Archive: May 2009
Facebook and coworkers: A lesson in etiquette
I was having dinner with friends the other day when the conversation invariably turned to Facebook. One friend said he'd all but stopped using the social networking site because he'd accepted friend requests from too many coworkers and could no...
What no one tells you about starting your own business
I've seen too many articles in the past six months that tout entrepreneurship as the cure-all for getting laid off. (Heck, I've probably written a few of them myself.) If you count yourself among the 25 percent of laid-off workers...
Free job-search seminar offer for Hire Ground readers
More good news for Hire Ground readers out there. A few days ago, I mentioned an upcoming Job Seeker Seminar that is taking place next Wednesday at the Federal Way. Today, the host of the seminar, Rod Mattson of Mattson...
Microsoft, WorkSource offer career training vouchers
Anyone who's interviewed for a job at Microsoft knows that the company's interview questions are legendarily challenging. But in its quest to find the best people in the region's ever-shifting pool of talent, the Redmond giant is also giving back...
Nine to Thrive turns one: How do you like your work/life balance now?
Before we slide into June I thought it worth noting that May marked the one-year anniversary of this blog. And I wanted to take a quick trip down memory lane to revisit some of the ground Nine to Thrive has...
Interviewing seminars that are not to be missed
I hope all of you Hire Ground readers had a chance to relax for a few days and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy in this country over Memorial Day. Though the summer weather beckoned, the film geek inside me...
What you'll do on your summer vacation
I know I've been writing about vacations a lot lately, but between the three-day weekend, this glorious weather, and the smell of barbecue wafting through the air it's hard to resist. So I hope you'll indulge me in one more...
A few good vibrations for job seekers
As all job hunters know these days, looking for work is an endurance test. A friend of mine just found permanent work after a 50-week search and countless dead-end applications. Part of her success, however, came not just from her...
Is your vacation stressing you out?
We all know that taking time off work for a vacation can come with its own set of stressors: The 18-hour day you have to pull before you leave just to make sure all your projects are put to bed...
Cool job ideas for the summer
With Memorial Day right around the corner and the weather miraculously cooperating for once, no doubt many tireless job seekers are yearning to get away from their job boards and spend some time outside. With an organization called Cool Works,...
The upside of retiring later
So you've checked your investment portfolio, spoken with a couple of financial gurus, and decided that you can no longer afford to retire this year (or this decade). That's not necessarily bad news. As the Associated Press reported Monday, a...
Gimmicky resumes may not be worth the risk
You know the competition is fierce out there. You really want your résumé to stand out. So you decide to include some kind of eye-catching gimmick to make the hiring managers sit up and take notice -- something like including...
For many job seekers, it's back to school time
The current economy has obviously worried a lot of professionals in the Puget Sound region, whether they are employed or not. A recent Washington State Workplace Confidence Survey, conducted by Harris/Decima teleVox, showed that about 40 percent of gainfully employed...
Social media fast: Maybe completely unplugging isn't the answer
Last week a moderator on an e-mail list I subscribe to challenged everyone on the list to give up Facebook, Twitter, and our third Internet addiction of choice for a week. (My third Internet addiction? Checking other authors' book rankings...
Has the recession improved your job in some way?
File this under bittersweet silver linings: The recession has had at least one positive effect on the jobs of 77 percent of workers who are still employed, according to a survey announced this month by staffing firm Accountemps. In a...
Job search workshops, webinars and networking events
As we move into the longer days of late May, the job-search world is heating up (even if the weather isn't exactly cooperating yet). In the next week, there are three not-to-be missed events for employment seekers--a workshop, a networking...
The top 10 industries looking for temp hires
For an increasing number of job seekers in this economy, the road to full-time employment is taking a detour through temporary or project work. While this is hardly an ideal career path for some people, it can often lead to...
How to tell the boss you're expecting
It's no secret that despite laws designed to prevent it, pregnancy discrimination in the workplace is not only alive and well, but on the rise. Unfortunately, it can also be hard to prove. Make no mistake: Employers can and do...
Customizing your resume to fit your audience
In a typical job interview, many candidates are looking to make a strong impression right off the bat and to use the rest of the 30 minutes or so to make the best possible case for why they should be...
Time to reinvent your career? Two events that can help
Who better to give advice on career change than someone who's been there, done that -- and that, and that, and that, and that? Over the course of 40 years, local author and greeting card designer Karen Burns has held...
Biznik's "Shine" video networking event May 6 in Fremont
Are you deciding to set up your own business? Need an eye-catching way to help get yourself noticed in the job market? Then you'll want to drop by the Fremont Studios tonight between 5 and 10 p.m. for the Biznik...
Look to your library for job search help
These days, job seekers are looking for every possible online tool to find steady employment. But, as many readers have pointed out to me, one of the best, most overlooked tools has been around since the founding of our nation:...
How the swine flu scare can monkey with your work/life balance
If you're more concerned with what swine flu could mean for your bank account or job security than your health, you're not alone. For many employees, the federal directive that those with flu-like symptoms stay home from work and King...
Glassdoor's peek inside the job interview process
How many times has this happened to you? You find a great job and manage to secure an interview. You study the company's history and prepare a list of knock-out answers in your head to every possible question you can...
Karen Burns is the author of The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl, a career guide based on her 59 jobs over 40 years in 22 cities.
Lisa Quast is a certified career coach, mentor, business consultant, former corporate executive and author based in the Seattle area.
Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.
Former contributors
Matt Youngquist is the president of Career Horizons, a career counseling firm.
Natalie Singer is a Seattle writer, editor and small-business owner.
Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide."
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