Using Facebook
30 Sep 2009 | 9:18 amI’ve posted several times about how the idea of job search networking can seem nebulous and confusing to people. “Ok, I understand that I send in my resume and hopefully they call me for an interview. But how exactly do I network?” Hopefully you can see several practical strategies on how to network by reading this blog. And keep in mind the old saw of job search: Networking is BY FAR the most effective way to find a new job. For years we’ve told our clients, “Tell everyone you know… everyone… every friend you have, every person you meet on the… -
Ask Brian: How Long To Wait For Approval On A Vacation Request
29 Sep 2009 | 1:58 pmIf you have career or job search question you would like answered on this blog, click here to Ask Brian. D. asks: How long should one expect to wait to get approval on a vacation request? I have three weeks vacation and have only used two. Vacation request? This time of year? I think you’re reading your calender upside down! But, it seems my “how long to wait” answers are very popular. So… Brian has an answer after the jump… Brian Sayz: … Vacation request policy varies from employer to employer. If your employee manual does not spell out a requested lead…
-
Pongo Blog RSS - Pongo Resume
-
Job Seeker Q&A: Mom Looks for a Part-Time Career
19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amA 32-year-old mother was laid off a year ago from her job as a senior administrative assistant. In this post, she talks about some of the ups and downs of her job search, and what she s been doing while she tries to get back into the workforce. -
Should I Write My Resume in Past or Present Tense?
18 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmLet s talk about verb tenses: past, present, and future. Only two of these should ever be used on your resume, and future isn t one of them. How do you know what tense to use and when to use it? Find out in this blog post. -
3 Real Estate Tips That Will Get You Hired
17 Nov 2009 | 1:26 pmGetting a job is a lot like selling your house. You have to make a powerful first impression (curb appeal), you have to give off a fairly normal vibe (hide the weird stuff), and you have to make sure the employers knows there s something special about you (the wow factor). But in the end, it may just be gut instinct that matters most. -
LinkedIn Meets Twitter: What It Means for You
16 Nov 2009 | 7:15 amIf you believe in social networking s potential in helping your job search (and you should), then last week s announcement from LinkedIn and Twitter is welcome news. -
Treat Your Coworkers Like Dogs (Really!)
12 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amGot a coworker who gets under your skin and drives you crazy? Is the coworker weird, awkward, and just plain uncomfortable to be around? You can complain to your friends all you want, but it won t make things better. If the person is too thick-headed to take subtle hints, try the Cesar Millan method!
-
EmploymentMetrix.com
-
Capture the True Energy of the Philadelphia Marathon at the PhillyJobs.com Cheer Zone
19 Nov 2009 | 2:18 pmAre you planning to attend the Philadelphia Marathon on November 22nd? Well if you are, PhillyJobs.com will be sponsoring an interactive and fun-filled Cheer Zone at 21st and Chestnut Streets that you won't want to miss! This area is a... -
"Mobile is the Glue for Everything We Do"
12 Nov 2009 | 12:40 pmI recently stumbled across a quote that got me thinking about what a huge impact the mobile movement has made on the world. "Mobile is the glue for everything we do," said Oke Okaro, Vice President of ESPN Mobile. I... -
PhillyJobs.com Sponsors the Philadelphia Marathon
6 Nov 2009 | 6:07 amOne of Beyond.com’s premier career sites, PhillyJobs.com, will be sponsoring the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, November 22nd. On race day, PhillyJobs.com will be hosting a Cheer Zone at 21st and Chestnut Street in Philadelphia to support the marathon runners, pump... -
Deloitte Recognizes Beyond.com on National and Regional Award Lists
4 Nov 2009 | 2:06 pmBeyond.com has once again been ranked among Deloitte’s 2009 Greater Philadelphia Fast 50 and Technology Fast 500 award lists for the third consecutive year. The 2009 Greater Philadelphia Fast 50 is a ranking of the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications... -
Consumer Confidence and Corporate Momentum Will Ultimately Determine Economic Rebound
3 Nov 2009 | 10:23 amBeyond.com recently released its Third Quarter 2009 Career Trend Analysis Report, which revealed that Healthcare and Information Technology continue to add jobs at a steady pace, while industries in the professional services sector such as Finance and Engineering are still...
-
Great Leadership
-
How to Maximize Collaboration and Reach Consensus in Under an Hour
19 Nov 2009 | 2:57 pmIn my last post, I described 5 decision making options leaders can choose, depending on the amount of time allowed and input and buy-in needed.This post will describe a process a leader can use to help a group reach an efficient consensus decision.First of all, it’s important to define what’s meant by “consensus”.Here’s a definition that’s worked for me:“Consensus is a decision that every member of the group has had input to, understands, and is willing to support.”Note that consensus does not mean that everyone agrees with the decision 100%. It mean’s they’ve had their… -
5 Decision Making Options for Meeting Leaders
16 Nov 2009 | 5:04 pmLeaders often need to make hard decisions.Our current president recently said “by the time something reaches my desk, that means it’s really hard. Because if it were easy, somebody else would have made the decision and somebody else would have solved it. So typically, if something’s in my folder, it means that you’ve got some very big, difficult, sticky, contradictory issues to be wrestled with.”Yes, it can be lonely at the top. But it doesn’t always have to be. There are times when a leader may want to involve others in the decision making process.There are five ways a leader can… -
Should Leadership and Management Development be a National Priority?
12 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pmThanks to Adi Gaskell, from CMI and a regular Great Leadership reader and commenter, for bringing this November 10th press release to my attention. He says “It's been very popular here in the UK with the likes of the BBC and Daily Telegraph running stories on it. I think it could run well on your blog.”I did a Google news search and it looks like the U.S. press hasn’t picked up on it yet, so consider this breaking news. Might even be a first for Great Leadership. (-:Has the leadership “crisis” gotten so bad that we need to turn to the government for help? It apparently has in the… -
7 Elements of a Great Leadership Development Workshop
11 Nov 2009 | 4:08 pmWhenever I’m designing a leadership development workshop, I’m always aware of the cost of pulling 20 or so supervisors, managers, or executives away from their work for anywheres from 4 hours to 4 weeks. The biggest cost of any training program isn’t the instructors, travel, facilities, and food. It’s not even the salaries of the participants. The most significant cost, and often overlooked, is the lost opportunity cost. For every hour a manager, or salesperson, or programmer, spends in a classroom, that’s one hour of lost productivity. For executives, the opportunity cost is even… -
Getting Beyond Survive To Thrive At Work
8 Nov 2009 | 6:10 amGuest post by Eileen Habelow:According to Randstad’s 2009 World of Work survey, an alarming number of workers surveyed (83%) feel fortunate to have a job. Why do I say alarming?While this sentiment might simply be an expression of gratitude for some, I believe it is just as likely that this response reflects a distinct undertone of survival mentality – just grateful, just thankful, just fortunate.So, what is the impact of survival mentality? Survival mentality tends to put people into a defensive mode – a reactive and protective stance. When employees are in survival mode, they are…
-
The Accidental IT Leader
-
How Come You Don’t Know What Your IT Dream Job Is?
18 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pmImage Credit What Does Your IT Dream Job Look Like? Stop. I know that your normal day-to-day is crazy, you are overworked, underpaid and nobody really appreciates all of the fine things that you do. I get all that. My question for you is do you have any idea why you are doing what you are doing? What are you really working towards? If you don’t know, then perhaps now is the time to find out… What Is Your IT Dream Job? At the start of each year we all feel sorta guilty if we don’t come up with at least a few New Year’s resolutions. Generally these are quickly forgotten… -
IT Leaders Deal With The Three D’s: Death, Divorce, and Disease
11 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pmImage Credit You Never Know Who's Going To Come Knocking For Your Team... Bad things happen. Sometimes they are not all that bad – key employees leaving for example is bad, but not really all that “bad”. However, sometimes things really are bad: staff die or become seriously ill for long periods of time. What’s your plan for when this happens? What’s that, you don’t have a plan? You think that it’s the role of HR to take care of personal issues like this? Guess again… Hey Pollyanna, Why Don’t We Ever Plan For The Worst? You would think… -
The Answer Is 9, But Do You Know What The Question Is?
4 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pmImage Credit Your Technical Skills Aren't Going To Get You Your Next Promotion... What is it going to take for you to get promoted? What set of skills as an IT Leader do you need to develop in order to have any chance at moving up to the next level? If you don’t know what you need to know, then how is that promotion going to happen? It turns out that once upon a time that the oldest man in the IT department at my company sat me down and explained to me what it was going to take to move up in my IT department. Now I’ll pass that information on to you. The Oldest Man In IT Ah,… -
It Takes A Village To Innovate Like An IT Department
28 Oct 2009 | 9:01 pmInnovation In An IT Department Is Not Done Alone So IT Leader, what are you going to do about boosting the innovation within your team? Your hands are tied when it comes to giving out raises – not that money really helps innovation. You don’t have any spots to offer promotions into because the company has adopted a “flat” organizational structure. Oh, and all of your workers are running around afraid that they might lose their jobs any day now. Good luck with making innovation happen here! It’s All About Words Sure we read about big “innovation… -
Is Your Body Secretly Sabotaging Your IT Job Interviews?
21 Oct 2009 | 9:01 pmDon't Let Your Body Language Let The Interviewer See You As A Dog (c) - 2009 Times are tough all over and a lot of IT Leaders are out pounding the pavement looking for their next position. For some of you it may have been a long time since you last had to do an interview – you are much more used to being on the other side of the table doing the interviewing. Well guess what – no matter how well you prepare, your best efforts may be undone by what your body is secretly telling the interviewer… Why They Didn’t Call You Back I can’t even begin to tell you how…
-
Mary Elizabeth Bradford - The Career Artisan
-
Free Resume Critiques: Job Seekers Beware
19 Nov 2009 | 12:07 pmJob seekers beware. Inside the career services industry there has been a lot of negative rumblings about The Ladders…a paid job board that gives “free resume critiques” infamous for trashing even well written resumes and charging top dollar to “rewrite it for you”. Now there is a new black sheep (Fox?) on the block: Jobfox.com. Same game, same scam and same advice… I feel there is something especially shameful about preying on job seekers who are just trying to discern the next best moves for themselves – trying to make sure their resume is doing its… -
You ARE In Control …. A Tale of Two Job Seekers
11 Nov 2009 | 11:58 amDave was an attorney with a big law firm. His dream was to move into a corporate counsel role with a big corporation. When he first hired me to write his resume and coach him, he spent a lot of time telling me about how underappreciated he was at his current firm. When we would brainstorm ideas on how he could transition into his chosen industry, he constantly repeated that he “already tried that.” In fact, Dave spent a lot of time shooting down most ideas I knew would help him tremendously. When we talked about job search strategies, he shared with me that he didn’t have any time. -
An Easier Way To Find A Job In Texas
22 Oct 2009 | 7:14 amAh! What a refreshing post by Mark Hovind President of Jobbait.com on CareerHub. He outlines 190 growing markets in Texas and suggests what smart job seekers do…identify market growth then simply penetrate that market. Here are some growing markets for Texas: San Antonio had 17 Hot Spots including Food and Beverage Stores Credit Intermediation and Related Activities Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Austin had 15 Hot Spots including Finance and Insurance Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Accommodation and Food Services you can read the entire post here. -
Do You Need a Job Search Coach?
8 Oct 2009 | 10:51 amI recently returned to Total Picture Radio to be interviewed by Peter Clayton on this topic. You can listen to the entire 30-minute interview here: http://www.totalpicture.com/shows/career-transition/job-loss-can-a-career-coach-help.html -
Ensure a Good Future In The Insurance Industry
30 Sep 2009 | 12:56 pmSource: CareerProNews What would happen if the sewer system in your town backed up and your home was covered with a foot of muck? Or what if someone snipped through your lock and rode off with your bike? Thanks to the insurance industry, you probably wouldn’t have much to worry about. Insurance is designed to cover these types of losses. The insurance industry is huge. Doctors, lawyers, actuaries, computer experts and public speakers are just a few of the talented individuals who come together to make the industry tick. No matter what your skills are, the insurance industry is a viable…
-
Women For Hire
-
Tory on Boomers: Tough in a Rough Economy
20 Nov 2009 | 11:19 amWomen For Hire CEO Tory Johnson is impressed by how baby boomers have dealt with the recession: they won't give up. "With the 20- and 30-somethings, the attitude is, ‘No one is hiring, what’s the point of going to a job fair?’ ” Tory tells The New York Times. “With the boomers, it’s, ‘Even if there’s one job, I’ll try.’ ” -
New Hair Tests Spot Drug Use at Work
20 Nov 2009 | 6:50 amNewer workplace drug tests using hair samples reveal 10 times as many job applicants and employees taking cocaine and methamphetamine than had been found in urine tests. Quest Diagnostics hair data for the first time shows that in the first half of 2009 cocaine was found in three of every 1,000 urine tests performed on job applicants and employees, whereas hair testing found cocaine in 32 of 1,000. For every 1,000 tests, methamphetamine showed up once in urine and nine times in hair. But overall since 1988, drug use in the workplace is down sharply. USA TODAY. -
Big Brother Watching at Work? Not so fast
19 Nov 2009 | 1:24 pmIn past years, courts showed sympathy for corporations that monitored personal email accounts accessed over corporate computer networks. Generally, judges treated corporate computers, and anything on them, as company property. But now, courts are increasingly taking into account whether employers have explicitly described how email is monitored to their employees, The Wall Street Journal reports. -
Raises on the Rise?
19 Nov 2009 | 7:30 amMany employers are planning to reinstate merit increases in 2010, The Wall Street Journal reports. But some experts say base salaries are unlikely to return to pre-recession levels anytime soon. Of 555 large U.S. employers polled in October, 83% said they will give out raises next year, while only about half did so in 2009, reports Lincolnshire, Ill.-based Hewitt Associates Inc. None anticipate pay reductions next year, after 10% cut salaries in 2009. -
Holiday Jobs: Get in Line
19 Nov 2009 | 7:18 amWith the unemployment rate hovering at 10% and with already employed people looking to make money by taking second jobs, competition for retail, movie theater, package-delivery and other holiday posts is fierce, USA TODAY reports.
-
CAREEREALISM: Because EVERY Job is Temporary
-
T.A.P. Q#382 – Is It Possible for Company to Offer Raise If I Mention I’m Leaving?
20 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pmDear Experts, My company is underpaying, other peers are getting new jobs at much higher salaries, and my boss is getting really worried and personally asking employees if they are happy or not. I’m happy with the job but I’m underpaid and need a raise. I’m looking for other jobs but it’s only because of the low pay. I’m considering telling the company I’m looking so they get worried I’ll leave and offer me a raise. Is this a smart idea? CLICK HERE to see how experts answered this question on Twitter. Got a career question you’d like answered? -
T.A.P. Q#381 – Best Tip For Making Great 1st Impression on Interview?Q
20 Nov 2009 | 5:38 amDear Experts, What’s your single best tip for making a great first impression on an interview? CLICK HERE to see how experts answered this question on Twitter. Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question). Technorati Tags: career advice, career expert, career question, first impression, interview, T.A.P. (Twitter Advice Project) -
Got MBA to Hammer Nails
19 Nov 2009 | 9:40 pmBy CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Joshua Waldman I recently had an interesting conversation with a small business owner, who I met via LinkedIn. I had put out some feelers to see if laid-off people would be willing to share their stories with me. Will Martin wrote me back with his story. It is a story of finding your dream and of turning a bad situation into a good one. And I’d like to share it with you. Started Out On A Fast-track Will was an architect for a company that was getting ready to grow. The owners were grooming him to take a management position, and perhaps even one day, take… -
T.A.P. Q#380 – How Do I Shield the Nerves Before an Interview?
19 Nov 2009 | 12:57 pmDear Experts, I always feel nervous and have a sense of panic prior to/during interviews. How do I conquer these feelings? CLICK HERE to see how experts answered this question on Twitter. Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question). Technorati Tags: career advice, career expert, career question, emotion, feeling, interview, nerves, panic, T.A.P. (Twitter Advice Project) -
T.A.P. Q#379 – New Recruiter Black-listed Me
19 Nov 2009 | 6:20 amDear Experts, I was working with a headhunter on a job that I was a fit for. Suddenly, he stopped returning my calls and a new recruiter from the same firm contacted me to say he was now in charge of the job and the account. I thought he was very rude and unprofessional, so I turned down the interview. He said I was being unprofessional and ‘burning a bridge.’ Since then another job has come up at this same firm and I applied. I got an e-mail from the old recruiter saying I wasn’t a fit, but it was attached to an e-mail further down which was from the recruiter I clashed…
-
CIO.com - Hiring
-
New H-1B Hiring Bill Takes Aim At Tech Firms
19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmTwo U.S. Senators have proposed legislation that would bar any firm which lays off 50 or more workers from hiring guest workers holding H-1B visas. -
IT Hiring: How Thomson Reuters' CIO Identifies Cultural Fit
9 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmKelli Crane, senior vice president and CIO of Thomson Reuters, shares her hiring practices and interviewing techniques in this final Q&A in CIO.com's series, The Hiring Manager Interviews. -
IT Jobs Market Sees Tiny Upturn
3 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmThe IT jobs market experienced a small upturn in October, according to a survey of recruitment specialists. -
Career Watch: a Cautious Outlook for Hiring
1 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmExpect new hiring in the technology sector to be cautious for the rest of the year, says Robert Half Technology, whose IT Hiring Index and Skills Report for the fourth quarter shows that 6% of CIOs surveyed expect to expand their IT teams, while 6% are planning staff reductions. -
High-Tech Hardware Spending Returns, No Help for IT Jobs
29 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pmIT decision makers will be investing in hardware in the coming six months, but high-tech executives say staffing levels will remain flat.
-
Spin Strategy™ - Tools for Intelligent Job Search
-
Tim's 5 Thoughts On Negotiating A Job Offer
19 Nov 2009 | 7:20 amReading the title of this post may bring a couple of reactions. An offer feels like a far away concept right now. How did Tim know I was looking at an offer? Negotiating? In this economy, is that even possible? But the reality is that at some point you will get one. And, of course, you need to be ready. Now earlier here on the blog I created a tool for you. It is called SideBySide. This tool is designed to help you EVALUATE a job offer. To look at it objectively when you may be in the least objective position (i.e. ready for this job search to end and open to anything that will… -
Taking A Productive Day Off During Job Search
12 Nov 2009 | 6:51 amAs job seekers, it is easy to get a bit full of ourselves. Not so much in an arrogant way. We just get caught up.For good reason, our lives transform into a very self-directed effort. And the timing is right. No one is going to blame you. Because they know that this focus is part of the process of finding work.But it also can be too much. It can cause you to become selfish, obsessive and often lose perspective.So here's a simple idea to help break you out of this cycle in job search.For one day, take the focus completely off your search. And focus it on the needs of your… -
Networking Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
10 Nov 2009 | 10:26 pmSome see networking as a chore. Others see it as a waste of time. A huge mass of social blather that leads to nothing. Those people get frustrated and get stuck in their job search.They haven't yet figured out that networking is now a lifelong opportunity. An opportunity to build out your influence in the world. And to reach more people that might need your help at the same time.For those who see socializing, I see relationship building. Research. To understand what your network needs from you.And its not about job search anymore. Although that is how most of us will gain… -
Job Seeker: 10 Things I Know About You
9 Nov 2009 | 7:17 amIf you are currently looking for work or have been in transition before, I know a few things about you. You are part of a vital crowd that has been through something difficult to get somewhere important and necessary. And you are better for having been through it.You see this process of job search changes you for the better. It pushes you to learn at a time in life when you may not actually want to do so. But you have to learn. Because you have been thrust into a situation that demands it.And even if you and I did not go through job search together. If we did it at another time or… -
Is Lack Of Focus Dragging Your Resume Down?
6 Nov 2009 | 4:42 pmThis is a guest post by Jessica Holbrook.How many of you can honestly say you know exactly what you want to be when you grow up? Maybe you already have it figured out, and maybe you are already living and working it. If you are, does your resume know that? I work with clients every day and speak to hundreds of job seekers every week that have no idea what they want to do. I ask “Well, what do you want to do?” Then I receive the blanket “I just need to feed my family” or “I just need a job – I don’t care what it is.” I understand the current market and economy, but folks no…
-
Talent Insights Blog
-
Webinar: Engage Gen Y with Social Media
6 Nov 2009 | 11:42 amI am so pleased to be hosting an upcoming webinar called “Engage Gen Y with Social Media” with my two co-presenters Kim Allenbach from Verizon Wireless and Carrie Dulay from Accenture. We’re all been adding social media strategies to our recruiting practices to brand, attract and interact with Gen Y. Below are details of the webinar, I hope you can join us! Webinar Invite In 2010, those who set a clear social media strategy and leverage new channels effectively will build robust talent pipelines for their organizations. On Thursday, November 19th at 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST,… -
Gen Y Savvy at Job Search, Craves More Info, Still Values Email
4 Nov 2009 | 12:34 pmSearching job listings is a core part of every career exploration process, so we set out to learn how Gen Y conducts their job search to help employers recruit them better. For starters, the top resources Gen Y turns to for opportunities are company websites (73%), university or alumni career centers (70%), career fairs or events (69%) and job board sites (60%). Students tend to use career fairs and university career centers, while alumni rely more on company web sites and job boards. To narrow their online job searches, Gen Y typically uses two to three criteria , most often job function… -
Securing Entry-Level Employment in Tight Times
28 Oct 2009 | 11:50 amThe turbulent 2009 economy has not deterred college students and recent grads from pursuing their goals. In its fifth year running, the results of our annual Placement Survey shed light on some of the employment trends surrounding the Class of ‘09 and their plans for the real world. More than 630 Gen Y’ers completed the 2009 Placement Survey (dubbed “Share Your Success with Experience”) between the beginning of June and the end of September, and 63% of respondents said “yes” when asked if they were on their intended career path. At nearly two-thirds in the middle of a recession,… -
Raytheon at the Forefront in Social Media Recruiting
7 Oct 2009 | 10:49 amRaytheon has jumped full bore into social media this year with two Twitter accounts @Raytheon_Jobs (experienced hiring) and @RTNCollegeJobs (college hiring). This innovative initiative was spearheaded by Jeff Goodman, Talent Acquisition Manager at Raytheon. With over 2,000 followers, they are now one of the leading companies using Twitter to drive interested candidates directly to their employment web site. Their goal is to brand Raytheon and to engage candidates in conversations and then leverage those conversations into applications. Having posted 600+ jobs, they are able to track… -
Social Media Recruiting - Next Wave in Gen Y Talent Acquisition?
6 Oct 2009 | 1:20 pmIn the Gen Y space, social media recruiting (aka facebook, twitter etc) comes up in just about every conversation we have with recruiters these days. It seems everyone, I mean everyone, is jumping on the bandwagon. As a new media company that strives to connect employers with Gen Y talent using innovative methods, we just had to find out for ourselves. For starters, we polled our audience and found out that most Gen Y still rely on school resources, job boards and company web sites to find out about open positions (our survey runs until mid-Oct so these results are preliminary; stay tuned!) .
-
Lindsay Olson
-
How Social Media Savvy Are You?
19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amThis is a guest post by Alison Kenney. It seems that every job description and prospective client wants to work with a PR pro who is social media savvy. Interestingly, this can mean different things to different people. At the extremes it could mean the difference between someone who thinks they are savvy about social media because they actively participate on Twitter and Facebook and someone who integrates, implements and measures SEO in all PR and business communications. Demonstrate your social media savvy-ness by being prepared to answer the following types of questions: How… -
Building an Online PR Network
17 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amThis is a guest post by Alison Kenney. Whether you’re looking for a job in PR or just interested in expanding your professional network in the industry, you’ve surely explored social media and online networking. Social media differs from traditional media in a number of ways. It can be professionally produced (e.g. by paid journalists) or can come from anyone with access to internet connection; it can appear instantly and you can interact with the author and other viewers (e.g. by leaving comments or simply sharing/voting on it). Participating in social media, including blogs, wikis,… -
Federal COBRA Subsidy News
16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amThis is a guest post by Nate Purpura. Most people who’ve lost a job in the last year probably already know about the federal subsidy for COBRA health insurance benefits that was signed into law back in February of this year. The subsidy covered 65% of your COBRA premiums for 9 months. What folks may not know is that the subsidy is set to end on November 30, for anyone who started receiving it in March. Started in April, end in December; started in May, end in January; and so on. I have good news for anyone on the subsidy. A bill in the House of Representatives (HR 3930) would extend the… -
Finding and Applying for PR Internships with Scholarships
12 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amThis is a guest post by Rachel M. Esterline. This past summer I had the opportunity to intern with Fahlgren Mortine, a public relations agency in Columbus, Ohio, rated in the top-100 agencies by PR Week. As their 2009 Founder’s Award winner, I was given a paid internship and a $1,500 scholarship. How did I get so lucky? Research, hard work and an intensive interview process. Finding a good internship that pays is tough. But finding one that gives you both experience and a scholarship is even harder. Once you find that internship, you may be competing against hundreds of other applicants. -
Pay it Back, Pay it Forward – A Moral Imperative
10 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amThis is a guest post by Gerry Corbett. More than 100 people have sought advice from me in just the last six months on topics ranging from cold calling, search techniques, bad bosses, jumping ship, jumping fences, compelling resumes, coaching references, and building networks. I have seen or heard the good bad and the downright ugly. Consistently what strikes me as I look back is the lack of knowing or understanding “the art of doing well by doing good.” I am talking about paying it back and paying it forward. While it may be a generalization, so many of the “gainfully employed”…
-
CareerSolvers
-
#Job Search Tweet-140 Job Search Nuggets
18 Nov 2009 | 11:17 amI’m excited to announce that my second book, #JobSearchTweet will be released shortly. The book delivers 140 tweet-like tips on just about every aspect of job search. It’s a book that you can read quickly but continue to reference for the duration of your career. Resumes, cover letters, thank you letters, references, recruiters, networking, social media, interviewing, and salary negotiation are all addressed. Here’s a sneak peak at a few of the tweets. When writing a resume, include graduation dates; omitting them raises suspicion and calls more attention to the very thing… -
Job Search and the Art of Defying Gravity
16 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pmMy daughter is addicted to the musical comedy Glee and I’ve started to become a fan myself. Last week, two students on the show competed in the school’s first “Diva-off” and the competition required that they sing the song Defying Gravity from the Broadway show Wicked. Since watching the show, I can’t seem to get the song out of my head and I’ve been thinking about the importance of defying gravity in a job search ever since. I think that everyone who is in a job search has to defy gravity in order to gain traction, particularly in a competitive job market… -
How to Handle “Inappropriate” Interview Questions
13 Nov 2009 | 5:25 pmLast night on Larry King Live, ex-beauty queen Carrie Prejean called Larry King “inappropriate” after being questioned as to why she dropped her claims of libel, slander, and religious discrimination against the Miss USA pageant. Ms. Prejean seems to have agreed to go on the show assuming her agenda, which focused on promoting her book, would be followed and neglected to take the interviewer’s agenda, uncovering new details about why she dropped her claims, into account. It seems to me that Prejean committed a fatal interview faux pas which was to become defensive about… -
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Your Job Search
12 Nov 2009 | 12:11 pmLinkedIn and Twitter recently announced a partnership that will enable users to simultaneously update their status on both platforms. Doing so can help amplify your message to your followers and real-time search engines. LinkedIn and Twitter have billed the new interface as two great tastes that taste great together. And I think this move is a sweet deal for job seekers as well. By using both platforms on a regular basis, job seekers can improve their visibility and create efficiencies in their online search strategy. So what better way to celebrate than to tweet some tips to help job seekers… -
Age Discrimination and Job Search: Who Made the Rules and How Can You Compete?
