Energi Personnel's Blog

More U.S. employers using temp labor to vet new hires. By Nick Zieminski

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:56:00 GMT

More U.S. employers using temp labor to vet new hires. By Nick Zieminski

(Reuters) - Companies that provide temporary labor are seeing more contract workers hired as permanent employees, in a sign job gains may be broadening as U.S. employers gain confidence in the recovery, staffing executives said Friday.

Companies typically engage temporary workers before committing to permanent hires, so the staffing sector is seen as a leading indicator of broader hiring.

The sector added 45,000 jobs in February, while temp job gains in January and December were stronger than initially estimated, the government report showed on Friday. The job gains were part of a broader jobs report that showed 227,000 jobs added outside the farm sector.

The percentage of temps in the U.S. labor force, at 1.86 percent, marked the eighth straight monthly increase. Employment analysts expect that metric to pass its April 2000 peak above 2 percent as more employers embrace temporary labor in an uncertain economic climate.

Companies are using temps to try out candidates for permanent jobs, said Jeff Joerres, Chief Executive of ManpowerGroup.

"Our temporary to permanent conversions are very high," Joerres said. Taking on temp workers "is also is a way of being agile and cautious, so if something happens in the Middle East and demand goes down precipitously, (they) have a way to adjust without affecting the permanent workforce."

'ROBUST' DEMAND BUT FLAT WAGES

Small and mid-size companies are stepping up use of temporary workers as easier access to credit allows them to invest, said Randstad employment analyst Joanie Ruge, who said pharmaceutical companies are using more temps for research and other roles.

"It is robust," Ruge said. "Companies are going to look for more flexibility in their workforce. They will expand and contract as their demand fluctuates."

While demand for temps is strong, it is not necessarily accelerating, said Joel Capperella, vice president of Yoh, a Philadelphia-area staffing company that focuses of professional job categories such as technology. Wages are flat. A Yoh index of wages for skilled temporary workers found only a 1 percent gain over a year ago.

"Wages aren't really moving a whole lot," Capperella said. "Clients of our services are in the driver's seat. Things are good but you have to temper it."

Staffing stocks were higher across the board in U.S. and European trading and far outperformed the broader market on expectations that growth rates would pick up for the sector in coming months.

Manpower shares gained 2.3 percent in midday trading. Robert Half International rose 1.6 percent, Hudson Highland jumped 7 percent and TrueBlue Inc, which focuses on blue-collar jobs, was up 2.4 percent.

In European trading, Adecco, Randstad and Michael Page each gained more than 2 percent.

How to Make a Great First Impression by Tonya Baker

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 03:26:00 GMT

How to make a great first impression

Everyone knows that first impressions are important and even more during your job search. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing so it is always important to dress professionally for a job interview no matter how casual the work environment. Remember you don't have the job yet and the applicant dressed in a nice suit and tie or dress will make a much better impression than the candidate dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Below are a few simply tips to make your interviews a success and help you shine.

Interview Attire for Men

Suit or dress slacks
Dress shirt
Belt
Tie especially for professional positions
Dark socks, with clean polished shoes
Clean shaven with little or no cologne
Neatly trimmed nails

Interview Attire for Women

Pant or skirt suit

Coordinated blouse
Conservative shoes (no flip-flops)
Limited jewelry
Neatly done hair
Neutral pantyhose
Light make-up and perfume
Neatly manicured clean nails

What Not to Bring to the Interview

Young Children (interviewer may assume that you have problems with child care.)
Gum
Cell phone
Ipads or MP3 players
Coffee or soda
If you have lots of piercings, leave some of your rings at home ( earrings only is a good rule)

The 5 W's on Writing a Perfect Resume by Energi Personnel's Misty Jones

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 03:12:00 GMT

A recent article examined the styles of resumes and what catches a reader’s attention. The focus was on how narrative style resumes are outdated, do not catch the reader’s attention quickly and can even convey a negative idea that something is trying to be hidden. And most importantly, the time investment that a reader must devote to that resume.

As a hiring manager, we want to glance at a resume and be able to tell you who they are, what they have done, where they attended school and been employed, when were they last employed, and what are they looking to do. By stating the 5 W’s clearly, quickly and efficiently, readers are more apt to continue, as well as, read more in depth. By addressing the keywords in a headline and major bullet points at first glance, the reader’s attention is caught and has raised the interest of the reader. This is the strategy that newspapers and magazines use to catch reader’s eyes, raise interest, and result in the consumer buying that media to read the story in its entirety. A resume using the same strategies will more often find their way into a hiring manager’s hands for a longer length of time.

Six Ways to Work Successfully with Energi Personnel by Tamera Ingram

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:50:00 GMT

Six Ways to Work Successfully With Energi Personnel

By Tamera Ingram, Energi Personnel Staff

Make an appointment: When you register with us make an appointment. If you show up unexpectedly, we may be unable to fit you in. It will take you at least 40 – 45 minutes to go through our process, so please dedicate that time to register.

Come dressed for an interview: You wouldn’t show up to church in shorts and a tank top, so dress appropriately for your interview. Since we do live in West Texas, clean jeans, plain shirt and work boots are perfectly acceptable. If you are applying for an office position, dress for the position you are applying for. Slacks and nice shirt are fine. Remember no spiked heels, short skirts, or heavy make-up and perfume. Your first impression is very important, so let’s make it a good one.

Bring References: One of the reasons people don’t get placed is lack of references. You need to bring at least 4 and don’t forget the phone numbers. These references should be from previous employers and co-workers. If we call you for more references, please get them to us as quickly as you can. For those who do not have a work history, teachers, long term family, friends, and clergy are acceptable. Always pre screen your references.

Testing: For all light industrial applicants we will give you a safety test. Please pay attention to the video, and answer the questions to the best of your ability. If you are applying for an office position we will give you a number of on-line tests. These tests can be completed in our office, or on your home computer. Expect to spend 1-1/2 to 2 hours on these tests. Completion of the tests will help us place and sell you to a prospective employer.

