Layoff Survivor's Guilt

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/qt/ar5b01t69j69tvjm4rqt.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/qt/ar5b01t69j69tvjm4rqt.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>With unemployment numbers continuing their steady climb, you've probably seen layoffs happen in your company or to someone you know -- hopefully not to you. As you can probably attest, losing a job is never easy on anyone, even if it turns out to be for the best.<br /><br />What you might not think about is how people who are spared from cuts deal with the aftermath. As weird as it sounds, people who see their colleagues receive pink slips can have their own struggles as a result. You probably wonder why anyone would feel anything but happy about having a job in a shaky economy -- isn't that like complaining that your wallet is too small for all your hundreds? Survivor's guilt is common, however.<br /><br />Uh ... I'm sorry?<br />After a layoff occurs, everyone in the company is left balancing their emotions with their duties. Just because you're sad, scared and relieved doesn't mean you're given a pass to stop working, even though you'd rather take some personal time to assess the situation. Paul C.* encountered the struggle, but he didn't have much time to deal with it.<br /><br />Paul and his co-workers were in a meeting when an administrative aide asked them to report to their boss's supervisor ASAP. As they left, Paul told the meeting attendees that he was sorry they had to leave but that they'd resume the meeting later, "Unless, of course, we're being fired." As luck would have it, that was the situation -- except Paul was the only one from his group spared, because his job also dealt in sales. While he went back to his office, the rest were escorted out of the building.<br /><br />"It was weird and difficult trying to carry on while the people who made my sales position possible were no longer there -- or at least I did have survivor thoughts, until one month later they fired me, too!"<br /><br />Although Paul's situation was at times humorous, it highlights the reality that you can't focus all of your energy on feeling guilty, because you have your own career to worry about, too.<br /><br />How to maintain relationships<br />Jenny Schade, president of JRS Consulting, has interviewed employees who were kept on after their companies had layoffs. The effects on these workers often mirror the struggles experienced by their laid-off colleagues.<br /><br />"The remaining employees are often expected to 'do more with less' and move forward," Schade says. "But that's hard to do when they feel depressed, numb and guilty about having made it through the chaos -- classic symptoms of survivor's guilt." The guilt impacts not only your personal life, but also your relationships with your ex-co-workers.<br /><br />"The most uncomfortable part of a job loss is the elephant in the room -- the person who has lost his job may not want to volunteer the information and the other person is at a loss for what to say," Schade says. "By saying, 'I was sorry to hear about your job. Anything I can do to help?' you're addressing the situation and immediately offering your support."<br /><br />Support is still worthwhile, even if you don't have a job opportunity to offer, Schade adds. "You might offer to review a résumé or you may 'know someone who knows someone' and can help make a connection."<br /><br />Schade has guidelines to help layoff survivors feel comfortable maintaining their relationship with ex-colleagues.<br /><br />Let your friend guide the discussion.<br />"If he or she changes the subject, let it go. But if he or she wants to talk, be ready to listen and offer support. Just reflecting the other person's feelings can feel very supportive," Schade says.<br /><br />Listen.<br />"Focus on listening, but be sensitive about asking too many questions," Schade explains. "Asking, 'How many job interviews do you have lined up?' can sound intrusive. It's fine if your friend volunteers information but don't ask questions that may make him or her feel stressed."<br /><br />Maintain the relationship.<br />"Sometimes the worst part of losing a job comes two months later when not much is happening," Schade says. "Invite your friend to lunch (and be sure to pay) or send a supportive note saying he or she is in your thoughts."<br /><br />Guilt and confusion<br />Between restructurings and layoffs, companies are undergoing dramatic shifts that can leave employees confused. For example, Buffy Martin Tarbox was let go from her position as a director last August, along with 55 other employees. Fortunately she was hired back six weeks later -- but for an entry-level position.<br /><br />"My co-workers were unsure as how to treat a person who had been in a supervisor role, laid off from that job but returned in a completely different position," Tarbox says. "Plus, I felt guilty that so many of my co-workers that had lost their jobs were no longer employed but that I had found another position in the organization."<br /><br />News of her return was met with mixed emotions from her former colleagues, who didn't understand why she'd want to go back to the employer who had just let her go, and from those who worried about how she'd be able to adjust to a new job title. Not to mention the employees who knew her when she was higher on the totem pole.<br /><br />"When I returned to the office following my layoff, I noticed how quickly the apologies from co-workers about what had happened came forth," she remembers. "Another interesting aspect was that my former department, the one I had directed, rarely spoke to me. Most wouldn't even return my phone calls. Prior to the layoff, I had close relationships with my department, so I found this perplexing."<br /><br />Layoffs always breed high emotions and confusing circumstances. Considering the uneven situation of the economy, stories like Tarbox's are likely to continue as employers rehire some people and move others around.<br /><br />While no strict etiquette for how to act as a layoff survivor exists (or as a laid-off worker who then becomes an employee again), the best anyone can do is follow Schade's advice to stay sensitive and keep the lines of communication open.<br /><br />*Full name has been withheld by request of the source.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. </div><br /><div></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>

Layoff Survivor's Guilt

With unemployment numbers continuing their steady climb, you've probably seen layoffs happen in your company or to someone you know -- h...

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6 Examples of Workplace Rudeness

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/40/ar5b10b730hktshbq440.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/40/ar5b10b730hktshbq440.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Are you rude?<br /><br />You rarely steal candy from toddlers.<br /><br />You don't trip people on crutches anymore.<br /><br />You can't even remember the last time you made someone cry.<br /><br />All in all, you could do a lot worse. You might not be in the running for a Good Samaritan of the Year Award, but you're a pretty decent person.<br /><br />But how about your co-workers? Plenty of our daily interactions at work are befuddling. You're often left wondering if people are deliberately rude or just ignorant of their behavior. After all, you'd like to think people aren't going out of their way to inconvenience you.<br /><br />With that in mind, we've taken a look at unappreciated behavior that rears its head in an effort to explain why it's rude and why you shouldn't do it (or why someone shouldn't do it to you).<br /><br />1. You know what's rude? When someone --<br />Interruptions are offensive on many levels. When you interrupt someone, you suggest that your time and ideas are more important than everyone else's and that you have no interest in listening to what they have to say.<br /><br />A rare offense is forgivable, but habitual interruption is problematic, says professional coach Susan B. Wilson. "Some folks interrupt incessantly, whether you are on the phone, in a meeting, deep in thought or in another conversation."<br /><br />2. No thanks<br />Aside from the phrases "Because I said so!" and "No," perhaps the most common thing you'll hear parents say to a child is, "And what do we say?" The prompt is, of course, for the child to thank someone for a kind gesture -- a practice lost on many adults.<br /><br />"The following statistic bears repeating," Wilson says. "In a 2002 Public Agenda survey, 48 percent of adults expressed only 'sometimes' encountering people who made an effort to say 'please' and 'thank you'; 16 percent said they saw such behavior 'practically never.'" A few words to show gratitude can put someone in a good mood -- or at the very least can keep someone out of a foul mood. Why not do it?<br /><br />3. Table manners<br />Kara C.* has her share of venting to do about workplace rudeness, and at the top of the list is the lack of housekeeping manners she witnesses. In her company's communal kitchen, you won't have to look hard to see evidence that someone has recently enjoyed a snack in one of the cups or bowls littering the counter. She wants to remind her colleagues that maids don't work in the office, so they should clean up after themselves.<br /><br />4. That's just #@*%ing rude!<br />Language is very subjective, and everybody has his or her own unique way of speaking. One person's "Howdy" is another person's "What's up?" When it comes to R-rated language, one person's "hell" is another person's "H-E-double hockey sticks." And that's something you should remember when interacting with others at work. It's less about the profanity itself and more about the fact that you don't care if it bothers the people around you.<br /><br />5. Yes, all of us can hear you now<br />Teenagers are very private about phone conversations. They might be young, but they will give you a scowl that makes you feel like you're the child and they're the adult if you eavesdrop. Strange, then, how a dozen years later, many people do a 180 on this practice and seem to want everyone to hear their conversations.<br /><br />Cubicles are the norm in many workplaces, so one person's speakerphone conversation becomes an entire floor's business. Never mind how annoying it is to hear a conversation you're not a part of; think how bothersome it is to try to concentrate on work when someone's blathering in your ears. Rather than force your call on the whole department, invest in a headset or just hold the receiver in your hand.<br /><br />6. I'm sorry, do I know you?<br />When you're walking down the hall and a co-worker is walking toward you, give a smile, a nod or some other greeting. No one's asking you to engage in a bear hug or to pretend you two are best friends. All anyone wants is an acknowledgement that you see them and that you're not going out of your way to avoid having any contact with them.<br /><br />Why is this important? Well, think about the alternative: You walk down the hall and pretend not to see them by averting your eyes. You'd rather do anything but give a quick acknowledgement to this person. What kind of message does that send?<br /><br />*Name has been withheld at the request of the source.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<br /></div><br /><div></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>

6 Examples of Workplace Rudeness

Are you rude? You rarely steal candy from toddlers. You don't trip people on crutches anymore. You can't even remember the last time...

