Last week, I talked about the pros and cons of rehiring former employees, and mentioned that the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act is one of the major reasons employers should be looking at hiring unemployed workers (which could include former employees). But let’s explore further why the bill is so important — both for unemployed workers and the employers hiring them. After all, as a CFO, controller, business owner, vice president of human resources, hiring manager, accountant, or anyone else with a stake in your business’s bottom line, the HIRE Act could have a significant impact on your business.

What is the HIRE Act?

The $17.5 billion legislation, signed into law by President Obama on March 18, 2010, gives a potential tax exemption and credit to businesses that hire unemployed workers. Specifically, the HIRE Act grants businesses that hire workers unemployed 60 days or longer an exemption from the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll taxes for each worker for the remainder of 2010. Additionally, if workers are retained for one year, participating businesses  get a tax credit of $1,000.

The maximum value of this incentive is $6,621 per qualified employee, which equals 6.2 percent of the Social Security FICA maximum wage cap of $106,800.

The goal:

The HIRE Act aims to provide hiring incentives to stimulate the economy, restore some of the jobs lost in the latest economic recession, and put Americans back to work. The average unemployed worker has been unemployed for ten months, so the Act is in effect targeting those job seekers who have been having difficulty finding work for quite some time.  The HIRE Act calls on employers like you to hire unemployed workers and work to retain them.

Keep in mind, recent graduates who are unemployed or working part-time can qualify — so if you’re seeking out new grads or are a start-up looking for fresh talent, you should also be looking into the HIRE Act.

The two major tax incentives of the HIRE Act

No. 1:

Employers who hire unemployed workers this year (after Feb. 3, 2010 and before Jan. 1, 2011) may qualify for a 6.2-percent payroll tax exemption, in effect exempting them from their share of Social Security taxes on wages paid to these workers between Mar. 19, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2010.

• This reduced tax withholding will have no effect on the employee’s future Social Security benefits, and as an employer, you will still need to withhold the employee’s 6.2-percent share of Social Security taxes, as well as income taxes.
• The employer and employee’s shares of Medicare taxes would also still apply to these wages.

No. 2:

For each worker retained for at least a year, businesses may claim an additional retention credit, up to $1,000 per worker, when they file their 2011 income tax returns.

Significant savings

Let’s say you hire an employee and pay them a $60,000 salary. Normally, you would have to pay 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax, or $3,720. With the HIRE Act, your business wouldn’t have to pay that $3,720, plus you have the potential of an additional $1,000 tax credit if that employee stays with your company for one year.

Finding the right employees with the HIRE Act

Not only are you helping stimulate the economy and employ people who need work, but you are also potentially saving a significant amount of money that will impact your bottom line. Instead of looking at hiring as an expense, the HIRE Act encourages employers to think of  hiring as an investment.

While the HIRE Act helps making hiring “cheaper,” the quality of your new hires is still paramount; you and I both know that cost savings plus a bad hire is actually more expensive in the long run. This is why CareerBuilder is focused on targeting the right people within that group who would be a good fit for your organization.

CareerBuilder currently attracts more than 9 million unique visitors each month who meet the qualifications as set by the HIRE Act. We go even further by helping you find the qualified workers who are the right fit for your particular culture and business needs. After all, you might need one employee or 100 — but it’s important that you find the right employees to stick around and grow with your business.

The Fine Print: Criteria needed for a business to receive benefits of the HIRE Act

• New employee/s must be hired between Feb. 4, 2010 and December 31, 2010.
• The payroll tax exemptions are effective for wages paid between Mar. 19, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2010.
• The newly hired employees must have been unemployed during the 60 days prior to starting work, or worked fewer than 40 hours for someone else during that 60-day period (and the employer must get a statement from each eligible new hire certifying this fact).
• New hires filling positions qualify, but only if the workers they are replacing left voluntarily or for cause.
• Family members or relatives do not qualify.
• Businesses, agricultural employers, tax-exempt organizations and public colleges and universities DO qualify to claim the payroll tax — although household businesses and federal, state and local governments l do not.

HIRE Act — How are businesses reacting?

It’s a bit of a chicken versus egg argument; it’s hard to say at this point whether the HIRE Act is causing employers to hire more, or businesses are catching on to it after they have already hired. Regardless, any businesses are taking advantage of the new legislation. And although the HIRE Act expires Jan. 1, 2011, President Obama is working to extend it. According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of the Treasury:

• From Feb. to May 2010, an estimated 4.5 million workers who had been unemployed for eight weeks or longer were hired — meaning all of the employers who hired these workers are eligible for the HIRE Act payroll tax exemption.
• Newly hired workers whose employers are eligible for the exemption constitute 12.2 percent of all workers who were unemployed for eight weeks or longer since the law took effect.
• If the 4.5 million newly hired employees who are eligible for the exemption are employed for the rest of the year, their employers would be (collectively) eligible for an estimated $5.1 billion in payroll tax savings.

Find out more about the HIRE Act

While we’ve covered a lot of the basics here, you’ll still want to investigate further to find out how your business can qualify. Here are some additional resources:

• Find out more about the HIRE act and what it may mean for your business on the IRS’s website (VIDEO).
  
• Read up on the IRS’s questions and answers page for employers.
• Read the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s recent report on the HIRE Act’s progress thus far.
• Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Affidavit (PDF; to be signed by new employees who qualify)

It’s happening. Retail stores everywhere are stocking the shelves, folding the clothes, straightening the shoes, organizing the Trapper-Keepers, and bracing themselves for restless, sun-streaked kids to come and clutter it all up. Back-to-school shopping is now in season. 

We’re not kids anymore, but as adults (employed or not), continuing to educate ourselves and hone our skills is one of the most important things we can do for our careers and ourselves. Aaaaand you’re in luck: July’s contest brings you a chance to give yourself (or your employees) the gift of education with a chance to win a CareerBuilder Institute class. We can’t promise your employees will express their immense thanks by bringing donuts in for breakfast, but we think there’s a strong possibility. Read on to find out how to win.

What’s CareerBuilder Institute?

CareerBuilder Institute, founded in 2008, offers e-learning content for businesses so that they can better assess, test, train, develop, and provide continued education to more effectively onboard and improve skills of existing talent. attract. CareerBuilder Institute has helped more than 1 million people reach their educational goals — and fill in current skill gaps. CareerBuilder Institute offers everything from computer and business skills, to language training, to licensing and certification, to sales training, to management and leadership skills.

Specifically? How about “Mastering Project Management,” “Operating Budgets for Non-Financial Managers,” “Understanding Personality Variables,” “Business Writing,” “Time Management,” “Exploring Adobe Creative Suite II,” “Real Estate Exchanges” or “Leadership Motivation”? CBI’s got you covered. Oh, and many of the courses, like 401(k), give a state-specific course option.

Expected versus teachable skills

In 2009, the average company investment in employee training was $1,200 per employee. It’s apparent that companies are investing a lot of time into their training — but on what, exactly? There are some skills that you expect candidates will have coming into a position — skills into which you’re not willing to invest time, money and resources. And then, there are others you expect to teach new employees on the job; either skills you don’t think can be taught outside of the position, or ones you’re willing to teach because a candidate is an otherwise great fit. You may be willing to teach project management skills, for instance, but expect a candidate to come into the job with superior people skills and ability to work within a team structure.

The July Contest Question

Sooo, we’re asking you: “In an interview situation, what skills do you expect candidates to have already, and what are you willing to teach on the job?” If you’re a current job seeker, just tell us what skills you expect employers expect you to have, and which skills you expect to be taught on the job.

By answering our question in the comments below, you will automatically be entered to win ONE online class (five winners; $50 value each) from CareerBuilder Institute.

Using CareerBuilder Institute can not only help employees improve skills in certain areas, but also lower turnover, decrease training and hiring costs, increase accessibility to training content, and increase overall productivity. The skills you’re spending time to teach on the job can likely be taught by a CareerBuilder Institute class — freeing up other employees’ time and resources — and saving you a significant amount on training expenses.

CareerBuilder Institute — Did you know? (Don’t worry, there won’t be a test):

• Learners can retake courses within the year at no additional cost.
• CBI has the largest learning library in the nation, with more than 12,000 titles including videos, assessments, tests and courses.
• More than 3,000 pre-license certification and continuing education courses are offered.
• CBI is the only e-learning service to offer Predictive Job Fit Assessments, Hard and Soft Skill Courses, Microsoft Courses, Learning Videos, and Professional Certification and Continuing Education Courses.
• Employee training has been shown to lead to greater employee productivity (26% higher revenue per employee) and reduced employee turnover (41% lower for high-performing employees; 17% overall).

HOW TO ENTER:
Simply answer this question in the comments section below: ““In an interview situation, what skills do you expect candidates to have already, and what are you willing to teach on the job?””– and you’ll automatically be entered to win one online class from CareerBuilder Institute (five winners will be chosen at random; $50 value per class).  Be sure to read the terms and conditions in full.

CONTEST DETAILS:
Entries will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST on Monday, July 26, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, July 30, 2010.  Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of August 2, 2010. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.

This year, 54 percent of large U.S. businesses that laid off employees in the past year want to rebuild their work forces, but some will have trouble finding the skilled workers they are looking for, according to a recent study by Accenture. Because of this gap, many employers will likely consider an alternate option to gain skilled workers: rehiring former employees.

Employees may be rehired for very different reasons. Maybe they were laid off due to a company’s financial situation, but not because they weren’t a valued employee. Or perhaps they were let go unfairly and a company realized its mistake. Maybe, just maybe, they were fired but fixed whatever caused them to be fired in the first place. Regardless of the reason, the question remains: Is this a positive trend or a recipe for disaster? Let’s examine.

Firing — and rehiring

Firings and rehirings can have a major effect on the employees in question. Since George Steinbrenner’s passing last week, many have commented about his tendency as a coach to treat employees rudely and fire them, then reconsider and hire them back soon after. Most wouldn’t argue that  many of his firings were impulsive. Steinbrenner, who reportedly made 20 managerial hirings and firings in 23 seasons, even admitted he was often unreasonable in his employee dealings.

Other organizations, like the Red Cross,  recently rehired two fired employees who complained about the heat during a blood drive, amid union talks. And an ex-employee who worked for the City of Fort Worth for years alleges she was wrongly fired after whistleblowing — what would happen if she was hired back?

What about rehiring laid off employees?

While it’s true that the decision to lay off employees is generally not a hot-headed game time decision a la Steinbrenner, layoffs still create unrest with laid off employees as well as remaining staff — and can leave a lingering bitterness in both camps toward company leadership. So what happens when you rehire employees post-layoffs?

Pros of rehiring former employees

Aside from the obvious — that rehiring employees is giving someone a job who needs to support themselves or a family, rehiring employees can have many other benefits.

Employee morale – If employees see that their employer is actively working to bring back employees, it can have a positive effect on morale — and it can bring people back together who formerly worked well as a team.

Training – Rehired employees understand the company culture, and employers don’t have to retrain them. Even if company structure has changed somewhat since they left, you’re likely looking at a quick brush-up versus a training overhaul.

New perspective — Time may actually have not just healed all wounds — but may have enabled both the person or people who let an employee go, and that employee, get away from a negative situation, gain some perspective, and learn from mistakes made. Even if the situation ended on a neutral or positive note, time away in which a former employee has had a chance to pursue other interests, hobbies, and skills may benefit not only them and their place in the organization, but also their employer, once he or she is brought back into the fold.

The HIRE Act — What it Means to You

If you’re an employer rehiring currently unemployed former employees — or an employer hiring any unemployed worker in general — you could benefit from a new tax incentive. One of the major benefits to employers who hire unemployed workers comes in the form of two new tax benefits that are part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. The two major parts of the act state:

1. Employers who hire unemployed workers this year (after Feb. 3, 2010 and before Jan. 1, 2011) may qualify for a 6.2-percent payroll tax incentive, in effect exempting them from their share of Social Security taxes on wages paid to these workers after March 18, 2010.
2. For each worker retained for at least a year, businesses may claim an additional general business tax credit, up to $1,000 per worker, when they file their 2011 income tax returns.

Find out more about the HIRE act and what it may mean for your business (video).

Cons of rehiring former employees

As much as rehiring a former employee can have positive effects, things can just as easily swing the other way — making a situation less than happy for rehired employees, employees who haven’t been let go, and company leadership.

Resentment – If things ended on a sour note, rehiring former employees can be complicated — and may not work out well in the long run. Even if an employer did everything they could to ease the stress of the situation, an employee may harbor resentment and bitter feelings, and those feelings may have grown stronger since they left the organization.

Current employee backlash — Employees who watched someone else leave and then come back may become jealous because a rehired employee is now getting work they were handling and returning “without paying their dues” as a new employee would. After all, remaining employees are often the ones left picking up the extra work when a company downsizes.

Short-term success – It’s important to keep in mind that even if an employee is willing to come back, they may only be accepting the job because they really need one (and are still looking for something better). This is where “onboarding” a rehired employee may help (see below).

If you’re going to rehire

If you do choose to rehire laid off employees, there are some things you can do to avoid the potential pitfalls listed above and ensure it’s as smooth a transition as possible.

Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, senior adviser at global executive search firm Egon Zehnder International, offers employers a few tips; namely, to clearly communicate to the rest of the company the reasons for hiring back a former employee; sufficiently brief a former employee about the company’s current situation and present very clear expectations; and to follow up, at least quarterly, with the returning employee to make sure he or she is adjusting well.

Would you rehire a former employee? What pros or cons would you add?

Okay, not every professional eats the healthiest things imaginable (or is free of legal troubles, for that matter) — a la competitive hot dog eater Takeru Kobayashi. However, according to the results of a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 4,400 workers, many folks are reaching less for the potato chips and more for the straight-up potatoes; less for the cigarettes and more for the treadmill. What gives?

The economy has trickled down into many areas of our lives, and our eating habits may be one of the biggest — if somewhat overlooked — of them. While the negative effects of our economy may be a bitter pill to swallow, it looks like our health is getting a boost. Largely because of tightened funds, workers are making more healthy choices — including packing lunches, smoking less, and walking more.

Let’s break it down fast. (Get it? Breakfast?):

• 47 percent of workers report they are packing a lunch more often to save money or eat healthier.
• 44 percent of workers who smoke said they are more likely to quit smoking given the state of the economy.
• One-in-five workers (21 percent) have already decreased the number of times they smoke during the workday — and 20 percent have quit altogether.

And while healthier habits may be fueled by economic hardship, it may have been the trigger many of us needed to start taking a closer look at our personal health habits — and make habit-forming changes.

“Economic stress over the last year has caused some workers to reflect on their habits, and many of them have turned to healthier routines,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.

“In addition to helping cut personal costs, employees who limit their smoking and lunching out habits are taking better care of their overall health. This type of ‘better-for-you’ behavior can be encouraged by companies who implement wellness programs, healthy living challenges or smoking cessation support.”

HOLD. THE. CHEESE PUFFS.

Like most feel-good stories, this one has a dark side, too. While it’s true that many workers are taking the higher healthier road, it’s also true that heavier workloads and added stress associated with a downsized place of employment may have other workers taking a different, more hermit-like, direction.

Lunch breaks — what are those?

