When college graduation season rolled around, I was terrified. What the heck was I supposed to do now? Careers didn’t interest me, but neither did living with my parents. I wanted to travel, but I needed to earn money. All I wanted was for one person to tell me it was OK to assume the fetal position for the rest of my life and I would have done it.
Instead, the career counselor at Indiana University told me about working holiday visas, and in doing so, completely changed my outlook on the future.
Ten spectacular years, 30 jobs and 40 countries later, I’m freelancing and living in Australia — exactly what I want to be doing. Working abroad is surprisingly simple, yet many Americans don’t realize it’s an option.
1. What is a working holiday visa? Isn’t that like a credit card?
A working holiday visa, or WHV, allows you to take temporary work for a fixed period of time (usually up to 12 months) in a foreign country. Currently, Americans are eligible for WHVs in a wide variety of places, including New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Canada and Singapore. Restrictions apply based on age and student status, but most students and recent graduates should fit the criteria.
2. What’s the catch?
You have to be proactive. Working abroad programs such as BUNAC or SWAP can provide you with helpful resources for finding jobs and accommodation, but they can’t guarantee anything. When it comes down to the details, you’re in charge.
3. I majored in biochemical engineering with a minor in Mandarin. Will I be able to find a job in my field?
The WHV isn’t intended to build careers — it’s designed to facilitate travel. Although it is possible to find a job in your field, you’re looking at plenty of advance research and a lot of time. Stay flexible and open to different industries and you will increase your chances of finding work.
4. So what if I don’t find a job?
Have a contingency plan and bring more money than you think you need. Approach your job search just as you would in the U.S., but be a little more flexible. In a foreign country, you might not have the safety net of friends and family to fall back on — that’s where the extra money comes in.
5. How much money should I bring?
The actual amount will vary, of course, but plan to cover transportation, accommodation and food while you look for work. Once you find a place to live, you might have to pay two months’ rent upfront (the first month’s rent plus a security deposit). Don’t forget to factor in exchange rates. When you think you’ve saved up enough, save some more.
6. This sounds expensive. Will I make enough money to cover my expenses?
You certainly can make enough money, provided you make sure to live within your means. It may mean maintaining a student-like budget for another year, but traveling and seeing a new country are the real payoffs.
7. A whole year? What should I pack?
Speaking from personal experience, I’d advise you to leave your rollerblades at home. Swap your suitcase for a more manageable backpack and go easy on the unnecessary items. Think in layers, and be practical. Do you hike at home? Do you really think you’ll hike in your host country? Maybe leave the heavy boots behind, then.
8. What if I get lonely?
I’m not going to lie — being away from home, especially during major events and holidays, can be hard. It’s not for everyone. At times it might feel like you’re the only one out there doing this, but guess what? You’re not. Reach out to people at work, hostels and even online through Twitter, blogs and Facebook.
9. How do I apply?
For more information and eligibility requirements, check the immigration websites for the country you’re interested in. Some WHVs are even issued online.
Indiana native Lauren Fitzpatrick never got a proper job. Instead, she got work visas for Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand and Korea. She has held over 30 jobs, including carny, English teacher and movie extra. Lauren blogs about travel and working abroad at Lateral Movements, and you can follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/study-abroad/9-faqs-about-working-abroad
Showing posts with label Career Advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career Advice. Show all posts
Don’t have a blog, you won’t get a job?
1) Do you think the hypothesis “If you don’t have a blog, you won’t get a job” (in journalism) is correct?
Not literally, but in spirit yes. There will always be people without a blog who get a job through contacts, analogue experience, etc. but broadly speaking I think it’s very hard to convince an employer that you’re passionate about journalism if you’re not already doing it. The analogy I always draw is with the music industry: you won’t get a record contract if you’re not performing and recording already.
Perhaps a better way of saying it is “If you’re not doing it already for yourself, no one’s going to employ you to do it for them.”
2) What is your opinion about blogging in general?
It’s a form of publishing. Asking that is like asking “What’s your opinion about writing in general?” I don’t really have one. 3) Do you think it is a good way to get noticed amongst possible future employers?
Yes.
4) Do you think employers use blogs to look for new people to hire, or take it into consideration in an interview?
I know they do. I know of various examples of publishers – particularly magazines – hiring people because they already have a successful blog or YouTube channel. I also know of many employers who look for it in applicants.
5) Do you think it is easier to get a job if you have a blog?
Yes. For all the reasons given above: you are a) demonstrating enthusiasm for your job; b) demonstrating an awareness of current practice; c) building assets which are attractive to an employer, e.g. an audience, a reputation, a good contacts book, experience.
A person who doesn’t have a blog is basically saying either that they are ignorant of developments in the industry, or that they aren’t that excited about doing journalism, or both.
Of course if they’re already spending all their time writing for publications or broadcasts then great, and they can say that, but I would guess those people are the minority, and are still missing an important skillset. 6) Do you think blogging is the new portfolio or job application?
No, I think that’s a soundbite!
7) Do you think it is fair that bloggers (those without a degree within media in particular) get a job through blogging?
Yes. Your question suggests that a degree represents either an entitlement to a job, or that its absence should be a barrier to entry.
Journalism has become a largely graduate profession over the last few decades, and although there are positive aspects to that (for example, they should be more critically analytical and better researchers – at least on paper), there are also negative aspects (it narrows access, so you get a less diverse and more homogenous profession which doesn’t represent or understand its readers).
What is ‘fair’ is that the best journalists get journalism jobs. If someone has demonstrated that through their blog, then that’s fair. 8) In regards to the growth of citizen journalism, what do you think is going to happen with professional journalism?
