Careers Builder

Monday, February 14, 2011

20 Ways to Impress the Boss

Whether you're vying for a promotion or just want to make a good impression, here are 20 ways to show you're dream team material:

1. Know the mission. Align yourself with your boss' and company's goals and values. Make your boss' priorities your priorities.

2. Understand how you'll be evaluated. Know precisely which skills, behaviors and accomplishments you will be judged on and rewarded. Focus on them like a laser.

3. Be dependable. Do what you say you're going to do. Better yet, under-promise and over-deliver.

4. Project positive energy. Don't be the one to whine or criticize the boss or company direction. Be a motivator: the person everyone wants to be around.

5. Make your boss look good. Finish your work on time and with a high level of professionalism. Bring your boss ideas that will help him and the department and offer to take charge and implement them.

6. Own up. Take responsibility for your mistakes by focusing on what you've learned rather than what you've done wrong. For example, "I think this project could have been better if we'd gotten the group's buy-in early on," or "Next time I would talk more with the end-users up-front..."

7. Be organized. Plan your next day before you leave work. Rank your tasks by urgency and importance and make a point of doing at least the top two items on your list.

8. Be punctual. Arriving for work or meetings on time (even early) shows you're enthusiastic, dependable and able to manage your life effectively.

9. Be resourceful. Don't run to the boss with every question you have or setback you encounter. Think things through first. If you must report a problem to the boss, develop possible solutions to present.

10. Broaden your horizons. Take advantage of company-sponsored training courses and volunteer for projects in areas outside your everyday expertise.

11. Stay informed. Keep abreast of industry and company trends by reading trade journals and attending professional association events.

12. Be trendy. Stay current with technological, legal and knowledge advances in your area. Upgrade your skills and learn new ones.

13. Be courteous. Show respect and loyalty to your boss and speak well of her to others. (At the very least don't bad mouth her to anyone.)

14. Be flexible. Change is inevitable. Companies need people who can adapt and go with the flow.

15. Take care of your health. When you're run-down, productivity and ambition suffer -- as does your image.

16. Leave your personal life at the door. Using your co-workers as therapists not only hurts productivity; it damages your credibility and can contaminate your work relationships (even if people seem sympathetic).

17. Go beyond the call of duty. Take on added challenges, put in extra hours, and never use the phrase, "That's not in my job description."

18. Be a team player. Show your boss and co-workers you have their best interests at heart by being empathetic and offering to help out when they need it.

19. Take a break now and then. A clear head and balanced life can give you energy and perspective.

20. Look and act promotable. Don't let anyone think you work because you have to.

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By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder Editor

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Who is Hiring This Week – Hurry up, don't miss the opportunity

February 14 to February 20

We know that your job search can become very frustrating these days with more people trying to find a job and fewer job opportunities available.

To ease the burden, we tracked 10 leading companies with job openings this week finance to sales jobs, marketing to technical/engineering jobs and full time to part-time job. We hope you find the right/suitable job for you.

01. Sprint
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Sprint Nextel is one of the largest providers of cell service in the U.S. The company recently received some rave reviews in regards to their customer service. Sprint is currently pursuing a multi-brand strategy, providing cell and data services under their Boost Mobile and Virgin mobile brands, in addition to their Sprint-branded operations.

Top Job Categories:

02. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
With more than 60,000 employees and nearly $750 billion in assets under management, Morgan Stanley is a worldwide leader in the financial services industry. In addition to the investment management services they provide for both their individual as well as corporate clients, the company is also actively involved in the fields of investment banking, commodities trading, and commercial banking.

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03. Dell
As one of the leading PC and laptop producers worldwide, Dell is a household name virtually anywhere you go. This wasn't always the case however; the company was originally founded as PC's Limited in 1984, when founder Michael Dell began selling computers out of his dorm room at UT, Austin. The company has grown through innovative marketing strategies including direct mail catalogs, online sales, and most recently, mall kiosks.

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04. Blue Rhino
On a 1994 safari trip to South Africa, Blue Rhino founder, Billy Prim, found himself admiring the sturdy, rugged rhino and quickly decided to name his company after the animal. The propane gas retailer grew through the use of their seemingly omnipresent Tank Exchange locations. In 2004, the company was acquired by Ferrellgas, the nation's second largest propane retailer.

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05. Waste Management
As their name implies, the company provides a host of waste management services including both garbage collection and recycling. Additionally, the company operates waist-to-energy facilities which allow them to convert a portion of the garbage they collect into the fuel, . WM has recently teamed-up with chemical company Genomatica to improve their process for creating Syngas.

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06. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
A leader in the field of text book publishing, over the last few years HMH has branched out to produce a suite of software packages, for both classroom and in-home learning. HMH recently launched their "Parent Academy" in North Carolina as a pilot program for parents who would like to be more involved in the education of their children.

