Career Advice

Those ever-so-popular executive compensation packages have been in the news quite a bit lately thanks to President Obama's decision to force companies to limit the amount of money they give to bank executives if that bank gets a bailout check. I think it's a bad idea for companies or the government to limit executive pay (although I may be the only one), and here's why.So Long, SuckersThink about this. Imagine that you are one of those highly-paid executives, and your company suddenly adopts a plan that will limit your pay. Now you have a choice. You can either stay at your current job and get less pay, or you can move to a company down the road that would love to get your skills working for them (and they will be paying a premium for your services). What are you going to do? We both know that you're going to move to the new company for more pay. Why would you expect an executive to do anything different?You Get What You Pay ForIf you want a good, top-shelf executive to run your … [Read more...] about Why the Obama Salary Cap Is Lame

It holds all the same signs. Sweaty palms, rambling stories, nervous laughter, and in some unfortunate situations, begging and pleading.Sounds like a desperate first date, right?Sadly, I found myself precariously on the brink of desperation during my first interview since joining the Pink Slip Brigade. With job security and stability suddenly at its highest premium to me, I was practically salivating at this managerial position working for a state-funded university.As I sat in the front office awaiting a turn to impress my future bosses, I realized that I quickly needed to calm myself down. Here is how I turned from desperate to playing hard to get.1. Interviews are about confidence and highlighting your attributes as they relate to the intended position. Trying to convince your boss that “you’ll do anything necessary to get the job done” sounds desperate and somewhat slutty in comparison to telling them exactly what you think needs to be changed to get the job done … [Read more...] about Just Like a First Date, Leave Desperation Out of a First Interview

What's up with all of the repeating? Lately I've noticed that too many people - young people - repeat themselves again and again. We all know repetition has a distinct persuasive effect on us. That's why kindergarten teachers and fast food restaurants go back to the well so many times in a row.But when it comes to the world of work, and everyday interactions, too many people are repeating themselves.Here are reasons not to repeat.- You bore me, and I'm already bored enough.- You lose credibility. I start to think you don't care who you're talking to, you're just talking for the sake of talking.- You are not Dylan Thomas and have no reason to distinguish free verse from prose.- Your motives are transparent. You are trying to convince me of something but I am on to you, therefore, I will not change my mind.- Repetition creates familiarity, but familiarity breeds contempt! Just cause you shove it front of my face again and again doesn't mean I'll buy it.If I happen to repeat a message, … [Read more...] about Work Is On Infinite Repeat

Does anyone out there know what percent of office workers go home for lunch? It's something I always wanted in my work-life, and now that I have it, I'm not convinced it's all I thought it was cracked up to be.It takes me between 12 and 22 minutes in each direction--short enough to be a viable option, but long enough to make it not worth my time.We've talked about the downside of living too close to the office. But now let's see if there's a real benefit in heading home for lunch.Read more of my blog post at US News and World Report. … [Read more...] about Going Home for Lunch: A Recipe for Stress?

We all know that pearls are found in oysters. We also know that pearls are very valuable. However, do you know how a pearl is really created? An irritant (such as sand) gets inside the shell, and the oyster releases a chemical to coat the foreign particle. After many, many coatings, the piece of irritating material has become a pearl! Now, have you ever sat in the sand on a beach and gotten sand inside your clothing? It is quite uncomfortable! Imagine how the oyster feels not being able to get the sand out of its shell.Those two ideas can also be related to your career. Have you ever had a great idea or a desire to do something important with your life? Is it a business idea? A dream to work at another company? A desire to retire early and sit on the beach (in a sand-proof suit, of course)? That's your piece of sand. Now, instead of just letting it irritate you until you can't stand it any longer, treat that irritant like an oyster would. Use it. Grow it. Make it a focus of your life.I … [Read more...] about Is That a Pearl or Just Sand in Your Crack?

