• People forget that one of the worst parts of a job loss is the loss of social interaction.
  Layoffs test true friendships
• Another interesting look at the personal side of losing a job (and its salary).
  Some Tips for Noncustodial Parents After Job Loss
• You’re super awesome–so make sure the interviewer knows it, too!
  Acing the Job Interview Process
• Even lawyers get the blues.
  Laid-Off Lawyers Struggle in Establishing Their Own Firm

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• A little tough love comin’ atcha.
  Didn’t get the job? Post-analysis is up to you.
• We’re always looking for a silver lining.
  Laid-off workers seize fresh start
• Dress codes really do cause more confusion and anxiety than most any other issue, I think.
  Bare legs or pantyhose at job Interviews?
• Of course, to get a silver lining,  you can’t avoid the rain cloud completely.
  Americans working much harder – for less pay

‘Til Wednesday!

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Plus, you’ve got the stock market to watch, a missing South Carolina governor, Jon and Kate filing for divorce (which isn’t on the same level as the other, more serious news but it’s all over the media). And that’s just the above-the-fold stories.

In case you didn’t get to delve down further into other stories, here are the articles we think are worth reading:

• Here at The Work Buzz, we’re not fans of people who incessantly check their BlackBerrys and iPhones during conversations. Some employers are OK with it; others are not. Know your audience.
  Mind Your BlackBerry or Mind Your Manners
• When some people get laid off, they get depressed. This couple goes to ballgames!
  Job search turns into tour of ballparks
• The Washington Post has a grim or realistic look at economic recovery, depending on how you feel about the situation.
  Recovery’s Missing Ingredient: New Jobs
• What hours do you work? If you’re honest with yourself, it might be a lot longer than you think.
  Your never-ending workday

See you Tuesday!

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Yesterday’s TheWorkBuzz post discussed this topic regarding romantic relationships. With Father’s Day this Sunday, let’s look at how parents views are changing in this difficult economy.

Many working parents have to contend with heavier workloads and longer hours as businesses struggle to do more with less, thus forcing a choice between work and family. Usually, the choice has to do with the well-being of the family. These days, putting food on the table seems to be more important than a healthy work/life balance.

 A new CareerBuilder survey found that 31% of working dads said they would leave their jobs if their spouse or significant other’s income could comfortably support the entire family, but that’s down from 37% in 2008 and an 18% drop from 2005 when 49% said they would.  Despite a tough economy, however, 30% of working fathers said they would take a pay cut to spend more time with their children, but that is also down from 2008 at 37%. 

Good Morning America’s series “The New Normal” looks at how Americans are adapting  to the changing economy. On Tuesday’s edition, it addressed the growing trend of mothers who are choosing to give up maternity leave for fear that the work might not be there when it’s time to return.

Readers, weigh in. Have you faced a decision like this?

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This article in yesterday’s New York Times looks at employees who are forced to take furloughs, but they’re still having to work on their supposed days off. I think it’s worth a read because, if you’re in a similar situation, you can take comfort in knowing there are others out there going through the same thing. Plus, as frustrating as it is, you also see why some employers have their hands tied–fewer employees means they can’t do enough work, which means they’ll never earn the revenue needed to keep the business afloat.

Can you really be shockedthat so many workers are burned out? Not really.

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Thirty percent of layoff survivors feel burned out, according to the survey of more than 4,400 workers nationwide. Forty-seven percent of workers reported they have taken on more responsibility because of a layoff within their organization and 37 percent said they are handling the work of two people.

To accommodate growing TO DO lists, 34 percent of workers who kept their jobs after a layoff reported they are spending more time at the office.  Seventeen percent are putting in at least 10 hours per day and  22 percent are working more weekends.

“Companies today are having to do more with less as they contend with shrinking budgets and staff levels,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.  “Employees are feeling added pressure as they shoulder heavier workloads and strive to maintain productivity levels.  It’s critical that managers and employees work together to prioritize and set realistic expectations, so work demands feel attainable and less overwhelming.”

Haefner recommends the following tips to keep stress levels in check:

• Don’t over-promise. If two or more projects come up at the same time, work with your supervisor to identify which takes precedence and establish reasonable time lines.

