By Sarah Laugtug, career consultant and executive editor of ilivewithadisability.com

Sarah Laugtug is a writer, career consultant, and the executive editor at ilivewithadisability.com. You can view more of her work here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/PzGrxApc4Vo/

By Robert Half International

The newest season of Bravo’s hit TV show “Top Chef” is well underway. But fans of the show and aspiring cooks aren’t the only ones who may want to tune in: Job seekers might want to watch as well. The “Top Chef” contestants can teach professionals a lot about the job hunt.

Here are some things the most successful competitors rely on and how they can help you cook up success when searching for your next job:

A recipe
Some chefs rely on printed recipe cards; others keep the ingredients and instructions for creating a certain dish in their heads. Some follow the recipe exactly; others use it as a guide. But no matter their preference, almost every chef consults a recipe before starting to cook.

A recipe is nothing more than a plan of action, and that’s exactly what you need when setting out to find a new job. Before launching your job search, ask yourself:

• What would my ideal job look like? Am I qualified for that role?
• What are my long-term career goals?
• What type of company would I like to work for?
• How important are factors such as pay, benefits, professional development opportunities and work/life balance

Let the answers marinate. They’ll help focus your efforts on positions that most closely align with your professional priorities and personal preferences.

Fresh ingredients
Nothing plays a bigger role in the success or failure of a dish than the quality of the ingredients used. As any chef will tell you, the fresher, the better.

The same is true during your job search. It’s hard to whet an employer’s appetite with a résumé and cover letter that are past their expiration date. Your roster of skills, experiences and accomplishments changes constantly, even if you do not currently have a job. Work you’ve performed for a nonprofit organization or during a temporary assignment, for example, could add nice garnish to your résumé.

Always evaluate your application materials before hitting send to make sure they truly capture your current qualifications.

A trusted sous chef
The sous chef is second in command in the kitchen, functioning more or less as the head chef’s main helper and assistant.

When on the hunt for a new position, having another person to rely on can be immensely helpful. Members of your professional network may be able to provide referrals or whisk promising opportunities your way. Friends and family members can help you trim the fat on your résumé and hone your technique before a big interview.

Also consider enlisting the help of an experienced recruiter. These professionals can effectively double your efforts. As you look for employment, they’ll do the same, identifying openings that match your qualifications, mentioning your name to hiring managers and submitting applications on your behalf.  

Impeccable presentation skills
On “Top Chef,” the difference between a winning and losing dish often comes down to how the food looks on the plate.

Presentation matters in the job search, too. Make sure your application materials are spotless by reviewing them several times for typos and grammatical errors. Don’t rely solely on your computer’s spell-check tool, which can miss common mistakes. One good tip is to print out your document and read it backward — errors have a tendency to bubble up when using this seemingly strange approach.

Also, make sure you look good whenever you meet with a potential employer. Dress up not only for interviews but also for networking events and job fairs. Too many job candidates forget the importance of a professional appearance. You’ll automatically stand out with your polished, put-together look.

Openness to feedback
Perhaps the most important lesson “Top Chef” contestants learn is the importance of embracing feedback. Those who receive constructive criticism from the judges and fail to act on it find themselves packing their knives and heading home.

Although it can be tough to hear, ask members of your professional network for feedback on your résumé. Is it laid out clearly and concisely? Do they feel it does an appropriate job of selling your strengths? Don’t stop asking until you consistently get four-star reviews. You can also ask them for insight whenever your mood is as low as a deflated soufflé.  

In some cases, you might even request feedback from employers themselves. If you interviewed for a position and didn’t receive a job offer, consider asking what steps you can take to be a stronger candidate next time. Not everyone will provide feedback, but some just might. And nothing’s more valuable than hearing from the customers you’re hoping to impress.

Robert Half International is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices worldwide. For more information about our professional services, visit www.roberthalf.com. For additional career advice, view our career bloopers video series at www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/roberthalf.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/5VxgaogAiuk/

By Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder

In getting America back to work, the bottom line has been and will continue to be slow and steady growth. Recovery has been gradual since mid-2009, and it will persist in this way over the course of the next year.  

But that doesn’t mean 2012 won’t be positive for the job market.   

Each year, CareerBuilder asks employers about their hiring plans for the next 12 months. This year, we polled more than 3,000 hiring managers. Of those polled, 23 percent plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in 2012, while 16 percent plan to cut back staff levels. While these numbers are about even with employers’ 2011 predictions, they’re a marked improvement from recent years past. For example, at the end of 2008, just 14 percent of employers planned to hire new employees in 2009, while 16 percent planned to cut staff levels.