It’s quite a broad question, but – broadly – I think that the increased competition should be making professional journalists work harder to justify their jobs. In fact, I have heard journalists say repeatedly that they feel that they have to produce better journalism because their weaknesses are more easily found out and highlighted.
I think we’re seeing a move away from commodity content (news that everyone reports) and even ‘the story’ as the only way of reporting, towards more analysis, more interactivity (apps, services, etc), a need to understand data, to protect sources technically, and talk across multiple platforms.
Journalists are also being expected to better engage with communities and collaborate with them. But this will take decades, I think.
9) Do you consider citizen journalism a gift or threat to professional journalists?
A gift. It’s only a ‘threat’ if you can’t compete.
10) Do you think professional journalism has adapted more to citizen journalists, if they rely on citizen journalist sources or use their contributions?
Yes, professional journalism uses more contributions from users. That’s pretty obvious from the research. 11) BBC and CNN have been in the spotlight recently for using citizen journalists as sources without checking their facts. Does more “wrong information” appear in professional journalism?
The funny thing about ‘citizen journalism’ (a redundant phrase, really – you just mean ‘users’) is that it’s often users that point out flawed information. So it’s hard to say whether more wrong information appears in the media now because not only do we have more sources, but we also have a vastly increased ability to highlight errors. That, of course, is a good thing.
But there is also an increased time pressure on journalists to publish quickly, and that leads to errors, rather than citizen journalism per se.
Ultimately, blaming citizen journalism for more errors in the news is passing the buck. If a journalist makes a mistake, it’s their mistake – it’s not someone else’s fault.
But I think we’re in transition. Journalists are used to being processors of information, without always particularly challenging it (you can go through hundreds of examples of official sources going unchallenged over the past few decades – one highlighted recently being The Sun’s Hillsborough front page).
They are, slowly, learning to be more critical handlers of information, developing new verification techniques and tools, while the emphasis on speed is being gently challenged by some in favour of a role which is more about authentication.
12) How do you believe a professional and amateur relationship could be successfully used?
See above. Journalists are generally ‘jacks of all trades’ but users have specialist knowledge. The key is to marry those well – the journalist needs to know enough to not be manipulated, but not be too proud to learn from their users.
We also have to be prepared to damage relationships with some users if it’s in the wider interest – and that’s a big ethical challenge. But then relationships with sources have always been an ethical issue.
13) Do you see any negative sides with collaborative journalism?
Mainly the same issues with relationships with sources. But any journalism has risks – the key is that the journalist has prepared for those, or at least is prepared to learn, rather than writing something off because they don’t understand it.
Read more here
Not literally, but in spirit yes. There will always be people without a blog who get a job through contacts, analogue experience, etc. but broadly speaking I think it’s very hard to convince an employer that you’re passionate about journalism if you’re not already doing it. The analogy I always draw is with the music industry: you won’t get a record contract if you’re not performing and recording already.
Perhaps a better way of saying it is “If you’re not doing it already for yourself, no one’s going to employ you to do it for them.”
2) What is your opinion about blogging in general?
It’s a form of publishing. Asking that is like asking “What’s your opinion about writing in general?” I don’t really have one. 3) Do you think it is a good way to get noticed amongst possible future employers?
Yes.
4) Do you think employers use blogs to look for new people to hire, or take it into consideration in an interview?
I know they do. I know of various examples of publishers – particularly magazines – hiring people because they already have a successful blog or YouTube channel. I also know of many employers who look for it in applicants.
5) Do you think it is easier to get a job if you have a blog?
Yes. For all the reasons given above: you are a) demonstrating enthusiasm for your job; b) demonstrating an awareness of current practice; c) building assets which are attractive to an employer, e.g. an audience, a reputation, a good contacts book, experience.
A person who doesn’t have a blog is basically saying either that they are ignorant of developments in the industry, or that they aren’t that excited about doing journalism, or both.
Of course if they’re already spending all their time writing for publications or broadcasts then great, and they can say that, but I would guess those people are the minority, and are still missing an important skillset. 6) Do you think blogging is the new portfolio or job application?
No, I think that’s a soundbite!
7) Do you think it is fair that bloggers (those without a degree within media in particular) get a job through blogging?
Yes. Your question suggests that a degree represents either an entitlement to a job, or that its absence should be a barrier to entry.
Journalism has become a largely graduate profession over the last few decades, and although there are positive aspects to that (for example, they should be more critically analytical and better researchers – at least on paper), there are also negative aspects (it narrows access, so you get a less diverse and more homogenous profession which doesn’t represent or understand its readers).
What is ‘fair’ is that the best journalists get journalism jobs. If someone has demonstrated that through their blog, then that’s fair. 8) In regards to the growth of citizen journalism, what do you think is going to happen with professional journalism?
It’s quite a broad question, but – broadly – I think that the increased competition should be making professional journalists work harder to justify their jobs. In fact, I have heard journalists say repeatedly that they feel that they have to produce better journalism because their weaknesses are more easily found out and highlighted.
I think we’re seeing a move away from commodity content (news that everyone reports) and even ‘the story’ as the only way of reporting, towards more analysis, more interactivity (apps, services, etc), a need to understand data, to protect sources technically, and talk across multiple platforms.
Journalists are also being expected to better engage with communities and collaborate with them. But this will take decades, I think.
9) Do you consider citizen journalism a gift or threat to professional journalists?
A gift. It’s only a ‘threat’ if you can’t compete.
10) Do you think professional journalism has adapted more to citizen journalists, if they rely on citizen journalist sources or use their contributions?
