My boss was standing down the hallway, drinking from a water fountain. Everything seemed normal, until I noticed the flames. They were orange and blue, rapidly spreading across my boss's hair. The weird part was, he didn't care. I rushed over, cupped my hands under the stream of cold water and began to douse the flames. The fire went out without a fight.My boss stood silently; unphased. If anything, he seemed annoyed that I had drawn attention to the fact that his head was ablaze.I remember smelling the air, expecting the unmistakable odor of burnt hair. It never arrived. And then I woke up.Thankfully, it's been quite some time since I've had "work dreams." You know the type: you wake up annoyed and/or exhausted, feeling as if you just spent the last 7 hours on the job. (If I'm gonna spend one-third of my life dreaming, I'll be damned if it's about work! Learn five ways to control your dreams.)This dream was vivid; … [Read more...] about My Boss's Hair Is On Fire!
Working Podcast Episode #80
Episode #80 of the Working Podcast brings you free career advice, employment news and the hottest job Websites: - 7 reasons why saying 'good morning' to your co-workers makes work better. - A song about that cute woman sitting in the cubicle next to you. Buy the entire track here. - Learn about new career resources Razume, SnapTalent and The Career Mole. There are three ways to listen: - Stream on our homepage (shows plays instantly) - Stream from the player below (about a 60 second load time) - Download direct … [Read more...] about Working Podcast Episode #80
Target Top Talent, Find Niche-Specific Jobs
Site: SnapTalentSlogan: Hire the BestPros: Fine-tuned ads; Hire away from specific organizations Cons: Steep out-of-the-gate price; current jobs are primarily high-tech Along with the paper resume, the online job boards of yesterday continue to teeter on the verge of extinction. OK, not really. But newcomer SnapTalent certainly hopes their progressive spin will lure job seekers and top-notch employers alike.At its core, the Y Combinator startup operates similarly to Google AdSense, placing customized help wanted ads on participating Websites. Rather than simple text displays, ads can be customized to include images and video. This will allow employers to offer a more global view of the job and the organization. Publishers who decide to participate simply indicate their URL, identify descriptive keywords and include a JavaScript snippet on their Website. Ads are highly customizable, giving site owners impressive flexibility when creating … [Read more...] about Target Top Talent, Find Niche-Specific Jobs
7 Reasons to Say Good Morning to Your Co-Workers
Joe and Stacey work next to each other. They sit no more than five feet apart. Even though they often arrive at work before the rest of the team, there's no communication between them. Only silence. No morning greeting. No acknowledgment that they are sharing the same office oxygen. Career advice experts agree that saying 'good morning' should not be difficult. Yet, there's an increasing trend, almost a rebellion, against saying these two simple words to our co-workers. It's not like we're required to salute, bow, kneel or curtsey. Even a casual nod and mumble would be a lot better than the nothing that's now occurring at far too many work sites. Don't become part of this alarming trend. Experience the power of 'good morning.' 1) It maintains the standards of basic civility that we're all entitled to at work. Like 'please' and 'thank you', these two little words also go a long way towards improving communication and the overall atmosphere. 2) ’Good morning’ … [Read more...] about 7 Reasons to Say Good Morning to Your Co-Workers
Job.com Teams With Jobacle
Jobacle welcomes our newest sponsor Job.com. I spend a good deal of the day researching and visiting career resources in order to bring you the real deal on the best of the best. How ironic that I had never visited - or even heard about - Job.com. Job posters can get started for under $200 by posting ads and searching resumes. Job seekers can painlessly upload their resume or take advantage of resume writing and distribution services.Job Alerts can be delivered to your inbox, ensuring that the perfect opportunity doesn't slip past you.With over five million visitors a month, I encourage you to check out Job.com by clicking here.Dear reader, your continued support of Jobacle and our sponsors has been tremendous. Thank you so much! … [Read more...] about Job.com Teams With Jobacle
Free e-Book: Survive the Layoff
At it's simplest form, a recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth in real Gross Domestic Product. Basically, any period with a high rate of unemployment, inflation and poor wholesale-retail sales can arguably be considered a recession. The good news is that this economic trend is a bottoming-out period, only lasting around a year. Of course, if you've been laid off, that year could feel like an eternity. Duane Morin of Commute Smarter has written Survive the Layoff - Practical Wisdom for the Unwillingly Unemployed. From gaining a better understand of the philosophy of the transition to reaching out to references, if you've been laid off or feel that you are on the verge, this eBook can be a nice starting point. Here's an excerpt. The entire thing is downloadable below. ASAP is Not An Acceptable Timeline "Naturally you’re hoping to get a new job that starts the day after your current one ends. Barring that, “as soon as possible” has a nice ring to it. But … [Read more...] about Free e-Book: Survive the Layoff
They Are Confiscating Office Chairs!
