My Campus Chronicles
Our college blog dedicated to helping students prepare for life outside of college.
Steve Wajda archive
The high cost of living has forced many baby boomers to come out of retirement to once again start earning a paycheck.
Some boomers have yet to retire, choosing to work well into their 60's. For some though, this is an opportunity to work in a field where their job has more meaning than their lifelong career.
USA Today recently published an article about some of the fields that baby boomers are choosing for their second careers, or even choosing to switch to even before retiring. Those fields include health care, teaching, social work and even environmental projects.
Not only do these jobs provide a paycheck, but they also give workers a sense of giving back to the community.
This is also a time for workers who are close to retirement to consider turning a hobby into a product, such as photography or cooking.
For those who are considering a second job, this is a time to be creative...and as the saying goes: "do what you love and love what you do"!
Think about the last time you had a job interview. Remember what it was like, sitting in the lobby of a building or office, nervous, wondering if you are dressed professionally, thinking about possible questions and how you would answer them.
You are called into the interview. Introduce yourself to the interviewer, hand them your resume, and wait for the questions to start. The first question - If you were a fruit, what kind of fruit would you be and why? Huh!?
Believe it or not, many interviewers are moving towards a trend of asking silly, if not down right weird interview questions. One article points out how strange and tricky questions can be.
So how do you answer these questions? First of all, don't feel bad for being caught off guard. More than likely, this is part of the reason why the interview is asking the question, to see how creative you can be, quick on your feet.
Don't try to be too technical with your answer. If all else fails, take an "easy" approach to answering an odd question. For example with the fruit question, I would probably say an apple (they're my favorite fruit, so when I hear "fruit" I think "apple"). Then I would say, "Because they are versatile, and stand out in a crowd."
There are really no right or wrong answers here, as long as you stay professional and try not to oversimplify your answer. Back to the fruit question, I wouldn't say "Apple... because they are sweet and pretty."
You could also try humor with your answer, as long as it's not offensive. Humor is also tricky because it could fall flat.
What are some of the strangest interview questions you have been asked and how did you answer them? If you are an interviewer, have you ever used these types of questions? What was the reason why you used them and would you continue to ask them?
Have you ever been to Disney World and taken a tour of the animation studios? If so, you'll notice that the animators have decorated this workspaces in the theme of the film that they are working on. For example, I was there when they were working on Lilo and Stitch, which took place in Hawaii.
The cubes were all decorated with hula girls, plastic coconut shells and tropical flower leis to inspire their creativity. The result: a multi-million dollar grossing film that includes a beloved character, stuffed animals, lunch boxes, Disney rides, well, you get the picture.
Now think about your work environment. It's difficult to always come up with the next bright idea when you spent half or most of your time in an office with four white walls, or worse, a cubicle in the middle of the office.
I recently read a column about how creativity also spurs productivity. As you can see with the Disney example, it can't hurt to have inspiration. So go ahead, add pictures, flowers, quotes or other elements that motivate you. Allow your personality to show through too. You could encourage your co-workers to do the same, and before you know it, your creative juices will begin to flow.
Companies have been battling the Internet for worker productivity for years. But now, there's a new distraction that's taking workers' attention away from their job during the workday. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter...all are great tools for social networking and keeping in touch, but they can be a distraction.
A recent article highlights how some companies are combating the social networking beast by employing filtering software to block social networking sites.
The key to remember is that too much personal time spent on social networking can be a distraction and cuts into company time unless you are in the sales, marketing or recruiting functions, which finds social networking sites useful tools.
Whether it's social networking or online shopping, if it's not job related, you shouldn't be spending time, outside of your lunch break, on the Internet with personal business. It's unprofessional, and your managers and co-workers probably wouldn't appreciate it.
Searching for a job can be a job in of itself. And starting with career fairs can feel like you are in the thick of the rat race.
Competition can be stiff, and one article points out how important it is to stand out in the crowd. It could mean the difference between leaving with a job opportunity, or leaving empty-handed.
How do you differentiate yourself from the other candidates? Career fairs are supposed to be part of the informal interview process, a way to explore companies and opportunities in a group setting. But you should still treat it as the first impression for a potential employer.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Always bring multiple copies of your resume.
- Dress professionally, as if going to a sit down formal interview at an office.
- If possible, conduct research before hand about the companies that will be attending the fair.
- Have questions ready. This may be the best opportunity to find out if the companies are a right fit for you as an employer.
- Stay engaged. Career fairs can be exhausting, but try to keep you energy level up as much as possible to stay enthusiastic.
