INTERESTED IN BITS OF LIFE/CAREER-RELATED INFORMATION?  READ ON.
 

WORKING WOMEN BIT:   D.C. ranks No. 2 on Forbes Magazine’s 2010 list of the Best Cities for Working Mothers, topped only by Minneapolis-St. Paul.  D.C. also ranked No. 1 in the nation for women’s salaries, and Forbes notes the unemployment rate for women in Washington is also the lowest among the cities it ranked.

   bizjournals.com, July 30, 2010

WORK-LIFE BIT:  Staff would be more likely to stay with their employer if they were offered more flexible options such as working from home, according to a new report today.  A survey of almost 700 employees by recruitment firm Hays found virtually everyone said flexible working improved work-life balance, often taking it into account when choosing a job.  More than a third of public sector staff said their employer encouraged flexible working, compared with just 18% in private firms.

   gm.tv, July 26, 2010

PINK GHETTO BIT:  That the Fortune 500 has managed to engage only 14 women as CEOs is an exasperating figure. But there's an equally troubling trend in disciplines considered to be female dominated, such as nursing, social work, and the larger nonprofit arena. These "pink ghettos" (as the term was coined in a 1983 study) have historically been characterized by low respect, and even lower pay, despite the fact that service to communities is at their core.

   washingtonnpost.com, July 26, 2010

NEGATIVITY BIT:  Negativity is a detriment in all aspects of life, especially when in pursuit of a job. The cynical approach to life plunges you deep into a quagmire of despair that is nearly impossible to pull yourself up from. If you have a negative mentality while looking for a job, you will greatly affect your chances in a hindering manner.

   helium.com, July 23, 2010

WORKPLACE BULLYING BIT:  According to a joint study by the polling firm Zogby and the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI), an employee-advocacy group, nearly 50% of the U.S. workforce is a victim of or witness to bullying on the job.  That means "repeated malicious mistreatment, verbal abuse or conduct that is threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, or that interferes with work," says the WBI.

   parade. com, July 18, 2010

INTUITION BIT:  Have you ever gotten a feeling that perhaps you shouldn't walk down that street or attend a particular event?  Whole Living Magazine offers tips on how to really tap into your premonitions and suggests that intuition might be an example of the evolution of consciousness.  Author Larry Dossey, M.D., says that in order to truly to cultivate it, we have to respect chaos and avoid censoring and categorizing our experiences.  Here are a few suggestions: 

Just relax and let go.  Physically vigorous activities like exercise create a prime opportunity because your thoughts flow freely.

Embrace unpredictability.  Routines and habits may be beneficial or appropriate for your lifestyle, but sometimes you need to be just a little random--which is good for both mind and body.

Mystery and imagination compliment each other.  Try moving beyond the rational and analytical into the unknown and playfully imaginative.

   The Washington Post PostPoints, July 13, 2010

POSITIVE ATTITUDE BIT:  A recent Georgia Tech research study showed that laid off workers who actively participated in job search and maintained a positive outlook were more successful in gaining reemployment. A positive outlook is vital to success in job search.

There are several reasons for this. Most people cannot easily hide their feelings, so a negative attitude will color your performance during face-to-face or telephone interviews. It may influence what you say in subtle ways that the interviewer will notice. Staying positive will help you avoid giving a poor impression.

   helium.com, July 12, 2010

ENURE TRACK BIT:  The tenure track of academia is uniquely incompatible with the biological clocks of working women, according to a new study, one of the first to examine the persistent "leak" of talented women from the pipeline that produces professors.  For women intent on becoming both scholars and mothers, the timing of the tenure track would not be worse.