If you ask a co-worker “What’s the weather like today?” because you haven’t seen the light of day since dawn and your body has been molded to your chair, you’ll probably relate to the following:

• Nearly one-third (32 percent) of workers report they take less than a half hour for lunch, while 5 percent take less than 15 minutes.
• One-in-ten never take a lunch break, and 16 percent report they work right through their lunch hour.
• Nearly one-in-five (18 percent) typically don’t leave their desks during their lunch break and eat in their workspace 5 days a week.

So, where do employers weigh in?

Whether your employees are going for a carrot-eating world record or reaching for that candy bar (and eating it at the desk from which they don’t move all day), do you as an employer have a right — or a responsibility — to get involved and attempt to influence your employees’ decisions?

Poor employee health has been pointed to as one of the biggest challenges to maintaining affordable benefit coverage. And with new health care reform going into effect, many businesses, particularly smaller ones, will likely be affected, as they may be penalized for not providing health care benefits to their workers. With more businesses who don’t currently offer benefits soon be incentivized to provide them (or penalized if they don’t), what will the effect be on employees? Will there be more of a Big Brother-like trend of keeping employees healthy to keep costs down?

In the “YES” camp

Many of you appear to be promoting employee wellness for various reasons, from what you’ve recently told us. Many companies don’t hide the fact that they are deeply involved in employees’ health not only because it makes their employees healthier and  happier, lowers stress, and promotes team spirit — but also because it benefits the company’s bottom line. And as a recent New York Times article  points out, 50 to 70 percent of the nation’s health care costs are preventable — which means company wellness initiatives could in fact help prevent employees from costly medical procedures. All good things, right?

In the “NO” camp

Well, not so fast. Although corporate wellness programs help companies keep insurance costs down while assisting employees in getting more fit, many people argue that employees’ lifestyle choices shouldn’t be dictated by their employer — and that it’s really none of their business. In addition, by rewarding employees who choose to participate in wellness initiatives, “unhealthy” employees may in effect be punished. For example, although Whole Foods has quite a robust benefits program, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, in a since controversial move, decided to give his employees discounts on health insurance and Whole Foods products if they maintained lower readings for measurements like body mass index (which many people argue is a poor indication of health). While that’s great for employees who manage to stay within the company’s standard of health, what about those who don’t? Or is everyone motivated to get healthier on this type of plan?

So, which camp are you in?

It’s clear that this is a complicated issue, to say the least. There are pros and cons to both sides, but it’s helpful to everyone to keep the conversation going. If you are considering getting involved in wellness as an organization, we’ve rounded up seven habits of highly successful wellness programs to help. And if you’re not, well, we’d love to hear why.

In Q2 2010, we saw improvements in the nation’s hiring outlook, and we cautiously cheered a little. But this time around, we may want to grab the nearest vuvuzela and blow it in excitement. (Or, uh, not.) Because while hiring in the second half of 2010 is likely to mirror the first half of the year in many ways, CareerBuilder and USA Today’s mid-year nationwide survey of more than 2,500 hiring and HR managers and more than 4,400 workers also shows that  the economy is projected to trend upward in comparison to last year at this time — and is on par with last quarter’s positive changes.

How have things changed from one year ago?

All things considered, employer behaviors and mindsets have shifted considerably from last year at this time. Forty-one percent of employers say they plan to hire between the months of July – December 2010, and employers project that in Q3 2010 specifically, they:

• Will add full-time, permanent headcount (21 percent)
• Will not make changes in staff size (65 percent)
• Will downsize staff (8 percent)
• Are undecided on staff size changes (6 percent)

One year ago, we saw that most employers expected their staff levels to remain the same as recruiting patterns held steady and job losses trended downward. Similar to this year’s numbers, 68 percent of employers didn’t anticipate any change in their full-time, permanent headcount, but in contrast, only 15 percent expected to increase staff levels (18 percent actually did). Fifteen percent decreased headcount, which is almost twice the percentage of hiring and HR managers who project a decrease in headcount in Q3 2010.

In Q3 2009, many employers were also reporting plans to postpone start dates for job offers, put mandatory furloughs into place, and institute pay cuts and hiring freezes. Today, although we’re still not completely out of the woods, we’re beginning to see a bit of daylight.

How have things changed from last quarter?

The number of employers who added full-time, permanent headcount in Q2 2010 was slightly ahead of what was originally forecasted in the survey, continuing a trend of actual hiring beating projected hiring.

In Q2 2010:

• 24 percent of employers reported they increased their full-time, permanent staff in the second quarter (up from 18 percent year over year and up 1 percent from Q1 2010).
• 11 percent decreased headcount (an improvement from 17 percent last year and 12 percent in Q1 2010).
• 64 percent reported no change in their number of full-time, permanent employees.
• 1 percent were undecided.

“The survey indicates that we’ll see sustainable new job growth through the remainder of the year, but it will be absent of any dramatic shifts,” said Matt Ferguson, CareerBuilder CEO.

Compensation Outlook

Fifteen percent of employers reported they instituted pay cuts at their organizations in the last 12 months.  Of these employers, 28 percent were restoring pay levels in the first half of the year, 18 percent in the latter half and 25 percent in 2011 and 2012.  Twenty-nine percent were unsure if and when pay would be restored to previous levels.

For Q3 2010 specifically:

• 42 percent of employers anticipate no change
• 37 percent expect there will be an increase of 1 to 3 percent
• 12 percent expect to see an increase of 4 to 10 percent
• 3 percent expect a decrease
• 1 percent anticipate an increase of 11 percent or more

Three trends to watch for in the second half of 2010

1. Emerging Jobs – Employers are looking to fill positions relatively new to the work force. Twenty-four percent of employers said they are recruiting for positions in social media, green energy, cyber security, global relations and health care reform.

2. Changing Jobs – Employers are implementing measures to retain top performers. This is good, because according to the forecast, 25 percent of all workers plan to leave their organizations in the next 12 months.

3. Shortage of Skilled Labor — One-in-five employers reported that, despite an abundant labor pool, they still have positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates.

Unhappy Employees

Many workers are re-evaluating their employment situations — and realizing they’re not too happy with their current employer.

• Twenty-five percent of workers reported they have a worse opinion of their employer in the wake of the recession. Fourteen percent have a better opinion and 61 percent stayed the same.
• Twenty-nine percent of workers plan to pursue new job opportunities when the economy shows more improvement.  As mentioned earlier, a quarter of all workers plan to leave their jobs over the next 12 months.

Why the dissatisfaction?

Several factors influenced these decisions, but many appear related to the recession.

• 30 percent of workers reported feeling over-worked, feeling the climate changed in their work environment and harboring resentment over other workers being laid off.
• One-third of workers (33 percent) reported they feel overqualified for their current jobs
• 23 percent stated that a lack of interesting work was one of the main motivators for changing employers.

What can you do as an employer to retain employees?

When asked what their employers could do to retain them as employees, workers cited the following:

1. Increased compensation is the No. 1 thing workers want.
2. If salary increases aren’t possible, workers point to employee recognition as the next best thing.
3. Third in line, workers want the company to set realistic performance expectations and manageable workloads, and to take the time to evaluate their potential and discuss career paths.
4. Investments in training and the company showing an ability to adapt were also mentioned.

To get in-depth survey results broken down by industry, region, and company size, as well as further predictions for Q3 2010, you can download the complete Q3 Forecast here.

Note: Totals may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

Well, while you were busy singing along to Hall and Oates’s “Maneater” at SHRM 2010, watching the longest tennis match in history, pacing in anxious anticipation of the premiere of “Eclipse,” or showing off your new bikini bod, lots of things were happening in the world of recruitment news and gossip this month. Let’s get right to it.

As Mashable has declared June 30 “Social Media Day,” it’s the perfect time to highlight why the risks of social media recruiting don’t negate the rewards. Employees everywhere were giving out rewards — of the rawhide type — as they showed off their Lassie lookalikes at the office this past Friday (or even all of last week) for Take Your Dog to Work Day. And while every dog had its day, we’re still waiting for better news from the Employment Situation report (but hey, a lot can change in a month!).

HR manager Dean Gualco had some interesting things to say about what it really means to be a good manager in today’s sometimes tumultuous workplace, and CareerBuilder’s Jason Ferrara gave the fathers out there some tips on being a good dad — despite more work and less time with the family. Speaking of work/life commitments, we asked you if a results-only work environment would work at your company — and you didn’t hold back.

We learned why delivering happiness can lead to not-so-happy results. But we also delivered one lucky winner lots of happy with a brand new iPod Shuffle, and learned about some awesome ways your companies are promoting employee wellness — including “Biggest Loser” competitions, on-site fitness centers, and farmer’s markets.

I broke down CareerBuilder’s new hireINSIDER solution, and how it can help solve your candidate communication (or lack thereof) issues. Speaking of candidate issues, you shared with us some of your biggest candidate deal-breakers, and we also learned why some unusual candidate tactics may actually be a smart move.

Whew — what’d we miss?

Take Your Dog to Work Day, started by Pet Sitters International, was first celebrated in 1999 (with 300 companies participating) to celebrate the companionship of dogs and encourage people to adopt dogs from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs.  As we’ve discussed in the past, this annual event encourages employers to experience the value of pets in the workplace for one designated day, for the primary purpose of promoting pet adoptions and better the lives of shelter dogs.

And while bringing a four-legged friend to work isn’t practical for every kind of work environment, supporters claim having dogs around the office has many benefits, including lowering stress and boosting employee morale.

There are a lot of ways you can get involved in Take Your Dog to Work Day, including partnering with a local shelter to bring adoptable dogs into the office. And if bringing dogs into your work environment just isn’t possible, consider finding another way to give back to the canine community — like volunteering with The Humane Society. Some businesses, like Esser Vineyards, are getting creative with events like Take Your Dog to Dinner Night, in which they donate wine to be paired with cuisine to dog-friendly participating restaurants, while diners’ furry pals enjoy a free meal.

Those who sign up and participate in the day get celebration ideas, sucess tips, a sample “dogs at work” policy for the office, coupons, pet product offerings, and the comfort of knowing they are helping raise awareness of shelter dogs and pet adoption. Tomorrow too tight of a deadline? You can request info for next year’s event.

Steve Dale has some great tips to make the day a success (like “give your dog a job” by stuffing some food in its toys), and TakeYourDog.com offers some of their own:

• Dogs should be kept on a leash, unless in the employee’s office or cubicle.
• Employees should use a baby gate to prevent dogs from leaving their office unsupervised.
• Specific areas, such as bathrooms or employee dining halls, can be designated as dog-free.
• Have a back up plan for taking the dog home if he or she is not comfortable in the work environment.
• Find a local pet sitter at Pet Sitters International to provide midday walks to employees’ dogs.

Are you celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day, or thinking about getting information to participate next year? Or are dogs in the office a no-go? Let us know!

I recently spoke with Dean Gualco, human resources manager and author of The Good Manager:  A Guide for the Twenty-First Century Manager, a book that focuses on how managers have gone from being respected in society and trusted by their employees to the source of blame for many workplace problems today.

Gualco rallies against this new view of managers, and lays out six attributes that he thinks are essential to being a good manager: Like What You Do, Knowledgeable, Solid Organizational Skills, Work Hard, Make Work Fun, and Be a Good Person.

During our discussion, he also shared his thoughts on everything from why employees view managers’ jobs as less stressful than their own, to the growing tendency to blame managers when things go awry, to the role managers play in their employees’ development, to the one thing managers can start doing today to become better managers.

Below is the Q&A -- simply click the “Play” button within each to hear Gualco’s answer to my question.

Q: What is the most important aspect of being a manager?

Q: Do you think many managers today are unqualified?

Q: What do you think is the most commonly lacking managerial attribute?

Q: Do you have any suggestions for how managers could make work more fun?

Q: What’s one thing managers can start doing today to become better managers?

Q: Why do you think employees tend to view a manager’s job as less stressful than their own?

Q: How can employees and managers work together to understand each others’ roles?

Q: How can managers prevent themselves from becoming less effective due to boredom in their roles?

Q: You mention in your book that it baffles you that many people aren’t in jobs they love. People may argue that they can’t find a job they love in a tough market. What do you say to them?

Q: How can workers stay competitive in their jobs in such a competitive marketplace?

Q: How are managers responsible for their employees staying competitive and continuously learning in their roles?

Q: Have you seen a lot of change in the role of a manager over the last few years, with the recession and a changing market?

According to a Personified survey of 250,000 job seekers, nearly 60 percent of job applicants reported they never received a response from the last employer they applied to for a job.

With millions of job seekers applying to hundreds of thousands of jobs every day, it’s increasingly challenging for you, the employer or recruiter, to provide applicants with useful information about your hiring process. In fact, the “black hole” applicants enter once they apply to a job is considered by most to be the biggest challenge in recruitment today.

What are the consequences?

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this absence of contact and communication leaves job seekers lost, frustrated, and lacking the information they need to manage their job search and career path. They don’t know who they’re up against, how they compare to other applicants or where the hiring process stands.

We’ve talked about this application black hole and the importance of communicating with applicants before, and while personal communication is ideal, it can be very time consuming to respond to candidates individually, particularly when the volume of applicants has increased in light of the recession.

But by not communicating with candidates, you are:

• Tarnishing your employment brand — frustrated candidates will start to think of your company negatively,  and will likely share their frustrations with others.
• Disrespecting candidates and showing them you don’t care about their needs in the application process.
• Making it difficult to maintain engagement with the talent pool into which you’ve invested so much money.

So, what can you do?

It’s apparent that employer/recruiter communication to candidates is very necessary — but often isn’t happening because of time or resource limitations. With this in mind, what can you do to protect your candidate relationships — and your company’s reputation?

Introducing hireINSIDER

hireINSIDER is working to solve the No. 1  issue facing employers and recruiters today: How can I communicate with candidates during the application process, when the time and resources necessary often don’t exist in a tough economy?
CareerBuilder’s new hireINSIDER solution serves both sides of the “black hole” problem by letting candidates know how they stack up against other applicants for a job, while also reducing the burden on you to provide constant, relevant communication to those whom have applied.

By getting an inside peek into the qualifications of other candidates, job seekers are able to better assess if they are a viable candidate for your job and the likelihood of you contacting them.

How?

Currently, hireINSIDER includes four key products, two of which are for candidates, and two of which are for employers.

A quick breakdown:

Job Competition Report –

• This report gives applicants a better understanding of who they are competing with for a job position.
• The report aggregates user-generated information (like education level, years of experience, and average current salaries) from applicants for a particular job listing.

Hiring Status Report —

• In exchange for sharing at which stage they are in the hiring process, job seekers receive an update on how many others in the aggregate applicant pool reported they were contacted by you, interviewed, hired or not contacted at all.
• Candidates can see if an you have made any actions on the job posting and, from there, evaluate his or her chances of getting an interview.

AppView —

• You, the employer or recruiter, can a deeper understanding of the type of talent applying to your open positions with AppView, a report that provides a real-time snapshot of the candidates whom have applied to your open positions.
• Quickly compare applicants (through metrics like current and desired salary, employment status and education level), ensure you are attracting the right candidates and become aware of changes you can make to your live job posting to enhance results.

