Do I Quit the Job or Not?
Quitting a job can be a difficult decision. Read this article to discover 5 things that might serve as signs that the time has arrived to move on.
Click here for the entire article.
The Overlooked Coke Ad from SuperBowl 2011
Normally the day after the SuperBowl, I write about the advertisements that impressed me during the telecast. But this year, there weren’t very many that got my attention so I wanted to review and see what stood out.
I’m not overly impressed by super heros and scary monsters that seemed to prevail this year. And some of the humor was only okay. I also like to know what the product or service is – not have it muddied with a lot of other stuff.
Finally, I fugured out the one that did grab me was a human interest theme. The product being advertised was Coca-Cola. The story involves two guards at the border of their separate countries. They obviously have differences, but once the one shares his drink, they come together for a few moments. Can a soft drink unite the world? Decide for yourself.
Sign of the times – Workers are less tardy
Careerbuilder is reporting that workers are making a better effort at getting to work on time. They claim that the change in workplace behavior may be due to the poor economy and fear of losing their jobs.
According to a survey that the organization ran, the number of employees arriving late to the office at least once per week declined from 20 percent in 2008, to 15 percent now.
Executives Experience the Unfamiliarity of New Jobs
A recent poll conducted by Houston management-consulting firm Cohegic Corp. showed that three-quarters of their 36 companies in the study were asking their executives to take on unfamiliar roles at work. It was explained that fast-moving firms like executives who “can adapt quickly to strange situations,” explains Ravi Kathuria, Cohegic’s president.
Other reasons include businesses eager for fresh viewpoints without hiring new management as well as grooming better leadership. It is thought that the rotation into unfamiliar roles could provide that better, fresher leadership.
Will strong work skills and managerials skills prevail and allow the previously successful executive the same recognition in a new role?
Read the entire article at the Wall Street Journal Online.
Salaries continue to lag in recovery
There is an excellent article today provided by Market Watch about the way employers are offering lower salaries than they normally would have.
Since the labor market began picking up steam, companies hiring for entry-level or administrative spots with pay that would normally range from $40,000 to $50,000 have been offering workers $28,000 to $38,000, said Randy Miller, founder and chief executive of ReadyMinds, a Lyndhurst, N.J., a provider of online career counseling and coaching.
For workers further up the food chain, an offer that might have been $100,000 a few years ago is now coming in at $85,000 or $90,000, he said.
It seems that there is still a high level of sensitivity to pricing today. But how low should a worker go when it comes to accepting an offer?
Read the entire article here.
How to keep employees with you as job market improves
- Go personal and communicate – make employees feel like “part of the family.”
- Give attention and recognition
- Give chances to learn new skills
Read the entire article here.
Workaholic or a Hard Worker?
If you have ever wondered if you are a workaholic or a person who works hard, why not find out? The Wall Street Journal online published a 25 question test that you can take to find out.
The test takes about 10 minutes and the results come back instantly. Workaholics will enjoy that! My own results showed that I am a hard worker but not a workaholic. It took a long time for me to achieve that status. But the benefits of having a life besides working have been worth it.
What happens when the workaholic status becomes company culture badge of honor? Can people maintain that pace and still be productive? Comments on this are appreciated.
“The Upside of the Downturn”
Information about a new book by Geoff Colvin came across my desk a few days ago. Aptly titled “The Upside of the Downturn,” the book is aimed at examples of businesses that are using the current economic recession to build the company for tomorrow since the current time is not the best of times.
Turning to other opportunities rather than trying to play out a strategic plan that was developed before things went so awry is a key ingredient to the concepts Colin explores. Setting new priorities seems an obvious first task, yet it is surprising how many managers remain rooted in behavior and responses designed for a different business climate.
These managers must begin to focus on what to do — not just to save the ship but to make it fighting-fit for the battles ahead. He writes:
The downturn is worldwide, so your canvas of opportunity is huge.
He also writes:
The downturn is long, which means many companies won’t survive it.
And so he sets up for discussions about companies that are using a different mentality to plan for survival and rewards in the future.
The book is available through Amazon.com.
Good Reading – 10 Tips for Successful Tweeting
Here’s an article that was published on examiner.com by Jennifer L. Taylor that discusses “10 Tips for Successful Tweeting” to help you become a more successful tweeter. Some of the ideas include:
- Completing your profile
- Getting to know your audience
- Working with Twitter on smartphones
After my own experience yesterday with not being able to access Twitter, I realize how dependent I am becoming on this new tool. So these tips are coming at the right time!
Facebook, Twitter Down Earlier Today
If you found yourself unable to access Twitter or Facebook yesterday, you were not alone. Twitter went down between 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EST on Thursday morning, August 6. Service was spotty afterward with network timeouts. By evening, things seemed to have improved. Reason given for the problem, Denial of Service.
Denial of Service occurs when hackers overload a web site with server requests and prevent legitimate users from using the site.
Facebook appears to have encountered similar issues but not as severe as Twitter.