Secret Job Hunting

The arrival of online recruitment site Monster.com in the Middle East will doubtless see a rush of demoralised desk-monkeys hunting for better pay and conditions. The internet has made life much easier for jobseekers, with dedicated employment sites as well as newspaper classified ads now online. But it's also making people very careless about their search for a new job. Here's a rough guide to internet privacy, aka: "How to keep your job-hunt secret from your current employer."

Email perils

The number one rule is to never, ever use your company email for anything job-seeking related. Apart from being an abuse of most companies' email policies, it's just stupid, and could see you losing your current job. Remember that your company mail is rarely private: most systems are regularly monitored and filtered by IT departments. Get a Gmail account, or use your private ISP account at home.

Secret surfing

The second rule is to remember that most sites you visit at work are monitored. Even if you're surfing in your own time - such as during your lunch hour, or after work - your company can track the sites you visit. If you were already on dodgy ground - or even in line for a promotion - your boss might think rather hard about things if numerous hits for Monster.com or Seek.com show up on a routine activity audit.

CV subtlety

The third rule is never to write your CV on a company computer. Even if you delete it (and most people forget to do that, let alone empty their computer Trash) there will be numerous records of what you were doing. Temporary caches may hold recoverable copies of the actual document. Even if deleted, the Recent Files list will show entries for Gary_CV.doc or JR_reusme.txt. Try creating a sample document one day with a unique name, deleting it, then searching for it. Traces of it will be all over your computer, just like a murderer's DNA at the crime scene.

Private phone calls

The fourth rule is phone calls. Most prospective employers should be sensitive to the fact that people can't take interview calls at work, so don't give out your work number in the first place. Because quite apart from the fact that people can hear you, it's very easy to tap someone's phone if you have any suspicions about them (or if you're just a regular, tin-foil-hat-paranoid boss). Give them your home number, or your mobile number. And if it's a company mobile with itemised bills, remember never to call the prospective employers back.

Mysterious messaging

The fifth rule: messaging. If you must discuss your job hunting with a colleague (rarely a good idea - it just gives them ammunition if you're both up for promotion) then don't do it over company email, or instant messaging systems. MSN, Google Talk, AIM and others can all be monitored in numerous ways, even if you're geeky enough to have disabled log-saving.

Fax faux-pas

The sixth rule covers probably the most dangerous thing of all: faxing your CV or application letter, or even more risky - having them fax you an application form. Never has there been a device causing more office embarrassment than the fax machine. How often do people forget to remove documents - even passports and credit cards - from the scanner, only to have a colleague return them with an unpleasant snigger over their unflattering ID card photo? Worst of all are those revealing little status slips that faxes constantly spit out: do you want to have to explain why you sent a four-page fax to RivalCorp?

Because at the end of the day, you might not get that job. And the last thing you want is to be left working for an employer who not only knows your heart is no longer in the job, but that you're clueless when it comes to technology. Or explaining to prospective employers that the reason you're currently unemployed is because you were such a brainless, unsubtle moron in your last job.

Article at: Ameinfo

- ACA Talent

Five Ways to Successfully Negotiate a Salary

In the job search process, many people tend to be the most anxious about interviews. But, for some people, an equally frightening part of the job search is the salary negotiation process.

Talking about money is something that can make even the most confident people feel uneasy. This important process can be done with confidence if you know how to go about it and have a clear sense of what you really want.

One of the most important things to do before you begin talking job offers or salary requirements is setting your expectations realistically. Those who ask for too much can give the impression that they do not understand the market and ultimately end up disappointed. On the other hand, settling for too little isn't a good choice either.

So what is the key to negotiating fairly? Experience and research can help, says Michael Morley, Jr., business manager with the Morley Group, a staffing and human resource management firm. "For the most part, people are fairly aware of what their market value is," Morley says. But he points out that, generally, the higher you go with respect to compensation, the more realistic professionals tend to be about their market value. This could be because they have more experience, learned from mistakes they have made, and have held enough jobs to have a good understanding of fair compensation.

Morley offers these five tips to help understand your worth and negotiate for it with confidence:

1. Do your research -- "There are a variety of salary surveys that you as an individual can access over the Internet," Morley says. Research professional industry associations and HR Web sites. He also suggests browsing job postings and classified ads. While ads don't always list salaries, you can often get ideas of a pay range companies are willing to offer.

2. Be realistic about your experience -- "You need to be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot do," Morley says. For example, you may be tempted to apply for a job that is offering a $60,000 salary, even if you don't meet the job requirements. One major part of being realistic about what you can make is being realistic about what skills you can bring to the table.

