Guess Who's Conservative?

Penelope Trunk goes deep to look at Gen Y and the Big Four after hearing from BusinessWeek that the Top three places to work in the eyes of Y-ers are Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young.

Well, for one thing, the Big 4 are acutely aware of what young people want. Deloitte has been studying generational issues for years and Cathy Benko, Global e-Business Practice Leader for Deloitte, just published a great book, Mass Career Customization, that replace the corporate ladder motif with a lattice. And workers can move laterally or up or down on the lattice depending on their personal goals and career aspirations. The Big 4 get the best candidates because these companies have been the fastest to react to the new workforce conditions that place young people in the driver’s seat .

But here’s what else is going on: Gen Y does not admit it, but their top priority is stability. This is a fundamentally conservative generation. And in the middle of this very long article in Business Week, is an important quote from Andrea Hershatter, director of the undergraduate business program at Emory University and veteran of college recruiting:

“There is a strong, strong millennial dislike of ambiguity and risk, leading them to seek a lot more direction and clarity from their employers, in terms of what the task is, what the expectations are, and job progression.”

The Real Deal about Gen Y: They’re Inherently Conservative [Brazen Careerist]

Waiting for the Right Offer

One of our users wrote:

"I've been offered a job at one firm, but also interviewed for a position at another, a place where I'd prefer working. How do I hold off replying to the first firm until I have a sense of what's happening at my first choice?"It's possible to parlay one job offer into two, but first things first.

And our expert, Robbie Miller Kaplan, replied:

Get in touch with the first firm and thank them for the offer. Ask if you can give them your answer within a week. There's nothing wrong with making them aware you've been in discussions with someone else, and saying you'd like to extend other firms the courtesy of letting them know you've got an offer on the table.

Now it's time to contact the second firm. Make a follow up call to its hiring manager and let him or her know you're still interested in the position. Ask if they're close to making a decision. If they're not, tell them you've been offered a position with another firm, without revealing too much detail. Courteously - always courteously - point out that you have a decision to make and ask them to share where they are in the hiring process. You can say, "Your opportunity is my first choice and I'd like to have a sense of where you are so I can respond appropriately." Ask if you're the leading candidate, or one of many?

Based on their responses, you'll have a good idea of where you stand with both firms.

No matter whose position you accept, follow up in writing with both hiring managers. Always decline offers graciously. You never know if or when your paths will cross again, or whether a more enticing position may one day present itself. And get all your offers in writing, even if you have to write to confirm them yourself.

If you've got a question about your career or your job search, write me and I'll get you an answer.

Valuing Values

The blog Sox First offers a worksheet for squaring your values with your organization's. Why is this important? There are probably a lot of reasons, but Leon Gettler puts it this way:

When ethics scandals hit, it tends to be the fault of certain individuals inside the organization. More often than not, they have allowed their own personal values to infect the organization.

His worksheet's brief and worth a look.

Personal values, organizational values [Sox First]

Don't Let This Happen to You

Just when we thought the need to exercise care when using an employer's computer for non-work purposes was well ingrained, along comes yet another cautionary tale.

Most media attention that's gone to the now-infamous Craigslist gold digger post has focused on two entities: The initial message's still-anonymous author, a self-described "spectacular" beauty soliciting advice on how to land a husband with an income above $500,000. And, the zinging response it brought from an investment banker who labeled her proposition a bad trade because "your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity."

But the value we see in this exchange lies in the experience of the third party: a JPMorgan banker who carelessly allowed his name and corporate signature to appear on the message when he forwarded it to friends. Eventually, the banker's email – complete with his identifying information -- found its way to Dealbreaker and a host of other finance blogs widely read by his industry peers.

To make matters worse, many of the downstream sites named the JPMorgan banker as the author of the unabashedly sexist, if well-deserved, riposte to the gold digger's plea. A JPMorgan Chase spokesman told the New York Times that the man worked there but was not the author: "He had forwarded the e-mail message to friends, and the signature setting on his e-mail accompanied the response when it wound up on blogs."

There is no indication that the banker has been summarily fired – as was a Bear Stearns analyst in April, just hours after a profile of him appeared in the New York Post (sans last name or employer, but bearing his real photo and real first name). Still, our guess is the JPM banker's career won't be helped by his newfound fame.

The lesson, as summarized by the Times:

“Your workplace computer does not exist as a tool for forwarding jokey things,” said Will Schwalbe, an author of “Send: The Essential Guide to E-Mail for Office and Home.”

