Spooky Survey Sheds Light on Employee Mindset
Just in time to coincide with the holiday CareerBuilder.com has released the results of a Halloween themed survey. They surveyed workers in various professions and apparently 1 in 5 of those questioned described their workplace as “scary”.
When asked which popular Halloween character they thought their boss most resembled the panelists responded as follows:
•Glenda the Good Witch, liked and respected by all – 20%
•The Wolf Man, is fine one minute, howling the next – 11%
•The Invisible Man, never around – 10%
•Casper the Friendly Ghost, eager to help, but often misunderstood – 9%
•Dracula, constantly sucking the life right out of you – 6%
•Wicked Witch of the West, always acting conniving and sending out minions to do his/her dirty work – 5%
•The Mummy, slow-moving and has an ancient thought process – 4%
•Grim Reaper, constantly delivers bad news and inspires fear among workers – 3%
•Frankenstein, green with envy – 1%
Nice to see the good guy come out on top. But why would so many people rank their job as scary, especially if the Good Witch is around to protect them? To borrow from Richard Dawson, survey says :
Job Board Scams – What You Need to Know
As more people join the ranks of those actively seeking employment, activity on online job boards increases. These can be great places to land a job (although competition is fierce) but, increasingly the scam artists are targeting them too.
Work from home scams, investment scams and the like are nothing new. However now they are showing up alongside legitimate job offers on sites like Monster and Yahoo and it can be hard to spot them at first.
Some job seekers assume that these big job boards vet all the employment offerings that are posted on their site but that is simply not the case, so it is up to the individual to figure out which ones are not legitimate.
Asking for a Raise in a Recession?
If you feel you deserve a raise but, none has been forthcoming how do you ask for one, especially in the current economic climate?
First, you need to try to discern if the company you work for is a position to offer one. If there have been layoffs recently it is probably not the right time to ask for a raise. However, if you can prove to your boss that you make a vital contribution the company cannot afford to be without you may have a chance. Even in a recession most companies do not want to lose valuable and seasoned employees.
How to Ace a Phone Interview
More often these days employers conduct preliminary phone interviews with candidates they are interested in hiring, narrowing the pool they will eventually meet with face to face. The advantage to the employer is that telephone interviews cost less, are faster and can be delegated to an assistant.
While you will not be across the table from your potential employer you should treat a phone interview with the same seriousness you would a face to face interview. Being prepared is key. Here are a few tips to help you breeze through the phone call and secure that all important face to face meeting.
Background checks – What Job Seekers Need to Know
Does the idea of consenting to a background check make you a little nervous and feel your privacy is being invaded?
The fact is the majority of employers today, regardless of industry, conduct background checks on potential employees before signing off on a new hire. How deep an employer digs will vary though. Most background checks will investigate criminal and court records looking for past legal wrong doings on the part of a potential hire. Increasingly companies are also running credit checks, as some feel that fiscal responsibility is a good indicator of a responsible person.
Holiday Party Tips for Employers
You know your employees expect a holiday party every year. But in this day and age employers do have to exercise a little caution when planning them. A few tips:
* Choose your venue carefully. A private room is probably a better choice than a large table at a restaurant, if only to make sure your company does not end up paying for food and drink for people who do not even work for them (seriously, it happens)
*Avoid any religious themes unless you are 100% certain that everyone invited (including spouses if allowed) practice the same religion.
Job Fair Tips
Job fairs differ a great deal from one another, as does people’s opinion of them. To some they are a pointless waste of time, while others have had great success and have even been hired on the spot. Whatever your general thoughts on them, in a time when unemployment is still rising, any chance to get out and showcase your skills really might be worth your time. As long as you do a little preparation beforehand.
Before the career fair, check and see if there is an official website for the event (more often than not there is) Make a list of the companies who will be represented at the fair and spend some time researching those that interest you. Check for “maps” of the fair once you arrive to locate each employer’s booth.
The Importance of An “Old Fashioned” Cover Letter
In the 21st century a large portion of employment applications are submitted online. Although there is almost always a section to attach a cover letter, many of today’s job hunters skip right over the opportunity. They want to get right to the resume submission, saving time so they can move onto the next application.
Others may submit one but are guilty of the copy and paste method. Saved on their computer, it is very tempting to just copy and paste, using the same cover letter to each job applied. Although both methods certainly save time and energy,other person it is not likely to help you get the job.
Is Your Company Losing to Facebook?
As many employers are already aware, a recent study has revealed employees are spending company time on Facebook. One study by Nucleus Research shows employers are losing 1.5% in employee productivity while employees are updating their profiles, chatting with online friends and tending to their virtual green patches and fantasy farms.
Considering Fractional Employment as A Way to Get Ahead.
Consider this scenario: As an employer you know you need someone to oversee your human resources issues but, your staff is a too small for you to need a full-time person. These days more and more companies are finding themselves in this situation and are turning to a new breed of worker – the fractional employee.
