You've Got To Touch ... But Not at Work

By Zack on June 30, 2009

I'm a little confused. Nellie passed along a link today from Careerealism detailing a worker's awkward experience getting caught looking at a coworker's rather large cleavage. A bit funny, I thought ... for me. Not for said employee or his coworker. I figured, if it's a really slow day I'd throw it in the blog, but only then, as I would think most people know not to do that, so who really needs advice about it.

Well, then I read today's Wall Street Journal and came across an article on the appropriateness of touching coworkers in the workplace. This is where the confusion comes in. Is this really a pervasive problem? Do people really need advice on appropriate behavior in an office environment? Well it seems they do, so it warrants a post.

The Journal clarifies:

“There aren’t standards about what touching is nonsexual other than handshakes,” says Larry Stybel, a Boston management consultant. “If we are sitting alongside each other and I put my hand on your knee, is that a friendly sign of affection or a sexual come-on? I don’t know, and I don’t know how you will perceive it. So let’s not even go there.”

I would assume that this is pretty safe and sound advice. So, for today, let's leave it with observing the "hands-off rule." If there is no contact, you needn't worry. And if you just cannot help yourself ... maybe you should keep this in your office.

On to the Links ....

Your Unemployed Daughter Discovers: A very interesting Job Posting. I'm just going to go ahead and let them explain.

The Career Key Blog Has: Updates on Student Loan payment reform. Essentially, the new repayment plans will be based on your income level. Good news for recent grads.

Lindsey Pollack at Thin Pink Line Offers: Summer Career advice for Gen Yers. The advice is directed at recent grads looking to secure a job before the fall. This is a pretty extensive top ten-ish list that is a good jumping off point for getting motivated to find your first post-collegiate job.

Secrets of the Job Hunt Provides: Tips for using the right keywords in your resume. Industries have specific "buzz words" that you an use to let the employer know that you are familiar with what is important to that specific industry. Personally I think these can be overused and off-putting, but if used strategically and genuinely they can make the difference in having your resume read and having it simply discarded.

Odd Things Students Come Home From College With

By on June 29, 2009

In my daily search for supreme career advice I come across some very entertaining articles. Most of them get posted to our Delicious account or to our Daily Round-up. Today however, I came across a funny post on the College Confidential forums that truly piqued my interest.

This one thread resonated with me because my mother would have a field day with the subject matter. The question at hand was asked by user Bugmom,

What odd thing showed up when he or she was unpacking? At my house it was a half used container of plaster patch, used to remedy a hole in the wall in his room that somebody else put there.

So in tribute to all the mothers out there wearing WTF faces caused by things their children came home with, I give you the best of list that may make your son or daughter seem like an angel in comparison [sic'd]:

10. A pet goldfish.

9. Son came home with a bassoon stand. And he's a violist.

8. Daughter came home with a retired racing greyhound.

7. A VERY oversized foam cowboy hat.

6. An attitude.

5. 80 extra pounds

4. A miniature dachshund puppy named "Kahlua"

3. One of those pot-holders from the sizzling fajita platters at Chili's

2. A nerf gun bigger than any of the ones I ever allowed him to buy at Toys-R-Us when he was little [kid]

1. A traffic cone and a purple taco bell tray

I think a special thanks needs to go out to all the parents of children in college who look after their kids even when the kid acts like he doesn't need it. If your child came back with any of the items on this list and are going back to school next semester...they owe you a big hug.

Is there something missing from this list? What did you (or someone you know) come home with this semester? Let us know by adding a comment :)

On to The Links ...

Forbes Profile: Industries that are currently hiring. Today they profile Pharmacists. "The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment among pharmacists to grow by 22% between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than most occupations. The pay is good too. The mean annual salary is $104,260, according to May 2008 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics."

Cheezhead Lists: Background Screening trends for 2010. This is a bit extensive, so rather than inefficiently summing it up, why don't you just click through.

YouTube Launches: Reporter's Center to help independent citizen journalists. Why this matters: If you are just out of J-School and can't seem to land a job, what would be so bad about working nights at a restaurant to pay the bills and starting your own beat during the day to build your resume?

Keppie Careers Features: Some tips for planning your job search. Obviously, with the proper amount of preparation and care you can start your job search off in an effective manner and do a bit to streamline the process and maximize your results. This post serves as a good first step.

Social Capital: Career Advice from SuChin Pak

By Nellie on June 25, 2009

Yesterday I was lucky enough to interview TV correspondent, Gen Y journalist and youth advocate SuChin Pak. SuChin took the time to talk with us about networking, taking responsibility for our own health care and finding a new perspective on what a job truely is. The full interview will be available at ThinkTalk.com soon, as well on campus in the Fall.

