Happy Earth Day! Heres How to Find a Green Job

Happy Earth Day Heres How to Find a Green JobHappy Earth Day Heres How to Find a Green JobHappy Earth Day Heres How to Find a Green JobMuch of the world marks the 41st annual Earth Day today. Amid increased warnings about climate change and long-standing calls to make our air and water cleaner, many employers have embraced efforts to improve the environment as part of their corporate social responsibility agendas.Whole industries and career paths have emerged to control the natural resources and energy we use, creating a new category of jobs with the label green collar. Green jobs arent just for environmentalists they require people with construction, science, and engineering backgrounds, as well as experts in finance, law, marketing, sales, customer service, and business management. Even corporate IT departments have embraced green IT programs, in part to limit the energy they use to keep computer networks up and running.If youre currently job searching, you might want to consider o ne of these roles (as long as you have some of the experience employers are looking for). Here are five sites that promote listings for jobs in the green arenaGreenjobs.comThis is also a good place for candidates to post their resumes and get job search guidance.Green Jobs Network (and greenjobsearch.org)You can browse for jobs under 30 categories, from air quality to wind power. Or, browse by city and state.GreenBiz.comThis also offers advice to businesses on how to align environmental responsibility with corporate goals. One recent job posting Marketing Director for a San Francisco-based broker of clean technology for corporations.Green Dream JobsYou can read the latest news affecting the environment and get advice on investing in green industries while you browse for jobs.TreeHugger.comFind jobs, take part in contests, and take a quiz about the history of Earth Day. (I answered only 5 of 10 questions correctly Im sure many of you can do better.)

Whats Most Important in Accepting a Job Offer

Whats Most Important in Accepting a Job OfferWhats Most Important in Accepting a Job Offer?Whats Most Important in Accepting a Job OfferEver get the feeling that you and the people who ansturm businesses are on different planets?If you do, youre not alone, at least when it comes to what a job seeker is looking for in an employer.A recent study by HR consultancy Towers Watson found differences of opinion between employers and employees on the reasons people want to work for a company. Here are the top seven from both groupsEmployer ViewEmployee View1Competitive base payCompetitive base pay2Reputation of the organization as a great place to workChallenging work3Challenging workConvenient work location4The business/industry of the organizationOpportunities for career advancement5Opportunities to learnnew skillsVacation/holiday/paid time off6Opportunities for career advancementReputation of the organization as a great place to work7Organizations financial healthFlexible scheduleWhen you look at these lists, the groups agree on only four points. Sure, money is at the top of both lists, but look at the other reasons. The employees reasons (convenient work location, vacation/holiday/paid time off, and flexible schedule) all speak to the need for work/life balance. Meanwhile, the employers reasons (business/industry of the organization, opportunities to learn new skills, and organizations financial health) speak to the issues of job security, company branding, and professional development.Granted, there are employers that unabashedly promote flexible scheduling and generous paid time off policies to prospective employees, just as much as there are job seekers who place more importance on the companys financial health and opportunities to learn new skills. Its all a matter of what has more value.With that, Im turning this over to you Whats fruchtwein important when you decide to accept a job offer? Is it the work? The company? The money? The things that help with work/l ife balance? The opportunity to enhance your career?