Branded Job Competition Report –

• Get in front of job applicants with your company’s custom branding while they are using hireINSIDER data to evaluate their chances for a position.
• Job applicants who use hireINSIDER will get the higher-detail premium version of Branded Job Competition Report, wrapped in your customized branding and full of helpful, contextual communication provided by you.
• Let your applicants know what to expect from your hiring process, other roles that may be suitable for their profile, and more.

“hireINSIDER benefits employers who may not have the time or resources to respond to an increasing amount of applications in a tough economy.  By providing the feedback that job seekers need, it helps to alleviate the negative impact that a lack of response can have on a company’s employment brand,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America.

If you want to find out more about how hireINSIDER can help your company manage your application process, call 866-438-1485 or send an e-mail to hireINSIDER@careerbuilder.com.

This Sunday is Father’s Day, and while it’s a great excuse to spoil dads everywhere with the latest gadgets, grill supplies, or bacon of the month club memberships, a little extra quality time with Dad might be in order this year, in light of results from CareerBuilder’s annual Father’s Day survey.

Survey results among 800 working fathers who are employed full-time showed that a still-struggling economy is causing many working dads to experience more stress, more work — and, not surprisingly, less time spent with their families.

Why the stress?

• One in ten working dads said their spouse or significant other has become unemployed in the last 12 months, with 50 percent of those dads indicating it’s causing stress at home.
• Forty-two percent of working dads said they are the sole providers in their household
• Nine percent of working fathers say they have taken on a second job in the last 12 months to provide for their family.

Office overtime on overdrive

As many of you know firsthand, leaner staffs have led to fewer people handling a higher volume of work. This has made it more difficult for working fathers to achieve a healthy work/life balance, as many are stuck at the office working longer hours — and less time with their kids.

But just how many hours?

• Sixty-three percent of working dads said they work more than 40 hours per week.
• Three in ten (31 percent) working dads who take work home reported they typically bring work home five days a week or more.
• Thirty percent bring work home on the weekends.

And how much less time with their kids?

• Close to four in ten (37 percent) of working dads said they spend two hours or less with their children each work day.
• More than three in ten (35 percent) reported they missed two or more significant events in their child’s life due to work in the last year.

How to be a better juggler

These are bleak statistics, but as Mary Delaney, one of CareerBuilder’s own busy working mothers, has said, there are things you can do to better balance work and family. and now, Jason Ferrara, VP Corporate Marketing at CareerBuilder and a father of two, shares his tips for working dads everywhere to better manage the delicate balancing act of providing for one’s family — and being there as a partner and a father.

“Especially in tough times, working dads have to be more creative and strategic to successfully juggle both work and family commitments,” said Jason Ferrara, VP Corporate Marketing at CareerBuilder and father of two.  “Employers understand the importance of working dads’ time away from the office and continue to place an emphasis on work/life balance through benefits that encourage employees to better manage their schedules. However, year over year, we find that nearly half of working dads do not take advantage of the flexible work arrangements offered to them.”

I’m not suggesting getting Dad a juggling set for Father’s Day (though I’m not not suggesting it, either), but the following tips are designed to help working Dads more effectively juggle their professional and personal lives. After all, although our multitudes of work and life commitments won’t necessarily go away, learning to prioritize them is a strong start.

Ferrara recommends the following tips for working dads navigating through difficult economic times:

1. Keep everyone in the mix. Remember that communication is a two-way street.  Besides just listening to what is going on in your family’s lives, talk about what is going on in your office, so everyone understands why you are away or have to do some work when you are home.
2. Learn to say no. In addition to actual work, sometimes activities associated with your job can take a toll on your free time. Determine what additional activities you can turn down and which are necessary so that you can free up more of your time outside of the office.
3. Develop a master family calendar. Add every family member’s schedule to one master calendar so there are no surprises.  Also, save vacation days for important events and talk to your supervisor about flexible work arrangements.
4. Play now, work later. Put down your Blackberry and avoid checking e-mails until after your children have gone to sleep.
5. Plan a family event in your office. Take advantage of the summer months when school is out and the office may be less hectic by scheduling a kid-friendly potluck or other event with co-workers and their families.

What’s worked for you?

Do you have a solution that’s helped you better manage your work and family lives to add? Let us know in comments — We’d love to hear about it!

Would you hire this guy? Would he think you would hire him because he’s wearing a funny hat and glasses and has the confidence of 1,000 vuvuzela-blowing fans at a World Cup game? He just might: As we’ve mentioned in the past, job seekers tend to do some unconventional things in hopes of getting a job — and although we’re starting to dig ourselves out of the recession, recent economic times have still led some job seekers to resort to, shall we say,  unusual measures to try to stand out from the competition. And those unusual measures just may be working.

Unusual Job Tactics — Trend on the Rise?

Nearly one-quarter of hiring managers (22 percent) reported in a new CareerBuilder survey that they are seeing more job seekers try unusual tactics to capture their attention this year compared to last year. This is up from 18 percent of hiring managers who said the same in 2009 and 12 percent in 2008.

“While we are seeing positive signs in the job market as employers gradually add headcount, competition is still high for open positions,” said Jason Ferrara, senior career adviser at CareerBuilder.

“As a result, more candidates are turning to unconventional tactics to attract the attention of hiring managers. While these tactics may work occasionally, they still need to be done with professionalism. That way, candidates are remembered for what they can offer an organization and not just for an unusual antic.”

When Strange May Actually Be Smart

While doing strange things to get a job may have gotten a bad rap in the past, it’s not all “Thanks for your time; these gentlemen will escort you out” on the employer end. Some hiring managers look at candidates who think outside the interview walls and see an innovative new employee in their future; nearly one-in-ten (9 percent) said they have hired someone who used an unconventional tactic to get their attention.

But what really works and what flops? As Ferrara mentioned above, candidates are wise to show what they can offer to an organization when considering an unusual approach. Otherwise, it’s just an empty attention grabber — and employers will likely see through it right away.

When asked what unusual job tactics made them go from “Whaaaa?” to “You’re hired,” here are some incidents they shared:

• Candidate brought in a DVD of his former boss giving him a recommendation.
• Candidate applying for a casino table game position came into my office and started dealing on my desk while pretending to talk to players, which showed me her guest service skills.
• Candidate sent in a letter that explained how to solve an issue our company was having with a certain type of technology.
• Candidate who was a prospective teacher brought in a box of props to demonstrate her teaching style.
• Candidate came prepared with unique business cards featuring our logo and a self-introduction brochure.
• Candidate wrote a full business plan for one of our products with his resume submission.
  
• Candidate created a full graphics portfolio on our brand.

Have you had a job seeker try to get your attention by doing or saying something out of the ordinary? Did it work?

Workplace Flexibility — It’s Not a Trend

More and more businesses are talking about the importance of workplace flexibility in today’s society – and the White House even dedicated a recent forum solely to the topic. As the forum stressed, we need a 21st century workplace to meet the demands of a 21st century work force. A report by the President’s Council of Economic Advisors found that more flexibility in the workplace leads to happier employees, more family time, and higher employee retention and productivity – as well as more competitive and profitable workplaces.

One of the more interesting discussions in The Hiring Site’s contest history recently unfolded around the very idea of workplace flexibility, as we asked all of you the following question for our May contest (and gave away some cool stuff — congrats to our winners!):

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

You were all more than a bit divided on the subject; opinions ranged from “This would NOT be a good environment at ANY company!” to “Yes! Thinking outside the box is what keeps America growing.” I’ve rounded up some of the highlights below (you can read the full list of comments here).

“I think ROWE is a fantastic way of boosting employee morale and engagement, and it can be used as a “perk” for some employees (it works for me!)” –PJ

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“It’s a good concept for companies without strict production deadlines.” –Donna

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“I think that the staff on my team would enjoy this freedom. I even believe some of them may produce the results in order to have the freedom. I do also believe that I need some one here 8-5 to take care of clients who have that expectation of us. It’s a great concept, but I’m not sure how I can make the logistics work in my 5 man team.” –Stacy

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“While I think this would be a great concept in several work environments; the concept would not work in our setting; we are in the business of providing 24/7 care to our patients. The level of staffing that is needed depends on the number of patient we have to take care and the level of the care that each patient requires.” –Lara

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“I think the best part of a ROWE would be the work life balance that it creates. As a working mom I can imagine how helpful and ideal a ROWE would be.” –Bernadette

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“In the field of corrections, this is not possible. You cannot monitor an inmate population from the grocery store. There is also no quantitative way to measure remote job performance… Most people are not able to handle the organizational issues and self-motivating actions this would require.” –KCI

“We treat all our colleagues as adults and they all manage their own time. We have no handbook. We have no time clock. All but one of our people work from a home office or on client sites. We do not track how much time is spent in either place (except for billing purposes.) Our turnover is basically zero in the last several years – not just in HR District Office, but in Higbee Associates as a whole.” –Lynn

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“I love the concept! Unfortunately, I don’t think it would work in our business, which is retail. We might be able to use it for back-office/administrative functions, but I believe there has to be some face time in order to foster teamwork.” –Lise

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“On the surface this appears to be a creative way to bridge the gap between generations and work place expectations.” –Kim

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“It is pretty hard to mentor someone that is not around on a consistent basis. This will undermine the relationship and make it harder to give feedback.” –Denise

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“Working set amounts of hours is really not about results, but about doing something because it is supposed to be done this way. If people could be more tied to the outcome of their work then more people would be happier with their careers. Its a great idea whose time may come down the road.” –Noelle

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“It sounds fantastic and I would love to be able to do it! But, I think that we (Americans) are used to a certain mindset in the workplace and that is the harder (usually more hours) you work the better employee you are. It would be hard to change that mindset in all of your employees and this could in turn create some resentment.” –Jen

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“Unfortunately adopting such a paradigm shift in culture would possibly cripple an organization who still follows workflows and corporate driven goal setting they built decades ago. Many newcomers are all for it and working smarter is. Not looked at as valuable as sitting at your desk looking busy from 9-5. Anyone else’s company still in a time warp?” –Steve

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“The flexibility to manage your time as you need would create less stress in a job and in life. In turn this makes you more productive. More productive means more money, and money is always the bottom line.” –Brad

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“The ROWE concept is a great one but measures would have to be in place to ensure excellent service. Customers want/need (pay) to have access to their vendors so making sure the correct results are delivered would be a challenge. It really requires drilling down to the specific results the organization wants to achieve and being able to understand what your customers want/need/are willing to accept. Companies would also need to have technology and communication (practices) infrastructures that would support the diversity of schedules and patterns brought on by this approach.” –Charles

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“I think more companies need to expand their thinking and rewards structure, sometimes money isn’t really the bottom line and quality of life is much more appealing.” –Gytahnna

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Your Biggest Concerns

From what I gathered in your comments, many of the concerns or challenges you expressed in your comments regarding ROWE boil down to physical presence and time elements — the need for employees to be physically in the office and during certain times, whether for meetings, teamwork building, customers, last-minute projects, ongoing deadlines, the ability to mentor, the desire to keep an eye on employees’ progress, or something else. The founders of ROWE have detailed answers to many of the same questions and concerns you have all expressed — you can determine whether or not their answers satisfy you.

ROWE — Who’s Doing It?

Some of you also asked at which companies ROWE was currently in place. Companies like Best Buy, Gap Outlet, Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, and Fairview Health Services’ (their IT department) have adapted a results-only work environment. You can read about one employee’s ROWE experience here.

And as for the concern that with ROWE, employees won’t show up for meetings, answer calls, or meet deadlines, Eric Severson, VP of HR for Gap Inc., says, “That just doesn’t happen. People need feedback on projects and will come to meetings to get sign-offs. Some people still work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and that’s fine. ROWE is your choice.”

ROWE or not, workplaces are constantly changing — and we enjoy discussing those changes with you. Any additional thoughts about ROWE?

Seeing more co-workers stuffing large quantities of cupcakes left after meetings into their purse, or frantically kicking the vending machine to try to trick it into giving them two candy bars? Hopefully not, because that would be messy and violent, respectively — but if you’re eating a little more and are seeing everyone around you do the same, you may be happy to know there’s a reason for all the eating madness: Work stress and economic pressure.

The combination of these two negative forces seems to be a factor in the U.S. labor force’s weight gain, according to a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 4,800 workers. But how much of a factor, really?

Here’s the skinny:

Forty-four percent of the roughly 4,800 workers surveyed say they have gained weight in their current jobs – and 32 percent of those workers attribute the weight gain to stress. 

Do you celebrate every co-worker’s birthday with a big ol’ cake, which you eat at your desk, before going out to lunch to celebrate? You’re not alone. Workers’ other reasons for weight gain at work include:

• Sitting at a desk most of the day (49 percent)
• Eating out regularly (25 percent)
• Workplace celebrations  like potlucks and birthdays (16 percent)
• Skipping meals because of time constraints (14 percent)

What do the scales say?

• 28 percent of employees report they have gained more than ten pounds, and 12 percent say they gained more than 20 pounds while in their present positions.
• Comparing genders, women were more likely to put on weight — and more weight — than men.
• Half of female workers (50 percent) say they have gained weight in their current position, compared to 39 percent of their male counterparts.

What can you do to help your employees — and should you?

Employers are divided as to how deeply they should get involved in employees’ personal fitness and health. However, it’s hard to deny that an abundance of stress at work isn’t good for employee morale — and can lead to weight gain in the workplace, unhappy employees, lower productivity, and health issues.

In contrast, company wellness programs have been shown to lower employees’ stress rates, improve health and quality of life, and also save companies money in the process.

“Especially in this economy, it is easier to pick up unhealthy eating habits in the office as workers spend more time on heavier workloads and less time on themselves,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.

“Employers know that employees who are healthier and have less stress are more productive and ultimately stay longer in their positions. Because of this, we continue to see employers taking a more proactive role in their staff’s health by offering perks such as gym passes, onsite workout facilities, wellness benefits and even contests that promote healthy living.”

Even if you don’t want to get too involved as an employer — or involved at all — it’s smart to have available resources for employees should they reach out to you. Haefner recommends the following tips for employees trying to workplace weight gain:

1. Set an eating schedule. Planning out all your meals and snacks will help control your hunger. Set up alerts through your work calendar — or even on your phone — when it is time for you to eat something (and then don’t forget to eat!).

2. Pack a lunch and snacks. You’re less likely to eat something unhealthy if you bring food from home, because you can control portions, take in less calories — and save money while you’re at it. Consider lower-calorie foods for the office such as lean lunch meats, fat-free or reduced calorie chips, celery and carrots, fruit, or low-fat yogurt.

3. Go the extra mile. Especially in this economic environment, every little bit of activity helps, so take the stairs to your floor, get up and walk around the office periodically, and get off the train or bus one stop further from your home or office to get a few extra minutes of exercise.
Read the full press release on workers gaining weight at the office.

Be the hero and surprise your team with three months of breakfast treats from Wolferman’s, or singlehandedly caffeinate your employees for all of Q3 2010 with a 3-month Dunkin’ Donuts coffee subscription. And even if you don’t win either of those, you have a chance to win your own copy of “Why Works Sucks and How to Fix It.”

Entering is Easy:

Simply answer the question, “Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?” in the comments below — and you’ll automatically be entered to win!

What’s ROWE all about? Read on to find out — and then enter to win for your chance at free swag!

What’s ROWE?