Interview: Be as forthcoming as possible as we will ask you many questions. Where we place you will depend on your answers. We want to place you in the best job possible where you will be successful. If you don’t have a skill, don’t say you do as we will find out quickly that you don’t.

Follow Up: Always keep in touch with us and call in every 10 days. When a position opens up, you want your name on the top of our list. If you find a position before we can place you, please let us know so we can keep your records accurate. We here at Energi Personnel is always interested in your search and your current employment. If are currently employed but still looking for that perfect opportunity keep us updated so we may assist you in your search.

Here are a few ways to make your application process go smoothly with Energi Personnel. Up-date your resume. You can go online and find resume applications, and some are free. Current resumes help prospective employers in deciding if they want to interview you, and Energi Personnel to sell you. Remember finding the right position may take time, but it is well worth the effort. Energi Personnel is here to aid you in your search. Good Luck!

Bosses reveal worst wardrobe dont's by How Good Grows

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:10:00 GMT

Bosses reveal worst wardrobe dont's

By Sarah B. Weir

Certified Image Consultant and Chair of the Association of Image Consultants International, Kelly Mashbitz worries about what messages some women today are sending with their office attire. “I’ve noticed that Casual Fridays have morphed into ‘Happy Hour’ Fridays -- you can tell who’s got a date that night by what they wear to the office that day.”

She points out that you only have 30-40 seconds to make a first impression on your boss or co-worker so what you wear is going to instantly signal how smart and competent you are, for better or worse. Kelly feels the more skin you show, the less power you project: “If you are sitting next to a male colleague in a three-piece suit and you wearing a strappy dress, who do you think is going to command the respect?”

Kelly recommends that women have three separate wardrobes: one for the office, one for the weekend, and another for special occasions. While this might seem a little old school, she explains that fashion magazines like to mix casual and professional clothing, but the average person simply doesn’t have the eye or the experience to combine styles in one outfit.

We talked to some managers and executives around the country about the worst wardrobe blunders, and bosses agree that conservative professional attire is still relevant today. It seems that looks can kill…your job prospects.

“My personal secretary was a very presentable young woman, well educated, neat, and pulled together. After about a year on the job, her wardrobe fell off a cliff: she started showing up in men’s wool pants that looked like they had been pulled from a dumpster and moth-eaten sweaters. It was a crystal clear sign that she no longer cared about the work and needed to move on.”

--Alan, Senior Diplomat

“Over the two decades I’ve been practicing law, I’ve noticed women going from professional suits (great) to lovely dresses (all good) to strappy sundresses and flip flops (pathetic)! Dressing this way for Court takes away from their credibility. Clothes in the office have gotten very casual, which is okay, I suppose, but there are certain venues that one needs to respect and dress appropriately for.”

--Anne, Law Partner

“Too much skin and too much perfume. One of my sales reps is just shy of inappropriate: Her clothes are stylish and made with quality fabrics, but the skirts are a couple of inches too short, the heels a couple of inches too high, and the camisoles a couple of shades too sheer. A strapless cocktail dress has appeared a few times. I’m not going to complain to HR, but with the party look and the perfume, she makes people uncomfortable.”

--Greg, Financial Services Head of Marketing

“When our company first established Casual Fridays, some of the employees took it too far with their Daisy Dukes—the cutoffs that ride very high. HR had to send out a dress code memo. One memorable rule was ‘no cleavage’ – toe cleavage, that is.”

--Stephanie, Money Manager

“My cosmetics studio is close to the beach. One day a young woman pranced in wearing a bikini and flip flops and asked for a job application. Needless to say, we were ‘out of applications’ that day.”

--Kara, Professional Make-up Artist

“One of our crazy reporters showed up in her wedding dress. And it looked like it had been quite a party—pretty grubby around the edges!”

--Leslie, Newspaper Publisher

“The charter school where I work strives for excellence and professionalism—from both students and teachers. Male teachers simply wear a tie, but for women the dress code is a little less clear, especially since many of them are right out of college and used to dressing in jeans. One woman is always straddling the line with her outfits and is the subject of regular teacher’s lounge debates about whether or not she has crossed it. Parent-teacher conference day rolled around and she appeared for breakfast in the cafeteria in black high-heeled boots, a tee-shirt mini dress with a keyhole back and a wide patent leather belt. I made a mental note to mention it to the principal before the parents came in the afternoon. At lunch I noticed the teacher wasn’t there—turns out the principal had already sent her home.”

--Abby, Assistant Principal

“A couple of years ago, we merged with a French company. The new HR representative came to do a workshop with my team—a bunch of young science geeks who build robots in their spare time. Well, she was wearing one of those clingy wrap dresses that was cut very low in front. The guys definitely had their minds on something aside from the presentation that day.”

--Mary, Biotech Vice President

“Our summer interns are notorious for their outfits. From bra straps hanging out to hot pants. Thank goodness the bare midriff style seems to have waned. They would wear a cropped top with low cut jeans and a thong peeking out the back! It’s one thing hanging out with your girlfriends, but at your workplace? Come on.” --Laurie, Film Producer

Summer Job Search Tips by Kim Isaacs

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 02:35:00 GMT

Sizzling Summer Job Search Tips

By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert

Are you taking a break from the job search and surrendering to the lazy days of summer? The conventional wisdom is that almost everyone is in vacation mode from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Consequently, many postpone job searching until September.

Is this a mistake? Could you be missing opportunities if you take the summer off? We asked the career experts to find out.

Summer Job Searching -- Worthwhile or Waste of Time?

"I often hear job seekers say that they want to take the summer off," says Wendy Terwelp, career coach and president of Mequon, Wisconsin-based career management firm Opportunity Knocks. Terwelp says that by the time the summer ends, job seekers who took the summer off will be competing against even more job seekers who have followed the same strategy.

