Career Resources and Advice for Experienced Workers

Joe Turner, the “Job Search Guy”

As the current credit crisis continues to deepen, global markets are reeling, prompting the universal question, “When will it end?” Since no one knows the answer, we soldier on with the knowledge that it will end sometime.

According to Brian Sullivan, the CEO of the executive search firm CTPartners, “Hiring will be especially competitive and selective in 2009.” In its recently released 2009 annual list of hot executive jobs, he indicated that there will be a shift away from volume hiring to a more strategic hiring approach for senior executives in 2009 as the continued credit crisis grips world markets. “Opportunities still exist for talented individuals with innovative ideas,” Sullivan adds.

So what does this mean for those executives who are chosen to interview for these senior-level positions? Since the competition has increased, there is less room for the usual mistakes that senior-level candidates typically make in these interviews.

As a candidate, you will typically interview and need to pass muster with a higher number of interviewers, at all levels. According to Dave Knutson, a senior retained search recruiter and owner of the Knutson Group in Phoenix, most senior-level candidates make the mistake of brushing off the individual and group interviews with the midlevel employees. They apparently think these interviews are less important than the “real” meeting with the CEO and upper management team.

Knutson warns this is a big mistake, as the midlevel players will have more input on the final choice than candidates often think. He advises all senior-level candidates to get themselves up to speed on the company, its stats and other details, especially for the midlevel meeting with the managers and directors. You will be expected to demonstrate your knowledge of the company for which you are interviewing.

An even bigger problem is the “Presidential Pitfall.” This is based on years of observation from Neil McNulty, principal recruiter with the McNulty Management Group, a military placement and career management group out of Norfolk, Va. McNulty noted that too often, senior candidates walk into an interview cautious and reserved, and try to “act presidential.” As a result, they are not paying attention to what the person who would be their boss is looking for in an employee.

McNulty has seen dozens of senior-level candidates make this major mistake. While they may be highly accomplished, they walk into an interview expecting the company to recruit them rather than feeling the need to sell themselves to the employer.

As McNulty sees it, the big mistake high-level candidates make is that they don’t want to appear hungry. They want to appear “presidential,” as he calls it. That means they don’t want to lower themselves to ask about needs.

McNulty says many of his senior-level interviewees have done a poor job of determining what the employer needs. They have failed to demonstrate how experience from their own past can address those needs. If you don’t hit those hot buttons, you won’t get hired.

Too many high-end executives are acting as if this is still the “go-go” ’80s and ’90s. They act with the attitude that the company needs them rather than the opposite reality. The truth is that this dynamic seldom works, as it is the rare individual today who has that unique ability or skill set that the company must absolutely acquire.

This takes us to the core of the problem: High-level candidates often seem to have a hard time selling themselves. The advice from Knutson is to get over this, and ask for the job. This is especially necessary in today’s depressing economic climate. In the words of McNulty, “You gotta sell during the interview or you won’t get hired.”

As a recruiter, Turner has spent the past 15 years finding and placing top candidates in some of the best jobs of their careers. Author of “Job Search Secrets Unlocked” and “Paycheck 911,” Turner has been interviewed on radio talk shows and offers free insider job-search secrets at: http://www.jobchangesecrets.com.

10 ways to live with a job you can’t escape

Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

Irwin Henry works at a “boutique” public relations firm in lower Manhattan, which he likes to call “Mom and Pop plus Three.” (The staff includes three full-time employees and the two owners.)

The firm, which used to win awards and serve numerous clients, has diminished to just five customers — a number that the owners insist cannot increase because the company “can’t handle being that large again.” As a result, there are constant financial concerns, paychecks are late or handwritten, and in December 2008, there was an across-the-board salary reduction.

“The general demeanor of paranoia, a crushing lack of people skills and business acumen on the part of the owner, make for a sinking ship that I’ve been trying to escape for quite some time,” Henry says.

But, he can’t. Though he’s been job hunting for something outside of PR for the past year, he hasn’t heard a peep in three months; any industry he’s interested in is on a hiring freeze. To compensate, Henry is waiting tables as a fallback position in case things get worse at his current job.

Henry is definitely not alone in his misery. Thirty percent of workers are dissatisfied in their current positions, according to the 2009 Job Forecast by CareerBuilder.com. Given the current state of the economy and job market, however, many workers are willing to stay in a situation they hate for fear that they won’t be able to find another job at all.

Megyn Kelly, 22, is one of these people. Technically labeled an “intern” at her Washington, D.C.-based firm, Kelly is paid a stipend below minimum wage and is ineligible for health-care benefits. Though she is miserable in her work, she says fear keeps her grounded.

“Having spent three months after graduation searching for a job, I was lucky to find this one in a field I was remotely interested in. I was hired in September [2008] and was only planning to stay through the end of the year,” she says. “I just can’t leave this job. Who knows when I’ll find another?”

The trepidation of not knowing when or if you’ll find another job is not the only reason people are staying in so-called job prison. Workers are also scared of losing valuable assets like benefits.

When Rose Strong worked as a customer service representative for a national health insurance company, her partner, an auctioneer for a small firm, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Though she made great money, her partner’s employer couldn’t afford health insurance for its employees. As a result, Strong had to stay in her stressful job for the health benefits — and in the meantime, she developed an anxiety and panic disorder due to the extreme expectations of her employer.

“The job itself was simply horrible. Stressful isn’t even the word to describe it,” Strong says. “But, it offered domestic partnership benefits. I couldn’t leave the job or my partner wouldn’t have health insurance. Not every employer offers this benefit … [it was] a major issue for someone who has had cancer.”

The flip side
Though many people feel as though they are “stuck” in their jobs, others don’t buy it. Dorothy Tannahill Moran, a life coach, says she has “never signed up for the notion that you have no options out of a bad job, even in a bad environment.”

Others argue that with so many out of work, people should be happy they have a job at all. And, if they are unhappy, they should stop complaining and do something about it. Despite the economy and the tightening job market, 60 percent of workers are planning to change jobs, according to CareerBuilder.com’s job forecast.

“If [workers] choose to stay [in a job they hate], they should know that this is their choice,” says Kathy Wensel, author of “Freedom Is … A Book/Journal with a Twist.” “Be happy where [you] are because you have benefits and a paycheck.”

Making the most of it
Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, either way you are right.” Translation: The more you think you have no choices, the more you will have no choices.

Whether you’re bored, dissatisfied or scared to leave your job because of the economy, there are things you can do to make work tolerable until something new comes up:

Here are 10 tips from career experts on how to escape job prison:

1. Be realistic
Many experts advise not to quit your job without another one on hand because you are lucky to have one, even if you hate it. But Darcy Eikenberg, president and CEO of Coach Darcy LLC, says you shouldn’t buy into the myth that no jobs are out there. “Stuck is just a perception, not a reality,” she says. “You’re never really stuck until there are no more options, and you’ll never know what the options are until you start exploring them.”

2. Change your attitude
Look at your job as the launching pad to your next position instead of as a hindrance. “You’ll only be able to give it your best if you can convince yourself of the value it offers your life,” says Debra Yergen, author of “Creating Job Security Resource Guide.” It pays the rent, gives you benefits, allows you to meet new people and enables you to enhance your skills.

3. Discover the hidden opportunities
“There is something you prefer to do and you do it really well. Define it, do it successfully and make sure it is something you do better than anyone else; it is your value-added insurance,” says Gladys Kartin, career strategist.

4. Find the good in it
When work isn’t going well, it’s easy to dwell on the parts of the job you don’t like. “At some point in time, a person probably liked his job and those are the things he should focus on. Whether it was a task, a co-worker, a meeting or a training session, try to nurture those parts of the job and find ways to incorporate them more into your daily routine,” suggests human resource specialist Sharlyn Lauby.

5. Figure out what you don’t like
If you’re stuck in a job hate, the most important thing to do is identify why you hate the job. Once you do that, you’ll see what’s missing that could help you better tolerate the situation. You don’t want to repeat this cycle in your next position, says Caela Farren, author of “Who’s Running Your Career?”

6. Focus on the aspects you like — even if it’s just a paycheck
“There is opportunity in every adversity and if you don’t see that, you will most likely re-create another dead-end job,” says Dr. Nancy Irwin, speaker and author. Write down a list of the things you do enjoy about it and find ways to do more of those things. There has to be something about the job that you like, or used to like, otherwise you wouldn’t have accepted the job in the first place.

7. Invest in yourself
Go to night school to pursue your passion. Hire a life coach; take a class; pursue your hobbies. “No economy will ever be able to drain the value of investments you make in strengthening your talents and abilities,” Eikenberg says.

8. Network
“You’re probably not the only person who hates his or her job, and you’re probably not the first person to have bailed,” says Martha Finney, author of “Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After Job Loss.” “All those people who you once worked with and who are now out there in a variety of companies in your community or industry, you have multiple networks now to thoroughly explore.”

9. Seek out cross-training opportunities
Many workers want to change jobs because they aren’t challenged anymore; finding new prospects fixes that. “Learning new skills or technologies, meeting new people and facing new challenges [are great ways] to keep your mind off the fact that you aren’t in love with your job,” says Lauren Milligan of ResuMayDay.com.

10. Volunteer
Find out about opportunities at your company where you can donate your time. “Is there a task force that is looking for assistance? Is there a committee to improve something? Request to be on it. By engaging in something that excites you, your mood will change and you might even get a different job within that company,” says Kate Nasser, a people-skills coach.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for PrimeCB.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

It happens all the time.

An employee marches into her boss’s office demanding a raise. A college graduate looks forward to a high starting salary because he “deserves” one. A job seeker researches the average salary for a position she’s interested in, expecting to automatically be offered something in the same arena.

Although salary information is one of the most important aspects of finding a new job, it’s also the most under-researched. Unfortunately, with so many salary resources out there, there is always conflicting information and people who always disagree with, or don’t understand, the information presented.

What you, the job seeker, must understand is that the information provided to you via salary information sites should merely be a starting point in your research. What you find as the average salary for a position doesn’t guarantee that is what you will earn; there are too many other factors that come into play.

To help understand how you can analyze the salary information you find online and apply it to your situation, we’ve brought in compensation expert Jim Brennan, senior associate with the ERI Economic Research Institute, to help.

Q: How do starting salaries compare to median or average salaries?
Starting salaries are usually the lowest amount employers will pay for work, Brennan says. Companies expect new hires to know less about a new position, so they typically start them lower than someone with an established track record.

“Employers generally take care to assure that entry starting rates match the hiring-market requirement and that new folks will start at a lower salary than veteran job peers,” he says.

