I was dumbfounded. Despite how desperate job seekers claim to be, they still make the simplest job search mistakes. One of the golden rules of job search: Find a quiet place to do a phone interview.

So when I got to work and saw the headline “Jobseekers interview while using toilet” in my inbox, I just had to click.

Turns out a firm in the UK just conducted a study related to telephone interviews. The study revealed “shocking levels of complacency among candidates during telephone interviews.” Hiring managers reported interviewees:

• Being clearly drunk on the telephone at the time of the interview;
• Using the toilet;
• Having a bath;
• Eating while on the phone;
• Outside walking their dog;
• Arguing with a family member;
• Being pulled over by the police for being on the phone while driving.

Remember: Even though they can’t see you, they can still hear you. Avoidable mistakes can cause immediate rejection by some recruiters: 40% cited if a candidate was clearly doing something else while on the phone, 33% cited not preparing for the interview properly, and 19% cited poor telephone manners.

Are you guilty of one of these? Was it ever unavoidable? How did you handle it?

In October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 151,000 jobs were added to the economy, surpassing  economists’ expectations of 70,000. The numbers for August and September were also positively adjusted — showing fewer losses than previously reported. Nonfarm payroll employment for August was revised from -57,000 to -1,000, and the change for September was revised from-95,000 to -41,000.

While the increase in jobs is a positive sign, there’s still the overall concern about high unemployment. In October, there were 14.8 million unemployed people and the unemployment rate was 9.6 percent, a number essentially unchanged since May. Those classified as long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) was about unchanged over the month at 6.2 million — 41.8 percent of unemployed persons.  In addition, there were 1.2 million discouraged workers in October, an increase of 411,000 from a year earlier. Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them.

So where are there jobs being added? The BLS reports following areas saw modest gains: (click on each to find matching  jobs)

• Administrative and support services
• Employment services
• Temporary help services
• Retail
• Educational services
• Health care
• Food services and drinking places

To learn more about the current jobs situation, watch this report from Good Morning America, featuring CareerBuilder’s CEO Matt Ferguson:

If they think the overall picture is rosier than it once was, how come they’re still concerned? Although analysts will have their says on what this all means, you might be able to boil it down to one thing: people are having difficulty finding jobs.

Even if you have a job, you probably know someone who doesn’t, and as long as the unemployment rate remains high, you’re going to be afraid of losing your job. If stock and real estate markets are up, you don’t feel as safe and secure as when you’re employed and aren’t worried about bringing home a paycheck. It’s simple and you can’t blame workers for being cautious in this economy.

With that in mind, we want to simplify your job search as much as possible. To do so, we pulled together a list of companies who are hiring right now. The following 10 companies have several openings and they need workers to help their businesses thrive in this economy. Take a look at this list of companies across several industries and states. You can click on the company names to see a complete list of openings.

Accountants International
Industry: Finance
Sample job titles: Tax accountant, accounts payable coordinator

CyberCoders Engineering
Industry: Engineering
Sample job titles: Java software engineer, Microsoft administrator

Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Industry: Sales
Sample job titles: Merchandiser, sales development representative

Kelly Law Registry
Industry: Legal
Sample job titles: Paralegal/legal assistant (junior level), claims attorney

Kool Smiles
Industry: Health care
Sample job titles: Dentist, Community Relations Specialist

La Petite Academy
Industry: Education
Sample job titles: Certified pre-K teacher, child care assistant director

Pepsi Beverages Company
Industry: Manufacturing
Sample job titles: Product availability supervisor, vending/fountain equipment (field) technician

Pfizer
Industry: Biotechnology
Sample job titles: Director / senior manager – laboratory/bioinformatics, vaccine, scientist modeling and simulation

PricewaterhouseCoopers
Industry: Marketing
Sample job titles: Marketing manager, marketing and sales sr. associate

Saia, Inc.
Industry: Transportation
Sample job titles: Team drivers, diesel mechanic class A

As a rule, I hate alarm clocks. But there’s no alarm clock I hate more than the one that goes off on a Monday morning. This morning was no exception and hitting the snooze button was not an option; I had an 8 a.m. breakfast meeting with my boss.

These are the times I’m most thankful for a hot, steamy cup of the coffee. What can I say? I’m just not one of those people who jump out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for work every morning.