At a SXSW Interactive panel this past March, I listened to the founders of the ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment) movement, Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, speak. After hearing more about ROWE and the well-known companies who had successfully adapted a results-only work environment, I was intrigued — and like many others, I had a lot of questions.

The concept of ROWE is, at its face, simple. People should have control of their own time — not the companies for which they work. In a results-only environment, the only thing that matters is results – not how many hours you’re at the office.

• As an employee, you own your time 24/7.
• Unlimited PTO as long as the work gets done.
• Go to the grocery store on a Tuesday at 10 a.m. if you need to.
• No more mandatory meetings.
• No more permission-granting from your employer, but instead, performance guiding.
• Employees are trusted with their time.

As Ressler and Thompson say, “Work isn’t a place you go — it’s a thing you do.” They are quick to stress that ROWE is not the same as flex time, telecommuting, job sharing, or employees to work from home a couple of days per week — those options, they say, are not enough.

From www.gorowe.com:

In a results-only company or department, employees can do whatever they want whenever they want, as long as the work gets done.  You make the decisions about what you do and where you do it, every minute of every day.

Here’s a video explaining ROWE, featuring employers who have adapted it:

The CEO of Girl Scouts of San Gorgonia Council, who pioneered ROWE for the organization when she came on board as CEO, recently wrote an article about her take on ROWE and workplace flexibility.

The Benefits?

According to stats on Ressler and Thompson’s website:

• ROWE teams report an average increase of 35% in productivity by eliminating waste from systems and processes, which increases employee capacity.
• ROWE teams also experience up to a 90% decrease in voluntary turnover rates.

Other benefits:

• Talent retention and attraction — Ressler and Thompson argue that companies in a results-only environment have a competitive advantage, as many candidates willing to be paid less money and have more freedom rather than work in a company with a traditional structure and more money.
• Optimization of space — Employees are working remotely much of the time.
• Elimination of wasteful processes — Employees will not be wasting a company’s time, money, and resources.

Challenges?

This may all sound too good to be true — so in our follow-up post, we’ll address some of the challenges companies who choose this route face, as well as some of your proposed challenges.

As employees of companies of all sizes (or as candidates looking for your next job), we at The Hiring Site want to get your thoughts. If nothing else, with work/life lines blurring more and more and more workers demanding (or at least requesting) flexibility and freedom in the workplace, it’s an interesting concept to start discussing.

How to Enter:
Simply answer this question in the comments below: “Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

Once you submit your answer, you’ll automatically be entered to win.

What Can you Win?

• One of you will win a 3-month breakfast club subscription for your team
• Two of you will win a 3-month Dunkin’ Donuts coffee subscription (that’s 2 lbs./month of regular or decaf, whole bean or ground, however you want it!)
• Four of you will win a copy of “Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It” by Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson.

Contest Details:
Entries will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST on Monday, May 17, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, May 21, 2010.  Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of May 24, 2010. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.

Just answer this question: “Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

Want to hear more about ROWE? Listen to Ressler and Thompson on NPR, in a three-part story about result-only work environments.

You may have a dozen reasons to celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday, but here’s one you may not have thought of — a tough economy. A recent CareerBuilder survey of 604 women, employed full-time with children 18 and under living in the household, shows that working moms may be feeling more stressed — and less appreciated — in our current economic climate.

Working moms, many of them recently tasked with the responsibility of keeping their families afloat due to unemployed spouses or other financial issues, have had to become more resourceful than ever.

According to survey results:

• Twelve percent of working moms said their spouse or significant other has become unemployed in the last 12 months, with two-thirds (67 percent) indicating that it is causing stress at home.
• Thirty-six percent of working moms said they are the sole provider for their household.
• Nearly one-in-ten (9 percent) have taken on a second job in the last 12 months to provide for their family.

Work/life balance — what’s that again?

As a result, achieving a work/life balance can be a lot of work in itself, as moms are working more hours — which often translates to less time at home with the family:

• Forty-three percent of working moms work more than 40 hours per week.
• More than one-third (34 percent) who take work home reported they typically bring work home three days a week or more.
• Twenty-three percent bring work home on the weekends.
• Nearly one-in-five (18 percent) of working moms said they spend two hours or less with their children each work day.
• Nearly three-in-ten (29 percent) reported they missed two or more significant events in their child’s life due to work in the last year.

So what can working moms do to achieve more balance?

CareerBuilder’s Mary Delaney, a working mother herself, offers other working moms her thoughts and tips:

“The tough economy has taken its toll on family units and working moms are challenged with doing more with less time,” said Mary Delaney, President of Personified, CareerBuilder’s talent consulting division, and mother of three.

“What we’re seeing from these moms is a great deal of resourcefulness and resilience as they provide for their families.  While they may not be able to spend as much time with their children as they would like, working moms are making the most of the time they do have and getting creative in work arrangements.”

Delaney recommends the following tips to help working moms navigate through difficult economic times:

1. Talk to other working moms. Many families are in the same boat as you and having a support network is essential to your personal and professional sanity.  Getting tips from other working moms on how they juggle personal and professional commitments can be a big help.
2. Seek out flexible work arrangements. The vast majority of working moms who have taken advantage of flexible work arrangements said it hasn’t negatively impacted their careers.  In fact, one-in-five (21 percent) said it has actually helped their careers.
3. Have a plan. Structure in your life will save you time, stress and mental energy.  Keep one calendar for business and family commitments to avoid double-booking. Set up a schedule for chores, homework, family activities, playtime, etc.
4. Take advantage of work perks. Companies offer a variety of perks such as wellness benefits, company discounts on entertainment venues, etc.  Talk to your HR department and see what is available to help save money on monthly expenses and fun family outings.
5. Make the most of your family time. When you’re home, it’s all about them.  Wait until after the children go to bed before checking email or finishing up that presentation.
6. Schedule some “me time.” Working moms need to take care of themselves too.  Put actual time on the calendar for an hour or more of doing something you enjoy such as going to the gym, taking a walk, reading, etc.

Working moms (or dads) — any tips to add that have helped your family get things back in order?

If you can tear yourself away from KFC’s Double Down sandwich or the latest episode of Glee long enough, take a few minutes to check out what you’ve missed this past month in the wonderful and sometimes wacky world of recruitment.

We found reason to be optimistic with CareerBuilder and USA Today’s Q2 2010 hiring forecast results, and BLS released March’s Employment Situation report, which revealed that the economy saw its largest job gain in three years. And hey! Things are even looking up for college graduates in terms of the job outlook.

While we’re talking about better news in hiring, I should probably mention that we just released our new how-to-hire e-book, CareerBuilder’s Ultimate Recruitment Guide. Download a copy for yourself — or your team — now.

What are workers spending their tax refunds on this year? Is it that trip to see grandma in Wyoming? A new lifetime supply of bathroom tissue? You may be surprised. On that note, a new CareerBuilder survey found that the majority of employers are doing something to become more environmentally friendly, or “green” –investing in bathroom tissue made from recycled tissue, perhaps?

Jim Greenwood, CEO of Concentra, Inc. shared his thoughts on being a CEO — a Chief Encouragement Officer, that is — and talked about Concentra’s workplace culture, the importance of giving colleagues an opt out, and much more.  Another leader, Martha O’Gorman, chief marketing officer at Liberty Tax Service, talked with us about why employees should be left to do their jobs, when humor’s appropriate in workplace culture, and why the company doesn’t believe in traditional national advertising.

Do you want colleagues — or ex-colleagues — rating you anonymously and gaining control over whether that next employer wants to hire you? A new social networking site, Unvarnished, thinks you do. Speaking of the power of employee referrals, we revealed how a personal phone call from George Lopez to Conan O’Brien helped Conan decide to sign on to Team TBS.

Lastly, we discussed AOL’s success in employment branding, and why you need to know who you are — and who you aren’t — as an employer.

Here’s some other employment news that’s been making us gasp, cringe, or smile this past month:

• Sooooo… did we mention our new recruitment e-book is out? We might have.
• Some companies send you back to school.  Other companies school you on social media best practices, university-style.
• Why the job hoppers who make you hesitate may actually make the best employees.
• You’d probably gasp if you got this kind of e-mail from a potential intern. Amirite?
• The best culture attracts the best talent — here’s 10 ways to get in on the action
• Top Employee, anyone? Five ways food and restaurants are mixing in an awesome culture.
• Sometimes, your employees need to feel empowered to get on that bike and fall off. And learn to get back up. And, you know, fall off again.
• Speaking of bikes, some of you may want to bike to a nearby establishment to see what a  “jobless recovery ale” is like. Taste the happy… ?
• Would you pay Donatella Versace to judge your skills and that skirtyougotforlike$10shhhh — for charity?

Anything we missed?

As many of you are likely aware, the 40th anniversary of Earth Day is tomorrow, April 22. Around the world, people are taking part in everything from planting gardens, to clean water projects, to climate rallies, to people-powered smoothie making to celebrate and raise awareness. The White House is making a splash by dedicating five days of events to celebrate Earth Day.

In addition, Vice President Joe Biden announced earlier today that $452 million in Recovery Act funding will go toward energy-efficient building retrofits in 25 communities. These 25 projects will leverage an estimated $2.8 billion from other sources, which will go toward retrofitting hundreds of thousands of U.S. homes and businesses in the next three years.

Are businesses ready?

So, with all this retrofitting to come — and with many job seekers seeking out socially responsible companies — it’s exciting to hear that many companies are paying attention and have taken steps — or plan to take steps — to become more environmentally friendly, as indicated by a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers. As Kimberly, a recent commenter on The Hiring Site, wrote:

“Our job descriptions have been revamped to instill a “day-in-the-life” of… to example our culture. We also include our organization’s work/life balance, community involvement and our “green” initiatives.”

According to survey results, one in ten employers say they have added “green jobs,” otherwise known as environmentally-focused positions, in the last 12 months, despite the tough economy, and nearly 10 percent plan to add more in 2010.

Which region’s leading the pack?

Employers in the Northeast (14 percent) added the most “green,” or environmentally friendly, jobs over the last year, followed by 11 percent in the South, 10 percent in the West and 9 percent in the Midwest.

Of those surveyed, which industry’s most green?

Retail led the industries surveyed, with 24 percent indicating they have added green jobs over the last 12 months. What percentage of other industries indicated they’ve done the same?

• Eighteen percent of transportation and utilities
• Fifteen percent of sales
• Fourteen percent of IT and manufacturing
• Ten percent of financial services

Companies are not only adding environmentally friendly positions within their organizations, but they are also strengthening their current in-house green programs. Nearly 70 percent of companies say they have added programs to be more environmentally conscious in the last year. The most popular green programs include:

• Recycling (47 percent)
• Using less paper (43 percent)
• Controlling lighting (40 percent)
• Powering down computers at the end of the day (29 percent)
• Purchasing office supplies made from recycled materials (25 percent)

“Green opportunities continue to grow as companies take advantage of increased government programs designed to spur job growth and reduce the country’s carbon footprint,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “The green category has expanded over the past few years and job seekers are finding environmentally friendly positions in virtually every industry and at every job level.”

What’s going on in the marketplace?

The following are some examples of green job opportunities that can be found at Going Green Jobs, CareerBuilder’s site designed to connect green employers and job seekers:

1. Hydrologist — The median annual income is $78,458.*
2. Solar energy system designer –The median annual income is $65,160.
3.Wildlife biologist – The median annual income is $38,301.
4. Science teacher – The median annual income of kindergarten, elementary, middle and secondary school teachers ranges from $51,373 to 57,537.
5. Waste management engineer — The median annual income is $89,067.
6. Environmental attorney — The median annual income for attorneys specializing in construction, real estate and land use is $99,579.
7. Urban planner — The media annual income is $65,768.

* Salary information from CBsalary.com.

What are you doing for Earth Day 2010?

What is your company doing to take part in Earth Day — or what has your business done recently to become more environmentally friendly? What kind of an impact is it having on your business and on your employees?

If you are looking for ideas of service projects in your local area, check out the Earth Day 2010 list.

The outlook for college grads is not the same as it has been in the past — like, say, in 2007, when 79 percent of employers indicated in a CareerBuilder survey that they planned to hire recent college grads. Still, although it appears the overall job market for 2010 college graduates will remain highly competitive, this year’s job forecast is showing some signs of improvement.

Although the number of employers planning to hire recent college graduates in 2010 is 44 percent — relatively unchanged from 2009’s number of 43 percent, one in five employers (21 percent) who are planning to hire recent grads said they will hire more of them than they did last year. On top of that, 16 percent (as opposed to last year’s 11 percent) reported they will offer higher starting salaries than they did in 2009.

Wait — how high?

• Thirty percent of employers plan to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between $30,000 and $40,000.
• Nineteen percent will offer between $40,000 and $50,000
• An additional 19 percent will offer $50,000 or more.
• Thirty-three percent will offer less than $30,000.

“Even though companies are gradually starting to hire again, the job market will still be challenging for college graduates this year,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “To take advantage of the opportunities that exist, it’s important for recent graduates to start their search early, remain positive and keep an open mind. In addition, networking and showing relevant work experience – whether it is internships, class work or volunteering – can help make your application stand out.”

Work experience — what counts?

When looking at a candidate’s resume, particularly of a soon-to-be or recent college grad, what really counts when it comes to work experience? If you’re only looking at a candidate’s paid work, you ought to broaden your considerations. Experience can come from many places, and particularly in light of a tough economy, candidates are exploring new areas to gain the experience that can sometimes be hard to find in the traditional sense.

Employers reported that the following activities qualify as pertinent work experience for recent college graduates to include on their resumes:

• Internships – 62 percent
• Part-time jobs in another area or field – 50 percent
• Volunteer work – 40 percent
• Class work – 31 percent
• Involvement in school organizations – 23 percent
• Helping managing  sorority & fraternity activities – 21 percent
• Sports participation – 13 percent

More than just that je ne sais quoi

Furthermore, experience, whatever parameters you define it in, is not the only important factor in a candidate’s application. While employers in our CareerBuilder survey said that experience is one of the most influential factors in their decision to hire a recent college graduate, they also pointed to the following attributes:

• Good fit with company culture
• Comes in with good ideas and asks good questions
• Educational background
• Level of enthusiasm
• Comes to interview prepared and is knowledgeable about company

Speaking of recent college grads doing their homework, it may be a good time to make sure you’ve done yours by tweaking those tired interview questions. It’s almost graduation time, and while you may be screening new grads, they’ll be screening you too. It’s a new class, with new expectations.  Are you ready?

You can find the full press release about 2010 college graduates here.

Many workers have likely been saving their pennies for Apple’s iPad, lamenting steep carry-on luggage fees they may now be incurring en route to this summer’s family reunion, or figuring out how they will fit higher gas prices into that “big coffee pots” road tour. But wait! Tax refunds are coming! Problem solved… right? Not so fast.

The reality is much less fun than giant coffee pot pours tours. As it turns out, more than half (56 percent) of workers report they will use the money they get from their tax refunds to pay off the bills that have been stacking up, according to a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 5,200 workers. This seems to be in line with what a recent CNNMoney.com article suggests workers use tax refund money for.

Although the majority are planning to use tax refunds to tackle bills, some are planning to use their refunds (or at least that which remains after paying off said bills) in other ways.

What do they plan to do with the money?

