How to turn your job search into a job

Posted on September 30, 2010
Filed Under Employment, Finding a Job | Leave a Comment

While the issue of the “job search” has certainly received attention in this blog, there is another aspect of the job search that has yet to receive explicit attention. Self-described cereal entrepreneur G.L. Huffman recently asked in a U.S. News and World Report article how one ought to approach the job search, asking how much time, and with what degree of vigor one should search for jobs. And although his answer is far from shocking, it would behoove job seekers to heed his common sense recommendations. Read more

Suffering from workplace fatigue? Take a nap!

Posted on September 27, 2010
Filed Under Corporate Policy, Health | 1 Comment

Have you ever strolled through your office around mid-day, just after the lunch hour? What you see might shock you. A sea of living dead, the emerging scene is akin to that of an old zombie movie: coworkers trudging along, barely conscious, staring with an empty gaze into their computer monitor, their eyelids mediating between open and shut, their face somewhat gaunt and devoid of meaningful expression. Within this context, sleepiness (or, a case of the “naps” as I call it) is a quickly spreading contagion capable of overtaking even the most diligent of worker. And though various antidotes exist which can be used to stave off its weary effects, none is more effective than sleep. Read more

Really? Vacation?

Posted on September 23, 2010
Filed Under Corporate Policy, Employment | 1 Comment

Last year I had a discussion with a friend from college who is a British expatriate living in the Netherlands, and working in the Hague as an environmental economist.  While discussing the various perks and tax incentives he would be enjoying while working in the Netherlands, we happened upon the topic of vacation time.  I was shocked to learn that he not only benefits from several weeks of paid vacation, but that he actually receives a vacation stipend—a fairly large percentage bonus (in proportion to his annual income) that he is supposed to use and spend while he is away on holiday.  However, it is not only the tangible benefits my friend receives which are markedly different from what one might expect in the U.S.  The way the Dutch see and approach vacation time is quite different from how the archetypal American worker approaches the issue of vacation.  As Liz Wolgemuth of U.S. News & World Report surmised, “Even without a fear-inducing recession, Americans are so chary about cutting out of the office that career experts often chide them to take time away, refresh themselves, turn off the Blackberry, stop checking E-mail, and learn how to relax.” In short, despite his or her deep attachment to work, the American Worker is in desperate need of some time away. Yet, there are a few things to keep in mind when scheduling your vacation time. Read more

A little slice of home in the office

Posted on September 20, 2010
Filed Under Employment, The Workplace | Leave a Comment

Surviving the cubicle jungle involves skill, tenacity, and a willingness to work in wide-open spaces in which fellow co-workers and supervisors can stop in at any moment for a chat or observe your every move.  A cubicle can be a dull, sterile, habitat, comprised of cold iron trimmings, rough canvas-like woven or fiberboard walls, and a desk topped with a faux-wood covering.  Essentially, with pervasive issues relating to privacy and aesthetics, a cubicle—a place where you might spend the majority of your day—can be a rather inhospitable space.  Given this fact, it is important therefore, both for reasons related to productivity and maintaining your own sanity, to take steps to make this space hospitable. Read more

Career Services Blog Trivia

Posted on September 16, 2010
Filed Under Back to School Trivia | Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Career Services Blog!  The Career Services Blog is a site which regularly features employment-related and economic news, advice about searching for employment, and articles discussing the dos and don’ts of the job application process.  The answers to today’s trivia questions (listed below) can all be found within individual posts published on the Blog.  Good luck, and happy reading!

Today’s trivia questions are as follows:

  1.  Within the context of the Career Services Blog, what is a “George Costanza”?
  2.  Which American city’s workforce is projected to expand by 2.5 million by 2030?
  3.  The Office of Personnel Management recently launched a Web site intended to help veterans navigate the sometimes tricky process of applying for jobs in the public service sector.  What is this Web site called?
  4.  In addition to sitting for too long—which a recent study shows can help to hasten death—of what deficiency should “desk jockeys” and cubicles dwellers be cognizant?
  5.  As the blog article, “Using your scholarly skills to find the perfect job or internship” outlines, searching for a job can be a tedious task, but knowing where to look is half the battle.  Where can AMU and APU students and alumni visit to view open job and internship positions from AMU and APU partnered employers?

Extra Credit Question: Is there a fee for new resume review requests?

*To qualify for a prize all trivia answers must be sent to online@apus.edu with the subject line “Trivia Contest”. The e-mail should include your name, student ID, and the Web site you’ve visited for the questions. Entrants must be the registered subscriber of the e-mail account by which the entry is made.

keep looking »

Recently


Categories


Archives