Bing: Forget the coffee – take a nap

In honor of the recent National Coffee Day, Dunkin’ Donuts and CareerBuilder released a study on the beverage that keeps the nation’s work force productive and energetic.

Turns out that 32 percent of workers said they need coffee to get through the workday, and 43 percent of coffee drinkers reported they are less productive if they don’t drink coffee while on the job. Here are some additional items the survey found:

• Working people need coffee to perk up. More than 40 percent of American workers say they are less productive without coffee.
• Younger workers more dependent on a coffee fix. Forty percent of American workers 18 to 24 say they can’t concentrate as well without coffee. Forty-three percent of workers 18 to 34 said they have lower energy if they don’t drink coffee.
• Keep the refills coming. Thirty-seven percent of American workers drink two or more cups of coffee during their workday.
• Convenience matters. Seventy-five percent of American workers who buy coffee during the workday travel only a quarter-mile or less for their daily brew.
• Coffee equals congratulations? Twenty-four percent of American workers 18 to 34 buy coffee as a way to treat themselves for a job  well-done.

According to the results, the fields with the highest proportions of workers who say they are less productive without coffee vary widely.  Those who need coffee the most are:

1.     Nurses
2.     Physicians
3.     Hotel workers
4.     Designers/Architects
5.     Financial/Insurance sales representatives
6.     Food preparers
7.     Engineers
8.     Teachers
9.    Marketing/Public relations professionals
10.  Scientists
11.  Machine operators
12.  Government workers

I usually can get through my day with just one cup — two sugar-free sweeteners and skim milk. If I’m feeling crazy, I’ll add a little sugar-free vanilla syrup. I want to know what WorkBuzz readers think drink. How many cups of coffee do you go through in a day? How do you take your coffee?

Bing: How to keep coworkers from stealing your lunch

While it’s easy to point to the obvious – Great Recession, anyone? – it might be time for some good old-fashioned tough love. Let’s take a closer look at the three parts of this loaded question; one or all of these might be the reason you’re still looking.

“Why aren’t I being hired …”

Finding a job has certainly been more challenging over the last few years, but people are still hiring. You might not be able to improve the economy, but you can control how you search. There are job openings, you just have more competition. It’s time to push the discouragement away and fight harder against your increased competition.

Try this: If you want to find a job, you have to be willing to do the work. Do your research and learn all you can about the employment outlook. Look to see which industries and occupations are healthier than others. Pretty much every industry has a professional journal or blog. Become an expert in the field in which you want to work. The more you know, the more you can show it in your applications and interviews. And that will show an employer what an asset you’ll be.

“… my résumé is fine …”

While you might think your résumé is “fine,” employers might have a different opinion. Besides, shouldn’t your résumé be better than OK? Employers want to see a stellar résumé. That doesn’t mean you need to give yourself an Ivy-League degree and inflated job experience, but your résumé should present the best professional you possible. That means crisp grammar and no typos. That means showcasing specific accomplishments and concrete skills. That means a stranger should understand your aptitude without you saying a word.

But your résumé has all that, right? If that’s the case and you’re not hearing back, you might need to start mixing things up and making some tweaks. Change the format. Add quantifiable results. Each time you apply, make sure your résumé is telling each particular employer that you’re a match for that job.

Try this: Show your résumé to someone you know who has actually hired someone before; ask for feedback and use it to improve your résumé (if it’s negative, try not to take it personally). While that person may tell you something you don’t want to hear, it will be to your benefit.

“… I make an outstanding first impression”

Really? How do you know? Did your mother tell you that? Again, you might think you make a great first impression, but an employer might disagree. Put everything under a microscope: your appearance, your handshake, your eye contact, your mannerisms, your attitude. If you’re getting called for interviews but not invited back for a second round or receiving offers, this might be your problem.

Try this: When you find out that you’re no longer in the running for a job, ask for feedback. Try: “Thank you for considering me for the position. May I ask what it was about me or my qualifications that disqualified me as a candidate? Any feedback would be appreciated.” Hopefully, the hiring manager will tactfully respond with something constructive. Whether delivered with tact or not – again, try not to take it personally – take that response and apply it to your next interview.

