10 Jobs for Math Whizzes

In elementary school, there are classes you always look forward to -- gym, home economics and choir -- and classes you don't -- like English, science and geometry.<br /><br />But, as you grow up, you realize different likes and dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses in the classroom. Maybe you recognize that you really do like to read and write, or that the periodic table makes more sense than you thought. For some people, math was this way. Formulas, fractions, square roots and perimeters came easily, and a calculator and compass were always found nearby.<br /><br />To many, these kids were considered "math geeks" and were sometimes chastised for their love of crunching numbers. But, while we were poking fun and sleeping during math class, we should have paid attention -- because those who did are just plain getting paid.<br /><br />In 2008, mathematicians earned an average annual income of $94,960, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Mathematicians were also rated the No.1 best career, based on a January 2009 study of the best and worst professions by JobsRated.com. The study evaluated 200 professions based on work environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress. The second and third best professions, actuaries and statisticians, are also in the mathematics arena.<br /><br />If you consider yourself a math whiz and are ready to put in a few extra years of school, check out these 10 jobs and what you'll need to succeed in them:<br /><br />1. Actuary<br /><br />Actuaries deal with risk. They analyze statistical data like mortality, sickness, injury, disability and retirement rates to figure out their probability of happening and the costs associated with each event. In turn, they create policies for people and companies that minimize the risk and financial impacts of these given situations.<br /><br />Education: An undergraduate degree in mathematics, statistics or actuarial science, or a business-related field such as finance, economics or business.<br />Average annual salary: $95,980<br /><br />2. Cost estimator<br /><br />Cost estimators figure out how much future projects or products will cost, and also determine which current endeavors are making a profit. They analyze factors like cost of materials, labor, location and duration of the project to help companies decide whether or not to pursue a project.<br /><br />Education: Construction employers prefer applicants with a bachelor's degree in construction science, construction management or building science. Employers in manufacturing prefer someone with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics or engineering.<br />Average annual salary: $60,903<br /><br />3. Economist<br /><br />Economists identify problems and solutions within the distribution and production of goods and services like land, labor and raw materials. They research, analyze and monitor economic trends, and use math models to answer economic questions.<br /><br />Education: A master's degree or Ph.D. in economics is typically required.<br /><br />Average annual salary: $93,898<br /><br />4. Electrical engineer<br /><br />Electrical engineers design new and better electronics. They work on high-tech assignments for products like cars, robots, cell phones, and radar and navigation systems, for example.<br /><br />Education: A college degree in electrical engineering, along with courses in mathematics and physical and life sciences.<br />Average annual salary: $89,268<br /><br />5. Physicist<br /><br />Physicists study the natural world. They perform experiments and conduct research to develop theories and laws of nature, energy, motion and matter.<br /><br />Education: You usually need a doctoral degree (Ph.D.).<br />Average annual salary: $92,537<br /><br />6. Market researcher<br /><br />Market researchers examine market conditions to determine potential sales of product or service. They usually conduct polls or surveys to assess factors that will affect the sale of a product.<br /><br />Education: A bachelor's degree is the minimum educational requirement for many market research jobs, but a master's degree may be required for technical positions.<br />Average annual salary: $70,410<br /><br />7. Mathematician<br /><br />There are two types of mathematicians: theoretical and applied. Theoretical mathematicians develop new principles of math and look for new developments in existing principles. Applied mathematicians use theories and techniques to solve economic, scientific, engineering, physics and business problems.<br /><br />Education: A Ph.D. in mathematics usually is the minimum educational requirement.<br />Average annual salary: $94,960<br /><br />8. Statistician<br /><br />Statisticians apply statistical and mathematical theories to collect, analyze and interpret numerical data to provide usable information. Some statisticians, for example, may collect data to learn how safe new products are before the products can be sold.<br /><br />Education: A master's degree in statistics or mathematics is the minimum educational requirement, but research and academic jobs generally require a Ph.D.<br />Average annual salary: $70,891<br /><br />9. Surveyor<br /><br />Fighting with your neighbor about where to put the fence in your background? Ask a surveyor for help. Surveyors measure and draw what the earth's surface looks like, determining official land, air and water boundaries. They write descriptions of land for deeds, leases and other legal documents; define airspace for airports; and take measurements of construction and mineral sites.<br /><br />Education: A bachelor's degree in surveying or a related field; every state requires that surveyors be licensed.<br />Average annual salary: $54,140<br /><br />10. Mathematical science teacher, postsecondary<br /><br />Postsecondary mathematical science faculty teach university and college students. Typically they teach several courses within the mathematics field, like calculus, statistics and algebra.<br /><br />Education: Four-year colleges and universities usually require candidates to hold a doctoral degree.<br />Average annual salary: $68,130<br /><br />Salary information provided by CBSalary.com, powered by SalaryExpert.<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: http://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 Jobs for Math Whizzes

In elementary school, there are classes you always look forward to -- gym, home economics and choir -- and classes you don't -- like Eng...

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The Worst Interview Faux Pas - Hiring managers give their worst experiences

Most job seekers have a case of the jitters before going on a job interview. Anxiety's normal, but almost always those butterflies were in your tummy for nothing. The interview goes well, you don't make any serious mistakes and you exhale the moment you walk out of the room.<br /><br />Sometimes, however, the interview goes terribly wrong. We're not talking about little mistakes, like spilling coffee on your shirt while you're in the waiting room. No, we're talking about the odd behavior that 99 percent of us wouldn't commit. Hiring managers have given us some examples of the worst missteps they've seen in interviews, and we've compiled the best.<br /><br />Here are eight interview faux pas hiring managers have witnessed and that you should avoid if you want to get hired.<br /><br /><br /><br />1. Bad manners<br />"A cell phone goes off -- which you should just apologize for and turn off promptly, but I've had candidates look at the number, which really ticks off an interviewer." - Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, co-founder of SixFigureStart Career Coaching<br /><br />"[The candidate asks,] 'When can I start?' Presumptuous and inappropriate." - Will Robinson, co-founder of VirtualJobCoach<br /><br />"'Do you have something to eat? I am hungry.'" -- Robinson<br /><br />"One candidate opened his briefcase and started snacking on crackers while interviewing." - Kent Johnson, partner with Davinci Search<br /><br />2. Being weird<br />"Strangest thing ever -- a [University of Chicago] MBA student was doing very well during an interview, when a tape recorder spilled out of his briefcase. Very, very odd. He would have gotten a call back for a second round, but not after we saw that tape recorder. We still don't know what that was about! But we stayed away -- big time!" - Thanasoulis-Cerrachio<br /><br />"I've heard some interesting ones, but the most bizarre was a prospective hire asking me if I was Jewish. Any religion would have been weird to inquire about in that situation ... maybe she was trying to form a bond?" - Justin Seibert, president of Direct Online Marketing<br /><br />3. Giving a bad reason for wanting the job<br />"One answer to a question about why the applicant was looking to change jobs left me speechless. The candidate, a 20-something with about five years of work experience, said, 'Well, I've been twiddling my thumbs for six months.'" - Dana Byrne, manager of talent acquisition and professional development at RMJM<br /><br />4. Letting nervous tics control you<br /><br />"You shouldn't repeat a phrase over and over again. I had one candidate say 'There it is' at the end of about seven or eight responses. Very annoying and not impressive." - Thanasoulis-Cerrachio<br /><br />"Nervous leg bouncing syndrome: I once had a candidate who rocked her leg so much that she was physically moving during the interview. We ended up hiring her, which was a huge mistake -- one of the worst hires ever." - Thanasoulis-Cerrachio<br /><br />5. TMI<br />"I once had a candidate tell me her last boss was a drug addict and did cocaine regularly. Talk about inappropriate disclosure. I am sure there was a much more tactful way to talk about why she left the job." - Raquel Garcia, president of Silicon Valley Human Resources<br /><br />"[One candidate said,] 'I'm a little worried about the background checks. Do you guys do background checks? Because my credit is terrible. I'm trying to get it fixed, but the credit agencies are a joke.'" - Brett Coin, vice president of business development for Resume Donkey<br /><br />"In response to, 'We'd like to offer you this job. When can you start?' [the job seeker] replied, 'I don't know what to say. I've been through 16 interviews and no one has offered me a job.' This came from the mouth of my junior designer, who was referred to us by one of our clients. Tip: Be ready to accept a job. Like the Oscars, you might want to practice your speech. Not every employer is as forgiving as we are." - Nance Rosen, CEO of Pegasus Media World<br /><br />"[I was asked,] 'What is your drug-testing policy?'" - Robinson<br /><br />6. Poor presentation<br />"Another candidate wore a skimpy sequin dress and fedora hat to an interview claiming she just came from a photo shoot. We all guessed it was a bit more of an X-rated photo opp." - Johnson<br /><br />"Candidate: Hi, I'm [so-and-so]." (leans in towards us).<br />Recruiter: (leans ever so slightly away to minimize the odor)." - Mary H. Roome-Godbolt, HR recruiter for Cox Communications Northern Virginia<br /><br />"I once had a recent graduate who looked fantastic on paper, but showed up wearing flip flops. During the interview, he would lean back in his chair, flex his hands over his head and he even said several curse words in his responses. It was so bad I e-mailed him afterwards to point out his most obvious blunders!" - Nickie Doria, marketing director for Emmer Development Corp.<br /><br />"One huge pet peeve is when an applicant comes in smelling like a smoke stack! It is a free country, and I realize that there are no laws against smoking cigarettes in the workplace, but that is no reason to come in reeking of smoke. People get nervous and might want to puff a quick cigarette before the interview, which is understandable, but when they arrive smelling like smoke, it is a real turn off." - Doria<br /><br />7. Coming unprepared<br />"I happen to be hiring right now. One line that is a definite door-closer, that I have surprisingly heard several times: 'No, I haven't really had time to look at your Web site yet' or words to that effect. How interested should I be in a candidate with such a low level of interest in and knowledge about our company?" - Alexander Seinfeld, executive director at Jewish Spiritual Literacy, Inc<br /><br />"In response to the interview question, 'So what do you want to do next?' The worst answer of all is to say, 'I'm totally open ... I'll do anything,' or 'I'm completely flexible ... I can go wherever the company's greatest needs are.' This answer leaves the hiring manager with the burden of figuring out where the candidate belongs in the organization, and no hiring manager has the time or energy to do that kind of work. And with the economy the way it is today, candidates are feeling the need to be flexible and keep their options open, and I am hearing from hiring managers [frustrated] over this kind of answer." - Jeanne Knight, career and job search coach<br /><br />8. Forgetting to clean up digital dirt<br />"Of course, for those who are MySpace and Facebook junkies, make sure your pages are set to the private setting. We actually had a girl apply for a leasing position with one of our companies, and she did very well during the interview. Later, the manager wanted to learn more about her, and found that her MySpace name was ... well somewhat promiscuous at best! Needless to say, she never even got a call back! - Doria<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.<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>

