The saga continues... The Temp Life, Spherion's original web-based series, recounts each of your worst temporary job stories. In this episode, Laura is faced with the likely predicament of an ill-prepared office. To the outside world, these nightmarish, horror-like scenarios are mildly entertaining... even laughable. That is, until it happens to you!
Don't let your career get confused for comic relief. Let us know if you've ever been in a similar situation and how you've handled it. We might even pay you $100 for your story. Want to catch up on other Temp Life episodes? Click here to access the Temp Life channel. That's The Temp Life... now get back to work!
What are employers looking for? It depends -- every employer seeks a different mix of skills and experience from a prospective employee. But one thing they look for consistently is soft skills.
This month's video podcast highlights the importance of defining your soft skills while in an interview. Your resume doesn't tell the whole story, so make sure your social skills shine as much as your work skills.
What are soft skills? Soft skills are intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that determine a person's ability to excel or at least fit in a particular social structure, such as a project team or a company. These skills include competencies in areas such as Emotional Intelligence (EI), communication, leadership ability, etiquette, conflict resolution, decision making, self-motivation, self-discipline, persuasion, social graces, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that mark people to varying degrees. Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the technical requirements to a job.
Remember the phrase from your report card -- "works and plays well with others"? That's a critical soft skill, and there are many more, all of them important for any job in any industry. More and more corporations around the world recognize that, in order to gain a competitive advantage, they also need to make sure their people know how to handle themselves at work and how to relate with their customers and peers.
Check out the rest of my series of Recruiter Tips in the coming weeks. I hope that you find them useful and good luck!
Q: Dear Seymour, I'm about to embark upon a new job search and my friends and colleagues all have different advice about what techniques/venues work best. What are the best ways to job search?
- Submitted by Maureen Shiring, San Diego, CA
A: Dear Maureen,
While there are a number of ways to job search, it is important to pay attention to trends in this area in order to tailor your efforts towards those methods that give you the highest return. For example, technology has certainly impacted the way candidates are securing job opportunities these days. Job seekers seem to be having success with the Internet.
Spherion places thousands of workers in jobs each year. We recently tracked the job search techniques and methods used by nearly 300 of those candidates. We found that 43 percent of active job search candidates learned about their next career opportunity using the Internet, 13 percent through posting their resume, 25 percent through online published job openings, and 5 percent through email and online networking.
It is always good practice to utilize all job searching methods available because you never know which might deliver - career fairs, networking, recruiters, classifieds, etc.
You might also visit Spherion's Candidate Career Center, an informative and user-friendly web portal that can help workers manage their job search. Check it out.
As you'll see, advice and tools are available for job seekers under the resources (insert link to this page) section, including how to:
- Write resumes that stand out from the crowd with Spherion's resume-building functionality
- Develop a network of contacts that will create future career opportunities
And, while you're there, take advantage of the thousands of job opportunities Spherion has available by applying online, anytime, 24/7.
We've all dealt with office politics. No, not those pesky relationship crushing, ego stepping situations where you are expected to "do as I say, not as I do". I am talking about office conversations about politics.
With this year being a presidential election year, and an interesting one at that, politics and the issues are on many people's minds. But is the office the place to discuss these? Some will say no.
Today, political issues are more than just a topic of conversation for friendly banter. As one article points out, they are doctrines in which people live their lives.
By discussing politics and political beliefs, workers run the risk of causing irreparable damage to their relationships with colleagues, causing hurt feelings and damaging your own reputation if arguments turn heated.
My best advice is to steer clear or tread lightly with political conversations at work, unless they are with close friends who may already be familiar with your beliefs and feelings. Otherwise, this could be dangerous territory to enter with colleagues.
What do some of our readers think? Do discuss politics at work, or would you prefer to take a neutral stance and keep your feelings to yourself?
A recent survey garnered a lot of attention in the media by reporting that nearly one-third of workers have slept on the job! That's a lot of employees catching some zzzz's when they should be working.
The survey, conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, reported that on average workers receive 40 minutes less sleep than what they need to be most effective on the job. This may be bad news, and dangerous on the job, if you are one of those workers lacking sleep.
Some companies have recognized that their workers may be punching out later and later at the end of the day. So they allow workers short naps during the day to help them catch up or revive their energy.
But what if you're not working for one of these employers? Getting caught sleeping on the job could result in a serious reprimand or dismissal altogether. So what do you do if you feel your body is too tired?
It may difficult to change your sleep patterns, but there are simple things you can do throughout the day that might help you get a better night's sleep.
For one, watch your daily caffeine intake. We all know that tired workers rely on coffee to help jump start their day and keep them going for the long haul. But too much caffeine may be prohibiting you from a restful night's sleep. Try decaf or cutting back. It may be difficult at first, but in the end you might find it's worth it for more sleep.
Second, consider exercise or yoga to boost your energy. Having more energy to burn during the day will help you sleep better at night. Also pay attention to your diet. You might be eating foods that are high in protein or sugar late at night that will prevent you from going to sleep at a decent bedtime.
Also, listen to our body. If you feel run down, you will not be productive. You could also be opening yourself up to cold and flu season. Your employer gives you time to take off. So take it. Even if it's just to catch up on some sleep!