There’s also a good chance that actual hiring in 2012 will be better than employers’ initial predictions.

Historically, companies have been reserved in anticipating future hiring needs. Follow-up surveys done by CareerBuilder throughout the year typically find that employers hire more and downsize less than initially foreseen.  

Small business shows promise
Additional hope for the 2012 job market comes from an uptick in the number of small businesses that plan to hire next year. Sixteen percent of companies with 50 or fewer employees plan to bring on additional full-time staff next year, a 2 percent jump over 2011. Better still, 20 percent of companies with fewer than 250 employees and 21 percent of companies with fewer than 500 employees also reported plans to add staff next year. Both are increases over 2011 forecasts.

Small businesses provide about half of the private sector jobs in the U.S. and have accounted for about 65 percent of the total job creation in the past two decades, so much of the hope for the job market rests in the hands of these companies.

Job market trends for 2012
A number of trends emerged from the survey data that will impact the labor market throughout 2012. Among them:

1. Workers will seek new opportunities: As the economy improves, workers will begin looking for better job opportunities. Thirty-four percent of employers surveyed said that voluntary turnover was higher at their organizations in 2011 than in 2010, and 43 percent are concerned that it will continue to rise in 2012.

2. Employers will ramp up efforts to keep their current employees and attract new ones: Perhaps sparked by higher turnover in the last year, companies are willing to spend more money in 2012 to keep their staff — 62 percent of employers reported plans to increase employee compensation next year. The payouts will also be extended to new hires: 32 percent of companies plan to increase starting salary offers to new workers.  

Not surprisingly, the jobs that are most likely to command a raise next year are those that impact the bottom line. The functional areas in which employers said they’d most likely offer raises include sales, information technology, engineering and business development, in that order.

3. Multi-speed recovery will continue: Certain industries, job functions and geographic areas will recover faster than others. For example, employers are in need of highly skilled workers, so jobs in engineering and IT will be plentiful in the coming year.  Similarly, more employers in the West reported plans to hire in 2012 than did employers in the Northeast, Midwest and South.

4. Employers will try to close the skills gap: The skills gap — a hot topic in recruiting in 2011– will continue to be an issue in 2012. In order to meet their growing need for employees in high-skills functional areas, 38 percent of employers will provide workers and new hires with on-the-job training.

5. Employers will place greater emphasis on diversity: Employers will continue to make a concerted effort to recruit Hispanic, African-American, bilingual and female employees. Twenty-nine percent of employers said they’d focus on hiring diverse workers in 2012. One-in-five said they’d be recruiting African-American and Hispanic workers, while the same number reported plans to recruit women. Forty-four percent plan to concentrate on hiring more bilingual employees.

Matt Ferguson is the CEO of CareerBuilder.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/mCS0qo7hKKE/

And we’re back. Although it seems like the world shut down for the last week with everyone out for Christmas or trying to use up vacation days, we’re slowly getting back to the normal routine. Many of you are probably still in holiday mode, with cookie icing stuck to your face and a DVR full of TV shows you want to catch up on.

Whether you’re at home in your PJs or angrily the only person at work today, if you’re looking for a new gig, check out this list of companies hiring this week.

1. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Industry: Finance, banking
Sample job titles: Financial advisers/business development

2. New York Life Insurance
Industry: Insurance
Sample job titles: Sales, management

3. ServiceMaster
Industry: Residential and commercial service
Sample job titles: Sales representative, teammate

4. State Farm
Industry: Insurance
Sample job titles: Insurance sales representative, bilingual sales

5. PNC Bank
Industry: Banking, mortgage lending, securities
Sample job titles: Loan support analyst, senior government program manager

6. Aon
Industry: HR/consulting
Sample job titles:  Workforce administration business analyst, accounting associate

7. Fresenius Medical Care North America
Industry: Health care
Sample job titles: Home therapies RN, clinical manager

8. Harbor Freight Tools
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Senior manager of store communications, data integration, manager

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/yZDau4xXZ44/

Our readers have been fantastic this year, especially since I joined the team in late August. We’ve enjoyed hosting a forum where job seekers can support each other and share their successes and words of encouragement.  And if I’ve learned anything about our fans, it’s that they sure do tell it like it is.

We’ve had some great comments on our posts throughout the year, so let’s recap some of our 2011 favorites.

