Election year

In an election yeah, the Washington Post's Robert Novak asks who is Labor's candidate in 2008? click here

It looks good for someone that there will be more jobs in 2007...but who will it look good for, that remains to be seen: click here

Lastly, from the New York Times, an article about the founder of Netflix and how his life got started on that path: click here

Digging deep

Digging deep on this Thursday into the Human Resources news for you...

First, an article that asks: are your vacation days numbered? Another article about people not using their vacation days: click here

A reprint from the New York Times, but an important article that says to protect your career and identity when looking for a job: click here

And good news for those looking for a job, the indicators show that the January job market shows strong growth: click here

Change Change Change

A lot of people are seeking change...this comes from the Boston Globe which says this change can be good: click here

The most glaring stats from this article are: "The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that people in their 20s change jobs every 18 months, and CareerJournal reports that 75 percent of all workers are job hunting." Wow.

The Boston Globe goes on to say that a personal coach can help talk you out of a slump and may be a good alternative to switching jobs completely: click here

And, lastly, the New York Times says that adult disabilities can be hidden on the job and how HR professionals can help recognize and treat them: click here

Boxing Day Special

They don't celebrate it in America, but today is Boxing Day in Canada and we want to honor (or honour) the Canadian holiday...

First, from Amy Joyce of the Washington Post, the word that every day is Christmas: click here

Next, word from the New York Times about a woman plummer, who has a degree in Fine Arts...an interesting story: click here

And, lastly, from the New York Times career couch, advice about finding a mentor: click here

Less Than Conventional Friday

It's a less-than-conventional Friday with less-than-conventional articles...

First, an article that says the business and HR are going to have to prepare for less-than-ready workers: click here

Next, the salary increase for Asian companies was set by Mercer at 4.2% for 2007: click here

Lastly, an interesting take on hiring and keeping salespeople: click here

We're Seeing Double

For some reason we didn't have a blog posted yesterday so today we're seeing double...as in double the dosage of the Astron Solutions' Blog!

First, from the Houston Chronicle, an outlook on 2007 seems to call for companies to give modest raises to their employees: click here

Maybe they should raise that raise because InformationWeek says that 75% of employees will look for a new job in 2007: click here

There has been much talk in the past few weeks about how insurers are going about handling civil unions: click here

Following up on a past blog article, this article states that human resources departments are forcing out more before retirement age: click here

Technology systems, like the ones Astron Solutions uses, are fast becoming the norm in HR programs: click here

And lastly, also from the Houston Chronicle: it may seem selfevident, but coming in sick is common but not good for productivity: click here

Last Astronology of 2006

Two great article to prepare you for the last Astronology of 2006:

First, Amy Joyce talks about all those job titles that people are given and what they really mean: click here

And next, from the Washington Post, an article about the Democrates raising the wage for poor workers: click here

Back to The Basics

We had enough videos last week so we're back to the basics: articles

First, an informative article for HR professionals about the IRS's new guidelines on taxpayers substantiating their contributions to charities made through payroll deductions: click here

Next, from the Boston Globe, an article about pitching for flexibility after you get an offer and more advice in this column: click here

And more advice from the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester to use old job to show your skills, but don't let that old job define you: click here

Human Resources Managers

Collegerecruiter.com has an interesting video on what it takes to be a human resources manager...do you feel like this is how your job is?

I Work With Monkeys

The worst-case scenario for a Human Resources professional to be in...monkeys come in to interview:

YouTubing it with The Office

We went to YouTube again for another great clip about Human Resources, this time, a clip from The Office. Toby tells the Dunder Mifflin employees, they can ask him "any questions about anything", watch what Dwight K Schrute decides to ask him...

A little something different to brighten up your Monday...from YouTube...

Everybody's Working For the Weekend

Including us here at Astron Solutions so we'll make sure to give you some great Human Resources articles going into yours...

First, from the New York Times, an interesting article about people fighting against mandatory retirement ages: click here

Next, from the Washington BizJournal an informative Q&A about the role of Human Resources in a company and what one person sees as their role: click here

And, lastly, from Kentucky, word that they will be starting a HR Certification class at one of their universities...a far cry from really being certified, but a step in the right direction to make sure that HR professionals peform, well, as professionals: click here

Start Them Out With a Quote

The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.

- James Baldwin



From the Boston Globe, an article that says that you should take care of your employees and they'll take care of you: click here



One of the reasons for that, as shown by the Indianapolis Star is that the rate of unscheduled absesnse rose to 2.5% in 2006: click here



One way to bring down that number is to successfully deal with office mourning and the Boston Globe has some ways to do so: click here

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Perfomance Review Day

At the time of year when most people are getting the annual performance review, some companies do thing a little differently according to the Washington Post: click here

The Supreme Court is hearing a pay-discrimination case, a case closely watched by companies and civil rights groups, and definitely, HR professionals: click here

Lastly, I thought this had something to do with the Office ("Philly Papers, Union to Continue to Talk"...I could just see Jan getting upset about this one like in "Boys and Girls") but it ends up it has to do with HR issues, so a double bonus: click here

Job Search Blunders on Astronology Tuesday

First, from Canada, an interesting article about the most common resume blunders encountered in Canada with typos and misspellings at the top: click here

Next, from Amy Joyce of the Washington Post, an article which states that there's no Holiday season for those searching for jobs: click here

And lastly, an interesting article that says the nonprofit skills can pay off in job search as people move to the private sector: click here

Enjoy Astronology and our treat of an extra article on this Tuesday!!!

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Start with a quote...

"Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties." - Doug Larson



What do you do when you've caught the flu but can't use any more sick days? Amy Joyce of the Washington Post has your answer: click here



An interesting article about Human Resource Outsourcing: click here



And from the blog world, an interesting piece from the "Know HR" Blog which discusses the amount of people who lie on their resumes: click here

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The Workforce

We start off on a very somber mood this Friday with an article from BBC News that talks about the crippling effect HIV/AIDS is having on the workforces of many countries: click here

In China, rising costs in major coastal cities are causing firms to relocate their operations, which brings a lot of new problems along with it: click here

And in the US workforce, it seems that the December job market shows modest employment growth: click here

Happy December!!!

Home [sick] for the Holidays...

We'll start off today with an interesting article from Reuters that says "I'll be sick for Christmas, you can plan on me" and talks about all the people who call in sick during the holiday season who are not really sick: click here

Here's another interesting story from the Boston Globe about someone unsatisfied with their job choice and switching professions completely: click here

And lastly, also from the Boston Globe, an article that says if you want to succeed in business, get a mentor: click here

When Movies Become Your Life...

