November 29, 2004

The boardroom is still a lonely place for women
Posted by Diane Danielson at 1:47 PM

The Boston Business Journal reports on the slight increase of women in corporate boardrooms. According to a new study, the number of women serving as directors in corporate boardrooms is up (barely), while the number of women in executive offices is flat.

The 2004 Census of Women Directors and Executive Officers of Massachusetts Public Companies was issued by The Boston Club, which found that, among the largest public companies in the state, women hold 9.5 percent of the 839 board seats, up 0.5 percent from the 9 percent of last year.

At the executive level, women still fill 9.2 percent of the 749 executive offices at those companies, unchanged from last year.

The Boston Club is an organization composed of executive- and senior-level professional women. Its study targeted the top 100 largest Bay State public companies, from highest revenue-ranked Raytheon Co. in Waltham to Rockland-based Independent Bank Corp.

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November 24, 2004

Do nice people really finish last?
Posted by at 4:38 PM

We received a good amount of feedback on the article entitled "The bully principle" that was published in the BostonWorks section of The Boston Sunday Globe on Nov. 21, 2004. It really struck a chord with many and many commented that they could relate to the difficult workplace situations described in the article. The article also provides some suggestions on how to counteract the aggressive or bullying nature of others.

To counter the 'nice guys finish last' thought, FastCompany's "Nice Guys Can Finish First," identifies that having good people skills is a valuable trait and it will make the difference on how high you actually climb.

All other things being equal, your people skills (or lack thereof) become more pronounced the higher up you go. In fact, even when all other things are not equal, your people skills often make the difference in how high you go.

In the article, they list several of the questions that you should ask yourself about your interpersonal skills if you're looking to get ahead. If you can answer many of the questions in the affirmative, that bodes well for you in your future career aspirations.

Th[e] quick list of attributes, while attractive in a junior employee, is not the sort of thing that junior employees get lauded for. But further along in your career curve, when it's time to step up into a leadership position, you're going to need these qualities in spades. Stripped of your technical mastery and your hall-of-fame-quality lifetime batting average, what are the interpersonal skills that will make you rise above the leadership pack? Pick one, any skill that you feel you're lacking. And start developing it ... now.

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To accept or not to accept, that is the question
Posted by at 3:57 PM

If you landed a new job offer and then gave notice at your current company and they made a counteroffer, what would you do?

While many are still just looking for that elusive interview, never mind a job offer, BusinessWeek's "An Offer Too Good to Accept" offers some suggestions on what you should consider and do if you do find yourself in the situation where your company wants you to stay but, you've already accepted another company's job offer.

Geez! you think, I wish the company had been so responsive every other time I had a request. Still, it's flattering to get that counteroffer. It means you're really valued. Or does it? If it did, wouldn't it have headed off your months of stealthy job-searching by keeping you satisfied?

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Engineering Women
Posted by Diane Danielson at 11:28 AM

Did you prefer Legos and Erector Sets to Barbies when you were younger? Or perhaps you coveted your brother's Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs? Maybe now's the time to rediscover your inner engineer. At least that's what the founders of the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project hope.

Women make up 46 percent of the workforce in the United States yet hold only 12 percent of the jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math. Hoping to attract more women to careers in engineering, a coalition of engineering associations and societies, together with the WGBH-TV Educational Foundation in Boston, have established the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project.

The project will kick off with a book, expected to be published in the fall of 2005, that focuses on what women engineers from around the world have contributed to the development of innovative technologies. The book's topic is clear from its title: Women Engineers: Extraordinary Stories of How They Changed Our World.

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November 23, 2004

Menino plans to add job training programs
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 5:53 PM

Good news. From today's Boston Globe, a report that the City of Boston is about to step up again on job training:

The City of Boston said yesterday that it will rely on $1 million in linkage funds to finance more job training programs for low- and middle-income men, and weekend training for workers -- men and women -- seeking to escape low-wage, dead-end jobs.

"This is about giving people the opportunity to train for jobs with better pay and health benefits," Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, said at a press conference at Boston Medical Center.

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Looking for Mr. Goodwrench
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 5:45 PM

A story in today's Boston Globe looks at the shortage of skilled manual laborers, such as auto mechanics, electricians, or plumbers:

At least 1 million US jobs, most of which do not require a four-year degree, went unfilled this year because employers could not find workers with the necessary skills, the National Center on Education and the Economy, a Washington organization that addresses worker training, estimates.

With the job market still tight, is it time for the mechanically-minded to consider a career change?

