Don't ask someone to make an introduction for you on Facebook if you wouldn't ask them to do it in person, recruiting experts say. Before you approach a potential candidate, or someone who is friends with a potential candidate, be sure that you are close enough to the intermediary to ask for the introduction. Don't assume that Facebook behavior is different from regular social interactions, experts say.Good advice from the WSJ, with some more throughout the article. Although Facebook seems like just a tool for connecting with friends, family, and casual acquaintances who may have friended you after you met that one time, it can now be used for much more, including posting and applying for jobs.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Facebook For More Than Friends
Most people think of Facebook as the last place they would want a
potential employer to go to check out their qualifications. They have
embarrassing pictures of them partying, people posting about their kids,
updates about all their Words With Friends games, and status messages
about being excited for the weekend. It's been far from a job gold
mine--more like a minefield. But as the Wall Street Journal writes, that's all changing and has some advice about how to take advantage of it, including this:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Greetings from Europe
I wanted to send greetings from Europe. I spent 2 days in Amsterdam and am now in Copenhagen. It's amazing to see different lifestyles and cultures and people in action. But it's also amazing that you see many of the same things here. Those camping out down in Wall Street would like to know that they are doing the same in Amsterdam (right outside the hotel I stayed at). The gay marriage debate is going to come to Denmark as it did in the United States. And as I'm in Denmark, the Danish princess Mary is in New York.
It's always important to remember, in the word of a fellow Brandeis alum, Thomas Friedman, that the world is flat. What goes on in one part of the world effects, and then is usually copied in the rest of the world. So understanding your company and your company's relationship in the international world means that you need to be up-to-date with what's happening both at home and abroad.
It's always important to remember, in the word of a fellow Brandeis alum, Thomas Friedman, that the world is flat. What goes on in one part of the world effects, and then is usually copied in the rest of the world. So understanding your company and your company's relationship in the international world means that you need to be up-to-date with what's happening both at home and abroad.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Driving Your Co-Workers Nuts
We all have co-workers that drive us nuts, but what are the things that really get us going? Well AOL Jobs decided to ask around and compiled a list of 13 things that people are doing at work that drive their co-workers crazy. A few comments on them below:
1. Hovering - I hate this and I know people that do this constantly. Saying hello or joining in a conversation is one thing but when your co-worker turns back to their computer or picks up the phone, it should be a subtle sign to leave
2. Micro-managing - This is not just for managers--all of us are guilty of this at one time or another. Self-awareness goes a long way to fixing this problem but if you feel like you're getting micromanaged, make sure to say something constructive to the person so that it doesn't continue because that resentment will build
3. Showing up late for meetings - In college, our classes started 10 minutes after the scheduled time to allow people to get from class to class. I feel like that attitude continued in the workforce. It became such an epidemic at my old job that no one would actually show up until 5 minutes after the meeting was scheduled because they knew the meeting wouldn't start on time which moved our meetings back even further. Nip this in the bud before your meetings are starting 20 minutes late.
4. People who use scented products - This is a serious one for someone like me with allergies where whole days have been ruined because people need to pump on a little more perfume in the office or on the train. Be considerate of those around you and if you're going to do something that is going to smell or bother other people (eating smelly foods is another issue), take it away from your co-workers to the bathroom (for perfume) or the kitchen (for food).
5. Favoritism - We all hate this because sometimes the results are so obvious. There are always the "Golden Child" in a department and it's fine if someone gets preferential treatment if that treatment is merit-based, but everyone should be on a level playing-field and no one should be given a better status because of personal relationships. At an old job, there was a woman manager who would only promote other women. That was great for those women, but her favoritism made it so that other people saw she was only promoting those people because of their gender.
What are your pet peeves around the office? What do your co-workers do that drive you crazy? Let us know in the comments below!
1. Hovering - I hate this and I know people that do this constantly. Saying hello or joining in a conversation is one thing but when your co-worker turns back to their computer or picks up the phone, it should be a subtle sign to leave
2. Micro-managing - This is not just for managers--all of us are guilty of this at one time or another. Self-awareness goes a long way to fixing this problem but if you feel like you're getting micromanaged, make sure to say something constructive to the person so that it doesn't continue because that resentment will build
3. Showing up late for meetings - In college, our classes started 10 minutes after the scheduled time to allow people to get from class to class. I feel like that attitude continued in the workforce. It became such an epidemic at my old job that no one would actually show up until 5 minutes after the meeting was scheduled because they knew the meeting wouldn't start on time which moved our meetings back even further. Nip this in the bud before your meetings are starting 20 minutes late.
4. People who use scented products - This is a serious one for someone like me with allergies where whole days have been ruined because people need to pump on a little more perfume in the office or on the train. Be considerate of those around you and if you're going to do something that is going to smell or bother other people (eating smelly foods is another issue), take it away from your co-workers to the bathroom (for perfume) or the kitchen (for food).
5. Favoritism - We all hate this because sometimes the results are so obvious. There are always the "Golden Child" in a department and it's fine if someone gets preferential treatment if that treatment is merit-based, but everyone should be on a level playing-field and no one should be given a better status because of personal relationships. At an old job, there was a woman manager who would only promote other women. That was great for those women, but her favoritism made it so that other people saw she was only promoting those people because of their gender.