   The Washington Post, July 11, 2010

CEO BIT:  The time has come for chief executive officers to transform themselves into chief enabling officers who enable, encourage, and enthuse employees that are toiling in the value zone.

   hbr.org  July 8, 2010

PERSONAL PATTERN BIT:  Here’s something interesting: the way you respond to specific situations tends to be the way you respond across the board.  This is nothing mysterious; it simply reveals some of our character traits underlying our behavior.  The goal here is to be aware of your behavior patterns during your career transition. For example, if some of your friends you frequently hang out with make plans to get together without you, what is your first reaction? Do you feel rejected, do you get angry, or do you simply wonder what they’re up to and assume they were just about to ask you?  Your reaction to this kind of situation is likely the same you’ll have when you don’t hear back after applying somewhere.

   ibtimes.com, July 6, 2010

LINKEDIN BIT:  According to the LinkedIn website, a new user joins the site every second, and it's easy to see why.  LinkedIn is a free billboard for businesspeople. There are five steps to leveraging LinkedIn in a job search:  Write a compelling profile, Tell your Story, Establish Your Settings, Upload your professional photo, Add connections and Get Recommendations.

   toptechnews.com, June 30, 2010

EXTENDED JOB SEARCH BIT:  Become your own best friend to counter the cynicism that creeps into an extended job search. Rather than being self-critical, the way out of the negativity during this transition is to honor yourself like you would a best friend.

   democratandchronicle.com, June 21, 2010

TEXT MESSAGE PRIVACY BIT:  In its first ruling on the rights of employees who send messages on the job, the Supreme Court rejected a broad right of privacy for workers Thursday and said supervisors may read through an employee's text messages if they suspect the work rules are being violated.

   latimes.com, June 18, 2010

WORK/LIFE BIT:  Without planning your work-life balance program effectively, you run the risk of poor family relationships, deteriorating health, illness and disease. Moreover, you probably will not be as effective and productive at work. The ideal is to create a healthy family life and a fulfilling career. Both are possible.

   ekodak.com, June 8, 2010

WELLNESS BIT:  Ever wanted work to work for you? In the case of workplace wellness programs, you may be in luck. An increasing number of employers are looking to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of their workers with programs designed to foster good health.

Some 53 percent of polled companies incorporate a disease management or health improvement program, according to a 2010 survey of 600 health benefit programs including 350 of the largest U.S. employers by Hewitt Associates, Lincolnshire, Ill. Of the remaining employers, 86 percent plan to add this type of health component in the next three to five years.

   philly.com, June 1, 2010

JOB SEEKING BIT:  More people than ever are looking for work. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 10 percent of the labor force is unemployed as of April 2010. With so many job seekers, you've got to stand out from the pack. Sending in a resume isn't enough. Networking, gaining new credentials and perhaps switching to a new industry are all tools that could get you the job of your dreams.

   ehow.com, June 1, 2010

ONLINE JOB SEARCH BIT:  For those re-entering the job market after decades of employment, you should know that the rules have changed considerably since you were last looking for a job. Fifteen years ago, online job sites were in their infancy; now thousands of sites post millions of jobs every year and they’re the most widely used and practical job-hunting tool available.

   njtoday.net, May 26, 2010

ONLINE PROFILE BIT:  Everyone should know how important it is to stand out from the crowd when looking for your next job. But with near 10% unemployment (above 17% for younger workers between 20 and 25 years old) and with companies receiving oftentimes hundreds of online applications for every job opening, catching the recruiter’s eye is more difficult than ever.

And a standout resume is not enough now. Many companies and recruiters are now reducing their traditional classified and job-board advertising because they are buried in applications from poorly qualified candidates and are increasingly searching for people who better fit their criteria on the Internet and social networks. In this new emerging era, you need to manage your online profiles like companies do their Web sites.

   wsj.com, May 22, 2010

TALENT BIT:   Manpower Inc. today released the results of its fifth annual Talent Shortage Survey, revealing that talent is elusive - it's everywhere yet nowhere, as talent shortages persist in many countries and industry sectors. Thirty-one percent of employers worldwide report having difficulty filling key positions within their organization - a rise of one percentage point from 2009, amidst a perpetual global pool of available workers.

   marketwatch.com, May 20, 2010

FEDS HIRING BIT:  This week, the administration announced a plan aimed at reducing the period of hiring to 80 days, about half the present time. The new process would eliminate KSAs -- knowledge, skills and ability tests -- and base hiring more on applicants' professional background.

