It’s an old adage, and it’s true: there are no second chances when it comes to first impressions. Your interviewer will make on-the-spot judgments about your capabilities within the first few minutes of meeting you, based almost entirely on your personal appearance. Negative initial impressions will be difficult if not impossible to reverse during the interview, even if it goes well. The clothes you wear to the interview say so much to your potential employer: how well you’ll fit in, if you pay attention to little details, and whether you understand professionalism, to name a few.

Many of these recommendations can be summed up as common sense (hopefully)– wear clean, tidy looking clothes, dress professionally and conservative, go for understated over bold. The right clothes might not guarantee you a spot with the company, but the wrong clothes almost certainly will disqualify you. The way you dress for your interview should send a loud message that you will fit in with the company culture and that you understand what it means to be a team player. When planning your interview outfit (preferably days in advance in case repairs need to be made or items professionally cleaned), reference this checklist to ensure that you are dressed for success.

Yes, we know all of this, but lately I’ve had questions from clients that make me think a refresher course is needed.

• Go with a simple, well fitted suit every time. For men, wear a dark suit with a light shirt and silk tie; for women, a suit or a dress and jacket combination work. Even if the corporate culture is laid back, you still need to dress for the interview as if you really are going to an interview.
• Consider wearing blue, preferably navy. To many, blue symbolizes calm, trustworthiness, and confidence. Otherwise, stick to the business neutrals: black, gray, beige, brown.
• Dark dress shoes are best. Ideally, men should wear black lace ups with dark socks. Women should wear low heeled, close toed pumps. Ladies, this is not the place to try out your new stilettos.
• Wear something you’ve worn before and you know you look great in. You want to exude confidence and know you’ll be comfortable.
• Go easy on perfume, cologne, or aftershave. It can seem obnoxious and in a worst case scenario (your interviewer is sensitive or allergic) they can derail the interview altogether. You don’t want to leave your scent on the person’s hand when you leave. Ick.
• Trimmed, styled hair and groomed nails. If you can, get a professional cut before the interview. A fresh cut will also make you feel more confident and put together. Men, make sure your 5 O’clock shadow isn’t showing.
• Go easy on the jewelry. Less is more.
• Pay attention to detail. Everything should be clean, hemmed, ironed, and look well put together.
• Bring a light briefcase or small portfolio; make sure it is in good condition and does not clash with the rest of your outfit.
• Lose the gum, cell phone, MP3 player, and other distracting items. Do not bring a drink, even coffee. Nothing says,”Please don’t hire me”  like slurping your non-fat, Caramel Macchiato while texting your BFF. Keep pockets empty to avoid the sound of jingling keys and change; this will also keep pockets from unattractively bulging.
• Cover tattoos and take out piercings, even if you are already aware that workplace policy allows them.

Stick with these simple tips and you’ll do just fine.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d post something on love at the office.

The workplace is a fertile ground for relationships. Co-workers, after all, spend most of their day together in a safe environment, working towards similar goals. The office’s abundant bonding makes dating very easy, and almost inevitable. Despite the ease of entering into an office romance though, actually being in one and ending one can bring about a mess of complications.

If you’re part of an office romance, you should assess the relationship early on. You and your partner will need to discuss a few things. Of course, nobody enjoys having that particular talk, but you need to think objectively for a minute in order to avoid losing both your job and lover. You’ll need to figure out how serious the relationship is and, from there, whether you should stay quiet or go public. You’ll also need to prepare for whatever catastrophes might arise.

In office romances you’re dating either a colleague, subordinate, or boss, and each has its own issues. If you’ve paired up with a colleague, think about how well the relationship might stand up to rivalry. How will you deal with competing for the same promotion? If you’ve paired up with a subordinate, you should prepare yourself for accusations of favoritism. Other subordinates might frown upon this relationship and you should work hard to remain objective in business affairs. The same caution against favoritism is true if you’re dating your boss. Jealous coworkers may attribute any promotion or raise you receive to the fact that you’re hooking up with the primary decision maker. Another thing to think about when dating your boss is his/her temperament. Are they ruthless in business? Think about how easy it’d be for your boss to make things miserable for you after a break-up.

Regardless of whom you’re dating, you’ll want to make sure there’s no policy against the match-up. You can risk sneaking around quietly if there is, but be aware of the possible repercussions. Apart from policy restrictions, you may want to keep the relationship under wraps indefinitely if either of the partners is married. Note that if you do decide to keep your romance clandestine, you may have to see other coworkers trying to flirt with your partner. If you are the jealous type, make sure this won’t lead to a nasty grudge that’s bound to puzzle the target. Keeping quiet about this relationship while it’s still developing and you’re both attempting to figure out what it means can also be a wise choice. This should help maintain a degree of professionalism and prevent a potential break-up from destroying the positive atmosphere of the office.

