Send Your Job Search on a Summer Vacation

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


You want to take a vacation, but you feel guilty for abandoning your job search. Why not combine the two?

If you can find some time (and your search isn't dire), there are ways that even a budget-conscious job seeker can pick up some skills, make new contacts, or glean new knowledge. Consider it a crash course in your job or industry of choice. You can make your job search your summer vacation.

Take a Tour

Trying to break into a particular industry? Go on a fact-finding mission: Opportunities abound to tour manufacturing facilities, corporate offices, and industry centers. Many large manufacturers offer public tours. Find a facility in the industry you're interested in at Factory Tours USA (factorytoursusa.com).

Tours are daily business at many breweries, wineries, and food manufacturing plants. Looking for work in television or film production? Tour CNN Studios or Warner Bros. Studios. If you've got a nose for news, you can see newspapers roll off the presses at The Seattle Times.

Many tours are free, but not all. Always call ahead to find out how much a tour costs, if reservations are required and, when traveling with the tykes in tow, if children are allowed.

Visit the Capital

Plan a trip to the capital of the industry in which you're looking for work.

If you're interested in government work, you may want to start in Washington, D.C. But you can also visit your state capital, which may be easier and more cost-effective.

Into advertising? Blow into the Windy City (Chicago). Is big-time finance your bag? Take a bite out of the Big Apple. Into entertainment? Head for Hollywood.

Set up some informational interviews in advance. Industry publications and company directories can help you determine who holds jobs in which you're interested. Next, contact people to explain that you're visiting and are interested in an informational interview.

You'll gain lots of insider information, have a familiarity with the "heart" of your chosen industry and perhaps make a lasting connection with someone who's well connected. Try to arrange to take tours or attend a relevant conference too.

Volunteer Vacation

There's a do-good getaway for almost any budget.

Volunteer vacations can be related to a career you're pursuing or a way to network with people from different walks of life. You can participate in vital humanitarian and preservation projects across the country, around the world, or even in your own backyard.

In you want to stay close to home, Habitat for Humanity builds simple, affordable houses in partnership with those who lack adequate shelter. You may even find yourself hammering side by side with a CEO or a celebrity.

Are exotic locales beckoning you? Help build communities, conserve landscapes or provide care while gaining skills. Most programs will match your interests, background and skills with your assignment and allow you to stretch some new muscles in your field. Visit the Care Corps (careusa.org/getinvolved/volunteer/) for more information.

Vocation Vacations

"Vocation vacations" are the gold standard for gleaning new skills on holiday.

They're ideal if you've had a hankering for a completely different career and can't make a dramatic switch or commitment right now. Vocation vacations allow you to see a job for what it really is. You'll get to do the fun stuff as well as the dirty work.

The company Vocation Vacations (vocationvacations.com) arranges for people to pursue their dream jobs while under the attentive eye of a mentor.

If you're intrigued by a vocation vacation but find it financially implausible, create your own. Ask someone who has your dream job if you can work with him for free -- even for a day. An understaffed innkeeper, for instance, might be open to the idea of having an extra pair of hands to make beds linens in exchange for letting you see how a bed-and-breakfast is run.

After all, there's no reason why you can't vacation and look for a job at the same time.

Jobs Info , Career Sources , Employment

The Art of Being Assertive. Your Job Advancement May Depend on It

by Denene Brox, for Yahoo! HotJobs


There are many factors that contribute to your career success, but one that's often overlooked is the art of being an assertive employee. If your idea of standing out as a good employee is to simply show up everyday and do the work put in front of you, you are losing out on many opportunities to advance your career and earnings potential.

"Assertiveness is the balance between being mousy and being aggressive," says career coach Cheryl Palmer. "It is standing up for yourself, but not at the expense of others."

For some, striking that balance may mean not being so harsh and bold. For others, it means stepping up and asking for what you want. Palmer says that taking an honest, introspective look at yourself is the first step to measuring your level of assertive self-expression.

So in what areas of your career is it crucial to become assertive? Following are three key areas where assertiveness pays.

Salary

"Being assertive can earn you more money throughout your career," says Palmer. "I have seen many clients lose thousands of dollars because they are not assertive enough to negotiate salary or speak up and ask for a raise. Women in particular tend to have issues with assertiveness when it comes to money."

Career coaches agree that if you're waiting for your boss to notice your contributions and reward you with higher pay, you're losing out. Dee C. Marshall, a career and life coach, says to put your request for a raise in writing, outlining all of your achievements, and ask for a meeting with your boss to discuss. "You must go confidently and ask. No one is going to hand you anything," says Marshall.

Meetings

"Meetings are the perfect situation to be assertive," says career coach Rebecca Kiki Weingarten. "It can be an opportunity for you to shine and show your stuff."

Using meetings to share your creative ideas and solutions to problems will help you stand out in front of key leaders. Weingarten points out that even asking the right questions in a meeting is being assertive.

"One of my clients was promoted to vice president of the company just because he contributed in meetings," says Palmer. "He had been at a much lower level in the organization, but his contributions were so salient that upper management saw his potential and promoted him. He ended up making six figures."

