The Work Buzz

Last week we gave you a list of companies hiring in the Midwest and some jobs that were yours for the taking. Fret not, our northern friends, we’ve got a list of some Northeastern companies and jobs that need your talent and experience. Check out this list of available jobs in the Northeast: Continue reading – Companies Hiring: The Northeastern Edition

Have you ever been asked a question in an interview that seems to come out of left field? One that makes you skip a beat and make you want to ask, “Come again?” and “Are you serious?” Unfortunately, not all interviewers ask the most kosher questions and it’s easy to become discombobulated.

Today’s guest blogger addresses this very issue.  Frances Cole Jones, author of “The Wow Factor: The 33 Things You Must (and Must Not) Do to Guarantee Your Edge in Today’s Business World” tells how to keep your cool even in the face of the most unnerving interview questions.

Continue reading – Stay Composed in the Face of Interview Zingers

Today is International Left Handers’ Day, and in honor of all the lefties out there, this post is for you.

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.  Continue Reading – Happy Southpaw Day!

Long before the Great Recession began in 2007 (and really went full force in late 2008), job seekers were already wary of one particular hiring practice: the credit check.

For those of you unaware, some employers run a credit check during the hiring process before deciding which candidate to choose. They can’t run the check without your permission, so you must first sign a form that allows the company to check your credit history. You can choose not to sign it, but they can then choose not to consider you for the job.

Why would your boss care whether or not you have an outstanding payment on your car? Answers vary, but the gist is that employers think you need to be responsible with your finances before they can trust you. In other words, if you’re not dependable enough to keep your own matters in order, what kind of an employee will you be? Continue reading – Credit Checks on the Job Hunt: Should They Stay or Should They Go?

As promised, we’re back for another round of regional hiring spotlights. Our journey begins in the magical land of the Midwest, and next week we’ll spotlight open positions in the Northeast.

Below you’ll find a list of 12 Midwestern states, some available jobs in each and the companies doing the hiring. Hopefully it makes your job search a little easier Continue reading – Companies Hiring: The Midwestern Edition

A recent study published in The Journal of Social Psychology found that women who are considered to be attractive are often not considered for traditionally masculine jobs.

The survey, which asked participants to rank an applicant’s ability to perform a specific job based on pictures alone, found that while attractive women had an advantage in jobs with a “feminine” typecast, like secretarial positions, they were seen as less suitable for jobs like prison guard, tow-truck driver, mechanical engineer and director of security.

In a statement, lead researcher Stefanie Johnson, an assistant professor of management at the University of Colorado, said “In these professions being attractive was highly detrimental to women. In every other kind of job, attractive women were preferred. This wasn’t the case with men which shows that there is still a double standard when it comes to gender.” Continue Reading – Too Pretty for The Boys’ Club?

The July job numbers were released by the BLS this morning, and they tell a similar story to months past. For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate held steady at 9.5 percent, and the decline of temporary Census workers contributed to an overall decrease in non-farm payrolls, which fell 131,000 in July.

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

Despite signs of a stagnant job recovery, though, the news wasn’t all bad. Overall, the BLS reports that private sector employment has increased by 630,000 this year. Continue Reading – July Jobs Numbers Redux

August is here. Summer is coming to a close, even though it seemed to just get here a few weeks ago. Students are returning to school (and relieved parents are happy to have some quiet time again).  Summer or not, job hunts don’t stop. With that in mind, we want to give you more direction for your job search.

On Tuesday we finished our spotlight of regions hiring in the country. Today I present a list of companies hiring employees right now throughout the country. Right now. Literally. Go on, find the right match for you. Continue reading – Companies Hiring in August

Office politics are present in most workplaces. Every party has a pooper and every office has a brown-noser. Such is life.

Yet — as annoying and superficial as butt-kissing may seem — there may be a thing or two to be learned from the office politico. For instance, it never hurts to get to know the people in your office who can help you advance your career. And we’re not talking about the CEO. There are a lot of people at work — outside the small group of people you interact with on a daily basis — who can make your job a lot easier if you’re on their good side.

Now, just so we’re clear, we don’t mean that you should spend your day throwing around empty compliments and hobnobbing your way around the office. We just mean that it’s important to develop relationships with people at work outside of those in your department. You may be surprised by how much smoother your day goes once you start making the effort to remember the name of the receptionist, or striking up conversations with colleagues you don’t know in the elevator.

Specifically, you might want to try cozying up to these five colleagues:

Continue Reading – Five People to Cozy Up to On The Job

Yet another trot around the country comes to a close with our list of companies hiring in the West. Below you have a list of Western states, companies hiring in them, and some sample positions. Click on any of the links for more information. Happy hunting!

Continue reading – Companies Hiring: The Western Edition