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5 Fantastic Jobs for Fall

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/00/ar5d5l95wy8gx9lndk00.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/00/ar5d5l95wy8gx9lndk00.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>When great poets see green leaves grow brittle and turn colors before they fall to the ground, they see the passage of time, and the slow march of death that will inevitably conquer us all.<br /><br />When I see a pile of autumn leaves, I think of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and free candy.<br /><br />Few people think of the career opportunities or seasonal jobs that come with the fall. During the winter holidays, job seekers know they can count on retail jobs when everyone's shopping. During the summer, they can mow lawns or work as a lifeguard. In the fall ... what exactly do you do?<br /><br />We've put together a list of jobs that you can find in the fall, many of which take advantage of the cooling weather.<br /><br />1. Retail sales clerk<br />Where: Halloween superstores<br /><br />Why: Every September and October you see stores that sell only Halloween costumes and decorations pop up in every city. They're dormant all year, but once fall rolls around, these stores are ready to serve your every ghoulish desire and they need workers to do so.<br /><br />2. Sports referees<br />Where: Recreation centers, sports complexes, local leagues<br /><br />Why: Everyone associates exercise and sports with the summer, but the fall has its own bevy of athletic opportunities. Recreational leagues, community centers and schools have plenty of football, soccer and basketball games going on year-round that need officiating.<br /><br />3. Landscape workers<br />Where: Businesses and homes<br /><br />Why: Not all homeowners have green thumbs and business owners can't tend to their gardens themselves, so they enlist landscape workers who know what they're doing. Some plants die in oncoming winter weather, so they need to be moved. Certain flowers need to be planted well before spring in order to bloom on time. And all those crispy leaves aren't going to rake themselves. For people who enjoy working outdoors and have botanical skills many of us lack, landscaping is great work.<br /><br />4. Exterior seasonal decorators<br />Where: Businesses and homes<br /><br />Why: As soon as October arrives, business and homes are adorned with seasonal decorations. In October it's either Halloween skeletons and witches, or rustic autumnal scarecrows and apples. In November, you've got bales of hay (and even inflatable turkeys in extremely festive neighborhoods). Plus, as November ends, many places begin to bring out their winter decorations early. Many people prefer to leave the daredevil tasks of hanging lights on the roof to the professionals.<br /><br />5. Interior seasonal decorator<br />Where: Businesses and homes<br /><br />Why: If you think the explosion of decorations you see from the street is impressive, wait to you walk through the front door. Businesses usually add a little seasonal color, but more often than not, they need to keep it tasteful. Homeowners are under no such obligation, and many of them revel in the chance to transform their normally quaint living room into a terrifying haunted mansion or a charming farmhouse. That's where seasonal decorators come in.<br /><br />Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama. </div><br /><div></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>

5 Fantastic Jobs for Fall

When great poets see green leaves grow brittle and turn colors before they fall to the ground, they see the passage of time, and the slow ma...

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Day 7: A reason to keep going

December 2007 - 240 pounds<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rfAgZcDoopldMJsitZflYyx9sag5IM9O-9GRhErH5e_6F_Z6x5csx5RLuoxZR_82vLY97GIvrbdJ0jRnxs7o-ZxCDY95kqHQ7AI7VeyHVpxnNBMTTJYaBXZ6qaqS8Uw72ttG4hPoqx4n/s1600-h/240.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377685514168518562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rfAgZcDoopldMJsitZflYyx9sag5IM9O-9GRhErH5e_6F_Z6x5csx5RLuoxZR_82vLY97GIvrbdJ0jRnxs7o-ZxCDY95kqHQ7AI7VeyHVpxnNBMTTJYaBXZ6qaqS8Uw72ttG4hPoqx4n/s400/240.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORAoUEg2uimdFNEr432HmvpUxqfAUgojRX94Aoko-jRPu_oQZxn7h7ZB0InQ3ICpd6SIXMMcKN1r8cI9NqPm864Qbs01lWKWWnJ8vwYYeRCK9k6P0RZFNYPNk0c0u13s_N7kbaBZ0fxKj/s1600-h/240.jpg"></a>April 2009 - 158 pounds<br /><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKvcItYcfBQbI_JVzOspxZQy5rJur58c8Wo5kvgZNOy5yvdwFaRvLgC3pitXupDRwKqITQ5IOqMnFan8_qX5b6mAOd3YDWelnxj-0mxGzHkWoggRsjbFauABmR6F_dGBjboN80buaLEUB/s1600-h/Diana_head.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377683719051154466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKvcItYcfBQbI_JVzOspxZQy5rJur58c8Wo5kvgZNOy5yvdwFaRvLgC3pitXupDRwKqITQ5IOqMnFan8_qX5b6mAOd3YDWelnxj-0mxGzHkWoggRsjbFauABmR6F_dGBjboN80buaLEUB/s400/Diana_head.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 170px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 216px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />My before picture horrifies me. It was taken December, 2007. My after/during picture (I'm still not at goal) is from about four months ago, and I'm about that same weight now.<br /><br />I look at that 240-pound woman and want to cry. She looks so sad. I know the pain she felt, the physical pain and mental anquish of living life at 240 pounds.<br /><br />Some days I really hate my life. I hate my job, my marriage, my very existence. I try to sound upbeat and cheerful and that life is so grand when I write my blog, but some days, I'm really not feeling it. Some days it just sucks to be me.<br /><br />My bad day this week was on Tuesday. I argued with my coworkers, including my best work friend. He wouldn't even walk with me at lunch, nor would he talk to me all day. We've since made up, but it was our first "fight" and it hurt. It also included a fight with my husband when I got home and told him about my work day. It was just like everything in my life was wrong. I ended the day with a "controlled" binge, but still a binge.<br /><br />When I went in to work on Wednesday I had an attitude of "to hell with all of them all". Now keep in mind, I'm the happy-go-lucky girl, never mad at anyone, always apologizing for shit I didn't even do...you know the kind. The fat chick that takes a lot of shit from people because her self-esteem is so incredibly low.<br /><br />Well, turns out that was the old me. Now I'm a force to be reckoned with. I don't take being mistreated lightly. In fact, if I feel I've been wronged, and I certainly did on Tuesday, I'll stand up for myself. On Wednesday I approached both coworkers, separately, and we discussed what happened on Tuesday. I did NOT apologize. Amazingly, they did and it all worked out.<br /><br />What's different now is that I don't go apologizing all over the place. I know I'm a worthy person, that I deserve to be treated like one. Treat me badly and I won't put up with it. I won't grovel for your attention or say I'm sorry when you're being the jerk. By losing almost 80 pounds I feel empowered.<br /><br />There's something about wearing a fatsuit, it was a suit of shame. Like look at me, I suck, I can't even control my eating. Walk all over me because I do it to myself, why shouldn't you too?<br /><br />That picture of me at 240 pounds is a reason to keep going with losing weight. A bad day then would devastate me, a bad day now is still bad, but I can handle it. I deal with it differently now. I don't want to go back and be that poor, tortured soul. I like me better now. I like life better.

Day 7: A reason to keep going

December 2007 - 240 pounds April 2009 - 158 pounds My before picture horrifies me. It was taken December, 2007. My after/during picture (I&#...

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5 Ways to Refresh Your Outdated Network

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bc/ar5f1wd6bz8tbz4lyjbc.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bc/ar5f1wd6bz8tbz4lyjbc.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>When Steven Spenser, 52, was laid off from his Seattle-area software company in 2001, he decided to become a stay-at-home dad. Seven years later, when he started looking for full-time work, he faced a problem: All his old contacts and job references were seven to 12 years old.<br /><br />"Tracking down my previous references proved problematic since many of the companies were Internet startups that have gone out of business," Spenser says. "I've found that two are willing to sing my praises again, but I have no one to direct to them."<br /><br />The process of his network becoming outdated was gradual, he says. Spenser continued to see old colleagues and work friends socially for a few months after his layoff, so he didn't foresee any point at which he would fall out of touch with them. Eventually, his former co-workers stopped calling and he was too busy to notice.<br /><br />"Being a first-time father kept me so preoccupied for a few years that I didn't really bother thinking about the downstream effects of not keeping in touch with anyone," Spenser says.<br /><br />Many people these days are in Spenser's position: After working at the same business or for only a few companies throughout their careers, workers are finding themselves unemployed with an outdated Rolodex and no job references in sight. Though experts recommend networking constantly, many professionals find it difficult to maintain business relationships and keep up with everyday life.<br /><br />"After awhile goes by of being out of touch, the withdrawal takes on a life of its own and it can seem harder to get back into touch than just do nothing and let the status become quo," Spenser says.<br /><br />To avoid running into this problem, the idea obviously is not to let your network get outdated in the first place.<br /><br />"People need to keep their network alive long before they are laid off and in search of a job," says Thom Singer, author of "The ABC's of Networking." "To wait to contact someone until you have a major need, like needing a job, will make you look like a taker: 'Hi, I have found you useless to keep in touch with for five years, but now I am hoping you will drop everything and help me,' just does not fly."<br /><br />So how do you go about finding contacts that have fallen off your radar?<br /><br />Start rebuilding<br />To begin renewing his network, Spenser did Google searches, looked on online White Pages and checked directory assistance. He finally found one former supervisor through his son's company Web site. He was able to track down a former client by finding his new business information online. Both contacts were very willing to help Spenser and serve as a continued reference.<br /><br />Not all people are accepted so openly, however, when trying to refresh cold contacts. If you find yourself needing to contact someone you haven't spoken with in a long time, you should own up that you dropped the ball, Singer says.<br /><br />"Tell people that you never understood why networking mattered and thus had not done a good job of keeping up," Singer suggests. "Admit that this stint of being unemployed and in need of help is humbling and that you've learned a lesson. People are more likely to want to help someone who is honest like that than one who calls up expecting assistance after not ever calling before."<br /><br />If you're looking for ways to update your network, here are some ways to get the process started:<br /><br />1. Make a list<br />Create a list of everyone you know and have known, whether or not you know where they are today, suggests Duncan Mathison, an author, speaker and consultant on companies and professionals impacted by layoffs. Circulate the list to people you have stayed in touch with and they can often fill in the blanks, reintroduce you and even remind you of others who would be worthwhile to connect with.<br /><br />2. Perform a Google search<br />Start by typing in the full name of the person you are searching for, says Melissa Cassera, publicity specialist. Try searching for the full name + the state in which the person lives. If you find a name but no contact information, try typing in the full name + the word "e-mail" or "phone."<br /><br />3. Contact your undergraduate or business school<br />You may score current contact information by responding to requests from your alma mater's alumni association, says Debra Condren, business psychologist, coach, author and founder of AmbitionIsNotADirtyWord.com. Update your own contact information and professional biography and stay visible to your former classmates, she says. "Let folks know what you're up to and they may surprise you with a blast-from-the-past phone call or e-mail, just when you were wondering how to find them."<br /><br />4. Use social networks<br />Look up old colleagues on LinkedIn, Plaxo, Jigsaw, Brightfuse and Facebook, Cassera suggests. Many of these sites have search functions where you can search by company -- even if people have left the organization, there's a good chance they've listed it in their previous work history.<br /><br />5. Fill in the gaps<br />If you are missing links in your network, you must replace or renew them. Revisit your trade organization, attend local networking events and use your current database to get connected to new contacts, says David Hults, author of "From Cornered to Corner Office." If you're laid off, ask people who would be good contacts. Some will surely know the "movers and shakers" in your industry.<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. </div><br /><div></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>