What are your pet peeves around the office? What do your co-workers do that drive you crazy? Let us know in the comments below!
Friday, October 21, 2011
The Blame Game
Full disclosure: I am a big Yankees fan who very much enjoyed seeing the Red Sox totally choke at the end of the season. Since then, they've undergone may personnel changes and the fingerpointing has started. Last week an article came out in the Boston Globe saying the manager was distracted with a divorce and pills and people were more interesting in eating chicken, drinking beer and playing video games than what was going on on the field. If their late-season collapse wasn't enough, this certainly has put many people over the edge.
The issue, though, is that this would have never been a problem had the Red Sox kept on winning. When things are going right, people are very adept at sweeping issues under the rug. When things go wrong, the fingers come out and people get scape-goated--especially those who aren't in the organization any longer. This is not just on a baseball team; this occurs in many companies today.
When things were going well in the mid 2000s, no one wanted to say anything about excess and greed and corruption and shadiness. But when the market started tanking in 2008 and people lost their jobs, fingers started to be pointed. Now companies tout the fact that they cleared out the bad apples and they are trustworthy again.
The key is to make sure during good times that these problems aren't out there so you're not left pointing fingers when things go wrong. Every company has a hiccup now and again, but how you handle it before, during and after a hiccup can go a long way to determining what type of company you are. And right now, the Red Sox don't look like a great organization.
The issue, though, is that this would have never been a problem had the Red Sox kept on winning. When things are going right, people are very adept at sweeping issues under the rug. When things go wrong, the fingers come out and people get scape-goated--especially those who aren't in the organization any longer. This is not just on a baseball team; this occurs in many companies today.
When things were going well in the mid 2000s, no one wanted to say anything about excess and greed and corruption and shadiness. But when the market started tanking in 2008 and people lost their jobs, fingers started to be pointed. Now companies tout the fact that they cleared out the bad apples and they are trustworthy again.
The key is to make sure during good times that these problems aren't out there so you're not left pointing fingers when things go wrong. Every company has a hiccup now and again, but how you handle it before, during and after a hiccup can go a long way to determining what type of company you are. And right now, the Red Sox don't look like a great organization.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Best of the Best Perks
My first job out of college had a stocked fridge of sodas and snacks. I thought this was the greatest perk in the world. I would chomp down on some chips and sip my soda and think that I had it pretty good. And then my friend started working at Google and told me about the massages he gets...and the free food...and all the other great perks and I realized that my free soda and chips, while awesome in their own right, were nowhere near what some other people were getting.
Mashable wrote on Monday about the best of the best perks from some of the top Social Media companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Check it out as it's amazing some of the perks that these companies offer. But I certainly agree with what the article says: "From yoga to catered lunches, 401(k)s to dry cleaning, sports teams to vacation days, these tech companies seem to understand that quality of life affects productivity — and that having to run fewer errands after work means you’re more likely to stay at the office."
And that's important to remember as you design perks for your company--or choose the company that you want to work at in the future: sometimes it's not about the monetary value of the perk, but rather quality of life, peace of mind, and time savings that go farther in making sure that employees stay happy, healthy, productive, and engaged.
Mashable wrote on Monday about the best of the best perks from some of the top Social Media companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Check it out as it's amazing some of the perks that these companies offer. But I certainly agree with what the article says: "From yoga to catered lunches, 401(k)s to dry cleaning, sports teams to vacation days, these tech companies seem to understand that quality of life affects productivity — and that having to run fewer errands after work means you’re more likely to stay at the office."
And that's important to remember as you design perks for your company--or choose the company that you want to work at in the future: sometimes it's not about the monetary value of the perk, but rather quality of life, peace of mind, and time savings that go farther in making sure that employees stay happy, healthy, productive, and engaged.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Astronology - Social Media in the Workforce...Enhancement or Interruption?
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Monday, October 17, 2011
The Time Off Conundrum
In January I started a new job. There are a lot of challenges with starting a new job including getting acclimated with the new company, the people you work with and making sure you have a handle on the position. One of the other challenges is to figure out when it is okay to start taking your vacation time. Many companies have vesting periods for that time, but once it vests, is it all right to just start taking it? Or is there really a "waiting period" until it's okay to start taking time off?
I'm taking my first vacation in a few days. I have been at the job for 9 months now so I figured that the initial "probation" period has started to lift and that I can freely take off without being seen as a "slacker". I am still a little nervous to go away without access to phone or e-mail on my BlackBerry or my computer. I'm always nervous that something will come in and a question will need to be answered that only I can provide the correct answer to. But in the end, I've come to the realization that I need to be able to take off this time and to unwind from the job with faith in my co-workers that they'll find a satisfactory way to answer those questions until I return.
But my "time off conundrum" isn't a new thing for me with a new job. In my last position, I too felt like taking time off was at times "taboo". In high school I had one teacher who never took one day off for any reason--he was the "Ironman". When I got into the working world, I saw people eating lunch at their desks and then the recession hit with may co-workers losing their jobs. In that climate, how could I possibly take a day off to enjoy myself knowing that not being there could end up costing me in the end?