What do you do when your manager is half your age? New York Times examines the issue: click here

What about ditching a career as a talent agent to open a coffee shop? click here

Worried about how fast the business world is going? click here

Enjoy our articles for today!

Dilbert Wins Again

The pop culture references continue with John Sazaklis, Astron Solutions' Senior Automation Expert:

"I read the Dilbert cartoons everyday when I take the train into work in the morning. It's funny how a lot of the situations that happen in the cartoon I can relate to in my job. Things that 'The Boss' reminds me of things that my bosses do at the office.

When I was younger never missed an episode of Married with Children. I loved how Al dealt with his obnoxious clients."

Not our usual Two for Tuesday...but fun nonetheless!!!

Party time?

As we get you back from your Thanksgiving holiday, we go right into the Christmas topic of choice...the office party.



The Washington Post first says that the father of the modern office party, Julius Caeser, really knew how to throw down: click here



But the Post also cautions that Partying can be such "sweet sorrow": click here



And lastly an article titled "The Truth About Human Resources"...just so you can see if it really is the truth in your life: click here

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Happy Thanksgiving

Just a wish from the Astron Solutions Family to your Family for a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

A New Twist on the Blog!

We have a new section here at Astron Solutions where employees talk about their favorite HR references in pop culture. The first comes from National Director, Jennifer C. Loftus:

The Office is one of my favorite work related shows. Whenever I watch it I always think to myself "Is Michael really doing that?!" He's an HR person's worst nightmare come to life! The show is always good for a laugh, and helps to remind me about what's good workplace practice and what isn't!

Dilbert cartoons are another favorite because they're so realistic! Some people I know - who don't work in an office setting - don't see the humor. It's funny to see situations I've been in represented in cartoons. It also makes me feel good - I'm not alone!

CSI is another favorite. I like the show because I learn about science, the characters are interesting, and the story lines are unique. I'm interested to see how they handle the relationship between Sara Sidle and her boss, Gil Grissom, moving forward. So far it's been pretty quiet. CSI also tops my list because I love Las Vegas. I hope we have an office there someday!

Volunteer and Work

It's Two for Tuesday and for this Tuesday we go to Washington for both of our articles:



The first is from Amy Joyce about volunteering, which is promoted by firms with paid time and ideas: click here



The other is also from the Washington Post and is a very telling and moving article about one man's search for a job being more than just finding a paycheck: click here

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Short Week and Lots to Do

In this Thanksgiving week we try and get you a full plate before your turkey comes on Thursday

First, from the Kansas City Star, an interesting article about new diversity training through videos by HR teams: click here

Next, from the UK, an article about firms becoming more cautious about executive pay, but are still not doing enough to prove they aren't rewarding mediocre CEOs: click here

And on this Thanksgiving week, The Buffalo News says to give thanks to tireless human resource workers: click here

Vendredi...et chômage

It's Friday in Paris (and all around the world) and we're here to bring you the best in HR news going into your weekend!

First, from CNN and Careerbuilder.com an article which may seem obvious to some, but really needs to be put out there, which says that holiday shopping means holiday hiring: click here

On the theme of hiring, from the Mail Tribune, an article which says that the tighter job market makes for lots of hiring: click here

What is one of the negative consequences of the lowering unemployment and tighter job market? Inflation may start to go up as you can read within this NYT article: click here

Bonjour!

Greetings from beautiful Paris!!!

A headline that will leave you scratcing your head...but if you read it, you should understand: Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Falls In October Despite Job Loss: click here

An article from the Tuscon Citizen on the report that the Feds are going after illegal hiring in firms, something HR professionals should look out for: click here

And, for those sports fans out there, an interesting article about a boss and a manager not getting along and how detrimental that can be...especially when the manager is so good, as Joe Girardi is, that he got Manager of the Year awards...but still got fired: click here

Two Big Guns Get Together

We start on this Wednesday with news that the U.S. Department of Labor has form an alliance with SHRM to promote employment of workers with disabilities: click here

Next, from the Washington Post, word that you should not expect big increases in pay next year: click here

And lastly, also from the Washington Post, a column with the "truth" about the job-hunting myths: click here

We're Playing Tue...

As in Two for Tuesday....

Our first article comes from the Detroit Free Press and says that, as the downfall of Rep. Mark Foley showed, "Big Boss" is always watching your messages at work: click here

And lastly, from the Akron Beacon Journal, a very, very interesting article about employees cracking down on smoking because of rising healthcare costs, and how they are discriminating against hiring smokers, even using urine tests for nicotine: click here

Work/Life Balance

Here's 3 articles from MSN Careers/Careerbuilder.com to spruce up your Monday morning

First, an article about how to free yourself from emotional traps at work: click here

Next, a very interesting article about post-retirement entrepreneurs, people who retire so they can go to work for themselves: click here

And an interesting article about how bad habits can be good for your career as you destress after work: click here

Work/Life Balance

Here's 3 articles from MSN Careers/Careerbuilder.com to spruce up your Monday morning

First, an article about how to free yourself from emotional traps at work: click here

Next, a very interesting article about post-retirement entrepreneurs, people who retire so they can go to work for themselves: click here

And an interesting article about how bad habits can be good for your career as you destress after work: click here

We're Going Double Into the Weekend

Sometimes Blogger just desides not to post the blog for the day so we're going double on this Friday to get you into the weekend...


First on the menu is the debate between work and home...

The Boston Globe says they need to be separated: click here
While the New York Times says that they can work together: click here
What do you think?

The Washington Post says to double check your paycheck because payroll errors are a lot more prominent than you think: click here

The Boston Globe has some tips on job hunting through the internet: click here

Which may lead to the the lowest jobless rate since 2001, writes the Washington Post: click here

Enjoy the weekend!

Post-Astronology Day

After an exciting Astronology yesterday, we get back into the swing of things today with 3 great articles...

First, from Proskauer Rose LLP, an interesting update on immigration law, something that all HR professionals should be updated on in this day and age: click here

Next, from the Boston Globe, an article that says te best leadership is not measured by meeting benchmarks, but on their ability to reach goals and keep going: click here

And, from the Washington Post, if your employees missed part of work yesterday to vote, how to get them to do their patriotic and work duty on the same day next year: click here

It's an Astronology Tuesday!!!