SuChin is widely known as the former MTV correspondent and host of the doc series “My Life Translated.” She’s also hosted major music award shows, attended red carpet events and reported for MTV’s Choose or Lose campaign.  She also works as the host of “G-Word” on Discovery Channel’s Planet Green. 

One bit of advice SuChin shared that I thought applied to most of us Gen Y-ers is what she called “social capital.”  A lot of us might not have a job at the moment and feel like we’re forever in debt with college loans, but fret not: we’ve got social networking power.  Make a connection and let those in your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter circles know that you’re looking for a job.  SuChin notes that personally, most of the jobs she has landed come from networking connections. But remember, online or offline, manners and etiquette will always make a difference.  Don’t say or do something online that you wouldn’t do offline when it comes to marketing yourself.  It doesn’t pay to post 3 a.m. pics of you and your friends after a night out with "The Captain."

Here is just a short sample of our interview with SuChin Pak. The full video will be available soon at ThinkTalk.com ... and those of you at a ThinkTalk School can watch the show in our Fall programming lineup. Enjoy ... and good luck with your job search!

Not All Is Lost: Some Industries Struggle to Fill Positions

By Zack on June 24, 2009

I found a very interesting piece in today's New York Times (one of the things I missed most being in China was listening to the NY Times daily Front Page podcast ... that things saves me a ton of reading time!) about the holes in the declining job market. This means that there are some jobs in some very particular industries that are hiring. Not only are they hiring, but they are having trouble filling all of their available positions.

Six million jobs have disappeared across the country since Mr. McGrary began his quest. The unemployment rate has risen precipitously to 9.4 percent, the highest level in nearly 30 years, and most of the jobs that do come open are quickly filled from the legions of seekers. But unnoticed in the government’s standard employment data, employers are begging for qualified applicants for certain occupations, even in hard times. Most of the jobs involve skills that take years to attain.

Most of the industries that the Times highlights include careers that require a professional license and can be quite lucrative. Below, I've listed the positions mentioned in the article along with the medium salary. So, if these careers interest you, it may take some time to get to the level that is currently hiring, but it is a pretty safe bet that if the economy should turn again in the future (of course, taking for granted that it will recover in the first place) these seem to be some industries that will be fairly recession resistant.

• welding: $34,156
  
• clinical nursing: $80,975
  
• electrical: $51,619
  
• geotechnical engineering: $46,827
  
• special education: $47,960
  
• respiratory therapy: $55,715

If these industries aren't the sugar in your tea, check out some other options with The Links ...

The Lone Gunman Busts: A myth on entrepreneurship: A new study shows that, despite widely circulated anecdotes, most entrepreneurs don't really learn by failing. The Harvard report found that past success is what impacts future success - more so than past failure.

Monica O'Brien at Personal Branding Blog Thinks: The recession is a great time to start your own business. "True job security has been a myth for awhile now, even before this messy recession took place. So why wait for the economy to get better before taking the plunge? Why let recession fears hold you back from entrepreneurship?"

Cheezhead Profiles: The FUNtern. What's a FUNterm you ask. Well, best I can gather: Butterfinger + Social Media + Marketing Internship ( - pay + year supply of Butterfingers) = FUNtern. APPLY NOW!

JIST Features: A primer on Federal Job and Internship ops for students and recent grads. Even (especially?) in a recession the government generally does a good job of creating jobs and hiring. Combined with a decent salary, great benefits and possible student loan reimbursement, it's a great time to look at federal jobs for employment.

"Welder at North Shields" photo courtesy of nagillum via Flickr Creative Commons

Back to the Grind

By Zack on June 23, 2009

The hardest part of any vacation is coming back to work. This is not debatable. For instance, my Google Reader was on the verge of explosion. As much as I hate clicking the "mark all as read" button, after a few days it didn't seem I was covering any ground, so yesterday, I relented. Today's post, is what can loving be called a Tab Dump.

On to The Links ...

Ramit Sethi Examines: The 20-something who can't get his life together. Ramit's "Money Diaries" series takes real stories from real people (as oppose to, ya know, real stories from fake people). Today's entry features a 25 year-old who still lives with his parents. So if you are looking to feel good about yourself, this would be a good place to start today.

Monster Blog Wants: You to manage expectations during the job search. The gist of this post: The job search is a lengthy process. To expect immediate employment is unrealistic and will cause undue stress on an already stressful project. So manage those expectations, exercise some patience and let the full process run it's course.

