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80% of Employers Call References and 16% of Those Call Before Job Interviews
November 29, 2012 by Steven Rothberg
Rosemary Haefner of Careerbuilder
A new study cautions job seekers about the references they cite when applying to companies. Three-in-five employers (62 percent) said that when they contacted a reference listed on an application, the reference didn’t have good things to say about the candidate. Twenty-nine percent of employers reported that they have caught a fake reference on a candidate’s application.
The study was conducted by for Careerbuilder by Harris Interactive© from August 13 to September 6, 2012 and included 2,494 hiring managers and human resource professionals and 3,976 workers across industries and company sizes.
“You want to make sure you are including your biggest cheerleaders among your job references,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “Before choosing someone, ask yourself ‘Did this person understand my full scope of responsibilities? Can he or she vouch for my skills, accomplishments and work ethic?’ You also want to make sure that you ask your former colleagues if you can list them as a reference. If someone is unwilling, it helps you to avoid a potentially awkward or damaging interaction with an employer of interest.” Continue Reading
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Despite Risk, Employees Come to Work When Sick
by William FriersonWhile the work ethic of some employees is admirable, it may not be wise for them to work when they are sick.
“In sickness and in health” may apply to marriage, but it’s also an increasingly common workplace vow, a new Accountemps survey reveals. Seventy-six percent of employees admitted to at least somewhat frequently coming to work when feeling under the weather. One-third (34 percent) of workers interviewed said when a colleague comes in sick, they worry most about being exposed to his or her illness; only 8 percent are impressed by their coworker’s dedication. Continue Reading
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Employees on a Morale High
by William FriersonEmployers believe their workers are feeling good on the job.
The mood around the office water cooler is generally positive, new research suggests. In an Accountemps survey, nearly four in 10 (39 percent) workers described the morale at their companies as very good. Forty-two percent of people interviewed said workplace morale is somewhat good. Continue Reading
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Most Employers Offering Voluntary Benefits and Employee Perks
November 28, 2012 by Steven Rothberg
Amy Kaminski of Compdata Surveys
With slow economic growth and minimal pay increase budgets to work with, it’s no wonder companies continue to count every dollar when it comes to benefits planning. Human resources professionals, who are also dealing with the demands of employees to offer more comprehensive coverage, have found that offering voluntary benefits may be the key to boosting the value of their company’s benefits plan.
Voluntary benefits are benefits offered by employers, in which the entire premium cost to receive the benefit is paid for by the employees choosing to enroll in them. The Compdata SurveysBenefits USA 2012/2013 survey results found 49.6 percent of organizations offer accident insurance to employees as a voluntary benefit. More than a third of employers offer cancer care as a voluntary benefit, while 28.4 percent offer legal assistance. Universal life insurance is offered at 25.2 percent of companies surveyed. Parking perks and pet insurance are offered at a rate of 11.3 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively. Continue Reading
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When is the Best Time of Year to Ask for a Raise?
November 27, 2012 by William Frierson
Jim Hopkinson, Salary.com contributing writer
Employees often ask, when is the absolute best time to ask for a raise? It’s an interesting question, because sometimes finding the “best” time to do something can be backed by research and science.
Most fitness professionals say the best time to drink a protein shake is within 30 minutes of a workout to help speed recovery. Modern automatic transmissions are programmed to shift gears in your car at the optimal time to provide a smooth, powerful ride and fuel efficiency. Planning a Fall wedding? You could go through historic weather data to find the day with the least chance of rain.
Unfortunately, finding the perfect time to ask for a raise or promotion is more art than science, but mid November might be a good place start. Here’s why.
Continue reading:
http://salary.com/best-time-for-raise/?scm=s-n-112012
Article by Jim Hopkinson and courtesy of Salary.com
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7 Ways to Take Time Off Without Losing Your Mind
by William Frierson
Dawn Dugan, Salary.com contributing writer
The holiday season is filled with stress. Family gatherings, crowded shopping malls and 24/7 Christmas music on the radio are just the tip of the iceberg. But the one thing that should combat this stress — lots of time off from work between Thanksgiving and Christmas — has the potential to be even more stressful than being at the office.
It’s no secret the economy hasn’t been stellar the last few years. That has led to many layoffs, which has resulted in surviving employees wearing many more hats and doing jobs that didn’t used to be theirs. That’s why a week off is nice in theory, but in reality it often means you spend the week(s) before your vacation cramming in two weeks of work.
Continue reading:
http://salary.com/time-off-without-losing-mind/?scm=s-n-112012
Article by Dawn Dugan and courtesy of Salary.com
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VA Offers Training Program for Veterans
by William Frierson
Military veterans trying to get back into the workforce can apply for a VA training program, which could lead to future job opportunities. The following post has more information.According to a Department of Veterans Affairs press release, 45,000 applications have been approved for the Veteran’s Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), a new training and education program for unemployed veterans who want to upgrade their skills for high-demand jobs. Another 54,000 slots will be available in FY 2013. VRAP aims to train 99,000 veterans over the next two years in over 200 job skills that the Department of Labor has determined are the most sought-after by employers.
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Military Transition Assistance Programs: Advice from the Trenches
by William FriersonWhen it comes to military transition back to civilian life, who better than a military veteran to offer advice on how to succeed in finding employment. Hear one provide his expertise in the following post.Who better to pick the brain of than Pete Johnson of Northeast Florida’s “WorkSource” for advice on veterans’ employment matters and insight into the Navy’s Transition Assistance Program (aka “TAP”). Regarding military transitions, Johnson says, “I’m living them daily!” His average day consists of a barrage of calls and emails from transitioning service members and veterans seeking either transition or employment assistance. Counseling these clients one-on-one is his true passion.
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Military Transition Assistance Programs: Advice from the Trenches
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The Benefits of Using a Recruiter
by William FriersonAs military veterans transition back into civilian life, they may find any assistance helpful when it comes to finding a job. From the following post, they can learn why using a recruiter can be an advantage in their job searches.Most people are aware that recruiters exist but are not fully aware of the benefits of using one. A recent blog post by Evelyn Amaro addresses this issue and outlines five reasons why recruiters can be invaluable.
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Ten Common Mistakes Found In Military Resumes and How To Avoid Them
by William FriersonIf you are a job seeker coming back from the military, beware of making some common mistakes on your resume, as mentioned in the following post.As the manager for a military resume writing service, I come across thousands of resumes from a variety of fields and backgrounds. After seeing so many military personnel continue to make some of these avoidable errors on civilian resumes, I decided to share a list of the more common mistakes, as well as practical solutions and advice to help prevent resume shortfalls.
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Ten Common Mistakes Found In Military Resumes and How To Avoid Them