We concur. But if you simply can't wait until you get home (or if you're a banker and never get home), then at least do the forwarding from your hotmail or other Web-based email account. That way, your employer's name, your corporate email address and your corporate signature won't be attached to it.

Acquisitive Craigslist Post Reddens Faces All Around [NYT]

Other Numbers

Tighter short-term credit isn't affecting hiring plans of small-business owners, who continue to view tight labor markets as their principal challenge, the National Federation of Independent Business found in its latest monthly survey.

That bodes well for the overall U.S. economy, which has been adding jobs at a relatively anemic pace in recent months. The entrepreneurs surveyed by NFIB were more optimistic than a sample of 580 CFOs of mostly mid-size organizations polled in a quarterly survey by Duke University and CFO magazine, released in September.

On the one hand, 9 percent of owners in the NFIB survey said loans are harder to get and none said they are easier – the most negative reading on credit conditions since 1993. Yet a mere 3 percent of those surveyed cited the cost and availability of credit as their single biggest business problem; just 5 percent reported problems obtaining desired financing, compared with 37 percent who reported all their credit needs are being met.

As for employment, the latest survey highlights continuing labor shortages, notwithstanding slightly weaker seasonally adjusted survey numbers in September while the national jobless rate ticked up to 4.7 percent. Says the NFIB:

Seventeen percent of the owners reported that the availability of qualified labor was their top business problem, up four points from June and July….They would like to hire, but the job market is not cooperating. One in four owners reported unfilled job openings and the net percent planning to increase employment in the coming months is among the best readings in the history of the NFIB survey. The problem remains finding qualified works, cited by 17 percent as their most important business challenge. Fifty-seven percent of the owners hired or tried to hire new workers, but 84 percent reported few or no qualified applicants.

Small-Business Economic Trends - October 2007 [NFIB]

Numbers

Accounting and finance workers aren't as confident about the employment market lately. The group's Hudson Employment Index slipped 1.2 points - to 111.9 - in September, which is still 5.7 points higher than it was last September. And, the number of workers who were worried about losing their job in September hit a record low for this sector, coming in at 11 percent. This was six points lower than August.

The index for accounting and finance workers also showed:

• There was a five-point drop to 31 percent in the number of workers who expected their company to add headcount in the coming months.
  
• Fewer workers were happy with their job in September (74 percent) than in August (75 percent).
• More workers rated their finances as “excellent” or “good” in September (58 percent) than in August (55 percent).
• While fewer workers said that their finances were getting worse (33 percent in September compared to 34 percent in August), there was a two-point dip to 46 percent in the number of workers who said their finances were getting better.

Firms Venture into New Territories

Last month, California-based Armanino McKenna LLP ventured into new territory, launching what could be the accounting industry's first media consulting practice, Armanino McKenna Foster. The move is just one illustration of how some firms are expanding their non-accounting services.

James Rubin's article showcases a fascinating new trend among some firms. Read it here.

Speak Your Mind

Don't forget the forums available on our new JobsintheMoney. We've just launched them, so it's a chance for you to begin asking the questions and making the comments that'll get others talking. (Does that sound impressive enough?) You can reach them here. Yes, you have to register but that's about keeping spammers away.

Semi-Annual Video Resume Post

Back in January, Diana Ransom wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal about video resumes, starting off:

When Mona Lattouf's initial job-hunting efforts didn't pay off, the recent college grad got creative.

Using a digital camera, the Orange County, Calif., resident created a two-minute "video resume" that included highlights from her paper resume and answers to common interview questions.

"It was weird to figure out what to say," says Ms. Lattouf, 25 years old. But ultimately, "I let my personality show through."

Within two to three weeks of sending hiring managers a link to her video, she received several calls back. "It was truly painless," says Ms. Lattouf, who landed a job as a junior accountant in October.

Despite this, I'm still not sold on video resumes as effective differentiators. I don't hear many firms clamoring for them - Perhaps more telling, is no one I talk to ever even brings them up. So, proceed cautiously if you're thinking of producing one. Or at least don't let it get your hopes up.

Video Resumes Are Taking Off [CareerJournal]

Hate Selling? Me, Too. But...

Are you Introverted? Would you rather focus on your spreadsheets or a QuickBooks problem than go out and chat people up at your next chamber of commerce breakfast or state association meeting? Bad news: if you really want to flourish, you may have to get out more.