5 Ways to Refresh Your Outdated Network

When Steven Spenser, 52, was laid off from his Seattle-area software company in 2001, he decided to become a stay-at-home dad. Seven years l...

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Why Blogging Is Good For Your Career

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/9w/ar5d6f67106m2m029q9w.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/9w/ar5d6f67106m2m029q9w.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Right now, "microblogging" is the technological term du jour. Twitter this; Twitter that. For some reason, once somebody created a Web site that told us we couldn't type more than 140 characters, we couldn't resist the challenge. It's as though we were dared to share our most inane thoughts. The birth of the pointless Tweet was born, also known as "I'm eating string cheese and watching reruns of 'ALF.'"<br /><br />But remember a few years ago, when "blog" was the word you couldn't escape? Magazine covers were devoted to blogs. What does "blog" mean? Is it going to kill traditional media? Who should be blogging? Why do we care what you're blogging?<br /><br />Now, blogs are something more akin to traditional (but still new) media. They're not on par with The New York Times or CNN in terms of reputation, but each of those news agencies has its own blogs. And over the last few years, especially during the election, blogs played a major role in breaking news stories and motivating groups. Corporations now have them to connect with customers. Blogs are here to stay.<br /><br />So the question is: Do you have one? If not, you might be missing out on a valuable boost to your career.<br /><br />Why would you possibly want to blog?<br />In an already crowded blogosphere, why would you want to be just another small fish in a huge pond? Adrienne Waldo thought the same thing before she started her own marketing blog, Ask a Millennial. But once she started to post, she realized people were reading and interested in what she had to say. It helped her freelance career and she believes it can help others, too.<br /><br />"Especially for someone just out of school, a blog is an excellent supplement to a résumé," Waldo says. "It serves as a sort of enhanced writing sample because it allows employers a unique look at your personality in addition to seeing that you can, in fact, write. It also shows that you're tech-savvy and motivated -- both extremely important qualities to have in today's job market."<br /><br />Of course, your blog won't be an asset to you if it lacks direction and attention. Waldo suggests beginning bloggers set goals for themselves.<br /><br />"A blog can be useful for countless reasons, so it's best to decide for yourself what your purpose in starting it is," she recommends. "It's certainly fantastic for both visibility and staying current in today's market, but how you position it is ultimately going to determine how it works for you."<br /><br />A good blog can work for you whether or not you're employed. But a blog written by a job seeker desperately seeking a paycheck will not get you much traction. In fact, blogging is like many other traditional job seeking tools, says Lauren Milligan of ResuMAYDAY, a résumé writing service.<br /><br />"Just like networking, blogging and developing a following should start when you are employed, rather than when you are in panic mode," Milligan cautions.<br /><br />How do you present a blog to employers?<br />New media are proving to be a great tool for job seekers, employees and employers. Facebook, Twitter and blogs are increasingly become common ways to find jobs or recruit candidates. But the rules for social media are still mostly unwritten, and you might not know how to prove you're both technologically proficient and professional. Milligan says you absolutely can do both, it's just all in the presentation.<br /><br />For clients, Milligan often inserts their LinkedIn addresses in the contact section of the résumé. She suggests doing the same with your blog address. Another option she recommends is to include a mention of your blog in your career summary statement. But if neither feels right for you, feel free to bring it up in the interview.<br /><br />"A common interview question is, 'What makes you unique from other candidates?'" Milligan says. "A great -- and unique -- answer would be, 'One thing that may set me apart from your other candidates is my ability to introduce a dedicated and loyal following to your company. For the past eight months, I have authored a blog that has over 2,000 readers on a weekly basis. This blog is dedicated to trends, leaders and advancements in our industry.'"<br /><br />She also recommends pointing out that you have been and will always be respectful of your past employers and that your goal is about making connections. If you can put the emphasis on your growth and how it will benefit the company, while simultaneously proving it's not a place for you to vent about annoying co-workers, you'll make a good impression.<br /><br />"As an employer myself, I assure all job seekers that this would weigh heavily in a candidate's favor," Milligan says.<br /><br />Both Milligan and Waldo stress the importance of knowing your limits. You don't have to be an expert to write a good blog -- and pretending to be one will only turn off readers. Being humble and showing humanity will pay off for you.<br /><br />"Anyone can be a good blogger with the right dedication and motivation," Waldo says. "You absolutely do not have to be an expert, but if you're not, don't pretend to be. That will get you in trouble. I recommend writing about something you love. It doesn't have to be career-related. As long as you are passionate about the subject you cover, that will come through in your writing and people will enjoy your blog."<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<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>

Why Blogging Is Good For Your Career

Right now, "microblogging" is the technological term du jour. Twitter this; Twitter that. For some reason, once somebody created a...

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S'ouvrir les portes des métiers du verre : visite d'entreprise le 10 septembre 2009

<BR><br />La Maison de l'emploi du bassin d'Orléans organise une visite d'entreprise pour découvrir les métiers liés à la fabrication et pose de vitraux (postes et conditions de travail)<ul><br /><li>le mercredi 10 septembre 2009<br /><li>dans les locaux de l'entreprise <strong>Gouffault</strong>.</li></ul><br />Le transport est pris en charge par la Maison de l'Emploi avec l’appui du PLIE.<br /><br />Le nombre de places est limité.<br /><br />Pour s'inscrire, contacter la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans : 02 38 24 18 03 ou <a href="mailto:accueil@news-these-days.fr">accueil@news-these-days.fr</a>. <br /><br /><strong>Départ</strong> : Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - à 14h00<br /><BR>

S'ouvrir les portes des métiers du verre : visite d'entreprise le 10 septembre 2009

La Maison de l'emploi du bassin d'Orléans organise une visite d'entreprise pour découvrir les métiers liés à la fabrication et p...

