Are You the Oldest Worker On the Team? - Are You the Oldest Worker On the Team?

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/0z/ar5c5fj6nwqr08hqlm0z.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/0z/ar5c5fj6nwqr08hqlm0z.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>When Stephanie Elsy, 50, worked for a small organization where her boss and three co-workers were all younger than she, she had an epiphany.<br /><br />"I had an 'OMG' moment when I realized that my co-worker was 22 and I was 50," she says. "I could have had a child in my mid-20s who would be older than she was!"<br /><br />That was the first time Elsy really thought about the age differences between herself and her colleagues; it wasn't the last time, either. Today, she works as an accountant for Pop Labs, a digital media agency, where her boss (and owner of the company) is 38.<br /><br />Unsurprisingly, Elsy is not the only baby boomer in today's work force who faces the issue of working with younger people. For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Each one has its own attitudes, perceptions and values, which sometimes make it challenging for older workers to adapt.<br /><br />Challenges older workers face<br /><br />What seems to be the No. 1 obstacle baby boomers face when working with younger co-workers? Experts agree that it's got a lot to do with self-esteem.<br /><br />"It's hard on the ego for baby boomers to have a younger boss," says Christine Hassler, a life coach, professional speaker and author. "Their parents taught them that seniority comes with age ... having to answer to a younger boss goes against the model they subscribed to. Not only are boomers often embarrassed and angry that they are answering to someone their child's age, they do not know how to relate to or connect with their boss and/or co-workers, which only makes them feel more separate."<br /><br />Another hindrance separating boomers from younger generations is their tendency to believe that they have all the answers, says Rolfe Carawan, founder and CEO of Carawan Global Communications and Consulting. They want to tell people how to do something rather than ask someone how.<br /><br />Beverly Mahone, 51, faced similar struggles when a woman 10 years her junior (and with no experience), was chosen for a news assignment manager position over Mahone, who had 20 years experience.<br /><br />"She relied heavily on me to help her. She called me 'ma'am' all the time," Mahone recounts. "I didn't appreciate her lack of experience and the fact that she was getting paid nearly twice my salary. She had no clear-cut system in place on how she wanted things run."<br /><br />Mahone, who now owns her own media consulting firm, eventually left the corporate world in part due to the fact that she disliked working for younger supervisors.<br /><br />Frank Ricketts, 57, says he thinks the biggest challenge with working alongside younger people is their sense of urgency. Currently the second-oldest employee at his company, Ricketts has been the vice president of Colour, a Canada-based advertising and PR agency, since 1993. His immediate boss -- the president -- joined the company five years ago and is 16 years younger than he.<br /><br />"We are not taking the time to sit and reflect on the solution to determine if it is the best [for our client]," he says. "Younger people are always looking at the next challenge before finishing the current one, resisting and sulking when their ideas are not gleefully accepted."<br /><br />Benefits to working with youth<br /><br />Despite all the challenges boomers face as a result of having a younger boss, it's important for them to learn how to deal with and accept it. As a result of more boomers staying in the work force while millions of Generation Y enter it, the chances of boomers having a younger boss are increasing.<br /><br />"Unless you are immortal, the reality of having to hand over the reins to the next generation is, in a word, inevitable," says Jason Seiden, a management consultant and author.<br /><br />Armed with this information, boomers must learn to appreciate, rather than negatively judge, younger generations.