- Pick up business cards from those who you meet. You might not have the chance to spend a lot of time with the companies you are interested in and will have to set up a time for a follow up. Make sure you stay in contact with those you meet by collecting business cards and sending thank you/reminder notes about your expertise.
Good luck or your job search!
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?
An interesting article about disgruntled workers cites a survey that says bored workers are more disgruntled than overloaded employees. At first glance, this might seem to be a surprising revelation, but if you are one of those "bored" employees you can understand how this makes sense.
Employees who don't feel they have accomplished anything at work have lower job satisfaction and pride in their employers, not to mention decreased morale and productivity which can affect coworkers.
If you feel yourself being bored at work, there are some steps that you can take to try and improve your work environment.
First, speak with your manager and ask if you can take on more responsibilities, or spearhead a new project.
Second, re-evaluate your own workload. Perhaps you are missing opportunities to do more or be more creative with your current assignments.
Third, consider continuing education classes or training opportunities at work. Not only will this provide you with more stimulation and get your brain working, but it may provide you with additional skills that will help you stand out for job promotions.
If these suggestions don't rid you of never-ending boredom, it's likely time to start looking for a new job.
From the holiday party to the going-away party, the office is often a place for fun, social gatherings. While this can be enjoyable for the person of honor, it often can be expensive for other employees. Instead of chipping in money or going out to eat, what are some unique ways to celebrate?
For example, if the entire office must put in money towards someone's birthday cake, why not have the person with the most recent birthday buy the cake for the upcoming birthday? Or, encourage everyone to design a homemade card to give to the special person.
Instead of going out for lunch to celebrate a new employee, why not try pot luck? Every employee can make a dish, which is certainly less expensive then dining out. It also encourages camaraderie!
Readers, what are some other cost-saving yet fun-filled ways to celebrate around the office?
Let's face it. Everyone can have difficult times at work that force you to show your emotion. Whether it's personal issues that spill into the work environment, or frustration as a result of work, emotions can emerge at the worst time during the work day.
I recently read an article about anger in the workplace, and I wasn't surprised about how easily the person in the article allowed their emotion to boil over in such dramatic fashion.
It can be difficult to contain how you are feeling, especially at work where you may be experiencing criticism or questions about your abilities. Sometimes, your emotions may not stem from work at all, but something happens and that's where you will express them.
Anger is probably one of the most common emotions overly expressed at work. Co-workers, managers and supervisors may provoke you, but you still need to keep your cool as best as possible.
If you begin to feel yourself becoming angry, take a break and regroup instead of staying in a situation that may escalate. Just as in your personal life, take the higher road and diffuse angry moments before they get out of hand.
Also, find an activity outside of the workplace that might help you relieve stress and calm any work-related anger issues that you might have. Exercising, meditation and yoga, or perhaps finding a hobby like painting, can all help relieve stress and allow you to decompress from work.
Bottom line is that it's ok to show emotion at work, as long as your reactions do not go over the line.
Workers' commutes are getting longer and longer. Some workers are traveling two hours, one-way, to get to their jobs. This might be extreme to some, but the norm for others. I think that most people would agree this is asking a lot for any job. Not only is driving stressful, but it can be dangerous if you are too tired to be on the road.
Still, this trend of long commutes is worth it for workers who feel that they cannot pass up the salaries they are receiving. According to a recent blog post, this is the case for many.
However, long commutes can be detrimental to your career. Not only can in cut into your work/life balance, but your production can suffer because of exhaustion or stress, which can lead to anger and frustration that might be detected by your manager or colleagues. Furthermore, your pocketbook could suffer from the wear and tear on your car and the price of fuel.
So what's a worker to do if this is the situation that they are facing? For one, you might want to ask your manager about flexible scheduling or work at home options. This would relieve the need and stress of being in the office everyday.
You could also check into park and ride or carpooling options. Again, you would save money, and sanity, while sharing the load of the commute, or leaving the driving up to others.
A last option that might not be so easy, is to just find another job option closer to home. If the other solutions mentioned are not viable and the commute proves to be too much, then you might be better off finding a closer career opportunity.
Gadgets are a part of our work lives. Blackberries, Treos, Sidekicks, the list goes on and on. However, constantly being connected is not always a good choice to make. The amount of information that we are inundated with on a regular basis can be overwhelming, much less adding in a constant stream of emails.
One article even suggests that too much email is lowering IQs because professionals are bombarded by so many they are unable to concentrate and focus on work and projects that require workers to focus. Some of The Big Time's regular readers may also recall other posts about workers who never really disconnect while on vacation, because they are constantly connected to email.