Steven Slaters JetBlue Outburst Should Not Influence Career

Steven Slaters JetBlue Outburst Should Not Influence CareerSteven Slaters JetBlue Outburst Should Not Influence CareerAfter hearing about how Steven Slater quit his job on JetBluethe other day, it is hard elend to be reminded of the famous scene from thestoner-flick Half Baked where Scarface quits his job at a fast-food joint bycursing out his shift mates over the intercom, throwing a burger at a customerand leaving. Half Baked is a movie. In real life, Mr. Slater got into an argument witha JetBlue passenger, was hurt in the incident andcould not let go of his anger when the passenger further fueled his rage as theflight came to a halt. Slater would curse this passenger out over the PAsystem before he grabbed his own bags, swiped some beer, activated theinflatable emergency chute, slid down, and went home. He has since becomea hero. Recent comments from people on the street suggest that theywould like to leave their job with similar flair. Mr. Slater is enjoying his 15 minute s of fame, butunless he is able to parlay this into a well-paying gig, his career outlooklooks bleak. What airline would hire Mr. Slater after hearing about hisrecent outburst, especially with the knowledge that he might be quick to snapat another passenger given his open contempt for those that try to skirt thecarry-on baggage rules? Airlines aside, what company would want to hiresomeone who cursed out a customer, showed a perceived disregard for theirsafety and despite all this, still made sure to steal some beer on his way outthe proverbial door? Here is what most people should do if they plan to quit ajob Never Quit Out of Anger Think before you make a decision to quit. We are still dealing with anunstable economy and you need to know which companies are even hiring before you thinkabout leaving your current job. Without a backup plan, you will regretyour decision. Especially when you cant collect unemployment, havetrouble finding a job and realize that you cannot pay yo ur bills. Breathe. Have a Backup Plan You may want to have a job to go to before actually taking action. Update your resume and your LinkedIn page, reach out to your contacts and departureyour job search. When you have an offer and know for sure that you willhave money coming in, its time to get the ball rolling on leaving your currentsituation. Dont Burn Your Bridges Write a thoughtful letter of resignation and discuss what you have learned andwhat you appreciated about your time at the company. Try to glaze overany negative reasons for leaving with words like, I feel after so many years,it was time to take on a new challenge. And despite writing a letter,make sure you speak with your supervisors. Kill them with kindness. Give Ample Notice Thestandard is usually two weeks, but if you are a vital person that will be hardto replace, and youre not going to start at Company B in a month, you shouldbe open to the idea of giving more time if needed. If you are justquitting, be cause you just want to take a break from working, you should bereceptive to the idea of working longer than two weeks until they find a replacement. Set parameters and give deadlines, because some companies might take advantageof your generosity. Stay in Touch Evenif you are working for a different company, it doesnt hurt to shoot an emailwishing your previous employer well during the holidays or just because youwant to show you still care. And if you have friends at the company, social networking allows you to stay in contact andkeep up with the latest gossip. If the situation arises, you may want togo back to work for your previous employer and this is your best opportunity tokeep your name in their heads and be in the loop should a position open. And finally, if you feel the need to slide down an emergencychutejust go to the park they have slides, too. Posted by Jon Minners, Vault.com