Setting Boundaries

If your coworkers are driving you crazy or bullying you around, it's time to put good boundaries in place. Palmer says that there are a lot of workplace bullies, and being assertive allows you to set limits without being becoming a bully yourself.

Learning to say "No" to projects when your own workload is full is an important skill for employees at all levels. Saying "No" is the hardest mode of assertiveness for some people, says Palmer.

"Assertiveness training can be beneficial not only for people's careers, but in their personal lives as well," she concludes "People who want to feel good about themselves and their work need to be assertive."

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment

Philanthropy as a Strategy for Getting Ahead

by Debra B. Davenport, for Yahoo! HotJobs


We've all heard that it's better to give than to receive and that we get by giving -- but did you know these adages are especially true when it comes to your career?

For those who feel especially fulfilled by giving back and reaching out to those less fortunate, your worthy efforts can also make a meaningful contribution to your professional development. Following are ideas that might spur your to action.

Volunteer

Volunteering provides an excellent opportunity to "try on" a new job or career to see if it fits. If you're pondering a career change, take a volunteer role in the types of positions you're investigating. Considering a new career in public relations? Volunteer to write a press release for a nonprofit's PR department.

Looking into teaching careers? Volunteer in a community outreach and educational program and help deliver seminars to those in need. Most charitable organizations offer an abundance of possibilities for people looking to build new skills, develop contacts and investigate new career paths.

Be Strategic

Strategic philanthropy can put you in the power seat. Of course you want to support those organizations that have special meaning to you. But you don't have to limit the scope of your involvement. For example, don't be shy about offering to serve on boards of directors. Often, charitable organizations are hard-pressed to find dedicated people to help lead their efforts.

Contact the current chairperson and inquire if a board position will be coming available. If so, express your interest in serving and perhaps suggest a lunch meeting to start building that relationship. Alternatively, volunteer to spearhead a committee or major project. Everyone involved will naturally be contacting you. This is a great strategy for putting yourself out there and helping people get to know you and your talents.

What Are You Good At?

Sharing your natural abilities can take your career to the next level. Do you have great people and sales skills? Raise money! You can gain considerable media coverage and cachet in the professional arena by generating noteworthy donations. Make note of your community's "heavy hitters." Some of the most notable people in your area may have achieved their status through fundraising for their favorite charities.

Keep in mind, too, that as a fundraising representative for your favorite cause, you now have a legitimate reason to contact key people whom you may not have felt comfortable approaching before. Successful fundraising is also often acknowledged through a variety of awards programs. Imagine how gratifying it would feel to be honored with an award for your selfless efforts!

Generosity Opens Doors

One more tip: Although it's not widely talked about, many high-powered philanthropic positions are "pay to play." You either need to make a significant donation, or you need to raise substantial funds in order to have the opportunity to network in the more exclusive circles. Be discreet when inquiring about an organization's upper echelon and remember that, first and foremost, you're there to serve.

The caveat: It goes without saying that true altruism comes from the heart and a genuine spirit of giving -- anything less is merely self-serving.

Debra Davenport is president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm with offices in Phoenix and Los Angeles that provides high-level career counseling and Certified Professional Mentoring to professionals and entrepreneurs. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor(R) designation, and you can contact her at debra@davenportfolio.com.

Jobs Info , Career Sources , Employment

Sample Cover Letter (Copywriter)

by Vault.com


The following is a sample cover letter from an aspiring copywriter. Use this example as a starting point for ideas on building your own cover letter.


November 8, 2003

Art Director
Polymer Productions
Fax (817) 482-9025

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing in response to your advertisement in the Columbia Journal Classifieds for a copywriter. I am a copywriter with 8 years experience conceptualizing and producing engaging copy for catalogs, annual reports, brochures and all types of collateral material. Besides this my writing abilities have helped me create original works of art for clients like Mead Coated Papers and Oxford Healthcare. I am well-versed on both in MS Word and WordPerfect, on both Macintosh platforms.

Much of my work has been crafted for the following clients:

    * Macmillan Reference Library
    * Watson Guptill Publications
    * Mead Coated Papers
    * Cambridge Healthcare
    * W.W. Norton
    * Hawaii University Press
    * Arcade Fashion & Lifestyle Magazine

I have confidence in my ability to produce powerful, gripping copy for your organization. My experience allows me to complete any project from concept to the final stages at a fast pace to meet deadlines, and to package it for the World Wide Web.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Raleigh Collins

Vault.com is the Internet's leading destination for career advice and insider company information. Vault offers continually updated "insider" information with its exclusive employee surveys on over 5,000 companies.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment

Networking in the Web 2.0 World

by Ronald Mitchell, for Yahoo! HotJobs


According to LinkedIn, a business social networking site, I have 541,900 people in my network.

I am certain that I don't actually know that many people, but the wonders of social networking have enabled each of us to build networks of this scale. Because Web 2.0 has given us access to a limitless number of people, networking becomes less a function of who you know and more a matter of who knows you.

