jobs

Risky Business: Online Shopping at Work

Tom Musbach — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:23:14 -0500

The temptation to shop online while at work gets much stronger at this time of year. Despite the known risks, many of us do it on the sly anyway -- like using a cell phone while driving.

In fact, 1 in 5 workers (21%) said they will shop online for holiday gifts this year while working. The statistic comes from a new survey, conducted by financial staffing firm Accountemps, that was released a week before Cyber Monday -- typically the biggest day of the year for online shopping.

The Big Pileup: Social Networking Sites

Tom Musbach — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:13:11 -0500

Metaphors abound in descriptions of social media sites today. They are "exploding," the "next big thing," the "new media revolution." Here's another that will be familiar to anybody who watches football: They're the center of a big pileup.

Everybody -- including job seekers, recruiters, marketers -- is jumping on them, trying to get a piece of the action in the midst of a chaotic jumble. Sometimes you scoop up a new job lead or connect to a promising candidate. Or you come up empty-handed and a little bruised.

Some recent bits of data to consider:

Secret Weapon in the Job Hunt Today: Personality

Tom Musbach — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:26:04 -0500

Your interpersonal skills can make or break your chances of getting a job offer -- even in such a technical field as finance.

The point was made very clear recently in a survey by finance staffing firm Accountemps. More than 1,400 CFOs were asked: "If two candidates for an accounting or finance position had similar skills, which one the following additional qualifications would you find most valuable?" Topping the list was "personality or people skills" with 31% of the votes.

Yee-haw! Texas Dominates Best-Performing Cities Index

Dan Macsai — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:28:32 -0500

Perhaps that famous photo illustration should read, "Everything's bigger--and better!--in Texas." Lone Star cities, led by Austin (#1) and Ft. Hood (#2), lassoed nine of the top 16 spots on this year's Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners Best-Performing Cities Index, which ranks U.S. metros based on their ability to create and sustain jobs.

Avoiding the Resume 'Black Hole'

Tom Musbach — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:46:55 -0400

I've heard some recruiters say they usually scan a resume in seconds. That boast could challenge job seekers to stand out as much as possible, but it also feeds the impression among candidates that their resumes end up in a black hole.

But that dominant view -- "you have to capture a recruiter's attention within seconds or else" -- ignores others who might assess your resume.

Job Fair and Training Expo

Saj Anwar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:35:47 -0400

When: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Job Fair & Training Expo

Location: Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, ON

Talent Management Summit: Retention Has Replaced Recruitment

Fast Company Calendar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:01:24 -0400

We're Hiring a Web Developer

Paul Maiorana — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:01:53 -0400

Mansueto Ventures, publishers of Fast Company and Inc. magazines, is looking for a Web Developer to join their Digital Services department.

We're looking for a highly skilled person to help us develop and support our Web technology platforms. The ideal candidate will have experience working with the Drupal content management system in the online publishing space.

Should You Change Your Looks to Get a Job?

Tom Musbach — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:41:20 -0400

A majority of job seekers this year have changed something about their physical appearance in order to impress employers, according to an online poll.

The respondents in the Yahoo! HotJobs poll made changes in several areas:

Clothing style: 11%
Lost weight: 13%
Hair style and/or color: 12%
Face (Makeup, teeth whitening, Botox): 4%
Two or more of the above: 19%
Nothing: 41%

Resume Format: 3 in 4 Hiring Managers Recommend...

Tom Musbach — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:31:49 -0400

If you're aiming to please a hiring manager in your job search (and who isn't?), then format your resume chronologically.

In a recent Accountemps survey, 75% of hiring managers prefer a chronological resume that lists the most recent work experience first. The respondents preferred this type of resume to one that is organized by job function and skills, according to the financial staffing firm.

The firm also reported that the managers' responses were little changed from 10 years ago when the question was asked.

Five Burning Questions About How to Work With Headhunters

Linda Tischler — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:09:41 -0400

The unemployment numbers continue to rise. The pundits are predicting a slow--some say 'jobless'--recovery. If only you could get on some hot shot headhunter's radar, you'd be all set, right? Not necessarily, says a contrarian new book by Nick Corcodilos, aka the "Ask the Headhunter" dude.

Common Interview Surprise: Illegal Questions

Tom Musbach — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:38:06 -0400

More than half of job seekers report being asked an illegal question during a job interview.

That eye-opener comes from a Yahoo! HotJobs online poll, in which 62% of respondents reported being on the receiving end of a question about a verboten topic, such as one's religion or marital status. Almost a third (32%) had not been asked such a question, and 7% said they didn't know.

The numbers surprised me and several of my colleagues, so it's worth reviewing what's permissible and not. Interviewers are not allowed to ask about:

Nonsense At Work

James McIntosh — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:21:03 -0400

Information is job power:

In this era of frantic job hunting, many people make one of two choices about job information - to share it or to hog it.

