Anyway,  as I was saying, we’ve all had embarrassing moments. For some people, it unfortunately happened in the worst place possible: the interview.

If you’re sick of recounting your embarrassing interview moment in exchange for nothing more than a bunch of laughs from your friends and family, now you can tell it for a good reason: You might be able to win an 8-GB iPod Nano with built-in video camera.

BriteTab, a resume writing service, just launched InterviewFollies.com, a site that encourages users to post their embarrassing or funny job interview moment that they may have experienced, seen or heard about. Just by sharing your story, you’ll have the chance to win an iPod Nano with built-in video camera. Plus, you can promote your story however you want — through your Facebook page, Twitter account or your personal blog.

Visitors to the site will be able to vote for their favorite stories; the person behind the story that received the most votes win. There is a winner every two weeks for six weeks, which means you can submit your story up to three times for a chance to win.

From all of the things I’ve heard from hiring managers, I have about 100 stories I could enter in this contest. But, I’ll leave it you guys.

Before you share your embarrassing interview moment on InterviewFollies, share with us here. You won’t win an iPod Nano, but maybe if you’re story is funny enough, we can use it an upcoming article.

In the meantime, here is some reading on interviewing to keep you busy:

The Worst Interview Faux Pas
7 Ways to Wreck Your Interview
10 Signs Your Interview Went Well
You Said What?!

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In a new survey by CareerBuilder, hiring managers shared the most memorable requests or recommendations they have received in the office suggestion box.

We had to censor them a little bit, but here are a few that had us in stitches:

• Request to allow people to change clothes in their cubicles.
• Request to add a tanning bed to the break room.
• Request to put beer in the vending machine.
• Request that jail time be covered under family medical leave.
• Request to institute bikini Fridays.
• Request to only be required to work during daylight hours because employee is scared of the dark.
• Request for a special smoking area for medical marijuana.
• Request that the HR person wear nicer shoes.
• Request for more time off to pursue side business as a clown.
• Request to replace his desk with a futon so employee could lay down and work.
• Request that the lactation room with gliding chair be used for naps, so everyone can use it.
• Request to install a swimming pool for employees to use.
• Request to have the team meeting to be held in Hawaii.

Have you ever made or received a strange suggestion in the inbox? Share them with us!

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Keeping in the Halloween spirit, CareerBuilder thought it would be fun to ask workers about all the scary things we encounter at work — namely, our bosses, our job duties and the workplace itself.

In the survey, 18 percent of workers described their workplace as scary. Some of those people think their workplace is scary because their bosses bear a strong resemblance to famous Halloween characters. When asked which popular characters best reflect their boss’s behavior, workers said the following:

• Glenda the Good Witch, liked and respected by all – 20 percent
• The Wolf Man, is fine one minute, howling the next – 11 percent
• The Invisible Man, never around – 10 percent
• Casper the Friendly Ghost, eager to help, but often misunderstood – 9 percent
• Dracula, constantly sucking the life right out of you – 6 percent
• Wicked Witch of the West, always acting conniving and sending out minions to do his/her dirty work – 5 percent
• The Mummy, slow-moving and has an ancient thought process – 4 percent
• Grim Reaper, constantly delivers bad news and inspires fear among workers – 3 percent
• Frankenstein, green with envy – 1 percent

In addition to spooky bosses, when asked what the scariest part of their job was, workers reported the following fear-inducing activities:

• Workload – 18 percent
• Performance reviews – 9 percent
• Tight deadlines – 9 percent
• Hours worked – 8 percent
• Their boss or supervisor – 7 percent
• Sitting through meetings – 6 percent

What about you? Which Halloween character is your boss like, and why? What’s the scariest part of your job?

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So, in that spirit, here are some ideas for workplace Halloween costumes. If you have any of your own, please chime in!

• A Day Off — Using black lettering, write October 30, 2009 or November 1, 2009 on an orange shirt. When people ask what you are, say, “A day off!”
• Happy Hour — Wrap a tie around your head and carry around an empty (yes, empty) martini glass with you throughout the day. At 5 p.m., scream, “Happy hour!”
• Pink Slip — No one ever wants to be served the dreaded pink slip at work. Wear a pink slip over your work clothes and chase your co-workers.
• Running Late — Show up to the office with messy hair and disheveled clothes with your pajamas showing underneath.
• Vending Machine — Dress in black and fasten snacks to yourself with the cost of each item displayed. To be really evil, place an “out of order” sign on the real vending machine and charge your co-workers for your snacks. When they pay, make sure you throw their snacks on the ground as the vending machine does.
• Office Gossip — Make up fun stories about your co-workers. Fasten the stories to yourself and put the name of your favorite tabloid magazine or gossip blog on a hat. Hang around the water cooler and invite people to read the latest news.
  