The plan also would introduce a new system called "category hiring," in which applicants pre-screened by one department could be considered for jobs in another. This would eliminate the need for applicants screened by one department to start the process from scratch when seeking a position in another.

   washingtonpost.com, May 17, 2010

BACK TO WORK BIT:  If you’re a mom or dad who’s been out of the market, you might be ready to get back in. Returning to work after pausing for child rearing is one of the trickier transitions, for any number of reasons.  Think of it as a three-state process:  Job Search Lite, Getting Serious and Full Speed Ahead.

   ajc.com, May 6, 2010

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS' BIT:  Working without a contract is fraught with peril.  Independent contractors are not covered by most federal labor laws and protections; there's no overtime, no discrimination protection, and most of the time, no severance or unemployment insurance.  Contractors need to put their protections into written agreements before they start work.

   The Washington Post, May 2, 2010

MEETINGS BIT:  If you tend to avoid disagreement or run from conflict … you’ll enjoy these tools:

1. Affirm another person’s thoughts before sharing your views on the other side – to show that you really heard, sorted, and valued them. (notice I did not say agree with them)
2. Thank people for different ideas presented and show how you’ve tried or considered them further. Toss your own ideas into the ring to show and explain differences you see.
3. Share personal experiences respectfully as another angle to think about together – rather than as a need to replace the original ideas that were presented. Remember you are looking to stir and learn from diverse sides of the issue.
4. Ask two footed questions… rather than offer your own opinion too quickly. . For instance…  Have you thought about…? What if…? Could another possibility be …?
5. Add unique ideas to the mix – to inspire with confidence – more as part of a good discuss – than a need to top the original points. Make sure you support your best ideas with concrete examples to help people see possibilities presented.

   brainleadersand learners.com, April 22, 2010

BEWARE YOUR BOSS BIT:  A Pew study found in January that 80 percent of American adults have cell phones and 30 percent of them access the internet on their phones. In 2000, 50 percent of American adults used cell phones, according to a Gallup Poll, and phones rarely supported access to the web.

As the electronic leash grows tighter on employees, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate home and work communications.  Employees may overlook the fact that shopping for personal items on a work computer or perusing Facebook on a company mobile phone could be subject to scrutiny, especially by private companies.

   cnn.com, April 20, 2010

JOBLESS BIT:  While some economists have heralded an end to the recession, many agree that the high unemployment rate — which remains near 10 percent — is likely to linger. And federal labor statistics released this month show that long-term unemployment continues to rise, reaching 6.5 million people out of work for more than six months as of March: 44 percent of the total number of unemployed.

   chron.com, April 19, 2010

SOCIAL MEDIA BIT:  Social networking is a key component of today's job searches because job seekers want to be where hiring managers can find them, and increasingly, hiring managers are cruising social networking websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter to source and vet candidates.

From 2008 to 2009, the number of hiring managers using social networking websites to screen job seekers more than doubled from 22 percent to 45 percent, according to yearly surveys from CareerBuilder. Put another way, nearly one in two hiring managers uses social media to recruit or screen candidates for jobs today.  The problem is that many people's social profiles aren't up to snuff.

   computerworld.com, April 13, 2010

WORK-LIFE BIT:  Many years ago it was only women who were asked about juggling work and home life, but in the current scenario with increasing number of youngsters being a part of the work force and with both men and women having shared responsibilities in family life and bringing up children, everyone’s primary concern now is establishing a healthy work life balance.

Interestingly, there is a paradigm shift in companies and businesses that encourage employees to maintain a balance between personal and professional life. Growing business opportunities and increased work pressures have seen an increase in burn outs and often result in high attrition rates. From recreational facilities in office buildings to compulsory office outings companies are doing their bit, however small to break the monotony of work and corporate rules.

   deccanherald, April 13, 2010

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW BIT:  Developing effective communication is particularly important in the job search process.  If you cannot communicate successfully, you may leave the interviewer with a less-than-positive impression. Additionally, ineffective communication will create a conversation that may easily get confusing or awkward, and the overall outcome may be very disappointing to you as the candidate