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) In a perfect world, employees could separate their personal experiences from their professional lives. But, the reality is that many workers spend their days worrying over untold personal matters which can reduce their effectiveness and put a strain on productivity levels. Fortunately, organizational leaders understand the human side of the workplace and this has led to the development of Employee Assistance Programs or EAPs, which provide support and resources for struggling employees.   Employee Assistance Programs An Employee Assistance Program is a unique employee benefit that is generally offered at no cost to employees, up to certain plan limits. Essentially, an EAP is designed as an intervention program that serves to identify and help employees with resolving any number of problems they may be facing. This can include personal, professional,  financial, emotional, marital, family,  or substance abuse issues. These are problems that interfere with the employee’s ability to perform his or her work up to company standards. In some cases, the problem is serious enough to put the employee and the company at risk. For example, an employee may be dealing with domestic violence at home stemming from a mentally-ill spouse. Over a period of time, the employee begins arriving at work later and later, staying long hours, and becoming less productive and more distracted. A manager can refer this employee to the human resource office to receive information about the EAP to seek counseling and support. All of this is handled confidentially, which protects the employee from any retaliation from the abusive spouse. The employee can choose help to escape the abusive situation and prevent the spouse from showing up at the workplace unannounced to hurt them. This helps to protect the employee as well as the company.   How EAPs Can Be Used Employee Assistance Programs can also be utilized by employees who are under a great deal of emotional stress due to professional, marital, or family relationship discord. They may be coping with a serious health issue with a parent, have an out-of-control child at home, be facing overwhelming student loan debt, or just need to talk with a caring counselor about a personal problem. In many cases, the spouse or partner of the employee can obtain support from the EAP as well â€" to help sort things out so that the employee can experience a more positive work and personal life. Some EAPs also include access to free and low-cost legal aid and referrals to attorneys who work with people in the community. The EAP is a third party service that has many resources beyond what an employer can offer. This takes the burden off the employer and reduces risks.   EAP Is Not Health Insurance It’s important to note that Employee Assistance Programs are not actual health insurance plans, nor do they provide financial support  to employees. They cannot diagnose a health issue or replace real medical or psychological treatment. However, many EAPs offer nurse advice via toll-free hotlines for making important health decisions, or for getting information about mental health counseling or health services. Some programs may also be able to facilitate access to specialized care, such as for elder care services, respite care support, and even free medical clinics. How EAPs Are Administered EAPs are 100 percent paid for by employers and are most often operated through an agreement with a third-party administrator. This is critical because employees must feel comfortable speaking in confidence with a professional about their personal problems, without fear of losing their jobs or status at work. However, if the EAP offers access to medically-related support, such as mental health counseling or treatment for alcoholism/substance abuse, they are regulated by ERISA and subject to COBRA guidelines. As per the U.S. Department of Labor and ACA guidelines, EAP programs, are considered to be excepted benefits, but only if the program does not provide significant benefits in the nature of medical care or treatment.  EAPs are not portable benefits, and they expire upon termination from the company benefits program. Purpose of EAPs The overall purpose of any Employee Assistance Program is to ensure that employees are able to manage their daily lives and remain productive, even when faced with difficult life experiences. All employees should be advised about the EAP program and given instructions ?about how to access these benefits at no cost to them when they need support. Managers can and should refer employees to the EAP if they are unable to resolve the matter through on-the-job coaching and HR support. While the company may know that an employee has participated in the EAP, the employee’s information is private and never disclosed to the employer.? EAP programs are part of a competitive benefits package and they can be highly beneficial in the workplace because they promote employee self-managed care, which can reduce health care costs for emergency room visits and expensive treatments for addictions and negative behaviors that go on too long. Employees are encouraged to take advantage of this no-cost benefit which is available at any time of the year.