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Day 6: Still here

I'm taking the day off from posting. I realized today I've been a little too much into myself lately and I've fallen behind on reading all my favorite blogs. My goal tonight is to catch up on everyone else. I'll be back soon.<br /><br />A few pictures from my walk today:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6R_hL4uxWqWpAVitJaIQGt5E4N-TSCnATdILMc4qL51sfeDscd1J7mttLwt38kw-ty7CJIyN1KKMKxvfr6nz0EMvskxeYAZGiexCKEA0IxfrEO1DerTCOBWHaURpamajPcC6xPT-SfCx/s1600-h/Sept+2009+021.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377467713593746082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6R_hL4uxWqWpAVitJaIQGt5E4N-TSCnATdILMc4qL51sfeDscd1J7mttLwt38kw-ty7CJIyN1KKMKxvfr6nz0EMvskxeYAZGiexCKEA0IxfrEO1DerTCOBWHaURpamajPcC6xPT-SfCx/s400/Sept+2009+021.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgq7JvSMKJU8zV-v2w1v4rO5nJPr2qms-rtHNcCiv_yDhhkqCaIL5nxzswBI5u6-_rzEgr0NU-8lq5WKmXbBM8TDMXRVbi-Kxl-qfcZM5csbeFCXC0anFrOGtc22GYpmLzGvMsFe4l9uk/s1600-h/Sept+2009+002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377466113120872114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgq7JvSMKJU8zV-v2w1v4rO5nJPr2qms-rtHNcCiv_yDhhkqCaIL5nxzswBI5u6-_rzEgr0NU-8lq5WKmXbBM8TDMXRVbi-Kxl-qfcZM5csbeFCXC0anFrOGtc22GYpmLzGvMsFe4l9uk/s400/Sept+2009+002.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2GkQ0YAhvmwfeFhay807ZycnLrsKbTLcQ08eAoOLzZxej6_CJvvFNPu7_0yVWCr_jg0a9il6xpNvWMtk1c1KKGIDbeM7prQiO9hNxniSJibi62qrh1eiOV-rS92uzhLrcGZDDftPnDFu/s1600-h/Sept+2009+014.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377463472172986530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2GkQ0YAhvmwfeFhay807ZycnLrsKbTLcQ08eAoOLzZxej6_CJvvFNPu7_0yVWCr_jg0a9il6xpNvWMtk1c1KKGIDbeM7prQiO9hNxniSJibi62qrh1eiOV-rS92uzhLrcGZDDftPnDFu/s400/Sept+2009+014.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />This one made me turn around and go back to my car. I was starting to feel lost when I saw this, and I was by myself.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV9wppjTsZMJughIDtCqCDKueKidXGXfjkQS-ITYcKvlsB_sUInfMtOfNv_PoFssYu9RNZ15I9iKw0EURjYXIbOeQMnodTRdz_FhE4mhe7mlqzN0U8tvgLXqd3AaT6AlRFEx4ya7HA9ag/s1600-h/Sept+2009+008.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377464863525304082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV9wppjTsZMJughIDtCqCDKueKidXGXfjkQS-ITYcKvlsB_sUInfMtOfNv_PoFssYu9RNZ15I9iKw0EURjYXIbOeQMnodTRdz_FhE4mhe7mlqzN0U8tvgLXqd3AaT6AlRFEx4ya7HA9ag/s400/Sept+2009+008.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>

Day 6: Still here

I'm taking the day off from posting. I realized today I've been a little too much into myself lately and I've fallen behind on r...

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10 Signs Your Interview Went Well

You did it.<br /><br />You landed an interview, dressed to impress, had great conversation and you think you might actually have a shot at getting a job offer.<br /><br />But is there any way to actually know if the interview was in your favor?<br /><br />Many times, job seekers are so focused on what they did wrong in an interview that they don't think about the many things they did right. While no signs are 100 percent foolproof, there are definitely some indicators that you have won over your interviewer.<br /><br />Justin Honaman, director of customer intelligence at Coca-Cola Customer Business Solutions, says that although you may think you've executed well in the interview don't stop the process there. Even if all signs point to a job offer, you should follow-up effectively to complete your career transition.<br /><br />Here are 10 signs that indicate you rocked your interview:<br /><br />1. Round two<br />The easiest way to gauge short-term success is if the interviewer asks you to return for another round of interviews. If he wasn't interested, he would be evasive as whether or not you could expect to hear back from someone. "The hiring manager does not want to waste any more time interviewing you if you are not a fit," Honaman assures. "Invitation to the next round is a win!"<br /><br />2. References please<br />Why would you be asked for references unless someone cared to learn more about you? "A firm will not spend the time to do background checks and talk with references if you are out of the candidate pool," Honaman says. "Provide specific, knowledgeable references and bring those to the interview."<br /><br />3. Meet the team<br />It's a good sign when the hiring manager chooses to introduce you to the team on the spot, or mentions that there are some people she would like you to meet. If she wasn't interested, again, she wouldn't take the time in making acquaintances.<br /><br />"Leaders are protective of their team and will not risk introducing a candidate if they are not a potential fit to join the organization," Honaman says. Remember that the hiring manager may request feedback from the team on their first impressions of you, so be nice to anyone you meet.<br /><br />4. What are the transition steps?<br />When a company is interested in you, you'll be asked things like the amount of time needed for a transition or what non-competes might be in place, Honaman says. "If the hiring manager is interested in moving forward with an offer, they will typically ask what steps need to be taken for your departure from your current organization so that you can assume the new role," he says.<br /><br />5. Dollars and sense<br />Depending on what stage of the interview process you're in, it could be a good thing if you're asked about salary expectations. It demonstrates that the company might be willing to invest in you. Honaman suggests answering this question with caution:<br /><br />"You can have the absolute best interview ever and be dead in the water if you answer this question incorrectly," he says. "The question comes in two forms: 'What are your salary expectations?' or 'What is your current compensation?' Arrive at any interview with current compensation details written down for your own reference -- if asked -- and have an idea of how you will answer this question."<br /><br />6. HR smiles<br />The human resources representative or recruiter is generally a good indication of how things went in the interview process. Take note of his or comments after the interview; they are your No.1 contact during the process and are often a guide to the projected outcome, Honaman says.<br /><br />7. Your turn<br />When the interviewer spends a lot of time answering your questions, it's a signal that the he wants to sell you on the business, the team and position rather than you continuing to pursue the role, Honaman says. "In most interviews, the hiring manager will ask if you have any questions as standard procedure, but spend less time with questions and answers if the interview has not gone well in their mind."<br /><br />8. Let's keep rolling<br />If hiring managers are uninterested, they typically look for ways to wrap up the interview. "At times, interviews will go well beyond the allotted time as the hiring manager or interview team wants to know more about you, or share with you more about the organization and role," Honaman says. If they are not interested in your candidacy, they won't drag out the interview.<br /><br />9. Non-verbals speak<br />Non-verbal signals are often a good predictor of interview performance. Pay close attention to the interviewer(s) and observe such non-verbal cues as taking notes, smiles, head-nods or asking probing questions, Honaman says. "At the same time, if an interviewer is taking few notes, looking at their watch repeatedly [or] not asking detailed questions, the interview may not be going well."<br /><br />10. Cultural fit<br />The more a hiring manager talks about how you'll fit into the mold at a company, the better. "Most leaders are looking for candidates that can easily fit into a team environment or operate well as an individual contributor," Honaman says. "If the hiring manager is interested in your taking the position, they will share additional details about the culture and shift into 'sales' mode on the organization."<br /><br />Again, none of these are surefire signals that you've gotten the job. Plus, even though you did everything right, there is always the chance that someone else did, too. But if you continually see a couple of the above signals you'll know you've at least got a shot.<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.<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 Signs Your Interview Went Well

You did it. You landed an interview, dressed to impress, had great conversation and you think you might actually have a shot at getting a jo...

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More Employers Screening Candidates via Social Networking Sites

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/wh/ar5c22872sj123pd9dwh.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/wh/ar5c22872sj123pd9dwh.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Five tips for creating a positive online image<br /><br />Gone are the days when all job seekers had to worry about was their résumés and cover letters. Today, those documents remain a staple of the job-search process, but they are joined by a growing phenomenon: social networking.<br /><br />Forty-five percent of employers reported in a June 2009 CareerBuilder survey that they use social networking sites to screen potential employees, compared to only 22 percent of employers last year. Eleven percent of employers plan to start using social networking sites for the screening process. More than 2,600 hiring managers participated in the survey.<br /><br />Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use LinkedIn and 21 percent use MySpace. One-in-ten (11 percent) search blogs while 7 percent follow candidates on Twitter.<br /><br />Additionally, 16 percent of workers have used similar social networking sites as part of their job search.<br /><br />"In this difficult job market, online networking is an important piece of the puzzle for workers wishing to build professional relationships, and ultimately, connect with their next great job," said Liz Harvey, senior director of online products for CareerBuilder, which just launched its own online community BrightFuse. "With more than 1.6 million users, BrightFuse.com has become a thriving professional community. Workers of all levels can use BrightFuse.com to have that important open dialogue -- while promoting themselves and recommending others."<br /><br />While social networking is a great way to make connections with potential job opportunities and promote one's personal brand, job seekers must ensure they are using these sites to their advantage by conveying a professional image and underscoring their qualifications.<br /><br />Many job seekers seem to be doing this, as 18 percent of employers said they found content on social networking sites that encouraged them to hire the candidate. Some examples include:<br /><br />· Profile provided a good feel for the candidate's personality and fit within the organization -- 50 percent<br /><br />· Profile supported candidate's professional qualifications -- 39 percent<br /><br />· Candidate was creative -- 38 percent<br /><br />· Candidate showed solid communication skills -- 35 percent<br /><br />· Candidate was well-rounded -- 33 percent<br /><br />· Other people posted good references about the candidate -- 19 percent<br /><br />· Candidate received awards and accolades -- 15 percent<br /><br />Many job seekers, however, are doing the opposite and not being mindful at all of the content they're posting online.<br /><br />Why employers disregard candidates after screening online<br /><br />Thirty-five percent of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate, including:<br /><br />· Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information -- 53 percent<br /><br />· Candidate posted content about them drinking or using drugs -- 44 percent<br /><br />· Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients -- 35 percent<br /><br />· Candidate showed poor communication skills -- 29 percent<br /><br />· Candidate made discriminatory comments -- 26 percent<br /><br />· Candidate lied about qualifications -- 24 percent<br /><br />· Candidate shared confidential information from previous employer -- 20 percent<br /><br />Here are five tips for job seekers to keep a positive image online:<br /><br />1. Clean up digital dirt before you begin your job search. Remove any photos, content and links that can work against you in an employer's eyes.<br /><br />2. Consider creating your own professional group on sites like Facebook or BrightFuse.com. It's a great way to establish relationships with leaders, recruiters and potential referrals.<br /><br />3. Keep gripes offline. Keep the content you post focused on positive things, whether it's related to professional or personal information. Make sure to highlight specific accomplishments inside and outside of work.<br /><br />4. Be selective about whom you accept as friends. Don't forget others can see your friends when they search for you. Monitor comments made by others and consider using the "block comments" feature. Even better, set your profile to "private" so only designated friends can view it.<br /><br />5. If you're still employed, don't mention your job search in your Tweets or status updates. There are multiple examples of people who have gotten fired as a result of doing this. In addition, a potential employer might assume that if you're willing to search for a new job on your current company's time, why wouldn't you do so on theirs?<br /><br />By Rosemary Haefner Vice President of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com. She is an expert in recruitment trends and tactics, job seeker behavior, workplace issues, employee attitudes and HR initiatives. </div><div> </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>

More Employers Screening Candidates via Social Networking Sites

Five tips for creating a positive online image Gone are the days when all job seekers had to worry about was their résumés and cover letters...

