Why Temp?

Original Post: Why Temp?

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Image by stewartstone 


I've come quite a long way in my job hunt since I first started looking back in April, even before I came back to New York. Initially, I had a rather narrow set of criteria for job openings I would apply to, and since I initially got three interviews right off the bat, I was lured into a very false sense of security.

Well, sure enough, it became abundantly clear that a job wasn't going to come easy, so I gradually expanded my search, until it became much broader. I applied for some short term jobs, but decided against temping, since my rationale went that I had no idea when I would get a full time job and wouldn't want to be caught in between a temporary, part-time job and the goal of a full-time, long-term job.

That ship has sailed, and I recently began pursuing temping opportunities. The two most important factors are that I managed to pull myself out of a sad little unemployment funk and that it has been five whole months since I got back to the States and have not been able to get a full time job. I still shudder at that number. Five. Nearly half a year. It's mind boggling.

So I went ahead and got myself set up with a non-profit temping agency, which turned out to be really great, and also applied for a temporary position I found on a job board. I was called in for an interview at both places, making me eligible for the agency's temp positions and a candidate at the company looking for a short-term consultant. But amazingly, I was hired for the temp position I had applied for on my own just a few days later, and I start next week. I'm excited about it because it involves a lot of Portuguese translation and using my knowledge of Brazilian culture and current events to help the company try to break into the Brazilian market.

Oh yeah, that's the other thing. I'm going private sector! At least temporarily.

I realize that it's possible an opportunity will come along for a full-time job (I'm still applying to openings almost every day), but it will likely not be right away. In the meantime, I've found something to get myself back on my feet and back into the American workplace, which will be a great way to prepare me for the (hopeful) long-term position I will find somewhere down the road.

Survey Says: If You're Not Eating Cat Food Tonight, You're Lucky [Yeah, That Recession]

Original Post: Here

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A new survey from employment site CareerBuilder has some cheery news: About 61% of employees live paycheck-to-paycheck, and 21% of workers are stealing from their retirement funds to make ends meet. And these are the lucky folks who still have jobs.

According to the survey, even workers making over $100,000 are feeling the pinch; 30% are living check-to-check, up 9% from last year. 'Workers are employing a variety of tactics to help make ends meet in this economy,' said Rosemary Haefner, VP of human resources for CareerBuilder. 'Whether it's by keeping a tighter budget, finding ways to bring in additional income or adjusting their savings strategies, workers are doing their best to weather the current storm.'

What was it Bernanke said the other day? Oh, right. Recession's over! Too bad it's Friday, or we'd have enough cash to pick up some ripple to celebrate!

61 Percent of Employees Live Paycheck to Paycheck [Nielsen Business Media]
(Photo: rockman057)

How to Make Yourself Indispensable At Work

Original Post: How to Make Yourself Indispensable At Work

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During credit-crunch times, you don’t want to just be an anonymous face in the crowd at work. Whether you’re desperate to avoid a pink slip, or whether you’re chasing after a promotion, you need to make sure that you’re indispensable to your manager. Here are five different ways to get started:

1. Do Your Job – And Do It Well
   It might seem so obvious that it’s not worth saying – but it’s crucial to actually do your job, and to make sure you’re performing to a high standard. You’re not going to become indispensable to your company if you coast through each workday, Twittering about how bored you are, and updating your Facebook profile. (Watch your use of social media sites in general: they could cost you your job.)
   
   If you’re doing your best but you know your performance is under-par:
   
   
   • Ask for help from a more knowledgeable colleague
   
   
   • Ask your manager about training opportunities
   
   
   • Let your manager or team leader know if you’re struggling with the workload
   
   
   • Consider spending some of your own time improving your skills (eg. learn a new software package, or learn about good business writing)
   
   
   
2. Mind Your Manners
   Again, this is basic – but it’s surprising how many people can ignore it. When at work, make an effort to be courteous and polite to everyone. That means your boss, obviously, but also the receptionist and the cleaners: colleagues and managers will notice how you treat people.
   
   Manners and etiquette do vary from culture to culture, so if you’re working in a place very different from that where you grew up, don’t assume that what mom taught you necessarily still applies!
   
   Some particular impolite behaviours which might see you frowned at include:
   
   
   

   ...not saying hello or good morning, not offering office guests a beverage, speaking loudly across the room, using swear words and taking calls on mobile phones. - Miral Fahmy, Mind Your Workplace Manners – It Pays, Reuters
   

   
   
   
3. Be Enthusiastic (Even When You Have to Fake It)
   You need to go a step beyond being merely polite, if you want to really stand out at work. Adopt a positive, even enthusiastic, attitude towards your job and the company. This can be especially crucial if you work for a small company, where colleagues and managers feel a personal investment in the business’ success.
   