<br /><br />Susan Hawkins, 60, learned to embrace younger co-workers a long time ago. Her last three bosses have all been younger than she, by as many as 25 years. In her current position as a senior copywriter for The Shops at 24Seven, an e-commerce company, Hawkins is older than her department director, the CEO and the president.<br /><br />"Age doesn't seem to be an issue; I was hired because I'm good at what I do," she says. "I benefit from working with younger people ... they keep you young! They keep you tuned into today's world and the latest technology. I love the fact that I'm learning so much about how the Internet works, especially where business is concerned. There's really nothing I dislike about working for a younger boss."<br /><br />Sandi Grimm, 55, has been the marketing director for YouthFriends, a nonprofit organization, for more than nine years. Her boss, who started just two years ago, is 37. Grimm says she respects her younger boss and the different skill set she brings to the company.<br /><br />"It's fun to look at things from her perspective ... it keeps me open-minded. I also think she respects my experience and maturity," Grimm says.<br /><br />Here are 10 tips that will help you effectively deal with working in a younger work environment:<br />1. Recognize that an important factor in managing any relationship is understanding the other person's point of view. If your boss is from another generation, you may have differing opinions on many things, says Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, a career management firm. Observe his behavior to better understand what influences his management style and how you can complement it.<br /><br />2. Don't assume traditional boss behaviors. If you get that weekend phone call, don't immediately assume it's a power trip, Seiden says. Younger workers don't all put the same kinds of boundaries on work and personal time as you might have. They can be segmented, but those segmentations don't always fit a traditional schedule.<br /><br />3. Never let 'em see you sweat. No matter how unhappy you are with your new, younger boss, don't show it because you could become expendable for another "younger" employee. If you're that unhappy, start making plans to make your exit, Mahone advises.<br /><br />4. Keep an open mind. Don't assume that because they are younger, they don't know what they are doing, Grimm says. We all have different skill sets. No one is good at everything.<br /><br />5. You have to want to learn new things and look at things differently. You'll want to do some hanging out with the kids to enjoy what they enjoy. Otherwise, they'll just see you as a fuddy-duddy and you'll be irritated by the boss and his newfangled ideas, Elsy says.<br /><br />6. Use your experience to temper any potential insecurity about having a younger boss. You've got perspective they don't yet have, which benefits both of you, says Sam Spear, owner of Gogh Advertising.<br /><br />7. Help a brother out. Your boss is more nervous about this relationship than you, Seiden says. Help your boss find his footing, and he is likely to return the favor by giving you the autonomy you want and by including you on decisions.<br /><br />8. Listen! Call it the hubris of youth or just the natural outcome of the self-esteem curriculum, but younger workers are deeply committed to collaboration and want to be included on decisions and strategies, Carawan says. If you want to bridge the gaps, show them you're willing to invest, improve and understand.<br /><br />9. Spend time with them one on one. Take some time to get to know your boss and find out what she thinks, Ricketts says. You'll usually come back richer for it.<br /><br />10. Be the employee your boss does not have to manage. Bosses spend a lot of time managing younger employees who are just beginning to learn prioritization and time management, Hassler says. Be the employee that your boss does not have to manage by taking initiative. If you are an employee whom your boss does not have to think about, he will begin to notice and appreciate your experience and wisdom.<br /><br />Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<br /></div><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a> </div>