11 Nov 2009 | 10:35 amI don’t think about my age too much. People often tell me that I look younger than I am so I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to look older, not younger. But recently, four events occurred within the same day that forced me to think about age and the perception that age can create. I saw a lead that a major magazine was offering a job search makeover for women between 25 and 45 years old…I did the math and realized that if I had been interested, I wouldn’t be eligible. A colleague posted on Facebook that he was celebrating his 35th birthday. I commented back that…
-
Modite by Rebecca Thorman
-
How happy are the congressional districts?
17 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amThe happiest districts are among the most affluent in the nation. Six of the top 10 are affluent and physically magnificent California communities. The least happy districts are mainly places of extreme disadvantage, inner-city neighborhoods in Detroit, Cleveland, South Philly, the Bronx, or Appalachia. There are a couple of slight anomalies – wealthy Grosse Point, Michigan, is lumped together with poor inner-city Detroit neighborhoods (wonder why that would be?), and given the devastation of greater Detroit it’s not surprising that even the rich would be less happy then elsewhere. And… -
Embrace white space
16 Nov 2009 | 6:43 amThe same concept of using “white space” can be applied to our careers. As young professionals, it’s so easy to open our mouths as a way to overcompensate for our lack of experience or to fill the silence with rhetoric. Consider your favorite leaders: they choose their words carefully. Sometimes they nod and think rather than speak. Great public speakers have learned to master (and rely on) white space. Via Ms. Career Girl. -
“Dating” Other Couples
15 Nov 2009 | 7:38 amphoto via WeHeartIt. As all my friends have coupled up, life is dramatically different. In short, my girlfriends and I got a little boring, we rarely have girls’ nights anymore and worse yet, they went and chose partners that aren’t all that compatible with my boyfriend and I. Sometimes it’s awkward to hang out with other couples and Ryan and I have only found a few couples that we genuinely enjoy going on a night on the town with. The dynamics are complicated. The females need to get along and the males need to get along so that even though you’re going out as a… -
Dog or SUV?
13 Nov 2009 | 7:12 amI don’t own an SUV or a dog, but I would love a dog if I had a dog-walker for the Winter months… I was surprised to learn that a dog could be just as bad an SUV according to some new research. Either way, SUVs still suck. New Scientist took a look at the relative carbon impact of owning a dog (or cat, or hamster) and owning an SUV like a Toyota Land Cruiser. The results, plotted in the chart above, may surprise you. Take a look at the original article to see if you agree with the methodology, or if you can even put an environmental price on your furkid. Via Good Magazine. -
Get a prenup for your marriage
11 Nov 2009 | 8:49 pmphoto via WeHeartIt. Marie McKinney argues: Prenups at face value seem to fly in the face of pretty much everything a marriage stands for. Prenuptial agreements seem to say “I promise to love you forever… but when that doesn’t work out I want $500,000 for every year we were married” … What I’m trying to say is that we don’t like the idea of prenups because they suggest a lack of faith in the marriage when the marriage contract itself seems to have little to no faith in the marriage either. I actually think prenups suggest some maturity in communication. If you can…
-
Secrets of the Job Hunt
-
How to Create the Perfect Resume Profile
20 Nov 2009 | 3:42 pm#3 of The Big Three: The Top Three Elements Every Resume MUST Have But Very Few Do!! The job search can be frustrating, no doubt about it. Often, it seems out of your control. But there is good news! You have more control than you think... ...over how you are perceived by recruiters, employers, human resource personnel and those with whom you network. That's because they forge a perception of you based on the information you choose to present in your resume and cover letter. Every fact, date, job title and organization name you choose to include contributes to that perception. Every skill,… -
Warning: long-term side effects of recession may include…
20 Nov 2009 | 8:41 amby Jeff Dickey-Chasins for OnlineRecruitingNews.com As the recession begins to wane, it’s a good time to assess what effects it has had on the relationship between employers and employees. Why? These changes will continue to reverberate over the coming years and affect how recruiting and hiring is conducted, what technologies and approaches are used in finding candidates, and which resources are brought to bear in retaining top talent. A case of two perceptions Per this recent report from Human Capital Institute and Monster, 84% of employers feel that their employees are loyal and content… -
Navigating Your Job Search Through the Recession
20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amReposted from CareerAlley "But still they lead me back to the long winding road" - Lennon/McCartney Sometimes it does feel like a long and winding road and I'm sure you're thinking "just my luck to be looking for a job in the worst job market since the Great Depression". Regardless of how long and winding the road may be, you need to ensure you are on the right road (to a job that is). But as bad as it is, there are jobs out there if your know how to navigate the winding road. So, how do you navigate? You need to have a road-map, a timeline as well as a marketing plan. Don't be afraid to… -
GE bringing IT jobs to Michigan!
19 Nov 2009 | 5:50 amAs we all know Michigan is a state that really NEEDS jobs. Hats off to GE for announcing their new tech center for Van Buren Township. Its expected to bring 1100 jobs over the next few years. In this audio jobcast you'll hear all about this new venture. -
RISK: What the ancient Romans can teach you about career change
18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pmBy CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Melissa C. Martin have you ever felt those demonic thoughts that swirl in our inner sanctum and resist giving way to the one thing that humans patently avoid…..changing their comfort zone? That is your risk zone. Stepping out of the comfort zone. Our inner temptations to make that change, even one small change, as we say in solution-focused interviewing and counseling, need a guiding force. Pay attention to those inner tempations! Even if it means confronting the status quo! ( A useful Latin phrase which we still use for the appropriate occasion!) Quite…
-
Heymarci.com » The Heymarci Blog
-
How to Deal with Post-Conference Overload
13 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amLast week I returned from a conference, which put me into my usual state of post-conference overload. My bag was busting with business cards; the conference agenda and my notebook were filled with notes I must have thought important at the time I scribbled them; and a tsunami of to-dos had landed on my desk and in my inbox. I spent my first day back trying to processing what I learned at the conference while muddling through the rest of my work. I started thinking about what I’d tell myself if I wanted to make the most out of my conference experience. Here’s what I came up with:… -
The Secret to Good Introductions
12 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amAs a congenital connector, I make introductions all the time. Usually I have good results. I’ve had an uncountable number of successful career matches and even ignited a few romances (one of which resulted in a strong marriage.) But sometimes I mess up and when I do, it usually boils down to one thing: I made an introduction where I thought two people would want to meet, or accepted a request from someone to get an introduction to someone else, but in the end both people weren’t interested in the introduction. Fred Wilson, a venture capitalist who writes the excellent blog A VC,… -
Choosing good work instead of good exits from work
2 Nov 2009 | 9:35 pmWe’re used to a familiar path of life. You get educated. You work. And by the time you enter mid-life you probably juggle a few things. You still work. Maybe you have a family. You take care of your aging parents. At some point, you retire. And then what? Years ago, when retirement was pegged at 65, retirement consisted of a decade or so of idle recreation. But now if retired at 65, your retirement years might last another twenty-five years. But what if that were all flipped on its head? What if, instead, you studied throughout your life and only settled into your true career somewhere… -
How to survive a bad boss
31 Oct 2009 | 8:51 amTo mangle Tolstoy, good bosses are all alike. They are good mentors; they care about your happiness and advancement; their interests seem aligned with your own. Bad bosses, on the other hand, come in many flavors. And a new book, “Working for You Isn’t Working for Me,” by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster, provides a field guide to the many species of bad boss. There’s the “checked out” boss (can these really survive in this kind of job market?), the “rule changer” (who tells you to take a lunch break then seems surprised you’re not at… -
How to work a conference, even before it starts
28 Oct 2009 | 7:18 amYou know the feeling. You sign up for a conference, scan the list of panels and keynotes trying to find out which you’ll go to, which you’ll snooze through, and when you’ll escape for some alone time or a workout. But how often do you have a strategy for meeting the few people you are really hoping to meet? You know, the ones who have a crowd of people surrounding them and then zip off for a pre-arranged coffee date with some other person who looks important. Basically, how do you become the kind of person who has those pre-arranged coffee dates (or at least a good shot at…
-
Corporate Warriors
-
Building an Internet Presence: A Story of Failure and a Story of Vision
26 Oct 2009 | 12:31 pmWOW, I have gotten some great stories, feedback and questions on my last post titled: Today’s Executive, Tomorrow’s Walmart Greeter. Building a world class presence on the internet is not easy. It embodies numerous elements that few people understand. Developing an authority blog is just one small piece of the total puzzle, but it is a key component. You can have a 12-year old build a blog for you, but driving traffic and building a community is an extraordinary challenge. In subsequent posts, we will touch on other issues in… -
Today's Executive -- Tomorrow's Walmart Greeter
7 Oct 2009 | 1:23 pmOk, perhaps my view into the future is a little harsh, but it got your attention. And there is definitely a grain of truth in it. This post is a continuation of my dialogue on the challenges that executives face. The last three posts generated numerous personal emails from executives seeking new positions, as well as from recruiters, HR leaders and career strategists. What is fascinating, and at the same time unfortunate, is that the overwhelming number of executives in the market still “don’t get it.” I am not certain why, but what… -
EMERGENCY ALERT: Many Executive Careers Will Be Coming to An Abrupt End
1 Oct 2009 | 3:55 pmWOW, sounds like a hurricane warning. Maybe a Fox News Alert announcing impending doom. But trust me, this is real. I have been in the leadership development arena for 18 years, and I have never seen anything like what is currently going on in the marketplace. Regardless of your corporate position, whether you are currently a CEO or an emerging executive, you could find yourself without a career if you fail to heed my warning. I realize I have been hammering this in my blog over the past couple of weeks—but it is of such paramount importance I cannot emphasize it… -
Executives Should Think Like Teenagers to Drive their Careers or Lead Organizations
25 Sep 2009 | 10:35 pmWhen I was a college professor, I used to conduct creativity exercises with students, focus groups, and corporate leadership teams. The exercise was simple. I held up a paper click to the group. I asked the participants to write down as many uses for the paperclip that they could possibly think of in a period of two minutes. Two rules: 1. quantity was more important then quality and 2. don’t judge the merit of your idea. -
Paralysis by Analysis: The Challenge of Going from Being an Analytical to a Visionary Leader
16 Sep 2009 | 9:15 pmAnalytical thinkers represent a resource and value that is truly extraordinary to our society. They encompass a wide variety of careers from accountants to auditors to actuaries to programmers to market research statisticians to research scientists and many others. Their contributions to our society are priceless from sophisticated software programs to wonder drugs. Every day we enjoy the benefits they have created without ever realizing where they came from. As a career strategist, I never cease to admire their intelligence and focus. When an analytical wants me to…
-
Take Note (Internship Ratings)
-
So You Want to Go to Law School?
27 Oct 2009 | 7:23 amBrian K. Bokor Attorney Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP If America is a melting pot, law school is the stew. Law school students come from every walk of life and for good reason: there is a not a set path that law school admission offices seem to prefer when considering an application. However, most law school students have a background in history, English, political science or business. If you are majoring in one of these, you likely have already considered law school. If you are not majoring in one of these, don’t fret - you are just as likely a candidate for a career in law. When is… -
How your Twitter account may be undermining your internship search
6 Oct 2009 | 6:44 amBy Dan Klamm Outreach & Marketing Coordinator Syracuse University Career Services As a Career Services professional at Syracuse University, I work with lots of intelligent, creative, capable students who would make wonderful interns at a variety of organizations. They come to me seeking to strengthen their resume, tailor their cover letter, or formulate the perfect response to “What is your biggest weakness?”…yet sometimes they undermine all of this hard work with the content of their online social network profiles. When I tell students that many employers… -
Interns Who Make The Grade
22 Sep 2009 | 8:00 amBy Nancy Sterling Senior VP, Strategic Communications ML Strategies What attributes does a great intern possess and what pitfalls can he/she easily avoid? I have experienced internships from all angles. At Boston College, I was a teaching assistant to the Chairman of the Communications Department which meant that I had a voice in internship assignments. Then I was an intern myself, first at the NBC station in Boston and then at its ABC counterpart. I never would have been offered my first job in television, right out of college, if I had not had that experience. At the latter job, I… -
Internship Advice From an Entrepreneur
15 Sep 2009 | 11:18 amBy Ian Spector Entrepreneur and Bestselling Author IanJSpector.com Always take advantage of your situation. If you like where you’re at and might want to work there again, get to know the fully-employed people you work with, get to know their boss, get to know their boss’ boss if you can. If you do good work, and that’s the underlying assumption for all of this, these people will want to work with you again! Ask them questions, get deeply engaged with the work you’re assigned. Be (appropriately) fanatical. Impressive dedication to your work will make a long-lasting… -
An Intern Perspective
7 Sep 2009 | 7:34 pmBy Aviya Slutzky International Relations Major Tufts University 2010 @aslutzk Just a few months ago, I thought a PR person was the stereotypical short-blonde-go-getter-party-thrower. It was easy to confuse publicist with public relations and assume any publicity was good publicity. Despite those negative stereotypes, I decided to intern at a top PR firm this summer – DKC. And with the summer coming to an end, all prior misconceptions have been thrown out the window. I am finishing my internship at DKC and I am hungry for more. One of the reasons I decided to intern at DKC was my curiosity…
-
Total Picture Radio
-
Onboarding Experts Series #8 David Lee On the Emotional Side
19 Nov 2009 | 5:54 amWelcome to a special Inside Recruiting Channel edition of Total Picture Radio, with Peter Clayton reporting. When George Bradt and Mary Vonnegut set out to write Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time (affiliate link to Amazon.com), they invited a select group of experts to share their knowledge in the onboarding process. In this special series here on Total Picture Radio, we'll be interviewing, in depth, the individuals chosen by the authors to contribute their experience, expertise, and perspective. The Experts Series -- Onboarding is sponsored by… -
Onboarding Experts Series # 7 - George Selix - Designing an Interactive Learning Environment
17 Nov 2009 | 9:34 amAs Senior Director, Worldwide Employee Learning and Development at Sun Microsystems, George Selix lead a cross-disciplinary world-wide learning and talent development team responsible for Onboarding and new hire program development. While at Sun, he was in charge of building an interactive learning environment that taps into learning, books, videos, blogs, and third-party resources. Welcome to a special Inside Recruiting Channel edition of Total Picture Radio, with Peter Clayton reporting. When George Bradt and Mary Vonnegut set out to write Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to… -
Onboard Experts Series #6 - Jean Brown: Connect, Inspire, Persuade: Onboarding a New Employee for Success
9 Nov 2009 | 4:41 amWelcome to a special Inside Recruiting Channel edition of Total Picture Radio, with Peter Clayton reporting. When George Bradt and Mary Vonnegut set out to write Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time (affiliate link to Amazon.com), they invited a select group of experts to share their knowledge in the onboarding process. In this special series here on Total Picture Radio, we'll be interviewing, in depth, the individuals chosen by the authors to contribute their experience, expertise, and perspective. The Experts Series -- Onboarding is sponsored by… -
i4cp TrendWatcher Podcast: Carol Morrison, What High-Performing Companies Are Doing Now to Retain Talent Later
5 Nov 2009 | 9:01 amWhat High-Performing Companies Are Doing Now to Retain Talent Later "There's a change in the wind. Most employers believe the poor economy has been key to employee retention over the last year or so. But now they're gearing up for a time when only solid retention initiatives will make the difference between keeping and losing key talent." Welcome to our continuing TrendWatcher podcast series here on Total Picture Radio, with Peter Clayton reporting. Total Picture Radio has formed a strategic alliance with The Institute for Corporate Productivity i4cp, allowing us to publish on our site the… -
Onboarding Experts Series #5 Bill Epifanio - Create a Powerful Slate of Potential Candidates "Closing the Sale"
4 Nov 2009 | 6:53 am"There's always a talent war for A players, most of whom are happily and successfully employed. One of the real challenges and primary added values of executive search consultants is our ability to encourage totally uninterested, passive candidates to consider new opportunities. Every placement I've made over the past several years started with a conversation with someone who assured me they were very happy with their current position and not at all interested in the job I was presenting." - Bill Epifanio Welcome to a special Inside Recruiting Channel edition of Total Picture Radio, with…
-
The Writerbabe Series
-
Misconceptions About Writing, Editing & Work
12 Nov 2009 | 5:30 amPhoto Credit: TheGiantVermin @Flickr Attention English Majors: Please stop whining about how no one taught you how to edit. And, please stop whining about when your stuff gets edited, you should’ve caught the mistakes because, “I’m an English major!” Studying undergraduate English is a completely different universe from manuscript editing. Expecting to be a good editor because you studied English is like expecting Michael Phelps to perform synchronized swimming. While we’re on the subject – why is this professional gap only attributed to people who studied… -
To Be Consistent, You Have to Be Fearless
10 Nov 2009 | 5:30 amPhoto Credit: ToniVC @Flickr My consistency leaves much to be desired. Side Note: Yes, that can be seen as a cop out, complain here. Starting is only the beginning… Revving up the 10 minutes series of my blog hasn’t worked out too well. I don’t want to say it’s dead in the water because it just too soon to say something is dead when you’ve only done it twice. I imagine such ventures are like sex, supposedly getting better with time. Whatever. Secondly, I’ve been sheepishly asking fellow bloggers to guest post. We already know the answer to that… -
Bukola Ekundayo: Girl Gamer Meets Business, Pt. 1
5 Nov 2009 | 5:30 amI became acquainted with Bukola after checking out her profile on Brazen Careerist. And, I have to admit – she’s pretty cool. She’s a Northwestern alum with a love for anime and games – that automatically makes me have a supreme blog crush. Side Note: If you get nothing out of BC’s site, at least get this – you can find some e-xtremely talented, smart, interesting and engaging bloggers. OK, all gushing aside – Ms. Ekundayo blogs at the incredible site, Ms. Pixel. This is not your usual gaming blog where some nameless dude is ranting about the merits… -
3 Things That Undermine Community and 1 Wildcard
3 Nov 2009 | 5:30 amPhoto Credit: Stevendepolo @Flickr Demographic prejudice When market or business leaders ignore a community, it’s not just simple ignorance (or arrogance). These decisions center on what makes the most money, is the the best time investment and demonstrates rational sense. Since these strategies are painstakingly developed, businesses may initially investigate a community via the most superficial means. Here, loads of missed connections occur. Communities suffer and businesses lose out on new opportunities. Relationship-building is fraught with crossed (or missed) signals. Don’t… -
The Art of Engagement – NPO Style
29 Oct 2009 | 6:30 amPhoto Credit: Lucas Towne Designs @Flickr The rules of donor engagement have undergone swift changes since the debut of “social media” in the nonprofit world. Social media, while considered relatively new per se (in regard to the donor pipeline of conversation) is essentially another element of community organizing, only within the realm of online theater. If your organization is interested in reducing the universe of possible errors when it comes to using social media, the following come in handy: First Rule: No need to call it social media For any business (nonprofit or not), it’s all…
-
Entry Level Careers Examiner
-
Four ways to take responsibility for your own job search
20 Nov 2009 | 7:26 amMark Stelzner, founder of JobAngels, made a fantastic remark at Jason Seiden’s “Super Staying Power: What You Need to Become Valuable and Resilient at Work” book signing last night: Job seekers need to take responsibility in thei... -
How to prevent job search identity theft
19 Nov 2009 | 4:27 amAs you get ready to start your first search, it’s important to remember that your identity is a valuable asset. With so many of us looking for new opportunities, identity thieves have started targeted employment sites. I don’t know abo... -
Study: Soft skills highly valued by employers
18 Nov 2009 | 9:53 amTo maintain a competitive advantage, most companies are paying attention to the development of professional "soft skills" to boost performance, according to a recent study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). The stud... -
Survey: College recruiting will continue decline throughout fourth quarter
17 Nov 2009 | 4:28 amCollege recruiting activity will likely continue to decline over the next three months, according to results of a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE recently instituted a monthly poll of i... -
Students and employers come together for a 3D virtual career fair in the Big East
16 Nov 2009 | 5:05 amUnicruit announced the first of what will be a series of virtual career fairs in coming months. The “Students of the Big East” virtual career fair will be held on February 25, 2010, and is open to students from the following schools: ...
-
Jake on Jobs
-
Business Owner Tweets About His Day, Wonders Why Nobody Cares
10 Nov 2009 | 7:42 amOver the past couple years, many business owners have been hesitant to embrace social media because of the perception that Facebook, Twitter, etc. are full of useless social updates. “OMG, the mall is so crowded.” “Got to work late, already dreaming of lunch.” Execs didn’t want to waste time sifting through unproductive “here’s what happened to me today” tweets. Those updates weren’t going to help them build their brands or drive revenue. Here’s where the irony kicks in. After a year of positive press for social media, many of those skeptical business owners are… -
Gen Y Set to Turn 30, Confusion Set to Ensue
21 Oct 2009 | 6:17 amI am about to turn 30. Like many members of the Pop Culture Generation, this advancement in age has me confused, anxious, and curious. Gotta face the facts - I'm a different guy than I was right after college. Not better, not worse, just different. I spoke about several differences between "early-20's me" and "30-year-old me" a recent conference... -
Ideas for the Creative and Unfulfilled
7 Oct 2009 | 8:07 amMany young professionals lie awake at night, convinced that our creative talents are being stifled. Our lives have become too formulaic and we feel as though our energy is being zapped by uncreative careers. The “lie awake” phase is not healthy. The lack of sleep is not healthy. The frustration is not healthy. The subsequent cycle of food, alcohol, and infomercials is not healthy.So, how do we shake it? How do we find something to think about in bed that’s more inspiring our own self-pity and recycled episodes of “Real Chance at Love”? I… -
Who has your dream job and why haven't you emailed him/her/them yet?
22 Sep 2009 | 9:16 pmWhen most people think about career moves, they consider what is immediately available or achievable. However, if the goal is to build a career that is energizing and enjoyable, people should think in terms of what they want, regardless of immediate accessibility.Instead of building your career path based upon what's available now, why not start with your dream job and work backwards? With that in mind, who has your dream job and why haven't you emailed them yet?(note: I initially posted this as a question on Linkedin) -
Cruising the Streets vs. Surfing the Net
9 Sep 2009 | 4:08 amI don’t get “cruising”. I live in the middle of a city, near a lot of bars and clubs. Every weekend, those bars and clubs are full of people drinking, dancing, and listening to music. I get that. I do that. What I don’t get is why, every weekend, the city streets are clogged by drivers who circle the block like extras from the set of The Truman Show. Literally hundreds of drivers (+crew) spend all night cruising (slowly and loudly), cat-calling and, singing off-key in my neighborhood. Cruising makes no sense to me. First off, it’s a financial waste. Given the cost of…
-
Administrative Arts
-
Because We’ve Always Done It That Way
20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amI don’t know about you, but those words are the bane of my existence. Part of our job as administrative professionals is to design office processes and to improve on old ones. The first step in improving an existing process is to understand why it’s being done as it is. That’s when the dreaded words appear. “Because we’ve always done it that way.” The Pay Stubs From Hell Let me tell you a little story. I went to work for a large corporation in Houston, and my first week there I was delegated the task of delivering pay stubs to the employees in our… -
Ask the Admin: How Secure is Gmail?
18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amI had a question this week about the security of Gmail, the very popular on-line e-mail service from Google. Please let me know, how safe the confidential documents keeping in mails….????? I would be much much thankful to you if u kindly provide me some details on it….As i would like to share with you that, i have kept some of my confidential documents in G-mail for my easy assess any where to avoid carrying the hard copy all along…… Please let me know about it….Eagerly waitng for your response in thais regard. Many people keep documents in their e-mail when… -
Excel Is NOT a Database!