   Let’s face it, if you had to make decisions about who to keep around, would you pick the colleague who’s always complaining about boredom, red tape and problems? Or would you want the person who generally has a smile on their face, and who stays positive even in difficult situations?
   
   Focus on the things you enjoy about your job. Think about the positive impact your company has on clients or customers. Don’t be afraid to praise or encourage colleagues.


4. Be Proud of Your Work
   In almost every job, you’ll have some work that’s boring, tedious or pretty much invisible to anyone but you. Don’t skimp on this – bring the best you can to every task. You’ll find that:
   
   
   • Doing your best makes you feel more positive about yourself and your work
   
   
   • Even small tasks may be crucial parts of the bigger picture, sometimes in ways you don’t realise
   
   
   • You may discover ways to work more efficiently, or to improve the effectiveness of standard company procedures – something sure to endear you to your boss!
   If you can become the sort of person who pays attention to detail, does a good job and is self-motivated, you’ll have some hugely valuable personal qualities that a lot of employers are keen to foster and encourage.
   
   
   
5. Say “Yes” to Opportunities
   Whenever you get the opportunity to try something new at work, say “Yes”. It might be a daunting prospect (the first time I delievered a presentation to clients, my knees were shaking!) – but a willingness to take on new tasks and roles sends a positive message to your manager about your commitment and enthusiasm.
   
   It’s also a great way for you to grow in confidence and in skills, and to avoid boredom. If you get too cozy in your daily routine at work, you’ll find yourself stagnating: if you’re willing to help out on bigger projects (without a pay rise), that promotion might just get a little closer.

Are you indispensable ... or are you invisible? How do you make sure that you’re boosting your performance and profile in the workplace, every day?

Written on 9/21/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.

Photo Credit: adotjdotsmith

What is Your Digital First Impression?

Original Post: Here

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Image by Bistrosavage 


You only get one chance to make a first impression.

You have all heard that saying before and I’m willing to bet that most of you don’t find much insight in those words. And at first glance you would be right – but lets dive deeper and look at this statement in context of our personal brands.

If I were to ask you to think about the saying, “you only get one chance to make a first impression” and visualize it playing out between two people, many of you will form a picture in your mind of two people physically meeting for the first time.

Maybe you get a picture of two people shaking hands for the first time, or hear the small talk as they greet each other or maybe you imagine the interaction going smoothly or poorly. No matter what you see, the vast majority of you when asked to do this exercise will think in physical dimensions – you will picture two people physically meeting for the first time.

But, when taken in the context of building and promoting your personal brand you need to flip this convention on its head.

You need to think in digital dimensions.

Think digitally

You need to think of somebody going to their laptop, typing in a search term or your name in Google and then clicking on the first five links that appear to be related to their search.

This is the way that people meet in a digital economy.

The information that is found in those first five links is the digital first impression that others will form of you. This information and how it affects others’ views of you is what shapes the perception of your personal brand – and perception is reality.

If you think I’m losing it just go to Google and type in any keyword or name related to something you are interested in. Then spend some time going through the first five search results – if you try this out, you will find the names and related content from the individuals with the strongest personal brands for that search term.

And, if you didn’t notice; you just met someone and formed a digital first impression of them.

How many people are exposed to you digitally and ultimately end up forming their digital first impression of you? It’s hard to say how many for sure, but it is far more than the amount of people you will meet face to face in your lifetime.

This is a by-product of our digital economy — the majority of the people you meet are from your social networks or through people finding you on the web through search engines.

These changes in the way people meet have many advantages for those who have positioned themselves favorably through building their personal brands.

What are the advantages?

1.) You WILL BE FOUND online by those interested in meeting you

2.) You WILL RECEIVE unsolicited opportunities to grow your brand or career

3.) You WILL MEET more people and develop a stronger safety network

4.) You WILL ADVANCE quicker than those who do not develop a strong personal brand

5.) You WILL EARN more money and represent more perceived value by others

You only get one chance to make a first impression. I believe in that statement now more than ever because people have the ability to find you online without you agreeing to it. If you have a strong personal brand you can influence a good digital first impression. If you do not have a strong personal brand, well, you will go largely unnoticed and find doors shut where others find doors open.

If your anything like me you don’t like running into shut doors – you like them open with opportunity. If you think of it in this sense, creating your personal brand is much like having a set of keys to unlock closed doors.

Do you have your keys?

Author:

Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 & Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

How to write a killer bio

Original Post by Marci Alboher, Working the New Economy, on Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:03am PDT

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For a growing swath of the workforce the resume has been replaced, or at least supplemented, by the bio. If you've ever had to be introduced by someone at a conference, you know it's wise to give the person introducing you a written bio rather than sit back and hear how she decides to describe you. Written bios are posted on websites; abbreviated bios show up on sites like LinkedIn; even shorter ones appear next to our profiles on Twitter; and snappy taglines trail the bottoms of our emails.