Get excited for an Astronology Tuesday as we release more fun information to you on Astron Solutions' website. If you're not currently receiving Astronology, go to our website and sign up now!

Two for Tuesday has two great articles for you from MSN Careers:

First, an article about the "New Retirement": going back to work...as many people re-enter the workforce, what does this mean for your company: click here

And lastly, a very interesting article about the ten worst things to do in a business meeting...interesting stuff: click here

"Dilbert" vs. "the Office"

Corporate evaulation is not exactly looked forward to in many companies from "Dilbert" to "the Office": "It's performance review day, company-wide," Pam, the office manager character in "The Office," said in an episode last year. "Last year, my performance review started with Michael asking me what my hopes and dreams were, and it ended with him telling me he could bench press 190 pounds." For the full article: click here

The New York Times has a great article about putting bright ideas to work off campus: click here

Part-timers are finding work at law firms, according to the Boston Globe, because of high turnover rates: click here

Culture Shock

Today in Copenhagen is Christmas Beer Day where they unveil the very popular Christmas beer at 8:59 PM...a little weird, but part of the Danish culture. Getting used to other people's cultures is a theme of this blog and we have three foreign articles for you today....

First from the Shanghai Daily, a report that US companies are facing Human Resources problems in China: click here

Next, from The Standard, China's business paper, an article about how brain drain is adding to Hong Kong's woes: click here

And, lastly for this week, from China Daily, an article that reports about an increase in China's minimum wage...something that could have an effect on the US wage market: click here

MTV European Music Awards

Today the MTV European Music Awards and the Astron Solutions blog are both coming to you live from Copenhagen!

First off, from the USA today, a study that says saving for retirement means losing ground to debt and living expenses: click here

Next, from the Orlando Sentinel, an interesting Q&A about how to solve an office bully problem: click here

And lastly, and maybe a bit late, from the Birmingham News, and interesting article about what to wear and what not to wear during Halloween in the office: click here

The City So Good They Named It Twice

We head to NY, NY for our daily blog with three article from the New York Times:

First, advice from the Career Couch on how to moonlight as an entrepreneur while still keeping your other job: click here

Next, Lessons in closeness, learned at a distance about how being immersed in work can actually be relaxing: click here

And, lastly, not exactly HR territory, but an interesting article about where immigrants turn to when the banks say no on loans and how that changes with the more knowledge they have about the situation: click here

So Spooky We're Seeing Double

That's how it is on the Two for Tuesday on Halloween...we'll trick and treat with you here at Astron Solutions

First, from Proskauer Rose LLP, an interesting article summarized thusly:

In a split decision handed down on Tuesday October 24, 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a lower court decision that had been part of the foundation for the growing trend of challenges by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to waivers commonly used by companies in employee separation agreements.

to see how this effects your company: click here

Another from the New York Times talks about the way to raise labor's voice at the annual meetings is to give them a say in who are the directors of their company: click here

Enjoy and Happy Halloween!!!!!

Monday Isn't All Bad

Monday can still be OK because you know you're getting a full dose of Astron Solutions' articles from the weekend...

First, Amy Joyce of the Washington Post looks into hiring people with cognitive disabilities: click here

Next, also from the Washington Post, an article that looks (as Astronology did) at midterm elections and shows how wage initiatives are shown as favoring democrats: click here

And lastly, also from the Washington Post, an article looking at human resources mistakes made by the Washingotn Redskins in the past...interesting read for sports fans and Human Resources professionals alike: click here

From Sea to Shining Sea

We're scouring the globe on the last Friday in October to find you some great articles on Human Resources...

First we go to London for an article from Accountancy Age about employee benefit packages. Stock benefits packages have had their day. HR experts must consider developing bespoke benefits because people are looking for different things at different times in their lifecycle: click here

Back to the US and to Arizona where we have an article which talks about what federal agencies to turn to if you get denied benefits: click here

And lastly, checking out other blogs on the internet, we found one man's opinion that says that Human Resource professionals are keeping the skilled out of the workforce...do you agree?: click here

What are you wearing?

Following up on a theme in our Astronology and our blog, this article is a New York Times Q&A about office dress codes: click here

From Education Week, an article about new employees with just high school diplomas, and even some employees with four-year college degrees, lack the work skills needed to succeed in a global and increasingly competitive workplace, suggests a survey of corporate human-resource officials: click here

And lastly, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, an article about how companies are providing other benefits to employees in lieu of a shrinking amount of health benefits: click here

Back in El Pais

After a trip to Barcelona, we're back and better than ever with two articles from the Boston Globe:

First an article based on the old economics 101 adage, there's no such thing as a free lunch: click here

Next an article about loyalty to individuals being fine, but what happens when a team is involved: click here

Monday Means It's a New Week

And a new week means great articles from Astron Solutions!

First from China an article about the Chinese government finally stepping up and providing Human Resource assistance to Central Asian countries. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that China's reserves will reach $1 billion, but China has been historically stingy about spending them, even for the benefit of it's own people: http://english.people.com.cn/200610/22/eng20061022_314077.html

Next, from the Washington Post's Amy Joyce, an article about how the Redskins could learn a little bit from Business 101: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/21/AR2006102100098.html

Lastly, also from the Washington Post, an article about how a Domestic Bill of Rights bill lacks sufficient backing and what it passing could mean for the rest of the job market: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101800862.html

Sorry about the presentation (we know it's usually so neat and tidy) today, but enjoy the articles!

Greetings From Barcelona

The World Traveling continues and so does the Astron Solutions blog with a great mix of articles for your Thursday!

First, a story from The News Journal of a bank which got a great return once they started hiring employees with developmental and learning disabilities: click here

Next, an article from the Ledger of a librarian with an interesting dress code...and some interesting body are: click here

Lastly, from PR.com, an article that spells out exactly how expensive it will be to hire people who cost you money: click here

Greetings from Milan

Greetings from a stopover in Milan!

Three great articles await you on this Wednesday all with an abroad theme to them

The first is from The Free Lance Star and talks about how one worker is realizing that all of his company's jobs are heading overseas: click here

Next is from Ireland which says that Sales and Marketing skills are most in demand in Europe right now: click here

And lastly, from Personnel Today magazine, an article about how European base salaries are taking a back seat to increases in training and development: click here

Arrivederci!