• Put it into savings – 34 percent
• Make home improvements – 12 percent
• Go on vacation – 11 percent
• Pay back money I owe to people – 8 percent
• Invest it – 7 percent
• Buy a car – 2 percent

How We’re Living

In the past, many workers have likely been able to spend tax refund money on indulgences or “fun” things. In light of a struggling economy, however, tax refunds have become a needed income boost for cash-strapped workers. Nearly eight in ten workers (78 percent) said they currently live paycheck to paycheck, up from 61 percent who said the same in May 2009.

In addition, economic pressures have resulted in some workers downsizing their investments to help make ends meet. Nearly one in five (17 percent) reported they reduced their 401(k) contributions in the last year.

“Workers’ wallets are still feeling the ripple effects of the past year,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “In addition to scaling back their investments and cutting back on expenses, workers are using their tax refunds to help supplement their incomes. Our survey indicates that more workers plan to spend their refunds on everyday expenses than on savings or other items.”

But, if you’re one of the lucky workers who is scraping enough money together to buy an iPad, at least you can take comfort in some free apps to go along with it.

March Madness is heating up, but we’re already looking ahead to next month. But we’ll allow ourselves just one last look back at the news, gossip, and trends of March before we don our raincoats and mudslide into April.

Money Woes

Know someone 60 years of age or older who can’t retire because he or she needs the money? Over 70 percent of people in that age group are delaying retirement plans because they can’t afford not to, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey.

On the other end of the age spectrum, but on a similar note, a recent study finds that just 31 percent of employed Millenials (those who make up the 18- to 29-year age group) reported making enough money to lead the kind of life they want — leaving 69 percent who are not satisfied.

Compensation is the single biggest expense for companies of all sizes — which is why you need a compensation strategy.  Our March contest question asked you: What do you think is the most important factor in determining compensation? We got some very diverse responses. (Stay tuned for more info on the Talent Compensation Portal.)

“I Overslept” is Soooo Last Year

Oh, and speaking of compensation, low pay could be an unmotivating factor leading some employees to be late to work – although the unusual late excuses (ahem, “My car door fell off”) given indicate otherwise.

What else do we know about cars? Well, for one, the employees driving them are often e-mailing on their smart phones at the same time – and possibly because they’re afraid of you, the employer.

Hiring, Health Care, and… Joysticks?

There’s no reason to fear video games in recruiting, however (fellow NES nerds, rejoice!). Turns out using video games to recruit and retain employees is serious biz – nearly 70 percent of major domestic employers use games to train employees. Another trend? Rehiring former employees — and FOX Television may be doing just that.

And good news! According to a new survey, 48 percent of company respondents say they plan to fill more job openings this year. Let’s hear it for hiring…

Oh, and then there was that bill that was said to be the most important social legislation in four decades. Maybe you’ve heard? We broke down the essentials of the recent health care bill (The Health Care &  Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010) and jobs bill (Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act) and the impact of both on your business — so you didn’t have to.

What’d we miss?

What is your compensation strategy — or do you have one at all? In many workplaces, employers are often just throwing darts to ultimately decide upon the monetary figure which becomes an employee’s salary. Last week, we asked all of you to answer the following question for a chance to win a Talent Compensation Portal report for two job positions: “What do you think is the most important factor in determining compensation?”

We received some excellent and diverse answers from you, our readers, and here are a few:

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I believe work experience is the most important factor in determining compensation. Likewise, job performance should be the #1 determiner for raises and promotions. –Heather

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The most important factor is the value the employee brings to the company. It’s not an exact science because there are multiple things to consider but at the end of the day you don’t want to be paid more than the value you are giving to your company or else it will be a short-lived situation. –Joe

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I see experience along with certification/education as the biggest factors, but someone showing initiative and doing work beyond their job duties to better the company is deserving of a raise or promotion. –Stephanie

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A person’s earnings at his/her most recent employer. –Jaime

————

A like position should not pay the same in NYC as it will in rural Nebraska since the cost of living are no where even close to the same. HR departments must know what their competition is offering for like positions “down the street” to be competitive and attract the best person for their company. A company that offers excellent benefits needs also to promote this to the candidates. –Lisa

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When determining compensation for a new hire – experience, drive, passion, and aptitude play a role in compensation. If I can tell the new hire is applying or interviewing because they are just looking for a paycheck, I will not compensate them at the same rate initially as someone who is coming to the position with the same experience but is thirsty to grow. –Allison

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The single most important factor in compensation is relevant job experience. Education is important, but someone with a degree and no relevant work experience, should not recieve as high a pay scale as someone who was working in their chosen field while getting their education, even if it was an internship. Attitude, drive, flexibility, vision, achievable goals all should be considered at the time of performance evaluation or promotion time. -_DG

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Results, ROI, Performance – whatever you want to call it. New hire or veteren – it’s the one with a proven track record that should get the greatest compensation. –Brenda

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There is a salary range for various “job titles w/descriptions/qualifications” in every industry area which is usually a boiler plate for compensation. Based on these salary ranges, employers will negotiate a compensation package within that range or sometimes higher to recruit and retain the best talent for all positions. –Sherry

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The mention of a “boiler plate” is interesting, as are the answers we received from many of our readers, precisely because the idea of what compensation strategy is, or should be, is so varied. As we’ve seen from the responses, many employers think of  compensation strategy in terms like  “experience,” “past performance,” or “recent salary.” While these are definitely important and part of what makes up a strategy, it’s also important to think beyond these factors to questions like:

• What are you measuring a candidate’s experience against to determine the right salary?
• What are your competitors doing?
• What is the most frequent salary for the position you are filling, in your geographic area and industry?
• Do you have any idea whether your number is on the low or high end of the scale?

Compensation strategy is essential for attraction and retention

Obviously, your company doesn’t just pull a number out of thin air (right?), but it is important to understand which factors are involved in deciding upon a fair salary – and how those factors are determined in the first place. Assigning weight to factors arbitrarily without research off which to base it and back it up can be a dangerous decision.

If you want to position yourself as a best-in-class organization, it is wise to start thinking now about which compensation factors are important to your company, then use the most current and accurate compensation statistics to develop a strategy around your company’s compensation decisions.

Compensation is not only a big expense to businesses of all sizes, but is also crucial in both attracting and retaining your best employees. If your company doesn’t know the right compensation for a particular position, it is difficult to compete for a stellar candidate. And if your current employees find out that your company doesn’t realize their true worth, they’re not going to be sticking around for long.

As the employment market is constantly changing, your company, too, must continue to evaluate and adjust your compensation strategy to ensure you’re remaining competitive and balanced. With the most fresh and comprehensive compensation data at your side, your company can start putting method behind your money – and reaping the rewards.

Well, kind of. If you’re imagining a bunch of ladies sitting around spilling their deepest, darkest employee secrets a la “The View,” replace that image with an independent report obtained with survey results from 41 companies and representing a total of 176,000 positions and 1.8 million U.S.-based employees in CareerXroads’ 9th Annual Source of Hire Study.

Still, the study’s findings are pretty interesting — and include survey results about how many companies plan to fill job openings this year,best sources of hire, and information on how companies can use and leverage this sources-of-hire data.

A couple of highlights from the study:

Best sources of hire

• According to survey results, U.S. employers said referrals, career sites and job boards accounted for the majority of their new external hires in 2009 (62.2 percent).
• Career sites and job boards accounted for 35.5 percent of new external hires in the U.S. in 2009.
• CareerBuilder was ranked as the No. 1 source of hire within the job board category at 41.6 percent compared to 11.6 percent for its largest competitor.

Majority report more job openings this year

• As far as job openings, almost half (48 percent) of company respondents say they plan to grow this year, while 37.9 percent of respondents say they will hold steady this year.
• Only 10.8 percent say they will fill fewer openings in 2010.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Although we strive not to self-promote on The Hiring Site, this survey reminded us that some of you who are not customers may not be aware of our T-E-A-M philosophy and the new solutions we’ve recently launched as a response to the changing job market. As we have evolved beyond just a job board, we’ve started offering a suite of human capital solutions like talent consulting, in-depth data analysis and talent flow tracking, niche industry job sites, social media brand management, outplacement services and more. If you want to learn more or get a brush-up on the solutions we’re working on with other customers, you can check them out here.

The time has come! Enter for a chance to get a report with the most accurate, fresh, and complete compensation data available today.

How to Enter:
Simply answer this question in the comments section below: “What do you think is the most important factor in determining compensation?”

Once you submit your answer, you’ll automatically be entered to win a report generated from CareerBuilder’s Talent Compensation Portal product for (2) job positions (a $300.00 value).

What will that get you, exactly? The most up-to-date compensation information available for two of your most pressing job positions. No joke. Check out the video demo of Talent Compensation Portal here.

What’s a star performer worth…

…And why should you care? Well, as it turns out, compensation is the single largest expense for companies of all sizes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. corporations’ total employee compensation expense in 2007 was approximately $7.51 trillion. Staggering, isn’t it? Yet, few companies have a real strategy around their compensation. Have you thought about the factors influencing compensation? How much is a great new hire “worth”? How about a company’s best employees?

Having the most accurate, fresh, and complete compensation information enables a business to:

• Optimize its salary budget
• Attract and retain the best people at the right price
• Keep up with the latest compensation trends
• Manage compensation during times of change
• Reduce turnover

It’s smart to start thinking about the factors important to you in determining compensation — it’s not only a big expense to businesses of all sizes, but compensation is crucial in attracting and retaining your best employees. If employers don’t know the right compensation for a particular position, how can they compete for a star employee? And if employees aren’t aware of what they are worth, they could be missing the right opportunities. Alternately, if they find out that a company doesn’t realize their true worth, they’re not going to be sticking around for long.

Contest Details:
Entries will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST on Monday, March 15, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, March 19, 2010.  Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of March 24, 2010. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.

There are six words that, when used together, can cause a bit of anxiety (no, I’m not talking about So You Think You Can Dance?).

Consider this scenario: Your employee is rushing to get to work. He or she is driving a car, one hand on the wheel — and one hand on the smart phone. Every once in a while your employee anxiously glances down at the phone, anticipating the inevitable work correspondence. Your employee doesn’t have to wait long, because five minutes into the drive, you, the frazzled boss who’s up early and thinking about a project, decides to e-mail said employee, knowing full well your employee will check the message right away – and feel compelled to respond. You type those six very important words: What is the status on this?

You hit send.

This type of situation may be more of a problem than you realize. Whether you’re a boss who’s always connected and expects the same of your employees, or you’re an employee who feels pressured to be “on” at all times, even while driving – you may need to slow down a bit. According to the results of a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 5,200 workers, more than half (54 percent) of workers who have a smart phone or similar device said they check it when driving a vehicle — and many are risking safety on the road because they feel pressured to respond.

Which Industries are Most Connected On the Commute?

In comparing industries:

• Sixty-six percent of sales workers used their smart phones while driving, more than any other group surveyed.
• They were followed by  professional and business services workers (59 percent).
• Health care workers were third in terms of industry use (50 percent).

How Bad Is It?

It’s bad enough that almost of quarter (21 percent) of workers say they check their mobile device every time it vibrates or beeps — but worse that 18 percent report they are required by their company to be accessible beyond office hours via mobile device. In addition, 14 percent of workers said they feel obligated to constantly stay in touch with work because of the current tough economy.

It’s true that the lines between work and home lives are often blurry at best due to our ability to be connected in so many ways and at all hours of the day. It’s important for bosses to keep in mind, however, that if employees are not at work and you require them to correspond or make work decisions, there’s a possibility you could be putting them in danger.

And while it’s also true that employees are not always in the precarious position of driving while texting or e-mailing, consider that your employees have personal lives just like you. By corresponding during off-hours, you may be forcing them to respond while they’re mid-first-date (and nervous to begin with), enjoying a Broadway show, praying, or even attending to other “personal business” — in the bathroom. Workers with smart phones said they are checking in with the office on their smart phones from virtually anywhere and everywhere, including:

• During a meal:  62 percent
• On vacation:  60 percent
• While in the bathroom:  57 percent
• Lying in bed at night:  50 percent
• At a movie, play, or musical:  25 percent
• On a date:  18 percent
• Working out at the gym:  17 percent
• At a child’s event of function:  17 percent
• At church:  11 percent

Think Before You Hit “Send”

While sometimes communication outside of the office may be necessary, consider your options before contacting — and decide whether the message you’re communicating is important enough to hit “send” regardless of where your employee may be at that moment. And think of your frequency — are you abusing your power as an employer, as well as your employee’s time? Or are you acting in good faith?

“It is challenging for workers to maintain a good work/life balance when they are constantly connected to the office, so turning their devices off is important for their health and safety,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “The lines between work and life can be very blurry these days – 17 percent of workers said they feel like their work day never ends because of technology connecting them to the office. To reduce burnout and avoid potentially risky behavior, workers should allot technology-free time when away from work.”

Consider the three tips below to help you and your employee to work together on a work/life balance:

• Encourage employees to turn off the smart phone while driving. Not only is it illegal in many states, but using a mobile device while driving is dangerous to both your employee and others on the road. Let your employees know that if it’s necessary to leave his or her smart phone on and a conference call or other urgent matter comes up, you want them to pull over to safely handle the situation.
• Help your employee create a backup plan: Help your employee plan to have an out-of-office message or voicemail at the ready, and arrange for them to leave contact information for others on your team familiar with your employee’s area of the business who are able to step in if needed. Alternately, arrange to handle business yourself if you’re able to in a sticky situation. That way, any emergency can be handled appropriately if your employee can’t get to it — and you’ll still be aware of what’s going on.
• Have a personal policy in mind. What are your parameters for getting in touch with your employees on off-hours or while out of the office? Where do you draw the line — and if you don’t, consider whether there are ways you can modify your plan and communicate that out to your employees.

What’s your take on the issue — is it a problem or a necessary evil in our current work environment?

Millenials. Comprised of those born after 1980, or those 18-29 years old, they’re America’s newest generation.  (And it’d be more fun if they were called this, no?) But what else are we learning about them, particularly when it comes to the workplace? A new report aimed at Millenials attempts to answer some of our unanswered questions.

Who are Millenials?

Fifty million people currently fall into the “Millenials” category. Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world, has just released a report called “Millenials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.”

The report, conducted by Pew Research Center’s “Social & Demographic Trends Project,” compares the values, attitudes and behaviors of Millenials with those of older adults, and seeks to shed some light on which formative experiences Millenials will carry throughout their life cycle. Among other findings, the report found that personality-wise, Millenials are confident, self-expressive, liberal, and upbeat, and are open to change.

Dissatisfied With Work Now — But Optimistic for the Future

Interestingly, although Millenials’ careers have been derailed — or at least detoured — with a recession, they are more upbeat than their elders about both their own economic futures and the state of the nation.

Having a high-paying career is cited by only 15 percent of 18- to 29-year-old respondents as one of the most important things in their lives, while things like a successful marriage and being a good parent rank much higher — even though unemployment for this age group is higher now than it has been in more than three decades.

Unemployed Millenials

• Only 19 percent of unemployed Millenials say they have enough money to live the kind of live they want

• 89 percent, however, believe they will have enough income in the future

Employed Millenials

• Just 31 percent of employed Millenials reported making enough money to lead the kind of life they want — leaving 69 percent who are not satisfied.
• They are less satisfied than previous generations; 46 percent of Gen Xers, for example, cite satisfaction with their income.
• Among those employed Millenials dissatisfied with their income, 88 percent are confident that they will be able to earn enough in the future.

