Work sucks

The title of this post says it all. Work sucks big time lately. No boring details, just know it really sucks to be me lately. I know I should be glad I have a job, but they're killing me. A slow and painful and tortuous death.<br /><br />I skipped my morning workout because I had to be in the office at 6:30am to take a call from our vendor in Tulsa. I made up for it tonight with an hour and half workout. It was really nice not to worry about gym guy.<br /><br />Big event of my evening was I ate tortilla chips in front of my husband. He bought them and left them on the counter. So I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">measured</span> out two servings and ate them. He had the nerve to say, "you're not suppose to eat those". I told him "you're not suppose to bring them in the house! If they're here you know I'll eat them!" (and yes, the "!" was used in the conversation, at least on my part).<br /><br />We watched Dr. Phil tonight, and I rarely watch him anymore (he kind of bugs me). Actually, I made my husband watch it with me. It was about couples not having sex. We watched it, and talked about it afterwards. We have work to do in that area, but not tonight. I'm exhausted.<br /><br />Actually, I'm just too tired to even think right now, much less post anything even semi-intelligent . Is that a word "semi-intelligent"...it looks kind of "stupid"?

Work sucks

The title of this post says it all. Work sucks big time lately. No boring details, just know it really sucks to be me lately. I know I shoul...

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5 Job Search Tips to Survive the Recession

Today's economic news may be gloom and doom but it needn't derail your job hunt. You can still win a great job, even in a lousy economy. You will have to get smarter in your job search strategy, though.<br /><br />Here are five tips to incorporate into your job search approach during an economic downturn:<br /><br />1. Research your options<br /><br />Does your industry or line of work offer little promise of employment in the coming months? If so, now is a good time to step back to identify the projected top performing industries and jobs. The best place to find this info is on the Web through Google or Yahoo. Start with "best industries work recession" or "recession jobs 2008" to uncover articles describing some of the more "recession-proof" sectors to target.<br /><br />2. Change your focus<br /><br />Start asking yourself the question, "What's in it for them?" as opposed to, "What's in it for me?" Especially in an economic downturn, you'll want to stay focused on what you can accomplish for your next employer. Show them that you understand the macroeconomic "bigger picture" of the role you play in moving the company forward.<br /><br />3. Sell results, not skills<br /><br />Leave behind that old mindset that your job-related skills or length of service are selling factors. The new mindset is to think of yourself as a mini profit-and-loss center rather than just an employee. Employers today buy results and are less impressed with candidates promoting a long laundry list of skills. You'll want to define the many ways your past and present job performance is an asset to your next employer.<br /><br />4. Start talking money<br /><br />The downturn has made the private sector economy even more bottom-line-oriented than ever. Hiring managers categorize employees into one of two distinct groups:<br /><br />a.) those who help make money<br /><br />b.) those who help save money.<br /><br />Which one are you?<br /><br />For example, Barry, who preferred to withhold his last name for the purpose of this story, worked as the human resources manager of a midsized company. While much of his work focused on compliance issues, he noticed that the company was paying many thousands of dollars to locate and hire good employees. As a result, Barry developed and implemented an in-house employee referral program that netted three quality hires in a six-month period. This saved the company almost $70,000 that the company would have paid for recruiters and advertising costs.<br /><br />Barry saves money for his company, and this is an accomplishment future employers will want to hear about.<br /><br />Rethink your current or past job to understand your position in the bigger corporate P&L picture. Here are some questions to ask yourself:<br /><br />How did my work improve the performance of my department or company?<br /><br />How many roles did I perform that saved the company the expense of added employees or contractors?<br /><br />How has my work made the work of others (employees and managers) easier, faster and more effective?<br /><br />Collect specific examples of the benefit that your company gained from the work you've already performed. Clarify the specific benefits your company received by making money or saving money, and write them down.<br /><br />5. Add achievements to your résumé<br /><br />Employers don't hire employees, they hire problem-solvers. Your new résumé should be a hard-hitting sales tool designed to accomplish one goal: get the interview. To demonstrate this, add a specific achievements list to your résumé. Take the list that you developed in the previous section and hone it down to your biggest and most notable accomplishments. Now, describe the benefit that your employer gained from each example. This will put you several steps ahead of your job-seeking competitors. Plus, you'll now have some talking points ready for that next phone interview.<br /><br />Summary<br /><br />Don't let all the hype about the recession spook you into a state of panic. By revising your tactics to include a more solution-selling approach to employers, you stand a better chance of getting hired in today's faltering economy.<br /><br />As a recruiter, Joe Turner has spent the past 15 years finding and placing top candidates in some of the best jobs of their careers. Author of "Job Search Secrets Unlocked," Turner has been interviewed on radio talk shows and offers free insider job search secrets at: http://www.jobchangesecrets.com/<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>