The Problem With Office Romances

The Boston Globe starts off this Two For Tuesday with an article about how office romances are full of complications: click here

Also from the Boston Globe a great article about a worker who has moved but misses their old space...an interesting read: click here

Enjoy!

Ants Marching

On this Monday we first look into the Boston Globe which says that slowly, in an office setting, we all begin to think, act, look, and talk like one another. Is this a good or a bad thing for an office? On the one hand everyone is in the same state of mind and on the other it may not be great for having a dynamic, diverse office...you decide: click here

Also from the Boston Globe, word about a new way to sell in today's market: with ideas...an interesting read, especially with the talk of the merger of Google and YouTube, and maybe something to think about when hiring new employees: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, about the training of workers to fix computers and giving them a new lease on life...part of the old adage of giving someone a job or the skills to do ajob being the best form of charity because then they can provide for themsleves...check it out: click here

Friday We Head to DC

...with three great articles from the Washington Post....

First, how turning down the chance to move up in your company may be a good move: click here

Next, a ban on child labor begins in India and thinking about what this may mean for your company's hiring practices: click here

Lastly, within this article, news of the Office of Personnel Management finally digitalizing their system and saving them from the problems they've had in the past with pension payments: click here

Enjoy your weekend!

Creativity and Psychology

On this Thursday we delve a little into the brain for some great articles.

First from the Boston Globe, an article about an agency that's showing its creative side and how they encouraged people to do so: click here

Next from the New York Times, an interesting article about creative ways that business travelers get past the "no liquid" security requirements and how lip balm has become a medaphor for fear in the post 9/11 world: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, an executive spotlight of a woman who had a passion for psychology and took that to the top of her industry: click here

One last thing before the end of the post today. A plane crashing into a building in New York City is always a chilling reminder of 9/11 but for a lot of people in the baseball community, this one stung even more due to the passing of Cory Lidle. His time with the New York Yankees was short, but Lidle will always be remembered as a guy with not great stuff who went out there every time and competed and never wanted to give up the ball. It's another sad day for New York.

Motivating Bosses

After reading the Astronology from yesterday, you may have figured out how executives motivate employees, but how do you motivate executives?

According to the New York Times, paying them based on performance, but not necessarily on stock price is a way that Deere & Company handles their business: click here

In other news, and continuing a theme for the past month, the Boston Globe reports that gay workers are feeling more welcome in the workplace: click here

And lastly on your Humpday, an article from the Brampton News which says that many smaller companies may do better by outsourcing their human resource needs: click here

Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

That's the theme of our Two for Two-sday on 10/10 (you give us 10 minutes, we'll give you the best in HR news from around the world...or something to that effect)

Sometimes the gossip news, according to Amy Joyce of the Washington Post, is better off left at the door and not brought into the office: click here

And sometimes the blind admiration of bosses and the things that may be said because of it, are best off not said, according to the New York Times: click here

The search for talent

This is an unusual post. Usually we post articles for you to be able to see online. But today (after spending an entire day in the London airport), the focus is on a magazine and articles from there that every Human Resource manager should read.



That magazine, as you may have guessed by the picture, is the Economist. In this weeks issue, a 15-page special report on the search for talent, why it's getting harder to find, where people are finding it, and how they are successfully recruiting it are discussed.

The recommendation of this blogger is to pick up this issue and read through it. It may not pertain to you right now, but with the baby boomer generation retiring, this is going to be a huge problem in the not-so-distant future for many firms and organizations who rely on skilled labor to do their tasks. If you don't start thinking about the problem now, it may be too late.

We're Going Big

"Go Big or Go Home" is a saying we like...we're going to do both on this Thursday...

Double dose of HR articles for you and then we're taking it home for the weekend....

First comes from the Boston Globe from the summer and says that training teaches workers...to hate training, something to think about when structuring training programs for employees: click here

Next from the Washington Post, an article about a problem with D.C. officers who work only part time but collect full-time pay: click here

Then from the New York Times, an article about adding a personal touch to hotel etiquitte and how that passes on added value to the consumer: click here

Penultimately, from Management-Issues News out of London, a follow up on a theme we've explored on this blog: telecommuting hitting the corporate mainstream: click here

And, lastly, from the Boston Globe once again, salary trends for 2006: click here

A Little Change of Pace

A couple of articles about different topics than jobs and hiring for today...

First is from the New York Times about couples who run the house for other couples...interesting article: click here

Next from the New York Times is about a CEO who makes hearing aids and how he got to doing that...interesting progression: click here

And, lastly, from the Boston Globe, an article about virtual offices being about what you make it...interesting idea: click here

Working From Home

2 for Tuesday ends the Boston/New York rivalry for this year as the baseball playoffs begin tonight!

How to know if working for home is right for you or your boss? The New York Times has some advice for you: click here

And from the Boston Globe, a large decision for women in the workplace: be female or be funny: click here

Somebody's Watching You

Picking up a theme from the past and for the future, employee privacy is a thing of the past and pre-screening and on-the-job survellience are coming to the forefront of American debate...Amy Joyce looks into this in the Washington Post: click here

SHRM has come out with a study that says that entrants to the US workforce "ill prepared", sorely lacking in basic academic skills, reported by MSNBC: click here

And lastly, an article from the Boston Globe that says that great bosses don't manage, they lead: click here

When Your Practices Don't Make Perfect

Three articles of cautionary tale on this Friday of what not to do in your company:

First from Reuters, an article about Tyson foods who settled a hiring practice dispute with women and minorities who it didn't give an equal advantage to: click here

Moving on in the food industry to Denny's who has been accused of discrimination according to the Washington Post: click here

And lastly, from Washington a tale of the Attorney General of Washington, D.C. stepping down after firing 10 veteran union workers, a move that rubbed many the wrong way: click here

Recruiting, Hiring and All That Jazz

This will blow away any other form of new-age recruiting if it really picks up, but supposedly some firms are recruiting potential employees on YouTube...no kidding: click here

Late in this article on the economy from the Washington Post, you can see a reference that hiring is, indeed up due to certain economic factors: click here

And lastly, an article about how finding part time help in one town is a full time problem: click here

Taking it back

Well we usually give you only two for Tuesdays...but we gave you three...so this Wednesday, you only get two...but we picked two great ones for you:

Reported by Yahoo! from SHRM, New-Hire Compensation jumped this past month...a good sign for those seeking jobs and a sign for those in HR to watch out for when recruiting new employees: click here

And an article from GlobeAndMail in Canada which says that companies are working with colleges to help out Canada's labor problems...an interesting partnership: click here

Taking it back

Well we usually give you only two for Tuesdays...but we gave you three...so this Wednesday, you only get two...but we picked two great ones for you:

Reported by Yahoo! from SHRM, New-Hire Compensation jumped this past month...a good sign for those seeking jobs and a sign for those in HR to watch out for when recruiting new employees: click here

And an article from GlobeAndMail in Canada which says that companies are working with colleges to help out Canada's labor problems...an interesting partnership: click here

Happy Astronology Day!

