The Job Search

Think You’d Be Better Off Working From Home? 3 Things to Consider Before Making The Move

By on Tuesday, March 25, 2008

I have a friend who has worked from home for the past two years, but is now seeking a new job opportunity. She enjoys her job, the short commute from bedroom to office and wearing pajamas most days. But, she misses being around people and needs human contact again because she feels she’s starting to go nutty.

Have you considered working from home? Do you think you would go stir-crazy if you did, or would you adjust well? Here are a few things to consider before you make the change.

No teamwork – When you work in an office, you’re likely to work in a team environment and work with others on projects. When you’re working from home, you’re often working on projects solo and don’t receive input from others along the way. Brainstorming is more difficult because you can’t simply turn to a co-worker to get a second opinion. Instead, you have to send an e-mail or make a phone call to your co-workers and hope someone is available to help you out. Working alone is mentally and emotionally challenging for some people because they thrive on communicating with others.

More distractions –You might think that you’d face fewer distractions by working at home, but there are plenty of things at home to pull you away from your desk. Some things that might distract you include cleaning, laundry, paying bills, playing with pets or children and even watching TV. If you’ll be easily distracted, try hiring someone to help around the house so you can concentrate on work.

A shorter commute – The price of gas is continually increasing, pushing up the cost for commuters to get to and from work every day, whether they’re driving themselves or using public transportation. You’ll save money and time with no commute to the office. But, take into consideration meetings and events you might have to attend. If they’re an every day occurrence or if there’s an occasional long trip, your “commute” may still be a real issue. In fact, you may find yourself on-the-go more. My friend only has to travel once a week, but she has to travel more than my trip to and from work five days a week, so she ends up spending almost as much time and money commuting as I do.

There are many more issues to consider about working at home or working at the office. Make sure to weigh every issue fully to make the choice that will work best for you. Take the time to realize what’s truly important to you before you make the leap, considering all the good and bad things of working at home.

Are you currently working from home or would you like to? What advice would you give others who are considering a move to a home office?

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Dress for Success

Shake off the Cobwebs: How to Look and Feel Younger by Updating Your Image

By on Friday, March 21, 2008

Image UpdateGrowing older has its perks – more wisdom, life experience and job expertise. But, with age also comes a few things most people don’t appreciate as much such as wrinkles, weight gain and thinning hair. Typically, people don’t want to look any older than they have to – especially at work, where many generations come together in one place. The tips below can increase your workplace confidence by helping you look your best and keep your style up-to-date.

Update your ’do. Your hair is one of the first things people notice about your appearance, so ensure your style isn’t doing you a disservice by making you look older than you’d like.

Tips for men: If your hair’s thinning out, don’t try to camouflage it by sporting a comb-over. Instead, keep your look modern by having a stylist trim or shave your hair closer to the scalp. Also, long beards or mustaches tend to make men look older and less professional, so tidy up facial hair, including unruly eyebrows.

Tips for women: What’s popular for women’s hair changes more quickly than for men’s, so ask your stylist for tips on what’s in fashion. Additionally, hair that’s too dark washes out the skin and adds unnecessary years to the face. If you color your hair, consider going a shade or two lighter than usual to give your skin extra vibrancy.

Try out some fresh frames. Wearing wire-framed, square, rimless or other dated styles of glasses age you. If you’ve been wearing the same glasses for many years, it’s time to invest in a new set of frames. Tortoise-shell, rectangular, and plastic frames are trendier options for glasses. Another possibility to freshen up your specs is to try out contacts.

Let those pearly whites sparkle. As people age, so do their teeth. To turn back the clock on yellow or gray-tinged teeth, invest in professional whitening from the dentist or purchase over-the-counter whitening trays. To avoid continually staining your teeth, it’s a good idea to limit coffee drinking, use a straw when drinking dark beverages and quit smoking. A brighter, whiter smile can take years off your appearance and give you more confidence about your looks.

Following the tips above can help keep your image fresh and improve the way you feel about your looks. Confidence and an up-to-date appearance will help you make a positive impression in the workplace.

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Career Options

Top 3 Benefits of Temp Jobs

By on Thursday, March 20, 2008

When looking for employment, most people don’t want a temporary job; they want a permanent one – or at least one that has the potential to become permanent. However, what many people don’t realize is that most temporary positions offer a chance at permanent employment and much more. According to the American Staffing Association, 90% of all companies use temporary employees.

Below are three additional benefits temporary work offers individuals beyond permanent positions.

Sizing up the company. I don’t know about you, but whenever I’ve looked for jobs in the past, I worried about impressing the employer. However, often times, after I was hired, neither the job nor the employers impressed me, and I had to figure out how to quit. To be happy in your job, you must not only make a good impression on your employer, but they must make a good impression on you. Working in a temporary job allows you the opportunity to see if you like the company’s culture, the job and the industry before making a commitment.

