Despite what you tell your colleagues, you’ve looked online for work while at work. It doesn’t matter if you say it’s only happened during your lunch break, sure thing, or you admit to taking an entire morning to peruse the job market. Everyone has killed some time looking for that dream job, while your current one takes a back seat. No one is here to judge you. Instead, why not find some ways to make your job hunt easier? After all it’s your life and if you find a way to make it better, why not leap at that chance? If you’ve ever looked for a job while at work, it’s probably not the smartest move you can make. You don’t have to be an Einsteinian genius to know that looking for work while on the job is a bad move. But, people do it a lot and employers are not oblivious to it. The key is being able to look for a job and keep it on the down low. You don’t want some work place colleague to go back and spill the beans to HR or your boss. What are some things you can do to continue your job hunting without getting the hook from your boss? Maintaining productivity One of the earliest signs of a distracted employee is loss of productivity.Excessive job hunting on the clock can kill productivity and make managers look for replacements before you’ve even found your new job. Managers can monitor computer habits so make sure that your job search stays within an appropriate amount of time. You don’t want to get fired and your work computer is one hundred percent the property of your employer, so be careful when looking for another gig. Examining repercussions Even if you do your search at home, make sure you’re using your personal computer. If you use a work related computer, there could be active monitoring software installed, which is completely up to the company. Make sure that nothing you do can be traced back to you. And always remember that US companies have the right to fire an employee for any reason. If they are not just, then why should you be? There are plenty of opportunities out there and all it takes is you applying yourself to get them. When is it appropriate? Even if you’re browsing out of casual curiosity, it can send the message that you’re ready to leave your current job. About the only time it is acceptable to look for work while at work is in the event that you have all ready been terminated and you need the time to look for another job. Employees can spend some time job hunting if they’ve already received a notice saying they will be laid off, just don’t abuse the situation. Know the laws in your state and always have a way to fight your employer.
Many women choose to stay at home for several years after having children. While this time frame varies, it always creates a period of time during which you had no ‘real’ job. Once a mother is ready to go back to work, one of the first problems they face in deciding how to write a resume that not only accurately describes their professional experience and career but also properly addresses extended maternity leaves. By using tact and creativity while remaining professional, it is often possible to ‘spin’ an extended leave for the purposes of resume writing and interviewing. Be honest. Some job seekers mistakenly believe that extended maternity leave is an automatic black mark. Because of this, some lie and claim they were self-employed during their maternity leave. This is a patently bad idea. While it is unlikely that a future employer will investigate the claim, lying during the job seeking process is unethical and can lead to problems down the line. Instead, be honest about your extended work leave. I have found that all hiring managers want is an answer. Where were you all that time? On an extended vacation? Watching Oprah? In prison? They just want to know about the gap. There are two ways to present extended work leave during the resume writing process. The first is to simply include one or two sentences in the cover letter explaining the reason for your extended leave, the birth of children, and that you are ready to re-enter the work force. Job seekers who opt for this option should keep it short and focus on logical reasons versus cute stories about their children (please don’t do that). Remember to keep it professional. A second option is including your work leave directly on your resume. Some job seekers have had success by including their responsibilities and skills used during their extended leave. Scheduling, organizing and multi-tasking are just a few of the skills new mothers hone during their absence from work. These skills, and others, can be beneficial in the work environment. Unfortunately, the human resources community is divided on the subject. While there are laws governing hiring practices, the truth is a resume and cover letter is your first and often only chance to sway a hiring manager to meet with you. While an extended leave of absence for child care reasons may be admirable to some, actually giving the job seeker a leg up, other hiring managers may shy away from resumes that do not adequately cover the subject. The best advice may be to carefully research the company and hiring manager for each job you are submitting your resume for and to craft a specific resume and cover letter for each job. Carefully reviewing a company website and Internet research may very well give you inside insight into the company and their practices. Finding a job after an extended maternity leave can be a long process. In fact, it seems like the longer you were out of the workforce, the longer it takes to become employed again. Try focusing your efforts on professionally representing your time off and be as honest as you can. Remember that finding a job is a job in itself so stay positive, craft custom resumes and cover letters whenever possible and use your interview as a chance to really showcase what you can offer the company.