Do you have a question for us? Ask us below or post it on our Facebook page.

They say bad news comes in threes, but what about good news?

While the unemployment rate edged up to 9.6 percent, there are a few things that cause us to take a “glass half full” perspective on U.S. employment this month.

Yes, nonfarm payroll employment declined by -54,000 in August, BUT it was better than economist predictions that job loss could be up to -105,000

Secondly, June’s job loss was originally reported to be -221,000; it was revised to -175,000. And July’s number was revised from a loss of -131,000 to a decline of -54,000. (The Pollyanna in me is thinking about what August’s revision will be next month.)

Finally, while Government employment fell by -121,000, reflecting the departure of 114,000 temporary Census 2010 workers from federal government payrolls, private-sector payroll employment continued to trend up modestly by adding 67,000 jobs.

Dean Maki of Barclays Capital told Forbes: “On balance, the upward revisions make the report a bit stronger than we expected. It does not change the recent trend of moderate growth in private payrolls and is inconsistent with fears that a sharp slowdown in the economy is underway.”

Here’s a look at how some of the major sectors fared in August:

• Health care increased by 28,000, with the largest gains occurring in ambulatory health care services (+17,000) and hospitals (+9,000).
• Manufacturing employment dropped by -27,000. A decline in motor vehicles and parts (-22,000) offset a gain of similar magnitude in July as the industry geared up for its annual retooling.
• Temporary help services, which have added 392,000 jobs since a recent employment low in September 2009, added 17,000 jobs.
• Construction employment was up by 19,000, partially reflected by the return of the payrolls of 10,000 workers who were on strike in July.
• Retail trade was relatively unchanged. A job gain among motor vehicle and parts dealers (+8,000) was essentially offset by losses in building materials and garden supply stores (-6,000).

Zack, the president of Only Connect Consulting and an expert in personality and the workplace, travels the nation, rubbing elbows with and making presentations to executives in private industry, the public sector and federal agencies. She’s also an introvert – so who better to write about introvert networking than a person who shatters the stereotype?

Introverts Can Sizzle on Networking Job Search

By Devora Zack

To network or not to network?  That is the question.

What’s at stake?  Whatever you most want to accomplish; no biggie.

What if you don’t like networking and have no interest?  It drains you.  It never works.  You don’t have time.  You don’t need to.  It’s phony, self-serving, fake, inauthentic, superficial, conniving, manipulative and useless.

Hold it right there.

In my experience, people who claim to hate networking also believe they are not good at it.  But that may not be true. People who hate networking fail at traditional networking by following advice never intended for them in the first place.  You have the raw materials to be a stellar networker.  You are just following the wrong rules.  Standard networking advice fails you, so you assume you fail at networking.

What is networking?

Networking is the art of building and maintaining connections for shared positive outcomes.

That doesn’t sound so bad.  You can now learn networking methods aligned with the true you.

Networking propels you to your potential.  Think of a goal.  Perhaps you want to find a job, build your career, win a promotion, make a connection, improve the world, build a reputation, achieve your dream or grow a business.

Networking will further your aim.

As a consultant and author, I have never met a person who did not benefit tremendously from learning how to network on his or her own terms.

The more authentic you are, the more resilient and valuable networks you create.  You can network successfully by being real; applying your natural strengths.  You can learn to work with, rather than fight against, your lovable self.

The very traits previously labeled as liabilities are now your finest networking assets.

I am an off-the-chart introvert.  I have conversations with people in my head that I think actually took place.  I need to process ideas before speaking up, or get myself into trouble.  The idea of a free-floating happy hour propels me into free-floating anxiety.  A cacophony of external stimuli doesn’t excite me; it drives me away.

I happen to also be Type A with an exceptionally high energy level.   Introverts can be low-key or intense; prefer the back of the room or the spotlight.  These traits are not linked to what defines introversion.

Introverts are reflective, focused and self-reliant.  Extroverts are verbal, expansive and social.  These characteristics lead to three key distinctions:

• Introverts think to talk; extroverts talk to think.
• Introverts drill deep; extroverts stretch wide.
• Introverts energize alone; extroverts energize with others.

