[POLL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS] If Youre Looking For A Job, Did You

[POLL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS] If You're Looking For A Job, Did You… 0 I find the 2nd place result to be particularly surprising. We'll get to that, but… First: how I screwed up Before I get to the results or the analysis, let me tell you how I screwed up with this poll, or more specifically, with how I told you about it. When I first published the poll on JobMob a few weeks ago, I thought that the voting mechanism wouldn't let you vote from the article itself, and that you would need to click through to the website. With that in mind, I put an image of the poll in the article so that when you clicked through to vote, you would easily recognize it in the sidebar here on JobMob: eval Believe it or not, it never occurred to me that people would see that image and think they could vote by clicking on it, which now seems so obvious that I probably would have done it myself. The only reason I realized my mistake was because people who did click through to the website also tried voting by clicking on the image, and I was able to see that using a tool called CrazyEgg:eval Hopefully, some of the image clickers also realized what was going on and then actually voted in the sidebar. In any case, once I saw this, I immediately removed the poll image and put the actual poll into the announcement article. Lesson learned: from now on, no more images of polls! The poll results and what they mean Here are the official results of the poll: If you're looking for a job, did you... Get laid-off from your last job? (40%, 36 Votes) Quit your last job? (26%, 23 Votes) You're looking for your first job (21%, 19 Votes) Have a contract that just ended? (12%, 11 Votes) Started: December 20, 2009 @ 10:11 pmTotal Voters: 89 40% Get laid-off from your last job? This answer was expected because of the 2009 recessions in the countries that most JobMob visitors come from, like the USA, Israel and the UK. One thing worth pointing out is that I specifically didn't distinguish between ‘got laid-off' and ‘got fired'. For a poll to work well, the answer choices need to be clear so that your vote comes to you right away. Although ‘laid off' and ‘fired' don't mean exactly the same thing, and since the difference might not exist in all countries and cultures, I decided to just keep things simple. 26% Quit your last job? Like I said at the top, I find this result the most surprising. During a recession, you would normally sit tight in your job because there are so few other ones available, unless of course, you have a good reason to believe differently in your case. If you voted this way, can you tell us why you quit now of all times? 21% You're looking for your first job There was a good comment by Esther on the poll announcement about how the poll didn't take into account stay-at-home moms who were now making their way back into the workforce, but I can imagine that this was the option they would have chosen, alongside graduates, newly-released soldiers, etc. 13% Have a contract that just ended? A follow-up question: if you voted this, and you're a freelancer, are you now looking for a salary job or more freelance work? If you liked this article, you'll enjoy What Is Your Biggest Job Search Problem? [POLL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS].

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How You Can Help Your Career Even When Youre Not at Work

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How You Can Help Your Career Even When You're Not at Work After putting in your hours at work with the colleague who eats pork rinds all day long and the boss who constantly hums off-key show tunes, the last thing you may want to do is spend your after-work hours with such people. So when youre given advice to sign up for the companys community 5k run or Saturday morning at the local food bank, you may respond with something that cannot be printed here. Relax. Attending such events is a not an international human rights violation, but rather a way to enhance your career. How? If youre seen as someone who is supportive of company efforts after hours, it can not only boost your standing with your boss, but with the bosss boss. In todays hyper-connected and politically correct world, there are some companies that wont do business with those that are not demonstrating corporate responsibility. So when the head honchos see you putting in efforts toenhancethe companys community standing, thats a big plus for you. Also, your visible support of the employer makes the boss much more willing to invest her energies and resources in you. In other words, she sees you going above and beyond the call of duty by showing up at the event, so she is willing todo the samefor your career. In addition, its not every day that you are given a chance to rub elbows with company leaders, and such community events are likely to put bosses in a more benevolent frame of mind. What better time to chat with the CEO and cast yourself in a positive light? Community events also offer you a chance to get to know co-workers better. You might just learn that the pork-rind fiend is really (read more here)

