But that’s not where the similarities stop.  

Three of the characters who garnered Emmy noms for their respective actors work in health care, two are comedy writers, two are mid-level managers and two are lawyers — for a grand total of 20 out of 24 characters that share an occupation with at least one other Emmy-nominated character.

With all the different careers paths out there (the Bureau of Labor Statistics  lists 280 different occupations in its Occupation Outlook Handbook), that’s got to say something about our entertainment — or occupational — preferences. 

Below, a list of Emmy-nominated characters that are also professional peers.

The high school staff:

• “Glee”’s Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester, Spanish teacher and glee club director, William McKinley High School
• “Breaking Bad”’s Bryan Cranston as Walter White, high school chemistry teacher
• “Friday Night Lights”’ Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor, coach, Dillon High School football team
• “Friday Night Lights”’ Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, guidance counselor, East Dillon High School

The investigators:

• “Monk”’s Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, police homicide consultant, San Francisco Police Department
• “Dexter”’s Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, blood spatter analyst, homicide unit, Miami metro police department
• “The Closer”’s Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Johnson, deputy chief, Major Crimes Division, LAPD
• “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”’s Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, detective, Manhattan Special Victims Unit

The business execs:

• “30 Rock”’s Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy, vice president of East Coast television and microwave programming, GE
• “Mad Men”’s Jon Hamm as Don Draper, partner, advertising firm of Sterling Cooper Draper Price
• “The New Adventures Of Old Christine”’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell, owner, women’s health club
• “Damages”’ Glenn Close as Patty Hewes, partner, Hewes and Associates LLP

The health-care workers:

• “House”’s Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House, doctor and chief of diagnostic medicine, Princeton‑Plainsboro Teaching Hospital
• “Lost”’s Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard, doctor
• “Nurse Jackie”’s Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton, nurse, All Saints’ Hospital

The comedy writers:

• “Curb Your Enthusiasm”’s Larry David as himself (a comedy writer)
• “30 Rock”’s Tina Fey as Liz Lemon, head writer, sketch comedy show 

The mid-level managers:

• “The Office”’s Steve Carell as Michael Scott, regional manager, Dunder Mifflin Paper Company Inc. (A division of Sabre)
• “Parks And Recreation”’s Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, director of the Pawnee (Ind.) Department of Parks and Recreation

The lawyers:

• “Damages”’ Glenn Close as Patty Hewes, lawyer(also partner), Hewes and Associates LLP
• “The Good Wife”’s Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, lawyer

The others:

• “The Big Bang Theory”’s Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, theoretical physicist
• “Glee”’s Lea Michele as Rachel Berry, student
• “United States Of Tara’’s Toni Collette as Tara Gregson, mural painter
• “Mad Men”’s January Jones as Betty Draper, housewife

Who will take home Sunday’s awards? Let us know your favorites in the comments section!

For more on work and the entertainment industry, check out:

When Celebrities Decide to Un-retire

The 10 Worst Movie Jobs

Back to Work at Sterling Cooper

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While some things in life may come tough for lefties — like finding a decent pair of scissors or a dinner companion who can keep their elbows to themselves — other things, like creativity and leadership ability, may come fairly easy, and help shape the career choices of those we affectionately call “goofy.” 

Though there are various theories for why this is, one of the most predominant has to do with which brain hemisphere controls what side of the body. “Handedness” is a function of the brain, and since the left hand is controlled by the right side of the brain, a dominant left hand means a dominant right brain.  Because the right side of the brain is responsible for non-verbal, random, holistic and fantasy-oriented processing, lefties are thought to naturally be more inclined toward creative careers. 