3. Be cautious about misinformation -- Certain advertisements can give job seekers false hope about salary and job potential, Morley warns. For example, education programs that promise that their graduates make a certain amount of money often turn out to be atypical or totally inflated. The bottom line is that you cannot always take everything you hear or read as the truth. Educate yourself to find out what the standard really is.

4. Focus on the big picture -- Morley says that he wants his clients to look at the big picture, not just one element of a job offer. "In a professional field, we caution people to not focus solely on compensation," he says. "The real thing to focus on is whether or not the job is right for you."

There are so many things to consider when taking a new job. From the company culture to whether or not the job is challenging enough, you need to weigh all of your options. "Compensation is important and it has to be reasonable and fair, but focusing on compensation alone is a poor way to do a job search," Morley says.

5. Be methodical in your decision making -- Use a simple list-making method, Morley suggests. On a piece of paper, write down all the things that are important to you in order of their rank. While cash for most is king, having a short commute and good medical benefits might matter more than a few extra dollars. Or perhaps you'd be willing to trade a couple thousand dollars for more vacation time.

Having this knowledge about yourself, the market and your personal needs will give you the confidence to negotiate effectively. Write down your desired salary and the benefits you most desire. Be ready to play hardball, but give yourself a little wiggle room. That way if you have to negotiate, you can still achieve your bottom line total compensation goal.

Article At: CNN.com

- ACA Talent

Tap into new pools for Candidates

Learn how you can identify sources for your staffing needs and make every dollar count.

Find out the best places to look - see how you can easily tap into the fertile recruitment resource that is internet recruitment

There is a sleeping giant, a fertile recruitment resource that is not being tapped by the HR community. This "industry" is beginning to realize its own value in the recruitment process and is taking steps to become a player in online recruitment. Learn how you can identify sources for your staffing needs and make every dollar count.

John R. Bell is the founder and chief executive officer of Boxwood Technology, Inc the leading provider of online career center technology and career related services for the association community.

Boxwood clients include global, national and regional organizations which currently serves more then 9 million members.For over 25 years, John has been creating and delivering technology applications for customers, organizations and associations. Considered by many as a pioneer in the electronic recruitment industry, John anticipated the emergence of the “Internet electronic marketplace” in the early 1990’s.

After automating his own staffing firm and implementing its nationwide affiliate network, it was then that John’s vision for a solution to help associations participate in the electronic recruitment industry would lead to the founding of a software company in 1998 of Boxwood Technology, Inc. Today Boxwood is recognized and indorsed by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the center of leadership for the association industry.John is frequently asked to speak at association gatherings on topics concerning for-profit competition, member-centric and organization challenges. An active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), he sits on their technology committee panel. He has been a repeat speaker at the organizations annual conferences, Management and Technology conferences and ASAE Seminars and is known throughout the association industry for his “Giving back to the Industry” seminar series focused on generating non-dues revenue and building a successful and competitive career center.

John is an active member of NYSAE and is the current chair of the 2005-2006 NYSAE Professional Development Committee and will continue on as chair for 2006-2007, and member of the NYSAE’s Education Committee. He served as past vice chair for the NYSAE Technology Committee 2002 – 2003 and continued on as chair of the Technology Committee for two more consecutive years, 2003 until 2005. John has been a speaker at both the “We Love New York Day” and “Technology Vendor Showcase” for the past three years. Boxwood is an active and key sponsor member of NYSAE’s Corporate Leadership Program as well as a key sponsor of the Center for Leadership with the Greater Washington Society for Association Executive’s (GWSAE).Sample of organizations which have invited John to speak include, American Society of Association Executive, American Bar Association, Association Forum of Chicagoland, California Society of Association Executives, Florida Society, Texas Association of Executives, Maine Association of Chamber Executives, National Association for Female Executives, Jewelers of America, Nebraska State Bar Association, Southern Hospital Association’s annual meeting, New York Society of Association Executives and American Staffing Association. John is a graduate of Randolph-Macon College of Ashland Virginia and holds a Bachelor’s degree in business management. John is an avid and accomplished equestrian and motorcycle enthusiast.

Article At: Onrec.com

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Speaker Profile for Online Recruitment Expo 2006

Teresa Fearis, Partner Manager, SHL

Technology, process and people are key to getting the strategy right for recruitment, retention and talent management in any organization.

As Partner Manager for SHL, the world leader in objective assessment, Teresa Fearis has worked with many online recruitment suppliers to provide high value solutions for clients by adding scientific measurement to the recruiting process.

SHL believes that sustainable recruitment solutions must include tools to measure people, jobs, and organizations at every level in order to select and place people who will create the most value for the company over the lifetime of their employment in the most cost-effective and efficient way.

