There's another $24 billion in economic stimulus money coming to the unemployed folks who need it most.The new bill provides 14 additional weeks of benefits for people who have exhausted their unemployment bennies or are on schedule to. The length of unemployment pay varies from state to state, averaging around 33 weeks. If your state is in really bad shape, with an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent or above, you will be entitled to an additional six weeks.Approximately 2 million people are expected to be aided via the new monies. It will now be possible to collect…
Selected by gradversity
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Jobacle
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More Unemployment Relief on the Way
6 Nov 2009 | 3:52 am -
6 Annoying Things Millennials Do @ the Office
5 Nov 2009 | 6:30 amI have always preached that too much is made about Gen X vs. Gen Y in the world of work. Generalizing an entire generation, regardless of when they were born, is totally unfair. One can easily sit back and accuse Gen X of being a bunch of anxiety-ridden control freaks who spend too much time sulking and complaining about work at Happy Hour. Or that Baby Boomers are technologically irrelevant and should be forced into early retirement (or at least coerced to take some social media classes!). It might not be right, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun to write about. Here are… -
Unemployment Rate Could Dictate Changes in Congress
4 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amIf you are like me, you are asking yourself daily “Is the economy EVER going to get better?”. I'm beginning to feel there isn't a person in this world that has the answer. (IF you do, contact me. That valuable information could make us millions!!). I wake up every morning wondering if this will be the day that I get called into “the room” where you are given your pink slip and then tossed out the door with nothing more than your small box of belongings, a false apology, and the strong urge to run into oncoming traffic. -
Tapping Into Creativity at Work
4 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amEmbrace Your Right-BrainI don’t often think of “creativity” and “business” in the same sentence. Of course there are businesses in the creative sector, but I’m talking about jobs in which most people toil day to day. These folks are rewarded for analytical thinking, decisive actions and level-headedness. Too much creativity might get you marginalized.But as an artist, business owner and corporate-world survivor, I think there’s a place for being creative in business. My feeling is that thinking creatively can unblock those stuck points. You know what… -
4 Reasons to Re-Read Resumes of Current Employees
3 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amThe companies we work for are often so blinded by what we can do for them today, that they forget what we have done before. With the understanding that each of us is hired to help a company achieve their goals (not our own), I still believe that forgetting the past and only looking towards the future is a mistake.The solution is simple. Re-read employees resumes every six months.This exercise helps managers paint a more complete picture of the employees working for them. If organizations ignore the past, I propose that it creates several problems which can be detrimental to…
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Blue Sky Resumes Blog
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Why I’m Sharing
5 Nov 2009 | 5:51 amWe’ve been working on a new site design for blueskyresumes.com for a while. We started by clarifying our brand, we then went on to site strategy - thinking through everything we want the site to do for us and for our visitors - and now we’re in the design phase, where that stuff is coming together page-by-page. I’m so excited about it I can’t even tell you! One feature that of the new site will be a really amazing resume samples section that I’m not going to give away just yet, but which will be pretty special. I’m always surprised when I go to another… -
So Much Bad Resume Advice, So Little Time
20 Oct 2009 | 7:18 amEvery now and then, one of my clients sends their resume in to another service for a critique. When they send it to some places, they get an honest response - usually saying ‘this is great and you don’t need any more help.’ But when they send it to one of the big resume mills (you know, Career Builder, The Ladders, Monster etc), they invariably get back a long critique telling them the resume needs a complete rewrite and offering to do it for ‘only $695′ or whatever their fee is. My clients and I usually discuss this feedback, address the one or two nuggets that… -
Who Says Twitter Isn’t Useful?
5 Oct 2009 | 8:51 amTweet This Post -
Enough! A Word About Resume Writers
1 Oct 2009 | 5:59 amYesterday I happened to catch a conversation between a few recruiters on Twitter, several of whom were mocking the idea of working with a professional resume writer. When I asked one person why he was so against my profession, he said that he had seen people burned by working with bad writers. I can believe that. We often get new clients who have already paid for a ‘professional resume’ and who now need our help to salvage the mess. But my question to those recruiters is this: What makes resume writing different from any other profession? If a bad car mechanic messes up a repair… -
Are Big Words Better?
30 Sep 2009 | 12:07 pmDo you prefer the word ‘reduced’ to the word ‘cut’? Given the choice, would you use “generated savings of…” or “saved”? I ask because recently I edited some website copy for someone who preferred big words to short ones and long, complex sentences to concise ones. I’m the opposite. I think simplicity is the key to good communication and I practice it all the time in my writing. I don’t like using three words when one will do and I don’t understand why people do it. I see it all the time in the resumes that come across my…
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What Would Dad Say
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10 Ways You Can Improve Your Website for Boomers
6 Nov 2009 | 4:50 amEd. Note. Sure, these are not new. Maybe. Consider it a reminder, then. 1. Use bigger fonts. Not ginormous ones, just slightly bigger. 2. Use black fonts. We can’t read orange, or faint fonts either. Just you wait. 3. We all have ADD. Just remember that. 4. We all have ADD. Just remember that!! 5. On your order page, or checkout page, have a number to call when we have trouble. “Confused, something wrong? Call now:555-555-5555.” Here’s the deal, if this results in way too many calls for you to handle, doesn’t it say something about your order… -
Fortune: Steve Jobs, Business Person of the Decade
5 Nov 2009 | 6:52 amWas anyone else close? I mean, really. All over the country in R and D labs, corporate boardrooms and motivational sessions there is one question for everyone: “What Would Steve Jobs Do?” Congratulations Steve…keep it up. PS: Don’t you ever die…or retire. You make too many contributions by just doing what you are doing. And, just for fun, I have an internet buddy who is Steve’s doppelganger. Anyone know who this is? It’s Brad Shorr of Words Sell, Inc, out of Chicago. You can find Brad here. -
ShitForBrainsJobBoards. Just Stop.