• Headhunter — Carry a mannequin or doll head around with you, holding it by the hair.
• Post-it Note — Wear all yellow. When people say “trick or treat” at your cube, pass out real Post-it notes.
• Red Tape — Buy red tape and tape it all over your clothes and cubicle. When people ask what you are, make them cut through some red tape to get the answer.
• Leftover — Wrap yourself in aluminum foil and give yourself an aluminum swan hat. Place a sign on your chest that says, “Anything left after 4 p.m. on Friday will be thrown away!”
  

Here are some ideas that take a bit more work, but are even more unique:

• Missing Person — Wear all white and use poster board to make a hat that resembles a milk carton. On another piece of poster board, place a picture of an employee who recently left the company and label them missing.
• Floating Holiday — Dress as your favorite holiday icon (Santa, Easter Bunny, Leprechaun, etc.) Place cotton around your shoes to look like clouds.
• Boss or Co-worker — Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…but keep it fun. This could veer into passive aggressive territory.
• Suggestion Box — Take a large cardboard box and fasten rope so you can wear it like a barrel. Write “suggestions” on the box and take the slips of paper with your co-workers’ suggestions. Make sure to respond to them by the end of the day.

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If you haven’t gotten the chance to send wishes to your boss here are a few easy ways to do so that go beyond that boring old e-card.

Someecards
Sometimes irreverent and always funny, these greetings are probably best suited for the boss who you can joke with. One is featured as the pic above.
http://www.someecards.com/boss-day-cards/newest

America’s Best Boss
This customizable video comes from the folks at Adecco. It lets you create a “news report” on your boss who’s been named America’s Best Boss.
http://www.americasbestboss.com/

Boss’s Day video 
Worried about that fine line between sucking up and showing your appreciation? This short video featuring Yoyo from Hallmark’s animated characters Hoops & Yoyo does just the trick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kQtUOESSfs

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I’ve always wondered, why is it that we feel the need to give an excuse anyway? Sometimes, we are sick and that’s a reason in itself; but other times, we just need a day away from the office. What’s wrong with that?

A new CareerBuilder survey says that the economy is playing a role in employees calling in “sick” to work. The annual survey on absenteeism shows 32 percent of workers have played hooky from the office this year, calling in sick when they were well at least once. Twenty-eight percent of employers think more employees are absent with fake excuses due to increased stress and burnout caused by the recession.

About 12 percent of employees said they played hooky from work to avoid a meeting, give themselves some more time to work on a project or avoid the wrath of a boss, colleague or client. Others missed work because:

• 31 percent needed to go to a doctor’s appointment
• 28 percent needed to relax
• 16 percent needed to catch up on sleep
• 13 percent had to run personal errands
• 10 percent had to catch up on housework
• s10 percent wanted to spend time with family and friends
• 32 percent just didn’t feel like going to work that day

Of course, CareerBuilder also asked employers to share the most unusual excuses they’ve heard from employees calling in sick.  Here are the top 12:

1. I got sunburned at a nude beach and can’t wear clothes.
2. I woke up in Canada.
3. I got caught selling an alligator.
4. My buddies locked me in the trunk of an abandoned car after a weekend of drinking.
5. My mom said I was not allowed to go to work today.
6. A bee flew in my mouth.
7. I’m just not into it today.
8. I accidentally hit a nun with my motorcycle.
9. A random person threw poison ivy in my face and now I have a rash.
10. I’m convinced my spouse is having an affair and I’m staying home to catch them.
11. I was injured chasing a seagull.
12. I have a headache from eating hot peppers.

Click here to read the full survey.

What about you guys? What excuses have you given to play hooky? Employers, what have you heard from employees?

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The 2009 data showed that 60 percent of the 14,786 shirts left behind at Travelodge hotels were white. Eighty percent of the 1,005 discarded business suits and 40 percent of the 3,105 forgotten ties were black. Fifty percent of the 69,986 socks left behind by customers were also black.

So what’ s the secret behind dressing in black white?