To be an effective Web 2.0 networker, you must act as your own personal public relations director. In order to be recognized among thousands of possible connections, you must craft and communicate an image for yourself as if you were a premier consumer brand like Coke, Disney, or American Express. In a world where information and people are one click away, positive results from a Google or Yahoo! search on your name can be much more powerful than a handshake or short conversation.

Below are three tips you should employ when networking in a Web 2.0 world.

Highlight Your Successes

Everyone loves a winner. If you can demonstrate that you are one, you will find that people will be helpful to you, despite the fact that they have never met you. However, their level of assistance is often based upon what they can infer from information readily available on the web. Consequently, highlighting your successes in online profiles becomes essential.

Your success may take the form of attending a great university, working for a premier company, or achieving recognition within some extracurricular activity. Don't worry about being perceived as a braggart. The more highlights you can provide the better, including recommendations from business associates and listings of awards and accolades.

Show the Right Relationships

Transparency is the rule in Web 2.0. Through an online profile, virtual strangers can often view intimate information about you and your network. If you have the "right" individuals in your network, you may find that people want to know you simply because of who you know.

When building your connections, spend less time accumulating the greatest number of "friends" and focus on showing the right ones. You should be certain to include two types of people: those who are decision-makers in their specific discipline, and those who have unique access to information and other individuals.

Providing Regular Updates

Public relations is about communication. Your Web 2.0 communication should regularly provide your network with updates on all aspects of your career. Updates may include switching jobs, changing geography, or closing certain deals. If possible, you should craft these updates in a way that conveys how people might be helpful to you.

Be descriptive in your updates. For instance, "Moved to Chicago for new opportunity" is not as effective as "Moved to Chicago to pursue business development opportunities in financial services."

With the Internet the world has changed, and so must your networking strategy. It's not all bad. Just think about how many painful cocktail parties you would need to attend to meet 541,900 people.

Ronald Mitchell is the co-founder and president of CareerCore LLC, a comprehensive career development web-based platform for students and young professionals.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment

Nine Common Video Resume Mistakes

by Joe Turner, for Yahoo! HotJobs


A video resume could get your foot in the door of that "just right" company. Don't end up with egg on your face, though. Before you make that video, check out these nine common mistakes and how you can avoid each one.

1. It runs too long: Don't bore the hiring managers. Your video should be a short, inspiring pitch for looking at you as a candidate. Think "Less is more." Keep it under two minutes; preferably about one minute should get your message across.

2. You don't know who you are: Prepare your "elevator pitch" before you record. Commonly known as a USP, or Unique Selling Proposition, this is a one-sentence pitch that tells the single biggest benefit that you bring to a potential employer.

Here is an example: "I'm a seasoned sales manager whose strength in creative sales and marketing techniques generated $500,000 in brand-new revenue for my employer in 12 months."

3. Thinking a video resume is your resume on video: Contrary to its name, a video resume is NOT a resume. It's a 30- to 60-second ad spot to entice your viewers to look at your (digital) resume and find out more about you.

4. Rambling on camera: Put it on paper first. Think of what you want to say about yourself. Write it down in short sentences then say it aloud. Replace any syntax problems or phrases that are hard to enunciate clearly. You speak differently than you write, so keep it in a conversational tone as if you were speaking to your real-life interviewer a few feet away.

5. Too many "ums and ahs": Don't wing it. Your finished product should be compelling. This is the most professional image you want to present, so prepare ahead of time and memorize your script. This won't be hard, since it should only be about a half to three quarters of a page in length and only cover a few simple points. Remember, you won't have notes in the interview room, either.

6. Severe case of "serious face": Have a bit of fun with it. You want to project enthusiasm. Think "upbeat" and smile when you look into the camera. Imagine that you are meeting with a flesh and blood hiring manager at a great company who already likes what she sees.

7. Giving far too much information: Remember the "KISS" formula (Keep It Simple, Stupid). You want to whet their appetites to know more. Give them just enough info to tantalize them. End with an invitation to check out even more interesting information on your resume.

8. Uninviting appearance: Remember, a video resume is a type of interview, so dress the part. Give the appearance of someone in the role you're applying for. You will also have some background showing on the video. Make sure it's not your dirty laundry or the clutter of your bedroom. Try standing against a relatively bare wall. You want them looking at you and not what's behind you.

9. Too many "clowns": No arms folded or hands on hips. While it's OK to use your hands to accentuate, watch out for those "clowns." These are what acting coaches call unnecessary arm movements which, on playback, tend to make you appear like a clown. You don't want unintentional laughs. Keep your arms and hands by your side as much as possible.

As a recruiter, Joe Turner has spent the past 15 years finding and placing top candidates in some of the best jobs of their career. Author of "Job Search Secrets Unlocked," Joe has been interviewed on several radio talk shows. Discover more insider job search secrets by visiting his site.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Career Opportunity

Tips for a Safer Job Search

by Yahoo! HotJobs


Yahoo! HotJobs strives to provide you with the widest range of job opportunities available online. Unfortunately, fraudulent job listings might appear from time to time. Posting fraudulent jobs violates Yahoo! HotJobs' Terms of Service and might be a violation of federal or state law.