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Employers Preparing for Post-Recession Job Market

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/25/ar5b1ll63kqx1bv43z25.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/25/ar5b1ll63kqx1bv43z25.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>The past year has undoubtedly brought many changes and challenges to both employers and employees. Layoffs, pay cuts and furloughs have been widespread, thus contributing to a job market saturated with qualified candidates competing for fewer jobs. Despite this steep competition among candidates, employers struggle to find professionals with in-demand skill sets.<br /><br />Along with these continued battles, employers face a new challenge: ensuring their companies are prepared when the economy does make an inevitable turnaround, which will give them a competitive advantage.<br /><br />A new survey, the 2009 EDGE Report from Robert Half International and CareerBuilder, provides answers to many of the lingering questions surrounding today's economy and job market: Where will jobs be added first in the recovery? What challenges will employers face in recruitment? How will compensation be impacted? And how will employers retain the talent they've preserved during this difficult time?<br /><br />To take advantage of an improving economy, employers that cut staffing levels extensively are taking a close look at the core skills needed in new hires in order to rebuild their rosters once the economic recovery takes hold.<br /><br />Fifty-three percent of employers said they plan to hire full-time employees in the next 12 months, while 39 percent will add part-time employees, according to a new survey. Forty percent will hire contract, temporary or project professionals.<br /><br />Here are several key other findings from the report:<br /><br />Where jobs will be added first<br />Hiring managers currently consider customer service as the most critical to the company's success, followed by sales, marketing/creative and technology. Public relations/communication, business development and accounting/finance round out the list.<br /><br />When the economy does start to rebound, respondents said technology, customer service and sales departments will add positions first, followed by marketing/creative, business development, human resources and accounting/finance.<br /><br />In the meantime, hiring managers continue to appreciate employees who can perform multiple functions. Employers cited multitasking, initiative and creative problem-solving as the most valuable characteristics in ideal new hires.<br /><br />Retaining talent<br />Although many business leaders have plans to add new employees to their organizations in the coming months, they also have to consider how their decisions during the financial crisis have impacted job satisfaction and loyalty of their current staff.<br /><br />Fifty-five percent of workers polled have plans to change careers, find a new employer or go back to school once the economy recovers. Forty-nine percent said that the most effective way to keep them on board will be with pay increases; in fact, 28 percent plan to ask for a raise.<br /><br />Employers are aware that competitive pay and benefits will play a critical role in retaining talent. Forty percent of employers said that they plan to increase pay when the economy improves and 20 percent said they hope for better benefits and perks.<br /><br />Continued challenges in recruitment<br />Although there is a greater pool of available talent among job seekers, employers are still having trouble finding qualified professionals for open positions: 47 percent of employers cited under-qualified applicants as their most common hiring challenge. Employers said that, on average, 44 percent of the résumés they receive are from unqualified candidates.<br /><br />As a result, employers are open to paying for great talent; 61 percent said their companies are willing to negotiate a higher salary for qualified candidates.<br /><br />A common complaint from job seekers is the amount of time the hiring process takes; however, this is one area where employers won't budge. The average time it takes to recruit a new full-time hire is 4.5 to 14.4 weeks. Employers say that in order to avoid costly hiring mistakes, it's necessary to take their time reviewing and screening a high volume of résumés, and also to carefully evaluate those invited for interviews.<br /><br />Matt Ferguson is the CEO of CareerBuilder.com. He is an expert in the state of the job market, employment trends, hiring practices 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></div>

Employers Preparing for Post-Recession Job Market

The past year has undoubtedly brought many changes and challenges to both employers and employees. Layoffs, pay cuts and furloughs have been...

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10 Signs It's Time to Quit

"I like what I do. I just don't like where I work." Sound familiar? From unbearable co-workers to depressing work environments, there things that can make even the best job a living hell. Here are some signs it's time to look for a new job.<br /><br />Sign No. 1: Your co-workers are annoying.<br />Obnoxious people can invade your work life. Let's face it, not everyone gets along perfectly. But you need to have some sort of harmonious relationship with fellow employees to get the job done. How are you supposed to get any work done when these guys keep getting in the way? They are distracting and impede productivity. Most offices have a Gossip, that one person who has the "scoop" all the time and is not afraid to share it. Misery loves company, and finds it often in the Whiner, who isn't afraid to complain and bellyache. And everyone has the Neighbor whose noisy distractions include his cellular ringtone, speakerphone and radio.<br /><br />Sign No. 2: The environment is toxic.<br />Everyone experiences job highs and lows, but discontent could also be a sign of a chronically depressing work environment or even a company in peril. A bad work environment is reflective of the culture of an entire business. Do you work in a less-than-nurturing atmosphere? Is morale constantly low? Have you been complaining for two solid years? It could be an organizational problem that applying feng shui to your cube just won't fix.<br /><br />Sign No. 3: You're mentally exhausted by the end of the day.<br />Stress can cause low morale, decreased productivity and apathy towards work. Plus, it can spill into your personal life and even have a negative effect on your health. Today there are fewer people who are taking on more and more work. American workers experience burnout at an alarming rate. According to CareerBuilder, 68 percent of workers feel burnout at work, and 45 percent said their workloads are too heavy. Yes, we all have to pick up some slack and "take one for the team" from time to time. But if there's no end in sight, do yourself and your health a favor and dust off your résumé.<br /><br />Sign No. 4: Your boss is a nightmare.<br />Even though this person is your boss, it doesn't give him license to do anything he wants. If you have a lousy boss, even the best job in the world can make life a living hell. Your relationship with your supervisor plays a big role in your overall professional happiness and success. Fighting to have your boss removed or waiting for your boss to change or get fired are rarely successful tactics. If you are working for someone who is always absent, unavailable, self-absorbed or untrustworthy, it's time to look for a better supervisor and a better opportunity.<br /><br />Sign No. 5: You're watching the clock... every 10 minutes.<br />Though you might not like to work, it's even worse when you are bored while you're there. One can only watch so many videos on YouTube or bid on unneeded things on eBay. If you aren't feeling challenged, that's a sign that you need additional responsibilities or a change roles. And be warned, if you don't have any responsibility or find yourself with nothing to do, management might be trying to phase you out and you might be in danger of losing your job.<br /><br />Sign No. 6: You get no respect.<br />Does any of this sound familiar? Your ideas aren't taken seriously; there are no opportunities for advancement; the boss ignores you; co-workers alienate you; you're discouraged from improving skills with a course or seminar; you're passed over for a promotion -- again; or you're excluded from key projects and strategizing sessions. So why are you still giving this organization your time, energy and great ideas?<br /><br />Sign No. 7: Your co-workers act like animals.<br />They live for themselves and only themselves. They irritate you. They offend you. They have no manners or ethics. And you work with them all. There's the Office Thief who steals your ideas. The Shirker arrives late, leaves early and disappears whenever work is near. The Buck-passer unloads her work onto everyone else and blames others for her mistakes. The Procrastinator delays things until the last possible minute, slowing you down by not having the information you need to meet your deadlines. The Interrupter stops by your cubicle 10 times a day to chat about her latest boyfriend despite your ringing telephone and pressing deadlines. And don't forget the infamous Elevator Person who rides up only one floor instead of taking the stairs.<br /><br /><br />Sign No. 8: Nobody communicates.<br />Although we live in a world of e-mail, cell phones, instant messages, Blackberries, WiFi and, yes, even face-to-face conversation, there can still be a complete lack of communication. Whether it's a co-worker who's not returning your voice mail or the CEO not conveying a company's goals and accomplishments, the breakdown of communication can be frustrating and detrimental to your job. It can cost you an account, make you to miss a deadline, cause you to lose a client, and even get you fired.<br /><br /><br />Sign No. 9: You're not valued.<br />Forty-three percent of workers do not feel appreciated, and one-fourth of workers feel that they are just a "number" within their organization. You need to realize that you deserve credit for your successes. Recognition is important, and good companies implement programs to let employees know they are valued. Is your company doing anything to reward your efforts? Do you ever receive bonuses, perks or positive feedback? If your boss has never heard of positive reinforcement verbal or otherwise, find a company that will value your talents.<br /><br /><br />Sign No. 10: You feel stifled.<br />What kind of quality of life do you have? Is your 40-hour week turning into a 24/7 grind? While salary may seem like the end all and be all, your quality of life determines your overall happiness. How much time you spend on the job, working conditions, supervisors and subordinates can positively and negatively impact your job outlook. If you dread the time you spent at work, it should be a clear indicator that it's time to break free. A job shouldn't stifle you creatively, mentally or physically.<br /><br />Bottom line: Considering what you don't like about your current situation should give you insight into what you are seeking in future endeavors. If you know what your priorities and preferences are and actively seek them, work can be an enjoyable experience.<br /><br />By Kate Lorenz article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. 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>

10 Signs It's Time to Quit

"I like what I do. I just don't like where I work." Sound familiar? From unbearable co-workers to depressing work environments...