5 Job Search Tips to Survive the Recession

Today's economic news may be gloom and doom but it needn't derail your job hunt. You can still win a great job, even in a lousy econ...

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Eight Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Career

Ah, the arrival of spring: The sun is out and it’s time to get your act together. You can pull down those holiday decorations. Wash the layers of mud and salt off your car. Take those running shoes – that you bought last spring – on their first jog around the park.<br /><br />This is the one time of year when everybody’s eager to improve their lives.<br /><br />Unfortunately, work life rarely gets the same attention. While your home might be in order, you won’t feel completely refreshed if your work situation is a mess. Whether you have a job or you’re looking for one, here are some tips to make the most of your spring cleaning.<br /><br />Update your résumé.<br />You know you should check your smoke alarm once a month, but you really give it attention only when the battery’s dying and it won’t stop beeping. Don’t treat your résumé the same way. Even if you’re not looking to change jobs, it can’t hurt to have an updated résumé. Keeping it current saves you time down the road when you are job hunting. Also, you might not remember all your impressive accomplishments and responsibilities months or years from now, so go ahead and write them down.<br /><br />Sort through your inbox.<br />E-mail inboxes have become the digital equivalent of the junk drawer. You don’t want to delete the message about the upcoming meeting (that took place four months ago) or the memo you’ll read when you have time – so they just sit there. Truthfully, once the message falls low enough on the page to require scrolling, you’re not going to revisit it. Go through each e-mail, trash the ones you don’t need and put the important ones in an appropriate folder. You might be surprised how less stressed you feel when you open your inbox and don’t see hundreds of messages sitting there.<br /><br />Tidy up your desk.<br />Odds are your work space could use just as much housekeeping as your closets. A tower of memos and wads of Post-Its don’t scream “I’m on top of things!” to your colleagues and boss. Aside from giving a bad impression, cluttered desks are also notorious for making important documents disappear. Throw away what you can and file the rest. Use the extra hour of sunlight to admire that desktop you haven’t seen in years.<br /><br />Clean your closet.<br />While you’re at home organizing your closet like a good little spring cleaner, take a look at your business suit. Does it still fit you? Is it tangled up in a knot under a pile of shoes? Is it a leisure suit? If you were to be called to an interview tomorrow, would you be able – or even want – to wear it? Much like your résumé, your interview attire should be ready to go at all times. If you need to take it to the cleaners or buy something new, better to do so at your convenience rather than in a rushed panic the night before the interview.<br /><br />Get schooled.<br />It’s not uncommon for professionals of any industry to grow comfortable in their positions after a few years. However, as technology evolves rapidly, it affects every occupation – whether it’s construction, sales or medicine. To keep up with the crowd, see if your company offers classes on industry trends. Some employers will even pay for courses at colleges if it benefits your work. At the very least, pick up a few books or industry journals to see what’s going on around you.<br /><br />Meet your neighbors.<br />People often become so engrossed in their jobs that they forget colleagues are working only five feet away. Learn the names and personalities that belong to the faces you see every day, or even to those you only see occasionally. It never hurts to have contacts who can answer a question or help with a future job hunt. Plus, it’s nice to know a little about the people you work next to for eight hours a day.<br /><br />Schedule some interviews.<br />If you’re contemplating a job switch, one way to simplify the decision-making process is to go on some interviews. Although you might not be ready to quit your job just yet, going on interviews gives you an idea of what opportunities are available. You can use these interviews as practice for the ones that matter most if you decide to start a job hunt.<br /><br />Evaluate your situation.<br />You might not be the type of person who writes out a list of goals and resolutions each year, but you probably have an idea of where you want your career to go. Think back to where you were last spring: Are things going as you hoped? Are you on a career path that will get you where you want to be one or two years from now? Are you earning what you deserve? Decide if you’re OK staying where you are or if it’s time to make a change.<br /><br />Spring cleaning doesn’t just have to be about tidying up; it can be about starting fresh.<br /><br />Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<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>

Eight Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Career

Ah, the arrival of spring: The sun is out and it’s time to get your act together. You can pull down those holiday decorations. Wash the laye...