Getty Images

With the bio in full bloom right now, it pays to take some time to write yours in a way that that reflects how you want to be perceived. Perhaps you want to show a sense of humor or wit. Maybe you want to show your technical prowess by delivering your bio in a video format. And while you're at it, why not let your bio accomplish some personal branding for you. As you write yours, consider a few things.

If you're a writer, show off your writing

While writers should have an advantage in crafting well-written bios, it's remarkable how few unleash their facility with language when profiling themselves. Which is why I love the bio and "about Laura" sections of novelist Laura Zigman's website. They are composed entirely in the third person and the opening few lines of the bio give you an idea of her tone: "Laura Zigman grew up in Newton, Massachusetts (where she felt she never quite fit in), and graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (where she didn't fit in either) and the Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course (where she finally started to feel like she fit in)."

If you get frequent requests for a bio, have a few versions ready

Sreenath Sreenivasan, a dean at Columbia University's School of Journalism, does a good job of offering his bio in different lengths, which makes life easier for anyone requesting a bio (and probably avoids a lot of unnecessary emailing back and forth.) He provides three options: "The 10-second Bio" in bullet points, the "In-depth Bio," which goes nearly a full page, and the "resume version."

Reveal your personality

Colleen Wainwright, a communications consultant whom I just praised for her newsletter prowess, reveals a bit about her style and personality while also providing the various format options with links to her "bio," and her "long-ass bio."

Humor humanizes

If you click the "our people" link on the website of Sixth & I, a non-denominational synagogue in Washington, DC, you'll see a series of bios all written in a light-hearted style, which fits in with the organization's informal vibe. Jackie Leventhal, who handles books, talks and culture, introduces herself with these few lines: "Hi, I'm Jackie ("Jacqueline" officially, "Jack" if you're a close friend or my father, who was hoping for a son). Cultural programs comprise my niche at the intersection of 6th and I streets. It is mandatory that I have my photo taken with the author, politician, celebrity, Supreme Court Justice, ambassador, Jonas brother, or other distinguished personality participating in one of the programs I coordinate."

Eddie Henein, the organization's security guard, starts his bio with: "Hello friends. I'm Eddie and I protect Sixth & I, the staff (who are like my family), and everyone who enters this most special place. I'm originally from Egypt and, if asked, I can and will walk like an Egyptian."

If you're thinking, "that would never fly at my company," have a look at the bio of tax lawyer Martin Ginsburg, posted on the official site of the law firm, Fried Frank. After listing a slew of serious credentials, he writes: "Professor Ginsburg's spouse was a lawyer before she found better work. Their older child was a lawyer before she became a schoolteacher. The younger child, when he feels grumpy, threatens to become a lawyer."

Sometimes the most serious types are the most in need of some humanizing.

Let your bio brand you (and don't be afraid to sell yourself)

Jeremy Epstein, a marketing consultant, writes in his website bio and LinkedIn profile that he is a specialist at building "raving fans" for his clients.  And though I'm usually wary of people who are quick to say how talented they are, Epstein shows that his own clients are willing to rave about him by linking to an impressive list of testimonials. If his clients are willing to voice their praise so enthusiastically, it seems to prove his statement about what he can deliver

Do You Work Harder Than Your Boss?

Original Post: Do You Work Harder Than Your Boss?

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Ryan Holiday shared a slide show with me from author Robert Greene and some guy named 50 Cent. The slide show, 10 Lessons in Fearlessness (embedded below), features 10 short lessons adapted from the book “The 50th Law.” There’s a lot of value within, and one of the slides addresses something I’ve been encountering and thinking about a lot lately.

“Complaining and haranguing people to work harder has a counterproductive effect. You must adopt the opposite style: Imbue your troops with the proper spirit through your actions, not words. They see you working harder than anyone, holding yourself to highest standards, taking risks with confidence, and making tough decisions. This inspires and binds the group together. In these democratic times you must practice what you preach.”

Do you work harder than your boss(es) ? Is the hierarchical tier in a company actually an inverse of the amount of work being done?






As regular readers of this blog know I consistently discuss and exchange ideas with a multitude of young employees in various types of organizations. I hear about it a bit less frequently in smaller organizations, but in the corporate world it’s virtually unanimous.

Why is this?

Is it a matter of perception?

Many times the type of work is different. While a front line employee might be analyzing trends, doing research, crunching numbers, writing copy, etc. their superiors might be having frequent meetings. Do entry-level employees perceive phone calls and meetings as easier work than the work they’re doing because it’s less mundane and tiresome?

Are those meetings usually good partnership opportunities and sales leads or is it a lot of posturing?
[Either way if a manager wants to get more out of their employees the work they do and the perceived value they create has to demonstrate to their subordinates that they are working hard, creating new business, etc. and not just bossing them around and exchanging war stories with leaders from other organizations. Yes?]