• Take time to recharge. Go for a walk on your lunch break.  Take a personal day.  Get eight hours of sleep.  Ultimately, recharging your battery will serve you and the company better.

• Cut the e-leash. Unless needed, turn off electronic devices at a certain time of the day to designate the end of that workday and avoid getting caught up in discussions that can wait until the morning.

• Explore flexible work arrangements. Cutting your commute one or two days a week can help shorten your workday.  More employers today are open to offering telecommuting and other options that may help to provide a better work/life balance.

• Don’t get caught up in the rumor mill. Forty-two percent of workers reported they are fearful of layoffs within their organization.  Ignore speculation and focus on the task at hand.

How are you handling additional workloads and stress in your job?

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I’m also sure many of your vacation destinations are somewhere between your couch and a beach that you can drive to on the weekend, as many workers are opting out of getaways this year.

Thirty-five percent of workers say they haven’t gone on or aren’t planning to take a vacation in 2009. And 71 percent of those indicate it is because they just can’t afford it, according CareerBuilder’s annual vacation survey.  Plus, close to one-in-five workers indicate that they are either afraid of losing their jobs if they go on vacation or feel guilty being away from the office. The survey was conducted from February 20 through March 11, 2009 among more than 4,400 workers.

As if the guilt and fear weren’t weighing on your  mind already, 50 percent of employers expect employees to check in with the office while they are away, with 40 percent indicating it’ll be necessary only if they are working on a big project or there is a major issue going on with the company.  Close to three-in-ten (28 percent) workers say they plan to contact the office at least once, regardless of what they are working on, while they are on vacation.

“While the current economy may be causing workers anxiety about taking a vacation this year, a break from work is essential for maintaining healthy productivity levels in the office,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “Workers should plan ahead and make it a goal to use their vacation benefits; 15 percent reported that they didn’t use all of their allotted time last year. Utilizing your time off is even more important now due to the added responsibilities and pressure that some workers may be faced with due to the current economic situation.”

When planning a vacation, Haefner recommends the following tips to ensure your time off is a true break from the office:

1. Start Preparing the Office Today – The minute you start thinking about booking a vacation, talk to your supervisor and see if the dates you want to be away are a good time for both of you.
2. Leave a Plan Behind – A few weeks before you leave, start recording important information, key contacts and any deadlines that will come up while you are gone and give it to a coworker who can fill in for you while you are gone.
3. Stick to a Schedule – While it’s best to leave the office at the office, if you must do work, set limits and boundaries for yourself and your co-workers. Don’t let activities on vacation be interrupted by work.
4. Set a Good Example – If you are the boss, take a vacation and limit your contact with the office.  Workers will feel much better getting away and enjoying themselves if they see the boss doing the same.

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As if being a parent wasn’t hard enough, not to mention a mom who works outside of the home, these tough economic times aren’t making life any easier.

Quality time with family is the most important “to-do” on working moms’ lists this Mother’s Day. In fact, some working moms report struggling to find work/life balance as they take on additional hours and second jobs in tough financial times. Thirty percent of working moms, whose companies have had layoffs in the past 12 months, are working longer hours and 14 percent of working moms have taken on second jobs in the last year to help make ends meet. One-third (34 percent) reported they are burned out. This is according to CareerBuilder’s annual Mother’s Day survey conducted from February 20 to March 11, 2009, among 496 women, employed full-time, with children under the age of 18.

Working moms are feeling increased pressure to be able to continue providing for their households and are spending more time on work. Forty percent of working moms fear losing their jobs today more than they did one year ago. Forty-three percent work more than 40 hours per week, while 16 percent of working moms reported bringing work home at least two days a week. Six percent said work comes home with them every workday.

Increased workloads are impacting the quantity and quality of time spent with their families. Nearly one-in-five working moms (19 percent) said they spend two hours or less with their children each day. One-in-four (25 percent) reported they had missed two or more significant events in their child’s life in the last year.

“More than anything, working moms want the gift of time this Mother’s Day,” said Mary Delaney, President of CareerBuilder’s talent management and recruitment outsourcing division, Personified, and mother of three. “Nearly one-third say that despite it being one of the toughest economies in the nation’s history, they would even consider taking a pay cut to spend more time with their kids. If you’re struggling with work/life balance, talk to your manager. Working moms who communicate their need for flexible time, job sharing or something in between will find that most companies are receptive to these kinds of policies.”