To protect yourself from fraud, Yahoo! HotJobs encourages you to:

• Make informed decisions before sharing your Social Security Number with a potential employer. Most employers will not ask for personal information until you arrive at their offices for an interview and are given a formal job application, so be wary if you are asked to give your Social Security Number by phone, email, or online.
• If you have doubts about a company's legitimacy, research the company using web sites operated by the Better Business Bureau and the United States Federal Trade Commission.
• Refrain from providing credit card or bank account numbers or engaging in any financial transactions over the phone or online with a potential employer/recruiter.
• Withhold offering personal information (such as marital status, age, height, weight). Such questions might violate federal hiring standards, and job seekers are not obligated to answer them.
• Exercise caution when dealing with prospective job contacts outside of the United States.* If you suspect that a job posting is fraudulent, please contact Yahoo! HotJobs.

If you think information about you might have been used illegally, report the details to your local police immediately and contact Yahoo! HotJobs.

To learn more about protecting yourself from fraudulent job postings, please consult the following resources:

    * Better Business Bureau
    * U.S. Federal Trade Commission

To get more information about protecting your online privacy, visit the Yahoo! Security Center.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment

Bolster Your Resume With a Career Record

by Peter Weddle, for Yahoo! HotJobs

Most of us spend the majority of our waking day at work, and the only record we have of that time and effort is a resume. We invest inordinate amounts of energy and emotion in our employment and memorialize that commitment in a document that is often out-of-date and incomplete. When we rely on a resume alone to manage our careers and celebrate our success -- we sell ourselves short.

In my view, all of us should maintain two employment-related documents: a resume and something I call a career record. What's the difference? Take a look below.

Your Resume

    * It's normally written and/or updated only when you are actively looking for a job.

    * Its purpose is to sell you to an employer by describing what you've done in the past that might be useful to the organization in the future.

    * Writing it is about as much fun as getting a root canal.

Your Career Record

    * It's written continuously and reviewed quarterly. Think of it as a diary of your progress and your success in the world of work.

    * Its purposes are (1) to help you recognize and celebrate your career victories (i.e., your achievements at work) and (2) to determine if your career is in good shape or in need of an overhaul. In other words, a career record is written for you and describes what you've done for yourself.

    * Keeping a career record is a fulfilling and self-motivating experience. It enables you to pat yourself on the back regularly (or give yourself a pep talk, if that's what is necessary) and set your sights on new goals at work that will lead you to additional career victories.

Now, I know what you're thinking: it's hard enough to write a resume and keep it current, so why am I'm proposing that you double the effort? Because, in addition to being a personal pat on the back (which is, itself, the foundation of a healthy career), a career record can also make writing a resume infinitely easier.

Customize Your Resume

In the past, recruiters were willing to accept a generic resume from job seekers, as long as you were applying for positions within the same industry and/or career field. They knew how hard it was to produce even a single version of that document, so all they asked was that you include a cover letter to highlighted those aspects of your record that were important for their particular opening.

Today, unfortunately, that kind of flexibility is gone. Thanks to the Internet, recruiters are receiving hundreds, often thousands of resumes for a single opening. They simply don't have the time to read between the lines and ferret out your qualifications for their opportunity. Moreover, recruiters know that your resume has been produced on a word processor where it can be easily and quickly modified. As a result, they now expect your resume, itself, to be tailored to the specific requirements of their opening and your cover letter to reinforce its key points.

Two Tailoring Approaches

    * One is to customize your generic resume. You simply add a little more detail to those points in the resume that are important to an opening, and subtract detail from or delete altogether those points that aren't important. While this approach can be relatively quick and easy, it is also likely to under-represent your qualifications. Instead of picking the best of your background for a position, you're nipping and tucking at what's immediately available.

    * The second is to tailor your resume from the bottom up. Admittedly, that would be a difficult and time-consuming task if you had to sit down and start from scratch. But you don't; your career record is a complete and up-to-date inventory of your skills, expertise, and experience. It enables you to pull out all of the factors that are most important to winning the job you want and to incorporate those factors in your resume quickly and easily.

A resume remains the lingua franca of job-search success in the world of work. For a resume to communicate your credentials effectively, however, it must be tailored to the specific requirements of a position vacancy. A career record enables you to accomplish that tailoring to your best advantage.

Peter Weddle is an author, recruiter, and HR consultant. He also runs the Weddle's career resource site.

Jobs Info , Career Sources , Employment

Learning the Rules for Raises

by Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs


You've been working hard earning praise from your boss and co-workers. So when will those kind words translate into more money? To find out, start by arming yourself with facts -- about how your company works and the strength of the labor market.

A Complex Equation

U.S. companies will increase their overall salary budgets by 3.9 percent in 2008, the same as in 2007, according to the WorldatWork Salary Budget Survey. The salary budget is the total amount of money a company has for merit increases or cost of living adjustments.

How large a raise you can expect -- and when -- can depend on many factors beyond whether you're performing well: your company's culture, its financial performance, and how much you make compared with your peers, for example.