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Today's Best Part-Time Jobs

Many people are opting to find part-time work these days. Parents want to spend more time with their children; students need to balance work and school; and would-be retirees aren’t ready to give up their careers just yet.<br /><br />Here are the best part-time jobs pay well, offer flexible schedules and are expected to grow both in demand and the amount of job openings over the next 10 years.<br /><br />1. Pharmacy technicians<br />What they do: Techs work in hospitals, health care facilities and retail pharmacies helping pharmacists prepare prescriptions for patients. Depending on location, their duties can include counting medicine tablets, maintaining inventory and patient records, handling prescription requests and performing administrative duties.<br />What the hours are: Due to the many places a pharmacy tech can work, there are a variety of scheduling choices, whether one prefers daytime hours or graveyard shifts.<br /><br />2. Tax preparers<br />What they do: Tax preparers help people and businesses file their annual income taxes. They know what expenses can be deducted and what forms need to be filled according to the law.<br />What the hours are: Between the first of the year and April 15 tax preparers experience their busiest time of year. Therefore it’s possible to maintain another job for the rest of the year and only work part time during tax season. A large percentage of tax preparers are self-employed.<br /><br />3. Dental assistants<br />What they do: Dental assistants help dentists with procedures by preparing equipment, taking X-rays and tending to patients.<br />What the hours are: With approximately half of dentists working part time and the rest keeping standard business hours, dental assistants don’t have to worry that their schedules will conflict with their personal lives.<br /><br />4. Personal and home-care aides<br />What they do: Personal and home-care aides work at the homes or assisted-living residences of elderly, ill or disabled patients. They help patients perform daily tasks and ensure their surroundings accommodate their needs.<br />What the hours are: Many jobs, especially for home-based patients, only require a few hours per day or a few days per week. Hours are based on the patient’s need for assistance, so aides often choose patients whose schedules are compatible with theirs.<br /><br />5. Receptionists<br />What they do: Receptionists greet and assist guests when they visit a business. Their duties depend on the type of business, but generally they perform administrative tasks and in medical offices they handle patient records and insurance information.<br />What the hours are: Although offices tend to keep 40-hour work weeks, part-time receptionists can often specify which shifts or days they can work.<br /><br />6. Clerical library assistants<br />What they do: Library assistants check out and reshelve books; they notify customers of overdue items; and ensure the library’s materials, such as books, movies and music, are in good condition.<br />What the hours are: Hours vary by library, as some smaller libraries are open fewer hours than larger libraries, which can stay open late or even 24 hours a day, such as those on college campuses.<br /><br />7. Demonstrators and product promoters<br />What they do: Product promoters and demonstrators generate buzz about products by illustrating their usefulness. They show products at trade shows, retail stores and even corporations, depending on the item they’re promoting.<br />What the hours are: Demonstrators and promoters rarely have traditional nine-to-five schedules because trade shows and retail stores often require them to work evenings or on weekends.<br /><br />8. Childcare workers<br />What they do: Childcare workers supervise young children either in their own home, at a childcare center or at the child’s home.<br />What the hours are: Many workers care for children while their parents are at work. Some parents only require childcare for a few hours per day or even per week, when they might have medical appointments, need to run errands or between the time school lets out for the day and the parent gets off of work.<br /><br />9. Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors<br />What they do: Fitness trainers work either in large fitness centers or in private gyms to help clients achieve their physical health goals, which often include losing weight, building muscle or conditioning for an event. Instructors teach group classes like spinning and a variety of aerobic courses at gyms.<br />What the hours are: Trainers base their schedules on when clients can meet, and instructors teach courses when the gym decides there’s a demand. Therefore, the hours tend to be scattered and best for people seeking part-time work.<br /><br />10. Physical therapist aides<br />What they do: Aides assist physical therapists during their sessions with patients by having the area organized and any equipment ready. Aides provide physical support to patients who have trouble walking or standing during the sessions.<br />What the hours are: While some clinics and health care facilities only schedule physical therapy sessions during normal business hours, others offer night and weekend appointments.<br /><br />Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.ca. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<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>

Today's Best Part-Time Jobs

Many people are opting to find part-time work these days. Parents want to spend more time with their children; students need to balance work...

