My Campus Chronicles
Our college blog dedicated to helping students prepare for life outside of college.
October 2006 archive
Often in the minds of us IT workers, the job of our dreams means working for the "big guys." You know who I'm talking about... Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! to name a few. But as was recently discussed in a post on JobSyntax, finding the technical career of your dreams may not land you at the big company you thought it would.
The post suggests finding a company that you love and not assume a major technical player is where you belong. I couldn't agree more. Working for a big player doesn't guarantee a straight shot to career success, and you may be overlooking important benefits that can be harder to find at larger companies.
The reality is smaller, non-technical companies can often offer you more opportunities to specialize in specific technologies, provide you greater responsibility sooner, and match the lifestyle needs that can significantly influence your job satisfaction. You wouldn't be the first well-qualified, talented worker to choose a smaller company over a big player because you valued the flexibility, informal dress, telecommuting program, or decision-making ability that comes with working for a smaller organization.
So, before you limit your job search to the big players, take these points into consideration. Carefully research companies that you think may fit your idea of the dream job. Talk to current employees of the organization, read their financial statements, annual reports or check out any blogs they may operate - these will all give you an inside look into their corporate culture and help determine if it's the right place for you.
We study the workforce frequently and on a wide variety of topics. One such study really struck a chord with me (no pun intended). Take our recent research on listening to music at work (which for the record, I think falls in the latter category). A large majority (79 percent!) of workers said listening to music during work actually improved their job satisfaction and
55 percent said it also improves productivity. Those are pretty large numbers if you ask me.
And don't just chalk these up to a few workers who will say anything to keep their headsets on from 9 to 5. The scientific community has been studying the impact of music on our brains for years. In fact, recent studies indicate that listening to and playing music actually alters how our brains, and thus our bodies, function. Scientists are using the power of music in a number of ways, from battling diseases to relieving pain and improving children's test scores.
So, the impact listening to music can have on job satisfaction and productivity doesn't seem so far fetched. I'm curious then why only 32 percent of workers said they listen to music at work. Let me know what you think. Is it because your employer doesn't allow it? Or that your corporate culture just doesn't encourage it? Do you find it distracting rather than a helpful aid in boosting productivity?
And lastly, if you do mix business with music, do you prefer rockin' out to the Black Eyed Peas or mellowing out to some good ole' Beethoven?
I came across a great site that job seekers should find very helpful as they plan their careers. The site, CareerVoyages.gov, was set up by the Department of Labor and is geared toward students, parents and those looking to change careers. I really wish I would have had access to a site like this when I was thinking about what type of career I wanted to pursue because it really provides a great deal of information and advice on "in-demand" careers, salaries and how to get started on the job search.
I don't know about you, but I really didn't know what I wanted to do when I was in high school and college. This site would have helped me out and at least given me some ideas on where to focus my job search.
There are a few sections that I think are particularly good:
“Day in the Life” job videos -- so you can see what it is really like to be a chemist, customer service representative, sales person or even a welder
Parent section -- this area of the site helps parents discuss career options with their children and identify jobs that may be a good fit
Career Compass -- a page that helps job seekers find the jobs that interest them the most
I recommend that you check it out -- even if you are already well on your way to the Big Time!!
We all know the interview process certainly can be nerve-wracking and can put you on edge. Not only are you trying to figure out if the job is for you and answer the interviewer's questions, but there is always the fear of making a mistake, saying the wrong thing or seeming completely overmatched for the job. What most people don't think about are the questions you should ask of a potential employer. These questions are very important for your own knowledge and understanding, but they can also come back to haunt you because they may misrepresent your intentions or your professionalism. CNN.com recently posted a Careerbuilder article by Candice Corner about this very topic and I thought they had some interesting examples of interview questions that can put you in a bad light. The article also gives practical advice about how to better ask the questions to get the information you are looking for.
My favorites:
What not to ask: "So, Bob, what do you have to do to get your position?"
What not to ask: "I really hated my last boss because he was always micromanaging. How does management work here?"
What not to ask: "What's your policy on Columbus Day?"
What not to ask: "Will I have to work overtime?"
Remember, it's always important to prepare for interview questions that you will get from the hiring manager, but also those you will be asking. How you ask them can make all of the difference.