The Worst Interview Faux Pas - Hiring managers give their worst experiences

Most job seekers have a case of the jitters before going on a job interview. Anxiety's normal, but almost always those butterflies were ...

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12 Jobs Suited for Home-based Work - How technology makes it easier

For years now, steady advances in mobile communications technology -- including smartphones, high-speed Internet and wireless laptops -- have boosted personal productivity, both at work and at home. But for home-based employees, these handy gadgets have completely transformed their work-life balance, according to findings reported from the June 2009 Kelly Global Workforce Index.<br /><br />The ranks of home-based workers have grown in step with every new development in technology. Let's face it: We'd all rather commute down our own hallways than across town in bumper-to-bumper traffic. But are you actually set up for it?<br /><br />While some types of work, and some types of employees, are better suited to remote working arrangements -- there are also some essential technologies you'll need to have in place to be truly effective. Contemplate these key points as you set your remote career in motion:<br /><br />Jobs and skills that fit home employment<br /><br />Before anything, consider the nature of your existing job skills, or of the home-based position you'd like to attain. Some types of work are especially well-suited for work in the home environment, including:<br /><br />1. Administrative or clerical<br /><br />2. Consulting in fields such as engineering, finance, HR, IT or science<br /><br />3. Contact / call center<br /><br />4. Customer service<br /><br />5. Creative services<br /><br />6. Field sales<br /><br />7. Professional services like accounting, tax or legal<br /><br />8. Research<br /><br />9. Telesales / telemarketing<br /><br />10. Translation<br /><br />11. Writing and editing<br /><br />12. Web design and development<br /><br />Of these categories, customer service and call center jobs in particular will continue to present options for workers seeking a home-based lifestyle. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2,062,900 customer service representatives were employed in the United States in 2004. That number is expected to rise 23 percent to 2,534,200 by 2014 -- all while more companies are expected to employ more home-based agents, for related savings on their infrastructure and other cost efficiencies.<br /><br />Technology drives how and where we work<br /><br />Recent findings from a 2009 Kelly Global Workforce Index survey, conducted by global workforce solutions leader Kelly Services indicate that the explosion of mobile communications technology is driving big changes in employee behavior, and a shift in our work-life balance. A large majority, 84 percent of respondents, said technology has boosted their personal productivity.<br /><br />Another 75 percent of respondents agreed that the opportunity provided by devices such as smartphones and laptops to remain in contact with work is a positive development -- even though almost one third are working longer hours as a result. In deciding where to work next, 87 percent reported that a policy for working remotely would be an important factor.<br /><br />Kelly Services executive vice president and chief operating officer, George Corona, confirmed that the spread of mobile technologies is transforming the way that people interact with their work and their attitudes towards employment. "There is an overwhelming view that the technology provides greater flexibility in working arrangements, and a better balance between work and personal life," Corona noted.<br /><br />The survey showed that globally, while Gen Y workers (aged 18-29) are at the forefront of the technology-driven lift in productivity, Gen X (aged 30-47) and baby boomers (aged 48-65) are each experiencing significant efficiency gains as well.<br /><br />Technical job requirements for at-home work<br /><br />A number of personal skills are commonly expected of home-based employees, like exceptional motivation, time management, self-discipline and the determination needed to succeed without much direct supervision.<br /><br />But many capable applicants often overlook the common technical aspects required in working from home including a host of basic necessities, depending on your desired assignment:<br /><br />· A dedicated work space free from household distractions<br /><br />· A desk, chair and work station<br /><br />· A filing cabinet, drawers, shelving and office supplies<br /><br />· A personal computer or laptop, with speakers and sound card preferred<br /><br />· A reliable high-speed or broadband Internet connection<br /><br />· A dedicated phone land line, printer and fax machine<br /><br />· Windows 2003 or higher, plus office, data security and email software<br /><br />· A quality headset<br /><br />The good news? Preferred employers often make home-based workers eligible for a wide range of employee discounts to help obtain this required equipment. Responsibility for installing and maintaining all equipment usually falls on the employee, with IT support.<br /><br />Time well spent<br /><br />"The revolution in personal communications has improved work-life balance through flexible work practices, working from home, and other family-friendly arrangements, while delivering a significant boost to organizational efficiency," Corona concludes. And with technology marching ever forward, these seem like improvements that are here to stay.<br /><br />Without a doubt, the convenience of working from home can allow you to eliminate the time, hassle and expense of commuting. Save gas. Spend more time each day doing the things you enjoy. But like any good idea, just be sure when you're ready to make the switch to home-based employment -- you have the right skills and technology in place to thrive.<br /><br />Kelly Services is a world leader in workforce management services and human resources solutions, providing employment to nearly 650,000 employees annually -- with skills including office services, accounting, engineering, information technology, law, science, marketing, creative services, light industrial, education, and health care. For more information on home-based employment through Kelly Services, please visit www.kellyworkathome.com. For additional information, please visit www.kellyservices.com.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a>

12 Jobs Suited for Home-based Work - How technology makes it easier

For years now, steady advances in mobile communications technology -- including smartphones, high-speed Internet and wireless laptops -- hav...

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Day 12 - Day 13: I'm not Einstein but I know insanity when I see it

<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNGY372Nrfgel1DPR1ikmzKiux2klAXHqa14PttiryyVlUgKLakAgRJni34iGdgemiv-EVaK0ojZujW5-bSjYuCZGiAeZ0YE6kiSJKix41oojyyyQ_8tC-ClRJWaRPnD4vrpeyS9VLN9i/s1600-h/Diana1%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379830413466233618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNGY372Nrfgel1DPR1ikmzKiux2klAXHqa14PttiryyVlUgKLakAgRJni34iGdgemiv-EVaK0ojZujW5-bSjYuCZGiAeZ0YE6kiSJKix41oojyyyQ_8tC-ClRJWaRPnD4vrpeyS9VLN9i/s400/Diana1%5B1%5D.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 159px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>158 pounds<br /><br /></div><div align="left">What I'm doing just isn't working, same thing over and over, same shitty results.<br /><br />Sure, I lost 80 pounds, but I can't seem to get this next 23 pounds off of me. It's like it's superglued to my body.<br /><br />My workouts are insane, I've been doing 50 minutes of cardio a day and 45 minutes of strength, usually six days a week. I've been trying to eat 19 Points a day this week because I screwed up last weekend with two 40-Point days. That's totally insane.<br /><br />Not only is the 19 Points insane, I've decided for me, it's impossible. I simply cannot live by eating 19 Points a day. I mean, we're talking around 1,000 calories. I burn about 600 calories during my workouts. Besides the fact I can't do it, I don't want to do it.<br /><br />Have you ever been so hungry when you go to bed, that when you finally go to sleep you have dreams of food? I've actually been waking up in the middle of the night with my mouth moving because I'm dreaming of chewing food.<br /><br />I need to eat to live, not eat so I can be skinny. Screw skinny. Maybe my husband is right, maybe my 135 goal is too low for me. Just because I thought it was a good weight for me 20 years ago doesn't mean it is now.<br /><br />As my husband told me last night, I'm in the best physical condition of my life. It's true. My blood pressure is 110/68, my resting heart rate is 48, my total cholesterol is 117. I'm healthy as a horse.<br /><br />So my thighs aren't stick thin. Were they ever thin? Even at 127 pounds ten years ago I thought my thighs were fat. I'm 5' 6 1/2", and I was wearing size 7 jeans. And I thought my thighs were fat? Maybe it's more about my body image issues than the number on the scale.<br /><br />I'm rethinking my whole goal weight, and this deprivation path I've been on. I've got to stop it. It's insane, it's making me and everyone around me insane. It's become an obsession and it isn't healthy.<br /><br />So, in my best Susan Powter imitation, it's time to STOP THE INSANITY! </div>

Day 12 - Day 13: I'm not Einstein but I know insanity when I see it

158 pounds What I'm doing just isn't working, same thing over and over, same shitty results. Sure, I lost 80 pounds, but I can't...

