Workplaces can serve a similar purpose. While you might not be looking for a job just to make friends, you might form new relationships as a result of spending 40 hours of your week at work. Some workers are finding out that these friendships continue past the day they submit their resignation letters and into the days of collecting Social Security.

According to a new study by Dutch researchers, employees who retired within the last 10 years are more like to stay connected or form new workplace connections than retirees in the 1990s. Although we acknowledge most of our readers live in the U.S., the study’s findings make us wonder if our workers are all that different from the Dutch.

From the study:

“We found that those who retired more recently were more likely to maintain at least one personal tie after retirement than those who retired earlier. In other words we discovered that a particular relationship at work was so important that they decided to continue the relationship,” Cozijnsen says in a statement. “The notion that people lose their work-related ties after retirement, because they no longer see one another at work, needs to be reconsidered, in terms of well-being and the aging process.”

Workplaces are the new what?
The news blurb discussing the study refers to “the workplace as the ‘new neighborhood.’” Declaring an old thing a new thing is always risky because not everyone agrees. Are blogs really the new newspaper? Is 40 really the new 30? That’s for you to decide, but apparently workplaces are where many people create lasting friendships.

In fact, Gallup research finds not only that many workers have workplace friendship, but that they also are more engaged employees.  From their surveys:

Our research revealed that just 30 percent of employees have a best friend at work. Those who do are seven times as likely to be engaged in their jobs, are better at engaging customers, produce higher quality work, have higher well being, and are less likely to get injured on the job. In sharp contrast, those without a best friend in the workplace have just a 1-in-12 chance of being engaged.

Having someone to pass the time with and who lifts your spirits can have a positive affect on your performance. Who knew?

One-third of your waking hours
If you crunch the numbers, maybe these findings shouldn’t be that surprising. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say you work a standard 40-hour week with traditional office hours and get your recommended eight hours of sleep each night. (Obviously this assumption doesn’t work for everyone, but it makes the math simpler.) There are 168 hours in a week and you’re only awake for 112 of them. You’re at work for 40 of those hours, and the remaining 72 are spent traveling to and from work, doing chores and spending time with your loved ones. Roughly one-third of your waking hours are spent at work. Doesn’t forming some sort of meaningful bond make sense?

As Tom Rath and James K. Harter point out in their Gallup piece, even workers who aren’t surrounded by colleagues can make connections. You don’t have to work in a sea of cubicles or a bustling retail store to form bonds with your co-workers. E-mail, IMs and phone calls take the place of water-cooler talk for people who work at home or in remote offices. These communication tools also make it easy to stay in touch once you’ve moved on to another job and ultimately once you’ve retired.

Not everyone wants to have a close friend at work. Some workers are understandably opposed to mixing professional and personal relationships. Many businesses have strict policies against it.

As we continue to recover from massive layoffs and a rough economy, can you continue to form those bonds? Are those friendships the ones that make the hardships easier? Where do you fall on the issue: Do you make long-lasting friends at work (and beyond) or do you keep it strictly professional?

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Private sector employment rose by 71,000 last month, beating out June’s gain of 31,000, but still falling short of the 90,000 jobs that economists predicted would be added in July.  

Despite signs of a stagnant job recovery, though, the news wasn’t all bad. Overall, the BLS reports that private sector employment has increased by 630,000 this year. Positive numbers were also reported in industries like health care, which has added 231,000 jobs in the past 12 months, manufacturing, which has added 183,000 jobs since December 2009, and transportation, which has added 56,000 jobs since February.

Additionally, according to CareerBuilder’s own data based on number of job posting on its site, industries like sales, marketing, IT, customer service, skilled labor and entry-level positions have all shown sequential improvements this year.  

Other good news from the BLS report:

• For the third month in a row, the number of people working part-time because they could not find full-time work dropped.
• The average hourly wage rose slightly in July, from $22.55, to $22.59.

The BLS also put out revised numbers for the May and June job numbers, editing non-farm payroll employment for May from +433,000 to +432,000, and revising June’s change from -125,000 to -221,000.

For more information about July job numbers, check out this clip of CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson, from this morning’s Squawk Box on CNBC.

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According to the U.S. Small Business Association, small businesses (those with less than 500 employees) create over half of our nation’s GDP and nearly two-thirds of all new jobs. Additionally, according to CareerBuilder’s latest survey, unemployed workers have a good chance of being hired by a small business — or starting one of their own — during the second half of 2010.

“Historically, it has been the small business sector that has created the most jobs at the end of an economic downturn, allowing the overall job market to bounce back faster,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “The intellectual capital that companies were forced to lay off over the last 18-24 months was substantial and it is not surprising that many individuals are using their business skills to create their own opportunities.”