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Forget eHarmony, what's your Myers-Briggs type?
Posted by Colin Moor at 5:12 PM

Ever had your tarot cards read? No, how about taking the Myers-Briggs? Personality tests are back. Assessment testing has enjoyed erratic popularity since the 1950's and more recently assessment testing is being used by more organizations to evaluate and support team building,talent search and worker motivation. >Alison Overholt at FastCompany has researched this revitalized trend and offers up some comforting analysis.

Today's personality tests are less about comparing your expected performance to others' and more about discovering the things about work that motivate you. The idea is to help employees and managers alike understand and appreciate each other's individual styles and greatest strengths, so working together becomes smoother and so employees can be matched with jobs where they'll naturally shine. "We're looking for what is hardwired into a person. What do people naturally gravitate to, where do they get lost in the moment, where do they get intense satisfaction?" says Vandana Allman, Gallup's global practice leader for talent-based hiring.

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November 22, 2004

Better outlook for new college grads
Posted by at 2:39 PM

In Study sees major hiring increase: Things are looking up for college graduates, Anne Thompson reports

Michigan State and the National Association of Colleges and Employers report that accounting, engineering and business majors are most in demand, but there are opportunities for all grads as employers across the economy — from retailers to the once-struggling manufacturers — look for help.

A sigh of relief for new grads -- and their parents.
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Working off the clock
Posted by Jason Butler at 8:44 AM

The New York Times exposes an unfortunately common practice: workers forced to work off the clock.

Workers at hair salons, supermarkets, restaurants, discount stores, call centers, car washes and other businesses who have murmured only to one another about off-the-clock work are now speaking up and documenting the illegal practice.

This is a long, but interesting read. The system that leads to this type of behavior is complex, and not necessarily as obvious as you'd think.
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Canada, the next Prozac Nation?
Posted by Diane Danielson at 8:42 AM

Sure, there are those of us who have recently considered what a kinder, gentler life we could lead North of the Border. However, when it comes to the work-life balance factor, it seems Canadian businesswomen aren't fairing much better than we are. CTV Canada reports on a recent study of depression and working women.

One in five working Canadian women experience depression or anxiety, which has caused some women to avoid or even quit work, according to a national study released Monday.

The study was conducted by Leger Marketing on behalf of Wyeth Canada, a pharmaceutical company. It found that 71 per cent of respondents said depression and anxiety was a barrier to success, compared to 23 per cent who found pregnancy to be a barrier.

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The survey found that most of the women who experience depression or anxiety are:

between the ages of 35 and 55;

live in a city or a suburban community; and

have children.

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November 19, 2004

When corporate America is not a choice
Posted by Diane Danielson at 10:19 AM

The New York Times reports on the rise of Hispanic women launching businesses:

Hispanic women are opening businesses at a rate far higher than the national average, a new study shows. To Tina Cordova, a Hispanic entrepreneur, the reason is obvious: economic desperation. While white women in the work force make about 77 cents to every dollar earned by white men, according to data from the 2000 census, Hispanic women are paid 53 cents.

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November 17, 2004

Latinos turning focus to networking
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 2:06 PM

Today's Globe reports:

. . .[A] group of mostly young Latino professionals plans to make a high-profile bid for attention with a conference to showcase their skills and help them network with companies around town. Rather than point fingers, the group, the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, plans to bring in a handful of more senior Latino executives who have worked their way into the system to explain how they did it.

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Retirement today
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 1:37 PM

Today's retirees are more vigorous and youthful than ever, viewing the end of work as a new chapter in life. Some approaching retirement age are apprehensive, however, worrying about healthcare and saving enough money to be comfortable. Still, all agree it's a plunge worth taking.

Check out the special section on retirement from today's Boston Globe. --------

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Offshoring accelerating
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 1:20 PM

A new report covered in today's Boston Globe says the number of jobs heading overseas may be higher than previously thought:

Groups such as the US Chamber of Commerce peg the number [of US jobs going overseas] at perhaps 200,000 jobs a year. But a new report commissioned by a bipartisan congressional commission said 406,000 US jobs will migrate overseas this year, double the conventional wisdom. This trend is expected to continue for several years as a greater variety of jobs are offshored, including to Latin America and the Caribbean.

A related piece reports that this includes middle-class, white-collar jobs, too.

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November 16, 2004

Talking too much?
Posted by at 7:59 PM

In Do You Talk too Much?, Jason found this oldie-but-goodie:

Among more than 300 professional recruiters surveyed, 43 percent believe the most common interview error is when candidates "talk too much," followed by 33 percent who say candidates are unprepared and 24 percent who cite "over inflated ego."