Advice and inspiration

“About 11 years ago I went to [an] interview and thought I did well. I was hired. Then a week later my boss had me look for some paperwork on his desk. I see a letter to the big boss stating he cannot work with unqualified people who apply because the pay is low. It seems that only three of us interviewed and the first two turned down the job. I was not his best choice and he needed someone right away. I copied that letter and kept it in my desk to motivate me and show him I was not a mistake. Five years and many co-workers later, I would be promoted by him and run my department. I am still in charge, and he wants me to continue my education and take his position one day with his recommendation. I never told him about the letter. I just give 100 percent to my employer and good things happen. God wanted me here for a reason.” — Richard, commenting on Job seekers’ most common and unusual interview mistakes

The lesson: Always do your best, and always find ways to provide value to your team.

“I did a phone interview with a woman for a position involving the use of a relatively new technology. She had no experience with the technology (it’s new, so it wasn’t a requirement), but she did have experience with other similar technologies. I brought her in for an in-person interview a couple days later. I asked her if she had researched the new technology at all, and she said she hadn’t. Two days is plenty of time (especially when you’re unemployed) to find ten minutes to visit a Wikipedia page. This showed lack of motivation, and she was not hired.” – Nick, commenting on How not to get hired: bring your cockatoo to work

The lesson: Do your homework before an interview. Winging it is not something you should be proud of, much less share with your interviewer.

Excuses for being late to work

“I once opened my car door while parked in the parking structure at work and swallowed a bug that flew in exactly at that moment. By the time I recovered from vomiting the bug and cleaning up in the ladies room, I was 20 minutes late. My boss thought it was a fake excuse because it was so hard to believe.” – Christina, commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

“One morning [when] I was getting ready for work, I accidentally dropped something under my bed…when I went to get up, I knocked my head on my night stand and knocked myself unconscious. When I got up, I saw that I was running late, but my head was killing me, so I decided to call in sick and take myself to the hospital, where it was confirmed I had a concussion!” – Dee, also commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

The lesson: You should always try to be on time. If you’re going to be late, let your boss know ahead of time instead of strolling in hours late and using a suspicious or weird excuse.

On mid-life career changes

“I too am in the fab 50 club and went back for my masters in marriage family counseling at 51. It has been a long process, but I graduate in November. By the time I am able to take my state exams for licensing, I will probably be about 55. I am cool with that because through this process, I have learned so much about myself and feel great about beginning a new career in this stage of life, especially a career that I feel can really make a difference in someone else’s life. Because of the economy and the many people that are educated now, it probably will be difficult to find work initially (I hear that about my career choice), but where there is a desire, the universe will make a way for it. Stay on your path and don’t allow negative words and circumstances to knock you off course.” – Toni, commenting on Dos and Dont’s for a mid-life career change

The lesson: Perseverance is key, and so is harnessing your existing skills and applying them to a new career. Remember to sell your experience and not focus on just your age.

Sharing successes

“CareerBuilder helped me choose a career path. When I was laid off from a technology company due to the economy I was not sure what I would do next. I had CareerBuilder job alerts setup and posted a résumé. I noticed ‘Medical Office’ had high demand. I already had extensive office experience, so this sounded like the perfect new direction. I went to Pierce College to check out their Certificate of Medical Office Assistant program. I enrolled and graduated one year later. After a one-month internship, I was hired (the day after I finished school) by a local and reputable medical clinic for exactly what I went to school for. And I love my job! Thanks CareerBuilder for letting me know what was hot in the job market.” – Lynnette M., commenting on Getting lucky on your job search

You can check out other favorite comments from our social media pages, where job seekers like Lynnette share their success stories with us daily!

And finally, pure moments of clarity

“I don’t think it’s necessary to list your email address in your signature. Can’t they just look at the top of the email they received and see what address it came from or just hit reply?” – Meg, commenting on What makes good and bad e-mail signatures

“Read any success manual, and it will tell you that a postive attitude will preceed a positive outcome.” – Jermaine, commenting on Why whiners don’t win at work

“On another note, as far as résumé writing goes, I have viewed other career counselor’s resumes only to find that they are too wordy, not visually pleasing, and provide information irrelevant to the job they are applying for. Like you Anthony, I too, would recommend job seekers to have someone else read the work before submitting it; it is always good to have a different perspective…Definitely make sure to have the interviewer’s name spelled correctly when you write letters or emails; if you don’t know the correct spelling, look the person up on LinkedIn or Google-information at your fingertips!”  – Sarah, commenting on You won’t hear ‘you’re hired’ if you spell it ‘your Hired’

The lesson: job search can be tough but you’ve got to keep your spirits high and stay on top of your game. Ask friends to help you interview or review your résumé.

