About Career Planning

Workplace Privacy Case Reaches the Supreme Court

2009-12-21T08:30:15Z

The U.S. Supreme Court will review the case of a California police officer who took his employer to court over his personal use of a company-issued wireless pager. John Quon used the pager, which was issued by the Ontario Police Department, to send text messages to his mistress. Some of those messages were sexually explicit. When his employer decided to review those texts, Quon protested that his privacy rights had been violated. Legal experts will offer much better coverage of this than I can, so I won't get into all the specifics of it. If you want details, please read Supreme Court Takes Texting Case) on NYTimes.com.

What do you think? Take the poll and post your comments below.

Workplace Privacy Case Reaches the Supreme Court originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 08:30:15.

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The Emotional Toll of Job Loss

2009-12-17T08:34:46Z

Depression, anxiety, shame, insomnia. Many people who are unemployed may experience all of these according to a New York Times / CBS News poll, the results of which were published December 14 on NYTimes.com. The poll surveyed 705 unemployed adults between December 5 and 10. It asked respondents about the emotional toll job loss has taken on them asking questions such as "are you more stressed than usual, less stressed or is your stress level no different," (69% said they were more stressed) "have you had any trouble sleeping," (55% answered yes) "have you experienced emotional or mental health issues, like anxiety or depression," (48% reported they have) and "how often have you felt embarrassed or ashamed about being out of work." (46% responded that they have some or most times). The poll also examined the financial toll of job loss. For more details see Unemployment's Emotional Toll.

More About Job Loss:

Coping With Job Loss

How to Deal With Sudden Unemployment

How to Stay Positive During a Long Job Search

The Emotional Toll of Job Loss originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 08:34:46.

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Weekly Career Profile: Pharmacist

2009-12-16T07:56:38Z

Pharmacists dispense prescription drugs to patients and provide information about those drugs. They help patients understand the instructions their doctors or other health practitioners provided. Pharmacists also monitor their patients' health and progress to make sure their medications are working effectively and safely. To be able to work as a pharmacist one must earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.) which generally takes four years after at least two years of undergraduate study.

Now comes the opportunity to learn more about becoming a pharmacist. First you should obtain facts about this occupation. Get detailed job descriptions and information on compensation and job outlook in Pharmacist: Career Information. Next, a first hand account of life as a pharmacist can help you see beyond what this description can provide. See what some of our readers who work in this field have to say by reading our Real Life of a Pharmacist submissions. Finally, if you are are considering whether to pursue a career as a pharmacist, the Should You Become a Pharmacist? quiz can help you find out if you have the characteristics necessary to succeed in this career.

Weekly Career Profile: Pharmacist originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 07:56:38.

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Getting an Employer to Look Past a Disability

2009-12-14T14:31:22Z

Imagine there's a career you've dreamed of pursuing. You work hard and come thisclose to getting hired. Then the employer who is about to hire you learns you have a medical condition and worries that it will interfere with your work. They decide not to hire you despite your insistence that you are in control of your condition. What would you do?

When Anna Balogh faced this situation she decided to fight back. She sued the U.S. Department of State for denying her a job as a Foreign Service officer because she has Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes, reports Boston.com (Diabetic to Begin Career as Diplomat). Last week Balogh and the U.S. government settled the case out of court shortly before it was to go to trial. She got the job she wanted, on a trial basis, and will be compensated for lost wages.

Unfortunately there are some employers that can't see past someone's disabilities. They make assumptions based on what they think they know without ever giving a qualified candidate the opportunity to do the job they know they can do. Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act protects workers from this kind of discrimination. Learn more about the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Getting an Employer to Look Past a Disability originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 14:31:22.

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Gifting Guidelines

2009-12-11T13:14:50Z

With only about a week and half left to buy Christmas gifts for your boss and co-workers (if any celebrate Hanukkah, it begins tonight, but don't worry — you have eight days to give them presents), you may be heading out to do your shopping this weekend. This can be a tricky task. Here are some guidelines that can make it easier:

First of all, know what your company's culture is. Is gift-giving something everyone there does? Being on the receiving end of a present when you don't have one to give is awkward. And if you give a gift to someone who doesn't have something for you, it might make that person feel weird.
Don't spend too much on gifts for your colleagues. Even if you can afford it, an expensive gift isn't appropriate.
Gifts should be work-oriented. Something for the desk is nice or if your co-worker or boss travels a lot, perhaps get something he or she can use on the road.
Stay away from overly personal gifts, for example jewelry or perfume. Definitely don't give lingerie or anything else that could be embarrassing.
Be mindful of your co-worker's or boss's tastes and traditions. A gift card to a steakhouse for your vegan office mate is a bad choice, for example, as is a Christmas tree ornament for colleague who doesn't celebrate the holiday.

More: Gifts for Your Co-Workers and Boss

Also Read: Rules for Dealing With the Holiday Season at Work

Gifting Guidelines originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, December 11th, 2009 at 13:14:50.

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Weekly Career Profile: Culinary Careers

2009-12-09T14:12:15Z

Chefs usually work in restaurants and other food services establishments. Some chefs are entrepreneurs who work as personal chefs. Chefs create recipes, measure, mix, and cook ingredients according to recipes and direct the work of other kitchen workers. They can receive their training in high school or through vocational programs, but those who aspire to be executive chefs must complete a formal training program.