Whether you buy into this theory or not, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to left-handers and creativity. Take these famous left-handed creative types:

Actors/Comedians

• Tim Allen
• Matthew Broderick
• Tom Cruise
• Robert DeNiro
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Goldie Hawn
• Angeline Jolie
• Diane Keaton
• Nicole Kidman
• Jay Leno
• David Letterman
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Julia Roberts
• Jerry Seinfeld
• Bruce Willis 

Musicians

• Paul McCartney
• Mozart
• Paul Simon
• Ringo Starr

Artists

• Leonardo DaVinci
• Michelangelo
• Raphael 

In addition to creativity, left-handed people may also be more inclined toward taking on leadership positions in their careers. It has been reported that 66 percent of U.S. presidents over the last 30 years have been left-handed, including three out of the last four: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. 

Other leftie leaders throughout history include:

• Buzz Aldrin
• Steve Forbes
• Henry Ford
• Benjamin Franklin
• Al Gore
• Helen Keller
• John McCain
• Ronald Reagan
• Oprah Winfrey

So, while it may have taken you a while to overcome certain difficulties in your career — everything from health care exam rooms to cash registers and computer mice (mouses?) are designed for the right-handed — take comfort in knowing that your determination may one day make you a leader in your right-hand dominated field. Who’s goofy now?

Have any other famous lefties to add to our list? Include them in the comments section, below.

For more pop culture posts:

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The 10 Worst Movie Jobs

10 Jobs for Harry Potter

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Although I personally think this is a great idea, since I love dogs, I can see how take your dog to work day might raise some office controversy for the canine-aversive. As someone with a serious cat allergy, if there was such thing as annual Take Your Cat to Work Day, I would call in sick on that day every year. Yet despite any potential employee opposition, an increasing number of companies are making it policy to allow animals in the workplace — and not just once-a-year.

According to a 2008 survey by The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 17 percent of businesses in the United States allow pets in the workplace. Indeed, large companies like Google, The Jim Henson Company, Dell, Clif Bar, Athleta Clothing, Smith & Hawken, DraftFCB and Amazon.com are all dog-friendly.

TheWorkBuzz wanted to see what employees thought about pets in the workplace, so we talked to a bunch of workers at companies with animal friendly policies — whether those policies exist just for today, or all year round. Here’s what they had to say: 

“We got a puppy in December and bring him to work every day. It’s really improved morale and socialization in our office. The dog reminds us to have fun and take a break to play ball or give a treat. One of my staffers told me that he’s one of her favorite things about the office. We call him our chief puppy officer!” — Michelle Madhok, CEO, SheFinds.com

“Allowing employees to bring their dogs to work is great for morale, retention, and is a reminder of our start-up roots.” — Collin Bass, public relations associate, UShip

“We welcome dogs and cats and, although we have had our share of chewed computer speaker wires and unplanned carpet cleanings, it is very positive for the employees who bring in their pets and those who are interacting with our pets. We employ 20 disabled adults through a local non-profit group who work at our facility packaging healthy dog treats. The office dogs give our diverse workforce unconditional love and delight them with their tricks and shameless begging.” –Rebecca Rose, CEO, InClover Pet Supplements

“For my company, every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day. It just wouldn’t be the same without Sandy, my golden retriever, at my feet. Sandy is so well-behaved that I’m not concerned about doing conference calls with her here–she seems to consider it rude to bark indoors. For me, Take Your Dog to Work Day is a good idea every day.” — Mellanie True Hills, CEO, StopAFib.org

“We work really hard during the week and each Friday many of our producers, developers and other staff members bring their dogs to work. Allowing dogs in the office one day a week has been a great program for the company – and it’s a nice to have some furry friends around our very busy, hard working, deadline driven environment once a week!” — Carrie Peters, Smashing Ideas Digital Media 

“I love the concept of taking your dog to work and know it is fraught with challenges. I once worked for a PR firm with offices in Emeryville, California (near Berkeley) that had a dog-friendly office. It was a great idea, and having dogs in the office did a lot for creating a family and friendly atmosphere. The real challenge is that you have to interview the dogs who come to work as well as their masters. The concept of bringing your dog to work is great, assuming the dog is well behaved and the master is willing to take responsibility.” –Tom Woolfe, Woolfe Media

“OtterBox is participating in take your dog to work day with “Otter Barks” day! We are celebrating with our furry friends while giving back to a great local organization, the Animal House Dog Shelter in Fort Collins, Colo. Each person bringing a dog will make a $10 donation and all proceeds will be given to the Animal House Dog Shelter.” — Kristin Golliher, public relations manager, OtterBox

“We’re a graphic design firm and [our office dog] is a full member of our company. Every member of our staff loves her. She’s even listed on our ‘Meet Our Staff’  page.” — Brian Law, president, Prime Design Solutions

Based on the responses we received, it seems like the overall reaction to animals at work is positive, but what do you think? Let us know in the comments section.