5 Nov 2009 | 5:23 amI’m pissed. Seriously. What does it take? What DOES it take? I mean, we know how to help job seekers. Yet, ShitForBrainsJobBoards continue to “help” jobseekers by showing old jobs, out of date jobs, scam jobs, postal jobs which are jobs you have to buy application forms yeah right, duplicate jobs and the list of crappy things they do goes on and on and on. Your favorite ShitForBrainsJobBoard is still out promoting hard, buying ads because they need you to stop by and get frustrated. YOU use it. Stop using them now. Seriously. They don’t care about your needing a job. … -
“I Should Have Seen It Coming.”
2 Nov 2009 | 3:47 amToday’s insight comes from “UsedToBeMe”–from her blog. A word first: I’ve never met her but I enjoy reading her blog for several reasons. Like millions of people not like me, she is a hard working mom, trying to manage her nottohelpful husband (identify with that ladies?), and a too-stoopid-to-live attorney boss who makes her do incredibly stupid things, and a semi-dysfunctional family who intrudes on her sanity and safety, AND two daughters who she affectionally calls “the dramas.” I think her girls must have names but on her blog she simply calls… -
The Life of an Entrepreneur: Is it for You?
30 Oct 2009 | 5:02 pmEd.Note: Since this blog began, I have met quite a few career coaches, resume writers and HR folks, I find all of them very interesting and insightful about the world of work. Even better, I have learned a lot from each of them. When they invited me to join a new community called the Career Collective, of course I said YES, especially after I found there were no dues, no rules and no demands. Every month, they post a question and invite ‘the collective’ to write on it. This month’s topic was on the issue of entrepreneurship, a topic near and dear to yours truly. At the end…
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Sweet Careers
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The Fastest Growing Companies - Who's Hiring - Vol VIII
5 Nov 2009 | 5:39 pmGuest Author: CareerAlleyWebsite: http://careeralley.comFast is good, especially when you're talking about a company's growth. It's even better when you are looking for a job (and you land one). We continue on our review of Fortune's Fastest Growing Companies where we left off last time. From the entire list, you can see a trend for sure. The post's companies include Crane manufacturing to lots of Oil and Gas Servicing companies. Manitowoc - Ranked 33 on the list, is a crane manufacturer and was not on last year's list. Their careers page has a company overview center page. The left hand side… -
I ask U: College students and recent grads: How do you, or DO you, use LinkedIn?
2 Nov 2009 | 5:46 pmI enjoy getting to know my readers whenever I get the chance. This week, I'd like to learn how, or if, you use LinkedIn. A poll is embedded below; please take a moment to complete it. I'd love to read your comments, too.College students/recent grads, how do you, or DO you, use LinkedIn?(polling) -
Securing your career while navigating the winds of change
2 Nov 2009 | 7:02 amUPDATED! As a member of Career Collective–a community of resume writers and career coaches, this article is one of many responses to Quintessential Careers “Job Action Day”. I encourage you to visit other members’ responses, which will be linked at the end of my article on November 2nd. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.There is no denying that the winds of economic change have had a significant impact on the job market. In order for college students and recent graduates to be successful in securing your careers, you will need to learn to effectively navigate… -
Common Resume Errors - Focusing on Wrong Skills and Experience
30 Oct 2009 | 3:29 pmMany college students and recent graduates make the error of emphasizing the wrong skills on your resumes - skills that are irrelevant to prospective employers. In this video, we'll examine strategies for ensuring your resume is highlighting the skills and experiences employers care most about. Common Resume Errors - Focusing on Wrong Skills and Experience (video embedded)I strongly encourage you to watch the video in fullscreen mode to see the video clearly. Know of other resume errors you'd like to see highlighted? Not sure if you're making a mistake on your resume? Leave your comments. -
Here are some sample closing questions to ask a company before the end of your interview.
28 Oct 2009 | 5:09 pmGuest Author: Matthew Warzel, MJW CareersWebsite: http://www.mjwcareers.comHere are some sample closing questions to ask a company before the end of your interview. You always want to make sure you research a company prior to attending an interview, so you can be as educated as possible. Remember, your competition is doing this legwork. On top of finishing with verbage relating to the company, industry and specific job you are interviewing for, you want to add some of these below questions in the mix to make you that much more effective. Nothing is worse than having no questions at all.Is…
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Punk Rock Human Resources
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HR and Romance: UR DOIN IT SORTA
7 Nov 2009 | 3:45 amSarah and I are still developing the Clueless@Love strategery. There’s no shortage of controversy around the site, including the fact that someone referenced Abner Louima and called me faux-punk. I just weep for people. Until we get Clueless@Love up & running, here’s a question from a reader. I hope you can help, I am seeking advice a few levels – one HR lady to another…. I am an HR professional. I have always been really careful about personal relationships with co-workers (friendships, romantic relationships etc…), however recently there is someone at work… -
F@%k It Friday: Weather & Small Talk
6 Nov 2009 | 2:45 amThis guy likes weather. We have an important topic, today, that emerged from my latest conference in Chicago. I met a guy who told me that there is one thing that unites humanity. It’s weather. No matter where you are or what you do, you experience some aspect of the meteorological cycle. When we reach for something to talk about, no matter where we are in the world or who we’re talking to, we reach for the weather. Weather is the universal ice breaker. And this guy? He hates it. He wants to find something else, other than weather, to break the mothereffin ice. So I’m… -
Feedback: UR DOIN IT WRONG
5 Nov 2009 | 3:45 amI know that mature, thoughtful, and strategic leaders are comfortable with feedback. They can listen to your opinions, discern truth from bullshit, and move forward. I am not a mature, thoughtful, or strategic leader. I write a blog on HR and workforce issues. Sorta. So I’ve been thinking about two pieces of feedback I received during the past week. Laurie, you need to give us a reason to care about you. Who are you? What do you believe? Give us more Laurie and fewer posts with open-ended questions. Right now I could care less about your blog. Show your heart. (I promptly wrote this.)… -
Hiring Someone With A Strong Personal Brand
4 Nov 2009 | 2:45 amWould you hire someone with a strong personal brand? Someone who is known, independently, as an expert or a guru? Some companies are afraid of the Facebook friends, the Twitter followers, and the LinkedIn connections. Some are afraid of the whole employee — and they worry that a personal brand impacts a public persona. Still others worry that your lifestyle and your choices impact the stock price and company’s brand after quittin’ time. I guess what I am asking is simple: Does a social media footprint figure into the hiring process? If yes, should it? -
Why I Write About Work
3 Nov 2009 | 2:45 amJust a few years ago, I checked into the W Hotel on Lexington & 54th Street at the very beginning of a hectic week in Manhattan. I was managing through a major reorganization at my company. Positions were being eliminated and I was asked to consult on projects that I couldn’t talk about. My own HR organization was mess, and I knew two things about my life: my husband was about to lose his job and other people who worked hard and loved their jobs would lose their roles, too. I was stressed, and I took my role very seriously — almost too seriously. I sought the advice of a…
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Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist
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Shifting the balance of power. (Mainstream media stinks.)