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When Your Friend Becomes Your Co-Worker - True tales of the good, the bad and the ugly

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/tr/ar5d2y568wn1gcbylbtr.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/tr/ar5d2y568wn1gcbylbtr.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>There's a time in most people's lives when working with their friends seems like a dream come true. Seeing each other all day, every day; exchanging horror stories about the boss you share; multiple lunches, happy hours and company events -- what could be better?<br /><br />For some people, nothing. But for many, nothing could be worse.<br /><br />What happens when your friend becomes your co-worker? Perhaps a better starting place is asking the question of how your friend became your co-worker. What happens when you recommend a friend for a job?<br /><br />Recommending a friend or family member for a position at your company is tricky. On one hand, if your friend does a great job, it reflects positively on you. On the other hand, if his or her performance is less than exemplary, that reflects on you, too. Not to mention the effect recommending (or not recommending) an acquaintance could have on your friendship and your reputation at work.<br /><br />"If your friend does a good job, it can help your reputation at work. You will be seen as having excellent judgment, because this is your friend and you suggested [her] for the job," says Jan Yager, author of "Who's That Sitting at My Desk? Workship, Friendship, or Foe?" "If you recommend someone and your analysis is a mismatch with that individual's abilities or with how he or she fits in with the company, it can negatively impact on the one doing the recommending."<br /><br />We asked our readers about a time when they recommended a friend for a job. Here, they share their stories -- the good, bad and the ugly.<br /><br />The good<br />When I first crossed over into PR, friends from my TV days marveled at how lifestyle-friendly my job is. I decided to share the wealth, getting my good friend Krista hired as a publicist. I knew I was taking a big risk -- if it didn't work, how could our friendship handle her being let go? Would she blame me? I took the risk. It's been almost two years now and Krista is one of our leading publicists. It's also been great for our friendship because now that we don't have TV news in common, we have PR. It's felt so good to help her get a mom-friendly job and in return, she has wowed our CEO.<br /><br />--Valery Hodes, vice president, Orca Communications Unlimited<br /><br />I have an Internet marketing company, Market Conversion. I hired my best friend about a year ago as a consultant. It has been such an amazing experience, that she is now my business partner. I know she is special. She cared about our business as much as I did from the beginning. Because of our close relationship, we are able to talk openly and honestly, even when it's not pretty. I appreciate that when either of us say or do something, the other is able to offer constructive criticism without emotional backlash. It is truly a great relationship.<br /><br />-- Denalee Bell, Market Conversion<br /><br />I have a friend who I babysat for several years when I was in high school. After she graduated from college, she decided she wanted to move to the Washington D.C. area, which happens to be my residence. Her father reached out to me and asked that I take care of her if possible, keeping my eye out for any jobs. I reached out to my top client and called in a favor with one of the managers. He looked at her résumé and said "Greg, she really doesn't fit our position, however if you're 100 percent confident in her abilities, I'll sneak her in." She's now been with that company for five years, and she's in a position that takes most people at least 10 years to reach. Recently I had dinner with that manager, and within 20 minutes, he mentioned how thankful he was that he took a chance on her, and said if ever I need another favor, he'd be more than happy to oblige.<br /><br />-- Greg Gary, managing director for Technisource<br /><br />The bad<br />One day, at the end of class, a student asked to speak to me privately. As she spoke of her divorce, her children and her low-paying job, tears streamed down her face. Sympathy overtook me and I tried to comfort her by saying that a good friend of mine, in the movie industry, was looking to hire a secretary. Salaries tend to be higher in the industry and my student was thrilled. Unfortunately, she did not perform well during the interview. The experience led my friend to forestall all future referrals.<br /><br />-- Marlene Caroselli, Ed.D., keynoter, corporate trainer, author<br /><br />I had a friend I'd known for 25 years -- someone who'd lived with me for free after she relocated, whose wedding invitations I addressed for her, who I'd traveled with -- who I got a job for at the small company where I worked. I was the director of conference management and she ended up as the director of operations, at a company of about 20 employees. After being there for a year, she engineered a "reorganization" that resulted in the elimination of my position. She never said a word leading up to it, and I was given only 24 hours notice that I was being laid off. She never bothered to follow up with me to see how I felt about it. I'll definitely think twice before I recommend another friend for a job at the same company where I work.<br /><br />-- Michelle J. Taunton, CMP<br /><br />The ugly<br />A friend asked me to get her a job in the [modeling] business. Although she had no experience, she was very beautiful and spoke Spanish as well as English, so I thought that with training, she would work well with our Latin accounts. What I did not count on was that she needed no training in sleeping her way to the top. Within months, she had been "promoted" past me and a company vice president was getting a divorce.<br /><br />-- Beverly Solomon, creative director, musee-solomon<br /><br />I did get a friend a job once and will NEVER do it again. I was a program manager for a defense contracting agency and we needed a new administrative assistant in my department. I was told by a congregation member that our mutual friend was in need of a new job and she was very qualified on paper, so we brought her in for an interview. I agreed that I could be a personal reference for her and based on my reputation, it was enough to get her the job. They never checked her other references.<br /><br />It was a nightmare from the first day when she showed up two hours late without calling and then left to go to lunch an hour early. Over the next few weeks she got progressively worse. Her supervisor spoke with her to no avail, so I stepped in. I told her that she had two weeks to make noticeable improvements or she would not be kept after her probationary period was up.<br /><br />She called my Father (yes, she told my daddy on me) and several congregational elders to tell them that I was threatening her because I was jealous, and that she didn't feel safe. When the time came to let her go, I made sure that I sat in on her exit interview, in which they enumerated the many times that she was late to work, her poor job performance and her general attitude. When asked if she had any questions or wanted to say anything, she looked at me and said, "I thought you were my friend and had my back on this."<br /><br />To this day, I will not hire people that I know. The only people who have a personal relationship with me that are in the company are my children -- and they know that I will fire them quicker than any other employee.<br /><br />-- Andrea Frayser, founder/CEO, ANDE Cosmetics & Natural Products<br /><br />I got my sister a job and now we work more closely together (I'm her boss's boss). I've been very careful at work. I never hired her or protected her job. In fact, twice I had to tell her manager I thought they were giving her too generous a raise and lowered it. But it has impacted our personal relationship. Work is always there. And right now is the worst ... she is ghost-writing a book that will come out in my name -- and she's the big sister. It also affects family time. At Thanksgiving, she was telling our dad she was worried about job security and hoped "they" didn't fire her. I, of course, am part of "they." She also doesn't take feedback from me like she does from her direct boss or other editors. People do tell me I'm tougher on her than others. I guess I worry too much about favoring her and the pendulum swings the other way. It is tough but we're both committed to it and we talk about the issues as they come up -- and try not to involve anyone else.<br /><br />-- Jenny Thompson, chief operating officer, Health Subsidiaries, Agora Inc<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ. </div><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>

When Your Friend Becomes Your Co-Worker - True tales of the good, the bad and the ugly

There's a time in most people's lives when working with their friends seems like a dream come true. Seeing each other all day, every...

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Team Builder or Time Waster? - Five Signs Your Meeting Is Sapping Productivity

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7n/ar5c5qc77715sbdp7c7n.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7n/ar5c5qc77715sbdp7c7n.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>Anyone who has worked in an office environment knows that meetings are inevitable. They also know that many of these gatherings seem to serve no purpose. In fact, executives surveyed by Robert Half said that 28 percent of meetings are a waste of time.<br /><br />Often, you'll be the person in charge of leading a meeting, so it's important to be able to distinguish between a gathering that's necessary and one that's taking time out of everyone's day. Here are a few signs that your meeting could be a time-waster -- and suggestions for how to correct that:<br /><br />1. You've left nothing out.<br />While it's a good idea to have a meeting agenda, it shouldn't start to look like a follow-up to "War and Peace." The onus is on you, as the organizer, to determine what must be covered and what can be left out. Ask yourself if each person who's attending has a stake in the majority of items on the agenda. If not, then you either need to trim the list of invitees or revise the plan. Also, just because you've set aside a certain period of time for the get-together, that doesn't mean you need to fill every minute. Look through the agenda for repetitive items, which can be combined, or topics that can be left for another meeting.<br /><br />2. You've invited everyone you can think of.<br />Look through your list of attendees to determine if everyone must be included in the discussion. Often, people are invited as a courtesy instead of out of necessity. A lengthy participant list also may indicate that you are trying to accomplish too much in a single meeting. For instance, say you've been tasked with scheduling a meeting about your company's Web site redesign. You decide to invite all the Web designers, software engineers, writers and editors. The problem is the technical jargon may go over the heads of those on the editorial team, while the discussion on types of content and article lengths won't be relevant to the IT group. In that instance, it's best to plan two separate, shorter meetings, both of which will be much more targeted.<br /><br />3. The meeting runs longer than an hour.<br />Time is a precious commodity, especially in a recession, when everyone is being asked to take on more work. So having people sit in a meeting for longer than an hour is asking a lot. Plus, it's likely that attendees will start to lose focus as the gathering runs on. If you must schedule more time, try to get people to interact, offer them snacks or vary the speakers to help everyone remain engaged. For very long meetings, schedule a break so people can stretch their legs and check their messages.<br /><br />4. There are too many visual elements.<br />Visuals, such as PowerPoint slides, can be effective for simplifying more complex ideas or reinforcing information. But they can also bog down the discussion. Instead, distribute the visual elements to attendees before the get-together, so everyone has time to review them. Because participants will be familiar with the information when they get to the meeting, you can simply highlight the most important parts, and move through the agenda more quickly.<br /><br />5. They're becoming a habit.<br />If you have regularly scheduled meetings, you may want to step back and determine if it's necessary to continue doing so. For instance, if you're having a difficult time coming up with enough agenda items for each gathering, or the meetings are getting progressively shorter, you may need to adjust the frequency.<br /><br />By paying attention to the various dynamics of the gatherings you schedule and making adjustments as necessary, you'll know that the get-togethers you organize are successful and that the participants will find them valuable as well.<br /><br />Robert Half International is 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/. </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><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span></strong></div>

Team Builder or Time Waster? - Five Signs Your Meeting Is Sapping Productivity

Anyone who has worked in an office environment knows that meetings are inevitable. They also know that many of these gatherings seem to serv...

