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« October 2007 | Main | December 2007 »

Stephen Viscusi, author of "On the Job: How to Make it in the Real World of Work," gives some tips on how to face backstabbing co-workers:

  • Don't be afraid to confront the co-worker directly.

  • Avoid using e-mails, as they could be turned against you eventually.

  • Keep the conversation short and professional.

  • Choose your battles.

  • Don't assume the co-worker will change on his/ her own. That won't happen.

  • The above being said, avoid falling to the same level as the people that are backstabbing you.

When Co-Workers Play Dirty, CNN/ CareerBuilder

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 30, 2007 at 6:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Approximately 4.95 million graduates entered the job market this year in China. It is estimated that 30% of those graduates will have difficulties finding work. What does this mean? How about a happy face for employers?

Please click here to see a photo of a job fair in China literally flooded with new grads.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 30, 2007 at 5:58 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Work is more than just receiving a paycheck. We spend a lot of time at the workplace, so working in a good environment is important. For companies that do not have the means to reward their employees monetarily, they should acknowledge their employees' contribution and make them feel that the company's success is a group effort.

The article referenced below somewhat plays down the impact of giving out bonuses because people have short memories and so the impact of bonuses will not be felt long-term. Many companies use bonuses, however, as an incentive to reward better performing employees. Why not? Why should everybody be treated equally? If someone does better, shouldn't that person receive more? And won't that also be an incentive for others to get going? In addition, bonuses are flexible and can be adjusted annually depending on the profitability of the company. There is a slippery slope however when bonuses are used as a substitute to acceptable pay increases, meaning that a company or firm uses the excuse that it already paid out a big bonus as a reason to only bump the salary slightly. Bonuses, as opposed to base salary, are not cumulative. In other words, salary increases add to your previous year's salary, whereas a bonus has a "fresh start" every year.

All that being said, money is still very important for many people. Many companies waste money on little things that are often useless. If they could only save where they can and spend where it matters, meaning by increasing their employees’ salaries, that would be appreciated. It is very frustrating to be employed in a company where you see money wasted on useless things and to hear at the end of the year that you won't get a good raise because of "money crunch."

How to Reward Employees When Money's Tight, TheStreet.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 30, 2007 at 5:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I was reading an OT Forum on OccupationalTherapist.com this morning and a great question was posed. It comes from a student who is looking into becoming an Occupational Therapist and has noticed that the field might be lacking in the testosterone arena.

"I am currently interested in going into the field of OT because I find it interesting and I can use my work experience in an application towards graduate school. However, I was wondering whether OT tends to be a field that attracts more females to it than males. Is it as lopsided as you would expect in Nursing or Social Work?

If this is the case, what do you people think are possible explanations over why more females are interested in OT than males?"

What do you think? Is the OT field dominated by females? Do you think the therapy world as a whole is made up of more estrogen than testosterone? From my end of the spectrum, the recruiting side, I have found this to be true more so in the OT field than PT. What does it look like from your perspective? Send us a comment with your thoughts.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 30, 2007 at 4:58 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

Pay raises, better benefits, and bonuses are a few ways to put a smile on your employee's face, but these events are usually yearly rewards.

So, what do you do? How do you retain good employees throughout the year?

There's good news: Studies show that employees value appreciation and involvement with the business more than they value money.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 29, 2007 at 6:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

Too many employers have become so focused on the bottom line that they have forgotten that the people who work for them are people. Keeping your employees happy at work will keep them loyal and also keep them interested in the well being of the company.

If the company does not care about the well being of its employees, why should the employees care about the well being of the company?


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 29, 2007 at 6:02 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- Have you ever called in sick when you're feeling fine? If so, you're in good company. A new survey by CareerBuilder finds 32% of workers have done just that in the last year. Many people are using sick days as "mental health days" to catch up on sleep or simply relax.

The amount of unexcused absences from the office is significant and can be indicative of employee dissatisfaction. So it's important to keep in mind that using sick days as vacation days can get you in trouble. Twenty-seven percent of hiring managers reported they have fired a worker for calling in sick without a legitimate reason. Employers have heard plenty of unusual excuses for not coming to work. Some excuses include:

  • Poisoned by his mother-in-law.
  • Feeling all the symptoms of his expecting wife.
  • Employee was locked in a restroom stall.
  • Employee broke their leg snowboarding.
  • Employee's couldn't come into work because of house hold chores.
  • Employee's mother was in jail.
  • A skunk got into the employee's house and sprayed his uniforms.

Article abridged from Koco.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 29, 2007 at 2:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

In business, employees start to get lazy, show up late and slow down on their assignments without constant oversight. This can be frustrating for managers attempting to increase efficiency and profit.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 28, 2007 at 3:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

I've been a recruiter since 1996. For my agency, Inkwell Editorial, I recruited creative and editorial professionals. Clients ranged from large publishers (eg, Random House, McGraw-Hill) to very small, one-person startups.

As the primary recruiter for the firm, I interviewed a few thousand candidates over an eight-year span.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 28, 2007 at 3:52 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

The right questions asked should be designed for one result; to determine whether or not this is the best fit for both parties.

The first part of determining that isn't a question, rather, an assertion about what the company is; what its mission is, and, what is expected of employees.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 28, 2007 at 3:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Sixty-five Percent Also Believe They Will Be More Financially Secure than Parents

When choosing their first employer, college business students want career opportunities, not salary and benefits, according to a survey conducted by KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm.

In the KPMG survey of 2,409 business students from colleges across the country, 57 percent said that career opportunities would be their primary consideration when choosing an employer, followed by 22 percent who said work/life balance. Only 12 percent felt that the salary and benefits package would be their primary consideration.

And while many (53 percent) respondents only expect to stay at their first job for three to five years, the survey found that students largely have a 'wait and see' attitude. An overwhelming number (74 percent) responded "maybe" when asked if changing jobs is necessary for career opportunities.

"While there is no doubt that companies need to think of quality of life issues when trying to attract new recruits, 'millennials' want jobs that help them build a career and create opportunities for the future," said Manny Fernandez, KPMG's National Managing Partner - Campus Recruiting. "After accepting an offer, new recruits look at the career value proposition and employers must offer a rewarding career path to retain new hires."

The KPMG survey results show that an international rotation may be important to retention efforts. Forty-seven percent of college students surveyed indicated that they would like to work abroad for an extended period, while another 40 percent said they would consider it. And 61 percent stated that they believe international work experience is important in the business world.

"Many students study abroad and appreciate employers that provide opportunities to explore global assignments," said KPMG's Fernandez. "Firms that place an emphasis on developing people by offering global opportunities will be at the forefront of attracting the best and the brightest, since students realize that this experience is imperative in a global marketplace."

The KPMG survey, which was conducted online in September and October, also found students to be confident about their futures. In fact, 65 percent of respondents believe they will be more financially successful than their parents. But as to whether they will consult their parents about their first jobs, the responses were mixed. Thirty-nine percent of respondents expressed that they will consult with them somewhat, 17 percent said they will spend significant time with them, and 28 percent said they "possibly" will consult with them. Only 16 percent said that they would probably accept and then tell their parents where they will be working.

Other survey findings:

  • 48 percent of college students said they would like to retire between ages 51-60, with 27 percent indicating between ages 61-70.

  • 44 percent said they expect to work on average 50 hour work weeks, while 32 percent said 45 hours a week.

  • 66 percent are concerned about the social networking opportunities at their full time employer.

Article courtesy of KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm (www.us.kpmg.com), is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International. KPMG International's member firms have 113,000 professionals, including 6,800 partners, in 148 countries.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 28, 2007 at 10:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "I'm not authorized to be stressed," quipped Tom Ridge when a reporter asked if the job of homeland security secretary had worn him out. Telling colleagues he planned to step down after the 2004 election, Ridge cited the extraordinary stress of his job and the need to earn a higher salary to pay his children's college tuition. Easy for him. Once out of public service, he's likely to have his choice among several private-sector jobs paying 10 times what he earned in government.

There's serious concern for families where both parents work. Squeezed in the vice of work and family obligations, these families struggle to support lifestyles they don't have time to enjoy. And every decade, they put in more hours at work.

While average hours per job increased a mere 3% from 1975 to 2002, family work hours -- the total hours worked by all family members in a week -- rose 11% over the same period. These hours have increased as more women have entered the workforce. "Such an increase in family work hours can erode the quality of family life, even as salaries rise," writes senior economist Jared Bernstein in the report.

Article abridged from Monster.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 28, 2007 at 9:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to a 2007 study by Pew Research Center, more than a third of all 18-to-25-year-olds have at least one tattoo. Employers continue to struggle with this ever-growing trend, and most have strict policies prohibiting workers from exposed tattoos and body art in the workplace. Meanwhile, in an effort to make their brands appeal to this new generation of consumers, marketers are now rewarding people for tattooing company logos and slogans on their bodies.

Goodyear's Dunlop Tire brand offers a free set of four tires to anyone who tattoos the 'flying D' logo anywhere on their body, and 98 people have already inked the deal. Volvo, Budweiser, NetZero and Toyota are among other corporate giants that have also implemented- or are experimenting with tattoo-oriented campaigns and sponsorships.

The new startup website leaseyourbody.com is hoping to become the clearinghouse for this practice, linking companies who are interested in this new type of exposure with the young people who are willing to sacrifice their personal appearance to make a quick buck.

Personally, I think as little of the companies who engage in this process as I do those who are idiotic enough to take them up on it. Do you agree, or am I just being an old foggie?

By Eric Chester and courtesy of Generation Why? Whysblog

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 27, 2007 at 5:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

CNN asked people around the world what they would do if they no longer had to worry about money issues. The responses were diverse, but a good number of people said they would like to give back to society or go after dreams they had for a long time. Is money an excuse though? Even if we cannot go full-time doing those things, we can certainly start part-time. Also, it's one thing to say we would do things, but if we had enough money, wouldn't laziness kick in? How about going ahead in our lives in function of what we want to achieve as opposed to letting events outside of our control dictate our actions? It comes down to how committed we are to our dreams and aspirations.

CNN.com Users on What They Would Do if Money Were No Object, CNN.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 27, 2007 at 3:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

There is an interesting article on ReportonBusiness.com on how disabled workers feel the need to hide their disability and how this has become to some extent their "second job" on the job. A joint study by Ryerson University (in Toronto) and the Royal Bank of Canada revealed, however, that people with disability have shown persistence and ingenuity in meeting the demands of their work environment.

Disabled Workers' Other Job: Hiding Their Disability, Report on Business

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 26, 2007 at 6:17 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

In today's competitive employment market, recruiting the best employees can be a challenge. To start off, who are the "best employees" anyways? The best employee for one firm will certainly be different than for another.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 26, 2007 at 5:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The Wall Street Journal has an article on how some Internet-savvy recruiters now use online social or networking sites to check candidates' references without even bothering asking for permission first.

The idea that reference checks should be done after an interview no longer stands. Not only that, even if recruiters ask candidates to provide references, they will not limit themselves to those... The Internet has made our world smaller and that could backfire for some job seekers. Although some HR professionals say it could play both ways, meaning that the practice could also benefit job seekers, there is an issue of privacy and ethics.

A job application is simply an expression of interest in a job opening. Can employers/recruiters use that to invade the personal lives of applicants even before meeting with them? Also, if the applicant is currently working, will actions taken by a recruiter impact on that applicant's employment? Recruitment practices help employers find the right candidates, but is also reflective of their corporate philosophy... so it could also draw a negative impression of the employer.

Personally, I would think twice before joining a company with bad recruitment practices.

Job References You Can't Control, The Wall Street Journal

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 26, 2007 at 5:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The American Chronicle has an article giving 10 tips on how to make the best out of job fairs. Of the few important tips to remember:

take it easy and enjoy the day;
be ready to meet with the top 10 employers for which you’d like to work for and that will be present at the fair;

  • try to look professional;

  • bring many copies of your resume with you;

  • bring a notepad to write down the names of the people with whom you’ve talked;

  • be ready to answer questions;

  • ask for business cards; and

  • follow-up after the fair.

Making a Job Fair Work for You, The American Chronicle

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 26, 2007 at 2:46 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Around this time last year an article was published in The Boston Globe covering the surge of Physical Therapists. I thought it was such a great article and still very relevant to the field, so I am providing a link to it in this blog. Take a moment to read Physical Therapy Arrives: Popularity Surges for Varied Reasons. The article talks about the growing demand for Physical Therapists and why the field is so successful.

"Physical therapy is booming. We can't get them out of school fast enough. Hospitals are crying out for physical therapists all over the country," said Dr. Jeffrey B. Palmer , director of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

Part of the growing demand is because the population is getting older and creakier. But much of it, particularly for problems like back pain, he said, "is the desire for conservative management."

Not only is the Physical Therapy field growing, but it is gaining respect from others in the health care field.

"Dr. Lyle Micheli , an orthopedic surgeon and director of sports medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, said he now sends 90 percent of patients 'to physical therapy instead of surgery.'

At the Spine Center at New England Baptist Hospital, Dr. Geno Martinez, who specializes in rehabilitation medicine, tells many patients that their back pain will improve if they get moving with the help of a physical therapist."