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Each year you provide us with a day to pretend a lot of things. You let us pretend we’re Irish when we’re not. You let us pretend our livers are impenetrable to alcohol, but they’re not. You let us pretend we look good in tacky green clothing when most of us don’t. In many ways, St. Patrick’s Day, you allow us to revel in more fantasy than anything associated with the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus.

One item associated with St. Patrick’s Day that we should probably embrace is the “luck of the Irish.” Apparently no one can pinpoint the etymology of the phrase, and no one can agree whether or not said luck refers to true good luck or ultimately bad luck. For our sake, let’s go with the first reading, as everyone could use a little good luck these days — especially job seekers!

Wishin’ and hopin’ for good luck doesn’t pay the bills, though, does it? If you’re like most job seekers, you’re not waiting around for luck. Today’s job seekers are working hard, trying to land an interview or find a job posting that suits their skills. The idea that finding a job is its own full-time job rings true, and yet, you can’t help but wonder how long ‘til you receive an offer.

For some job seekers, the path to hearing “You’re hired!” was long but turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened to them. By their own admittance they feel like luck played a significant role in their lives. To give you a bit of inspiration, we asked them to share their lucky stories with you. You might not believe in luck, but come on, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Put on some green and see if you find your own professional four-leaf clover!

Here are some success stories from job seekers who found themselves on the receiving end of some good luck.

Vikki T.’s tale …
Vikki looked for a job for over a year and didn’t have luck landing an interview. When she finally did, she made it to the second and final rounds but wouldn’t receive an offer. Finally, after she’d given up on finding a new job, she received a call asking her to interview. The position was great, but she knew she didn’t have the qualifications for it. Still, she went on the interview on the off chance she’d be the perfect match. She made it to the second round of interviews where she was told she wasn’t the right person for the job because she lacked experience. She said, “OK, well here is why I think I am right for the job.” And she got the job, which she has fallen in love with.

“I am now a probation officer,” Vikki says. “I love my job. I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. I was meant for this job. It is hard to get to the final selection stage and then get told no. It hurts, especially when you have been on the hunt for a long time. If I have any advice to give anyone, it is to keep on keeping on! If you’re not selected, don’t think there is something wrong with you; you just weren’t meant to have that particular job. The job your were meant to have is still out there.”

Lauren Rotchford says …
“On January 1, 2010, I relocated to Atlanta (from Naples, Fla.) to be with my fiancé and was very concerned about securing a decent job in this economy. Within three weeks, I was offered two jobs on the same day. Needless to say, I was both shocked and thrilled. I spent a lot of time researching jobs online and sent my resume to Atlanta companies while still living in Florida. It was a lot of work, but it certainly paid off. I’ve been working for Rubicon in Atlanta since February 1st. I want to share this with others to let them know that jobs are coming back as more and more companies are hiring again!”

Chelsea Levy’s journey …
Chelsea Levy chronicled her job search for a public relations position on her own blog. She went on 11 interviews, sometimes getting rejected, sometimes being offered a position she didn’t actually want, and other times being rejected initially and then called back for an offer. One day she received an offer from an employer who had turned her down once already. In the end, the position she accepted offered a significantly better salary than one of her other offers.