Yes, professional journalism uses more contributions from users. That’s pretty obvious from the research. 11) BBC and CNN have been in the spotlight recently for using citizen journalists as sources without checking their facts. Does more “wrong information” appear in professional journalism?
The funny thing about ‘citizen journalism’ (a redundant phrase, really – you just mean ‘users’) is that it’s often users that point out flawed information. So it’s hard to say whether more wrong information appears in the media now because not only do we have more sources, but we also have a vastly increased ability to highlight errors. That, of course, is a good thing.
But there is also an increased time pressure on journalists to publish quickly, and that leads to errors, rather than citizen journalism per se.
Ultimately, blaming citizen journalism for more errors in the news is passing the buck. If a journalist makes a mistake, it’s their mistake – it’s not someone else’s fault.
But I think we’re in transition. Journalists are used to being processors of information, without always particularly challenging it (you can go through hundreds of examples of official sources going unchallenged over the past few decades – one highlighted recently being The Sun’s Hillsborough front page).
They are, slowly, learning to be more critical handlers of information, developing new verification techniques and tools, while the emphasis on speed is being gently challenged by some in favour of a role which is more about authentication.
12) How do you believe a professional and amateur relationship could be successfully used?
See above. Journalists are generally ‘jacks of all trades’ but users have specialist knowledge. The key is to marry those well – the journalist needs to know enough to not be manipulated, but not be too proud to learn from their users.
We also have to be prepared to damage relationships with some users if it’s in the wider interest – and that’s a big ethical challenge. But then relationships with sources have always been an ethical issue.
13) Do you see any negative sides with collaborative journalism?
Mainly the same issues with relationships with sources. But any journalism has risks – the key is that the journalist has prepared for those, or at least is prepared to learn, rather than writing something off because they don’t understand it.
Read more here
personal beliefs + career
College is a time to develop personal beliefs in addition to preparing for a career.
Imagine the scene: It’s two in the morning, and you are at the bottom floor of Clemons Library with 50 of your closest friends, all of whom are as bleary-eyed and groggy as you are. There’s a mess of papers in front of you and a halfway-finished paper on your laptop screen. Sleep tempts you like a cruel mistress. Maybe some words from Faust come into mind: “What matters our creative endless toil?”
Once my friends and I were waxing philosophically on why we are going to college, and one of them — the philosophy major, of all people — gave quite an undeniably practical reason: “I’m going to college and doing stuff I don’t want to do, like writing papers, so after I graduate I can get a good job.” You can stuff the unemployed philosophy major jokes somewhere else, as the guy is also pre-law. Perhaps it’s crassly worded, but I think it is evident that everyone holds this sentiment, especially when it’s two in the morning and you’re still hacking away at Clemons. At a certain point we shed the vague purpose of attending college “to get an education” and understand that attending college is a contract for material reward.
If you think I am about to bash this notion and perform a dramatic monologue on the merits of learning as an end in itself, I’m not. In fact, I think that it is quite foolish to ignore your career prospects after graduation. At the same time, however, I am worried that we focus on the idea of education being a means to the exclusion of the idea that it is also an end, and that singular focus colors our actions during our time here at the University. The obvious consequence of treating college as glorified job training is that you treat college like a job. You will not be interested or have any passion for the courses you take; whatever is in lecture or discussion stays in lecture or discussion, and once you leave the classroom you cannot care less what the professor has talked about, except for when you have to take a midterm or do a problem set. Rinse and repeat this process for four years, and at the end you get a fancy piece of paper to prove you survived its tribulations. This is not learning. It might look like it prima facie, but in this case you have only remembered facts and figures. Learning takes personal engagement in the material. It is a transformative process; if you have not changed your opinions and beliefs from the time you entered here as a first year to the time you graduate — or at least have gained the capacity to do so — then you are not learning.
This of course is a privileged idea — your parents certainly do not pay thousands of dollars so that you can “find yourself” or to learn for the sake of learning. For them, it’s simply a matter of an investment for material success in your future. If you are a good child, then you will honor that sacrifice and take advantage of the opportunity of being here; but at the same time, you can do much more than that. Not only do you have an opportunity to partake in glorified job training, but you have access to the great fruits of civilization: math, science, philosophy, literature, basically all modes of human thought. I don’t know about you, but to me that is a profound idea. It makes me want to attend lecture and pay careful attention, even if lecture is 9 o’clock on a Monday morning. Note that this notion of genuine learning does not detract from the notion that college is glorified job training — all it takes is a bit more effort and personal engagement from you.
So to answer the Faustian question: “What matters our creative endless toil?” The qualified answer would be this: that doing well in college brings material reward, but at the same time having interest in whatever you are learning will change you into a person with an expanded capacity for thinking. Remind yourself this anytime you get existential during study sessions in Clemons, and all will be well.
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2012/11/the-philosophers-stone
Imagine the scene: It’s two in the morning, and you are at the bottom floor of Clemons Library with 50 of your closest friends, all of whom are as bleary-eyed and groggy as you are. There’s a mess of papers in front of you and a halfway-finished paper on your laptop screen. Sleep tempts you like a cruel mistress. Maybe some words from Faust come into mind: “What matters our creative endless toil?”
Once my friends and I were waxing philosophically on why we are going to college, and one of them — the philosophy major, of all people — gave quite an undeniably practical reason: “I’m going to college and doing stuff I don’t want to do, like writing papers, so after I graduate I can get a good job.” You can stuff the unemployed philosophy major jokes somewhere else, as the guy is also pre-law. Perhaps it’s crassly worded, but I think it is evident that everyone holds this sentiment, especially when it’s two in the morning and you’re still hacking away at Clemons. At a certain point we shed the vague purpose of attending college “to get an education” and understand that attending college is a contract for material reward.