The Funniest Linkedin Profile Ive Ever Read - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Funniest Linkedin Profile Ive Ever Read - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Im always amazed at some of the stuff that people post on the web. If you are in the mood for a good laugh read this guys Linkedin profile. It is far and away the funniest profile Ive ever read on any social network. Period. While this is incredibly funny, its more an example of what not to do. I dont care if this is the wealthiest guy in the world which he is not, you are always shaping your personal brand, and everything you put online is there forever once it is indexed by a search engine. Be wise, be smart So be wise, be smart, and create your personal brand, but for now read on for a great laugh. Some amazing excerpts: My goal is world domination of the military industrial complex, through control of documents. Specialties: Exceptionally good with sarcastic, smart ass remarks. Able to sit in my chair for extended periods of time without numbness or fatigue. Invented the 2 hour lunch break, which has been adapted by sales slackers everywhere. Completed the Flavor of Love-Season 2 marathon without any training whatsoever. Attempted to train dealer staff until I realized most were too stupid to accept the training. Once I realized that fact, I would just take them to lunch. Sat on my chair and bitched at sales reps. Sometimes I make a sales call. Went to lunch a lot. Talked on the phone and hung out. Took credit for others accomplishments. To read the rest of the most amazing Linkedin profile ever created click here. Have a great weekend everyone! Author: Chad Levitt is an Inbound Marketing Specialist with HubSpot and author of the New Sales Economy blog that focuses on how sales 2.0, social media, and how inbound marketing can be used as a sales strategy for the Web 2.0 world. You can connect with Chad on Twitter @chadalevitt.

5 Tips for Savvy Survival of Office Politics - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

5 Tips for Savvy Survival of Office Politics - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Over the years, several of my friends or former co-workers have found themselves in a similar situation â€" they love their jobs but can’t stomach the office politics. It had gotten so bad for some that they left their jobs, which is tough to do in a poor economy, only to find out that the grass isn’t always greener. For many years I sympathized, but didn’t fully get it. You see, I LOVED office politics. I was one of the “chosen ones” and rode that train successfully for a decade. It wasn’t until I was shocked back to reality, taking on a new position in a new office, that I experienced what many of my friends had years before….the dark side. Now years later armed with the reality that office politics are a way of life, I know how to make the most of the situation. Here are my 5 favorites: 1. Know the stakeholders 2. Don’t fuel the rumor mill 3. Awareness The walls have eyes ears 4. Switzerland is not the answer 5. Fuel a positive reputation Know the Stakeholders Take note of the decision makers and the influencers high and low in the organization. Don’t just assume it’s at the senior executive level; sometimes the most significant person in your office to impress can be an executive assistant or someone within a smaller department. The second you enter a new company, take a few weeks to sit back and observe. Not only will it help you to avoid trouble as the “new guy,” but it also gives you the chance to discover who make things happen, who share your values, and who might not be trustworthy. Dont Fuel the Rumor Mill It doesn’t matter how high up you are in your company, if you are known for being a good listener, people will often come visit you at your desk, or in your office, to bend your ear. Especially during times of drama it is best to discourage these sorts of actions, even if you aren’t talking about the latest gossip. Perception is reality, and people will perceive that you are. Have the conversations over the phone or meet for coffee off site before heading into work. The same goes for making sure you aren’t the “information source” for a top boss. It can be flattering when someone high up asks you for information or insight into the department, especially when you have insightful nuggets to provide. Steer clear of sharing gossip or placing blame, and instead share the good while offering up problem solving tactics. The Walls have Eyes and EarsEven after Hours Be mindful of where you air your dirty laundry or excitement over a new company development that should have been kept internal. In the age of social media, the line between personal and professional is definitely greying. A study by Millennial Branding done earlier this year, states that Gen-Ys have an average of 16 co-workers as “friends”. If this is your situation, it’s time to start treating your Facebook page with a filter. Switzerland is not the Answer By remaining neutral, you may find yourself oblivious in key situations. Command a savvy strategy toward the political landscape to take advantage of the good side of office politics. Be aware of the right opportunities to self promote yourself. Fuel a Positive Reputation This is even more important during tough times. Make it hard for anyone to say negative things about you, and show that you are conscious of situations/mood shifts as they happen. Whether this is staying late, helping a teammate practice his or her presentation, or giving guidance to someone outside your immediate responsibility. Take note of what the higher ups put value on and do those things. Make your actions count. Most importantly, realize that at the end of the day, this is your job. And part of your job is to navigate the office waters, putting you in the best position for success. There will always be competition and the person that is your friend may not be tomorrow, but by using these tips you should always come out on top. Please share your favorites or if you have successfully used any of the above! Author: Katie Marston  is President and Executive Director of DYME Branding , a personal brand development company focusing on professional athletes, celebrities, and executives. Follow her on Twitter at  @ktmarston

Writing by Yourself to Create Resume - How Can it Help?