Get Details from the Boss

It's always a good idea to have a general talk with your boss about how and when raises are handed out. "Good bosses would be very open to having that conversation," said Gail Ginder, a leadership coach in Healdsburg, California. Ask what it takes to get a raise, when decisions on raises are made, and how you can find out if you're on track.

"They really need to find out what it is they can expect," Ginder said. Even changing bosses within one company can mean a different set of criteria, if the company gives managers a lot of latitude in awarding increases. If your boss doesn't know, someone in human resources should be able to answer your questions.

Every Employer Is Unique

Bear in mind, though, that some companies are more organized than others when it comes to pay increases. Some simply give everyone average raises, said Shari Dunn, managing principal of CompAnalysis, a compensation and HR consulting firm in Oakland, California. Others are trying to move away from giving everyone an annual increase and instead look at whether you're being paid what the market says your work is worth.

At many companies, raises depend on a mix of your performance and how much you make compared with others doing the same job. You may find that if you're nearing the top of the pay bracket for your position, you'll need to earn a promotion to get a raise.

For example, Dunn said, an average performer who is paid an average salary for employees at that level would get an average raise, but an average performer who was paid near the top of the company's range for his or her job would likely get less. A top performer who is paid less than others in the same job could be in line for a larger-than-average raise.

"The linkage to performance is sometimes tenuous," Dunn said.

Demonstrate Your Value

While you're asking your boss to explain how raise decisions are made, should you also ask for a raise? Again, it's important to know how your employer operates.

Large, traditional companies and government agencies often use clearly defined processes to determine raises, and asking for more money mid-year will just make you seem out of place. On the other hand, more entrepreneurial companies may be more open to requests for raises -- as long as they're backed up by solid data about your performance and what it's worth, not just a list of things you'd like to buy if you had more money.

"Employers like ambitious employees, especially if they're good performers," Dunn said.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment

Are You Management Material?

by Adam Piore, Portfolio.com


Career content provided by Portfolio.com: To answer that question, companies are relying more and more on psychological assessments to help them identify tomorrow's chief executives.

What if the board of Sunbeam could have gazed into the psyche of "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap before they hired him? Could they have predicted that he would alienate his entire senior management and drive the company into the ground? Was WorldCom's Bernie Ebbers destined for disaster? Could anyone have suspected that Enron's Kenneth Lay and his staff would enrich themselves while leaving their employees destitute?

Absolutely, say psychological testers like Robert Hogan, former chair of the psychology department at University of Tulsa and co-editor of "Personality Psychology in the Workplace," a book often referred to as the bible of the assessment industry. Hogan believes that Dunlap, Ebbers, and Lay were handicapped by what industrial psychologists call derailers -- fatal flaws in their personalities such as narcissism, rigidity, and aggression that are sure to wreak managerial havoc.

Lookout for Fatal Flaws

Hogan makes a living from finding such personality flaws. His firm, Hogan Assessment Systems, has sold his assessment tools to most of the companies in the Fortune 500, including Dell, PepsiCo, Bank of America, and Cisco. Since 1989, says Hogan, his business has grown at an annual rate of 30 to 40 percent.

With a spate of corporate scandals, as well as top executives' being pressured to reduce management turnover, corporate America is rethinking how it approaches hiring, training, and promoting its leaders, beginning with its C.E.O's. In recent years, a vast industry has sprung up in support of that effort, offering everything from psychological profiles to real-world simulations aimed at weeding out managers who choke under pressure. Though there is no accurate measure of the industry's size, according to some estimates there are currently as many as 2,500 such organizations of varying degrees of legitimacy, up from just a handful a little more than a decade ago.

Of course, performance, intelligence, and personality profiling isn't exactly new. Roughly 3,000 years ago, China gave civil service candidates intelligence tests. During World War II, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services, which later morphed into the Central Intelligence Agency, subjected its agents to psychological screening. It wasn't until the early 1990s, though, that psychologists finally reached a consensus on the traits that constitute personality. They termed them the Big Five: self-esteem, social potency (leadership), charm, integrity, and creativity (imagination).


New Assessment Techniques

Once these qualities were named, an entire industry grew up around creating the tools for assessing them. The scandals at Enron and WorldCom -- along with a growing overall awareness that management turnover is costly and increasingly common -- prompted more and more firms to take advantage of the new techniques. The repertoire among so-called talent management companies ranges from Hogan's "dark side" test to what's generally known as the 360, in which superiors, subordinates, and peers fill out anonymous questionnaires about a given manager. Costlier alternatives include elaborate "assessment centers," where potential leaders actually run a simulated office for a day, receiving distracting emails, phone calls, subordinate complaints, and real-time crises.