The article stated in November 2006 there where 200 training programs in the United States. Today, there are 199 institutions supporting 210 programs in the United States (184 of those being DPT and 26 being MS/MPT). That is 10 new programs just in the past year! It is obvious the popularity of Physical Therapy is still going strong.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 26, 2007 at 2:15 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

SPRING LAKE, MI --When you start a new job chances are you may make a mistake. If you do, the best thing to do is take responsibility for the mistake and report it immediately! Most employers understand that accidents happen, but lying or covering-up the mistake will never work and could cost the company as well as you. If you make a mistake at your job, you can recover well by doing the following:

  • Report it immediately to the person it affects most.
  • Stay focused on the facts of the situation.
  • Don't make excuses, take responsibility.
  • Sincerely apologize.
  • Offer possible solutions.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do you understand how the mistake happened?

  • Do you understand what the mistake effects?

  • What did you learn from it?

  • How will you handle it differently next time?

And remember...

  • Be clear about what you're doing before you start.

  • Don't be afraid to ask questions to avoid mistakes.

  • Pay attention and follow your notes.

  • Follow directions exactly.

  • Mistakes are made when you're rushed, distracted, or won't ask for help.

  • LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES!

Article abridged from Changing-Directions.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 26, 2007 at 1:41 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Most people working in major cities and driving to work have probably already experienced the stress of being stuck in traffic. But isn't that an irony? What is so stressful about sitting in your car and waiting? I would imagine stress to be related to something more "active" like having to deliver a project by noon, which would require you to run around the office to get things done... but sitting in your car and stressing because you'll be late for work? Who cares? Unless you have a big meeting, right? The thing is that many people care even though they have nothing planned that morning or that day. They just stress because they'll be late.

That's the other side of stress, the more pervasive side of it - the "self-imposed" stress. Stress is not always imposed upon us by others. We simply sometimes have too high expectations of ourselves. What if? Well, the "what if" is often the worst case scenario that we convince ourselves will become reality if things don't go according to plans. Most of the time, however, the consequences of our failures don't turn out that bad.

Whether it's driving to work, making a presentation, or finishing a report on time, our perception of the consequences of our actions is often at the root of the stress that we feel in the present. So next time you're stressed, chill! Do the best you can and let it go.

Killer Commute: 5 Ways to Make Your Work Commute Stress-Free, FOX News

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 23, 2007 at 1:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A year ago, Aleksey Vayner made the wrong impression by sending a job application to UBS (a Swiss bank), which included a video resume. Although job applications are supposed to remain confidential, his didn't and soon found its way on YouTube. One year later, the Yale graduate is still looking for work.

Through an interview via instant messaging, he was given the opportunity to straighten things out. To read the details of the interview and advice on video resumes, please click here. That being said, the best advice about video resumes is to stay away from them, unless you're into show business.

Dying to Get That Job? Don't Use a Video Resume, MSNBC

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 23, 2007 at 10:45 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I'm sure many of you must have dreamed of the idea of taking a sabbatical leave of absence in order to travel the world or do things you never had the chance to do. The Wall Street Journal has an article on a couple who made the jump and left work behind for 6 months.

Ditching the Corporate World - But Only for a While, The Wall Street Journal

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 22, 2007 at 4:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Mary Lorenz, from Career Builder, wrote an article on 10 habits you should definitely try to get rid of if you don't want people to look at you as the "one to avoid." Although there is a funny aspect to the article, the fact of the matter is that most of us carry with us bad habits... but we sometimes don't realize "how bad" those habits are. An example from the article is the habit of going home a few minutes early to beat traffic. Why would others care? Yet, sometimes they do and sometimes, not only do they care, it annoys them. Worse, sometimes, not only does it annoy them, it gets them really mad to the point where they'll start labeling you names.

That's one of the problems working in an office environment. We have to nurture other people's feelings, otherwise, you never know why people suddenly roll their eyes when you enter the meeting room, etc.

10 Habits of Highly Annoying Workers, MSN/ Career Builder

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 21, 2007 at 7:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The article referenced below makes a joke on the back of U.S. Vice-President Cheney to the effect that the latter has been caught many times falling asleep during important events. That drop of humor, however, was meant to lay the foundation for a more serious issue, which is that we all tend to "slow down" between 2 and 4 p.m. That's why, in many countries, workers actually have the right to take a nap. Yes, a "right!" I'm not talking about Mexico, but countries like China also.

That being said, instead of having recourse to short-sighted tips to stay awake like poking your arm with your pen to wake you up, taking it upon yourself to transcribe what people say during the meeting to keep your mind active, taking a walk before a meeting to prevent the inexcusable, or preparing yourself a nice cup of coffee at least 40 minutes before a meeting (yes, it takes 40 minutes for the caffeine to take effect)... maybe we should include into our daily routine a moment where we allow ourselves to actually take a short "sleep at work."

Nodding Off on the Job: How Not to Pull a Cheney, The Globe and Mail

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 21, 2007 at 5:26 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to a recent Accountemps survey, 21% of workers are going to be spending up to 3 hours at work doing their on line holiday shopping and employers are not going to be too happy.

I can remember in my corporate time a few years ago when we were given half a day near Christmas to do some shopping.

With Black Friday in the US fast approaching and Christmas just around the corner perhaps letting employees do a little surfing to shop is a way of showing some thanks and festive cheer. It might be remembered longer than the recent IT policy to block access to Facebook!

By Paul Copcutt and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 21, 2007 at 4:08 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The interview stage serves two purposes: to sell yourself and to obtain an impression of the work environment. Many job seekers tend to focus only on selling themselves. True, the job search process is competitive, but once you take on the job, you'll be stuck with it... unless you decide to resign later on... What does this mean? Unlike the Olympics, winning is not always good.

In simple terms, you can win and yet be a loser. Why? Because you may win something you didn't want. Experts tell us to trust our inner voice. If your gut feeling tells you that the job is not right or there is something bothering you, it is your duty to look into it. Don't look for any job. Look for a job you will truly enjoy and one that will last. Don't always trust what recruiters tell you. They might tell you that the group is friendly and that the hours are flexible, but when you attend the interview, see for yourself. See how people interact and how the interviewer addresses you. These are all very important hints. Even if your mind is in denial, oftentimes your body will process all this information and will produce that gut feeling/ warning that tells you "slow down." Listen to your inner voice.

Don't Ignore That Warning Inner Voice During Job Interviews, DailyRecord.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 21, 2007 at 3:20 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- Commuting times and distances have been escalating the past couple decades, Forbes reports. So much, in fact, that the U.S. Census recently coined a term, "Extreme Commuting" to define the growing numbers whose one-way commutes to work now exceed 90 minutes. Right now, there are around 3.3 million Extreme Commuters; over 10 million people have 1-hour-plus commutes.

That's a lot of talk radio for even the most enthusiastic listener. Meanwhile more than just time is being wasted. The report estimates that traffic delays cost $63.1 billion a year, and waste more than 2.3 billion gallons of fuel. In its most recent Urban Mobility Report, The Texas Transportation Institute which measures big-city traffic jams, estimates that the average commuter spent 47 hours stuck in traffic in cities with more than 1 million people. In cities of over 3 million people, it's 61 hours.

Relief is not immediately at hand. David Schrank, author of the Urban Mobility Report, says that despite the escalating problem, commuters aren't changing their habits very rapidly. A serious reduction in congestion will require more roads, more public transportation and more efficient operation of both. But even if cities and states have the political will to make changes and the money to execute them, major improvements will take 10 to 15 years.

Article abridged from Forbes.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 20, 2007 at 6:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -- According to a recent study, more than half -- 52 percent -- of employees polled said they are satisfied with the performance of their bosses, while 28 percent are unhappy with their supervisors, according to a survey developed by Robert Half International, a specialized staffing firm, and CareerBuilder.com.

Managers drew the highest marks when it comes to addressing day-to-day problems, with 58 percent saying their bosses make time to review their job concerns; only 22 percent disagreed. Workers were somewhat less enthusiastic about their supervisors' willingness to help them advance professionally. Forty-five percent of respondents said their managers help them develop new skills, compared with 26 percent who disagreed.

While most employees approve of their supervisors' performance, they aren't quite as complimentary about top executives. Only forty-four percent said they are satisfied with their corporate leaders' performance. Additionally only four out of 10 believe their corporate leaders can be trusted, and only 36 percent of employees said those at the top lead by example.

Article reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 20, 2007 at 4:23 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NORWALK, CT -- As the popularity of social networking sites, blogs, and online forums increase, a growing number of hiring managers will turn to Internet search engines in an attempt to gain a more complete picture of job seekers. In a recent survey by Execunet, more than one-third (35%) of executive recruiters said they eliminated someone from consideration based on information uncovered online - up from just 26% in 2005.

"Conducting searches for your own name is something that should be done on a regular basis," Dave Opton, ExecuNet CEO and founder, said. "Until you're aware of everything that's connected to your name online, it's impossible to try to overcome any potential employer objections."

Given the long shelf life of Internet content and the growing number of employers that are turning to the web to learn more about job candidates, ExecuNet predicts the number of job seekers that are prejudged or eliminated due to this "digital dirt" will climb even higher in 2007.

Article abridged from Execunet.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 19, 2007 at 5:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Survey: Only One in Five Employees Will Shop for Gifts Online at Work

Managers concerned about a post-Thanksgiving lull in productivity as employees flock to the Internet to buy holiday gifts can find comfort in a recent Accountemps survey: Nearly four out of five (79 percent) professionals polled said they will not shop online while at work during the holiday season. However, those who will be searching for bargains on company time aren't doing so half-heartedly; these individuals anticipate spending nearly three hours each week checking items off their holiday shopping lists while on the clock.

The survey, developed by Accountemps, the world's first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals, and conducted by an independent research firm, is based on telephone interviews with 539 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment.

Workers were asked, "During the holiday season, will you shop online while at work?"

Yes21%
No             79%
 100%

Those who answered "yes" also were asked, "On average, how many hours a week will you shop online at work for gifts during the holiday season?" The mean response was 2.7 hours.

"The holidays place demands on people's time, making it tempting to browse for gifts online while at work," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies®, 2nd edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). "But visiting shopping websites often is against company policy -- employees should familiarize themselves with their firm rules on acceptable Internet use during business hours and use good judgment in how they spend their time."

Accountemps provides the following advice for balancing work and personal obligations during the holiday season:

  • Know the rules. Most companies have policies that define appropriate employee use of their systems, including Internet, voicemail, e-mail and instant messaging. Become familiar with your company's guidelines and ask your manager for clarification if you have questions.

  • Plan ahead. Consider how to effectively balance your time well in advance. You may decide, for example, to request a couple of days off to take care of errands prior to the holidays.

  • Don't procrastinate. Make vacation requests as early as possible to increase your chances of getting your desired days off.

  • Give yourself the gift of organization. If work is light around the holidays, use the time to organize for the coming year. Time spent clearing up clutter and updating contact lists, for example, can ensure a smooth return to work in January.

Article courtesy of Accountemps. Accountemps has more than 350 locations throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 19, 2007 at 4:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

MILWAUKEE, WI -- What can you do to save a bad interview? When an interview lacks focus, the interviewer may lack the skills to conduct a good interview. Unfortunately, they will probably be left with the same poor impression of the interview as you. You can put things back on tracks by asking questions that will create constructive dialog, like: "What more can I tell you about my experience?"

An interview may seem like a waste of time if it becomes evident you aren't qualified; perhaps the job isn't what its description implied. An interviewer may be too passive to wrap the interview up quickly. You can end things gracefully - "I appreciate your time, but it's apparent that this isn't a good match for me."

When interviews turn ugly, you have several options. First, weigh the situation carefully - many interviewers will deliberately evoke tension, even hostility, to test your reaction. Remain cool and professional. If you aren't comfortable, or you think that the interview has genuinely gone awry, just excuse yourself. It's rarely worth it to "fight back;" and burning bridges is never wise.

Article by George Blomgren, Tips from an Employer, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 19, 2007 at 11:35 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Job applicants look forward to getting an invitation to a job interview, yet dread the idea of attending one.

These mixed emotions often lead to stress and anxiety. Going to interviews is definitely not an easy undertaking, but there are ways to improve preparation and reduce stress.

  • First, plan things in advance in your head. Imagine that you get up on interview day, eat breakfast, go to the interview, etc. Part of the mental preparation is to imagine yourself preparing, going, and attending the interview. If you do this, the day of the real interview, you won't have to think what to do next, you'll just know.
  • Second, prepare for your interview. Go through the job posting, your cover letter, your resume, interview questions, etc. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be, and the less stress you will feel.
  • Third, have a good night of sleep and wake up the next morning fresh and optimistic. It's all in your head. Don't dread the interview. Instead, look forward to meeting your new co-workers.
  • Fourth, make sure you arrive to your interview few minutes early. Nothing is more stressful than running late on interview day and having to justify yourself.
As the above simple steps demonstrate, preparing for an interview demands hard work and commitment. Don't let luck determine the outcome of your future. Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 19, 2007 at 9:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

For years now, recruiters have been preaching to job seekers that they should keep their resumes to one page. But a new survey conducted for Accountemps has discovered that just more than half of executives still believe this practice is necessary.