Median salaries are the amount in the center between the lowest and highest compensation. If workers in an organization are paid $30,000, $45,000 and $50,000, the median salary at that company would be $45,000.

Average salaries are the product of the sum total of all the salaries, divided by the number of observations. With the above figures, for example, the average salary would be $41,666.

“Median salaries are better measures of ‘normal’ pay, being central values. Averages can swing wildly with the addition of extremely high or low values to the group,” Brennan says. “No matter how high the high, or how low the low, the median is still the middle.”

Q: How does my experience play a role in my compensation?
All else being equal, people with more years of experience at a company generally make more. Experience at the company where you currently work generally trumps experience elsewhere, Brennan says.

If you’re new in a position, expect to be paid near the bottom of the scale; if you’re a seasoned veteran who can hit the ground running, you’ll warrant a salary that exceeds the entry rate.

Q: What exactly is cost of living and how will it affect my salary?
Cost of living is what you spend; a salary is what you earn. Your cost of living influences how much your salary will buy. Many workers assume that their employer is required to compensate for their cost of living. If you live in an expensive city, you’ll be paid accordingly, right?

“Employers are too smart to base your pay on your expenses; if they did, everyone’s pay would be different and we’d all spend like crazy and watch our salaries increase accordingly,” Brennan says. “Employers don’t care what you spend or how much it costs, as long as you are willing to work for the salary they offer.”

Brennan says that companies pay what they do because the open market requires a competitive rate. Their “market” for workers is usually defined as commuting distance. Since many people don’t live within walking distance of their workplaces, the cost of living where they work is different from where they live.

Ideally, we work where salaries are high and live where prices are low.

Q: How does education play a role in my salary?
“The role that education level plays in your salary depends on the nature of the job and the relevance of your education,” Brennan says. “More formal education or advanced credentials in the specific field of work or occupational area will carry some weight in starting-salary offers.”

A telemarketing candidate with a degree in communications, for example, would justify a higher starting salary because she would be productive immediately versus an applicant who would need training. If the same candidate applied as a suicide-prevention-line counselor, her communications degree might only meet the minimum requirements and therefore, she would probably earn less than an applicant with a master’s degree in clinical psychology, Brennan says.

Q: How are wages and salaries set and how do they vary by organization?
Wages and salaries are set according to a unique blend of external market competitiveness and internal equity considerations at each employer, Brennan says. Every organization has its own way of paying people, and many variables — such as organization revenue size, number of employees, profitability, pay history, corporate culture, geographic location, competitive labor analysis, benefits and perks, and ease of commute — are factors.*

“Every enterprise has to compete in an open market for human talent. They all have to pay enough to attract, retain and motivate competent workers,” Brennan says. “Those who pay too low fail to attract or retain decent workers and must either raise their entry salary or do without new hires. Those who pay too high will have long lines of applicants for every opening, but they better be much more profitable or more efficient than their competition or they may spend themselves out of business.

“Despite the basic truth that everyone pays according to what the market requires, no two entities pay exactly the same. Beyond the minimum starting rate, employers all vary in their practices, even for similar organizations of the same size within the same city and in the same industry,” Brennan says. “No two will agree on exactly what their ‘competitive market’ is for all jobs, how it is defined or what their target pay should be. Once an employer has paid enough to hire someone, the cash paid above that amount is totally up to the entity. Pay always reflects a particular employer policy on the intended role of salary within their mix of total compensation elements, of which base salary is merely one.”

Q: What is total compensation?
Compensation is more than base pay. If a high-paying job comes with miserable duties, no benefits or unsafe working conditions, you’re probably better off in a job you like, getting paid less, with generous benefits, Brennan says.

Elements of your total compensation include*:

· Base pay (quoted in hourly, weekly, monthly or annual figures)

· Bonus pay (including individual performance programs, profit sharing, etc.)

· Premium pay (including hazard pay, geographic differential pay, holiday pay, shift differentials, etc.)

· Benefits (medical, dental, life insurance, payment for time not worked, tuition reimbursement, retirement plans, etc.)

Remember that compensation is only one part of the package when determining whether or not to accept a job. Hopefully, this will give you a starting point on knowing what you’re worth.

“People don’t work for bread alone, but the bread still better be right,” he says.

*Information from SalaryExpert.com

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side on the job. Each one has its own attitudes, perceptions and values, which can make it challenging for people from different generations to co-exist in the workplace.

When you’re the youngest worker on the team, for example, older workers might not take you seriously. You could be viewed as a child who doesn’t know as much, and who doesn’t have enough experience or business acumen to succeed. If you’re the oldest worker on the team, however, people might view you as old-fashioned and not “up with times,” or they might take your input as you trying to push ideas on them.

“It’s hard on the ego for baby boomers to have a younger boss,” says Christine Hassler, a life coach, professional speaker and author. “Their parents taught them that seniority comes with age … having to answer to a younger boss goes against the model they subscribed to. Not only are boomers often embarrassed and angry that they are answering to someone their child’s age, they do not know how to relate to or connect with their boss and/or co-workers, which only makes them feel more separate.”

Here, several workers of all ages, experiences and points of view filled in the blank on what happens when your boss is younger than you:

When your boss is younger than you …

Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

Twenty years ago, you may have been hard pressed to find a company that employed women or minorities in senior management positions, if at all. Today, you’d be less likely to find otherwise: 28 percent of employers have more than five women in senior management positions and 18 percent of employers have more than five people of an ethnic minority in senior management positions, according to a 2008 CareerBuilder.com diversity survey.

Diversity can have a considerable influence on how your organization is perceived by others, and as a result, more and more companies are making diversity a core value or a business imperative. Including diversity programs can help increase an organization’s success, have a positive impact on workplace culture and help improve relationships with clients and customers.

On his company’s Web site, Kenneth D. Lewis, chief executive officer at Bank of America, says, “Our commitment to diversity is a commitment to individuals and to the team. It’s about creating an environment in which all associates can fulfill their potential without artificial barriers, and in which the team is made stronger by the diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives of individuals. It’s about giving all of us — individually and together — the best possible chance to succeed.”

To help promote diversity within the workplace, organizations are offering a variety of programs and events, according to the CareerBuilder.com survey:

- Diversity training for employees (31 percent)

- Surveys and focus groups to see how employees perceive diversity in the company and solutions to enhance that perception (15 percent)

- Various support and mentoring groups for diverse segments of the work force (14 percent)

- Diversity council to promote diversity within the workplace (14 percent)

- Diversity Day or other events celebrating diversity (12 percent)

- Employee incentives to promote diversity (7 percent)

To recognize the companies that go above and beyond in their efforts to incorporate diversity into their workplace culture, Black Enterprise magazine annually identifies 40 companies that surpass others in one or more categories: supplier diversity, senior management, board involvement and employee base. In 2008, BE also focused its report on companies that have retained and developed diverse executive talent.

Here are the 40 Best Companies for Diversity in 2008, according to BE magazine*:

Aetna Inc., Hartford, Conn.
Business: Insurance
Diversity fact**: As of March 2008, approximately 31 percent of Aetna’s 35,000 employees were people of color and 76 percent were women.

Aflac Inc., Columbus, Ga.
Business: Insurance
Diversity fact: Women account for nearly 70 percent of Aflac’s entire work force.

American Express Co., New York
Business: Financial services
Diversity fact: American Express offers employee networks for different minorities, genders and sexual orientations. Participants engage in educational activities including job fairs and cultural events; they also act as liaisons to management and to the community.

Aramark Corp., Philadelphia
Business: Food and facilities management services
Diversity fact: Aramark has a diversity component called Kaleidoscope, which focuses on retaining, developing and recruiting a diverse, high-performing team to meet the needs of clients and customers.

AT&T, San Antonio
Business: Telecommunications provider
Diversity fact: Today, AT&T’s 50-state work force is 44 percent female and 39 percent people of color.

Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C.
Business: Financial services
Diversity fact: In 2007, 49 percent of Bank of America officials and managers were women and 25 percent were a minority.

Burger King Holdings, Miami
Business: Food services
Diversity fact: African-American entrepreneurs conduct more than $100 million in business with the Burger King system.

Chrysler LLC, Auburn Hills, Mich.
Business: Automotive
Diversity fact: Kim Harris Jones was recently named Chrysler’s first female officer and senior vice president, corporate controller and auditor. She is the company’s second African-American officer as well as its highest-ranking African-American female.

Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta
Business: Beverages
Diversity fact: Coca-Cola ranked No. 4 on DiversityInc.’s 2007 “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and performed well in two categories: Top 10 Companies for Recruitment and Retention (No. 5) and Top 10 Companies for Asian-Americans (No. 6).

Comcast Corp., Philadelphia
Business: Cable and communications
Diversity fact: Comcast has been named to BE’s diversity list two years in a row; it’s also been recognized by other publications such as Diversity MBA Magazine’s “Top 50 Companies for Diverse Managers” (2008).

Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y.
Business: Imaging
Diversity fact: Kodak got a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index because of its policies that support gay employees.

Exelon Corp., Chicago
Business: Utilities
Diversity fact: Exelon was voted the best company for diverse graduates by Diversity Edge Magazine. The list provides undergraduate and graduate students direction as they decided where they want to launch their careers.

Fannie Mae, Washington, D.C.
Business: Financial services
Diversity fact: In 2008, Fannie Mae received many awards for its commitment to diversity. Recognitions included the No. 12 “Best Company to Work for in America” by Latina Style magazine and a ranking as one of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” by Working Mother magazine.

FedEx Corp., Memphis, Tenn.
Business: Package delivery
Diversity fact: FedEx has been recognized by Fortune as one of the “50 Best Companies for Minorities.”

General Mills Inc., Minneapolis
Business: Consumer packaged goods
Diversity fact: General Mills is approaching half a billion dollars in purchases from minority- and women-owned businesses, with more than 50 percent growth from fiscal year 2005 to 2007.

General Motors Corp., Detroit
Business: Automotive
Diversity fact: GM works with more than 200 certified minority- and female-owned companies.

IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y.
Business: Computer hardware and software
Diversity fact: In 2008, 25 percent of IBM’s total work force consisted of minorities, including 18.4 percent of officials and management.

Johnson Controls Inc., Milwaukee
Business: Automotive systems and building control
Diversity fact: Johnson Controls sponsored two recent national conventions for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich.
Business: Consumer packaged goods
Diversity fact: To develop its recruiting efforts, Kellogg has partnerships with the Society of Women Engineers, Network of Executive Women, Black MBA, Hispanic MBA and the National Sales Network.

