May 31, 2005

Six degrees on the web
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 1:31 PM

The web, as we all know, has had a huge impact on job searching. But now it's going beyond job boards. A new class of sites is attempting to change the professional networking process by putting it online:

Social networking sites for job-seekers are popping up all over the Web. With names like LinkedIn, Ryze, Spoke Software, and Tribe Networks, the sites boast the opportunity to link users to 'insiders' with access to jobs, eliminating anxiety-ridden cold calls.
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The theory behind social networking sites is that users become links in a chain with only a few degrees of separation. Lieu [a job seeker], for example, was separated from her new boss by only four people, or four degrees. In that sense, LinkedIn and its competitors are making use of the so-called small-world theory.

Read Diane Lewis' story from the Boston Globe.

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May 25, 2005

Another reason why our daughters should play sports
Posted by Diane Danielson at 11:05 PM

Really interesting article in the NYT about how women shy away from competition in the workplace and why this might have some effect on the gender gap.

"Even in tasks where they do well, women seem to shy away from competition, whereas men seem to enjoy it too much," Professor Niederle said [commenting on the results of a recent study.]

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Raytheon wins $3 billion Navy contract
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 4:20 PM

Keep an eye on local tech giant Raytheon, who just won one of their single biggest government contracts ever:

The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon Co. a $3 billion contract to develop radar, electronic and weapons systems for a new class of destroyers envisioned as the high-tech future of the U.S. fleet.
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[President of Raytheon's Tewksbury-based integrated defense systems unit] Dan Smith said the contract, which runs through 2009, will take the program from development through production. But he said it is too soon to tell if new jobs will be created as a result, or where.

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State of the state economy
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 3:23 PM

Here's another video clip of interest, from NECN (New England Cable News) Business Day with R.D. Saul. In the segment, Saul interviews Renee Fry, Director of the Massachusetts Department of Business and Technology. Fry addresses recent unemployment and job creation figures, the outlook for life sciences, and the Massachusetts economy beyond Boston. Click here to launch the segment. (Note: you may have to refresh the screen or hit the link twice to launch the video.)

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Job Doc on TV
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 10:58 AM

Fans of our weekly Job Doc column in the BostonWorks section of the Sunday Globe (and here on BostonWorks.com) will be pleased to learn that our Job Docs are now dispensing advice over the airwaves, as well. Check out Job Doc Andrea Wolf from Monday's NECN segment as she answers questions from two job seekers, one who is not landing a job after repeated interviews, and another who is not landing interviews, period. (Note: you may have to refresh screen or hit link twice to launch video.)

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May 23, 2005

Helpful hints from Microsoft Office
Posted by Jason Butler at 6:44 AM

Just because your word processor contains "templates" for resumes and cover letters doesn't mean you should copy them verbatim. Recruiters tend to notice.

[F]our recent applicants for a receptionist position at a Manhattan photography studio were noticed for an entirely different reason. All four, who live in different parts of New York City, used identical language in a portion of their e-mailed cover letters, said Mary Catanzaro, the employee who reviewed and screened the applications.

"What my résumé does not reveal is my professional demeanor and appearance," all four wrote. "In a business environment these qualities are of the utmost importance in dealing with clients as well as co-workers. In me, you'll discover a reliable, detail-oriented and extremely hard-working associate, one who will serve as a model to encourage other staff members to demonstrate a high standard of professionalism."

The applicants apparently lifted the passage from the Microsoft Office Web site's template gallery ("Secretary cover letter")[.]

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May 22, 2005

Good news and bad news for women in the boardroom
Posted by Diane Danielson at 11:21 PM

From this Sunday's BostonWorks Out in the Field Section - First the good news about women in leadership positions:

In a joint study by Caliper, a New Jersey management firm, and London-based Aurora, a businesswomen's diversity network and research organization, researchers found that women are more assertive, more likely to take risks, and more empathetic than their male counterparts.

The study reveals that female executives are more likely to listen to subordinates and co-workers than their male colleagues. They also tend to talk things over more, resulting in greater input from a variety of people. In addition, they are more flexible and have better interpersonal skills than male executives, the study noted.

Sounds great, right? Too bad there aren't more women in the boardroom. (That's the bad news.)

The researchers said they found "severe underrepresentation of women and minorities on the boards of the nation's Fortune 100 firms in comparison to their population as a whole."

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May 20, 2005

Good news on the local job front
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 3:29 PM

The state Division of Unemployment Assistance reports that the local job market is headed in the right direction:

Massachusetts' unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in April, down from 4.9 percent the month before, as the state posted its eighth consecutive month of job gains.

Last month's gain of 4,700 jobs brought the unemployment rate to its lowest point since December 2001, when the economy was in a recession that triggered a rise in unemployment.

Read the entire article.

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May 18, 2005

Big Brother is always watching
Posted by Jason Butler at 8:13 AM

If you're a Budweiser distributor, you probably shouldn't drink Coors, even on your own time. But, even if you do, do you deserve to be fired for it?

Ross Hopkins says he was fired from a Budweiser beer distributor for drinking Coors after hours.

Bosses can be fussy that way.

This may go a little too far. Make sure to read the article, because it discusses how far employers can go in regulating their employees' off-clock behavior.

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May 17, 2005

Scram, scams
Posted by Jason Butler at 1:28 PM

It's tempting to want to work from home. I do it myself, so I know the benefits you receive from the flexible schedule and comfy environment. But, watch out for scammers. Here is a good list of some of the most common types of work-at-home scams. Beware.

And never never never pay a fee of any kind to be considered for a job opportunity. Those are always scams.