If you think I am about to bash this notion and perform a dramatic monologue on the merits of learning as an end in itself, I’m not. In fact, I think that it is quite foolish to ignore your career prospects after graduation. At the same time, however, I am worried that we focus on the idea of education being a means to the exclusion of the idea that it is also an end, and that singular focus colors our actions during our time here at the University. The obvious consequence of treating college as glorified job training is that you treat college like a job. You will not be interested or have any passion for the courses you take; whatever is in lecture or discussion stays in lecture or discussion, and once you leave the classroom you cannot care less what the professor has talked about, except for when you have to take a midterm or do a problem set. Rinse and repeat this process for four years, and at the end you get a fancy piece of paper to prove you survived its tribulations. This is not learning. It might look like it prima facie, but in this case you have only remembered facts and figures. Learning takes personal engagement in the material. It is a transformative process; if you have not changed your opinions and beliefs from the time you entered here as a first year to the time you graduate — or at least have gained the capacity to do so — then you are not learning.
This of course is a privileged idea — your parents certainly do not pay thousands of dollars so that you can “find yourself” or to learn for the sake of learning. For them, it’s simply a matter of an investment for material success in your future. If you are a good child, then you will honor that sacrifice and take advantage of the opportunity of being here; but at the same time, you can do much more than that. Not only do you have an opportunity to partake in glorified job training, but you have access to the great fruits of civilization: math, science, philosophy, literature, basically all modes of human thought. I don’t know about you, but to me that is a profound idea. It makes me want to attend lecture and pay careful attention, even if lecture is 9 o’clock on a Monday morning. Note that this notion of genuine learning does not detract from the notion that college is glorified job training — all it takes is a bit more effort and personal engagement from you.
So to answer the Faustian question: “What matters our creative endless toil?” The qualified answer would be this: that doing well in college brings material reward, but at the same time having interest in whatever you are learning will change you into a person with an expanded capacity for thinking. Remind yourself this anytime you get existential during study sessions in Clemons, and all will be well.
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2012/11/the-philosophers-stone
Must-Have Job Skills
Even as employers remain cautious next year about every dollar spent on employees, they'll also want workers to show greater skills and results. For employees who want to get ahead, basic competency won't be enough.
To win a promotion or land a job next year, experts say there are four must-have job skills:
1. Clear communications
Whatever their level, communication is key for workers to advance.
"This is really the ability to clearly articulate your point of view and the ability to create a connection through communication," says Holly Paul, U.S. recruiting leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting and consulting firm based in New York.
For job seekers in particular, clear communication can provide a snapshot of their work style to employers. "I can walk away from a five-minute conversation and feel their enthusiasm and have a good understanding of what's important to them," Ms. Paul says.
As office conversations increasingly move online, some workers are losing or never developing the ability to give a presentation, for example. Others may be unable to write coherently for longer than, say, 140 characters.
"Technology in some ways has taken away our ability to write well. People are in such a hurry that they are multitasking," and they skip basics such as spelling and proofing, says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half International, RHI +1.61% a Menlo Park, Calif., staffing firm.
2. Personal branding
Human-resources executives scour blogs, Twitter and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn when researching candidates, and it's important that they like what they find.
"That's your brand, that's how you represent yourself," says Peter Handal, CEO of Dale Carnegie Training, a Hauppauge, N.Y., provider of workplace-training services. "If you post something that comes back to haunt you, people will see that."
Workers also should make sure their personal brand is attractive and reflects well on employers. "More and more employers are looking for employees to tweet on their behalf, to blog on their behalf, to build an audience and write compelling, snappy posts," says Meredith Haberfeld, an executive and career coach in New York.
Ms. Haberfeld has a client whose employee recently posted on her personal Facebook FB -2.72% page about eating Chinese food and smoking "reefer."
"I saw it on Facebook. Her supervisors saw it," Ms. Haberfeld says.
3. Flexibility
The ability to quickly respond to an employer's changing needs will be important next year as organizations try to respond nimbly to customers.
"A lot of companies want us to work with their employees about how to get out of their comfort zone, how to adapt," says Mr. Handal. "Somebody's job today may not be the same as next year."
The ability to learn new skills is of top importance, says George Boué, human-resources vice president for Stiles, a real-estate services company in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "We want to know that if we roll out a new program or new tools that the folks we have on board are going to be open to learning," he says.
4. Productivity improvement
In 2013, workers should find new ways to increase productivity, experts say. Executives are looking for a 20% improvement in employee performance next year from current levels, according to a recent survey by the Corporate Executive Board, an Arlington, Va., business research and advisory firm.
"When you are at your job, do you volunteer for projects? Are you looking for creative ways to help your organization," Mr. McDonald says. "The way to really differentiate yourself is to be proactive."
Companies that are considering adding workers in coming years want current employees to operate in growth mode now. "My clients are looking for employees that have a great ability to understand what is wanted and needed, rather than needing to be told," Ms. Haberfeld says.
Even hiring managers need to work on certain skills as organizations consider expanding next year. "The ability to spot talent and hire people has fallen out of use over the last several years," says Ben Dattner, an organizational psychologist in New York. "As the economy turns around, companies will have to work harder to retain talented employees. Companies have trimmed the fat, and now they have to build the muscle."