SHL work with clients to create an effective and integrated people strategy, using the Internet as part of the mix to help:

get long-term value from current recruitment systems
move from transactional-based recruitment to quality-based recruitment
understand how recruiting underpins Human Capital Management
With over ten years in the field of industrial and organizational psychology, Teresa has extensive knowledge and experience in the theory, challenges and future of online assessment.

For more information about SHL, visit www.shl.com or call 1.800.899.7451.

Article At: Onrec.com

- ACA Talent

7 Unwritten Rules for Professional Women

We've all heard the reports: Women earn 77 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn. And women are a minority among the ranks of CEOs in today's companies. Is this merely a result of the "Old Boys Club" tightening its ranks or is there more to the story?

Over the past year, Amy Dorn Kopelan, executive director of COACHME, Inc., a nonprofit career coaching program for women, conducted interviews with human resources and training directors at dozens of Fortune 500 companies to find out why women, as a group, don't seem to advance in their careers at the same pace as men in similar positions.

"What I heard were the same comments again and again and they were consistent across all industries," Kopelan says. "It's not the core competencies of the job that women are lacking, but rather the subtle, unwritten rules it takes to further advance in their career."

It could be individual personality types, societal conditioning or lack of mentoring opportunities that keep women from exhibiting those characteristics most often recognized and rewarded by corporate America. But whatever the reason, Kopelan maintains that women need to understand what these qualities are and demonstrate them in the workplace to advance.

According to the hiring managers Kopelan spoke with, these actions hold the keys to women's successful career development and achievement:

1. Build successful relationships: In a word -- network. It is crucial to understand the importance of developing and maintaining industry contacts you can rely on, whether it's for information about a specific project or the inside scoop on an open position. Attend seminars and professional meetings in your field. Besides learning some good information, these gatherings help you raise your visibility among your peers.

2. Exert influence and convert others to your ideas: Develop the confidence in yourself to get people to see and value your ideas. Knowledge is power. "Do your research," Kopelan advises. "Know what is happening in your industry." The more you know about a particular subject, the more comfortable and confident you will be discussing it and offering your opinions.

3. Take initiative: If you are interested in a particular high-profile client at your office, find out how you can be a part of the project team. Or learn the specifics of a particular issue so you can be your office's "resident expert."

4. Manage difficult conversations: Women often tend to shy away from confrontation. But if you learn how to diffuse an awkward situation, you will appear strong and levelheaded under pressure -- two good traits for potential senior managers.

5. Promote yourself: Only you really know everything you have achieved. Now just make sure the right people also know what you have accomplished.

6. Know how to ask for what you want: This goes along with managing difficult conversations and promoting yourself. You shouldn't feel hesitant about asking for something you need or have earned.

7. Establish work/life harmony: This challenging area often gets the misnomer "work/life balance." Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to balance these two important parts of your life equally. Instead, strive for a harmonious coexistence between the two.

What Kopelan found in talking to the Fortune 500 hiring managers is that these organizations want to see women advance and succeed, but until women understand the important role these unwritten rules play in business, "they're diminishing their chance at achievement," She warns.


Article At: CNN.com

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How Gross is Your Desk?

How clean is your workspace? If you're like most, the answer would be "not very."

In fact, many microbiologists say you're better off eating lunch in the restroom than your office, as the average desk has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat!

Unsanitary as they are (with 20,961 germs per square inch), desks aren't even the worst offenders. A study on office cleanliness performed by the University of Arizona found that phones are even more unsanitary -- harboring 25,127 germs per square inch on the receiver alone!

Are you working in filth? Take this quiz to find out:

1. How would your co-workers describe the state of your office/cubicle?

a. A pristine, well-ordered oasis of calm.

b. A bit messy, but with no discernable odors.

c. Except for the guy in the haz-mat suit, no one's stopped by recently.

2. How many stains are on your carpeting and chairs?

a. None.

b. One or two I can't seem to get rid of.

c. Hard to say; they're part of the upholstery's pattern by now.

3. How often do your clean you keyboard?

a. At least twice a month I use the soft-brush attachment of my mini vacuum or an aerosol spray of compressed air from the computer store to get rid of crumbs and dust. Then I use a cotton swab dipped in warm soapy water and patted dry to clean the keys.

b. Every now and then I turn the computer upside down, tap out any crumbs, then turn it upright and lightly brush off the keys.

c. Only when I spill coffee on it.

4. Do you eat at your desk?

a. Not if I can avoid it.

b. Yes, lunch -- three or four days a week.

c. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks! This is my home-away-from-home, after all!

5. How often and for how long do you wash your hands during the day?

a. Before and after eating, after using the restroom and after touching anything particularly grimy looking. During cold and flu season, I take special care to wash after touching appliances, buttons and doorknobs in the common areas and after shaking hands. I lather up for at least 15 seconds before rinsing.

b. Before eating and after using the restroom, I give them a quick wash.

c. Too busy to bother -- but I do make time to grab from the candy dish and pick through the doughnuts at the coffee station on my way back from the bathroom!

