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: 4×100m 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!

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But when it comes to finding love, it’s not just reserved for primetime. Regardless of the economy, one thing remains the same: The workplace fuels romance.

“Employees are working longer hours and under increased pressure, creating an environment that could cause relationships to bloom,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.

CareerBuilder’s annual office romance survey of more than 5,200 workers found that nearly four-in-ten (37 percent) workers said they have dated a co-worker at some time during their careers. That’s in line with the 40 percent who said the same in both 2009 and 2008. Almost one-third said they went on to marry the person they dated at work.

And what about the office crush? While eight percent of workers currently work with someone who they would like to date, with more men (11 percent) than women (4 percent) reporting they would like to do so.

Twelve percent of workers reported that their relationships started when they ran into each other outside of work. Some other situations where Cupid’s arrow flew between co-workers:

• Happy hour
• Lunch
• Working late at the office
• Company holiday party
• Business trip

The question remains: Once the relationship is established, should workers keep it a secret?

“Workplace relationships are more accepted these days, with 67 percent of workers saying they aren’t keeping their romance a secret. However, it is the responsibility of the individuals to understand company policy and make sure they adhere to it,” said Haefner.

The survey also showed the repercussions of workplace romance, with 5 percent of workers saying they have left a job due to an office romance. To be on the safe side, Haefner offers these tips if you want to spark a workplace romance:

• Know your company’s office relationship policy: While some companies are completely open to office romances, others may have stricter policies. Make sure both parties in the relationship are aware of potential rules or consequences.
• Beware of social media: Before you start posting pictures and status updates about your newfound coupledom, it may be better to inform your co-workers or boss in person. That way, there is less chance for gossip or speculation.
• Always take the high road: If your relationship should end, do your best to maintain professionalism and not let the issues affect your performance on the job.

So tell us your office romance story. Was it a success or did it fizzle?

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Lights! Camera! Fantasy! Movies are where we go to forget how boring our lives are. Well, unless you’re into obscure independent movies that aim to capture our tortured, meaningless existence in gritty, hand-held camerawork. But on average, movies let us disappear into the celluloid world for a couple of hours and get lost in the images flashing on the screen.

Sometimes a movie can make us feel good about ourselves. Not because the story is uplifting but because we look at the characters and think, “At least I’m not you!” And that feeling of schadenfreude is worth the ticket price. In that spirit, we put together a list of movie characters whose jobs are less than ideal. The real-life equivalents of these jobs are perfectly fine, but in these movies no paycheck would’ve persuaded you to accept the position.

Here are the 10 worst movie jobs:

Barney Matthews in  ‘Silence of the Lambs’
No, Matthews doesn’t get eaten in the movie, but that doesn’t mean his job is peachy. How would you like to be the primary caretaker for one of the scariest inmates a prison cell has ever seen? Anyone who works in incarceration facilities has to be thick-skinned and on alert at all times, which is why not just any person is up to the challenge of the job. Throw in having to deal with Hannibal Lecter and I’d guess the list of qualified and willing candidates gets even smaller.

Chris Parker in  ‘Adventures in Babysitting’
Haven’t we all babysat to earn a little cash at some point in our lives? At worst, we had to cut gum out of a toddler’s hair or rush someone to the ER for unsuccessfully doing cartwheels off of the couch. But suburbanite Chris Parker takes three children into the scary world of downtown Chicago in the 1980s without telling their parents. They outrun  gunshots, knife fights and organized crime. Oh, and they’re forced to sing the blues in a  nightclub. Totally not worth the five bucks an hour.

Commissioner Gordon in all the ‘Batman’ films
I’ll say right now that I’d love to live in Gotham and have Batman protect me from crazy villains. However, I would not want to be the police commissioner who doesn’t get much of the spotlight for defending the city. Think about how long Gordon worked to get to that post, and now that he’s there, some guy in a cape gets all the credit for protecting citizens.