According to the CareerBuilder survey, from July-December 2010:

• Thirty-two percent of companies with 500 or less employees plan to hire new workers. 
• Twenty-one percent will hire full-time, 11 percent will hire part-time and 6 percent will hire contractors or temporary workers.   
• Twenty-four percent of companies with 50 or less employees plan to bring on new workers.  
• Twenty-six percent of workers who were laid off in the last six-months say they are considering starting a small business instead of looking for full-time work.  

The survey also found that there is no shortage of imagination when it comes to small-biz start-ups, either. The following is a sampling of the types of businesses survey participants indicated they have started over the last year (check out lucky #13, that candle-hawking friend story was no joke):

1. Bakery
2. Board Game Design
3. Cleaning Company
4. Computer Services
5. Craft and Antique Business
6. E-commerce retail site/EBay
7. Event Planning
8. Freelance Journalist
9. Handyman
10. HR Consulting
11. Lawn Service
12. Recycled Yarn Retail Store
13. Scented Candle Business
14. Sports Camp for Kids
15. Umpiring/Refereeing

Whether you’re thinking about starting your own version of Merry Maids or you’re looking to give Mrs. Fields a run for her money, below are a few ideas (get more tips here, here and here) to take into consideration before starting your own small business:

• Build off what (and whom) you know: Use the knowledge from your past experiences and jobs to develop your business. Reach out to former colleagues, vendors, clients, etc. to let them know that you’re in business for yourself.
• Try contract or freelance work first: Taking on contract and temporary opportunities will help you build your portfolio and networking contacts. If you’re in a product-based business, take on small jobs or orders first, to work out any kinks. If you’re starting a bakery, for example, offer to cater desserts for a family celebration, before taking on paying customers.  
• Promote your business with social media:Promote your personal brand by starting a blog, or using sites like Facebook, Twitter, Brightfuse.com and others.  Make sure to include links to past work, testimonials and accomplishments.  
• Consider a franchise: Going in on a franchise business with others or on your own can be a great way to dip your foot in the water of owning your own business. Franchisees gain access to the names, resources, and marketing materials of well-known companies, in exchange for a percentage of the franchise profit.

Need inspiration? Check out these interviews with successful entrepreneurs: Interior designer, matchmaker, online community builder.

Also, check out:

7 Easy Steps to a Freelance Life

The New Generation of Entrepreneurs

5 Unusual Work From Home Jobs

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Besides providing job listings, the site serves as a resource and information center. Consider these statistics, pulled from recent articles appearing on MiracleWorkers.com:

• As the country’s baby boomers age — all 78 million of them — there will continue to be a shortage of qualified health care workers. In all, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration projects a national shortage of more than 1 million nurses and about 55,000 physicians by 2020.
• Federal health experts have designated more than 6,200 “health professional shortage areas” for primary care providers across the country.
• In addition, 4,230 areas lacking dental care providers, and nearly 3,300 areas in need of mental health professionals have been identified.
• The Allied health field, which excludes doctors and nurses, includes several million health care workers in as many 200 careers, from genetic counselors and nutritionists to medical assistants and athletic trainers.
• Allied health workers represent about 60 percent of the nearly 14 million health care providers in the U.S.
• Bilingual workers are especially sought after in the medical industry, and should have an edge in getting health care jobs.

Interested in starting a career in this quickly expanding field? Find positions you might be interested in by searching one of these terms, which are currently the top  job-search terms on MiracleWorkers:

• Caregiver
• Certified nurse aid (CNA)
• Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
• Medical assistant
• Pharmacist
• Pharmacy technician
• Radiology
• Registered nurse (RN)
• Social worker
• Therapist

For a complete list of job opportunities or to find out more information about working in health care, visit MiracleWorkers.com.

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Over the last two-and-a-half years, we’ve written a lot on recession-proof jobs and the future’s most-wanted workers, but boy were we missing some. Some of today’s thriving industries include interactive technology, wellness and family entertainment.

Check out these 10 surprisingly recession-proof industries on the Huffington Post. The article points out that Americans are spending less on “essentials” like education and funerals and more on things like checking that marathon off their bucket list, pampering their pooch and getting some fresh ink. “Perhaps mounting frustrations and anxieties about the economy have shown a new side of human nature,” mused the writer.  

Inc. magazine also points to industries ripe for would-be entrepreneurs, including environmental consulting, vintage clothing and even cupcakes. As more long-term unemployed consider self-employment and starting their own businesses, this piece provides some fresh ideas.

