Archive: June 2010
This just in: Commuting is the pits
Just in time for the three-day holiday weekend, IBM informs us that workers around the globe think commuting by car is -- wait for it -- stressful. In its new Commuter Pain Study, IBM reports that traffic is getting...
How to get a job at LUMEDX (and how not to)
There are job seekers who research company e-mail addresses and spam them with their resumes with the hopes of getting a job. These techniques won't help you land an interview with LUMEDX, a medical software company in Bellevue, says Josh Jozwik, a technical recruiter for the company.
What to do when you're in an elevator with a company VIP
Are you trying to make networking easier? Drop the "elevator pitch" and focus on building real relationships instead.
Be careful of the phone interview faux pas
In recent years, so much has changed in the job interview process that it's getting hard to recognize some of the old stand-bys. Printed want ads and resumes sent by snail mail are following the dinosaurs into obsolescence. Now,...
Book event 6/26: How today's men juggle work and family
With Father's Day fresh in mind, the Elliott Bay Book Company hosts a 2 p.m. book reading today at its new Capitol Hill location with Donald Unger, author of Men Can: The Changing Image and Reality of Fatherhood in...
Grab your leashes (or your allergy meds): It's Take Your Dog to Work Day
Last year, when I brought up the question of whether dogs should be allowed in the workplace or places of business, many of you left heated comments on the topic, both in support of and against four-legged office guests. "I've...
Is it ever okay to diss the boss in public?
We were just talking about giving your boss a bad review when this week it came to light that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the country's top military dog in Afghanistan, gave his own boss, President Barack Obama, a scathing review...
A resource for finding a company you want to work for
Job seekers that have a clear idea of which employers they want to work for tend to find jobs quicker than job seekers still figuring things out. One of the questions I constantly get asked is, "How do I choose an employer to target without knowing what their culture is like, how much they pay, etc.?"
The rise of the working dad
This month's crop of Father's Day articles on the web struck a similar theme: from more dads seeking flexible work schedules to more men feeling incredibly stressed by the work-family juggle, parenting has truly become an equal opportunity endeavor. [Photo:...
Buzz on lie detectors is all a lie, but looking for lies on your resume is still true
While I have yet to run into an employer in Puget Sound that uses polygraphs in employment screening (have you?), I have seen many HR professionals use various techniques to find lies on resumes.
Extra daylight hours for extra June networking
One of the best things about living in Seattle at this time of year is the copious amount of daylight we can enjoy each day. It's surprising how much activity one can cram into a day when the sun doesn't...
Note to boss: You get an F!
Most of us have had a manager we'd like to give a piece of our mind. [Photo by amboo who?] Maybe they're too meddlesome, absent-minded, or meeting-happy. Maybe they're an idea-stealing blowhard, an uninspiring bully, or an ineffective boob....
Thinking about contracting? Understand the new VMS system first
One of the frequent questions I've been getting in my seminars lately comes from active jobseekers or contract workers who wonder, "why am I getting e-mails from contracting firms asking for exclusive rights to represent me or wanting the last four digits of my social security number?"
Expecting women to dial down the sexy at the office
By now you've probably heard about Debrahlee Lorenzana, who's suing Citigroup for firing her from her banking job because she's too sexy. [Photo by MattC.] No matter what you think about the merit of Lorenzana's suit, the professionalism of her...
Don't let the 'unemployed' stigma hold you back
In an ongoing crisis, such as this country's appalling unemployment rate, some job seekers begin to see bad news around every corner. When a weeks-long job search starts to be measured in months and years, it's easy to let fear...
Give me Facebook or give me unemployment?
Would you turn your nose up at a job that didn't allow you to access your personal e-mail or social networking sites like Facebook on company time? One in five younger workers would, says a new survey from London-based software security...
Ask the right questions to take charge of the interview
A workshop student of mine, I'll call him "John," recently had two interviews come up with Honeywell International and Crane Aerospace. They were both panel interviews. After finishing the interviews, he and I sat down to debrief. I asked him...
No time for a physical? Get one on your coffee break
The postcard my physician sent in April reminding me it's time for my annual exam is burning hole in my kitchen table. I keep telling myself I'll schedule the appointment next week, but next week never comes. Either I'm...
Summer job blues? Get help with teen Interview workshops
Summer's here and the time is right for...looking for work. Sorry, but according to the latest jobs figures, it looks like the "dancing in the streets" part of the summer may have to be put on hold--especially if you have...
How to keep meandering meetings on track
I've blogged about ways to avoid time-sucking, soul-quashing meetings before. But how about those meetings you can't wriggle your way out of? How do you ensure these conference room confabs stay on track? [Photo courtesy of Bring TIM! inventor Brad...
How to get hired at WhitePages.com
Like many companies in the Seattle area, WhitePages.com receives hundreds of applications for each job description. How do they select the best candidates? According to Ringo Nishioka, the company's head of HR, 33 percent of their hiring this year has been through employee referrals.
What's your summer vacation situation?
So how was your long holiday weekend? More important, how are your summer leisure plans shaping up? [Image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com] For months, we media types have been regaling readers, viewers, and listeners with hiring and shopping statistics in...
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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