If you decide to make your relationship public, take a few steps to ensure your coworkers don’t have a backlash against you. Avoid public displays of affection, using company funds and time for personal uses, and blatant favoritism.

Open or secret, bear in mind that you and your partner will be spending a lot of time together. While this is obviously great for some reasons, it might create some friction in the relationship. Make sure you have a little alone time every now and then to avoid this.

Factor in how entwined your lives will be and prepare for the worst. If you break-up, make sure you’ll be able to act civilized. Handling a split poorly will be nothing but detrimental to both your careers.

Office affairs may not be as taboo as they once were, but it’s still important to tread carefully for the benefit of both love and work.

OK first off…you know this is a terrible business climate right now, and a lot of people aren’t getting raises, so it’s not just you. The one thing you should absolutely NOT do is get in a snit and go storming out of your boss’s office. That will do nothing for your next evaluation, your next shot at a raise or your standing at the company.

You do, however, have the right to know why your raise was turned down, and there might be a number of different reasons:

• Company finances. With things being what they are right now in the business world, there’s a real good chance that this is going to be the case. And if they tell you that, there’s a real good chance that they are being honest with you, especially if nobody else in your department is seeing a raise. If that’s the case, there’s not much that you can do but accept it, get over it and move on. Not much point in getting upset, especially since 1 in 10 Americans are out of a job right now, and 2 in 10 are “underemployed”, with all that entails.

• Poor timing. Lots of companies only are allowed to hand out raises once during a fiscal year, or only after evaluations. If that’s the case, once again, there’s not much you can do about it. Of course, that doesn’t do you much good if your own expenses are going up, your spouse lost a job or your kids need braces. Depending on the nature of your job, maybe you can at least see if you can work overtime or get incentive pay of some sort. Unfortunately, if the company is feeling the pinch (as in the above scenario) they may also be cutting back on bonuses, overtime and incentive to scale back on payroll expenses. So…if you’re going to have to wait until the next quarter, next year or next evaluation (and overtime isn’t an option) your best move is going to be to keep the nose to the grindstone and do the absolute best job you can manage so that when the time comes, you’ll get that raise after all!

• Poor performance. If your raise was declined due to performance issues, this is when you need to be proactive, stand on your own two feet and find out the specifics. Chances are you’re going to find this out when it’s evaluation time anyway, but regardless, ask your supervisor or department head what areas need to be improved. Find out where your weak points are, and do your dead level best to improve on them. Or, your alternative might be to start looking for another job elsewhere, with better pay and better opportunities. But a word to the wise here: if you’re moving in that direction, keep it to yourself. Nothing can sabotage your future at a company quicker than making it known that you’re thinking about moving on.

In this difficult economic time, everyone knows someone who is unemployed. With the jobless rate in the US at a staggeringly high percentage, it is understandable to feel a strong conviction to help in whatever way possible. What if you are working for a dynamic company that is flourishing and looking to expand? What if you have a close friend that would make a wonderful applicant? There are multiple things to consider before providing yourself as a reference for a friend’s aptitude for a position.

Be Objective.

Carefully consider your friend’s goals and work experience. Review the job description and examine what about your friend would work in the position. Encourage your friend to follow the proper channels and submit their resume in the same way as every other applicant, even those without a personal connection to the company. Only approach the subject with your superiors if you are asked directly- do not approach them directly with a plea for your friend to be hired. You want your friend to be hired on account of their own merits, not for whom they know at the company. You also want to demonstrate to your company that you understand and respect the ethics of business.

Gather the facts.

Be objective with yourself regarding your motive for referring this person. Make a list of your friend’s strengths and how they fit the job description. Know their job history and be prepared to provide a reference. Examine your support. Are you referring them because you enjoy their presence and think they would make a nice addition to the office atmosphere? Are you referring them because you know they offer the commitment and drive the company deserves? Answer the questions honestly.

Don’t hold back.

If you don’t think your friend will fit in to the company’s atmosphere, or will believe in the company philosophies and practices, don’t be afraid to suggest alternative options. Encourage your friend to explore all aspects of the company- from your personal perspective to published reviews. Remember that you have a biased perspective, and your friend should research if this is the best decision to make at this time in their life.