These differences lead to many opportunities for introverts to shine in the networking arena.  Don’t condemn yourself for who you are.  Embrace, accept and flaunt your natural style.  OK, maybe flaunting is a bit much to ask.  Still, it is something to work towards.

I have discovered techniques that turn the world of networking for introverts upside down — or shall I say right side up? These insights can transform you into a networking star. You can even enjoy your customized version of networking.  Seem impossible?  It’s not.

Standard networking adages include:

• Promote yourself constantly.
• Never eat alone.
• Increase contacts for increased success.

Until now, networking advice has been written for people of a particular temperament – the very personality style already predisposed to enjoy the prospect of spearing cheese in a room full of bustling strangers.

Research reveals this personality type is 30 to 50 percent of the general population.  The rest of us have been left to wander aimlessly through the forbidding terrain of meet-and-greets.

Networking tips just for introverts

These networking techniques were created especially for introverts:

Introverts think to talk.

• Focus on listening rather than self-promotion in initial job search conversations.
• Carefully select what job search events to attend – target those of most interest.
• Prepare specific questions to ask new contacts.
• Prepare and practice aloud responses to frequently asked questions while on a job search.

Introverts drill deep.

• Research the type of job most suited to you and focus your attention there, rather than dissipating your energy casting a wide net.
• Arrange one-on-one meals with select individuals rather than joining large groups.
• Follow up with others based on their interests, proving your immediate value.
• When at a career fair or job conference, leave yourself time between sessions to pace yourself, increasing your focus at the programs you do attend.

Introverts energize alone.

• While at networking events, periodically step away from the group to recharge.
• Volunteer – this gives you a focus, purpose and specific role while networking.
• When arriving at an event, pause to look over attendee name tags, giving you initial alone time and the opportunity to strategize whom to meet.
• Make notations about new contacts on their business cards, increasing your ability to remember details and creating breaks between conversations.

No more stamping out your instincts.  Welcome to the world of networking for people who used to hate networking.

Interested in learning more about networking? Click here for more on TheWorkBuzz.com.

Bing: Tips on being an effective team player

Have you ever been asked a question in an interview that seems to come out of left field? One that makes you skip a beat and make you want to ask, “Come again?” or, “Are you serious?” Unfortunately, not all interviewers ask the most kosher questions, and it’s easy to become discombobulated.

Today’s guest blogger addresses this very issue.  Frances Cole Jones, author of “The Wow Factor: The 33 Things You Must (and Must Not) Do to Guarantee Your Edge in Today’s Business World” tells how to keep your cool even in the face of the most unnerving interview questions.

Don’t Get Flustered, Get Factual
By Frances Cole Jones

An epidemic of inappropriateness appears to be pervading the job interview world these days. Several people I know have gotten questions that left them speechless — and one wasn’t disconcerted so much by a question as by the manner in which it was asked.

Following are a few suggestions for how each of them might have responded. If any of you have additional ideas, I’d love to hear them. (Alternatively, if you’ve been asked anything, or experienced anything, that left you confounded, I’d love to hear those stories, too.)

Q: “Do you know the average age of the people who work in this company?”

This was a question an older client of mine got when she applied for a position in a very youthful organization. While I can only speculate about what the interviewer’s intention might have been, I can tell you the result was my client left feeling shamed for even applying.

How did I recommend she handle this kind of leading question?

Leading questions demand fact-based responses. You don’t want to get into what you think your questioner is after, or do the dirty work of negating something that hasn’t been overtly stated.

Consequently, my Monday-morning quarterbacking coaching to her was to have responded, “I do.”

Q: “You realize you’re going to need to ugly-up if you get this job.”

This statement was made to a client of mine who, admittedly, is extraordinarily beautiful. As always, we could only speculate about the questioner’s intention – though I have to say we both found the pigtail-pulling undertone distinctly underwhelming.

In this instance, again, I didn’t want her to do the troublemaker’s dirty work for him. Consequently, my 20/20-hindsight recommendation was to go with the factual, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Admittedly, thinking on your feet when facing disconcerting questions or statements isn’t easy, but if you can keep your answer short, sweet and fact-based you’re likely to disconcert your questioner as much as he or she has disconcerted you.

Finally, one of my clients went into an interview during which, in her words, “The interviewer turned his back to me throughout the interview and asked his questions while looking out the window.”