Building your résumé. If you’re between permanent jobs, working in a temporary position allows you to build and strengthen your résumé while looking for something more permanent. The American Staffing Association reports more than 90% of staffing companies provide training to their temporary workers, and 70% of temporary employees report gaining new skills during their job assignments. If you’re afraid of being known as a job hopper, make sure to show you worked for one temp agency and worked in many different roles. Make sure to list all the skills you obtained during your employment with the agency. Temporary positions allow you to build your résumé through on-the-job training and make you more attractive to potential employers.

Creating flexible work schedules. Maybe you’ve just had a baby, or you’re looking for a new career path. Flexibility is an excellent benefit that temporary jobs offer because it allows you to work part-time when you need to tend to personal obligations or go on job interviews while still making money. If you need some time off for personal matters, or if you just like having the opportunity to travel every few months, temporary positions offered through staffing companies allow you to work when you want. No matter what the reason – having flexible work options allows you to take care of the things that are important to you and still earn a little cash in the process.

Whether you’re searching for a new career path, building your résumé, starting a family or working to support your true passions in life, temporary jobs allow you many benefits and opportunities in the many different stages of your life. Make sure you investigate different temp agencies and the benefits they offer, as some may not offer as much as others. Click here to view the benefits of Express Employment Professionals.

What benefits has temporary employment offered you, or why do you choose to work on temporary assignments?

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At Work Reader Surveys

March Madness and the Workplace

By on Friday, March 14, 2008

The 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship begins Tuesday, March 18. The tournament brings Cinderella teams, buzzer beaters, rabid fans and, of course, tournament brackets. And workplaces around the country are caught up in March Madness. The ease of organization is what makes the tournament attractive for office pools. Brackets are readily available for download from web sites like ESPN.com and NewYorkTimes.com. A recent survey by Vault Inc. reports that 57% of employees participate in NCAA basketball pools.

While some argue that filling out brackets can hinder productivity, many employers are viewing office pools as a team building activity for their workers. If it’s well organized, a pool like this can benefit the workplace by providing a regular fun activity and develop camaraderie among team workers. To ensure a pool is well organized, experts suggest the winnings must be divided among players, allowing all workers who wish to play and conduct the pool in person instead of over the phone or through e-mails.

Although the Vault Inc. survey reports that 86% of offices don’t have policies against pool betting, it is wise to check your company’s policy before joining or starting a pool. In some states, unlicensed gambling, like office pools, may be considered criminal activity. If that’s the case where you are, there are many alternatives. Participants can play for gift certificates, sports or movie tickets, or for proceeds to go to charity. By taking out the monetary aspect, non-gambling pools are perfectly legal.

more at twiigs.com…
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At Work Career Advancement

Top 5 Job Mistakes: Don’t Let Them Wreck Your Career!

By on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Everybody makes mistakes – it’s a part of being human. While beating yourself up over the past isn’t helpful, learning from it is. As Winston Churchill once said, “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.”

Have you committed some blunders in your career that you feel are hurting your future? The tips below can help you identify professional flub ups and get you back on track professionally.

Burning Bridges
Have you had a lot of conflict in the past with your co-workers or even your boss? If so, now is the time to work on rebuilding those relationships by showing respect, patience and understanding. To smooth things over, you may also need to apologize to colleagues you’ve quarreled with in the past or at least make a concerted effort to start fresh in the relationship.

Being the Life of Every Party
While there’s nothing wrong with having a reputation for being fun, if you’re always playing the part of office comedian, it could hurt your career because colleagues won’t know when to take your seriously. Strive to show those around you that your work is important to you and that you can be trusted with sensitive issues. Keep your light-hearted side, but just make sure you display it at appropriate times.

Strolling on Easy Street
Without ambition, it’s hard to go anywhere professionally. If you’ve let your skills get rusty or just haven’t been going after top projects, chances are management has taken notice. Focus on displaying your enthusiasm for your job by volunteering for new assignments and keeping your credentials up-to-date.

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
Office romances can be tempting, but they’re also risky business. If you’ve dated a co-worker in the past or even just done some heavy flirting, it may have affected your colleagues’ opinions of you. To keep interoffice relationships from damaging your reputation, it’s essential to maintain your professionalism. You can do this by treating all co-workers in a polite and business-like manner and carefully weighing the consequences before dating a colleague in the future.

Dropping the Ball on a Big Project
Have you ever worked on an important project where everything went wrong? Although you may not be able to change what happened with the assignment, you can show that you’ve learned from your mistakes. Talk to your boss about your insights on the project and what you’re doing now to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again.