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It's here: the essential tool for your job search
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 9:55 AM

It only comes once a year. It is not only an essential tool for your job search but the best way to get a grip fast on what's going on in the local economy. It's The Globe 100, listing Massachusetts' top companies.

This in-depth special section from the Globe's business editorial department profiles and ranks these top firms in multiple ways, includng by industry sector, revenues, and employees. It also provides feature stories on economic trends, interviews with leading area executives, a survey of CEOs, a ranking of fastest growing firms, and more.

So if you're not sure where to turn in your job search, just pull up a chair and start here. And while it's on newsstands - today only - you might want to pick up a copy of the Globe with The Globe 100.

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May 16, 2005

Women might want to consider the Nordic Track
Posted by Diane Danielson at 10:32 PM

No, not the exercise equipment; but a career that takes them to Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark or Finland. The International Herald Tribune reports on a new gender gap study where those five countries were the best at closing (although not eliminating) the gap between what women and men are paid for the same job.

New Zealand, Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia rounded out the rest of the top 10. The United States ranked a dismal 17th.

The report noted that Nordic countries are characterized by strong liberal societies, government transparency, welfare systems and wide access for women to education, and political and work opportunities.

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Area hiring on the rise
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 12:48 PM

The region's leading human resources trade group, NEHRA (Northeast Human Resources Association), reports that a recent member survey shows hiring on the rise:

Hiring in the northeast is on the upswing. So says a sampling of the Northeast Human Resources Association's (NEHRA) 4,000 members, who expect to increase employment headcount over the next year. NEHRA recently conducted an e-survey of its members to determine hiring trends in local organizations. According to the study results, local hiring is on the rise, and recruiting budgets are expected to remain the same or increase slightly from last year.

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Catch the wave: podcast jobs
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 12:31 PM

Wave of the future? An entrepreneurial reader of the BostonWorks website, Andrew Rosen, has notified us of a new service he has created, the Working Podcast, which can be found on the web at WorkingPodcast.com. Check it out for user-contributed work stories, job listings, and more. Says founder Rosen:

We talk about everything from commuting woes to word-of-mouth job listings to salary reveals!

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May 14, 2005

No more poking fun at Volvo for me
Posted by Diane Danielson at 10:45 AM

Volvo, the company that let a women's team design a new car, has done it again, they're putting a woman in charge. The National Post (of Canada) reports that Anne Belec has been appointed president and CEO of Volvo North America.

Hmmmmmmm. after years of swearing that I would never drive a Volvo, this VW girl might have to rethink her affinity for fahrfenugen.

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May 12, 2005

Show me the money ...
Posted by Diane Danielson at 11:18 PM

... or at least an open seat at the table. It may be 2005, where women equal the number of men in the workforce and are outnumbering them at elite institutions; yet, we have less than 10 female CEOs in the Fortune 500 and corporate boardrooms remain astonishingly white male. The Washington Post reports on the lastest boardroom statistics.

As of Sept. 30, women claimed 200 of 1,196 board directorships, while men accounted for 996, or 83 percent, of board membership. Minorities held 178 director positions, or 15 percent. Blacks held 120 board seats, with 27 of those held by women. Hispanics held 46 seats, or 4 percent, with women holding six of those positions. Asian Americans, meanwhile, held just 12 seats, with women holding only three seats.

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May 11, 2005

Starting a new chapter
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 10:58 AM

Certain jobs seem to hold a perennial romantic appeal. One such job is owner and operator of a country inn - what could be more idyllic? Another is owning and operating your own independent bookstore. But what does running a bookstore really entail? And how hard is that to do these days?

Today's Boston Globe reports on three different local bookstore start-ups:

Hope springs eternal, especially in the heart of an independent bookseller. Hope is essential -- in the age of superstores and Internet retailers such as Amazon.com, making a success of a bricks-and-mortar neighborhood bookshop is one of the toughest jobs going.
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'It's a huge challenge to maintain a successful independent bookstore these days," said Kate Whouley, a bookselling consultant from Centerville.

Even so, something about owning and running a bookstore continues to attract new people.

For more, read the three profiles. Then consider if this is a career move you really want to make.

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May 10, 2005

Job outlook better
Posted by at 3:43 PM

In It's Clearer Than Reading Tea Leaves, Doug quotes the national labor improvement numbers, and concludes

The active candidate population is dwindling and we are closing in on sub 5% unemployment. It will become tougher and tougher to find candidates to fill open positions in the coming months.

Good news for candidates.

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Unemployed? Here's the good news
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 3:04 PM

If you're looking for a silver lining to your current job transition, here's one: commutes are worse than ever in Boston, and getting even worse:

In 2003, the Boston region tied for 13th worst in the nation for how long drivers were stalled or slowed by rush-hour traffic, compared with 18th worst the year before, according to a national study on highway congestion released yesterday.

So look on the bright side. At least you don't have to fight that fight every day! Enjoy it while you can, because you know that soon enough you'll be back at it.

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May 9, 2005

The blogs are back! The blogs are back!
Posted by Douglas Eisenhart at 5:17 PM

We're back! We sincerely apologize, BW blog fans, for a prolonged absence. You may have missed us, but we missed blogging just as much. Guess we didn't realize how hooked we really were.

We went dark due to (ahem) technical difficulties. But we are glad to be up and running once again and are ready to serve up some juicy job news.

Speaking of which, here's an item from yesterday's Globe BostonWorks section on how skilled we all are. So take a gander, then get that resume and networking shtick back out there - fast. Your highly skilled competition is not sitting still.

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