Over on CNet, Steve Tobak writes:

I don't care if you're an IT professional, a musician, a consultant, a CEO, a recruiter, an engineer, a doctor, an accountant, or a professional athlete. You're also a salesperson. That's right, we're all in sales. You, me, your boss, your lawyer, your spouse, your kids; everyone's in sales.

You see, from time to time, each of us is called upon to sell something. It could be a product, a service, a plan, an idea, a creation, a story to a judge or jury, or even oneself (presumably for a job, not into slavery). And more often than not, it's actually very important that we succeed. I don't know why; that's just the way it is.

It's hard for me to imagine anyone being successful in life without having the ability to sell when necessary. And yet, we think of it as something unsavory or even unethical. Not only does the idea fill some people with disgust, fear or self-loathing, but to make matters worse, most people aren't even good at it.

Well, let me dispel a myth. Selling isn't a bad thing. It's got a bad rep, but that's because it's misunderstood. The purest capitalist relationship is between a seller and a buyer of goods or services. So, for every capitalist act, there's a seller involved. Selling is a noble thing. And not only can you do it, but you can learn how to do it well and with dignity.

Since I'll plead guilty to thinking of selling as being less-than-graceful - at least when I do it - I devoured this piece. The ten tips he provides are logical, approachable - and not frightening at all.

Learn how to sell--it's for your own good [CNet]

Thinking of Non-Profit Work?

Dona DeZube writes:

If you day dream about using your skills to sway the electorate, shelter the homeless or spread your religion, a move into the non-profit sector may brighten your workday. It'll also lighten your wallet.

Read her full story.

Networking at Church

A good article this morning in The Wall Street Journal about networking for a job at your house of worship. It makes sense that people who are regular worshipers would talk about their job search with others at their church (or synagogue, or mosque) because, if you're a regular attendee, you get to know people there pretty well. Does such a connection go with you into the interview?

While many job seekers may rely on prayer for support and success, career experts warn against discussing faith when meeting with hiring managers or executive recruiters. "You don't want to turn it into a religious conversation," says Kevin Zwetsch, a partner with the law firm Fowler White Boggs Banker in Tampa, Fla. "You're veering off the path of what you're there for."

An exception might be if your involvement in religion can promote your candidacy, adds Mr. Zwetsch. For example, if you mention that you are a deacon at a church during a job interview, "that demonstrates leadership and community involvement," he says.

But he warns that "if you go any further, employers will get skittish," because recruiters are prohibited by law from asking candidates questions about their religious beliefs unless they pertain to the job at hand. "[Religion] is one of those taboo topics," he says.

How Faith-Based Networking Can Aid Job Searches [WSJ - $]

Women and the Glass Ceiling

Do women linger below the glass ceiling because of their own lack of ambition and self-promotion? That seems to be the feeling of many employment lawyers and consultants in Europe. Our sister site eFinancialCareers summarized a story from Financial News on the topic.

This is a pretty Euro-centric story - it doesn't quote any American sources - but I run it because I hear people closer to home express very similar opinions. What the story doesn't address very well is how ingrained attitudes toward women can be at the highest levels of business - still.

Women Don't Pressure Glass Ceiling, Some Say [eFinancialCareers]

A Downside of Career Networking Sites

Employers are increasingly turning to the Internet not only to research job applicants, but to reach out to an applicant's past colleagues and other business associates.

From a job-seeker's standpoint, professional networking sites like LinkedIn and Jobster are a two-edged sword, The Wall Street Journal says. The downside is that it has become fairly easy for a prospective employer to contact "job references you can't control." On the plus side, Web-savvy candidates may benefit by taking steps to populate their online networks with people who can be trusted to say good things about them.

If your online profile is clean and you are connected to people through social networks who would say favorable things about your abilities, it may help you land the job,

the newspaper says, citing Jason Goldberg, Jobster's chief executive. Goldberg describes the networks' impact on candidates as "kind of a caution and an empowerment."

Contacts gleaned from both professional networking sites and social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace let recruiters and hiring managers go beyond the traditional practice of speaking only with references supplied by the candidate. The story goes on to warn:

Such reference checking exposes job seekers to certain risks. Many site users routinely connect online to people they have only a glancing relationship with -- say, someone who simply works at the same company -- and there is no guarantee that the references will be favorable.

For example, the article quotes a headhunter saying he ruled out a candidate for sales director of a large company, after contacts he found on LinkedIn and MySpace told him the individual "was tough to work with and get along with."