What stories did you find most helpful this year? What other types of content or stories would you love to see more of on this blog?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/ipeFfJR6-8g/

Our readers have been fantastic this year, especially since I joined the team in late August. We’ve enjoyed hosting a forum where job seekers can support each other and share their successes and words of encouragement.  And if I’ve learned anything about our fans, it’s that they sure do tell it like it is.

We’ve had some great comments on our posts throughout the year, so let’s recap some of our 2011 favorites.

Advice and inspiration

“About 11 years ago I went to [an] interview and thought I did well. I was hired. Then a week later my boss had me look for some paperwork on his desk. I see a letter to the big boss stating he cannot work with unqualified people who apply because the pay is low. It seems that only three of us interviewed and the first two turned down the job. I was not his best choice and he needed someone right away. I copied that letter and kept it in my desk to motivate me and show him I was not a mistake. Five years and many co-workers later, I would be promoted by him and run my department. I am still in charge, and he wants me to continue my education and take his position one day with his recommendation. I never told him about the letter. I just give 100 percent to my employer and good things happen. God wanted me here for a reason.” — Richard, commenting on Job seekers’ most common and unusual interview mistakes

The lesson: Always do your best, and always find ways to provide value to your team.

“I did a phone interview with a woman for a position involving the use of a relatively new technology. She had no experience with the technology (it’s new, so it wasn’t a requirement), but she did have experience with other similar technologies. I brought her in for an in-person interview a couple days later. I asked her if she had researched the new technology at all, and she said she hadn’t. Two days is plenty of time (especially when you’re unemployed) to find ten minutes to visit a Wikipedia page. This showed lack of motivation, and she was not hired.” – Nick, commenting on How not to get hired: bring your cockatoo to work

The lesson: Do your homework before an interview. Winging it is not something you should be proud of, much less share with your interviewer.

Excuses for being late to work

“I once opened my car door while parked in the parking structure at work and swallowed a bug that flew in exactly at that moment. By the time I recovered from vomiting the bug and cleaning up in the ladies room, I was 20 minutes late. My boss thought it was a fake excuse because it was so hard to believe.” – Christina, commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

“One morning [when] I was getting ready for work, I accidentally dropped something under my bed…when I went to get up, I knocked my head on my night stand and knocked myself unconscious. When I got up, I saw that I was running late, but my head was killing me, so I decided to call in sick and take myself to the hospital, where it was confirmed I had a concussion!” – Dee, also commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

The lesson: You should always try to be on time. If you’re going to be late, let your boss know ahead of time instead of strolling in hours late and using a suspicious or weird excuse.

On mid-life career changes

“I too am in the fab 50 club and went back for my masters in marriage family counseling at 51. It has been a long process, but I graduate in November. By the time I am able to take my state exams for licensing, I will probably be about 55. I am cool with that because through this process, I have learned so much about myself and feel great about beginning a new career in this stage of life, especially a career that I feel can really make a difference in someone else’s life. Because of the economy and the many people that are educated now, it probably will be difficult to find work initially (I hear that about my career choice), but where there is a desire, the universe will make a way for it. Stay on your path and don’t allow negative words and circumstances to knock you off course.” – Toni, commenting on Dos and Dont’s for a mid-life career change

The lesson: Perseverance is key, and so is harnessing your existing skills and applying them to a new career. Remember to sell your experience and not focus on just your age.

Sharing successes

“CareerBuilder helped me choose a career path. When I was laid off from a technology company due to the economy I was not sure what I would do next. I had CareerBuilder job alerts setup and posted a résumé. I noticed ‘Medical Office’ had high demand. I already had extensive office experience, so this sounded like the perfect new direction. I went to Pierce College to check out their Certificate of Medical Office Assistant program. I enrolled and graduated one year later. After a one-month internship, I was hired (the day after I finished school) by a local and reputable medical clinic for exactly what I went to school for. And I love my job! Thanks CareerBuilder for letting me know what was hot in the job market.” – Lynnette M., commenting on Getting lucky on your job search

You can check out other favorite comments from our social media pages, where job seekers like Lynnette share their success stories with us daily!