Dorothy Boyd in  ‘Jerry Maguire’
Forget about the happily ever after. The two hours leading up to the end of this movie aren’t that great if you’re Jerry Maguire’s assistant. You’re the only employee in his newfound company, so that means doing anything he doesn’t want to do. You don’t have all the perks of your previous job, which you left for him, and business is shaky, seeing as Maguire’s agency has only one client. Oh, and you fall in love with your boss only to realize he doesn’t love you all that much (at least for a while). The performance bonus had better be awesome.

Everyone in  ‘Office Space’
The fake software company in “Office Space” is the epitome of the beige cubicle world that’s been demonized by every movie, TV show and comic strip in the last few decades. It’s what so many college students fear is their future. Look at poor Milton, whose job is so pitiful he cares more about his stapler than anything else. The setting makes for a fun movie but a horrible workplace.

Grace Coddington in ‘The September Issue’ / Andy Sachs in  ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
These are two different films. “The September Issue” is a documentary about the work that goes into publishing an issue of Vogue magazine, which is under the watch of Anna Wintour. The other film is a fictitious take on what it’s like to work at a glossy fashion magazine under icy editor Miranda Priestly, who shares many similarities with Wintour.

Coddington is a stylist and creative director for the magazine and, as the film shows, her hard work getting just the right look for a spread can take weeks of planning. Then Wintour can walk in, wrinkle her nose and decide the images won’t appear in the magazine. In “Prada,” Sachs is an assistant who works herself into a frenzy just to keep Priestly happy – or as close to happy as possible. Only she quickly finds out that Priestly doesn’t care how long it takes to do something or how much effort you put into it – if it’s not what she wants at that moment, it’s useless to her. We’re not saying everyone should be handled with kid gloves, but the occasional pat on the back seems like the least a boss could do for any employee.

Lucy Kelson in  ‘Two Weeks Notice’
Kelson wants to work in the nonprofit world and go after the big corporate enemies. Instead, she finds herself working for a greedy, narcissistic head honcho. Of course they fall in love and things get sorted out because that’s what romantic comedies do, but forget that part. If you don’t have a business mind and you want your job to align with your core values, taking a job that contradicts everything you believe in is a bit  torturous. Every day you earn a fancy paycheck but hate yourself for it. All the while you’re catering to a boss you hate (though secretly love, of course). Get past the heartwarming smiles of Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock and you have one pretty crummy job situation.

Norma Rae Webster in  ‘Norma Rae’
Any mention of Norma Rae in a list of workplace characters is a bit cliché, but her situation is the epitome of the workplace pits. Her struggle to stay healthy in an overwhelming and physically taxing workplace is bad enough, but when her efforts to change things at the factory cause her trouble at work and at home, life gets worse. Kind of puts the arguments about who ate your last string cheese from the lunch-room refrigerator into perspective, no?

The staff in  ‘Jurassic Park’
You’d think that getting to work alongside dinosaurs would be pretty cool, but one power outage later and suddenly the gig isn’t so sweet. Even the best veterinarian or the most scholarly paleontologist wouldn’t be able to handle himself or herself against a carnivorous velociraptor. Stick to your regular amusement park jobs where you can ride the roller coasters for free and eat cotton candy.

Wall-E in  ‘Wall-E’
Sure, Wall-E is the cute little garbage compactor everyone loves, but his job is actually kind of horrible because he’s all alone. Not alone the way you might feel in your cubicle with your headphones on. I mean alone alone. As in nobody-else-in-the-entire-world. For hundreds of years  he’s gone about his job, organizing the mess left behind by humans, and he only has his cockroach pal to keep him company. I think we’d at least want to have the obnoxious chatty co-worker to keep us company.

Did we forget anyone? Let us know your picks.

Bing: Movie roles stars turned down

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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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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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This season, Jeff has taken hired Trace the intern and I can’t wait to see more of him. Not only did he shrug off the need to eat lunch upon arriving to work (“I ate yesterday”), but he also gave one of the best excuses reasons for being late I’ve ever heard.  (And you know we love them!)