9 Questions You Should Never Ask in an Interview

9 Questions You Should Never Ask in an Interview 9 Questions You Should Never Ask in an Interview Asking questions during a job interview is a great way to show youve done your homework  and youre genuinely interested in the job. And while smart queries  can impress the hiring manager, bad ones can seriously hurt your chances. Thats why its so important you avoid certain questions during the job interviewno matter how tempted you are to ask them. We looked through  The Muse article 10 Interview Questions You Should Never Ask (and 5 You Always Should), and Business Insiders 23 Questions You Should Never Ask at the End of a Job Interview and came up with a list of a few questions you should never ask in an interview. Here are nine  questions you should never ask in an interview: 1. What does this company do, exactly? No, no, no! This is another way of saying, Ive done zero homework or preparation! If you dont know the business, industry, or what the company you are interviewing for with does, well then, the interview will likely end quickly. 2. Anything that starts with, How soon can I How soon can I take a vacation? How soon can I get promoted?  and so on. These questions send the wrong message. They either tell the hiring manager youre impatient, you show a lack of commitment, or youre using this job as a stepping stone to the next thingor all of the above! 3.  How much will you pay me? To be clear, the salary conversation is something that  should be discussed  at some point in the process- but not in the early stages. Asking about salary too early is going to be a sign that you may be interested in the job for the wrong reasons. 4. May I arrive early or leave late as long as I get my hours in? Employers want committed workers, so if youre worrying about when you can start and leave before even being offered the job, youre showing a lack of commitment or that being available during working hours may be an issue. 5. What if I dont get along with my boss or coworkers? This one could send up a major red flag. Showing concern about not getting along with others implies youve had an issue with this in the past. And the last thing an employer wants is to hire someone who may create problems or tension among the staff. 6. I heard [this rumor]; is it true? Its fine to ask the hiring manager about things you may have read in the news or heard within the industry about the state of the companybut dont let it be about vicious rumors, or anything scandalous. According to the Business Insider article, thats highly unprofessional. 7. Do I really have to work when overtime is required? In certain industries, employers maintain specific work shifts in order to meet customer demands. Most often the shifts are included in the posting, and employers will screen specifically for them. Inquiring about policies around vacation, such as how much vacation is offered or how much notice is needed for a vacation, are usually fine. Asking if you must really work when overtime is required can be  a deal breaker. More than your experience, employers need reliable employees, says  Kari Scanlon, director of human resources for Touchstone Mental Health, a Minnesota nonprofit. 8. Can I bring my child/dog to work? Yes, job seekers have really asked Scanlon this question. And she loves furry friends, and kids too. Butnot so much in the workplace. I’m sure we would all like to have a job that supports a positive work-life balance, but it’s important to keep your work life separate from your personal life, says Scanlon. While you may be okay with your little one hunkered down in your office with an iPad, your coworkers may not be as open to working around a child. The same can be said about pets. Unless a company explicitly promotes a Bring Your Dog to Work Day, you should not be asking whether you can bring your child or pet to work. 9. Are you married? / Do you have kids? / Are you expecting? / Whats your nationality? Stay away from the super personal stuff! You may just be trying to make friendly conversation, but its highly inappropriate. You wouldnt want the interviewer  asking you these questionsso dont ask them. If you want to break the ice, you can mention, for instance, that you noticed on their LinkedIn profile that they went to a particular school, and ask them how they liked it, or what they majored in. Asking the right questions in an interview can help you stand out, and impress the employer. Asking the wrong questions, such as these, can hurt  or ruin your chances of getting hired. Have an interview coming up? Check out our job interviewing tips category.

