Everyone Thinks About Changing Careers Most people have thought about changing jobs. But what if you’re someone who has been doing a job for what seems like forever? Someone with a truly unique set of skills? Someone like -- Santa Claus.Even those of us with great jobs occasionally wonder if the grass is greener. So it stands to reason the big guy in red -- who has been doing the same gig for quite a while now -- might be a little bored with dashing, dancing and prancing across the globe every Christmas Eve. But even if he could find someone else to make the toys, drive the sleigh and... view article details

These Resume Blunders Should be Avoided No Matter Where You're Applying Avoid the Following Resume Goofs at All Costs Companies don't hire resumes, they hire people. But your resume is often what gets you in the door, so if you can't get the interview it's nearly impossible to win someone over. The strength of each resume is dependent on many factors, including the type of job to which you're applying. Hiring managers at Google will probably appreciate a well-crafted online video resume, whereas if your goal is to land a job as a CPA you might want to stick with something a little more trad... view article details

The High Pay Isn't The Only Interesting Thing About These Odd Jobs.. "You Do What and Make How Much?!?" Think back to the last time you were at a party or a social event, and you had to make small talk with new acquaintances. Inevitably the question of 'So what do you do?” is asked, and everyone recites their professions. While the regulars seem to always come up – doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc. – every once in a while, someone comes out with a doozy that could leave you scratching your head or picking your jaw up off the floor. Did you know Horse Exerciser is a job? Or that you can make a livi... view article details

How to Hire Good Employees: Save Time During the Hiring Process by Spotting Red Flags Early Today's job market is very tough; there are many more job hunters than available jobs. The good news for businesses is that it's a buyer's market. But at the same time, it can be overwhelming to sift through a mountain of resumes flooding your inbox or the resume repository. That's why you need to have an eagle eye for scoping out the best candidates. Here are some things to look for when embarking on your employee selection process: 1. Quality Cover Letter A quality cover letter can tell you a lo... view article details

People Relate to Themselves Whether you know it or not, most hiring managers have a hiring style that is more reflective of who they are as a person, and not necessarily reflective of the companies for which they work.However, like a duck drawn to water, people will feel naturally drawn to a culture that aligns with their value system, and thus, they hire accordingly. Over twelve years of recruiting for a wide-variety of companies, industries and alongside highly effective hiring managers, I have outlined below the top five hiring styles.To the extent this helps you better understand ... view article details

With the unemployment rate hovering at 4.5 percent, "calling in sick" or taking unplanned time off has fallen out of fashion to such an extent that experts have invented a word to describe it -- "presenteeism." The phenomenon results in employees coming to work even when they shouldn't. That's right -- there are legitimate reasons to call off work. The rules below apply whether your company has combined paid time off (PTO), or separate sick, vacation, and personal days. Valid reason 1: Contagious illness, such as the common cold or flu. There's no better reason to stay home than legitimate si... view article details

In Part 1 of the series Successful Job Transitions, we looked at how to stay in control of your job search.   Now that we're moving on to that new job, here are some tips for continuing your smooth job transition during the stickiest part of that transition: The final two weeks.It's why they're called "significant" others Before marching into the CEO's office to share a celebratory 'I quit!' make sure your spouse, children, bank manager and golden retriever know what you are up to. If you want them behind you, be up front. Just as this transition can b... view article details

Real-life Leaders, Their Shortcomings, and How They Overcame Them "A business owner has to realize that, as the saying goes, 'A skunk stinks from the head down,' and a business does too," writes Bill McBean in his book The Facts of Business Life. That’s why, McBean posits, behind every great leader is a successful business. But just because you’re sitting in the leader’s chair doesn’t mean you excel at managing and motivating a team. Plenty of highly-placed executives lack essential people skills, or worse, rule with a bully’s iron fist -- it’s their way or the highway, a la TV bosses Donald T... view article details

A pay philosophy is a company's commitment to how it values employees. A consistent pay philosophy gives the company and the employee a frame of reference when discussing salary in a negotiation.The goal of a pay philosophy is to attract, retain, and motivate employees. For companies in the private sector, this usually requires a competitive pay philosophy. For companies in the public sector, this means a well-rounded philosophy, with a focus on benefits and work life.Companies attract, motivate, and retain through total compensationThe purpose of a good compensation philosophy is to attract, ... view article details

A company's pay structure is the method of administering its pay philosophy. The two leading types of pay structures are the internal equity method, which uses a tightly constructed grid to ensure that each job is compensated according to the jobs above and below it in a hierarchy, and market pricing, where each job in an organization is tied to the prevailing market rate.A company needs job descriptions for all its positions so that people know where they fall within the organization. A pay structure helps answer questions about who's who, what each person's role is, and why people are compen... view article details