If you make a well informed decision on referring your friend for a job at your place of employment, you do not have to worry about risk. You can stand by your recommendation and watch your friend succeed in the workplace. You can worry less about your friend’s negative impact on your company’s perception on you, but the positive reflection the suggestion of a new and dedicated employee can have. If for some reason it is not to be, you will feel comfortable knowing that you thought logically throughout the application process and didn’t recommend your friend on a whim. You should also keep in mind that if it is not meant to be, that it is in no way whatsoever a reflection on your ability to do your job or function in your company. Do not let your friend’s experience (negative or positive) influence the way you feel about your job and your contribution to it.

Society is in an ever evolving state of change. As new industries develop and older ones are outdated, the newest version of technology will quickly replace the methods used before. If you are considering a job change, or are new to the job market, you must keep up to date on the most dynamic and flourishing industries to apply to. Unfortunately, there are some industries that are on their way out.

Statistics show that as the population ages and manufacturing jobs lessen, the most growth in the next decade will come in service industries like health care or business services. Consult the guide below before investigating any new opportunities in these fields. All percentages provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics report released in the final weeks of December 2009.

Wired Telecommunications Providers

As the country becomes more and more wireless, land line phones and payphones are becoming obsolete. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that this industry will lose 11% of its employment opportunities by the end of the next decade. Companies like Total Telecom and Adtel Communications are among these providers.

Gasoline Stations

Gas prices keep rising and stations become more self sufficient than ever. As this evolution continues and the dynamic markets of clean and alternative energy flourish, this industry is one that will not be as secure within the next decade.

Mining Support

Mining support agencies and companies are projected to lose around 23% of their current jobs within the next decade.

Newspaper Publishers

Internet publications are on the rise, and print media is in decline, however unfortunate that may be. Newspaper publishers are projected to lose 25% of their current job markets.

Apparel Manufacturing- cut and sew

Outsourcing to less expensive labor markets is the main reason that this industry is projected to lose 89,000 jobs in the next ten years.

Printing Services

Most companies are now choosing to “go green”- therefore eliminating paper products and exchanging more information electronically. Unfortunately, this also means eliminating about 16% of the jobs in the next decade.

Postal Service

With the elimination of paper goes the elimination of paper delivery. The postal service has been an embattled industry for years, and the Bureau predicts it will lose 13% of its employees in the next ten years.

Auto Parts Manufacturing

After this record year of auto industry flops, it is no surprise that the manufacturing side of the auto industry is projected to lose 19% of the 544,000 jobs it provided last year.

Semiconductor and Electronics Manufacturing

A projected loss of a massive 34% of its jobs in the next decade is sad news for an industry that generated such a spark in the last half century.

Department Stores

More people are shopping online or in low-cost bargain stores, rendering department store services obsolete. Although services industries are projected for growth, these relics of a bygone era will be cherished in memories alone as the industry is expected to lose about 10% of its overall job market.

If your job falls in one of these categories, maybe you should consider training of another sort, as backup. It’s better to be prepared for the unexpected… don’t you think?

(from “What Happens in Vegas”–Chong is trying to schmooze her boss–and he’s not buying it)

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We have all had to put up with our fair share of suck ups at work. They constantly tell the boss how great she looks, and never show up to the boss’s office empty handed. The schmoozing never ends. So, what do these acts of utter transparency get them? Paid, my friend, paid. There are many benefits of being the office suck up. In fact, it should be looked at as an art form.

The best at it do it without anyone ever catching on that they are, in fact, suck ups. The more covert the actions, the better and more effective it is. It is not hard to achieve the highest level of this art form. Simply match your boss. Mimic his or her energy levels, methods of working and even demeanor. People like what they are familiar with, and it will also be a way to bond with your superior.

This form of severe flattery will get you more than just being on your boss’s good side. The more trust your boss has in you, the more likely you are to receive the high profile projects. It is these projects that will raise your status in the office, and put you in prime position for the next raise or promotion that is handed out.

You may even gain the ear of your boss. With this direct hotline, you can make suggestions and pass on ideas. With this open line of communication, you will have the ability to shine. Fascinate your boss with your great ideas. Though, with some bosses, your idea should be intermingled with your boss’s. This will show that you both are on the same page and that you agree (even if only slightly) with your boss.

If you can develop a good connection with your superior, you will probably find that you are working on the boss’s pet projects. These projects are reserved for the best, so this will most definitely boost your stature and credibility in the office.

When executed properly, sucking up at work is not the despicable action that it is sometimes made out to be. In fact, many view it as workplace survival. Office politics can play many different roles in the workplace. The tougher the office’s environment is to navigate, the more important it is to get a leg up anyway possible. Sucking up is a legitimate (and legal) way to do it.