Make sure you've thought about your experience so that you can express yourself clearly and concisely. That's the way to ace the interview.
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November 15, 2004

Breaking the Ice 2.0
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 3:35 PM

From today's Boston Globe, news of a new type of networking tool:

Schmoozing can be a trial for the shy, reclusive, and socially challenged. Even those who understand the power of networking sometimes quake at the thought of a roomful of strangers.

But a Boston company has come up with a solution that helps break the ice at big meetings. All participants need to do is enter some personal information into an electronic file before the meeting or event: place of employment, alma mater, job title, hobbies, or, for sports lovers, the name of the team they rooted for during the World Series. An electronic name tag then helps get conversations going.

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Sleepy employees can be bad for business
Posted by Jason Butler at 1:45 PM

A new trend out of New York: a place to take 20-minute naps during the workday.

MetroNaps tries to counter the sound issue with constant white noise that emanates through the office, as well as optional CD players that offer nappers a mix of ethereal synth noises and natural chirps, warbles and whooshes.

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November 10, 2004

Out of the frying pan
Posted by Jason Butler at 8:24 PM

Ever dream about ditching it all and becoming a chef? Brian Kane is doing just that, enrolling at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. Best of all, he's blogging the experience.

I've often toyed with the idea of going to culinary school to become a chef. And as I sifted through the possibilities, realistic and otherwise, that idea seemed to be entirely viable. I had some familiarity with one of the local culinary schools -- the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts -- from a cooking class I'd taken last spring, so I had some idea of what to expect, and what to look for. After doing a bit of research, I swallowed up some gumption and filled out the application for the CSCA's professional chef program. Two weeks ago I got the acceptance letter. I signed the enrollment form, mailed it back, and now am officially registered to begin training in January.

(Via Boston Common)
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Trust your head, hands, and have no fear
Posted by at 5:57 PM

Striking out on your own business can be downright, er, scary business. It sounds great "I can make my own hours","work when I feel like it", and "make money while I sleep".

If only it could be so easy, right?

But the truth of the matter is if you have your mind, your hands, and have no fear of failing -- or succeeding -- you'll always come out on top. The AP reports today that more and more 20-somethings are taking that attitude and striking out on their own after their own dismal job and/or hunt.
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He who takes the notes has the power
Posted by Jason Butler at 8:12 AM

Tom Peters gives some good advice, telling readers the benefits of controlling the agenda and meeting notes.

Of at least as much importance is the grubby-demeaning "Notetaker" (and Publisher thereof) task. Talk about ... UNVARNISHED POWER! Everybody is so damn busy preening, interrupting, bullheadedly pushing their pet peeve, etc ... that they seldom hear what actually goes on. Only the meek & quiet Notetaker knows the story; and long after the participants have washed the memory of the meeting clean from their crowded lives, the Notetaker's Summary comes along explaining what transpired ... Carefully Edited.

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November 8, 2004

Nation records a surge in jobs
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 5:23 PM

Over the weekend the Boston Globe provided the latest jobs report, and the news was good:

Payrolls surged in October as US employers added more than 300,000 jobs, the biggest gain in seven months and the strongest evidence yet that the economic expansion is solidly on track.
- - - - -
"The economic expansion is well entrenched," said Anthony Chan, senior economist at JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management in Columbus, Ohio. "This confirms that expansion is likely to continue into 2005, and should allay concerns that we were about to enter into a recession."

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November 5, 2004

"Bad Mommy, Bad Mommy"
Posted by Diane Danielson at 11:32 PM

The New York Times reviews the new book Home-Alone America - the latest salvo fired in the mommy wars.

If any book tempts readers to judge its contents by the cover, it is "Home-Alone America," whose jacket photograph shows Mom leaving for work in her power suit and pumps as Junior clings desperately to her ankle.

Any passions left uninflamed might be stirred by the book's subtitle: "The Hidden Toll of Day Care, Behavioral Drugs and Other Parent Substitutes." That seems to label it as another book bashing working mothers, blaming them for the ills of society and condemning them for putting their happiness above that of their children.

Not so, says Mary Eberstadt, the author of "Home-Alone America," being published this week by Sentinel, an imprint of Penguin Group USA that focuses on conservative viewpoints.

"This isn't a finger-pointing book," she said in an interview. "It's not a blaming book. It's an attempt to deliver what I know to be an out-of-the-box examination of a serious social question. That question is, why do kids today have serious problems that their parents' generation and their grandparents' generation did not?"