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How to Be Indispensable at Work

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/gf/ar5f4gn622tl3yvpw1gf.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/gf/ar5f4gn622tl3yvpw1gf.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>The global economy has taken a big hit, and millions of Americans have lost their jobs. All of us, it seems, are vulnerable. How can you increase the odds that you won't become a grim statistic of company downsizing?<br /><br />The answer? Create your own personal brand. In today's uncertain financial environment, if you're just another face at the water cooler, you run a far greater risk of ending up in the unemployment line. Branding yourself is one of the best preventive strategies to make sure you survive and even thrive in the workplace. Think of your personal brand as a bankaccount that will only increase in worth the more effort, thought, imagination, and resources you put into it. Here are a few tips on how to get started.<br /><br />Define who you are (and who you aren't)<br />Ask yourself what makes you different from your colleagues at work. Your punctuality and sense of responsibility? Your ability to juggle multiple tasks without losing your cool? One of the best ways to create a personal brand is to take two everyday tasks and combine them in an extraordinary way. For example, let's say you're a cashier in a big-box store and you enjoy sitting in its fast-food emporium during your breaks. Is there anything you've observed that might be valuable for management to know about -- for instance, that customers wish there were more prepackaged sandwiches and salads? Let management know. By sharing your observations, you'll set yourself apart from the competition.<br /><br />Real People, Real Salaries: Check out what everyday Americans are making across the country<br /><br />Become well known for one thing<br />Think for a moment about the high-profile brands that surround us every day. They each have a single phrase you can instantly apply to them: Google (search engine), Volvo (safe car), Coca-Cola (all-American), Marlboros (cowboys -- hey, sorry, but it's the truth).<br /><br />Now, what's the one adjective or phrase you imagine comes to mind when your co-workers think about you? Listener? Mentor? Funny? Dependable? Captain Crisis? If there isn't one, then create it. Next, begin to live it. Why just a single word? Because as a culture, we are flooded with too much information, whether we're tweeting, e-mailing, juggling cellphone calls. Amid this barrage of white noise, individuals who can attract attention via a simple association have a decided advantage.<br /><br />Communicate your brand<br />Once you've decided on the phrase that best sums you up, consider making an impression online. I can hear you now: "I can't start a website! What on earth would I put on it?" C'mon -- the Internet is the most influential medium in the world, and creating a personal website is easy and inexpensive. Ask yourself: What do I have to say that's fresh and provocative? If you can come up with some intriguing observations or a new angle or point of view, then you're well on your way to creating a solid online presence.<br /><br />For example: A young guy was working at the Gap when he got an idea for a video blog: a gay man giving advice about fashion trends. Hundreds of thousands of hits later (not to mention increased traffic across Gap stores nationwide), the employee had made his mark. By doling out free, useful, tongue-in-cheek advice from a novel perspective, he succeeded in creating an indelible personal brand.<br /><br />Create a signature look<br />Now that you've figured out what sets you apart from the other faces in the crowd, make sure you keep at it! Most famous people, for example, have one component or element that makes them instantly recognizable, appealing, or mysterious. It could be Clint Eastwood's squint, Barack Obama's cool intelligence, or Will Ferrell's goofiness, just to take three examples. Believe me, these elements aren't going anywhere soon.<br /><br />Sneak a peek at celebrity paychecks<br /><br />For most of my career as a global-branding expert, I've dressed head-to-toe in black. Apart from my work, it's how people recognize me, occasionally even in the streets. Every now and then, I mix things up by wearing other colors. And guess what? People walk right past me, completely oblivious. So, without being flamboyant about it, find a signature look that works for you, then stick with it. You'll become the equivalent of a celebrity in your office -- and ensure you keep your job long after the recession has become a distant memory.<br /><br />Leave a personal mark behind<br /><br />Most business cards bore you silly, right? You tuck them inside your wallet or purse, then promptly forget about them. My advice: Create a distinctive mark or "signature" that other people can't get out of their minds. It can be a logo, a symbol, or a saying you affix to the end of your personal e-mails. Once again, combine two elements that have nothing to do with each other -- flying monkeys, for example. Whenever I think about The Wizard of Oz, those horrible flying monkeys spring immediately to mind. Why? Because as we all know, monkeys don't have wings (at least the ones I know). If you create an equally dramatic mark or signature, I guarantee no one will ever overlook you.<br /></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a> </div>

How to Be Indispensable at Work

The global economy has taken a big hit, and millions of Americans have lost their jobs. All of us, it seems, are vulnerable. How can you inc...

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Difficult Co-Workers Getting You Down?

It's pretty easy to recognize when working with a difficult co-worker has gotten the best of you. Just consider the warning signs:<br /><br />You routinely "roast" that person with others over lunch.<br /><br />You have to unwind with a glass of wine at the end of the day.<br /><br />You've even devised an elaborate path to the restroom to avoid passing that co-worker's cubicle.<br /><br />The time to ditch these tactics has arrived. After all, has venting about co-workers or avoiding them entirely ever made them any more pleasant to be around? Chances are they're just as moody, emotionally-draining or as high maintenance as ever -- and you're still miserable around them.<br /><br />Robert Orndorff and Dulin Clark know your plight and have written an entire book, "The PITA Principle," on how to deal with difficult co-workers. They've even developed a nickname for these people -- PITA -- which stands for "pain in the ass."<br /><br />"We were drawn to the PITA expression because it says it all in a few simple words. It's a language spoken in private office chats, in whispered exchanges in mailrooms, at happy hours, during dinner-table discussions, or through self-talk in the most private recesses of our own minds," Orndorff and Clark say.<br /><br />They acknowledge that the world of work is made up of all kinds of difficult co-workers. From the whiney and the pompous to the prima donnas and the slobs, every workplace has at least one -- if not several -- employees who alienate others on a daily basis. In their book, Orndorff and Clark group these types of co-workers into various types of PITAs, such as "Overstuffed PITA" and "Crusty PITA", and outline unique coping strategies for each.<br /><br />"You might wonder why understanding a difficult co-worker is an important part of coping with them. Why not just act or respond? We believe that by understanding a difficult person or a specific interaction with them increases your likelihood of having a more desirable outcome. This way you can tailor your approach to them based on a reasoned strategy, rather than reacting emotionally," Orndorff and Clark say.<br /><br />Another important concept in dealing with difficult people is to avoid becoming one. In addition to "pain in the ass," Orndorff and Clark use the PITA acronym to stand for "professionals increasing their awareness." These types of PITAs are able to maximize their experience in the workplace because they work to evaluate themselves, accept others' differences and improve their behavior and attitude in the workplace.<br /><br />"PITAs of the pain in the ass variety do exist in a variety of types and behaviors. It's equally, if not more important, to understand that the only way to avoid this colorful label is to work on being more self-aware, less defensive and more willing to take an honest look at how well you are relating to others," they say.<br /><br />Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. Her articles help people find meaningful work, develop their career and life plans and carry out effective job search campaigns.<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>

Difficult Co-Workers Getting You Down?

It's pretty easy to recognize when working with a difficult co-worker has gotten the best of you. Just consider the warning signs: You r...

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Are You Burned Out?

Almost anyone who has held a job knows the twinge of dread on Sunday evenings as the countdown to the workweek nears its final hours. Friday afternoon becomes the light at the end of a dark, five-day tunnel.<br /><br />For most people, this is a momentary feeling that comes along when work is particularly stressful or when it's been too long since a vacation. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn't disappear for many workers. If you can relate, then you might be burned out on your job.<br /><br />"Most people will experience temporary periods of burnout or imbalance," says Jim Bouchard, author of "Dynamic Components of Personal Power." "Long periods of imbalance can be dangerous to your health, destructive to your relationships and can endanger your job."<br /><br />How do you know when you've crossed from a rough patch into a burnout?<br /><br />Burnout creeps up and you don't know until you're in the midst of it, says Dr. Todd Dewett, author of the book "Leadership Redefined."<br /><br />"It does not happen overnight. It happens in tiny little chunks slowly. This is why it is difficult to read any given instance for what it is, let alone judge where you are in the process of becoming burned out."<br /><br />If you're not sure whether you're just having a bad day or are experiencing something worse, here are some signs that you're burning out, according to Dewett:<br /><br />Your professional relationships don't matter anymore.<br />If the breakroom chats and hallway conversations with your colleagues went from fun diversions to nonexistent, your heart is obviously not in the job anymore.<br /><br />The quality of your work isn't what it used to be.<br />When you're disillusioned with your job, you're not going to perform to your best abilities. Maybe you don't notice the drop in quality or maybe you do notice but just don't care.<br /><br />You're no longer goal-oriented.<br />When your motivation is getting to the end of the day instead of getting that new job title, something's not right.<br /><br />Recognizing that you're burned out is a good first step, but it won't mean much unless you take action to change the situation. Talk about it, both to yourself and to other people, Dewett suggests. When you share your newfound realization with the important people in your life, you make a strong commitment to doing something about it, he says.<br /><br />Here are some other ways to beat burnout:<br /><br />Spice up your routine. Figure out what new responsibility you are capable and willing to assume and ask that it be given to you. "You may have to apologize and/or show a rejuvenated effort at work in order to get what you are asking for," Dewett warns, "but do it because new variety and stimulation is vital to overcome burnout."<br /><br />Rediscover your motivation. "Goals work. Be specific and set deadlines," Dewett recommends. Analyze each goal and figure out what skills you will gain, what new experiences you will have and whom you might meet. "Make the goals at least modestly challenging, and feel free to share them with others to increase your commitment," Dewett encourages.<br /><br />Have a plan. Create a list of skills you need to obtain, people you need to network with, financial items to take care of, and overall steps you need to take to get into a job or business that you are passionate about.<br /><br />Sometimes you need to remove yourself from the situation if you want to make any progress. If your boss has written you off entirely, if you don't have the resources to improve your skills or you were never a fit for the job, Dewett says there's no way to work from within the system. For example, if you're an accountant whose passion has always been photography and not numbers, you can't make yourself love your current job. So don't be afraid to make the jump to a better career.<br /><br />Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a>

Are You Burned Out?