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What to Do When You're Labeled 'Overqualified'

Sherry Shealy Martschink, 57, is a former state legislator, state senator and worker's compensation commissioner for South Carolina. She's a recent law school graduate and has experience in journalism, marketing and education. For the past few years during her job search, she's been told -- in not so many words -- that she's overqualified.<br /><br />"Sometimes the opposition is in the tone of voice rather than the actual wording of the questions and comments," Martschink says. "An employer may say something like, 'we are hoping to find someone who will make a career here' or 'why would you want this job after doing such-and-such?' Another type of question has to do with whether I could be a team player after being in such leadership positions."<br /><br />How does Martschink respond to such opposition? Plain and simple:<br /><br />"If I weren't willing to do the work, I wouldn't be applying for the job," she says.<br /><br />Geoff Tucker, who has a college degree and six years experience in his field, has faced opposition more than once during his job search. In one interview, the hiring manager started with, "We both know you're overqualified," and but went on to say she wanted to do a "gut check " to determine if Tucker would be OK with the tasks he'd be handing.<br /><br />"In other words, she wanted to see if I was OK with being versatile to the point of helping clean around the office and refill the toilet paper in the bathroom," Tucker says. "I affirmed that I do not have an issue with doing tasks that maybe I haven't had to do in a while. I am not that egocentric and I don't regard these tasks as 'below me.'"<br /><br />Many job seekers wonder how being qualified can be a bad thing, but it's a catch-22 that many job seekers face today. They can't get hired for positions relevant to their experience so they apply for jobs at lower levels. The problem is that they can't get hired for those positions, either, because they're overqualified.<br /><br />"Employers are in the cat-bird seat," says Kathryn Sollman, co-founder and managing partner of the Women at Work Network. "The high volume of job seekers makes it possible for employers to hold out for their ideal candidates. You're not an ideal candidate if you have held a more senior position in the past; employers assume you will leave as soon as you find something at your normal level."<br /><br />What's the deal?<br />Assuming you'll jump ship when the economy turns around is only one of the many objections employers have to hiring overqualified candidates. For one thing, many job seekers assume that their high credentials automatically mean they are skilled for a more junior job. But, Sollman says, just because a position is less senior than the one you previously held, does not mean that you have the appropriate skills to succeed in that role.<br /><br />"Take an administrative position, for example. Many mid- to senior-level job seekers haven't done anything remotely administrative for years," she says.<br /><br />Right or wrong, other assumptions hiring managers might have about hiring overqualified candidates include:<br /><br />· You'll be bored and unmotivated<br /><br />· The salary will be too low for you<br /><br />· You'll be unhappy<br /><br />· You'll leave the minute something better comes along<br /><br />· You could possibly steal his/her job<br /><br />· You won't be able to step down from a leadership role<br /><br />Hiring managers only take overqualified candidates seriously if they are convincing about a valid reason they want to take a more junior-level job, Sollmon says.<br /><br />The best reason is saying you have decided that you don't want to work crazy schedules and are interested in a better work/life balance, she says. If that's the truth and you're truly not looking over your shoulder for a senior-level job, employers will consider you for a more junior job.<br /><br />Tucker says the doubt he gets from hiring managers regarding his experience is unfair.<br /><br />"They should consider my above-par qualifications as a way to gain additional capabilities on their staff and team. I will bring just as much passion to this role as I would any other," he says. "I would not apply for a job if it weren't a fit for me. It's about the work I'm doing and the contributions I'm making that matter."<br /><br />If you're being told you're overqualified during your job search, here are seven ways to convince your interviewer otherwise:<br /><br />1. Admit that you're worried, too<br />Tell the hiring manager that you are also concerned that it might not be a fit, suggests Duncan Mathison, co-author of "The Truth about the Hidden Job Market." Promise that if at any point during the hiring process you feel the job appears too low or not one where you will bring the full engagement needed to excel in the position, you will withdraw your candidacy. Your willingness to walk away tells them you are motivated if you stay in the game.<br /><br />2. Take salary off the table<br />Make it clear that you're flexible about salary and that your previous earnings are not relevant to your current job search.<br /><br />"Tell the hiring manager that you work for both green dollars and personal satisfaction dollars," Sollman says. "Lately you've had a deficit in personal satisfaction dollars and you want a chance to try something new."<br /><br />3. Put the issue out there<br />Ask the interviewer if he or she sees any positives or negatives to your candidacy based on your higher qualifications. Get the issue on the table so it can be addressed, Mathison suggests.<br /><br />4. Use your accomplishments<br />"Tell the hiring manager that you're proud of your accomplishments and you have proven to yourself that you can perform at a more senior level," Sollman says. "Now you're not interested in chasing titles and promotion. You want to make a contribution at a compelling company."<br /><br />5. Distance yourself from your higher qualifications<br />Be empathetic to those parts of the hiring manager's jobs -- indicate that you have a clearer understanding of what a manager needs from their people.<br /><br />"For example, say you were a manager and are applying to an individual contributor job," Mathison says. "Tell the hiring manager that you are looking for a job that would give you more hands-on technical work and give you a break from the people management and corporate politics."<br /><br />6. You want to learn<br />If you've held more senior positions at a different kind of company or in a different industry, tell the hiring manager that the best way to really learn about a new industry is from the bottom up, Sollman says.<br /><br />7. Make a commitment<br />"Tell the employer that you know that job hopping is a major don't in the business world. Say that barring unforeseen circumstances, you are ready to make at least a two-year commitment to the company," Sollman suggests.<br /><br />Rachel Zupek is a 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.<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>