“To all of you recent college graduates out there, know that it is possible to find a job in this economy in a competitive field such as public relations … I am living proof that if you work hard on a daily basis, researching, networking, applying and interviewing, an opportunity (or several) will arise. In the meantime, keep interning and gaining industry experience. It was one of the most discouraging, emotional and frustrating experiences I’ve been through yet, but in the end I succeeded!”

Anna G.’s ongoing search
Anna G. is a marketing specialist in search of a Silicon Valley position where she can put her good writing to work. Although she’s still looking for the right job, she gave us her own take on luck on our Facebook page:

“Serendipity: Get out of the house and let every person know you are job hunting, what you’re seeking and where. Never know when someone knows someone. Go to non-unemployed support events, too.

“Good Luck Charm: Start a very time consuming, time sensitive project (e.g. fixing and selling the house). Put professional clothes back in the storage unit. Take a long trip with nonrefundable, nonchangeable ticket and don’t check your voicemail or e-mails. During any of these [activities], calls for interviews will pick up … Haven’t landed a job yet but have started to get a lot more calls in past month.”

Admittedly, this St. Patrick’s Day getting a pot of gold would be nice because you could sell it for some serious cash and not have to worry about a paycheck. But that probably won’t happen, so here’s hoping luck pops up in your job search.

(Editor’s note: If you’re an employer and would like to contact Anna, please email kate.lorenz@careerbuilder.com.)

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Few things unite co-workers like a good, old-fashioned office pool. Can you pick the date Ellen will have her baby? What about the baby’s sex and name? How many days in a row will Bob wear the same pants? How long can Fred go without checking his smart phone in a meeting? 

It seems workers will bet on everything and anything – even when a large pile of snow in the parking lot would melt and what co-workers’ cholesterol numbers would be.

Yet nothing causes quite the betting frenzy at work more than March Madness. Workers across the country are researching stats, crunching numbers and calling their ESPN-addicted cousins in order to fill out their March Madness brackets. Let’s look at the numbers.

A survey from Spherion found 45 percent of workers have participated in an office pool before, and 56 percent of those who have participated specifically took part in March Madness pools. And in 2009, a Microsoft estimated that 58 million people — many at work and on the clock — will fill out tournament brackets.

Consider the time used for watching the free streaming of all 64 games and the subsequent discussion of those games. During the 2009 NCAA Tournament, CBSsports.com reported that there were 7.52 million unique visitors to the NCAA March Madness on Demand video player, a 58 percent  increase over 2008 figures. Additionally, there were 8.6 million total hours of video and audio consumed, a 75 percent increase over 2008 figures. Experts predict the estimated cost of the lost productivity during March Madness is $1.8 billion.

But with the American work force increasing its productivity year after year, the time spent viewing video online or filling out your brackets might not be necessarily frowned upon by management. CBSsports.com’s “Boss Button” received 2.77 million clicks in 2009 compared to 2.5 million in 2008 — not quite on par the with staggering increases in traffic and viewed video.

Office Team recently asked more than 1,000 managers whether March Madness activities, such as watching game highlights or engaging in friendly competitions, affect morale and productivity. Forty-one percent of those surveyed felt the college basketball playoffs have a positive effect on employee morale. The majority (56 percent) also said March Madness activities do not impact productivity and 22 percent of respondents believed the festivities actually boost workers’ output.

Unless the company has rules against gambling, your office pool is harmless. In the Spherion study, 49 percent of workers say their employer doesn’t have an office pool policy, and another 37 percent of workers don’t know if an office pool policy exists at their company.Yet, according to another recent survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 23 percent of employers have a written policy regarding gambling, and an additional 10 percent have an unwritten or understood policy, This figure might not sound significant, but in 2006 only 14 percent had a written policy and 7 percent had an unwritten policy, suggesting companies are watching workplace betting more than they used to.

