August 28, 2008

You can't wear that here
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 10:34 AM

The workplace dress code. It varies from job to job, industry to industry, region to region.

I've worked in some places where a baseball cap, jeans, and sandals were not only accepted, but expected. I've also worked in offices where you stood out like a sore thumb if you didn't have a tie on.

You never really know what the allowable attire is until you have a few days in the office. Now, for pretty much every job, going to a job interview in anything less than your Sunday best is not advised... you want to suit up for that first impression. You should always dress much better for the interview than you would if you're working there day to day.

But what about after the interview, after you get that job, when you are given your cubicle or workspace and want to blend in with the rest of your co-workers? I've found it's probably best to overdress the first week and then slide into the status quo once you get a better feel for the style of the office.

Because in almost every office there are rules. Most of the time they're unspoken, but you know they exist. For example, most jobs probably don't have to say that it's inappropriate to come to work dressed only in a smock (see video at right). It's just one of those things that don't have to be said.

However, many other times the rules are a lot more murky, and you may not know you've made a workplace fashion faux-pas until it's too late. Shorts in the summer? Come on, man, this is a respectable accounting firm! A sweater vest? Geez, Louise, how can you paint in that thing? An orange pant-suit? Betty, we own a cranberry bog, not an orange juice press!

So, what is the dress code -- spoken or unspoken -- at your job? What do most people wear to work? What would be considered "crossing the line?" Do you have any examples of someone who made a horrible wardrobe mistake at your job?

Share your workplace wardrobe do's and don'ts in our discussion forum.

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August 26, 2008

You can't always get what you want
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 12:35 PM

Maybe the Rolling Stones were talking about the 2008 job market when they penned their 1969 hit.

A recent study done for staffing firm Robert Half International Inc. and CareerBuilder.com shows that both job seekers and employers are getting no satisfaction in the current hiring climate, the Associated Press reports. Job seekers can't find jobs. Employers can't find qualified candidates. They both rate the current job market around a 3.5 out of 5 in terms of difficulty, according to the survey.

It's not bad for everyone, however. The report shows that there is a dearth of qualified candidates in the technology and accounting fields, giving the few qualified workers in those industries a huge advantage in negotiating pay raises, benefits, and all the other perks that come with being a sought-after employee. From the AP story:

The survey, called The Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations Report, found 59 percent of hiring managers cite a shortage of qualified workers as their biggest recruiting challenge. At least a quarter of the applicants who contact them are not qualified, six out of 10 employers told surveyors, while 31 percent said more than half are not qualified.

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If they find qualified workers, 65 percent of hiring managers said they are willing to negotiate salary, while 19 percent are very willing. On the employee side, 63 percent of those surveyed said they were more likely to try to negotiate a better compensation package with a new employer than they were last year, compared with 58 percent last year.

And it's not just salary that's important. Nearly three-quarters of employees surveyed said the availability of flexible schedules may cause them to choose one job over another, the survey said.

Flexible schedules were also on the top of the list of measures employers are willing to take to retain employees, along with funding for additional training, increasing salaries and offering telecommuting options.

So it's not all bad out there for skilled workers. But what if you're not one of the lucky few 'qualified' workers that companies fall all over themselves to hire? How does the current job market affect your thinking about your work situation?

A survey earlier this year from staffing firm Randstad claims to show that during a bad economy, employees become more grateful for their jobs. According to the company's World of Work survey (pdf), when employees become nervous about the ecomony, that actually become happier with their jobs.

Now, whether they become more satisfied, or just less likely to let their frustrations out, I guess we can't know for sure. But it stands to reason that when the job market is tight, dissatisfied employees are less likely to voluntarily leave their jobs. And if they are less likely to leave, they are probably more likely to convince themselves that their situation isn't as bad as it could be.

Can't get no satisfaction? Well, then, try working in a faltering economy. It cures all your ills!

How about you? Does a bad economy make you happier with your job? Are you browsing for new jobs less than you used to? How has the economy changed your outlook on your career?

Share your thoughts in our discussion forum.

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August 18, 2008

Is your boss a jerk?
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 11:05 AM

Have you ever been repeatedly bullied at work? Well, unless it involved physical aggression, there's probably not too much you could do about it except complain to HR and hope for the best, or just find a new job. However, there may be hope for victims of overly aggressive management styles in the future, as two bills on the subject could soon hit the Massachusetts legislature. NECN has an interview with Boston Business Journal reporter Lisa van der Pool on the topic (click the video below):

In the piece, van der Pool cites a study that shows 37 percent of Americans have been bullied at work, and 72 percent of those bullies are bosses. The survey also showed women are more likely to be bullied.