5 Nov 2009 | 11:43 pmI wake up Wednesday at 4am to a phone call: The Guardian, in London, asking for an interview about my miscarriage twitter. Then a half-hour later, an Irish radio station. And then the phone kept ringing. I tell Now Magazine (I think it’s basically People magazine for the UK audience) to call back after I got the kids off to school. I ask my housemanager to come early because I can't handle the sleep deprivation and the early-morning interviews and school lunches all in one morning. I block out the morning to write a thousand-word essay for the Guardian to justify tweeting about my… -
First, be honest about what you want
1 Nov 2009 | 10:08 pmSomeone once asked me to think of a moment in my childhood that was really nice. I thought of one. Wait. You think of one, now. Quick. Just any one… So I thought of a time: it was in my grandparents’ huge yard with fruit trees and flower gardens and grass for running. And it was so peaceful. What you remember as really nice tells you something about where you belong. Whatever you thought of, learn something from that. Where I belong is in nature. And in quiet. When I lived in New York City, I spent most of my time in Central Park and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Most people who… -
We overestimate the gap between nonprofit and for-profit jobs
29 Oct 2009 | 11:06 pmMy ex-husband worked in the nonprofit sector for a while. And you know what? He rarely got health insurance. At one point, we were completely stressed out about not being insured, and he asked his boss what everyone else was doing, and she said, “Can’t you get insurance from your spouse? That’s what we do.” That’s appalling. Being a non-profit is no excuse for treating people poorly. And it’s not just benefits—It’s pay, too. Paying way below a living wage is elitist—as if working in a nonprofit is a rich kids’ playground that your parents fund. Luckily, the… -
Asperger's at work: Why I'm difficult in meetings
29 Oct 2009 | 8:27 amEighty percent of adults with Asperger Syndrome do not have full-time work. This not because they can’t do the work. It’s that they can’t manage to be socially acceptable while they get the work done. ‘ Countless studies show people would rather have pleasant and personable co-workers than a co-worker who is always right. I try to keep this in mind each day, and consequently, I spend a lot of time planning my interactions. But sometimes my plans fail. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, I’m going to walk you through my most recent parent-teacher conference. Which was a… -
Why men should give women flowers
27 Oct 2009 | 10:57 pmHere’s the deal with giving flowers. Women like receiving flowers. Men think flowers are stupid. Men think: Flowers die, they don’t do anything when they are alive, they are expensive, and they are a cliché. Men know that women in general like flowers, but men also believe that women they know personally do not like flowers. The women they know are the exception to the rule. I think it’s safe to say that mostly women are reading this post. Women are reading to figure out how to get the men in their lives to send flowers. Here’s what it’s going to take: Bottom line impact. Yes, the…
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Brazen Careerist
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Daydreams: Dissatisfaction With Your Life?
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmThe small conference room is sweaty because of the amount of nervous people crammed into it. A Fortune 500 client is in the room, and the team is presenting our results for the past 3 months. A quarterly review - our chance to justify why a client should keep paying us money for our work. … Lights flash and I’m standing in front of a crowd of people. I pick up my guitar, hit the chords, and the crowd sings along to my music. Cameras flash, camcorders record, and I bask in the glory. I get ready to play my solo and… “Jun… Jun… It’s your turn to… -
How Do You stay Positive In Your Job-Search?
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmThis post is inspired from a recent conversation with @JRMoreau, @mehnazt & @abroman (all on Twitter) It’s a tough slog out there for a lot of us looking for job, and have been at it for a long time. There has been much blog-writing about what people can do to keep themselves clued-in and busy while seeking a job. From volunteering, to unpaid internships, to professional networking events, there’s lots out there you can use your time toward, in a manner that is relevant to your professional goals. But I’m no saint, and neither are lots of other job seekers out there. I know that… -
What The Phoenix Suns Can Teach Your Brand About Using Twitter
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmMore marketers are recognizing that social media brings value to their brands’ marketing efforts. And along with the interest in social media comes questions, like: What kind of information could we share through social media that our customers would even care about, but also would provide value to our organization? How do we measure success and return on investment? Can we trust our employees to represent our brand well within social media networks? I asked these three questions to Jeramie McPeek, vice president of digital for the Phoenix Suns, during Internet Summit ‘09… -
Art vs. Advertising
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmLast weekend a group of artists took to the streets of Manhattan, in a battle of art and advertising. This is the Second round for the ‘New York Street Advertising Take Over’ (NYSAT2), where artist are white washing and taking over the bill-boards of NYC. Last weekend a group of artists took to the streets of Manhattan, in a battle of art and advertising. This is the Second round for the ‘New York Street Advertising Take Over’ (NYSAT2), where artists are white washing and taking over the bill-boards of NYC. In what the New York Times calls “a bizarre cat-and-mouse game,” the art… -
The Question: What Long Term Impact Will The Recession Have On You?
6 Nov 2009 | 11:00 amMaybe you’ve watched your parents worrying about their retirement. Perhaps you had to take out another college loan. Or had to settle for a less desirable job if you found one at all. But what everyone from marketers to economists want to know is what kind of affect will this have on you long term. Will you become a saver? Cut back spending? Eschew the materialism that characterized previous generations? Or when things get better will you perpetuate the practice of conspicuous consumption that your predecessors were so good at? What long term impact will the recession have on you?