If you’re looking for that next great opportunity, try searching some of these growth areas as keywords on CareerBuilder.com, or check out OpportunityBuilder.com for advice especially for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Have you thought about starting your own business or pursuing a career in a new industry? Tell us your experience.

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Said one report in the NY Times:

Just as last month’s government job report appeared deceptively robust, swollen as it was by 411,000 workers hired by the federal government to help with the census, so the June report appears deceptively anemic, as the government is shedding many of those same temporary census workers.

Here’s why: While nonfarm payroll employment fell by 125,000 in June, the decline reflects the shedding of 225,000 temporary Census 2010 jobs. The number of jobs in the private sector actually edged up by 83,000. If you remember May’s report, temporary census hiring accounted for about 411,000 jobs and private-sector employment rose by a modest 41,000.

Since the beginning of 2010, private sector employment has risen by 593,000; yet, that is still a sharp contrast to the 7.9 million jobs that have been lost since the start of the recession.

June’s job growth is due to modest increases in several industries including:

• temporary help services
• management and technical consulting
• business support services
• amusements, gambling, and recreation
• transportation and warehousing
• mining
• health care
• manufacturing

Construction employment, which has changed little this year, continued to fall.

For the long-term unemployed, there is added concern. More than 2 million people will lose their unemployment benefits by the end of next week, according to NPR news:

Unemployment benefits generally last 26 weeks, but they are inevitably extended during recessions. With the jobless rate hovering around 10 percent … Congress has already extended the benefits several times over the past two years, offering assistance for up to 99 weeks.

But such additional coverage expired June 4 and the Senate has since failed to renew it. The House approved an extension Thursday, but it appears the Senate will not pass its version until after the July 4 recess.

If you want to know more from CareerBuilder’s perspective on job growth, watch CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson from this appearance on CNBC’s SquawkBox:

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CareerBuilder’s annual survey about unusual tactics came out recently and it turns out more and more job seekers are trying everything and anything to stand out from their competitors. Twenty-two percent of hiring managers reported that, compared to last year, they are seeing more job seekers try unusual tactics to capture their attention. This is up from 18 percent who said the same in 2009 and 12 percent in 2008.

While you don’t want to be remembered for the wrong reasons, some hiring managers, say that unusual tactics can be effective. One-in-ten said they have hired someone who used an unconventional tactic to get their attention.

If you’re thinking about trying something to catch an employer’s eye, it’s all about the execution. You want to be remembered in a good way, so be professional and creative. Consider some of these unusual job seeker tricks that have actually worked:

• One candidate brought in a video recommendation from a former boss
• The person applying for a casino dealer job dealt a game on the interviewer’s desk and interacted with imaginary gamblers
• The applicant identified an existing technology problem and solved it
• A prospective teacher brought in a box of props to demonstrate her teaching style
• An applicant created a full graphics portfolio on the employer’s brand
• The successful candidate submitted a business plan with his job application

Tell us, have you ever tried something unusual or unique to get an employer’s attention? Did it work or did it backfire?

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According to the BLS, temporary census hiring accounted for about 411,000 jobs and private-sector employment rose by a modest 41,000.  Manufacturing, temporary help services and mining added jobs, while construction employment declined.  Employment in health care, wholesale trade, retail, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, and leisure and hospitality showed little or no change in May.

As a job seeker, here are some important things to keep in mind:

• Since December, nonfarm payroll employment has expanded by 982,000.
• On CareerBuilder, we have seen growth in CareerBuilder’s job listings in 2010 and expect those positive trends to continue at a gradual pace throughout the year.  
• Jobs are being added at all levels on CareerBuilder.com. Entry-level jobs are up 46% and we’re also seeing an increase in management positions.
• Employers are adding jobs that are those most closely tied to revenue including sales, marketing, customer service and information technology.

So now that you know where the job growth is, we hope you’re more energized about the jobs picture. Here are some tips for a successful job search.

• Consider a different occupation – Highlight skills that are universal across industries like communications, project management and customer service.
• Don’t apologize for gaps – Employers know it’s a tough job market and resume gaps aren’t unusual.  What they’ll be looking for is how active you have been, did you volunteer, take a class, do something to grow professionally. 
• Consider freelance or temporary work – A temporary position to help you get more experience, learn new skills and it may even turn into full-time work.
• Check out CareerBuilder’s hireINSIDER – This new tool lets you see how your education, experience, skills and more stack up against those of other applicants who are applying to the same jobs you are. 

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The interviewer then handed the applicant a stack of papers and explained, “These are forms we require for new employees. That way, if you get the job, you can start immediately and we don’t have to waste time going through all of this later.”

She explained that one page was about references. Another was about experience. Then she got to the last page.