One example van der Pool gives of "bullying" treatment involved a boss who would call employees at home and tell them what a bad job they were doing at work.

So, have you ever experienced an overly aggressive management style, or felt you were bullied at work?

Share your workplace bullying stories in our discussion thread.

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August 13, 2008

Getting the most out of a staffing agency
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 10:12 AM

In a tough job market, some job seekers will look for all the help they can get. That means that some will enlist recruiters or staffing agencies in their search for employment.

However, some people just sign up with a recruiter and don't do anything else – they just wait for the phone call with the magical job offer on the other end of the line. When it doesn't happen, they get frustrated.

Is just handing over your resume to a recruiter and expecting a job offer realistic? Probably not. Unless your resume is the king of all resumes, you will likely have to work to set yourself apart and give a recruiter something to work with. That's where managing the relationship comes in.

Tom Egan of staffing firm Veritude offers tips for getting the most out of a recruiter. And guess what? It takes work. Just sitting on the couch and waiting for a call is not going to cut it. Here are some of Mr. Egan's suggestions:

Make an effort to build a rapport with your recruiter

Developing a professional relationship with a recruiter provides you with an opportunity to promote yourself above and beyond what can be communicated through a resume. After your initial phone screening, ask if there is a good time to come into the office and meet the recruiter in person. Face-to-face interaction will allow you to expound upon your relevant experience/qualifications and allow your personal brand to shine through - making it easier for the recruiter to identify the right personality or culture fit for you, and to "sell" you to a potential employer.

Don't expect the recruiter to do everything for you

Doing your own due diligence pays off. Research the industry, the company, and the requirements/expectations of the position itself prior to meeting the hiring manager. While you won't land every job you interview for, if recruiters receive positive feedback from hiring managers regarding your preparation for and performance during an interview, they will continue to dedicate time and effort to helping you find that perfect position.

For the full list of tips, click here.

Have you ever used a recruiter/staffing agency to find a job? Are there any tips for using a staffing agency that worked – or didn't work – for you? Share your thoughts in our discussion thread.

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August 6, 2008

Getting the most (money) out of your education
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 9:30 AM

With financing becoming a major issue for college students, it may be a good time to think about what your financial outlook will be after you graduate. Are you racking up absurd amounts of debt for a degree that won't pay enough to cover your loan bills?

PayScale.com, a Seattle company that compiles salary data, has a new report that breaks down the earning potential for a variety of undergraduate degrees and colleges across the country.

The report looked at the median salary for "Starting Employees" (Defined as full-time workers with 5.5 years or less) and "Mid-Career Employees" (Full-time workers with 10 or more years experience).

The degrees that offer the highest median salaries are not surprising: They're mostly related to engineering, science, and other technical pursuits. Here are the top 10 "degrees that pay you back," ranked by the mid-career median salaries:

Undergraduate Major	Starting Median Salary	Mid-Career Median Salary
1) Chemical Engineering	$63,200	$107,000
2) Computer Engineering	$61,400	$105,000
3) Electrical Engineering	$60,900	$103,000
4) Aerospace Engineering	$57,700	$101,000
5) Economics	$50,100	$98,600
6) Physics	$50,300	$97,300
7) Computer Science	$55,900	$95,500
8) Industrial Engineering	$57,700	$94,700
9) Mechanical Engineering	$57,900	$93,600
10) Math	$45,400	$92,400

Some other rankings I found interesting: Philosophy ranked 17th (Starting: $39,900; Mid-career: $81,200), IT ranked 24th (Starting: $49,100; Mid-career: $74,800), Film ranked 29th (Starting: $37,900; Mid-career: $68,500), and Jounalism ranked 31st (Starting: $35,600; Mid-career: $66,700).

As for what schools have graduates making the most money mid-career, Dartmough College in Hanover, N.H., topped all US schools with a mid-career median salary of $134,000 for undergrads.

Other interesting tidbits from the report: Harvard graduates were shown to frequently enter non-profit positions, major state universities provide high value with median salaries of graduates in the top 5 in their states, and small liberal arts colleges provided graduates with median salaries competitive with major private research schools.

But back to the original point of this post: If you are racking up college debt and want to pay it off as quickly as possible once you enter the workforce, what colleges offer your best bet? We used the PayScale.com report to compile a list of top 10 New England schools that offer the highest median salary for "Starting Employees." Check it out here.

Are you worried about paying off your student loans once you graduate and enter the workforce? Are you currently using a strategy to tackle your student debt? Share your thoughts in our forums.

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