Are You the Oldest Worker On the Team? - Are You the Oldest Worker On the Team?

When Stephanie Elsy, 50, worked for a small organization where her boss and three co-workers were all younger than she, she had an epiphany."I had an 'OMG' moment when I realized that my co-worker was 22 and I was 50," she says. "I could have had a c…

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How to Get Credit for Your Ideas at Work

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mg/ar5f74f77wrc3d6s87mg.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mg/ar5f74f77wrc3d6s87mg.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>You are at a meeting to discuss ideas for implementing a new program in your company. After some discussion, you tentatively throw out an idea. It is ignored.<br /><br />Ten minutes later, one of your co-workers says "Hey, here's an idea ..." and restates your suggestion almost word for word. This time, "your" idea is met with a chorus of "Great idea!" from your colleagues.<br /><br />If this has ever happened to you, you are not alone.<br /><br />Sonia Herasymowych, Ph.D., a consultant on mental diversity, says one reason ideas are sometimes not acknowledged the first time they're stated is because of differences in thinking styles.<br /><br />Right-brained thinkers tend to be intuitive. They may jump to a conclusion and express it before their left-brained colleagues have arrived at the same conclusion. It is only after the discussion has logically led to the idea that it is likely to be embraced by the left-brained thinkers, Herasymowych says.<br /><br />Whether or not you get credit for your ideas depends not only on when they are communicated, but on how they are communicated. Here are some communication techniques to help you get credit for your ideas.<br /><br />1. Communicate with confidence<br />In her book "Talking From 9 to 5," Deborah Tannen reports that employees who get heard at meetings tend to be those who speak more directly, loudly and at greater length than their co-workers.<br /><br />Says Tannen, "Many people try to avoid seeming presumptuous by prefacing their statements with a disclaimer such as, 'I don't know if this will work, but ...' or 'You've probably already thought of this, but ...'" However, such disclaimers may result in the rest of the message being ignored.<br /><br />"Women are often conditioned not to brag about their accomplishments while men are trained to do exactly that," says Sandra Beckwith, author of "Why Can't a Man Be More Like a Woman?" "I advise women to mimic male confidence when presenting their ideas so they are more likely to be heard and get the appropriate credit."<br /><br />"Be assertive when putting an idea forth," says Pamela J. Holland, co-author of "Help! Was That a Career Limiting Move?" "If you float something out at a meeting, but do so without conviction -- even if it's brilliant -- there's a chance that it will be overlooked or maybe even jumped on by someone else who recognizes its value and quickly takes it on as their own."<br /><br />2. Tell your boss<br />Andrea Kay, author of "Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers," says, "Make a point to let your boss know about your achievements and worthy ideas. Don't assume he or she will notice. Bosses are too busy with their own problems. If you've got an idea on how to improve a process, project or relationship, increase sales or save the day, speak up.<br /><br />"If you can't get face time with your boss, write it down," Kay says. "If it's via e-mail, put in the subject line: 'How to save the Turner account' or 'How to save $50,000 on training costs.'"<br /><br />3. Get support from others<br />"If you have a great idea, market it internally and discuss it with multiple people, which allows you to take ownership of your ideas and prevents others from appropriating them as their own," recommends Peter Handal, president and CEO of Dale Carnegie Training.<br /><br />"However, give credit where it's due and if you share the idea with someone and they come up with another idea that enhances yours, prepare to market it as a joint idea," adds Handal.<br /><br />4. Set the record straight<br />If someone takes credit for your idea and you're in a competitive workplace, you may need to set the record straight. Beckwith advises, "Write a memo after the fact that makes it clear where the idea came from -- 'I'm glad to see that Bob liked my idea, which was to...'"<br /><br />In other workplaces, it may be better to let it go. Handal warns, "If you're working as part of a team, aggressively taking credit for your ideas can make you look like an insecure egomaniac."<br /><br />5. Get something better than credit<br />What if it's your boss who takes credit for something you've come up with?<br /><br />"If your boss takes the credit, they owe you one," says Ted Sun, Ph.D., executive coach and author of "Secrets of Biz Success."<br /><br />"Don't lose sight of the fact that your No. 1 most important job is to support your manager and make him or her look good," Holland says. "If that means letting this person take credit for what you've done, so be it. The rewards you reap behind the scenes in terms of your performance appraisal, career support, etc., should offset it, provided you work for a manager whom you trust and who shows respect and consideration for you in other ways."<br /><br />If your boss routinely takes credit for your ideas without rewarding you, it may be time to look for a new job. But Steven L. Katz, author of "Lion Taming: Working Successfully with Leaders, Bosses, and Other Tough Customers," has a different point of view.<br /><br />"When it comes to bosses, clients and others who you want to engage in your ideas, the critical test of the value of an idea is if they do make it their own," Katz says. "Better than credit, what you really want in an organization is influence!"<br /><br />By Tag Goulet co-founder of FabJob.com, a publisher of career guides offering step-by-step advice for breaking into a variety of dream careers. Visit www.FabJob.com to subscribe to the free career newsletter.<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"><br />Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a> </div>

How to Get Credit for Your Ideas at Work

You are at a meeting to discuss ideas for implementing a new program in your company. After some discussion, you tentatively throw out an idea. It is ignored.Ten minutes later, one of your co-workers says "Hey, here's an idea ..." and restates your s…

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What a 4-Year-Old Can Teach You About Managing Your Boss