The national poll found that a full 44 percent of recruiters actually prefer two pages. This is significantly more than the 25 percent who said they preferred two pages a decade earlier. And when it comes to resumes for executive roles, 31 percent cite three pages as ideal.

"Many employers are willing to spend a little more time reviewing application materials so they can more easily determine who is most qualified and act quickly to secure interviews with these candidates," says Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies.

Article abridged from DailyBreeze.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 16, 2007 at 5:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Mary Ann Benson, a career counsellor who spent the past 31 years assisting college students with career and job search issues, reminded us that writing a resume is more than simply "writing down what you've done." It is an opportunity to step back and reflect on our life and what we have achieved so far.

In that regard, she suggests that before "synthesizing" your work experience and accomplishments, you should develop a longer version (a "source document") in which you write down "all of the information about each job you have held, every educational opportunity, volunteer situation and meaningful experience with detailed description of your activities, types of interactions, responsibilities, successes, failures, recognitions and rewards."

Indeed, there are no shortcuts to writing a good and effective resume.

I Need a Resume... Where Do I Start?, MaineJobs.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 16, 2007 at 3:58 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Roberto Rocha, from the CanWest News Service, discusses how some recruiters have built an online presence on some social networks such as Facebook to recruit potential candidates. The reason for this latest move from HR professionals is to overcome some of the shortcomings of traditional job boards. Many skilled workers are not looking for work; they are already employed. Posting an opening on Monster.com for instance will not reach them. In addition, many people on Facebook voluntarily disclose a lot of information about themselves, which helps recruiters narrow down on the candidates they want.

Facebook Used to Recruit Employees, Canada.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 16, 2007 at 2:53 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

How did you decide to take the path of becoming a therapist? Was it due to a specific event in your life? Was it impacted by a hobby, or was it just a fluke that you entered into your discipline? Do you ever wonder what influenced the therapy students around you to take the same path as yourself? I came across West Virgina University's Division of OT blog and their first blog posed the question, "How did you choose OT"? This is a great topic for students to comment on and share with each other. Krista Pauley wrote:

"I discovered OT through a friend of mine that was majoring in it. I originally started out at WVU as an Exercise Physiology major.. hoping to eventually get into the Physical Therapy program. When I discovered what OT was, I quickly became very interested. During high school, I volunteered in a special education classroom and I absolutely loved it! As a matter of fact, I actually considered becoming a special education teacher afterwards.. I also have a cousin that has Downs Syndrome whom I am very close to. I realized that in OT, I would be able to work with people with these types of disabilities and I would also have the opportunity to work with people with physical disabilities, just as a PT does.. So being an OT I would be able to incorporate both the love I had for working with people with mental disabilities, and my original dream of working with people with physical disabilities."

I thought it might be interesting to pose the same question to all of you OT, PT, OTA, PTA and SLP students out there. What made you want to become a therapist? Leave a comment and share your story. It is always interesting to hear the different paths others took to get to the same place.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 16, 2007 at 1:44 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

One of the most important tips in resume writing is clarity. Recruiters or hiring managers have no time to waste trying to guess what a candidate's qualifications are. At the pace that they go when "browsing" through applications and by the number of applications they look at, if they have to second guess what you mean, the odds are that you won't make it to the interview stage.

View our resume tips section.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 16, 2007 at 8:47 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Yesterday we wrote about what might be holding you back from being promoted. Today is about what to do to get that promotion. In that regard, Kris Littlejohn put up a list of 10 things that you can do to increase your odds of going up the ladder: 10 Things You Can Do to Get a Promotion (TechRepublic).

---------------
Find more on diversity in the workplace at DiversityJobs.com.


Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 15, 2007 at 7:36 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

CareerBuilder came up with a list of 10 reasons why someone might not be promoted:

  1. You"re not up to the job (or to put it crudely, you're a slacker). No worries, if you're a slacker, you probably don't care about that promotion anyways...
  2. You're stingy on your level of commitment. Just doing "fine" or "acceptable" work will not take you up the ladder.
  3. You are not visible enough to the people who have the power to promote you.
  4. You're difficult to deal with. Moving up the ladder will entail managing people. If you are difficult to deal with, it means you cannot manage your relationships with others.
  5. You haven't yet mastered the job you're in and you already want to move higher...
  6. You're just too good at what you're doing and there's nobody to replace you.
  7. You're not presentable.
  8. You have enemies.
  9. You are competing with "superstars", meaning that the competition may be too fierce for you.
  10. Your employer is not in a position to promote you due to factors unrelated to you or your performance (tight budget or low turnover).

Why You're Not Getting Promoted, CNN/ CareerBuilder


Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 15, 2007 at 5:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

An Asset that Businesses Who Deal Globally Need!

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

With today's business reaching across the globe, sometimes language barriers prevent successful business dealings. That's where a business translator comes into the picture. A business translator is well-versed in all types of business documents.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 15, 2007 at 1:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Ray Williams wrote an article about the loneliness that many successful people face at the top. Success is about hard work and commitment, but time devoted to your career comes at a price - time taken away from other spheres of your life...and we soon forget why we wanted to become successful in the first place: "The more people focus their efforts on becoming successful, the less they remember the reason they wanted that success".

Is success a goal or a means to an end? In other words, do you want success for the "success" itself or do you want to become successful in order to achieve a higher purpose, such a providing a better living for your family or helping society?

Successful But Lonely?, Financial Post

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 15, 2007 at 9:40 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- So you were able to land an interview and you have a feeling it went quite well. Now what? You go home and wait for the phone to ring? No! Get cracking on those thank-you notes! You might be thinking I sound like a throwback from the workplace dark ages for even suggesting such a thing, but actually thank-you notes can still play an important role when you're trying to land the job you want.

It's hard to find solid statistics on how many job applicants send thank-you notes these days, but most surveys estimate the number is well under 40 percent. This despite the fact that when asked, most hiring managers say they expect a note of gratitude post interview ."It's a lost art," laments Angela Barfield, a manager for CBIZ Human Capital Services and a headhunter with 25 years of experience who has seen the prevalence of thank-you notes slowly diminish in the past 10 years. But a note just could clinch the job for you.

I would always send a thank-you note via snail mail. But since you know time is of the essence you might want to drop the note off with the person at the front desk. Also don't go thank-you note crazy. Just make sure the person that holds the main decision-making power gets your message of gratitude.

Article abridged from MSNBC.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 14, 2007 at 12:44 PM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

If you are looking for the simple answer let me say there isn't one. Thus the answer is yes and no. It all depends on whether or not as an employer you can get away with it. However, legally there is no such thing as over qualified and failing to hire the most qualified person can land you in legal trouble.

Let me first describe what over qualified means.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 14, 2007 at 12:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

MILWAUKEE, WI -- Walking into an interview, there's one question you know you will face and that's, "Tell me about yourself."

Smart job hunters know that interviews aren't the only time they may face this question. It can happen at anytime - social time after church or temple, bumping into an old colleague in an elevator, picking up bagels in the morning - "What are you doing these days?" (Read: "Tell me about yourself.") These are all invaluable networking opportunities. Great professional networking opportunities often mask themselves as random social encounters.

Whether you're trying to impress an interviewer or just networking, the basic question "Who are you?" is important. It's a golden opportunity to deliver your own infomercial. No matter what the setting is, you don't want to give anything less than an Oscar-caliber performance. There's only one way to ensure a consistently great response: script the answer, and memorize it. Spend time coming up with the most comprehensive, succinct, and eloquent answer you can. It should encapsulate your interests and talents, experience and career objectives, in a manner that anyone can understand.

Article by George Blomgren, Tips From An Employer, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 14, 2007 at 9:38 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

BETHLEHEM, PA—Employers vying for new college graduates will face intense competition, according to Job Outlook 2008, a new report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

“Several factors point to a highly competitive year for employers,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

“For example, overall, employers expect to increase college hiring in 2007-08 by 16 percent over 2006-07. This is the fifth consecutive year in which employers have projected double-digit increases. Moreover, hiring projections are strong across the board—regardless of industry, economic sector, or geographic region,” she says.

Not surprisingly, employers taking part in the survey cited competition as their biggest challenge in hiring 2008 graduates, and expect competition to be particularly fierce for graduates in the engineering, computer science, and accounting fields, where supply doesn’t meet demand.

One sign of that increased demand: “We’re seeing some significant changes in signing bonuses this year,” Mackes says. “Not only are more employers planning to offer signing bonuses than was the case last year, but also the average planned bonus is 25 percent higher this year than it was last year.”

NACE monitors the job market for new college graduates throughout the academic year via a series of surveys and reports; NACE expects to release another update on the job market for the Class of 2008 in April.

About the Job Outlook 2008 survey: NACE surveyed 1,199 of its employer members from mid-August through October 5, 2007. Two hundred and seventy-six (276), or 23 percent, responded.

Of those responding, 48.2 percent were service sector employers, 46.4 percent were manufacturers, and 5.4 percent were government/nonprofit employers.

By region, 34.8 percent of respondents were from the South, 26.4 percent were from the Midwest, 21.4 percent were from the Northeast, and the remaining 17.4 percent were from the West.

Article courtesy of NACE. About NACE: Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 14, 2007 at 9:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to a survey by Ceridian, one of the largest providers of HR services worldwide, 58% of UK office workers suffer in silence and don't voice their concerns in terms of what stresses them at work. The top 3 sources of stress from other workers are:

  • colleagues' excuses to avoid work at 21%;
  • tantrums and arguments in open space at 11%; and
  • gossiping and private discussions at 9%.
Employees Keep Quiet About What Irritates Them in the Office, ONREC.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 14, 2007 at 7:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 64% of Americans quit because they don't feel appreciated at work. On the same topic, The Gallup Organization reveals that 70% of U.S. workers believe they receive no recognition for the effort they put in.

To see a slideshow on the rewards of recognition, please click here.

To read the article, please click here.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 13, 2007 at 4:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As a therapist, you will come into contact with a variety of other health professionals on a daily basis. In order for you to provide the best patient care, it is imperative that you understand the role and function of these professionals. Student Doctor Network has a great article posted on their website titled Who's Who on the Health Care Team: An Interdisciplinary Approach. The article, written by Sarah M. Lawrence and Michael O'Brien, is a brief review of the different health care professions a patient could expect to encounter while in the hospital or other rehabilitation setting. It provides the educational background and role of different occupations; from Nurse Practitioner to Speech Pathologist to Pharmacist to Clinical Psychologist. This article is in no way inclusive, but rather, is an overview of the major professions.

"The future of health care lies in successful collaboration among all of these disciplines. It is essential for medical and other health professional students learn how to work with other clinicians in hospitals and other practice sites. Each of these professionals brings a unique skill set and viewpoint to the management of patient care. An environment of mutual respect and trust among health care providers will promote excellent care and improve patient outcomes."

Take a moment to read this article...it is a great resource for students to have so you can effectively interact with each member in the diverse health care field. With a enhanced understanding of each professions role and function you will be better suited to work alongside other providers to help your patients reach their goals.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 13, 2007 at 3:55 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

SAN DIEGO, CA -- For over 3 years the American Dream Project has been working to ensure that Americans are striving to live their personal dreams and that America is a physically and psychologically healthy society for all. As part of their mission, they have been conducting an online Dream Life Assessment polling over 10,000 people. This questionnaire asks participants to grade themselves on key questions related to their lifestyle, relationships, and career. The results of the assessment are not only fascinating but also staggering.

According to the assessment, while people spend more time at their jobs than ever before, people are also least satisfied in this arena of their lives. Whereas one's career, according to Will Marre, founder of American Dream Project, should be "your evolving means of self-expression, or better yet, soul expression," Americans are finding their careers empty of meaning, satisfaction, and value. Of the 6,705 people who answered the survey, nearly 75% feel unsuited for their career and find their work to be void of value, joy, and meaning.

These findings correspond to several other national surveys regarding employment satisfaction. Marre stated that because of the American Dream Project's survey, he felt the results point to job dissatisfaction being a major cause of America's chronic health woes. Marre reported that over 65 million Americans suffer from disrupted sleep, heart disease, ulcers, immune system failure, eating disorders, and depression, which are rooted in chronic anxiety.

Article abridged from American Dream Project, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 13, 2007 at 2:30 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Perri Capell responds to a reader who can't seem to find a new job, notwithstanding the fact that he's been with one of the top 4 accounting firms for 18 years and with a financial firm for 4 years. After being unemployed for 2 years now, he is really discouraged: "I'm willing to start at a lower level, but employers can't seem to figure out what I am, or they lose interest because I'm unemployed."

Clarity is key to job applications, as employers won't waste their time figuring out what you are trying to say or how you can contribute to their business. In order to articulate your thoughts clearly, you have to be clear in your head first. Most of the time, people are unclear because they don't really know what they want to say. To summarize: clarify your thought process, then re-draft your resume and cover letter.

If you've been trying for a while and can't seem to find a new job, you need to look at what you did and change things. Don't keep doing what doesn't work.