Why Executives Earn Every Penny They’re Paid
It’s pretty easy to sit back in your cubicle and envy the executives in your office. From your point of view, it looks as if they get paid the big bucks without really doing much work! The truth, however, is that executives actually earn every penny they are paid. What Does the Average Executive Make?
That’s a question many people ponder. How much does the average executive in a company make a year? That’s a bit of a tricky question to actually answer. Most executives get a base compensation salary, but then they also get bonuses, stock options, and other perks that equal their overall pay. At the biggest companies in the country, executive pay means big bucks.
Take Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone for example. The company’s CEO made $702,440,573 in 2008. But that wasn’t all in base compensation. About $700 million of the $702 million was from stock options earned after Schwarzman took the company public the year before.
Let’s look at another example. Michael Jeffries, the chief executive at Abercrombie & Fitch, made more than $60 million in stock options alone in 2008. In addition, he was given a bonus of $6 million – an enticement to remain as the company’s chairman and CEO. Add in his $1.5 million salary, $1.3 in personal airplane usage, and $382,687 for his 401(k) and Mr. Jeffries came out pretty sweet for the year. How to Become an Executive
It’s clear that executives get the big paychecks. So how do you go from your corner cubicle to the office with a view? Here are some tips to help you rise to the top.
● Define your career. If you want to become an executive, you have to know what you want to be when you grow up. This takes some serious time and attention to your career. Decide where you want to focus your efforts and then work hard to build a career.
● Don’t worry about making friends. Of course, you don’t want to make enemies, but you can’t worry about the people who don’t like you. It’s more important to be respected than liked, so make sure you are being true and trustworthy and the friends will follow.
● Become a great team player. When you play on a team, you don’t always have to be the starting player. You’ll want to be on a team where you are the star in one area. The key to success in a team environment is to surround yourself with good people. Smart people around you will help you get to the top faster.
● Be yourself. You need to be yourself at all times. There’s no need to develop a work personality different from your home personality. You are who you are and you need to be true to that. It’s easier to get people to follow you if they know you are who you say you are at all times. Becoming a powerful executive is hard work, but well worth it. After all, a $700 million paycheck would surely make up for years of dedication and hard work.
++++ Today’s post was a guest post from Cathy Pierce. Thanks, Cathy!
Should You Call a Company After You Sent Your Resume?
You’ve been looking everywherefor, not just a job, but a career, you want to do something with yourself that enables you to pay your bills but also provides a purpose. But, that’s harder than you imagined in an economy that is only slowly making its way back. There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer to this question, and there are numerous variables at play that can affect the outcome, and every employer is a little bit different. It seems like it’s impossible to know if you are wasting your time by following up on a resume you have sent, but maybe it’s the thing that will give you a leg up over the other candidates. It really depends… In general, it really does depend according to some experts. It depends on how you sent in your application, if you know or can find a contact person, and just how much you actually want the job – is it really worth all the effort you put in? Here are some suggestions that may help when deciding to follow up on a sent resume. How did you send in your resume?
How did you get your resume to the prospective employer in the first place? Did you have a contact person or did you send it in through an online contact form, or did you send it through the company website job page? If you know someone in the company, you can get help with contacting HR or you can find someone from the company Facebook page and get in touch with them that way. You’re not being creepy, you’re being resourceful. When should you follow up on your resume? Some recruiters and placement agencies will advise you to submit a resume, and then follow up with a phone call or email. It can show ambition and enthusiasm, as well as set you apart from other candidates who do not bother to follow up. Employers will like that you are eager to get started and are interested in the position.
But, it is certainly appropriate to send a letter or an email a week or so after you submit your resume, especially if you have not heard anything from the company. Who knows, your resume may have fallen through the cracks and a phone call is just the thing that they need to know how interested you are. But, if you have done a follow up phone call or email after sending a resume, and you have not heard anything for a few weeks, it would be best to conserve your energy and not waste time on something that probably will not happen. There are other opportunities out there for you, so you just have to go and find them. When you follow up make sure that you are polite. Polite messages reinforce your strong interest in the job, as well as showcasing your ability to handle important topics. Every day people get jobs because they stayed the course and fought for what they wanted, maybe today is your day.