The economy is all jacked up. The country seems like it's on an out of control freight train heading towards a 10% unemployment rate.I can't get a raise. You can't get a new job.But some companies out there have $3 million to spend on 30 seconds. The Super Bowl might be over, and by this time next year no one will remember who won. But will you remember any of the ads...even tomorrow?! The fatwalleted companies who broke the bank certainly hope you do.Here are our thoughts on the work-related job and career stuff. As always, your thoughts are welcome in the comments section below.  Check out an audio recap below and don't forget to use those Sick Days! Direct DownloadCareerBuilder.comThese guys need to throw in the towel already, as their Super Bowl commercials get less funny each year.The concept is things to look for to figure out if you need a new job. From a woman screaming in her car in the work parking lot, to a toe-picking, Speedo-wearing co-worker, the ad illustrates … [Read more...] about Super Bowl Ad Roundup 2009: Jobs & Careers

Frozen ice, sleet and snow has descended on New York, producing one of the coldest and dreariest winters in recent memory.Weather is a big part of our lives. From filling small-talk voids to taking up half a the local newscast with idiotic technology, the psychology of outside conditions goes way beyond 'will I freeze my fingers off today.'I pose the following question, dear readers:What weather do you prefer to work in?We're assuming you work in an office like us, which means in reality, exterior temperatures, humidity and precipitation are, for the most part, irrelevant.Personally, I like waking up to blue skies and sunshine for the drive to work. Then at about 10am it becomes cloudy and overcast. The sun plays peek-a-boo, eventually reappearing at about 3pm for the duration of the day.I know it's greedy but I don't like when it's too nice outside and I'm stuck indoors under the fluorescent lights. At the same time, I don't want weather to be too severe, creating commuting chaos and … [Read more...] about Sun, Rain or Snow at Work?

If your office supplies could talk, what would they say about you? I know it sounds like a weird question, but ever since I received an Open Letter From My Keyboard, I try to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of my office supplies. We spend so much time together at my desk, it just makes sense to make sure we have a cordial working relationship. Plus, when I'm in a pinch, I want to know I can depend on the tools that make work possible. After some thought, I figured what better day than today to check in to see how they're all doing. ANDREW G.R.: Hey Stapler, how's it going? STAPLER: Jam-free for over a year, and you acknowledge me now? AGR: I'm sorry, Stapler. I'm just juggling so many projects - PENS: We've noticed. Any chance you can keep us out of your mouth? AGR: Sorry guys. It's a bad habit, but I like to think it's getting better. SCOTCH TAPE: Whatever! AGR: Scotchy, why the attitude? SCOTCH TAPE: You left me for a binder clip!? AGR: I'm … [Read more...] about If Office Supplies Could Talk…

Sometimes I wonder if they'll have to extend my local Barnes & Noble bookshop to accommodate the always-growing career self-help aisle. With so many books written by "experts," and thousands of blogs devoted to making work better, I sit here this morning wondering if any of it has made a difference.With more resources at our ready than ever before, are a greater number of people happier at work then lets say 10 years ago?My Jobacle ego likes to think so, but how can we quantify the results?  Unemployment numbers continue to trend towards double digits, hitting the highest rate in 16 years. Do any of these people feel better because they can commiserate with one another?Authors have always had a bonafied credential. They can point to the fact that they were able to to get through a publisher's filter. At that point, the writer has to know what they're talking about, right? My sneaking suspicion is that in the 21st century, that is less true than ever before. It seems as if … [Read more...] about Beware of Other Career Blogs

Like the warning that tells us never to go food shopping when we're hungry, the same axiom really applies when career shopping. The hungrier, or more needy we feel in terms of job fulfillment, the more likely it is that either we'll select a career path not in our interest, or - worse yet - simply settle for...whatever.Yet the new book, How'd You Score That Gig?: A Guide to the Coolest Jobs-and How to Get Them, by career expert Alexandra Levit, helps in a number of pragmatic, yet creative ways to provide us with a veritable shopping list of what to look for in finding that career of our dreams. Sure, you may think that you've 'heard it all before,' but what the author does is help us gain just enough insight into ourselves so as to better refine the search process. Using a simple, but innovative self-assessment test, Ms. Levit cleverly engages the reader to participate in the career satisfaction discovery process.She's created a 'passion profile,' so that readers can learn, and better … [Read more...] about How'd You Score That Gig?