* The article is unclear as to whether the person used a professional resume writer to write his resume for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. Read this: Why You Should Hire a Professional Resume Writer

How to Better Articulate Where You Fit Professionally, The Wall Street Journal


Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 13, 2007 at 11:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In order to help job seekers better prepare for Interview Day, we have added four articles in our Interview Tips section. These articles go through all the basics you need to know in order to succeed in your interviews:


Please give us your feedback and, if you have any good tips you would like to share, let us know.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 13, 2007 at 8:19 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Q. I am being seriously considered for a position with a large Washington, DC-area IT consulting company. They have told me I will get the job, but are waiting to open a location closer to my home. We briefly discussed salary and I was told they would only be able to offer me 10 percent over my current salary. I confirmed that this was not due to their budget, but to their contracts with the U.S. government. The recruiter told me the government limited them to offering no more than 10 percent over someone's existing salary regardless of their previous salary. I have never heard of this and have reason to doubt it, as I have talked to some employees who said they received raises significantly larger than 10 percent. I am looking for an increase in pay in the range of 20 percent as this job would be taking advantage of the master's degree I recently completed and has significantly more responsibility than my current job.

A. Several things may be going on here: salary compression (or avoidance of it); frequency or infrequency of market pricing; impact of your degree; and the prospective employer's relationship with the government. Let's look at each in turn.

Some companies have policies prohibiting salary compression, that is, paying new employees salaries higher than what current employees make. This practice is typically put in place to avoid underpaying current employees who have experience, skills, and responsibilities similar to those of new hires. The practice also helps employers retain talent by ensuring that current employees are not penalized financially for staying with the company.

But if the company typically looks internally, rather than externally, the market may be moving faster than the company. I recommend that you find out how frequently your future employer conducts market analysis on its jobs - that is, how often it compares its jobs against the market to ensure its salaries are competitive. You should also ask the company what the average percentage market adjustment is when it does market analysis. If the company has to adjust its salaries by large amounts, the salaries in the organization probably are not competitive or won't remain competitive very long.

Third, you asked about the impact of your degree. A master's degree would only guarantee you an additional increase in pay if the company requires it as part of your job, or if the degree gives you additional skills that are required for the job.

Finally, the fact that this employer wants to pay you 10 percent above your current base pay could mean the company already thinks your salary is competitive with the external market and its internal pay structure. I would advise you to research your pay using the Salary Wizard. Then, negotiate your salary based on the expectations of the job and where your current salary falls within the range.

Your employer may also have obligations to the federal government because it does work for and is paid by the government. However, your market value is based on what the private sector will pay for your skills, so don't get caught up in your prospective employer's relationship with the government. Most companies have government contracts. But they determine salaries according to what goes on in the external marketplace - not in the public sector.

Good luck.

Article by Erisa Ojimba, certified compensation consultant and courtesy of Salary.com®

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 7:46 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Hey you! Yes, you with your iPod earbuds and your unlimited texting plan. If you've been on a dozen interviews in the past two months and still don't have a job, the problem might be in the palm of your hand. It's not just resumes that are catching hiring managers' eyes but job candidates who don't know when to give their gadgets a rest, displaying more interest in their electronics than their careers.

To be fair, for a younger generation, our tech-oriented culture makes it hard to know what's appropriate and what isn't. When you post your resume on a recruiting Web site, set up the interview online while downloading music and then use your cell phone to call and confirm your appointment, why is it so wrong to walk into the office waiting room playing a game on your portable device? Most employers will see it as a sign of disrespect and/or inability to give your job first priority during work hours.

All too often, interviewers are watching people answer a cell call or text message in an interview. "Don't come to the interview with your iPod, your cell phone, your cup of coffee or anything else other than yourself and a portfolio with an extra copy of your resume and your list of references," says Alison Doyle, a job-search expert. Studies have found that your nonverbal communication will have more than triple the impact of your actual words.

Article abridged from PhillyBurbs.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 6:23 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- About 42% of 753 laid-off managers surveyed land interviews after posting their resumes or retrieving job listings online, according to a survey by outplacement consultants Lee Hecht Harrison.

As a matter of fact, according to a recent poll by the Society for Human Resource Management, 86% of human resource professionals now rely on Internet job postings to get the word out about positions open at their organizations. So using the Internet for job finding works! Still, with an estimated 40,000 job boards, and literally millions of jobs currently spread out amongst the top 100 job boards, you must use the Internet creatively.

Big career sites such as Monster.com provide a vast array of vacancies and employer data, but you can also expect a fair amount of competition. And because job boards charge employers and recruiters to search resumes and post jobs, more and more headhunters and company recruiters are lowering their costs and turning to the lesser expensive, smaller job boards to search for candidates. So to optimize your job search, it's a good idea to post your resume to several career websites both large and small.

Article reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 5:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A competitive job market requires a resume that can stand strong alongside others. Instead of listing a "series of actions" that job seekers should take, Nimish Thakkar from WebProNews.com suggested 5 tips that go to the essence of how to write a better and improved resume:

  • "Adopt a different mindset;" that of a marketer.
  • "Research the employer's needs" and try to meet those needs.
  • "Make compelling arguments" to convince the employer that you are the best person for the job ("best" means "better" than others).
  • "Provide examples of your past successes" in order to support your claims. Specificity is key in lending credibility.
  • "Tell a convincing story." It's all about telling your story and if the employer wants to see the next episode, he'll have to hire you.

Tips for Writing a Compelling Resume, WebProNews.com

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 5:24 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

WASHINGTON, DC -- Despite economic concerns spurred by the credit crunch and sub-prime mortgage crisis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Tuesday that preliminary job openings, hiring and turnover rates in September remained relatively steady year-on-year both nationally and regionally. There were 4.1 million job openings in the U.S. Certain industries, like information, saw a decline in job openings, hires, and turnover rates, whereas others like construction saw an increase in its job openings rate.

The report comes a week after other economic indicators showed a stable economy with GDP growth at 3.9 percent, a net addition of 166,000 jobs last month (nearly twice the 85,000 jobs that experts had predicted), and an unemployment rate that remained unchanged at relatively low level of 4.7%. It also comes a week after the Federal Reserve cut the federal funds interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5 percent as an attempt to prevent a downward trend in U.S. economic growth.

John Challenger, CEO of the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., which reported last week that big layoffs declined in October, said that while certain economic indicators look good and the problems in credit, housing and automotive look fairly contained for now, there is still a concern it will inevitably have an affect later. "The biggest fear is that consumer spending, which is so important, could begin to slow down," Challenger said, affecting industries like retailing. "So, this holiday season we are going to look closely at that," he said.

Article reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 5:19 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Baby boomers and Generation Y (broadly defined as those born between 1979 and 1999) may have less of a generation gap than one might assume. New research from Robert Half International and Yahoo! HotJobs reveals that Millennials share many of the same concerns as more tenured workers when it comes to saving for retirement, finding a solid healthcare plan and achieving work-life balance. However, Millennials aren’t concerned only with the benefits their employers provide. They also expect a lot from their company leaders and look to them as partners in success and job satisfaction.

In a just-released guide, What Millennial Workers Want: How to Attract and Retain Gen Y Employees, Robert Half International and Yahoo! HotJobs examine the professional priorities of the most senior members of Generation Y — those who have already started a career or will soon start one. More than 1,000 adults ages 21 to 28 were polled for the project.

“The research depicts a pragmatic, future-oriented generation that holds many of the same values as its predecessors,” said Reesa Staten, senior vice president and director of workplace research for Robert Half International. “Yet, certain distinctive qualities, such as a desire for very frequent feedback from their managers, are unique to this generation. Generation Y expects a lot of its leaders. Making sure supervisors of Gen Y professionals have supportive management styles can go a long way in attracting and retaining these workers, who will play a greater role in organizations as more baby boomers retire.”

Big expectations of company leaders
Survey respondents rated working with a boss they respect and can learn from as the most important aspect of their work environment, ahead of having a nice office space, a short commute or working for a socially responsible company. Those surveyed also indicated that they expect more “face time” from their supervisors than a weekly status meeting. The majority of Gen Yers (60 percent) want to hear from their managers at least once a day.

Redefining a successful future
Most survey respondents appeared optimistic about the future, but this isn’t a group whose idealism overshadows practical concerns, according to the study. When evaluating job opportunities, for example, the research shows that salary, benefits and room for professional growth are top concerns for this group. While 46 percent of Gen Yers consider their career prospects better than previous generations, many respondents feel they also will have to save more money for retirement and study harder than generations past. In fact, nearly three out of four (73 percent) Gen Yers surveyed said they will likely go back to school to obtain another academic degree or certification.

A corner office or impressive job title doesn’t equal success for Gen Y, the survey results suggest. In fact, respondents ranked “a more prestigious job title” last among seven factors that would prompt them to leave their current positions. Opportunities for professional growth and advancement rated a greater career priority, the research shows.

Keeping their options open
Like most employees, Gen Yers crave challenge on the job. The top factors that would tempt Gen Yers to look for greener pastures are added pay and benefits, opportunities for advancement, and more interesting work. Even firms that provide some of these incentives may not be able to keep Gen Y staff members for the long term. Four out of 10 respondents said they plan to stay at their job up to two years; only one in five foresees staying at his/her current job six years or longer.

“Millennials never stop marketing themselves,” said Tom Musbach, managing editor, Yahoo! HotJobs. “This means companies must constantly be in recruiting mode with current employees.”

Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted in the second quarter of 2007 by an independent research firm. It includes a total of 1,007 web interviews of people 21 to 28 years old who are employed full-time or part-time, and have college degrees or are currently attending college. Among those surveyed, 505 were males, and 502 were females.

About Robert Half International
Robert Half International is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm with more than 350 staffing locations in North America, South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The company’s professional staffing divisions include Accountemps®, Robert Half® Finance & Accounting, and Robert Half® Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and senior-level project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam®, for highly skilled temporary office support; Robert Half® Technology, for information technology professionals; Robert Half® Legal, for project and full-time staffing of attorneys, paralegals and legal support personnel; and The Creative Group®, for creative, advertising, marketing and web design professionals. For more information about the specialized staffing and recruitment divisions of Robert Half International, visit www.rhi.com.

About Yahoo! HotJobs
Yahoo! HotJobs (http://hotjobs.yahoo.com) is the fastest growing Web site among the leading job boards, with +43.3 percent traffic growth during January - September 2007, versus 2006 (comScore Media Metrix). As a leader in the online recruiting industry, Yahoo! HotJobs has revolutionized the way people manage their careers and the way companies hire talent.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 4:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As now is recruitment time for many university students, we thought it necessary to review some resume writing basics. Resume tips can be found in our career resources section and it is not our intention to review them in this blog.

When writing a resume, it is important to realize that its purpose is not to provide a detailed background of one's experience. The purpose of a resume is simple: to get to the interview stage. How to get there? By being selective in what to include in the resume and focusing on one's strengths relative to what is required for the specific position.

Once that is done, the next step is to ensure that the "packaging" is right. There should be no typos and the resume has to be visually attractive.

Instead of looking at a series of specific resume-writing rules, looking at it from a broader perspective, as per the above, can be more helpful!

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 1:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Here are some career blunders to watch out for, and mitigating suggestions to avoid them entirely.

1. THINKING OF YOU, as I pay the post man. Sending Resume's or Thank You notes with insufficient postage. MITGATION: Keep the current stamps in circulation on your top desk drawer, if you have old stamps, upgrade them with the appropriate current rate.

2. VIRAL MARKETING IS HOT, email viruses are not. Leveraging a business network to create possibilities is great. Sending Resumes by email without cover letters is not a good idea. Never make an employer or recruiter have to choose between risking a virus or a resume, most won't risk it. MITIGATION: Draft up a cover letter format you really like to customize in a rush. You have your resume ready in that format, keep your cover letter saved as a template.

3. "Caring about qaulity' shows first in what and how you represent yourself in your materials. Sure spelling errors happen, but not if you are leveraging your network and tools well. MITIGATION: Have a friend review your resume and support material before you send it out for feedback. Turn on spell check in email to correct frequent mistakes, then you can rush, with quality.

4. I want you to want (to hire) me, but I don't need you to hire me. One of the most clashing fashion faux pas in the career seeking space is accessorizing with too much desperation to get a new job or visible contempt for your prior employer. You want employers and recruiters to want to work with you and want to hire you. MITIGATION: It's okay to feel, feelings, just don't accessorize with them on a job interview. What's the toughest question they can ask about this situation I do not entirely feel comfortable with? Prepare your response in advance. Whats the worst that can happen thinking, rarely does, but if it were to happen, you would be ready!

5. Momentum is rarely created waiting for the phone to ring. Remember that there are probably a half dozen possibilities that could improve the career situation you are in. After an interview, don't stop and drop and wait. Stop Drop, and ROLL like you are on fire, and it is a matter of time and consistency before you are celebrating your success. MITIGATION: After taking an action, it is common to 'wait and see'. That's not momentum, it's hopeful thinking. Define what the next thing you can do to recognize your objective. Don't forget that thank you's genuinely expressing your skills, appreciation and interest can help. Other strategies when waiting for response is to have a few extra letters of recommendation in pocket, that you can send on. The best thing to do, is to keep busy working to identify what is next-- what is your next opportunity, partner, interview, action, event, or activity that can create momentum. Ask a mentor for ideas!

6. People in Grim Reaper costumes have a hard time hailing cabs. Slipping into something a bit more professional when responding to professional opportunities helps things along. It's not that the cab driver doesn't want the fare, so much as they don't want the ride to a feeling of certain death. Thinking about the 'fun' social image you project still matters if you also use that persona to respond to professional opportunities. MITIGATION: If your networking from a system that will have you responding to professional opportunities, avoiding violent or off color representations of yourself when applying for a job in the social service arena, is always a good idea.