What to Do When You're Labeled 'Overqualified'

Sherry Shealy Martschink, 57, is a former state legislator, state senator and worker's compensation commissioner for South Carolina. She...

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Jobs de saison

<BR><br /><strong>Vous recherchez un emploi et vous aimez la nature ?</strong><br /><br /><strong></strong><br />C'est la période des travaux saisonniers : vendanges, ramassage de pommes et de poires, arrachage et mise en bac des endives etc. Le besoin de main-d'oeuvre est important et des postes sont à pourvoir jusque mi-octobre.<br />Si cela vous intéresse, pensez à regarder quotidiennement les offres sur le site de <a href="http://www.anpe.fr/espacecandidat/nicola/AfficherCampagnesRecrut.do" target="_blank">Pôle emploi</a>. Vous pouvez également faire des candidatures spontanées; pour trouver des lieux de récolte, adressez-vous à la <a href="http://www.loiret.chambagri.fr/" target="_blank">chambre départementale d'agriculture</a>, aux mairies des communes rurales, ou recherchez tout simplement avec les <a href="http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/trouverlesprofessionnels/index.do" target="_blank">Pages Jaunes</a>.<br /><br />Favorisez les contacts directs avec les exploitants pour mettre toutes les chances de votre côté !<br /><br /><a href="http://www.anefa.org/pages/rechercher/emplois.php?idreg=15" target="_blank">Pour en savoir plus</a>....<br /><BR>

Jobs de saison

Vous recherchez un emploi et vous aimez la nature ? C'est la période des travaux saisonniers : vendanges, ramassage de pommes et de poir...

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Caught in the Act!