Writing by Yourself to Create Resume - How Can it Help?If you need to find a way to get the job you want without having to make up a bunch of fluff, writing by yourself to create resume is the best solution. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to create a great resume, and if you can find a good one then it will get you the job you want.Do not get me wrong, there are some sites on the Internet that will tell you true stories of people who have filled out a resume, handed it in, and were not accepted for the job. That is something you do not want to happen. If your resume looks like crap, you may end up getting hired, but it's your resume that got you hired.Read the requirements of each job you apply for. Make sure they all have the skills you need to get the job. You don't want to spend the next two months flailing around trying to find the job of your dreams, do you?The first thing you should do when you are ready to write your own resume is to ask yourself why you want the job. You should never be selfish and try to do whatever you can to get the job. If you know why you want the job, you will have a better chance of getting it.Show the employer that you are prepared to do the job and present yourself in the best possible light. Your resume can help your chances of getting the job, so make sure that you put your best foot forward.A good resume does not have to be long. It is better to have an average length resume than a long one that takes up too much space. Writing by yourself to create resume will get you the job.Write down your objective as you are creating your resume. Use bullet points and fill them in with the necessary information. The more accurate and well-written your resume is, the higher your chances will be of getting the job.What is the best way to get the job you want? Get a copy of my free resume writing service, and get a killer job!

Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Heres an excellent interview with Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning, safe-cracking, bongo-playing physicist. The introduction alone is great: Feynman explains how a scientific world view doesnt detract from, but adds to, the beauty of a flower. I hate Cilantro (fresh coriander) too. Finally a worthwhile, global cause I can get behind. The guy who always wears a name tag and the guy whos trading a red paperclip for a house are both still at it. Thats life art life-art. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Steve Farber on The Greatness Paradox. There is no law of physics, no universal rulethat I know of, anywaythat says your succeeding requires my failing, your fulfillment requires my emptiness, your happiness, my grief. Steve is looking for stories on how you make others great. Go give him one. Fred Gratzon on Weeds and Life?s Purpose. The problem is that most folks, besides not believing they are special (a tragic oversight, by the way), are so dulled out or fatigued that their innate intelligence, creativity, and passion are encrusted with inertia and thereby rendered sluggish. How not to apply for a job in banking. Funniest thing on the net this week. You cant make this stuff up, but Aleksey Vayner has. You MUST watch the video! Our employees tatoos. The missing link corporate website has a page showing its employees tattoos? Btw: It would be kinda funny if this company has one guy whos just different and refuses to fit in because he doesnt have a single tattoo or piercing anywhere on his body :o) And have an amazingly great weekend! Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Russian employers are using stressovoye, stressful interviews, to find the best candidates: Throwing a glass of water in someones face is said to be especially revealing: the interviewee is considered to have strength of character and leadership qualities if they react aggressively. I think this mostly reveals something about the company and the interviewer Fred Gratzon explains how he lights his iner fire and sets goals: I come up with my goals in a most lazy and relaxed manner. In fact, relaxation is THE essential ingredient for this process to be successful. No sweat, no effort, no strain, no pain, no pressure, no aggravation, no commute, no bosses, no deadlines, no distractions, no work; just relaxing with a quiet desire to have a new goal. Then I play with my imagination throughout the day, every day. Another post also wants IT people to be lazy: For example, you want an environment where sysadmins kick back and read IT magazines occasionally, because their run-of-the-mill administrative tasks (adding users, managing disk space, etc.) are all scripted and/or automated. Bob Sutton writes about Lovaglias law and choosing CEOs: Rakesh found that when he asked corporate directors if CEOs are worth all that money, they reacted with anger and surprise, as if he had raised a taboo subject. He found that they had ?virtually religious??? convictions on the subject, which led them to dismiss any evidence showing that CEO quality is not a primary and powerful cause of company performance. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Dan Gilbert talks about happiness at the TED conference A great talk about the nature of happiness and why were totally wrong about what makes us happy or unhappy. Also very funny! (via Andrew Ferrier) Give 100% at work I always do :o) (via Gelle) The 37signals guys on happiness Happiness has a cascading effect. Happy programmers do the right thing. They write simple, readable code. They take clean, expressive, readable, elegant approaches. They have fun. (thanks Antoine Musso) Check out Superviva A community for people who want to improve life. Heres Superviva on work. VideoKarma Happy videos from around the net. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Why happiness is overrated. It can only be a matter of time before companies appoint happiness action officers whose job it will be to patrol workstations with a clipboard: Jenkins cheer up or its a remedial, wellbeing residential workshop for you. Smith happy enough! (via). Heh! Microsoft made two training videos with renowned business consultant David Brent (played of course by Ricky Gervais of The Office). Hilarious! Video 1 Video 2. (Via Mathias Vestergaard). This is actually a great and entertaining way to get the message remembered I might even be able to recite the Microsoft values now :o) But the funniest fake corporate videos are still the Reebok commercials featuring Terry Tate. 10 things you could do this friday afternoon. I like number 8-10. Oh, the dangers of being self-employed. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Here are a few great recent links about happiness at work. And a silly one. I almost destroyed a life today. I wasn?t raised to be such an arrogant, uncompassionate son of a bitch but I somehow managed to get there. Confesstions of a (reformed) bad boss. ?When I was in my 30s, and an up-and-coming executive, I took pride in the fact that I would travel to New York on a flight at seven, [fly] back at 11 and be back in the office at seven. The fact that someone had children to take to school, I just thought: Well, get organized, man!??? Motivation = celebration + appreciation. If you can find a way to appreciate yourself for what you?ve already accomplished, and to celebrate your previous successes, you will find you are magically motivated to accomplish more. Bad english from around the world. Including Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation from a Rhodes tailor and Drop your trousers here for best results from a Bangkok dry cleaners. Enjoy, and have a grrrrreat weekend :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday Links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog A couple of good articles about Richard Branson. I dont think of work as work and play as play. Its all living. Thats definitely a top executive to learn from. The bad news: We bring bad moods at work home. The good news: Theyre gone by morning. Im not so sure. I think it depends very much on how bad the mood is. Half of the good people in your company may be leaving. A recent workplace survey of 16,237 workers found that nearly half the people regarded as stellar performers were actively trying to leave their current employers. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday Links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog The Slow Leadership Blog has The Truth about Communication. Have you ever asked yourself why so many communications are ?top down???? The answer is simple: because they are all about control. Thats a critical insight. I agree! Negative people are bad four your brain a classic from Kathy Sierra. The idea seems to be that happy people implies those who are oblivious to the realities of life, in a fantasy of their own creation, and without the ability to think critically. The science, however, suggests just the opposite. Where did we ever get the idea, that negative people are somehow more realistic and smarter than positive people? In my opinion, its just way too easy to be negative and you can always criticize and shoot ideas down. Being positive and supportive demands more from a person. And speaking of negative people, the world sucks, and the Helsinki Complaints Choir will tell you exactly how. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related Friday links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Coolest. Office. Ever. I thought Id found 10 pretty cool offices, but Inventionland is wild and weird and I love it. Video here. (Thanks Kareem Mayan and Michael Rizzo). Aaron Swartz gets his first taste of corporate life after reddit.com was bought by Wired. Gray walls, gray desks, gray noise. The first day I showed up here, I simply couldnt take it. By lunch time I had literally locked myself in a bathroom stall and started crying. I cant imagine staying sane with someone buzzing in my ear all day, let alone getting any actual work done. Best commentary on this: Working at reddit: Wired. Working at Wired: Tired! The executive coloring book. MAN thats funny. And depressing :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Which job sites should I use - Sterling Career Concepts

