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Millenials and the Job Search

By leidson on Friday, September 13, 2013

Out of all the generations in the workplace, the Millennial generation seems to be the most talked about and researched today. Those born between 1980 and the late 1990s have shocked and awed the professional world, earning themselves a variety of titles, including “the most innovative generation” and “the most entitled generation.” But, love ‘em or hate ‘em, Millennials are changing the workplace and causing business leaders to question just about everything. What do they want in a job? How do they approach the job? How do millennial employees want to be managed?

Turnover and Retention
Last month, Beyond.com, a career network for advancing professionals, and Millennial Branding, a research and consulting firm, provided new data that could help answer these questions. Their national survey, “The Cost of Millennial Retention,” specifically looked at Millennials, also known as Gen Y, turnover and retention from the employer’s view. Here are a few conclusions about Millennials, based on their findings:

• Millennial workers are on the move – 30% of companies surveyed reported losing 15% or more of their Millennial employees in the past year.

• They aren’t afraid to change jobs if they aren’t getting what they want – companies are implementing programs to entice Millennials to stay, including workplace flexibility (48%), mentoring (40%), and internal hiring (37%).

• Millennials will do what’s best for their career – the top reasons for Gen Y employees to leave their jobs were that they had received a better job offer, their career goals didn’t match with their employer, and the company didn’t offer career growth opportunities.

• Millennial professionals use a variety of tools for their job search – recruiters connect with Millennial candidates on job boards and corporate websites (62%), as well as LinkedIn (9%).

Share Your Thoughts
These stats provide some good insight into how Millennials approach their career, which affects everything from their job hunt to what they need to stay with an employer. With these findings in mind, share your opinion on how Millennial workers want to be managed in our monthly poll.
If you’re a Millennial, do you think these statistics accurately portray you? How do you think any job seeker, no matter their age, could use this information to help them in their job search? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Career Advancement Resumes and Cover Letters The Job Search

3 Times When a Functional Resume is Your Best Bet

By mrsmith on Thursday, September 12, 2013

Let’s face it, if everyone could get a foot in the door and personally introduce themselves to the employer they want to work for, then everyone would have the job of their dreams. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. So what can we rely on to incite interest from hiring managers and get ahead of the competition?

The answer is – a resume. This document has been known to make or break your chances at landing that job you desire. It’s often your first impression and the emissary that chronicles your work history and skills. But there is more than just one style of resume. The key to finding the right one is to figure out what compliments your work history and skill set. If you want to really flex the skills you have acquired then a functional resume is the right format for you. Below are three reasons to choose function over form.

When You’re New to the Job Market
College grads typically have little to no experience in the field of their studies. A functional resume allows you to show off what you know, what you’ve learned, and show that you have the know-how to get the job done. Remember to tailor the skills on your resume for each employer. Different aspects of your diversity or knowledge may be beneficial to some and not to others.
When You Have Gaps in Your Work History
Sometimes gaps in our work history are out of our control, and without an explanation they may give the wrong impression of your work ethic, or the appearance of a “job hopper.” Many companies may see the value in your experience but may not want to invest time and money to train you only to have you leave months later. A functional resume takes the focus off of when and where, and places it on the value you received from your time there.
When You Don’t Have Relevant Work Experience
Not all past experience will relate to the job you want. If you’re looking at beginning an advertising career, your accounting experience is probably not going to sell your creative side. A functional resume allows you to focus on the soft and hard skills that are more related to the position you want.

A functional resume may not be for everyone. If you don’t know what is best for you, look at your work history and put yourself in employers’ shoes. If your skills are valuable to the position but your years of unrelated employment aren’t, a functional resume is the way to go. Have any tips on how the functional format helped you land a job? Tell us in the comments section below.

Career Advancement Job Interviews Resumes and Cover Letters The Daily Grind The Job Search

What’s Missing From Your Résumé?

By Miranda Wilson on Monday, January 10, 2011

Do you ever wonder what goes through someone’s mind when they read your résumé? Are elements missing? Could your work history information be explained better? Employers are good at evaluating résumés because they’ve seen so many and have done it for a long time. To help you design a résumé that gets a second look, here are five standout tips.

1. Include a brief summary. Who are you and why should an employer be interested? Highlight your skills and abilities at the beginning of your résumé. The key is to tell the employer why the company should hire you – or what you can bring to the team. Share information like years of experience you have and highlight two or three of your skills. Be specific and keep your résumé summary to about two sentences. Use this as a quick way to grab an employer’s attention and encourage further reading.

2. Don’t be overly wordy. Using more words on your résumé will not necessarily make you look more impressive to a potential employer. They don’t have a lot of time to devote to reading a lengthy document – instead they’re scanning for what stands out. Since you won’t have a lot of time to impress them, be sure to catch their attention quickly. Be clear, concise, and get to the point.

3. Be honest. In other words, don’t say you have five years of experience in something if you don’t. It’s always in your best interest to be truthful because an employer will find out. Employers are being more and more cautious about hiring. They’re not only checking your references, but they’re also searching for information online. Make sure you’re honest and upfront.