Now comes the opportunity to learn more about becoming a chef. First you should obtain more facts about this occupation. Get detailed job descriptions and information on compensation and job outlook in Culinary Careers: Chef, Cook, Food Preparation Worker. If you want a first-hand account of a day in the life of a personal chef, take a few minutes to watch this video. Finally, if you are are considering whether to pursue a career as a chef, the Should You Become a Chef? quiz can help you find out if you have the characteristics necessary to succeed in this career.

Weekly Career Profile: Culinary Careers originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 14:12:15.

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Should You Temp?

2009-12-07T14:35:55Z

According to CBS News, the November jobs report showed that the number of temp jobs in the professional and business services sector have "risen for the fourth straight month" (Could Temp Solution Signal Jobs Recovery? ). The article goes on to quote David Wyss, chief economist for Standard & Poor's, who said "temp work doesn't peak during the recession; temp work usually peaks at the beginning of a recovery."

Regardless of whether temp work is good for the economy, it could be good for you if you are currently seeking employment. While some temporary workers hope to turn their assignments into full time jobs, others enjoy temping for what it is. Those who don't want to be tied down to one job find that temping is a good option as do people who want a flexible schedule. Temping is also a good way to gain experience and learn new skills. Want to know more about temping? Read Is a Temp Job the Right Alternative for You?

Should You Temp? originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 14:35:55.

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What Happens at the Office Party ...

2009-12-04T08:15:18Z

I wish I had some good office party stories to share with you, but I don't. Nothing of great interest ever happened at any I attended. My first job was at a tiny advertising agency and our holiday party consisted of the ten or so of us who worked there sitting around a table having lunch. When I worked at a public library all I remember is that our parties were very noisy, but that's only because everyone was talking at the same time and usually laughing hysterically. Don't believe the stereotypes about librarians — they can be quite rambunctious. Still, nothing untoward went on.

Oh, if only I had a story like Suzanne's. Let's just say it involved a conference room and two employees in a compromising position. Do you have any holiday party stories you'd like to share? Don't name names, but if you do, I'll change them to protect the ... er ... innocent. It's simple. All you have to do is Fill out the form.

Top 10 Office Party Don'ts

What Happens at the Office Party ... originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 08:15:18.

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Weekly Career Profile: Writer / Editor

2009-12-02T16:38:28Z

Every Wednesday, beginning today, I will feature a different career profile in this space. This will give you the opportunity to learn about careers you may not have thought about before. Perhaps you will come across one that peaks your interest. If so, you will be directed to resources to help you learn more about that career and whether it could be a good choice for you.

We'll begin this series of career profiles with sort of a twofer — Writer / Editor. These two occupations are closely related to one another. Writers produce content for print and online media. Editors evaluate and select content for publication. Writers use the written word to express ideas and convey information. They create written works such as prose, poetry and plays. Some writers prepare advertising copy. Editors review, rewrite and edit the work of writers. They offer comments to improve a writer's work. Some editors review book proposals and decide whether to buy the publication rights. Both writers and editors are often required to have bachelor's degrees in communications, English or journalism.

Now comes the opportunity to learn more about becoming a writer or an editor. First you should obtain more facts about these occupations. Get detailed job descriptions and information on compensation and job outlook in Writer and Editor: Career Information. Next, learn about the real life of writers and editors by taking a look at these Real Career Stories contributed by a few of our readers who work in the field. Finally, if you are are considering whether to pursue a career as a writer or an editor, the Should You Become a Writer? and Should You Become an Editor? quizzes can help you find out if you have the characteristics necessary to succeed in these jobs.

Weekly Career Profile: Writer / Editor originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 16:38:28.

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Office Gossip

2009-12-01T12:14:06Z

Is office gossip good or bad? Open channels of communication within a workplace are always best since gossip is so unreliable. However at a workplace in which information isn't disseminated through formal channels, the grapevine may be the only place to get company news. While you need to listen to the gossip, it is important to do so with a critical ear. Most of what you hear may be untrue but within some false rumors are grains of truth.

Gossip can run rampant in companies in which open communication isn't encouraged. Productivity can suffer as workers become distracted by rumors and spend more time attending to the grapevine than they spend working. Employee retention may also suffer as gossip promotes a stressful work environment. At least one employer recognized this and instituted a no-gossip policy according to an article in the New York Times (Workplace Gossip? Keep It to Yourself).

Shayla McKnight, the author of the article and an employee at that company, reports the policy makes a huge difference. "There's a greater sense of being part of a team here than in other jobs I've had," she says. McKnight explains how her employer handles communication: "Groups have daily meetings with their managers where they go over the orders and sales goals, so we always know how the company is doing. Our C.E.O., Andrew S. Field, explained that some of us might have to be let go. After the layoffs occurred, he held a meeting, reviewed the reasons again and identified those who were laid off. No one had to speculate about anything — we got the information from the source." This sounds like a policy more employers should put into place.

Office Gossip originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 12:14:06.

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