6. Do you work near a window?

a. Yes, and I leave it open to let fresh air in every day.

b. Yes, but I only open it now and then.

c. No, but as mentioned above, I am close to the coffee station and our admin's candy dish.

7. How many live plants are in your workspace?

a. Two or more.

b. One.

c. None, unless you count my moldy Chia pet.

8. For what purposes do you use your desk other than to work on?

a. To hold a glass of water or other beverage.

b. As a table for lunch or a snack, and a rest for my briefcase.

c. Table, footrest, gum-holder and manicure station.

9. When's the last time you washed your desktop?

a. I clean it with disinfectant wipes or dish detergent weekly.

b. I wipe it down three or four times a year.

c. Never. And it's kinda sticky.

Your answer profile

Mostly As: Congratulations. You are an expert in hygiene management. Thank you for making the office a more sanitary place.

Mostly Bs: You're about average. But now that you know just how dirty middle-of-the-road is, why not aspire to do better?

Mostly Cs: Rope off the area and get out the chalk. You're working in a grime scene! Repent, and watch your health -- and professional image -- improve!

Article At: CNN.com

- ACA Talent

Where Have All The Leaders Gone?

There's a new crisis in Corporate America. It has nothing do with Enron, ethics or Sarbanes Oxley. The real problem is the dwindling supply of CEO and C-Level talent. In May, CEO departures within U.S. companies hit a record high of 148 executives, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "In five years, 50% of all C-Level executives will retire," says Paul Reilly, CEO of Korn/Ferry International.

Kevin Cashman is founder and CEO of LeaderSource, a global leadership development, executive coaching and team effectiveness consultancy headquartered in Minneapolis. He is the author of four books on leadership and career development, including the bestseller Leadership From the Inside Out (revised edition due out soon).

What's causing such attrition? Wall Street pressure for results with no hiccups doesn't help. Neither do boards who seem fixated on finding heroic hired guns. Meanwhile, the pool of talent is dwindling as baby boomers retire and many corporations fail to properly invest in their high-potential talent.

Who will step up and fill the growing void? That's a good question--with an unpleasant answer. In the next decade, the challenge to locate and develop leadership resources may be every bit as much of a struggle as drumming up new energy resources. In fact, our leadership "reserves" may be heading for an all-time low. Demand is going up, and supply is going down. Is it any surprise executive compensation is accelerating?

The following reader questions give a taste of what it feels like to be a leader in short supply today. (To encourage an honest dialog, executives' and companies' names have been withheld.)

Former CEO in the publishing industry : As a former CEO, I know how difficult it is to face even an occasional talent drain. What practical measures can senior leaders take to deal with potential crises?

Cashman: It may sound simplistic, but the best thing a top leader can do is be a great coach, boss and mentor. After conducting 19,700 exit interviews of key employees leaving companies, the Saratoga Institute found that 85% of bosses thought their top people left for more money and opportunity. But the real reason behind the turnover: 80% said they left due to poor management and leadership or because of a dysfunctional company culture. If you're a board member, a CEO or a leader on the front lines, paying more attention to the development of your people and teams is the crucial variable for retaining key people.

President and COO in the educational services industry: Will the coming shortage of senior-level talent cause companies to become more thoughtful and aggressive in their development and retention initiatives?

Cashman: Let's hope so. However, the current situation doesn't look so good. We estimate that only 35% of all firms have a retention or talent management system that will produce at least one successor for each key position. World-class organizations have two people ready for each key job that will need filling at the top. But this only accounts for about 10% of companies. The crisis is here, and most leaders don't fully see it yet. The ones that do and invest in succession and leadership will have a significant competitive advantage in the coming decade.

CEO in the financial services industry: Faced with a shallower pool of talent but armed with lucrative compensation packages, how can I ensure that--amid fierce competition for talent--we do not unintentionally compromise our values and become an Enron?

Cashman: Enron espoused beautiful values and believed in paying top dollar for top talent, but recognizing and living values are not one in the same. Retiring business owners can attest that the heart of succession planning is finding talented people who genuinely connect with the company's culture and values. In fact, upholding values on par with results in every phase of business is what transforms corporate cultures. As a result, people will be attracted to the company and its value proposition. This is why Southwest Airlines (nyse: LUV - news - people ), in the midst of a tough marketplace, still has thousands of qualified applicants beyond its need. Companies that walk the talk attract the people they want.