“Monochrome colors are solid powerful colors. By dressing in black and white an individual can visually display their authority, seriousness of purpose, professionalism and allow their personality to shine through,” says Corrine Sweet, a UK psychologist. “Due to the economic climate, 2009 has been one of the toughest years in decades within the work and business environment. Rivalry amongst workers has never been so fierce, therefore in a bid to stand out amongst co-workers, British workers have opted for ‘power dressing’ by wearing black and white.”

Travelodge went on to survey 5,000 British workers to obtain their views on the trend of monochrome business attire being left behind at its hotels. Findings revealed 7 out of 10 British workers turn to a black suit and a white shirt when they need to “dress to impress” within the work and business environment.

Click here to read the full article.

What do you think? Do black and white stand for power and leadership?

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OK, the reason I bring this up is because last night’s episode had a good lesson for workers (and employers, too). Let me summarize what’s going on in this show:

Rachel Zoe is a fashion stylist and she has two assistants. Taylor’s been there since the beginning and Brad has only been with her for a year. Taylor and Brad don’t always get along–naturally, because if they did, the show would be boring. Well, Rachel tells Brad and Taylor that their schedule is open and all three of them will be going to Paris Fashion Week, which is basically the Super Bowl of couture. Then some clients need Rachel’s services during that scheduled trip and she has to leave one of the assistants behind. Who will go to Paris? (Insert dramatic stares and camera cuts here.)

Rachel first sends an e-mail to Taylor and Brad telling them what’s going on and that the two of them should figure it out themselves. She secretly wants Brad to say, “Taylor has seniority. I’ll stay; she can go.” Taylor knows this, too. Brad doesn’t do that. Taylor tells Brad what’s going on. He gets mad at Rachel. She sends an e-mail to Taylor saying that she should decide who goes and who stays because she has seniority. Brad’s reaction is what most viewers were probably thinking: Rachel has the most seniority–she’s the boss. Throughout this entire ordeal all three players mention the fact that Rachel has issues with confrontation. She even says that her least favorite part of being the boss is doing the things that a boss has to do.

Ultimately, Taylor decides Brad should go and that she wants to deal directly with Rachel to discuss the issue. Rachel knows it’s all coming. Everyone agrees that Rachel royally messed up and should’ve made the decision and been unafraid of angering her employees. That’s what happens when you’re the boss.

Now, for me and you, the regular people who don’t have our own shows and who don’t have the luxury of worrying about who gets to go to Paris and who has to stay home and deal with celebrities, there are still some valuable work lessons here. Here are some things to do when your boss relegates a little too much responsibility to you:

• Be nice to your co-workers
  If your boss wants you and your co-worker to tackle a problem, try to do it. Bickering back and forth and getting passive aggressive won’t advance the situation. It’ll just escalate tension and eventually you’ll end up running to the boss sounding like a whiny baby because the other person was mean to you.
• Think about office politics (sometimes)
  I’m not saying you should get involved in the gritty side of workplace politics, but recognize that seniority, tenure and titles play a role in how (many) companies operate. In some cases, deferring to the senior member of the team shows that you respect their time at the company and that you’re cooperative.
• If you are senior, act senior
  Pulling rank can often be annoying and unnecessary, but sometimes the boss looks to the second-in-command to step up and show leadership. Take the opportunity and run with it. Acknowledge that your role might be strange for everyone because you’re not the boss. It will diffuse some of the tension while telling everyone that you are embracing the role and will be the decision-maker.
• Politely confront your boss about the issue
  If a boss handled a situation in a way that affected daily operations and relationships, you need to address it. Be respectful and remember that he or she is the boss–so preparing a fiery 20-minute speech isn’t the way to go. But feel free to ask to discuss the situation and then explain that the group needed a little more guidance. Use it as an opportunity to step up by saying, “I felt that I should take control because of my seniority, but I didn’t want to appear as though I was undermining your authority.” Or, if you aren’t one of the highest ranking people on the team, tell the boss that there was some confusion and that, “We wanted to be certain that we were staying on track with your goals, but we didn’t know if plans had changed and we were supposed to listen to [so-and-so] instead.” Word it however you want, but while showing respect and not whining, voice your concern. Sometimes bosses are so busy they don’t even realize there was any misunderstanding in their directions.

The whole situation was kind of bananas, to be honest. But it doesn’t have to be if you act like an adult and talk things out.