Anne-Marie Ditta, president of MyCareerCoach.net, agrees. "A fair number of job seekers think that recruiters and hiring managers are unavailable during the summer," Ditta says. Therefore, many believe it's a waste of time to job search from June through August.

Debunking the Summer Vacation Myth

"Few people take long vacations anymore, so for the corporate world it's business as usual in the summer," says Laura Berman Fortgang, a pioneer in the personal coaching field who has appeared on “Oprah” and “The CBS Early Show” and wrote Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction.

"It may take a little longer to get internal consensus on a hire because of staggered vacations, but why waste three months when you can move things forward during that time?" suggests Fortgang, who says that summertime can offer advantages to job seekers. "Sometimes, summer's quieter pace gives hiring managers a bit more 'brain space,' so they are more attentive to employment applications," she says.

Summer can be a prime hiring season for some employers. "Many projects hit the ground running in the fall, and employers want new people in place," Fortgang says.

Six Summer Job Search Tips

How do you keep your search moving forward in the summer? Our experts offer these tips:

Capitalize on Seasonal Events: "Summer is a terrific time to network," says Terwelp. "There are festivals, barbeques, weddings and other gatherings that can be a perfect time to connect." Fortgang says that using personal and social gatherings to let people know you are looking is an excellent strategy.
Don't Get Discouraged: Summer vacations may make reaching the right people more challenging, but don't use this as a reason to back off, Fortgang says. "Be patient and consistent, leave polite messages and continue due diligence," she says. Keep in mind that receptionists and other gatekeepers take vacations, too. "You might connect with that otherwise hard-to-reach hiring manager while your competitors are lolling around waiting until September," says Ditta.
Keep a Job Search Schedule: Yes, it's summer, but don't be lulled into laziness. "Even if it is just an hour a day, put structure in place to keep you going,” says Fortgang.
Build a Network: "Form a group of like-minded job seekers to keep your summer job search on track," Fortgang suggests. Meet regularly to share information on who's hiring. A job opportunity not right for you may be perfect for someone in your network, and vice versa.
Take Stock of Your Resume and Skills: Summer is the perfect time to assess and update your resume and skills. "Review your resume and add any new accomplishments or training," Terwelp says. Also, brush up on any skills that may be lagging. "Take a class or two in the summer. Not only will you be improving your skills, but you can network with your classmates."
Get Outside: Warm weather is the prime time for outdoor home improvement projects, and by helping your neighbors you can help your career at the same time. Walk around your neighborhood and offer to give someone a hand. While you're helping that neighbor, you can share that you're job hunting and tap into someone else's network. "This can lead to more connections, informational interviews and maybe even a new job," says Terwelp.

When it comes to your job search, summer doesn't have to mean slow. While that perfect swimsuit may remain elusive, you can use the summer months to find an ideal career fit. Your time and effort can reap big rewards and even land you a new job before autumn.

Tax Deductible Job Search Expenses

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 22:15:00 GMT

Your Job Search Expenses May Be Tax-Deductible

By John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer

Did you spend substantial amounts of money looking for a new position last year? You may be able to succeed where Nelson Rockefeller failed and take a tax deduction for many of your job search-related costs.

When New York Governor Rockefeller was appointed vice president in the '70s, he deducted expenses incurred in connection with his congressional confirmation hearings. Years later, the courts upheld the IRS's denial of the write-off, saying it violated a key rule on job search deductions: You must be looking for a job in the same trade or business as your previous position.

But fear not: The legitimacy of these deductions rarely gets decided in court. Armed with a bit of knowledge and some individualized professional tax advice, you may be able to reap savings by writing off a variety of job search costs.

Three Major Deduction Categories

Deductible job search expenses generally fall into three categories, according to IRS Publication 529:

Outplacement and Employee Agency Fees: If you pay for job counseling or to have an agency match you with an employment opportunity, this expense is generally deductible. Of course, if you are reimbursed by an employer or anyone else, you cannot deduct these fees.
Resume Preparation, Mailing and Related Expenses: Paper, envelopes, portfolios, postage, phone calls and the like add up. To deduct them properly, you'll need to keep meticulous records, including receipts and notes on the purpose of purchases.
Travel and Transportation Expenses: Whether you take the bus to an interview or fly across the country to pound the pavement, your job search-related travel and transportation expenses may be deductible. But remember: The amount of time you spend searching for a job versus engaging in personal activities during your journeys can be a factor. In other words, a three-week trip in February with one face-to-face informational interview thrown in isn't going to cut it. These deduction rules are complex; get professional advice.

Before You Take That Deduction, Consider These Factors

Even though you now have an idea of what to deduct, you still need to jump through some hoops -- four, actually -- before plugging in those deductions:

You Must Be Looking for a Job in the Same Occupation: Career changers don't get a break from the IRS. "If a general manager of a food market goes out and looks for a job as a VP of an Internet company, that's not going to fly," says Bradford Hall, managing director of Hall & Co. CPAs.
Distinctions between career fields can be arguable, so it pays to get professional advice. "I would go ahead and take the deduction if, say, you switch from journalism to marketing, because it's all communications," says Jim Dowling, senior tax manager for Weaver and Tidwell LLP.
You Can't Take a ‘Substantial Break' Between Your Previous Job and Your Search: "There's no specific time frame provided by the IRS," Hall says. "But if a teacher becomes a stay-at-home mom, then years later decides she wants to go back, that's too long" to qualify for job search deductions. "The IRS wants to encourage people to get back on the horse and get back in the labor force."
You Can't Be Looking for Your First Job: High school and college students seeking their first real-world job cannot deduct search expenses -- you must be transitioning between career positions.
Job Search and Other Miscellaneous Deductions Must Exceed 2 Percent of Adjusted Gross Income: Major caveat: You can deduct job search costs only to the extent that they -- lumped together with all other miscellaneous deductions (such as unreimbursed employee expenses) -- exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income.