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About.com Job Searching
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Bad Job? New Job? First Job? Share Your Story
6 Nov 2009 | 11:08 pmDo you have a bad job, first job, or how you found a job story to share? We have received lots of interesting worst job stories - ranging from second wives to mind readers and plain old bad jobs that are high stress and low pay. First job stories run the gamut, too - from paper boys to princesses and just about everything in between. They are fun to read, and we'd be thrilled to add your stories to the lists. Photos are a welcome addition to your story. Just a word of warning though - if you're still working at your bad job, don't include your last name or a photo. You don't… -
Employment Background Checks
6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmWhat do employers want to know before they hire you? You might be surprised at how much they want to know and how much they check. Employment background checks are being conducted by employers more frequently than in the past and some employers will confirm, very thoroughly, every detail of your resume or application. Employers may also require a pre-employment physical examination to determine the suitability of an individual for a job. In addition, companies are concerned about negligent hiring lawsuits where employers can be held responsible for injuries caused by an employee, if they… -
Unemployment Over 10%
6 Nov 2009 | 2:04 amThe unemployment rate hit a tough milestone last month, reaching 10.2% for the first time in 26 years. Since the start of the recession, payroll employment has fallen by 7.3 million jobs. In October, non-farm payroll employment dropped by 190,000 jobs. Over the past three months, job losses have averaged 188,000 a month, however, declines are much smaller than they have been - last winter and spring job losses were over 600,000 a month. Among the unemployed, those who have been out of work 27 weeks or more increased to 5.6 million. On a related note, the Senate and House have now passed… -
Check the Newspaper Help Wanted Ads
4 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amWith all the focus on online job searching, it's important to remember that some employers recruit the old fashioned way. Smaller local companies don't always post on job boards or on their company web site, so you may not find their job openings online. Instead, they advertise in their local newspaper or pennysaver. In fact, I'm seeing more help wanted ads in my local newspapers than I have in a long time. Since the recession began there had been mostly line ads and not many of them. My Sunday paper had quite a few display ads like we used to see every week. Plus, some… -
Senate Unemployment Extension
4 Nov 2009 | 12:20 amNovember 6 Update: President Obama has signed the unemployment extension legislation. Unemployed workers should check with their state unemployment office for details on when payments will start being made. The extension provides for 14 weeks of extended benefit coverage for every state and an additional 6 weeks, for a total of 20 weeks, in high unemployment states where unemployment is over 8.5%. November 5 Update: The House voted to approve the unemployment extension today. The next step is for the President to sign it. After that happens, check with your state unemployment office for…
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J.T. and Dale Talk Jobs
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The Next Job You’re Going To Hate
4 Nov 2009 | 7:33 amDear J.T. & Dale: You experts keep saying to “network.” Most jobs I’ve gotten by networking have turned out very badly for me. I won’t go into details, but they often ended in lack of advancement, being knifed in the back by a supervisor or other not-so-nice happenings. I have a long list of industries I’ve been in and know I have no desire to work in again — finance, insurance, retail, any type of food service, any job requiring answering phones or being on the computer all day and sales (including all the titles that try to hide that it’s a sales… -
Why Won’t Recruiter Give Me Time of Day?
4 Nov 2009 | 7:27 amDear J.T. & Dale: There is one recruiter who has a lot of the high-end jobs I qualify for, but for some reason she has yet to respond to me about any of those listings. Why hasn’t she contacted me? Is it rude to call her and ask if I have been considered? — Lynne J.T.: Most recruiters are overwhelmed with applicants right now. So, just calling or e-mailing once isn’t good enough. I would contact her and ask what is the best way to get considered for the positions she has available. In particular, inquire as to whether there’s a process she likes new applicants to… -
Rehearse Before You Sing: The Mock Interview
27 Oct 2009 | 1:04 pmDear J.T. & Dale: When May came around last year, my wife was ill and I was worn out and felt that I needed some time to regroup, so I voluntarily resigned my position. Six months ago I was ready to look for something new but have been unable to find a position. I’ve had some interviews, but they have gotten me nowhere. I am thinking about doing a mock interview for help. Any advice would be welcomed. — Chris Dale: The job-search process comes down to just three steps: Spotting openings, getting interviews and getting offers. The problem is that each step requires a different… -
Am I Too Old to Find a Job?