And finally, pure moments of clarity

“I don’t think it’s necessary to list your email address in your signature. Can’t they just look at the top of the email they received and see what address it came from or just hit reply?” – Meg, commenting on What makes good and bad e-mail signatures

“Read any success manual, and it will tell you that a postive attitude will preceed a positive outcome.” – Jermaine, commenting on Why whiners don’t win at work

“On another note, as far as résumé writing goes, I have viewed other career counselor’s resumes only to find that they are too wordy, not visually pleasing, and provide information irrelevant to the job they are applying for. Like you Anthony, I too, would recommend job seekers to have someone else read the work before submitting it; it is always good to have a different perspective…Definitely make sure to have the interviewer’s name spelled correctly when you write letters or emails; if you don’t know the correct spelling, look the person up on LinkedIn or Google-information at your fingertips!”  – Sarah, commenting on You won’t hear ‘you’re hired’ if you spell it ‘your Hired’

The lesson: job search can be tough but you’ve got to keep your spirits high and stay on top of your game. Ask friends to help you interview or review your résumé.

What stories did you find most helpful this year? What other types of content or stories would you love to see more of on this blog?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/ipeFfJR6-8g/

Our readers have been fantastic this year, especially since I joined the team in late August. We’ve enjoyed hosting a forum where job seekers can support each other and share their successes and words of encouragement.  And if I’ve learned anything about our fans, it’s that they sure do tell it like it is.

We’ve had some great comments on our posts throughout the year, so let’s recap some of our 2011 favorites.

Advice and inspiration

“About 11 years ago I went to [an] interview and thought I did well. I was hired. Then a week later my boss had me look for some paperwork on his desk. I see a letter to the big boss stating he cannot work with unqualified people who apply because the pay is low. It seems that only three of us interviewed and the first two turned down the job. I was not his best choice and he needed someone right away. I copied that letter and kept it in my desk to motivate me and show him I was not a mistake. Five years and many co-workers later, I would be promoted by him and run my department. I am still in charge, and he wants me to continue my education and take his position one day with his recommendation. I never told him about the letter. I just give 100 percent to my employer and good things happen. God wanted me here for a reason.” — Richard, commenting on Job seekers’ most common and unusual interview mistakes

The lesson: Always do your best, and always find ways to provide value to your team.

“I did a phone interview with a woman for a position involving the use of a relatively new technology. She had no experience with the technology (it’s new, so it wasn’t a requirement), but she did have experience with other similar technologies. I brought her in for an in-person interview a couple days later. I asked her if she had researched the new technology at all, and she said she hadn’t. Two days is plenty of time (especially when you’re unemployed) to find ten minutes to visit a Wikipedia page. This showed lack of motivation, and she was not hired.” – Nick, commenting on How not to get hired: bring your cockatoo to work

The lesson: Do your homework before an interview. Winging it is not something you should be proud of, much less share with your interviewer.

Excuses for being late to work

“I once opened my car door while parked in the parking structure at work and swallowed a bug that flew in exactly at that moment. By the time I recovered from vomiting the bug and cleaning up in the ladies room, I was 20 minutes late. My boss thought it was a fake excuse because it was so hard to believe.” – Christina, commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

“One morning [when] I was getting ready for work, I accidentally dropped something under my bed…when I went to get up, I knocked my head on my night stand and knocked myself unconscious. When I got up, I saw that I was running late, but my head was killing me, so I decided to call in sick and take myself to the hospital, where it was confirmed I had a concussion!” – Dee, also commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

The lesson: You should always try to be on time. If you’re going to be late, let your boss know ahead of time instead of strolling in hours late and using a suspicious or weird excuse.

On mid-life career changes

“I too am in the fab 50 club and went back for my masters in marriage family counseling at 51. It has been a long process, but I graduate in November. By the time I am able to take my state exams for licensing, I will probably be about 55. I am cool with that because through this process, I have learned so much about myself and feel great about beginning a new career in this stage of life, especially a career that I feel can really make a difference in someone else’s life. Because of the economy and the many people that are educated now, it probably will be difficult to find work initially (I hear that about my career choice), but where there is a desire, the universe will make a way for it. Stay on your path and don’t allow negative words and circumstances to knock you off course.” – Toni, commenting on Dos and Dont’s for a mid-life career change

The lesson: Perseverance is key, and so is harnessing your existing skills and applying them to a new career. Remember to sell your experience and not focus on just your age.

Sharing successes

“CareerBuilder helped me choose a career path. When I was laid off from a technology company due to the economy I was not sure what I would do next. I had CareerBuilder job alerts setup and posted a résumé. I noticed ‘Medical Office’ had high demand. I already had extensive office experience, so this sounded like the perfect new direction. I went to Pierce College to check out their Certificate of Medical Office Assistant program. I enrolled and graduated one year later. After a one-month internship, I was hired (the day after I finished school) by a local and reputable medical clinic for exactly what I went to school for. And I love my job! Thanks CareerBuilder for letting me know what was hot in the job market.” – Lynnette M., commenting on Getting lucky on your job search

You can check out other favorite comments from our social media pages, where job seekers like Lynnette share their success stories with us daily!