What if you're still looking? Relax -- you can write off well-documented job search expenses for the year just ended, even if they haven't yet paid off with a new job.

When to Target a Lower Position

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:10:00 GMT

When to Target a Lower Position

By Ian Christie, Monster Contributing Writer

Does it ever make sense to take a step down the career ladder? If you can get past that nagging, inborn sense that "going lower" can only be a sign of downward career mobility, the answer is yes. Taking a lesser position can help move your career forward if the job fits into a larger long-term plan.

Read on to find out when a lower position might make sense, and how you can make such a transition successfully.

Know Why

What could drive you to consider a lower position? Here are some common circumstances:

Necessity: Economic conditions, your financial situation and lack of other alternatives may necessitate taking the best available option -- even if it's a step down. There's no shame in this, but be honest about how you got into this situation in the first place. I see too many people making this kind of career decision out of what was avoidable necessity. They were forced to take a lower-level job, because they didn't take charge of their careers. Do what you have to do, but learn from it.
To Change Careers: This is a completely valid reason to take a lower position, but remember: Changing professions doesn't automatically mean you start at the bottom. Look for transferable skills or specialized knowledge that could allow you to slide into something above an entry-level role. Also, changing industries is not the same as changing professions. When you change industries but not functions, target a lateral position, not a lower one. For example, a finance manager in a software company can occupy the same role in a biotech company.
To Broaden Your Horizons: A lower position in a different department can provide new experiences and enrich your career. But as with any career decision, think about the fit, your ability to be successful and how such a move figures into your larger career plan.
To Find Another Way to Advance: Imagine climbing a mountain and reaching a point where the route is blocked or requires climbing skill beyond your ability to pass it. You can give up or make a tactical decision to go back down a bit to look for another route up. Taking the right lower position can be a smart tactical move if you believe you can be successful in the lower role and know there's a defined path on which you can continue your ascent.

Sell Yourself

Once you've determined why taking a step down makes sense, prepare to sell yourself hard. You'll be up against more junior candidates, so you'll need to overcome the hiring manager's perceptions that you are overqualified and will get bored and leave.

To convince him otherwise, express a positive, compelling reason you want the job. For example: "I want to build a career in customer service. This job would allow me to apply what I know already and also develop best-practice skills starting from the operating level, which would help serve your customers better."

Avoid sending negative messages. In all of your communications, demonstrate you:

Possess the energy and enthusiasm to do the job and the flexibility, ability and willingness to learn quickly.
Will bring more value to the role based on your work experience than an untested junior candidate.
Will be content to do the job you are hired for and won't be making waves three months after you start about moving up.
Understand promotions will be based on merit.

In situations like this, it's human nature to feel superior to your junior coworkers. But acting superior will only torpedo your plans. Be mindful of your own development in the role, and manage your own performance. If you remember that the lower position is just one step in a long-term career strategy, you will perform well and with purpose.

By Ian Christie, Monster Contributing Writer

What Are Your Greatest Strengths and Weaknesses?

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:36:00 GMT

What Are Your Greatest Strengths and Weaknesses?

By Carole Martin, Monster Contributing Writer

Marie is about to interview two candidates for the customer service manager position. Her candidates are Francine and William. As always, she plans to ask about their strengths and weaknesses.

Francine answers the question, "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?" with, "My strength is that I'm a hard worker. My weakness is that I get stressed when I miss a deadline because someone else dropped the ball."

This answer is unimaginative. Most people think of themselves as hard workers.

William has difficulty with the question. "I really can't think of a weakness," he begins. "Maybe I could be more focused. My strength is probably my ability to deal with people. I am pretty easygoing. I usually don't get upset easily."

This answer leads with a negative, and then moves to vague words: maybe, probably, pretty and usually.

So what is the best way to answer this question?

Assessing Your Strengths

Assess your skills, and you will identify your strengths. This is an exercise worth doing before any interview. Make a list of your skills, dividing them into three categories:

Knowledge-Based Skills: Acquired from education and experience (e.g., computer skills, languages, degrees, training and technical ability).
Transferable Skills: Your portable skills that you take from job to job (e.g., communication and people skills, analytical problem solving and planning skills)
Personal Traits: Your unique qualities (e.g., dependable, flexible, friendly, hard working, expressive, formal, punctual and being a team player).

When you complete this list, choose three to five of those strengths that match what the employer is seeking in the job posting. Make sure you can give specific examples to demonstrate why you say that is your strength if probed further.

Assessing Your Weaknesses

This is probably the most dreaded part of the question. Everyone has weaknesses, but who wants to admit to them, especially in an interview?

The best way to handle this question is to minimize the trait and emphasize the positive. Select a trait and come up with a solution to overcome your weakness. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate more on professional traits. For example: "I pride myself on being a 'big picture' guy. I have to admit I sometimes miss small details, but I always make sure I have someone who is detail-oriented on my team."

Scripting Your Answers

Write a positive statement you can say with confidence:

"My strength is my flexibility to handle change. As customer service manager at my last job, I was able to turn around a negative working environment and develop a very supportive team. As far as weaknesses, I feel that my management skills could be stronger, and I am constantly working to improve them."

When confronted with this question, remember the interviewer is looking for a fit. She is forming a picture of you based on your answers. A single answer will probably not keep you from getting the job, unless, of course, it is something blatant. Put your energy into your strengths statement -- what you have to offer. Then let the interviewer know that although you may not be perfect, you are working on any shortcomings you have.

Resolve Office Conflicts by Beverly West, Monster Contributing Writer

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 05:57:00 GMT

Resolve Office Conflicts by Beverly West, Monster Contributing Writer

When the going gets tough, your coworkers can be the first to get on your last nerve. Whether it's due to on-the-job pressures, stress at home, familiarity or just proximity, when you're feeling hot under the collar, it's often your coworkers who wind up feeling the heat -- whether they actually deserve it or not.