16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amWe all know what Microsoft Excel is. It’s a spreadsheet software. It’s not a database. It’s never been a database. It never will be a database. Do I sound strident there? GOOD! Seriously, it’s not a database, folks, so please quit using it as one. I can’t tell you how many places I’ve worked keep critical data in spreadsheets, jumping through all kinds of hoops and writing all kinds of code to get it to act like a database. The employee hours they spend maintaining these spreadsheets and getting information back out of them just astounds… -
Weekly Links List November 13, 2009
13 Nov 2009 | 11:10 amThose of you who follow me on Twitter know that I often post links to articles I find interesting or helpful to my readers. However, I know that not everyone here uses Twitter. So for those, I’m going to be listing the links I’ve twitted over the weeks, so we can all share in the information. Links for Week ending November 13, 2009 7 Tips for Effective Delegation Adding Numbers in Excel Based on a Critereon Sending Large File Attachments Directly From Outlook Change Which Function Shows at Startup in Outlook How to Reorder Items in an Excel Chart Training Opportunities from… -
More COBRA Questions
11 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amSince my previous post on COBRA in my So You’ve Been Laid Off series, I’ve had a few more questions concerning COBRA. I figured I’d just answer them all in one post and save us all some time. Can I Get COBRA if I’ve Been Fired? This is a question I hear a lot. And the answer is, “It depends.” According to COBRA law, the terminated employee has a right to coverage under COBRA as long as the termination wasn’t for “gross misconduct”. Unfortunately, the law doesn’t define “gross misconduct”. The Employee Benefits…
-
Who`s and What`s Concerning Your Career; Blog by Resume to Referral
-
Recruiters on Twitter | Job Search Shortcut
Are you looking for recruiters who tweet? Tracking down a directory of recruiters to follow on Twitter just got a lot easier. In fact, I have a growing list of recruiters currently within one of my Twitter lists, which includes sales, executive, accounting, healthcare, marketing, and technology recruiters. Visit: http://twitter.com/teenarose/recruiters Are you a recruiter? Want to be included [...] -
How to Love the Job You Hate
Whether your complaint is a bad boss, too much bureaucracy, office politics, boring work, or all of the above, you don’t have to suffer in silence (or not so silently). You can take steps to improve your situation, even if you can’t afford to leave. Once you begin intervening on your own behalf, you’ll start [...] -
Jobseeker Cartoon
The following is the start of our new cartoon series. Job-search doesn’t always need to be so dang serious, that’s right! =] Check out our debut Jobseeker Cartoon: -
At the Job Interview, Your Behavior Outweighs Your Answers
“Actions During an Interview Can Speak Louder Than Words” Nancy prepared long and hard for her job interview. She researched the company, studied the job description, developed and practiced answers for likely questions, dressed appropriately, and arrived early. She really needed the job! At the job interview, Nancy answered every question well. Unfortunately, her behavior sabotaged her performance. When introduced [...] -
Job Interview of James Bond
If you’re a Bond fan, you might enjoy this. I haven’t seen the newest 007 movie, but thought I’d have a little fun with the Bond buzz. After placing my super-secret spy listening device in an interview room, I overheard this conversation… “Hi, thank you for coming in for an interview. My name is Mr. Big.” “The name [...]
-
Standout Jobs Blog
-
Inbound Recruiting Increases the Quality of Hires
18 Nov 2009 | 10:37 amI recently wrote a post entitled, The Future of Recruiting is Inbound inspired by the concepts of inbound marketing. I hope you’ll check out the post and let me know what you think. -
Employer Branding 2.0
10 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amWhat is employer branding? The most commonly used definition of “employer branding” is Brett Minchinton’s from The Employer Brand Institute, which defines employer branding as, “the image of the organization as a ‘great place to work’ in the minds of current employees and key stakeholders in the external market (active and passive candidates, clients, customers and other key stakeholders).” A company’s employer brand is made up of numerous components. Corporate Eye blog breaks these components down quite well. What’s important to realize… -
5 Tips for Getting Started with Employment Branding
10 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amEMC is a huge company. As such they have the resources to develop comprehensive employer branding and recruitment marketing campaigns, targeting specific audiences with different messages and tools. Dan Schawbel (who works with EMC on their social media efforts) describes 10 employer branding strategies used by EMC to become an employer of choice. Some of the highlights: Employee testimonial podcasts Employment branding blog Visual identity (branding) Twitter careers The goal is to leverage different technologies – be it audio, video, Twitter, social media, etc. – to distribute a… -
Inbound Marketing and HR
10 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amI recently met Dharmesh Shah, co-founder of HubSpot. HubSpot is a software product, which they call an Inbound Marketing System. The premise is that marketing departments and small businesses need to make themselves more available and accessible online, which in turn will attract those people that are looking for them already (but to-date haven’t found them.) It’s about blogging, search engine optimization, leveraging social media and social networks, and measuring everything to understand what’s working, what’s not working, etc. Unlike outbound marketing (think:… -
Short Versus Long-Term Recruitment Strategies
10 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amThe most common approach to recruiting – especially for small and medium-sized businesses – is really short-term; a “shotgun strategy” whereby a company realizes it needs to fill a position and races around to do it as quickly as possible. Of course, in too many cases, they needed to hire that person a few months ago, and only pulled the triggered on tackling the problem when it became dreadfully obvious. Companies can’t ignore short-term recruitment strategies – for example, posting on job boards with a 30-45 day window to drive job seeker attention and…
-
The Young Professionals Blog
-
Weekly Link Stuff
20 Nov 2009 | 7:47 pmEvery week (almost anyway), I publish a list of posts from other personal finance bloggers. Here is a list if articles I’ve found interesting this past week. Financial -
New Frugality Appears to be More than Just a Fad
20 Nov 2009 | 6:16 pmWhen the world’s most bullish, pro-consumerism news channel suggests a new frugality movement is taking root, you know it’s more than just a fad. Perhaps this quote -
Why would anyone want to join RBS?
20 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pmThe following is a guest post from Sarah Butcher courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap. RBS wants to recruit. According to today’s Financial News, it’s, “Probably one of the most -
Free Microsoft Office Professional Plus Beta
20 Nov 2009 | 3:21 pmGet a FREE Copy of Microsoft Office Professional Plus ( beta )! Just login with your Microsoft Live Passport ID, fill out a quick form and start your ( 2+ hour ) download! :D Beta -
Watching Kids’ TV as an Adult (But Only the Good Stuff)
20 Nov 2009 | 3:07 pmWhen you're a kid, there are a few inexplicable truths that exist without question: 1. Ice cream is the superior food group. 2. Recess is the best education has to offer.
-
Off the Shelves
-
British Council workshops for Chinese students planning to work in China
18 Nov 2009 | 4:25 amWe have just received notice of these workshops which look very useful for Chinese students. The London workshop is actually this Saturday 21st November. If you plan to attend, register at http://www.educationuk.cn/alumniuk/uktour/ See below for more info: Dear students, The British Council, operating in China as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy, cordially invites [...] -
npower Energy Challenge – win £1250!
6 Nov 2009 | 8:16 amWhat do you have to do? Form a team of penultimate or final year students (any degree discipline), find a supporting lecturer (from engineering, science or business departments), and develop a solution to this: How should a power generation and supply company respond to climate change? Initially you submit a 500-word summary of your idea by 22 [...] -
University of London Postgraduate Open Evening
30 Oct 2009 | 5:50 amThe University of London Postgraduate Open Evening will be taking place on Thursday 19 November 2009 4pm – 7pm Senate House, Malet Street, University of London, WC1E 7HU A range of University of London colleges will have stands at the open evening, so you can ask them face-to-face any questions you have about the courses, student support and general [...] -
The finalist directory – see the winning design!
22 Oct 2009 | 3:31 amThe Finalist Directory 2009/2010 is out now in our careers services and personally I have found the new cover design completely distracting – in a good way! The winners of our design competition, Moira Gil and Sonsoles Alvarez, have made a list of 170 things to do post-graduation, including: 34. Go to Walden Pond and read Thoreau while drifting [...] -
Have you signed up? The Guardian London Graduate Fair from The Careers Group is on Tuesday!
16 Oct 2009 | 7:50 amWe’ve got some really exciting employers coming on Tuesday, including BBC, HSBC, Sky, Civil Service Fast Stream, Barclays, Abercrombie and Fitch… We’re feeling positive that it will be a great event! http://www.londongradfair.co.uk/ There are plenty of extra attractions too – employer presentations, careers advice workshops, panel debates, and lots of universities attending if you are considering postgraduate [...]
-
10 Good Minutes
-
Episode 42: Larry Robertson, Author, A Deliberate Pause
16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amIn this podcast, Larry Robertson discusses what people can learn from successful entrepreneurs and how to apply it to their careers, which he discovered while interviewing many entrepreneurs for his book, “A Deliberate Pause”. To download this podcast, click here Larry defines a deliberate pause as that conscious moment when we open our minds, wonder why things are the way they are, and question how life could be better. Many entrepreneurs, practice this to the extent that it infuses with their life choices. He also discusses how there is no formula to success. People are very used to… -
Episode 41: Rachel Doyle, Founder, GlamourGals
9 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amIn this podcast, Rachel Doyle addresses the challenges associated with starting a non-profit as a career option. To download this podcast, click here Rachel, founder of the nonprofit GlamourGals, shares some basic issues to watch out for when starting a nonprofit. Per Rachel, fundraising is always an issue because of the resources needed to create an organization. Secondly, recruiting and retaining good people is a challenge. Rachel finds that offering flexible work schedules, not ruling by fear, and other non-monetary benefits are essential in getting the most out of people, especially… -
Episode 40: Julie Bauke, President, Congruity Career Consulting
2 Nov 2009 | 5:32 amIn this podcast, Julie Bauke, a career strategist, gives listeners some tips on salary negotiation. To download this podcast, click here Julie explains that it is important to negotiate you salary because HR expects you to and if you don’t negotiate, you are most likely leaving money on the table. Salary negotiation is very beneficial in the long run because it continues to pay dividends throughout your career as more raises add on to the original one. Her advice when negotiating is to be clear as to why you believe you deserve a raise. The reasons behind your ask must pertain to the… -
Episode 39: Jason Snider, Senior Manager, Ernst & Young
26 Oct 2009 | 4:00 amIn this podcast, Jason walks us through sample case questions and scenarios to help listeners get a better understanding of how to approach this type of interview. To download this podcast, click here Jason explains that a case interview is unique and important because it puts a candidate in a real life situation. The interviewer can see how well candidates hold their poise, how well they listen to what they need to deliver in terms of the case, and how structured they are in their thinking. The first part of the case generally has some background of the case company and some financial… -
Episode 38: Jane Chin, President and Founder, Medical Science Liaison Institute
19 Oct 2009 | 4:00 amIn this podcast, Jane Chin makes a return appearance to discuss two specific strategies designed to help you become a high achiever: managing your boss and developing your personal brand. To download this podcast, click here Jane is working on a seminar series called “Overcoming Redundancy”, which targets high performance individuals and high achievers. Two of the key points from the seminar series are learning to manage your boss and creating your own personal brand. Jane urges listeners to think of they can manage their boss. One relevant question is “What is your boss’s…
-
Career Girls!
-
Happy 1st Birthday Ms. Career Girl!
19 Nov 2009 | 9:20 amMs. Career Girl is celebrating her first birthday this month!I can’t believe how fast 1 year has gone by.The blog started because, as a banker, I needed a creative outlet and had a passion for career development and personal finance.I also noticed that every time I talked with friends, we were all stressed out about the same things: the uncertainty of being in our twenties, money and our jobs. I put these ideas into action via a plain white free Wordpress blog with a Googled image as the banner.I am not a tech person by trade, so Ms. Career Girl and I have grown significantly over the past… -
Elizabeth Lambert- A Personal Branding Nightmare!
18 Nov 2009 | 12:47 amI happened to catch the news story on former University of New Mexico soccer player, Elizabeth Lambert. If you haven’t already seen the videos or heard about this online, Elizabeth Lambert, 20, was indefinitely suspended from her soccer team for violent behavior on the field. The video below shows her pushing, tripping and yanking pony tails of her opponents. Elizabeth Lambert Plays Rough I couldn’t help but to think how this will affect Elizabeth’s personal brand wherever she goes. She hasn’t even graduated college or settled into a career and she already has to deal… -
Operate Your iphone Without Removing Your Gloves!
17 Nov 2009 | 11:59 pmIphone and ipod users know how annoying it is to operate your devices during the winter as it requires removing your gloves in the cold! My Mom sent me a pair of these awesome iphone-compatible gloves and I had to share them with you! My gloves are by echo (which has tons of other cool stuff too!) and work like a charm. The magic is in the material on the thumb and index fingers. Check them out here, they are $30. -
5 Ways to Stay Focused While Working from Home
16 Nov 2009 | 9:26 amThis week I will be answering a series of career questions that relate to twentysomethings. Please feel free to email or tweet me your questions!Thanks! Nicole Question from @pghjen: I work from home once a week and I have a tough time focusing. Do you have any tips that will help me stay productive? Nicole: I can only imagine how tough it would be to stay focused when there are distractions all around you! I can see it now: Oprah, laundry, cleaning, bills, errands- oh my! Here are a few things I would do if I were you. 1. Evaluate and improve your home office. Do you work in a… -
This Salad Container is a Career Girl’s Best Friend
13 Nov 2009 | 6:47 amBy, Nicole Crimaldi I started using my new salad container this week and I love it! The concept of this type of container is great! There is an ice pack built into the top and you can put your dressing into the dispenser so you don’t have to bring a separate little container, eat a mushy salad or risk making a mess in your work bag when the dressing inevitably spills everywhere. Now that I have this nifty container it’s much more enjoyable to bring a salad to lunch each day. Just dispense, shake and enjoy a healthy lunch!
-
Work/Life Fusion
-
Where do you want your career to go?
20 Nov 2009 | 4:45 amThis is my favourite career question.It respects your opinionIt asks you to look ahead It wants what you wantThere's real positivity in this question.Even if you're not feeling on top of the world, this question can help you set that aside and think about what's possible for a momentWe can't always give a zinger of an answer when it comes to career questions but this one won't let us escape with a downbeat response when others might.No one wants bad things for their career.Good things have permission to shine through with this question.Where you are and where you want to be may be closer than… -
Who is That Guy?
17 Nov 2009 | 7:00 amYou know the guy I'm talking about. He's usually on the cover of a book with a smile on his face and a gleam in his eye.He's got neat hair and white teeth too. And he really, really wants you to be successful. But how important is your personal success to that guy?Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he wants you to do badly. I actually believe he wants you to do well. That guy knows what's best for you but there's one thing he can't know, and that's what you want.That guy will probably sue me*Figuring out what you want is a big part of career success. That guy did it his way but success at… -
What's stopping you?
10 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amIf we're not careful, we can spend our careers wondering...Can it be done?Is it possible?Can I do it?What happens if I fail?But - if you were careful - could you wonder like this instead...It can be done.It is possible.I can do it.Whatever happens I'll learn something.What difference would it make to your career if you could?Inspiration is like a beautiful sunset.You don't have to be in a beautiful place to experience it.All the best for nowPaul+++ work/life fusion: understanding an individual's values, talents and goals and applying them to the pursuit of personal success +++ -
Fill the Void
4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amEnding a job starts one of the biggest changes of routine most of us are ever likely to experience.The place you visited every day of the week disappears overnight. It doesn't matter if you chose to leave or the choice was made for you, a change of routine like this hits just as hard.Most of the things you did for your job [your - Ahem - skills that pay the bills] are put on ice temporarily. Colleagues and workmates are no longer with you everyday. The guy you bought your coffee or sandwich from, the lady who knew what paper you like, the ticket collector or car park attendant you greeted at… -
A Good Career Feeling
28 Oct 2009 | 10:00 amWhen things go well at work, you get a good feeling.We all know the feeling and there are plenty of ways to describe it: satisfaction, fulfilment, self-worth, happiness, success.But what actually gives us this feeling?Where does it come from?When have you had it in the past?What can give it to you again in the future?Nothing like a load of questions to kill a good feeling...You don't have to be an explorer to explore[Rough Waters=Beautiful Skies: see more at Saundra's Flickr Photostream here...Unless they are questions that help you explore your career for satisfaction and success.Questions…
-
Rod Colon: CEO of ME, Inc.
-
Commit To It Then Hold Yourself Accountable
20 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pmCommit To It Then Hold Yourself AccountableBy Rod ColonThe key to developing ME, Inc. is the idea of reframing the self-image of the employee (or job seeker) from the powerless “employee” to the powerful, in-charge CEO of ME, Inc. The following passage is a commitment pledge I drafted to help me internalize the shift in thinking from employee to business owner for my own Personal Board of Directors. Maybe it will give you some ideas for developing your own commitment pledge and holding yourself accountable for seeing it through:As CEO of Rod, Inc, I have responsibilities to run my… -
The CEO of ME, Inc. Paradigm
13 Nov 2009 | 7:26 amThe CEO of ME, Inc. ParadigmBy Rod ColonThe CEO of any company runs the company. CEOs direct all critical operations such as sales and marketing, research and development, strategy, finance, corporate culture, human resources, community affairs, public relations, and so on.CEOs are primarily responsible for setting the corporate strategy and vision. They decide which products to introduce into which markets and against which competitors. CEOs decide how the company will brand itself and differentiate itself in the marketplace.Ultimately, the CEO is responsible for the success or failure of… -
Welcome to the Empowering Today's Professionals Network
7 Nov 2009 | 8:48 pmWelcome to the Empowering Today’s Professionals Network!When friends learn that I've written a book about my networking organization, the ETP Network (Empowering Today’s Professionals) they often ask, "Rod ... There are at least 15,000 books out there about networking. Why write another one?”For one thing, this isn’t just another book about networking. This book is about a bold new approach to finding jobs, clients, and business opportunities — as well as performing complete career makeovers. It’s about helping business professionals win the race for 21st century jobs.The second… -
What Is The Hidden Job Market?
30 Oct 2009 | 1:09 pmWhat Is The Hidden Job Market?The Hidden Job Market is the name given to all the opportunities out there that are unadvertised, either because a company wants to find candidates through its employees' networks or because no such position currently exists. In the last case, you must depend on your own ingenuity to identify potential opportunities at an intriguing company, do your homework to determine what that company truly needs, then figure out how to create an attractive, value-added position. Finally, you need to “sell the concept.”How Do You Access It?Due to the sheer volume of… -
Networking: Protocols for the Connector
22 Oct 2009 | 10:30 amSuggested Connection ProtocolsWhen you’re ready to be the connector, consider the following connection protocols. If you can, it’s always best to do the connecting in person. But other protocols can be just as effective:· Fellowship — arrange a lunch if possible (strongest)· Conference call — set up a conference call and introduce the two parties· Send an e-mail message to the party being introduced and copy the person looking to be introduced with details and the reason for the connection· Give one or both sides contact information for the other without being involved…
-
Blue Sky Resumes Blog
-
Why I’m Sharing
5 Nov 2009 | 5:51 amWe’ve been working on a new site design for blueskyresumes.com for a while. We started by clarifying our brand, we then went on to site strategy - thinking through everything we want the site to do for us and for our visitors - and now we’re in the design phase, where that stuff is coming together page-by-page. I’m so excited about it I can’t even tell you! One feature that of the new site will be a really amazing resume samples section that I’m not going to give away just yet, but which will be pretty special. I’m always surprised when I go to another… -
So Much Bad Resume Advice, So Little Time
20 Oct 2009 | 7:18 amEvery now and then, one of my clients sends their resume in to another service for a critique. When they send it to some places, they get an honest response - usually saying ‘this is great and you don’t need any more help.’ But when they send it to one of the big resume mills (you know, Career Builder, The Ladders, Monster etc), they invariably get back a long critique telling them the resume needs a complete rewrite and offering to do it for ‘only $695′ or whatever their fee is. My clients and I usually discuss this feedback, address the one or two nuggets that… -
Who Says Twitter Isn’t Useful?
5 Oct 2009 | 8:51 amTweet This Post -
Enough! A Word About Resume Writers
1 Oct 2009 | 5:59 amYesterday I happened to catch a conversation between a few recruiters on Twitter, several of whom were mocking the idea of working with a professional resume writer. When I asked one person why he was so against my profession, he said that he had seen people burned by working with bad writers. I can believe that. We often get new clients who have already paid for a ‘professional resume’ and who now need our help to salvage the mess. But my question to those recruiters is this: What makes resume writing different from any other profession? If a bad car mechanic messes up a repair… -
Are Big Words Better?
30 Sep 2009 | 12:07 pmDo you prefer the word ‘reduced’ to the word ‘cut’? Given the choice, would you use “generated savings of…” or “saved”? I ask because recently I edited some website copy for someone who preferred big words to short ones and long, complex sentences to concise ones. I’m the opposite. I think simplicity is the key to good communication and I practice it all the time in my writing. I don’t like using three words when one will do and I don’t understand why people do it. I see it all the time in the resumes that come across my…
-
Sweet Careers
-
Surging Start-Ups and Little-Known Firms
18 Nov 2009 | 7:08 pmGuest Author: Lorraine RussoWebsite: http://undergroundjobnetwork.comOne of my mantras (or, as some call them, rants) is to look for work where it is least expected. Or, put another way, determine ways to track down the so-called "hidden" or unadvertised jobs, and build a direct path to the hiring manager.In a recent post, we talked about jobs with venture-backed companies. In it, I discussed the thousands of opportunities with companies at various stages of formation: from seed stage, to product development, through profitability.Now, Inc. magazine has published the new 500/5000 list that… -
The Fastest Growing Companies - Who's Hiring - Vol VIII
5 Nov 2009 | 5:39 pmGuest Author: CareerAlleyWebsite: http://careeralley.comFast is good, especially when you're talking about a company's growth. It's even better when you are looking for a job (and you land one). We continue on our review of Fortune's Fastest Growing Companies where we left off last time. From the entire list, you can see a trend for sure. The post's companies include Crane manufacturing to lots of Oil and Gas Servicing companies. Manitowoc - Ranked 33 on the list, is a crane manufacturer and was not on last year's list. Their careers page has a company overview center page. The left hand side… -
I ask U: College students and recent grads: How do you, or DO you, use LinkedIn?
2 Nov 2009 | 5:46 pmI enjoy getting to know my readers whenever I get the chance. This week, I'd like to learn how, or if, you use LinkedIn. A poll is embedded below; please take a moment to complete it. I'd love to read your comments, too.College students/recent grads, how do you, or DO you, use LinkedIn?(polling) -
Securing your career while navigating the winds of change
2 Nov 2009 | 7:02 amUPDATED! As a member of Career Collective–a community of resume writers and career coaches, this article is one of many responses to Quintessential Careers “Job Action Day”. I encourage you to visit other members’ responses, which will be linked at the end of my article on November 2nd. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.There is no denying that the winds of economic change have had a significant impact on the job market. In order for college students and recent graduates to be successful in securing your careers, you will need to learn to effectively navigate… -
Common Resume Errors - Focusing on Wrong Skills and Experience
30 Oct 2009 | 3:29 pmMany college students and recent graduates make the error of emphasizing the wrong skills on your resumes - skills that are irrelevant to prospective employers. In this video, we'll examine strategies for ensuring your resume is highlighting the skills and experiences employers care most about. Common Resume Errors - Focusing on Wrong Skills and Experience (video embedded)I strongly encourage you to watch the video in fullscreen mode to see the video clearly. Know of other resume errors you'd like to see highlighted? Not sure if you're making a mistake on your resume? Leave your comments.
-
Success Circuit
-
YOU choose
17 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pmWell as you all know I am currently working on improving Success Circuit. I was not planning to change the colour scheme or anything however I would like your opinions. Also please share this through twitter, facebook.. whatever! I want Success Circuit to be at it’s maximum potential. So without any further ado, here is the choices (you can choose more than one if you would like to and please comment here saying why you chose what you did): Thank you! Shane Related Posts:What can I Watch? Edition 10What I Learned From The Local Village ShopThe Social Networking Era Part 2What can I… -
Was Arrested – Now Back
10 Nov 2009 | 11:09 amToday is a good day for the Internet. One of my favorite time wasting websites was upgraded yesterday. WasArrested.com is now even more believable that ever. Founded in March 2001, by John Meloche, WasArrested is the world’s largest fake news website focused exclusively on Viral Social Media news. With more than 350 thousand monthly page views, WasArrested is the most prolific fake news blog in existence. According to the websites owner, the audience includes early adopters, social media enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, influencers, brands and corporations, marketing, PR and advertising… -
There Isn’t Enough Room For Everyone…
3 Nov 2009 | 1:46 pm…not if you want to win. And I mean really WIN! I’ve been a little “inactive” here because every now and then I run off into my metaphorical mountain to improve, hone and master my god given skills. This means writing “practice” articles and experimenting with techniques in my niche while doing a sh*t load of reading. While I was in this “phase” of intense reading, I realized something crazy and had a huge mental shift. So here’s a little motivational post for you peeps. It became VERY apparent to me… ► That no one… AND I… -
The Birth Of The Internet
29 Oct 2009 | 11:14 amIt is October 2009, the internet was released to the public in 1992. I was born in 1993. Everybody expects super things from the internet, but it is still very young in technological terms. Watch this amazing presentation to see just what the internet is and how super it already is! Digital Strangelove (or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Internet) I think this slide show really makes us understand how young the internet really is and how much more it is going to change in the future. Remember, there is always a innovative idea somewhere… even in areas such as the internet… -
What Do You Want From Success Circuit?
