Navigating the interview process

Posted on July 29, 2010
Filed Under Employment, Finding a Job, Interview | Leave a Comment

Let’s be honest for a moment, nobody enjoys being interviewed. What makes being interviewed a particularly unpleasant experience really has nothing to do with the person interviewing you (there are exceptions!). It has nothing to do with the temperature of the office in which you are being interviewed (although, this could pose problems). Nor does it even have to do with the fact that you are going into a completely foreign (maybe even hostile) environment only to sit down with strangers so they probe the furthest reaches of your mind to find out not only your level of competency, but if your attitude and personality would mesh well with their corporate culture. No, what makes interviewing absolutely terrifying is the fear that comes with the knowledge that inevitably you will feel that you did something “wrong.”  Read more

Keeping your job 101—Become invaluable

Posted on July 26, 2010
Filed Under Employment, Keeping your Job, Recession | Leave a Comment

Do you know the adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?”  Well, value might be seen in a similar light.  Without delving into a discussion on marginal utility or Adam Smith’s labor theory of value, at a basic level, value can be understood as a the result of a subjective calculation which sees valuation as a function of something’s utility (i.e. the amount of satisfaction one gains from having that thing) and the supply of a given thing.  So what does this have to do with keeping your job? A lot. Read more

Keeping your job 101—Managing You Inc.

Posted on July 22, 2010
Filed Under Employment, Keeping your Job, Recession | 1 Comment

The economic downturn and the prospect of a crisis of demand forced many companies to scale back, and, according to many analysts, remove much of the “fat” that had built up over multiple years of sustained growth—laying off underperforming and unproductive employees.  Regardless of whether this observation is fact or fiction (in many cases structural changes lead employers to lay off well-performing as well as unproductive employees), it stands to reason that companies couldn’t afford to keep George Castanzas (the iconic Seinfeld character) on their payroll.  The fictional character George Castanza epitomizes laziness and poor work ethic. Within the context of this discussion, he might be seen as the perfect example of the “bad employee”—that is, someone whose professional behavior seems to demonstrate a complete lack of care for, and interest in one’s professional well being.  And while George Castanzas may or may not exist, it is in the best interest of employees everywhere not to exemplify any of his personality traits, in any degree or form.  So what are these professional sins one ought not to commit? Read more

Keeping your job 101—Internet usage

Posted on July 19, 2010
Filed Under Corporate Policy, Employment, Keeping your Job, Recession | Leave a Comment

With long-term unemployed numbers reaching historic highs and an increasingly taut labor market, financial analysts and career advisors have expressed legitimate concern about getting Americans back to work. In such an environment, however, the question of how employed Americans might keep their job has become both relevant and worthy of discussion.

Over the next week I will look at what someone who is currently employed can do to keep his or her job–looking at those things that might harm or help someone who, like the rest of the global workforce, has a very real interest in holding onto his or her current job. Today’s topic? Internet usage. Read more

What mistakes are you making while looking for federal jobs?

Posted on July 15, 2010
Filed Under Employment, Federal Employment, Finding a Job | 2 Comments

In an article titled the 12 Biggest Mistakes of Federal Job Seekers posted on GovCentral—a Monster-run Web site committed to providing information about federal jobs—the many mistakes federal job seekers make when applying for federal jobs receive thorough attention.  Noting both misconceptions about the federal hiring process and the various faux pas and blunders one can commit when looking for federal employment, the article sheds light on something constantly puzzled over by federal job seekers.  With that said, what are the biggest mistakes you can make while looking for a federal job? Read more

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