Posted by Dawn Mular on November 12, 2007 at 1:16 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

By Dr. Mary Askew

To be successful in the workplace, employees have to possess transferable skills. Knowing about these skills will help teens and adults prepare to be successful in the workplace. Transferable skills are a product of our talents, traits and knowledge. These skills determine how you respond to new activities, work situations or jobs.

Transferable skills are non-job specific skills that you have acquired during any activity or life experiences. Student activities and experiences include campus and community activities, class projects, and assignments, hobbies, athletic activities, internships and summer part-time jobs.

Transferable skills skills fall into three (3) groups: Working with people, working with things, and working with data/information. These terms are defined below:


  • Working with people skills happen when people sell, train, advise, and negotiate.

  • Working with things skills occur when people repair, operate machinery, sketch, survey, or troubleshoot.
  • Working with data/information skills involve budgeting, researching, and analyzing.

Visit DiversityJobs.com for articles, news, and advice on Diversity recruiting.

The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) is a model for transferable skills resources and web sites. In 1990, a commission of schools, government, unions, and corporations developed five SCAN competencies and three SCAN foundation skills. The five (5) Competencies are: Resources, information, interpersonal, systems, and technology.

The meanings of the competencies are:


  • Resources competencies describe the allocation of time, money, material resources, facility resources, and human resources.

  • Information competencies involve acquiring, evaluating, organizing, maintaining, interpreting, communicating and processing information.

  • Interpersonal competencies include team participation, teaching, customer services, leadership, negotiation, and cultural diversity.

  • Systems competencies work with understanding systems, performance monitoring, and systems designs.

  • Technology competencies involve the selection, application, maintenance, and troubleshooting of technology.

Besides competencies, there are three (3) Foundation Skills: Basic, thinking, and personal qualities. The terms are explained below.


  • Basic skills involve reading, writing, arithmetic, mathematics, listening, and speaking.

  • Thinking skills include creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, seeing things in the mind's eye, knowing how to learn, and reasoning.

  • Personal qualities are responsibility, self esteem, sociability, self-management, and integrity/honesty.

Universities and professional organizations, such as California State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Quintessential Careers, and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) agree these transferable skills are important. These organizations have created transferable skills surveys, exercises, and web sites.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is a professional association connects more than 5,200 college career services professionals at nearly 2,000 college and universities nationwide, and more than 3,000 HR/staffing professionals focused on college relations and recruiting. NACE has compiled the twenty (20) top personal qualities/skills that employers requested the most:

1. Analytical skills
2. Communication Skills
3. Computer skills
4. Creativity
5. Detail-oriented
6. Entrepreneurial skills/risk-taker
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Friendly/outgoing personality
9. Honesty/integrity
10. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
11. Leadership and management skills
12. Motivation/initiative
13. Organizational and time management skills
14. Real Life Experiences
15. Self-confidence
16. Strong work ethic
17. Tactfulness
18. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
19. Technical Skills
20. Well-mannered/polite

Communication skills are the most popular skills listed on the web sites. Communication deals with speaking effectively, writing concisely, listening attentively, and other abilities that result in the expression, transmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas. Communication skills help you communicate what you know. Examples of communication skills include:


  • Collaborating

  • Forecasting

  • Negotiating

  • Projecting

  • Publicized

  • Selling ideas, products or services

  • Speaking

  • Translating

  • Writing

Communication skills are involved in the other skills, such as organizational management, human relations, program administration, research & planning. Organization, management, leadership, and human relations skills are the ability to supervise, direct and guide individuals and groups in the completion of tasks and fulfillment of goals. Organization, management, leadership, and human relations skillsconsist of:


  • Making decisions

  • Assuming and delegating responsibility

  • Organizing people and tasks

  • Negotiating agreements

Management and administrative skills organize and coordinate people, projects and events. As a manager, you handle multiple tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments. As leaders, you use skills to motivate individuals and groups to assess, perform, set goals, evaluate, and follow through situations effectively.

Managers and leaders use human relations skills. Human relations, interpersonal, or people skills develop rapport, negotiate, and help people overcome their differences.

In addition to human relations skills, managers and leaders need planning and reasoning skills. Program administration, research and planning skills are essential when you gather information, analyze data, present ideas, and generate solutions.

Analyzing, planning, and reasoning skills are used in the field of research. Research skills help you search for specific knowledge, determine future needs, investigate and record findings, find answers, and evaluate strategies.

Besides planning and reasoning skills, problem solving and creativity activities involve the ability to find solutions to problems using experiences, information, and available resources. Problem solving and goal setting involve assessing a situation, gathering information, identifying key issues, anticipating problems, and generating multiple solutions.

Transferable skills are also called Soft Skills. Simon Fraser University, a leader in management education, lists the ten (10) Soft Skills:

1. Adaptability
2. Communication
3. Dedication
4. Dependability
5. Energy
6. Flexibility
7. Hard-working
8. Honesty
9. Integrity
10. Leadership

There are surveys, activities, and exercises that help identify your transferable skills. An example of a transferable skills survey is the Transferable Skills Scale.

The Transferable Skills Scale is the only researched and validated assessment on the market focused on transferable skills. The Transferable Skills Scale is a short assessment that identifies an individual’s strongest transferable skills. The eight (8) Transferable Skills are:


  • Analytical

  • Numerical

  • Interpersonal

  • Organizational

  • Physical

  • Informational

  • Communicative

  • Creative skills

The benefits of the Transferable Skills Scale are -


  • Complete in 20-25 minutes

  • Is easy to use

  • Has color-coded design

  • Is Self-scoring and self-interpreting

  • Can be used as both a career exploration guide and a job search strategy tool

  • Includes suggested resources for career exploration as well as a worksheet for comparing possible careers

  • Includes job titles from the most recent O*NET database

  • Can be given to groups or individuals

The Transferable Skills Scale has 5 sections -

1. Mark Your Answers
2. Add Your Scores
3. Interpret Your Scores
4. Identify Occupations that Match Your Skills
5. Explore Occupations that Match Your Skills

Resources:

Binghamton University, State University of New York, Career Development Center, LSG 500, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, New York, 13902-6000, 607-777-2400

Career Center California State University, Chico Chico, CA 95929-0700, (530) 898-5253

Career Center, Student Affairs, Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Identify Transferable Skills Exercise. Career Development Services, A Division of Undergraduate Studies, Auburn University, 303 Mary Martin Hall, Auburn, Alabama 36849, (334) 844:4744

Identifying Transferable Skills in Career Planning. William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627:0107

Identify Your Transferable Skills. Career Center University of South Carolina H. WILLIAM CLOSE (BA) BLDG., 6th FL. Columbia, SC 29208 • Phone: (803) 777-7280

Job Outlook 2007, What employers want (and you need to have), National Association of Colleges and Employers, 62 Highland Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18017-9085, 800/544-5272

Quintessential Careers, DeLand, FL 32720

Rochester Institute of Technology, Office of Cooperative Education and Career Services, 57 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623, 585.475.2301

Transferable Skills Checklist. Missouri State University, Career Center, Carrington 309, Glass 103, 901 S. National, Springfield, Missouri 65897, 877:836:JOBS

Transferable Skills Exercise. Wisconsin Job Center, 201 E. Washington Avenue, Madison WI 53702

Transferable Skills Guidebook. Simon Fraser University (SFU) BUSINESS, Career Management Centre, 2361, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6

Transferable Skills Survey. Career Services, University of Minnesota Duluth, 22 Solon Campus Center, 1117 University Drive, Duluth, MN 55812:3000

University of Alabama Career Center, 330 Ferguson, 205:348:5848

USC Career Planning & Placement Center, 3601 Trousdale Parkway, Student Union 110, Los Angeles, CA 90089:4897, (213) 740:9111

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on November 12, 2007 at 12:24 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Steve Tobak wrote an article titled: "The Secret to Finding a Great Job" in which he discusses some basic rules to finding a "good" job. What drew our attention to this article was the title. The article is not about secrets to finding a "job," but secrets to finding a "great job." That's the key.

Most job seekers just worry about finding a job... but what's next? You're unhappy, regret your decision, and look for a new job?

Tobak categorizes the rules to finding a great job under 5 headings:

  • Know What You're After
  • Actively Manage the Process
  • Use Your Network to Get an Inside Track
  • Avoid Time-Wasters
  • Push the Envelope

The Secret to Finding a Great Job, CNET

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 12, 2007 at 10:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to a recent survey by Workopolis, Canada's leading online job board, 82% of Canadian adults are not working at the job they dreamed of when they were younger. Martha Worboy, from the CanWest News Service, discusses further about the career aspirations of Canadians in her article: Dream Job May Only Be a Dream (The Vancouver Sun).

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 10, 2007 at 7:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Nick Corcodilos commented in his article that recruiters tend to worry too much about fit and past performances and not enough about what candidates can actually bring to the job. Why should "fit" matter if the person cannot do the work? In Corcodilos' own words: "I've had managers tell me the biggest mistake they make is hiring people because they like them. Of course we want to like people we hire, and we want them to fit the team socially. But what does it matter if they're not able to do the job?"

Let Candidate Show Ability to Do the Job, The Seattle Times

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 9, 2007 at 6:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- In this cyber age employers are inundated with resumes from around the globe for almost every job opening. However, while hiring managers may be under the gun and overworked, I think it's rude to not follow-up with job applicants in some way. That's especially true if they went beyond the resume stage and actually had a phone or face-to-face interview with the individual.

"The notion of 'common courtesy' in the job application process is outdated, at least from the employer's perspective," says BJ Gallagher, a Los Angeles workplace consultant. "The competition is so intense for good jobs, often with hundreds of applicants to deal with, that the employer cannot possibly respond to each and every person in a timely, personal manner. Gallagher says it's not personal, "it's a business transaction... give up your expectations that the job-hunting process will be gracious and polite," she stresses.

Now I wouldn't go that far as to say "give up" on finding any manners in the zoo that is today's job market, but if politeness is a priority for you then maybe you should be happy when a not-so-polite hiring managers doesn't return your e-mails and calls. Chalk it up to a company culture that you're lucky you didn't get hired into.

Article abridged from Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBC, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 9, 2007 at 5:38 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Honda, the Japanese automaker, is building a new plant in Indiana. It expects to receive over 30,000 applications for the 2,000 positions it has available. With the majority of applicants thinking they have a chance, what are the odds?

It is easier to put job application tips in perspective in light of the above facts. Tips such as "be clear when you write your resume because HR managers have a lot of applications to go through" or "grab recruiters' attention upfront as most recruiters don't 'read' resumes; they only 'browse' through them."

Honda Sees 23,000 Job Applications and Counting, WISH TV

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 9, 2007 at 4:52 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Survey Shows Many Employees Aren't Taking Extra Days Off During the Holidays

Santa’s elves won’t be the only ones working hard over the holidays. According to a recent survey, four out of 10 professionals will not take extra time off this holiday season, beyond employer-provided vacation days. Only 25 percent plan to take a week or more.

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. The interviews were conducted by an independent research firm and include responses from 493 full- or part-time workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

Employees were asked, “During the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays, how many days off from work will you take, beyond employer-provided days off?” Their responses:



No days42%
One to two days17%
Three to four days15%
Five to six days13%
Seven or more days12%
Don't know/no answer    1%
 100%

“With the year coming to a close, employees may have already used up their vacation days,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “But other professionals sometimes get so wrapped up in work at the end of the year that they only take the company holidays they are granted.”

Many professionals catch up on projects and some firms enter their peak season during the holidays, so it’s important that workers prepare if they expect to take time off. “Everyone needs time away from work to recharge and avoid burnout,” added Domeyer. “For those who are planning to be out of the office, extra preparation can ensure they won’t return to an overwhelming amount of work or projects that have fallen off track.”

OfficeTeam offers the following tips for planning a worry-free vacation:

  • Plan ahead. Notify your manager early about your intent to take a vacation so you can secure the dates you want. This also gives him or her time to assess resource needs and bring in temporary help, if necessary.
  • Alert your team. Inform others about your travel plans so they can prepare for your absence. Alleviate confusion and undue stress by providing your manager and colleagues with a detailed record of active projects and their status.
  • Identify a point person. A coworker can serve as your backup and make decisions on your behalf and keep projects moving forward while you are out. Remember to return the favor the next time he or she is away from the office.
  • Clean your desk. Leave your workstation neat and organized. Also, show colleagues where your files can be found.
  • Use out-of-office functions. Let those who call or e-mail know you’re away, and give them the name of your backup, so important messages aren’t left unanswered.

Article by OfficeTeam, the world’s leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals, has more than 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 9, 2007 at 2:38 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

By Karen Burns, Working Girl

Anyone who reads and thinks about jobs, job-hunting, and careers is always running up against the resume.

In Working Girl's humble opinion, job hunters spend too much time fretting about resumes and not enough time out looking for a job. Why? Probably because you can sit and work on a resume in the privacy and safety of your own home. It's risk-free! At least until you show it to someone.