How to Manage a Difficult Boss in Your Engineering Career

How to Manage a Difficult Boss in Your Engineering Career How to Manage a Difficult Boss in Your Engineering Career How to Manage a Difficult Boss in Your Engineering Career by Anthony Fasano, P.E., founder of Powerful Purpose Associates Just so you know youre not alone, if I had a dollar for every engineer that told me they are dealing with a difficult boss Id be a millionaire by now! If you are dealing with a difficult boss, you are probably encountering one or more of the following frustrations. Your boss: Micromanages you and doesnt allow you to do anything on your own; Fails to give you responsibilities that you feel you are ready to take on, including, but not limited to, proposal preparation, client correspondence, attendance at meetings, and presentations; Doesnt listen to you when you offer fresh and new ideas. To make matters worse, on several occasions you have seen how the company or project would have been in a better position if your boss had listened to you; Isnt very flexible with your work schedule. This can be a real tricky situation if you have a family and need unexpected time off; Is holding on to tasks and responsibilities that he or she should have delegated to you months ago, or in some cases years: Doesnt include you in certain meetings or take you on business trips where you could learn and develop your leadership abilities; Doesnt support you in pursuing credentials or additional training. While this is a lengthy list of frustrations, they all yield the same result, which is career stagnation. This is the worst possible thing that can happen in your engineering career, as it becomes totally stagnant and you experience zero growth. Your career development becomes non-existent. So what can you do to manage your boss and turn the situation around? Because there are many different manager overload scenarios engineers face and every person is different, below I have provided a menu of strategies all of which I have found to be successful in my own engineering career as well as the hundreds of engineers that I have coached. Implementing some of these strategies may help you manage your difficult boss and ensure stagnation doesnt settle in on your engineering career. If your boss is a micromanager, beat him or her at the same game. Check in with your boss very regularly, keeping him or her closely apprised of your progress on each task. Doing this should increase your bosss confidence in your abilities and in turn alleviate his or her need to monitor you as closely as he or she has in the past. If you have asked your boss for certain responsibilities in the past and have not succeeded, try a different approach. For example, lets say that you want to sit in on a meeting with a client. Say to your boss, John, I have asked you in the past if I can start to sit in on some client meetings, but that has yet to happen. I know you are busy and there are only certain meetings that I might be ready to sit in on. However, until some of those meetings arise, do you think I could talk with another manager in the company to see if they have any meetings that I can just quietly observe? I am really eager to learn and eventually partake in client interaction and hope to do so as soon as possible. Your boss may be terrified of losing you to another department, or letting another manager see how good you are at what you do, and therefore he or she may seriously reconsider your request to sit in on a meeting. Just be sure to say it in a way that is sincere and not rude in any way. If your boss doesnt listen to your ideas (or doesnt ask for them), continue to offer them. DONT STOP! When you offer up ideas, ask your boss if he or she thinks its a good or bad idea, and when they answer, ask WHY theyve chosen that response. This will force them to think about how valuable the idea is and could initiate action on their part to implement your suggestions. If they say your idea is bad and tell you why, then learn from it for when you offer up ideas in the future. If you are looking for more flexibility in your work schedule from your boss, take some work home over the next month, work on it, and then tell your boss what you have been doing and why you find this method to be more productive. Next you can either ask for a permanent flexible work schedule, or when you need to leave or arrive at a different hour from time to time, you can reinforce your recent out of the office productivity streak. If your boss is failing to relinquish certain responsibilities to you, try the same approach mentioned in item #2 above where you ask to explore them in another department. The other alternative (not ideal) is to offer to take on some of these responsibilities on your own time without pay. For example, we used to have client dinner meetings in order to get to know our clients and build more solid relationships. I offered to attend many of these types of meetings and did not put the time down on my timesheet. In the end, the time investment on my part was invaluable to my career development. If after trying to implement these strategies your boss is still imparting stagnation into your career, you have 3 options. One deal with it, two investigate the possibility of transferring to a different department or office within the same company, or three leave the company altogether and find a better opportunity and working environment. Its up to you to engineer your own success in your career, whether your boss supports you or not. I believe that if you implement some of my strategies Ive mentioned here, your career advancement will truly accelerate! Anthony Fasano, P.E. is the founder of Powerful Purpose Associates and author of the bestselling book Engineer Your Own Success: 7 Key Elements to Creating an Extraordinary Engineering Career. Visit Anthonys website at www.PowerfulPurpose.com for free engineering career development resources.