Companies who do have policies regarding gambling (and yes, putting money on March Madness counts) say the following:

• 83 percent prohibit any form of gambling on company premises
• 72 percent will take disciplinary action (not including termination) for violating the  policy
• 70 percent prohibit gambling where money is exchanged
• 67 percent have provisions for termination if the gambling policy is violated

So go ahead and fill out your bracket if you want, but don’t let it affect your productivity and don’t give your employer a reason to institute a policy against pools if none exists. Before you let March Madness overtake you, keep the following tips in mind:

• Do your research and strategizing on your own time.
  Don’t waste hours of your company’s time putting player stats in a spreadsheet when you should be doing your job.
• Check the rules
  Even if you’re pretty sure no rules exist about betting, you should double check. Maybe you can bet but you can’t put money on it. Better to be informed than surprised by an angry boss or HR person.
• Remember, it’s all fun
  Don’t get so enthralled by the competition that you end up yelling at a co-worker or throwing your coffee mug against the wall. No one will like you, you could get fired and you’ve probably ruined office pools for everyone else, too.
• Don’t force people to play
  Office pools are fun. At least they should be. When an overzealous organizer is going up to each person and giving them a version of LBJ’s Treatment just to pressure them into participating, the fun is gone. Some people just don’t care about the pool, so let them sit it out.

That said, good luck!

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For that reason we decided to spice things up a little! Today we launch Talk to The Work Buzz! What is it, you ask? I’ll tell you: It’s a contest where we ask you for questions on a specific topic, and if we choose your question, we’ll not only answer it but we’ll also give you a nifty prize!

Here’s the deal:

At the beginning of each week for the next three weeks we’ll give you a topic and invite you to ask us a question in the comments sections. We’ll pick a question to answer  and post the response on Friday and notify the winner.

What do you win? A copy of Career Building from the editors of CareerBuilder.com, which addresses topics from job hunting to salary negotatiations to getting along with your co-workers.

The next post will have the topic, but let’s get the rules and regulations out of the way first:

CareerBuilder.com Talk to the Work Buzz Contest

Official Contest Rules and Regulations

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.  MUST BE A LEGAL RESIDENT OF UNITED STATES, 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. By entering the CareerBuilder.com Talk to the Work Buzz Contest (the “Contest”) entrants agree to be bound by these Official Contest Rules and Regulations (“Rules”). The Contest commences at 1:00:01 p.m. Central Standard Time (“CST”) on March 8, 2010 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. CST on March 26, 2010 (the “Contest Period”).

Sponsor.  The Contest is sponsored by CareerBuilder, LLC (“Sponsor”), 200 N. LaSalle Street, 11^th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601.

Eligibility. The Contest is only open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States plus the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older as of the date of entry and who have a valid E-mail address and. The Contest is not open to: (1) employees, independent contractors, officers, and/or directors of Sponsor, and Sponsor’s respective parent, related, affiliated and/or subsidiary companies, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies or legal advisors and their respective officers, directors, agents, employees and assigns (collectively, “Released Parties”) or (2) the immediate family members of, and persons living in the same household as, any of the foregoing persons.  All federal, state and local laws apply. 

How To Enter.  No Purchase Necessary to Enter or Win. Each Monday during the Contest Period, Sponsor will post a topic on its’ Work Buzz website located at: http://www.theworkbuzz.com/ no later than 1:00:00 p.m. CST. Work Buzz readers will be asked to submit a question related to the posted topic of the week, no later than 11:59:59 p.m. CST that Wednesday of the same week. Sponsor will review all submissions each Wednesday and select one question to answer on the Work Buzz website that Friday (see table below).  Each Work Buzz user may submit only one question per entry. Subsequent entries from the same Work Buzz user will not be considered or qualified for consideration. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, damaged, illegible, misdirected or incomplete entries.  Late entries, mechanically/electronically reproduced entries and facsimile entries are prohibited, and any use or submission of such entries will not be accepted. One entry per person, per topic, per week. Only your first entry will qualify for the Contest; all other entries will be disqualified.  Contest entries are the property of Sponsor and will not be returned or acknowledged.

