The Power of Negativity Bias

Some years back, I got a case of the flu. Not the sniffles-and-vague-feeling-of-nausea kind but the stop-talking-so-loudly-because-you’re-making-my-hair-hurt kind. And unfortunately, just before I began feeling ill, I ate a plate of chicken chow mein. You can probably guess what happened–or, rather, hasn’t happened–in the years since.… Read More »

Obey the Rules of Employment Applications and Interviews

When you first look for a new employee, you want to get all the information possible. But beware, as there are a number of rules all employers should keep in mind when going through the hiring process. Most importantly, you should ensure you are not asking illegal questions on a job application or during an… Read More »

32% of US employers to hire temps in Q4

A survey of hiring managers and human resource professionals found that 32 percent plan to bring in temporary or contract staff in the fourth quarter, relatively unchanged from the 33 percent who said they planned to hire temporary and contract staff in the same quarter of last year, according to CareerBuilder’s fourth-quarter 2013 U.S. job… Read More »

Survey says bosses directly impact job satisfaction

Employees in the United States indicate that direct supervisors are key influencers when it comes to job satisfaction and engagement, according to the global workforce index survey by Kelly Services Inc. (NASD: KELYA). The survey found that 61 percent of U.S. respondents believe their direct manager or supervisor has a significant impact on their job… Read More »

The Key Driver of Talent Attraction, Retention and Engagement: Recognition

“Nice work!” “Excellent job!” “Great effort!” “A+!!” Many managers forget what teachers have known for years: People respond well to recognition for their hard work. Just as teachers write their kudos and use stickers on their students’ worksheets, managers can employ simple methods to reward their workers as well. Recognition need not be costly to… Read More »

Manufacturing’s Unhappy Workforce

Industry Week recently highlighted a Monster.com survey focusing on the manufacturing industry and job satisfaction. The survey finds that 47% of manufacturing workers surveyed are dissatisfied with their job and likely to be hunting for a new employer. The article goes on to add that despite the gradually improving job market and a purported 500,000 unfilled jobs… Read More »

Make friends not enemies

We understand that treating recruiters and HR people as your customers will have all the usual frustrations of customer service, and is especially nerve-wracking at a time and life situation in which you really need to get out of your current position and into a new one. But no matter how badly you want it,… Read More »

Hot Jobs List 2013

The Boston Globe recently highlighted the top 10 Hottest Jobs for the immediate future.  They published some useful information created by MONEY Magazine and Salary.com from their list of the 50 Best Jobs in America.    So to heat up your summer here is the list of the top 10. 1. Software Engineers and Designers… Read More »