27 Oct 2009 | 11:41 amAs I previously mentioned, Success Circuit is going in for a complete makeover (well not complete, I am trying to change as little as possible but still give it a massive update). So before I get too far into the production stages, I want to know what you want. What do you want to see from Success Circuit? Do you have any ideas on how to improve the current theme/layout? What kind of posts do you prefer? If I was to interview just one more person, who would you wish it to be? Please let me know anything that comes to your mind, absoloutly anything! Do not worry, there will still be real…
-
Office Hero Headquarters
-
6 tips for search-engine friendly outbound links
15 Nov 2009 | 9:41 amOne of the many strategies for making your website appealing to search engine crawlers is using outbound links effectively. Here are 6 tips from Jerri Ledford's book, Search Engine Optimization:Keep you links relevant--Make sure there is a logical reason for pointing visitors in a particular direction.Don't overuse links--Use no more than 2 or 3 links per article or post.Use keyword anchor text--Don't use "click here". Instead, use keywords that you're linking to (e.g., "free report templates").Be careful with whom you link to--Search engines penalize you for linking to low-quality… -
How to schedule tweets in advance
14 Nov 2009 | 8:32 amSocial Oomph has lots of free Twitter tools. One tool lets you schedule tweets in advance, which came in handy for the foundation administrator at our association. Knowing that our upcoming week-long meeting would be super busy, he was able to pre-schedule tweets in advance. For example, letting attendees know when the foundation reception began or where the foundation booth was located so attendees could make donations.Here is where you can find more tweet schedulers. -
Six steps to business innovation
13 Nov 2009 | 10:52 amFrom the article Borrowing Brilliance, here are the six steps to business innovation by David Kord Murray:Step 1: Defining > Define the problem you’re trying to solve.Step 2: Borrowing > Borrow ideas from places with a similar problem.Step 3: Combining > Connect and combine these borrowed ideas.Step 4: Incubating > Allow the combinations to incubate into a solution.Step 5: Judging > Identify the strength and weakness of the solution.Step 6: Enhancing > Eliminate the weak points while enhancing the strong ones. -
Enhancing self awareness
13 Nov 2009 | 10:05 amIn I Am Just Like You, Bob Sutton mentions in the book Self-Insight that author David Dunning writes "...a host of studies show that one major impediment to self-awareness is that people see themselves as unique--usually as superior to others--when actually they are not... "People would hold more accurate self-perceptions if they conceded that their psychology is not different from the the psychology of others, that their actions are molded by the same situational forces that govern the behavior of other people. In doing so, they could more readily learn from the experiences of others, using… -
Download and install multiple free software at one time
25 Oct 2009 | 10:02 amNinite.com provides a selection of popular free software that you can download and install onto your computer all at once. According to the website, "We install apps with default settings and say 'no' to browser toolbars and other junk."Ninite is more convenient and faster than going to various websites to find, download, and install free software. All you have to do is select which programs you want and then press the "Get Installer" button to launch the process.
-
LU Career Center to Go
-
Career Book: Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads
15 Nov 2009 | 9:04 amSmart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads This book oOffers profiles of liberal arts grads, identifying their passions, tracing their professional journeys, and highlighting their "smart moves" on the way to fulfilling careers. Catalog Code: MJ-Ge.1002 -
Career Planning with a Busy Schedule
12 Nov 2009 | 4:52 pmFinding free time in between classes, work, and extracurricular activities is like searching for a needle in a haystack. If you add in a few hours to sleep, eat, and check Facebook, you might as well call it a day. Getting everything done requires prioritizing time. For most of us, that means first addressing what is most immediately relevant and leaving the rest for later. Career planning is one of the areas that often falls into the "rest" category. Preparing yourself for a career seems far enough into the future that you can wait to address it at another time. However, it is never too soon… -
Acing Your Interview, Part 3
10 Nov 2009 | 5:41 pmIn Part 1 and Part 2 of Acing Your Interview, we reviewed how students can rely on some familiar skills gained in the classroom to prepare yourself for interviews. Step one was developing a thesis and step two was preparing your evidence. In this post, we examine the importance of anticipating counterarguments. -
Career Book: Do What You Are
8 Nov 2009 | 9:01 amDo What You Are Discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of MBTI personality type. The book provides real-life case studies of people who share your MBTI type and introduces you to the key ingredients your work must have for it to be genuinely fulfilling. Catalog Code: CP-Ge.1005 -
Career Book: Actuaries' Survival Guide
1 Nov 2009 | 8:46 amActuaries' Survival Guide Ever wonder what a career as an Actuary would be like? This book describes exciting combinations of ideas, techniques, and skills involved in the day-to-day work of actuaries. This book is based on curricula and examinations of the SOA and CAS; presents an overview of career options and details on working conditions and the nature of employment in different industries; provides a link between theory and practice and helps readers understand the blend of qualitative and quantitative skills and knowledge required to succeed in actuarial exams; and includes insights…
-
Sweet Careers
-
Surging Start-Ups and Little-Known Firms
18 Nov 2009 | 7:08 pmGuest Author: Lorraine RussoWebsite: http://undergroundjobnetwork.comOne of my mantras (or, as some call them, rants) is to look for work where it is least expected. Or, put another way, determine ways to track down the so-called "hidden" or unadvertised jobs, and build a direct path to the hiring manager.In a recent post, we talked about jobs with venture-backed companies. In it, I discussed the thousands of opportunities with companies at various stages of formation: from seed stage, to product development, through profitability.Now, Inc. magazine has published the new 500/5000 list that… -
The Fastest Growing Companies - Who's Hiring - Vol VIII
5 Nov 2009 | 5:39 pmGuest Author: CareerAlleyWebsite: http://careeralley.comFast is good, especially when you're talking about a company's growth. It's even better when you are looking for a job (and you land one). We continue on our review of Fortune's Fastest Growing Companies where we left off last time. From the entire list, you can see a trend for sure. The post's companies include Crane manufacturing to lots of Oil and Gas Servicing companies. Manitowoc - Ranked 33 on the list, is a crane manufacturer and was not on last year's list. Their careers page has a company overview center page. The left hand side… -
I ask U: College students and recent grads: How do you, or DO you, use LinkedIn?
2 Nov 2009 | 5:46 pmI enjoy getting to know my readers whenever I get the chance. This week, I'd like to learn how, or if, you use LinkedIn. A poll is embedded below; please take a moment to complete it. I'd love to read your comments, too.College students/recent grads, how do you, or DO you, use LinkedIn?(polling) -
Securing your career while navigating the winds of change
2 Nov 2009 | 7:02 amUPDATED! As a member of Career Collective–a community of resume writers and career coaches, this article is one of many responses to Quintessential Careers “Job Action Day”. I encourage you to visit other members’ responses, which will be linked at the end of my article on November 2nd. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.There is no denying that the winds of economic change have had a significant impact on the job market. In order for college students and recent graduates to be successful in securing your careers, you will need to learn to effectively navigate… -
Common Resume Errors - Focusing on Wrong Skills and Experience
30 Oct 2009 | 3:29 pmMany college students and recent graduates make the error of emphasizing the wrong skills on your resumes - skills that are irrelevant to prospective employers. In this video, we'll examine strategies for ensuring your resume is highlighting the skills and experiences employers care most about. Common Resume Errors - Focusing on Wrong Skills and Experience (video embedded)I strongly encourage you to watch the video in fullscreen mode to see the video clearly. Know of other resume errors you'd like to see highlighted? Not sure if you're making a mistake on your resume? Leave your comments.
-
Dan Erwin on Brainpower
-
Quotation of the Week: Dr. Deborah Garh
20 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amNothing is black and white in medicine. --Dr. Deborah Garh, Gynecologist in New York city Commenting on the new guidelines proposed for mammograms. I laughed at Dr. Garh's statement of the obvious. But it's a very good reminder that there's very little on God's green acre that's black and white. That also includes my business and experience in career development and planning. That's reality. -
Business Ethics
20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amBusiness ethics are a lot more complex than most think. A recent Wall Street Journal interview of Daylian Cain, a prof at the Yale School of Management surfaces some of those complexities. This is one of the rare and astute statements that I've been hoping for. It's unusual because far too many approach business ethics from the perspective of personal ethics rather than that of social ethics. Cain is right on when he comments that one of the issues he faces is that teaching students to become socially responsible… -
Twitter versus Real Networking
18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amAs an almost daily blogger over the past 10 months, as well as a member of Twitter and LinkedIn, I've been struggling to understand the distinctions between some of the media platforms and real networking, a subject about which I've coached clients for nearly 10 years. In a recent post, Harvard's Rosabeth Kanter identified a number of distinctive differences and shared several original and immensely practical insights. Among other important differences, she pointed out that real networking changes the very nature of career success,… -
Why Personal Goal Setting Can Be Dangerous
16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amWhile I am a personal advocate of goal setting, I've thought hard and deep about an instructive piece of research by Max Bazerman and colleagues on goal setting that goes bad. Although the research focuses on the relationship between leaders and their organizations, the research obviously applies to personal career development. The study contains numerous examples of goals gone wild, and includes overcharging by Sears mechanics, Enron's commission program for traders, and Ford's small Pinto, a car that was found to have… -
What Can We Learn From GE's New Emphasis on Listening and Humility?
15 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amAfter stumbling badly in the recession, the Wall Street Journal reports that General Electric executives are studying recession lessons, as they seek new, more flexible ways to manage. How are they going about this focus? They're learning to admit they "made mistakes" and working at the "skills of humility and listening." There's a significant lesson for all of us in that focus, but not what some might suggest or think. But first of all, humility is not a skill. It's a personal quality or state, marked, the dictionary suggests,…
-
8hours.com blog
-
“Real” Unemployment rate: 17.5%
19 Nov 2009 | 9:08 pmThere was a story on CNBC today that the “real” unemployment was 17.5%. That is nearly one in 5 Americans that are out of jobs. Scary joke …but i thought we are already past Halloween. Curious … I dug around to see where this number came from and if there is any merit to it. [...] -
Right way to cut a credit card.
11 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amMost potential employers routinely do credit and criminal background checks. A number of potential job seekers are rejected when these checks come back with red flags. Some people don’t realize this but they may be victims of identity theft and the thief has ruined their credit rating. With identity theft increasing everyday, your old credit [...] -
Unemployment Rate rises to 10.2% – worst since 1983.
6 Nov 2009 | 8:28 amAmerica’s unemployment rate rose to 10.2% – the highest since 1983. The rate is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and was much worse than expected. It appears that employers are still cutting payroll in spite of an improving economy. BLS reported that the rate had increased from 9.8% in September to 10.2 [...] -
WARN Notice – what does it mean ?
28 Oct 2009 | 11:37 pmI have been asked this question a number of times … enough times to warrant a blog. The WARN Act helps ensure advance notice in cases of qualified plant closings and mass layoffs. Applicable only to employers with 100 or more full-time employees who must have been employed for at least 6 months of the 12 [...] -
Jobs outlook worsens in October
27 Oct 2009 | 12:31 pmAmerica’s unemployed are only seeing gloom and doom. The job picture worsened in October 2009. The Consumer Confidence Index, released by The Conference Board, sank unexpectedly to 47.7 in October — its second-lowest reading since May. Forecasters predicted a higher reading of 53.1. A reading above 90 means the economy is on solid footing. Above [...]
-
talent revolution
-
Don’t Give Up!
So many of us are looking for our big shot, the chance to do what we dream about, or looking to get that job or opportunity that lies right in front of us. With the tough recessionary conditions and the struggling economy we have been hit by obstacles and roadblocks that have kept us just short of our desires. While enjoying a “use it or lose it” vacation week, I got the opportunity to read some non-business novels and found Joel Osteen’s “It’s Your Time” in my lap. Now whether you enjoy Osteen’s books or not, he has a motivating message to share that we can all learn from. He… -
Badge of Honor
Any of you that have kept up with me over the past 10 days knows that, last week, I was in Dallas at the 2009 People Report Best Practices Conference. It just so happened to be the best conference I’ve ever attended. Hands down. I even considered writing a love letter to it. Couldn’t quite find the words though. I considered making a list of the people I had the incredible fortune of meeting, and the people with whom I reconnected. Couldn’t do that either. It would have gone on for days. It finally hit me as I was unpacking after returning home. I pulled this out of my bag: I’ve… -
Your Private Life and Your Professional Life are the Same Online
You’ve heard it before: Much like a work-related function versus a happy hour with friends, there are different rules of protocol with a LinkedIn interaction (professional) versus a Facebook interaction (personal). In fact, according to this recent poll, 43% of people believe personal and professional social networks should be kept separate. Good luck with that! While common sense dictates that I don’t post photos of my kids on LinkedIn, and I don’t post my resume on Facebook, the belief that your personal life and professional life are separate is pure fallacy. It's just augmented… -
Location-Based Services in the Business
One of the areas I've been fascinated with lately has been the advent of Location-Based Services (LBS) applications on Smart Phones. There are a number a good applications that help you find friends and recommendations, based on where you are. Brightkite and Loopt are two examples of LBS services that help you explore your city and what your friends are up to. Foursquare takes that concept even further by making a competitive event out of exploring your city, and some businesses are wisely taking notice by offering deals to Foursquare "mayors" (i.e. repeat customers). Repeat customers and… -
"Crush It": A Quick Book Review
If you haven't yet read Gary Vaynerchuk's new book, "Crush It," then stop reading this and go buy it. Right now. It's a fantastic book, a short read, and it is overflowing with ideas. As soon as I finished reading it on Monday, I found myself pacing through the house. Involuntary pacing. And, I'm more psyched now than ever. Join me.
-
The Creative Career
-
Brill Street Announces Top 50 “Gen Y” Employers in Chicago
28 Oct 2009 | 6:22 amA new study by Brill Street, a gen y career site (full disclosure—my fiancé does some work for them) highlights the top 50 companies to work for in Chicago. The study gives an inside look into the companies through short videos on its site, including areas such as compensation and benefits, perks, corporate social responsibility, advancement potential, training opportunities, jobs for Generation Y, and the nature of day-to-day work. I’m also proud to say that Edelman (my employer) is ranked fifth on the list—check out the video here. There are a number of other creative… -
The Art of Proving Yourself in a New Career
20 Oct 2009 | 5:13 pmIf you’ve found yourself in a postgrad internship or entry level job, you’ve likely run into a few transitional frustrations here and there. Maybe you feel the tasks that you’ve been given are a bit too granular, or you’re tired of working from project to project instead of being assigned to one of your own. Having been through the obligatory internship phase myself, allow me to offer a some perspective and advice on approaching this experience. No matter how great your resume looks, you still have to prove yourself. As the president of the central region of my own… -
The Importance of an Online Portfolio
26 Aug 2009 | 5:20 am(Sorry for my long absense—I’ve had an exciting few weeks Barbara Nixon recently asked a number of professionals for some advice for her students. Should a Public Relations student’s portfolio be digital or in a binder? I can certainly answer this question with my personal point of view, both as a professional who has looked at portfolios during the hiring process and as someone who landed a number of opportunities based on my own online portfolio. A few years ago, having an online portfolio as an advertising or PR student was much less common (so much so that I was able… -
Chicago Gals’ Guide Summit
11 Aug 2009 | 7:53 amWhen I was a student at Michigan State University, my decision to travel to New York City for a weekend conference to network with professionals and other students set me on a path that ultimately landed me where I am today—so I’m thrilled to announce the Gals’ Guide Summit in Chicago, hosted my my colleague, Blagica Bottigliero. The summit, taking place on Saturday, October 3, will host panels on money, career, health and wellness, city safety and relationship issues. I’m also hoping that those of  you who are considering a move to Chicago will have an… -
Chicago Ad Creative Turned Award-Winning Novelist
3 Aug 2009 | 4:43 amMarcus Sakey started his career in advertising. Ten years later, after a combination of fateful events, he made the leap into the world of writing novels. He’s now an award-winning novelist based out of Chicago, and he’s about to release his fourth book, a crime thriller called The Amateurs (which will certainly end up on my book club list). Three of his novels are in development as films. Listen to the audio interview to learn more about Marcus Sakey and his adventures from the world of advertising to the world of writing novels. And while you’re at it, check out a few…
-
The Insider's Interview Blog
-
Nov 19, Answering Interview Questions can be Stressful!
19 Nov 2009 | 2:27 amBe prepared for answering interview questions in a winning way. Use our free sample interview answers and proven interview guidelines for success. -
Nov 14, Sample Finance Interview Questions
14 Nov 2009 | 6:17 amFinance interview questions with answer guidelines. Be prepared for your finance job interview and come across as the right candidate for the job. Job interview tips, advice and help. -
Nov 13, Job Interview Clothes that Make the Right Impression
12 Nov 2009 | 10:12 pmChoose the right job interview clothes and make the best impression in your job interview. Expert advice on what to wear and what not to wear to your job interview. -
Nov 10, The Customer Service Job Interview
9 Nov 2009 | 5:14 pmThe customer service job interview guide. Know what to expect and how to prepare properly for your customer service interview to get the job you want. -
Nov 2, About the Informational Interview
2 Nov 2009 | 4:39 amThe informational interview is a great opportunity to get inside information on an industry or career. Know what is expected of you and ask the right questions during your informational interview.
-
The Hiring Site
-
Employment News for the Week of November 20, 2009
20 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pmWhile you were busy scoring tickets to a screening of “New Moon” this weekend, fighting back your tears at the announcement that Oprah is canceling her show after a 25-year run, or wondering how you’re going to fill the void of your Pumpkin and Eggo Casserole this Thanksgiving, news in the hiring and recruiting world may have slipped right by you. Not to worry — we’ll catch you up. Turns out there’s at least 15 ways to determine if your workplace is dysfunctional — read ‘em and (hopefully) don’t weep. Many workers fear that settling for a… -
Heavier Workloads + Longer Hours x Strained Resources = Low Employee Morale
18 Nov 2009 | 8:17 amIf the recession seems to have taken a toll on your workplace morale, you’re hardly alone… A new CareerBuilder survey, released today, indicates that nearly a quarter of employers (23 percent) rate their organization’s current employee morale as low. According to Jason Ferrara, CareerBuilder’s Vice president of corporate marketing, low morale is an unfortunate side effect of this recession. Additionally, 40 percent of workers report that they have had difficulty staying motivated at work in the last year, and 24 percent do not feel loyal to their current employer. -
Leadership Development: Invest in the Best So They’ll Invest in You
16 Nov 2009 | 8:24 amLast week, I listed the top traits recruiters and hiring managers look for when identifying their organization’s next leaders. Now, I’d like to follow up that post by discussing why now, more than ever, businesses need to put focus on developing their leaders (if they’re not already doing so) – and what areas they should concentrate on to get the best return on their investment. Spending money on leadership development may seem like a lot to ask during a time when budgets are already tight, but it is critical that employers invest in ways to engage and retain their leaders… -
Employment News for the Week of November 13
13 Nov 2009 | 8:35 amWhile you were busy getting suspended for your “wild” Bengals haircut, threatening to walk off the set of “Larry King Live”, or making a case for “Bikini Fridays,” here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week… Things are growing in Michigan, and we’re not just talking about jobs… Should we expect a Facebook invite? President Obama is holding a jobs forum in December. Twinterns are so eight months ago. If you’re not among these 25 cities…well, there’s always Q2… The Obama administration puts the veterans back into… -
We Asked, You Answered: How Do You Identify a Leader? A Top 10 List
12 Nov 2009 | 2:04 pm(Actually, this list is one better than a “top 10” list, because it goes up to 11.) Last week, readers, I challenged you to tell me what qualities you consider most important when identifying new leaders. I guess this question struck a chord, judging by the number of passionate responses I received in general, and the number of responses that referenced how a leader emerges during times of uncertainty in particular. No doubt several of you were drawing on your own experiences from these past several months, as you witnessed those around you being forced to make tough management…
-
Career Adventure
-
5 reasons to friend your network on Facebook
20 Nov 2009 | 3:18 amAre you connected to your aunt on LinkedIn? Does your boss follow your Twitter account? Are you connected to clients, vendors, or recruiters on Facebook? If not, why not? For all the fears about what might happen if the wrong person gets ahold of those photos of you in Vegas, in most cases, blending your online profiles is not only easier, but a heck of a lot more effective for you in the long run. Here’s why I friend my clients and colleagues: Personal and professional lives are becoming more intertwined. As more companies embrace telecommuting, and as more people pursue flexible work… -
Trait transferance: Why gossip can kill your career
19 Nov 2009 | 3:41 amSusan* was the office kvetch. She had an opinion about everything. Her manager’s inability to lead. Her cubemate’s pettiness. The receptionist’s immature lifestyle. And she loved to tell anyone that would listen about it. You may guess that Susan wasn’t the most respected employee in the office, and you might pin it on a negative attitude or lack of team orientation. But there’s a psychological phenomenon that speaks more strongly about how Susan will be perceived — it’s called trait transferance. Trait transferance goes against logic, but researchers… -
How to get a job in IT, Project Management and More – Interview with Jeff Lipschultz
18 Nov 2009 | 3:14 amIt’s back-to-back job market goodness. Here’s part two of our examination of how to be marketable in this market, focusing on IT, project management, and other corporate management roles. Our guest today is Jeff Lipschultz, executive recruiter extraordinaire. He knows what he’s talking about. Kristi Daeda: Jeff, such a pleasure to have you here with us. To give everyone some background, what types of recruiting do you specialize in? Jeff Lipschultz: I am an external recruiter who works with small to medium sized companies looking to fill key contributor roles within their… -
Surveying the entry level job market – Interview with Heather Huhman
17 Nov 2009 | 3:03 amYou guys are driven. I talk to so many people that are willing to question everything about their job path in order to be successful. Usually this leads to one question — “Where are the jobs?” This article is the first of a series of interviews with experts that can give you perspective on what skill sets are in demand and what tactics you might consider to make you more competitive. Today’s guest is Heather Huhman, Gen Y career expert. Kristi Daeda: Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Heather. What sorts of questions do you get most often from new grads looking… -
Use transferable job skills for your job search
13 Nov 2009 | 3:02 amToday’s post is a guest post by Scot Herrick, one of my favorite fellow career bloggers. Give it a look – it’s great stuff! When people know I write about jobs and careers on the web, it is natural to get asked at social events about all things job related. So when a friend sat down and started talking about his job search, I knew I needed to listen carefully because he was — just like you — looking for answers to a vexing job search question. “I’ve got all of this experience,” he noted. “But it doesn’t seem like I’m qualified…
-
Flex Jobs
-
Sr. Flex Developer, First Indian Corporation, Hyderabad.
11 Nov 2009 | 8:39 amFirst Indian Corportaion is a 100% subsidiary of First American Corporation, a 120 year old enterprise based in the USA. Job Title: Sr. Flex Developer No. of vacancies: 2 Job Location:... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Senior Adobe Flex Developer, theprepsite, Bangalore.
11 Nov 2009 | 6:40 amElearning startup with offices across 4 cities in India , IIT IIM Team. Job Title: Senior Adobe Flex Developer No. of vacancies: 3 Job Location: Bangalore Position Type: Contract to Hire... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Software Engineer, RIA developer, Ficussoft, Bhuvaneshwar, India.
10 Nov 2009 | 4:47 amIts a software company having client base in USA and operational for last 10 years. Good work culture and excellent working environment. Job Title: RIA developer No. of vacancies: 2 Job Location:... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Flex & AIR Developer, XLabz Technologies, Pondicherry
6 Nov 2009 | 4:42 amXLabz is a product development and consulting firm which specializes in creating products for the web, desktop and mobile using Adobe Flash Player platform. Founded by a few former Adobe employees,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Flash Game Developer, Aliza Infotech, Hyderabad.
4 Nov 2009 | 9:38 pmAliza Infotech is a dynamic start-up working on cutting edge technologies. We are experienced in flash gaming industry. Our The head office of aliza Infotech is based in Dubai. If you want to be part... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
-
Career Management Alliance Blog
-
Avoid the Bloated Resume
19 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pmOne of our favorite quotes about resumes comes from Mark Nelson, former partner of Dale Dauten of syndicated career-column fame. Describing a two-page resume with long paragraphs and tiny type, Nelson says: “This resume is like a lonely guy who can’t get a date, so he sits at home and eats and gets bigger and bigger. I meet people all the time who think employers are going to get excited by lots of detail in their resumes. No. Instead, [employers] think, ‘Here’s a guy who can’t prioritize and who doesn’t respect his reader.’” Overstuffed and text-heavy resumes are a problem… -
The “Spaghetti” Job Search Strategy
19 Nov 2009 | 4:46 amThere’s a lot of angst in the LinkedIn CFO group this morning. Not hearing back from recruiters these days is enough to send even the most stable senior finance executive to the edge of the cliff after a period of unemployment. The job search system is already flawed, and the Internet has exacerbated the breakdown ... candidates send resumes to a big black hole and never hear back from anyone. If you haven’t read my article “Everybody Lies,” email me and I’ll be happy to send it your way. Anyway, the flawed search strategy that almost every job seeker uses is what I call the… -
How to Ask for a Raise
19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amShelly writes: I would really appreciate if you could please send me some examples about how to ask for a raise. I’ve been at my job for a year now and I am stuck on a few things. I pretty much have all of my ducks in a row and I know I deserve the raise but I really want to make it presentable and professional. Basically I’m looking for a jump start, maybe I should start with a cover letter introducing my specific proposal? What do you think? Anything would help. The Career Doctor responds: Anytime we deal with money, whether as a job-seeker talking about salary or as an employee asking… -
Bullets Make Your Cover Letter More Reader-Friendly
18 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pmConsider using bullets in your cover letter to make it more reader-friendly. Bullet points can break up the text of your cover letter and draw the reader’s eye to your most compelling selling points. Be sure you don’t re-hash your resume’s bullet points. And unlike bullet points on a resume, those on a cover letter should either be in complete sentences (instead of clipped, “telegraphed” resume language) or should complete the sentence that leads into the bulleted list. -
Your Thoughts = Your Destiny
18 Nov 2009 | 12:25 pmBe careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny. - Author Anonymous
-
CareerTiger.com
-
Now available: Free JobPounce Chapter 1 on video
30 Oct 2009 | 10:49 amWe now have the first chapter of JobPounce available in online video format to all subscribers. This video goes over some of macro-economic factors that are affecting hiring and it also provides an insider’s view of the hiring process that will enable you to have a successful job hunt. To watch this free video, subscribe to our [...] -
Songs for job seekers
21 Oct 2009 | 9:00 amThis is going to be a fun post – I invite you to join in and post your favorites Starting your job search Let's get it started, Black Eyed Peas Obstacles are inefficient, follow your intuition, free your inner soul and break away from tradition. Start me up, Rolling Stones If you start me up If you start me [...] -
Another JobPounce success story: Bruce Ricker
20 Oct 2009 | 9:00 amBruce attended one of our first JobPounce virtual sessions. He was facing an intriguing situation: he was in Arizona and was looking for a new job in San Diego, California and that too in an industry quite unlike his current (now erstwhile) employer. Here is his story, in his own words… Share this with your friends: Facebook LinkedIn Digg del.icio.us StumbleUpon Yahoo! [...] -
JobPounce Update
5 Oct 2009 | 5:00 pmThis week is another big week for us in our ongoing journey to help you realize your career goals; the immediate one being getting your next job. We are rolling out the 1.0 version of JobPounce to everyone starting immediately. This version now includes a couple of updates: A completely new topic that goes over how to setup [...] -
Frustrated with your job search?