Yes, a resume is important, and you gotta have one, but guess what: It won't get you a job. In fact, most of what is useful to be said about resumes is negative. Thus follows:

A Long List of Resume Don't's


  • Don't make a single mistake on your resume. Not the eensiest, teensiest one.

  • Don't lie.

  • Don't use jargon, or weird colored paper, or funny fonts and formats.

  • Don't bother including a "references available on request" line (duh-does anyone think you will refuse to supply references?)

  • Don't bother saying "health-excellent." It only makes employers worry about your health. Also, don't mention if you are married or divorced, or have children.

  • Don't think you have to include every single job you've ever had. A resume should be targeted at a specific, actual job. Every piece of info on that resume should be pertinent to that job.

  • Don't include "salary requirements." Only talk about money when an offer is on the table.

  • Don't mention hobbies and interests. Who cares. One possible exception: if the hobby has some real connection with the job. (E.g., you are interviewing to write for Outdoor magazine and your hobby is mountain-climbing.)

  • Don't list reasons for leaving past jobs. Are you crazy?

  • Don't use a silly-sounding email address. If you do, you ARE crazy!

  • Don't write your resume as a list of job responsibilities. Employers care more about whether and how (if?) you fulfilled those responsibilities. Focus on accomplishments.

  • Don't allow your resume to be more than two pages at the very most. One is best. No one is going to spend more than 15 seconds looking at it anyway.

  • Don't obsess over your resume. Make it as perfect as you can and then get out there.

  • WG feels that the best use of a resume is as a really large business card--a leave-behind after you have interviewed a potential employer.


Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on November 9, 2007 at 12:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

There are 2 "new years" in a year: the calendar new year and the "end of August/ beginning of September" one. For the occasion, we dug up an old article on the importance of setting goals to stay focused: Successful Goal Setting Will Put You Ahead of Your Competition (by Kris Plantrich, CPRW, CEIP).

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 9, 2007 at 11:45 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY --Job evaluations that typically come just once a year aren't going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, they're used more today than ever before. Reviews are even going digital, with a growing number of companies putting the whole process online. "No one likes to be evaluated," says Stephanie Payne, assistant professor of psychology at Texas A&M University. It's also a cumbersome process for managers, giving rise to additional tension because the review is often tied to an employee's compensation.

So, how do you make the process less painful and use it to your advantage? "It's important to make sure your manager knows your accomplishments before the performance review," said James Smither, a professor of management at La Salle University. "This can be accomplished by sending e-mail updates as important projects or milestones are accomplished, as well as other accomplishments or activities, especially those that the manager might be unfamiliar with."

Here are more tips for the review itself from staffing firm Vedior North America: Be receptive to constructive feedback and welcome suggestions for improving your performance. Don't be shy about being open with your manager about your goals and aspirations. If you still can't stomach the whole process you can always opt to become a entrepreneur or work for a smaller company where performance reviews are still a rare animal.

Article abridged from MSNBC, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 9, 2007 at 9:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Carly Chynoweth gives 10 simple tips to make your life at work happier. Following is how she summarizes them:

  1. "Keep things in perspective."
  2. "Recognise the possibility of happiness."
  3. "Change your focus."
  4. "Surround yourself with happy people..."
  5. "Accept reality."
  6. "Do the best you can."
  7. "Balance."
  8. "Take a break."
  9. "Take control."
  10. "Be honest with yourself."

How to... Be Happy (The pursuit of happiness in the workplace is as much of a holy grail as it is in life, but there are ways to make that pursuit a happier experience.) (Times Online)

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 8, 2007 at 6:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When comes the time to apply for a job, some job seekers go the conventional way and send in their resume and cover letter. Others like to stand out by going unconventional and trying to make their mark. Most of the time, those that do go all the way out are either desperate for a job or really want a specific job. What are you to do?

It really depends on your profession, but before going nuts, do your research on the people in charge of hiring. See if they are inclined to “out of the ordinary” stunts.

Examples of what people have already tried? Wearing a giant resume on a poster board and standing on Manhattan streets handing out resumes; renting a giant billboard with the message: “Creative, experienced marketing guy seeks stable company for long-time working relationship;” sending out a video resume, which ended up turning pretty bad; challenging the editorial assistant to an “office skills head-to-head;” writing a blog and drawing the recruiter’s attention to that blog; etc. Some initiatives worked, some didn’t.

The lesson from all this? Do it at your risk and peril.

Making a Hard Sell, New York Post

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 8, 2007 at 4:32 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

CHICAGO, IL -- The United States government designates millions of dollars in grant money to assist personal and small businesses to flourish and grow. That's because small businesses represent approximately 95% of all American employers. Additionally three quarters of all new American jobs are provided by small businesses. Likewise, small businesses supply 50% of the country's gross domestic product. Therefore, the government issues small business grants in order to promote economic improvement or growth.

As a matter of fact, about one million small business owners are awarded small business grants each and every year.Interestingly however, there are still millions of dollars that are unclaimed each year due to a lack of knowledge concerning acquiring government money. The federal government has left it up to each state to provide funding through state grants to help start and grow small businesses. So a variety of small business grants are available through the local government of your state.

In addition to helping secure the development of small businesses through grants, the U.S. government provides additional resources crucial for businesses to flourish and thrive. One such resource is The Small Business Administration whose mission is to put time and money into assisting entrepreneurs in order to start, grow, and build their small businesses. The government feels that giving support to new businesses by awarding small business grants is a small price to pay when the strength of our economy is at stake.

Article abridged from Small Business Informer, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 8, 2007 at 1:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

CareerBuilder did the research and came up with 10 possible reasons:

  1. The person has a good relationship with someone higher up. By relationship, we mean family, romance, friendship, etc.

  2. The boss relies on the employee and is somehow more inclined to attribute the employee’s bad performance to factors outside of that employee’s control.

  3. Everything taken into consideration, the employee brings more than he or she costs.

  4. What if replacing that person ends up being worse? In other words, what if management isn’t sure it can find someone better?

  5. The boss is afraid of the employee.

  6. The boss doesn’t want to be hurtful (has sympathy for the employee).

  7. It may be easier to deal with the current employee than having to go through a hiring process, meaning screening, training, and integrating someone new.

  8. The employee knows something (either about the boss or has expertise that just can’t be replaced).

  9. The employee has everybody fooled. In other words, he/ she is a good talker and always find his/ her way out of a bad situation.

  10. Maybe the person is not such a bad employee after all…

Why Bad Employees Don’t Get Fired, CareerBuilder/ CNN

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 8, 2007 at 1:20 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

By Liz Handlin

Recently I have seen a lot of news coverage about the various democratic presidential candidates’ plans for overhauling the U.S. healthcare system. Hillary Clinton’s plan seems to be getting the most air time and I have to say that every time I hear her talk about this “great plan” she has I start feeling a little ill. Didn’t she take an economics class somewhere along the line? What about all the talking heads on TV? Why don’t they question her plan about the problems it will cause for small business owners and to employees of small businesses?

Background

Many Americans seem to feel that healthcare is an entitlement rather than a service, like any other, that is purchased based on our ability to pay. When I hear the talking heads on TV talk about how the U.S. healthcare system should be more like the U.K. or Canada I wonder if anyone considers why wealthy individuals from around the world flock to the U.S. when they have serious health problems? Because our system, while expensive, is the best. It is the best because the U.S. is on the cutting edge of drug and medical research. Certainly you can get free healthcare in some other countries but if you are really sick you may not get the best care available. You get what you pay for.

When political candidates talk about “problems in the healthcare system” they always trot out a cancer ridden patient who has gone bankrupt to pay for his/her medical care as an example of how the U.S. healthcare system is failing. The truth is that any seriously ill person, no matter how rich or how poor, will have to pay for some treatments from his or her own bank account at some point in the process. Insurance coverage doesn’t equal free medical care.

I have always thought that the problem with the U.S. healthcare system (if you accept that there is, in fact, a problem) is the insurance companies. Think about it. Insurance companies exist to earn a profit for their shareholders and since most of the big insurance companies like Allstate and Blue Cross & Blue Shield are publicly traded that means that they are subject to the demands of Wall Street. In order to earn profits for shareholders insurance companies need to minimize the amount of money they pay out to the folks they insure.

In contrast, most individuals would like to believe that insurance companies exist to provide a safety net for the folks they insure. I would submit whether we like it or not - insurance companies are simply businesses that earn profits for their investors.

If you, as an employee, are covered by an employer-sponsored insurance plan at a big company like IBM, GE, or the Federal Reserve System you are probably paying a relatively low monthly premium and you can feel safe from getting dropped from your insurance plan if you get really sick. Small employers and sole proprietors who purchase health insurance on their own pay much higher premiums than employees of large companies. Small business owners and sole proprietors also run the risk of getting dropped by their insurer if they actually become seriously ill.

Why do insurers sometimes drop their sickest clients? Because it costs a lot of money to pay for medical treatments and if an insurance company pays too much money out it will reduce profits realized by investors. And their investors won’t be happy.

Oh, and before you blame doctors for being “too expensive” remember that they are required by law to carry malpractice insurance which significantly increases the cost of the services they offer to patients. Hospitals are in the same situation. Why do you think an aspirin at a hospital can cost a patient $9? Costs of every service and drug provided to hospital patients increases in proportion to hospital’s cost structure (salaries for doctors, nurses, administrative staff, electricity, water, and insurance coverage to name a few).

Proposed solution:

What is Hillary Clinton’s answer to this problem? She wants health insurance to be required for every individual in the same way that car insurance is required for all drivers. Apparently she believes that individual lives are as dangerous to society as individual drivers who traverse the roads in 2 ton automobiles.

Hillary wants to require that every American purchase health insurance and that every small business owner offer health insurance to his/her employees. That includes seasonal businesses like restaurants on Martha’s Vineyard or surf shops in San Diego. Under her plan insurance companies would have to offer plans priced “affordably” (how will “affordable” be defined?). There would be penalties for anyone who chooses not to purchase health insurance. Hillary must think that Americans are too stupid to purchase health insurance on their own so she figures she will just force us purchase insurance and that will solve all the problems with healthcare. Typical of a “big government is better than small government” thought process.

Problems:

Where do I start addressing all of the problems with her “plan”? First of all it should be noted that Hillary is receiving more campaign contributions from the insurance industry than any other democratic candidate. What a shocker.

If insurance companies were providing insurance plans that were affordable and appealing to consumers the market would support those plans. What I mean is that if the product was one that the market (American public) wanted then Americans would purchase the product (insurance) and no one would be uninsured.

Clearly some consumers are making the decision not to purchase health insurance for a reason. Could it be that the insurance plans available to lower or mid-level income consumers aren’t cost effective for them? Or maybe extremely healthy people opt not to purchase insurance if they feel they don’t need it? How will a government mandate that consumers buy a product that doesn’t suit their needs help society?

Hillary’s plan amounts to a tax increase and the beneficiaries of this “tax” are the insurance companies. If Hillary’s health plan is implemented I would recommend that everyone buy stock in insurance companies because they are the only ones who will benefit from this ill conceived plan.

What about small business owners? Forcing small business owners to provide health insurance for all employees increases their fixed costs. And what happens when business costs increase? The cost of the products a business sells will also increase which means that you, the consumer, will cover the additional costs. Or, it could mean that some small businesses will have to close if the price increases they are forced to implement to cover the cost of mandated insurance make the products they sell too expensive for the market to bear. Scary.

The net effect of the Hillary Clinton health plan as I see it is as follows:

1.Insurance companies will continue to use the same decision making model that they currently use in order to determine whom to insure, who not to insure, and who gets dropped from a plan

2.Insurance companies, if mandated to offer “affordable” insurance available to everyone, will provide an insurance product that doesn’t cover much in the way of prescriptions or medical treatment. Why? Because they can’t subsidize the cost of healthcare for individuals. If they pay for the costs of too many medical procedures insurance companies won’t be able to maximize profits to their investors.

3.Small business owners, individuals employed by small businesses, and sole proprietors will be forced to purchase health insurance whether they want to or not which will reduce their income and it will increase the cost of goods and services that small businesses provide to the public.

4.If the cost of hiring an employee increases because of the mandate to pay for health insurance, some small businesses may hire fewer people. At risk: restaurants, seasonal shops in tourist areas, boutique stores, hair salons.

5.If employers hire fewer employees it stands to reason that unemployment could increase.

6.Most importantly: if insurance companies are forced to offer a low cost program (see #2) the people who purchase this insurance will still wind up footing huge medical bills if they are unfortunate enough to get seriously ill or if the insurance company drops them for some reason.

I hope that small business owners, entrepreneurs, and employees of small businesses will pay close attention to what presidential candidates are proposing. Even if you don’t like what President Bush has done with his term in office, resist the urge to simply run in the opposite direction because the products that some of the democratic candidates are selling may make your life more difficult than you think. It seems like a lot of people are mad at President Bush and they want a complete change from this current administration. Their reaction is to throw their support behind the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton because they figure if she is the opposite of Bush then she must be an improvement. Demand a candidate who understands economics because government policies will affect your bank account.

There is no such thing as a free lunch and big government programs don’t deliver on their promise of a better quality of life for everyone. Please remember that when you select a presidential candidate to support.