Some companies are going to no email Fridays to cut down on the amount of email that is sent and encourage more face to face contact with colleagues. Other companies are working on innovative initiatives such as periods of "Quiet Time" and email programs that filter out unnecessary or redundant email messages.
I myself find that by not having my email open, I can better concentrate on work with tight deadlines or projects that need my undivided attention, resulting in a complete outcome with minimal mistakes.
So think twice before sending an unmanageable amount of email or too many voicemails. Chances are if you are having a hard time receiving an answer, it's because the recipient is too busy playing catch up!
Do ever get the feeling when you work on a project that you are unfulfilled and not quite sure whether or not you make an impact or contribution to your company? If so, chances are you're not the only one.
I came across this article that talks about how employees and managers are often times not on the same page about the "big picture" goals and outcomes of company projects. This can lead to employees feeling burned out and unfulfilled by their job.
If you find yourself in this situation, there are ways around just taking an assignment, doing the work and then moving on to the next assignment.
A good way to become engaged is ask your manager questions about the project. If you don't want to seem that you are prying, try asking questions in subtle manner, such as, "Is this part of the new building initiative I've heard so much about, or an entirely new project?" Also, be mindful of how your team works together and use your intuition as a guide for more insight. In other words, put two and two together based on the tasks that your co-workers have been assigned.
You should also stay in tune during staff meetings, town hall meetings and internal communiqués that may offer clues into the vision and direction of your company. Then, when you receive an assignment from your manager it will be easier to uncover the reasons behind your impending hard work.
Social networking has become the most popular way to network and find business connections. Every week or so, the trend evolves into a difference technique. The newest form of social networking is 'friending' people through Facebook, LinkedIn or the social networking site of your choice.
A recent post on the blog EXCELER8ion, discusses the idea of friending and how it works. The basic idea is to develop a legitimate friendship first, and then let it naturally turn into a business relationship.
Friendships can take you much further than regular business networking. They ensure a level of trust and intimacy, where business relationships are just that: business.
'Friending' is a good way to make connections, but also develop relationships that you can rely on outside of the office. Additionally, your new friendships could pay off in the long run, as you would probably be moved to the top of your new friend's list if a job opportunity or connection come their way.
Woken up lately and thought to yourself "great, another day of the same old job, same old office, same old co-workers?" Then you realize that you creativity and enthusiasm for work have disappeared?
If so, you too might enjoy this recent post about getting stuck in the mud at a bad career. The blogger focuses on finding your passion and turning that into a career - essentially getting paid for doing what you love. Believe me, the idea of it sounds appealing, particularly for those folks who are burned out of the whole 9 to 5 monotony. But I do caution against leaving the "normal" workforce immediately to turn a hobby into a full time job.
For example, you may dream of being a chef and opening your own restaurant. But you probably cook because it's relaxing and you enjoy it. Be wary that once you cross that line into cooking full time that means it becomes a job, and that makes it harder to cook for "fun."
So here are a couple of tips for those who would like to turn their passion or hobby into a career.
First of all, test the waters. If you want to change your career, especially to a hobby, try it out on a semi-part-time basis to see if you can actually handle your hobby as a career. It isn't easy holding a full-time job while starting a new one, but it's better than quitting your job and then having the next career not work out.
Second, choose a hobby or passion where you can actually make income. If you like to paint, don't spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on art supplies. Instead, consider a job at a museum, or volunteer first to see if it's your calling.
Furthermore, think about giving your current career a chance, but in a different setting. If working in the non-profit sector is where you really want to be, perhaps you can take your accounting and finance expertise and use it to work for an organization or cause you feel passionate about.
I am curious to hear what others' dream jobs are, and whether or not you have tried to turn it into a career. How did it go, and what steps did you take to get there?
I recently came across a blog post about law students who do not want to practice law, once they obtain their degree. One blogger described his experiences and challenges with looking for a job outside the legal field, while possessing a JD.
One of the most intriguing parts of the blogger's post was in how he needed to explain to his interviewers why he wanted to work in a field outside of law. His insight is actually sage advice for anyone in a similar situation, with any variety of degrees or career choices.
Take for example teachers. Many times, teachers pursue degrees outside of teaching. Even though they may have to be certified by the state in order to teach, their degrees may be focused on English, math, history or other school subjects.
Some hiring managers may be skeptical about hiring someone with degrees outside of their chosen career path. They might question your commitment to their company, and you could be perceived as someone unsure of what you really want to do with your career.