19 Sep 2009 | 3:19 pmAs our coaches work with Jobpounce participants and interact with many aspirants, majority of the people are grappling with a serious ailment. It would be easy to call it frustration but I think it has a lot more to it. Let’s review it a bit more closely. Cause and effect Most people put in a lot of effort [...]
-
A. Harrison Barnes
-
Are You Visual, Auditory–or Kinesthetic?
20 Nov 2009 | 6:18 amYou have probably heard before that people tend to be visual, auditory or kinesthetic. In my experience, this is true and it is something you can generally pick up on within just a few minutes of meeting the average person. Understanding whether or not you are one or the other is something that can help you understand what sort of work you should be doing, the sorts of people you should be working with, the people you should be spending your time with, and the type of environment that will make you happy. In addition, you will make decisions and reach conclusions differently, depending… -
Are You More Specific–or More General?
19 Nov 2009 | 2:16 amOne summer I was working in New York City for a big law firm and was told to go see an important partner about an assignment. I went into the partner’s office and was handed a file: “We have a deadline of next Thursday. Make sure we have filed the proper form with the SEC.” “What sort of file are you talking about, and what is the deadline?” I asked. Keep in mind that I was a law student and had no legal experience whatsoever. “I do not have time for this bullshit,” the partner said picking up his phone. “Just make sure the fucking form is… -
Are You More Interested in the Intangible or the Tangible?
18 Nov 2009 | 5:15 amSeveral years ago I started a business called Law Firm Staff, which is a staffing business for attorneys, paralegals and so forth. Because it was a relatively new business and I had hired a manager, I felt that it was extremely important that the business had a strong self-concept, and was well branded. At the time, our other companies were going gangbusters, and I solicited bids from various “branding agencies” that would help us to come up with various concepts for branding our business in the eyes of customers. When the bids started coming in I realized that this entire… -
Are You Motivated By Information, People, Activities, Things–or Places?
16 Nov 2009 | 11:40 pmMost people are motivated by either information, people, places, things or activities. You are probably focused on one of these as well, and this explains why some people interest you, and others you find boring. This also explains why you hit it off with certain types of people and do not hit it off with others, and why you are attracted to certain jobs and activities more than others. The rarest sort of person is the one who is interested primarily in information. For most of his life my grandfather woke up every morning, and studied the day’s news. He would read a variety of… -
Are You More Motivated by the Opinions of Others–or Your Own?
16 Nov 2009 | 4:58 amWhen I first moved to Los Angeles I found myself spending the occasional Saturday or Sunday going to Beverly Hills with a girlfriend to look in clothing stores. One of the stores that I usually ended up in was a store like Barneys, which carries both men’s and women’s clothing. Instead of sitting idly on couch near a dressing room, reading fashion magazines with the other occasional bored male, I typically would go upstairs and look at men’s clothing. What always fascinated me about the menswear I saw during these trips was that it seemed drastically different each year. One…
-
Resume Writing Help by Creating Prints
-
The Interview: Piece of Cake
12 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pmHow can you get over your jitters and ace the interview in order to win the job over the competition? Service your future employer before you are even on payroll. -
Are You Evolving Into The In-Demand Professional of Tomorrow?
30 Oct 2009 | 1:30 pmWhat will it take to secure a job in the future? As the world and the job market changes are you? -
Does Your Resume Tell Your Story?
21 Oct 2009 | 1:45 amAre you confident your resume outshines by promoting your candidacy in a style that is coherent, deliberate, and especially engaging by revealing your value-laden career story? When your prospective employer reads your resume will it convincingly tell your career adventure? Have you guided them in imagining you...at work...for them? What story? A substantiated tale of how with enthusiasm you launched and sculpted your career; how over time you have exponentially flourished; how your contributions have been unparalleled; how painstakingly you've worked; and how you've been successively… -
Presentation, Branding, & Going The Extra Mile...
11 Oct 2009 | 4:35 pmWhen something has been done too many times or when there are so many of the same...how do you emerge from the pack? Regardless of how you feel about Michael Jackson, we all can agree that since his death there have been too many artist singing his songs, walking his moon walk, and just doing everything they can to impersonate him. To make a point of which I'm positive will help you in your job search, I'd like you enjoy and assess this: What is so special about this? Is it that it's the same person singing in concert? The... -
Being a Cookie-Cutter Job Seeker is a Misfortune
7 Oct 2009 | 12:09 amBy Rosa E. Vargas. As a member of a new community of resume writers and career coaches called the Career Collective, this post is one of many responses to the question, "Are you a cookie cutter job seeker?" I encourage you to visit other members' responses, see links at end of this post. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective. The Meeting It was Friday and the end of a very hectic workweek! A career as an assistant buyer during a tough economy is no piece of cake. This particular Friday Susan had to attend a meeting at 4:30 PM...
-
JOBCIRCLE.COM - CIRCLEBLOG
-
Deadly Cover Letter Errors
19 Nov 2009 | 9:04 amBy Alesia Benedict, CPRW, JCTC A cover letter is a crucial career marketing piece. Unfortunately, many job seekers ignore the cover letter or pass it off as “unimportant”. That is so untrue! The cover letter is very important and should accompany your resume whenever possible. “Resume and cover letter” is like “peanut-butter and jelly” – they go together and complement each other. Often, job seekers struggle with putting together a great cover letter that will support the resume. A cover letter can seem tough to develop because you don’t want to be repetitive of information in… -
Can Your Birth Order Affect How You Learn?
18 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pmBy Todd Bavol, The Job Search Ninja. CEO, Integrity Career Transitions While relating birth order to learning ability or career interests (I will look at the latter in my next post) might seem a little like relating personality to astrological sign, experts are convinced that the place that we hold within our families does have a bearing on how we think and learn, as well as on the general career direction that we are most suited to. According to researcher, counselor and authority on birth order, Cliff Isaacson, birth order does much to determine our personalities, and in turn the way that… -
The Audition Interview
16 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amBy Todd Bavol, The Job Search Ninja. CEO, Integrity Career Transitions Back in August I did a couple of posts on group and panel interviews, both of which are fairly commonly used by employers. Another type of interview that you may come across, or can even request, is the audition interview. Imagine for a moment that you are in charge of the casting for a movie or a play and all you have to go on in terms of an actor or actress’s abilities is a resume. Would you be able to get a feel for how well they perform? Undoubtedly not. Well, the same is true to a great extent in certain other jobs… -
Is Your Fear Of Success Holding You Back?
12 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pmBy Todd Bavol, The Job Search Ninja. CEO, Integrity Career Transitions Fear of success – it sounds like a contradiction in terms, but for many people it is not only a very real issue, but also one which can hold them back every bit as effectively as the fear of failure. During the course of our lives, we all have the opportunity to experience failure, and so, to some degree, we learn to handle it. As long as it is not so totally and utterly devastating, we learn to take something from the experience, to pick ourselves up and to manage the change that it inevitably leads to. Each time we… -
Educational Spotlight: Biblical Seminary
11 Nov 2009 | 11:47 amDo you need a Master of Divinity degree in order to pursue a professional vocation as a pastor? Are you interested in working as a counselor, either in a ministry or secular setting, and want the advanced training of a master’s degree in counseling? Are you looking to grow in your understanding of the Bible and your relationship with God and would like to take adult enrichment courses? Biblical Seminary offers many opportunities to learn, from degree programs to certificates and non-degree lifelong learning classes. Their purpose is to educate men and women so that they have the…
-
Girl on the Brink: Surviving Desperate Times with Desperate Measures
-
Day 219 — Marketing Moves
20 Nov 2009 | 8:54 amThe knuckleheads at Southwest Airlines lost my luggage to Las Vegas last night—on a direct flight. Oh, the minor inconveniences of a girl on the brink. Traveling to Vegas has inspired new marketing ideas in Ann. All the better to nab that marketing dream job that’s going to strike her like a boxer’s left punch. You’ll love this first one. It’s so Las Vegas. Tracker trailer truck with glass walls. Inside girls in thongs (according to the cab driver who told me) and I’m guessing some sort of top were pole dancing. Can you guess the company’s advertising… -
Day 218 — Bad Is the New Good
19 Nov 2009 | 10:29 amThe one time of month I hate more than my period is when I have to sort through the monthly bills with my ex. You’d think that the mortgage, utilities and school tuition would top the list of high-priority bills. But he always tries to maneuver the conversation to other things, such as my travel, which he characterizes as “irresponsible.” So, Ann is traveling again. This time to Las Vegas—leaving on a plane—soon. She is, after, a bad girl, which is the new good. Before she left, she decided to glean a few tips from a reality show she just discovered—the… -
Day 217 — The D-List for Unemployment
18 Nov 2009 | 7:12 amI’ve never been a big fan of comedian Kathy Griffin, but my opinion is beginning to change. Griffin stars in the The D-List, which refers to her self-proclaimed celebrity status, not her cup size. Griffin is beginning to grow on me because of her honesty with where she stands in life. She knows—and admits—that she is not a box office sensation like actor George Clooney. Yes, well, as I was saying, Griffin’s candor resonates with me. As job seekers, what list would we be on? Certainly, anyone who’s been unemployed for as long as me—nearly a year—would… -
Day 216 — The Skin I’m In
16 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmOkay, who was it? A woman, no doubt. Someone blew the whistle on my online dating profile for posting a fetching photo that showed a halo of a nipple. It was barely showing. You can’t decide for yourself (see photo below). The consequence: The dating site deleted my picture and sent me a scathing email that warned me not to do it again—or else. The warning said: “If any of these rules are violated again, your account(s) will be removed from our website permanently.” I’d hardly say that the photo falls within the realm of nudity. I mean, have you taken a look at… -
Day 215 — Sound Appeal
16 Nov 2009 | 6:03 amI don’t know about you, but I love total sensory experiences. The moving escalators at the Tenleytown-AU Metro station sound like whales mating. The only thing missing is the whales and a good salty ocean. I hope the maintenance folk leave them as is. Sound imagery—particularly the sounds of labor (work) and love (making)—help me get through the day. Unfortunately, my life is often radio silent. Long dark nights hugging my pillow and then a head turn to check the time—1:45 AM. Nothing between the sheets except me and my pillow. When your daily litany of sounds change,…
-
CareerGuide101.com
-
Candidate Control:The key to recruiting Success
20 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pmCandidate Control: The Key to Recruiting Success By: W.L. Renner Like any other professional service that deals with the public, recruiters continuously struggle with the issue of control. The same way doctors wrestle with “patient control” and lawyers boast about “client control,” so recruiters agonize over “candidate control.” If you look at recruiting realistically, you’ll recognize that you can no more “control” the actions of another person than you can control a speeding vehicle that’s hydroplaning down the interstate at 70 miles an hour in a driving rainstorm. That… -
Control Your Career: Make sure you work for you
2 Nov 2009 | 4:32 pmBy: Don RobinsonWe Work For Money Every employment choice you make from your first job through retirement effects your career. Let's be real: you work for money. When you have money, you work for causes. People who work in lower paying jobs that have more intrinsic value to them make enough money to sustain themselves doing what they want to do. That's perfectly acceptable--enough money is there to work for that cause. -
Basic steps to career advancement
22 Oct 2009 | 2:28 pmBasic Steps For Career Advancement By: Lauris Renner Being the best at what you do is very important when it comes to career advancement, having the drive and ambition to reach your goals is also just as important. Advice in a person to become the best at anything he or she does is easier said than done, this article will provide you some useful pointers you can follow when you are trying to get a job, change your current career or simply become the best at anything you do. -
A Stress Survival Guide for HR Managers and HR Professionals
7 Oct 2009 | 11:08 amBy: Don RobinsonA Stress Survival Guide for HR Managers and HR Professionals Ten Stressors and Five Management StrategiesIn today's 24/7, constantly changing, merging and consolidating, "do more with less" work environment the letters "HR" could as easily stand for "Hub of Reorganization" as for "Human Resources." And, in fact, it's the intersection of these two organizational dynamics - human exchange and systemic change - that accounts for the inherent challenge and performance pressure for the HR Manager and other human resources professionals. When a person, over time, is confronted by… -
Security Clearance101/ Do I NEED IT?
14 Sep 2009 | 2:43 pmBy W.L. RennYou don't have to have Securty clearance to work in this industry, we just want to give you some insight as to why you may want to consider it. The benefits of having a security clearanceYou will have the option to work on a greater number and variety of technical programs and projects - job opportunities that would otherwise not be available to you due to their sensitive and critical nature;Often times, projects that require cleared professionals involve today's most cutting-edge solutions and technologies;Having a clearance generally widens and increases your career choices, as…
-
Awake @ The Wheel
-
Daddies Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Strangers
18 Nov 2009 | 8:12 amThey don’t want to admit it, but a lot of working dads don’t want to be around their kids… That sounds so horrible. And, in fact, it’s incredibly sad. Because, for many, the solution is a lot closer than believed, once you step back and take the time to see what’s really going down. I’m not a psychologist, I’m just a guy who tends to spend a whole lot of time examining the modern human condition. And, because I’m a dad who’s chosen what most would consider an unorthodox path, I tend to focus a lot of my attention on the dynamics of being a… -
Behind The Leader: A Candid Conversation with Bill George
13 Nov 2009 | 9:30 amA few months back, I posted about my experience at the World Business Forum in NYC. That event, two days of world-class leaders speaking to 5,000 people at Radio City, lit a bit of a fire for me to finally act on something I’ve wanted to do for a long time…start a new interview series featuring long, in-depth, candid conversations with some of the world’s most extraordinary business and thought leaders. So, today, I am thrilled to announce the first interview in my new Behind The Leader series—Bill George. Bill is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of… -
Rage Against the Sales Letter
9 Nov 2009 | 3:18 amLong sales copy is the #1 cause of death in the U.S… Or, so a vocal few would have you believe. Attributed often as the vile creation of online scamsters, long format sales copy has been simultaneously reviled and exalted. Yet, still, it endures. So, let’s clear a few things up. First, it’s not the invention of internet marketers… It may have been co-opted and pushed to the level of backlit garishness by many, but it’s been the centerpiece of direct-response marketing for the better part of a century and sold billions of dollars of everything from Blue Blocker… -
The Geek’s Guide to Being Interesting
6 Nov 2009 | 2:18 amI’m not the most comfortable person in social situations… Dunno why. Maybe it’s that I was raised in a household with a hippy, potter (not pothead) mom and a mad professor dad. Either way, I never quite learned the standard party openers, you know, first 10 questions to ask or ways to be instantly known as the life of the party. And, I have to admit, I kind of resented this lack of proper social grooming for a lot of years. Because everyone I knew seemed to have a much easier time than me. But, with age, comes wisdom (also known as eccentricity), and I eventually realized my… -
Are You Building a Body of Work or a Cornucopia of Chaos?
2 Nov 2009 | 7:12 amThere’s a difference. And it’s big… One is about your legacy, the other is about what’s in front of you. One is about the impact trail you deliberately blaze and leave behind, the other about the income trail you haphazardly piece together. One is about progressive, conscious building within a well defined area of interest, the other is about bouncing to wherever the next perceived opportunity lies without regard to growth and consistency. One is about being mindful, present and proactive, the other is about being disconnected, frenetic and reactive. One is about…
-
Gradversity: Breaking Into The Entry Level Job Market
-
Why would anyone want to join RBS?
20 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pmThe following is a guest post from Sarah Butcher courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap RBS wants to recruit. According to today’s Financial News, it’s, “Probably one of the most aggressive hirers in the market at the moment.” This may be so, but given speculation about the future of RBS’s investment banking business, enthusiasm for joining the bank is likely to be muted. RBS stock is down nearly 6% today on the news that it will probably be obliged to sell Citizens, Churchill, Green Flag, Direct Line, more than 312 RBS branches in England, and Global Merchant Acquiring (card payments… -
Job Hunting Along Side Your Parents
19 Nov 2009 | 3:25 pmVery interesting article on CNN today about cross-generational job hunting. With the economy in tatters, it seems that new grads seeking Entry Level Jobs are looking for work at the same time as their parents and elders. Parents and kids trade job hunting advice goes into some of the details of this new reality. While it doesn’t offer much in the line of real job hunting advice, it’s still an interesting read. Funny how times change… Tags: job hunting -
Bullet Points In Your Cover Letter?
18 Nov 2009 | 6:57 pmSounds like an interesting idea. If you get in early enough, it may help you stand out from the crowd (before everyone starts doing it). See here. Does it work? I’d love to hear from someone who has tried this! Tags: Bullet Points, cover letters -
How Don Dodge Landed On His Feet After A Layoff
17 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pmIn my recent post How To Handle A Layoff In Style, I wrote about Don Dodge. Don was a long time Microsoft employee who was recently given a layoff notice. And what did Don do after being let go? Far from lashing out at Microsoft, Don had only glowing things to say on his blog about his former employer and colleagues. In my eyes, it was the perfect way to handle the sudden loss of your job. No angry outbursts, no burned bridges, just a simple farewell. So when I recently read Google scoops up ex-Microsoftie Don Dodge, I was thrilled. It just goes to show that you can quickly land on your feet… -
Proofread Your Resume Backwards
16 Nov 2009 | 6:02 pmLifeHacker posted an interesting tip the other day. Read Your Résumé from the Bottom Up to Reduce Errors is an article with a great idea for proofreading your resume. I probably don’t need to go into details (the title is pretty self-explanatory), but check out the post here. Tags: Proofreading
-
The Career Doctor Blog
-
No Need to Mention Layoff in Your Cover Letter
20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amMichelle writes: I recently was let go from my position at my office due to financial reasons. How do I start off a cover letter letting the employer know this information in a positive manner? I just need some advice on how to construct the first part of the cover letter and I did not see that on the website. Hope you can help and thank you for your time. The Career Doctor responds: Repeat after me — again and again — never ever put any kind of negative information in your cover letter, resume, or any other job-search materials. The time to address any of these negative issues… -
How to Ask for a Raise
19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amShelly writes: I would really appreciate if you could please send me some examples about how to ask for a raise. I’ve been at my job for a year now and I am stuck on a few things. I pretty much have all of my ducks in a row and I know I deserve the raise but I really want to make it presentable and professional. Basically I’m looking for a jump start, maybe I should start with a cover letter introducing my specific proposal? What do you think? Anything would help. The Career Doctor responds: Anytime we deal with money, whether as a job-seeker talking about salary or as an employee… -
Solving the Not-Enough-Experience Conundrum
18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amAndrew writes: I am having a problem getting a job. Right now I have three years of IT-related experience after finishing a college certificate course. I have worked on big to small projects and as a desktop analyst. But when I submit my resume for jobs I have done before and know I can do I am always being told by companies that I don’t have enough experience and need to get more. But how can I get the experience if no one will hire me? The Career Doctor responds: The job market for professionals in the technology field has been pretty dismal over the last few years, and while… -
OK to Have List of Questions for the Interviewer Handy at the Interview?
17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amTrish writes: I have a question regarding the appropriate thing to do in an interview. This is in relation to Question #17 (Having questions about the job or the company to ask the interviewer), from the Quintessential Careers Job Interviewing Quiz. Is it appropriate to have a “written list” with me and pull it out to ask the questions? The Career Doctor responds: Interview preparation is essential, and the more any job-seeker can do to prepare, the better the chances for success. One of the issues we stress is that job-seekers should always have a few questions to ask the… -
How to Approach a Career Change from PR to Marketing
16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amSally writes: I was hoping that you might give me some quick advice about how to approach looking at a career change. I graduated with a degree in communications and have been working in public relations for the past two years. In that time I have come to feel that I should have been a marketing major and that I would be much happier with a career in marketing. I have found a marketing assistant position that I would absolutely love to take on, but it requires 1-2 years of marketing experience. Would my two years of PR count toward that at all? Finally, what steps do I need to take to start…
-
Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog
-
Consider "Word Bullets" for Your Cover Letter
20 Nov 2009 | 1:10 pm“Word bullets” are a way to make your cover letter stand out. Word bullets (which can be used with regular bullets), also break up the text and are excellent for spotlighting words or phrases from the ad or job posting you’re responding to. By pulling these words out of the ad, you can focus your letter sharply on how you meet the requirements that relate to those words. See an example of a letter that uses word bullets. -
Avoid the Bloated Resume
19 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pmOne of our favorite quotes about resumes comes from Mark Nelson, former partner of Dale Dauten of syndicated career-column fame. Describing a two-page resume with long paragraphs and tiny type, Nelson says: “This resume is like a lonely guy who can’t get a date, so he sits at home and eats and gets bigger and bigger. I meet people all the time who think employers are going to get excited by lots of detail in their resumes. No. Instead, [employers] think, ‘Here’s a guy who can’t prioritize and who doesn’t respect his reader.’” Overstuffed and… -
Bullets Make Your Cover Letter More Reader-Friendly
18 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pmConsider using bullets in your cover letter to make it more reader-friendly. Bullet points can break up the text of your cover letter and draw the reader’s eye to your most compelling selling points. Be sure you don’t re-hash your resume’s bullet points. And unlike bullet points on a resume, those on a cover letter should either be in complete sentences (instead of clipped, “telegraphed” resume language) or should complete the sentence that leads into the bulleted list. -
Do You Have a Headless Resume?
17 Nov 2009 | 12:53 pmIn the Q&A she did with us professional resume writer Tracy Laswell Williams, talks about “the headless resume,” which she says is less than desirable. “It has been my experience,” Williams notes, “that many people (especially busy, overworked recruiters and hiring managers) have a hard time summarizing information on their own. Without a focused and persuasive summary at the beginning of your resume, you’re missing a great opportunity to sell yourself by leaving it to the reader to form an overall impression of your qualifications.” -
The Majority of Hiring Managers Read Cover Letters
15 Nov 2009 | 9:06 pmThink most hiring managers don’t read cover letters? The perception that cover letters aren’t important anymore is likely fed by the fact that some online job boards don’t have a mechanism for submitting cover letters. But a study by CareerBuilder.com of 290 hiring managers across the U.S. revealed that 66 percent prefer an appropriate cover letter with the resume. Since you don’t know which two-thirds of hiring managers like cover letters and which third don’t, you need to always include a cover letter with your resume. Further breaking down that 66 percent,…
-
Career Success!
-
Heads Up! You Already ARE In Business For Yourself
18 Nov 2009 | 5:40 amA Preamble to Today's ArticleIn the earlier part of my career, I was a CPA with the firm now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers ("PwC"). I quickly gravitated into PwC's highly profitable corporate finance consulting practice as a Director in the firm's Atlanta office, where I spent 10 years specializing in Financial Advisory Services to Fortune 500 companies. The last 15 years of my work life have been oriented around my new passion -- human resource development and career development services targeted toward business leaders, executives and senior managers. My… -
Get Results with LinkedIn! - The LinkedIn Daily Workplan
11 Nov 2009 | 10:43 amThe first time I heard the phrase "Networking Gravity" was from my friend Liz Lynch, author of the wonderful book "Smart Networking." In her book, Liz defines "Networking Gravity" as "a force that draws people automatically into your world with whom you have the greatest potential to build mutually beneficial relationships." I LOVE that definition. Liz states that you build networking gravity in four principle ways: Sharing your expertise widely to enable as many others as possible to have clarity on what you do and know how you could help them. -
"The Wow Factor" - Interview with the Author, Frances Cole Jones - Some Great "Wow" Tips
11 Nov 2009 | 5:26 amCareer Success Radio ShowInterview with Frances Cole Jones, Author of "The Wow Factor - The 33 Things You Must (and Must Not) Do to Guarantee Your Edge in Today's Business World)"Carrie and I interviewed author Frances Cole Jones on the Career Success Radio Show on Tuesday, November 10th on the subject of "Wowing" and positively influencing your colleagues, employers, potential employers -- even your competitors. Frances recently released her newest book, "The Wow Factor" with offers easy-to-follow advice and immediately implementable tips and techniques… -
10 Habits to Energize Your Day! Try One or More of These When the Pressure is On
10 Nov 2009 | 10:57 amBalancing "highly focused work effort" with adequate rest and recovery is invaluable in any performance venue - work, athletics, sports, hobbies, etc. Without adequate recovery time, we overstress our bodies physically, emotionally and mentally. Energy levels suffer and peak performance is impacted.Energize Yourself! With regard to work activities, recovery time not only includes planned vacations and time away from work on the weekends, but should also include daily "rituals" designed to regroup and recover from the stress associated with your day-to-day work demands. -
Job Search - Follow the "80/20 Rule" and Achieve Results
9 Nov 2009 | 5:44 amYour job search will only be as effective as the level of effort you put forth (the amount of TIME) and the the QUALITY of that effort (focusing on the HIGHEST IMPACT job search activities). I have spoken with dozens and dozens of individuals over the past 90 days who are actively seeking new job opportunities. Those who are seeing little to no results are either: NOT spending sufficient time and/or are NOT focusing the time they are spending on the highest impact activities. The job search process simply CANNOT be "Short-Cut" in the current market environment -- neither short-cut…
-
Movin' On Up
-
Giving Thanks this Holiday Season
17 Nov 2009 | 2:27 pmWith the holidays in full swing, it’s time to celebrate and reflect on all we’re thankful for. Although 2009 has been a rollercoaster year, we each have many reasons to be joyful. This holiday season, take time to think about all the things you have in your life, rather than what you don’t. Focus on family, friends, good health, a home, a job, etc. If you look closely, you’ll find you have a lot to be thankful for. Another thing to be grateful for is the start of a new year. The year 2010 will bring with it a new beginning and a fresh start. Each day is a new opportunity, full of… -
The Difference a Day Makes
11 Nov 2009 | 3:07 pmToday’s my birthday. It’s not a milestone birthday like sweet 16, 21, or the hill surpassing 50. It’s just a regular, somewhere-in-the-middle birthday. In fact, it seems fairly insignificant as far as birthday’s go, but to tell the truth, I’m a little sad to see the additional candle on the cake. I’m not worried about getting older. I’m old enough to know that aging is a natural part of life, and much preferred to the alternative, as the Curious Case of Benjamin Button so strongly convinced me. I just thought I would be a little further along when I got here. I thought I’d be… -
Who’s Hiring, Who Isn’t, and How to Get the Job
9 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pmWhile some industries continue to see sharp declines in job losses, other industries have remained strong during the recession, and some have even started to bounce back. According to a recent report released by Beyond.com, Inc., a network of online communities for niche careers, healthcare and information technology are two industries that continue to add jobs at a steady pace. Their third quarter Career Trend Report for 2009 also indicated that sales, sales management, manufacturing, and production industries experienced slight increases in job gains in the third quarter of 2009, while… -
This Holiday, Do You Need a Second Job?