Marriott International Inc., Washington, D.C.
Business: Lodging
Diversity fact: Of the college students Marriott recruited in 2007, more than 32 percent were minorities. Of the new managers hired that year, 30 percent were minorities and 52 percent were women.

McDonald’s Corp., Oak Brook, Ill.
Business: Food services
Diversity fact: McDonald’s has many employee networks, including but not limited to McDonald’s African American Council, Women’s Leadership Network, and Gays, Lesbians and Allies at McDonald’s.

MGM Mirage, Las Vegas
Business: Hotels, casinos and resorts
Diversity fact: In 2007, the Mirage introduced a diversity best-practices series, which sponsors guest speakers and talks among company diversity councils and leaders.

Pepco Holdings Inc., Washington, D.C.
Business: Utilities
Diversity fact: Pepco’s supplier diversity has been recognized by DiversityInc., Veterans Business Journal, Women’s Enterprise USA Magazine, Fortune, AARP and the Asian American Business Roundtable.

Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., Somers, N.Y.
Business: Beverage distribution
Diversity fact: PBG employees have completed more than 300,000 hours of diversity training in the past 20 years to learn about the importance of diversity at every level of the company.

PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y.
Business: Convenience foods and beverages
Diversity fact: In 2006, PepsiCo surpassed $1 billion in spending with minority and women vendors.

PG&E Corp., San Francisco
Business: Utilities
Diversity fact: PG&E achieved its highest level of diversity spending at $598.8 million in 2007.

Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, Conn.
Business: Business communications
Diversity fact: Pitney Bowes trains its employees on diversity through media like new employee orientations, an annual diversity festival, diversity communications and an online diversity training curriculum.

Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati
Business: Consumer packaged goods
Diversity fact: P&G has one of the oldest supplier diversity programs in the United States, spending more than $1.5 billion across nearly 2,000 minority- and women-owned suppliers.

Ryder System Inc., Miami
Business: Transportation
Diversity fact: Ryder has consistently been included in Hispanic magazine’s list of 100 companies that provide the most opportunities for Hispanics in areas of recruitment, scholarships and minority supplier programs.

Sempra Energy, San Diego
Business: Utilities
Diversity fact: Sempra has been listed among the top five of Fortune magazine’s “America’s 50 Best Companies for Minorities” since 1998.

Sodexo USA, Gaithersburg, Md.
Business: Food and facilities management services
Diversity fact: Rohini Anand, senior vice president and chief diversity officer of Sodexho, was named to Diversity Edge Magazine’s 2007 Top 20 Diversity Champions List.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., White Plains, N.Y.
Business: Lodging
Diversity fact: Starwood has established a diversity council made up of senior leaders to improve the diversity.

State Farm Insurance Co., Bloomington, Ill.
Business: Insurance
Diversity fact: Since LATINA Style 50 magazine began its diversity survey 11 years ago, State Farm has been recognized as one of the “Top 50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work.”

TIAA-CREF, New York
Business: Financial services
Diversity fact: TIAA-CREF’s commitment to workplace diversity has been recognized consistently in studies published by Fortune, Working Mother and Hispanic magazine.

Toyota Motor North America Inc., New York
Business: Automotive
Diversity fact: The total number of minority-owned Toyota dealerships has increased by 30 percent since 2001.

United Parcel Service Inc., Atlanta
Business: Packaging
Diversity fact: African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Pacific Americans and other minorities make up 35 percent of UPS´ 348,400 employees in the United States.

Verizon Communications Inc., Washington, D.C.
Business: Telecommunications
Diversity fact: Verizon’s work force is 59 percent women and 35 percent minorities; the top management positions are 30 percent women and 17 percent minorities.

WGL Holdings Inc., Washington, D.C.
Business: Public utility holding
Diversity fact: WGL Holdings has been named in BE’s Best Companies for Diversity for the past two consecutive years.

Xerox Corp., Stamford, Conn.
Business: Computer and office equipment
Diversity fact: Xerox placed fifth in “Best of the Best for Women & Diversity,” a special report produced by Diversity Best Practices and the Business Women’s Network.

Yum! Brands Inc., Louisville, Ky.
Business: Food service
Diversity fact: Yum! owns such brands as KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, A&W and Long John Silver’s. About 70 percent of the associates at Yum! are Hispanic, African-American and/or Asian. Minorities and women made up 64 percent of its external management hires and 41 percent of internal management promotions in 2007.

* The magazine examined 1,000 publicly traded companies and 50 leading global companies with major U.S. operations. As with the previous survey, four key areas — suppliers, senior management, work force and corporate board diversity — factored into the measurement of each company’s diversity practices.

**All diversity facts are according to each company’s Web site or press releases.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues

Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

You can feel a little directionless during a job hunt. At times, the questions seem to outnumber the answers 2-to-1.

Do I need to wear a suit? Do I need to send a thank-you note? What is my biggest weakness? How do I give a good handshake? The stress can be overwhelming. One question that still pesters job seekers, especially as job hunting increasingly takes place online, is whether or not a cover letter is still necessary. On the one hand, a cover letter is a traditional component of the searching process and omitting one feels weird. But time is valuable during a job hunt and wasting time on something nobody will read is aggravating.

So are cover letters a waste of time or an overlooked attention grabber?

Overwhelmingly, hiring managers and human resources personnel view cover letters as a necessity in the job hunt.

How a cover letter helps you

When you submit an application or résumé to an employer, you probably haven’t spoken at length with the hiring manager. Therefore your papers are one needle in a huge haystack of applicants. Your goal is to set yourself apart as quickly as possible and not to give the hiring manager any reason to dismiss you from consideration; a cover letter can help you achieve that goal.

“Employers need to know you know how to communicate in writing,” says Sue Thompson, a personal coach and corporate trainer. “Your résumé may have been done professionally or using a template, and you may have done a good job of proofreading. But a cover letter shows you have the ability to put sentences together and sound like a halfway intelligent person. It will reveal whether your education has any merit: Are words spelled properly? Is the grammar correct? Is the punctuation appropriate?”

You can look at the cover letter as a way to persuade the hiring manager to consider you for the job. Or, if fear is a better motivator, think about the lack of a cover letter, or one written poorly, as a strike against you.

“You can be the smartest person within 100 miles, and maybe the right person for the job, but you will knock yourself right out of the running with a poor cover letter. You make the recruiter’s job easier when they see a poorly written, poorly proofread cover letter. They can discard your résumé and move on,” Thompson adds.

The need to craft a strong cover letter cannot be stressed enough, however. When you gave your parents homemade birthday cards as a child, they lovingly accepted them because it’s the thought that counts. That’s not the case with cover letters, so your typos and sloppy presentation are detrimental, not endearing.

Connect the dots

Job coach and former recruiter Judi Perkins wants job seekers to understand the role of a well-written cover letter. “When they’re written correctly, they’re extremely effective, because they’re a sales tool.” And the secret to this sales tool is taking a two-pronged approach to the cover letter.

“The first part: The key is that [cover letters] need to be focused on what the buyer — the hiring company — wants,” Perkins says. This means you need to look at the ad and see what it’s asking for because that’s what the employer is looking for, too. “The ad tells you, explicitly, what that company wants.

“But here’s the second part — the kicker — that no one else even teaches (and even professional sales people don’t do): bridge the benefit back to the company; spell out the benefit of hiring you.”

Simply put, you know what the company wants and you know what you can offer — your résumé is a list of your accomplishments, after all. So Perkins suggests you just connect the dots for your readers.

“It forces them to visualize the effect of you in the business as an employee. They’re not going to take this step themselves — there are too many résumés to go through. Spell everything out for them and it gives you a distinct leg up over all the other vastly ineffective cover letters that they receive.”

The new cover letter

Job hunting has changed quite a bit since the advent of the Internet, as many of today’s job seekers have probably never applied for a job via the mail. This means that the practice of placing a cover letter and résumé in an envelope and mailing it is antiquated for many companies. But does that mean you have to write an e-mail to the employer and attach both the cover letter and résumé, or do you skip the cover letter when applying online?

“The growing prevalence of applying via e-mail or through an organization’s Web site is making cover letters obsolete in most industries,” according to Wes Henricksen, president of Seize the A, an academic consulting organization. “That does not mean that the ability to write a cover letter has become obsolete. Instead, it means the rules have changed. The new ‘cover letter’ is often a shorter two-paragraph message in the body of an e-mail. Although this new ‘cover e-mail’ is shorter and less formal, its content is no less important than that of a traditional cover letter. Style, spelling, grammar and professionalism are all still vitally important.”

What employers think

You know how a good cover letter can work to your advantage, but what if you don’t submit one? Are you doomed? For some employers, such as Angela Ruggiero, yes. She’s an adviser for Stanton Communications’ internship program. As a new graduate, she didn’t bother with a cover letter, and now she realizes her mistake.

“I see red flags when there is no cover letter along with a résumé,” Ruggiero says. “The absence of cover letters translates to me that the candidate is lazy and is sending résumés in masses, rather than customizing or personalizing to each individual company of interest.”

While the absence of a cover letter might land you in the rejected pile, the inclusion of one could keep you at the top of the short-list. “Sometimes a person’s cover letter drives me to call a candidate for an interview over another who may have had qualifications that were just as impressive.”

You could save yourself some time and not write a cover letter, which has a decent shot of hurting your job prospects. Or you could devote the time to write a thorough but brief letter that at worst isn’t read and at best lands you a job. Not a tough call.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

“Where is this relationship going?” is a question that can mean several things for a romance. It can signal demise or it can reignite long-lost passion. Whatever the outcome, asking it means you’re taking control of things.

Your career isn’t exactly like having a significant other, but some of the same rules apply. Coasting through your professional life without asking any questions of yourself or taking into account your ambitions can limit what you achieve. And it doesn’t matter if you’re at your first job or you’re about to retire, you should always be thinking about where you are and what you want out of your job.

With that in mind, we put together some suggestions for workers at every stage of their careers. Many issues you face as a high school student aren’t the same as what you’ll face midcareer. But you’ll also notice that some advice is relevant to you no matter what your age is. So here are some topics to think about as you navigate your career when …

… you’re still in high school:

Pick a job that doesn’t interfere with school. First jobs can teach you about the value of work and earning a paycheck, but the real benefit is learning how to balance personal and work lives. At this age, you should be more focused on getting your education and a diploma than on climbing the corporate ladder.

Take your job seriously. Don’t become a teenage workaholic, but don’t shirk your responsibilities, either. Show up on time, perform your tasks and treat your boss with respect. It never hurts to have a good reference and a boss willing to have you back, maybe during your summer breaks during college or full-time when starting your career.