Q: "Dear Seymore,
I am 48 years old and have recently taken on a new job. It was a forced career change due to some health problems I have. I needed to find something less stressful and with less Hrs. When I applied for the New Position, I indicated that I was only seeking Part Time employment. This seemed to be satisfactory and agreeable at the time of interviewing and hiring from new employer. But now that I have come on board my emplyer has informed me that due to my experience and background he needs me to work full Time and has scheduled my work Hrs. accordingly so. At the time of my interview I agreed to a much lesser pay cut from that of what Ihad been making at my previous job postion. This was for 2 reasons. The first was because, I was only seeking to work Part Time and in order to get my foot in the Door for just a Part Time positon, I conceded to the pay differential. The second reason I conceded was , it is career change from what I had been doing, and the job postion appeared that it was going to be less stressful. But now after only 2 weeks, I have been given Full Time Hrs. and more responsibilities at a very cheap wage. How should I approach my New Employer in regards to the extra Hrs. he has scheduled me to work , but at a Part Timer's Salary with only having been there 2 weeks? I don't want to loose my position, but I am not working the terms agreed upon hiring. If Iam going to have more responsibilities and a full time schedule, I feel I should paid as such. Thank You." Question to Seymour posted here by Brenda C. in Virginia
A: Dear Brenda,
About a year or so ago, Spherion conducted a survey of workers about how comfortable they feel going to their human resources department to talk about a problem they have. The result was that 40% of respondents felt comfortable doing so. I mention this because I believe talking to your HR department is the best course of action.
The situation you’ve described certainly sounds like it deserves attention and resolution. In my view, either your job responsibilities should revert back to what was promised at the outset of your employment (and in line with your current compensation) or your job is reevaluated based upon the full-time hours and added responsibilities and pay/title should be adjusted accordingly. In either case, your employer’s human resources department should be involved and overseeing this process. Not only is it their expertise to align job descriptions/responsibilities with appropriate hours and pay, but as an objective, third-party you can be sure a fair resolution will result, and you will shelter yourself from any uncomfortable or tense discussions with your boss on this particular issue.
Good luck Brenda!
We’ve written about the positive benefits of blogging and how it can aid your job search, but the issue of using social networking sites on the job search may be a different story altogether. At least that's how workers look at it.
A recent survey we conducted shows that the vast majority of workers want to keep their social networking site activities just that – social. In fact, only 19 percent of workers surveyed last month said that they would post their resume on social networking sites like MySpace, Friendster or Facebook.
On first glance, this is understandable. People want to keep their social lives separate from their work lives and those sites are viewed as fun, free-spirited social domains. But unfortunately, employers don’t look at them that way.
We see an increasing number of employers and recruiters going to these sites to see what current and potential workers have posted. Those risqué pictures or comments about last week’s tailgate party may just come back to haunt you.
We also asked workers about the content on the sites, but only 33% said they would remove content they posted if they knew their employer or potential employer would be viewing it. Either the majority of people aren’t worried about what they have up there because it isn’t an issue or they just don’t care that their employer may see it.
Whatever the case is, it makes sense to review the content on the sites and consider what an employer may see or read about you. This isn’t to say that your MySpace page should be only used to promote your resume and skills, but if there is questionable content, you may want to think twice about keeping it up.
A word to the wise, pictures of the big keg party or last year’s Fantasy Fest escapades may be better off somewhere else. How would you feel if the person you were interviewing with (or worse yet, your current supervisor) made mention of them?
You may have seen the news about the government’s latest job report which showed weaker job creation last month. On first glance, the report didn’t look very positive and created many questions among job seekers. Only 51,000 jobs created? Are we headed for a recession? Should I stay put in my job?
But a closer look at the results revealed that the news really wasn’t all that bad. Yes, only 51,000 jobs were created, but prior months’ reports were revised and looked much stronger than initially reported. I expect this initial report of 51,000 jobs to be revised up next month as well.
At the same time, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% -- that’s extremely low and is consistent with what we are seeing in the job market – a real shortage of good, skilled workers.
So, in my opinion, the outlook for job seekers is pretty good right now. Companies are creating a wide range of jobs across the country and the pool of available workers continues to shrink. When employers have fewer candidates to choose from, it gives you more options and puts you in the driver’s seat.
Our most recent confidence survey shows that workers are feeling more positive about their overall situation as well. This is yet another sign that job seekers are finding favorable conditions in today’s labor market.
Remember, one month of slowed job creation isn’t a trend and shouldn’t cause any concern for you as you look to make the next move in your career. This is a good time to sharpen your skills, get additional training, tweak your resume and be on the lookout for the next big opportunity.