To keep professional mistakes from damaging your career, focus on learning from past errors and improving your performance each day. No one is perfect, so don’t get discouraged when you’ve made a wrong turn. Instead, aim to get back on course as quickly as you can.

What have you learned from your career blunders? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Networking The Job Search

Use Networking Opportunities to Your Advantage

By on Monday, March 10, 2008

Organizations, associations and other social groups are an excellent place to network when you’re looking for a new job. After all, the majority of job offers stem from word-of-mouth or networking. Follow these tips on how to use networking to your advantage, and you’ll be well on your way to your next job.

1. Get out there. Take the first step in establishing your own network by getting out and meeting new people. Check out local groups and organizations in your field and find out when they’re hosting their next event. Some host presentations on specific topics, which are beneficial to your professional development, and others host strictly networking gatherings. Make a point to attend the events that appeal to your interests and that will provide you with an opportunity to meet people who work in your field. These groups and organizations can range and vary from a service organization to a local engineering club.

2. Engage in conversation. Once you’re at the event, make sure to mingle with as many people as you can. Introduce yourself, shake hands and start a dialogue with each person. Ask them open-ended questions so that the conversation is not abruptly ended. You can ask about their current job, what they like and don’t like about it, and what steps someone else could take to get to their position. If the person seems genuinely interested in you and returns some of the same questions, you can begin to ask about job opportunities within their company or ones they are aware of. Then, offer your résumé and politely mention you’re looking for a job, without sounding desperate or begging for a referral.

After exchanging business cards or contact information, jot down a memorable trait about the person or part of your conversation on the back of the card. This will help you remember who you talked to and you’ll be able to picture their face in your mind the next time you pick up their card.

3. Build a relationship. The whole point of networking is building relationships. Once you’ve met someone at an event, you need to continue that relationship. Someone isn’t going to offer you a job because they saw you from across the room. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Learn more about each other’s hobbies, goals and career inspirations. Then when a job opportunity arises, that person will be willing to tell you about the open position and confidently recommend you for the job. Someone you have a relationship with is much more likely to recommend you for a position or share job opening information with you than a mere acquaintance would, so work on those relationships that you’ve already started and you’ll be one step ahead of other job seekers.

4. Don’t rush it. Building any relationship takes time and effort. It’s unlikely you’ll be recommended for a job by someone you just met. Plus, you never know who they might know. As the relationship grows, be patient. When the right opportunity comes along, your contact will be able to fully recommend you for the position. In the meantime, continue attending other events and expanding your personal network.

5. Keep in touch. After you’ve found a job, thank your contacts for their help and make sure to keep in touch with them. Your contacts can often offer advice to you when you’re in a new job and need someone to turn to. And if you’re ever in need of another job, you’ll have maintained your relationship with them and be ready to start searching again.

Your network can help you land your next job, so follow the tips above and use networking to your advantage and, remember the saying, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”

Do you have an established network? What advice do you have for others looking to build their network?

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Career Options

Using Temp Jobs to Quick Start Your Career

By on Thursday, March 6, 2008

People typically think about temporary jobs two different ways. Some like the flexibility and variety temp jobs offer, while others simply view temporary positions as fillers until they can find a permanent job. Whatever the case may be, temp jobs provide great opportunities to make money, learn new skill sets and engage with different types of employers and businesses which can help jump start your career.

If you currently have a temp job or are considering temporary work and would like to turn that temporary position into a full-time gig, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1. Work like you’re full-time. Even if you’re just filing papers or distributing mail, it’s important work, or you wouldn’t be there. So make sure you work hard and show your employers that you take pride in your job – no matter what it is. Your quality of work should be just as good or better than any permanent employee if you want to turn your temporary position into a permanent one.

2. Keep working long after you’re done. If you finish your work assignment before the day is done, find something else productive to do. Ask your supervisor for additional work, or offer to help co-workers with their projects. Even if it’s just busy work, showing others and your employers that you’re willing to pitch in no matter what the task will increase your chances of receiving an offer of a permanent job.

3. Dress to impress. Just because you are a temporary worker and may only be doing odd jobs around the office, make sure your attire is appropriate. Your clothing should reflect the attire of your co-workers. If you aren’t sure what the dress code is, make sure to ask before your first day at work. Showing that you value the workplace norms will go far in the eyes of your supervisors.

4. Personalize yourself. Whether you’re on a job for one day or three months, letting co-workers get to know you and learning about them will help supervisors and employees differentiate you from other temporary workers. However, make sure you socialize during appropriate times and not while you should be working. Spending too much time socializing can give employers a bad impression and will result in termination of your assignment.

If you want your temp job to lead to something more, try using these ideas. You just might land the right temp job that will quick start your career.

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