Then there is Myers-Briggs, perhaps the best known psychological test, and Development Dimensions International (DDI), a business assessment firm whose clients include Citibank, Microsoft, and Phillip Morris. One of the largest companies in the field, DDI has seen its value soar over the past five years. Doug Reynolds, vice president of assessment technology for DDI, estimates their management assessment sector's revenue to be $80 million last year. "We now have assessment centers around the world, and each center can test 10 to 15 executives at a time," Reynolds says. "There's been a tipping point where [companies] are understanding that they should use actual data to make decisions about people. If you rely only on your gut, you make a classic mistake."
Of course, screening can't predict all potential problems. One of DDI's clients, JetBlue, is still reeling from a recent series of public relations disasters when storms caused thousands of passengers to be stranded in airports or trapped on planes that were unable to take off for hours at a time. David Neeleman, JetBlue's founder and C.E.O. since 1998, stepped down recently. He will remain chairman, though, and denies the move is related to recent company problems.

Even so, JetBlue continues to tout its friendly workforce and to use the latest assessment techniques to help preserve it. When interviewing for management positions, JetBlue uses DDI's behavioral diagnostic questions to evaluate whether candidates will exhibit and promote the five qualities essential to the corporate culture -- "safety, caring, integrity, fun, and passion," according to Vincent Stabile, JetBlue's senior vice president of people. "We want to know whether or not those five values come naturally to that individual," says Stabile. "We're looking to see that an individual has the skills and experience for the job and can fit into our culture in a good way."

Bring in the Coaches

But JetBlue isn't just focusing on hiring and promotion. Like a growing number of other companies, it also uses personality assessments to develop the best and the brightest. Two years ago, the organization began using the Myers-Briggs test in its leadership training course, combined with a 360: Following the exam, managers sit down with coaches and put together development plans to work on their weaknesses. "There's much more of a focus on individual performance and psychology, on understanding how you can help them to become better leaders. People are understanding that it can have a tremendous impact," says Stabile.

Dell also uses diagnostics in their training. They give future leaders the 360 exam and then evaluate them on 20 to 25 competencies ranging from financial and business acumen to dealing with ambiguity, says Amy King, a company spokeswoman. "Then we identify opportunities to help them develop the skills and experience to get them on the right track," she says.

Had Dunlap, Ebbers, and Lay been subjected to such an exhaustive examination, corporate America might be a very different place. Then again, without them, the psychological testing industry may never have grown into the healthy business it is today.

Portfolio.com. Copyright 2007 Conde Nast Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

Jobs Info , Career Sources , Employment

Ins and Outs of Landing a Government Job

by Robert DiGiacomo, for Yahoo! HotJobs


Finding out about government jobs may seem tricky to the uninitiated.

As with the private sector, the best place to look is online. For most federal jobs, you can research open positions and download applications through the government's official site, USA Jobs; career sites like Yahoo! HotJobs; or specialty sites like Federal Jobs Net.

However, the process requires more effort than simply emailing a resume. Applicants for federal, as well as many state and local positions, must follow a specific set of procedures, which could include taking a qualifying exam and/or completing a detailed questionnaire, according to Dennis V. Damp, a retired federal worker and the operator of Federal Jobs Net.

Below are tips on how best to navigate the red tape to apply for a public sector job.

Less Testing Required

Where most federal positions used to require a civil service exam, the opposite is now true, according to Damp, who this fall will publish the 10th edition of "The Book of U.S. Government Jobs."

Only 20 percent of jobs -- notably the Postal Service, Border Patrol, FBI and Foreign Service -- require an exam, while the remaining 80 percent use a questionnaire to screen applicants, Damp says.

Keywords Are Key

When applying for a position, don't make the mistake of cutting and pasting job descriptions from your private-sector resume.

Because each applicant is ranked -- and only the top scoring individuals are invited to interview -- you'll want to maximize your score by using similar keywords from the government job description to explain your experience.

"The application may be rejected if you don't submit all of the details required," Damp says.

Experience Counts

The government won't automatically discount an applicant who lacks a degree in a specific field, if he or she has work experience that matches a requirement in the job description, Damp says. "For example, there are many ways to get qualifications for engineering, other than having a formal four- or five-year degree."

Right in Your Backyard

Government jobs aren't just in Washington, state capitals, or big cities. Satellite and regional offices are situated in smaller locales around the country.

"I was hired into the federal sector in a town of 3,600 in the middle of Pennsylvania," Damp says. "You have to look in your own backyard."

Political Appointee vs. Professional Hire

While certain positions are reserved for people with campaign or other political connections, most government jobs go to those with relevant experience or qualifications, according to both Damp and Daniel Lauber, author of "The Government Job Finder" and operator of the web site, jobfindersonline.com.

If you're concerned about whether patronage is a factor for a particular job, Lauber suggests two criteria: Is the job posted for less than 30 days? Does the department head lack expertise in the field? If the answer to one or both questions is yes, you may want to reconsider whether it's the right professional opportunity.

"There's no consistency from state to state," Lauber says. "You do everything you can to find out if government is being run professionally or not."

The Personal Touch

Even though the government hiring process is largely rooted in the virtual world, there's still a place for the real-world informational interview.

"I'm a proponent of doing informational interviews, to get familiar with different agencies and to explore opportunities in your area," Damp says.

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Four Steps to Better Work Boundaries

by Heather Boerner, for Yahoo! HotJobs


Want to advance your career? Saying "no" may be the key.