And finally, pure moments of clarity

“I don’t think it’s necessary to list your email address in your signature. Can’t they just look at the top of the email they received and see what address it came from or just hit reply?” – Meg, commenting on What makes good and bad e-mail signatures

“Read any success manual, and it will tell you that a postive attitude will preceed a positive outcome.” – Jermaine, commenting on Why whiners don’t win at work

“On another note, as far as résumé writing goes, I have viewed other career counselor’s resumes only to find that they are too wordy, not visually pleasing, and provide information irrelevant to the job they are applying for. Like you Anthony, I too, would recommend job seekers to have someone else read the work before submitting it; it is always good to have a different perspective…Definitely make sure to have the interviewer’s name spelled correctly when you write letters or emails; if you don’t know the correct spelling, look the person up on LinkedIn or Google-information at your fingertips!”  – Sarah, commenting on You won’t hear ‘you’re hired’ if you spell it ‘your Hired’

The lesson: job search can be tough but you’ve got to keep your spirits high and stay on top of your game. Ask friends to help you interview or review your résumé.

What stories did you find most helpful this year? What other types of content or stories would you love to see more of on this blog?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theworkbuzz/posts/~3/ipeFfJR6-8g/

Our readers have been fantastic this year, especially since I joined the team in late August. We’ve enjoyed hosting a forum where job seekers can support each other and share their successes and words of encouragement.  And if I’ve learned anything about our fans, it’s that they sure do tell it like it is.

We’ve had some great comments on our posts throughout the year, so let’s recap some of our 2011 favorites.

Advice and inspiration

“About 11 years ago I went to [an] interview and thought I did well. I was hired. Then a week later my boss had me look for some paperwork on his desk. I see a letter to the big boss stating he cannot work with unqualified people who apply because the pay is low. It seems that only three of us interviewed and the first two turned down the job. I was not his best choice and he needed someone right away. I copied that letter and kept it in my desk to motivate me and show him I was not a mistake. Five years and many co-workers later, I would be promoted by him and run my department. I am still in charge, and he wants me to continue my education and take his position one day with his recommendation. I never told him about the letter. I just give 100 percent to my employer and good things happen. God wanted me here for a reason.” — Richard, commenting on Job seekers’ most common and unusual interview mistakes

The lesson: Always do your best, and always find ways to provide value to your team.

“I did a phone interview with a woman for a position involving the use of a relatively new technology. She had no experience with the technology (it’s new, so it wasn’t a requirement), but she did have experience with other similar technologies. I brought her in for an in-person interview a couple days later. I asked her if she had researched the new technology at all, and she said she hadn’t. Two days is plenty of time (especially when you’re unemployed) to find ten minutes to visit a Wikipedia page. This showed lack of motivation, and she was not hired.” – Nick, commenting on How not to get hired: bring your cockatoo to work

The lesson: Do your homework before an interview. Winging it is not something you should be proud of, much less share with your interviewer.

Excuses for being late to work

“I once opened my car door while parked in the parking structure at work and swallowed a bug that flew in exactly at that moment. By the time I recovered from vomiting the bug and cleaning up in the ladies room, I was 20 minutes late. My boss thought it was a fake excuse because it was so hard to believe.” – Christina, commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

“One morning [when] I was getting ready for work, I accidentally dropped something under my bed…when I went to get up, I knocked my head on my night stand and knocked myself unconscious. When I got up, I saw that I was running late, but my head was killing me, so I decided to call in sick and take myself to the hospital, where it was confirmed I had a concussion!” – Dee, also commenting on Nuttiest excuses for being late

The lesson: You should always try to be on time. If you’re going to be late, let your boss know ahead of time instead of strolling in hours late and using a suspicious or weird excuse.

On mid-life career changes

“I too am in the fab 50 club and went back for my masters in marriage family counseling at 51. It has been a long process, but I graduate in November. By the time I am able to take my state exams for licensing, I will probably be about 55. I am cool with that because through this process, I have learned so much about myself and feel great about beginning a new career in this stage of life, especially a career that I feel can really make a difference in someone else’s life. Because of the economy and the many people that are educated now, it probably will be difficult to find work initially (I hear that about my career choice), but where there is a desire, the universe will make a way for it. Stay on your path and don’t allow negative words and circumstances to knock you off course.” – Toni, commenting on Dos and Dont’s for a mid-life career change

The lesson: Perseverance is key, and so is harnessing your existing skills and applying them to a new career. Remember to sell your experience and not focus on just your age.