Which job sites should I use Which job sites should I use? Okay, so if youve followed me for any amount of time, you know one of my themes is to get out from behind that computer and network with people face-to-face. I firmly believe that online job search activity gives many a job seeker a false sense of productivity.  Activity does not always equate to productivity. That said, there is a productive way to incorporate online job postings into your job search. When I work with clients one on one, for instance, part of their homework is to to forward me 2-3 target job postings. Incorporate Job Sites as part of a Job Search Strategy So when you do go online, its good to make sure youre using reputable sites and youre making the most of your time. I still caution job seekers to not rely solely on responding to job postings. Remember:  a savvy job search hits on all cylinders:  networking with who you know, utilizing the services of executive recruiters, proactively approaching your list of target companies, and applying to online job postings. You never know from where your next right opportunity will come. Keep your options open and diversify your activity. That said, reviews.com has a great resource on job sites to read now and/or bookmark for later. They did the hard lifting for you!  They sifted through  and assessed more than 15 job sites. They identify which ones are best overall, which are the most comprehensive, and which ones are best for networking.  Going forward, theyre going to update their reviews of which are the best mobile sites, among some other categories, and individual in-depth reviews of the leading job sites out there. Their findings are consistent with what I recommend to my clients. Its nice to have third party confirmation that these sites are still the right referrals to make. Take a look at their report  to see if theres a job site you should incorporate into your own job search strategy. A related post you may find interesting: A Simple Tip for Reinvigorating a Job Search