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November 4, 2004

Small business - the new "girl's club?"
Posted by Diane Danielson at 2:32 PM

It used to be that I would never go to a bar where the women outnumbered the men, simply out of fear of long lines for the ladies' room. Now, it seems that I might consider avoiding Small Business Associations, too. The San Diego Transcript reports on the growing number of women-owned businesses.

The face of the American small business community is changing. A recent study by the National Association for the Self-Employed shows that startups of women-owned businesses outnumbered new men-owned businesses by nearly a 2-1 ratio in 2003.

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November 2, 2004

Opportunities in retail?
Posted by at 3:27 PM

Via Kennedy Information's Recruiting Trends, take a look at One-in-Five Retail Workers Will Leave Their Jobs in the Fourth Quarter, CareerBuilder.com Survey Finds. That says two things to me: if you're in retail, start treating your employees as worthwhile retaining. And, it seems to me that if "Nearly Half of Retail Hiring Managers Will Be Recruiting," as the article asserts, there could be some reasonable jobs out there if you're unemployed or want a seasonal job.
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Turning down Google
Posted by Jason Butler at 1:50 PM

Here's an interesting post from an engineer who turned down an opportunity to interview with Google. Especially interesting are the issues related to working with newly-rich co-workers.

I'm not sure it would make much sense (financial or otherwise) to join now right after their IPO even if they did offer me a job. I mean, what's it gotta be like working there now with a third of the company paper-millionaires? There's got to be a [Darn] You I'm Vested feeling flowing through the halls.

Make sure to check out the comments, too.
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World’s toughest job interview
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 9:44 AM

So here’s what you have to do to get THE JOB, the ultimate knock-out, survivor competition:

• When applying, state your position on each major issue you will face on the job, clearly and repeatedly, ad nauseam

• Make your case as the most qualified applicant by subjecting your entire personal and professional life history to endless scrutiny in microscopic detail that then gets told to the entire nation in print, on the airwaves, over the web, everywhere

• Go on national television in every round of the competition to debate head-to-head with your opponents, who also claim they are the best person for the job

• Travel hundreds of thousands of miles across the nation convincing everyone in the entire country that you are the right person for the job

• In the process, shake hands with hundreds of thousands of people

• Kiss hundreds (thousands?) of babies

• Eat endless quantities of all types of food proffered at all hours of the day and night because you can’t be seen rejecting people’s hospitality

• Pose for countless photographs

• Choose a number 2 to run with you, just in case (for whatever reason) you can't do the job

• Raise - and spend - millions of dollars in support of your case

• Put together an entire team of specialists and advisors to work tirelessly on your behalf to make all of the above happen, letting some go and hiring others as you deem necessary

• Spend at least 18-24 months doing all of the above, probably more if you are to succeed, after starting years, if not decades, earlier plotting your career course for this position.

The prize? A $400K/year four-year stint of more miles and handshakes and sleepless nights as leader of the free world. Worth it? Ask yourself if you’d fight that hard for any job. You’d have to be pretty convinced you could do it, and do it better than anyone else. We’ll find out tomorrow (we hope) who survived the interview and gets the job. And I agree wholeheartedly with my blogging colleague Johanna over in the HR Blog – take the time to play your part in all of this and get out and vote today!

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November 1, 2004

Get paid to quit
Posted by Jason Butler at 8:12 AM

Man, I wish I'd thought of this a few months ago. The New York Times writes about my new heroes: John Shalam and Philip Christopher, formerly of Audiovox.

These two geniuses are walking away with more than $20,000,000.

Mr. Shalam and Mr. Christopher both became $1.9 million richer as a result of the deal. And because Mr. Christopher will be leaving Audiovox for the new company, he received an additional $2.1 million for the termination of his contract.

But the largess did not stop there. As part of the deal, Mr. Christopher will also receive $16 million for something called "personally held intangibles," or assets in Audiovox Communications that he says are his. According to company filings, these intangibles include Mr. Christopher's personal contacts and personal and professional relationships with suppliers, customers, contractors, financiers, employees and ex-employees of the wireless unit. They also include his "personal know-how," trademarks, trade names and patentable assets relating to the subsidiary. Audiovox agreed to buy these intangibles from Mr. Christopher in June in preparation for the unit's sale.

Interesting that it took an asset sale for Audiovox shareholders to learn that for all those years when Mr. Christopher was being paid handsomely for managing the wireless unit - a job that includes building professional relationships with suppliers, customers and workers, for example - the value of those relationships was accruing to him, not to the company and its owners. Now that's ingenuity.

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