Signs The Job Interview Went Well

They give you a firm answer about when you’ll hear back.
If someone hasn’t made up their mind yet, they don’t really know how long it will take to do so, and are evasive about estimating how long it might take to make up their mind
“I’ll have an answer for you on Monday morning,” usually means they may have made a decision. The decision might not be for you, but at least they’ve made a decision

The interview went longer than scheduled
You clearly demonstrated that you can meet all the job requirements,and you start discussing all the other things you can bring to the job

The interviewer describes their frustration with the previous employee
If they begin to talk about how poorly the last guy did, then that is a good indication that they’ve decided you can do a better job. If you find the interviewer comparing you favorably to previous or existing employees, then you’ve likely done a good job of selling yourself as qualified.

Let loose

Chief executives know in their hearts that smart people, set loose to solve big problems, are responsible for every success and innovation industry has ever seen.

Do you know whats important at work?

Sensible performance goals help people understand what's important. A healthy organization builds performance goals into its leadership framework, remember that the metrics don't equal the framework.

Coming out of the recession

In a poll conducted by Right Management at the end of 2009, 60% of workers intend to leave their jobs when the market got better. Good news for the market the Wall Street Journal wrote "In February, the number of employees voluntarily quitting surpassed the number being fired or discharged for the first time since October 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics."
There are several factors such as there is a natural turnover of employees who are trying to advance their careers which was not happening during the recession because jobs were so scarce.
Another factor that is making it hard to retain employees is the effects of the heavy cost-cutting and downsizing on workers' morale. The employees left behind are feeling disengaged, which is going to lead to a lot of churn as we come out of the recession..

Creativity the new competency

CEO's agree that going forward over one-fifth of all revenues will have to come from new sources, they are recognizing the requirement to break with existing assumptions, methods, and best practices. So what are they looking for in new leadership? CEOs identified "creativity" as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future. Not operational effectiveness, influence, or dedication. Creative leaders fight the institutional urge to wait for completeness, clarity, and stability before making decisions. They are breaking with traditional strategy-planning cycles in favor of continuous, rapid-fire shifts and adjustments to their business models.
Are you creative?

Sedentary yet stressful work environments.

The human body is meant to move, and staying in one position for too long can make joints feel tight. Sitting at a desk all day can be stressful and cause: back pain, eyestrain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and sleep problems to name a few.
Avoid the common aliments/health risks of a sedentary yet stressful work environment.
Take a go at getting regular exercise including abdominal strengthening activities to relieve some of the pressure on your lower back. There are many you can do just sitting at your desk. Also sitting on a large wallet can put pressure on the sciatic nerve and that is not good for your lower back.
Eyestrain can cause headaches, neck aches and sore eyes etc. Try increasing your font size so you don't have to squint.
Try stretching and other exercises which may help release tension in the wrist to avoid CTS.

My biggest peeve is turning desks into bacteria cafeterias. Eating at your desk and never clean them. Keep antibacterial wipes close by to wipe down your work surface daily. Trust me it helps... After your desk; the phone is the dirtiest, the desktop is next, and the mouse and the computer follow.
Stay healthy, wealthy and wise!

The big bucks

Do you dream of earning the big bucks without having to deal with the extreme stress that goes with top-paying jobs? A high-salary, low-stress job sounds too good to be true but there are plenty of rewarding, angst-less jobs out there that come with generous salaries.
Some of the highest-stress jobs pay surprisingly low salaries. Police officers and firefighters quite possibly have the most nerve-racking jobs in the world, yet most of them earn less than $45,000 a year. What about our nation's finest in combat who face death on a daily basis? They typically earn less than $30,000 a year.

In other words, high stress does not always equal a hefty salary, or vice versa. Fortunately, there are plenty of laid-back career choices that pay quite generously.

Cast a wide net

Many times the reason you don't get a job is beyond your control, and, in fact, has nothing to do with you, but not always. A few common reason you may not be considered are showing up for the interview late; answering your phone during the interview; resumes with typos; silly-E-mail address; failing to research the employer; bad-mouthing your last employer or boss; neglecting to follow up. We all know these are bad so how do I get on the short list and land that job?

Rehearse answers to the most common questions. You don't want to sound canned. You want to be yourself. Practice Great answers to those questions until you can speak with conviction and confidence. Answers that are short, vivid, around three-sentences brimming with examples and facts are easy to interpret and will help land that job.
Cast a wide net; many companies take around 6 weeks to go through the hiring process. Keep networking, applying to positions, interviewing, and researching until you have a firm job offer in hand. Don't let a super interview with your dream employer hold you back from continuing your search.
Be reasonable and understand your wants and needs. Which are must haves? Which are negotiable?

11-hour days are bad for the heart

LONDON (Reuters) - People working 10 or 11 hours a day are more likely to suffer serious heart problems, including heart attacks, than those clocking off after seven hours, researchers said on Tuesday
The finding, from an 11-year study of 6,000 British civil servants, does not provide definitive proof that long hours cause coronary heart disease but it does show a clear link, which experts said may be due to stress.

In all, there were 369 cases of death due to heart disease, non-fatal heart attacks and angina among the London-based study group -- and the risk of having an adverse event was 60 percent higher for those who worked three to four hours overtime.

Working an extra one to two hours beyond a normal seven-hour day was not associated with increased risk.

More fundamentally, long hours may be associated with work-related stress, which interferes with metabolic processes, as well as "sickness presenteeism," whereby employees continue working when they are ill.