1 Nov 2009 | 5:30 amEvery six months, we try to get a pulse on whether or not people are looking for second jobs. With the holiday season approaching and employers starting to ramp up hiring, we want to know if you plan on getting a second job. poll by twiigs.com -
Readers Split on Pay Increases as the Economy Improves
30 Oct 2009 | 3:00 pmAs the economy continues to improve, experts are saying that the recession is coming to a close. This great news comes at a wonderful time – as companies and individuals are setting goals and making plans for 2010. So, we wanted to know how people were feeling about their pocket book outlook. In our latest reader poll, we asked “Do you think you’ll be making more money a year from now.” Our readers were split nearly down the middle, but the positive outlook won out in the end! To be exact, just over 291 people – 50% of our 578 respondents – replied yes. The rest, 287, were a no.
-
SmartLemming.com
-
The Smart Lemming’s Daily Twitter Digest: November 19, 2009
19 Nov 2009 | 10:45 pmThe Smart Lemming sent out the following tweets, recommending these additional resources from news, articles, and posts on business life, career management, management and leadership, and women in business: 9 ways to research prospective employers: do this advance work and you’ll be set for a smarter interview Earn a Living While Making a Difference The Value of Simplicity - Do You Know What Simple Feels Like? The gentle art of conversational ping pong The keys to strategy execution Are You More Specific–or More General? Why you should understand your natural inclination. Trait… -
Smart Lemming Diary: Additional Channel Management and Sales Management Functions
19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amFebruary 18, 2006 The Paradox of Letting Go It’s funny what happens when you let go of something. All of a sudden it’s handed to you. My current job has grown due to my sense of duty and loyalty. I keep volunteering to do more because of my previous work experience. I first started as a Director of Marketing and within seven months, my responsibilities now include two more functions. It all happened this week, which went like this: Monday: we outlined our approach to our meeting with our lead investor Tuesday: my CEO was traveling so I was charge of the presentation Wednesday: I… -
The Smart Lemming’s Daily Twitter Digest: November 18, 2009
18 Nov 2009 | 10:40 pmThe Smart Lemming sent out the following tweets, recommending these additional resources from news, articles, and posts on business life, career management, management and leadership, and women in business: About one million laid-off workers will see their unemployment benefits end in January unless Congress acts quickly Finding balance can be tough for top leaders: finding your ‘ego balance’ “The Good Wife” Episode 8 “Unprepared”: TV Recap My knowledge worker mascot is now a toy: Unitasker Wednesday: USB-Powered Hamster Wheel I had no idea on why I use lists until now: We… -
Smart Lemming Diary: Theory of Special Relativity of Management
18 Nov 2009 | 10:04 amFebruary 14, 2006 When you’re in the rank and file in a company, sometimes you wonder why it takes so long for Management to act. Over the past six months, now that I’m in that upper Management structure, I’ve learned that travel schedules, conflicting Management deadlines, and other random things delay things from happening. The Special Relativity of Management It’s kind of like the Theory of Special Relativity as defined on Wikipedia with my notes: Relativity of simultaneity: Two events, simultaneous for some observer (Management), may not be simultaneous for another… -
The Smart Lemming’s Daily Twitter Digest: November 17, 2009
17 Nov 2009 | 10:13 pmThe Smart Lemming sent out the following tweets, recommending these additional resources from news, articles, and posts on business life, career management, management and leadership, and women in business: Confused about tipping etiquette? How much to tip at hotels, and when - A primer for guests Women in business: 3 Strategies for Raising Successful Daughters Leadership: 5 Decision Making Options This is different: Testosterone Levels, Top Dogs, and Collective Group Confidence An inside look at job Interviewing: Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts for Job Seeker The work left behind after…
-
Professional Resume Services
-
Making the job hunt Your Job
Job-hunting has never been a walk in the park, and these days, it’s even harder. You’re staring down the barrel of double-digit inflation rates, and unemployment statistics are showing numbers that have never been higher. How do you get a job, then? Well, you treat every minute that you’re unemployed ... -
Plan Your Resume
With the current state of the economy, jobs are a bit more challenging to come by. For this reason, it is more important than ever that you have a properly planned resume. A poorly planned resume can result in missing out an interview, which can be devastating in this market. If ... -
Job hunting with a conviction on your record
I recently had a client call to have his resume done, and in the course of our discussion, out popped a confession that he had two misdemeanors. They were five years old, but still, not good. He has faced many obstacles during the job search, even though his misdemeanors had ... -
Interview Responses to Avoid at All Costs
An interview is your opportunity to sell yourself. Regardless of how much you may look the part, you need to answer the questions correctly to get the job. Interviewers ask key questions and look for certain types of answers. Honesty is always the best policy, but remember that it ... -
Determining how much you’re worth
With so many people currently seeking employment, a big question on many minds is how to decide what your job skills are worth. What salary are you willing to accept? Your first task is to research: research, research, research. If you have a friend at the company, ask them how pay ...
-
IMPACT Hiring Solutions Career and Job Search Blog
-
Job Search Stalled? Do What the Pros Do.
20 Nov 2009 | 6:24 amI was reading a golf magazine recently and a particular article caught my attention. It was about what one of the top pros on the PGA tour does when he gets stalled or in a slump. He simply goes back to basics. He goes back to when he first started playing golf to review if one of the 4 basics of golf have changed. He indicated most of the time this fixes the problem. Your job search may need the exact same thing. If your search is stalled, not attaining the traction you want, or the level of traction you were getting isn’t happening now, going back to the basics may be the ticket. Like… -
Does Your Career Flounder and Flop Around Like a Fish out of Water?
18 Nov 2009 | 9:13 amWhen was the last time you thought about your career? NOT your job – your long-term career. Is your career a series of flopping around from job to job, floundering like a fish out of water – or is there a coherent, obvious, planned approach to moving your career forward? In 5 – 10 –15 years – what do you want from your job at that point, what do you want to be earning, what do you want to be learning, what impact can you make, what will you be known for, what lasting impression will you leave upon your organization? Is your career strategy fall into the category of “I hope my next… -
The Hot Potato Method of Applying to a Job Opening
16 Nov 2009 | 5:12 pmI touched on this idea the other day in a blog article when I mentioned the idea that you should have a plan for how to attack or blitz a job opening. Let’s explore this idea a little further. Most candidates treat responding to job advertisements like they are a hot potato – touch and get rid of it. Some of the girls on my HS basketball team play basketball in this same manner. OMG – somebody threw me the ball – I better get rid of it quickly. I’ll treat the basketball like it’s a hot potato. Why does this happen – even after I suggest ever so politely to the young ladies on my… -
Cover Letter + Great Resume = Interview
13 Nov 2009 | 8:32 amThis is the winning formula for getting interviews. There are exceptions for personal referrals and networking contacts, but often even with these they will first ask for a resume. It has been my experience recently that many candidates “know” this formula intellectually but few convert from the knowing to “doing.” And that after all is the key. I’m currently conducting a search and as one might expect the number of resumes received is almost overwhelming. I spend my weekends and nights just trying to empty my inbox. Not an easy task. About 65% of the resumes I… -
Are You Responding To Job Descriptions Masquerading as Job Advertisements?
12 Nov 2009 | 8:14 pmOver 90% of companies post their entire job description or some modified version of it as a job advertisement. Why? Is it because they don’t want to take the time to write a real advertisement? Is it because they’re taking the easy way out – posting something that was downloaded off the internet in 1999? Is it because they think the job description is the job? As you probably know, Brad and I teach workshop for Hiring Managers and Executives on improving their hiring effectiveness. Over 35,000 Managers and Executives worldwide have seen this program, titled “You’re NOT the Person I…
-
Unleashed Abundance
-
Addicted to the Roller Coaster
15 Nov 2009 | 8:28 amSo I’m settling in at work, learning a lot, able to contribute a lot to improving our day-to-day team efficiency by using my Excel skills to automate some of our standard work files, getting along great with my co-workers. Am also keeping active in LCPF — did a Twitter workshop on Nov 9th which went well. Was also asked, due to my self-taught Social Media skills, to help as the SM person for a group of ladies that held a Women’s Conference in early October (I couldn’t go b/c of year-end close at work and was SO bummed!). They had spent quite a bit of money on… -
Yesterday’s Abundance
1 Nov 2009 | 11:13 amI hope y’all had as much fun yesterday as I did with extended family, gathering at our place for trick-or-treating and pot-luck dinner. Talk about Abundance of candy, laughter, and love! The Clown had a hard time keeping up with the big kids. The Witch had a REALLY scary Witch Smile. Groucho had his Groucho walk down so well that it had his Aunts giggling, and Flash even started to get in on the Groucho silly walk style! And the fun continued trick-or-treating as well: And of course, the Witch, showing off her Witchy Smile. I told you it was scary! Posted in Feeling Great, Just… -
Circumstance or Design?
16 Oct 2009 | 10:50 amIn my quest for career happiness I have discovered an ugly truth. Somewhere along my corporate development I became a product of circumstance and not a product of my own detailed design. In my eagerness to be a team player I stepped away from pursuing what excites me. No mistake though, I am very grateful for the experiences my past employer has given me. It has made me an adaptable, potential candidate for any position. It is with this revelation that I have begun to redesign my future by identifying my passions. I firmly believe work without passion results in mediocrity, dissatisfaction… -
Sufficiency and Your Career
15 Oct 2009 | 6:42 pmLast week I went to a discussion group at The Present Moment, where we discussed the ideas in the book “The Soul of Money” by Lynn Twist. Although I haven’t yet read this book myself, apparently Twist discusses three myths which people hold that influences their life: There’s not enough for everyone More is better That’s just the way it is As Lynn says, “Money is our invention. We made it up.” In other words, you don’t need money to be happy. And in answer to the three myths above, cultivating a sense of gratitude for what you already have… -
A Word of Advice for Hiring Employers
14 Oct 2009 | 10:38 amI am posting today because I am attempting to create a genuine cover letter. A cover letter that doesn’t just paint a picture of someone with the required qualifications, but someone with heart and passion to grow the business. Its obvious that our current economic situation has thrust a plethora of qualified applicants scurrying to find their next job. The abundance is a good thing and bad thing for hiring employers. The good side is employers have a copious pool of qualified, or over-qualified, candidates to select from. The bad side is determining if the candidate actually has…
-
Mystic Madness
-
Opinions And Advice – How To Make Best Use of Them
19 Nov 2009 | 3:51 amSometimes my job is everyone’s job. At times I have been given a job which eventually turns out to be everyone’s job. So if you finally turn up handling such jobs, you tend to have plenty of opinions and advice from almost everyone who is involved with you. The situation becomes more complicated when you have to take a decision and everyone has an advice for you. How smartly you handle opinions and advice determines the level of maturity you demonstrate on your job. And yes it is an important ... Related posts:Job Interview Advice – How To Sell Yourself Ever wondered why Job… -
Wake Up RockStar
18 Nov 2009 | 6:54 amThere is no better time than today. There is no better moment than Now. Wake Up Rockstar, this is your day, this is your moment to Rock. Not many of us realize that this is only one life that we have. Where will we go afterwards? No one knows and no one would ever know. If our days are fixed in this world then why not do things that make us happy? Why not do things that we love to do? I understand that we have responsibilities towards ourselves and ... Related posts:How To Deal With Difficult People Much has been said about dealing with difficult people...10 Situations Where You Always Lie… -
How To Deal With Bullies
16 Nov 2009 | 3:05 amThis post is not about the bully game or ant the bully movie but it is about dealing with bullies you face in everyday life. They can be just anywhere like in school, workplace, neighborhood or streets. The Bullies command a position by virtue of their some quality that makes them beatdown or take other people for ride in an unruly manner. Intentional or unintentional, the truth is that their behaviors do give some problems to people who are at receiving end and make them feel helpless or bad about ... Related posts:How To Deal With Difficult People Much has been said about dealing with… -
Getting Fired
11 Nov 2009 | 4:23 amThis post is dedicated to one of my friend who got fired recently. It is not about his experiences but what I could learn from him. There is a clear understanding that one can derive on how job markets operate and why almost everyone is susceptible to market changes. Getting fired not because you are not required but because company cannot afford you anymore is common in worse market situation. If you happen to be a victim of any such related situation where the reason is everything except you poor ... Related posts:How To Ask For A Raise Should you ask for a pay raise or should you...Top 10… -
Problem Solving Skills – How to Solve Problems the Rocking Way
10 Nov 2009 | 3:14 amEver imagined why some people posses the problem solving skills while other just scout for answers? Everybody at some point in their lives has wondered what it takes to develop skills and posses techniques that make them rock the right way. The answer is no different from all the hacks we do apply in our life but the approach one takes definitely varies. Our caliber determines our standing in the industry which indirectly relates to our ability to solve difficult and peculiar problems in our lies. A problem does not ... Related posts:How To Deal With Difficult People Much has been said about…
-
Joy of Human Capital
-
Of CEO Searches and LAPD Chiefs
11 Nov 2009 | 8:15 amI love CEO searches. Each is a unique opportunity to work with a company’s Board, or owner, to assess a company’s strategic plan, map out the skills needed, and then go out into the market to hunt down the person best able to make those plans come true. This week’s announcement of Charlie Beck as the new chief executive of the Los Angeles Police Department has transported me back seven years, to the last time we picked a police chief and I was a Deputy Mayor. November 2002: Our administration was grappling with an LAPD in crisis. The city was prey to soaring rates of violent crime, with… -
The Skinny on Executive Pay
26 Oct 2009 | 10:59 amLots of talk this week on executive compensation, with fascinating trajectories for American culture, business, society and public policy. I followed the debate so you don’t have to. As you might expect, much of the conventional wisdom has focused on a potential Wall Street brain drain should comp restrictions be put into place (examples here, here and here). The week’s best commentaries came from The Economist and compensation expert Frank Glassner. First, The Economist points to big investment bank bonuses and introduces the concept of “employee capture:” Such rewards,… -
How to Hug like Obama, Shake Hands like Clinton
15 Oct 2009 | 8:48 amIn case you didn’t get the memo, hugs have replaced handshakes in the new American workplace. Here’s your how-to guide for the new hug protocol: The Full Frontal: Your standard bear hug. Total body contact, heart-to-heart embrace and firm squeeze. For parents, children and good friends. The Ass-Out Hug: Nothing touches below the shoulders. Appropriate for the office and bad first dates. The Hip-Hop Hug: A.k.a. the man hug and the hetero hug. A manly shake-and-squeeze combo. Shake with right hand and hug with left, two slaps on the back. Favored by President Obama and… -
Time to Get Entrepreneurial
30 Sep 2009 | 7:50 amAn article entitled “Managing Your Career as a Business” in today’s New York Times business section discusses my career experiences and what I’m seeing in the job market: Joy Chen followed her own entrepreneurial career path. Ms. Chen, with a master’s degree in business administration from the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, had been a deputy mayor of Los Angeles and then went to work for Heidrick & Struggles, the management search firm. She left to start her own recruiting firm, Chen Partners in 2007, just as the economy started… -
Pivotal Talent: The Game-Changers You Need to Build Your Business
15 Sep 2009 | 9:06 amWhat jobs are companies upgrading? What jobs should I consider upgrading?” These are the two most common questions people have been asking me following my last blog post “Behind the Layoff Numbers, Companies are Upgrading Their Talent.” The answer in both cases: jobs that require “pivotal talent.” “Pivotal” is not synonymous with “important.” Pivotal talents are those game-changing employees whose performance can make or break the bottom line. Two of the best thinkers on this subject are John Boudreau and Pete Ramstad, whose book, Beyond HR: The New Science of Human Capital,…
-
Heymarci.com
-
How to Deal with Post-Conference Overload
13 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amLast week I returned from a conference, which put me into my usual state of post-conference overload. My bag was busting with business cards; the conference agenda and my notebook were filled with notes I must have thought important at the time I scribbled them; and a tsunami of to-dos had landed on my desk and in my inbox. I spent my first day back trying to processing what I learned at the conference while muddling through the rest of my work. I started thinking about what I’d tell myself if I wanted to make the most out of my conference experience. Here’s what I came up with:… -
The Secret to Good Introductions
12 Nov 2009 | 9:32 amAs a congenital connector, I make introductions all the time. Usually I have good results. I’ve had an uncountable number of successful career matches and even ignited a few romances (one of which resulted in a strong marriage.) But sometimes I mess up and when I do, it usually boils down to one thing: I made an introduction where I thought two people would want to meet, or accepted a request from someone to get an introduction to someone else, but in the end both people weren’t interested in the introduction. Fred Wilson, a venture capitalist who writes the excellent blog A VC,… -
Choosing good work instead of good exits from work
2 Nov 2009 | 9:35 pmWe’re used to a familiar path of life. You get educated. You work. And by the time you enter mid-life you probably juggle a few things. You still work. Maybe you have a family. You take care of your aging parents. At some point, you retire. And then what? Years ago, when retirement was pegged at 65, retirement consisted of a decade or so of idle recreation. But now if retired at 65, your retirement years might last another twenty-five years. But what if that were all flipped on its head? What if, instead, you studied throughout your life and only settled into your true career somewhere… -
How to survive a bad boss
31 Oct 2009 | 8:51 amTo mangle Tolstoy, good bosses are all alike. They are good mentors; they care about your happiness and advancement; their interests seem aligned with your own. Bad bosses, on the other hand, come in many flavors. And a new book, “Working for You Isn’t Working for Me,” by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster, provides a field guide to the many species of bad boss. There’s the “checked out” boss (can these really survive in this kind of job market?), the “rule changer” (who tells you to take a lunch break then seems surprised you’re not at… -
How to work a conference, even before it starts
28 Oct 2009 | 7:18 amYou know the feeling. You sign up for a conference, scan the list of panels and keynotes trying to find out which you’ll go to, which you’ll snooze through, and when you’ll escape for some alone time or a workout. But how often do you have a strategy for meeting the few people you are really hoping to meet? You know, the ones who have a crowd of people surrounding them and then zip off for a pre-arranged coffee date with some other person who looks important. Basically, how do you become the kind of person who has those pre-arranged coffee dates (or at least a good shot at…
-
Yahoo! Hot Jobs Career Tools
-
Hottest Holiday Jobs
19 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amThe holidays are always a great time to get together with loved ones, but the season is also an ideal time to get job search moving again. While retailers may be tightening up on hiring seasonal help, don't let this scare you away from your holiday -
Cyber Monday Survival Tips for the Office
16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amThe Monday following the Thanksgiving weekend is called Cyber Monday due to its popularity for online shopping, at home and at the workplace. How and when you shop online at home is your business, but shopping online at work is your employer's busine -
6 Steps to Career Longevity
16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amEat your vegetables. Don't smoke. Wear your seatbelts. We all know some basic ways to help extend our lives (even if we don't follow them). But how do we extend our careers? It is possible to have a long, productive and fulfilling career, or careers, -
5 Ways to Wow Your Boss
16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amIt's more important than ever to make sure your boss is happy with your performance. In tenuous times, your supervisor is one of the few people who may be able to shield you from a layoff. She may also be able to help you pursue a promotion down the -
10% Unemployment and Rising -- Now What?
16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amWell, it finally arrived. The Labor Department reported that the official unemployment rate for October 2009 rose to 10.2%, from 9.8% in September. We knew this was coming and that it was just a matter of time.Now that we've broken that barrier, whe
-
Dr. G's - Eyes wide Open
-
8 Lessons they should have taught at School! - by Kara Wirt
20 Nov 2009 | 9:22 amWhy do they always miss out on teaching you the good stuff at school? These are 8 lessons that I have gathered throughout my life that I wish I had learned when I was younger! 1. The power of an open mind… many opportunities can be bypassed by too quickly by assuming stereotypes. 2. The importance of setting goals. How do you know if you are on track if you haven’t set out any targets? 3. Pareto Principle. This is also known as the 80:20 rule… the first 20% of your activity/effort gives 80% of the value. This is especially useful in situations such as exams where it is better to make an… -
Tortoises and Hares
19 Nov 2009 | 9:39 amWe all know the story .. the slow but steady tortoise beats the more talented but flaky hare. One of the more obvious lessons for careers is that you can’t take your foot off the gas - no matter how talented you are because someone will always be biting on your heels. I’m not suggesting you can’t take any holidays though! Today I want to say something positive about the tortoises. I’ve got a couple of mates who are “tortoises”. They’re methodical, slow to make decisions (but they make good quality decisions), predictable, stable. You know what… -
Different stages in Graduate Recruitment
19 Nov 2009 | 9:16 amI was writing an article earlier today for an engineering institute and I had a “mini - revelation”. In the article I identified the major steps in the graduate recruitment process. If you haven’t got there yet, the process looks something like this:- 1) Application 2) First interview (normally on the phone) together with numerical and verbal reasoning psychometric tests. These are used to see whether you have the base level intellect to be considered. So the focus of these tests is mainly IQ (what we generally see as intelligence). 3) Face to face interview 4) Assessment… -
To Intern? … or not to Intern? - by Ségolène
13 Nov 2009 | 2:44 amHi, my name is Ségolène, I come from France and I’m currently doing a three-month internship at MyTalentPlace. Are you unsure when your teachers, parents and friends keep going on about internships? Are you unsure of what the advantages are and honestly you’re a bit un-motivated and scared? These are the feelings I had before starting my first internship. Looking back, there are so many reasons why it was useful for me to do an internship. First off, it helped me to clarify my career choices. I thought I knew for sure what I wanted to do, but how could I be sure without experience? -
This moment is your life… - by Kara Wirt
12 Nov 2009 | 9:22 amThis grid represents one year. Funny how short a year looks when you can see all the days of the year at once! It makes you realise that you have to make the most of every day or they will pass you by. The older you get the faster time seems to go by and the less you live each day for itself. So…. How can you make sure that every day counts? 1. Let yourself be happy and don’t dwell on negatives, accept that you have to make mistakes in order to learn - so don’t let the past steal your present. 2. Similarly, don’t think too much or worry about the future, instead savor the present. 3.
-
JIST's Job Search and Career Blog
-
Earn a Living While Making a Difference
19 Nov 2009 | 5:58 amMore and more of today’s workers want to do more than just earn a paycheck. They want jobs that make a difference—in their communities, in the environment, and in the lives of people around them.Everything from national tragedies such as September 11 to a growing “green movement” across the nation have influenced millions of people to dedicate a significant part of their lives—their careers—to making the world a better place to live.“Some people throw up their hands and say, ‘What can one person do to improve the world?’ But others make plans to do what they can, however… -
Dealing with a Disability During the Job Search
17 Nov 2009 | 6:05 amMore than 50 million people across the nation have some level of disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For many of these people, finding and keeping a good job can seem impossible due to a physical or mental impairment that they have.For some, an eight-hour work day can be problematic if an employer has not made proper accommodations to help them work with their disability. For others, a physical or mental condition they have triggers a prospective employer’s expectation that they are unable to perform a job as well as people without disabilities. In fact, nearly 12 million… -
Library Journal Recommends Make Job Loss Work for You
12 Nov 2009 | 8:46 amThis afternoon, several of us on the JIST team were thrilled to discover that Library Journal published a positive review of Make Job Loss Work for You in its November 1, 2009 issue.See below to read the full review:Deems, Richard S. & Terri A. Deems. Make Job Loss Work for You: Get Over It and Get Your Career Back on Track. JIST. 2009. c.208p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59357-740-7. pap. $12.95. CAREERS"The authors, career counselors who have devised the Deems JobGetting Skills System for a successful job search, promote a proactive approach to moving on to your next position. Differentiating… -
Tips for a Successful Career Change
11 Nov 2009 | 6:09 amStatistics indicate that people should expect to change careers an average of six to seven times throughout their life. For some people, changing careers is exciting and rejuvenating. For others, it can be frustrating, nonetheless intimidating. No matter what a person is feeling, they can expect to encounter a few challenges on their way to a brand-new career.“In many instances you may be competing against other candidates who have experience within the industry or profession you are attempting to enter,” say Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark, co-authors of Expert Resumes for Career… -
Five Tips to Make the Most of National Career Development Month
5 Nov 2009 | 5:48 amEconomic turbulence over the past year has shifted the way people are viewing their careers. Many have stopped thinking about “professional development” and have adapted a “job survival” mindset instead. As a result, some have put their goals for a promotion, pay raise and the pursuit of their dream job on hold until after the economy recovers.What many of these people fail to realize is that career advancement is still important and attainable, even when the job market seems to be shrinking, says Katy Piotrowski, author of The Career Coward’s Guide to Career Advancement.“Most of…
-
Clue Wagon
-
Meet the Foot-in-Mouth Gang
20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amSometimes candidates say dumb things. Here are some dumb things people have said to some of my colleagues lately: One candidate said knew he was a little “green behind the ears.” Another candidate submitted a resume that mentioned his “gun hoo” personality twice. A candidate submitted a resume that was six pages long and made the business case for a salesperson to “network” through golf. He wanted to be sure he’d have country club privileges, because he felt there was a direct correlation between golf and sales. An applicant, when filling out the… -
Is This It?