Use of automated devices is not valid for entry.  Entrants must possess a valid E-mail address. By submitting an entry, entrants warrant and represent that the questions submitted for each topic posted is 100% their question and that the question provided will not violate any law or infringe upon the rights, title, claim or interest of any third party. Sponsor and the Released Parties are not responsible for any problems or technical, hardware, or software malfunctions of any telephone network or telephone lines, failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled or delayed electronic communications whether caused by the sender or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any E-mail or entry to be received by the Sponsor due to technical problems, human error or traffic congestion, unavailable network connections on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading any materials in this Contest. By submitting an entry, you agree to abide by the terms of these Rules, the terms of the CareerBuilder Terms and Conditions, and the CareerBuilder Privacy Policy.

Question Selection Criteria. The Sponsor, in its sole discretion, will select the winning question each week based on originality, creativity and relevance to the posted topic.

Prizes and Their Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): Each week one (1) winner will receive a One CareerBuilder Building Book (ARV $16.99). Contest prizes are not transferable. Federal, state and local taxes are the responsibility of the winners.  Odds of winning a Contest prize depend on the number of eligible responses received. Any Contest prizes that are unclaimed will not be awarded. Limit one Contest prize package per person.  No prize substitution allowed except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor who may substitute a prize of equal or greater value.

Use of CareerBuilder.com Sponsor makes no warranties, representations or guarantees, express or implied, in fact or in law, regarding the effectiveness, performance or use of the CareerBuilder Building Book. No responsibilities are accepted for any additional expenses, omissions, delays, re-routing, or acts of any government or authority.

Participation.  Participation in the Contest constitutes an agreement by each entrant to comply with these Rules. These Rules will be posted at http://www.theworkbuzz.com/ Between March 8, 2010 and April 1, 2010. Sponsor reserves the right to, in its sole discretion, cancel, modify or suspend the Contest should any computer virus, bugs or other technical difficulty or other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor or Released Parties corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the Contest.

Limitations of Liability. By entering the Contest, you acknowledge and agree that: (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Contest, or any prize awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (2) any claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Contest, but in no event attorney’s fees; and (3) under no circumstances will you be permitted to obtain any award for, and you hereby waive all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than damages for actual out-of-pocket expenses.

Warranty Disclaimer. Prizes are awarded “AS IS.” If applicable, any and all warranties for the prizes are contained in the manufacturer’s warranty. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, Sponsor makes no warranties, representations or guarantees, express or implied, in fact or in law, respecting the performance or use of a prize, including, without limitation, quality, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. Further, no responsibilities are accepted for any additional expenses, omissions, delays, re-routing, or acts of any government or authority. 

Construction. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Rules, or the rights and obligations of any entrant vis-à-vis Sponsor, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of Illinois, or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Illinois. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may amend these Rules at any time. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision was not contained herein.

General Release. By entering the Contest, you release and discharge Sponsor, and Released Parties from any liability whatsoever in connection with the Contest or with the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize including, without limitation, legal claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages, demands or actions of any kind (including, without limitation: personal injuries; death; damage to, loss or destruction of property; rights of publicity or privacy; and defamation or portrayal in a false light). Sponsor and the Released Parties will not be responsible for typographical, printing or other inadvertent errors in these Rules or in other materials relating to the CareerBuilder.com “Talk to the Work Buzz Contest.”  Additionally, you hereby agree to indemnify the Sponsor and the Related Parties from any and all losses, damages, costs, expenses, rights, claims, demands and actions (including attorney’s fees and expenses for litigation and settlement), which may be brought against any one or more of them by anyone claiming to have suffered loss or damage as a result of my participation in the Contest.

Official Rules/Winners List. To obtain a copy of these Rules, print them from the Internet at http://www.theworkbuzz.com/ or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: CareerBuilder.com “Talk to the Work Buzz Contest” Official Rules, c/o Anthony Balderrama, 200 North LaSalle, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL.60601. If you have any questions regarding this Contest or would like to obtain the names of the winners (available April 1, 2010) send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: CareerBuilder.com “Talk to the Work Buzz Contest” Winners, c/o Anthony Balderrama, 200 North LaSalle, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL.60601. All requests for Official Rules and Winners List must be received on or before December 1, 2010.