But the Journal also cites a business development manager whose LinkedIn profile and associated network helped him land a job earlier this year. And LinkedIn Corp. itself quietly did 23 reference checks on Dan Nye before hiring him as its own chief executive in February.

Job References You Can't Control [WSJ]

Zen and the Art of Hearing Criticism

I have to admit that when I came across the blog Zen Habits (thanks to Lifehacker), I thought Oh, touchy feely advice from people that go ohmm…. Completely unfair, I know, especially because there's much to zen that intrigues me even if there's more that I don't understand. But I wanted to admit this upfront because I think many people have a similar knee-jerk reaction.

Anyway, Zen Habits is a delightful and sincere blog written by Leo Babauta that covers

achieving goals, productivity, being organized, GTD, motivation, eliminating debt, saving, getting a flat stomach, eating healthy, simplifying, living frugal, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits.

It's one of those blogs that has a lot to it, and even if you're not into "zen" or posts on meditation, eliminating debt or eating healthy, there's plenty of other material that's worth looking at.

Take, for example, the post on accepting criticism "with grace and appreciation."

How do you deal with criticism? I think the first reaction for most of us is to defend ourselves, or worse yet to lash back.

And yet, while criticism can be taken as hurtful and demoralizing, it can also be viewed in a positive way: it is honesty, and it can spur us to do better. It’s an opportunity to improve.

We all face criticism regularly - from our boss, from co-workers, from clients, even from subordinates. Sometimes it's malicious. There are people out there, unfortunately, who use criticism as a weapon. But often it's a part of the dialogue of getting things done, and in that context Leo's absolutely right when he says criticism can be valuable. His advice on the subject is a bit lengthy, so I'll just include his subheads here.

Stop Your First Reaction
Turn a Negative Into a Positive
Thank the Critic
Learn from the Criticism
Be the Better Person

Of course, on the other side of the conversation should be the notion of criticizing with grace and appreciation. When you get those kind of dialogues going, they can be almost fun.

How to Accept Criticism with Grace and Appreciation [Zen Habits]

Speak Your Mind

Don't forget the forums available on our new JobsintheMoney. We've just launched them, so it's a chance for you to begin asking the questions and making the comments that'll get others talking.
(Does that sound impressive enough?) You can reach them here. Yes, you have to register but that's about keeping spammers away.

Let's Be Friends

We've all heard there are reasons to keep work and personal lives separate. But the Cincinnati Enquirer says:

More than half of executives and 63 percent of employees report that job performance improves when co-workers are friends outside the office.

Employees who have buddies at work are more eager to come to the office and enjoy their workday, which translates to higher productivity, said David Araldi of the staffing firm Accountemps, which conducted the nonscientific survey.

It's a fascinating article, which seems grounded in the real world.

Friendly co-workers can boost productivity [Cincinnati Enquirer]

Looking for a New Job - Discreetly

Elizabeth Taylor excepted, most people change jobs more often than they do mates. But no matter how many times you do it, looking for a new position when you already have one can be tricky.What behavior is reasonable and what crosses the line?

Read the answer here.

Making Yourself Stand Out

Penelope Trunk has a great write-up on personal branding over on Yahoo Finance. She points out that people who specialize tend to get better job offers, because they develop a reputation for certain areas of expertise. (She also points to a good definition of personal branding, authored by blogger Dan Schawbel of Personal Branding Magazine.

Personal branding describes the process by which individuals and entrepreneurs differentiate themselves and stand out from a crowd by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition, whether professional or personal, and then leveraging it across platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a specific goal. In this way, individuals can enhance their recognition as experts in their field, establish reputation and credibility, advance their careers, and build self-confidence.

Trunk's foundation for building a personal brand are pragmatic: know what you're very good at, know what people think of you, and meet the right people. But her most important point might be in a simple sub-head: "Admit It - You're Special."

For some reason, a lot of people toiling in the financial trenches don't like to face the fact they bring a lot to the party. Even if you regard yourself as nothing more than an "average" accountant who shows up on time and checks his work, don't kid yourself about how much bosses like those things. My worry is too many people won't think about personal branding because the term sounds too "aggressive." But it's not. Personal branding is simply a way for you to position yourself as someone who's worth hiring

Three Steps to Building Your Brand [Yahoo Finance]

Recession-Proof?

That Robert Half survey has me wondering: Could compliance be moving accounting toward becoming a recession-proof career?