Identifying and Overcoming Common Job Search Misconceptions
You can save yourself a lot of time and frustration during your hunt for a job if you spend some time identifying and overcoming common job search misconceptions. These hurdles can trip you up unexpectedly, but if you learn what they are beforehand, you’ll be prepared for a more satisfying job search experience. First of all, forget the idea that the Internet is a magic bullet for your job search needs. Most “help wanted” ads are NOT placed on the Web, employers seeking instead to look internally or hire based upon peer recommendations. That said, there are a number of good sites around for the places that do choose this route, such as execunet.com, netshare.com, linkup.com and indeed.com. Register with your resume and cover letter at as many sites as seem appropriate, but avoid another misconception when doing so: The more places you sign on with, the more job offers will pour in. You can always check out my favorite, LinkedIn, and see if any companies are listing openings. Very importantly, clean up your resume. Consider hiring professionals to help you with this task, and learn more about another common misconception. That is thinking that employers dislike frequent job-changers. While that might have been true in the past when the economy was more stable, employers know that nowadays job-seekers are likely the victims of downsizing or the shipping of their jobs overseas. They understand that your unemployed state and the fact that you might have had to frequently change jobs or location may simply have been so you could stay ahead of the recession. Have a professional work with gaps or short lengths of stay in your resume, however, to present a cohesive picture of progressive goals being met on your career path. Another common misconception is thinking that your cover letter is just a way to introduce your resume. It is not. What it should be is a vital way to put a face to the sometimes-bald facts contained in your resume; a chance to present yourself as a person with certain skills not necessarily covered in your resume. Perhaps you are an eloquent writer. This is a chance to share information such as exactly which job you are seeking, and why you are uniquely qualified to be offered an interview for your dream job. Probably the most important misconception to overcome is that the most qualified individual always gets the job. The reality is that the job seeker with the best combination of job skills, inherent qualifications and best personality fit with the interviewer and company is the one who will be offered the job. Employers want someone who will do the job well, certainly, but also the employee who fits in well with the rest of the team and has the right temperament for the specific job requirements. Try not to get discouraged, and keep in mind the old adage that you should spend as much time looking for work as you would if you were actively working. If you need help then don’t be afraid to seek out help from a resume writer. Just try not to jump at the first offer you get without looking it over carefully, so you don’t shortchange yourself.
Every year experts in their respective fields talk to employers, look at statistics and then take their best guess about what will happen in the job market. Of course 2011 is no different. People want to know if there will be more college graduates hired, will salaries go up or go down and is there a chance employees will see an increase in their performance reviews?
According to available information the job market has begun to look up and there are hopeful signs everywhere. Unemployment rates have held steady at around 10 percent, so it’s good to see some kind of recovery start to take shape. Recent College Graduate Outlook
The good news is that recent college graduates may have better luck finding jobs. The National Association of Colleges and Employers released their Job Outlook 2011 Fall Preview survey and employers expect to hire at least 13.5 percent more new college graduates from the 2011 graduating class compared to 2010 college graduates. Of the participating employers, nearly half of them expected to increase hiring, where about 40 percent expected to maintain the same level of new college hires.
However, some college degrees still pay more than others. Particularly those college students with engineering degrees still have the highest level of being hired out of college. In fact, all engineering degrees are expected to see growth. Salary Projections and Increased Salaries
For those that are not recent college grads, but still want to know their job prospects and salary projections for 2011, there is a small flicker of sunlight on the horizon. Projected salary increases for 2010 were thought to be around 2 to 3 percent and the outlook for 2011 is a little bit better. The projections for 2011 are that employers will be able to raise their budgets enough to work with a 3 percent increase in salary according to Plan Sponsor.
That does not mean that each and every employee and job seeker will receive a 3 percent salary increase just because their employer’s budget increased, so don’t go in expecting the increase to hit suddenly. Annual salary increases usually work by creating a pool of cash, which is set aside for each independent department, so that it is the equivalent of 3 percent of that department’s salaries. The pool of money is then divided between employees based on seniority and role within the company.
So as experts begin to predict growth for the 2011 job market there creates good news for soon to graduate college students and those who are still looking for work. Things are looking up but it still might take some time to fully recover. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your financial security and job prospects won’t be either. Keep your ear to the grindstone and start pounding out connections because you never know when that dream job will be right around the corner.