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424127887324735104578118902763095818-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwOTExNDkyWj.html?mod=wsj_valettop_email
To win a promotion or land a job next year, experts say there are four must-have job skills:
1. Clear communications
Whatever their level, communication is key for workers to advance.
"This is really the ability to clearly articulate your point of view and the ability to create a connection through communication," says Holly Paul, U.S. recruiting leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting and consulting firm based in New York.
For job seekers in particular, clear communication can provide a snapshot of their work style to employers. "I can walk away from a five-minute conversation and feel their enthusiasm and have a good understanding of what's important to them," Ms. Paul says.
As office conversations increasingly move online, some workers are losing or never developing the ability to give a presentation, for example. Others may be unable to write coherently for longer than, say, 140 characters.
"Technology in some ways has taken away our ability to write well. People are in such a hurry that they are multitasking," and they skip basics such as spelling and proofing, says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half International, RHI +1.61% a Menlo Park, Calif., staffing firm.
2. Personal branding
Human-resources executives scour blogs, Twitter and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn when researching candidates, and it's important that they like what they find.
"That's your brand, that's how you represent yourself," says Peter Handal, CEO of Dale Carnegie Training, a Hauppauge, N.Y., provider of workplace-training services. "If you post something that comes back to haunt you, people will see that."
Workers also should make sure their personal brand is attractive and reflects well on employers. "More and more employers are looking for employees to tweet on their behalf, to blog on their behalf, to build an audience and write compelling, snappy posts," says Meredith Haberfeld, an executive and career coach in New York.
Ms. Haberfeld has a client whose employee recently posted on her personal Facebook FB -2.72% page about eating Chinese food and smoking "reefer."
"I saw it on Facebook. Her supervisors saw it," Ms. Haberfeld says.
3. Flexibility
The ability to quickly respond to an employer's changing needs will be important next year as organizations try to respond nimbly to customers.
"A lot of companies want us to work with their employees about how to get out of their comfort zone, how to adapt," says Mr. Handal. "Somebody's job today may not be the same as next year."
The ability to learn new skills is of top importance, says George Boué, human-resources vice president for Stiles, a real-estate services company in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "We want to know that if we roll out a new program or new tools that the folks we have on board are going to be open to learning," he says.
4. Productivity improvement
In 2013, workers should find new ways to increase productivity, experts say. Executives are looking for a 20% improvement in employee performance next year from current levels, according to a recent survey by the Corporate Executive Board, an Arlington, Va., business research and advisory firm.
"When you are at your job, do you volunteer for projects? Are you looking for creative ways to help your organization," Mr. McDonald says. "The way to really differentiate yourself is to be proactive."
Companies that are considering adding workers in coming years want current employees to operate in growth mode now. "My clients are looking for employees that have a great ability to understand what is wanted and needed, rather than needing to be told," Ms. Haberfeld says.
Even hiring managers need to work on certain skills as organizations consider expanding next year. "The ability to spot talent and hire people has fallen out of use over the last several years," says Ben Dattner, an organizational psychologist in New York. "As the economy turns around, companies will have to work harder to retain talented employees. Companies have trimmed the fat, and now they have to build the muscle."
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424127887324735104578118902763095818-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwOTExNDkyWj.html?mod=wsj_valettop_email
Most Americans Are Unhappy With Their Job
A new study conducted by PARADE magazine and Yahoo! Finance has found that nearly 60% of Americans would choose a different career if they could.
Henry Blodget explains that most people don’t see much opportunity for advancement in their current job, and that contributes to their unhappiness. “Now we have the McJob that for so many people in the economy goes nowhere. The whole idea is that [those jobs] are a stepping stone to something else, and it never is. You can understand why they would be unhappy with that,” he said.
“There are also people working white collar jobs…. and feeling like they’re just on a treadmill, not getting anywhere,” Aaron Task added.
Maybe the problem lays with how people advance in America. It seems to be about who you know that what your know. Over 50% of those surveyed believe people get ahead because of internal office politics. Only 27% of respondents believe hard work is what gets you ahead in this country, and 23% thought that initiative and creativity is the most important thing to advancing your career.
Interestingly, despite unhappiness in their work, many Americans expect to work beyond the age of 65. Only 33% believe they will be able to retire by 65-years-old. The majority of workers, at 43%, believe they will retire between the ages of 65 and 70. The rest, 24%, plan to retire after the age of 71 or work until they die.
Aaron Task points out that savings is the reason people are having to work longer. He said, “If you don’t have any savings, how will you retire at any age?”
http://kluv.cbslocal.com/2012/09/05/new-study-shows-most-americans-are-unhappy-with-their-job/
Henry Blodget explains that most people don’t see much opportunity for advancement in their current job, and that contributes to their unhappiness. “Now we have the McJob that for so many people in the economy goes nowhere. The whole idea is that [those jobs] are a stepping stone to something else, and it never is. You can understand why they would be unhappy with that,” he said.
“There are also people working white collar jobs…. and feeling like they’re just on a treadmill, not getting anywhere,” Aaron Task added.
Maybe the problem lays with how people advance in America. It seems to be about who you know that what your know. Over 50% of those surveyed believe people get ahead because of internal office politics. Only 27% of respondents believe hard work is what gets you ahead in this country, and 23% thought that initiative and creativity is the most important thing to advancing your career.
Interestingly, despite unhappiness in their work, many Americans expect to work beyond the age of 65. Only 33% believe they will be able to retire by 65-years-old. The majority of workers, at 43%, believe they will retire between the ages of 65 and 70. The rest, 24%, plan to retire after the age of 71 or work until they die.