… you’re still in college:

Find a job that relates to your major or your interests. Working and going to school isn’t easy, and you’ll be even less inclined to enjoy your job if it bores you. While you may not find your dream job right now, any opportunity to see if you enjoy working in your ideal industry is a good learning experience.

Look for internships. Now is a prime opportunity to get experience that can build into a full-time job after graduation, and it’s also the one time in your life when you can live very cheaply. Internships don’t often pay well or anything at all, but they often count for course credit and always build your résumé, so take advantage of them while you can.

Start job hunting a semester (or more) before graduation. Every May, the job market is flooded with new graduates ready and eager to find work. If you start sending out résumés, going on interviews and networking ahead of your classmates, you can have a job lined up before you even get your diploma. You can really enjoy walking across that stage even more when you’ve already accepted an offer.

Remember that you’re a working student. Although a lot changes from high school to college, some things stay the same, namely, the need to remain focused on school and taking the job seriously. Don’t forget to study for an exam because of work. (And don’t forget to show up for work because you were having too much fun.)

… you’re at your first “grown-up” job:
Learn from others. You’re a sophisticated, likable person with great ideas; you’re also the newbie. Don’t be afraid to speak up and contribute to the team, but remember that you have a lot to learn from colleagues and your boss. They can teach you what to do and what not to do at that particular company and in the professional world.

Look for a good foundation. For the average worker, an entry-level job does not mark the beginning of a lifelong relationship with that particular employer. You’re likely to have several jobs throughout your career, so don’t look at a first job as if you’re going to be there forever. Look for a job that interests you, offers networking opportunities and, most importantly, lets you develop skills that will help you down the road.

Don’t burn your bridges. When you move on to a new job, do not e-mail your boss with a diatribe about what an incompetent fool she is. Don’t tell your colleague how sorry you feel for him because he’s still stuck in that prison of a company. Peaceful partings can ensure you have good references and a good reputation. (This advice is good for everyone, regardless of age.)

… you’re in the middle of your career:

Assess your life goals. For a second, forget about your career and think about what you want your life to be, both now and in the future. Are you on track to achieve what you want? This isn’t just about a work/life balance, but also an opportunity to see if your job situation helps you achieve the personal goals and lifestyle you want.

Take stock of your professional worth. Midcareer is a vague period because it comes at different points for many people and not everyone’s professional life progresses at the same pace. So, this period isn’t about your specific age as it is about the status of your career.

At this stage, you’ve had at least one job, if not several, and are accruing experience and expertise in a field. Ask yourself what your résumé would look like if you were to job hunt right now. What are your strongest skills? Where do you need improvement? What career opportunities would be available to you? Now is the time for you to decide if you need to change directions or if you’re happy with your situation.

… you can retire:

Decide what you want your golden years to look like. The template of what retirement should look like is long gone. Today, mature workers are taking different paths when it comes to their careers, and you can decide what works best for you.

Because people are living longer, many older workers have no desire to leave the work force and spend another 10 or 20 years at home. Instead, some are scaling back to part-time jobs with their current employers. They still get a paycheck and the company retains their expertise. Others are switching professions entirely and venturing into their dream jobs now that they have the time and money to do so.

Decide what you need to have the life you want: Some mature workers can’t afford to leave their full-time jobs, even if they wanted to, due to financial needs. As you get older, you have to plan for the cost of health care, medicine and other living expenses, none of which is cheap. Deciding what your future looks like should account for your ideal situation and inevitable factors.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

Wouldn’t a sabbatical from work be nice? An extended break to finally accomplish all those things on your to-do list: travel, go hiking, renovate the house, read the classics.

If you find yourself unemployed, very often the silver lining is that you have the time to do all those things you never could while working. But as many job seekers soon discover, lack of income and the need for a new job can hinder your recreational activities. After all, do you want to spend your savings on a trip to Europe if you don’t have a job lined up?

If you’re a job seeker, you can find yourself struggling to balance the demands of finding a new job and being tempted by your newfound free time. When you’re checking job postings earlier than you ever showed up to the office, it dawns on you that a job search is its own full-time gig.

Why is it a full-time job?
You know job hunting is serious business, but just how long does it take to post a résumé online and make a few calls to your professional contacts? Not long, but stopping there would be a mistake. Today’s job hunt is a combination of old-fashioned footwork, online brand building and reaching out to the right people, as Debbie Withers has learned.

She was a marketing director before she took some time off in 1997 to be a full-time mother. As her kids grew up, she began a freelance writing career and did marketing consultation. Her youngest child is about to be in middle school and she thinks it’s the right time to renew her career outside of the home.

“What I’ve discovered is that it really is who you know,” Withers says. As a job seeker who was out of the professional world for a while, Withers has to overcome the image that she wasn’t getting any relevant work done during her freelance years. Not to mention the fact that her time off began once she moved from Virginia, where she had many contacts and a solid reputation. “Unfortunately, since I didn’t work full-time [here] in the Atlanta market, I don’t have the business contacts I had in the cities where I was a marketing director; no one in my current sphere saw me in that high-profile position.”

Since beginning her job hunt, Withers says three things have stood out to her:

1. Connections matter
One of the other mothers at a play group was married to a cameraman in a broadcast company where she wanted to work. Although the company wasn’t in a position to hire her right then, she did get the contact information for a hiring manager. When the company is hiring again, she has a direct line to the right person.

2. Don’t waste any opportunity to sit down with someone
One of Withers’ acquaintances passed her résumé along to a colleague in the marketing department of her company. She was able to sit down with the marketing person and present her portfolio. Although the company was in a hiring freeze, Withers says she doesn’t see it as a wasted opportunity.
“At least now I’ve met the corporate contact face to face, and although they’re not advertising openings, she’ll be more likely to think of me when they need someone.”

3. Give your résumé to the right people
Withers asked one of her former employers to be a reference and forwarded her résumé. A few weeks later, that employer introduced her to a business associate who is hiring for a position she has experience in. She doesn’t know whether or not she’ll get the job, but she’s glad to know she has someone helping her find employment opportunities.

Technology’s role
By now you know that technological advances have benefits and plenty of disadvantages. Your cell phone can save your life during an emergency, but it can also ruin your evening at the symphony with an ill-timed ring. Social networking sites have had a similar effect on job hunting.

Sites like Facebook, BrightFuse and Twitter allow you to connect to old friends, potential employers, past clients and other people who might offer career opportunities. But combine the sheer volume of social networking sites and the ever shrinking shelf life of timeliness — you haven’t updated your Facebook status in over two hours? — and you can’t walk away from the computer for too long. Michael Durwin, who was recently laid off because of the economy, is experiencing the full-time demands of a job search.

“I’m as busy, if not more busy, tweaking my personal brand, hunting down new freelance clients and job hunting,” he says. With his wife expecting their first child in a month, Durwin thought the layoff would give him plenty of time to do some work around the house that he’s been putting off. He was mistaken. “I’m constantly trolling through job sites, joining new ones, reaching out to contacts, hunting down client contact info [and] updating my blog and Twitter feeds.”

Of course, you might not mind the need for constant updates when you consider how visible you’re making your job hunt. Sure, all of your contacts on these sites can see your information, but depending on your network settings, people in your same city or alumni network can, too. More sets of eyes are coming across your availability for a job.

Time is money
The ability to stay connected can help your job hunt, but it can also add a sense of guilt to your daily life. Every free minute you spend relaxing can feel like a career opportunity slipping away — a feeling Meghan Schinderle recently discovered.

“I was prepared to treat looking for a job like a job,” Schinderle says. “I prepared to dedicate long hours to it and to put time and effort into searching and networking. What I was not prepared for was the feeling of guilt I would have for the times that I am not doing it — and the feeling that I must be glued to my laptop working towards finding a job at all times. This is unhealthy, to say the least.”

To maintain good mental health, Schinderle is taking a step back from her obsessive behavior. She’s trying to take advantage of the free time she has, while still looking for a job.

“I am running at the beach in the mornings and cooking dinner with my boyfriend at night. I am going to the gym and running errands in the middle of the day or going to the museum right by my house,” she says. “I am doing all the things that people who do have jobs wish they could. It’s great to dedicate a significant amount of time to job hunting, but you have to get away from it for a little while every day or it will consume you and then depress you.”

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com

Wedding vows are supposed to be sweet proclamations of two people’s love for each other. In reality, they’re a series of tumultuous tests.

“Of course you’ll love me when I’m rich, but how about when I’m poor? When sick? Every single day until we’re both dead? OK, deal.”

Luckily, you take no such vow when you accept a job. Sure, you stick with it through the bad times (when you have to pick up your boss’s dry cleaning) and through the poor times (when you know you deserve a bigger paycheck). And even if you really enjoy your work, you have your limits, and crossing the state line might be one of them.

Would you relocate for a job if the opportunity presents itself? Seeing as the current economy is forcing employers to shake things up, we’re seeing departments reorganized and people shifted around. As a result, you might find your boss (or a separate employer) wooing you to a new city with the lure of a new job. It’s tempting to go with your knee-jerk reaction, but such an important decision requires plenty of research. If you decide to uproot your life for a job, you want to make sure you’re happy with the result.

1. What is the entire cost of the move itself?

First, you should find out if your employer is going to cover any or all of the moving costs. That can be a deciding factor for you.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but moving, like buying a home or car, has a hefty amount of hidden costs. The price tag of the move isn’t only the fee for renting a truck or hiring movers. Little things add up, like boxes, cushioning and packing tape. If you’re moving out of an apartment, will you get back your security deposit before you put one down on the new place? Or, if you sell your stuff and intend to buy new furnishings when you move, consider the size of your new place — a larger place requires more furniture.

Hint: Save your receipts. You might be able to write off some job-related moving expenses come tax season, so keep track of what you spend.

2. What is the comprehensive cost-of-living adjustment?

You can find some great cost-of-living calculators online that factor in taxes and general living expenses, but your debit card will notice a bigger difference than any estimator can give. Will you be driving to your new job (therefore taking into consideration the time spent on commuting and the cost of gas, maintenance in a new climate and insurance) or taking public transportation? Do you have a weather-appropriate wardrobe for the new location? Are you leaving a place where you can stock up at big-box retailers and moving to a place that doesn’t have as many low-cost stores? Of course, you can also find that your move is going to make your daily expenses cheaper, so doing all the research could bring you good news.