In this new digital age, more and more employers are turning to the Internet for their hiring needs.Whether posting open positions on a company owned website, utilizing job boards or social media, job seekers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of understanding how to post resumes online. Because of the various formats that are needed, developing a strong portfolio of resumes is critical for those hoping to find the perfect new job. Take a minute to consider the different forms of resumes. Electronic, print, plain text and full HTML are the most popular options. The reasons for the various forms are simple: prospective employers use a variety of tools to collect and collate resumes. Deciding which is appropriate and properly formatting it is critical for success. The traditional print resume (like Microsoft Word, for example) often doesn’t translate well online. Because of this job seekers are encouraged to develop a variety of electronic formats for their resume.
Text: A simple text resume that focuses less on fancy formatting and more on presenting clear details is a must. Resume writers also call this an ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). This format is ideal for posting resumes into formats on websites. While it is still important to review the post, sticking with a clean text format often removes many of the formatting issues seen.
Email: Even more basic than the text format, creating an email ready resume takes into consideration line spacing rules often imposed by email providers. Often a simple matter of tweaking a copy of the text resume, creating an email ready version allows you to post your resume directly in the body of an email.
HTML: As more and more people turn to the Internet for their business needs, many are creating HTML resumes. This is perfect for those that wish to create an electronic portfolio of their work. A word of caution: providing too much information is an easy pitfall of the HTML resume as is simply creating a flashy version of your resume. Only utilize the HTML format if you have basic HTML knowledge.
It is important to acknowledge that where you post your resume onlineis almost as important as the format it takes. While it may seem like a good idea to attach your resume to a personal website or social media profile, remember that doing so gives potential employers access to all sorts of information that is often best kept private. Marital status, past health issues, ethnicity, political leanings and more can often be found directly on a personal website. It is best to avoid giving potential employers access to this information too early in the process. In a world where technology is quickly becoming a necessity, not understanding the basic differences in formats is a big mistake. A poorly formatted resume can make you look disinterested and technologically inept. Be sure to spend the appropriate amount of tie developing resume formats to ensure your resume makes the statement you want it to.
Why Taking a Pay Cut to Find Your Dream Job Might Just Be a Good Idea
Do you know anyone working their dream job right now? How many people do you know that are working a job they hate just to pay the bills, all the while holding out hope that their dream job will plop right down in their laps? All they are waiting for is the right time, right? If you ventured a guess, the latter probably outnumbered the former by quite a large margin. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, considering that people have to pay bills to live, so they have a vested interest in earning a paycheck. But, some people find themselves completely restless with the path they’ve chosen and want to make a break for something new and exciting. That’s when many people break up with their reality and decide to chase a dream. You may not succeed but at least you can say you gave it a try, or you could end up living your dream. Finding the Dream Job Even if you have a solid job that is paying the bills and offering security, it may not be enough. If you want something else out of life then why not make the uncomfortable move and leave your situation? The drawback: going from plenty to living on the lower-rung of the pocketbook scale. If you decide to try your hand at your dream job there will be setbacks, you will have to make sacrifices that, perhaps, you are not comfortable with. That means less eating out and less entertainment plans, you will have to limit your purchases to the essentials, while still leaving some for yourself. Your friends and family should be your rock at this time. They should be there to provide help and encouragement, but if they’re not, it’s their loss and your life, so go live it. Before you leave your current job, make sure you have something to fall back on. Make sure you have your dream job in place, even if you are close to getting it there is no guarantee. You do not want to put yourself in a compromising situation that you will have to dig your way out of. A New Type of Rich If you make a drastic step and totally alter your life, will it be worth it or will your life be more fraught with peril than before? Who knows, and it depends on your situation. If you decide to quit your job to focus on African alligator wrestling, you will be in for a complete, 180 degree change in lifestyle. But, you also reward yourself both spiritually and emotionally by following what it is you want to do. The hardest part of making the change may be the fear of what people say about you. Even though your bank account may not be overflowing, your karma bank will be earning interest. And who cares what someone says about you, you’re following your dreams while they slave away in a cubicle working for a faceless, soul-sucking corporation who would just as easily fire them and everyone in the office if it improved their stockholder shares. So why do you care what people say, you have a dream and you’re following it. Live for yourself, even if it means a hit to the pocketbook.