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amHow did you come to be in your current line of work? Do you plan to stay in it until you’re done working full-time? Is there another line of work you fantasize about going into? What keeps you from making the leap? Anyone made a complete change to a wildly different line of work? How did you do it? Any regrets? This topic has been on my mind a lot lately, so I’m curious. Photo by BinaryApe © Kerry Sandberg Scott for Clue Wagon, 2009. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh -
13 List Ideas I Considered and Rejected
16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amThings I would like to say to that recruiter I overheard at Starbucks who said she didn’t consider any resume that didn’t have a cover letter addressed to her personally by name because she’s so very very important Reasons that your LinkedIn photo should not be the one from your ID badge at work (the one you asked HR to email to you because you figured, hey, a headshot is a headshot, and it’s no biggie if it looks like this is your mugshot from when you were arrested for public urination back in college) Reasons you should never EVER use text speak unless you are… -
Meet the One Nobody F__ks With
13 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amEarly in my career, I did a lot of college recruiting (i.e. traveling to campuses to recruit students who were about to graduate from college). One of the things that is especially important in college recruiting is making candidates comfortable. They often don’t have a lot of interview experience, so they’re usually nervous. It’s important build a rapport and to get them to relax a bit, so that the experience isn’t so painful. That way you get a clearer picture of whether they’re good candidates for your company. I was recruiting for a large company,… -
In Which We Don’t Talk About Job Hunting At All
11 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amIt’s Veterans Day. We could talk about job hunting, but I’d rather not. Instead, I want to talk about veterans. Years ago, I belonged to an online networking group for HR people. We had a bulletin board, and every Veterans Day, we’d have a post where everyone talked about who the veterans were in their family. I liked it, so I’m doing it here. These are my family’s veterans: That’s my grandpa, Donald Arthur Scheiber. He served in the Navy during World War II, and was seriously wounded in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. I took his Navy scarf with me to…
-
The Recruitment Underground
-
What’s Your Tribe?
19 Nov 2009 | 11:52 amDo you lead one? Do you have one? It’s a pretty good question these days since there’s a lot of talk about Tribes going around. And it seems to be an evolving situation but an interesting one since it’s apparent that it’s becoming a very powerful cultural phenomenon. I would say that it’s probably because of the increased connectivity we all have allows us access to people who have the same views and values. For more on Tribes, I would recommend Seth Godin’s book, oddly enough titled: Tribes. I had the priviledge of attending the recent PGC200… -
So You Got An Offer, Then What?
13 Nov 2009 | 5:09 pmI had a call from a friend the other day and he was in an interesting dilemma. He’d just been offered a position but the compensation was around $5oK less than what he had been making. So what to do? After all, with the economy in this shape it’s scary to be out there with no pay check. At the same time, when you’ve worked hard and been successful it can be tough to “take a step back” on the pay scale and there’s always the fear in the back of your mind that you’re going to be missing out on something more appropriate and well you might. But… -
I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough and Dog-Gone It People Like Me!
29 Oct 2009 | 12:14 pmEver use affirmations? A lot of people do and after all, the above one must have worked since it turned a clown into a senator. But the question is, can they work for you? And the answer to that is yes they can if you do them correctly and they could be a big help when you’re going into an interview. Okay, so you’ve finally got an interview and the job sounds like something you would really like. And suddenly it seems like it’s a really important thing, a lot more important than just talking about the World Series with one of your friends. Do you find yourself… -
What Do You Want?
20 Oct 2009 | 12:34 pmI had the pleasure of attending a friend’s workshop this past weekend and one of the key questions he posed to the group was, “What Do You Want?” Do you know what you want? It’s a good question and more importantly, if you do know what you want are you willing to come out and tell people what it is. And I think it’s very telling because you know what, I wasn’t prepared to tell people what it is I want and so I really thought about it. How are you supposed to get what you want if you A) Don’t know what that is and B) Can’t tell people? … -
No Job Search Traction? Three Ways To Keep Up Your Momentum
8 Oct 2009 | 3:13 pmNow that I look back on it, it’s been four months since I left my corporate recruiting job. Hard to believe it since this is the first time that I haven’t been “working” (had a steady job) since I was thirteen. And there’s one thing that’s been lurking there like a shadow just outside of peripheral vision – you know it’s there but when you turn around to look at it you can’t find it. So I decided to really think this one through and I’ve decided that the one thing that really discourages a person on a job search is a lack of…
-
Grad to Great
-
Go Getter Girls vs. Get Along Girls: Which One Are You?
9 Nov 2009 | 9:28 pmGo Getters Girl's Guide Debra Shigley is the author of a new book, The Go Getter Girl’s Guide, that is gathering a big following. She’s been a recent guest on several tv news and talk shows, including The View and CNN. Her book is the result of hundreds of interviews with successful, stylish young women, including Soledad O’Brien, Spanx founder Sara Blakely, and designer Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss. I recently had the opportunity to interview Debra, and she offered a lot of great advice for young women just starting out in their careers. Something she talks about in the… -
Best Cover Letter Samples and Tips Online
2 Nov 2009 | 8:09 amYou should always include a cover letter when sending, faxing (does anyone do this anymore?!), or emailing your resume to a potential employer. If a networking contact (who may not be aware of all your skills and accomplishments) requests a copy of your resume, you should include a cover letter. The cover letter enables you to focus the reader’s attention to specific skills or achievements that are particularly relevant to the company you want to work for, or the job you are seeking. It is every bit as important as your resume and has the same exact purpose - to get you an interview! 1. -
5 Career Planning Myths for College Students and Recent Grads
2 Nov 2009 | 5:38 amMyth #1: There are a few “safe” careers that make parents proud, have prestige, and mean you’ll be happy and make money for the rest of your life. Truth: No career is truly safe. Different professions come in and out of vogue. Authenticity never goes out of style. Follow your heart and your interests, not what someone else thinks you should do. Myth #2: You must decide what you want to do for the rest of your life before you graduate, or very soon after. Truth: The only thing you will do consistently for the rest of your life is ask yourself what you want to do. You need to find jobs… -
10 Tips for Writing Resumes That Get You Noticed
1 Nov 2009 | 7:29 pmAs if you don’t have enough on your plate already, now it’s time to write a killer resume. Grab some coffee and have a seat. The task of writing a resume is daunting to almost everyone…even successful professionals who have been working for 30+ years. It’s feels overwhelming to know where to start, what to include and what to leave off. The following 10 tips will help you write a resume that will not only stand out, but is sure to get you noticed by hiring managers. 1. Throw out the objective statement. Get rid of it. If the objective statement on your current resume says… -
Career Success Tip #2: Realize That No One Cares About Your Future As Much As You Do
24 Sep 2009 | 7:57 amDon’t assume that anyone in your office or workplace thinks about you, or your professional future, as much as you do. They don’t. For example, several years ago I knew a young 20-something who was passed over for a promotion. He got all bent out of shape because the person who got the position wasn’t as qualified as he was. He assumed everyone in the company would jump to the conclusion that he was passed over for the promotion because his boss didn’t like him or because his boss had no confidence in his abilities. Basically, he believed his chance at upward mobility…
-
Talent Centric Recruiting and Staffing
-
More Work Songs: Interlude 2
20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amI should have known when I attempted to list—comprehensively, I foolishly thought—some semblance the world’s most noteworthy working songs in Working Songs, a Musical Interlude that I would miss some. But not so many and, among them, so many classics! L. C. Sterling, in Certified Professional Writers, quickly reminded me of maybe the most direct, no-holds-barred [...] -
Clothes Make Me Mad
18 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amAll of a sudden I can't stop thinking of that popular quote of Henry David Thoreau. "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes." -
Finding Holiday Work
16 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amIf your job search has brought you nothing so far or if your options remain on hold, consider holiday work. Not all seasonal work comes to a dead end. Some employers look into their temporary pools for workers they can hire full time. -
Don’t Shoot Your Job Shot
13 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amIf a picture is worth a thousand words, a video at 30 pictures per second should be worth 30 times its length in seconds. But it’s not, at least in the world of video resumés. Just as you will see good and bad pictures, you can send employers a “Hire Me” video that will help [...] -
Health Care: Will It Take a Catastrophe?
11 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amI don't want to walk through the sneeze cloud of an infected public worker. For me, it's a no-brainer. When will the rest of the country wise up enough to understand that the better we treat everybody, the better we treat ourselves?
-
TalentEgg Career Incubator
-
15 minute resumé makeovers: Edit, edit, edit
19 Nov 2009 | 9:24 amEvery time you update your resumé for a new role, edit for content, spelling, grammar and how well it matches the needs of the employer. Have friends or family edit your resumé at least once, and read your resumé out loud to ensure it doesn’t sound awkward. Edit for action words Action words tell employers what you’ve done, how you did and what the results were. When editing your resumé, look for verbs that denote skills (these are often “-ed” verbs such as launched, communicated, explained or reviewed). Use a variety of verbs. Reading the same word repetitively is… -
Grad school and my social life, a balancing act
18 Nov 2009 | 8:11 amGrad school can create a tricky balancing act with your social life. “Where have you been?” and “Why don’t I ever see you?” are the two things I’ve heard most often since I’ve started. I know I’m not alone; it’s common among members of my class, with many of us asking ourselves where our lives have gone. Students in grad school come from all walks of life and are often in different stages. We come together to further our education with the hope of improving or changing our career path, or getting on the one we want. Grad school does not include the social network we took… -
15 minute resumé makeovers: Writing better bullet points
17 Nov 2009 | 12:21 pmOnce your resumé is ready to pass the “15 Second Test,” the next step is to write excellent bullet points. Bullet points, usually listed under each specific heading, make up the bulk of a resumé. What & How statements One method to writing a great bullet point is to think about a task you have done at a current or past job, and what skills that task requires. For example, “Communicated important information to a 10-person team,” is just an okay bullet point. To make a better bullet point, elaborate on how you did this: “Communicated important information to a 10-person team by… -
You never know who may be watching you at work
17 Nov 2009 | 7:44 amYou never know who is watching you. All thoughts of 1984 aside, when you are in the workplace you never really know who is watching what you do when you’re on the job. Your co-workers, your superiors and maybe your boss all could be watching what you do which in turn may impact how you and your work habits are perceived by others. I spent two weeks being a secret shopper for my old job. The goal was to see how the staffs are able to handle difficult situations, either in terms of knowledge or in terms of difficult customers. It was a lot of fun for me: I worked there for two years (one… -
15 minute resumé makeovers: Nailing the important sections
16 Nov 2009 | 9:50 amTailoring your resumé to include sections that reflect your specific skills and experience is the next step toward building a great resumé. Regardless of the position or industry you are applying for, nearly every resumé should include an objective statement and a profile section. The objective The best resumés are targeted. Creating a targeted objective is the basis for crafting a resumé that is applicable to the position you are applying for. The objective is usually one to three lines in length and clearly outlines the position you are applying for. This is your chance to show a…
-
ResumeBucket Blog
-
Tips for Habitual Career Switchers
19 Nov 2009 | 10:55 pmNumbers show that the majority of people change careers five to ten times during their lives. Once the initial excitement wears off most employees tend to burn themselves out and go through what’s called a “Midcareer Crisis.” “Midlife crisis” may be many things — depression, a reassessment, dissatisfaction, or unease — but a key contributor can be career issues.” Other factors such as location, layoffs, and personal issues influence may also impact this decision. While sometimes it is necessary to ‘reinvent’ yourself.. tread… -
Creating a Functional Resume
18 Nov 2009 | 6:06 pmUsing the Internet to promote your resume is now the quickest and most effective ways for employers, hiring managers, and recruiters to discover you. With the internet becoming the new medium for promoting yourself it’s critical that you create a resume with the following in mind; they are looking at hundreds of resumes, it’s imperative that you make your resume stand out. • Minimalism is key Just because Microsoft Word lets you use Clip Art and Symbols doesn’t mean you should. The NUMBER ONE thing that should be in your mind during the creation process is “Is this… -
How to Write Your First Resume in Three Easy Steps
16 Nov 2009 | 4:50 pmThe scenario is far too common… You’ve graduated High School or College but are clueless on what to include on your resume and industry specific cover letter. Unless you have a few extra-curricular activities under your belt, the only things you can list are common part time jobs which most likely involved something in retail, or the food service industry. Often the question that comes up is if you are applying for a full time career position, how do you create a resume for a full time career if your only previous experience in the workforce was at a clothing store or fast food… -
FREE Resume and Cover Letter Samples!
10 Nov 2009 | 9:21 amThe title says it all. WELCOME to ResumeBucket! The only one stop website for literally hundreds of free resume samples and free cover letter samples. With the less-than-ideal economic times our world is pushing through, your resume and cover letter are the first tools of the trade for landing yourself that new career path, first job, or getting back into your industry. The first step… You need to have an industry specific cover letter AND resume Now more than ever both your cover letter and resume need to compliment each other and be written flawlessly or you risk getting lost in that… -
How to get Discovered on ResumeBucket.com
1 Nov 2009 | 11:43 pmHere at ResumeBucket.com we want to help you do all you can to receive more views of your resume. Below, you will find step by step instructions and a few creative ways to have more people view your resume. 1. Head to Linkedin.com and edit your profile. Add your Unique ResumeBucket.com Link to your profile. * Log in to your account and on the left hand side, click on “Edit Your Profile”. Under Websites, Click Edit. Select “Other” and label it “My Resume” then activate the link by placing your custom ResumeBucket link…
-
The Recruitment Underground
-
What’s Your Tribe?
19 Nov 2009 | 11:52 amDo you lead one? Do you have one? It’s a pretty good question these days since there’s a lot of talk about Tribes going around. And it seems to be an evolving situation but an interesting one since it’s apparent that it’s becoming a very powerful cultural phenomenon. I would say that it’s probably because of the increased connectivity we all have allows us access to people who have the same views and values. For more on Tribes, I would recommend Seth Godin’s book, oddly enough titled: Tribes. I had the priviledge of attending the recent PGC200… -
So You Got An Offer, Then What?
13 Nov 2009 | 5:09 pmI had a call from a friend the other day and he was in an interesting dilemma. He’d just been offered a position but the compensation was around $5oK less than what he had been making. So what to do? After all, with the economy in this shape it’s scary to be out there with no pay check. At the same time, when you’ve worked hard and been successful it can be tough to “take a step back” on the pay scale and there’s always the fear in the back of your mind that you’re going to be missing out on something more appropriate and well you might. But… -
I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough and Dog-Gone It People Like Me!
29 Oct 2009 | 12:14 pmEver use affirmations? A lot of people do and after all, the above one must have worked since it turned a clown into a senator. But the question is, can they work for you? And the answer to that is yes they can if you do them correctly and they could be a big help when you’re going into an interview. Okay, so you’ve finally got an interview and the job sounds like something you would really like. And suddenly it seems like it’s a really important thing, a lot more important than just talking about the World Series with one of your friends. Do you find yourself… -
What Do You Want?
20 Oct 2009 | 12:34 pmI had the pleasure of attending a friend’s workshop this past weekend and one of the key questions he posed to the group was, “What Do You Want?” Do you know what you want? It’s a good question and more importantly, if you do know what you want are you willing to come out and tell people what it is. And I think it’s very telling because you know what, I wasn’t prepared to tell people what it is I want and so I really thought about it. How are you supposed to get what you want if you A) Don’t know what that is and B) Can’t tell people? … -
No Job Search Traction? Three Ways To Keep Up Your Momentum
8 Oct 2009 | 3:13 pmNow that I look back on it, it’s been four months since I left my corporate recruiting job. Hard to believe it since this is the first time that I haven’t been “working” (had a steady job) since I was thirteen. And there’s one thing that’s been lurking there like a shadow just outside of peripheral vision – you know it’s there but when you turn around to look at it you can’t find it. So I decided to really think this one through and I’ve decided that the one thing that really discourages a person on a job search is a lack of…
-
Ask The Headhunter
-
How to Say It: Why you should read my resume
16 Nov 2009 | 7:08 pmDiscussion: November 17, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter A reader asks: I work in logistics (freight and shipping) and I’m trying to come up with a better Objective statement for my resume. Right now it says, “Hardworking, capable operations manager seeking opportunity for advancement.” It’s pretty basic. How do I write an Objective that makes an employer [...] -
Readers’ Forum: Avoid disaster – check out the employer!
16 Nov 2009 | 7:06 pmDiscussion: November 17, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter In today’s Q&A a reader says he goofed when he didn’t check out his new employer carefully enough. After I accepted a position with a local company it became evident that the way the leadership of the company was managing internal operations was going to sink it. Three months [...] -
How to Say It: Ouch! No more work!
9 Nov 2009 | 1:43 pmDiscussion: November 10, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter A reader asks: How do I tell my boss that I am overloaded with work and can’t accept additional projects without letting an existing project slip? How to Say It: Bosses hand out assignments but often don’t realize the cost a new assignment exacts. It’s your job to tell [...] -
Readers’ Forum: Initiative or exploitation?
9 Nov 2009 | 1:36 pmDiscussion: November 10, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter In this week’s Q&A, a reader worries that the Ask The Headhunter method of sharing a sample of your abilities with an employer in an interview means you are “less mentally adept” and that I’m exploiting you. (I guess that means the employer is exploiting you, too.) Uh… say what? Have [...] -
Pay for a job? (Part 2)
2 Nov 2009 | 3:14 pmAbout a year ago we first asked the question, How much would you pay for a job? In this week’s e-mail Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, we’re covering part two. (Don’t get the free newsletter? Oops. You’re missing the full story. Sign up now!) A reader says: I recently signed an agreement with a search firm that places people either (1) as a [...]
-
Career Rocketeer
-
How Can Stay-at-Home Parents Return to Careers in Today’s Job Market?
20 Nov 2009 | 3:35 amDue to the economic crisis, the job market is flooded with people seeking employment. Some may have been employed by the same company for many years and others may have just graduated and started their first job or are even still looking for it. So what can you, as a stay-at-home parent do when you want to launch yourself back into the workforce? How can you compete?Step 1: Get OrganizedThere are several challenges when faced with returning to the workforce. The first issue is how you will handle the responsibilities you have at home? Are your children old enough to be alone or do you have to… -
What’s Your Purpose?
18 Nov 2009 | 8:21 amEver spend much time thinking about that? What’s your purpose?What does that have to do with your job search or career? Everything!Do you find your purpose in your job, or in something outside of your career?What animates you from day-to-day? - Advancement in your career?- More money?- Ability to have more toys, nicer houses, cars, jewelry, or ‘stuff’?- Provide better for your family?- Provide value or serve your customers?- Be a better spouse, parent, child, friend, or neighbor?- Have more fun?- Serving God, or reflecting Him in the culture around you?- Achieve happiness?- Gain… -
Career Happiness: Expect It or Aspire To It
18 Nov 2009 | 4:01 amToo often we confuse our expectations with our aspirations. You may know it as expecting too much. Career dissatisfaction results from a misalignment of these two factors. To stay on track, you need to only understand the difference and ask a few questions. In this post, I’ll tell you what they are.I recently asked MBA grads to tell me how the degree has met their expectations. I wanted to know specifically what they sought and where the expectations came from. What are your expectations? You think of one, now. Quick. Just any one…The first response from the graduates was a resounding NO. -
If money were no object, what would you do with your time?
17 Nov 2009 | 11:21 amI love this question because the possibilities are endless. To me not having to be concerned about money leads my imagination everywhere! I’d be a philanthropist and travel to remote places to see what projects are best funded to better the world. I’d be a National Geographic photographer. I’d row across the Atlantic. I’d work for a season at the Palmer Station in Antarctica. I’d live in Peru and study the Inca architecture to discover how they made their incredible walls. I would travel the states and incorporate Paint Dancing into every K-12 school with the intention of ending… -
What is Your Stage of Identity Development? The Increasing Globalization of the Workplace
16 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pmWho are you? What is your Cultural Identity? What is your stage of Identity Development and how can this impact your career?How adept are you at working with diverse people and/or for a Global Employer?The workplace is increasingly global and diverse. Each of our job titles and roles increasingly is intertwined with both national and multinational interests, technologies, operations, suppliers etc. We all have multiple roles within our division, company, sector and industry and interact with a widening assortment of colleagues, vendors, suppliers and customers. Thus, it is imperative to…
-
Career Workshop
-
Research sources for legal professionals
18 Nov 2009 | 12:45 amThis month our newsletter looked at a range of sources for current awareness and background research for the legal profession including professional associations, journals, directories, salary surveys and job vacancy sites . I thought it would be useful to post these on the blog as well. Professional associations Bar Council - The professional and representative body for barristers in England and Wales. Provides detailed information about training to become a barrister. Bar Standards Board - The independent regulatory board of the Bar Council, responsible for regulating barristers in… -
15 Career Transitions Blogs to Investigate
21 Aug 2009 | 5:46 amThere are many career-related blogs being written by recruiters, careers advisers, branding experts, job seekers, journalists and others. Some of these focus on a particular aspect of career transitions such as CVs or presentation skills whilst others are more general. I’ve been following a few of these blogs for some time now. The list below is a very tiny selection of blogs which may be of interest to people changing jobs or considering a career change. Blue Sky Resumes -The blog of Louise Fletcher who runs her own CV writing business (in the US). Content is particularly focused… -
Career Workshop’s Facebook page needs some fans – can you help?
28 Jul 2009 | 9:19 amI want to claim Career Workshop’s page name but can’t do that without 100 fans. At the moment I am somewhat short of that number! If you would consider becoming a fan, even temporarily, it would be much appreciated! Click here to visit Career Workshop’s Facebook page. Thanks! -
Job search sources for the sports industry
17 Jul 2009 | 5:35 amLast month our newsletter looked at a range of sources for current awareness and background research for the sports industry including government agencies, trade associations and professional bodies, journals, job vacancy sites and recruiters. I thought it would be useful to post these on the blog as well. Government departments and agencies Department for Culture, Media and Sport – Government department responsible for cultural and sporting activities and supporting the tourism, creative and leisure industries. SkillsActive – Employer-led body (Sector Skills Council) focusing on… -
Career transitions, job search and recruitment blogs
17 Jul 2009 | 3:16 amI’m starting to compile a list of blogs covering the subjects of: career transitions and change recruitment interim management Any sugggestions would be welcome – feel free to use our suggestion form or comment on this post. I’ll write up and publish the list later in the summer.
-
Career Sherpa
-
How Are You Communicating?
19 Nov 2009 | 3:16 amCommunication is crucial. A message is mostly interpreted by non-verbal cues, not the actual words we use. However, for the last few years there has been a huge movement towards social networks and the conversations are happening virtually (in writing). Well, some would ask if they are really conversations or just narcissistic junk. The point I am trying to make is that the traditional definitions of communication are broadening. Thomas Stone, of Element K, speaker and authority on eLearning presented at the local chapter of American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). He… -
Leave Your 'Tude at the Door
18 Nov 2009 | 2:09 amEver had a bad day? What about a bad week? Anyone ever had a bad year? It is possible and most likely probable that you have. Job search is rough on the emotions. It takes us places we don't want to go...feeling rejected, vulnerable, angry, anxiety-ridden, depressed and sometimes all at the same time. Check these emotions at the door before you leave your home. Amazingly, many people don't see this in themselves, or if they do, perhaps they feel entitled to these emotions. It is OK and even normal to have these feelings. Find someone who will listen when you are having a… -
The Winds of Change
17 Nov 2009 | 2:17 amHow do we find our next direction? What career or job should we be looking for? If the answers were clear and easy, we wouldn't be struggling. I believe that there could be many jobs that would be a good fit for many different reasons. This can be an unsettling answer for those who want a straight answer. Experimenting with a new job can seem risky. What if you don't like the decision you made? What if it wasn't a good fit. Just like trying on a pair of shoes, you find a new pair. Yet, this sounds trite. You can't just toss aside a job that took months to find and… -
What Will You Do Differently This Week?
16 Nov 2009 | 3:42 amWe are creatures of habit. Many of us desire routines, rituals, stability. It is dangerous to be lulled into the complacency of habits. We need to continue to move forward and push ourselves out of our comfort zone. I write this primarily for myself. Fear of failure has long been the excuse I have provided for not trying new things or taking risks. When will I learn to let go of this excuse? There is certainly something I can do about it and I don't believe the answer lies in all of the sudden taking one large risk. Instead, it is about taking little risks daily. Almost like… -
Summary Sunday
15 Nov 2009 | 3:28 amAre you in a slump? Do you need a kick start? Is your job search stalled? Perhaps you will need to take some time to re-evaluate your activities and actions over the past week or two (or maybe longer). Job Search Guidance Why Isn't My Job Search Working? Casting A Wide Net Fixing Your Search 25 Signs That You Need Serious Help with Your Search Networking Guidance Think Before You Speak Sales 101 10 Steps to Networking Right Tracking Your Networking Resume Guidance How to Make Your Resume Work for You 5 Best Resumes out of 500+ (part 2) Resume Critique (with down-loadable checklist)…
-
Pollock Spark
-
Job searches are hard
18 Nov 2009 | 8:07 amI received this response to the Q+A piece about the value of mass mailing a resume. I post it here, along with my response, and welcome your thoughts.I read your response to a woman today on Cynopsis who asked about mass mailing since she's not had much luck trying all things suggested in a job search. Your response was not to and then suggested maybe she wasn't doing x y or z. I got so angry when I read that. Naturally, you assume it must be something she isn't doing. Well, take it from someone else who has exhausted her network, done all that is suggested and is constantly… -
Seven Pointers to an effective elevator speech and cover letter
17 Nov 2009 | 6:57 amAs you go about your job search is critically important that you understand and internalize the value that you provide to an employee or client.You must understand deep inside yourself what makes you so special at the job you are pursuing. You must have a good sense from your connections and research what a potential employer is looking for. You should know, or be able to intuit, what kind of problems they are likely to have and what problems they are looking to have someone you hopefully take care of for them.You should have moved way past such generic, price-of-entry claims as… -
Q+A: Should I do a resume mass mailing?