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07. New York Life
Originally founded as Nautilus Insurance Company in 1849, the company now manages over $280 billon in assets and is currently ranked 82 on the Fortune 100. New York Life is the largest mutual life insurance company in the U.S., and also has offices in Argentina, China, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

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08. Cooks Children's Health Care (CCHC)
Originally founded in 1918 as the Fort Worth Free Baby Hospital, the organization now employs more than 4,000 employees. Currently, the primary and referral markets covered by their health care facilities now cover nearly half of the state of Texas. With growing populations in their core-markets, this nonprofit is currently in the process of rapid expansion.

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09. RehabCare
Founded in 1982, St. Louis, Mo., based RehabCare has niched itself as a leading provider of post-acute care. The company specializes in providing physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. RehabCare provides these services across a broad spectrum of facilities including at nursing homes, assisted living centers, hospitals, rehab facilities, as well as providing in-home rehabilitation services.

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10. IBM
Affectionately known as "Big Blue" by some, the computer hardware and software giant has been in business since 1911. Historically a leader in the field of technology research, the company holds more patents than any other U.S.-based company. In addition to its server and software products, the company produces chipsets used in most modern video game systems, including the Xbox, Wii, and Playstation 3.

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By AOL Jobs

Saturday, February 12, 2011

I actually get paid to do this! -- Meet 10 people with surprising, unusual jobs

Their jobs may not be the most common in the world, but they are certainly some of the most interesting. Meet 10 people with unusual positions that might make the rest of the workforce a wee bit envious:

1. Chocolatier
What kid doesn't wish he could grow up to work in a candy factory? As chief chocolatier and vice president of operations for Bissinger's Handcrafted Chocolatier in St. Louis, Mo., Dave Owens is a real-life Willy Wonka. Besides making sure that the molasses puffs are up to par and the chocolate-caramel lollipops are just perfectly chewy, he also helps the 340-year-old company develop new products by putting a spin on its traditional recipes (margarita salt caramels, anyone?).

2. Professional rum drinker
While the title sounds like something you might have dreamed of becoming during college, Chicago-based Edward Hamilton takes his rum seriously. Hamilton has spent 20 years sailing the Caribbean learning about rum, and he shares his knowledge with companies in the adult beverage industry. He also writes books, serves as an expert source for media inquiries about rum and operates the website Ministry of Rum.
3. Social media trainer
Though it may look like she's "playing" on the computer all day, Kerry Rego of Santa Rosa, Calif., is actually hard at work. As a social media trainer, Rego customizes Facebook pages, sets up e-mail newsletters and teaches individuals and businesses that a "Tweet" is more than a noise a bird makes.

4. Game designer
Like Rego, Jim Zielinski often looks like he is playing during working hours. As a senior game designer with Incredible Technologies in Arlington Heights, Ill., he is paid to dream up greens, sand traps and water hazards for Golden Tee's virtual golf courses. To add elements of realism to the fictitious fairways, Zielinski studies and incorporates native plants and wildlife into the settings.

5. Tour package organizer
When Ludus Tours organizes trips to events such as Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, or the recent Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, someone needs to make sure that the clients are having a good time. Enter poor Victoria Whyte, a public relations manager who is often called upon to leave her desk to scout out areas first-hand and help vacationers find things like the best dance bars around Pamplona, Spain, when in town for the Running of the Bulls.

6. Professional bargain hunter
Karen Hoxmeier of Murrieta, Calif., not only benefits from finding a good bargain -- she gets paid to pass it along. What started out more than a decade ago as a hobby has developed into MyBargainBuddy.com, a website devoted to great deals, coupon codes and other ways to save. Stores pay Hoxmeier a commission to list and sell their merchandise, and thousands of members take advantage of not having to scout out deals on their own.

7. Matchmaker
While many of us have played amateur matchmaker by setting up friends on dates, Emily Fry puts her knack for pairing to professional use. As president of In Good Company, an upscale matchmaking service located in Chicago, Fry gets to meet new and interesting people every day and find out what makes them tick. Then, she matches up clients and waits to see if the fireworks start.

8. Personal historian
Another worker who gets to meet interesting people on a daily basis is Corina Kellam, founder of Life History Books. Individuals and families hire her team of personal historians to conduct interviews, collect photos and organize the information into high-quality books that preserve personal memories for generations.

9. Certified image consultant
Sort of a modern-day fairy godmother, Julie Maeder of New Leaf Image Consulting in Troy, Mich., helps improve her clients' self-esteem through style and wardrobe changes. In addition to shopping for garments and accessories that specifically flatter each individual, she raids their closets to "edit out everything that doesn't fit, flatter or make them feel fantastic." She even does hair and make-up "makeovers" for those wanting a greater change.

10. Corporate comedian
Finally, imagine getting paid "to make people laugh so hard that they almost wet their pants." This is what Kevin Carroll of Westport, Conn., says he does as a corporate comedian -- someone hired to invigorate business events and drive home key messages in a humorous manner. Carroll's specialty is roasting: creating a custom, good-natured presentation (complete with Photo-shopped slides) based on tidbits he learns beforehand about key people. "It creates great energy and a buzz in the room and sends everyone off on a high."

By Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder