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Quick Bits

 

 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 BITDeveloping 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

   godandriver.com, April 11, 2010
 
JOB SEARCH BIT:  We have been taught since childhood to go to school, study hard, get good grades and land a job in a top corporation to lead a successful life. But no school teaches us how to compete against thousands of candidates with degrees, percentages and experience the same as you have. Every individual has unique characteristics and skills. So finding a suitable job is a daunting task. 
 
   workoninternet.com, April 7, 2010

SAY IT AIN'T SO BIT:  Myths that people believe about looking for a job are many and persistent. The most common ones are these:

   Myth No. 1: A résumé should be only one page.
   Myth No. 2: If you go on an interview through a contingency or search firm, you cannot speak directly to the person who interviewed you after the interview.
   Myth No. 3: If eight people at a company interviewed you, you need to send a thank-you note only to  the person you'd report to if you got the job.
   Myth No. 4: You shouldn't take notes during an interview.
   Myth No. 5: There is no point in conducting a job search during the summer or in December because companies aren't hiring then.
   Myth No. 6: The most qualified candidate has the best shot at getting the job offer.
   Myth No. 7: Only certain components of a job offer are negotiable.

   cnn.com, April 1, 2010

WORK-LIFE BIT:  For most people, juggling the demands of a career and a personal life is an ongoing challenge, especially at a time when many companies have slashed their ranks —and expect more from the survivors. Achieving the elusive work-life balance can often feel like an impossible goal, especially for people who strive to give everything 100%.

   forbes.com, March 31, 2010

TEMPING BIT:  The purpose of a temporary agency is to find employers skilled workers to fill their temporary job positions. During these troubled economic times, many people have found temporary agencies to be helpful while seeking full time work. The agency keeps a list of qualified people to match the position that an employer needs to be filled for a short period.

   prepareforjobinterview.net, March 24, 2010

MILLENNIALS BIT:  Millennials. The very word sparks debates galore. And depending on who is speaking, these discussions can be depressing, full of expletives, ambiguous or downright dismissive. A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, found out that the "new" No. 1 quality that millennials believe makes them unique is technology. It displaces the spot taken by work ethics for decades, and herein is the debate.

For a lot of us who work with millennials, however, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Technology has invaded our professional and personal lives, especially for millennials, who have grown up expecting the ease and immediacy that technology affords us.  But the Washington Post in its blog Story Lab wonders, "Are Millennials Lazy?" It stated that this survey would make millennials the first generation to not cite work ethics as their No. 1 unique distinguisher.

   cnbc.com, March 24, 2010

JOB SEEKING BIT:  The recession has prompted an abrupt rise in the use of networking to find new employment, according to a study of successful job seekers by Right Management. The firm analyzed data on more than 43,000 individuals to whom it provided career transition services during 2008 and 2009. Right Management is the talent and career management expert within Manpower, the global leader in employment services.  In 2009, networking was the source of new employment for 45% of job candidates, up from 41% in the prior year.

Source of New Job

Networking: 2008-41%; 2009-45%
Agency/Search Firm: 2008-11%; 2009-9%
Internet: 2008-19%; 2009-19%
Advertisement: 2008-7%; 2009-7%
Direct Approach: 2008-8%; 2009-8%
Other: 2008-14%; 2009-12%

   prweb.com, March 17, 2010

PROMOTION HURDLE BIT:  It doesn’t feel very good to find out you didn’t get promoted, whatever the seniority level. It’s natural to wonder, “Is this a sign? Am I remedial? Do I have what it takes? Is it me or is it them?”  It is a time when you are entitled to some honest feedback, so treat it as a well-timed ‘wake-up call’ and make the most of this opportunity to make an honest assessment and get accurate feedback. The good news is that it is easier to make mid-course corrections at the earlier stages of your career than leaving it until later on.

   efinancialcareers.co.uk, March 16, 2010

ACQUISITION BIT:  For employees, having their company sold often brings feelings of fear and stress, as questions about job security and financial stability run rampant. While it's impossible to predict what the outcome may be for everyone, here are five things to know to help you stay ahead of the
game:  1.  Know your place 2.  Look out for you.  3.  No one is safe.  4. Stay sharp.  5.  Remain positive.

   azcentral.com, March 14, 2010

BRANDING BIT:  Personal branding may seem like the latest job finding technique, but it has always been critical to landing a new job. It’s simply that until recently, it didn’t have a trendy buzz phrase. Consequently, most job seekers didn’t know about personal branding, and therefore didn’t do it. Even now, there’s more to it than anyone has thought to enlighten you about.

First let’s define personal branding. It’s knowing your strengths and weaknesses and how you can affect a company positively by bringing those talents to the table. It’s you as a package, and includes how you think, who you are, what your beliefs are, and how you live your life. It’s all the small things and all the big things and how they add up to equal you, rolled into one sentence — for example: transformational change leader adept at synthesizing disparate pieces into a cohesive and profitable whole.

   nhregister.com, March 7, 2010

LONGEVITY BIT:  We could easily live to 100 years, experts say.  That is, of course, if we could kick our bad habits.  Genetics play an integral part of longevity says Health Magazine, but we could up our odds of reaching 100 by eating better, exercising, and improving our work/life balance.  A few simple changes can add years to your life: 

  • Eating daily servings of fruits and veggies adds 5 years
  • Working out five days/week adds 2-4 years
  • Having a hobby adds 2 years
  • Flossing adds about 6 years
  • Getting enough sleep adds 2 years
  • Taking a vacation adds 1-2 years

   PostPoints, March 2, 2010

BOSS BIT:  Genuine and entirely appropriate friendships between employees and their supervisors can and do develop over time.  Because of the power imbalance inherent in reporting relationships, however, it takes longer to establish the requisite trust.  Wise supervisors therefore understand that it is best not to impose their presence on employees during breaks and after hours.  If they are invited, they err on the side of assuming that it was a gesture of politeness, make a brief appearance and leave.

   The Washington Post, February 28, 2010

YPICAL AMERICAN WORKER BIT:  Portrait of the American worker: longer hours, increased workloads, fewer resources and little to no work/life balance — all for the same paycheck. At least that’s the picture a recent CareerBuilder survey painted.  According to the survey:

  • 34% of employee said their workload increased in the past six months,
  • 8% said it increased greatly, and
  • 21% said they took on additional responsibilities.

With the added pressure and extra hours, employers always run the risk of burning out employees.

   cfodailynews.com, February 26, 2010

LADDER CLIMBING BIT:  It’s no surprise to learn the CEO’s, CFO’s and the highest level executives in any company, did not reach this level by mere chance. The strategic planning, coupled with sheer ambition, as well as purposeful timing of upward movement within a company, result in the grooming of an ideal and superior business executive.

   hotsohbet.net, February 23, 2010

HAPPY EMPLOYEES BITFifty years ago, if you said you wanted better work-life balance, most managers would have smiled and assumed that meant you wanted to work until the balance of your life was over. Fortunately, times have changed. The best employers strive to help workers strike the right balance between work and enjoying life away from the office so they are re-energized when they return each day.  Every manager or business owner must ask, “Do my employees like coming to work or is work a repressive grind that they can’t wait to get away from, unwilling to spend an extra minute at work?”

   entrepreneur.com, February 22, 2010

LAID OFF AND LOOKING BIT:  Following are tips to help you stay focused during a job search:  Start your search as soon as possible after being laid off; network, get additional necessary training; use the job boards as only one means of job searching; volunteer--and stay positive.

   wsj.com, February 18, 2010

JOB SEARCH BIT:  Successful job seekers today are throwing out the old rules and investing their time and effort in the new ones.  The first is finding out about new job opportunities before they are posted online.  I've found that there is usually a 2-4 week period in which hiring managers are thinking about hiring before they actually initiate the process.  If you can get in front of them during this time period, you are only competing with yourself for the job.  Compare that to the 1500 people that will apply to the job once it gets posted online, and you will see the benefit of tapping into the hidden job market.  How do you find these opportunities?  Simple--you talk to lots of people each and every day.