17 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am~ ASK THE EXPERTS ~ FIRST PUBLISHED IN CYNOPSIS DIGITAL ADVANTAGEQuestions from our ReadersAnswered by Michael PollockQ: Other than a poor return, are there any drawbacks to sending out mass resumes to all appropriate companies? I have tried all the things people have suggested, worked a couple hours a day on networking, on Facebook and LinkedIn, and still nothing. So I thought I would try a mass mailing but wanted to check with you first.A: If it will make you feel better, then go ahead. But bear in mind how you feel when you get a communication that is clearly written "to whom it may… -
Q+A: How do I treat an interviewer's secretary
17 Nov 2009 | 6:52 am~ ASK THE EXPERTS ~ FIRST PUBLISHED IN CYNOPSIS DIGITAL ADVANTAGEQuestions from our readersAnswered by Michael PollockQ: I treat all people with respect, but is there anything to be gained by treating the interviewer's secretary especially well? Will he/she have any influence? A: If you always treat people with respect, then simply continue to do so when you meet the secretary. Some secretaries may indeed have some influence with the interviewer, but normal politeness should be fine. Don't be… -
Carve out the time. Just do it.
15 Nov 2009 | 10:41 amWe all have major issues of our careers - business planning or portfolio development or what have you - that has to get done but we put it off because the day-to-day stuff just won't let us do it. I am working with a wonderful and dynamic client who needs to spend time writing. Trying to set part of every day aside for it did not work. There were too many other stimuli and phone calls and emails and so on to be dealt with. The time never materialized. So we have decided that she will carve out - set aside - an entire day every week. And not a weekend day either. A weekday when no calls will…
-
About.com: Working Moms
-
Site of the Week: Pandora
20 Nov 2009 | 8:25 amFor the last 32 hours I have had no Internet access. You can imagine how hard it has been to work! Oddly enough, though, I found that the site I missed the most was Pandora. I could access Google and some email (limited attachments) on my Blackberry, until it ran out of batteries. But without my instant online jukebox I had no running soundtrack to play while I worked. Earlier this month I was in Asia, where I was distraught to find that I couldn't access Pandora! Something about international copyright licenses, but all I could think was that I should've loaded more tunes on my MP3 player… -
5 Ways to Annoy a Working Mom
18 Nov 2009 | 2:33 amI was at the playground with a stay-at-home mom friend on a sunny summer day chatting as we watched our two-year olds climb the jungle gym. Our conversation ranged over the usual topics: the news, politics, movies, books. Then she brought up her decision to put her daughter in preschool -- and things got ugly. "I don't see how I can leave her for three hours every day; she's so little!" my friend agonized. I was struck dumb. "Really?" the voice inside me said. "How do you think that comment makes me feel when I've been leaving my daughter at daycare for 9 hours a day since she was 6 months… -
Sarah Palin Dishes to Oprah Today!
16 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amSarah Palin's new book, Going Rogue, will be released tomorrow. So naturally, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate is appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show today as part of the publicity around the book's publication. Unfortunately, the clips of the show that were released in advance don't look that exciting. Palin acknowledges that her disastrous interview with Katie Couric "wasn't a good interview" and says she doesn't want to go "down the road of controversy and drama" regarding Levi Johnston, the father of her grandbaby. Really? Is that the best you could get, Oprah? -
SOTW: Hybrid Mom
13 Nov 2009 | 6:56 amI've blogged before about how I think the mommy wars are a media myth. So it's no surprise that I gravitate toward voices that speak to our different phases of life -- at-home, part-time work, and full-on career woman -- rather than viewing mothers as fixed in a category of working moms or stay-at-home moms. One of my favorite proponents of this view is Hybrid Mom, the About Working Moms Site of the Week. Both a Web site and a glossy magazine, Hybrid Mom appeals to mothers who are working or thinking about work or starting a business or pursuing volunteer opportunities. You can read a working… -
On Veterans Day, Let's Thank Military Moms
11 Nov 2009 | 1:16 amToday is Veterans Day, when America honors all living veterans of military service. That includes 1.8 million female veterans, many of whom are working moms. How will you mark Veterans Day? My husband has the day off work, so he'll be watching the kids and may take them down to see one of the many Washington, DC monuments honoring veterans. I suppose I'll catch a parade or perhaps read my children a bedtime story about veterans. What are your plans today? Follow me on Twitter | Join my Facebook page Photo credit: Getty Images/Stockbyte More: Fun Facts About Veterans Day Children's Books…
-
Job Search Tips and Advice - Applicant - A Guide To All Things Career
-
How to Build a Resume with Your 10 Biggest Screw Ups
18 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amAny conventional resume coach will tell you that there are some things you absolutely never put on your resume. And the best resume services will find a way to turn your top skills and achievements into benefits that will make your resume sparkle. But let’s face it: not everybody’s career is sparkling. What if your last two jobs were disasters? What if you were written up to HR for bad behavior? What if leaving the negatives off your resume leaves you nothing but your name and white space? In the job search, desperate times call for creative measures. You could make stuff up or… -
8 Signs Your Online University Is a Sham
16 Nov 2009 | 8:33 amKnowledge is power, and education is the secret to success—so if you’re pursuing a degree, you have made a very wise decision. Getting an online education is even smarter, considering the bad economy and your need to keep working while you study. Or it just might be the worst decision of your life. Not every online education venue is a branch on the tree of knowledge. So here are 8 signs that your online college is just another extension of the School of Hard Knocks handing out Masters Degrees in Gullibility. 1. The application asked for more financial information than background… -
Watch Out Job Seekers, Your Identity Is In Jeopardy
15 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pmAs a job seeker, you are networking and making sure you build your contacts and extend your network in order to be seen. However, networking whether online or offline can hurt you if you aren’t cautious about giving your information away. According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) the damage caused by identity theft in 2008 was $48 billion. In California, 20% of all identity theft related frauds were employment related, which is higher than credit card fraud in that state. Although the numbers are for California, with increasing layoffs and poor job market we are sure these numbers… -
5 “Social Media Don’ts ” For The Career Minded
12 Nov 2009 | 10:32 pmWe all know that social media and job search are now closely related. In today’s fast paced world, it is crucial to have a presence on different social media platforms in order to succeed and have a influential group of network. However, although it is important to be a part of the community, it seems like many candidates don’t realize that social media isn’t all fun and games. One slip of tongue (or finger) on one of these platforms can cost you your job. Below are five tips that are simple but something that needs to be reminded every so often to make sure your career and… -
10 Reasons Online Education Will Outdraw Traditional Universities by 2020
11 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amThere’s an old joke about the value of a liberal arts degree. It goes, “A science student asks, ‘Why does that work?’ An engineering student asks, ‘How does that work?’ A business student asks, ‘How much does that cost?’ And a liberal arts student asks, ‘Do you want fries with that?’ ” As we progress deeper into the digital age, traditional higher education as we know it is becoming more and more of a punchline. As InsideHigherEd.com has noted the number of colleges dedicated primarily to liberal arts has dwindled from 212 in 1999 to…
-
Job Search Tips and Advice - Applicant - A Guide To All Things Career
-
How to Build a Resume with Your 10 Biggest Screw Ups
18 Nov 2009 | 8:58 amAny conventional resume coach will tell you that there are some things you absolutely never put on your resume. And the best resume services will find a way to turn your top skills and achievements into benefits that will make your resume sparkle. But let’s face it: not everybody’s career is sparkling. What if your last two jobs were disasters? What if you were written up to HR for bad behavior? What if leaving the negatives off your resume leaves you nothing but your name and white space? In the job search, desperate times call for creative measures. You could make stuff up or… -
8 Signs Your Online University Is a Sham
16 Nov 2009 | 8:33 amKnowledge is power, and education is the secret to success—so if you’re pursuing a degree, you have made a very wise decision. Getting an online education is even smarter, considering the bad economy and your need to keep working while you study. Or it just might be the worst decision of your life. Not every online education venue is a branch on the tree of knowledge. So here are 8 signs that your online college is just another extension of the School of Hard Knocks handing out Masters Degrees in Gullibility. 1. The application asked for more financial information than background… -
Watch Out Job Seekers, Your Identity Is In Jeopardy
15 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pmAs a job seeker, you are networking and making sure you build your contacts and extend your network in order to be seen. However, networking whether online or offline can hurt you if you aren’t cautious about giving your information away. According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) the damage caused by identity theft in 2008 was $48 billion. In California, 20% of all identity theft related frauds were employment related, which is higher than credit card fraud in that state. Although the numbers are for California, with increasing layoffs and poor job market we are sure these numbers… -
5 “Social Media Don’ts ” For The Career Minded
12 Nov 2009 | 10:32 pmWe all know that social media and job search are now closely related. In today’s fast paced world, it is crucial to have a presence on different social media platforms in order to succeed and have a influential group of network. However, although it is important to be a part of the community, it seems like many candidates don’t realize that social media isn’t all fun and games. One slip of tongue (or finger) on one of these platforms can cost you your job. Below are five tips that are simple but something that needs to be reminded every so often to make sure your career and… -
10 Reasons Online Education Will Outdraw Traditional Universities by 2020
11 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amThere’s an old joke about the value of a liberal arts degree. It goes, “A science student asks, ‘Why does that work?’ An engineering student asks, ‘How does that work?’ A business student asks, ‘How much does that cost?’ And a liberal arts student asks, ‘Do you want fries with that?’ ” As we progress deeper into the digital age, traditional higher education as we know it is becoming more and more of a punchline. As InsideHigherEd.com has noted the number of colleges dedicated primarily to liberal arts has dwindled from 212 in 1999 to…
-
Career Blog
-
Job Search Stalled? Do What the Pros Do.
20 Nov 2009 | 6:24 amI was reading a golf magazine recently and a particular article caught my attention. It was about what one of the top pros on the PGA tour does when he gets stalled or in a slump. He simply goes back to basics. He goes back to when he first started playing golf to review if one of the 4 basics of golf have changed. He indicated most of the time this fixes the problem. Your job search may need the exact same thing. If your search is stalled, not attaining the traction you want, or the level of traction you were getting isn’t happening now, going back to the basics may be the ticket. Like… -
Does Your Career Flounder and Flop Around Like a Fish out of Water?
18 Nov 2009 | 9:13 amWhen was the last time you thought about your career? NOT your job – your long-term career. Is your career a series of flopping around from job to job, floundering like a fish out of water – or is there a coherent, obvious, planned approach to moving your career forward? In 5 – 10 –15 years – what do you want from your job at that point, what do you want to be earning, what do you want to be learning, what impact can you make, what will you be known for, what lasting impression will you leave upon your organization? Is your career strategy fall into the category of “I hope my next… -
The Hot Potato Method of Applying to a Job Opening
16 Nov 2009 | 5:12 pmI touched on this idea the other day in a blog article when I mentioned the idea that you should have a plan for how to attack or blitz a job opening. Let’s explore this idea a little further. Most candidates treat responding to job advertisements like they are a hot potato – touch and get rid of it. Some of the girls on my HS basketball team play basketball in this same manner. OMG – somebody threw me the ball – I better get rid of it quickly. I’ll treat the basketball like it’s a hot potato. Why does this happen – even after I suggest ever so politely to the young ladies on my… -
Cover Letter + Great Resume = Interview
13 Nov 2009 | 8:32 amThis is the winning formula for getting interviews. There are exceptions for personal referrals and networking contacts, but often even with these they will first ask for a resume. It has been my experience recently that many candidates “know” this formula intellectually but few convert from the knowing to “doing.” And that after all is the key. I’m currently conducting a search and as one might expect the number of resumes received is almost overwhelming. I spend my weekends and nights just trying to empty my inbox. Not an easy task. About 65% of the resumes I… -
Are You Responding To Job Descriptions Masquerading as Job Advertisements?
12 Nov 2009 | 8:14 pmOver 90% of companies post their entire job description or some modified version of it as a job advertisement. Why? Is it because they don’t want to take the time to write a real advertisement? Is it because they’re taking the easy way out – posting something that was downloaded off the internet in 1999? Is it because they think the job description is the job? As you probably know, Brad and I teach workshop for Hiring Managers and Executives on improving their hiring effectiveness. Over 35,000 Managers and Executives worldwide have seen this program, titled “You’re NOT the Person I…
-
The High Gain Zone
-
14 Nov 2009 | 7:41 am
14 Nov 2009 | 7:41 am“I Am” StatementThis is one of the most important pieces of information you will use throughout your job search. The “I Am” statement tells people who you are, what your values are and what you can do for them in two simple sentences. You’ll use it when you introduce yourself, when you network, when you interview, in your bio, resume, in your Linkedin profile, for your Twitter profile…..basically whenever you talk about yourself. So, you want to spent time and get this statement down so it becomes part of you."I am an engineer who saved my last company $75K on one project. I could… -
The Big 60
5 Nov 2009 | 8:53 amMy birthday was November 2. I’m 60! It’s a milestone and great because: Partying with my 84 year old Mom on Rush Street and being proud of how well we party hardy isn’t surprising. Not having to do anything I don’t want to do or work with people I don’t like is liberating. Looking in the mirror and seeing a 20 year-old who’s reinventing herself is AB FAB. “Acting as if” and “making up as I go along” with even more conviction is way more fun. Deciding to work until I’m 87 is an easy decision. Giving back through volunteering and serving on the Board of… -
I’m So Over Being “In Transition”
16 Sep 2009 | 3:11 pmVicki Znavor is an executive in "transition" who desires to make the most of this time by exploring and writing about people, process and performance and how they deliver bottom line performance. Vicki has graciously contributed this blog - Check out Vicki's blog - http://bottomlineperformance.blogspot.com...enjoy. Tonight I was reading a biography of Kristin Chenoweth, most famous for her role as Galinda the Good Witch in Wicked and something she wrote struck me as fascinating. She wrote “Human beings – and let me just interject here that I love being part of a species whose name is a… -
Linkedin Trail Tips
3 Sep 2009 | 3:14 pmAn important element of your personal branding strategy is to keep your name in front of others. Here are a few tips on using Linkedin....it's a very powerful tool!Complete your Linkedin® profile and use a professional photo.Check Linkedin® daily – make it a habit, put it on your calendar.Customize your public profile i.e. http://www.linkedin.com/in/janmarino and include it in your email signatureKeep your summary brief and interesting so people will read it.Update your profile regularly – an update message goes to your connections and keeps you in front of them.Let people know in… -
FLASH: New Career Rules
14 Aug 2009 | 4:37 pmIf you're in career transition, here's what you need to know: the rules have changed dramatically since the last time you were in the job market. Here’s what’s new:The biggest change is that we are now a "gig-to-gig" workforce. Because of the state of the economy, companies are reducing costs by using contractors for projects. These assignments usually last 3-6 months. You may be looking for a full time position, but be open to contract work. The days of long-term employment with one organization are long gone and so is company loyalty. Today's workplace dictates that you are responsible…
-
The FishBowl Blog!
-
Job Hunting? Launch Your Own Personal PR Campaign
25 Oct 2009 | 8:14 pmThis is the most challenging job market since the Great Depression; more and more people are continuing to be laid off and pink slips are still the order of the day. As the job topography changes, so do your job seeking strategies and approaches need to shift.Whereas public relations is generally thought of as a tool to garner press coverage for companies, many of the same skills and techniques that are used in PR can be utilized when job hunting, or when going on an interview. When you launch a PR campaign, you’re not only looking to present yourself in the best light, but also for a way… -
When To Make A Career Change
25 Oct 2009 | 8:09 pmWhether you are already in a transition or just exploring some new options, you have the opportunity to examine whether a change of job or career is appropriate - and any perceived barriers to making that needed change. It takes courage to face what isn’t working in our lives – but the wonderful consequence of taking that courageous step is often a major leap forward in our personal growth.Rather than facing the need for change, many of us prefer to stick our heads in the sand. We want to avoid looking at our needs and challenges directly. We can tell ourselves there really is no problem… -
Interview Thank You Letter - Why And How To Write One
25 Oct 2009 | 8:07 pmFew interviewees send an interview thank you letter for one or several reasons:• They think it looks like they’re sucking up (this is nonsense)• They think there’s no point as the decision has been made (it rarely has)• It doesn’t occur to them to send one (more fool them)Sending an interview thank you letter, right after your interview is very powerful indeed because:• You stand out. Since only about 1 in 10 interviewees send an interview thank you note you get noticed just for doing it, however bad you think your interview went and even if the interviewer doesn’t read your… -
Still More Behaviors for a Successful Job Search
25 Oct 2009 | 8:05 pmI have conducted hundreds of employment interviews for positions ranging from manufacturing shop floor to the executive level. After awhile you begin to notice that successful candidates did certain things that contributed to their positive outcome. Likewise, unsuccessful candidates had certain other actions in common which led to their not being chosen or did not help them.Hiring managers tell me they can see if someone is right for the organization minutes after the handshake. In a recent Robert Half survey, executives polled said they typically form an opinion of a candidate within the… -
Resumes Don’t Win Job Offers, Only Interviews Do
25 Oct 2009 | 8:01 pmMany people put too much weight on the resume. Simply, the resume's purpose is to get your phone to ring. It’s not going to win you a position before you get in the door. Sure, you can gain a competitive advantage with a well-written resume, since the interviewer will have preconceived notions of who you are and what you can bring to the table. However, the interviewer will not be smitten enough to hire you based on the resume alone. To win an interviewer over, you will have to do well during the interview.This is because an employer cannot possibly identify all she needs to know just by…
-
JobStickers
-
MJW Careers: Ready to Maximize Career Potential
10 Nov 2009 | 3:31 pmMJW Careers: Ready to Maximize Career PotentialThe Outplacement, Career Guidance and Motivational Speaking Company, MJW Careers, is Prepared to Assist Job Seekers and Companies with Career Transition. In Today’s World, Where Job Transition is Becoming More and More Prevalent for People in All Walks of Life, Every One Can Benefit from Career Transition Services. Wilmington, North Carolina (PRWEB) 7, October, 2009 – MJW Careers extends a warm welcome to job seekers and companies. Offering a wide array of services, MJW Careers meets any career transition need. Their mission is to provide a… -
Pitfalls and places you should avoid on your job search
19 Oct 2009 | 5:12 pmWhen job seekers are out on their own and sometimes do not think long enough before they jump into an opportunity, that might come few and far between, it can sometimes backfire and in turn hurt them emotionally and financially. These are some tips to read about some of the jobs out there that aren't worth pursuing.1. Unpaid internships with small companies who have no brand. Unless they are partnered and can offer credit for your university, I would avoid the unpaid internships. Remember when Kramer in Seinfeld had an intern at his company Kramerica? My point exactly.2. Buzz marketing… -
How to search for a job while maintaining your current one
13 Oct 2009 | 6:38 pmHow to search for a job while maintaining your current oneThere was a period where workers actually stayed on with an employer for a long time. Long enough to earn the famous “gold watch.” Unfortunately times have changed and that is no longer an option for the majority of the workforce. Another underlying issue is for the workers that aren’t satisfied with their current employment. Maybe they don’t feel like it’s challenging enough. Maybe they don’t feel like they have potential to move up the corporate ladder. And while most of us who are collecting unemployment benefits… -
Should I be wary of a temporary employment agency that doesn't test my skills before matching me with positions in my presumed skill set?
13 Oct 2009 | 12:12 pmShould I be wary of a temporary employment agency that doesn't test my skills before matching me with positions in my presumed skill set?While working at a staffing company in my past, one of my duties was to find temporary contractors for short contract stints lasting anywhere from 1 night to 1 year. Sometimes the company hiring us to find these people just needed bodies to do simple small part separation from one bin into another at an automotive company. Sometimes we did have to test the potential employee in various mechanical aptitudes to see if they could fit the description given to us… -
Who Do We Hire For the Future of HVAC?
7 Oct 2009 | 4:54 pmThe growing trend of Baby-Boomers retiring from the HVACR industry has forced many companies to scramble to find candidates to replace those seasoned service technicians and journeymen mechanics.Without a doubt, the best way to find potential employees is through referral networks. Managers and HVACR contractors must always be on the lookout for new talent, even if they are not actively hiring. Companies that are not fishing for new talent as actively as they should will certainly feel the repercussions once their elder employees decide that golf is more enjoyable in retirement than soldering…
-
Ultimate Career
-
Write Me a Reference Letter
10 Nov 2009 | 7:14 amIt is graduate school application season and loads of students (that I know of in or from mainland China) are attempting to go overseas for their Master’s degree next September. Other than the standardized tests like GMAT, TOEFL, GRE, and IELTS, many universities requirement a personal statement and at least 2 reference letters from every applicant. Over the past 2 weeks, I have been approached (”ambushed” is a better word) by more than 10 students asking me to write them recommendation letters and/or personal statements. And these requests all came with deadlines, “I would… -
Practice Interviewing More Productively
10 Nov 2009 | 6:07 amA lot is written and taught about how to interview well. Most of the advice includes the benefit of practice. But do you know the best way to practice? Practicing the wrong thing will simply make matters worst. You do not want the practice to turn your interview responses into canned, impersonal answers at the real interview. You do not want to practice only specific questions just to freeze when asked a question you didn’t expect. You also do not want to practice bad habits. Here are 3 tips for you to work on: 1. Practice the interview process. If you are a fresh graduate or still… -
Listen to the Quiet Guy
30 Oct 2009 | 11:34 pmImagine walking into a room with two persons inside. One of them is highly creative but very shy. The other is clever, but not as creative and much more domineering than the shy guy. Now, you have an upcoming assignment due in 2 weeks that needs high levels of creativity. So, you approach these two persons for help. As expected, the loud and not-as-creative person dominates the conversation and never allows the shy guy to participate. So, while the ideas generated are good, they are not incredibly innovative. The question now is: How do you get the loud guy to shut up so that you can hear the… -
Tell Me About Yourself
21 Oct 2009 | 2:23 pmWhen an interviewer ask the question, “Tell me about yourself,” they are not really asking you to tell them about yourself. Recruiters don’t give a hoot where you were born, what interest you have, why you selected your university or how and where you got your first and subsequent jobs. They may listen to these responses from you appropriately just to be nice but they really don’t care. Instead, an employer only wants to know about you in relation to themselves and the job. If where you were born and bred means that you have a good network of contact in the location that… -
When Leaders Fail
18 Oct 2009 | 6:22 amAbout 2 weeks ago, I wrote about courage being a necessary attribute of leaders. I was reading the news over the past week on SCMP.com and came across this piece of news: “Police widen Ernst & Young forgery probe” Have a read and let me know your thoughts. I’m sure this is not the first time you’ve heard of such a case. The people involved are not low level staff but usually middle-level or above. That is, they are leaders in the companies and in society as well. Other recent cases abound – just look at the Hong Kong Legco Lawmaker Kam harassment fiasco and…
-
The Search Firm Insider
-
How to Keep Your Job
20 Nov 2009 | 9:29 amWe know this is a tough job market. That’s why when you finally get the job you’ve wanted, the last thing you want to do is jeopardize it. So how do you impress your manager? Scot Herrick wrote a wonderful article about how to make your manager love you. He sums it up in one phrase: “own your results.” In job seeking, we tell you not to bad-mouth your past employer, but instead to take responsibility for what went wrong. This is a similar phenomena – you need to take responsibility for your own tasks at work. So how do you do it? Step 1. Set your goals. Define what success looks… -
Taking Jobs Abroad
18 Nov 2009 | 11:37 amAre you so frustrated with the current economy that you’re thinking of moving abroad? Well you wouldn’t be alone. Paul Davidson at Freep.com reported 54% of executives would be willing to take a job abroad, up 17% since 2005. -
Why You Should Turn Off Those Cell Phones!
18 Nov 2009 | 11:19 amWhile you’re trying to defeat those nerves you feel before going for an interview, you may forget a few small things that will kill your chances of getting the job. Diana Middleton reminds us of a couple important tips to avoid during interview: Show the interviewer respect. You want to be confident and friendly, but not so comfortable that the employer thinks you’re not taking the interview seriously. Don’t mention salary, benefits or flex scheduling up front. First, see if you’re a match to the job. Take something in to the interview: a copy of your resume or a notepad and pen would… -
Important Questions to Ask in an Interview
13 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amWhen you’re up for a job interview (either phone or in-person) the employer is bound to ask “Do you have any questions for me?” (or just expect that you will ask questions during the interview). And you always want to have some prepared. One of our favorite bloggers, Kerry Sandberg Scott wrote another excellent post with 8 Questions to ask in a Job Interview. Here are five that can really impact your decision to accept or reject the job offer: Why and how long has this position been open? What do you want me to achieve in the position? What types of employees are successful here? Do you… -
Don’t Post your Birthday or Hometown on Facebook
12 Nov 2009 | 9:06 amSocial Media is supposed to be personal: a way for former, current and future friends to find, greet and meet you. But Shirley George Frazier warns that we may be giving away too much information. She says that posting your hometown and birth date on your social media sites is dangerous! It gives outside sources a way to access your social security number and easily steal your identity! So delete it. I’m going right this second to check my sites and delete my info….