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Here’s what you should be reading today:

• Not sure that these sorts of findings really change much, but they’re fun reads, nonetheless.
  Testosterone May Guide Women’s Careers
• Hopefully confidence translates into a better economy.
  Consumers more confident of economy, jobs
• A sad but realistic look at unemployment for some people.
  The Huge Gap Between a Dentist and a Job
• Nice, friendly reminder.
  Job seekers should keep references current

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This whole Twitter business is still makings its way across the country. Facebook was quick to catch on with the college crowd, and as the site was expanded to more universities and then eventually anyone, millions joined. Twitter’s a few years old and has been consistently gaining users and attention during that time, though it’s still not on the level of other social networking sites. Maybe because Twitter’s different and I’ve heard plenty of people ask, “What exactly is it and why do I want to do it?”

Here’s a quick primer:

1. Twitter’s a site that allows you to post a message (or a Tweet, if you will) that’s 140 characters or less. Not 140 words, but 140 characters. That’s not easy.
2. You can follow other people, which means you can easily see their Tweets when they’re posted.
3. Other people can follow you so that they see your Tweets. (Makes sense, right?)
4. You can abstain from posting anything and just log on the site to see what people are saying.

Not everyone wants to post about their left toe’s hangnail, and even fewer people want to read about it. So don’t think the site’s only good for silly things. You can actually use Twitter to improve your job search, keep track of industry trends, and even plan your career. You might think it’ll be too hard to navigate the millions of users and find the worthwhile Tweeters…and you’d be somewhat right. It is tricky to sort through the noise, so we did it for you. Here are 10 Tweeters we think you should be following if you want to get some workplace and job hunting advice.

Here are the 10 job Tweeters you should be following.

@adriennewaldo
About the author: Adrienne Waldo, a New York-based writer, consultant and blogger, made a name for herself when she began blogging about Generation Y.
Why you should follow her: Waldo, a Generation Y-er herself, offers advice as someone who’s in the same shoes as many of her equally young Twitter followers, but she also uses her experience to let followers know what employers are thinking.

@AlisonDoyle
About the author: Alison Doyle regularly writes articles on job-seeking issues, ranging from interview advice to using social media appropriately.
Why you should follow her: She’s prolific, so you always have something to read, and she knows her stuff.

@AnitaBruzzese
About the author: Anita Bruzzese is the author of “45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy” and also writes a workplace blog full of tips and advice for employees.
Why you should follow her: She lets you know when she’s updated her blog, which is full of helpful advice. She also shares quirky, sometimes off-topic links that lighten the day’s mood.

@CAREEREALISM
About the authors: Careerealism.com founder J.T. O’Donnell and a group of job experts let you know when they’ve posted new advice for job seekers. They also respond to job seekers with career questions — in 140 characters or less, of course.
Why you should follow them: As a follower, you get to read advice from several experts who know what they’re talking about and give their own perspectives.

@careerdiva
About the author: Eve Tahmincioglu blogs, publishes articles and Tweets on career issues.
Why you should follow her: Her advice is excellent and she often brings up issues you might not have otherwise considered.

@CBforJobSeekers
About the authors: We here at TheWorkBuzz.com also write workplace and job seeker articles for your reading pleasure.
Why you should follow them: We Tweet a mix of tips, news stories, helpful articles and blog posts to keep you informed of what’s going on in the world of job seekers. We love you so much that we put a handy link on the right side of this page that takes you straight to our Twitter in case you ever forget. –>

@heatherhuhman
About the author: Heather Huhman is an expert on helping Generation Y job seekers and recent graduates navigate the professional world.
Why you should follow her: Huhman Tweets when she writes a new article, directs followers to other helpful experts and offers her own tips from time to time.

@InterviewCoach
About the author: Lewis Lin is a Seattle-based interview coach who prepares clients for the difficult questions that will come their way during a job search.
Why you should follow him: Lin Tweets his own interview tips, as well as other experts’ advice and news articles.

@Keppie_Careers
About the author: Atlanta-based Miriam Salpeter is a career coach and résumé writer for Keppie Careers. She helps job seekers spice up their résumés, prepare for interviews and achieve their career goals.
Why you should follow her: In addition to posting links to the day’s job seeker headlines and news, she also offers career advice and lets you know where she’ll be giving presentations.

@Writerbabe
About the author: Chicago-based Raven Moore authors The Writerbabe Series, a blog that explores professional, pop-culture and newsworthy topics.
Why you should follow her: Moore directs you both to her own writings and to other writers’ works, as well as interesting news items she comes across. Plus, some of her personal Tweets are entertaining enough to make you forget about the current economy.

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