3. When is your last day on the old job and your first day of the new one?

Timing means a lot during a long-distance job switch. You don’t want the dates to be so far apart that you’re strapped for cash in the midst of an expensive move. Conversely, you probably want a little breathing room between the day you arrive and unpack everything and the day you start. For your own sanity, consult a calendar when you’re coordinating your resignation, first day on the job and first day of your lease.

4. What are your career opportunities in this new city?

The potential benefits of relocating must be significant, otherwise you probably wouldn’t give relocating serious consideration. But play devil’s advocate for a moment and think about what you’ll do if you get laid off or hate the job and want to quit. Assuming you won’t have the funds to move back immediately, will you have other career opportunities to keep you happy? For example, teaching positions might be plentiful in metropolitan areas, but in a smaller town you might not have a lot of choices. Investigate the city’s job market to help your decision.

5. What does saying ‘no’ to the relocation mean for your career?

Jobs that require a big move often indicate a promotion or some type of advancement, which makes them so appealing. But you can have legitimate reasons for not wanting to accept it, which means you now have to weigh the repercussions of this decision. If your boss offered you the position, do you damage your future with the company by declining it?

6. If you’re switching employers, what are your career opportunities at the new company?

When you accept any new job, you hope it aligns with your long-term goals. No one wants to take a job that they know they’ll outgrow in a few months. Because this is especially true when you’re relocating, ask your new boss all the right questions. Find out why the last person left and what opportunities for promotion you have. You don’t want to leave one dead-end job for another.

7. Do you want to move?

You can think of hundreds of reasons why moving would be fun or why staying is the smart thing to do. Ultimately it comes down to whether or not you’re open to making the move. Whether or not you (and possibly your family) want to live in a new place can outweigh any other factors. Relocation can help your career, but you want to be able to give an enthusiastic “yes” when you accept the offer.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

Forget all the talk about the recession and the economy — well, at least try for a minute. Think about what you want in a career. On any given day you probably would like to have most or all of the following:

· Good pay

· Opportunity for career growth

· A stable industry

· High demand for your work

Everyone would like to be compensated fairly and all workers want the chance climb the professional ladder. Plus, if you know your services are sought after, you can feel confident that you won’t be out of a job in the foreseeable future.

In tough economic times, this kind of job sounds like a fantasy. But it’s a reality for the health-care industry. Unlike many fields, health care can’t be outsourced — unless you want to go overseas to fix your sprained ankle. With a growing population that’s living longer, the need for medical personnel continues to rise.

Another attractive aspect of working in health care is that education requirements for various positions range from a high school diploma with some training to advanced medical degrees combined with extensive training.

If you’re considering a job in health care, here are 13 jobs that you might want to consider, along with their projected employment growth and mean annual wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics respond to emergency calls as instructed by dispatchers. They arrive on the scene to address medical emergencies, which can require on-site treatment or transportation to a hospital.
2006 employment: 201,000*
Projected 2016 employment: 240,000
Mean annual wage: $30,870

Police, fire and ambulance dispatchers answer 911 calls and decide what emergency personnel, such as paramedics or firefighters, need to respond to the situation.
2006 employment: 99,000
Projected 2016 employment: 113,000
Mean annual wage: $34,060

Chiropractors treat patients who suffer from pain or conditions associated with their muscles and bones, most often the spine.
2006 employment: 53,000
Projected 2016 employment: 60,000
Mean annual wage: $81,390

Dental hygienists perform examinations on patients’ teeth and gums and assess overall dental health. They often prepare records and reports on patients for the dentist.
2006 employment: 167,000
Projected 2016 employment: 217,000
Mean annual wage: $64,910

Dental assistants prepare the patient before meeting with the dentist and also prepare materials for the dentist to use during the appointment. They are not licensed to perform any dental procedures.
2006 employment: 280,000
Projected 2016 employment: 362,000
Mean annual wage: $32,280

Dentists treat patients for conditions concerning their teeth and gums. They also perform routine checkups for patients in order to prevent any dental problems.
2006 employment: 136,000
Projected 2016 employment: 149,000
Mean annual wage: $147,010

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons perform surgery on a patient’s jaw or mouth. For many people, the first time they see an oral surgeon is for problems with wisdom teeth.
2006 employment: 7,700
Projected 2016 employment: 8,400
Mean annual wage: $178,440

Orthodontists treat patients who need braces or retainers to straighten their teeth.
2006 employment: 9,200
Projected 2016 employment: 10,000
Mean annual wage: $185,340

Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants work in hospitals or health-care facilities, helping patients perform routine tasks such as walking, bathing or eating.
2006 employment: 1,447,000
Projected 2016 employment: 1.71 million
Mean annual wage: $23,920

Home health aides work with patients who are living at home and provide assistance with everyday tasks, such as eating and bathing. They also help patients follow doctor’s instructions for routine exercise.
2006 employment: 787,000
Projected 2016 employment: 1.17 million
Mean annual wage: $20,850

Optometrists check the visual health of a patient. They prescribe glasses or contacts and treat eye diseases or other conditions.
2006 employment: 33,000
Projected 2016 employment: 36,000
Mean annual wage: $101,840

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturers produce medications that have been created by scientists and medical experts. They ensure that medication passes all the necessary tests for human consumption as decided by government guidelines.
2006 employment: 292,000
Projected 2016 employment: 361,204
Mean annual wage: n/a

Registered nurses help patients by treating their conditions or ailments and teaching them how to properly care for themselves. They work in a variety of medical care facilities, including hospitals and clinics.
2006 employment: 2.5 million
Projected 2016 employment: 3.1 million
Mean annual wage: $62,480

*Salary data and employment projections based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed on Jan. 19, 2009.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

More Work, Less Pay

Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

Everyone is feeling the pinch of the current economic situation, both on a personal and professional level. At home, we’re making fewer impulse buys and postponing vacations. At work, executives are cutting back on company perks and having to let some employees go.

All in all, life feels tough.

Another layer to add to your stress is what happens when you’re one of the fortunate workers who still have a job. Fewer people working means more work is piling up, and ultimately it lands in your to-do stack. But with budgets frozen right now, how do you deal with the fact that you have more to do and no extra pay to compensate?

“As an employee, you want to make sure that work is delegated fairly and that you get paid for the work you do,” says Lauren Milligan, host of the business radio show Livin’ the Dream. “Your employer, on the other hand, needs all the work to get done and doesn’t want complaining and negative attitudes. Is this a constant push [and] pull relationship? It doesn’t have to be.”

Think about the future
You might not feel like looking ahead to sunnier pastures when you’re up to your neck in work, but in this situation you probably should. Taking on new responsibilities and increasing your productivity is not only good for your current job, but it’s also a huge boost for your career prospects. Milligan advises job seekers to keep a running list of their job duties — the ones they were hired to do and the ones they added on.

“Making a list of this work is so important,” she says. “If a manager asks what extra things you’ve taken on, you don’t want your answer to be a sputtering, ‘All kinds of stuff!’ Documentation will keep your thoughts organized and clear.” Plus, as you take on these roles, they become part of a routine, and a few months or years down when composing your résumé, you won’t remember everything you did. A list can be more accurate than your overworked memory.

“Once you have [made your list], take a look at what skills are required to properly complete these new tasks,” Milligan suggests. “Are you using new skills that weren’t required under normal circumstances? Congratulations! That’s something to add to your résumé.”

Milligan also encourages job seekers to add a bullet point to their résumés that highlights how they outlasted one or several company layoffs. Then discuss how all the extra work you accepted became a good experience. Her example:

“Accepted new responsibilities due to a company downsizing. These were ultimately added to my normal role because of favorable recognition from management: Conducted monthly auditing, processed federal compliance reports and headed the finance committee meetings.”

In the meantime
Just because you’re in good shape down the road doesn’t mean your life’s any easier right now. The last thing you want is to resent your job, especially at a time when your boss considers you reliable enough to handle extra responsibility.

“Is your boss seeing a team player, or someone who is seething about taking on more work? If you fall into the latter category, try to see the big picture,” Milligan recommends. “Would you rather have been the one who used to do this work … the one who is now looking for a new job?”

While you might consider that a grim, if not drastic, approach to the situation, it can make you understand how valuable you are at the company.

“Think long and hard about why you still have your job, while others don’t. It could be that you’re more productive or capable,” Milligan says. “It could be because you volunteered to sit in the dunk tank at the last company picnic. Heck, it could even be because your salary is lower. Whatever the reason, that reason is an advantage that others didn’t have and it is the reason that you are still earning a paycheck. That has to count for something.”

According to Milligan, you can be thankful for your situation without being miserable. A tough economy is no reason to be unhappy.

“If you just can’t shake the feeling that you’re being taken advantage of, by all means, get your résumé out there!” she says. “You might want to scope the market even if you feel good about your job, because any type of layoffs can mean an uncertain future.”

No matter how you feel about the situation, don’t be the resident sourpuss. Your grievances might be legitimate, but exuding negativity can still harm your career, either today or in the future.

“[If] you do feel that you’re getting the short end of the stick, keep your attitude in check. Will this boss be a future reference? Ten great years at a company (or any length of time) can be quickly erased with a ‘that’s not my job’ attitude,” Milligan cautions. “The kinds of employees that employers want are the ones who see challenges, rather than problems. Just keep building that résumé and keep your head in the game.”

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Robert Half International

As the economy continues to take a downturn, more and more American jobs are at risk. In fact, the unemployment rate hit a 14-year high this October with 1.2 million jobs lost in 2008 alone. But with all the cutbacks, what’s the likelihood that you will face a layoff in the coming months? A new study shows that the majority of people fear the worst.

An online poll conducted by VitalSmarts, a Utah-based corporate training company, reveals that three out of four people believe their organization is likely to issue layoffs in the next 12 months. Incidentally, one in three people believe their job is at risk today.

So with the pending threat, what are you doing to either ensure your job is not the next casualty, or reduce the consequences if it is?

As it turns out, people are doing very little to secure their jobs in this weak economy. For example, one of the easiest steps to take is to solicit information from your boss about layoff potential; yet according to the survey, more than one-fourth of respondents fail to take even this simple step.

For those who really want to secure their careers, or at least prepare appropriately for what may come, five simple and straightforward conversations can substantially increase confidence and serenity in these uncertain times.

1. Ask long-timers about past practices — How have layoffs been handled in the past? Is advance notice given? Are cutbacks across the board or targeted? How are the decisions made?

2. Clarify compensation surprises with HR — Will the company be paying normal bonuses or annual raises this year?

3. Assess your general risk levels — How likely is a layoff in your division? Department? Team? Job? If there are open forums with executives or other higher-ups, these are great places to ask these questions.