Then I realized that the time off companies give you are for a reason. Sure, you don't have to take all of it. But those of us who work hard everyday deserve some time to ourselves away from the office. We deserve to turn off that Blackberry for a day or two and just relax. We deserve to unplug, recharge, and relax. In the end, we become healthier, happier, and more productive employees. And, realizing that, I've come to the realization that my time off later this week is not just for my own good, but it's for the good of the company as a whole. So while I still have some trepidation, I know that it's okay for me to take this time off and relax.
I'm taking my first vacation in a few days. I have been at the job for 9 months now so I figured that the initial "probation" period has started to lift and that I can freely take off without being seen as a "slacker". I am still a little nervous to go away without access to phone or e-mail on my BlackBerry or my computer. I'm always nervous that something will come in and a question will need to be answered that only I can provide the correct answer to. But in the end, I've come to the realization that I need to be able to take off this time and to unwind from the job with faith in my co-workers that they'll find a satisfactory way to answer those questions until I return.
But my "time off conundrum" isn't a new thing for me with a new job. In my last position, I too felt like taking time off was at times "taboo". In high school I had one teacher who never took one day off for any reason--he was the "Ironman". When I got into the working world, I saw people eating lunch at their desks and then the recession hit with may co-workers losing their jobs. In that climate, how could I possibly take a day off to enjoy myself knowing that not being there could end up costing me in the end?
Then I realized that the time off companies give you are for a reason. Sure, you don't have to take all of it. But those of us who work hard everyday deserve some time to ourselves away from the office. We deserve to turn off that Blackberry for a day or two and just relax. We deserve to unplug, recharge, and relax. In the end, we become healthier, happier, and more productive employees. And, realizing that, I've come to the realization that my time off later this week is not just for my own good, but it's for the good of the company as a whole. So while I still have some trepidation, I know that it's okay for me to take this time off and relax.
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Astronology - Salary Budget Projections for 2012
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The End of "The Wall Street Underdog" and a Happy New Year
There are great stories in the business world of people who overcame adversity and worked their way into great positions of power. Bill Gates and his college record, the Google founders starting in a garage, and many other stories fill people's hopes and dreams as they yearn to do great things in the business world. Nowhere was this more true than in the financial world where, despite the appearance of needing a certain pedigree, people have always emerged from various socioeconomic levels and circumstances to become titans of the industry.
That seems like it will soon be changing according to Business Insider (H/T Wendy). A string of incidents in which hard-working back-office employees were promoted to traders, and alter committed fraud have had some financial institutions second-guessing decisions to promote just anyone to positions of power. But Business Insider cautions what I would caution all financial institutions:
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I wanted to take this opportunity to wish a very Happy New Year (a Shana Tova) to all our Jewish readers who will be celebrating this weekend. To our readers of all religions, we hope you have a very prosperous and happy new year.
That seems like it will soon be changing according to Business Insider (H/T Wendy). A string of incidents in which hard-working back-office employees were promoted to traders, and alter committed fraud have had some financial institutions second-guessing decisions to promote just anyone to positions of power. But Business Insider cautions what I would caution all financial institutions:
This is not to say that all back-office employees have intentions to defraud their employers. However, employers need to do whatever it takes to reduce this risk. Many include criminal background checks. Some employers even require credit checks, as poor credit is sometimes associated with those likely to commit white collar crime.This certainly will stop certain people in the population from getting positions of power at certain organizations and it may seem intrusive to some, but the truth of the matter is that in lieu of just rejecting anyone who doesn't come from Harvard or Yale, these types of measures will allow banks to feel more secure with handing over the keys to those they may have worried about otherwise.
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I wanted to take this opportunity to wish a very Happy New Year (a Shana Tova) to all our Jewish readers who will be celebrating this weekend. To our readers of all religions, we hope you have a very prosperous and happy new year.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Astronology - The ROI of Employee Engagement
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Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Astronology - Preserving the Dignity of our Workforce
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Missing Work Because of Hurricane Irene
New York City is shutdown. Subways, buses, commuter trains, and many bridges and tunnels are all not open for business. Because of this, many businesses are the same, closing their doors yesterday and today in anticipation of the storm so they can get their employees back to their families. But some businesses will stay open today and tomorrow and according to Employment Matters, their employees are therefore responsible to come in:
If you decide to stay open for business, whether on Sunday when New York and Massachusetts expect Hurricane Irene (or some other significant tropical storm) to hit, and/or on Monday, when most will be surveying the damage, you may lawfully deduct a full-day’s absence from the salary of any exempt employee for each day he or she chooses not to show up to work, even if the conditions make it physically impossible to come in. However, if the employee works for some of the day, then you cannot make any deduction to his or her salary for that day. At the same time, if you have the appropriate leave policy in place, you can require your employees to utilize their paid vacation or other leave to account for the absence from work.But if you decide to close?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Astronology - New Approaches for Annual Pay Raises
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