How They View Their Elders

They respect their elders. Surprised? According to the report:

“A majority say that the older generation is superior to the younger generation when it comes to moral values and work ethic.”

New Einsteins

This generation is also poised to become the most educated generation in American history — a trend which, according to the report, is driven largely by the demands of a modern knowledge-based economy, but also by the millions of 20-somethings enrolling in educational institutions like graduate school or community college due to lack of a job. A record share of 18- to 24-year-olds (39.6 percent) were enrolled in college in 2008, according to census data.

BlackBerrys in the Bed

As we’ve discussed on the blog before, the lines between work and personal lives are getting blurrier by the minute. And now, Millenials are being called the first “always-connected” generation in history. According to the report:

“Steeped in digital technology and social media, they treat their multi-tasking hand-held gadgets almost like a body part — for better and worse. More than eight-in-ten say they sleep with a cell phone glowing by the bed, poised to disgorge texts, phone calls, e-mails, songs, news, videos, games and wake-up jingles,” the report says.

Social Media? Yes Please!

A whopping 75 percent of 18- to 29-year-old respondents said they have a social networking profile. And although this generation is characterized as wary of human nature and many have their profile on lockdown, there are still great ways to c0nnect on public pages and forums.

If you’re an employer and you’re not involved in social networks, you’re missing an opportunity to get in front of a huge group of potential candidates.

Education

When ranked with older generations at comparable ages, Millenials are shown to be more highly educated (in the formal sense).

• More than half of Millenials (54 percent) have at least some college education, compared with 49 percent of Gen X, 36 percent of baby boomers, and 24 percent of the Silent Generation
• Millenials, when compared with previous generations at the same age, are also more likely to have finished high school
• Conversely,  Millenials are less likely to be employed than their elder generations; 63 percent of Millenials are likely to be employed, compared to 70 percent of Gen Xers or 66 of baby boomers had been at the same age
• Compared with the Silent Generation at the same age, Millenials are overall are more likely to be in the labor force

We’re Different

Like many of us (see what I did there?), sixty-seven percent of Millenials also see their age group as unique, according to the report. When asked why, the most popular response at 24 percent was “technology use.” Other responses included music, pop culture, and tolerance. And 6 percent say it’s because they’re smarter.

There’s much more to the report — you can read it in its entirety here.

Employers, what do you think, based on what you’ve experienced with Millenials in the workplace? And Millenials, do you agree with the report’s findings?

As a society, we are willing to quickly forgive (or at least forget) some mistakes, yet when it comes to others (cough Tiger Woods cough), we’re still unsure where we stand. In the world of candidate interviews, the balance between what is acceptable and what is not can often be shaky — particularly in our current economy, with competition and pressure for jobs is at a high. With that in mind, we’re a bit sympathetic to the “most unusual” and interview blunders listed below. Everyone makes mistakes, and by examining our weaknesses in interviews, maybe we can all learn something — and become more polished  (candidates) and more prepared to handle tricky situations (employers).

The candidate interview anecdotes listed below are some of the results from a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers.

Candidates’ most unusual interview blunders:

• Candidate wore a business suit with flip flops
• Candidate asked if the interviewer wanted to meet for a drink after
• Candidate had applied for an accounting job, yet said he was “bad at managing money”
• Candidate ate food in the employee break room after the interview
• Candidate recited poetry
• Candidate applying for a customer service job said, “I don’t really like working with people”
• Candidate had to go immediately to get his dog that had gotten loose in the parking lot
• Candidate looked at the ceiling during the entire interview
• Candidate used Dungeons & Dragons as an example of teamwork
• Candidate clipped fingernails

On another note, while some of the behaviors listed below wouldn’t fly in any interview (like, clipping fingernails — unless you’re applying for a nail technician job!), some of the behaviors below, when examined more closely, actually may make sense for some types of jobs — or should at least be given the benefit of the doubt by an employee.

What can employers learn from these examples?

1. When possible, give candidates the benefit of the doubt.

Candidates applying to your jobs are human, and like anyone else, they may do things you deem “weird” or “unusual” but that they see as normal. If you’re interviewing a really strong candidate, and they suddenly break out into poetry or impromptu beat-boxing, think about the implications on your business. Could this be a really creative candidate who just needs the right role and mentoring to thrive and help take your business to the next level?

Or if a candidate’s looking at the ceiling, might he or she be thinking hard or simply very nervous during interviews? Again, depending on the role at hand, these behaviors may simply not be acceptable (outside sales, for example), but if the candidate seems like a great candidate otherwise, what about getting him or her in a different setting or on the company floor and observing the interactions or ideas that come about? The candidate may surprise you

2. Consider that a candidate may in fact know something you don’t.

Using Dungeons & Dragons as an example of teamwork, although mentioned by an employer in the survey results as an “unusual response,” is actually not that far-fetched. It’s been reported that playing video games may lead to a lucrative tech job, for example, and that playing games like World of Warcraft can be great breeding grounds for real-world leadership skills. Whether it’s an affinity for video games or something else, a candidate’s ability to relate subjects he or she is passionate about to their job role may be worth a listen. Don’t be so quick to write the candidate off — he or she could be your next star employee.

3. Candidates have personal lives, just like you — and sometimes situations happen that are out of a candidate’s control.

A candidate’s dog got loose from its leash while waiting in the parking lot, and Concerned Candidate #1 must attend to his or her pet. Hey, it happens. We all have families, pets, and other personal things to attend to, and sometimes those things unintentionally cross over into our personal lives. A situation like this is more about how the candidate handles it. Does he or she handle it with grace and humor, apologize, and try to make up for the blunder? If so, you may consider letting Concerned Candidate #1 — if not Fido — into your office on a more permanent basis.

4. Sometimes candidates are hungry.
That, however, does not excuse swiping food from the break room, as one candidate did, according to the survey. But candy at the reception desk may do the trick.

One of our colleagues over at CareerBuilder’s job seeker blog, The Work Buzz, recently wrote about whether writing “To Whom It May Concern” as the salutation to a prospective employer on a cover letter is the kiss of death for a potential employee.

I think what’s most interesting about this question is that, as evidenced in the post’s comments section, both those in the position of hiring and of being hired have quite a varied opinion on which salutations are acceptable on a candidate’s cover letter — and whether it even matters.

For instance, “promytius” said the resourcefulness of finding out the correct person to address a cover letter to can be construed as “nosy,” while “To whom” or “Dear Sir/Madam” reflected respect for the hiring manager and education of the individual who wrote it.

“Denine” made the point that sometimes employers list the company as confidential in their job advertisement — and in that case,  it’s not only both undetermined and difficult to find out who the employer is, but it’s a red flag to the candidate that trying to find out and get in touch with a particular person at the company is not welcome.

“Mark” said there’s a reason employers use software applications and why job sites often give employers the ability to make contact information confidential — they don’t want to be directly contacted.

For “Lee,” heading formalities are not the issue, but that his company is really looking for proper spelling, ease of reading and proper grammar. And impressed with a candidate addressing him by name? Not so much: Lee said if a candidate finds out his name, he would assume the candidate knew someone within the company and was getting inside information.

“Dawn” said that oftentimes she feels at a disadvantage, because not only is a phone number or e-mail address not provided, but the company name is also kept private. With no information to go by, what is the correct way to address you, employers (assuming we are talking about situations in which cover letters are part of the application equation)?

With all the disagreement, how are candidates to know the correct way to address a cover letter — and avoid having it tossed into the nearest trash can?

How do you want to be addressed on a cover letter? Is there a difference between “To Whom it May Concern” or a candidate doing his or her research and addressing you by name?  And does it even matter, or are you focused on other aspects of the candidate’s credentials?

Reality-TV-addicted hearts were breaking all over the country Monday night as Ali Fedotowsky left ABC’s  “The Bachelor” and its newest bachelor, Jake, in order to keep her job. While Ali’s two worlds were separate, however, the lines between work and love are often much blurrier. In fact, 37 percent of workers have dated a co-worker at some point in their careers, according to CareerBuilder’s annual office romance survey of more than 5,200 workers.

Would Aly and Jake’s problems have been solved if they had just been in love while sitting in cubicles next to each other from 9 to 5? It’s possible; 32 percent of workers surveyed said they went on to marry the person they dated at work. On the flip side, though, 5 percent of workers surveyed said they’ve left a job because of an office romance.

“Employees are working longer hours and under increased pressure, creating an environment that could cause relationships to bloom. Workers need to keep it professional under all circumstances, though, to ensure that the quality of their work is not negatively impacted,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.

Climbing the romantic ladder

Dating “above you” on the corporate ladder? You’re not alone — many respondents indicated they’ve dated a superior. More women than men indicated they’ve dated someone above them in their company’s hierarchy; almost a third of women (30 percent) said they have dated someone who holds a higher position in their organization, while only 19 percent of men report they have done the same.

Longing looks over the water cooler

Some co-workers may simply be pining for their co-worker from afar. Eight percent of workers currently work with someone whom they would like to date, with more men (11 percent) than women (4 percent) reporting they would like to take that next step.

Many of those who said they’ve dated a co-worker revealed that they didn’t actually meet that special someone at the workplace. So, when and where are co-workers finally giving that “Tweet Me” candy heart to their crush?

• Happy hour
• Lunch
• Working late at the office
• Company holiday party
• Business trip

Workplace responsibility

“Workplace relationships are more accepted these days, with 67 percent of workers saying they aren’t keeping their romance a secret. However, it is the responsibility of the individuals to understand company policy and make sure they adhere to it,” Haefner said.

Extreme Casual Fridays are not the way to go when it comes to getting the attention of your co-worker crush. Haefner offers the following tips for workers who may want to spark a workplace romance:

• Know your company’s office relationship policy: While some companies are completely open to office romances, others may have stricter policies. Make sure both parties in the relationship are aware of potential rules or consequences.
• Beware of social media: Before you start posting pictures and status updates about your newfound coupledom, it may be better to inform your co-workers or boss in person. That way, there is less chance for gossip or speculation.
• Always take the high road: If your relationship should end, do your best to maintain professionalism and not let the issues affect your performance on the job.

Any workplace romance stories of your own to share?

Resilience is not only found among the Oceanic 815 survivors of “LOST” — who returned to TV last night after five seasons of battling hostile island dwellers, a mysterious smoke monster, and the bounds of space and time  — but in taking a look at CareerBuilder’s updated survey among more than U.S. workers, it’s also evident among many workers who have been laid off in the last 12 months.

Although Bureau of Labor Statistics job loss numbers could be in the negative range for January, unemployed Americans continue to be steadfast in their job searches, and, according to CareerBuilder survey results, many workers laid off in the last 12 months have found new employment.

The Results

1. New Employment
Your company may even be among those who have brought on laid off workers this past year, as over half (58 percent) of those laid off in the last twelve months have found new jobs. Fifty-one percent have found full-time positions (up from 48 percent in June 2009) and 7 percent have found part-time positions (up from 3 percent in June 2009).

“Despite one of the most competitive job markets in decades, nine-in-ten workers say they have not given up on their job searches, and the amount of workers who have found work is evidence that their drive and determination are paying off,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America.  “The number of laid-off workers who have found new full-time and part-time jobs rose in the last six months.  Although this good news reflects a healing economy, it also shows that job seekers are exploring career options in new industries and locations.”

2. Higher Salaries
Of those workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and found new jobs, 61 percent reported they were able to negotiate comparable or higher pay for their new positions. Thirty-nine percent of workers took a pay cut.

3. Greener Grass
More than half (51 percent) of laid off workers who landed new jobs said they found work in a different field than where they were previously employed. One-third of workers said they really enjoy their new positions.

4. Movin’ Out
It appears from survey results that fewer unemployed workers would consider relocating for a job opportunity; on the other hand, the number of workers who actually took an out-of-area opportunity when it arose increased in comparison to June 2009 results.

• Twenty-six percent of workers who were laid off in the last twelve months and found jobs relocated to a new city or state, up from 20 percent in June 2009.
• Of those who are still looking for employment, 37 percent reported they would consider relocating for a job opportunity, down from 44 percent in June.

5. Entrepreneurship
Consistent with June 2009 survey results, many job seekers, unable to find jobs,  are considering creating their own job.  Twenty-nine percent of workers who have not found jobs are considering starting their own business.

6. Expanding the Search
How did workers who were laid off in the last 12 months have since gained employment find their jobs?

• Personal referrals (22%)
• Online job boards (21%)
• Newspapers and other print classifieds (11%)
• Recruiting/staffing firms (8%)
• Career fairs (5%)
• Social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn (4%)

You can read the full press release here.

Amid news of strides toward economic recovery and growth in 2010, organizations are still facing a myriad of staffing challenges this year, according to a new CareerBuilder survey conducted in November 2009 among more than 2,700 employers. Employers listed a number of factors with which they are struggling — covering everything from handling worker burnout to strengthening their employment brand. In looking at employers’ responses, it’s also evident that many of these challenges are interconnected.

What are survey respondents’ top five staffing concerns?

1. Providing competitive compensation (34 percent)
2. Maintaining productivity levels (33 percent)
3. Retaining top talent (31 percent)
4. Worker burnout (30 percent)
5. Providing employees opportunities for upward mobility (25 percent)

Ten percent of employers also expressed concern about the difficulty of strengthening their company’s employment brand after layoffs or cutbacks.

Despite these challenges, it appears that many employers are determined to find ways to keep talented employees on their payroll. Among them:

• Offering more flexible work arrangements (28 percent)
• Investing more into training (21 percent)
• Promising future benefits like raises or promotions when the economy picks up (18 percent)
• Offering more performance-based incentives like trips and bonuses (16 percent)
• Providing higher salary without the title (11 percent)
• Providing both higher title and salary (10 percent)
• Providing higher title without the salary (7 percent)

Only 6 percent of employers responded by saying they haven’t been able to hold on to top talent.

“Retention is just one area that companies will need to address to maintain and grow their businesses this year,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing for CareerBuilder. “Having the right people on board is a top concern. Our survey found that forty percent of companies are concerned about top workers leaving their organization in 2010 and that nearly one in five think morale at their company is poor. At the same time, companies have their eyes on future hiring challenges, especially as the economy moves into recovery.”

What do you anticipate as your biggest recruitment challenge this year?

Although the recession has been hard on many industries, the health care industry is one that has managed to thrive. Since the recession’s start, the health care industry has added 631,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and has consistently added headcount each month. CareerBuilder’s annual health care hiring forecast indicates that this hiring momentum will likely continue into 2010. The survey was conducted between November 5 and November 23, 2009, among more than 240 health care employers.

Hiring in 2010

• More than one in five (22 percent) health employers said they plan to increase the number of full-time, permanent employees this year, up from 17 percent last year.

• Ten percent of employers said they had plans to increase the number of part-time employees at their organizations in 2010, in order to help meet demand.

“While most industries struggled with headcount since the start of the recession, health care was and continues to be one of the strongest industries for hiring,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing for CareerBuilder.