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bx/ar5f7895xtqmwhp5v5bx.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bx/ar5f7895xtqmwhp5v5bx.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>I had a revelation last week: My 4-year-old daughter is gifted at managing up.<br /><br />Does she work? No -- but as I see it, right now, I'm the boss and she's an employee in our family firm. And I've noticed that she's become quite adept at getting what she wants from upper management.<br /><br />Please know, I'm no pushover. I stand my ground on the important issues like "No popsicles for breakfast" and "Socks are not optional when it's 2 degrees outside." But on the fuzzier stuff, I must concede that she's mastered the art of persuasion.<br /><br />So, it occurred to me that we could all learn from her expertise. Consider these three techniques as performed by my pint-sized employee:<br /><br />1. Learn how to say "no" disarmingly<br />When my daughter doesn't want to do something, she stares deeply in my eyes and with an "I'm so sorry to disappoint you" smile and calmly says, "No thank you." It throws me off every time.<br /><br />First, the thank-you is so polite, who can criticize that? Second, her body language and facial expressions are soft and nonconfrontational. It's hard to respond negatively to someone who is displaying no anger or tension of their own.<br /><br />Translation: Employees who learn to engage in conflict without confrontation are appreciated for their calm communications skills by management.<br /><br />2. When you want something, be a sweet but squeaky wheel<br />Once my daughter has decided she wants something, here's what she does: First, she asks for your time and tells you it's serious. She sits right down and holds your attention with her eyes. Then, she explains in detail what she wants and why it is so important that she have it. She is energetic and passionate in her description.<br /><br />If she doesn't get it, she asks why. And if she doesn't like the answer, she says no more and walks away.<br /><br />But that's not the end of it.<br /><br />Shortly thereafter, she returns, having thoughtfully pondered my denial and ready to further explain additional reasons for me to change my mind, as well as reasons why my own argument doesn't hold water. Additionally, if I say "no" yet again, she solemnly walks away, waits awhile, and then comes back again and asks for the same thing in a slightly different way, hoping her willingness to compromise will pay off.<br /><br />At this point, she watches me intently for signs that I am going to either A) cave in and let her win, or B) start to raise my voice and get angry. If it's the latter, she immediately calls it quits -- for the day.<br /><br />She knows just how far to rock the boat and has no problem waiting for a better time to try again. She doesn't hold a grudge, she stays happy and upbeat, as if nothing has happened. In her mind, it's a minor setback, as opposed to a crushing loss.<br /><br />This approach always makes me want to be able to say "yes" to her next request because I'm so impressed that she accepted the "no" without making a scene.<br /><br />Translation: Employees who patiently promote their cause and can accept an unfavorable decision gracefully are respected and valued by management.<br /><br />3. Use unexpected recognition as a way to score points<br />My daughter doesn't butter me up. She doesn't gush with compliments in an effort to get what she wants. But every so often, quite randomly, she will say or do something that makes me feel fabulous.<br /><br />One day, when I was especially frustrated and feeling overwhelmed by all that I had to do, she looked at me with a compassionate face and simply said, "It must be tough to be a mommy."<br /><br />Ironically, it's technically not even a compliment. She didn't have to lie and say she thought I was a great mommy. I wouldn't expect her to. I'm the rule enforcer -- who likes that? But, she acknowledged the difficulty of my role and that recognition felt wonderful. So much so, that I canceled an appointment and took her out for ice cream.<br /><br />Translation: Employees who convey their respect and appreciation for the level of responsibility and efforts of management are seen as good team players.<br /><br /><br />These are just a few of the ways that my 4-year-old manages her boss. Why not try them? With a little practice, you could be managing up with the finesse of a pre-schooler while reaping the rewards bestowed to wise employees.<br /><br />By JT O'Donnell nationally syndicated workplace columnist and author of the book "Careerealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career."<br /></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a> </div>

What a 4-Year-Old Can Teach You About Managing Your Boss

I had a revelation last week: My 4-year-old daughter is gifted at managing up.Does she work? No -- but as I see it, right now, I'm the boss and she's an employee in our family firm. And I've noticed that she's become quite adept at getting what she w…

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How Work is Like Peanut Butter