The Art of Writing a KSA - Your Best Accomplishment Record (AR) Stories

The Art of Writing a KSA - Your Best Accomplishment Record (AR) Stories The Art of Writing a KSA - Your Best Accomplishment Record (AR) Stories The Art of Writing a KSA Your Best Accomplishment Record (AR) Stories by Ligaya Fernandez* Writing your KSAs After the federal resume is written and you have reviewed the announcement further, your writing isnt finished yet! It is highly likely that you will have to address the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) required for the position. The KSAs are critical to your entire application and your score. The human resources specialists want to know what knowledge, skills and abilities you have that will demonstrate you are able to perform the duties of the position. In essence, the KSAs are interview questions that you will answer at the very beginning of the job search process. What Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities DO You Have? The case study here is for a biologist with the World Health Organization. He has a lot of KSAs, such as knowledge of a variety of research methods, analytical skills, AND writing and editing abilities. You CAN use one work experience for more than one KSA, but you have to describe the experience with information that is directly relevant to the specific KSA.   For example, you can use your experience as a sales manager to describe your oral communication skills or your management abilities. It is also a good idea to pick up keywords from the KSA question and use them to describe your KSA. Accomplishment Records/KSAs Are Really Just Great Examples of Your Work What the HR specialist REALLY wants is a good example that shows your ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD as it demonstrates this knowledge, skill or ability. You cant just say, I have five years experience in project management, or, My job requires excellent interpersonal skills. What are KSAs or Qualifications Statements? They are specific information/examples about your: Experience; Education; Training; Awards; and Achievements That demonstrate that you have the KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES (KSAs), and other characteristics needed to do the job. Why are Qualifications Statements/KSAs required? Merit competition The government is VERY fair in reviewing applications. They ask for more information on paper, to make sure they select the best qualified candidates. To identify best-qualified candidates The KSAs are great written statements that can demonstrate your qualifications. Success in most government jobs requires significant writing, analysis, and interpersonal skills, so the KSA statements will highlight the skills that you are offering the HR specialist. Please take your time and write a few sets of KSAs to jumpstart your federal job campaign. How to Write Competitive KSAs 1.  Study vacancy announcements to find your ideal job. Determine keywords. Find skills, education, experience and credentials important in the field. Use keywords when describing your KSAs. 2.  Use the CCAR Method to write your KSAs. Context: Describe the problem or goal. Challenge: Describe the circumstances in which you had to meet your goal or solve the problem, including information such as: Individuals or groups involved (e.g., agency head, Congressional member, state rep, supervisor, media, demanding customer, etc.) Environment in which you had to operate (e.g., limited resources such as money, time or personnel; bad weather; negative publicity; short deadline; low morale; lack of knowledge/skill/expertise, etc.) Action: Describe the actions you took to solve the problem or attain your goal. Results: Describe the results/outcomes of your actions, or accomplishments attained. Be sure to cite information such as: Money saved Time reduced Efficiency/productivity gained Knowledge transfer Deadlines met (internal and external) Awards or commendations 3.  Other Tips Understand what the job entails. Dont be shy; sell yourself. Be realistic; dont exaggerate. Use keywords when describing KSA. Dont use keywords thoughtlessly. Give relevant examples. Be concise and to the point; address the KSA. Have a friend review your resume and qualifications statements. If you dont have anyone else who can look at your materials, review, review, review! *AUTHORS BIO: Ligaya J. Fernandez retired from the Federal Government after 21 years of service. All of her Federal career was in the field of HR management. Her last assignment was as a senior research analyst with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board where she authored several reports that were widely received, including reports dealing with the Federal Career Intern Program, the hiring of upper-level employees, the quality of Federal vacancy announcements, and the job search experiences of new hires. Ligaya also worked at the former Customs Service, the FAA, and Army as a personnel staffing and classification specialist. She was a college instructor before she worked for the Federal Government. She has a masters degree in management. +++++++++++ SAMPLE KSA Agency Name: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Department Name: National Health and Environmental Affects Research Laboratory Position Title, Series, Grade: Lead Research Biologist, 0401, 14 Announcement Number: 10101 Title: Knowledge, Skills Abilities Describe your experience with a variety of: advanced statistical approaches, programming languages of statistical analysis and graphics, information management software tools to access, collect, compile, synthesize, maintain, analyze, model, and/or report on large, complex ecological and environmental research data sets, including promising approaches for technology transfer of computational methods. Please provide specific examples of analytical tools and approaches you have utilized. In November 2006 to September 2007, I was detailed to the World Health Organization (WHO) as an associate biologist. I was tasked to develop a statistical approach for mapping the risk of contracting malaria in two villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Malaria has been reported to have regularly occurred in these two villages for many years with, in many cases, fatal results. The WHO wanted to be able to predict with more accuracy the occurrence of malaria, not only in the two villages, but in the whole country. Mapping was critical in successfully controlling incidence of malaria. To map the risk, I used SAS, a powerful statistical software package, to develop a statistical model to predict the risk of occurrence. I traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to actually observe the occurrence of malaria in the two villages and to collect data. When I arrived, I found that estimation was complicated by the local variation of risk that cannot be accounted for by the known variables. Also, my work became more challenging because data points of measured malaria prevalence were not evenly or randomly spread across the area to be mapped. To overcome this challenge, I used a simple two-stage approach for producing maps of predicted risk: 1.  I used logistic regression modeling to determine approximate risk on a larger scale, and 2.  I employed a geo-statistical approach to improve prediction at the local level. This two-stage approach resulted in a map showing the improvement of risk prediction brought about by the second stage. Before the end of my detail, I presented my two-stage approach to mapping the risk of malaria to the WHO. The WHO has adopted the approach I developed not only in the two villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but in other African countries as well. To recognize my novel approach, the WHO awarded me its Humanitarian Award in 2007. In addition, I have published a peer-reviewed article titled, A spatial statistical approach to Malaria mapping, in the spring 2008 issue of the journal Science describing my methodology.