Sucking up should not be reserved for those ranking above you alone. View everyone as a possible ally. You should want everyone to be on your team. Think of them as back up players waiting to be called in. Having a great “team” behind you will only benefit you in the future. Your reserve list can (and will) help you at the most opportune time.

The higher you can climb on the workplace ladder, the higher the level you will achieve. Some people don’t care what they have to do to get there, and sucking up seems the most harmless. What do you think?  Suck up or not?

In a tight job market, there are ways for job seekers to show potential employers that not only can they fill a job need, but they can potentially save an employer money by having little start-up training time, and they can be an on-site expert in their field.

Through demonstrating specialization or large amounts of knowledge in a specific area, job seekers can show a high level of value to potential employers while achieving job satisfaction. Specialization can make the process of looking for a job much easier for the specialized job seeker.

Through job specialization, a job applicant can realize some benefits in the job market.

• Specialization in a niche sets a job seeker up as an expert in their field. For positions that require a great amount of knowledge, like nursing or computer/IT, specialization separates you from job applicants with generic pools of knowledge.

• Specialists can command a greater amount of money than non-specialists. When an applicant for a job shows an expert level of knowledge in their field, a company may be able to justify better pay for that specialized knowledge.

• Job specialization is in itself a form of marketing, a tool that makes an applicant stand out from others. It helps brand a person in a field, and in local markets, a person with specialized knowledge may find their name come up often, a great demand placed on their knowledge.

• People with job specialization have credibility in their position that creates trust for and reliance on their expertise from others.

• An expert in a field has knowledge that is not easily replaced. Many jobs emphasize the importance of having broad knowledge, but in many technological and medical fields, a wide range of knowledge is not as valuable. A nurse with a specialization in heart medicine will find her niche within a cardiology practice much easier than an RN with a broad area of practice.

• Specialization often means doing repetitive work, which may sound annoying in practice, but in a field someone loves, doing the same thing over and over is not as problematic. Specializing in the right thing is key, but it is important to remember that people who know how to do the minutia involved in jobs and do it well will always be in demand.

• Similarly, because specialization involves what some consider drudgery, fewer people are willing to do it. Be it becoming the person in the office who knows everything there is to know about a computer program to being a neuro-surgeon, specialization requires work some consider boring. If a person is willing to specialize, simply the act of specialization may be enough to set them above other job applicants.

• Employers often post narrow job requirements, such as knowing a couple of specific computer languages. Sometimes these narrow requirements are not the whole of the job but are posted as a way to weed out under qualified applicants. These narrow requirements will automatically eliminate many job seekers. By knowing the narrow requirements that employers post, an applicant has a far better chance of making it to the first interview.

It is common to feel discouraged, even hopeless, during a job hunt that runs longer than you would like. In this financial environment, some people’s job searches run for months. So here are some tips to keep in mind when the job hunt has you feeling low.

1. As they say, a job hunt is easily a full-time job. Don’t make it more than that. Put in your time job-hunting, then be sure to take some time for yourself.

Don’t give yourself a hard time for taking time off. If you don’t take down-time, the stress will wear away at your mental health, leaving you in no shape for interviews.

2. No stewing over your termination from your last job. Layoffs are ongoing, and these days, you haven’t had much of a career, if you haven’t been laid off at least once.

Take whatever lessons you can from your last position, looking for areas of improvement, and then move on. Period. You are human, you make mistakes, just like everyone else. Forgive yourself for any mistakes, then work on them.

(And your ex-boss? She’s human, too.)

3. If you’re really stuck in a rut, take some time to do work around the house that you’d never had time to get around to. Schedule those doctor appointments that you’ve been missing due to your busy schedule. Think of this as an unplanned leave of absence, and see the benefit in the time that you’ve been given.

4. Make up a new plan of attack. Plans can be invigorating, and with the time that you’ve had to reflect, you may come upon new plans of attack. Now may be a great time to head your career in a new direction. With your last job, you gained experience that you didn’t have previously.

Really search the market and see what’s out there. Look for areas of growth and opportunity, and really try hard to see your skills and abilities as freshly as if you’d never seen them before.

5. Take a class, read a book, expand skills that will aid you in your job search. Take the time to get a certification if it’s likely to pay off.

6.When the stress is overwhelming, take a mental health day, and just soak in the tub with a good book and some Merlot. Go for a walk.Take a class or something you’ve always wanted to do. Rediscover the world as it is when you aren’t wearing stress blinders.

7. Get out there and meet people. Join clubs, especially those associated with work interests, go to university lectures. NETWORK! Even a hiking club might well provide you with the contact who gets you that next job. Remember, who you know is at least as important as your training. The main thing a boss is looking for is reliability, and they get that assurance from acquaintance, however slight or second-hand, with your character.