Almost anyone who has held a job knows the twinge of dread on Sunday evenings as the countdown to the workweek nears its final hours. Friday...

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What Do You Do When the Boss Isn't Looking?

"When the cat's away, the mice will play," is a term most of you can relate to. As employees, when your manager is gone – be it on vacation or just away from her desk – you're like a teenager whose parents are out of town.<br /><br />You sneak out early or come in late. You chitchat with co-workers more frequently, usually about nonwork-related things. You make personal phone calls, take extra-long lunches – heck, maybe you'll even enjoy a cocktail with your meal.<br /><br />Perhaps the most frequent misbehaviors that occur when your boss isn't looking happen on the Internet. Whether you're surfing the Net, checking your personal e-mail, paying bills, shopping or updating your personal blog – it's all happening under your boss's unsuspecting nose.<br /><br />Or is it?<br /><br />Fifty percent of all employers report they monitor employees' Internet usage, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey. Eighteen percent of employers have fired an employee for using the Internet for nonwork-related activities.<br /><br />Another survey by the American Management Association and The ePolicy Institute shows more than one-fourth of employers have fired workers for misusing e-mail and nearly one-third have fired employees for misusing the Internet in general.<br /><br />When the boss is gone, the world of technology is a worker's oyster. Here are the most common things we do when our bosses aren't looking.<br /><br />You "research"<br /><br />Sixty-one percent of workers use the Internet for nonwork-related research and activities while they're at work, according to CareerBuilder.com. On average, 20 percent of these workers spend more than an hour of their workday on nonwork-related online activities and 9 percent spend more than two hours.<br /><br />With those stats, it's no wonder employers are concerned with employees searching inappropriate Web sites from work computers. Sixty-six percent of companies monitor employees' Internet connections, while 65 percent use software to block connections to inappropriate sites, according to the management association. Employers who block content are concerned workers will visit sexual or pornographic sites (96 percent); games sites (61 percent); social networking sites (50 percent); entertainment sites (40 percent); shopping sites (27 percent) and sports sites (21 percent).<br /><br />Of the 30 percent of bosses who've fired employees for Internet misuse, 84 percent did so because the employee was downloading, viewing or uploading inappropriate or offensive content; 48 percent because of a violation of company policy; and 34 percent due to excessive personal use.<br /><br />You e-mail<br /><br />Many workers use e-mail as their only form of communication – not only with co-workers but also with friends and family. Sixty percent of workers say they send non-work related e-mails at work, with 20 percent saying they send six or more e-mails per day, according to CareerBuilder.com. Twenty-two percent of those workers spend more than 30 minutes during the workday doing so.<br /><br />The 28 percent of employers who have fired workers for e-mail misuse did so for the following reasons: violation of company policy (64 percent); inappropriate or offensive language (62 percent); excessive personal use (26 percent); and breach of confidentiality rules (22 percent), according to the management association.<br /><br />You instant message<br /><br />Everyone engages in a little chitchat now and then, but workers are using methods other than their mouths to do so. Twenty-one percent of workers say they send instant messages while at work and 45 percent of those people say IMing makes them more productive, according to CareerBuilder.com.<br /><br />You socially network<br /><br />Instead of opening your Outlook first thing in the morning, do you update your Facebook status? You aren't alone – 37 percent of employees surveyed by CareerBuilder.com have a social networking profile and one-third of them spend time on their social networking page during the workday. Nine percent spend 30 minutes or more doing so.<br /><br />Fifty percent of employers surveyed by the management association block social networking sites.<br /><br />You talk on the phone<br /><br />Are you calling Mom every morning from the office to check in? Start using your cell phone instead – 45 percent of employers monitor the time you spend on the phone and the numbers you're calling, while an additional 16 percent record phone conversations, according to the management association. Six percent of employers have fired employees for misuse or private use of their office phone.<br /><br />You blog<br /><br />The "blogosphere" is taking over the Internet and becoming a "must have" space for employers and employees alike. Twelve percent of workers have a personal blog and 20 percent of them update it at work, according to CareerBuilder.com. Of those people, 6percent spend 30 minutes or more blogging.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger 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>

What Do You Do When the Boss Isn't Looking?

"When the cat's away, the mice will play," is a term most of you can relate to. As employees, when your manager is gone – be i...

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The New Rules of Nine-to-Five - 13 Ways to Get a Flexible Work Schedule

Let's be honest -- the nine-to-five workday isn't for everyone. Nor is being chained to a desk seven days a week or having only two weeks of vacation.<br /><br />Imagine leaving your cubicle at any time of the day and working outside via a wireless campus your company has set up. If you worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, you could. If Utah-based Arup Laboratories were your employer, you'd work seven days on, seven days off -- and still be considered full-time. Ever have days where you can't seem to break away for lunch? NRG::Seattle forces you to. Every day around noon, the insurance company goes dark so that everyone must take an hour break for lunch. The goal: come back feeling recharged.<br /><br />"In the past, an employee who wanted to work in a different way might have made a personal deal with his or her boss under the table," says Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of the Families and Work Institute. "Today employees and employers are working together to find new ways to restructure the workplace in unique ways to give people the flexibility they need to improve bottom line business measures like productivity and retention at the same time."<br /><br />Why workplace flexibility?<br /><br />"Making Work Work: New Ideas from the Winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility," a new report from the FWI, compiles case studies of various employers who've recognized that a traditional nine-to-five workplace isn't always the best option. FWI research shows employees who work in flexible workplaces are more likely to:<br /><br />Be engaged in their jobs and committed to helping their organizations succeed.<br /><br />Plan on staying with their employer.<br /><br />Be satisfied with their jobs.<br /><br />Exhibit better mental health.<br /><br />Studies have shown that time away from work refuels employees' productivity. The bottom line: Flexibility must work for both the employer and employee.<br /><br />Culture of flexibility<br /><br />Companies of different sizes, objectives and atmospheres share one common ground: Flexibility is their foundation. At NRG::Seattle, a 14-person insurance company, owner Michelle Rupp insists that everyone work at home one day each week. All staff members take a three-hour break one Friday afternoon each month for personal appointments and obligations. Additionally, employees get an extra month's vacation every five years.<br /><br />"If they put those weeks together with their regular vacation, they have two consecutive months off," Rupp says in the report. "It's a little sabbatical. It may mean extra work for colleagues, but everyone knows their time will come."<br /><br />Flexible scheduling allows employees to communicate with clients in different time zones or maybe even a different country. Kathy Bailey, owner of Washington, D.C.-based Bailey Law Group, is indifferent to where her people work or how they schedule hours. She trusts her staff members to work when they need to work. "Our hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., but no one looks askance if someone comes in at 10 a.m.," Bailey says in the report. "People just communicate with each other to schedule meetings at convenient times, or we e-mail each other back and forth."<br /><br />And here's a bonus: It can be good for the environment. Time off (or at least time out of the office) puts fewer gas fumes in the air -- a mission of the EPA at Research Triangle Park.<br /><br />"At the EPA we have a higher cause: to promote the health of the planet and the people who live on it," Chris Long, director of sustainable development, explains in the report. "We know we can't expect huge salaries, so that makes it even more important to have flexibility." EPA members in Durham start with two and a half weeks of vacation and can build up to more than five weeks per year. Employees accumulate 13 sick days, which can roll over or be used for personal reasons.<br /><br />Make it happen for you<br /><br />There are endless options when it comes to workplace flexibility: reduced time, mandatory breaks, longer vacations, etc. If you think a little flextime could do you some good, use these tips from the FWI report on how to make a winning bid for workplace flexibility.<br /><br />Figure out what you need.<br /><br />Scope out your own working style.<br /><br />Identify the equipment you'll need.<br /><br />Understand your employer's policies.<br /><br />Evaluate the impact on your career.<br /><br />Think about the effect on customers and colleagues.<br /><br />Have a plan for staying in touch.<br /><br />Have a plan for dealing with emergencies.<br /><br />Create a business case for flexibility.<br /><br />Understand your supervisor's experiences with flexibility.<br /><br />Play to your supervisor's style.<br /><br />Be flexible about working flexibility.<br /><br />Suggest a trial period.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger 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>

The New Rules of Nine-to-Five - 13 Ways to Get a Flexible Work Schedule

Let's be honest -- the nine-to-five workday isn't for everyone. Nor is being chained to a desk seven days a week or having only two ...