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/p4/ar5d6n3658s7tvpk7dp4.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/p4/ar5d6n3658s7tvpk7dp4.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Feel like you always fall out of love with your jobs? Does this sound familiar?<br /><br />"In the beginning, I couldn't wait to get to the office. I loved the company, my boss, my peers and my job. Then, the excitement started to go away and I realized that it was all in my mind. The job I fell in love with is just like every other job I've had: It's repetitive, tedious and long. I end up feeling like a failure because I can't find a job that makes me happy."<br /><br />If you can relate to this scenario, let me share a secret: Work is like peanut butter.<br /><br />Phase one: The introduction<br /><br />Think back to when you were first introduced to peanut butter. You were most likely a kid, who had tasted only healthy foods that were dull but good for you, like fruits, veggies, toast and crackers.<br /><br />One day, someone put a sandwich in front of you and said, "Try this." You took a bite and your taste buds went nuts for the sweet candylike treat that was easy to chew and full of yummy flavor. Your little brain probably said, "Is this a mistake? Do they know what I'm eating?" At which point, you immediately thought, "I better show them I like this," and you wolfed it down.<br /><br />The same thing happens when you go on an interview and like what you see and hear. Your brain gets really excited with the possibility of something new and delicious entering your life on a regular basis. You do whatever it takes to land the job, and then you celebrate like a 4-year-old when you get the offer letter. But let's return to our story.<br /><br />The grown-up who gave you the sandwich is so impressed with the way you devoured it, you're told you can have it again. You opt to have it every day. If you could, you'd eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner.<br /><br />Phase two: Boredom sets in<br /><br />One day, you realize that peanut butter is a bit boring. It doesn't have the same appeal it did when you first tasted it, but now, it's been added to the "healthy foods" list and you're told you HAVE to eat it. The very thing that you were craving just a few weeks earlier is now something you loathe. You're given some new variations -- jelly, Fluff, no-crust, on celery with raisins. The presentation is altered, but it doesn't change the fact that you are really tired of peanut butter.<br /><br />The same thing happens when you realize that your job is actually work; it's something you must do. You've agreed to do the job, so you need to show up and complete the work, whether you feel like it or not.<br /><br />You try to liven up the job by taking on different assignments or learning a new skill, but it still doesn't change the fact that you must do this job. Perhaps you call in sick for a mental health day or plan a vacation. Yet, you still have to return to the job at some point. So how do you fix your aversion to work? Let's see how the peanut butter story turns out.<br /><br />Phase three: Hatred is evident<br /><br />You became so sick of peanut butter that you announce, "I hate peanut butter." You are given some other foods to try. First, you get liverwurst. You gag and ask for carrots. The next day, you get tuna; you won't even try it. On the third day, you are offered egg salad. You immediately ask to go to your room and skip eating altogether.<br /><br />Phase four: Pleased to see you again<br /><br />On the fourth day, peanut butter is set down in front of you, and you are actually pleased. There is your trusted friend, the food you can count on to appease your hunger without making you nauseous. You eat it and think, "Ahh, peanut butter, you are not so bad." You go on to develop a strong bond with a food that you know is not ideal, but reliable. You accept it for what it is and what it can do for you. You are satisfied.<br /><br />Work is no different. You could go to your boss and let her know you are looking to feel more challenged but, if you can't be specific as to what you need and what you want to do, you'll most likely be given more work that you don't love.<br /><br />Meanwhile, your boss may get upset that you aren't grateful for the efforts to help you and could resent your attitude -- especially if you say you don't want the extra work anymore and will just stick with the job you said wasn't working for you in the first place. I guarantee she'll assume you are looking to leave and will no longer want to invest time and energy into your professional development.<br /><br />If you can work through the phase where you loathe the repetitive, unexciting nature of your job and recognize that the skills and experience you are acquiring are enabling you to do a good job without a lot of pressure or stress, perhaps you'll finally give your job a break and stop expecting so much from it. Your work is not always going to make you feel amazing and wonderful.<br /><br />In times when you aren't "feeling the love," try to appreciate your job for what it does give you: a steady paycheck, benefits, a place to learn and build your skill sets so you'll always be employable, or the opportunity to build professional friendships that could help in the future. You could end up feeling a lot better about work in general.<br /><br />Now that you understand how work is like peanut butter, why not take a peanut butter sandwich to your job tomorrow and be grateful for what they both provide -- sustenance.<br /><br />J.T. O'Donnell is a nationally syndicated workplace columnist and author of the book "Careerealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career."<br /></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a> </div>

How Work is Like Peanut Butter

Feel like you always fall out of love with your jobs? Does this sound familiar?"In the beginning, I couldn't wait to get to the office. I loved the company, my boss, my peers and my job. Then, the excitement started to go away and I realized that it …

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The Résumé Black Hole - Does it really exist? How can I avoid it?