Unspoken status symbols at work don't make the employee handbook, but they do cross lines of sanity.Who knew that one day, Michael would aspire to achieve a great number of ceiling tiles? You see, at his full-time job, success is rewarded with 12" x 12" squares hanging over your head. The higher up the ladder you climb, the more ceiling tiles you are issued. For the record, we're not talking about moving someone from a cubicle to an office. We're talking about counting tiles - literally - and then pushing out your cube walls to give you more space.But wait, there's more! The size of Michael's chair counts too. Entry-level peons get a low-back seat, mid-level employees get a mid-back (arms available at your boss's discretion) and high-backs go to, you guessed it, The Suits.Without a doctor's note, there are no exceptions. Just ask Larry. The Chair Police literally wheeled away his seat when he was in the bathroom. Apparently, he inherited the chair when … [Read more...] about They Are Confiscating Office Chairs!
The Media Rages Against Work
Sometimes I'll come across a post that I wish I would have written first! The gang at Alternative Reel have put togeter the "Top 10 Quotes Against Work."Check out some of the list below and visit their post to read the rest.#10 - AMBITION“It was true that I didn’t have much ambition, but there ought to be a place for people without ambition, I mean a better place than the one usually reserved. How in the hell could a man enjoy being awakened at 6:30 a.m. by an alarm clock, leap out of bed, dress, force-feed, sh*t, piss, brush teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you made lots of money for somebody else and were asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so?”—Charles Bukowski, Factotum, Black Sparrow Press, 1975#09 - CONTEMPT"My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the as*holes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men's room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that … [Read more...] about The Media Rages Against Work
120 Exercises at Your Desk
One day, someone will invent a contraption that allows office workers to exercise while planted on their fannies. Burning calories while writing reports would be the ultimate in multi-tasking. The latest piece of exercise equipment to try to bridge your desk and the gym is the SpringFlex UB. Before I tell you about the bells and whistles, I feel I must disclose the fact that this piece of equipment is available for purchase in Sky Mall. Yes, the magazine that we're forced to read 10,000 feet in the air. And yes, the same magazine that sells a hot dog toaster.The SpringFlex is designed to tone your upper body, curb weight gain and keep your metabolism in motion, all while minimizing injuries associated with repeated movements. (i.e. - mouse clicking, keyboard tapping)Unlike the expensive and large WalkStation we told you about last week, the SpringFlex is reasonably sized and sells for approximately $80. Considering the cubicle Bowflex wannabe claims it can perform 120 exercises, … [Read more...] about 120 Exercises at Your Desk
Company Insiders Help You Land Jobs
Site: The Career MoleSlogan: Meet. Refer. ProgressPros: Targeted networking; receive inside informationCons: Pay per connection; Moles' motives are not made clearOne of the best ways to increase your odds of landing a job is to tailor your resume, interview responses and appearance to the company's culture. Of course, more often than not, you might not have any contacts within the organization. That leaves you at the mercy of information posted on the employer's Website. Until now.Thanks to The Career Mole you can access unfiltered and unadulterated information from people who work at companies you are targeting. Unlike many job vent Websites, the 'Moles'' goal is to deliver insight (both good and bad) and give you the inside track on job vacancies, all while preparing you for the interview process.A Mole can chat with you, look over your resume/cover letter and help you prepare your application. The major downside to this is that, in reality, you don't know much … [Read more...] about Company Insiders Help You Land Jobs