Article courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap http://www.RecruitingBlogswap.com , a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on November 8, 2007 at 12:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

We often read resume advice on the Web to the effect that resumes should "show off" accomplishments and tell employers "how good we are" by stating improvements we've helped implement, etc.

Although that is important, let's not lose sight of what employers are looking for. The only way to know that is to carefully read job postings and do our own research. Employers are not always looking for "super heroes" out there... They may just need a simple, yet hardworking employee.

For instance, if you are junior and are applying for your first job, don't boast your accomplishments to the point of looking presumptuous... especially if you hardly know about the industry. As such, a junior employee may be better off describing in his or her resume the specific tasks he or she is good at since all the employer is really looking for is a person to do that kind of work. As for the rest, once that person is hired, he or she will have all the time to prove himself or herself.

All the above was to say one simple thing: there is no rigid formula in writing resumes; only general principles. One of the most important principles being that one must never lose sight of what employers want.


Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 7, 2007 at 6:46 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

PHILADEPHIA, PA -- In a study conducted by the Society of Human Resource professionals and the Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal.com, 40% of employees surveyed said they had had an office romance at some point in their careers -- a finding replicated by three other recent surveys conducted by private companies. One of those studies, by career website Vault.com, also reported that 19% of employees admitted to having office "trysts," with venues ranging from "the boss's office" to "in my car driving to meet a customer."

While that last finding might raise some eyebrows -- and prompt you to knock next time you open the supply closet -- the overarching frequency of office romance should not come as a surprise, says Deborah Keary, director of human resources at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). "The workplace is the new neighborhood. People spend an enormous amount of time in the office, and if romance is going to happen, it will happen there," she says.

Demographic trends feed the phenomenon, note Keary and others. With the average age of marriage increasing, young employees are more likely to be single. As women continue to join the workforce and rise through the ranks, they are more likely than ever to be working shoulder to shoulder with men. Employees have become more confident about pursuing office romance and less careful to some degree about concealing it. In fact, 76% of employees surveyed in a joint Lawyers.com/Glamour magazine survey, said workplace relationships were more common than they were 10 years earlier.

Article abridged from Knowledge@Wharton, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 7, 2007 at 5:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

This article from the Wall Street Journal starts with a somewhat unusual title: "If You Want to Stand Out, Join the Crowd." The article discusses how recruiters like to attend professional association meetings or scroll through professional association databases to look for candidates.

If You Want to Stand Out, Join the Crowd, The Wall Street Journal

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 7, 2007 at 3:23 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

MENLO PARK, CA -- Acing the interview is no easy feat. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled believe job applicants make more missteps at this stage of the hiring process than at any other, according to a survey by Robert Half. Twenty-one percent of those polled said the greatest number of errors occur on resumes. The survey includes responses from more than 1,400 CFOs.

"Not knowing enough about the company or position, displaying a bad attitude or inquiring about compensation prematurely can all leave a negative impression with hiring managers," said Max Messmer, chairman of Robert Half Finance & Accounting. "Thorough preparation -- including researching the employer, rehearsing responses to common questions and understanding appropriate topics to discuss -- is the key to avoiding potential pitfalls."

According to Messmer, how candidates behave during an interview is often viewed as a barometer of how they will perform if hired. The resume also is a critical job search tool, Messmer added. "The most fail-safe method for ensuring all application materials are error-free is to have a friend or family member review them before they are submitted."

Article abridged from Robert Half Finance & Accounting, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 7, 2007 at 3:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I always get asked about resumes--everyone wants to know the secret. What's the magic bullet that will get you noiticed?

Well, Marci Alboher of the New York Times' popular Shifting Careers Blog wanted to know too, so here's my take in a guest post for her blog: Advice from a resume expert on how to make yours a recruiter's dream.

Posted by Susan Strayer on November 7, 2007 at 1:54 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

CBS News has an article from MarketWatch on how to effectively approach office politics without sacrificing your integrity.

Do's:

  • Align your actions with your goals.
  • Build alliances.
  • Learn from the people who succeed in your office. Each organization has its own culture. The formula to success varies depending on where you work.
  • Leverage your strengths as opposed to only focusing on improving your weaknesses.

Don'ts:
  • Don't start strategically harmful relationships.
  • Don't hold grudges when things don't go your way.
  • Don't assume hard work is enough.

Making Office Politics Work In Your Favor, CBS News

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 7, 2007 at 1:02 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Samantha Nolan discusses the situation of a job seeker considering using the "functional resume" format. She advises against using that format except when necessary, such as:

  • frequent job changes,
  • limited related experience, or
  • large employment gaps.
Most employers think chronologically as it is the most logical way to look at a person's work "history."

* Review of Resume Formats by WorkBloom

Functional Résumés Rarely Effective, The Enquirer

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 7:42 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A lot has been written on how to answer interview questions properly. Most tips are geared towards answering questions in a way that will impress recruiters. But before we go there, we should answer questions for ourselves first. Following are five basic questions you should ask yourself and try to answer honestly:

  • Why do I want this job?
  • Why do I think I deserve this job?
  • Why do I think I will be happy at this job?
  • Why do I think I will be good at this job?
  • Why do I think I will be better than others at this job?

You will be spending five days a week (minimum) at your new job. The least you can do is to be true to yourself. Also, the goal is not to find a job at any cost, but to find a job you will be good at and a job that will make you happy.

Happiness is important in life.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 6:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

You've decided to give temping a try and have found an agency that appears to serve your needs. You've applied for a spot on their fleet of workers and they've agreed to take you on. So now what?

While the agency searches to find you that plum assignment, they might be able to offer you a "temporary" temporary position. Most temp agencies have a surplus of drudgework so if they ask you to do some mindless number-crunching and you are looking for a more challenging assignment, feel free to say no. However, holding out indefinitely for the perfect placement isn't a good idea either, advises Jacqueline Johnson, who has more than ten years of temping experience. "Don't refuse too many assignments, because they'll think you're uncooperative and will stop calling," she said.

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Once an assignment that interests you becomes available, consider your potential role within that company. More often than not, employers are hiring for attitude, not just aptitude these days. To get the best placements and wages, temps need to treat a temporary job as seriously as a permanent one. As Nikki Kelly, Vice President of Staffing Services for Davidson Staffing advises, "if you perform your duties well and establish a solid professional relationship with others, you may be first in line to leap to a more permanent position." Her solution is to communicate your objectives to your temp agency. Show the agency, as well as your employer, that you are a standout temp. You should demonstrate integrity, be punctual, be a team player, think outside the box, have a 'can do' attitude, show stability and consistent work performance, and treat each temporary assignment like a permanent position. Use this opportunity as a chance to network and gain experience.

Go with the flow as best you can
Like any new job, the first day as a temp on a new assignment is usually the hardest. Some temps find it helpful to make a cheat sheet detailing the employer's name, starting time, where to report, pay rate, and the agency contact.

Once you report for duty, you're likely to be given a specific task to accomplish, concrete instructions and a communal workspace. Don't be surprised if you are ignored by most of your coworkers. While permanent employees' animosity toward temporary workers is largely a media invention, an "us-and-them" mentality can, and has been known to exist in the workplace, according to veteran temp Scott Verrastro. It may seem immature, but temps are often viewed as the outsider who's not sticking around long enough to become part of the team.

Don't fret if you don't like a placement or feel the pay is too low. Bargain for a better rate or a more enjoyable placement. "Just as you need the job, they need you as well, so you have some leeway," said temp Jacqueline Johnson. If the assignment turns out to be something different than you expected, let your agency know. However, do not walk out on a bad assignment. Try to endure for a few days until they can find you a replacement. Not only will your diligence prove to the agency that you're a dependable worker, it may prompt them to find you a more fitting position.

Benefits still a drawback?
Scott Verrastro has been a temp for 14 months. He said he values the flexibility of his work schedule, but also recognizes the down side of his employment choice: He has been without health insurance for more than a year. "The cons are having no benefits or sick days. Where I live, it's imperative to have a job with benefits, health insurance, and job security, as most can't afford to be without them for long," he said.

Although there are many agencies that do not offer benefits such as health and dental insurance, sick and vacation days, and tuition reimbursement, some agencies do offer them. However, these agencies usually require workers to put in a certain number of days to qualify. So if the benefits and money are less than satisfactory, temp employees can take comfort in the one fact that it is all only temporary.

As the temporary workforce has shifted from only entry-level positions to more highly skilled positions, there has been a tremendous increase in competition among the top temporary firms. To accommodate the shifts toward "permanent" temping, agencies these days go as far as offering juicy benefits packages and even 401(k) plan. Companies are also offering training programs to attract these quality candidates.

In the future, for more and more job seekers, benefits may become a necessity. Gregory Booth, CEO and cofounder of Net-Temps, an online recruiting source, thinks the temp industry will offer more benefits over time. "You're going to see benefits become more portable from one staffing company to the next," he said. "Staffing companies are increasing their benefits at the same time that a lot of Fortune 500s are decreasing them."

While the future of temp benefits does look brighter, it's currently necessary for contingency workers to do some research into alternative sources. Some states subsidize health care to low-income workers, and certain people can qualify for a discounted plan through an HMO. If your spouse's or parent's employer offers health care, you may have the option to be added to that program for a fee.

Cynthia Tobia, Vice President for Compensation and Benefits at Addeco, recommends asking potential employers about the eligibility requirement for benefits, which differ from company to company. Most companies require you to work a certain number of days or hours before you are eligible for their employee benefits. A simple yes or no answer will make a significant difference for many.

Most are not in it for the long haul

On average, not many people temp for long. According to the American Staffing Association, the average tenure of temporary and contract employees ranges from 3 to 5 months. Those workers who do stick around more long-term are generally better educated, higher paid and have more benefits. Other long-term temps have other income or benefits sources (from a spouse or parent, for example), alleviating some of the financial stress that accompanies temping without benefits. However, many people use temporary work as a bridge to permanent employment.

"I'm giving serious thought to going back and finishing my degree," said Johnson, an aspiring nurse. In the meantime, she qualifies for state-sponsored health care, which reduces her financial burden. And for now, she's not quite ready to leave her flexible work world. "I'll continue to temp in the meantime," she said.

Verrastro is looking to move out of the temporary work industry, if only to receive health insurance and other benefits. "I could see myself temping in the long term only if it's in a more affordable city," said Verrastro, who lives in Boston, Mass., a city well known for its high cost of living.

Your job satisfaction is likely to vary no matter what employment sector you're in. One person's dream job is another's worst nightmare. Due to the nature of temping, one day you're working, the next day you're watching soap operas if there are no assignments that appeal to you - and the anxieties around making ends meet may be exacerbated.

Many job seekers see the combination of schedule flexibility and a constantly changing work atmosphere as a professional alternative to the tedium and concreteness of working full-time. While flexibility, work diversity, and free training are generally considered some of the pros of temping, the vulnerable nature of employment is difficult for many people to adapt to.

Article by Regina Robo and courtesy of Salary.com®

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 4:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

USA Today has an article about a man who grew up in a privileged family, to then go study at Yale and land a job at a prestigious ad agency.

At age 53, however, he got a taste of the hard life when he was let go. His downward spiral then began: The consulting firm he set up faltered, an affair ruined his marriage and left him with a fifth child, his savings disappeared, insurance became no longer affordable, and a cancer tumor was discovered in his brain.

That's when he took a job at a Starbucks and was forced to open his eyes to the other side of America: low/ middle class multicultural and hard working America.

Michael Gates Gill, that's his name, wrote a book about the story of his life (How Starbucks Saved My Life) and sold that story to Tom Hanks, who will make a movie out of it.

Review: A Cup of Coffee with a Large Slice of Humble Pie, USA Today

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 4:29 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

With the advent of social networks and online job search engines many students feel that attending job fairs is a thing of the past -€“ on the contrary my friends. Job fairs sponsored by your school are still key in advancing your career as a therapist. The face to face element of a job fair has far more impact than submitting a resume to a job posting. At a fair you are able to speak directly to a knowledgeable representative who is genuinely interested in getting to know your career aspirations. You, in turn, are able to judge if certain companies fit your future career goals. Since job fairs are still an important factor in one's job search, CollegeRecruiter.com wrote a blog titled Job Fairs: Tips for Finding an Internship or Entry Level Job. The blog lists a €œto-do list for students when they attend a job fair. It is broken down by things to do before the job fair, at the fair and after the fair.

"€œBefore the job fair:

1. Update your resume and make multiple copies of it.
2. Do in-depth research on two or three employers who are of interest to you and who will be at the career fair.
3. Practice what you'll say and how you'll say it. You may only have 10 seconds to get your message across so don't be long winded. At the same time, you may have 10 minutes to talk with a recruiter so have enough to say about yourself and enough questions to ask about them to more than fill that time. Leave them wanting more but not too much more."€


So, if your school is offering a job fair this semester I strongly encourage you to attend. They are a great way to network and identify potential employers. Refer to the blog linked above and get the most out of your next job fair. Check out our Calendar of Events to see where we are scheduled to participate. We hope to see you at our booth, and be sure to mention our blog. No matter if you graduate this year or have a few more years to go, it is never to early to put your feelers out there and network.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 3:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Retention. Reducing Turnover.
These aren’t just commonly uttered management terms, but rather the equivalent of global warming in today’s rapidly changing business climate. And according to a recent survey of college students, it’s a pandemic thats not going away any time soon.