We have three great articles for you on Astronology Day!

Following up on an earlier post on our blog, we look in as Amy Joyce talks about how gay workers have more doors open to them now than they had 10 years ago: click here

Another interesting article from the Washington Post about how certain employees just run up their mileage to meet minimum requirements. Requirements can be good for employees to make sure they make a certain amount, but if it just has them driving around in circles, it can really backfire for the company: click here

And lastly, from the Florida Sun-Sentinel, an article reminding us that Human Resources is about, well, human beings: click here

Just Another Manic Monday

If you wish it was Sunday, because that's your Funday, then we have some articles from yesterday for you...

From the Washington Post, students demanding better wages organize a sit-in. If you work in a University or College in the United States, remember that college students unhappy with wages can be a very lethal force: click here

Speaking of school...it's about that time of year when some adults go back to school, and it could be a nice holiday present to get yourself according to this New York Times article: click here

And lastly, also from the New York Times, an article about how a family with someone out of work takes on daycare by themselves: click here

It's Friday!!!

Friday articles for the HR Professional before the weekend:

First, from the Roanoke Times, an article about a group of unsung heroes who are experiencing high turnover rates: click here

From the New York Times, an article about the rebirth of Venture Capitalism and what that means for the job market: click here

And lastly, from the Washington Post, a very important article about how retiree's health care may overwhelm the United States' government...a very big issue for HR professionals to consider with a new generation of retirement packages being set up: click here

To those celebrating, a Happy New Year (L'Shana Tova) and a good fast for Ramadan...and to those not celebrating, celebrate it's the weekend :)

Ask And Ye Shall Receive

Supposedly this is not an easy thing for some workers in the workplace which has a two-pronged effect: it could be very good for employers because they don't have to give extra benefits to employees because they won't ask for it, but it may lead to silently disliking their jobs. The New York Post explores: click here

From the New York Times, new strategies for police recruiters in New York to get the number of NYPD boosted...an interesting case study for HR professionals to ponder: click here

And lastly, from CBSNews, an article about labor unions trying to heal their differences after a bitter divorce: click here

Image Isn't Everything

Let's get right into the aritcles on this hump day as we wind down September...

First from Amy Joyce and the Washington Post which says that kid-friendly policies don't help singles...something to think about before instituting those policies: click here

Next, from the New York Times, an article about image help...but not only for the famous...maybe you need your own publicist: click here

And lastly, from MSNBC and Reuters, a study that shows that gay-friendly businesses are on the rise, a good way to boost a company's image to potential clients: click here

New York, New York

Today is going to be a New York day...it has to be. The Mets clinched their first division in 18 years last night, the Yankees reduced their magic number to 3, the Giants came back to win a huge game this weekend, and we have two big articles from the New York Times for you on this Two for Tuesday:

Sometimes you have to be cautious with certain employees and how you treat them...

The first group is cancer survivors who after surviving cancer face the next big task of going back to find a job: click here

Another group are people who have spent time in jail and go back and look for work...not an easy task as shown by this article: click here

Doubling Up

We apologize for missing you this past Friday...but we're making up for it with 5 articles on this Monday morning.

First, from the New York Times, an interesting article about a website in New York City that feeds workers tied to their desk all day: click here

Next, the Portland Business Journal reports that a recent survey shows that it pays most for you to work in San Francisco...the real San Francisco treat! click here

An interesting article from a very odd source about Human Resource Management and the law and how they interact on a daily basis, especially in today's world: click here

Next from the Washington Post, an article about the firms vying to be the in charge of the US border security. Although this comes with a lot of political charge, it also comes with a lot of human resources issues as one company wants to patrol with drones, while another wants humans on the ground...an interesting dilemma to play out: click here

And lastly, going back to the NYT, and continuing with a blog theme over the past couple of months, an article that say that some bosses see the virtues of a long vacation...do you feel the same in your company? click here

Hope that catches you up on the HR news of the weekend!

Jobs, Jobs and more Jobs

It's almost Friday but that doesn't mean we're slowing down at Astron Solutions:

Certain cities in New Jersey are being hurt by the lack of jobs, though some are better off now than they were in the past: click here

Bizjournals.com says that laid-off workers this year are back in action faster...a good sign for the United States economy. It's not always about a flat unemployment number, but how long people stay unemployed. It also is important for employers to know that even though a candidate is unemployed, they may not be for long, so act fast: click here

And to end the posts, a recent survey has shown that multinationals are going towards a centralized compensation system...we talked in the past about how this could backfire due to cross-cultural boundaries, but the survey proves that many are moving towards that structure: click here

Getting Over the Hump

The Mets and Yankees seem to be heading to the playoffs, the kids are heading back to school, and Astron Solutions is heading to the vault to find you some great HR articles!

First from Amy Joyce of the Washington Post talks about people who have been fired in really poor ways (including by e-mail)...definitely a cautionary tale for employers who are looking to save a PR nightmare: click here

From Careerbuilder.com, advice for small businesses takes on the mythbuster role as they bust the top 10 myths of recruiting: click here

And lastly, continuing a theme from the summer, it is not just workers taking less vacation time, but now managers who don't want to be forgotten about once promotion time comes: click here

Moving On

If Septemeber 11th is the day we remember, September 12th is the day we learned how we would move on and live in our new world. The debate of whether we're better off now than we were 5 years ago will rage on for a long time, but the fact is that our lives have certainly changed...how we move on in our new world is the greatest measure of how strong we are...(Just a little food for thought...)

On to our two for Tuesdays (on an Astronology day no less):

One from the New York Times jobs section which talks about employers who are going to new names and educating their workforce about what that brand should mean to them...and how this will help to attract potential employees: click here

The next is a Q&A from Yahoo Finance about how to save enough to retire on...good for both employees and employers to take into account with aging baby boomers and shrinking social security: click here

Happy Astronology Day!