How did I recommend she handle it? Well, calling him on his behavior was going to end in a lose-lose situation: His reaction was unlikely to be positive; her outcome was therefore likely to be negative. Consequently, I suggested saying, “I find it hard to answer your questions without being able to see your face. May I ask you to turn around, or may I join you at the window?”

What makes this statement powerful is that she takes the onus on herself — it’s not that he’s being difficult, it’s that she finds it tricky to talk to someone who refuses to look at her. Also, it reminds him that her goal is to be her best self in every situation, no matter how difficult.

And, as I’m sure you’ve discovered, if we can be our best selves – regardless of the circumstances — not only do we wow others, we wow ourselves: the ultimate challenge.

Need more interview advice? Check out these previous posts:

5 Rules for Asking Better Interview Questions

What Makes Them Want to Hire You?

A Resume Helper Disguised as a Interview Guide

And according to a new CareerBuilder survey, your body language can also hurt your chances of landing a job … especially a lack of eye contact.

In the survey of more than 2,500 hiring managers, 67 percent said that failure to make eye contact would make them less likely to hire a job candidate. Other nonverbals that hiring managers cited as negative included these seven things:

• Lack of smile – 38 percent
• Fidgeting too much – 33 percent
• Bad posture – 33 percent
• Handshake that is too weak – 26 percent
• Crossing arms over their chest – 21 percent
• Playing with their hair or touching their face – 21 percent
• Using too many hand gestures – 9 percent

“In a highly competitive job market, job seekers need to set themselves apart in the interview stage,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “All that pressure, though, may have some job seekers making body language mistakes that don’t convey a confident message. To avoid these faux pas, and ensure you’re remembered for the right reasons, try practicing ahead of time in front of a mirror or family and friends.”

Haefner offers the following tips to avoid body language missteps during an interview:

• Keep calm. To make the best impression and avoid nervous body language, take measures to stay as calm as possible before the interview. Leave the house with plenty of time to get to the interview, avoid caffeine if possible and take deep, calming breaths.
• Practice makes perfect. The old adage proves true in this case, as you’ll feel more comfortable the more you prepare for the interview, and in turn, it will help decrease your anxiety. Rehearse ahead of time with friends or family, do your homework on the company and be prepared for common interview questions.
• See for yourself. Viewing yourself while speaking can help you notice what body language mistakes you might be making without realizing. Look in a mirror while practicing interview responses or videotape yourself to figure out your typical physical movements, and whether or not you need to change them.

Saylor, who is a certified group dynamics and behavioral coach, says it is possible to change your behavior and be conscious of what messages you’re sending with your own body. Her book gives the reader tips on overcoming many communication roadblocks including how to project confidence, how to look intelligent, how to eliminate verbal pauses, and how to use your posture to show confidence.

For additional blog posts on what makes a hiring manager say “yay” or “nay,” check out the following:

• What makes them want to hire you?
• What can a handshake say about you?
• Interview mistakes you wish you could take back

With about five unemployed people per available job and 6.8 million who have been out of work for 27 weeks or more, this seems like a no-brainer at first glance. Proponents say this emergency relief can help the unemployed pay bills and put food on the table and also stimulate consumer spending. Yet many argue that extending unemployment benefits will deter people from looking for jobs and dig deeper into the nation’s deficit.

So which argument is right?

A March 2010 report from JPMorgan Chase argues that emergency unemployment benefits have contributed to longer durations of unemployment and a higher unemployment rate.

But in an April 2010 report from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, researchers Rob Valleta and Katherine Kuang wrote: “Analysis of unemployment data suggests that extended unemployment insurance benefits have not been important factors in the increase in the duration of unemployment or in the elevated unemployment rate.”

And this July, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee released a report entitled “Does Unemployment Insurance Inhibit Job Search?” The report states “it is unlikely that extended unemployment benefits inhibit individuals’ job search efforts. Simply put, even a low‐paying job is likely to provide more support than that offered by [unemployment insurance].”

Still unsure? Are both sides right? Watch this clip from MSNBC’s Hardball to learn more:

For more information on related to this post, check out:

• June Jobs Report Redux
• Tips for the Long-Term Unemployed
• Handling Job-Search Desperation