One day in 2002, Neil Moodley was bored at work. To idle his curiosity, he decided to check out a few Web sites to see what other jobs were out there. The next thing he knew, his boss's voice was behind him asking if he was "off to sunnier climes."<br /><br />"I panicked -- no doubt about it. First I swiveled my chair around to try and futilely hide my screen. Then I tried to cover up by claiming I was researching jobs for a friend," Moodley recalls. "The exit interview a few months later when I did actually find a new job was somewhat awkward."<br /><br />Whether you're bored, underpaid, overworked or all of the above, it's not uncommon for workers like Moodley to want to search for greener pastures. The problem comes when you're doing it at work.<br /><br />With respect to your current employer, it might be OK to conduct a job hunt at work if your employer is actively downsizing and you've been told your job is not secure, says Lori Mattison, of Mattison Resources. What is not OK is if your job is safe and you're just looking for a better deal.<br /><br />"During these economic times, those with secure jobs should be grateful and give 150 percent when they are at work. If employers get wind of a trusted employee looking for a better deal, you might put your job in jeopardy," Mattison says. "Don't forget the current pool of qualified applicants is huge at the moment; almost anyone is replaceable."<br /><br />What not to say<br />You know that job searching at work is a bad move -- yet, you do it anyway. So the question is not whether it's right or wrong, but what exactly should you do or say if you're caught red-handed?<br /><br />What you don't do is laugh or launch into a list of grievances about your job. This is what happened when Dwayne Schweppes, a manager at a professional services company, caught an employee not job searching but interviewing at a nearby coffee shop.<br /><br />"My issue was not that [the employee] was looking for another job -- far from it. I advised everyone who worked for me that they should do whatever they felt was necessary to improve their careers as long as they did it on their own time and maintained some discretion," he says. "The fact that [the employee] took neither precaution made it clear he was either aiming to throw his dissatisfaction in my face, or perhaps simply that he lacked any shred of common sense."<br /><br />When Schweppes confronted the worker, he laughed at having been busted.<br /><br />"As the conversation wore on, it became clear that he couldn't see the problem with what he had done or that his actions were an affront to the company and to his teammates. Far from being contrite, he launched into a litany of frustrations with his job," Schweppes says. "That sealed it. Later that day, the company parted ways with [the employee] on the grounds that we would have never been able to trust him again with a client assignment."<br /><br />Is honesty the best policy?<br />If you're caught job searching at work, the situation doesn't have to end as badly as it did for Schweppes' employee.<br /><br />Several years after he had been caught job searching at work himself, Moodley was a senior project manager at a software company when he found a direct report researching job sites. He remembered his own story and played the situation differently.<br /><br />"I saw this as an opportunity to perhaps discover a problem with the work, company or culture that needed fixing. I made it clear [to the job hunter] that I didn't want to lose him ... but I respected that he had career ambitions of his own that he wanted to fulfill," Moodley says. "I asked him how I could help do that, even it meant arranging an interview with the company recruitment consultancy to find him the best possible job in another company."<br /><br />Understandably, the employee was shocked by Moodley's reaction, but as he put it, "if [the employee] wanted to leave there was no point in trying to convince him to stay." Ultimately, the employee left but when he did, it was as a friend and an employee, he says.<br /><br />Similarly, Doug Johnson, president of G.R. Johnson and Son Consulting, says he understands that employees may get dissatisfied or want more opportunity in their careers. As such, he instituted an open job-search policy as a manager and business owner. Employees were free to look for other work under two conditions: They used company time for company business unless they'd completed their work; and those job searching needed talk to him or another manager and tell them why.<br /><br />"I would rather have them be honest with me about it than lie and hide what they're doing," Johnson says. "Let us know so we can see if there's something we can do to change your situation with us to keep you."<br /><br />Such a policy created a positive work environment where workers felt they could be open and that they were cared about and valued.<br /><br />"We ended up with a win-win situation: happy employees, harder-working employees, loyal employees," Johnson says.<br /><br />What should you say?<br />The fact is, most employees expect their bosses to lash out or start a confrontation if they're caught looking for work elsewhere; their first instinct is to be on the defensive. What many job seekers don't realize is that many managers aren't upset that you're looking for other work but they do want to know why.<br /><br />In fact, getting caught job hunting at work could totally work to your advantage if you play your cards right. If you're unhappy with your pay, don't like the work you're doing, feel underappreciated or whatever the circumstances, it's the perfect opportunity to talk openly with your boss.<br /><br />Any lie you tell will come back to haunt you and ruin your existing work relationships. If you're honest with your boss and end up continuing to work there, it's more likely that your manager will be able to not only trust you, but want to help you reach your career goals.<br /><br />So what should you say if your boss catches you job searching at work? Simple: The truth.<br /><br />Rachel Zupek is a 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.<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>

Caught in the Act!

One day in 2002, Neil Moodley was bored at work. To idle his curiosity, he decided to check out a few Web sites to see what other jobs were ...

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