TheCareerBeat Blog

Getting tempted to shop from work?

The economic climate is frightful, but the urge to shop is getting so delightful. Right now our jobs have many anxieties because of the economic downturn (at least for many of us). Who can blame you for wanting an escape?

But if keeping your job is a priority right now (as it should be for most people), then consider avoiding the onslaught of online sales while you are working.

Even on Cyber Monday (Dec. 1), which some experts say could be the biggest day for retail sales this year.

Don’t just take my word for it, check out the article “Online Shopping on the Job,” which offers some tips about how to avoid risks if you’re thinking of mixing a little shopping with work.

Remember that your employer may monitor your email and Web-surfing activity, and there may be a stated policy against using work equipment for personal use. Big Brother is alive and well in the workplace!

Corporate culture, corporate ‘lattice’

Here is the latest Yahoo! HotJobs weekly poll regarding the importance of corporate culture:

Q	How important is a new employer’s workplace culture to you when changing jobs?
Very important	75%
Somewhat important	18%
Not important	7%
3109 Votes to date

Also, yesterday’s NYT had a very good article about how climbing the corporate ladder is really a thing of the past for most professionals. Now it’s more like navigating a corporate lattice. Good stuff.

Focus on the basics, not the gloom

On the eve of another unemployment report from the government, we’re seeing lots of gloomy news about the job market and rising layoffs. The situation lends itself well to depression and cocooning on the coach until the mood passes, but we must resist that temptation!

Now is the time to pay attention, as if you were steering a sailboat in choppy seas. Keep your head up so you know what’s going on in your company. Listen and read. Stay on top of the big picture in your industry.

And take steps to protect your professional and economic well-being, as this economic storm is going to hover for a while. Two great places to start: your resume, and your cash reserves.

A recent article on “7 Tips for a Better Resume” offers great, simple advice for making sure you’ve always got an effective passport into a new job, if necessary. My favorite tip: Avoid personal pronouns. There is no “I” in “resume.” It’s the one writing sample where fragment sentences are encouraged!

Losing your job unexpectedly is often a disaster, yet how many of us have disaster-preparedness kits for such a thing? A polished resume is one component, another is an emergency fund. If you are curious on how to protect yourself better, read “6 Ways to Save for an Unexpected Job Loss.”

As someone who’s lived through such a disaster, I know the two articles referenced above can help provide insurance against extended pain.

Poll: Lunch spending goes down

In the most recent Yahoo! HotJobs poll, site visitors report that they are spending less on lunch each workday.

Q	Are you now spending less on your daily lunches at work than you did at the beginning of this year?
Yes	78%
No	22%
5178 Votes to date

Looks like another sign of the times.

How much do plumbers make?

The man known as Joe the Plumber has made news recently after he asked Sen. Barack Obama about his possible tax policy if he becomes president.

In the coverage there was some confusion about how much someone like Joe the Plumber actually makes in a year. I’m certainly curious about it. Fortunately some writers at PayScale.com looked into it.

According to the article “‘Joe the Plumber’ and Middle-Class Paychecks,” plumbers in Ohio (where Joe lives) make an average salary of $47,500 per year. Top-earners in that category make $81K.

The article also discusses the nebulous problem of defining “middle class.” In some parts of the country you can make a six-figure salary and still consider yourself middle class, whereas others would call you rich.

But it does seem fair to say that people who make $250K or more per year are among the top earners in this country. And cutting their taxes is not on Obama’s agenda (nor should it be).

Santa’s back, making serious coin!

Earlier this week the country was shocked to learn that a mall Santa had been laid off (see earlier post, “Sign of the times”). Outcry over the news has reportedly forced Tysons Corner Center, one of the biggest malls in the Washington, D.C. area, to reconsider.

Michael Graham, who had played Santa there for 18 years, reached an agreement with the mall to get his job back, according to the Associated Press. The surprise in the article, however, is that Graham makes $175 per hour as Santa!

That hourly wage is 10 times the going rate, AP reports. Where is the Professional Santa Claus Impersonators Association to comment on this?

Of course, being Santa can be hard work: The outfit is hot, the kids can be bratty and demanding, and their parents even more so. But if you’re good — and all accounts suggest that Michael Graham excels in the job — it could be the best seasonal job around that doesn’t require much training.

Even year-round full-time contractors (with degrees) don’t make close to that kind of hourly wage. Contract recruiters in California make between $80 and $100 per hour, depending on years of experience, according to Bob Hancock, senior recruiter at Electronic Arts.

“I don’t know anyone in my profession who makes $175 an hour, but then again,” adds Hancock, “we do not require candidates to sit on anyone’s lap during an interview!”

If you’re on a quest for a high-paying seasonal job, get busy! For some helpful hints, read this outlook on holiday hiring.

The talented Mr. Graham may still be a bargain for the mall, as they have averted a PR nightmare and a possible boycott that would have scrooged holiday earnings.

Sign of the times: Santa loses job

You know things are bad when a mall Santa loses his job for no good reason.

The Washington Post reports today that Michael Graham, who has played Santa at Tysons Corner Center for 18 years, has not been invited back this year. However, he reportedly has a contract through 2012.

He was so good at his job that Southern Living Magazine wrote: “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus. His name is Mike Graham.”

The news comes amid many reports of impending layoffs because of the economic recession and credit crisis. Many companies are also scaling back or canceling their holiday parties this year.

Depressing as all this news is, don’t go crying in your egg nog — especially if you’re looking for a job. (Or a new career, in the case of a few would-be Santas.) Brush up on tips for keeping your spirits up during a job search. It could help boost your holiday cheer, too.

Poll: Boss isn’t doing so well

Last week included National Boss Day, and Yahoo! HotJobs polled its users about their bosses’ performance. It looks like most people don’t think the boss is doing a very good job.

Q	Do you think your boss does his or her job well?
Yes	32%
No	68%
7216 Votes to date

For more good resources about dealing with a boss and improving your relations with the boss, see last week’s post about being compatible with your boss.

More job-interview lessons from the election

A new article draws some interesting lessons from this election for job-seekers who are preparing for interviews.

The do’s and don’ts are quite helpful, without a hint of partisanship. I’m most intrigued by one that recommends that you keep your answers to two minutes, following a similar rule from the debates. Of course, the candidates aren’t always good at keeping their responses to two minutes. But job-interviewees should.

Interviewers can only take in so much information at a time, and they’ll want you to get to the point quickly. I know I’ve had my eyes glaze over as an interviewer when the candidate just kept talking. Of course, the two-minute rule isn’t completely literal, but it’s a good guideline. If you practice some answers before your interview, you’ll be surprised how easily it is to fill that span of time.

For more on the election’s relevance for job seekers, see my post on “gotcha” interview questions and the article “What the Election Means for Your Career.”

Are you compatible with your boss?

Now is the time of year when we think about bosses. Did you get your boss a card for National Boss Day (Oct. 16)?

The relationship you have with your boss is really important; he or she holds the power to your paycheck. So it’s worth taking some time to assess your compatibility and identify ways you can make the relationship better.

In the article “Are You and Your Boss Compatible?” you will find some good tips for figuring out basics about your boss’s personality and then adjusting your style to work better with him or her.

For example, your boss may be a Dreamer: someone who inspires with enthusiasm but whose head is in the clouds. You may need to bump up your skills in grounding a grand vision to reality, and then setting deliverables and timely goals. Complementing your boss’s strengths in this way is not only a good learning experience for you, but a potentially good move for advancing on the job.

On the other hand, you may want to learn “How to Steal Your Boss’s Job.” In any case, it’s always a good idea to master the “10 Habits that Bosses Love.”