Ere.net Profiles: The man who held 50 jobs in 50 weeks (exclamation point). "Here’s an economics major from the University of Southern California who hasn’t held a job for longer than a week since graduating in 2005. On his website he admits, almost eagerly, that he went on 40-plus interviews and didn’t land a single offer in his field." Well ... this is certainly a unique way to go about the job search.

HuffPo's Christine Hassler Gives: Advice on Advice. How Meta! The rundown: Head advice you read and receive carefully. Everyone is different, and this is all simply information. It's up to you to measure and apply this information in the way that fits best for you. You know yourself better than anyone.

Keppie Careers Explains: Evaluating a job description to determine if you are qualified. This is an extraordinarily in-depth analysis of reading a job description, processing the information supplied by the employer and how to decide whether this position is worth investing the time and energy to apply.

The Wall Street Journal Asks: "To Blog or Not to Blog." The pitfalls and advantages to using a blog to supplement your career. A nice quick read for anyone contemplating starting a blog to help out their career search.

In Which We Espouse the Virtues of Study Abroad

By Zack on June 22, 2009

You may have noticed (or maybe not) that Mindy and Nellie have ably been handling the blogging duties the last three weeks. First of all, the have done a wonderful job and provided an awesome array of career information. Hopefully, you all enjoyed reading their fine work.

Today is my first day back from a three week jaunt across China, where I took a quick grad class on Communications in China. The class covered the first two weeks of my trip and I traveled for the remaining week. I was able to visit Nanjing (a former capitol under the Nationalists), Shanghai (all I remember are restaurants and bars ... for good or ill), Xi'an (home of the World Wonder Terracotta Soldiers) and Beijing (Tienanmen, Forbidden City, 798 Art District and The Great Wall). I had an excellent experience and have formed a deep appreciation for the history of China and its current role in contemporary world affairs.

I learned a lot, and absorbed an impossible amount of information, but for right now, for the purposes of this blog, I want to stress one important piece of wisdom to any students: STUDY ABROAD.

You will never learn as much about yourself, your home country and a new culture all at once as you do when you study abroad. It's one thing to travel and visit new places, but when you combine the travel experience with an immersion into a specific aspect of that country's history or culture you will develop a much deeper understanding of your surroundings. The value of learning about a world outside our own is valuable enough. But an often overlooked advantage to study abroad is what you learn about the country you left. This feeling was reinforced as I read Atlantic correspondent James Fallows book Postcards From Tomorrow Square and revisited his article from 2007, The View From There

I’ve found it very useful to think about America from afar. I know it’s annoying and superior-sounding to say that you see a country most clearly from the outside. (Those poor homebound hicks! They don’t get the big picture the way we cosmopolites can.) But at least in one way, it’s certainly true. Inside America, we discuss what the country could and should become. Outside, we see what it is—which of its traits and habits really make it unusual, the effects of what it claims to stand for, what it actually does to the rest of the world.

The advantage to a study abroad program is vast, far reaching and lingering. My advice is to take the time to do it now, when you are young and you have the time (and your parents, the money). From a personal standpoint I learned an unmeasurable amount and have the utmost confidence you will too. (Plus, it looks great on a resume!)

I was going to include a detailed slideshow of my travels, but perhaps it would be more appropriate to just get on with The Links ...

George's Employment Blog Continues: A series on Green Jobs. I'll tell you this, the smog and air quality in China was almost indescribably bad. I think I saw the sun a total of 2 times. So, uh, get on these green jobs. We need all the sustainability we can get.

Cheezhead Wants: A sense of urgency from all you students. Apparently CH's InternQuees doesn't think you are taking your transfer to the career field seriously. Are you addicted to beer and reality TV, or is the sense of career-malaise just a manifestation of the safety net that is the college-bubble. The InternQueen doesn't know, but she offers some tips on getting focused. So read this and get focused, ya slackers!

ReadWriteWeb Uncovers: Bozeman, Montana's requirements for job applications: All applicants must provide Social Media Logins and Passwords. Actually, there was public outcry (deservedly!) over this and Bozeman has backed down and lifted the requirement. Still, I think the fact that someone thought of this tactic in the first place is a sad sign of employers' inability to fully comprehend social media. Who would possibly handover a password to ANYTHING?

Mashable Lists: 10 ways journalism schools are teaching new media. I love this. Some schools have adapted very quickly to the rise of social media and the advantages it can provide to journalism. It's good to see it is working its way into the classroom.