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/kz/ar5c82w763x85rvf0skz.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/kz/ar5c82w763x85rvf0skz.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Many job seekers today will tell you that the most frustrating part of the job search is after they hit "send" and their résumés are sent out into application oblivion -- never to be seen again.<br /><br />It's the common perception of the résumé black hole -- a place where, instead of stars and planets, résumés and cover letters are just floating around, waiting to get sucked back to Earth and into a hiring manager's hands.<br /><br />Matthew McMahon, partner at McMahon Partners LLC, an executive search firm, says the ease of online job boards is a double-edged sword for candidates. While they can see what's available and apply to what interests them, the little time and monetary cost also causes them to apply to anything and everything.<br /><br />"The resulting volume ensures that some candidates might be lost in the shuffle. If a recruiter posts an attractive job, she might get a few hundred responses. There's a chance that the recruiter won't get through every response," McMahon says.<br /><br />So what happens to your application materials when you apply for a job online? Who sees your résumé? More importantly, who doesn't? Why can't someone acknowledge your application? And, most importantly, what can you do to ensure that your résumé doesn't fall into cyberspace?<br /><br />McMahon and Caitrin O'Sullivan, public relations coordinator at iCIMS, a leading software-as-a-service provider, answer all of your burning résumé black-hole questions.<br /><br />Does a black hole really exist?<br />McMahon: It depends entirely on the company. The main culprits, in my opinion, are volume and the abilities of the people who read your résumé. Usually the résumé goes to a gatekeeper of some sort, typically someone within HR. If the gatekeeper is experienced with the field for which she is recruiting, she'll have an idea what she is looking for. The danger in this process, however, exists when one person has to screen résumés for too many departments. There just isn't a way for that person to speak every language they need to. That person will usually rely solely on keywords and will miss things.<br /><br />For example, we had a client that had a fully automated applicant-tracking system (ATS). Candidates would submit a résumé to a posting and the ATS would import it automatically to the database. Internal recruiters would then mine the database against current openings using keyword searches. What that meant, ultimately, was that there was no guarantee that submitted résumés would be viewed by a human at any point.<br /><br />Where do résumés go after I hit send?<br />O'Sullivan: Large, enterprise-sized organizations may be receiving hundreds of applications per day, which virtually no one could manually acknowledge one by one with individualized e-mails. There is a plethora of applicant-tracking systems available today. The majority of these ATS come equipped with comprehensive candidate relationship management tools. These CRM tools enable automated messages to be sent to all candidates alerting them of their status within the review process and also acknowledging receipt of the application or résumé. This eliminates the "black-hole effect" of the job-seeking process. Assuming an organization is leveraging an ATS, a candidate's résumé and job application should automatically be stored in a central database with an individual candidate profile.<br /><br />Please describe an ATS system<br />O'Sullivan: An applicant-tracking system is a software application designed to help organizations recruit employees more efficiently. Its primary function is to automate and streamline the recruitment process. It can also be leveraged for such tasks as posting job openings to corporate Web sites and job boards, screening and ranking résumés, or generating mass communication, such as rejection notices or interview requests to candidates. ATS also provides the ability to track applicant statuses per job and enables users to streamline and automate application tracking with online employment applications, electronic candidate and recruiting forms, and configurable applicant flow reports and metrics.<br /><br />Résumés that are "accepted" through an ATS go into the same place as résumés that are rejected; it's just that different actions are taken on them. Résumés that do not meet requirements are denoted as part of the group that will receive rejection letters; applicants that are deemed an appropriate fit will be designated to a group that will receive an automated message alerting them of their status and scheduling an appointment, whether it is phone or first- or second- round interviews. Many organizations even go directly to these résumés that were at one point rejected to fill other positions that might be a better match.<br /><br />Why don't hiring managers and recruiters let applicants know their application was received?<br />O'Sullivan: If an organization, especially a medium or large one, were not leveraging an applicant-tracking system, it's difficult for job seekers to understand the magnitude of applications flooding recruiters/HR managers' desks, especially during a period of high unemployment. Just visually scanning through all of these résumés can take hours upon hours of manpower. To have to communicate with every one of those applicants on top of that would be a truly formidable task.<br /><br />What are five ways a job seeker can avoid the "black hole"?<br />1. Don't apply to jobs for which you are not qualified and don't send résumés to the same recruiter over and over again. "Recruiters are doing this for their livelihood. If they have your résumé and think that there is a chance that you'll get hired for one of their jobs, they'll respond -- usually right away," McMahon says.<br /><br />2. Customize your résumé. "Read the description and take your best guess at what the employer is seeking. Move relevant experience to the top of each section of your résumé. Use clear language that mirrors the language in the 'qualifications' section of the posting," McMahon says.<br /><br />3. Use your cover e-mail to address obvious disqualifiers. "Make it hard for the screener to disregard you. If you're in Florida and the job is in Alaska, mention that you went to school in Alaska and yearn to return," McMahon says. "Better yet, put the address of your aunt in Juneau on the résumé and mention that you are moving there in three weeks."<br /><br />4. Keywords, keywords, keywords. "We can't say this enough. You have to tailor your résumé to each job description. Using the same keywords and phrases used in a job description, and repeating them as frequently as possible in your résumé -- while remaining logical -- will make the ATS rank you as a higher and better match for this job," O'Sullivan says. "Many ATS weigh more heavily when those keywords appear at the top of your résumé, because it indicates you're currently or very recently enacting those key terms."<br /><br />5. Keep it simple. "Don't include graphics, logos or pictures. Also, don't try to get fancy with text boxes, headers or footers. While résumé-parsing tools are a great resource and save hours upon hours of manual data entry, they can't always parse text boxes, headers or footers with 100 percent accuracy," O'Sullivan says. "It's best to avoid the risk and leave out these features altogether. Furthermore, almost all ATS will strip down résumés into their most basic format, text only. So don't stress over font or color -- it ultimately doesn't matter."<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ. </div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"> </span></strong></div>