4. Identify your results. Employers are more interested in your impact than your job duties, so include quantifiable information on your résumé to identify your accomplishments. Don’t just tell an employer what your responsibilities have been, but also identify how you’ve made a difference. For instance, if you’ve previously helped raise funds for something, tell how much money you received. If you created a system for streamlining your company’s printing process, tell how much time and money you saved the company. Also, if you’ve managed individuals, specify exactly how many.

5. Brag a little. If you’ve won an award or received a certificate for a job well done, make sure you share it on your résumé. Now is your chance to let others know why you’re amazing and the right person for the job. Create a short section at the end of your résumé and title it “Accomplishments.” Then, list out a few of your greatest achievements.

Creating a résumé isn’t a difficult process, but it does take a little strategizing and time. Block off some time on your calendar to focus on yours, and use these tips and others from our Résumé Boot Camp to ensure that yours isn’t missing something it needs.

At Work Career Advancement Job Interviews My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips Resumes and Cover Letters Teamwork The Daily Grind The Job Search

Hold the Phone: The Line Between Personal and Business

By Miranda Wilson on Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Today it seems impossible to find someone who doesn’t have a cell phone of some kind. It’s also becoming impossible to find someone who’s not on their phone all the time. Your company may or may not have policies that forbid cell phones at work, so be sure you know the rules. If your company does allow you to have cell phones at work, there are some important things you need to be aware of. In a recent survey conducted by Express on smart phones versus workplace etiquette, 59% of voters said that most people are irresponsible with their smart phone use while at work. Phones can be an easy distraction, but follow these tips to help stay focused on the tasks at hand during your work day, and make sure your phone doesn’t become a distraction.

Keep it quiet. When you get to work, turn your cell phone to silent or vibrate mode. This will prevent your ringtone – however great you think it might be – from blaring across your workplace, alerting everyone that you’ve got an incoming call.

Limit your personal phone calls. If there is a reason you have to accept or make a personal phone call at work, keep it short and sweet. Don’t make too many personal calls at work because that will take time away from doing your job and might create a negative situation between you and your manager.

Excuse yourself. If you work in close proximity with your co-workers, like a cubicle, and do get a personal phone call, quietly step out to take it. Go to a quiet spot where you can possibly shut a door to keep your conversation private. Having a phone conversation could distract your co-workers and not everyone in your workplace wants or needs to hear your conversation.

Keep it tucked away. It’s not necessary to take your phone with you everywhere you go throughout your work day. Unless you are expecting an emergency phone call from someone, it is better to leave your phone in a secure place, like your desk, keys, or locker. If someone does call and you’re away, they can leave you a message and you can call them back at a later, more convenient time. By leaving your phone behind during a meeting, it won’t be a distraction to you or others if someone calls you.

Create texting ground rules, too. Different generations have different expectations, so be mindful of others’ communication preferences. Be mindful that when you’re engaged in face-to-face conversations with co-workers, it’s important to give them your full attention. Make it a rule to not text at the same time you’re speaking with them.

Be cautious about smartphone apps. Smartphones are growing in popularity, and what they are capable of doing is quite impressive. With a smartphone, you have the ability to download applications for games such as Words with Friends – a scrabble game you can play with co-workers – or for social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. However “cool” these apps might be, they can cost your employer a lot of money in lost productivity if you’re more focused on your smartphone through the day than your job. Be responsible with your time while on the job and save your smartphone fun for your free time, such as lunch, breaks, or after work.

It’s important to know about cell phone etiquette in the workplace. Always be aware of your personal phone usage and be sure that you’re getting your work completed first and foremost.

At Work Cube Life My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips The Daily Grind

What’s the Worst that Can Happen? Saying No to Projects

By Miranda Wilson on Monday, July 19, 2010

You agreed to lead staff meeting this morning. It’s your day to go on a lunch run for everyone. You have a conference call with a client right after lunch. You have three back-to-back meetings from 2:30 to 4 p.m. You agreed to help distribute the office mail. And, to top it all off, you’re working the weekend shift to help out a co-worker who’s sick. Just the thought of all you have to do is overwhelming. It’s not a bad thing to want to be a “super employee,” but when you try to take on everything by yourself, you quickly start to feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to get it all done. If this sounds familiar, you could be overcommitted at work.

Juggling tasks and demands is a big part of any job in any workplace, and the art of time management is an important skill to have as an employee. But, when you get bombarded with projects, how many times do you agree to do something else when you’re already maxed for time? To effectively manage your workday, you have to learn the art of saying one little word: “no.” Although “no” can be a scary word to say, it’s much worse to over promise and under deliver. The art of saying “no” is all about how you approach it and how you say it. Here are some tips on how to make your “no” effective when you can’t say “yes” to everything.

