Letterman and a New Look

A lot was written last week about the David Letterman situation and how Human Resources should handle this. Let's look at a few examples:

-Careersolvers asks if we're all that different than Letterman and gives, in the spirit of the man, a top 10 list of reasons why people get involved with co-workers.

-The Boston Globe Job Doc has a Q&A on "An Awkward Invitation" and whether you should go to HR for quick decisions.

-Hot HR Tips... says let this be a wake-up call for all Human Resources professionals

-Lastly, a Letterman insider writes about the incident for The New York Times and the atmosphere does not seem to be a good one. The situation should have been handled by Huamn Resources way before it ever got to the point it did. The article hits it right on the head: this situation was fair to no one.

Also, we have a new look here at the Astron Solutions World of HR blog. Let us know what you think. Send an e-mail to katzandrews@gmail.com to let me know.

Great Articles on a Great Day

Those who've gone outside in New York today know it was a beautiful day. Where here are some links to enjoy once you're done enjoying the weather...

Got some good stuff from the Boston Globe's Job Docs, the first article is about a couple of bad apples spoiling things for everyone at work: click here

Also from Job Docs, advice on whether it is appropriate to get calls for jobs--while at work: click here

Lastly from Job Docs, it's not just in the school yard anymore--job interview do overs: click here

From the Wall Street Journal, word that recruiting at business schools has dropped: click here

Also from the Journal, despite cutbacks in firms, they are still investing in developing future leaders: click here

Lastly from the Journal, an article making the case for executive education: click here

And our last article for the day, from Dice, 8 ways to keep your career moving while out of work (H/T Wendy): click here

The Financial World and the Job Market

It'll be interesting to see the fallout in the job market from the current financial crisis, but some effects are already seen...

The first article is from the New Jersey Law Journal and probably won't work for most of you...but the important part is just to read the title and then find a way to get your hands on the article: Pru Appeals in Suit Charging it Paid Off Plaintiffs' Lawyers: click here

Next, an interesting lesson from Yahoo! News via the AP on what can happen with mergers/takeovers and job layoffs as HP surprises Wall Street in this article: click here

(H/T to Wendy for those)

The Wall Street Journal (with a nice, new look) continues with an article sure to cause a little head scratching to most of America...the Executive job market is still healthy: click here and a video here

Next from the Journal is a very interesting article about trying to get Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's employees to stay as the mortgage giants go through some difficult times: click here

Going quickly to the Boston Globe's, Boston.com Monster.com HiringHub HR Center HR Blog, word that this isn't your father's job fairs--something new is in the air: click here

Lastly, in an article form the Journal, we learn that GMAT scores are being canceled...a lesson to employers that sometimes test scores aren't really all that reliable: click here

We've also added a great new feed from the WSJ on our right: click here

Millenials and Word from the Journal

We start off on this Tuesday (an Astronology Tuesday) with a blog entry from the Boston Globe Monster.com HR Center HR Blog about Millenials: click here

Next, from the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal, advice on how to get better pay after years of a lower salary: click here

Also from the Journal, word that the same old technologies that worked in the past are proving successful today for productivity (see chart on right): click here

Lastly, as a special to the Journal a Q&A that addresses the ways to get out of negative thinking at work: click here

HR on the South Pole

Seriously...and you thought the weather was bad in New York...: click here

Courtesy of the Boston Globe's Monster.com Hiring Hub HR Center HR Blog...

Craigslist and The Rest of the List

Among the social networking and various online websites designed to attract job seekers and job posters alike, Craigslist, a website that is more well-know for selling tickets or finding apartments has become a go-to source according to the Wall Street Journal: click here

Personally, I think Craigslist has some advantages and some limitations for both job seekers and job posters, but it is an excellent site to use for posting an open position. It may not be as aesthetically pleasing as Monster or have the name of Careerbuilder or have the social networking opportunities of a Facebook or provide easy searchability like the New York Times jobs website...but with its growing audience and ease of use, it may be the place to be for Human Resource professionals and people looking for jobs in this difficult job market...