So the next time you're ready to explode because your cube neighbor did something that irritates you yet again, let these tips from business-harmony experts help you make peace rather than war.

Rethink Conflict

"What we think of as the usual way of resolving conflicts does not foster resolution," says ResolutionWorks founder Stewart Levine in his article "The Many Costs of Conflict," adapted from Getting to Resolution: Turning Conflict into Collaboration. "Unfortunately, the operative premise that someone will win and someone will lose produces all losers, no matter who thinks they won. The dispute-resolution machinery often fuels the fire of conflict and impedes resolution."

Rather than throwing down the gauntlet next time you find yourself in coworker conflict, try to start a calm, productive dialogue, where you can collectively arrive at a situation that satisfies both parties. This way, you both come out winners.

Address the Underlying Problem, Not the Latest Symptom

The fact that the gal in the next cubicle just took another personal call when you need to meet with her is probably not really why you're so steamed. True, this is hardly considerate, and if it's a pattern, you may want to discuss it with her. However, it's rare one irritating act is the true source of conflict.

"Most conflict-resolution conversations do not foster resolutions that address the underlying sources of conflict -- breakdowns in relationships," says Levine in his article. So consider what's really getting under your skin before you address your coworker.

Exercise Emotional Intelligence

"When emotionally upset, people cannot remember, attend, learn or make decisions clearly," says Daniel Goleman in Emotional Intelligence. These three applications of emotional intelligence can be helpful in productively resolving office conflict:

Air Grievances Sensitively: Think about the effect your criticism will have on its recipient. If your words suggest the person is dim-witted, lazy or inconsiderate, you will get defensiveness and resentment in response. Talk to your coworker the way you would want to be spoken to, and aim for resolution, not revenge.
Consider Others' Working Styles: Try not to get irritated just because somebody's approach is different than yours.
Learn to Negotiate Effectively: Focus on the desired outcome of a conversation with your coworker, and strategize the best possible way to achieve your result.

Manage Your Stress

Our own pressures can make us short-tempered. "The workplace holds a plethora of anxiety producers," says Gloria Dunn, president of management-consulting company Wiser Ways to Work. She suggests the following strategies for regaining a sense of control and managing your stress level:

Mark off daily time that you keep free of interruptions.
Learn to say no. Create realistic boundaries, and stick to them. That way, you won't feel walked on, and you will feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
Create a workspace that nurtures you (e.g., makes you feel both physically and emotionally comfortable).
Exercise daily.

But the best way to avoid office drama is to refuse to engage in it. Nobody can cook up a full-scale conflict alone. If you can maintain a clear head, a good perspective on the issues, a sense of self-awareness and some compassion for your coworkers, you really can work in peace.

by Beverly West, Monster Contributing Writer

Preparing to Start Your New Job: A Checklist

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:40:00 GMT

Congratulations on landing your new job! The hard part may be over, but you still have some loose ends to tie up. This is a checklist of tasks to take care of before, during, and after your first day at work.

Before the First Day

Double-check everything. Cathie Faerber, managing director of The Wellesley Group, recommends confirming the details of your first day by double-checking everything: not only when and where to arrive, but also things like the office dress code. She says this will help you avoid any confusion or embarrassment.

She adds, "Verify if there are any drug-testing or pre-employment activities that need to be completed prior to your start date. And then get them completed."

Update your network on your newly employed status. "No doubt you have called upon your network to help you with landing a job," says career coach and president of Call to Career, Cheryl Palmer. Do the polite thing and let them know that you are no longer unemployed. "You can send an email to everyone, letting them know the name of the company and your job title," she says.

Remember the little people. "If you networked your way into the company, it's time to break out the thank-you notes and show some love," says career coach and author of "Career Sudoku: 9 Ways to Win the Job Search Game," Adriana Llames. Along with thanking your network contacts, take some time to thank your references. "Eighty-five percent of companies are calling on them today, and their kind words likely played a part in your landing your new role," she says.

You may also want to send token gifts (a gift card for a coffee drink, for instance) to contacts and references who were instrumental in your job offer.

During the First Day

Make a good first impression. Come into the workplace with a positive and open-minded attitude. "Be friendly to everyone, and try to understand the inner workings of the organization," Palmer recommends. She also says to accept invitations to lunch from new coworkers. "It's a way of getting to know them, and not accepting their invitations could be considered rude," she says.

Plus, if you're relocating for your new job, getting to know coworkers is a good way to start making friends and learning about your new home.

Find out what the boss's top priorities are. By knowing what your supervisor's needs are, you can start formulating a plan of attack and prioritizing work. "You don't want to wait until you are a few months into the new job to find out that what you think is a priority is not what the boss thinks is a priority," says Palmer. Also, "it's a good idea to have a few goals on paper before your first meeting with your manager," says Llames, to show your supervisor that you are proactive.

After the First Day

Get through the paperwork. Use the end of your first day to review company literature, such as information about benefits and corporate policies. "Ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the policies that you will be governed by as an employee of the firm," says Faerber. She also suggests completing all forms and returning them the next day. "Prompt attention is important--and they will be watching."

Treat yourself. "It takes 21 days to develop a habit," says Llames, so you may feel a bit tired or overwhelmed during the first few weeks at your new position. Make sure to relax, unwind, and get plenty of sleep to avoid exhaustion. Llames also says that after 30 days of working at your new job to treat yourself to something special. "Do something you normally would never do, just because you've earned it."

"Ultimately, you want to get off on the right foot," says Faerber. "These details will go a long way to make the right impression."