Gigaom Destroys: The myth about the "Young Entrepreneur." A study by the Kaufman Foundation found that the 29-34 age range, long believed as the bastion of entrepreneurship, were actually the least likely to start their own company. The highest rate came in the 55-64 age bracket. But, don't get discouraged by this information. You need to be unique to start a successful company anyway, and bucking this trend is just one way to display your uniqueness.

Needed: Individuals to Mop Up Nuclear Waste (no experience necessary)

By Mindy on June 19, 2009

June has flown by, and it seems like you've applied to every job posting on Craigslist...

• Math Tutor: Why not? Long division wasn't that hard.
• Director of Marketing: Check. You have 5-7 years of experience... if you round up.
• IT Specialist: What is a specialist, really? You're proficient in Microsoft Office. And the Internet.
  
• Daycare Assistant: Bring it on. You've watched Jon and Kate Plus 8. It can't be that bad.

Even if you're desperate for a job, are you anxious enough to line up for a chance to clean up nuclear waste? Two thousand workers near Barnwell, South Carolina piled into a recent job fair learn about positions cleaning up Savannah River Site, an old bomb plant.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, SC reached a record high employment rate in May at 12.1 percent, the third highest in the country. Associate Press writer Meg Kinnard interviewed a recent grad:

At the job fair, Shannon Ponds said she hoped to land her first job — even if it has to do with nuclear waste. 'It’s overwhelming to me,' said Ponds, 22, who graduated from college last month with a psychology degree. 'I’m just looking for anything that I can do, and I’m going to get my name on everything I can.'

Does Shannon's desperation to find a job sound familiar? If you are starting to panic about ever getting an interview, it's time to regroup. Why not take the time to polish your resume and write a killer cover letter with these resources from CareerAlley?

Don't pull out your hazmat suit yet. The Links have more advice to help you get that job:

Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Suggests: Adding a well-targeted headline to your cover letter to get more job interviews. Jimmy Sweeney, president of Amazing Cover Letter Creator, gives a couple of examples of headlines to put right above the "Dear Mr. Hiring Manager" address. "Starting your cover letter off with an attention-grabbing headline is a highly effective way for you to stand out from the crowd in a positive light," says Sweeney.

Alexandra Levit Locates: A new site to connect small businesses with part-time help and interns. On Urban Interns, you can search the posted openings (it looks like there are a hundred or so) by hours you're available, industry and tasks. You can't search by location, however. By creating a profile, you can also allow business owners to contact you.

Joseph Yi at Brazen Careerist Addresses: The post-graduation slump, which he calls "the college hangover." Are you making the most of the summer months to find a job or internship? "While it is easy for many of us to just hit the snooze button, and sleep for what seems like an amazing 5 minutes, too often do recent college graduates carry over this mentality into life after college."

"Fallout Shelter Redeux" courtesy hill.josh via Flickr's Creative Commons.

Working Women Read PINK

By Nellie on June 18, 2009

ThinkTalk would like to wish PINK magazine a Happy 4th Anniversary today! Founding Editor and CEO, Cynthia Good, was on Fox Business this morning talking about the fun new features on their website.

Cynthia Good and founding publisher, Genevieve Bos, founded PINK magazine. These women are inspiring when it comes to work and life balance and being leaders in their respective fields. They also carry an entrepreneurial spirit that is attractive to many female small business owners.

With magazine sales taking a hit, no matter what publication, PINK has pushed for more online content and community. This is what Cynthia Good says of PINKmagazine.com:

It's our hope that all women who are passionate about their work will leverage PINK's online business community to help them create a beautiful career and a beautiful life."

Sign up for PINK community/Little Pink Book. It was a cinch and with it comes the perks of expert advice for everything woman, event updates, discussion forums, opportunities to give back, job board and most definitely, internships! Yeeeeaaahhhh! (In Peter Griffin’s voice whilst riding Falcor) Don’t miss this opportunity, I read that the application deadline for Fall is in June and July!

Love this song!!

To do or not to do here are the Links for today, you choose...

Entrepreneur Checks the Specs: On the new iPhone 3G S (can't wait to get one!). Contributor Scott Steinberg writes from a business perspective on Apple's new baby. How do you think this iPhone will benefit your college studies and entry-level job? Work this one out just in case you need assistance (parents) in purchasing this new shiny toy, I mean, grade enhancer-connect-to-parents-create-better-career network phone. Need more convincing?

Tim Sackett Voices: What he will not do to get a job. He writes, "I won't kill anyone in my immediate family (wife and 3 sons) - everyone else is open season." I'll be sure to stay away from that man in desperate times. Sure this one was a bit extreme but he offers some other great points.