From the Boston Globe's Boston.com Monster.com Hiring Hub HR Center HR Blog (seriously, we like to give credit to the articles we post, but can they make this a little simpler?), despite a title that may seem to indicate a different subject, the New York Times admits that women don't just opt out for children: click here

Lastly, an interesting article from the Baltimore Sun on one jail's pre-professional/apprenticeship program: click here

Summer Interns

We were all at one point (or are now...or will be) summer interns and so we know the ups and downs of the trade. You come in feeling a little nervous, but excited about the summer that lies ahead. You get to meet some people and go out to happy hours and get wined and dined at times, but you soon learn you're the bottom of the food chain. There are certain things that flow downhill and you--much like Jack and Jill--have tumbled down to the bottom. But there is solace in the fact that it's for the resume/the wallet/college credits/just for fun. But alas, for better or worse, the summer is soon over and then it's back to school. You've made some contacts and done some networking, but you realize it's not enough. You go back to school and put it on the resume and hope that some of it sticks with you the rest of life.

How about some advice on those internships?

The Boston Globe (via Boston.com, Monster.com, the Hiring Hub, the HR Center, and the HR Blog) says that if you get a Google internship, fame will follow: click here

I tried for that elusive Google internship and failed in the pursuit...but judging by the experience one of my friends is having working there now, I truly missed out...

The Wall Street Journal (via CareerJournal, and "90 Days") has some tips on making the most of your summer internship: click here

And two more articles...

Back to the Journal which has an article on going back to school for career advice: click here

And back to the Globe for some advice on how that leadership experience in Fraternities and Sororities in college looks like: click here

Back to the Strikes?

The Washington Post starts us off with an old theme, with new players. The Screen Actors Guild is now threatening to go on strike: click here

The Boston Globe follows up with an article about corporate volunteers reaching worldwide: click here

Next from the Globe, advice to answer the boss' criticism as if it were true: click here

Lastly, word also from the Globe, that after an interview, the thanks should go both ways: click here

Facebook and the Office

What happens when social networking and the office combine? Well...it can be an awkward situation, as written here in the Boston Globe: click here

Let's say that situation does come up--you are a boss and one of your subordinates tries to friend you on Facebook or MySpace or one of the other social networking websites or you are an employee and your boss sends you a friend request...what do you do?

Well first things first, whether you are a high school student, college student, young professional or "old" professional, you should scrub your social networking profiles. You never know who is looking at it.

If you think you're exempt because you are a student...just check out some of the articles from this Google search: click here

And if you think you're exempt because you're in the job world, just check out some of the articles from this Google search: click here (or, if you prefer, Myspace: click here)

And as I wrote way back in July 2006 for Astronology, the New Age of Background Checks has moved on to social networking websites: click here

So the truth is, make sure that everything in your profile is Kosher because the last thing you want is to have something meant from your friends, end up in your workspace: it could end up costing you your job.

Judgment Calls

Harvard Business School and the Conde Nast Portfolio Insight Center starts us out on this Monday as we close out March with an article about making difficult judgment calls: click here

The Boston Globe continues with an article about employers using personal references to attempt to limit liability: click here

The Washington Post picks up our strike coverage with the actors (not the writers this time) who are facing some opposition: click here

Of Bad News and B-ball Pools

We start you out this week with an article from CondeNast Portfolio and the Harvard Business School which talks about a better way to deliver bad news to your employees: click here

Next, an issue you will have to deal with this week is talked about in this New York Times article about dipping into the betting pool and the NCAA basketball tournament brackets in your company: click here

I agree with the idea that this helps people meet and brings them together, but it also has to be for a small amount and done in a way that makes people all feel welcome and comfortable. You never know if someone is getting over a gambling issue, has a financial issue, or is feeling left out by not being asked to be in the pool (among other issues) so as a Human Resource Professional, this could be a tough issue to deal with.

Lastly, from the Boston Globe BostonWorks Hiring Hub, advice on the best way to terminate high level employees: click here

More links!

Yeah...we got more links for you...

First a blog about the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): click here

Next, from Boston Globe, Monster.com, HiringHub, word on finding the best talent: click here

HR Daily Advisor has 7 stupid things that supervisors say and then get sued: click here

From SHRM, word on what that blogger was talking about above: click here

ITtoolbox has some advice on what every IT manager should know about HR: click here

MSNBC says don't wear blinders when dealing with your boss: click here

HR Daily Advisor is back with 3 vital things that supervisors should say: click here

Lastly, the Business Review of Western Michigan (via Michigan Live) has an article about getting and recruiting talent from elsewhere: click here

That should last you for a while ;)

Too Old? Not in the Workplace

One of the forms of discrimination that may be more prevalent than people think and which many people know very little about is age discrimination.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has facts about age discrimination here: click here

And the United States Department of Labor has information here: click here

But this issue is not as cut and dry as many people would think. Recently my dad was unemployed for a while and while trying to get a new job, he did everything he could to hide his age because of his perceived bias on the part of the people who he was interviewing with.