4. Assess your specific risk level — Find out where you stand with your supervisor. What skills, job changes, projects or other actions would make you less dispensable?

5. Have a conversation with yourself — What should you be doing now to prepare yourself to survive a layoff?

Knowing the right conversations is one thing, but actually holding them is another. Here are a few tips on how to hold these conversations effectively:

Motivate yourself to speak up by reversing your thinking
Most of us decide whether to speak up by considering the risks of doing so. Those who are best at crucial conversations don’t think first about the risks of speaking up. They think first about the risks of not speaking up. If you’re worried about your job and stay paralyzed in silence rather than speak up about crucial issues, you surrender your ability to control your own destiny. Motivate yourself to speak up by thinking first about the risks of not holding these crucial conversations rather than the discomfort of holding them.

Change your emotions to elicit greater openness
The primary reason we do poorly in crucial conversations is that we are irritated, angry or disgusted with the other person. When you think your job is in jeopardy you are particularly at risk of coming into a crucial conversation with hostile or defensive emotions. If you approach your boss, HR leaders or others to ask about job security concerns, you need to be sure you don’t come across as accusatory or insulting. Assume they are “reasonable, rational, decent people” who also have concerns and challenges. If you approach them respectfully, they’re much more likely to sympathize with your questions and be more liberal with information you need.

Make others feel safe
The unskilled believe that certain topics are destined to make others defensive. The skilled realize people don’t become defensive until they feel unsafe. Try starting your next high-stakes conversation by assuring the other person of your positive intentions and your respect for him or her. When others feel respected and trust your motives for speaking to them, they let their guard down and share more openly.

Start sensitive conversations by saying something like, “I know no one can predict the future perfectly, and yet, like you, I have to do my best. Could I talk openly with you for a few minutes about some questions that will help me understand what the next year might hold in our company? I don’t want to put you in a position to make inappropriate commitments, but I want to understand as much as I can about what’s likely to occur. Would that be OK?”

Prime
One of the best ways to help people feel safe disclosing sensitive concerns is by priming the conversation. You do this by saying the tough thing for them and allowing them to confirm, disconfirm or modify what you say. For example, if you’re asking your boss for feedback about her real view of your performance and she seems reluctant to open up, you might say, “I know some of my peers have been here a lot longer than I have and have worked for you on a number of teams. If I were you I would probably feel a great sense of loyalty to them. If tough downsizing decisions had to be made, I’d expect you to put some of them higher on the list than some of us newcomers. Is that a reasonable expectation for me to have?” When something might be tough to say, say it for others as a way of demonstrating that it’s safe to acknowledge.

Come ready with questions
These conversations are tough enough to hold even once. Don’t make the mistake of coming unprepared, then walking out and realizing you failed to ask the most important question. There’s nothing wrong with bringing a list of the four or five questions you have and referring to them to ensure you’ve gathered all the information you want. Do not take notes during the conversation, however. If you do, the other person may feel a need to be on his or her guard for a future legal battle, and you will have cut off your source of information. If you want to confirm something in writing, do it later, perhaps by e-mail, and ask the other person to respond with corrections to your understanding. Do this only if the other person agrees to be “on the record” with his or her comments.

The best way to predict your future is to create it. Those who step up to these five crucial conversations skillfully put themselves in a much better position to create — and control — their own destiny.

Joseph Grenny is the co-author of three New York Times best-sellers including, “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High.” He is also a sought-after speaker, consultant and co-founder of VitalSmarts, an innovator in corporate training and organizational performance. http://www.crucialconversations.com/

Looking for a new job search tool? We’ve got just the thing.

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Expanding on CareerBuilder’s most popular articles, CAREER BUILDING is filled with insightful statistics and advice from top experts on making yourself indispensable as a candidate or employee.

Take a look inside the book here.

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Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

Bill Healy never saw it coming. The head of a successful division of a major financial institution, he’d just been interviewed for his company’s newsletter when he got the call. He was to be one of the 103 employees let go as part of a corporate restructuring.

Healy felt blindsided and betrayed. “I had over 15 years of service and even sat on a restructuring task force,” he relates. “I had no idea I was vulnerable.”

When layoffs are ahead, you need to watch your behind. Here are six ways to prepare and protect yourself:

1. Get Organized.
Print and take home personal files on your computer and locate copies of your performance appraisals and other personnel records. Review your status reports and project files to help you update your résumé so that it reflects all of your recent accomplishments and newly acquired skills. Think about what you might want to do next and whom you might want to use as a reference.

2. Get What’s Coming to You.
Take advantage of any perks and benefits to which you are entitled. Schedule your checkups and tend to any dental or medical issues while you’re still insured — especially if you’ve already met your deductibles.

If you’ve got a flexible spending account, turn in all outstanding claims to avoid forfeiting any balances. In addition, know exactly how much vacation and floating holiday time you’ve used and make sure you’ve taken credit for your holidays. (Most companies will not honor unused holidays, but will pay you for any remaining vacation.)

3. Get Connected.
Spend at least one to two hours a day networking. Call your friends, former co-workers and clients. Attend your professional association meetings. Talk to headhunters and corporate recruiters. This is a good time to help others who may be helpful to you in the future.

4. Get Searching.
In addition to networking with colleagues and recruiters, visit the Web sites of any relevant trade and professional associations as well as companies where you’d like to work. Check print and online job postings to see what the requirements of your desired next job are and note any gaps in your experience or skill base.

5. Get an Exit Strategy.
The HR folks will be working from a script when they give you the news. Make sure you know what you should say, too. If no information about severance pay has been communicated, check the company policy manual to find out what is standard practice. Do not agree to sign anything then and there; say that you need to review the proposed agreement with your legal and financial advisers.

The National Employee Rights Institute contends that employees have more bargaining power than they realize. And it’s not only the amount of severance pay that is negotiable. Thoroughly assess your situation, so that you can negotiate aspects of the termination that will have the most value for you. For example, if the layoff occurs shortly before a bonus will be paid or before a service anniversary that would increase your vesting rights in any company-sponsored retirement or profit-sharing plans, prepare a case that you should be entitled to receive that payment or additional vesting.

Also think about receiving your severance payment as salary continuation rather than a lump sum agreement. Salary continuation often allows for a continuation of disability benefits and also lets you answer “yes” when asked if you’re still employed.

6. Get Fired Up!
When layoffs are looming, the best course of action is to stay positive and place yourself in a position of strength. Remember, change is an accelerating mechanism. It can bring about hardship and anxiety if you try to avoid it, but tremendous opportunity if you accept and welcome it.

Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

Employers value experience — it is one of the strongest assets you have as a boomer. You’ve made your share of mistakes and gone through trivial workplace politics enough times to know what’s important and what’s not. You know what issues are worth panic and which aren’t worth your concern.

Still, a few commonalities persist through everyone’s career, such as first-day jitters and the desire to earn more money. Perhaps more universal than any other issue is the concern of getting fired. No employee is ever so certain of his or her job that the fear of getting a pink slip disappears.

While only you and your boss control your professional fate, here are some tips for keeping your job. Or rather, here are 10 things you can do to guarantee you’ll be asked to pack your items and leave by the end of the day.

1. Always know more than the boss
Employers value experienced workers because of their years of knowledge and are eager to hear what you have to offer. Share your thoughts at meetings, during brainstorming sessions or at any opportune time. Keep in mind that you’re the employee offering a suggestion and your boss is not a notice. Acting as a know-it-all undermines his or her authority and irks your co-workers.

2. Being sorta punctual
Each company has its own culture, which might mean stumbling into work 10 minutes late is no biggie to the boss. When it comes to deadlines, however, punctuality is nonnegotiable. When other people — and consequently their reputations — depend on you to complete work in a timely manner, excuses don’t work. Arriving late to a meeting or not at all is a high-profile way to show you don’t respect other people’s time, too.

3. Hang on, I’ll tell you after I finish paying my bills
Jobs that rely on the Internet provide ample distractions for employees who would rather play online Texas Hold ‘Em than work. Many employers allow workers to spend some time checking personal e-mail accounts and catching up on celebrity gossip. A reasonable amount of time. When your duties take a backseat to paying bills or shopping online , the boss won’t have a problem giving you a pink slip for neglecting your duties.

4. Not knowing what your job is
When bosses hire people, they want them to fulfill their job duties so that the team can run smoothly. You’re allowed a few growing pains when you’re new, but if six months (or years) into the job, you’re still asking people what you should be doing or how to perform an elemental task essential to your job, something isn’t right. One of the quickest ways to lose your job is to be deemed unreliable.

5. Needing the spotlight
Children have the honor roll to recognize their outstanding work; adults have paychecks. The employee who demands praise for every bright idea or successful quarter he or she has will gain a reputation for being needy and distracting. Of course we all like to have a pat on the back now and then, but making sure every person in the meeting knows the boss just pitched your idea shows that you’re more concerned with yourself than with the team.

6. Being too honest
People appreciate and respect honest feedback. What’s not appreciated as much is unnecessary honesty, which includes criticisms that don’t seek to achieve anything other than airing dirty laundry. Tell your boss you have some ideas on how to improve a project; don’t tell her that you could do her job better with your eyes closed.

7. Going on vacation when you’re needed most
Although you have every right to use your vacation days, a quick way to damage your reputation is to be in the Bahamas during crunch time. If you have to take some personal days at your department’s busiest time, plan ahead so you don’t inconvenience your team. If you’re gone every time a major deadline approaches, however, your reputation will suffer.

8. Proving you can’t be trusted
When a co-worker or boss shares private information with you, the quickest way to risk your job is to tell everybody what you know. Not only do you betray that person’s trust, but you also make that person look foolish for having confided in you in the first place. Employers have no trouble cutting ties with someone who blabs secrets.

9. Not respecting the boss in front of his or her boss
Remember: Your supervisor has to answer to someone, too. Although you should be respectful every day of the week, make sure to be on your best behavior when your boss’s boss is around. If you’re undermining authority or even just not doing your job well, your boss looks incompetent. The boss might not say anything when the head honcho is around, but you’ll probably have to answer for your mistake soon enough.

10. Thinking you’re the exception to the rule
One of the unique challenges facing boomers is balancing work and life. Although all employees have personal lives, older workers are more likely to have children or grandchildren and other obligations that recent graduates don’t. Every so often an employee experiences car problems, has a sick child or oversleeps when the electricity goes out. Most bosses are understanding, but if you repeatedly think the needs of your personal life warrant special treatment, you’ll be surprised when the compassion disappears.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Tips to Work Successfully with People Younger than You

By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com Writer

When Stephanie Elsy, 50, worked for a small organization where her boss and three co-workers were all younger than she, she had an epiphany.