Aaron Task points out that savings is the reason people are having to work longer. He said, “If you don’t have any savings, how will you retire at any age?”
http://kluv.cbslocal.com/2012/09/05/new-study-shows-most-americans-are-unhappy-with-their-job/
Advice on Getting a Cool Internet Job
If you want a cool job working with cool people, you have to make things. You will not network or interview your way into this job. You have to put yourself out there and do cool things. Blog. Make videos. Organize people. Start a business. Ship product.
Projects undertaken with agency are worth 100x as much as projects where you were just a cog in someone else’s machine. Nobody cares how big or cool the company you interned at is if you didn’t actually do anything interesting there.
Curiosity pays off in spades. Join new social networks. Try out apps. The Internet is easy to explore — take advantage of it.
Blogging is changing fast. Lone-wolf, article-style blogging is being replaced by more interesting platforms like Instagram and Google+. Embrace it.
There’s a startup out there for every interest. Pursue your passions. Add technology where you can.
Read up on content strategy and user experience (for starters). There are whole jobs, whole fields, whole industries that they’re probably not telling you about in school.
You have to understand how the Internet works in a deep and complete way. You don’t have to know how to develop an API, but you have to know what one is and why they’re important. Go from there and keep learning.
Nobody (who matters) cares about your GPA.
Nobody (who matters) cares about your degree or certifications.
It’s okay to be a beginner. Don’t pretend more skill or knowledge than you have. You won’t learn anything that way.
If you like print design, learn digital. It won’t bite. (Psst…if you’re in Des Moines, start here.)
Job security at big corporations is bullshit. You will probably get laid off. If you get a job at a big media conglomerate you’re probably replacing someone that just got laid off.
Take classes like statistics, accounting, and economics. Understanding, processing, visualizing and communicating about data is increasingly important.
Expect to change jobs a lot. Expect contract work. Expect to spend time freelancing.
Always have health insurance. Always. (But don’t use it as an excuse to stay in a shitty job…lay off the DVD’s and dining out and buy it yourself.)
Trying to be someone you’re not is a dangerous waste of time. Don’t fear self-improvement, but don’t try and be someone you’re not. AKA: Keep the mohawk.
Hire professionals. If you’re freelancing or starting a business, lawyer up and get an accountant. If you’re not, get an accountant anyway.
The greater startup ecosystem is incredibly permeable. Go to events. Start events. Speak at events. Listen to podcasts. Comment on blogs. Start a blog. Be connected. It’s not hard, but it does take work.
Internet people are, on the whole, really nice, really normal, and really down to Earth. They are also easy to flatter. Say hello and tell them you like their work. Write them. Subscribe to their blog. Follow them on Twitter. Ask if you can crash at a desk at their office for a day. If you’re genuinely interested in what they do and let them know, they’ll likely surprise you with their kindness and generosity.
Don’t worry too much about networking events. Do build a network.
Write every day.
It never hurts to learn something new. Ever.
Hit publish (or update, or upload, or share) even if you think it sucks. It won’t get better if you don’t show it to other people.
http://bitmethod.com/blog/what-we-told-current-journalism-majors-about-working-at-startups
Projects undertaken with agency are worth 100x as much as projects where you were just a cog in someone else’s machine. Nobody cares how big or cool the company you interned at is if you didn’t actually do anything interesting there.
Curiosity pays off in spades. Join new social networks. Try out apps. The Internet is easy to explore — take advantage of it.
Blogging is changing fast. Lone-wolf, article-style blogging is being replaced by more interesting platforms like Instagram and Google+. Embrace it.
There’s a startup out there for every interest. Pursue your passions. Add technology where you can.
Read up on content strategy and user experience (for starters). There are whole jobs, whole fields, whole industries that they’re probably not telling you about in school.
You have to understand how the Internet works in a deep and complete way. You don’t have to know how to develop an API, but you have to know what one is and why they’re important. Go from there and keep learning.
Nobody (who matters) cares about your GPA.
Nobody (who matters) cares about your degree or certifications.
It’s okay to be a beginner. Don’t pretend more skill or knowledge than you have. You won’t learn anything that way.
If you like print design, learn digital. It won’t bite. (Psst…if you’re in Des Moines, start here.)
Job security at big corporations is bullshit. You will probably get laid off. If you get a job at a big media conglomerate you’re probably replacing someone that just got laid off.
Take classes like statistics, accounting, and economics. Understanding, processing, visualizing and communicating about data is increasingly important.
Expect to change jobs a lot. Expect contract work. Expect to spend time freelancing.
Always have health insurance. Always. (But don’t use it as an excuse to stay in a shitty job…lay off the DVD’s and dining out and buy it yourself.)
Trying to be someone you’re not is a dangerous waste of time. Don’t fear self-improvement, but don’t try and be someone you’re not. AKA: Keep the mohawk.
Hire professionals. If you’re freelancing or starting a business, lawyer up and get an accountant. If you’re not, get an accountant anyway.
The greater startup ecosystem is incredibly permeable. Go to events. Start events. Speak at events. Listen to podcasts. Comment on blogs. Start a blog. Be connected. It’s not hard, but it does take work.
Internet people are, on the whole, really nice, really normal, and really down to Earth. They are also easy to flatter. Say hello and tell them you like their work. Write them. Subscribe to their blog. Follow them on Twitter. Ask if you can crash at a desk at their office for a day. If you’re genuinely interested in what they do and let them know, they’ll likely surprise you with their kindness and generosity.
Don’t worry too much about networking events. Do build a network.
Write every day.
It never hurts to learn something new. Ever.