Happiness at work

The moment you say something is a bad thing, you experience it that way. People who derive the good from work are committed to their organization and are the people who are more immune to dissatisfaction. Be Happy accept situations as they are.
Happy at work yes its possible- if you have a high level of confidence, commitment, conviction, contribution and a good culture fit, paired with feelings of recognition, pride and trust in the company, you can achieve happiness at work.
How try thinking about the tasks and relationships at work that you really enjoy, and figure out how to maximize them. get control by the simple act of writing out a to-do list and working on tasks and completing them will give you a sense of control and composure. Status and longer hours may contribute to some happiness, while active learning and shorter hours makes me happy...
What makes you happy at work?

Prove your value

Are stuck in a go-nowhere job? Are you spread too thin over too many tasks?
Think about using education and/or training to make a move to a position that is more in line with your ambition and ability.
Ask for more responsibility otherwise, your boss may not know that you're thinking of advancing your career.
Show your willingness to take a leadership position and a position of responsibility.
Become an expert in a few major responsibilities in order to make yourself indispensable in the office.

32 million Americans are currently uninsured.

Overview health care reform bill
Purchase insurance from anywhere or pay either $750 or 2% of their income, whichever is greater. Exemptions would be granted for those in financial hardship which is measured using the poverty line.

The federal government regulation would make plans provide a minimum of amount of benefits but not a maximum. It would also implement consumer protections and an appeals process for consumers who want to dispute the decisions of their insurance companies on individual coverage.
Plan can not discriminate based on pre-existing exclusions, must spend a high percentage of their premiums on actual care (around 80%), and that they follow certain consumer protection laws. In addition plans could no longer limit how much costs they are willing to cover. In the past insurance companies would be able to limit their liability to $300,000 for example and stop paying once that limit was reached.

Businesses with less than 50 employees would be exempted from providing coverage.Small businesses would be allowed to join forces in order to purchase insurance for their employees. In other words five small businesses could all negotiate with an insurance company together in order to get a lower rate as big businesses currently do.

Overall the bill was projected to save a little over $100 billion in the first ten years of its existence and well over $700 billion after that. Those projections were done by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

Temporary vs Contract Workers

The difference between a Temporary employee and a Contractor simply is temporaries are hourly employees and contractors are exempt employees with a level of decision making authority.

People may not realize that there are thousands of companies in desperate need of skilled employees even in this economy. But, to land a job over the competition, you still have to work smarter. Good jobs aren't on the market very long. If you have been unemployed for a while consider a temporary or contract role...

There are good reasons to pursue a contract/temporary role:
1: Test drive a job/industry before committing time and money to training
2: Fill a gap on a resume and keep busy while job searching. This is very important; recruiters can't see past these Gaps fill it with something such as volunteer work and put it on your resume. Be excited to talk about it at the interview
3: Lets face it if you're a working candidate you are more attractive to future employers

Nervous energy

Showing that you are excited and energetic is good, yet nervous energy paints a whole different picture. Bouncing your leg, tapping your fingers or a pen, or shifting around is distracting and shows that you are unable to sit still, which is unprofessional. If you can’t sit through a 30-minute interview, how are you going to survive a two-hour meeting more importantly, an eight-hour day?

What to do: Take deep, steady breaths and pay attention to your breathing during the interview, make sure it hasn’t quickened, and keep it at a steady pace. Keep your portfolio on your lap to keep your legs from bouncing.
And keep the hand gestures to a minimum! My most prominent habit I need to break...

Posture

Bad posture during an interview can give the impression that you are lazy or disrespectful. Reclining might tell the interviewer that you are bored or cocky. Slouching forward gives the impression of nervousness. If you are constantly shifting from one position to another it shows that you are uncomfortable, this in turn can make the interviewer uncomfortable.

What to do relax against the back of your chair. Make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor. Avoid sitting up too straight, as that can also make you look uncomfortable. It may sound crazy, but practice sitting at home and see how long you can hold a comfortable position without too much shifting around.

Tax advice from the HR guru

In 2008 the IRS received over 141 million tax returns. 70 percent were filed electronically. 110 million were due refunds, averaging $2,753.
They predict it will take an average of 21.4 hours to complete a basic form 1040, this year.
The personal exemption increased to $3,650.
The standard deduction increased, to $11,400 for married couples filing jointly, $5,700 for individuals and $8,350 for heads of household.
Tax brackets have been adjusted upward by about 5 percent.
If you choose to increase your standard deduction by one or more of these items, you'll have to file a new form Schedule L.

The three deductions for state or local real estate taxes, sales or excise taxes on new car purchases or net disaster losses can be taken if you itemize.
There are expanded tax credits for home purchases and education. And the tax credit for home energy efficiency has been reinstated.

Remember a credit reduces the amount of tax you owe; a deduction reduces the income on which your taxes are assessed

If you're a moderate-income worker, you might have some money due to you. A new form, Schedule M, will have to be filed to claim the credit.

****For people who lost jobs, the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits is not taxable...

Post Recession Recovery?

Economic indicators suggest recovery is underway. Struggles in 2008 and 2009 will require refocus in 2010 when business looks for fast growth. Organizations have been focused on retrenchment. So refocus and reengage employees for the turnaround.

The thaw begins

According to recent reports the hiring freeze is about to thaw.
The problem is that many recruiting operations have been so deeply cut-back that many find themselves unable to cope, let alone compete. And while employers have been struggling with contraction, the web has exploded changing how we recruit online forever. Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have seen unprecedented growth. If you do not know what being FB'd, tweeted or IN means you may want to find out soon. The labor shortage is not far away.