Remembering 9/11

Five years after the fact, we look back at the events of September 11th and how they still effect our lives:

From the New York Times job section, an article about how our lives have changed in the last 1,825 days since that awful morning: click here

The other part of the country effected by the damage, Washington DC, reflects via the Washington Post: click here

While not mentioned in this article, Ground Zero has become a health hazard for workers. This article points out other black lung "hot spots" including those in West Virginia: click here

Monday is a tough day, but we know that this one is tougher than all the others...

Best of Both Worlds

We go domestic and abroad on this Friday morning for some great HR articles.

From China, Mercer has just published a study which says that companies in China are having employee retention problems, definitely an issue since many companies are highly divested in China, and those that were thinking of doing so are now looking elsewhere as the prices begin to even out. It brings up an interesting HR problem...how to make HR programs cross-culturally valid: click here

Forced with low recruitment numbers, the army has gone to private pitches to get recruits. Some think no HR pitch will help the army (as long as signing up probably means going to Iraq, the recruitment numbers will be pretty low), but maybe a change in approach will help the army in its recruitment efforts: click here

Lastly, clearing out an old article (which is still quite relevent), we blog about a blog on Ken Lay's death in which Monster.com takes a closer look on ethics. This is such an important issue for HR and the companies leadership to continue to tackle because the problem hasn't totally gone away: click here

Where Does It All Come From?

An interesting article on one "expert's" view on the history of Human Resource Management: click here

This Washington Post columnist thinks that the best way to tackle inequality is not through wages, but through tax reform: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, an article about how some people are getting their start in show business...with a little help from NYC: click here

Get excited for Friday!!!

Your Life Is Worse...But You're MORE Content?

This interesting paradox was scratched at its surface in yesterday's blog and we'll go into it again today with interesting research from the Pew Research Center (thanks to a loyal reader for this submission): click here

This graphic is a very interesting one for HR Professionals to review:















In other news, one reason why workers may be more content is that sexual harassment claims are down from their record level in 1997 according to the US Equal Opportunity Commission: click here

And on a different topic, an interesting pay plan by Dana Corporation is ruled illegal...read here why: click here

It's Tuesday So That Must Mean We're Playing Two

Two for Tuesdays continue with two interesting articles from two very different sources.

The first is from the Washington Post is an interesting development as the most overworked are winning in today's economy: click here

For an economics student such as myself this is really a dilemma because it contradicts (or becomes a paradox...whichever way you want to look at it) all that we learn. As the article says:

"For years, economists have taught their students a simple maxim: As employers hunt for workers, they want to get the best talent at the lowest price. According to this theory, whether employees want to work long hours or short hours, employers have an incentive to accommodate them, because asking people to do something they don't want to do raises the price of labor -- workers demand more compensation."

There's an old proverb about helping a man get a job being the best charity you can give someone and the Marin Independent Journal has an interesting story about how some are doing that: click here

It's Labor Day but We're Still Laboring Away

Just because it's Labor Day does not mean the blog has to take a day off...actually, we feel it is our duty to post today:

Well this Washington Post headline will disagree with me as they ask do we really have to talk about work on labor day: click here

Another Washington Post article disagrees as Amy Joyce looks into a bunch of surveys recently released that delve into employees complaints: click here

And lastly, from Reuters, a study that shows cutting staff incentives hurts the company on the bottom line...something definitely to keep in mind on this labor day: click here

It's the Weekend!

But before you enjoy some of the last sun of the summer of '06, check out these great HR articles:

Horizon Magazine gives the advice in this article that it helps HR Managers to help their employees fit in within the work environment: click here

And from overseas:

Forbes is seeing China's turnover rise as the price of retention of employees is going up: click here

And lastly, an interesting article from Vietnam that says that schools should join hands with companies in promoting and furthering educational opportunities: click here

Have a great weekend!

And you can not deal with pressure...

According to the Washington Post, the pressure is going up in the cabins of Northwest Airlines as yet another airline is moving towards cutting jobs...an interesting non-strike idea is proposed there...one that, while may be considered less than a strike, and may never materialize, is an interesting one in today's economy, especially in the airlines: click here

Next from MarketWatch, a study from Careerbuilder.com that says that while most managers expect people to negotiate on salary, most candidates rarely do: click here

And one person's definition of what a "Cohert Human Resources Strategy" sounds like...is it anything like yours? click here

Wages, Wages, and More Wages

First an article form the New York Times that say that real wages are failing to meet a rise in productivity. With higher living costs and energy costs, this could become a huge problem in the US: click here

Next from the Washington Post an article about how women in top positions are pulling up the wages for all other women...an interesting half-dilemma: to have more women making less or for a few women to become pinacles of the industry...no reason there can't be the elimination of both many say: click here

And, as reported on MSNBC, a Forbes article about the 25 most generous companies: click here

Enjoy!

Two for Tuesday

Two HR articles from the New York Times to get you going this morning...

First advice you can give young workers about how to recover after screwing up a big presentation in front of the boss...good advice for all: click here

And a look at the unemployed who can't turn to their familes for help are now turning to each other: click here

Enjoy!

We're back...

...And better than ever. After a brief hiatus, the Astron Solutions blog is back.

Here are some great human resource articles to get you going on your Monday morning:

Can your employees interact very well with their computers but have no clue what to do when they have to interact with real people? Amy Joyce talks about a class that may help that out in the Washington Post: click here

Also from the Washington Post, some career tips that you may want to follow to get ahead in today's tough job market: click here

The best advice I ever received is mentioned in this article. When I asked my boss why he would wear a suit even though he didn't have to he said: "You dress for the job you want, not the one you have." Great advice.

Lastly, an interesting article from the United States about Africa and why they don't train more nurses with such a nurse shortage: click here

All Good Things Must Come to an End

As the summer winds down, we have a cornucopia of articles for the HR Professional

First comes from the New York Times and talks about resignation letters. They suggest not doing a Jerry Maguire, "Who's coming with me?"-type exit and talks about what should be in the resignation letter: click here

Next, from the Washington Post, an article which says that more time off can justify taking a lower salary for some workers: click here

From Reuters, a study by Mercer showed that Director pay growth slowed last year...but larger companies still pay more: click here

And lastly, from Monster.com, an article that techie's have a new job qualification in today's world...working well with others. No longer will Jimmy Fallon's SNL character Nick Burns survive in today's job market: click here

This will be my last blog of the summer...hope you enjoyed all the HR news...look for more exciting things to come on the Astron Solutions blog and subsequent issues of Astronology. This is Andrew Katz signing off. Good night, and good luck.