Have they earned the right to have an ‘easier’ job?

Aside from the explanation that the entry level employees just don’t ‘get it,’ and they don’t care, managers will also resort to claiming they’ve earned the right. And maybe they have. Wouldn’t you want to come in, send a few tweets, read a few articles, have a 2 hour lunch, review two quick projects and offer a tiny bit of advice, mix in a phone call and call it a day once you became a boss?
[If you’re reading this and nodding good for you, but I can assure you that your employees will have a lot more respect for someone that takes Greene’s advice. If Don Draper gave his junior copywriters a bulleted list of things he wanted to see in an ad campaign before they ever started, they’d certainly bring him something significantly better than if they operate under their own assumptions.
What’s more annoying than re-working something 15 times because you couldn’t get your superior to sit still long enough to read your draft? Or a middle manager telling you to change something after reading two sentences and then going back into their office and closing the door? I have an idea: READ THE WHOLE DAMN DOCUMENT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T AND I’LL FIX IT ONCE INSTEAD AND SAVE US BOTH FOUR HOURS AND SEVEN REVISIONS. Save the learning experience BS for better economic times when we actually have hours to waste.]

One day when you have your own company (or today if you already do) consider crafting strategy with an employee, and instead of just asking them questions to “get them thinking,” contribute your own ideas and insights; after all, you’re the one with the experience. If your entry level employees can write 2 proposals a day, try writing 3. If you’re the boss and you can write 3 not only will they respect you, but they’ll amplify their own efforts.

* I haven’t been in the work force long enough to state these claims with any definitiveness. That’s not the intention here. Rather t have a discussion and learn from one another. Do you perceive that the people above you do less work than you, particularly if you work in a big organization? If so, is it on account of one of the reasons above? If you’re a leader, what do you do to demonstrate to your subordinates that you’re in the trenches also?

Check out the slideshow and see what else you can learn from Robert and Fifty’:

The 50th Law: 10 Lessons in Fearlessness

The Worst is yet to Come: Unemployed Americans Should Hunker Down for More Job Losses

Original Post: Here

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From the Daily News:

Image by Darth Dragon

Think the worst is over? Wrong. Conditions in the U.S. labor markets are awful and worsening. While the official unemployment rate is already 10.2% and another 200,000 jobs were lost in October, when you include discouraged workers and partially employed workers the figure is a whopping 17.5%.

While losing 200,000 jobs per month is better than the 700,000 jobs lost in January, current job losses still average more than the per month rate of 150,000 during the last recession.

Also, remember: The last recession ended in November 2001, but job losses continued for more than a year and half until June of 2003; ditto for the 1990-91 recession.

So we can expect that job losses will continue until the end of 2010 at the earliest. In other words, if you are unemployed and looking for work and just waiting for the economy to turn the corner, you had better hunker down. All the economic numbers suggest this will take a while. The jobs just are not coming back.

There's really just one hope for our leaders to turn things around: a bold prescription that increases the fiscal stimulus with another round of labor-intensive, shovel-ready infrastructure projects, helps fiscally strapped state and local governments and provides a temporary tax credit to the private sector to hire more workers. Helping the unemployed just by extending unemployment benefits is necessary not sufficient; it leads to persistent unemployment rather than job creation.

The long-term picture for workers and families is even worse than current job loss numbers alone would suggest. Now as a way of sharing the pain, many firms are telling their workers to cut hours, take furloughs and accept lower wages. Specifically, that fall in hours worked is equivalent to another 3 million full time jobs lost on top of the 7.5 million jobs formally lost.

This is very bad news but we must face facts. Many of the lost jobs are gone forever, including construction jobs, finance jobs and manufacturing jobs. Recent studies suggest that a quarter of U.S. jobs are fully out-sourceable over time to other countries.

Other measures tell the same ugly story: The average length of unemployment is at an all time high; the ratio of job applicants to vacancies is 6 to 1; initial claims are down but continued claims are very high and now millions of unemployed are resorting to the exceptional extended unemployment benefits programs and are staying in them longer.

Based on my best judgment, it is most likely that the unemployment rate will peak close to 11% and will remain at a very high level for two years or more.

The weakness in labor markets and the sharp fall in labor income ensure a weak recovery of private consumption and an anemic recovery of the economy, and increases the risk of a double dip recession.

As a result of these terribly weak labor markets, we can expect weak recovery of consumption and economic growth; larger budget deficits; greater delinquencies in residential and commercial real estate and greater fall in home and commercial real estate prices; greater losses for banks and financial institutions on residential and commercial real estate mortgages, and in credit cards, auto loans and student loans and thus a greater rate of failures of banks; and greater protectionist pressures.

The damage will be extensive and severe unless bold policy action is undertaken now.

Roubini is professor of Economics at the Stern School of Business at New York University and Chairman of Roubini Global Economics.