27 Oct 2009 | 12:58 pmDear J.T. & Dale: I’m an experienced, educated manufacturing manager who was downsized at the age of 62 in July of last year. I have been working daily through networking, Web sites and headhunters to find a new position. My wife thinks it is my age; although I don’t want to believe that, she may be correct. I do not want to retire — I am healthy, in good shape and have a lot to offer. What can I do? — Doug J.T.: Lately we’ve had a lot of people write in about age discrimination. Sure, age could be a factor, but I really think it’s more a reflection of the bad… -
A Different Ladder to Climb
21 Oct 2009 | 8:00 amDear J.T. & Dale: I was laid off recently after almost 20 years as a project manager. I’m not sure how to answer the question about what my career goals are. I’m at a point in life where I just want a job to carry me to retirement. I’ve already been on the corporate ladder, trying to reach the top, and it’s too stressful. Plus, I’m a single mother with an elderly mother to take care of, so I already have two ladders I’m climbing. — Victoria Dale: Your message reveals an underlying assumption about corporations: “Only eager ladder-climbers need…
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Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel
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A Personal Branding Tale Part 2
7 Nov 2009 | 4:15 amYou have been working at your new job for six months and you are really enjoying being with this company. The job challenges you and you have responded to every challenge so far. You have created a reputation for yourself with your co-workers as reliable, consistent and accountable. You have shown the ability to think strategically and have executed on all tasks that have been given to you. Because of your solid reputation, you were recently asked to work on a new project that will have manager level exposure and help determine the future vision for the company. You will have a very minor… -
How Book Titles Build Personal Brands, Pt. 1
6 Nov 2009 | 12:14 pmChoosing the right title for your book is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. The right title does more than just sell the book, it can launch a personal brand that creates endless opportunities while pre-selling follow-up books and a wealth of other profitable products & services. One of best examples of this is Sarah Susanka, whose Not So Big House title launched a powerhouse personal brand that has taken her far beyond her origins as a residential architect. Sarah Susanka and her “Not So Big” title provide a perfect model of personal branding success… -
Reference: Impersonation Policies for Top Social Networks
6 Nov 2009 | 4:15 amI hope you never have to worry about anyone trying to impersonate you online, but just in case, here’s a handy reference for the major social networks. Twitter From Twitter’s Impersonation Policy: “The best way to report impersonation submitting a web request from the Support home page–be sure to select impersonation from the dropdown box! Once you’ve submitted your ticket, we’ll email you a ticket confirmation with more information. You can check on your ticket status anytime by visiting your Twitter Support home page and clicking on “check on your… -
Building Relationships Organically – Part 4
5 Nov 2009 | 4:15 amStep 3: Convert All things being equal, we prefer to do business with those we know, like and trust. And all things not being equal, many of us would still prefer to do business with those we know, like and trust. I heard this said at a panel discussion recently and I couldn’t agree more. The question is: How can we allow that know, like and trust to happen effortlessly and automatically so that networking doesn’t seem forced, fake, or time-consuming? Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how we can tap into the natural ability we each have to build relationships organically, letting… -
Twitter Introduces New Personal Branding Tool: Lists
4 Nov 2009 | 2:35 pmWithin days of introducing Twitter lists into public beta, an estimated 6.5 million lists have already been created. This begs the question, which Dan Schawbel asked on Nov. 1, does it matter how many times you’re listed? As of this writing, I am on 96 lists. Impressive, right? Perhaps, if they were all in line with my personal brand. How do others perceive you? The sign of a strong personal brand is when others perceive you how you want to be perceived. I have a dual personal brand (which is absolutely my own fault): entry-level careers expert and public relations pro. So, I’m included…
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Lindsey Pollak Career Blog
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One Way to Help the “Lost Generation”
2 Nov 2009 | 7:00 amA recent BusinessWeek cover story called today’s graduates “The Lost Generation,” citing statistics that young people who graduate in recession years continue to earn less over the long-term course of their careers. This weekend, New York Times columnist Bob Herbert addressed the same issue, writing: “These recent graduates have done everything society told them to do. They’ve worked hard, kept their noses clean and gotten a good education (in many cases from the nation’s best schools). They are ready and anxious to work. If we’re having trouble finding employment for even… -
Are You Building Your Career Pyramid?
18 Oct 2009 | 3:36 pmI had the complete joy today of having absolutely nothing to do. It was pouring rain, SeamlessWeb delivered bagels and coffee directly to my door, and my husband and his best friend had plans to watch nonstop football. So, I camped out upstairs in our apartment — computer turned off! — and read pretty much the entire Sunday New York Times cover to cover. In addition to reading Bono’s op-ed, a review of Gail Collins’ new book about women and, as always, the wedding announcements (“the sports pages for women”), I came across an interview with Carol Bartz, the CEO of Yahoo. -
Virtual Internships: A Growing Trend and Great Opportunity
14 Oct 2009 | 9:35 pmThis is a guest post by my friends Lauren Porat and Cari Sommer, co-founders of Urban Interns. The job hunt is fierce. But a phenomenal new type of internship is on the rise, and it’s one that will boost your skills while at the same time allow you the flexibility of working from home and on your own clock. Employers are turning more and more to virtual interns, and we’re seeing a real rise in this on UrbanInterns.com. In fact, The Wall Street Journal published a story about this a few weeks ago. Other advantages of a virtual internship? You don’t have to go to school in a major city to… -
Recommended Event: Forté Forum Webinars: The MBA Value Proposition
13 Oct 2009 | 1:10 pmThinking about an MBA? Participate in one or more of Forte Foundation’s webinars to help you get on track for an exciting career in business. Join the Forte Foundation, one of my favorite organizations, for an upcoming webinar to gain all the information you need to know about the MBA value proposition. Connect with MBA graduates working in non-traditional business careers, learn more about MBA programs abroad, and hear from women of color who’ve sought their MBA. The Forum webinars will put you in touch with successful businesswomen who can provide you with the answers you’re… -
Video: Tips for Studying Abroad
8 Oct 2009 | 5:14 amStudying in Australia still ranks as one of the best experiences of my life. I’d also credit it as an early indicator that I wanted to work for myself: While I was abroad I discovered that I loved building my own schedule, meeting new people and constantly adapting to changing circumstances. If you are considering studying abroad, check out this new video I recorded for FNC iMag on the campus of Columbia University. If you haven’t considered studying abroad, I hope it inspires some wanderlust! Image: Falling Pixel
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One Day, One Job
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Scripps Networks