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I’ve known office workers whose draconian bosses actually reprimanded them for talking too much. Not for job performance problems or deadline issues. No, they were good workers; they just got in trouble for talking — as if they were first-graders during a school assembly. Oy.

Not everyone likes to gab, so a quiet workplace doesn’t bother some people. But for workers who can’t keep their lips sealed, silence is torturous. To help those of us who thrive on jibber jabber, here are six careers to consider. These jobs require more skills and education than just the ability to gab, but talking plays an important role that will make your day that much better:

Nurses
You can’t possibly list every responsibility nurses have. Whether in an emergency room, physician’s office or a number of other settings, nurses are working one-on-one with patients, ensuring tests are ordered, updating charts and staying calm. Patients who are sick or about to undergo surgery are often temperamental, nervous or just having a good old-fashioned freak-out. The best nurses stay on task while talking to patients, whether finding out more information about their malady or just trying to keep everyone calm. Here, the gift of gab can be a patient’s dream.

Emergency dispatchers
Dispatchers obviously rely on their speaking skills to find out information about emergencies, so that’s a no-brainer. Among their many skills, a knack for conversation is just as important as the ability to extract and report information. In emergencies, people (e.g., witnesses, victims) get unnerved and often frantic. Dispatchers maintain conversations with the callers until help arrives, and that’s no easy task as they have to be calm and think quickly under stress.

Salespeople
If you’re going to sell anything — a pair of jeans, a car, a business plan — words are your best friends. Anyone who works in sales has to know when being aggressive is appropriate and when toning it down is better. Not every technique works every time, so understanding how to talk most effectively to the customer is a skill not everyone is blessed with.

Dentists
I know I’m not the only person who has been at a dental appointment, wearing the fashionable paper bib and protective glasses, while the dentist chips away at my teeth and asks how my job is. Luckily, most dentists have the good sense to time their questions when I’m about to get a break from all the oral construction going on so I can respond. Good dentists know how to fill the silence of a dental visit without peppering the patient with questions he or she can’t answer. At the same time, they understand that we don’t want to hear 30 minutes of personal ramblings while we’re a captive audience (with a numb mouth).

Hairstylists
For many people, hairstylists are the human equivalent of a Leatherman knife — you know the kind that is basically a pocket-size MacGyver. Hairstylists serve as some clients’ confidante and therapist as well as their stylist. While they’re clipping hair and mixing dyes, stylists are forming bonds with their clients as they discuss their lives and jobs. Anyone who’s experienced an awkwardly silent haircut knows how strange it is to be inches from the person holding the scissors and looking at you in the mirror, and yet you have nothing to say to each other for the full hour.

Perhaps most important for the stylist is the ability to communicate what he or she will be doing to the client. If the client asks for a trim and the stylist says, “Sure, we can do that,” then proceeds to chop off 6 inches — well, that’s not good. Effective communication benefits them both (and probably leads to a better tip).

News reporters
News reporters, as far as the public is concerned, are just talking heads, but they do more than just stand in a hurricane and tell you that, yep, it’s wet and windy. Reporters interview people, both in taped segments and on air, and you don’t want a mumbling, incoherent mess doing that job. Amazing news goes unnoticed if the reporters’ speaking abilities are subpar, so their talking prowess needs to be as outstanding as their investigative skills. You want someone who can talk on camera as if he or she is talking to you one-on-one, and that’s not easy.

If you’re a talker and have found a way to earn a paycheck, let us know. We know there are more jobs out there that other chatty readers would love to know about.

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Do you hear something? It’s the sound of proud citizens around the globe puffing their chests as athletes from their nation head to the Olympics. *hums national anthem*

Every two years, either the summer or winter games dominate our TV viewing for two weeks. Events we wouldn’t normally give two hoots about suddenly must be recorded. I admit, I only think about the biathlon every 206 weeks. Still, billions of people tune into the games every time they air. You don’t go out as much. You ignore the ringing phone. You pretend a foil-covered Ring Ding is a silver medal in bobsledding. (No? Just me?)