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Playing Games at Work - How office politics sabotage the workplace

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/gc/ar5b6dk72b7k38bnc0gc.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/gc/ar5b6dk72b7k38bnc0gc.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Have you ever found yourself wondering why there is so much politics in the office? And how this wrecks both value-creation and many a career?<br /><br />For example: Brendan, a smart new hire with an MBA, was the most junior member of a team that was put together to analyze growth possibilities for the company. Sensing a threat, others on the team "forgot" to brief Brendan before a key meeting, delegated to him time-consuming and low-level tasks, or picked his ideas to death. Eventually he threw in the towel -- and took his good ideas to a competitor.<br /><br />When we lift the lid on office politics, what we find are "games." The game that was played with Brendan we call the "Marginalize" game: subtle exclusion, cutting people out of decision-making loops, for personal or political reasons.<br /><br />But there are many more games that are played at work and over time they sabotage the workplace by destroying trust, stifling innovation, preventing learning and diverting time from customers to internal bickering.<br /><br />Examples of games:<br /><br />Gotcha: identifying and communicating others' mistakes to the boss.<br /><br />The Boss Said: invoking the name of a senior executive to imply that what they are saying is gospel.<br /><br />Big Splash Career Hopper: starting a new job with a great "big idea" that seems bold and requires massive change, marketing the heck out of it to senior managers, and then getting promoted quickly enough that you don't have to live with the consequences of the mess you have caused.<br /><br />Kill the Messenger: destroying the people bringing you bad news, so that soon you are isolated from the truth and surrounded by "yes men."<br /><br />Sandbagging: deliberately low-balling your sales estimates to impact your bonus.<br /><br />Games flourish in certain environments, and you need to factor this into your choice of employer and workplace.<br /><br />Telltale signs of game-playing at work:<br /><br /><br /><br />· Large egos that are unmanaged<br /><br />· High levels of paranoia about others<br /><br />· Intense pressure for short-term results or else<br /><br />· High level of virtual environment combined with e-mail communication<br /><br />· Low levels of trust, high levels of finger pointing<br /><br />· People bad-mouthing their bosses or peers in front of their teams<br /><br />· Extreme hierarchy<br />What really sucks about game playing is that in addition to creating a workplace that is toxic, it is also bad for business. And if it is bad for business, it is bad for longer-term employment also. It is bad for business because it distorts and sabotages some of these major functions that need to be carried out in a business:<br /><br />Decision making<br />How can you make good decisions when people are playing "Old War Hero," a game where someone who has "seen it all" downplays all new ideas? Or when bosses play "Token Involvement," a game in which they pretend they want input but have already made up their mind?<br /><br />Budgeting<br />How can you plan for the company's financial future when people are playing "Slush Fund," a game where a manager squirrels away and mislabels a special part of the budget for a rainy day? Or someone is playing "Channel Stuffing," a game where sales are "created" by feeding the distribution channels to meet a year-end goal, while distorting the real sales picture in the process?<br /><br />Objective setting and performance management<br />How can you set goals and measure performance when people are playing "Marginalize" or "No Bad Feedback," a game where the boss suppresses negative feedback to the employee to avoid uncomfortable discussions, thus preventing the employee from having a chance to improve? Or when "Entitlement" is played (where a long-standing relationship causes soft goal-setting and subjective evaluations)?<br /><br />Driving change<br />How can you drive change when people are playing "Let's Not Rock the Boat" or "Gray Zone" (a game where the boss creates deliberate ambiguity to avoid direct confrontations)?<br /><br />Games seem to fulfill basic human needs for control, for security, for attention. But ultimately, playing games is playing to lose. Companies where games are played a lot collapse in on themselves eventually. If you want to have a long and successful career, start by picking a company where it´s not so much about players, but really about colleagues.<br /><br />By Philip Read and Mauricio Goldstein authors of "Games at Work: How to Recognize and Reduce Office Politics" published by Jossey-Bass. For more information visit: www.games-at-work.com. </div><br /><div></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>

Playing Games at Work - How office politics sabotage the workplace

Have you ever found yourself wondering why there is so much politics in the office? And how this wrecks both value-creation and many a caree...

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Professional Etiquette You Don't Think About

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/cs/ar5c15f5wpfn5d13xtcs.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/cs/ar5c15f5wpfn5d13xtcs.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>In theory, etiquette is a way for everyone to express mutual respect for one another. In practice, it's a confusing set of arbitrary guidelines not everyone follows.<br /><br />For instance, the next time you're eating at a restaurant or even at home, notice how many people put their elbows on the table. For some diners, an all-arms-on-deck approach to eating is an unforgivable transgression. To others, you'd look stuffy if you didn't lean in to engage in conversation because you were more concerned with your posture.<br /><br />Once you leave the comfort of your home, whether or not other people will conform to your expectations on various types of etiquette is out of your control. You might think "sir" and "ma'am" are passé ways to address people, while others might think you're rude if you don't. And who knows if anyone still cares about where your elbows are when you eat?<br /><br />Etiquette and manners still matter at work, but it's not as cut and dried as not licking your knife while enjoying a steak dinner. The workplace etiquette you need to think about is more about consideration than it is about tradition. Sometimes we don't notice little things that irk other people.<br /><br />Here are some times throughout the day when you might want to stop and think about whether or not you're being a good co-worker:<br /><br />Waiting for the elevator...<br /><br />Don't push the Up button when elevator doors are about to close just so you can make everyone wait while you squeeze in.<br /><br />Do hold the elevator doors open if someone's only a few seconds behind you.<br /><br />In the elevator ...<br /><br />Don't stand uncomfortably close to someone, especially if there is plenty of space. Forcing yourself onto a packed elevator, thereby smooshing yourself up against someone, is just as bad.<br /><br />Do cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. (Not just in elevators, but anywhere, really.) You might think this one is obvious, but no ... it's not.<br /><br />In the lunch area ...<br /><br />Don't forget about the apple you left in the fridge two months ago. Sure, lunchroom nitpicking is the epitome of workplace banality, but the break room is one of the few places everyone shares.<br /><br />In the mail room ...<br /><br />Don't forget that the mail staff is part of the company, too. If you walk in, get your mail and leave as if it magically appeared and those people working in the room had nothing to do with it, you're being rude.<br /><br />Do say "thank you" to workers throughout your building. From the maintenance staff to the security guards and cafeteria workers, several people are making your daily grind easier. Whether it's a quick "thanks" or small talk in the elevator, talk to the people outside of your work bubble.<br /><br />On the phone ...<br /><br />Don't call someone, call back an hour later, call a third time in the afternoon to leave a voice mail, then send an e-mail, then call again to see if he got the e-mail. Not everyone is available when you need them to be, so give them some time to respond to you. Give people a day or a week (depending on the urgency of the issue) before following up.<br /><br />In the hallway ...<br /><br />Don't ambush someone with a question. If you've been waiting for your boss to answer a question you had and you run into her as she's rushing off to a meeting, don't corner her to get an answer. For one thing, you don't know if she has a pressing engagement. Also, her answer might be more complicated than a simple yes or no, and she doesn't want to give you a Cliff's Notes version while heading to the elevator.<br /><br />In a meeting ...<br /><br />Do keep the snarky comments to a minimum. Sure, meetings can be boring and some people are way too excited about them, but snickering with your co-workers is rude to whomever's talking and to the people trying to pay attention. Plus, your negativity won't go unnoticed by the boss.<br /><br />In the restroom ...<br /><br />Do wash your hands. If you leave the restroom without washing your hands and someone sees, you will be the germy person of the office. Frankly, it grosses people out and makes them not want to ever get near your desk or you.<br /><br />At your desk ...<br /><br />Don't complain about the weather, your workload, the boss, your pay and everything else that you encounter. Sure, blowing off steam is what people do, but a constant flow of negativity gets bothersome for those around you. Pretty soon everyone around you will be listening to their headphones to avoid listening to you. (Keep this in mind when you're in the elevator, too. No one wants to ride down 10 floors with a crabby colleague.)<br /><br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama. </div>

Professional Etiquette You Don't Think About

In theory, etiquette is a way for everyone to express mutual respect for one another. In practice, it's a confusing set of arbitrary gui...