6 Nov 2009 | 7:39 amIf you haven’t checked out our post on Personal Finance and the Job Search, do that now. We’ve just added a special one day offer to get our job search training course Found Your Career for free. Exactly a month ago we featured Charm City Cakes of Food Network fame, even though they’re not hiring. It was my birthday (so today is my 1/12 birthday!), and I wanted to talk about what to do when a company has zero interest in hiring anyone. If that post didn’t work for you, we have another way to get closer to the Ace of Cakes—working for Scripps Networks. They’re… -
Steiner Sports
5 Nov 2009 | 7:23 am“Ball game over! World Series over! Yankees win! THEEEEEEEE YANKEES WINNNNNNNNN!” Although I was watching tv and not listening on the radio, I heard John Sterling’s call in my head as soon as Cano threw to Teixeira to get the 27th out and a 27th World Championship. As you can probably guess, I’m a huge Yankees fan, and I’m in a great mood. Since we’ve already covered entry level jobs with Major League Baseball teams, entry level jobs with the YES Network, and plenty of other entry level jobs in baseball, today we’re going to take a look at Steiner… -
The Wrap
4 Nov 2009 | 7:45 amI’m going to be brutally honest with this one. When I landed on the The Wrap’s Home page, I immediately clicked the back button. I thought that I had landed on one of those Google Money Maker scam pages (it’s all because of the font choice). After processing what I had seen, I decided to take a second look. Despite their poor design choices, The Wrap is a legitimate site—if a site that covers entertainment industry analysis and breaking hollywood news can be considered legitimate (I kid). Now, The Wrap shouldn’t be confused with gossip sites like TMZ or Perez Hilton,… -
Fanzter
3 Nov 2009 | 7:38 amOne thing that I find really exciting is the fact that there are cool startups popping up all across the country. Yes, Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest are still the primary places for technology focused companies to open up shop, but that’s becoming less and less true. That’s why I was intrigued by Fanzter—they’re web products company based in Collinsville, CT. Considering the fact that I’m from Connecticut and have never heard of Collinsville (it’s near Hartford), you have to consider it an unusual location for a startup (they would tell you… -
Personal Finance and the Job Search
3 Nov 2009 | 6:21 amToday (Friday, November 6th) is the last day to sign up for Ramit Sethi’s I Will Teach You To Be Rich Bootcamp. Keep reading for more details, and take note that if you sign up today from the links on this page and forward your receipt to willy@onedayonejob.com, we’ll enroll you in our job search training course Found Your Career for free (a $152 value). Before I started One Day, One Job, I was a recent grad without a job and without an idea of what I wanted to do. I had a lot of time on my hands, and I wasted most of it doing a…
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Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom
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Dream Job Spotlight: Andrea Rubin, Director of Marketing, Yelp.com
5 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amI love profiling fabulously successful young professionals, and this time around, I decided to feature someone under 30 who has made it to the top ranks of a very twenty-first century organization. Check out Andrea Rubin, Director of Marketing and Community Management of Yelp.com, talking about how she got to this point in her career: -
AMEX Study Shows Small Business Optimism
2 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amFor the first time since September 2007, the majority (55%) of small business owners have a positive view of the economic environment and its impact on their ability to grow, according to the American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor. Concurrently, more firms are at risk of going out of business (17%) than six months ago (11%), due in part to personal funds being tapped out: one-third (32%) say they are using personal or private funds to manage cash flow challenges. While there appears to be a widening divide between healthy and struggling businesses, even the healthy businesses are… -
Is America Losing Its Competitive Edge?
28 Oct 2009 | 5:00 amA new survey released by my Business Roundtable committee, Project Springboard, reveals that the United States is at risk of losing its competitive edge and American workers’ economic potential by not addressing business’ growing demand for a better educated and better trained workforce. American workers’ unmet need for further education and training is exacerbating today’s unemployment problem and portending long-term trouble for workers and businesses – even after the economy recovers. The survey shows a glaring and growing need for workers with higher levels of skills and… -
When a Goal Flops
26 Oct 2009 | 5:00 amHave you ever pursued a goal only to eventually realize that it’s just not working out? This has happened to me, and I can tell you there’s nothing more frustrating. After all, we usually don’t achieve goals because A) we purposely set them aside to focus on something more important or B) we get too busy (or lazy) and don’t give them the time and attention they deserve. But what about the times when we do everything we should do to make something happen, and we’re persistent about it, but despite herculean efforts we just don’t see results? -
Your Career is a Corporation
22 Oct 2009 | 5:00 amI recently had the chance to talk with Martin Yate, one of my most-admired authors in the career advice space. Martin and I chatted about how most of us will work for nearly half a century, changing jobs roughly every 3-4 years. We agreed that now is the time for all professionals to take charge of their own careers. Here was Martin’s advice: “Certain transferable skills like communication, time management and organization, teamwork, creativity and leadership are transferable and sought by all employers in all professions and ease the transition from one job to…
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Secrets of the Job Hunt
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RISK: What the Romans Can Teach You About Career Change
6 Nov 2009 | 5:30 pmBy CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Melissa C. Martin Ever heard those demonic thoughts that swirl in our inner sanctum and resist giving way to the one thing that humans patently avoid…..changing their comfort zone. Risks. Stepping out of the comfort zone. Our inner temptations to make that change, even one small change, as we say in solution-focused interviewing and counseling, need a guiding force. Pay attention to those inner tempations! Even if it means confronting the status quo! (a.k.a. comfort; security) Quite often, the riskiest career choices we make are the right ones! Ancient Roman… -
Whats new on Jobs in Pods - recruiting radio
6 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pmWhy read a boring old job description when you can actually hear from real employees talk about their jobs. Here are recent Jobcasts that have been published; Financial Advisor Opportunities at Edward Jones (nationwide) (video jobcast) Intel China Jobcast with Senior Research Scientist Radiology jobs at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut Stamford Hospital Laboratory jobs – Stamford, CT Nursing jobs in Stamford CT -
Top 5 Best Metro Areas for Job Seekers
6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amSimply Hired just released data on the top 15 best and worst metro areas for job seekers from August. This data is based on the number of job seekers for each unique job in metro areas around the U.S. Top 5 Best Metro Areas for Job Seekers: Burlington - Plattsburgh - 1 unique job for every 3 job seekers El Paso (Las Cruces) - 1 unique job for every 3 job seekers Paducah - Cape Girardeau - Harrisburg - 1 unique job for every 3 job seekers Omaha - 1 unique job for every 5 job seekers Washington, DC - 1 unique job for every 5 job seekers View the full top 15 list featuring the worst metro areas… -
What Will You Do with 14 More Weeks?