The Résumé Black Hole - Does it really exist? How can I avoid it?

Many job seekers today will tell you that the most frustrating part of the job search is after they hit "send" and their résumés are sent out into application oblivion -- never to be seen again.It's the common perception of the résumé black hole -- a…

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Maybe I'm gay?

Well, maybe I'm not but apparently my taste in music is gay. I don't go to a lot of concerts, but the last three in the last couple of years, Cher, Abba Re-Bjorn and now P!NK, all have huge gay followings. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, in fact, makes things interesting.<br /><br />The P!NK concert was fantastic! I give it an A+++++. The concert was sold out, with over 16,000 people attending. They originally had it at a smaller venue but moved it ten days before the concert because so many people wanted to attend and couldn't get tickets.<br /><br />P!NK rocked it, and I mean rocked it. I had read a review of her Funhouse tour in Europe and Australia (same tour here), that if you liked her before the concert you'd walk out afterwards loving her. That's what happened to my husband. He was kind of lukewarm about her, even though I loved her. After the concert, he loved her and I loved her even more. <br /><br />There's just something about her, not only is she a really good singer with an incredible voice, singing great songs and a great performer, but she's funny, nice yet spunky. You just can't help but like her. <br /><br />The audience was extremely enthusiastic. We stood up for most of it and danced to the music. Everyone was standing up. <br /><br />The crowd was very interesting. A lot of gay women and gay men. In front of us were two beautiful women, who were making out during the concert, in between songs. They were very attentive to each other and so pretty, it was, well, interesting? Certainly not boring. <br /><br />Next to me were two women who talked to my husband while I went to get us drinks. The one woman told him that she and her partner heard P!NK was in Seattle and bought tickets that day and flew in from being on vacation.<br /><br />A lot of gay guys too, some dressed up as girls. One guy cracked me up. I wish I had taken a picture of him. He had a big red beard, and was wearing a short, little plaid dress, a strange hat with a feather in it, knee high plaid socks and really tall platform shoes. Everything was in shades of pink. <br /><br />The opening act, the Ting Tings, was awesome too. My husband had never heard them before and he even said he really liked them. I have their songs on my iPod for working out. They're alternative rock and really fun. I loved them.<br /><br />It was a really fun concert. It's a must see.