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Day 5: I fell off the horse

After all my "look at me, I'm doing this!", I messed up last night. Actually, it was officially Wednesday morning at 12:30 a.m. (Day 5).<br /><br />I woke up and was ravenous. My positive attitude suddenly disappeared. After a 20-Point binge (which I calculated this morning), which included Light Redi-Whip straight out of the can, I went back to bed. It was almost like it was a bad dream (more like a nightmare) .<br /><br />To make matters worse, when I went to the gym this morning I decided after 20 minutes to use my "free pass". This is something I came up with when I started Weight Watchers eighteen months ago.<br /><br />My free pass works like this: if I really do not want to go workout, for whatever reason, I have a deal with myself. Go to the gym and after five minutes on a piece of cardio equipment if I simply can't stand being there, I give myself permission to leave.<br /><br />It's a mind game I play with myself (I sound slightly psycho). It really works. I'm just like anyone else and have days when the thought of forcing my body to move is unbearable.<br /><br />I have never used my "free pass", even though many times on my way to the gym I said I was going to turn around and go home after five minutes. This morning I used my free pass. I lasted 20 minutes and just couldn't do another minute. Between last night's late workout and the binge, my body wasn't up to it.<br /><br />But all is not lost! I made up for the workout tonight by leaving work early at 3 p.m. and headed to the gym. I did 45 minutes of hard cardio on Sadie and 40 minutes of strength. I also ate very carefully today, and I'm right at 24 Points. My heart rate monitor said I burned 496 calories.<br /><br />It's okay. I'm not perfect. I mess up sometimes. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. The real test is if I recover gracefully. So, as gracefully as I can, I'm climbing back up on that horse and I'll keep going.

Binge Day 5 struggle Day 5: I fell off the horse

After all my "look at me, I'm doing this!", I messed up last night. Actually, it was officially Wednesday morning at 12:30 a.m...

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6 Steps for an Easy Return From Vacation

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/1r/ar5c4g76mwrdlgnkc11r.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/1r/ar5c4g76mwrdlgnkc11r.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>With summer here, workers across the country hope to take time off to enjoy some fun in the sun. But as some professionals often realize, coming back to work can be painful. In fact, one in three executives polled by Robert Half said that although they enjoy vacations, they dread the work awaiting their return. An additional 10 percent said they prevent this scenario by rarely taking time off from work.<br /><br />While you may experience a backlog of projects upon returning to the office, you shouldn't let that deter you from taking vacations altogether. Taking periodic breaks from work -- no matter how important your role or how heavy your workload -- is essential for keeping stress levels in check and burnout at bay.<br /><br />Here are steps you can take to ensure you're productive instead of panic-stricken when you get back:<br /><br />1. Plan ahead. You'll avoid scrambling before and after your trip if you start planning in advance. Make a list of items that must be done before you leave, and estimate what your project load will be when you return. By working with your boss, you may be able to delegate some of your assignments to others on your team. Also, do your best to get a jump on projects that are due soon after you get back; nothing can ruin the relaxing effect of a getaway faster than an imminent deadline.<br /><br />2. Spread the word. You'll alleviate some of your anxiety by letting your business contacts know well in advance that you'll be away. This will enable you to take care of any pressing issues prior to your departure. In addition, make sure you have out-of-office messages for your voice mail and e-mail that include the name and contact information of a colleague who can answer queries in your absence.<br /><br />3. Prevent technical snafus. More than a few employees have returned to work after a lengthy vacation only to discover that they are unable to log in to their computers. Prevent this from happening to you by changing any soon-to-expire computer passwords before you leave. Also, examine the storage capacity on your e-mail inbox; make sure you have plenty of space in case you receive large attachments while you're away.<br /><br />4. Take an extra day. If possible, avoid returning from vacation the night before you're due back at work. It's better to come back a day or two early so you have time to unpack, run personal errands and catch up on sleep -- especially if you've traveled to a different time zone. You can even use the extra time to check your voice mail and e-mail messages from home so you're not so overwhelmed when you arrive in the office.<br /><br />5. Re-orient yourself slowly. Unless there is an urgent phone call or meeting, spend the first few hours at work refreshing your memory about assignments, deadlines and deliverables. Meet with team members to catch up on matters you might have missed while you were away. Once you know where your projects stand, prioritize your tasks and focus on the most critical ones first. Getting back up to speed systematically will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.<br /><br />6. Plan a group vacation update. Your colleagues will likely want to know all about your trip, but even small interruptions from well-meaning work friends can be stressful when you're trying to catch up. Instead of giving each person a full review of your trip, plan a lunch where you can update everyone at once.<br /><br />Catching a small case of the post-vacation blues is inevitable after a great trip. After all, your work space is never going to compare with the beaches of Hawaii -- or even the serenity of your backyard. Planning a smart "re-entry" strategy before you leave will help ensure you return to the office not only rested and relaxed but also ready to hit the ground running.<br /><br />By Robert Half International, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 360 offices worldwide. For more information about our professional services, please visit http://www.rhi.com/.<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>

6 Steps for an Easy Return From Vacation

With summer here, workers across the country hope to take time off to enjoy some fun in the sun. But as some professionals often realize, co...

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Social Media Pitfalls

As social media becomes the latest branding strategy, networking technique, job seeking tool and recruitment vehicle, it's also becoming the latest way for people to get job offers rescinded, reprimanded at work and even fired.<br /><br />It's happened so many times -- publicized and not -- that one would think we could learn from others' mistakes. (But, if that were the case, I wouldn't have anything to write about, now would I?)<br /><br />A recent Tweet by a potential Cisco employee, for example, turned ugly when he decided to tout a recent job offer:<br /><br />"Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work."<br /><br />Unfortunately for "theconnor" (the handle for the would-be employee), Tim Levad, a "channel partner advocate" for Cisco, saw the tweet and responded with this:<br /><br />"Who is the hiring manger, I'm sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the Web."<br /><br />Terrible tweets<br />Everyone has their "My-job-sucks," "I-hate-my-co-workers," or "Give-me-more-money" moments. But, they seem to forget that as employers increase their online presence using social networking sites as recruitment and branding strategies, it might be best for their career not to have these moments on the Internet.<br /><br />Paul Wilson, a freelance/corporate Web marketer and blogger, found several of such moments on Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging site, and posted these "Top 10 Tweets to Get You Fired" [sic'd]:<br /><br />1. "hate my job!! i want to tell my bosses how dumb they are and how meaningless this job is, then quit, and be happy!"<br /><br />2. "So my job was to test all the food at the new resturant, can I just say, ughew. I'm going to taco bell then twistee treat."<br /><br />3. "Workin... This job sucks worse then the economy!"<br /><br />4. "I'm going to work! Walmart! Must find better job! I hate it when chicks there have a deeper voice than me and refer to me as foo!"<br /><br />5. "Also I'm really bummed that I'm working today, i asked off so i could study but my boss is a ******* **** ***** ***** who can't read."<br /><br />6. "Coworker smuggled out a chair for me. Currently being paid to SIT around and listen to John Barrowman on my iPod. I don't hate my job today!"<br /><br />7. "having sex dreams of people you work with makes for an awkward day."<br /><br />8. "smoking weed at work is so [EDITED] great :)"<br /><br />9. "It's bad when you overhear the n00b programmer say "I used to work at McDonalds with him" and you wonder if he is talking about the CEO..."<br /><br />10. "Huh, with my boss on twitter, maaaybe I should take down that sexy picture of her... but her reaction will be priceless!"<br /><br />Facebook fired<br />Twitter is not the only culprit in career self-destruction. Facebook, a popular social networking site, has housed its fair share of user firings:<br /><br />Kimberly Swann, a former employee for Ivell Marketing and Logistics of Clacton, U.K., thought her job was boring -- and she said so on her Facebook page, according to an article in The Daily Telegraph. Swann was called into her manager's office and handed a letter that cited her Facebook comments as the reason for dismissal:<br /><br />"Following your comments made on Facebook about your job and the company we feel it is better that, as you are not happy and do not enjoy your work we end your employment with Ivell Marketing & Logistics with immediate effect."<br /><br />An MSNBC article remembers Kevin Colvin, the legendary young intern who e-mailed his boss, claiming a "family emergency" would keep him out of the office around Halloween. His co-workers (and Facebook friends), however, saw a photo of Colvin dressed as a fairy at a Halloween party time-stamped on the same day of the "emergency." Colvin's boss responded to him with an e-mail CC'd to the entire company, firing him and including the incriminating fairy picture.<br /><br />In March 2009, the same MSNBC article cites Dan Leone, a Philadelphia Eagles stadium employee, who was fired after slamming the football organization for trading a player in this status update:<br /><br />"Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver. . .Dam Eagles R Retarted!![Sic]"<br /><br />Two days later, the head of event operations said they needed to talk about his Facebook status; instead, he got the boot.<br /><br />Social networking don'ts<br />If you want to use your profile to get hired or -- or at least not get fired -- here are three basic rules to keep in mind:<br /><br />1. Don't announce interviews, raises or new jobs<br />As exemplified by "theconnor," how you talk about any of these sensitive topics on your social networking site is key. If you're unemployed, writing "Interview today -- wish me luck!" would be OK, or if you got a job, something along the lines of "So excited about my new job!" is totally acceptable. If you're currently employed, however, I don't think your boss would be too happy to see something like, "Trying to con my boss into giving me a $5K raise. SUCKA!"<br /><br />2. Don't badmouth your current or previous employer<br />Just like in an interview, keep your rants about your boss or company to yourself. If hiring managers see that you're willing to trash a colleague online they assume you'll do it to them, too. Plus, there's always the possibility of getting fired if someone sees your negative comments.<br /><br />3. Don't mention your job search if you're still employed<br />If your boss knows you're on the lookout for a new job, feel free to advertise it in your status. If you're keeping your search below the radar, however, don't publish anything, anywhere. Even if you aren't connected to your boss online, somebody can get the information back to him or her.<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.<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>

Social Media Pitfalls

As social media becomes the latest branding strategy, networking technique, job seeking tool and recruitment vehicle, it's also becoming...