5 New Year's Career Resolutions for 2011

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT

5 New Year's Career Resolutions for 2011

by Lydia Dishman, PayScale.com

There's just something about opening a calendar for a new year that inspires us to improve our lives. So it's no surprise that New Year's career resolutions often focus on big goals--such as a promotion or a new job.

And that's why many resolutions get tossed aside by the second week in January, according to Tracy Brisson, founder and CEO of The Opportunities Project. "We get overwhelmed when we realize that outcomes are not always in our control," she explains. But Brisson says that there are plenty of attainable goals--such as adding people to your network or committing to read one business-related book per month--that can add up to career success.

Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of Flexjobs.com, recommends a mix of easy-to-achieve and lofty goals. She says, "The important part is to choose goals that are directly related to making you more successful in your job."

Here are some other suggestions from the experts:

Hone your elevator pitch.
For Jasmin French, principal of the personal branding firm J. French, it starts with honing your personal brand. French advises doing a simple inventory, "What did you do in 2010 that has transferable value to your employer or potential employer in 2011?" Then, she says, turn that into a succinct (60 seconds or less) pitch on what you are uniquely positioned to do better than anyone else.

French also suggests that you get people to start talking about you by updating your LinkedIn profile with any certifications you've earned or classes you're taking, as well as forwarding relevant articles. "Create your own buzz. It's self-promotion, but it's not shameless."

Brush up on hard skills.
Victoria Ashford, a leadership and career coach at Fearless Leading, suggests heading back to school for additional education, certification, diplomas, or language skills. "Once you have the knowledge and skill, it's yours forever--hard to take away," she notes. "Industries and work environments change, so make sure you're keeping up. Be intentional about your knowledge base and upgrade or update it now."

Solidify your soft skills.
While you're admiring that new diploma hanging on the wall, Ashford cautions that you shouldn't forget about "soft" skills, such as business etiquette, body language, and personal accountability. "Master the arts of introductions, conversation, and establishing professional presence. Ask others to judge your handshake, table manners, and posture," she advises.

A University of Illinois study concluded that 55 percent of the first impression you make is based on your appearance and your body language. And while first impressions are made within the first 30 seconds of meeting someone, it can take up to as many as 21 interactions to undo a bad first impression. French says, "If you want to be known for being detail-oriented, hem your pants, polish your fingernails, or iron that shirt."

Work better with others.
Susan Bender Phelps, a trainer and speaker with Odyssey Mentoring, urges employees to treat everyone they work with as if they are a customer. "Everyone includes your company's management team, your direct supervisor, even your cubicle-mate. Provide knock-your-socks-off service."

Bender Phelps says that one place to start is by sharing credit with your team and with everyone in the organization who contributed to a success. "When you do this consistently, you become the kind of leader people will want to follow, regardless of your title." Likewise, acknowledge people when they do great work, and be specific: "Give evidence that demonstrates you understand their work and the difference it made to the organization."

Approach failure as an opportunity.
"Use every failure or mistake as an opportunity to learn and plan for the future," emphasizes Bender Phelps. She recommends paying attention to what you were trying to accomplish, what you did to make that happen, what went right, and what went wrong. By taking time to consider what went into a failed initiative, you can learn what could have been done better--and in the future, if you're presented with a similar situation or project, you'll know what you should do differently.

Selling Yourself in the Job Interview

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:41:00 GMT

Selling Yourself in the Job Interview

The way you talk about yourself is a deciding factor in your success.

by Charles Purdy, Monster+Hot Jobs senior editor

Every job interview is different--but there are some general principles that can guide you in just about any interview, for any job. When you're talking about yourself and your experience, keep the following six points in mind.

1. Be the Solution
Companies fill or create positions because they have problems they want to solve--for instance, ineffective advertising or long customer-service lines. So prepare for an interview by identifying the problems hinted at in the job ad (if there's no job ad, do some research into the company and industry) and then preparing examples of how you'll solve those problems--and how you've solved similar problems in the past. Practice telling stories about specific results you've achieved.

(And if you're changing careers, keep in mind that many problems are not industry-specific--for example, a lack of effective project management or a breakdown of teamwork. Offering solutions to these problems is a great way to overcome a lack of directly applicable experience.)

2. Be Specific
Avoid empty cliches--be prepared to back up your claims about your skills or characteristics with relevant and specific stories. For example, don't just say you "work well with others"--talk about the types of teams you've worked with, and what you've learned from them. Or if you're going to say that you're "detail-oriented," come to the interview prepared with a story about how your attention to detail saved a former employer money (or otherwise saved the day).

3. Be Positive
Avoid complaining about a former employer or laying blame at a former manager's feet--doing so will likely make you seem difficult to work with (or just disloyal). Even if you quit your last job in a rage because your manager was incompetent, saying something like "I felt I was ready for a more challenging position--like this one seems to be" turns a potentially interview-killing situation into something that makes you look very attractive to a hiring manager.

4. Prepare Sound Bites
Prepare three or four effective sound bites that highlight your past successes and your skills. A sound bite is succinct and direct, so it's catchy and easy to remember--"I've designed logos for three Fortune 500 companies," for example, or "My efficiency plan decreased product-delivery times by 15 percent without costing the company one cent."

When you're coming up with your sound bites, ask yourself, "What were my greatest achievements at my most recent job?" and "What sets me apart from other candidates?"

5. Prepare to Talk About Your Resume
Your resume and cover letter will likely form an outline for at least part of your interview. Because a resume has to be brief, it probably says many things that could be elaborated on or explained in more detail. Often a resume explains the "what" (for instance, "supervised two people"). Use the interview to talk about the "how," as well as skills you gained, praise you received, and so on.

6. Be Aware of Nonverbal Communication
You "say" a lot about yourself with nonverbal cues: your posture and your facial expressions, for instance. Sit up straight--leaning forward can make you seem closed off, as can holding a briefcase or purse in your lap. Maintain eye contact when answering questions, and smile frequently. Also, practice your handshake with a friend: an overly aggressive handshake can be as off-putting as a limp one.