6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amIf signed off on by President Obama, job seekers will have their unemployment benefits extended 14 more weeks. Read more about the bill here. Let me ask a question: if you knew your benefits were ending this week or even next week, what would you do? What actions would you take? What would you change or do differently? There is a small feeling of security knowing that there is at least some money coming in the door. It is guaranteed as long as you are playing by the rules. It is buying you time until you can land that "good paying" job. Well, where is that good paying job? When will it become… -
Job Search Sites Revisited Vol II
5 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amReposted from CareerAlley "Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." - Vincent Van Gogh Job search can be tedious, especially in this market. It is easy to become discouraged and to lose focus. But, similar to the quote above, successful job search is a series of tasks/approaches applied over a period of time. While you could get lucky and quickly find a job, this is unlikely in any market. The best approach is to split your time across a number of job search activities: Job Search Sites Recruiters Networking Professional Organizations Company…
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College Recruiter
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Unemployment Rate Tops 10% - 26 Year High
6 Nov 2009 | 7:20 am -
One Speaker and Exhibitor's Impression of OnRec / Kennedy Information 2009 Fall Conference
4 Nov 2009 | 1:46 pmI had the good fortune of attending the OnRec / Kennedy Information recruiting conference in Chicago this week. I was both a panelist on a session about how employers can use mobile marketing for recruiting and CollegeRecruiter.com had a booth in the exhibit room. The session was well attended and seemed to be well received by the attendees. Most had little to no experience with cell phone text messaging, keyword advertising, mobile web sites, or any other components of mobile marketing. Virtually all, however, seemed to realize that the future of on-line recruiting will be on web-enabled… -
Report: 2009 Grads Who Interned 64% More Likely to Have Received Permanent Job Offers
30 Oct 2009 | 11:48 amIt is probably of no surprise to anyone involved in college recruiting that new college graduates who had internships prior to or even after graduation fared far better in their efforts to find permanent employment after graduation than did their counterparts who didn't intern. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) just released its 2009 Student Survey. The report shows that just 19.7 percent of the Class of 2009 who had applied for jobs had one by the end of April. As dismal as that one in five percent may be, it was even worse for those who had not completed an… -
Another Job Board Hacked
29 Oct 2009 | 9:42 amThe job board operated by U.K. newspaper The Guardian was reportedly hacked this past weekend and about 500,000 resumes and other information valuable to identity theft scum walked out the door. The response from The Guardian? Pathetic. They recommended that their users buy fraud prevention services. I wouldn't be surprised if The Guardian received commissions on the sale of those services, which would make this intolerable situation even worse as The Guardian would be profiting off of the inadequate security measures that it chose to put into place. A number of job boards have been hacked… -
5 Advantages of Attending Brand-Name College
29 Oct 2009 | 6:00 amAttending a name-brand college or university will give you the following professional advantages over those who attended schools which are less well known: It will be easier for you to get interviews and job offers at prestigious big companies. Big companies will offer you more favorable starting positions and higher salaries. People at big companies will have a more positive initial impression of you even if they haven't yet seen your work. It will be easier for you to get involved in a more promising start-up company. It will be easier for you to get admitted into name-brand graduate…
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Keppie Careers by Miriam Salpeter
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Great links for job seekers
6 Nov 2009 | 7:01 amIn winding down my “scary story” posts, I wanted to share some links to some fun posts that my Twitter friends shared in the past week. I have posted a slew of scary (and funny) and scarily funny job search horror stories – take a look at this LINK and scroll down to experience the full scary impact! @ExecuSearch shared 10 spooky jobs & the salaries that come with them via @CBforJobSeekers Want to know how other employees would describe their bosses? (Glinda the Good Witch? Wolfman?) What the scariest part of their job is? @CareerBuilderPR shares THIS LINK to their… -
Job seeker – beware!
4 Nov 2009 | 8:17 pmHave you been following our job search and hiring manager horror stories? I wanted to share these because they are good reminders to job seekers that “buyer beware” applies to them while out on the hunt. Have YOU ever experienced a scenario like this? Share in the comments! This story from Doug a job seeker: I was laid off from a job and had been offered a job earlier that week. Didn’t really check the new agency out. When I sent out an email saying you now can find me at this new agencies, I instantly started getting phone calls and emails saying, “You should have talked to… -
Horror stories from the employer’s perspective
3 Nov 2009 | 9:05 pmHave you been keeping up with horror story week at Keppie Careers? Where job seekers and hiring managers have a chance to share their tales of woe, in hopes that we can all learn something? Today, we have two stories from the hiring side! This story from Chuck Smith On the verge of offering the candidate a job, our client checked one last reference. Unable to reach the named “previous manager,” our client called the candidate. In turn, the candidate produced the reference in minutes. Only problem was that the caller ID for the manager was the SAME one the candidate had called from! You… -
An interview story to remember, Part VII
3 Nov 2009 | 5:43 amThis is a post from last year. I think it is worth re-telling, as it fits our theme of “horror job search stories,” with a funny twist! Sometimes, even the best laid plans don’t go as planned… Case in point, a new client of mine whose job search is in full swing. His resume is top-notch, cover letters targeted and linkedin profile updated. He has started being invited for a lot of interviews, which is very exciting (for him and for me!) Having worked in one place for his entire (lengthy) career, the interview is a stress point, and we have discussed and prepared to face this… -
Vet your prospective boss – dig up some dirt, pt VI
1 Nov 2009 | 8:48 pmHave you been keeping up with horror story week at Keppie Careers? Where job seekers and hiring managers have a chance to share their tales of woe, in hopes that we can all learn something? This is a story originally left as a comment on a previous post. I thought it was too good not to share! I was invited into an interview in a major city and I when I saw the agenda, I could not believe the schedule. It was an all-day interview, which lead me to believe they were just using that time to find things wrong with candidates and to be overly critical. Nonetheless, I went to the interview and was…
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JibberJobber Blog
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Don’t Use Outlook as a CRM/PRM
6 Nov 2009 | 4:45 amA couple of weeks ago I went to Orlando for a conference. When I got back to my office my computer was rebooting. I think it had been rebooting for days. In fact, it was stuck… and each time I tried to restart it I either almost got it to start (in Safe Mode) or it would remain hung in the rebooting process. Finally, I took it back to the place I got it and they replaced the hard drive. Diagnosis? Unfixable, hard-drive failure… Cool – I got a new hard drive – probably faster and better! Uncool: I had to reinstall EVERYTHING on it. I loaded Camtasia (for webcast… -
Twitter in the Job Search? Definitely. Absolutely.