More specifically, when looking for principled successors, don't be afraid to put them to the test. Solid behavioral assessments, interviews or simulations can gauge values--not just achievements--helping character-centered leaders stick out from more self-centered ones. Also, involve the company from top to bottom. Surveys reveal that board members and employees are both more stringent than CEOs when it comes to evaluating a candidate's ethics. Use checks and balances to make sure you're not viewing individual candidates with rose-tinted glasses.

Article At: Forbes

- ACA Talent

There's No Excuses For These Excuses

An August CareerBuilder.com survey asked managers for some of the most unusual excuses employees gave for missing work. Here's what they said:

• "I was sprayed by a skunk."

• "I tripped over my dog and was knocked unconscious."

• "My bus broke down and was held up by robbers."

• "I was arrested as a result of mistaken identity."

• "I couldn't find my shoes."

• "I totaled my wife's Jeep in a collision with a cow."

• "My cat unplugged my alarm clock."

• "I had to be there for my husband's grand jury trial."

• "I had to ship my grandmother's bones to India." (Note: She had passed away 20 years earlier).

Surprising excuses

An Accountemps survey released last year asked executives for the most unusual reasons employees gave to request time off. Here's what they said:

• "I need a day off because it's supposed to snow."

• "The pool is broken."

• "My garage door is broken."

• "I need three weeks off to travel Europe. Starting tomorrow."

• "I'm going to be in a kick-boxing contest."

• "Our church is having a bus trip."

• "My partner and I need to practice for the square-dancing contest in town today."

Article At: Grand Forks Herald

- ACA Talent

Time-Out to Think About Time-Off

Although Nancy Gibson just started a new job, she already has an idea about when she will take her next vacation.

"Probably during a week in the winter, maybe to the Caribbean," she said. Gibson, a public relations manager at American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a Rockville nonprofit, accrues 13 hours of paid vacation time per month, totaling about 20 days annually.

Paid vacation time may not be up there with salary or health insurance in importance to job seekers, but it's a significant and attractive workplace benefit. "It's appealing to everyone," said Janet McNichol, human resources director at the speech association.

Because they pay lower salaries, nonprofits tend to offer more vacation time than private companies. "We can't do stock options, so instead we offer more paid time off," McNichol said.

Still, in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, new employees typically receive less paid vacation time than workers with more time on the job. According to a 2005 Labor Department survey of employment benefits in U.S. private industry, workers with one year of service were eligible for 8.9 days of paid vacation, on average, compared with 19.3 days for those with 25 years of service. And some workers get no vacation time for the first six months, said Shawn Boyer, chief executive of SnagAJob.com, a part-time and hourly online job site.

Competition for talent is leading some employers to offer more vacation time. "It's hard to attract experienced people if you only give them two weeks," McNichol said.

Even among part-time workers, who in the past have been excluded from receiving vacation and other benefits, "we are starting to see a shift," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for the online job site CareerBuilder.com. She cited Starbucks as a leader in offering benefits to part-timers. "Now smaller companies have to compete with that," she said.

When looking for a job, ask about the amount of vacation time during your interview, "not as the first question but as part of the process," Boyer said.

Inquire whether you can take your vacation all at once or whether you have to spread it out, said Carol Evans, author of "This Is How We Do It: The Working Mothers' Manifesto" (2006, Hudson Street Press) and chief executive of Working Mother Media in New York. "Ask in terms that convey you're a planner, not as though you are asking for anything special," she said.

Don't tell potential employers that you never use your vacation time, Evans added. It won't convince them that you're a hard worker. In fact, it may "make a boss think there's not enough going on in your life and you may not have enough dimension to take a job."

Once you have started a job, alert your employer to your vacation plans, especially if you want time off around popular vacation dates, such as Christmas, New Year's and Thanksgiving, and during the summer. "When it comes to the busy times of year, the earlier you ask for vacation time, the better," Haefner said.

If you let your manager and co-workers know long in advance, they are more likely to accommodate your plans, Evans said. "When you tell an employer in January that you're planning to take time off in August, what can they say to object?" she asked.

Do not make reservations until you have the time approved by your boss. "People wrongly believe that they can attain vacation time by telling an employer, 'I already bought the plane tickets so I need the time off,' " Haefner said.

It's difficult to negotiate for more vacation time in hourly positions or as a new grad, unless you are highly sought after. But in professional positions where you bring much experience to a job, you may have more wiggle room. "If you already have three weeks somewhere else, then that's part of the negotiation, just like salary," Evans said. "Say something like, 'I currently get three weeks and it's important to me to maintain that.' "

As for Gibson, she had a great deal of public relations experience before taking her new job and was looking for a position with good benefits. Of her 20 days of annual paid vacation time, she said: "It's exactly what I would have asked for, it's just that I didn't have to."