This posting to Workforce.com clearly shows that college grads are coming into their first jobs expecting to move on to another in three years, or less.

Only those companies who ‘Whys Up’ and see things from the vantage point of their young talent are going to be able to stem the turnover tide and hang on to them.

By Eric Chester and courtesy of Generation Why? Whysblog

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 3:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Unless you work exclusively on mid six figure executive searches and are always paid a retainer and travel expenses – your probably one of thousands of recruiters that often refers candidates without actually meeting the candidate in a face to face situation.

This is an often “non discussed” yet sensitive topic which occasionally rears its head in ugly ways.

You’ve probably heard the statement “You mean you never met the candidate” from a client more than once.

I recall the first time in my recruiting career that I was confronted with this shocked reaction by a large company client I had just signed on. The tone used in discussing this matter with me seemed to indicate I should have felt as if I had “cheated” or done something naughty.

Yet I knew it took a three-person well trained recruiting team (two recruiters and one administrative coordinator) to pull that feat off. Here I was being hailed as a hero one minute, and assailed as a con-artist the next when it was discovered I did not meet the woman I placed.

I was on site visiting the company and surrounded by executives who all wanted to know who this wizard of search was that found the individual they failed to identify or hire on their own for nearly one year prior. In this particular case the position I had filled was titled “Western Hemisphere Director of financial analysis”. Big Title. So-so salary. Nevertheless I was attempting to enhance the relationship by making an on site visit.

When the candidate appeared one of the observant managers immediately took notice that her and I did not recognize one another instantly. “Of course Frank you know Gloria … or should I introduce you two?” he sarcastically asked when realizing we didn’t immediately recognize each other.

Another manager hopped into the dialogue with “You mean you never met her? What personnel service doesn’t actually meet the candidate they’re referring?” And so it went as each manager present repeated the comment as if they were well trained parrots.

Oh brother, I thought in my head. My meeting was rapidly spiraling out of control.

The year was around early nineteen nineties and by the end of that decade the advent of the internet, email, and rapid expectations of instantly transmitted resumes has greatly diminished the expectations of face-to-face meetings – especially for rank-and-file contingency searches scattered across state lines in industries where it is well known hot competition is breathing down the company’s neck.

Having a script bailed me out of that situation a number of times since then.

I decided to write such a rebuttal I could use again and again for whenever this particular objection was raised. Interestingly enough – this topic was never covered by Anthony Byrne whom used to train our recruiters back then.

Here’s what I came up with – simple, straightforward and honest.

I hope it helps you if you ever encounter the “What? You never met that candidate?” syndrome:

Employer: “You mean you never actually met the candidate?”

Recruiter:


“Mr. Employer with all due respect the most difficult and time consuming aspect of any search is the searching process itself.

Ninety percent of our time is dedicated to contacting, network, communicating and establishing dialogue with hundreds of individuals in order to find the one elusive candidate worthy of referring to you.

Finding the candidate [emphasize this statement] is the most time consuming part of our efforts. This is where many of our competitors give up and fall short because they are not interested in dedicating the time necessary for achieving success.

Meeting the candidate once he or she has been discovered and identified is very easy in comparison to the searching aspect.

There would be no candidate for us to ever meet unless we invested hours each day over many weeks executing the search aspect properly to begin with.

Anyone can conduct a face to face meeting once a candidate is identified. It’s the searching process that leads to identifying a candidate that presents the greatest need for skill and dedication.”

Stated with confidence this usually takes care of this particular objection 90% of the time.
In those few instances where the client continues to be dumbfounded as to how you can be dealing with people in a people business and not meeting those people there may be other questions asked such as:

Client: “But how do you know if the person has the right image for us?”

A reply to this I usually provide is:

“I’ve conducted thousands of face to face and tens of thousands telephone interviews over my twenty years of search. In ninety-five percent of cases, my telephone interview assessments have coincided with what the face-to-face assessment would have concluded. Only in rare instances that take place around 2.5% of the time does someone thoroughly fool us in an in-depth telephone interview that would not have been able to do so in person.

Issues such as:

• Split second pauses before a reply to an interview question
• Split second hesitations to questions such as “Are you comfortable in a face to face sales environment”
• And other factors…

Are all assessed as part of the “face to face” process that can be handled telephonically. “


Beyond these two counter-objection steps – if the client continues balk I use this opportunity to upgrade the compensation or fee structure. After all … I’ll do anything for the right dollar figure. Including flying to Syracuse, N.Y. in the middle of winter if my expenses are covered and the engagement fee or retainer justifies such.

If they wish for us to physically meet their candidates – fine provided we are compensated accordingly and the contract is re-drawn to specify such.

REMEMBER:

If a client finds out after the fact you never physically met the individual candidate, NEVER EVER allow that person to walk away believing you did not earn your fee or cut a corner. Truth is YOU DID EARN YOUR FEE. Every dime of it. Don’t let them walk away believing otherwise.

Make certain you explain that the “finding” aspect of search … is precisely what they agreed to pay you for. Meeting someone is easy … but meetings can be scheduled only by those select recruiters that actually find their candidates!


Article by Frank G. Risalvato. Frank is a staffing and recruiting consultant in the search profession since 1987. He has contributed hundreds of articles to published in various media, has appeared on TV and Radio, and has been called upon by state and federal agencies for expert testimony. His recruiter training services, books and kits are found on www.searchwizardry.com Call (973) 300-1010 for an exclusive one-on-one experience with his training style. His new Charlotte, N.C. direct telephone is (704) 243-2110 Email: fris@iresinc.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 6, 2007 at 10:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Associating with others to exchange and shape ideas for the purpose of advancing your job search and career position is what job search networking is all about.

Since most jobs go unannounced and are often filled before you even knew there was a job, if you are going to conduct a job search, rather than look for a job, start rebuilding old acquaintances and making new ones. You'll find the answer to the cry where are all the jobs? just by going out and making new friends. Here are some "quick tips":

  • Start building solid permanent relationships while you are still employed
  • Become known in professional associations
  • Reacquaint yourself with peers in other companies
  • Push out emails to update friends and acquaintances
  • Know yourself, what you stand for; what drives you; What it is you value; why it is you do what you do
  • "Be in the know". Know your market: Stay informed of changes and events; the flow of money-of people; signals of things to come (markets;companies; industries; players)
  • Have a strategy that captures and presents your strengths, competencies and verifiable experiences
  • Set up meetings with contacts and ask for suggestions on your strategy
  • Talk to your competition. They are a source of information and may be looking, too
  • Truism: You make more meaningful contacts by becoming interested in others than by trying to interest others in you
  • Do your homework! Take the time to understand other people's agendas before setting up a meeting for your own
  • Encourage brainstorming; ask open-ended questions
  • Use simple language when talking with others. Don't make the listener plow through jargon
  • Show them you are focused and tell them how to help: Leads, additional targets and referrals
  • Be entrepreneurial! Think and act creatively, i.e. consider joining or starting a small venture with other knowledgeable professionals
  • Call a friend and get energized before calling a contact for a meeting
  • Choose your words carefully: Mark Twain once said, "The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is like the difference between lightening and lightening bug."

There's plenty more on this subject. These are only some "tips" that hopefully will get you motivated. Whether you are employed "but looking" or unemployed and "need to look", rebuilding past relationships and developing new ones are always a good start.

Article by Rob Taub, a 21-year veteran in the career consulting field and is currently the Director of the RLS Executive Group, N.E. for RL Stevens & Associates, and courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry level jobs and other career opportunities

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 1, 2007 at 6:07 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Your stories should tell about actions that you took to bring about positive change. The “SOAR” story technique does just that: A sure-fire method for bridging your qualifications and successes to the needs the targeted company.

One of the most important tenets in product marketing applies here in career planning: Differentiate your product from others in the marketplace.

John Folcarelli, Labor Attorney and Human Resource Manager for Laidlaw Education: “Most people involved in planning their career tend to fly by the seat of their pants rather than exercise control over the process as it unfolds. For instance, in the interview, instead of simply reacting to questions imposed by the interviewer, the job candidate can and should attempt to take on more responsibility for influencing the direction of the interview.” The story technique does just that. It is a method for bridging your qualifications and past successes to the needs the targeted company.

Your stories should tell about actions that you took to bring about a positive change. Story techniques cover the “before”, the “action” and the “after.” You can begin by first explaining what had existed that required your attention: Situation. Next consider how this new challenge may benefit the enterprise and you: Opportunity. Briefly describe what you did: Action. Lastly, describe the outcome and its benefits to you and the company: Results. Here are two examples of the use of the story technique or “S.O.A.R”:

Example 1
(S) I was selected by top management to lead a corporation into the US market and…
(O) I recognized an opportunity to have a big impact on operations at a wholly owned subsidiary.
(A) Over a two-year period I developed a cohesive staff which went on to develop 1.5 million square feet of office properties at $350 million which…
(R) Produced over $25 million of net operating income and $4 million net cash flow for the corporation resulting a promotion to President of the wholly owned subsidiary.

Example 2
(S) The ownership of a physical therapy and sports medicine company recruited me to…
(O) Lead, grow and concurrently stabilize a $4.7 million health systems company staffed by 85 professionals.
(A) I developed and executed all business plans and opened new markets in industrial and corporate health promotion, …
(R) positioning the company for its very profitable $6.6 million sale, $2.5 million more than the ownership had anticipated.

A strong, well-articulated philosophy, sound success concepts and persuasive examples of your successes using the Story Techniques (SOAR) are essential for securing a quality position.

Article by Rob Taub, a 20+year veteran in the career consulting field and is currently the Director of the RLS Executive Group, N.E. for RL Stevens & Associates and courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry level jobs and other career opportunities

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 1, 2007 at 4:54 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -- This is one of those general questions that interviewers often throw at potential employees. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It just gives an interviewer a glimpse at your personality and the responses can be used to weed out potential candidates. Your answer will also indicate to an interviewer whether your goals are in line with those of their company.

The best thing you can do is prepare for this question before going for into the interview. Answering this question does require you to take a look at what your strengths and weaknesses are, what you have liked and disliked about your current and previous jobs, and where you would like to go with your career in the future.

Keep in mind though that this is not the time to rant about all the things you disliked about previous jobs. Once you've thought about the things you have disliked, you can then describe an ideal job as the opposite of what you have disliked. Although this seems like a lot to tackle, the best thing you can do is be honest and of course professional.

Article abridged from Lockergnome LLC., and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 1, 2007 at 11:32 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

BETHLEHEM, PA—When it comes to getting career and job-search related assistance, most college students have a variety of services available to them through their campus career centers, according to a new study published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Interestingly, although today’s graduates generally are perceived as very comfortable with just about anything deemed “high tech,” many of the most widely offered services are “high touch,” including many that are designed to provide face-to-face contact between students and potential employers.

Nearly all of the career centers responding to NACE’s study said they offer career counseling by appointment (98 percent), and more than nine out of 10 offer career fairs, on-campus interviews, assistance with locating an internship, and workshops. (See Figure 1.)

“Our studies show that ‘high-touch’ services are effective and beneficial for both students and employers,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

“For example, results of our most recent student survey found that students who used high-touch services of the career center—including on-campus interviews and career fairs—were more successful at getting jobs before graduation than those who passed up such services. Similarly, employers consistently rate their internship programs and on-campus interviews as their most effective methods for recruiting and hiring new college graduates,” she says.

At the same time, however, most career centers complement their high-touch programs with high tech: Nearly all respondents reported they have a web site (98.8 percent), and more than 95 percent offer some type of online job posting system to help students identify job openings.

“College career centers are trying to provide the most effective mix of high touch and high tech to help students and employers,” Mackes says. “As technology is dynamic and always evolving, this requires career centers to stay on top of advancements and to gauge their audience’s readiness to accept a new technology.”

Figure 1: Career Center “High-Touch” Career and Job-Search Related Services

Service

Percent Offering

Career counseling (by appointment)98.0%
Career fairs94.4%
On-campus interviewing/recruiting 94.1%
Assistance for employer offered internship, co-op, or externship program92.7%
Workshops91.6%

* Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2006-07 Career Services Benchmark Survey for Four-Year Colleges and Universities

About NACE’s 2006-07 Career Services Benchmark Survey for Four-Year Colleges and Universities: Conducted from July 9 through September 10, 2007, the survey was sent to 1,504 four-year colleges and universities nationwide that hold membership in NACE; 609, or 40.5 percent, responded. By size of student enrollment, 9.2 percent represent school with 1,000 or fewer students; 28.1 percent are schools with student enrollments of 1,001 to 2,500; 21.9 percent have 2,501 to 5,000 students; 16.2 percent have 5,001 to 10,000 students; 14.5 percent are schools with student enrollments of 10,001 to 20,000 students; and 10.2 percent represent schools with more than 20,000 students.

Article Courtesy of NACE. About NACE: Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/. NACE is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on November 1, 2007 at 11:11 AM | Leave a Comment (0)


Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

Technology to Improve Operations The new e-Operations Manager for Prehistoric Computers has been given the task of applying technology to update and/or improve operations in support of the company's goals and strategies.


Posted by CandiceArnold on November 1, 2007 at 10:12 AM | Leave a Comment (0)