Host cities pour unbelievable amounts of money and energy into readying venues and lodging for the games. As a result, each city — this year Vancouver — experiences a temporary boost in jobs to construct and staff new stadiums and housing. London’s already seeing this happen for its 2012 games. And other existing jobs are put into overdrive as the city becomes the momentary center of the athletic world. For example, Ron Cameron is the general manager of BC Place, the stadium hosting the opening ceremonies. Read about his job here.

Because I have the games on my mind, I did a little digging to see how some past Olympians are earning paychecks now that they don’t have to devote 80 percent of their waking hours to training. As expected, many finish their educations and start families — especially when you remember that many Olympians are teenagers during competition. So here are a few medalists and where they are today.

Beth Barr
Event: 4x100m Medley Relay
Year: 1988
Medal: Silver
Current occupation: Owner of a training center for swimmers and triathletes
Source: NPR

Carly Patterson
Event: Women’s Individual All-Around gymnastics
Year: 2004
Medal: Gold
Current occupation: Singer
Source: Her own site

Dan O’Brien
Event: Decathlon
Year: 1996
Medal: Gold
Current occupation: Motivational speaker
Source: Forbes

Jair Lynch
Event: Parallel bars
Year: 1996
Medal: Silver
Current occupation: Heads an organization that, according to its Web site, “specializes in the responsible transformation of urban markets.”
Source: NPR

Peggy Fleming
Event: Figure skating
Year: 1968
Medal: Gold
Current occupation: Breast cancer activist and co-owner of a vineyard and winery
Source: WKYC

As always, good luck to all the Olympians (who are probably too busy to read this blog, but still) and have fun watching!

No related posts.

In case you were away from the TV getting your third plate of food (or, let’s be honest, opening up another bag of chips so you could eat bean dip straight from the jar), you might have missed some of the commercials. This year, CareerBuilder did something different from our usual big reveal during the game. We held a contest where anyone could submit a commercial idea to us and we’d pick the winner. We narrowed it down to three and let everyone vote on which should air during the game. And the winner was…”Casual Friday!” In case you missed out or want to watch it again, here it is:

If you want to see the other two commercials that didn’t air, check out our YouTube channel.

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Not everyone is so lucky. A recent CareerBuilder survey finds 39 percent of workers think they don’t fit in with their colleagues. Workers in health care, sales, and professional and business services were most likely to feel like they’re out of step with their co-workers.

When asked to share the most bizarre things they’ve seen their colleagues do, surveyed workers had some unique stories:

• Co-worker ate the cheese off the pizza box at a company meeting.
• Co-worker talks openly about flatulence.
• Co-worker in the cubicle next to me wears 3-D glasses with the lenses removed.
• Co-worker repeatedly bangs a mallet on the table for no apparent reason.
• Co-worker whistles eight hours a day.
• Co-worker chews tobacco and spits it into empty soda bottles.
• Former boss brought a baby sippy cup to a meeting and started drinking out of it.
• Co-worker cleaned fingernails using a counterpart’s business card.

Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, has the following advice for anyone who encounters this unorthodox behavior at work:

• Talk it out: Talk professionally and honestly with your co-worker about his or her behavior. Be sure to do this in private and try not to embarrass anyone or make the situation worse.
• Take it to a higher level: Don’t be afraid to get your boss involved or talk to HR. If the behavior is hurting your ability to do your job, it might be time to call in the big guns.
• Mix it up: If you can’t come to an agreement with a co-worker who is bothering you, ask to be reseated in another area.

I’ve not been (un)lucky enough to witness any workplace behavior quite as strange as the ones above, but I’m guessing some of you have. Feel free to share the strangest things you’ve seen at work. It’ll make you feel good to get it off of your chest and it will probably make the rest of us feel normal.

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