Maybe I'm gay?

Well, maybe I'm not but apparently my taste in music is gay. I don't go to a lot of concerts, but the last three in the last couple of years, Cher, Abba Re-Bjorn and now P!NK, all have huge gay followings. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, in fact,…

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10 Ways Your Resume Irks Hiring Managers

Fashion designer Coco Chanel had a personal rule: Before she left the house, the style icon always removed one piece of her ensemble to avoid the faux-pas of wearing too many accessories. Were Chanel alive today and working as a hiring manager, she would likely offer similar advice to job seekers: You don't have to include everything.<br /><br />Job seekers do themselves a disservice when they send out resumes with more information than they need. Most employers don't have the time or patience to sift through the irrelevant details. Here are 10 things your resume could do without:<br /><br />1. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.<br />"If you are careless enough to send out this most important document with a mistake... I immediately assume you'll never care enough about the work you send out representing my company," says Jose Bandujo, president of New York-based Bandujo Advertising. He recalls one candidate who misspelled Manhattan, despite having worked in the city for a decade and another whose great educational background didn't compensate for the fact that he couldn't spell "education."<br /><br />2. Opening objectives.<br />"These are generic... They do nothing to differentiate one candidate from another," says Donna Flagg, president of The Krysalis Group, a human resource and management consulting firm in New York.<br /><br />3. Personal attributes.<br />Listing personal information such as height, weight and age and providing photographs is a pet peeve for Heather Mayfield, vice president of training and operations for Snelling Staffing Services. "It is amazing that we still see this on the résumés of today, but they are out there."<br /><br />4. Interests and hobbies.<br />If these points of information don't pertain to the job in question, there's no need to include them. "Create a mystery and save these kinds of data points when you start the job," advises Roy Blitzer, author of "Hire Me, Inc.: Resumes and Cover Letters that Get Results."<br /><br />5. Details of every task you've ever performed in every job you've ever had.<br />"It's too much information. Managers and recruiters need to know at-a-glance what makes a candidate special," Flagg says. Focus on those details that pertain to the job for which you're applying.<br /><br />6. Excessive bragging.<br />Stating one's accomplishments can be helpful, but when it's overdone, the candidate can come across as narcissistic, a huge turnoff for employers, Flagg says.<br /><br />7. Outdated information.<br />Leave off the activities that you did in high school if graduation was a few years ago and omit jobs you held 10 or more years ago, as the information is probably irrelevant to the position you're trying for now.<br /><br />8. False information.<br />"Putting [that you have] a B.S. on a resume when you do not have one is 'BS,'" jokes Stephen Viscusi, author of "On the Job: How to Make it in the Real World of Work." Not only is lying on a resume unfair and dishonest, it's also not very intelligent. "Companies verify dates of employment -- often after you start. If you have lied, they fire you...Nobody wants to hire a liar. Nobody."<br /><br />9. Unexplained gaps in work history.<br />While job seekers should account for these gaps, they should be careful with their wording. "One of the weirdest things that I ever saw on a résumé... was a candidate who explained a 10-year lapse in work experience as being in jail during those years for killing her husband," recalls Linda Goodspeed, marketing recruiting manager at VistaPrint. In such a situation, she says, the best thing to write would be "left work for personal reasons," and the candidate would be able to explain the criminal record later.<br /><br />10. A lack of professionalism.<br />Colored paper, cutesy fonts, links to personal websites and childish e-mail addresses all scream unprofessional and are a turn off to hiring managers. One otherwise qualified applicant didn't get an interview at Bandujo's firm solely because of the name in her email address: "weird2themax." "I recognize the advertising industry is full of talented, interesting 'characters'," Bandujo says, "but did I really want one who thought she was weird to the max?" No, he decided, he did not.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a>

10 Ways Your Resume Irks Hiring Managers

Fashion designer Coco Chanel had a personal rule: Before she left the house, the style icon always removed one piece of her ensemble to avoid the faux-pas of wearing too many accessories. Were Chanel alive today and working as a hiring manager, she w…

Read more »