From Wall Street to India

Welcome to another week of Astron Solutions' blog...

First up, from the New York Times, an interesting article about Wall Street Women who face a fork in the road. On one side is a highly demanding career which has been dominated by men and on the other side is raising a family...a tough choice for many women. Also tough is business school and an interesting graphic below provides more details on that: click here


From the Washington Post, an article on the same lines that say that women are greatly underrepresented in top corporate leadership positions. The number of 16.4% of corporate leadership positions is a little scary for women who strive for the top positions in their organizations: click here

Also from the New York Times, an article about a potential pension overhaul that Congress never got passed due to too many escape clauses and problems with the bill: click here

And from SiliconIndia, an interesting article on the strategic role of Human Resources Management: click here

TGIF

It's another Summer Friday and whle the temperatures are supposed to be cooling down across the country, we're just heating up...

From the New York Times (click here) and the Washington Post (click here) news of the Wage/Estate Tax bill being blocked in the Senate. This is going to be a hot-button issue for the upcoming midterm elections and you should prepare, as a Human Resource professional for the possibility an increase may come soon after.

Next an article from Yahoo! Finance on how commuting is a drag on the economy. If you take public transportation, you probably noticed a recent spike in the number of people using it with you. With energy prices conitnually rising, this is a trend bound to continue for some time: click here

And lastly, advice from Monster.com to get more training. Is this something a potential applicant should do before applying or is this something that employers should provide for its employees? That's where the big divide lies: click here

Enjoy and stay cool this weekend :)

Hitting the Job Market

Want to position yourself for a great chance at getting a job? Well Astron Solutions has some advice for you on this Thursday...

From the Washington Post, we have Top Tips From the Hiring Squad, where career experts share proven approaches for applying to, interviewing for, landing and getting the most out of a new job: click here

One way you can position yourself is as a middle manager which the Dallas Morning News claims are being highly sought: click here

Next, 5 strategies from Monster.com of what to do when moving without a job: click here

Lastly, back to the Washington Post, we look at the labor gap that exists in the auto market between a few of the big car makers and the United Auto Workers union: click here

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

And so does Astron Solutions on this Wednesday for its blog articles...

The first is the issue which could be one of the biggest ones for Republican incumbents in the upcoming election: minimum wage. One of the issues being debated in this is the issue of tips as described in this Washington Post article: click here

Now I think that a lot of the real reason this issue has become a big issue is misunderstood. It's not merely the fact that minimum wage hasn't changed in about a decade, but it's more the fact--as the graph below from the Economic Policy Institute shows--that the real value of the minimum wage has dropped over a dollar since the last hike.



That's a big problem, especially with rising gas prices, rising consumer costs, and growing inflation.

One place this issue should be addressed is in the Labor Dept.: click here

Stephen Barr believes that the Office of Personnel Management should recruit more Hispanics: click here

And one issued tied closely to that and the minimum wage and immigration and every hot-button issue of 2006 in the job market are Household Employees and according to this article, they're fighting for their own Bill of Rights: click here

The Heat Is On

It's going to be 100 degrees here in the North East and the pennant races are heating up after the trade deadline, but we're just getting warmed up on Astronology day here at Astron Solutions.

Word from the Washington Post that FOX has agreed to settle their sexual harassment lawsuit in New York: click here

If you want to know more about the EEOC or the new EEO-1 guidelines (including what the heck those abbreviations mean), go to our website and check out the Astronology for the week.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer, an article about some who fear that employees who receive medical help at work will lose some of the privacy afforded to them: click here

The article includes this interesting graphic:













And lastly, from the Sydney Morning Herald, an interesting article from Australia about who Human Resources Professionals owe their allegience to: the company or the staff? The article says the company...let us know if you disagree: click here

Keep cool

It's Just Another Manic Monday...

Don't you wish it were Sunday?

Back to another full work week (and a probable heat wave in the Northeast)...but we have some articles to lighten the edge:

It's a New York Monday...and we just don't say that because of the new slugger in the Yankees rightfield...but because we have three articles for you from the New York Times:

It ends up that many men who are unemployed are valuing their free time more than going back into the workforce, something employers definitely have to consider when offering jobs to people who have been unemployed for a while: click here

Want to know what that degree you have is worth to your employer? Want to know, as an employer, how much you should value that degree, well NYT has the answer: click here

And, lastly, word that workers at Wal-Mart in China have formed their first trade union. The good news for Wal-Mart is that these unions typically side with management: click here

Everybody's Workin' For The Weekend

Happy Friday!

First on our agenda is a report from the Washington Post about the upcoming House vote on the increase in the minimum wage. This is a huge issue for an election year and it shows in how people are deciding to vote: click here

On that same note, from USA Today, an article saying that Asian nations should considering shortening the work week and raising overtime pay: click here

And also from USA Today, and a reference to our last Astronology, an article about the CEO of Sun Microsystems who seeks competitive advantage through blogging: click here

Love and Memories

Office Romances can be good and bad. When they’re good, they can make for a very pleasant office environment. But when they go sour, they can lead to lack of productivity, jealousy, uncomfortable situations and a poor work environment.

Here are some articles talking about the issue:

From the Chicago Tribune, an article about when cupid comes to the office says to be very careful of bad situations which can cause feelings of unfairness and jealousy or lead to firing due to 25% of companies having bans against office romances: click here

From the Journal Times in Wisconsin, an article asking “Do you dare?”. Using the Jim and Pam example from “The Office”, this article delves into the world of office romances. A telling stat is that 31% of workers surveyed think that office romances are OK, while 37% think that if they happen, they should be kept secret: click here

From China Daily, which says that in Bejing people are finding their marriage partners by looking in the workplace instead of going out to find the dating scene. The watercooler is the new meetmarket: click here

And lastly, from Reuters, an odd-but-true story from New Zealand about a cross-dressing lawyer who skirts (no pun intended) the dress code: click here

Unique Ways To Get Ahead

Humpday celebration...

From SHRM, a report that August will continue the expanding of the job market: click here

Some of those workers, such as the ones at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, are trying to get ahead in the service industry with old-fashioned good manners, according to the Washington Post: click here

And, lasty, a New York Times article about Peggy Fowler, the President and Chief Executive of Portland General Electric, who says, among other things, that she was powered by math: click here

As I Walk Away...