Sharing successes

“CareerBuilder helped me choose a career path. When I was laid off from a technology company due to the economy I was not sure what I would do next. I had CareerBuilder job alerts setup and posted a résumé. I noticed ‘Medical Office’ had high demand. I already had extensive office experience, so this sounded like the perfect new direction. I went to Pierce College to check out their Certificate of Medical Office Assistant program. I enrolled and graduated one year later. After a one-month internship, I was hired (the day after I finished school) by a local and reputable medical clinic for exactly what I went to school for. And I love my job! Thanks CareerBuilder for letting me know what was hot in the job market.” – Lynnette M., commenting on Getting lucky on your job search

You can check out other favorite comments from our social media pages, where job seekers like Lynnette share their success stories with us daily!

And finally, pure moments of clarity

“I don’t think it’s necessary to list your email address in your signature. Can’t they just look at the top of the email they received and see what address it came from or just hit reply?” – Meg, commenting on What makes good and bad e-mail signatures

“Read any success manual, and it will tell you that a postive attitude will preceed a positive outcome.” – Jermaine, commenting on Why whiners don’t win at work

“On another note, as far as résumé writing goes, I have viewed other career counselor’s resumes only to find that they are too wordy, not visually pleasing, and provide information irrelevant to the job they are applying for. Like you Anthony, I too, would recommend job seekers to have someone else read the work before submitting it; it is always good to have a different perspective…Definitely make sure to have the interviewer’s name spelled correctly when you write letters or emails; if you don’t know the correct spelling, look the person up on LinkedIn or Google-information at your fingertips!”  – Sarah, commenting on You won’t hear ‘you’re hired’ if you spell it ‘your Hired’

The lesson: job search can be tough but you’ve got to keep your spirits high and stay on top of your game. Ask friends to help you interview or review your résumé.

What stories did you find most helpful this year? What other types of content or stories would you love to see more of on this blog?

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Holiday movies have some of the most beloved and loathed characters in cinema. Remember Macaulay Culkin in “Home Alone”? Or Ebenezer Scrooge from any incarnation of Dicken’s classic “A Christmas Carol”? While most are larger than life with hyperbolic characteristics, many of their traits can be found in the people that surround us at work every day.

A new CareerBuilder survey asked more than 4,500 workers which holiday movie legend most reminded them of their bosses, and a certain red-nosed character was one of the most popular answers.

But the most agreed-upon character was George Bailey, loving father and husband from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” played by the inimitable Jimmy Stewart. Workers thought highly of their bosses when choosing him, citing that he was well-liked and willing to help others in a bind.

Check out the full list below.

Which holiday movie character most reminds you of your boss?

1. George Bailey from “It’s a Wonderful Life”– 19 percent
   Well-liked, always willing to help others.
2. Rudolph from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”– 14 percent
   Can navigate successfully through tough situations.
3. Willie, the main character from “Bad Santa”– 10 percent
   Rough around the edges but not a bad person deep down.
4. Ralphie from “A Christmas Story”– 8 percent
   Stays focused on one goal and thinks about nothing else.
5. Kevin from “Home Alone”– 8 percent
   Very resourceful and independent.
6. Ralphie’s father from “A Christmas Story”– 8 percent
   Old school; swears a lot when things don’t go as planned.
7. The Grinch from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”– 7 percent
   Keeps a distance from others, but longs to be a part of the group.
8. Clark Griswald from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” – 7 percent
   Likeable but nothing seems to go right for him or her.
9. Santa from “Miracle on 34^th Street”– 6 percent
   Jolly no matter the circumstance.
10. Buddy from “Elf”– 5 percent
    Naïve and easily awed.

Interesting that Rudolph garnered the second-highest number of votes. I would assume that a red-nosed boss would have too many spirits hidden in his or her desk, if you know what I’m saying. View the entire survey.

What other holiday films do you love that have characters similar to co-workers or your boss?

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As the year draws to a close, it’s not the promise of a new year that brings us the most joy. No, it’s the chance to reflect on the past year’s most memorable work stories that gives us the most delight. This year’s selection of workplace tales ranges from ingenious to inspiring to just plain weird, but they all left their own special mark on pop culture.

So without further ado, we present you with our roundup of the weirdest and most notable work stories of 2011.  