Many working moms choose to work alternative schedules so they can spend more time with their kids. Fifty-five percent of working moms say they take advantage of flexible work arrangements at their organizations, with the vast majority reporting that work style adjustments have not adversely affected their career progress.

Delaney recommends the following tips for managing the working mom balancing act:

1. Take care of yourself – It may seem like there is never enough time for yourself, but be sure to take an hour or two each week to enjoy your favorite activities. If you need help sticking to it, block off the time in your calendar as an appointment so you don’t cancel your “me time.”

2. Talk to your manager – Propose alternate work arrangements that not only provide better work/life balance, but positively impact productivity. Suggest compressed work-weeks, flexible hours that let you start earlier and leave earlier and telecommuting.

3. Keep a routine – Make sure that chores, dinners and other household responsibilities are planned and scheduled in advance to save you time, stress and mental energy. Having a solid routine in place helps the whole family operate more smoothly and allows for more quality family time.

4. Make the most of family time – Sometimes getting home from work to a whole other set of to-dos can feel like the second shift of your day. Learn to not sweat the small stuff and take full advantage of your family time by enjoying activities with your kids and putting other menial tasks on the back burner.

5. Lighten the load – While you may be tempted to be involved in every project and every conference call, get comfortable with delegating responsibilities to members of your team. Not only will this allow your staff continue to grow, but it will help alleviate your day-to-day duties.

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Conducted by the Families and Work Institute, a nonprofit organization in New York, the study looked at gender roles over the past 30 years in work-life issues like family roles and attitudes about home life and the workplace.

Here are some key findings from the survey:

• Women are just as likely as men to want jobs with greater responsibility. Sixty-seven percent of men and 66 percent of women under the age of 29 want jobs with greater responsibility, compared to 80 percent of men and 72 percent of women in 1992. The figure reached its low point for both genders in 1997.
• Motherhood doesn’t play a role in women’s desire to move to jobs with more responsibility. In 1992, 60 percent of women under 29 with children and 78 percent of women without children wanted jobs with more responsibility. Today, the percentages are 69% (with children) and 66% (without children).
• Men and women are both less likely to embrace traditional gender roles. Sixty-four percent of employees in 1977 thought it was better “if the man earns the money and the woman takes care of the home and children.”Today, only 41 percent of employees believe this. The drop is even more pronounced among men (74 percent to 42 percent versus 52 percent to 39 percent of women). Now there is no statistical difference between men and women in their views.

Click here to read all the findings.

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In a recent nationwide survey, CareerBuilder.com found that nearly one-in-four human resources managers said they receive, on average, more than 75 resumes for each open position; 42 percent receive more than 50 resumes. This survey was conducted online among 252 human resources professionals and 8,038 U.S. employees.

Other key findings:

• The vast majority of human resources managers (78 percent) reported at least half of the resumes they receive from various recruitment resources are from unqualified candidates.
• Thirty-eight percent of human resources managers report they spend one to two minutes reviewing a new application; 17 percent spend less than one minute.

Executive Quotes and Tips

Advice from Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com:

• “Human resources managers serve on the front lines of a company’s recruitment efforts and are often the gatekeepers of the interview process. Because they can receive a large volume of applications, you may only have a matter of seconds to make a lasting impression. Make sure to include a career summary at the top, which provides a quick snapshot of your skills and accomplishments.”
• “Half of workers we surveyed said their resumes are not up to date. You should always have a current resume and portfolio ready to go because you never know what the next day will bring whether it’s a weak or healthy economy.”
• “Fifty-one percent of human resources managers reported they use an applicant tracking systems to screen and manage their resumes. It’s important to incorporate keywords from the job posting into your resume because it will increase your chances of appearing near the top of the employer’s ranking of the most relevant candidates.”
• “Many workers, especially those operating in industries that have experienced mass layoffs, are looking to new industries and professions to find opportunities. In these cases, your best option may be a functional resume, which lists experience by skill categories rather than chronologically.”
• “If you’re a recent college graduate, make sure to include volunteer work on your resume as most employers consider this to be relevant experience.”

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