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10 Worst Work Habits

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/0s/ar5f76j6xf36gz1h330s.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/0s/ar5f76j6xf36gz1h330s.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>When two people fall in love, they only see sunshine and rainbows when they look into each other's eyes. If you asked, "What's the worst trait of your boyfriend or girlfriend?" they would answer, "Absolutely, positively nothing!"<br /><br />Ask that same question a few years later when they're living together and have seen each other at their respective worst. You'll get a pretty good list:<br /><br />"She cuts her toenails on the coffee table."<br /><br />"He speaks in a cutesy voice on behalf of the dog."<br /><br />"She kicks me in her sleep."<br /><br />Hopefully none of these nuisances finds its way into your work life, but other ones probably do. Everyone has some weaknesses in their work behavior that they need to work on, and they often extend beyond annoyances (such as eating a smelly lunch at your desk) and become problems for your career.<br /><br />Here are 10 work habits that you should try to break:<br /><br />1. Procrastination<br /><br />A lot of people work best under pressure, or at least they say so. With everyone having a different personality, you can't say a strict schedule works best for all employees. Putting tasks off until the last minute, however, invites plenty of problems, even if you think the final result will be glorious.<br /><br />When you leave yourself no wiggle room to complete a task, you run the risk of encountering an unexpected obstacle that makes you miss the deadline. Even if the situation is out of your hands, everyone will be left wondering why you didn't plan better and account for last-minute emergencies.<br /><br />2. Being a sloppy e-mailer<br /><br />E-mails are second nature to most people these days, and in informal communications they've become a digital Post-it note. We type out a message and send it without proofreading or double-checking the recipients. That's a recipe for disaster.<br /><br />If you haven't learned your lesson by now, the day will soon come when you accidentally "Reply All" to an e-mail and a slew of unintended readers receive a silly note you intended only your co-worker to read.<br /><br />3. Confusing informal with disrespectful<br /><br />In many workplaces, the boss might be the decision maker, but he or she isn't the stern, humorless caricature you saw on TV. Using your supervisor's first name and going for some drinks after work are common in many industries. Still, you are the employee and the boss is the boss -- the one who can fire you and tell you what to do. Don't cross the line by talking to her as if you're talking to one of your direct reports or even your best friend. You need to show some respect for her authority.<br /><br />4. Taking advantage of leeway<br /><br />Some companies are strict about the time you clock in and out. Others have guidelines but no hard rules, so you can arrive at 8:35 a.m. and no one cares. If over time you're arriving at 9:10 a.m. and leaving at 4 p.m. (with plenty of breaks in between), your reputation will suffer.<br /><br />This also goes for dress codes. Business casual is up to interpretation, but ripped jeans and concert tees probably don't fall under your company's accepted definition.<br /><br />5. Refusing to mingle<br /><br />Plenty of wisdom lies in the advice not to mix personal and professional lives. However, refusing to take part in any social activity -- such as the office potluck or a happy hour -- will not help your career. You don't need to be the resident party animal, but being personable with your colleagues helps build camaraderie. You get to know other people better and they get to know you as more than the person they pass in the halls.<br /><br />6. Always running late<br /><br />This isn't the same as abusing leeway; this is a matter of trust. If you're late to work, to meetings and with projects, your boss and colleagues will associate that trait with you. When it's time for a promotion or to deal with an important client, everyone will think twice before giving you the opportunity. Who wants to trust the person who can't manage his or her time?<br /><br />7. Being rigid<br /><br />One of the unfair aspects of the working world is that sometimes it seems you can't win. If you're hired to do a job, most bosses don't want you passing the day by reading your favorite book. The reason: You were hired to do a job, so do it. But if the boss comes to you with a new project that's outside the parameters of your usual duties, it's still yours to do. "You don't pay me to do that" isn't something you want to tell your supervisor.<br /><br />8. Acting as the resident contrarian<br /><br />We all love your spirited personality, but try not to be the person in the meeting who always has a better idea and can tell you why everyone else's idea is dumb. Voices of opposition are often missing in many workplaces because too many eager employees want to be "yes" men and women. But too much negativity grates on nerves and makes people dread hearing your voice. Continue to be a critical thinker, but make sure you're doing what's best for the company and not just trying to be the loudest voice in the room.<br /><br />9. Badmouthing the company<br /><br />With blogs, Facebook, Twitter and a host of other sites, you have plenty of opportunity to vent your frustration with life. If you're going to complain about how dumb your boss is and how much you hate your job, keep those rants private. The Internet is public domain and comments have a way of finding their way back to all the wrong people. If you wouldn't stand outside your boss's office and tell a co-worker how ready you are to quit, don't express the same thoughts in an open forum.<br /><br />10. Politicking<br /><br />Office politics are often unavoidable, and sometimes having a grasp on what's going on can benefit you, but you shouldn't spend more time masterminding office warfare than you do working. Getting caught in the crosshairs of a workplace controversy can be out of your control, but if you're the one instigating the drama, you're earning a bad reputation. You're the person who starts trouble and whom no one trusts. That's the kind of notoriety that follows you from one workplace to another.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. </div><br /><div></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>

10 Worst Work Habits

When two people fall in love, they only see sunshine and rainbows when they look into each other's eyes. If you asked, "What's ...

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5 Workplace Whoppers We All Tell

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/td/ar5f6gv74h4fyc8498td.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/td/ar5f6gv74h4fyc8498td.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Lying is wrong.<br /><br />As a child you learned this from your parents and teachers. It's even a commandment. Honesty is the best policy, most people seem to agree.<br /><br />But that doesn't mean you follow this advice all the time.<br /><br />I'm not saying you're a bad person, but if you're anything like me, the occasional half-truth or little white lie makes an occasional appearance. And if you're like many workers, these creative ways of describing the facts often pop up at work.<br /><br />Here are workplace fibs we all tell:<br /><br />"Everything is under control."<br />Bosses like to see employees who are in charge of a situation. "Come to me with solutions, not problems" is cliché, but it's true for most employers. So you're understandably loath to admit you've lost control of a situation and your life is crumbling down. Yet, you don't want to look incompetent (and overly dramatic), either. Just be honest with someone, whether it's your boss, a co-worker or another resource who can help you. Explain that you're working on a task that isn't going as you had envisioned and you'd like to bounce some ideas around to find a resolution while you still have time to get back on track.<br /><br />Think about the alternative: You act as if everything is running smoothly and then the deadline approaches and you've got nothing. How will you look then?<br /><br />"It would be my pleasure."<br />Work isn't all fun. That's a lesson we learn early in life, so we're used to smiling while we take on tasks we don't want. Still, you want to be certain you balance your enthusiasm and willingness to be unhappy with honesty. If your boss hands you a project that's going to be torture, you probably can't get out of it. But given the opportunity to discuss what you like and dislike about your job, tactfully stress which tasks make the best use of your skills and which ones don't. That's not to say you can get out of doing unpleasant tasks, but you don't want to give the illusion that you love doing these projects -- otherwise the boss will think you want them and make them your primary job. Then it's too late to remedy the situation.<br /><br />"I got stuck in traffic."<br />If you're late, just own up to it. You might think it's professional suicide to admit you were too lazy not to hit the snooze button seven times, but it's not. Unless you have a draconian boss, occasional tardiness isn't going to hurt your chances of a promotion and your co-workers will understand. Everyone's been in the situation.<br /><br />If you have to lie because you're always late, then no one's buying your excuses anyway. Traffic, a faulty alarm clock, a pregnant woman went into labor on the train -- you get only so many passes before everyone knows you're lying. Here, the lies are secondary to your reputation as the incessant latecomer.<br /><br />"I was thinking the exact same thing."<br />Everyone hates a suck-up. Even the boss. So don't try to win favors by agreeing with everything he or she says. You probably didn't have the same idea because if you did, you'd have said it.<br /><br />The same goes for colleagues. Agreeing with them and supporting their ideas are admirable actions, but pretending as if you both created a joint vision and you want partial credit is not acceptable. When you do put your own ideas out there, you don't want someone else piggybacking on your hard work.<br /><br />"Let's get together soon."<br />Ever since you graduated from high school and started running into former classmates, you've been using the "Let's get lunch" lie on a regular basis. The truth is that you have no intention of getting together with these people (and they probably feel the same way).<br /><br />In business, you're bound to bump into people you're not eager to break bread with, either at a meeting or a conference, or in a social setting. Now, telling someone, "I just don't find you interesting enough to sit at the same table for an hour!" isn't good business. So this lie might not be so bad.<br /><br />But you should also consider actually delivering on this promise. You never know when someone has valuable ideas or contacts that could benefit you. At worst, you listen to boring stories while you poke at your salad. At best, you have a new relationship that can help your business and you might actually like the person.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. </div><br /><div></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>

5 Workplace Whoppers We All Tell

Lying is wrong. As a child you learned this from your parents and teachers. It's even a commandment. Honesty is the best policy, most pe...

Read more »