"It's wonderful to be the go-to person to a point -- until you find you're totally overwhelmed, exhausted, resentful and in a time crunch," said Susan Newman, author of "The Book of No: 250 Ways to Say It -- And Mean It and Stop People-Pleasing Forever." "Setting workplace boundaries means you will be doing better work and not spreading yourself all over the lot."

Here's how to get there:

1. Track your yeses.

You can't set a boundary you don't know you have, so watch yourself for a week, Newman said. Where do you say "yes"?

    * Do you agree to lunch with that coworker on the day of a major presentation?
    * Do you accept another project on top of the eight you already have?
    * Do you volunteer to change the printer's ink cartridge for a harried coworker?
    * Do you work on the Saturday of your daughter's recital?

2. Figure out your priorities.

"Every time you say yes, you're giving up something," said Newman. So get your priorities straight:

Do you need to be everyone's best friend or be the last person to leave work each day? Or is it more important to choose projects that will advance your career and give yourself time to do them?

"You should always ask yourself, 'Are these things moving me forward and gaining me respect, or is it just one more piece of busy work?'" she said.

3. Share them with your boss and coworkers.

Now that you know, let everyone you work with know in a clear, friendly way, said Debra Mandel, author of "Your Boss is Not Your Mother: Eight Steps to Eliminating Office Drama and Creating Positive Relationships At Work."

"It's valuable to inform people that you're changing your approach to work," she said. "You can simply say, 'I know I've been overworking myself and so I'm going to start taking a little more time.'"

Scared to say it? You're not alone. Some changes may be easier than others. Declining lunch with a coworker may be less frightening than declining a project from your boss.

So invite your boss into the decision-making: Of the 10 projects on your plate, which are highest priority? Can you work late during the week in return for having your weekends to yourself? Keep reminding your boss that you're doing this to improve your work performance.

4. Keep doing it.

Now that you've set your boundary, your work is done. Right?

Wrong.

Expect your boss and coworkers to test you. Can't you come out for drinks after work just this once? Can't you take 10 minutes -- OK, maybe 30 -- to talk your coworker down from her latest crisis -- even though you have work to do? Can't you take on this one extra project? It's a one-time thing, your boss swears.

"Keep setting boundaries," Mandel said. "Usually people want to have healthier relationships, and they'll adapt."

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Five Steps to a Successful Phone Interview

by Joe Turner, for Yahoo! HotJobs


If your resume did its job and sold you for the position you want, the next step is usually a phone interview with the employer. This phone screen usually takes place with a company recruiter or HR staffer to prequalify you for an opening. Since your attitude and answers can either move you to the next round or signal "game over," you want to be ready before you get that call.

Here are the five required action steps to take during your phone screen to help move you forward to that all-important, face-to-face interview:

1. Brand yourself.

You're not the only candidate being called. A lackluster performance will get you quickly scratched. If you can differentiate yourself from the beginning, you'll rise well above your competitors. One of the surest ways to accomplish this is to develop a personal branding statement of your own. Also called a Unique Selling Proposition, this is a short sentence that describes who you are, your biggest strength, and the major benefit that you offer your next employer.

A personal branding statement (or USP) might be: "I'm a seasoned Project Manager whose strengths in identifying and solving problems have saved my employers over $10 million while completing over $35 million in projects during the past nine years."

A branding statement like this makes you memorable because it's focused and it offers a benefit (saving $10M). If you develop a branding statement, or USP, that clearly can identify who you are and what you can bring to an employer, you've caught their interest and separated yourself from the pack.

2. Show enthusiasm.

A positive attitude can go a long way in your marketing efforts. This is your opportunity to shine on the phone, so take full advantage. This is especially important if the call came at an "inopportune moment" and you feel caught off guard. If this is the case, remember, you're not the only candidate they're talking with. When the call comes, congratulate yourself, knowing that you were one of the few who did make the initial cut. Now it's time to put on your "game face"; join the conversation with pure enthusiasm and demonstrate the conviction that you are a top candidate for this job.

3. Listen and answer carefully.

One of the major complaints from employers and recruiters about candidates is that too often the candidate doesn't answer the question being asked. Since you're on the phone, this is especially critical because you don't have the advantage of visual cues such as eye contact or body language. Listen carefully to the question being asked and answer that question only. Don't ramble or try to anticipate the next question, or you may talk your way out of the next step -- a possible job interview.

4. Flatter them.

It pays to do some research on any company you apply to. After all, the question, "Why are you interested in us?", is going to come up. Therefore, it makes good sense to have your ducks in line before the call and to be ready to mention why this company impresses you. Don't be bashful. Mention the product line, their superior management, their unique marketing approach, etc. Make sure you have something positive to say about them.

5. Close.

At the end of the phone interview, if you would like to proceed and talk further with this company, take the initiative and ask what a good time might be for scheduling a face-to-face interview. If you feel uncomfortable asking that, then ask this simple question: "What's our next step?" This should eliminate any confusion and set the stage for your follow-up date, should you not hear back before then.

As a recruiter, Joe Turner has spent the past 15 years finding and placing top candidates in some of the best jobs of their careers. He makes it easy for anyone to find and land the job they really want all on their own in the shortest time possible. Discover more insider job search secrets by visiting his site.