 1. His “winning” remarks caused him to lose his job
Over the past several years, actor Charlie Sheen has made headlines for his destructive behavior, short-lived marriages and alleged substance abuse. Yet despite the steady drum of rumors and allegations, he continued to show up and dutifully film his TV show, “Two and a Half Men.” That is until he had his meltdown. While the seedlings of chaos began to sprout at the end of 2010, things took a turn for the worse in early January, when he was rushed to the hospital for “stomach pains.” From there, Sheen became the center of media attention, making news for his bizarre behavior, crazy rants and admittedly addictive catch phrases. There was constant speculation over whether the show would drop him, and he was eventually fired after blasting the show’s creator. While Sheen has since cleaned up his act, those few months of insanity are ones we won’t soon forget. [Source: People]

2. Rubik’s cube expert, prom king and other ways to stand out in your cover letter
There’s no shortage of advice on how to develop an effective cover letter, but job seeker Roanald took some of that advice to the extreme. Yes, a cover letter should be attention-grabbing, but using profanity and listing one of his qualities as honorable because he is “the son of a librarian and a Capricorn” may be pushing it. Needless to say it’s an entertaining read, and it impressed the cover letter’s recipients (Chicago bar The Aviary) enough to get him a job. [Source: The Huffington Post]

3. The homeless man with that “golden voice”
What started as a videotaped interview of a homeless man by Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch videographer Doral Chenoweth soon turned into a widespread Internet sensation. The man in the video, Ted Williams, had a voice any radio or TV announcer would kill for. In fact, earlier in his life, before falling on hard times, he’d attended school for voice acting and did some work in radio. After the video went viral, Williams began receiving job offers and even appeared on NBC’s “Today.” Yet the sudden media attention was too much for him to bear, and he reverted to drinking and other destructive behavior. While the hoopla has since died down, the homeless man with the silky smooth voice won’t soon be forgotten. [Source: The Columbus Dispatch]

4. Playing around on the Internet really can get you a job
Sure, you’ve been told to “follow your dreams” and “do something you love,” but it’s never really that easy, right? For one Philadelphia native, it was. The Philadelphia 76ers launched a voting contest to name the team’s new mascot but didn’t use social media to promote it. So self-described “social media sponge” Jerry Rizzo took it upon himself to create Twitter handles for the three mascot finalists. At first, the team shied away from the extra social media help, asking Rizzo to hand over the Twitter handles and back away from Twitter. But the CEO soon realized there was a real opportunity to grow the team’s social media presence, and ultimately offered Rizzo a social media position with the team. He gladly accepted. [Source: Mashable]

5. A cop who didn’t want to be late
Miami police officer Fausto Lopez led other officers on a high-speed chase, all in the name of getting to work on time. While Lopez’s dedication to punctuality is appreciated, one can only assume his employer would have preferred he arrive 20 minutes late over getting arrested. [Source: The Huffington Post]

6. Oops i(Phone) did it again
In last year’s roundup of notable workplace stories, we included the tale of the iPhone 4 prototype that went missing after its owner left it at a bar. Clearly no lessons were learned from that gaffe, because another Apple employee made the same mistake with the iPhone 5 prototype, losing it at a Mexican restaurant. And at least the iPhone 4 was sold for the worthy amount of $5,000. Allegedly the iPhone 5 archetype raked in a measly $200 on Craigslist. Hopefully the next iPhone iteration will be kept under lock and key. [Source: CNET]

7. Gossiping about your co-workers? Use personal email
We’ve all had those days when we’ve needed to vent to a fellow co-worker. But doing so continuously, and over company email, may not be the best move. Three Iowa employees learned that lesson the hard way after their boss discovered thousands of their gossipy interoffice emails. Within these emails, the employees in question trashed their co-workers and expressed their general disgust for their jobs. After the disparaging emails were exposed, the employees were fired for “excessive use of the commission’s computer system for emails of a personal nature.” So the next time you need to let off steam about your workplace, stick to doing so via your personal email account. [Source: MoxieBird]

8. The wrong way to engage employees
Finding fun and creative ways to engage employees is a good thing, right? Not if that includes hosting a contest to guess the next employee to get the boot. The owner of a chain of Iowa convenience stores did just that, encouraging employees to predict the next cashier to be fired for a chance to win a whopping $10 in cash. Do you think any of the employees guessed themselves as the next victim? [Source: On Deadline]  

There you have it — your 2011 workplace year in review. Here’s to hoping 2012 brings even more crazy workplace tales. I have a feeling we won’t be disappointed.

I’m sure we missed some noteworthy workplace stories, so tell us what we missed. Or let us know about your own interesting workplace story that didn’t make the news.

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