Archive for the 'Generational Hiring' Category

Your mama may not dance, and your daddy might not rock’n’roll…but that doesn’t mean they’re all that different from you – especially when it comes to evaluating prospective employers. 

Despite the supposed “generation gap” that exists in the workforce, Gallup research has found that certain factors – such as management quality, compensation, quality team dynamics and career development – are valued equally across generations when it comes to prospective employers. 

For those differences that still exist, however – both in what these groups want and in how they search for jobs – here’s a breakdown of what to keep in mind when branding yourself to these various age groups. Continue Reading…

• Posted by: Mary Lorenz on November 5, 2009
• There are 0 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Branding, Building a Best Place to Work, Generational Hiring

Do you count yourself as a survivor? No, I’m not talking about your obsession with the Beyoncé video (and you should probably keep that to yourself), but about company layoffs. As a leader, if you are a survivor of a layoff, you have a unique perspective on its effects on the employees who remain — after the employee boxes have been packed up, goodbyes have been exchanged (if that’s even an option) and the dust has settled.

Results of a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 4,400 workers nationwide have revealed that workers who have survived layoffs within their organizations are facing new challenges in the forms of increased workloads and heightened stress.

Continue Reading…

• Posted by: Amy Chulik on May 28, 2009
• There are 0 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Economy, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Generational Hiring, Leadership Development

Yep, it’s that time of year again: College Graduation. Parties, celebrations, awards, a sense of accomplishment — and, oh, figuring out a place to live! Many college graduates-to-be are considering relocation to new cities to find a fresh start, a fresh career, and a fresh place to mount their shiny new college diploma. Only this time, the game is a bit different, as more competition for jobs is coupled with an economy in the midst of a recession — and the stress of stretching those entry-level-job dollars is often immense. The cost of living is high, and upcoming grads need as many resources as they can get to help them decide where their dollars will be best spent in their initial months out of the dorms.

With this in mind, Apartments.com and CBcampus have provided results for the second annual Top Ten Best Cities for Recent College Graduates.

“Given the current economy, new grads looking to relocate are becoming increasingly concerned with the cost of living as they are faced with more competition for jobs than seen in previous years,” said Tammy Kotula, public relations and promotions manager at Apartments.com.

The results were based on three criteria:

1. Number of entry-level job openings
2. Cost of rent
3. Population of young adults

As it’s important for job seekers to understand their best living options, it is also important for employers to know where their city stacks up in the job atmosphere — and be aware of their competition in attracting top job seekers not only to their city, but to their company as well.

So… did your city make the list?

• Posted by: Amy Chulik on May 8, 2009
• There are 2 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Branding, Building a Best Place to Work, Economy, Employee Attraction, Generational Hiring, Leadership Development, Survey Results

Yes, swimsuit season is fast upon us… and ridiculously mouth-watering temptations like this aren’t helping the cause. The waistlines of American workers are expanding, as four out of ten American workers have reportedly gained weight at their current jobs, according to a newly released CareerBuilder survey. You can blame delicious gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches directly if you like, but as it turns out, there’s something else making us turn to one of our most consistent comforts: The recession.

The survey, conducted from February 20 through March 20, 2009 among more than 4,400 workers, reveals that one in ten workers report increased snacking during the day due to economic concerns, and almost half (43 percent) of workers say they have gained weight in their current jobs. A quarter have gained more than ten pounds, and 12 percent have gained more than 20 pounds in their present positions. That’s a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches.

While we can point fingers at the recession for our weight-related woes, other factors are likely at play here as well — factors that contribute to weight gain with or without a struggling economy in the mix, like:

• Restaurants – Nearly two in five (39 percent) employees surveyed eat out for lunch twice or more per week, making it difficult to control portions and calorie intake.

• Vending machine meals — 12 percent buy their lunch out of a vending machine at least once a week.

• Snacking — Two-thirds (67 percent) of employees surveyed snack at least once a day, including 24 percent who snack twice a day.
  

“Weight gain in the office is common and is a result of a variety of issues including today’s economic stress and poor eating habits,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com. “Making little adjustments to your routine, such as bringing your lunch to work, getting up from your desk during the day, and walking instead of driving or taking public transportation will help curb some of your financial worries, while making you healthier.”