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Nine Ways to Win at Office Politics

Politics in the workplace can get vicious – and we’re not talking about the governmental kind. Rather, office politics, or how power and influence are managed in your company, will be a part of your career whether you choose to participate in them or not.<br /><br />Some workers say they don’t want to get caught up in politics at work, but most experts argue that playing the game is crucial to your career success. By not getting involved, you may find your talents ignored and your success limited, and you may feel left out of the loop, says Louellen Essex, co-author of “Manager’s Desktop Consultant: Just-in-Time Solutions to the Top People Problems That Keep You Up at Night.”<br /><br />“Politics get nasty when an employee is out for his or her personal gain alone,” Essex says. “Think of playing office politics as a game of strategy through which you are able to get the resources and influence you need to accomplish your goals. Most often those who are diplomatic, respectful and build coalitions with effective people win.”<br /><br />Here are Essex’s nine tips to help you win at office politics and still gain others' respect.<br /><br />1. Observe how things get done in your organization.<br />Ask some key questions: What are the core values and how are they enacted? Are short- or long-term results most valued? How are decisions made? How much risk is tolerated? The answers to these questions should give you a good sense of the culture of your organization.<br /><br />2. Profile powerful individuals.<br />Pay attention to their communication style, network of relationships and what types of proposals they say “yes” to most often. Emulate those traits by drawing on the strengths you have.<br /><br />3. Determine strategic initiatives in the company.<br />Update your skills to be relevant to company initiatives. For example, don’t lag behind in technology, quality or customer service approaches that are crucial to you and your company’s success.<br /><br />4. Develop a personal track record as someone who gets results.<br />Style without substance will not gain others’ respect, especially in today’s organizations that focus on outcome.<br /><br />5. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.<br />If no one knows of your good work, you may lose at the game of office politics – when you really deserve to win. Let others know what you’ve accomplished whenever you get the opportunity. If you don’t know the fine art of diplomatic bragging, you might get lost in the shuffle of your co-workers.<br /><br />6. Treat everyone with respect.<br />Don’t show preferential treatment or treat co-workers badly. You never know to whom someone might be connected, and rude behavior may come back to bite you.<br /><br />7. Don’t align too strongly with one group.<br />While an alliance may be powerful for the moment, new leadership will often oust existing coalitions and surround themselves with a new team. Bridging across factions may be a more effective strategy for long-term success if you intend to stay in your current organization for some time.<br /><br />8. Learn to communicate persuasively.<br />Develop an assertive style, backed with solid facts and examples, to focus others’ attention on your ideas and proposals. Good politicians can adjust their messages for their audience ands are always well-prepared.<br /><br />9. Be true to yourself.<br />After analyzing the political landscape in your company, if you decide the game is one you can’t play, prepare to move on. It’s not typical, but some organizations actually condone – even promote – dishonest, ruthless or unethical behavior. The game of office politics in this situation is not one worth winning.<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger 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>

Nine Ways to Win at Office Politics

Politics in the workplace can get vicious – and we’re not talking about the governmental kind. Rather, office politics, or how power and inf...

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Get Your Boss to Say Yes to Telecommuting

As employees and businesses increasingly recognize the benefits of telecommuting, the number of professionals working remotely has grown dramatically. By many indications, the practice seems here to stay. A recent report by technology research firm Gartner Inc. revealed the number of employees worldwide who work from home at least one day a month reached 82.5 million by the end of 2005, double the figure from 2000. Gartner predicts this number will grow to more than 100 million by 2008 as technology continues to advance at a steady clip.<br /><br />A survey conducted by Robert Half International mirrors the forecast: 87 percent of executives polled said there will be increased telecommuting in the coming decade. While the proliferation of high-speed and wireless Internet access has made telecommuting much easier than in the past, many professionals are adopting this work style not only because it's convenient, but also because it allows them greater work-life balance. In addition, rising gas prices and lengthy commutes have made working from home -- or even cafés and satellite centers -- an appealing option.<br /><br />If you'd like to work remotely, you'll need to show how the arrangement is good not only for you but also for the business. If you are uncertain about how to approach your boss, consider the following steps to create a convincing argument:<br /><br />1. Gather the facts.<br />Start by contacting your human resources department or consulting the employee manual to determine whether your company has a telecommuting program already in place. If one exists, you can build your proposal on actual policies. Of course, you may discover rules that prohibit or limit telecommuting. If this is the case, tap your professional network to identify people who have worked remotely and ask them what steps they took to secure the arrangement.<br /><br />2. Consider all angles.<br />Although telecommuting presents many benefits, remember that not everyone performs well outside the office. The best candidates for telecommuting are self-disciplined, feel comfortable setting priorities and deadlines, and are able to work independently with minimal supervision. In addition, some tasks, such as graphic design or research, lend themselves more easily to telecommuting than others. If much of your work requires face-to-face contact or ongoing access to equipment and materials that are situated only at the office, you may want to reconsider this option.<br /><br />3. Prepare a written proposal.<br />If you are convinced telecommuting is right for you, make your case in writing. A written proposal enables your boss to consider your ideas carefully, demonstrates forethought and underscores your commitment to the proposition. It also serves as a crucial tool if your manager must obtain approval from higher-ups. Your document should include:<br /><br />• Employer benefits: How will telecommuting increase your productivity or help the company reduce costs? Remember, there must be something in it for your employer.<br /><br />• Qualifying characteristics: Are you self-motivated and well-organized? Do you have a history of dependability and proven work habits? Describe qualities that will allow you to thrive outside the office and, wherever possible, cite supporting evidence of these characteristics.<br /><br />• Outside evidence: Add punch to your proposal by including applicable articles and studies that cite the benefits of telecommuting, such as increased business performance and productivity. This may be particularly valuable if your company has no telecommuting program in place.<br /><br />• Safety measures: Many firms are concerned that allowing staff to work remotely increases the likelihood that confidential information will be compromised. Ease your employer's fears by including a description of the security measures you have in place at home, such as current anti-virus software and active firewall settings. Your company's information technology department also may be able to provide hardware or software that allows you to access the firm's systems securely from remote locations.<br /><br />4. Consider alternate proposals.<br />If you think your boss will resist the idea of you working from home, consider proposing a trial period. You can even suggest an "out" clause that enables either of you to discontinue or adjust the arrangement before the end of the trial if the situation proves problematic. Convincing your company that you are a good candidate for telecommuting is only half the battle. Once you begin working from home, you have to prove the arrangement continues to benefit both parties. Here are some strategies:<br /><br />• Record on- and off-site responsibilities. Distribute to your team a list that shows which of your job activities will be accomplished at home versus in the office. Include information on how you will ensure key relationships with co-workers are not hurt. This will show your boss that your absence will not affect the progress of group projects.<br />• Make sure you're easily accessible. Let everyone know which days you will be working from home and give them your contact information. Check in frequently and pledge to return phone calls or e-mails within a given period. Assure your boss you can come into the office if you are needed urgently.<br /><br />• Build in accountability measures. Your manager's biggest fear is likely that you will be unproductive without close supervision. Keep him or her informed of your progress by submitting a weekly report of your at-home activities, or setting up regular evaluation meetings to review your accomplishments.<br /><br />If the possibility of working from home appeals to you, put together a case that indicates how such an arrangement could benefit you and your employer. By considering all aspects involved, anticipating your manager's concerns and continuing to demonstrate the advantages of telecommuting, you may soon find yourself among those who dial, rather than drive, into work.<br /><br />Robert Half International Inc. is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 330 offices throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. For more information about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a>

Get Your Boss to Say Yes to Telecommuting

As employees and businesses increasingly recognize the benefits of telecommuting, the number of professionals working remotely has grown dra...

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A new blogger - Joe

There's a new blogger on the block. He only has three posts so far, and is doing an amazing job. We all need a little support and encouragement on this journey, so please stop by and say hello to Joe at <a href="http://schizofilly.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Shizofilly's World</a>.

A new blogger - Joe

There's a new blogger on the block. He only has three posts so far, and is doing an amazing job. We all need a little support and encour...

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Workplace Wars

For many people, the workweek is longer than the fabled 40 hours. Working lunches and late nights can keep you at the office for the bulk of your waking hours.<br /><br />Is it any wonder there's some workplace friction once in awhile?<br /><br />Like childhood siblings who can't help but get on each other's nerves, officemates can push your hot buttons without even trying. The problem is, nobody's there to put you in separate rooms until you cool down. A conflict can escalate from a difference of opinion to a full-fledged battle.<br /><br />Sometimes no matter how willing you are to ignore the problem, you just can't. If your mental health depends on overcoming a workplace war, it's time to deal with it.<br /><br />The other party: A co-worker.<br />The war: Disagreements with colleagues are anything but rare. For one thing, you probably spend more time interacting with colleagues than with anybody else. Human nature suggests you'll get irritated with each other at one time or another. Factor in perceived competition for promotions and your boss's attention, and you have the recipe for a co-worker conflict.<br />The solution: "First, take a moment to plan out your course of action. You want to take emotion out of the equation and make sure you are being proactive instead of reactive," says Carly Drum, a workplace etiquette expert with New York-based executive search firm Drum Associates. Set up a meeting and have an agenda ready so you can ensure you stay constructive and on task. The goal of the meeting should be to "discuss how to work more effectively as a team and to discuss issues that might be posing obstacles."<br /><br />The other party: Your boss.<br />The war: Well, you're fighting with your boss and that's never good. A lot of issues factor into it, whether it's just a difference of opinions or office politics. Even if you don't deal with your boss one-on-one every day, he or she influences your daily tasks and your future at the company. It's a tightrope walk deciding how to stand up for yourself without having to immediately pack your things and be escorted out by security.<br />The solution: A good boss will engage you in a dialogue about any concerns you have if you approach him or her in the right way. Arrange a meeting to talk about what's troubling you, Drum suggests. "No one likes to be blindsided, especially your supervisor." Focus on how your concerns affect productivity and the environment at work. "Your main goal should be to improve processes or issues within the company. Just make sure that you do not become a 'squeaky wheel.'"<br /><br />The other party: A C-level executive.<br />The war: C-level executives, such as CEOs and CFOs, have a lot of power. With that power often comes stronger personalities that can be demanding or abrasive. In fairness, they also have more responsibility and time constraints; sometimes you're unfortunately on the receiving end of frustration they can't vent during meetings or negotiations.<br />The solution: Assess the situation carefully. You want to be certain you don't step on anyone's toes as you try to solve the problem. "Proper business protocol is to go to your direct boss first with a work problem," Drum says. If the C-level problem is your boss, however, then contacting human resources is the safer course of action. Use your judgment to know whether the other person is going to be receptive to a one-on-one meeting or if you should go directly to HR. Your goal should be to open a dialogue about the issue in the most diplomatic way possible.<br /><br />The other party: A client.<br />The war: If you deal with clients and vendors every day, you're bound to get irked by something they do. Perhaps they're high maintenance or they're too stubborn to listen to you – whatever the case may be, you have to deal with them.<br />The solution: As tricky as it is to approach a boss about a concern, it can be even more difficult to bring up the subject with the clients who are giving you business. In fact, you should make sure it's something you can't ignore before you decide to have a conversation with them.<br /><br />"If discussing the problem is something that that will enhance the work product or relationship, then the conversation should happen sooner rather than later," Drum says. "If the issue is simply about a passing clash of personality rather than a substantive work matter, apply common sense as to whether the disagreement even warrants discussion."<br /><br />Regardless of whom you're not getting along with, remember that you decide what your limit is. If remaining silent adds to your stress level instead of alleviating it, then you should speak up. If you're in an environment where nothing changes or your concerns aren't addressed, think about whether or not it's a good place for you.<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 /><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>

Workplace Wars

For many people, the workweek is longer than the fabled 40 hours. Working lunches and late nights can keep you at the office for the bulk of...

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America's Most Dangerous Jobs

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7c/ar5d6r566hq6gr3m5p7c.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7c/ar5d6r566hq6gr3m5p7c.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>While many of us go to our jobs every day without even thinking that we might suffer a paper cut, there are thousands of other workers in peril every time they punch the clock. From inner city violence to acts of nature, professionals put their lives at risk to keep the community safe, keep store shelves stocked with food, keep our utilities running, and build our roads, cars and homes.<br /><br />In August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual report identifying the industries and occupations that had the most fatal work injuries. In 2008, there were 5,071 fatal work injuries and a fatality rate of 3.6 per 100,000 workers in the United States -- a drop from 5,657 and 4.0 respectively in 2007. While this decrease is something to be optimistic about, there are other factors to consider.<br /><br />According to the BLS, economic factors likely played a role in the fatality decrease. Hours worked at the national level fell by one percent in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted for a significant share of worker fatalities, such as construction, experienced larger declines in employment or hours worked. One might speculate the economy also be factored into the rise of workplace suicides, which were up 28 percent to a series high of 251 cases in 2008.<br /><br />Are you curious to see if your job is one of the most hazardous? These were the most fatal occupations and industries last year:<br /><br />Jobs with the highest fatality rates<br />The following 10 occupations had the highest fatality rates in 2008:<br /><br />1. Fishers and related fishing workers<br />Fatality rate*: 128.9<br /><br />2. Logging workers<br />Fatality rate: 115.7<br /><br />3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers<br />Fatality rate: 72.4<br /><br />4. Structural iron and steel workers<br />Fatality rate: 46.4<br /><br />5. Farmers and ranchers<br />Fatality rate: 39.5<br /><br />6. Refuse and recyclable material collectors<br />Fatality rate: 36.8<br /><br />7. Roofers<br />Fatality rate: 34.4<br /><br />8. Electrical power line installers and repairers<br />Fatality rate: 29.8<br /><br />9. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers<br />Fatality rate: 22.8<br /><br />10. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs<br />Fatality rate: 19.3<br /><br /><br />Jobs with the most fatalities<br />The following 10 positions saw the most deaths in 2008:<br /><br />1. Motor vehicle operators<br />Number of victims: 908<br />Most common manner of death: 66 were highway-related.<br /><br />2. Construction trades workers<br />Number of victims: 720<br />Most common manner of death: 37 were attributed to falls<br /><br />3. Material moving workers<br />Number of victims: 248<br />Most common manner of death: 14 fall-related fatalities and 12 were struck by objects<br /><br />4. Law enforcement workers<br />Number of victims: 144<br />Most common manner of death: 38 were highway-related and 33 were homicides<br /><br />5. Agricultural workers<br />Number of victims: 33<br />Most common manner of death: 19 highway-related fatalities<br /><br />6. Grounds maintenance workers<br />Number of victims: 128<br />Most common manner of death: 20 deaths each from falls and being struck by an object<br /><br />7. Sales supervisors<br />Number of victims: 124<br />Most common manner of death: 52 homicides<br /><br />8. Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, repairers<br />Number of victims: 110<br />Most common manner of death: 30 were struck by objects<br /><br />9. Supervisors, construction and extraction workers<br />Number of victims: 108<br />Most common manner of death: 24 fall-related deaths<br /><br />10. Metal or plastic workers<br />Number of victims: 102<br />Most common manner of death: 15 from being struck by an object and 13 from falls<br /><br /><br /><br />Most dangerous industries<br />These industries led in the number and rates of fatalities in 2008:<br /><br />1. Construction<br />Number of deaths: 969<br />Fatality rate: 9.6<br /><br />2. Transportation and warehousing<br />Number of deaths: 762<br />Fatality rate: 14.2<br /><br />3. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting<br />Number of deaths: 651<br />Fatality rate: 29.4<br /><br />4. Government<br />Number of deaths: 522<br />Fatality rate: 2.3<br /><br />5. Manufacturing<br />Number of deaths: 404<br />Fatality rate: 2.5<br /><br />6. Professional and business services<br />Number of deaths: 389<br />Fatality rate: 2.7<br /><br />7. Retail trade<br />Number of deaths: 290<br />Fatality rate: 2<br /><br />8. Leisure and hospitality<br />Number of deaths: 233<br />Fatality rate: 2.2<br /><br />9. Wholesale trade<br />Number of deaths: 175<br />Fatality rate: 4.2<br /><br />10. Mining<br />Number of deaths: 175<br />Fatality rate: 18<br /><br />*Fatality rate is the number of fatalities per 100,000 workers<br /><br />By Kate Lorenz editor for CareerBuilder.com and its job-seeker blog, www.TheWorkBuzz.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter www.twitter.com/katelorenz. </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>

America's Most Dangerous Jobs

While many of us go to our jobs every day without even thinking that we might suffer a paper cut, there are thousands of other workers in pe...

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Using the Right Lingo in Your Military to Civilian Job Hunt

Excerpted with permission from "Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide"<br />Janet I. Farley, author of "Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide"<br /><br />In addition to deciding the content for your resume, you have to decide what type of language to use, military jargon or everyday English. If you're targeting a job within the defense industry, feel free to use the military jargon to which you've become accustomed. The defense industry likes to hire employees who understand the lingo.<br /><br />On the other hand, if you're targeting a job outside that arena, you may have to use everyday English. If you were to take someone who has never been exposed to life in the military and plant them in the middle of a typical conversation between service members discussing work, that person would probably feel as though he was a stranger in an even stranger land.<br /><br />The military loves its acronyms. Once you get used to them, it's not so bad; however, civilian employers may not understand them at all. I've provided the following translations to assist you in crafting your resume and your speech. Not that some words or job titles may be clearly understood without changing them.<br /><br />Common Translations<br />In the Military: Commander<br />In the Civilian World: Director/Senior Manager/President<br /><br />In the Military: Executive Officer<br />In the Civilian World: Deputy Director/Assistant<br /><br />In the Military: Action Officer<br />In the Civilian World: Senior Analyst<br /><br />In the Military: Branch or Division Chief<br />In the Civilian World: Branch/Division Chief<br /><br />In the Military: Program or Project Manager<br />In the Civilian World: Program or Project Manager<br /><br />In the Military: General Officers<br />In the Civilian World: President/Senior Director/Chairperson/ CEO/COO/CFO/Senior Vice President/Executive Vice President<br /><br />In the Military: Senior Field Grade Officer<br />In the Civilian World: Senior Administrator/Chief Executive/Department Head/Program Director/Deputy Chief/Senior Executive<br /><br />In the Military: Field Grade Officer<br />In the Civilian World: Executive/Manager<br /><br />In the Military: Company Grade Officers<br />In the Civilian World: Associate/Operations Manager/ Unit or Section Manager<br /><br />In the Military: Warrant Officer<br />In the Civilian World: Director/Specialist/Department Manager<br /><br />In the Military: Senior NCOs<br />In the Civilian World: Director/First-Line Supervisor<br /><br />In the Military: Infantry<br />In the Civilian World: Ground Security Force<br /><br />In the Military: Sergeant Major<br />In the Civilian World: Senior Advisor<br /><br />In the Military: First Sergeant<br />In the Civilian World: Personnel Manager<br /><br />In the Military: Squad Leader<br />In the Civilian World: Team Leader/Team Chief<br /><br />In the Military: Supply Sergeant<br />In the Civilian World: Supply Manager/Logistics Manager<br /><br />In the Military: Operations NCO<br />In the Civilian World: Operations Manager<br /><br />In the Military: NCO<br />In the Civilian World: Supervisor/Manager<br /><br />In the Military: OER/NCOER<br />In the Civilian World: performance rating/evaluation<br /><br />In the Military: AI<br />In the Civilian World: additionally skilled in...<br /><br />In the Military: AAM-ARCOM<br />In the Civilian World: award/recognition<br /><br />In the Military: ANCOC/BNCOC<br />In the Civilian World: advanced (specialty) course<br /><br />In the Military: battalion (BN)<br />In the Civilian World: unit/organization/agency<br /><br />In the Military: headquarters<br />In the Civilian World: headquarters<br /><br />In the Military: combat<br />In the Civilian World: conflict/hostilities/emergency/ highly hazardous conditions<br /><br />In the Military: company<br />In the Civilian World: company/unit/department<br /><br />In the Military: correspondence course<br />In the Civilian World: extension course/distance learning<br /><br />In the Military: leader<br />In the Civilian World: supervisor/manager<br /><br />In the Military: medal<br />In the Civilian World: award recognition<br /><br />In the Military: military personnel office (MILPO)<br />In the Civilian World: personnel office<br /><br />In the Military: mission<br />In the Civilian World: task/function/objective<br /><br />In the Military: military occupation specialty (MOS)<br />In the Civilian World: career specialty<br /><br />In the Military: platoon<br />In the Civilian World: section/element/department<br /><br />In the Military: Platoon Sergeant<br />In the Civilian World: Supervisor/ Instructor/Trainer<br /><br />In the Military: physical training (pt)<br />In the Civilian World: physical training<br /><br />In the Military: reconnaissance<br />In the Civilian World: data collection/survey/analysis<br /><br />In the Military: regulations<br />In the Civilian World: policy/guidelines/instructions<br /><br />In the Military: security clearance<br />In the Civilian World: security clearance<br /><br />In the Military: soldiers/airmen/marines/sailors<br />In the Civilian World: personnel/staff/employees/individuals/people<br /><br />In the Military: subordinates<br />In the Civilian World: employees/personnel/staff/individuals/people<br /><br />In the Military: Temporary Duty (TDY)<br />In the Civilian World: business trip/ temporary duty<br /><br />In the Military: Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)<br />In the Civilian World: legal action/document<br /><br />In the Military: TDA/MTOE<br />In the Civilian World: organizational structure/human and material resources<br /><br />In the Military: Personnel Action Center (PAC)<br />In the Civilian World: personnel office<br /><br />In the Military: AR/DA/NAV Pamphlets<br />In the Civilian World: policy/guidelines/rules<br /><br />In the Military: team<br />In the Civilian World: team<br /><br />In the Military: squad<br />In the Civilian World: section<br /><br />In the Military: brigade<br />In the Civilian World: group/division<br /><br />In the Military: battalion<br />In the Civilian World: division<br /><br />In the Military: PLDC/BNCOC<br />In the Civilian World: leadership or advanced leadership development course<br /><br />In the Military: Command and General Staff College<br />In the Civilian World: strategic management course<br /><br />In the Military: War College<br />In the Civilian World: advanced strategic studies course<br /><br />By Janet Farley, author of The Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide (Jist, Inc., 2004) and "Jobs and the Military Spouse, 2nd Ed," (Impact Pub., 2004). She can be reached at janetfarley@hotmail.com. She is also the JobTalk columnist for the European, Pacific & Asian Stars and Stripes. Mrs. Farley is also a contributing editor to Civilian Job News, a Militaryresumes.com publication.<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>

Using the Right Lingo in Your Military to Civilian Job Hunt

Excerpted with permission from "Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide" Janet I. Farley, author of "Military-to-Civilia...

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Day 11: Back in the game!

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24OD8SOw2xfIvCuGa6OCC4CHX4aib6BIVvdVJC0dHRrWyzE5mpdO54ileHS_r4xtIi5FtqpooZoFAOx_uQ4UZ5qq6hJX_fFaI_v47Pm54Zixi6lYqdnCz7pHDwlY0jrS8GDKXjHLFopW2/s1600-h/1_150.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378964859679030418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24OD8SOw2xfIvCuGa6OCC4CHX4aib6BIVvdVJC0dHRrWyzE5mpdO54ileHS_r4xtIi5FtqpooZoFAOx_uQ4UZ5qq6hJX_fFaI_v47Pm54Zixi6lYqdnCz7pHDwlY0jrS8GDKXjHLFopW2/s400/1_150.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />My Saturday and Sunday were so far from perfect that it was almost a joke. I tried, kind of, but not really. My heart wasn't into this whole healthy lifestyle thing. I could feel myself yearning for the old days of not caring what I ate or what I looked like or even what I felt like. I just plain didn't care...for two days. Those two days were both 40+ Point days.<br /><br />Then the TLC documentaries on the super obese were on TV on Sunday night. Wow, that was a dose of reality that I needed. It was like getting hit over the head with a hammer. A hey you, stupid, wake the hell up. You're watching yourself on TV. Everything they were saying, I've felt. The hopelessness, the helplessness, the depression over my weight, the pain, the sadness, and of course, the shame.<br /><br />Monday morning I woke up with a whole new attitude. It's an "I'm going to win!" attitude. A "this will not defeat me" attitude. I will not fall into old bad habits and my old lifestyle. I'm a vibrant, young, alive, and healthy woman (okay, I'm taking liberties on the young, young for a 54-year old!). I have a good life. I don't want to ruin it with obesity. Been there, done that, and it sucked big time.<br /><br />Yesterday I changed all my sticky notes to 150 and the date 10-31-09. It was 152 and 10-09-09, but since we have an extra three weeks I changed my weight goal to 150. I know I'm going to make this goal. In my best Scarlett O'Hara voice..."As God is my witness, I will make 150 by October 31, 2009!"<br /><br /><strong>Points</strong><br />Some people think maybe I'm not eating enough with only 19 Points a day. All I can say is, oh honey, I'm eating more than enough! Take a look at that picture at the top, notice I'm -29.5 Points and it was only day three of my Weight Watcher week! Freak!<br /><br />I think I may have figured out how to fix that giant Point deficit and pull myself out of the hole this week. I worked out like a crazy woman yesterday. I was on fire at the gym. Thirty minutes stair climber, and I started at level 7 and ended at level 9 on the Speed course. Then 30 minutes on the Crosstrainer. Add in 45 minutes of strength and my heart rate monitor said I burned 595 calories! Weight Watchers only counts it as 7 Activity Points, but that put me only -22.5 Points. If I work out like that every day, I can break even by Friday. I'm going to give it my best shot.<br /><br />Best part of my workout was that I was able to do 8 reps of concentrated bicep curls using 25-pound dumbbells. I've been doing three sets of 12 with 20-pounds and it was starting to feel easy. So I tried one set with 25 pounds. Extremely hard but I did it! Plus I saw the guys looking at me. I'm sure they're trying to figure out how this old lady is lifting 25-pound dumbbells. Let me tell you, months and months of hard work.<br /><br /><strong>Music</strong><br /><a href="http://losingmyself2.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Ida</a> asked me what music I listen to when I work out. It's almost a little embarrassing to post this because I have the music taste of a 13-year old, but this is what's on my iPod this month. I add new tunes every few weeks.<br /><br />Sept 2009 playlist for working out:<br /><br />Knock you Down, Keri Helison, Kanye West & Ne-Yo <---<em>warmup song</em><br />I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas<br />Party in the U.S.A, Miley Cyrus<br />Fire Burning, Sean Kingston<br />Down, Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne<br />Right Round, Flo Rida<br />Use Somebody, Kings of Leon<br />Love Drunk, Boys Like Girls<br />Good Girls Go Bad, Cobra Starship <---<em>I play this one over and over</em><br />If Today Was Your Last Day, Nickleback<br />Poker Face, Lady GaGa<em> <---</em> <em>I removed this because I was sick to death of it. Then I missed it so added it back in :)<br /></em>Low, Flo Rida featuring T-Pain<br />I'm in Seatle Trick, LMFAO<br />In the Ayer, Flo Rida <--- <em>old one, from last year I think, but I love to do cardio to it</em><br />Sugar, Flo Rida <--- <em>another oldie but goodie. Apparently I'm a huge Flo Rida fan. Who would have guessed?</em><br />Come to Me, Diddy <--- <em>old<br /></em>Last Night, Diddy <---<em>old</em><br />Halo, Beyonce<br />Missing You, Allison Kraus & John Waite <--- good <em>cooldown song</em>

Day 11: Back in the game!

My Saturday and Sunday were so far from perfect that it was almost a joke. I tried, kind of, but not really. My heart wasn't into this w...

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Mesures en faveur de l’emploi des seniors

<BR><br />D’ici au 1er janvier 2010, toutes les entreprises (ou groupes d’entreprises) employant au moins 50 salariés, doivent avoir conclu un accord ou établi un plan d’action sur l’emploi des salariés âgés.<br /><br />Dans le cas contraire ces entreprises seront soumises à une pénalité financière équivalente à 1 % de leur masse salariale.<br /><br />Le site <a href="http://www.emploidesseniors.gouv.fr" target="_blank">www.emploidesseniors.gouv.fr</a> propose :<br /><ul><li>une présentation complète de ce dispositif ; <br /><li>une liste des accords de branche déposés, validés et étendus ; <br /><li>des exemples de bonnes pratiques ; <br /><li>des propositions d’indicateurs.</ul><br />Une <a href="http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/brochure_emploi_des_seniors.pdf" target="_blank">Brochure sur les mesures en faveur de l’emploi des seniors</a> est également téléchargeable.<br /><BR>

Mesures en faveur de l’emploi des seniors

D’ici au 1er janvier 2010, toutes les entreprises (ou groupes d’entreprises) employant au moins 50 salariés, doivent avoir conclu un accord ...

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