How to Work Your Way Up to Management

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:01:00 GMT

How to Work Your Way Up to Management

by Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

You're sharp, you work hard, and you feel ready to assume more responsibility--to be the boss. But how do you get yourself into a management position? What really moves people from cube farms into corner offices?

From dressing the part to being smart about how you broach the topic with your supervisor, here is a list of must-dos and expert tips for aspiring managers.

Be a people person
Experts agree that you need solid people skills to get noticed for a management role. "If people at work don't like you, no matter how skilled you are, you will never get to a management level," says Alexandra Levit, the author of "New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career."

"Be able to understand and monitor how you impact others," says Julie Jansen, the author of "I Don't Know What I Want, but I Know It's Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work."

Dress the part
A major challenge when transitioning into management is getting your current coworkers to imagine you in a new role. One way to change their view of you is to dress for the job you want, not the job you have, according to Nicole Williams, career advisor and the author of "Girl on Top." "If you're someone who dresses fairly casually, wear a suit. Show that you're taking on a larger role," she says.

Show that you're ready
Do you want a bigger leadership role? Before you ask for more responsibility, start demonstrating that you can handle it. "Do your work faster and more completely than the original project description," says Williams. "It's your actions that demonstrate your ability to manage."

Focus on the company's success
When you finally do have a conversation about moving up the chain, don't make it about you and your career. Make it about the long-term success of the company. Williams suggests that you explain how you want the company to succeed and how you'd like to play a role in that success.

Make your promotion a win-win
In this market, opportunities to move into management are sometimes limited by current managers hanging onto their jobs for dear life. Jansen suggests using your next review with your boss to create a six-month plan for expanding your current responsibilities. You'll come off as less threatening this way.

Williams adds that your current manager may also be looking to move up the chain at work--and may be lacking a qualified replacement. Your interest in management could be a win-win for both of you.

Be observant
How do managers at your company behave? How do they communicate? Bob Selden, the author of "What to Do When You Become the Boss: How New Managers Become Successful Managers," recommends that you develop a profile of what a successful manager looks like in your organization.

Selden says to write down the positive qualities of each manager you admire and then look for the qualities that are similar between them.

Network internally
It's time to rub elbows with the right people and get their support for your move to management. "Learn to be politically savvy and nurture stakeholders at your company," says Jansen. She adds that you should network at all levels of your company's hierarchy, not just with people in positions above yours.

Selden also suggests finding a mentor and asking your HR leaders for advice on transitioning into management. "Your network should include people from both inside and outside the organization who can help you with your career development," he says.

That’s Oil, Folks! by Skip Hollandsworth

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 05:01:00 GMT

That’s Oil, Folks!

Everyone said that the wildcatters of Midland had seen their last glory days, that the fields were dry, and that all the best new plays were offshore. But they didn’t count on an unorthodox drilling formula that would help unlock the hidden reserves of the Permian Basin—and give West Texas one more boom.

by Skip Hollandsworth

One autumn morning in 1998, a soft-spoken, ruddy-faced petroleum engineer named Dennis Phelps walked out of his office at the Atlantic Richfield Company in downtown Midland and drove a company car, a four-door Chevrolet, to M. T. Boultinghouse 11-7, an oil well that had just been drilled amid some cactus and a few scraggly mesquite trees twenty miles south of the city’s airport. He parked several yards from the wellhead and stepped inside a small RV that was outfitted with some tables and chairs, a computer, and a coffeepot. Taped to one wall was a long sheet of paper that looked like nothing but a series of squiggly lines: a seismic well log.

The RV was owned by BJ Services, a Midland firm that the Atlantic Richfield Company had hired to fracture, or “frac,” the well, a technique that involves pumping a sand-filled, gel-like fluid down the well’s pipe at high pressure. In a normal frac operation, the fluid shoots out through holes that have been bored into the pipe at certain depths, causing the adjoining rock to fracture, much as a car windshield splits into dozens of tiny cracks when struck by a hammer. The sand braces the fractures, most of them no wider than pencil lead, sort of the way timber props open a coal mine’s shafts. Then, hopefully, the oil that has been trapped in the rock flows through the fractures back to the well, seeps through the holes in the pipe, and is pumped to the earth’s surface.

In the Permian Basin, every oil well had to be fracked. It had been at least sixty years since a West Texas oilman had punched a hole into the 74,000-square-mile ancient seabed, heard a rumbling in the earth, and stood back to watch a geyser of black crude shoot into the air. In fact, by 1998, the Permian’s oil fields had been so heavily drilled that it was considered to be on its last legs. Sure, there was oil to be recovered, but it was a mere trickle compared with the glory days of the forties and fifties, when the region had the richest oil fields in the world, credited with fueling much of the Allied effort during World War II. Back then, a good Permian Basin well started out at six hundred or more barrels a day before leveling off within a couple years to one to two hundred. In the nineties, a typical well started off at forty to seventy barrels a day, then settled down to just five to fifteen.

And almost all of these Permian wells were being drilled in what is known as the Spraberry Trend, a 1.7-million-acre layer of silt and sandstone about a mile and a half underground. It was considered to be about the only place left where oilmen could count on hitting oil. Spraberry oil wasn’t difficult to find: Geologists knew the rock formations by heart, and petroleum engineers knew exactly how to frac those wells and keep them going for fifty years or more. But as one oilman put it, drilling a Spraberry well was “like watching paint dry. You know where to drill, you drill, you eventually get your ten or so barrels of oil a day, and then you drill another one.”

In 1995 the Atlantic Richfield Company, or ARCO, which was headquartered in Los Angeles, had decided to drill about three hundred Spraberry wells. According to the gossip at Midland’s Petroleum Club, ARCO was preparing to put itself up for sale, and the more oil reserves it could show on its books, the higher its value as a company would be. That’s where Dennis Phelps came in. His bosses had let him know in no uncertain terms that his job was to make sure those new wells hit oil. Phelps got the message. If he started drilling dry holes, chances were that he’d be in the next wave of ARCO layoffs.