Q: "I am an African American male who posses two college degrees, an Associates degree from Bishop State Community College in the field of Computer Information Systems and a Bachelors of Science from Alabama State University also in the same field. Also I am currently working (consecutively) on the following three certifications: CompTIA A+, Network+ and MSCE. I have a criminal record which continues to restrain me from obtaining any form of employment. I am seeking your advice because I have run out of ideas and I am desperate to gain employment. I committed a crime when I was 19 years old; I am now a 29 year old mature adult. Most individuals who have been convicted of a violation of the law do not make the progress I've made since my incident. How do I combat this problem to gain any type of fruitful employment?" Question to Seymour posted here by Ahmed Outlaw on September 13, 2006 06:16 PM
A: Dear Ahmed Outlaw, Let me start by congratulating you on achieving what many are unable or unwilling to attain, and that is two college degrees, and the pursuit of additional certifications to boot. You should be very proud of your accomplishments and I hope you are.
It is unfortunate that when it comes to potential employers, you may be automatically lumped together with any other person convicted of a crime, despite the individual progress you have made. You certainly have the right to fruitful employment and everyone deserves another chance. But as you can imagine, employers have the legal obligation and right to protect their employees as well.
I have two pieces of advice that may help your particular situation. First, have you tried to have your criminal record sealed or expunged? If not, you should explore that possibility. In the meantime, you may need to consider any and all employment opportunities – even if it doesn’t directly relate to your computer skills/career. Simply building a record of successful employment will go a long way in ultimately securing your dream job. You might also contact your local and state employment offices to find out if there are any programs specifically designed to help ex-offenders re-enter the workforce.
Again, congratulations on all you have achieved. Keep us posted on your job search progress.
Best regards,
Seymour
I ran across a post on Employment Digest that mentions a surge in IT manager positions. Although I have seen an increase in IT management positions from my own clients, I wasn’t aware of just how many IT managers are making it onto the scene. For example, the post references that IT managers employed in the US have jumped 44 percent since the dot.com collapse of 2001, compared to a 19 percent decline in the number of programming and support jobs. Also, the BLS states that managers now represent 11.2 percent of IT employment, the fourth largest technical job category.
The blogger mentions that this growth reflects the importance of IT implementation in our current business landscape. But he also points out that organizations today are looking for “soft” skills such as leadership, management of people and budgeting as much as they are technical knowledge.
I would add that a very important change in the makeup of IT workers today is also driving the growth of IT management positions. A technology renaissance has intersected with a time in which aging boomers are exiting the workforce and moving into retirement. I believe many of the “soft skills” companies’ value and need from their IT folks were often found in baby boomer workers where the mix of soft and hard, technical skills is generally more balanced. Many of today’s younger IT workers have tremendous technical know-how, but can lack the ability to connect their IT work to larger company objectives, leadership or project management skills.
If you’re in the IT field and looking for ways to manage your career, this is an important trend to understand. Many of my clients are seeking IT workers who have the strong technical expertise, but who also understand how technology helps improve a company’s business. In other words, the ability to roll up your sleeves and get the work done, but also the ability to see the business impact, lead and direct others. Focusing on your management skills as much as you focus on your technical toolbox will help pave the way for a very successful career.
More evidence was just released highlighting a hotter-than-ever accounting field. Career Solvers recently posted some results from American Institute of Certified Public Accountants indicating enrollment in accounting majors has risen 19 percent between 2000 and 2004. I’m not surprised.
Why? Well, just consider two enticing characteristics of the accounting field today – money and job security. Our own research with Association for Financial Professionals has found that the average salary of financial professionals is more than 30 percent higher than the national average salary. That’s a strong incentive to enter the number-crunching field.
And a little thing called Sarbanes-Oxley is contributing to a demand for accountants that for now is outstripping the supply. That means a healthy dose of job security for the near future.
Lastly, although nationally-representative studies are good indicators of what’s happening in a given field, I always turn to my own business and marketplace for true evidence of any particular trend. Let’s just say, business is good. Oh, and if you know anybody with SEC reporting knowledge or Big 4 internal audit experience, send them my way.
Recently on Career Hub, an interesting debate surfaced about the pros and cons of blogging for both recruiters and candidates. I’ve mentioned in a previous post that I believe “blogcruiting,” a term I coined to describe recruiting via the blogosphere, will immeasurably change the way we recruit, in a good way. It has the same potential for candidates. And I said “potential” for a reason. As Barbara Stefani warned in the Career Hub post, job seekers must acknowledge that what you blog about will influence a hiring manager’s decision. It will either influence their decision in your favor, or against it, depending on the content and tone of your blog. You think I’m exaggerating? Consider a stat by ExecutiveCareerSuite.com that approximately 75 percent of hiring managers and recruiters conduct a Google search on applicants before interviewing them.
My advice is this: use the blogosphere to your advantage by posting information that highlights your accomplishments or talents, or to build your network of industry contacts. And while you’re at it, Google yourself to make sure there isn’t any incorrect or “questionable” content out there with your name on it.