I have been a guest speaker at a number of job hunting networking groups. I noticed a remarkable openness about sharing job opportunities and related information. People who had already lost much explained that they share what they know because sharing works. A number had found new jobs this way.

Who’s Hiring? Week of 9/25/09

Phil Rosenberg — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:58:33 -0400

Who's Hiring is a weekly survey of companies showing the highest hiring
activity. Not only is this valuable for job seekers, but for business
analysts, corporate strategists, marketers, salespeople, investment
analysts, financial advisers, and others who are interested in
companies experiencing growth. Despite the recession, these companies
are all expanding.

Total Job Openings:

The Telecommunications, Banking, Business Services, Health Care,

For Lasting Salary Damage, Get Hired in a Recession

Tom Musbach — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:03:23 -0400

New grads entering the job market have come to expect that during touch economic times -- like the present -- they may have to settle for a lower salary to get a job. But that flexibility may result in income damage that could take nearly 20 years to overcome, according to new research.

A Depressing Discovery

By equating salaries for new hires to the unemployment rate, a Yale professor calculates that students who graduate during a downturn earn 6-8% less in their first year for each percentage-point increase in the unemployment rate.

Overused Office Buzzwords: The List Grows

Tom Musbach — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:40:12 -0400

I recently wrote an article about the most annoying and overused terms in the workplace, and readers have been commenting with new words to add to the list.

The basis for the article was a survey by Accountemps, in which 150 senior executives identified the problem words and phrases (e.g. "leverage," "circle back"). But here's 10 more they missed, according to Yahoo! HotJobs readers:

Why is it a bad idea to send jobs abroad, we need to bring our job back to USA- Robin Trehan

Robin Trehan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:58:07 -0400

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Nonsense At Work

James McIntosh — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:57:17 -0400

Habitually struggling to find work:

At last, signs that the economy is turning. Or as the pundits say, it is returning to positive territory.

What about you? Are you in positive territory?

I hope so because we humans have a nasty habit of perpetuating a habit, if you know what I mean. Many of us have become despondent because we have not had much luck finding work. We now run the risk that we have formed a new habit - habitual despondency.

Labor Day Surprise: Job Dissatisfaction Rises

Tom Musbach — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:15:00 -0400

One of the interesting things about this recession has been the modest rise in job satisfaction: People have been happy just to have a job, for the most part.

But that sentiment may be shifting as the economic tide starts to turn, according to a new survey by Adecco.

Workers' dissatisfaction with their employers gravitates toward three areas: compensation, retention efforts, and career growth.

Fast Company Is Hiring

Noah Robischon — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:59:45 -0400

Fast Company is hiring an editor for its website.

Nearly a Third of U.S. Already at 10% Unemployment

Tom Musbach — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:17:58 -0400

New July unemployment figures show that 15 states have already reached 10% unemployment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Many economists and pundits have focused like vultures on the national jobless rate rising to 10% this year, as if crossing that threshold might signal a new level of doom.

We're already there in 30% of the states and the District of Columbia. Double-digit unemployment is dreadful, but does it feel much different to the average jobless person who is struggling with the current national 9.4% jobless rate?

The Open Frontier in Hiring Today

Tom Musbach — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:02:17 -0400

The exploding popularity of social networking sites has created a new Wild West in the recruitment landscape, where few boundaries, guideposts, and rules exist. But recruiters and job seekers are rushing in for possible rewards.

A Hiring Helper?

How to Cope in a Miserable Job

Tom Musbach — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:29:22 -0400

Many people feel stuck in their current jobs. They may be grateful to have a job in this economy, but the job isn't satisfying them. If you're in that situation, some information below might help.

Begin by doing some self-reflection on the sources of misery on your job. Once you know the main cause, you can take steps to combat the misery. Here are some common problem sources:

The Boss

U.S. Recruiting Cyber Patriots to Defend the Interwebs

Kit Eaton — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:39:24 -0400

Don't panic, residents of the U.S. of A., your interWeb is safe: Soon 10,000 young cyber warriors will be bravely donning their unifo... uh, T-shirts, and clambering into their cockpi... uh, desks, ready to defend your networks from the bad guys.

Stealthy Threats to Your Job Hunt

Tom Musbach — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:16:17 -0400

I've heard other reporters chuckle when I suggest that one of the biggest priorities for job seekers with their resumes should be spell-checking and proofreading. "No duh" is the implied message. But what seems obvious is often a surprising obstacle.

No Typo Is Harmless

A recent survey by the financial staffing firm Accountemps shows that three out of four executives (76%) said just one or two typos in a resume is enough to knock applicants out of the running for hiring consideration.