5 Nov 2009 | 7:19 amThere are lots of books on Twitter right now – I was supposed to write one of the earliest but I was in the middle of rewriting I’m on LinkedIn — Now What??? and I wasn’t sure I wanted to write another technical book that would have to be updated every year! I opted to not do that but instead create hands-on, visual webinar recording that shows you how to use Twitter. Twitter for Job Seekers (the video) is specifically designed for professionals in a job search. It is a 1 hour and 24 minues (and one second) video, walking you through what Twitter is, and how to use… -
Facebook for Executives
4 Nov 2009 | 4:38 amIt’s been a while since I helped write I’m on Facebook — Now What??? Jesse and I have been talking about getting a second edition out early next year, and I’m excited to get a more current book out (although Jesse says the book is still quite relevant, which is cool). My mind has been in Facebook lately as I prepare a 90 minute presentation called FACEBOOK ESSENTIALS FOR EXECUTIVES: Meet the “new” Facebook. You can sign up at the Experts Connection website (click the link above) – I’m really jazzed to share what I’ve learned –… -
JibberJobber Competition
3 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pmOver three years ago I knew about direct competition. I’m not talking about spreadsheets, I’m talking about companies who have websites that are very similar to JibberJobber. I haven’t blogged about competition for a few reasons, but it makes sense to blog about them now. The first competitor launched the week after we did, in May of 2006. It was called Isabont, but has since been renamed to Virtual Job Coach. I had a phone conversation with the founder that November and found him to be a nice person. For a while it was just Isabont and JibberJobber – we did a… -
Job Search Confidence and The Smell of Blood
29 Oct 2009 | 5:12 amMonday I blogged about not ever allowing one person to have control over my income again. Thom Allen has seen me go from job seeker to business owner and professional career manager over the last few years. I was surprised to see this in the comments from him: I have seen [Jason (me)] change over the past few years. Oh boy… here it comes… what exactly has changed? I’m still the same brilliant (lol) person I was three years ago. He continues: He’s more confident, which is probably a far cry from where he was when he started JibberJobber. Hm. Interesting…
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TheJobBored
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Retiree Job Search Tips – Job Tips For Over-65 Job Seekers
27 Oct 2009 | 2:22 pmInteresting article in the New York Times regarding retiree job seekers and the special job search problems facing retirees and those over the age of 65. …In fact, there are more Americans 65 and older in the job market today than at any time in history, 6.6 million, compared with 4.1 million in 2001. Less well known, though, is that nearly half a million workers 65 and older want to work but cannot find a job — more than five times the level early this decade and this group’s highest unemployment level since the Great Depression. The unemployment rate for older Americans is still much… -
The Virtual Job Interview – Job Interviews Via Skype
20 Oct 2009 | 5:20 pmAn article in Time Magazine suggests that virtual job interviewing, via skype especially, is something jobseekers are seeing more and more of. This makes tons of sense to me. For out-of-town interviewing, the money savings alone are astronomical. But also, think about how this is more convenient for interviewer and interviewee alike. Less pressure, less procedure… possibly a greater chance of getting down to brass tacks. My tips for this sort of thing are pretty much along the lines of what the article suggests. You still want to dress up. You still want to be professional (send the… -
The Facebook Job Search – Or How To Find A Job Using Facebook
30 Sep 2009 | 9:18 amI’ve posted several times about how the idea of job search networking can seem nebulous and confusing to people. “Ok, I understand that I send in my resume and hopefully they call me for an interview. But how exactly do I network?” Hopefully you can see several practical strategies on how to network by reading this blog. And keep in mind the old saw of job search: Networking is BY FAR the most effective way to find a new job. For years we’ve told our clients, “Tell everyone you know… everyone… every friend you have, every person you meet on the… -
Ask Brian: How Long To Wait For Approval On A Vacation Request
29 Sep 2009 | 1:58 pmIf you have career or job search question you would like answered on this blog, click here to Ask Brian. D. asks: How long should one expect to wait to get approval on a vacation request? I have three weeks vacation and have only used two. Vacation request? This time of year? I think you’re reading your calender upside down! But, it seems my “how long to wait” answers are very popular. So… Brian has an answer after the jump… Brian Sayz: … Vacation request policy varies from employer to employer. If your employee manual does not spell out a requested lead… -
Ask Brian: Maternity Leave: What to do about nursing mothers – returning to work?
12 Sep 2009 | 3:28 pmIf you have career or job search question you would like answered on this blog, click here to Ask Brian. Just Trying To Work asks: I have a question about a touchy/socially taboo subject: nursing mothers in the workplace. A woman that I work with who is still on maternity leave, comes into the office at least once a day for an hour or two. She always brings her newborn baby with her, and at first it was a novelty to see such a little baby, that nobody complained. She is one of those very pro-nursing women that insist upon physically breast feeding (not pumping and then giving the baby a…
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Entry Level Careers Examiner
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Rising unemployment rate, yet slow job market recovery
6 Nov 2009 | 7:31 amThe news today, although likely not surprising, certainly isn’t good. The national unemployment rate is up to 10.2 percent—the highest since April 1983. However, couple that statistic with the Society for Human Resource Management... -
Five tips to make the most of Career Development Month
5 Nov 2009 | 4:40 amNo doubt the economic turbulence over the past year has shifted the way you are viewing your future career. Perhaps you’ve decided to take your time completing your undergraduate degree or attend graduate school to wait out the recession. Or... -
Recommended reading: Working for You Isn't Working for Me
4 Nov 2009 | 7:02 amIf only I’d received this book in time for National Boss Day! As I read “Working for You Isn’t Working for Me: The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Boss” by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster, I began to feel more and more e... -
Recommended reading: Start Your Own Business and Hire Yourself
3 Nov 2009 | 5:08 amRegular readers of my column know I strongly encourage students and recent graduates to consider entrepreneurship a career option. Sure, starting your own business isn’t for everyone, but exploring the idea certainly couldn’t hurt! ... -
Ask Heather: Hiring freeze, applying for more than one position at an organization
2 Nov 2009 | 5:31 amHave a question about finding, landing or succeeding at internships or entry-level jobs? E-mail them to entrylevelexaminer@gmail.com to be included in an upcoming “Ask Heather.” Q: I recently went through about four rounds and ove...