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Six Ways People Get Employment Rights Wrong

by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs


Most people who have jobs may be a little unclear about what rights they have and don't have on the job and in the workplace.

Attorney Margarita Ramos, an employment law expert and founder of Human Capital Consulting in New York, agrees. "Most employees naively believe that their own individual sense of fairness is what controls a work environment. But fairness has nothing to do with it. Just because something is unfair doesn't mean it's unlawful," she says.

Read on for six common misconceptions about employee rights.

You think: Your employer can't fire you without good cause.

Ramos says, "If you're employed in an at-will employment state, you can be fired for just about anything. The reason I hear most often is that a person is not a team player. That's a gray area, but it gets used all the time. Unless you find that it's really discrimination, there's not a lot you can do about it."

You think: You have a right to earn the same as a coworker who does the same job.

It's true that there are laws guaranteeing equal pay, but another person may have more experience or more seniority and thus may legally earn a higher salary. States Ramos, "I've managed people, and I've had some doing the 'same' job. However, what an employee may not realize is that the other person may be doing the same job but she may have more complex clients, handle a more complex region, or be taking on more responsibilities."

"Keep the focus on you and your value," she says.

You think: Your employer can't cut your pay.

Your employer may cut your pay at any time unless you're a member of a labor union, are part of a collective bargaining agreement, or have an employment contract.

Ramos explains, "Most of the cases involving a pay reduction are driven by the financial performance of a business. A good employer will manage your expectations before taking any actions. You'll know it's coming so you can take care of your finances."

You think: Your emails are your private property.

Emails you send using company servers or equipment are company property. Ramos reveals, "Today, most employers have policies around that issue. Unfortunately, most employees don't read through their handbooks when they start a job."

To safeguard your career, exercise extreme caution when sending and receiving emails and surfing the Internet.

You think: You're entitled to unemployment if you're fired.

It depends on the state in which you live, but if you are fired for misconduct you may not be eligible for unemployment. Ramos says, "If you've been fired for cause, most employers will contest your application for unemployment. And even if your employer doesn't contest it, the state still may decide to based on the information your employer provides when responding to your claim."

If you want to know what your employer considers misconduct, read your employee manual.

You think: Your employer can't snoop in your desk or office.

Your desk and your office are company -- not personal -- property. Ramos relates, "You should really assume that you have no privacy in the workplace."

Treat your desk, office, computer, and mobile device with extreme caution, she says, and keep them free of anything that could be considered even vaguely offensive or unsuitable for the workplace.

Ramos concludes, "People really should read their employee handbooks. As boring as they may seem, handbooks contain a lot of information. It used to be that they were vague and not well written, but that's changed. And ask questions if something is unclear."

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Meet the New Boss. Same as the Old Boss?

Tips for Adjusting to a New Manager
by Robert McCauley, Robert Half International


Change can be unsettling, especially when it involves your job. Welcoming a new boss as your manager transitions to a different role with the company is one adjustment almost every worker is likely to make at some point.

Even if you've heard good things about the incoming supervisor, doubts are likely to remain. Will you be able to establish rapport with him or her? What will your new manager expect of you? How will the person's work style differ from your previous supervisor's?

While it may seem like much of the transition is out of your control, you have a large role in how smoothly it goes. In fact, your attitude and approach will determine how productive and rewarding the relationship eventually is.

Here's how to start on the right foot with a new boss:

* Make the first move. Arrange a one-on-one meeting with your supervisor so the two of you can get to know each other. Use this time to discuss your role, learn about your supervisor's expectations and find out how you can support your boss's top priorities. The discussion should serve as the basis for ongoing communication with your new boss.

* Be a resource. Share any information that can make the person's transition a little easier, such as the names of your department's contacts in other areas of the company.

Many employees are reluctant to approach new supervisors with feedback or advice. But in a survey by Robert Half International, 40 percent of executives said it's common for managers to oversee projects for which they have limited experience. So, your input could be valuable. Just be sure to offer your opinions tactfully.

* Don't look back. Unless asked, it's generally best to avoid talking about the way things used to be done under the previous manager. Your new boss may have fresh ideas and solutions that benefit everyone.

* Aim to please. Pay attention to your supervisor's preferences. Does your boss seem more responsive when you stop by his or her office with questions than when you send emails? Does your manager want frequent updates on projects or allow employees plenty of autonomy? Adjust your work style, if needed, so you're in sync with your boss.

* Have an open mind. Above all, don't forget that your boss is new to the position and, in some cases, the company altogether. Like any new employee, he or she likely needs time to get accustomed to the role. Even if things aren't going as smoothly as you would like a couple of weeks or months into the transition, don't be too quick to judge, and maintain a positive attitude.

Working for a new manager can bring a great deal of uncertainty, but there also is potential for positive changes. Welcome your supervisor with an open mind and supportive attitude, and you will set the stage for a strong working relationship during the transition period and beyond.

Robert Half International is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For more information about our professional services, please visit rhi.com.

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