Hit publish (or update, or upload, or share) even if you think it sucks. It won’t get better if you don’t show it to other people.
http://bitmethod.com/blog/what-we-told-current-journalism-majors-about-working-at-startups
Making a Smart Lateral Career Move
72% of the 17,261 candidates surveyed in 2010 by Right Management moved to a similar or lower level when they landed new jobs.
FORTUNE -- Five years ago Los Angeles-based headhunter Kirk Hoyle couldn't get candidates' attention unless he dangled a title change, a boost in the number of direct reports, and at least a 15% bump in pay. Today it's a different story: Many executives, he says, are willing to take jobs with similar titles and pay in exchange for little more than a shorter commute or a more stable future. The lateral move, once derided, is getting a second look. "Everyone has a subconscious weakness right now," Hoyle says. "There's a lot of insecurity about the future."
After three years of near economic standstill, people are ready for new challenges, different responsibilities, or at least more solid footing. According to a poll by the consultants at Right Management, some 84% of employees planned to look for jobs in 2011, up from 60% the year before. But with job growth stagnant, new business ideas on the shelf, and baby boomers choosing not to retire, making a move straight up the chain currently looks about as likely as making a voluntary decision to step down.
Redefining the middle manager's job
The good news: A lateral move -- if done right -- no longer puts you at risk of hitting a dead end. Conventional wisdom posits that sideways moves are like pressing the pause button on your career, an idea that has stuck around even as organizations grow increasingly flatter. But with the complexities of a global business environment and the economic realities of trying to do more with less, agility is becoming as important as trajectory. As Joanne Cleaver, an author of a forthcoming book about making smart lateral moves, puts it, "Over is the new up."
Some companies are encouraging lateral moves explicitly. Deloitte has popularized the notion, both in-house and with clients, of a "career lattice" rather than a "career ladder" -- a metaphor for the often sideways or diagonally up-or-down directions in which careers move today. (Cleaver's book addresses a similar topic.) Employee groups at insurance giant Chubb (CB) recently held career workshops that addressed how to make the right kinds of lateral moves.
And the cable provider Cox Communications has begun talking about the value of sideways career steps as part of formal development discussions with employees. Cox's vice president of talent and development, Erin Hand, says the shift is a conscious one: "Organizations are marketing the lateral move as a development opportunity rather than as a parking spot."
Want a job for the holidays? Start looking now
Figuring out how much your company stands behind such marketing is up to you. Lateral moves may not always carry a stigma these days, but they must still be chosen carefully. Which means doing your homework -- about the company's financial prospects if it's an external move, the true responsibilities of the job, and what the future opportunities really are. That's especially true the more senior you are, says New York City-based career consultant Donna Schwarz. If you make a mistake, she says, "how many more moves do you have left?"
Most important, whether you're moving across the company or across industries, make sure you're prepared for the cultural differences the new job will probably bring. When Valarie Wilder, a group sales manager for a San Diego resort, decided to move to a more stable property earlier this year, she used LinkedIn (LNKD) to discover that most of the team had been with the resort for years. That was a good sign, but it also prepared her for the culture change: "I knew it could take the staff some time to warm up." While that's true with any job, the greater risk you take on with a lateral move makes that research all the more critical.
Sideways advice
Seek more responsibility A key question to ask before making a lateral move: Even if a job has the same title and pay, how much more leadership responsibility does it offer? Says career consultant Donna Schwarz: "Your skill set is pretty solid by this point, and the next moves up are all about being able to influence and direct others."
Watch for title inflation Remember that "one company's VP is another company's director," says New York City-based recruiter David Staiti -- a phenomenon that's particularly true as companies that can't afford to raise salaries dole out lofty labels instead. Analyze the job on its merits rather than its name.
Enlist HR If you'd like to stay in-house, use company resources. IBM, for instance, has a suite of software tools that not only maps out the sometimes sideways moves employees might need to make to get from point A to point B in their careers but also links them to people in those jobs or business units for information. Find out what your company offers.
Keep your options open Cathy Benko, vice chairman at Deloitte and the author of a book called The Corporate Lattice, says that a good way to analyze a lateral move is by assessing how many future choices it gives you.
Score quick wins If you are switching industries, you'll need to prove yourself. Marketing director Mary Anschutz says that when she jumped from the beer industry into software, scoring a few early publicity coups helped her earn colleagues' respect.
Know your company If the move you're considering is in-house, make sure your company respects the idea. Lateral moves are probably good choices in flat global enterprises that appreciate a breadth of skills, but less so in those that still rely on silos.
Look for real growth Many people are lured into a lateral move by the prospect of a growing company. Make sure the hiring is for newly created jobs rather than replacements for current positions.
http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/10/13/career-lateral-move/
FORTUNE -- Five years ago Los Angeles-based headhunter Kirk Hoyle couldn't get candidates' attention unless he dangled a title change, a boost in the number of direct reports, and at least a 15% bump in pay. Today it's a different story: Many executives, he says, are willing to take jobs with similar titles and pay in exchange for little more than a shorter commute or a more stable future. The lateral move, once derided, is getting a second look. "Everyone has a subconscious weakness right now," Hoyle says. "There's a lot of insecurity about the future."
After three years of near economic standstill, people are ready for new challenges, different responsibilities, or at least more solid footing. According to a poll by the consultants at Right Management, some 84% of employees planned to look for jobs in 2011, up from 60% the year before. But with job growth stagnant, new business ideas on the shelf, and baby boomers choosing not to retire, making a move straight up the chain currently looks about as likely as making a voluntary decision to step down.