“I had an ‘OMG’ moment when I realized that my co-worker was 22 and I was 50,” she says. “I could have had a child in my mid-20s who would be older than she was!”

That was the first time Elsy really thought about the age differences between herself and her colleagues; it wasn’t the last time, either. Today, she works as an accountant for Pop Labs, a digital media agency, where her boss (and owner of the company) is 38.

Unsurprisingly, Elsy is not the only baby boomer in today’s work force who faces the issue of working with younger people. For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Each one has its own attitudes, perceptions and values, which sometimes make it challenging for older workers to adapt.

Challenges older workers face

What seems to be the No. 1 obstacle baby boomers face when working with younger co-workers? Experts agree that it’s got a lot to do with self-esteem.

“It’s hard on the ego for baby boomers to have a younger boss,” says Christine Hassler, a life coach, professional speaker and author. “Their parents taught them that seniority comes with age … having to answer to a younger boss goes against the model they subscribed to. Not only are boomers often embarrassed and angry that they are answering to someone their child’s age, they do not know how to relate to or connect with their boss and/or co-workers, which only makes them feel more separate.”

Another hindrance separating boomers from younger generations is their tendency to believe that they have all the answers, says Rolfe Carawan, founder and CEO of Carawan Global Communications and Consulting. They want to tell people how to do something rather than ask someone how.

Beverly Mahone, 51, faced similar struggles when a woman 10 years her junior (and with no experience), was chosen for a news assignment manager position over Mahone, who had 20 years experience.

“She relied heavily on me to help her. She called me ‘ma’am’ all the time,” Mahone recounts. “I didn’t appreciate her lack of experience and the fact that she was getting paid nearly twice my salary. She had no clear-cut system in place on how she wanted things run.”

Mahone, who now owns her own media consulting firm, eventually left the corporate world in part due to the fact that she disliked working for younger supervisors.

Frank Ricketts, 57, says he thinks the biggest challenge with working alongside younger people is their sense of urgency. Currently the second-oldest employee at his company, Ricketts has been the vice president of Colour, a Canada-based advertising and PR agency, since 1993. His immediate boss — the president — joined the company five years ago and is 16 years younger than he.

“We are not taking the time to sit and reflect on the solution to determine if it is the best [for our client],” he says. “Younger people are always looking at the next challenge before finishing the current one, resisting and sulking when their ideas are not gleefully accepted.”

Benefits to working with youth

Despite all the challenges boomers face as a result of having a younger boss, it’s important for them to learn how to deal with and accept it. As a result of more boomers staying in the work force while millions of Generation Y enter it, the chances of boomers having a younger boss are increasing.

“Unless you are immortal, the reality of having to hand over the reins to the next generation is, in a word, inevitable,” says Jason Seiden, a management consultant and author.

Armed with this information, boomers must learn to appreciate, rather than negatively judge, younger generations.

Susan Hawkins, 60, learned to embrace younger co-workers a long time ago. Her last three bosses have all been younger than she, by as many as 25 years. In her current position as a senior copywriter for The Shops at 24Seven, an e-commerce company, Hawkins is older than her department director, the CEO and the president.

“Age doesn’t seem to be an issue; I was hired because I’m good at what I do,” she says. “I benefit from working with younger people … they keep you young! They keep you tuned into today’s world and the latest technology. I love the fact that I’m learning so much about how the Internet works, especially where business is concerned. There’s really nothing I dislike about working for a younger boss.”

Sandi Grimm, 55, has been the marketing director for YouthFriends, a nonprofit organization, for more than nine years. Her boss, who started just two years ago, is 37. Grimm says she respects her younger boss and the different skill set she brings to the company.

“It’s fun to look at things from her perspective … it keeps me open-minded. I also think she respects my experience and maturity,” Grimm says.

Here are 10 tips that will help you effectively deal with working in a younger work environment:

1. Recognize that an important factor in managing any relationship is understanding the other person’s point of view. If your boss is from another generation, you may have differing opinions on many things, says Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, a career management firm. Observe his behavior to better understand what influences his management style and how you can complement it.

2. Don’t assume traditional boss behaviors. If you get that weekend phone call, don’t immediately assume it’s a power trip, Seiden says. Younger workers don’t all put the same kinds of boundaries on work and personal time as you might have. They can be segmented, but those segmentations don’t always fit a traditional schedule.

3. Never let ‘em see you sweat. No matter how unhappy you are with your new, younger boss, don’t show it because you could become expendable for another “younger” employee. If you’re that unhappy, start making plans to make your exit, Mahone advises.

4. Keep an open mind. Don’t assume that because they are younger, they don’t know what they are doing, Grimm says. We all have different skill sets. No one is good at everything.

5. You have to want to learn new things and look at things differently. You’ll want to do some hanging out with the kids to enjoy what they enjoy. Otherwise, they’ll just see you as a fuddy-duddy and you’ll be irritated by the boss and his newfangled ideas, Elsy says.

6. Use your experience to temper any potential insecurity about having a younger boss. You’ve got perspective they don’t yet have, which benefits both of you, says Sam Spear, owner of Gogh Advertising.

7. Help a brother out. Your boss is more nervous about this relationship than you, Seiden says. Help your boss find his footing, and he is likely to return the favor by giving you the autonomy you want and by including you on decisions.

8. Listen! Call it the hubris of youth or just the natural outcome of the self-esteem curriculum, but younger workers are deeply committed to collaboration and want to be included on decisions and strategies, Carawan says. If you want to bridge the gaps, show them you’re willing to invest, improve and understand.

9. Spend time with them one on one. Take some time to get to know your boss and find out what she thinks, Ricketts says. You’ll usually come back richer for it.

10. Be the employee your boss does not have to manage. Bosses spend a lot of time managing younger employees who are just beginning to learn prioritization and time management, Hassler says. Be the employee that your boss does not have to manage by taking initiative. If you are an employee whom your boss does not have to think about, he will begin to notice and appreciate your experience and wisdom.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Every generation needs a new revolution.” No statement has ever seemed more true today as older workers approach retirement, but aren’t ready to stop working. Rather, they want to revitalize their careers.

This growing trend isn’t limited to boomers staying in the work force. It encompasses women returning to work after maternity leave, workers wanting to change careers in general, even those who are sick of retirement and just want to make a comeback.

To Marc Freedman, author of “Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life,” such a comeback is called an “encore career,” in which people find work that provides meaningful and significant contributions to the greater good in the second of half of their lives.

“Instead of freedom from work, they are searching for the freedom to work,” Freedman says. “Instead of accepting the notion of a career as an arc that rises in youth, peaks in midlife and declines into retirement, they are charting a new trajectory — one that for many will reach its apex of meaning and impact when others in past generations headed for the sidelines.”

In fact, 5.3 million to 8.4 million people between the ages of 44 and 70 have already launched encore careers, according to a recent MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures survey. Fifty percent of people of the same age not already engaged in new careers say that they want to be and they want to move into such fields as education, health care, government and nonprofit work.

Don’t call it a comeback

Though many workers want to make a transition back to the work force for various reasons, many don’t know exactly how to do it. Lots of workers don’t know the options they have when they want to come back to work — or the obstacles they might face.

“Workers returning to the work force should not assume they will be able to pick up where they left off, even those who left recently,” says Jennifer Berman, managing director of the HR advisory, consulting and training group at CBIZ Human Capital Services. “Returning workers need an understanding of what industries are hiring for what types of positions. From there, they’ll need to conduct an inventory of what skills they possess that are marketable to those opportunities and how they will obtain the skills they may lack.”

Many options exist for workers who want to learn fresh skills in a new industry or career. These programs can open doors to full-time work, provide experience in areas that you’ve previously lacked or allow you to get your feet wet in a new profession before committing to it permanently.

Here are some options available to workers who want to rejoin the work force:

1. Returnship

Returnships are similar to internships, except they are for experienced professionals. They’re designed for workers who have left the work force and want to re-enter the corporate world, most commonly in a different line of work than the one they left. A returnship could also be an internship in new field in order to give you the opportunity to test the waters before making a career change.

Several companies, such as Sara Lee Corp. and Goldman Sachs, have already implemented similar programs. Sara Lee, for example, launched the Returnships @ Sara Lee program in October 2008. The initiative was put in place to provide flexible opportunities for midcareer individuals to re-enter the work force after an extended leave. Participants also have the potential for a permanent position after completion of the returnship program.

Brenda C. Barnes, chairwoman and chief executive officer of Sara Lee Corp., says the program “provides a win-win situation for candidates and for our company by offering flexible work arrangements on a trial basis, while at the same time allowing Sara Lee to tap into a deep talent pool of underutilized professionals.”

If you have your eyes set on a company and you don’t know if it offers a returnship-type program, Berman suggests developing a proposition to create one.

“In these tight times, almost every industry has trimmed staff to a point where there are real needs. Few employers will turn away free labor that offers a real value,” she says. “Learn what the organization is missing or needing. Develop a proposal for the services you could provide in exchange for consideration for a future hire, introduction to another business unit or detailed recommendation.”

2. VocationVacations

VocationVacations, another type of mini-internship experience, offers clients the chance to test-drive a dream job under the guidance of expert mentors who are passionate about what they do, says Brian Kurth, president of the company. Approximately 20 percent of “vocationers” have either switched full-time careers, gone back to school or have taken the steps to land their dream jobs.

“What better way to return to the work force from early retirement, maternity leave or an extended layoff than to test it all out first?” he asks.

VocationVacations offer one- to three-day, hands-on, career immersion experiences under the guidance of mentors who are experienced in the field in which a “vocationer” is interested. The company offers more than 160 types of vocations in everything from acting to yoga.

Though a VocationVacation is different from a returnship in that you pay to participate, the expense should be thought of as an investment toward your future. After all, you do get a one-on-one mentorship, sound career-coaching advice and other perks. Kurth says some mentors feel so strongly about their vocationers that they’ve hired them full time. For more information, visit their Web site.

3. Mom Corps

Mom Corps, a staffing solution firm, places women returning to the work force in part-time, permanent, full-time, flexible and contract or project-based work arrangements. Companies such as KPMG, Merrill Lynch, Home Depot and General Electric are able to access a pool of professionals who have opted out of the traditional workplace, but still have the talent and time to take on work.

“By hiring a contract or part-time worker during the economic downturn, companies are able to operate at a lower cost and still see results,” says Allison O’Kelley, CEO and founder of Mom Corps.