"Despite many workers' desire to maintain a balance between work and their personal lives, a substantial segment of employees are working long hours. According to Spherion research, nearly one third of U.S. workers spend between 41 and 50 hours a week at the office, and another 12% clock 50 hours or more weekly. Do you feel like you're always at the office? Let us know...
Q: Dear Seymour, I know the importance of maintaining a balance between my personal life and my career. But, I just can't seem to stop thinking about work, no matter how hard I try. Could I be a workaholic?
- Submitted by Nathan Streets, Springfield, Mass
A: Dear Nathan,
Workaholism is a serious condition in which a person has an overriding compulsion to work, so much so that it begins to undermine their personal relationships. It should not be taken lightly. Workaholics are not just people who work hard. They generally never stop physically or mentally working, always put work at the top of their priority list, and enjoy working more than anything else. Here are a few signs to watch for that can help determine whether you work to live or live to work:
You Excessively Talk About Work. If you find that even during the most social and entertaining events outside of the office, you're still constantly bringing up subjects of work, this could indicate a problem. Furthermore, if you feel uncomfortable or bored with conversing about any other subject besides work, this too is a sign of trouble.
You find it Difficult, Near Impossible, to Delegate. Workaholics simply can't or don't delegate because of the difficulty in giving up control. If you feel strongly that the work doesn't get done correctly unless you do it yourself, and prefer to handle everything yourself, you may be a workaholic.
You have a Strained Personal Life. Often, people who are workaholics don't maintain a lot of friendships or participate in sports and hobbies. In fact, the University of North Carolina published research that found couples in a workaholic marriage tended to have twice the divorce rate as those who were in non-workaholic marriages. This may be because a workaholic will consistently choose work over family, whether it is missing a child's big sports event or working on the night of your wedding anniversary.
You Neglect or Forget Non-Work Obligations. Many workaholics spend all their time focusing on work-related tasks and appointments that they frequently forget about basic household obligations, such as laundry, dishes or mowing the lawn. Important health-related appointments like teeth cleaning or doctor visits are overlooked time and again.
If you're unsure about whether you fall into the workaholic camp, pay attention to these signs and honestly assess your own behavior. Also, take note of comments made by family or co-workers. Do they remark on how much time you spend at work or doing work? Most importantly, remember that the sooner you identify any workaholic tendencies, the faster you can manage them and begin making up for lost personal time.
I recently read a blog post about looking for and landing your second career opportunity. The first job you work out of college will be your entrée into the career world. A glimpse of what's to come. Although it isn't a full education about workplace, it is a stepping out of the college life and into the career life.
Your second job, however, will set the stage for future endeavors and employment opportunities. Your second job can certainly be the most critical leap for your career. So what should you do to make sure the job search yields the best options for job number two?
The blog post points out the importance of updating your resume with the experiences from your first job. So there is lesson number one. Make sure that you are squeezing as much skill development and learning out of your first employer and job experience.
Secondly, take your networking to the next level. Make sure that you are joining professional industry organizations where you can interact with experienced workers, get advice on choosing your next job, or perhaps getting a lead on a job opening.
Also, be prepared to start utilizing your own instincts and taking more of a proactive role in choosing the right next step. When you start to interview for second jobs, ask questions about the company's culture, values, and workplace environment. Would you be a good fit? You should also consider asking how employees with your same level of experience are mentored so that you can continue to grow and acquire more skills.
Your second job should be viewed as the time when you get serious about your career. It's when you take what you have learned and start applying it more independently to projects and tasks.
So, take care when choosing your next employer and get ready to jumpstart your future!
Q: Dear Seymour, I will be transitioning from the military to civilian sector in about a year. I have filled many different positions during my time in the military and really don't know what I should set as a career choice. I have an AA and certified Six Sigma (green belt) Lean Masters. Are there many jobs out there for me?
- Submitted by Job Hunter
A: Dear Job Hunter,
Congratulations on you military service, and welcome back to civilian life! Clearly, you have a wealth of experience in a variety of areas, and with your education and Six Sigma achievements, you are primed for a new job.
Although you mention that you are unsure about your choice for a career because you have a variety of experiences, you may have an advantage in choosing from a variety of career opportunities.
Here are a couple of suggestions to help you narrow down your choices.
First of all, visit with a career services or transition counselor at your base or installation. They can provide you with an assessment test of what you are best at doing. This can be a turning point for you to narrow in on not only what you are good at, but what you enjoy doing as well.
Second, some employers have military transition positions specifically for those who are looking for civilian work. Conduct some research about military-friendly employers, keeping in mind that they may not only be a potential employer for you, but they probably also allow for you to remain in the reserves, and continue your duty if you choose.
Lastly, you may also want to try working with a staffing or recruitment company. Not only can they help you assess your skills similar to a career counselor, but if you are still undecided about a permanent career, or you are having a difficult time finding a job you are interested in pursing, they can offer you temporary job assignments that can help you get back into the groove of the civilian job market.
Temporary work may also help you decide what type of work you are interested in.
The nightmarish temp job ... we've all had them. Now you can relive every awkward, cringing moment with My Temporary Life, Spherion's original Web series based upon YOUR worst temping stories.
Spherion is an employer of choice to 300,000 individuals. We've been finding rewarding career opportunities and job experiences that prove a great match for individuals' skills and expertise for 60+ years.
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