“We need you to sign this. You just promise not to write our name on Facebook or Twitter or anything like that.”

That statement caught me off guard. Perhaps it shouldn’t have, but I regularly write and read about social media in the workplace because of my job and I’ve never heard about this happening during an interview. I wanted to find out more about the agency’s policy, but I didn’t want to interrupt the interview. So I left wondering a few things:

• Is that kind of agreement a standard practice in businesses today?
• Is that agreement legally binding?
• Does the agreement prohibit any mention of the company or only mentions that are disparaging or divulge confidential information?
• What about professionals who use social media sites as their online résumé and portfolio? Do they have to leave that experience off of their online work history?

So I decided to ask around.

One job seeker, Bob Johnson from New York City, says he hasn’t yet encountered any of these nondisclosure agreements in his hunt. He, like many job seekers, wonders whether or not such an agreement is an infringement on freedom of speech.

Erin T. Welsh, an associate with the law firm Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus, explains why some companies are persnickety about their employees and social media.

“According to newly revised [Federal Trade Commission] guidelines which took effect Dec. 1, 2009, employers may face liability for comments posted by employees on blogs or social networking websites,” Welsh explains. “If an employee comments about his or her employer’s products or services on such social networking websites and the employment relationship is not disclosed, potential liability may exist for the employer under the FTC guidelines — even if the comments were not sponsored or authorized by the employer.”

For this reason, Welsh explains, explicit guidelines about social media practices benefit employers. Clear guidelines can prevent negative attention from a wayward comment that calls into question the company’s ethics.

Joy Butler is an attorney and author of “The Cyber Citizen’s Guide Through the Legal Jungle: Internet Law for Your Professional Online Presence.” She has seen social media policies and agreements become commonplace in workplaces.

“A social media policy cannot prevent employees from exercising the right to talk about improving work conditions or organizing a union as such restrictions would violate federal laws,” Butler says.

In her experience, these policies typically address the following issues:

• The employee’s postings must not disclose any of the employer’s confidential or proprietary information.
• If the employee comments on an aspect of the employer’s business in which the employee has responsibility, the employee must identify himself as an employee of the company and make it clear that he is speaking on behalf of himself and not the company.
• If the employee identifies himself as an employee of the company, refers to the company’s work or provides a link to the company, the employee must include a disclaimer such as the following: “The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the views of [XYZ Co.].”
• The employee must not include the employer’s logos or trademarks in the employees’ Internet postings.

Amid this head scratching, Becky Blanton, a professional ghostwriter, points out that nondisclosure agreements are common in many industries — especially hers. They’re also obstacles for her to overcome when piecing together her portfolio.

“When your [job depends] on showcasing work — like a brochure or website — and the owner insists that you not use it in your portfolio, you’re often faced with having to show some less impressive or distinctive work simply because it’s all you can show,” Blanton says. “I’ve worked with Hollywood celebrities and two or three people within the gravitational pull of the Oprah-sphere that would have been nice pieces in a portfolio. But the NDA prohibits naming names or using the final product in any public way, so I can’t use those examples.”

Would you willingly sign one of these agreements? Would an NDA stop you from using your social media profiles to find jobs and present your portfolio? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Alas, rarely is a job – summer or otherwise — like how it is in the movies. Those vying for a seasonal job this summer may not get that Hollywood ending they are hoping for, according to the results of CareerBuilder’s Annual Summer Job Forecast. On par with last year’s forecast and in line with current economic conditions, job seekers are facing more competition for fewer jobs.

Here are some of the major results of the survey:

• 22 percent of employers say they plan to hire seasonal workers for the summer, in line with estimates from 2009
• 15 percent of employers say they are planning to hire the same amount of summer workers as last year, while 5 percent plan to add fewer
• 71 percent of hiring managers will offer the same pay to seasonal workers this year as they did last year, 14 percent will offer more
• 43 percent) plan to pay summer workers $10 or more per hour and 6 percent plan to pay $20 or more per hour. Thirty percent anticipate paying between $8 to less than $10 per hour, while 9 percent expect to pay less than $7 per hour.

If you’re hoping your summer job will fill the gap during your unemployment or lead to full-time work, consider this: More than half (57 percent) of companies reported that they would consider some of their seasonal recruits for permanent placement within their organizations when the summer ends.

Across all industries, the most popular summer positions are being offered in:

• Retail – 40 percent
• Hospitality – 33 percent
• Office support — 28 percent
• Customer service — 21 percent
• Landscape/maintenance — 16 percent
• Research — 13 percent
• Sales – 12 percent
• Restaurant/food service — 12 percent

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