8. Don’t take it personally when you don’t get the job. It’s not a personal rejection; you just aren’t what they need today.

Job-hunting has never been a walk in the park, and these days, it’s even harder. You’re staring down the barrel of double-digit inflation rates, and unemployment statistics are showing numbers that have never been higher.

How do you get a job, then?

Well, you treat every minute that you’re unemployed like you still have a job, and you do: The job of finding yourself a job.

First things first, take a hint from the old adage, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” Right now, the job you have is…none. Dress every day in the clothing you’d show up in if you had the job you really want. You’re showered, shaved, hair fixed, and nails clean. The reasons for this are simple – you’re looking for a job, and your job right now is as Employment Professional, the person for whom work will come soon. There’s another big reason for being dressed professionally at home; you’ll be less inclined to fall into really bad habits, including sleeping too late, lolling about on the sofa watching TV, cruising the Internet for anything not job search-related, goofing off when you should be getting a job. Not saying you have to wear a suit every minute of the day, but getting up in the morning, brushing your hair and teeth, and getting out of your sweats is a good place to start.

Looking the part serves a couple other purposes. You’ll feel better if you’re looking better. Right now, your self-esteem might be a little low or a lot low, and taking care of your appearance will go a long way towards making you feel a little better about yourself in general. Confidence is key when searching for a new job.

Okay, so you’re dressed up and nowhere to go? Wrong. Take a left at the kitchen and head straight for your computer. You’re going to be performing a huge number of tasks, so maybe stop at the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Is your resume in order? Is it updated with your most recent info, professionally presented and edited for content and spelling, on good stock and ready to send by itself, or with a good cover letter and references? Do you have your references lined up? Do you know your salary requirements, in case those are requested? If you don’t have all this ready, open up your word processor and knock that out.

Now, get online and go to every job search site you can find and plaster your resume everywhere. Anyplace that sounds remotely like something you’d be interested in, make sure you’ve researched the company and position, and have a cover letter ready to send directly to that company, every detail specifically tailored for that employer.

Get on all the social networking sites you can find. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn…Get the word out to friends, family and previous business associates that you’re seeking employment. Make sure your contact information is up to date, and you’re easy to find.

Be persistent, network, treat yourself and your current position with respect, and you’re sure to land on your feet.

I recently had a client call to have his resume done, and in the course of our discussion, out popped a confession that he had two misdemeanors. They were five years old, but still, not good. He has faced many obstacles during the job search, even though his misdemeanors had nothing to do with a job or anything work-related.

Even if you have a conviction, or have served time, you still need money to survive. Typically, this means you need a job of some type. But, if you have tried to find a job with a conviction on your record, you will have noticed that it’s very hard to get employers to accept that you’ll be a great member of the team when you’ve broken the law. Here are a few tips to get you started in the right direction.

First, try consulting legal aid about getting your record expunged or sealed. This isn’t available for every case, but is worth looking into. Once a record is expunged, it can’t be opened again, and the matter is considered resolved.

You will need to take whatever job you can to begin rebuilding your credibility. It’s possible that you’ll have to accept employment below your previous standard of living – even working in fast food or service industries. Even small jobs like this can help lead you to bigger things later. You can see if any of your personal contacts are looking for people. Even with a record, it’s much more likely you can get a job through networking and friends than you will through replying to job ads.

There may be community programs that can assist you in finding employment. These are usually in cities and not often available in rural areas, and may have other stipulations attached to them. However, employers that agree to work with these programs won’t be “surprised” about your record. Also, these offices have a number of resources, and may be able to help you learn new skills.

Small and local companies are often better bets than huge corporations, for the simple fact that they lack the legal layers of bureaucracy that are designed to shield a company from any liability whatsoever. Another avenue for you to consider is self-employment. Skills such as construction, plumbing, or auto repair a record won’t come into play at all. If you have an entrepreneurial streak, you should consider these opportunities.

Regardless of what you do, it’s unlikely that a job is just going to fall into your lap. Don’t get discouraged, and know that there is a job out there for you somewhere. It will probably take you longer to find, but don’t harbor false hope. Rejection happens even to applicants who have sparkling records and job histories. Don’t be afraid to seek emotional support from friends or family.

Once you do land a job, be sure to prove to the employer that you are a good hire. It’ll make getting the next job easier once you have an established work history. Work the extra hours, follow the rules, and take extra responsibilities whenever you can. A conviction plus a string of short, choppy jobs is a huge red flag to potential employers, and will shoot you down from almost any job. Don’t be a problem employee, and ride it out. Most background checks only go back seven years, and then after that, you will be in the clear.