“Forty percent of health care employers, by far the highest among industries we surveyed, have open positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates. This shows that there is high demand for qualified health care workers across a variety of areas; everything from medical assistants to records specialists to nurses.”

Five Health Care Recruitment Trends for 2010

1. Replacing Low-Performing Employees

Health care employers are taking advantage of the current labor pool’s large number of highly qualified candidates to strengthen their work force. Forty-three percent of health care employers say they plan to replace low-performing employees with higher performers in 2010.

What do health care employers really think of their employees’ performance? When asked to grade their current work force, 18 percent rated their employees an “A”, 68 percent a “B”, 13 percent a “C”, and less than one percent a “D” or “F. Whew.

2. More Flexibility

Flexible work options continue to be important to health care employers. Over a third (37 percent) of health care employers said they will provide more flexible work arrangements for employees in 2010, including:

• Alternative schedules (74%) — Employees can come into work early and leave early, or come in later and leave later
• Compressed work weeks (53%) Employees work the same hours, but consolidate work into fewer days
• Telecommuting (40%) — Employees work from home or from another remote location
• Job sharing (12%) — Employees share the same position in a company, each working part of the week
• Summer hours (12%) — Workers enjoy condensed hours during the summer; typically 1/2 days on Fridays

3. Recruitment Tools

As the demand for quality health care employees continues this year, health care employers will leverage a variety of recruitment tools to fill their open positions. But on what are they planning to spend more money, exactly?

• Online recruitment sites — (25%)

• Newspaper classifieds — (20%)

• Career fairs — (18%)

• Social and professional networking sites — (13%)

• Staffing firms and recruiters — (7%)

4. Freelance Workers

Because of the great demand for qualified workers, many health care employers are seeking out freelance or contract health care workers to supplement their needs.  In fact, 34 percent of health care employers are hiring contract or freelance workers in 2010.

5. Green Jobs

“Green jobs” are defined as jobs that contribute significantly to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Being “green” is a rapidly growing movement within the health care industry as companies seek ways to run more efficiently; 10 percent of health care employers plan to add “green” jobs in 2010.
If you missed it, read the full press release here.

What makes a company great to work for? Recently, we asked all of you what you think makes your company great — specifically, how you sell your company to your ideal candidates. Your answers covered everything from honesty in your candidate expectations to allowing dogs in the office, and now, FORTUNE has released its own list of 2010’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For the companies that made the cut, what makes them so great?

The answers include on-site child care, unlimited sick days, an absence of layoffs (some companies on the list have never had a layoff), time given to focus on creative projects, stock options, surfing lessons, the “no asshole” rule, high priorities on diversity — and that’s just a fraction of the amazing things some companies are doing to keep their employees happy and attract their ideal candidates.

What company strengths mentioned on FORTUNE’s list would be most appealing to your candidates and employees? Which do you share — and which are on your wish list?

There’s etiquette for many things in life, from bathroom use (put the toilet seat down after you use it), to public transportation (don’t clip your toenails or demonstrate your newest yoga moves on a crowded train), to, uh, fashion. However, we all have different opinions on what the proper etiquette is for any given situation (see toilet seat example).

Despite our differing opinions, it’s helpful to have a base of etiquette from which to start. As an employer, you need to know how to play nicely in the online space. Learning the difference between good online etiquette – and lack thereof – will help you avoid the backlash from candidates and even your own employees. With this in mind, we’re offering a few tips and guidelines to start your company on the right track in your social media interactions (or get you back on track).

Everyone’s Doing It

Well, yeah, that may be true – or at least it’s starting to seem that way. Even President Obama has (technically) sent his first “tweet,” via The American Red Cross Twitter account. If you’re still wondering how and when to jump into the social media waters, read our posts on Ten Steps to Getting Started with Social Media and our Top 10 Best Practices for Using Social Media as a Recruitment Tool.

11 Social Media Etiquette Guidelines to Keep in Mind:

1. Be aware.
Be cognizant of everything going on around you in the online space. Set up Google alerts about your company, stay on top of sites like Facebook and Twitter, and pay attention to blog comments. What is your company’s reputation in the online space? Do you know? You should know what people are saying about you as soon as it happens.

2.  Own up to your mistakes — and address them.
Businesses make mistakes, but with news spreading on sites like Twitter mere seconds after an event occurs, more important than the mistakes themselves is often how a business handles the resolution — in other words, how they reach out and communicate the issue to the public.

After two Domino’s pizza employees were charged with delivering prohibited food after posting their actions on YouTube, the President of Domino’s USA, Patrick Doyle, responded quickly and spoke candidly with his own video. A temporary Twitter account, @dpzinfo, was created to address concerns, interact, thank customers, and help to rebuild the company’s reputation post-scandal. Currently, the new @dominos Twitter account is very active and engaged.

3. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want broadcast to the universe.
Because by posting in the Internet, well, that’s essentially what you’re doing. Refrain from posting anything that you wouldn’t want your candidates, employees, mother, father, kids, or boss to read; remember, as an employee representing your company — or as someone communicating directly as your company spokesperson — everything you do and say reflects on the business. Employers may be more notorious for complaining about their employers, but there are plenty of things higher-ups can do to cause controversy and trouble in the online space.

4. Transparency is key.
Speaking of controversy in the online space, it’s vital to be up-front about your intentions and transparent about who you are when interacting via social media sites (or anywhere, for that matter). Take the example of Honda manager of product planning, Eddie Okubo, who wrote about the Honda Crosstour on Honda’s Facebook page as if he wasn’t involved with Honda himself. He not only suffered backlash from others, but he represented Honda unfairly, creating a negative situation for the company and forcing them to take action.

5. Play in your own sandbox.
The “write what you know” adage definitely applies here. Be current, relevant, and relay company news and ideas in a tone that’s comfortable for your business. Find your own voice, and speak to the things your business knows and is passionate about.  The best way to be interesting and garner followers is to be interesting yourself. Offer original content, respond to others’ comments and questions, and share ideas. And hey — have fun while you’re at it! Social media is meant to encourage relationships — while you should use best judgment, it’s not a prison sentence.

6. Respect others.
It should go without saying, but don’t ever use racial or ethnic slurs, slam others with personal insults and obscenities or engage in conduct that would not be acceptable in the workplace or anywhere else. Remember to be considerate of other people’s sensitivities to certain topics like politics or religion, too.

7. Don’t talk about the competition.
Rather than be negative about your competitors, focus on your company’s positives and work on building relationships with candidates, employees, and customers by your own merits. There’s no need to bash another company; it only makes your company appear petty and defensive — and it may turn people off to your business.

8. Don’t pick fights.
If you see your company represented in an unfavorable light, disagree with someone’s opinion, or think a member of the media, an analyst or a blogger has misrepresented your company, do not get defensive. Check with your leadership to see what their response is, if any.  If they choose not to respond, but give you the OK to do so, be factual and respectful in your response.

9. Keep private information private.
Keep internal e-mail, documents and information confidential. Include a disclaimer when necessary. Remember that public blogs are just that: public. Don’t use a public forum as an intranet.

10. Teach your own employees about social media. As Cristóbal Conde, president and CEO of SunGard, points out in a recent New York Times article, everyone in a company has access to information now; not just leadership. That shouldn’t stop at social media. After all, your employees are likely tweeting and Facebooking away anyway, so it makes sense to get everyone on the same page, encourage learnings and knowledge about best practices, and also make employees aware of any social media policies you have as a company.

“While the decision to post videos, pictures, thoughts, experiences, and observations to social networking sites is personal, a single act can create far-reaching ethical consequences for individuals as well as organizations,” said Sharon Allen of Deloitte. “Therefore, it is important for executives to be mindful of the implications and to elevate the discussion about the risks associated with it to the highest levels of leadership.”

11. Think before you hit “post.”
Bottom line: Before commenting in a public forum, remember that you are representing your company. Join online groups on social or professional networking sites with care, and use your head. The rest will fall into place.

Additional resources to check out:

• Twitter has created a great guide called Twitter 101 for Business; this is a helpful starting point for new Twitter users, or a useful way to brush up on your company’s current Twitter use. Pass it around the office.

• Don’t know how to create a social media policy, or need ideas on what’s right for your particular company culture? See the social media policies of over 100 other companies on Social Media Governance.

Any social media etiquette tips to add to the list?

Last week, we discussed CareerBuilder’s new survey about small businesses’ challenges for 2010, including the struggle to access necessary credit. Here, in a video clip from First Business, Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, talks more about these challenges, CareerBuilder’s survey results, and the outlook  for small businesses moving forward.

Watch the video:

Although there are signs that the economy is beginning to heal, small businesses are still feeling aches and pains caused by the recession. About a third (34 percent) of small businesses — organizations with 500 employees or fewer — are unsure if they will have access to necessary credit in 2010, according to a new CareerBuilder survey conducted between Nov. 5 and Nov. 23, 2009, among more than 1,450 small businesses. In addition, 15 percent of small businesses said that an inability to access credit this year will prevent them from adding headcount.

A Look Back at 2009

Credit was more difficult to obtain in 2009, and small businesses tried, yet were at times unable, to meet the challenge. Seventeen percent of small businesses reported they were unable to access the credit needed to support their businesses in 2009, and of those companies, 26 percent were unable to add employees. On a positive note, however, of those companies who were able to access credit last year, 73 percent were able to hire new employees.

“While small businesses were hit hard during this recession, they will play a vital role as the economy bounces back,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “After past recessions, small businesses re-energized the economy by driving innovation and putting people back to work. The majority of small businesses we talked to say they are confident they will not lose their businesses in 2010, and many are hopeful that they will be able to add staff to support their bottom lines and remain competitive.”

Looking Ahead -- Cautiously

While small businesses are cautiously optimistic as they begin this new year, they are still preparing to face some hurdles. When asked what their organization’s top challenges would be for 2010, small businesses reported the following:

• Cost of health insurance — 42 percent
• Marketing expenses and costs to build awareness — 26 percent
• Attracting and hiring top talent — 22 percent
• Government regulations — 21 percent

What do you predict your business’s biggest challenges will be for 2010, and what is your strategy for attack?

None of us likes getting rejected. In the past, many of you have cited “not enough time” as a reason you don’t send job rejection letters or e-mails. The reality is, we’re all under various types of constraints in our jobs, and while some things are prioritized, others fall by the wayside. Communicating with candidates, however, is a vital step in the recruitment process — and one that you should not be dismissing. But how can you achieve this important piece of communication without taking a chunk of time out of your work day?

The problem is twofold:
1) Candidates say there are not enough employers following up with them (particularly post-interview), which creates dissatisfaction among candidates.
2) Employers say there is not enough time to respond to all (or, in some cases, any) candidates whom they don’t choose to hire. So what gives?

Why should you care?

• Respect. No one wants to wait in agony for the possibility of bad news. Candidates shouldn’t have to chase you down to find out whether they landed your open job; they have applications to send out and interviews to go on! Think of the rejection like a Band-Aid, and give candidates the bad news rather than putting it off and dragging it out.

• Reputation. While today’s candidates are selling themselves to you, you’re also selling yourself to them.  Your employment brand and company image is at stake. Keeping the lines of communication open will help you build and maintain relationships with candidates who may become your employees at a later date. And even if they don’t become your employees, reputation is a powerful thing. If you don’t give candidates the respect of knowing whether or not they can cross your open job off their list, they might tell a friend. Who tells a friend. And before you know it, candidates may start to avoid applying to your company. Customers may also see your lack of communication as a sign of how you will work with them. A little communication can go a long way in how candidates — and customers — see your company.

• Organize and save time. Aside from reputation, keeping this piece of communication in your recruitment process can actually help you organize your process and save time. Why field tons of calls or e-mails from irate candidates who haven’t heard back from you? Why put them through the agony, and why go through it yourself? For not a lot of effort, you can get a big return.

Who has the time? Yes, time is an issue. But with the right tools, you can spend as much time as you have (which likely isn’t much) to get your message out there. If you do have the luxury of time, you can go the extra mile with candidates — but in my experience, making even a small effort is better than making no effort at all.

“It’s important that employers not lose sight of communication with candidates, which is so necessary, particularly in our current economic environment,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.

“While employers are facing many challenges in the recruitment process, they must remember that candidates are facing a unique set of challenges as well. By facilitating candidates’ job search process, employers are not only making the process less cumbersome for the people applying to their jobs, but also building a strong reputation and a culture of respect.”

Options:

• My Letters: My Letters is a free CareerBuilder Job Posting tool that enables you to create and save up to 20 different automatic response letters to send to job seekers after they submit an application to your job. With My Letters, you can get necessary information out to candidates quickly, easily, and effectively.  Create letters concerning the job position, needed candidate information, interview status, to alert of next steps in the process, to thank candidates, and more — and automate many parts of the recruitment communication process, without losing touch with candidates.

• Snail mail: While the heart may swoon at an ink-stained, handwritten letter sent the old-fashioned way, it’s not always the best option for your candidates. With that said, however, getting a response of some kind out, even if it is not as timely as e-mail, is better than nothing; at least candidates receive some kind of confirmation and closure. They can then either cross you off their list entirely or keep your company in mind for future opportunities (depending how open you keep that door in the letter, of course).

Tips for the best rejection letters or e-mails:

1. Be candid but gentle. Remember, this is a rejection — be respectful of candidates’ feelings and wish them success in future endeavors.
2. State a clear reason for the rejection; For example: “We have selected other candidate/s whose credentials were better suited to this position.”
3. Be honest. If there are other future opportunities and you will keep the resume on file or want a candidate to reapply in future, say so. If not, don’t. Don’t promise to keep a candidate’s resume on file if you have no intention of doing so, and if you do, state a specific time frame (six months, for example).
4. Be personal. Personalize the letter with the candidate’s name, position, and, if possible, a remark — or at least your signature.
5. While this is a rejection letter, it is still nice to compliment a candidate if warranted – “although your background and qualifications are impressive, we have chosen someone else for this position.”
6. Don’t send a postcard; this isn’t a “hello” from your Caribbean vacation, and it reeks of impersonality. A letter format is more appropriate. Plus, if you go the e-mail route, your costs are even more minimal.
7. Do not say who was hired for the position in question.
8. Respond to candidates in a reasonable amount of time.

You can check out examples of rejection letters here and here.

In Part I of  “How does your company sell itself to ensure you win over your ideal candidates?” we asked all of you what exactly you’re doing to snag the attention of your ideal candidates. There were many great responses, and in sifting through them, I realized that while many of the ways you compete for candidates you want are conceptual, many others are so tangible you can pet them (dogs in the office, anyone?)

How Are You Getting An Edge?

Some of you said your company keeps abreast of new technologies to get an edge over your competition, and that you utilize social media like Twitter and Facebook to engage with candidates and promote awareness of your brand. Others talked about the importance of your company’s longevity, stability and growth in light of our current economic climate. Some said they swear by their employee-written company blogs and employee video testimonials, and more than one person mentioned job shadowing as a great way to not only introduce candidates to the company culture, but also give employers a genuine feel for the candidate and potential for a fit.

But wait — Do you know where your competitors are? As we’ve mentioned before, while these are all excellent examples of how to set your company apart from your competition and reach your ideal candidates, it’s all for naught if you don’t first know who who and where your competitors are. Once you are armed with this knowledge, you can tackle your competitive gaps head-on and more effectively employ your candidate “sales” strategies. How do you find out this information, you ask? Check this out.