Article at: Washington Post

- ACA Talent

Big Wheels

Think that Mercedes-Benz parked in the office lot belongs to someone in the C-suite? Think again.

According to one survey, a chief executive is more likely to drive a Chevy than a Mercedes.

Even though 59 per cent of respondents think that a typical CEO owns a luxury vehicle, only 19 per cent of the surveyed CEOs said they did. More than half drive a passenger car or SUV, whereas 13 per cent cruise around in a pickup truck. CEOs are least likely to drive a minivan, van or sports car.

While most respondents estimated CEOs shelled out $70,000 US or more for their primary cars, CEOs actually spent an average of $25,000 US. One in four CEOs spent less than $20,000 US.

"When it comes to the perception of what CEOs drive, the respondents who believe a black Mercedes-Benz is the car of choice for CEOs aren't the only ones," said Patrick Olsen, managing editor of Cars.com.

"A similar majority of CEOs thought that their peers were mostly driving expensive luxury cars as well."

Cars.com and Careerbuilder.com conducted the survey, which polled 2,004 respondents from the general public and 340 respondents who qualified as a CEO, chairman, executive director, president or COO.

Article at: Canadian Business

- ACA Talent

Beat the 3 p.m. Slump

We all hit that difficult part of the afternoon when our energy dips, our concentration flags, and it feels like we're not going to be able to stay awake until the end of the workday without crawling under the desk to take a nap. And not sleeping well the night before just compounds the problem.

At times like this, we reach for a cup of coffee, a can of soda or a candy bar to help us perk up. Unfortunately, we often wind up paying for our caloric quick fix with a bad sugar crash later.

There are healthier ways to beat the 3 p.m. slump. Here are some suggestions for keeping your inner engine purring steadily until the commute home.

Move Around

"When I hit that sleepy part of the day, I try to resist going straight for the coffee pot, and get up from my desk and take a walk outside instead," says Aubyn Peterson, administrative assistant for the Miss USA Pageant. Peterson finds that simply getting up, moving around and experiencing a change of scenery really helps her wake up.

If you can, schedule your active errands for that time of day. "Part of my job involves dropping by the theaters and picking up tickets, and a walk on Broadway always seems to give me energy," says Richard Ogawa, a sales and special events assistant for Broadway On and Off, a Broadway group sales organization based in New York City.

Laugh a Little

"If I don't have time to step out of the office, I get up from my desk for a few minutes and have a laugh with my coworkers," Peterson says.

Ogawa agrees that laughter is some of the best work-slump medicine. "Smiling always perks me up," he says.

Office Yoga

Lori Wiley, a certified yoga instructor and administrative assistant for HER Real Living, recommends doing a little rejuvenating yoga at your desk to battle the yawns. Here's Wiley's favorite pick-me-up:

While sitting at your desk:

1. Raise your arms straight up above your head.
2. Flap your hands really fast.
3. Breathe in and out quickly.

Do this for as long as you can manage -- or until your coworkers notice.

Eat Right

Your diet can make a big difference in your energy level throughout the workday. One of the best remedies for the 3 p.m. slump is eating breakfast.

"Eating a good breakfast boosts your concentration and revs your energy," according to Susie Michelle Cortight's article, "Eating for Energy: A Simple Meal-by-Meal Guide to Managing Your Mood with Food."

According to Cortight, you can keep your blood sugar on an even keel with complex carbohydrates, and you should avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and white sugar. These have a high glycemic index, which can cause spikes and dips in your blood-sugar levels.

* Breakfast: For a power breakfast, Cortight advises going with natural whole-grain breads and cereals with a low-fat protein added, such as yogurt, cottage cheese or skim milk. The right complex carbohydrates provide your brain and muscles with the steady flow of the energy they need, she says.

* Lunch: Cortight suggests a lunch that's low in carbohydrates and should include foods like low-fat cheese, fish, lean meat or poultry. According to her article, "carbs can increase the amount of seratonin in the brain and may cause that sleepy feeling. Protein can actually raise energy levels by increasing brain chemicals called catecholamines."

* Snacks: Snacking is a good way to pick up plummeting energy levels. Eating every few hours helps your body use its fuel more efficiently, stimulates your metabolism and keeps your energy flow constant -- but only if you reach for the right kind of fuel. For a midday snack, try fruits and vegetables instead of candy bars, which are laden with simple sugars and will bring on fluctuating and erratic energy levels. For a late-afternoon snack, try a lean protein, like low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, a lean meat or peanut butter with a few crackers.

Article At: Monster.com

- ACA Talent

Website to Revolutionize Online Recruitment Industry

Today sees the launch of www.RecruitmentRevolution.com, the UK’s first fully functional online recruitment agency. The concept, which aims to abolish exorbitant recruitment agency fees so that more money from the client can be directed towards the candidates, was devised by recent graduates Jamie Mistlin (27) and Anna Taylor (24) after their poor experience of recruitment agencies.

Co-founder Jamie Mistlin comments, “The concept for RecruitmentRevolution.com was born when I temped whilst studying for my degree: I was startled at the discrepancy between my hourly earnings and what the agency was actually paying for my services. It seemed obvious to reduce the middle man fee allowing the client to pay less, with the candidate also benefiting. Frustrated by the narrow minded approach of agencies, Anna and I felt that companies and clients needed a more transparent platform on which to communicate directly without a greedy and interfering consultant.”

As part of their research for the business model RecruitmentRevolution.com discovered:

- 95% of graduates resent the profits recruitment agencies make out of them

- 90% of graduates feel that agents do not act in the employees’ best interests

- 80% of graduates are rarely happy with the service provided by their recruitment consultant.

Traditionally companies have employed the following recruiting methods:

Recruitment agencies: a company pays an agency to market and manage the fulfilment of the role. Recruitment agencies charge a percentage of the employee’s starting salary. So for an average graduate earning £18,000, an agency charging twenty per cent can receive £3,600. Whilst a temporary worker might be earning £8 an hour, the client could be paying double that to account for the agencies’ commission.

Print and online advertising: companies advertise their vacancies and are required to manage the shortlisting, interviewing, and background checking of applicants. Guardian Jobs charge £950 for a 5cmx6cm print (80 words) including a one month online advert; alternatively, an online advert costs £700. Online job board Monster charge £950 for one month CV database access and £270 for one job posting lasting a month.

RecruitmentRevolution.com is starting a revolution by:

Allowing companies to advertise their jobs and search for candidates at no cost

Allowing employers to test and interview candidates before charging between £300 and a maximum of £1000 (average £400) for placing a permanent candidate, regardless of the starting salary

Adding a low flat hourly rate (little more than £2) for the supply of temporary workers

Enabling companies to book temporary candidates through a fully automated online system (the system also allows candidates to pitch different hourly rates depending on the job)

Applying an eBay-style feedback system (Online Reference Score™) to the temporary job market

The company’s lower fees are sustainable because RecruitmentRevolution.com does away with the high street recruitment costs and instead provides an online platform for companies and candidates to communicate directly. RecruitmentRevolution.com allows candidates to market themselves openly via their Online Reference Scores and Skills and History Portfolios so that the client can make an informed instant decision, without the need for a recruitment consultant.

RecruitmentRevolution.com – the process
Candidates, (students and graduates of all ages), register for free to display their Skills and History Portfolio™ (a comprehensive CV), and access available jobs. Clients advertise their vacancies, inviting candidates to apply. These applications go straight to the client’s ‘Inbox’, again eliminating the need for a ‘consultant’; the client is then able to assess each candidate, viewing their portfolio, Online Reference Score™ and, if necessary, conducting further online questioning, personality and skill testing. RecruitmentRevolution.com will arrange interviews at the client’s request. Alternatively, clients may ‘headhunt’ candidates directly so that only the ‘chosen’ are invited to apply for the position. The client only pays when a position has been satisfactorily filled.

Article At: Onrec.com

- ACA Talent

2006 Survey Reveals Generational Differences, Employment Issues and Productivity Perception

The signs of a stressed workforce are showing in the U.S., according to Randstad's 2006 Employee Review, conducted by Harris Interactive(R). Pressures at work are escalating, thereby decreasing employees' job satisfaction while increasing their expectations of employer leadership. Employees want opportunities for career development, an improved work/life balance and to feel valued - and they expect employers to facilitate improvements. Yet despite concerns about job strains and the desire for a healthier work/life balance, a majority of employees of all ages said they would endure more stress for more income.

In its 2006 Employee Review, global staffing firm Randstad explores workplace attitudes and experiences of employers and employees surrounding top business issues in today's multi-generational and demanding workplace. Results from the 2006 survey focus on company productivity, employee development, morale issues, health, and happiness.

The Employee Review uncovers disparities in employees' and employers' view of major work issues, including possible indicators of what's eroding job satisfaction and increasing stress levels. When it comes to career development, 73 percent of employers said fostering employee development is important, but only 49 percent of employees said leadership is adhering to this practice. Likewise, 86 percent of employees cited feeling valued as an important factor for happiness while only 37 percent said it exists in their job.

Employees' and employers' inconsistent views on key issues negatively impact loyalty and morale, igniting stress and influencing attitudes about changing jobs. The majority of employees (81 percent) and employers (69 percent) said it is a reality that people stay in jobs they dislike just to have a job. Since 2005 the number of employees who said their company is loyal to them and the number of both employers and employees who said they are loyal to their company has decreased. However, about two-thirds of respondents said they do not plan on changing jobs in 2006 even though options for career changes exist.

Workplace Views: Employee vs. Employer       Employees  Employers
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Company loyalty to employee
% who say their company is loyal                25         41
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Employer/employee loyalty to company
% who say they are loyal                        56         72
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Company morale
% who say excellent/good                        38         55
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People stay in jobs they dislike
% say it's a reality                            81         69
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% Not changing jobs in 2006                     65         68
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"The survey shows a widening gap in employee expectations and respective employer delivery. Companies that encourage dialogue to narrow the disparity will broaden work appreciation and job satisfaction," said Genia Spencer, managing director of operations and human resources for Randstad USA. "Employees' views of work and growth opportunities vary by generation; therefore improving job satisfaction and productivity require tailored approaches."

Results from the Employee Review reveal key generational differences in employees' views of career development, happiness and how workers manage stress. In addition, the survey recognizes significant employment issues, including the correlation between career development, productivity and retention practices.

It's a New Generation

Career development: Gen Y are the least likely to be interested in pay increases and most likely to be interested in learning new skills (31 percent), and they are more likely to value a career path (19 percent) than any other generation. Interestingly, only three percent consider increased responsibilities important to their career.

Happiness: Gen Y and Gen X want pathways to personal growth, 58 percent and 52 percent respectively, compared to 41 percent of Boomers and only 29 percent of Matures. On the other hand, 84 percent of Matures are looking for recognition and appreciation compared to 74 percent of Gen Y.

Absenteeism: Gen Y and Gen X take the most number of sick days, and Matures take the least. One in five (21 percent) employees reports taking a sick day to relieve stress. Compared to Matures, Gen Y is almost twice as likely (40 percent vs. 26 percent) to take a sick day to relieve stress, almost three times more likely (33 percent vs. 12 percent) to attribute working too many hours to absenteeism, and almost four times as likely (23 percent vs. 6 percent) to use a sick day for personal errands.

Employment Issues

Hiring & Retention: Small companies (41 percent) are more likely to be concerned with hiring the right person with the right skills; while large companies (31 percent) regard retaining and motivating employees as the most important business issue.

Employment Trends: Two of the top employment issues from 2005, hiring the right people with the right skills and employee retention & motivation, again were named the top issues by employers in 2006. More important, the percentage of respondents choosing these two issues as the top challenges rose.

                             2005                 2006
Top Employment Issues    ----------------------------------------
  (% by company size)    Small  Medium  Large  Small  Medium  Large
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Hiring the right people
with the right skills      33     25     22     41     33     28
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Employee retention &
motivation                 15     18     24     20     27     31
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Skills & Productivity

Efficiency & Development: While the majority of employees and employers agree that the top source of productivity gains is increased employee efficiency, only 49 percent of employees say leadership practices fostering employee development. This contrasts with 73 percent of employers who report that fostering employee development is important.

Productivity Perceptions: Employees and employers agree that the top source of productivity gains is increased employee efficiency. Technology is the second rated source of productivity gains, followed by more skilled people.

 Perceptions about Major Sources of Productivity
                (% Who say...)               Employees Employers
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Increased employee efficiency/output            22         28
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Technology                                      14         15
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More skilled people                             11         12
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Randstad's 2006 Employee Review, a 40-page summary of the survey's results, includes data around the respondents' views of ongoing or trending issues such as morale, loyalty, the economy, and satisfaction with workplace issues, as well as productivity, career development, health, and happiness. For more information, or to obtain a copy of the Randstad 2006 Employee Review, contact:

Becca Brett Leish
Manning Selvage & Lee
404.870.6838
becca.brettleish@mslpr.com 

Survey Methodology

Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online study on behalf of Randstad USA between February 28 and March 13, 2006, among a nationwide sample of 2,906 U.S. adults age 18 and older, among whom 1,264 were employers and 1,642 were employees. The sample for employees consisted of U.S. residents who are currently employed full-time or self-employed at an organization with at least five employees. The employer sample consisted of U.S. business professionals who make strategic Human Resources decisions and strongly influence those decisions and have been doing so for at least six months. The employee universe is segmented into four generational categories born between the respective years: Gen Y (1980-1987), Gen X (1965-1979), Baby Boomers (1946-1964) and Matures (1900-1945). The data from this survey were weighted to "match the characteristics of" and to remove potential biases so that the data are "projectable" to the "population of interest." Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for employee respondents' propensity to be online.

With a pure probability sample of this size one could say with a 95 percent probability that the sampling error for employers is +/- 2.3 percentage points and for employees is +/- 2.0 percentage points. Sampling error for sub-samples is higher and varies. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Article At: Business Wire

- ACA Talent