Regardless of your degree and chosen career path, you will need to be prepared to show an interviewer that you understand the parameters of the job you are interviewing for, and showcase where your expertise would fit in.
On the heals of the extremely successful Live Earth concert, there's no question the topic of global warming and the environment in general is top of mind for us all. Everyday, more and more research and insight into the issue of global warming hits the airwaves. Regardless of how passionate you are about this topic, I think we can all agree that keeping our environment healthy is a smart move.
Recently, Time Magazine's blog "Work in Progress" posted information from a Harris Interactive survey about American's leaving their computers on at work, resulting in wasted energy usage, and according to the survey, pumping 14.4 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Workers have an opportunity to help curb some practices that may be damaging to the environment. In fact, some companies are now raising the temperature of their air conditioning, and no longer purchasing plastic bottles of water, for example.
I thought of a few areas that workers can help out the cause, such as decreasing the amount of paper that is used by refraining from printing useless or unnecessary materials. Energy can be saved by everyone turning off their office lights at the end of the day, and to ask for recycle bins for aluminum or newspapers in the office.
I am interested in knowing if others work for companies for environmentally friendly policies. What are they, and do you have any suggestions for how to start a conservation program?
Ah, technology. What would we do without cell phones, email and our PDAs? How about have a good weekend or vacation....
Recently on The Blogging Boss, a post alluded to how many workers are tied to their job, even on the weekend. But if you fall into this category, fear not, Spherion is here to share some insight in to how you can unplug for the weekend.
First and foremost, the more time you can spend catching up on a little R & R, the more refreshed you are to return to work on Monday, and the more productive you will be. If you never leave work, even at home, you will burn out and find yourself quickly disenchanted with your job.
Secondly, plan a fun activity or get involved with a hobby that you find relaxing and enjoyable. Regularly schedule this activity into your weekend plans. If you are someone who gets bored easily, pick out a couple of different activities that you can rotate from one weekend to the next.
Lastly, turn off the cell phone and laptop already! More than likely, you are one of only a few "weekend warriors" still tuned to the office on Saturday and Sunday. It's ok to work on tasks just to "get ahead" every once in a while, but you shouldn't make a habit of it.
Graduation time is here, and after the celebrations and break from the books come to an end, recent grads are faced with having to land their first job.
According to new research from Career Builder, college graduates will be in the cat-bird seat when searching for their first job. In a recent CB Campus blog post, it was revealed that 42 percent of companies will up their starting salaries for recent grads, and 79 percent of hiring managers plan to hire recent college graduates, an increase from 70 percent just last year.
The Career Builder post points out some of the tried and true tips of job seeking preparation tips such as conducting in-depth company research, showing enthusiasm and sharing relevant and related experience outside of just internships.
But, competition will be stiff and the amount of jobs available in your field could be slight, so you will have to really stand out from the crowd. You will make headway by networking at career fairs or at industry organizations. Remember to ask those you meet questions about their company and the company's culture. Also, offer a resume to your new contact and remember to ask them for a business card. Even if they are not a hiring manager, you can at least have a point of contact inside the company for follow up.
Also, utilize some of your college friends and contacts to help identify job opportunities. Some are hired just prior to graduation, so if you know former classmates who have received job offers and were hired before you, ask them if there are other open positions that you qualify for, and see if they can help get your foot in the door. Many companies offer employees referral bonuses. So knowing a friend or classmate can not only help you find a job, it could pay off for them as well!
Congratulations class of 2007, and best of luck in career world!
In a recent blog post on Career Solvers by Barbara Safani discusses how and why you should keep up with your contacts even after you've landed a new job. Some of the ideas that Safani addresses are:
- Updating contact information: Safani suggests that when candidates start their new job they contact their network about their new address and email.
- Staying connected to colleagues: Safani suggests that by staying connected to colleagues candidates can put themselves in a position to return favors, should any previous colleagues decide to look for work.
- Keeping professional memberships active: By candidates staying up to date on association newsletters and event networks are more easily contacted and grown.
Some of the other areas to consider when keeping up with and staying connected include inviting some of your key contacts to lunch or dinner. Individual meetings outside of the workplace can be very effective in developing and maintaining key connections.
If you have difficulty remembering to keep up with your network, set up reminders in your work calendar so that when you do have some open time, you can use it wisely by contacting someone you have been meaning to call or email. Many people now have their own blogs or pages on social networking sites, such as Facebook or MySpace, that also serve as an easy way to stay in touch with your network.
And remember, if you stay in constant and sincere contact with your network of connections they will be more willing to help out when you really need them.