So how can employees stay healthy and keep those waistlines from growing, despite growing concerns over our economic state?

• Posted by: Amy Chulik on May 4, 2009
• There are 7 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Economy, Employee Engagement, Employer Advice, Generational Hiring, Leadership Development, Social Media, Survey Results

Do you know someone graduating this spring (and no, watching the “Donna Martin Graduates” episode of old-school 90210 doesn’t count)? Chances are if you do, you’ve sensed or outright listened to them rant about heard their trepidation about entering the “real world” and throwing their hat into the current job market ring. Because, well, the environment right now is not exactly what it used to be for soon-to-be or recent grads. Things are a little tough out there.

The class of 2009 will face the most competitive job market in years, as companies continue to proceed with caution amid economic uncertainty, according to CareerBuilder’s newly released annual college job forecast.The percentage of employers planning to hire recent college grads is roughly half of what it was just two years ago. Only 43 percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, down from 56 percent in 2008 and 79 percent in 2007.

2009 Salaries

Along with the economy, entry-level salaries have taken a bit of a dive. Among those employers planning to hire recent college graduates, more than one in five (21 percent) said they will decrease starting salaries for recent college graduates in 2009 as compared to 2008. But there’s hope! A whopping 68 percent of employers plan to keep initial salary offers the same as last year, and 11 percent will increase them.

• Thirty-three percent of employers plan to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between $30,000 and $40,000.
• An additional 17 percent will offer between $40,000 and $50,000
• Fourteen percent will offer more than $50,000
• Thirty-six percent will offer less than $30,000

“While recent college graduates are facing a highly competitive job market right now, there are still opportunities out there,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America.

“The biggest challenge is showing relevant experience, which employers say is one of the most important factors they look for in applications from recent college graduates. This isn’t limited to professional work experience, so don’t get discouraged. Class work, school activities and volunteering also qualify as relevant experience and can be included in your resume as well.”

So how can new graduates differentiate themselves in the current job market, and what are the absolute faux pas that today’s candidates need to be aware of — and steer clear of? Employers who participated in the survey weighed in below.

• Posted by: Amy Chulik on April 21, 2009
• There are 6 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Economy, Generational Hiring, Social Media, Survey Results

Top Chef versus Julia Child. Real Housewives of Orange County versus The Golden Girls. The Jonas Brothers versus… The Beatles??? Okay, scratch that last one. The point is, generations may differ on what’s great in TV shows or music or clothing, but in the workplace, generational differences add up to more than just entertainment preferences — and the consequences can be dire. Until Gen Y came onto the scene, generations mixing in the workplace wasn’t as big of an issue. Or rather, the issues were simply different. Fifty or sixty years ago, we were still dealing with extreme female inequality in the workplace.

Fast-forward to today’s technology-filled world, and we are seeing the effects of “Sally,” tech-savvy, new-on-the-scene Gen Y worker, sitting down to a project with “Bob,” baby boomer who’s been with the company for 20 years and still writes people actual letters (non-electronic!). We are seeing these workers clash. They complete tasks differently. They demand different things. Their communication methods are vastly dissimilar. And Bob is afraid he’ll be pushed out of his job any day now due to “not fitting in with the company culture.” After all, companies are cutting back — and layoffs abound.

Although the recent economy has brought about tough times for many of us, older workers have been hit particularly hard in their attempts to rebound from the recession. Between 401 (k) troubles and rising health care costs, these workers have had a slew of problems to deal with. On average, workers over the age of 45 are experiencing longer periods of unemployment; many have been out of work for six months or longer. According to the New York Times article above, even when older workers do finally find employment, many suffer a much steeper drop in earnings than their younger counterparts.

In addition, over the last two years, the number of Americans age 55 and older who are still working has climbed by nearly 1.5 million to over 26 million in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even worse, the number of people 55 and older who want a job but can’t find one has more than doubled over the same period to nearly 1.8 million. Joblessness is lower among older workers than the general labor force, but it’s growing much faster.

• Posted by: Amy Chulik on April 16, 2009
• There are 5 Comments. Join the discussion.
• Categories: Economy, Employee Attraction, Employee Engagement, Employee Retention, Generational Hiring, Social Media