Perk Up

Unique perks that entice your ideal candidates range significantly, and include:

• A healthy work/life balance
• Flexible or alternative work schedules
• Corporate volunteering groups and efforts
• Cross-training in various areas of the business
• “Green” building design
• Tuition reimbursement
• Health benefits for an employee and his/her family
• Casual dress code
• Dogs in the office
• Employee trips
• Candy at the reception desk
• Free yoga
• In-house massage
• Learning opportunities
• Fun contests to promote recognition
• 15 days off during the holiday season
• Profit sharing
• Onboarding programs

In your own words, a few of the ways you’re bringing unique back into the workplace:

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“There are usually one or two employee dogs roaming the office daily offering their own brand of therapy and if that doesn’t do it, we have free yoga classes. Great atmosphere, open and honest dialogue, and good benefits makes us a pretty easy sell.” ~Stacy
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“When we find the right candidate, we immediately send him/her a large box of Godiva chocolates (or special Hershey Kiss package if the candidate has kids)with a warm note telling the candidate how much we enjoyed meeting him/her and why we want him/her to join our team. As a result, we stand out in the crowd. Works every time.“ ~Julie
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We provide a full overview of the benefits that we offer, which are competitive. We also focus on work/life balance offering an alternative work schedule which is a very desirable benefit. ~Lauren
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Our company offers excellent benefit packages, continued training and advancement, and the ability to cross train in various divisions globally. ~Janine
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We post as many details about our jobs as possible. Careerbuilders job posts allow this detail. We include a link to our job board as well. At our website candidates can find complete information about our credit union as well as the benefits we offer. Our site lists all the charitable organizations we support. Any questions that applicants have can be discussed at the interview. ~Barb
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Our firm is on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to engage candidates with news about our company. Every external signature on email contains our links so ensure the word gets out. ~Laura
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We share our information with candidates on all the “little” benefits we offer (outside of health insurance, etc.) such as an employee referral program, gym on campus, holiday party, employee recognition dinner, perfect attendance awards, etc. We also have a very generous Paid Time Off program. We may not be able to pay the best but we try to make up for it in other ways. ~Nicole
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A simple tour of our state of the art facility will let any potential employee know we mean business and are serious about growth. ~Matt
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Environment! Fun!  Opportunity! We place fun high on our priority list, and being on our staff is like being in the “A-List” crowd. We are all friends, and choose to spend time outside of work together because of our group dynamic.
Our patients “sense” the energetic camaraderie in our office and want to be here to simply bask in our warm, fun glow. As a result, we never have a problem hiring the “right people”, and no one ever quits. Even in 2009, we grew 6% over last year, and added staff. ~Melissa
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It is all about the candidate! What do they want, not what can I fit them into. Knowing their career goals and matching that with the clients needs creates a win/win/win for candidate/client/recruiter. ~Scott
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We are embracing social media! Twitter and Facebook for sure. ~Elizabeth
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We differentiate ourselves when it comes to hiring by really showing a prospective candidate the advantage to our products and technologies. We primarily recruit civil engineers and like to show the opportunities for them to really advance and get more out of this company than any other experience before. We have a uniquely open culture and we also like to talk on that as a good fit to any one looking for a progressive company. ~Chris
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We sell ourself through promotion of our excellent insurance benefits, safety record, corporate spirit/values, and job stability/security. Cash always talks too. If you want the best, you have to pay a little more. ~Josh
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We foster an entrepreneurial environment and make sure everyone enjoys a piece of the profits derived from their hardwork. ~Kelly
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We are always paying close attention to our candidates needs and concentrating on what will drive them once they become an employee: salary, benefits, work-life balance and career development. Several programs are inplace to ensure that once a candidate transitions into a new hire, they will want to stay until retirement. ~Trina
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And “Adam” quite possibly summed up the spirit and pride of many of you well with his statement:

-We are AWESOME
-We are FUN
-We have free drinks for everyone
-We are stable
-We have a great business model
-We have candy jars at the Receptionist’s desk
-We pretty much RULE THE WORLD. ~Adam

Do you want to see what other steps your peers and competitors alike are taking to attract candidates? I couldn’t mention all of the comments in this post, but many excellent minds contributed. Read all the comments here.

Last week, The Hiring Site ran a contest in which we asked you, “How does your company sell itself to ensure you win over your ideal candidates?“ Honesty, Family, Growth, Culture, Reputation, Respect, Listen, Communicate, Relationships, Understanding, Connect, and Fun — These are all words that, when reading through the near-600 comments to write this post, I came across more than once. In fact, you all talked about these concepts quite a bit when describing your companies — and that’s a good thing. This post focuses on the value-related responses I received; I’ll cover the more tangible ways you sell your company to candidates in Part II of this series.

You are fiercely proud of your companies — that is evident — and you have many ideas about how you’re getting an edge over your competitors, and what you think is important to candidates. Some of you even called out your competition in the comments themselves (we won’t mention any names).

There were so many great responses that it would be nearly impossible to talk about them all — but here are some highlights:

Honesty.

“We are honest with our candidates and don’t make outlandish promises. As one of my candidates said the other day, ‘You are the first recruiter to call me and actually tell me real information about a position.’ We also get to know our candidates, not as a candidate, but as a person. We want them coming back to us in the future.”
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“We use one on one conversations that are truthful and forthright to let our candidates know the true market they are facing.”
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“We make a point of being upfront and honest about our expectations for the position and who we are as a company. Starting with everyone on the same wavelength is absolutely vital.”

Family.

“Prior to a job offer, the candidate is invited to visit any of our six locations and talk with any crew members and/or manager, to experience our family oriented philosophy in action.”

Growth.

“Salary/benefits are black and white comparisons. It is the way a person perceives their place in the organization that will create a desire for them to be part of it.”

Culture.

“Our culture promotes a relaxed atmosphere that stimulates creative thinking, which leads to empowerment.”

Reputation.

“Even in times when we are not actively hiring, we continue to market ourselves in our community to keep the pipeline of interest open. Good community relations, name recognition, and good reputation are all very important in the efforts to continue to attract quality talent.”

Respect.

“We remember that all candidates have the potential to be or may already be customers. We treat all candidates in exactly the same way we treat customers – respect, gratitude and never taking them for granted.”
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“Every candidate receives a response to their job application – ALWAYS AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION.”
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“If we treat our candidates with respect and really listen to them — and find the right position for them — our company ’sells’ itself.”

Listen.

“We strive to change the negative image so many people have of the staffing industry. We are able to do this through creating a culture of responsiveness and empathy with our candidates and clients.”
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“Success begins by hearing the candidate first.”

Communicate:

“We’ve held several focus groups with diverse sorts of employees and engaged them in interactive discussions to understand what they like and dislike about our company, what keeps them here and what may cause them to leave. The information gathered was very consistent and defines our employment brand. We win over our ideal candidates because we have a very good self awareness and clearly communicate to candidates our strengths and weaknesses. It all adds up to new hires who are great cultural fits.”
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“We only use the internet and search engines for initial contact, after that we “go old-fashioned” and actually talk to our candidates. We build relationships as we’re in business for the long haul. You’d be surprised how many candidates make comments such as “I can’t believe I’m actually talking to a real person!”

Relationships.

“Simply stated, its about building a relationship with your candidate/customer.”
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“When we’re not hiring, we always conduct informational interviews to reference back to when a position opens up matching their skill set.”

Understanding.

“It is important to convey to the candidate that they are now your customer. In any good customer relation experience, the sales person/recruiter/etc. will seek to gain and understanding of what the customer wants and will seek to build a solution to satisfy that want.”
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“We’ve spent a lot of time and energy over the last couple years to understand our employment brand. The key here is to truly understand the brand – not what HR thinks we are, and not what we want to be, but what our current employees think we are.”
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“Most of us have been where our candidates are in terms of being out of a job. We can directly relate that to them if necessary.”

Connect.

“We win over ideal candidates by making sure the opportunities we present them with are a strong match for them technically and personally. It is one of the most basic expectations, yet is rarely done by most recruiting firms and wastes candidates’ time.”

Fun.

“We strive to keep our workplace a fun place to be. We constantly benchmark ourselves to other similar companies regarding benefits, compensation, and morale boosting activities. We actually do more “off-the-clock” get togethers than the norm to thank our employees and their families. One of my favorites is our annual truck rodeo. The winners go to the state competition. While they are competing, their bosses, including the President, is on the sidelines grilling and waiting on the employee’s family.”

Reality Check

While these are all excellent examples of how to set your company apart from your competition and reach your ideal candidates, it’s all for naught if you don’t first know who who and where your competitors are. Once you are armed with this knowledge, you can tackle your competitive gaps head-on and more effectively employ your candidate “sales” strategies. How do you find out this information, you ask? Check this out.

One Last Word…

I think this, from one commenter, really sums up the essence of a strong workplace — a workplace that cultivates candidate attraction from the ground up:

“No company can successfully run without happy employees.”

Agree with comments above? Disagree? What elements do you think are essential to win over your ideal candidates?

While it’s true that many companies have been forced to make difficult business decisions this year, many employers still plan to reward their employees for hard work with holiday perks like bonuses, gifts and parties — even if these perks are scaled back a bit. These results are from CareerBuilder’s recent survey about workplace holiday giving among more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals. We’ve got the lowdown on what businesses are doing about bonuses, gifts, and the oft-infamous work holiday party.

Bonuses:

• Nearly three in ten (29 percent) employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year.  Among that group, 16 percent are planning to give the same amount as in previous years, while 11 percent plan to give less.
• Twelve percent of employers say they will not be issuing holiday bonuses even though they have in previous years.

Gifts:

• More than a quarter (26 percent) of employers plan to give holiday gifts, with 15 percent planning to spend the same amount for workers as in previous years.  Eight percent plan to spend less.
• Another eight percent say they are not planning to give holidays gifts in 2009, even though they have in years past.

Parties:

• Almost half (49 percent) of employers are planning a holiday party for their employees this year.  Of that group, 30 percent plan to throw the same party as in previous years, while 18 percent are planning something on a smaller scale.
• Eleven percent of employers don’t plan to have a holiday party in 2009 even though they have in previous years.

“After a challenging year, some organizations are cutting back on the holiday perks that they may have offered in previous years,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources for CareerBuilder. “Even though holiday bonuses, gifts and parties may be trimmed back this season, employers are doing what they can to reward their workers and get their staffs in the holiday spirit.”

So with cutbacks more prevalent in the workplace,  how can you make your employees happy this holiday season? What do they really want?

Here are some alternative workplace gift-giving ideas:

• The gift of financial preparedness. Help employees be realistic in their holiday budgeting this holiday season. Workers often need to budget more carefully around the holidays, so let your employees know upfront and early whether or not they can expect a bonus this season. This way, they will be able to gauge whether they’ll have that extra money for a plane ticket — or whether they’ll have to stock up on canned soups for dinner this season. Give your employees the gift of preparedness; their pocketbooks will thank you.

• The gift of giving. Volunteering is a great workplace activity all year ’round, but if you’re looking for an alternative to the typical (and pricey) holiday bash, I can’t think of a better way than helping others in need by donating time to local charities.  Volunteering with your team or company still allows you to be out of the office in a social setting while fostering your holiday spirit, giving back to your local community, and making the holiday a bit nicer for someone else. Sites like VolunteerMatch let you search for volunteer opportunities in your local area. Read more tips about finding a charity here and here, find an extensive list of charities here, and check out the Better Business Bureau’s “Charities and Donors” section for more resources.

• The gift of fun. Even if your company holiday party is canceled, you can still  celebrate the season with your employees with some warm drinks and hot food. Office potlucks are a great and budget-friendly way to have a low-key celebration in the office with your employees. Even better, as commuting after work hours can sometimes present obstacles for employees, you can host a potluck breakfast or lunch during the work day. As an alternative, screen a movie of your employees’ choosing, pop some popcorn and provide sodas, and have a low-key but entertaining in-office party.
• The gift of appreciation. While material gifts are nice, sometimes nothing is better than getting a bit of recognition for work well done, whether it’s for a single project or an entire financial quarter’s worth of blood, sweat and tears. As we have learned, 79 of employees who quit their jobs cite a lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving. Remember to say “thank you” to your employees this holiday season! Even small gestures, like a  card or letter with your sincere words of thanks can mean a lot to your employees. Spontaneity of gestures can also be a nice change in the work routine; grab your employees coffee and bagels unexpectedly one morning — or dream up your own creative way to say “thanks.”
  
  
• The gift of friends and family. While employees may enjoy coming to work, they may in fact be longing to spend more time with loved ones outside the office, especially around the holidays. Yes, businesses are busier than ever, often juggling fewer people and more work — but your employees will enjoy and appreciate even a small break from the grind. Consider letting them leave a bit early one afternoon, or offer a flexible work option for a week or two, like coming in early/leaving early, or working four 10-hour days so they can take a long weekend. Different options will work for different types of businesses — but employees will savor the gift of more time with loved ones — and they’ll likely come back more refreshed, relaxed, and focused post-holiday.
• The gift of choice. One final idea: Ask your employees what they want this holiday season! Let them know that budgets are tight, but that you want to celebrate with them and show them your gratitude for their work and dedication. Let them brainstorm ideas, and pick one or implement them all.

What are you giving your employees this holiday season?

Calling all recruiters and hiring managers:  Keep warm this winter season (or at least listen to good tunes in the cold) with a brand new 4G iPod Shuffle or CareerBuilder Full-Zip Fleece! Read on to find out how and enter.

Very few spaces exist in which there is a lack of competition for consumer dollars — and the same is true of the competition for talent. It’s not just job seekers who are competing for a job, Trump-style, either — your business is, in fact, competing for candidates all the time. Competition for quality employees is fierce in our current economy, and it’s necessary for companies to consider unique perspectives and find original — or at least noticeable –- ways to identify their ideal candidates. Everyone from small business owners to President Obama is brainstorming ways to get more innovative about job creation. How does that creativity and innovation extend into recruitment — namely, how do you find creative, yet cost-effective ways to connect with the candidates you want?

Do you know who you compete with for top talent in your industry? You may be surprised to find out that you are actually competing for candidates not only in your own industry pool, but in several other industries as well. Many companies are reaching further than before to widen their pool of candidates, and on the flip side, many candidates are exploring new fields and types of positions. Have you thought about what other industries might find your ideal talent appealing? If so, what exactly are you doing to snag the candidates you really want?

Share your thoughts with us, and you could win a 4G iPod Shuffle or a CareerBuilder Full-Zip Fleece! (Two 4G iPod Shuffles and two CareerBuilder Full-Zip Fleeces are up for grabs.)

How to Enter:
Simply answer this question in the comments section below: “How does your company sell itself to ensure you win over your ideal candidates?” Once you submit your answer, you’ll automatically be entered to win a 4GB iPod Shuffle or CareerBuilder Full-Zip Fleece (There are four prizes total; two people will win an iPod Shuffle and two people will win a CareerBuilder Full-Zip Fleece.).

Contest Details:
Entries will be accepted from 12 a.m. CST on Monday, December 7, 2009 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, December 11, 2009.  Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of December 14, 2009. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.

How does your company sell itself to ensure you win over your ideal candidates?