Unlike a returnship or other options, Mom Corps offers flexible job opportunities suited to candidates’ qualifications and scheduling needs. Workers still have the option of returning to the work force, yet don’t have to immediately dive in full time. Employers can post jobs, search for candidates and view résumés matching their criteria, and candidates can do the same while looking for companies.

Benefits of return programs

Still not sold on a return program? Here are several benefits to consider:

1. You are essentially able to “try before you buy,” Kurth says. Return programs allow workers to determine whether they truly like the field they are entering and if they don’t, they have saved themselves a lot of time by not pursuing something they don’t enjoy or aren’t cut out for.

2. Workers, though unpaid, get experience in a company, which is great for their résumé and networking pool.

3. Employers get free work from seasoned professionals.

4. Return programs give returning workers an opportunity to not only test out an experience, but also obtain additional skills, Berman says.

5. Return programs are instant networking, Kurth says. Everyone you’ll work with will know people who know people, etc.

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing

There’s no denying it: America’s shaky economy has U.S. workers worried. In the midst of this uncertainty, baby boomers, in particular, are feeling more torn than ever. Many want to retire, but have significant doubts as to whether or not they can afford to withdraw from the world of work.

One solution to this dilemma that is becoming increasingly appealing to baby boomers is to stay in the work force, but scale back from the demands of their current career. In doing so, many are opting to search for new jobs that are less stressful, while still providing the security needed to weather the current economic climate.

Career expert Laurence Shatkin identifies many rewarding, low-stress occupations in his recently released book, “150 Best Low-Stress Jobs.”

“Many of these occupations have a high concentration of older workers because their low level of stress permits them to avoid burnout and postpone retirement. Some of these jobs might be good choices for baby boomers planning a career change late in life, perhaps in retirement,” Shatkin says.

After determining which jobs were associated with the least amount of stress, Shatkin identified the best occupations for people age 55 and older, according to a combined score based on each job’s annual earnings, percent growth and annual openings.

Here are Shatkin’s top 10 low-stress jobs for baby boomers:

Civil engineers

Annual Earnings: $68,600

Percent Growth: 18.0 percent

Annual Openings: 15,979

Construction and building inspectors

Annual Earnings: $46,570

Percent Growth: 18.2 percent

Annual Openings: 12,606

Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

Annual Earnings: $37,660

Percent Growth: 11.5 percent

Annual Openings: 25,428

Industrial machinery mechanics

Annual Earnings: $41,050

Percent Growth: 9.0 percent

Annual Openings: 23,361

Maintenance and repair workers, general

Annual Earnings: $31,910

Percent Growth: 10.1 percent

Annual Openings: 165,502

Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Annual Earnings: $40,440

Percent Growth: 12.3 percent

Annual Openings: 11,037

Curators

Annual Earnings: $46,300

Percent Growth: 23.3 percent

Annual Openings: 1,416

Librarians

Annual Earnings: $49,060

Percent Growth: 3.6 percent

Annual Openings: 18,945

Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators

Annual Earnings: $36,070

Percent Growth: 13.8 percent

Annual Openings: 9,575

Farm, ranch and other agricultural managers

Annual Earnings: $52,070

Percent Growth: 1.1 percent

Annual Openings: 18,101

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. Her articles help people find meaningful work, develop their career and life plans, and carry out effective job search campaigns.

Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

2009′s arrival prompts a lot of questions: Will the economy get worse before it gets better? Will companies lay off more people? Can I still find a new job?

Any answer is, of course, an educated guess at best. Yet, you shouldn’t assume that tight budgets and slowed job growth — if they continue — mean everyone is tied to their current jobs forever. People will still leave jobs and others will come in to replace them.

Retirements, career switches, births, relocations — the many reasons workers have left jobs in the past will continue through 2009. You should expect a little more competition for these open positions, but your job search shouldn’t stop.

The same rules apply
The way you conduct a job search isn’t going to change dramatically this year. If you’re currently employed and plan to change jobs soon, don’t up and quit without a plan. You don’t want to find yourself jobless with no prospects if you can help it — regardless of the economy. Employed or not, be aggressive in your tactics.

“The market is tougher: There are fewer jobs, more candidates and hiring authorities are being more careful,” says Tony Beshara, author of “Acing the Interview.” “So a candidate has to really distinguish himself or herself even more from the competition. He or she [must] go above and beyond the average interview.”

Job hunting is about getting noticed by employers. You don’t want to blend in with every other person who responds to a job posting or walks into an interview. That’s as true now as it was a decade ago. If you’re a good employee, you’ll be a good addition to the team — but they’ll never know that if you’re just another faceless name in a pile of résumés.

To stay ahead of the pack, Beshara encourages you to research the hiring manager online — use a search engine and social networking sites. If you have mutual contacts, drop their names during conversation so you become memorable. If you’re lucky enough to get an interview, be just as prepared.

“Carry a portfolio of reports you have written demonstrating your skills or a 30-60-90 day plan as to what you would do the first 90 days of your employment. Do extra research on the company and the person you are interviewing, and maybe speak to their customers and find out how they are perceived,” Beshara suggests.

No room for error
Because companies don’t have the budgets they had a year or two ago, they can’t afford to waste time or money on finding a replacement who’s anything less than perfect — or at least close to perfect. Many employers aren’t replacing vacation positions that aren’t vital to operations. If they’re willing to spend on a new hire, they want a qualified candidate who will stick around for a while. They also know that they have many job seekers for far fewer positions. The pressure is on you to be the best potential employee they’ll come across in the hiring process.

“Everything, and I mean everything, in your interview matters — your dress, your speech, your manners — and employers can be very unforgiving in this market, especially when they still have plenty of candidates to choose from,” Beshara warns. “It simply takes lots more practice and, since you can expect fewer interviews in the current market, practice really makes a difference.”

A résumé with typos or unprofessional attire in an interview rarely bodes well for a job seeker. In 2009 such a misstep is guaranteed to get your name crossed off the list of potential candidates. Here are some things to consider during your 2009 job hunt.

• Résumés
  The incessant warning to avoid typos probably gets annoying and seems like redundant advice, but hiring managers repeatedly cite typographical errors as a top pet peeve. Think about it this way: You can’t control whether the hiring manager ever picks up your résumé, whether your personality clicks with his or hers and whether you ultimately get the job. Conversely, your résumé is your creation. You went out of your way to type it up and send it to the company. What kind of message are you sending if you don’t take responsibility for one of the few factors entirely within your control?
• Interviews
  The interview is a two-way street, where you need to sell yourself to the hiring manager and he or she needs to sell the company to you. Let the company do its part and focus on yours. You always want to prove to the employer that you’re looking for longevity — in a competitive job market, it’s vital. Explain that a position where you can learn, grow and be a team member for longer than a few months is your ideal situation. If the hiring manager gets the feeling that you’re desperate to find any job just to earn a paycheck, you’ll be out the door before you set your bag down. Employers don’t want to spend the money training someone they’ll be replacing in four months.
• Don’t get lazy
  Browse job boards, search the classifieds, walk around the neighborhood — look for jobs wherever you can. Some employers don’t want to spend a lot of money advertising a job opening, so reach out to companies that might not have a job opening listed, as they might be quietly searching for new employees.
• Network
  Your connections, both social and professional, are invaluable resources during a job hunt. Even friends of friends you’ve only met at a cocktail party are worth touching base with during a job hunt. When you let people know that you’re looking for a new job, they’ll keep you in mind if they run across an open position at their workplaces or if they hear about one at a friend’s company. You can cover more ground than if you search alone.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

By PrimeCB.com

You could probably fill an entire library with well-meaning books that share conventional wisdom about the best ways to conduct your job search, as well as how to write your cover letter and résumé and how to prepare for your job interview.

But with the uncertain economy and more competition for existing jobs, it’s necessary to look beyond textbook examples to see what practical advice is working for candidates right now.

Start your own blog
The phenomenon of blogging has exploded in the last several years. Although it can be a powerful communication tool, it’s not necessarily a unique one. The social media tracking site Technorati follows more than 112 million blogs every day.

But for job seekers, a blog can be a résumé in motion. It can show potential employers who you are and what you’re about in a very comprehensive way.

“I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of Web 2.0 as it relates to my industry,” explains Debbie Horovitch, a marketing and media specialist. She decided to start a blog and use its content as a virtual calling card, where she can show readers what she’s learned.

“The results of my efforts are online for all potential employers. They can see that I am a self-starter, and understand business trends, opportunities and needs.”

Kelly Rusk was also pounding the pavement. Rusk, a media strategist, had been looking for a new job after a merger left her unhappy with her job. “I sent out dozens of résumés, even had a few interviews with no success,” she recalls.

She decided to take a different approach and completely bypassed distributing her résumé. “I focused on building my personal brand via my blog, and participating on various social networking sites and Twitter. Within a couple months, job offers started coming to me,” Rusk says.

She eventually landed her current job with a startup media company. “Because they came to me,” Rusk says, “I had a lot more negotiating power than ever before.”

Work with your network
Job seekers know that tapping into social and professional networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Brightfuse.com can connect you to contacts that might be the key to your next job.

But in addition to those structured networks, job seekers are reaching out to the contacts in their informal network — close friends and family. It may seem like an unsexy or uninteresting approach in a tech-savvy atmosphere, but it capitalizes on one asset that everyone has access to: people.

“I was looking for a job to help make ends meet in a new city without much success,” says Brandon J. Mendelson, a New York-based writer and educator. He found out about a job for a local school through an important part of his informal network: his wife.

It may seem like old-fashioned pavement pounding, but as Mendelson says, you have to get the word about what you’re looking for out there. “Make friends, build a network and in tough times don’t be afraid to ask tactfully for help,” he states.

Make yourself stand out
A recent CareerBuilder.com survey asked recruiters and hiring managers about some of the most unusual tactics that job seekers used to get their attention.

Among their most memorable responses:

• A candidate brought a broom to the interview to “clean up the waste and corruption in the office.”
• Another applicant wore a shirt to the interview that said, “Please hire me.”
• A very tenacious candidate showed up with breakfast for the employer every day until he was hired.
• One job seeker was inspired to write a poem about why she wanted the job. She featured the poem in her cover letter.
• And a very artistically minded applicant created an electronic résumé with flash animation and musical score.

These might be extreme examples, but the message is clear: The old ways are outdated. Job seekers who land the jobs they want are increasingly going above and beyond the standard job search expectations.

Competitors in the job market are treating their job searches as a job in and of itself, so job seekers need to make sure that they have powerful cover letters and résumés, are prepared for the interview, and know as much as they can about their potential employer and the people to whom they’ll be talking.