An ARCO employee since 1970, the 52-year-old Phelps was then just one more petroleum engineer working the Permian Basin. He dressed in inexpensive button-down shirts, khakis, and loafers, and he spent most of his time in a small, spare office studying such subjects as “relative perm value,” “in situ proppant,” and “residual fracture aperture.” In his notebook, he scribbled down ideas about polymer concentrations in frac fluids. The blackboard in his office had phrases on it like “surface tilt fracture mapping.” As opposed to the swashbuckling Jett Rink-like wildcatters who had made Texas famous, Phelps had the charisma of an accountant.

All petroleum engineers, however, have a bit of a romantic streak in them. They love to spend their idle moments trying to devise some new technique that will pull more oil out of the ground. Phelps was no different. For years he had been wondering if there was a better way to frac what was known as the Wolfcamp, a layer of rock—mostly packed limestone—that ran directly below the Spraberry. Every now and then, an ambitious oilman would drill a little ways into the Wolfcamp, maybe a few hundred feet, and bore holes into his pipe because his well logs suggested there was oil lurking nearby. If he was lucky, he’d get a hundred or so barrels. But because the Wolfcamp’s limestone had such little permeability, the fracs never worked: The frac fluid simply bounced off the rock. “As far as we were concerned, the Wolfcamp was nothing but damn sorry rock,” said legendary Midland oilman Clayton Williams, who started drilling in the Permian Basin in 1957. “If you were lucky, you’d get a teaser well, but without a good frac, the oil quickly would dry up.”

It just so happened that ARCO was using a rig for its new Spraberry project that drilled wells 10,000 feet deep, straight into the heart of the Wolfcamp. Phelps received permission from his bosses to try a few experiments. In one test, attempting to put cracks in the Wolfcamp, he sent the frac fluid at a much higher speed down a pipe that was five and a half inches in diameter instead of the usual four and a half. In another, he used a well pipe that had sixty holes bored into it, all a mere twenty feet apart from each other, near the bottom of the Wolfcamp. As soon as that frac was done, he blocked out those holes, bored sixty more in a higher zone of the Wolfcamp, and ordered another. Then he kept moving up the well, from one zone to the next, fracking the same way.

But thus far, Phelps had had only marginal success—certainly not the kind that covered the high costs of his experiments. Still, on this morning at M. T. Boultinghouse 11-7, he was ready to try again. He pulled out a sheet of paper with a formula he had first written on his office blackboard: “50 percent pad followed by 0.5#/gal20/40 sand slurry and a tail-in up to 2#/gal for the last 5% of the treatment volume.”

When BJ employees reporting to work at the trailer read his notes, they stared at Phelps. The formula was for what is known as a slick-water frac, in which water is given a special friction reducer that allows it to be pumped at a much higher pressure. Slick-water fracs were hardly new in the oil fields, but petroleum engineers had rarely, if ever, tried them in the Wolfcamp, their assumption being that the water would simply bounce off the limestone and come right back up, flooding out the well. Now Phelps was asking BJ to use far more water than what went into a standard slick-water frac, as well as only a minimal amount of gel and sand. “Dennis,” said one BJ guy, shaking his head, “aren’t you worried that ARCO is going to fire your ass?”

Phelps shrugged. “I want to see what happens.”

“It’s your money,” said the BJ supervisor as he and the others left the RV. They mixed up the frac fluid according to Phelps’s recipe and shot it down the hole. Three hours later, when they were finished, they packed up their equipment and drove away. It would take a week for the results to come in.

Heading down the highway back to his office, Phelps passed by a tableau of rusty tanks and worn-out pump jacks that were barely moving. In the oil field service yards just outside Midland, the drilling rigs were racked and stacked and the gang trucks were parked in rows, covered in dust. When he reached downtown, the streets were practically empty. In late 1998 the price of U.S. crude was at a measly $12 a barrel, which meant that almost all the independent oilmen of West Texas had cut their operations to the bone. Considering how little oil they were getting from their Permian Basin wells, there was no way they could drill with prices so low. ARCO was one of the few companies doing anything of significance, and frankly, Phelps wasn’t sure how long that was going to last. Back at his desk, he stared out the window and wondered what he would say to his wife if he got fired.

One week later, the ARCO pumper at M. T. Boultinghouse 11-7 called Phelps from the well shack. “Dennis, I don’t quite know how to explain this,” he said, “but the well is coming in at three hundred barrels.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Phelps said quietly.

The pumper repeated the number. He paused. He then said that most of the oil coming up was not the brownish color found in the Spraberry formation but a golden green color. “That’s Wolfcamp oil,” the pumper said. “I can’t explain that either.”

Phelps was not an emotional man. He did not do such things as shake his fists triumphantly in the air. He simply called his wife and said, “Honey, I don’t think I’m out of a job.”

Within two days, the well was down to one hundred barrels, but there it stayed for two more weeks. Then, over the next three months, it slowly declined to seventy barrels. Three months later, it was at sixty. In modern-day Permian Basin terms, the well was a gusher.

Phelps supervised the frac of another well near M. T. Boultinghouse 11-7, and it came in at more than 150 barrels a day. Two more wells drilled on the same lease brought in similar returns. Phelps had a meeting with his bosses. What exactly had happened? Had he come up with a formula that worked in the Wolfcamp? Or had those Boultinghouse wells been drilled, purely by chance, into a rare Wolfcamp sweet spot? Maybe the wells were, in oilman’s lingo, nothing more than “hallelujah wells,” the kind that an oilman hits by sheer luck just once in a lifetime.

Read the Full Article at http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-09-01/feature4-2.php