Redefining the middle manager's job
The good news: A lateral move -- if done right -- no longer puts you at risk of hitting a dead end. Conventional wisdom posits that sideways moves are like pressing the pause button on your career, an idea that has stuck around even as organizations grow increasingly flatter. But with the complexities of a global business environment and the economic realities of trying to do more with less, agility is becoming as important as trajectory. As Joanne Cleaver, an author of a forthcoming book about making smart lateral moves, puts it, "Over is the new up."
Some companies are encouraging lateral moves explicitly. Deloitte has popularized the notion, both in-house and with clients, of a "career lattice" rather than a "career ladder" -- a metaphor for the often sideways or diagonally up-or-down directions in which careers move today. (Cleaver's book addresses a similar topic.) Employee groups at insurance giant Chubb (CB) recently held career workshops that addressed how to make the right kinds of lateral moves.
And the cable provider Cox Communications has begun talking about the value of sideways career steps as part of formal development discussions with employees. Cox's vice president of talent and development, Erin Hand, says the shift is a conscious one: "Organizations are marketing the lateral move as a development opportunity rather than as a parking spot."
Want a job for the holidays? Start looking now
Figuring out how much your company stands behind such marketing is up to you. Lateral moves may not always carry a stigma these days, but they must still be chosen carefully. Which means doing your homework -- about the company's financial prospects if it's an external move, the true responsibilities of the job, and what the future opportunities really are. That's especially true the more senior you are, says New York City-based career consultant Donna Schwarz. If you make a mistake, she says, "how many more moves do you have left?"
Most important, whether you're moving across the company or across industries, make sure you're prepared for the cultural differences the new job will probably bring. When Valarie Wilder, a group sales manager for a San Diego resort, decided to move to a more stable property earlier this year, she used LinkedIn (LNKD) to discover that most of the team had been with the resort for years. That was a good sign, but it also prepared her for the culture change: "I knew it could take the staff some time to warm up." While that's true with any job, the greater risk you take on with a lateral move makes that research all the more critical.
Sideways advice
Seek more responsibility A key question to ask before making a lateral move: Even if a job has the same title and pay, how much more leadership responsibility does it offer? Says career consultant Donna Schwarz: "Your skill set is pretty solid by this point, and the next moves up are all about being able to influence and direct others."
Watch for title inflation Remember that "one company's VP is another company's director," says New York City-based recruiter David Staiti -- a phenomenon that's particularly true as companies that can't afford to raise salaries dole out lofty labels instead. Analyze the job on its merits rather than its name.
Enlist HR If you'd like to stay in-house, use company resources. IBM, for instance, has a suite of software tools that not only maps out the sometimes sideways moves employees might need to make to get from point A to point B in their careers but also links them to people in those jobs or business units for information. Find out what your company offers.
Keep your options open Cathy Benko, vice chairman at Deloitte and the author of a book called The Corporate Lattice, says that a good way to analyze a lateral move is by assessing how many future choices it gives you.
Score quick wins If you are switching industries, you'll need to prove yourself. Marketing director Mary Anschutz says that when she jumped from the beer industry into software, scoring a few early publicity coups helped her earn colleagues' respect.
Know your company If the move you're considering is in-house, make sure your company respects the idea. Lateral moves are probably good choices in flat global enterprises that appreciate a breadth of skills, but less so in those that still rely on silos.
Look for real growth Many people are lured into a lateral move by the prospect of a growing company. Make sure the hiring is for newly created jobs rather than replacements for current positions.
http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/10/13/career-lateral-move/
Your Permanent Personnel Record
The following is a slightly tweaked but basically true story: “Bob” had taught as an adjunct for a year at an institution in his hometown, sharing an office with another adjunct, “Rob,” who vaguely resembled him physically. Bob moved on to take a full-time job in another area but had hopes of returning one day to be near his extended family. When a position that matched his expertise came open, he applied for it. Not long afterward, he bumped into a friend from that campus at a conference and mentioned his hope of returning. The friend said, “Actually, I was talking about you the other day with the academic dean, and he mentioned to me that he could not recommend hiring you because of some disciplinary problems he found in your permanent file. Do you know what he’s talking about?”
When Bob began to check into the situation, he found out that some female students had confused him and “Rob” and had filed a grievance for harassment. Apparently, before the grievance could be processed, Rob had resigned but the name confusion in the permanent file had never been corrected. Everyone was apologetic for the error but it was caught only because of a chance conversation and an investigation.
I’ve rarely heard anyone offer this advice but I am a big believer in it: Never leave an institution, no matter your position, without first asking to review your official personnel file. At most institutions, you have a right to not only review it but to rebut any errors in it or even to ask for incorrect data to be deleted. For most folks this would be a rare thing to find, but it would be totally worthwhile, especially if you had any interest in returning to the institution.
http://chronicle.com/blogs/onhiring/your-permanent-record/29907?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
When Bob began to check into the situation, he found out that some female students had confused him and “Rob” and had filed a grievance for harassment. Apparently, before the grievance could be processed, Rob had resigned but the name confusion in the permanent file had never been corrected. Everyone was apologetic for the error but it was caught only because of a chance conversation and an investigation.
I’ve rarely heard anyone offer this advice but I am a big believer in it: Never leave an institution, no matter your position, without first asking to review your official personnel file. At most institutions, you have a right to not only review it but to rebut any errors in it or even to ask for incorrect data to be deleted. For most folks this would be a rare thing to find, but it would be totally worthwhile, especially if you had any interest in returning to the institution.
http://chronicle.com/blogs/onhiring/your-permanent-record/29907?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
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