Track your project workload. Always know what projects you’re working on, when they’re due, and how much time you’re spending on them. This keeps you aware of what projects you have already said yes to and whether or not you can take on anything else. If your boss wants to assign you four new projects with an immediate deadline by maintaining a project list you can show him whether or not that can be accomplished with your current workload. If it’s not, ask if you can work out a new project deadline so you can have the necessary time to make the project the best it can be, rather than doing something quickly and filled with errors.

Know your job priorities. What key tasks are you responsible for in your current job? In your job description, what goals were outlined for your career? Those goals and projects are usually your main focus. But, you will have times where you do need to help out a co-worker with some of their tasks or take on a special project that has nothing to do with your job. It’s never OK to use the excuse of “that’s not part of my job.” A team does have to give and take, but if special projects are taking over your work schedule and you’re not able to complete your core tasks, something needs to give. For instance, if a manager asks you to pick up their dry cleaning, it might be time to have a chat with your boss about what projects you can gracefully decline. If someone other than your manager asks you to take on a project, tell them, “thank you, but I will have to check with my manager before I know whether or not I can do this project.” If you don't know what the priorities are for your job, check out the Tough Conversations podcast series to learn how to approach your manager.

Maintain your ethics. In the workplace, not everything you do is going to get you ahead of the game. Never under any circumstances should you do anything that compromises your integrity. For example, if a co-worker asks you to lie to your manager to cover up a mistake she made, that definitely justifies saying “no.” Sometimes saying “no” may make you the unpopular person, but it’s better than jeopardizing your values and losing your job. Don’t let individuals bully you into saying “yes” to something that’s against company policy or makes you feel uncomfortable. If someone asks you to do something questionable or illegal, tell them “no” and explain that you feel uncomfortable with that. If you continue to be asked to perform that task, contact your HR department.

Keep things relevant. Obviously if you don’t know how to do something, don’t just agree to take it on. If you find yourself in the situation of not knowing how to complete a project because you don’t have the skills, let your manager know your concerns. It’s better to decline the project rather than try to take it on and hurt your career in the process. Most managers and co-workers would be appreciative and understanding of what you can and cannot do. Instead, they should look at that as a learning process for you under the guidance of someone more experienced. In the event that this happens to you, explain that you would like to take on the project, but do not have the necessary skills to complete it. You could also let them know you’re interested in learning how to do that particular job, but you would feel comfortable with some training or supervision first.

“No” doesn’t have to be a bad word, as long as you can logically show why that is the best answer in a situation. Just keep in mind that as you continue to grow and develop in your profession, you will be expected to take on more duties. As your schedule gets busier and your projects increase, be sure you’re in control of your projects and your workday so they don’t control you. Follow these basic tips to empower you to say “no” when necessary.

At Work Cube Life My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips The Daily Grind Work/Life Balance

Surprising Facts About Workplace Friendships

By Miranda Wilson on Monday, June 28, 2010

When you’re in the workforce, a large part of your day – and your week – is spent on the job. And having friends in the workplace can help make your workday more enjoyable. When you have friends in the workplace, it gives you somebody to talk to, brainstorm ideas with, and generally helps improve your overall productivity. According to a survey in Business Wire, 70 percent of all individuals surveyed said friendships create a more supportive and friendly environment to work in, while 56 percent said it increases workplace morale.

Although some workplace friendships can transition into lifelong friendships outside of the office, other times they can backfire and cause more harm than good. When that happens, it can lead to feelings of awkwardness between those involved and have a negative impact on careers and office environments. When it comes to developing friendships in the workplace, you don’t have to avoid them. But, it is important to be a little cautious. So here are a few words of advice to help keep your workplace friendships happy and healthy.

Remember there’s work to do. You and your co-workers have tasks and duties to perform throughout the day and you have goals to meet. Make it a point to not spend your day around the office cooler gossiping about what company news you’ve heard. If you want to talk and catch up on what’s going on with your office buddies, reserve a few minutes at the beginning of your day, go to lunch together, or talk at designated break times. Just keep in mind that too much socializing throughout the day, especially when there are deadlines to meet, can cause strain and stress on your team, your job, and your friendship.

Be careful about what information you share. If you hang out with co-workers outside of work, be careful about what personal information you share, especially if you don’t want that information shared with other co-workers. Also make sure you don’t talk about other co-workers, supervisors, or the company. Depending on how well you know that person, what you say could get back to the office.

Don’t let the friendship take advantage of you. With friendships in the workplace, you might run into a situation where a friend wants some help with their daily tasks. It’s fine to help them out, but within reason. If they need help with some software, want to bounce an idea off you, need to switch lunch hours so they can leave a little early for a doctor’s appointment, these are examples of when it’s OK to help. But, if they’re wanting you to help cover up a mistake for them, wanting you to give them less constructive feedback, or slacking on their productivity and asking you to take on some of their work, these are examples of no-no’s. Being friends does not mean playing favorites at work. You have a job to do and so do they.

Friends are great to have at work. Just remember that at work, you have to keep your actions professional because you have a job to do first and foremost. Apply these tips to your job to ensure you develop quality relationships with others in the workplace without adding to workplace frustrations.