When Jeff questioned Trace about his tardiness, Trace explained about his morning ritual: He must play a game of checkers on his mobile device, and win, before he gets out of bed every morning. That morning, he had to play the game three times before winning, thus delaying his arrival to work. Jeff’s reaction? He wasn’t incredulous or mocking, but rather pleased at the intern’s frankness and sympathetic to the intern’s idiosyncrasies.

The lesson: Next time you need an excuse reason for being late to work, be truthful … or at least play into your boss’s personality.

Tell us, what’s the best one you’ve ever used or heard?

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From the six martini lunches to the fabulous clothes, I just love, love, love this TV show set in an advertising agency in New York City during the 1960s.

Sure, there’s a lot of things that happen that simply would not fly in today’s business culture, but it’s a fascinating look at how work used to be … and how it’s also very much the same. No more secretarial pools, typewriters or smoking in the office, but there’s still deals to be made, office politics and office romance. But why don’t people dress like that for work anymore? And how did they get by without the Internet, PowerPoint or BlackBerries?

If you’re like me and counting down until Sunday night, here’s a diversion to get you through the day. Recreate yourself in 60’s style with Mad Men avatar with the MadMen Yourself tool. Choose between numerous looks and settings, and insert yourself into the world of Don Draper and friends. Here’s one I’ve created and I just can’t stop. I must say it’s been the cause of some lost productivity around CareerBuilder but it’s oh so fun. Happy Friday!

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This article from LA Times sums it up nicely, but here’s the gist: Heigl was on Letterman and made the joke (depending on whom you ask) that a 17-hour day of filming  the show was grueling and she mentioned it because “I hope it embarrasses them.” She then went on to joke about only getting an hour lunch in the midst of these hard work days.

So then writer Ken Levine wrote a response on his blogsaying the schedule was the result of her demands and needs. I don’t know if Levine is privy to such information, so I don’t assume he’s telling the truth. Maybe she was joking and it just didn’t come off right. I don’t know.

But there are two lessons to learn here that don’t necessarily involve Heigl and Levine. Instead, these are lessons we could all learn from :

1. Be careful with your words.
We’ve probably all been in a situation where we made a joke and nobody laughed, or they laughed uncomfortably. People didn’t know if  you were being serious. People get offended or you come off as angry and unhappy. It’s not that you can’t joke or speak your mind sometimes, but speak carefully. And if you sense some uncertainty about what you’ve said, clarify it. Better to ruin a good joke by explaining it than find out a week later that the entire team thinks you hate your job and wish you were working somewhere else. ‘Cause, you know, they just might make that wish come true.

2. Vent privately.
Everyone’s entitled to get frustrated with their jobs now and then. You can complain to your family and friends at home. You can even gripe about the boss with your co-workers over a beer during happy hour. But you shouldn’t take an issue between you and your boss or team in front of other people.

From a selfish standpoint, nobody wants to hear about your problems. We’ve all got problems and for you to force everyone to listen to your frustrations comes off as whining. If we all shared our frustrations all the time, we’d never get any work done. Ever.

More importantly, going public with your issues damages the image of your team/company. The assumption is that if you can’t resolve the issue with your boss privately, then everyone must be in constant friction. The boss can’t keep his or her employees under control; the employees are brats. And right now, when plenty of job seekers would be happy to take your place, it seems silly to damage your reputation like that.

If the issue gets too big for just you and the boss, go to HR or whatever other channels are available to you. Trash talking your employer (aka biting the hand that feeds you) will make it that much harder to find work elsewhere. Who’s going to give a recommendation to the sourpuss employee?

So whatever the case is with this TV drama, who knows? But we can learn a lesson from this ongoing soap opera.

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It’s just a few days away from Jillian’s final rose on The Bachelorette. Who will she choose: Ed, Kiptyn, Reid … or no one at all?

Why are we talking about this on a job blog?  We’ve often compared the job search to dating. Our friend and frequent contributor, Joe Turner, has written a guest blog for us today on interview tips you can learn from watching “The Bachelorette” on ABC.