   opposingviews.com, February 11, 2010

RESUME BIT:  These are desperate times for many job seekers. But you can avoid desperate-looking and time-wasting measures when it comes to putting together and marketing your resume. There are more than six job seekers for every job opening, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data from November. And the first mistake many of them make is sending out resumes in bulk without giving much thought to whether they are a good fit for a job.

   wsj.com, February 8, 2010

BLACKBERRY BIT:  That shiny BlackBerry that never stops buzzing might be a sign your work-life balance is a little off. A new sociological study says those with a higher level of social status are more likely to blur the line between home and the office. Fifty per cent of people reported regularly bringing their work home with them, according to a study led by University of Toronto sociology professor Scott Schieman. And people with university or postgraduate degrees were more likely than those with high-school degrees to say their work interfered with their personal lives, said the study, which surveyed 1,800 Americans in the workforce. Mr. Schieman calls it the "stress of the higher status." The study says workers who had more control over the pace of their work were better able to cope with those high-pressure situations.

   kelowna.com, February 1, 2010

BALANCE BIT:  The discussion of 'work / life balance' is inherently challenging because it pins 'work' and 'life' against each other. We often feel as though work is hard and life should be easy, or at least easier. But in reality life is filled with work and so what we are really talking about is balancing work for monetary compensation with work that satisfies one's need for personal reward or obligation.

   huffingtonpost.com, January 29, 2010

WORK-LIFE BIT:  Millennial women are optimistic about their career prospects: 94% of young (age 22-35) professional females surveyed say they can achieve a balance between a satisfying professional life and a gratifying personal life, according to a survey from Accenture.  Young women identify two primary qualities as keys to workplace success: The ability to balance personal and professional lives, and a job where they can make a difference.

   marketingprofs.com, January 28, 2010

CAREER MOVE BIT:  Got a job offer or thinking of making a career move in 2010? You would be wise to do your homework to avoid ruining your next move, new research suggests. A report published in this month's Harvard Business Review suggests that even high-ranking executives make elementary mistakes when searching for a new role.

   cnn.com, January 15, 2010

DRIVING FOCUS BITAccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 6,000 Americans died in 2008 from crashes involving an inattentive or distracted driver. And nothing spells distraction like talking or (worse) texting on a cell phone while operating a vehicle. There are three main types of distraction: Visual - taking your eyes off the road; manual - taking you hands off the wheel; and cognitive - taking your mind off what you're doing.

   Postpoints.com, January 12, 2010

CAN'T GET NO SATISFACTION BIT:  The numbers say it's so: a new survey finds more than half the U.S. population is not happy in their current jobs. The survey, done by the Conference Board research group, found only 45 percent of people are satisfied with their work.  That's the lowest level ever recorded in more than 22 years of studying the issue. The survey also found work interest has also dropped 18.9 percent, compared to 1987.  And feelings of job security have also dropped 17.5 percent, compared to 1987 responses.

  kare11.com, January 6, 2010

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF BIT:   Minor missteps can derail your search. With U.S. joblessness still rampant, numerous hiring managers are knocking applicants out of the running over the slightest mistake. Small interview errors are becoming more common.  The incidence of nervous job candidates has doubled since 2006 causing some to commit mistakes that can ruin their chances for jobs.

   online.wsj.com, January 5, 2010

SHORT VACATION BIT:  Out of 667 employees surveyed, as many as 66 per cent did not take their full vacation in 2009, said a survey by Right Management, a division of the US-based consultancy firm Manpower, adding only 34 per cent workers availed of their full vacation.

The survey attributed employees skipping vacations to fear about job security and pressure to do more in streamlined operations.  The survey says working so hard without a break may lead to lower productivity and leave workers more vulnerable to medical conditions that may result in increased health costs.

   business-standard.com, January 4, 2010

SEARCH STRATEGY BIT:  The job search process comes down to just three steps: spotting openings, getting interviews and getting offers. The problem is that each step requires a different skill set. The first stage is research/networking, the second is sales and the third is presentation skills. If you're getting past the first two tests, you improve on the third. That's where mock interviews will be invaluable. No one would sing the national anthem at a ballgame without rehearsing, but job searchers forget to rehearse their answers.

   azcentral.com, January 3, 2010

 

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