Three articles for your Tuesday about people leaving the office:

First from the New York Times' Career Couch which questions, among other things, whether it's all right to call in sick even if you're not sick: click here

Next from the Washington Post which claims that more men are leaving the newsroom as their positions as anchors and reporters are being taken over by women: click here

And lastly, from the New York Times, an article from Chairman and Chief Executive of Citizen's Financial Group, Lawrence K. Fish, about learning by leaving and his experiences leaving the country: click here

Let's Talk About It

Hope everyone had a great weekend...now three articles about talking at work...

The first is from Randstad (via WorldAtWork) and talks about how loud talkers are among the worst pet peeves in the workplace, followed by cell phones ringing and use of speakerphones in public places...a lot of talking peeves at the office: click here

From SHRM, an article that says that water cooler talk helps co-workers bond...I guess talking about Jack Bauer's latest adventure or the Yankee's play during the weekend helps office unity: click here

And lastly, an article from Delware online which tells workers to hone their communication skills in order to not sound uncooth in the workplace: click here

Benefitting from Benefits

It's Friday!

Four articles for you about health benefits to get you into/through your weekend:

The first is from 1010 Wins in New York and has the Transit Union suing the MTA for unfair health benefits which give fully covered Viagra for men and no pay for contraceptives for women: click here

An article from the Orlando Sentinal about a technician who may be due past OT pay. If you look further down the article, you'll see an update on health benefits: click here

A column in the Washington Post talking about small companies who provide their employees big benefits. If you're a small company, wellness benefits as well as good health care options are still available even though you think these resources may not be available to you: click here

And lastly an article from Forbes about a Judge overturning the so called "Wal-Mart Health Care Law": click here

I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke

These famous words were from a Coca-Cola revolutionary television commercial (which also spawned a #1 single) which showed men and women from all different culutures singing in harmony and drinking Coke together.

One of the leading advocates of Affirmative Action, the legislation that helped create this as the norm in the workplace, was John G. Feild and he died this past weekend. A leading influence in the civil rights views of president John F. Kennedy, Feild served as the executive director of the President's Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity during the Kennedy administration. His enforcement of these ideals, especially within the government, helped the EEOC become what it is today: click here

In today's world, many ethnic youths looking for jobs in an increasingly tight job market are looking online, according to this Washington Post report: click here

And speaking of online searches (and following up on the Astronology of the week), the Attorney General of Kansas says in the Kansas City Star that his state needs to step up background checks and do better screenings for employees: click here

The Rich Get Richer...

Hope everyone got through the storms last night. The Yankees certainly did with Melky leading them to a walk-off homerun. We here at Astron are heading to the afternoon game to root on the Yankees sweep. But while you stay in your office, you can read these two Washington Post articles on the rich getting richer (and we're not talking about Major League Baseball's best-paid bench player ever, Alex Rodriguez)...

First an article about how the well-paid, especially in the D.C. area, benefit the most when the economy is good: click here

And second an article about how 2005 was a banner year for corporate executives who raked in huge compensation deals: click here

Enjoy the articles and let's go Yanks!

Hot In The City, Hot In The City Tonight

A little Billy Idol for your Tuesday as temperatures push the triple digits...

Preparing you for the Astronology release (blogging about blogging...quite unique)...

An audio link (podcast for those of you who are tech savvy)! Resume Lies and the Liars Who Write Them With the Radio Shack CEO in the news for lying on his resume, Susie and Barb think the time is right to address this baffling topic. Why don’t companies do background checks? The office grapevine has no problem discovering the indiscretions of a new hire, so what is wrong with Human Resources making a few phone calls? Many famous examples are discussed, with FEMA’s Michael Brown at the top of the list:

powered by ODEO

And from the Colorado Springs Business Journal (Colorado Springs, CO) from July 14, 2006, this article below from Joan Johnson:

Social technology, blogging, is a networking tool that can provide job seekers with a powerful option in their hunt for employment, but if misused, sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook can ruin a career. Employers can search blogs during background checks and human resources departments can use the information they find as they please -- identifying biases or any other reason not to hire a potential applicant. "I have MySpace, but it is all business," said Julie Kistler, owner of UrbanEmbers.com and Six Sigma Marketing. "I don't put anything personal on it.

" Used appropriately though, networking on the Net can be invaluable. Networking often yields better results during job searches than online job banks. According to a study by CareerXroads, 27 percent of external hires were found through employee referrals. Second on the list, at 24.7 percent, was the Internet, which in the survey referred to the use of online job boards and corporate Web sites. "Seventy to 80 percent of jobs are not posted," Kistler said. She said people are constantly being referred to her. One referral was in search of freelancing jobs. Kistler sent the woman's resume to about 40 people and within a day, she had received five responses. This only works, though, if you have competent contacts, Kistler said. According to Nielsen NetRatings, social networking grew 47 percent during the last year. Facebook, a site for college students and recent graduates, contains nearly 5 million profiles. Friendster has more than 27 million profiles, photos and blogs. MySpace.com has more than 78 million members, counting multiple profiles from one source, according to Nielsen Ratings. Each visitor spends, on average, more than two hours browsing the site. Kistler said she is working on a site that is similar to MySpace, but for local business owners. LinkedIn.com allows users to see other people's contacts but not their contact information, so you have to get a friend to introduce you if you find someone who has similar interests. Plaxo allows people to create a business card and it automatically updates a user's Outlook when someone makes a card. Ryze and LinkedIn are business networking sites that ask for résumé information such as current and past companies, education and areas of interest. This allows a person to find others with similar information, as well as job postings with similar information. In addition to using social networking sites as a way to find potential employees, companies often use the sites to market themselves. One example is Sheraton hotels, which is inviting travelers to share trip photos, tips, commentary and videos at Sheraton.com. The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce has a large networking database. Members can choose to be listed in more than 500 categories. With a user name and password, businesses can get a referral report that shows how many people are visiting the Web site, calling the 800 number and stopping by the front desk at the chamber to get information about their businesses. Sara Muirheid, the chamber's vice president of marketing, said the site will be redesigned in September to make it easier to search and link to the directory. Another networking technique that the chamber uses, Muirheid said, is Business After Hours. The social events average about 300 attendees and provide a low-tech approach for businesses to connect with other businesses. Kistler said she still attends face-to-face networking groups, but always asks for an e-mail address instead of a phone number. "I can remember everyone I've met by name and title," she said, "not face. "