6 Job Interview Tips From “The Bachelorette”
by Joe Turner, The Job Search Guy

Have you admitted to watching the “The Bachelorette” on TV this season?  If you have, you already know that this competitive reality dating show involves Canadian “bachelorette” Jillian Harris in her quest to find her soul mate.  Cute, determined and spunky, she soldiers on each week weeding out a field of 25 potential male candidates through a succession of group and individual “dates” as she determines the winner – her potential suitor.  

“The Bachelorette” has it all: elation, heartbreak, betrayal, drama and triumph.  OK, it gets to be a bit heavy on the melodrama at times, but it also offers six notable tips for job interviewers: 

1. POSITION YOURSELF
Whether vying for the love of a bachelorette or competing for your dream job, it’s imperative to distinguish yourself. Every successful competitor in “The Bachelorette” has found distinctive ways to separate himself from the pack and to become memorable.   Sometimes though, the methods used, like exposing themselves, have gotten them the boot. 

In a job interview, the same rule applies.  You must distinguish yourself from your competitors from the outset. The best way is to be yourself. Be real and be in the moment. Play to your uniqueness. Being genuine, honest and open will help win you a call back.

2. BRAND YOURSELF
The winning contenders in “The Bachelorette” understand and communicate their Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to the bachelorette. Each of the finalists has successfully identified the single most unique benefit or value that he has to offer her, and has communicated that benefit in many different ways throughout the TV show.

The man who wins the hand of the bachelorette has “sold” her on his USP. In this year’s show, that USP has dovetailed with Jillian’s goal to marry and start a family. Do you know your USP and how to communicate it to an interviewer? A good USP says, “Here’s what I can do for you” by highlighting that one major benefit that you can bring to this employer.

3. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU
Wes, one of the finalists, seemed to have an inside track with Jillian during the early episodes of the show. But his perceived flaws became more glaring each week. The viewers witnessed him plug his singing career, band, new CD, and the popularity of his music in Mexico. Although the viewers knew that he was “all about himself”, it seemed to take Jillian awhile to catch on to his true agenda. Jillian finally rejected his self-involved attitude and she gave him the boot in Barcelona.

At the interview, remember, it’s about the employer, not you. Be able to answer the hiring manager’s question, “What’s in it for me?” Focus on the needs and problems of the employer, and you will discover a critical key to successfully winning the job.

4. DON’T GET OVERLY FAMILIAR
While it’s important to be yourself, there are limits. Contestant Tanner P., self-confessed foot fetishist and prankster on this season’s “The Bachelorette,” stripped to his “manties,” as he called them, in front of Jillian and the other suitors. It didn’t go over well.

The same goes for the interview.  When you walk into an interview, it’s all business.  Sure, you’ll want to make that connection and be yourself as much as possible, but you’re not there to be best buds with your interviewer.  They may be chatty and informal at times, but this is not a signal to shift into “hang out mode” with your best pal.  You’re there to win the job and any informality on the interviewer’s part will often be calculated to see how you respond.  Don’t take the bait!  Stay focused.

5. TELL YOUR STORIES DURING THE INTERVIEW 
Jillian has learned a lot about all of her suitors by asking questions, then listening and observing the suitors tell their stories.  Some have been able to shine more than others because their stories are more poignant, honest and revealing.  Through their stories we get a glimpse of their true values, intentions, successes and failures.  These score big time on the show and can determine who stays and who goes.

You job interview is very similar.  Here’s why: a competency-based interviewer may spend about half of the interview focusing on your job skills, and about half on your behavioral competencies. They’ll be looking for evidence of your behavior real situations in the past.

 Having your stories ready in advance plays well to this type of interview. A company wants to determine whether you’re an asset or a liability. Will you either make money or save money for the company? The employer wants to know whether you’re a team player, and will you fit into the company culture.

 Telling your stories will address all of these questions and more. You will be participating in the interview as an equal.

6. ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Finding her soul mate requires a flow of questions and answers between Jillian and her suitors. This process requires open-ended questions and a patient listener. The same is true for the job interview process. The ability to both ask and answer questions in an open-ended fashion is necessary to win a job offer. Here are five potential questions you might want to ask your interviewer:

• “What happened to the last person who held this job?”
• “How has this job been performed in the past?”
• “Why did you choose to work here?”
• “What is the first problem that needs the attention of the person you hire?”
• “What can you tell me about the individual to whom I would report?”
•  “What’s our next step?”

Even in this economy, you don’t want to be desperate.  You’re there to vet the company as much as they examine you.  These types of questions are great at getting information you need to make a decision about whether you really want to work there.

As a recruiter, Joe Turner spent 15 years finding and placing top candidates in some of the best jobs of their careers.  The author of Job Search Secrets Unlocked and Paycheck 911, Turner also hosts his weekly Job Search Guy Radio Show on JobRadio.fm as well as other locations. You’ll find free tips and advice on landing a job in this tough economy at: http://www.jobchangesecrets.com.

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I admit, I’m a fan. I’ve read all the books, own all the DVDs and spent a good part of this past Sunday watching the movie marathon on ABC Family (I did have a bad cold). Hey, we all have our guilty pleasures literary preferences.

To celebrate (instead of ditching work to see the flick) we wonder: If Harry were to pursue a Muggle’s — that’s a mere mortal to you and me – career, what would he be suited for?

Here are 10 jobs that Harry Potter might do if he ever gave up wizarding:

1.  Journalist
Why? Harry knows the power of the media after his old “friend” Rita Skeeter, kept him on the front page of the Daily Prophet, the newspaper of the wizarding world. After vicious lies and inaccuracies were reported about him in the media, Harry might be inspired to search for and report the truth.

2. EMT
Why? Emergency situations depend on quick reaction and competent care, and the “The Boy Who Lived” knows a thing or two about this. From potions gone wrong to Quidditch accidents, Harry and his friends seem to always land in prickly scenarios. Harry manages to keep his cool and come to the rescue no matter the situation.

3.  Public relations professional
Why? A PR professional must build and maintain positive relationships with the public. Potter relentlessly battles attacks on his character but manages to come out on top every time. How’s that for reputation management?

4. Spy or secret agent
Why? Two words: Invisibility cloak

5.  Veterinarian
Why? Potter’s pet owl Hedwig is often his only friend and his godfather Sirius Black turns into a dog. He can also speak to and understand snakes with Parseltongue, a language associated with the Dark Arts, and bonds with the hippogriff Buckbeak. Perhaps he could partner with Hagrid, the half-giant who has a soft spot for all sorts of magical creatures.

6.  Physical education teacher or coach
Why? Harry is particularly talented in the favorite sport of Wizards, Quidditch. He played the position of Seeker on the Griffindor team and eventually became its captain. He could train amateur or professional athletes for competition by holding practice sessions to perform drills that improve their form, technique, skills and stamina

7. City administrator
Why? Harry is all too familiar with the workings of Wizard laws — and breaking them. Whether he intends to or not, Potter seems to find himself dealing with the bigwigs at the Ministry of Magic fairly often. With this inside knowledge, perhaps a job in local government is ideal.

8.  Management analyst
Why? Like many of us in this economy, Harry has to do more with less. Harry and his group of friends need to be scrappy when they need fight the latest evils in their lives. In this role, he could analyze and propose ways to improve an organization’s structure, efficiency or profits.

9.  Social worker
Why? The first 12 years of Harry’s life were not the happiest: His parents were killed when he was just an infant and he was and he was treated more like a servant than family in the less-than-loving-home of his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon ( and Cousin Dudley. He no doubt would no doubt thrive at looking after the welfare of abused or neglected children and helping parents learn how to better care for children.

10. Drill sergeant
Why? Harry is not what you would call academically gifted. He is, however, a natural in the subject of defense against the dark arts. He led the secret class of Dumbledore’s Army when the subject was banned from Hogwarts. Pair his natural defense skills with his leadership and quick temper and you’ve got a born drill sergeant.

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