And he's not the only one...the Supreme Court will hear five Age Discrimination cases according to the Washington Post: click here

The Christian Science Monitor also takes up the issue putting out the issue of: when can people sue for age discrimination: click here

Although this would seem to be a cut and dry area, many companies have policies against older employees and many fire older, tenured employees to bring in younger ones.

And then there's an article from the Boston Globe saying that colleges, companies, and state officials in Massachusetts are giving incentives for young people to stay in state: click here

Although this seems like a good, practical idea with many Baby Boomers retiring and a need for these young workers, how can giving these incentives to young workers and not to the older ones NOT be age discrimination? Would someone have a case against these organizations that provide this incentive?

We'll find out quite soon after the Supreme Court ruling...

Diversity

The key buzzword is back again with this Q&A from the Boston Globe's BostonWorks Hiring Hub with three trends in corporate diversity: click here

Next, on to the New York Times where they say that for a franchise, success is in the hiring: click here

The New York Times also has some advice for how to lose your job on your own time: click here

One more from the New York Times talking about the role of life coaches: click here

We go to our new link-partner HR Daily Advisor who says that now your worst moments are on YouTube: click here

Lastly, we go to one of our fellow bloggers with an article about Human Resource Management: click here

Don't Make Work Your Primary

Although it may be Primary time, the New York Times starts us out by letting you know that making it's time to take a Secondary look at talking about your politics or wearing your campaign button at work, among other topics in this Q&A: click here

We go back to the New York Times for an old article still prescient about job growth fading fast: click here

The Business Review (Albany) has an article which says that telecommuting can hurt office morale: click here

From the Boston Globe's BostonWorks Ask The HR Expert we get some answers in this Q&A about Benefits and Compensation: click here

Next, from HR Daily Advisor, they post the question: Is coaching the new management? click here

Lastly, some HR Management news from Occupational Health and Safety has news that the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) President/CEO is about to retire: click here

Happy New Year!

The Boston Globe starts us out on this first day of 2008 with an article about what's hot, what's not in the workplace for 2008: click here

Next, a Washington Post column suggesting that having employees make career resolutions can help them rise to the occasion: click here

Conde Nast Portfolio ends our blog today with an article about the risky business of hiring stars: click here

How to Say Good-bye

Although the temptation may be out there to leave a job like Tom Cruise's character famously did in Jerry Maguire, the key is to say good-bye in the right way.

Even though you may have felt wrong or slighted or have all the reason in the world to tell your old boss off, don't do it. Similarly, if you're an HR professional, an employee leaving may feel like the right time to tell them how you REALLY feel about them; don't do it.

If you feel you have something appropriate and constructive to get off your chest, by all means do it, but do it in a good, respectful way. Even if it's very, very far from it, make it seem like it was your problem instead of the other person's. And by all means, if you're going to go out there and tell someone off, try not to drag anyone else under the bus.

Employment Search Guide says that when leaving a job, do not burn bridges: click here

The Boston Globe (with credit to Monster.com) answers in this Q&A that how you leave the old job is as key as finding the new one: click here

More on this to follow....

New York to Boston to DC

First, from New York and the New York Times, an article declaring this an employee's market: click here

Next the Boston Globe brings out a new word: impedership: click here

Lastly, from the Washington Post, word of Wal-Mart and the union joining forces on a a new healthcare initiative: click here

Jeter or Brady?

Rule Boston or rule New York? Tough choice...we lean towards New York, but we're going to give you 2 great Boston articles on this Two for Tuesday:

First, advice that social fumblers should e-mail more and interact less: click here

And, lastly, word that admonishment still stings for an employee, no matter how nice or correct the boss and no matter what the age of the employee: click here

Who Pays?

The questions is always out there in any profession, but definitely when labor and management get together for negotiations, and definitely when it comes to protection and who pays for the worker's protection, as covered by the Washington Post: click here

The Boston Globe writes that both workers and Human Resources could benefit from talking about what went wrong when someone gets fired: click here

Lastly, also from the Boston Globe, a story about how MTV has aquired a professor-rating Website...imagine if they had that for all employees: click here