A1 Challenges: You to sing for your meat...365 days of meat. This A1 challenge is called "Sing For Your Beef." Upload your videos on their YouTube channel by 11:59 pm ET on July 21, 2009. The winner takes home a year supply of steaks in the form or two choices, $5,200 cash or a $5,200 giftcard from Omaha Steaks. If you haven't had an Omaha Steak, you've gotta sink your teeth into one. Good luck!

CollegeCandy Unwraps: A few ideas for interns of things to do during their downtime. Wow, hopefully you're in an internship that has access to a computer or located in a place just walking distance of great coffee shops, boutique stores, etc. I remember my internship...(a tumble weed rolls by). Let's just say the highlight of it all was the local fair and watching Lynrd Skynrd perform Sweet Home Alabama.

Computerworld Releases Special Report for IT Professionals

By Mindy on June 17, 2009

Attention IT students and job seekers: Computerworld has released its 2009 list of 100 Best Places to Work for information technology pros. The special report lists all types of employers, from corporations to universities and non-profits, that have the best training programs, cutting-edge technology and awesome benefits. You can sort through the rankings by location, organization size and key criteria like percent of turnover and training budget.

General Mills snagged the No. 1 spot in the rankings, with the best ratings for employee retention and the second-best ratings for benefits. The company also scored well in career development, a bonus for recent grads. Vice President of Information Systems at General Mills says that the tagline they use is "Company of Champions," a spinoff of the Wheaties cereal slogan, "Breakfast of Champions."

We've got three beliefs [at General Mills]: Recruit like crazy, don't settle for anyone but the best people you can possibly find, and then give them the opportunity to do great work.  --VP Mike Martiny.

Now for your daily serving of the Links of Champions:

JobMob Has: An awesome directory of 375 Twitter feeds of job opening from around the world, from Australia to Germany to the Philippines. There are also dozens of feeds for the US, some are location specific and some are industry related. The directory is an excerpt of JobMob writer Jacob Share's upcoming e-book, The Ultimate Twitter Job Search Guide.

EmploymentDigest.net Says: Learn to recognize online employment scams. One tip: if it looks to good to be true, it probably is. Did you find a job opening for an employee needed to eat pizza, check Facebook and browse YouTube videos, with five weeks paid vacation and no experience necessary? Go ahead and dream, but please don't send them your personal information.

The Wall Street Journal Collects: Advice for college graduates from prominent individuals. Food Network host Paula Dean, author Robert Kiyosaki and others share the best and worst advice they received when they were our age. Kiyosaki, who wrote Rich Dad, Poor Dad says “If you’re going to be an entrepreneur, find a successful one who will teach you.”

Recessionwire Shows: Inspirational videos. There really is a reason Wednesday is called hump day, isn't there? If you are job hunting right now, hump days are probably more challenging than ever. Sara Clemence at the Recessionwire blog gets that we all need a little midweek pick-me-up sometimes. Randy Pausch's last lecture is a must watch.

"labyrinthine circuit board lines" courtesy quapan via Flickr's Creative Commons.

Learning From the Unemployed

By Nellie on June 16, 2009

Last night I came across a blog on YouTube of an unemployed man named Matt. He was laid off a couple months ago and everyday, every unemployed day, he would blog/vlog his journey. I do send my best wishes to him and his family. Matt's blog, Mattonfire, moved me to find more blogs like his and I found plenty.

One blog that has an impressive list of contributors is the Wall Street Journal’s Laid Off and Looking blog. Successful professionals who are currently unemployed or finding the way back into a new job write each of the entries. One entry I found inspiring was about Craig Campbell, a former director of strategic staffing at MGM Mirage. He has a determined, innovative and genuinely optimistic forecast about his current situation. It is truly infectious and that’s what a lot of us (college or non-college) job seekers need these days.

Don’t believe me? Check out 1000 Awesome Things blog stats and our Links...

CNBC Checks: Underwear sales and reports their finds. Did you know that underwear sales could indicate whether or not we’re still in a recession? According to CNBC this is an old fave of Alan Greenspan.

CollegeRecruiter Finds: 2/3 of college students are confident about their future employment prospects. Its good to hear news like this, makes me so proud of my generation.

Diane Stafford Improves: Your job search techniques. Learn how to focus yourself for a specific job. One thing she mentions is to get your recorded greeting in professional shape…you might have to lay off Lil’ Wayne and Bobby Valentino's addictive “Ms. Officer” answer tone.

Jane Allerton Kicks Off: Proactive advice for the recently-laid off. Point #6 Establishing a Healthy Regimen got a great reply from a reader named Jeff. Love the positive feedback.

"Will code for food" courtesy pvera via Flickr's Creative Commons.