Methodology – December 6, 2011

CareerBliss data evaluates company reviews for the key factors which affect work happiness, including: work-life balance, one’s relationship with their boss and co-workers, their work environment, job resources, compensation, growth opportunities, company culture, company reputation, their daily tasks, and job control over the work that they do on a daily basis. The data accounts for how an employee values each factor. Each review is given an average score indicating where the company places between one and five. All assessments are derived from 2011 employee generated company reviews. For the purpose of this data – nearly 100,000 reviews were assessed to determine CareerBliss’ 50 Happiest Companies in America for 2012.

This article was contributed by CareerBliss, an online career community with millions of jobs, company reviews and salary information. CareerBliss is dedicated to helping everybody find happiness in the workplace.

Ever watch a movie and think, “Oh my God, that is my LIFE?”

Yeah, that happens all the time. And especially when it comes to your career, sometimes the movies just so perfectly represent where you’re at.

In our (maybe not-so-humble) opinion, here are the eight best career movies and the crazy lessons they teach us:

1. The Devil Wears Prada

Plot: Girl gets everybody’s dream job at fashion magazine. Boss is bitch, takes over girl’s life with ridiculous demands. Girl becomes pretty, learns valuable career lesson.

Valuable career lesson: Sometimes from the outside it seems like we should take that amazing-sounding job or do that one little thing for our bosses that’s actually completely inappropriate – until one day we find out the job has completely taken over our lives. When it comes to drastic career moves, trust your gut on what feels right and what feels like too big a compromise.

2. The Pursuit of Happyness

Plot: Man who’s always struggled to make ends meet gets custody of his son, becomes homeless and manages to become a fancy pants stockbroker with a lot of determination and elbow grease.

Valuable career lesson: It’s never too late to change your career and “make something” of yourself. Also? Life is hard. Deal with it.

3. The Social Network

Plot: Facebook. ‘Nough said.

Valuable career lesson: Sell out your friends, be an asshole and you will be one of the most successful people on the planet. But that doesn’t mean you won’t Facebook-stalk your exes just like the rest of us.

4. Jerry Maguire

Plot: Sports agent has an epiphany about the future of his industry and gets fired because of it.

Valuable career lesson: It is, in fact, possible to love what you do, make a difference and have an “important” career without being a completely asshole in the process.

5. Office Space

Plot: Group of friends hate their jobs. Layoffs affect the office place. Group plants a virus to steal money from the company but it all goes horribly wrong! And by “wrong” we mean “oh-so-right.” (This is easily one of the best movies ever and so perfectly depicts what it’s like to be in a job you hate.)

Valuable career lesson: Co-workers are everything. The best thing about this movie is the cast and how the characters work together (and sometimes completely mess with each other). They teach us how you can stand even the worst job when there are awesome people involved. And also that if you don’t have awesome people, you may or may not “set the building on fire.”

6. Clerks

Plot: Classic Kevin Smith movie about two slightly obnoxious guys who work at a convenience store.

Valuable career lesson: Be nice to the people behind the counter. “Just because they serve you, doesn’t mean they like you.”

7. Up in the Air

Plot: Guy has a job that involves firing people. His home is essentially – wait for it – up in the air. He’s all lonely and empty and stuff.

Valuable career lesson: Even with a job as glamorous as constant travel, coming back to a proper home is worth more than you’d think. There’s something to be said for downtime and, as Americans, we rarely get that in the workplace. Which means home needs to be a place where you feel safe, relax and chilled out. We promise it will make you more productive and better at your job in the long run.

8. Wall Street

Plot: It’s called Wall Street, people, which means it’s even more relevant today than in 1987. Stockbroker is ambitious. Stockbroker makes a few dirty decisions.

Valuable career lesson: Don’t work on Wall Street. Greed is bad. Watch out for shady stockbroker mentors.

What awesome movies did we miss?

Marian Schembari is a blogger, traveler and all-around social media thug. She’s based in Auckland, New Zealand, hails from Connecticut and blogs at marianlibrarian.com.

Marian Schembari

Marian is a blogger, traveler (hails from Connecticut and based in New Zealand by way of London) and social media strategist for a rad agency in Auckland. She also runs the site, marianlibrarian.com where she cuts through the BS on social media, travel, and growing up Gen Y. Marian has been featured in Real Simple magazine, TIME, Copyblogger and ABC News, as well as was named one of Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter or via her blog.

Are you dating your boss? No, not actually dating your boss- silly, but are you searching for the right company, the right employer, the right boss? Searching for a new job, a new company, and a new boss to establish a long-term relationship can be emotionally draining. It is like trying to find that perfect boyfriend or girlfriend by asking your friends in your network for help. And when your friends don’t have someone to recommend, or the blind date they set you up with goes horrifically bad, you then create a profile on an online dating site. Creating an account in hopes that someone will recognize you and ask you out for a date or in this case an interview.

Submitting your resume to an employer is like sending them a “wink” or “poke” and then waiting for their reply. As you wait, you start to wonder if they are going to “wink” back, find your profile attractive or better yet are they going to like you enough to write you an email and invite you out for a date i.e. an interview.

And how about feeling discouraged after you make a commitment to your new relationship? Spending months dating your employer monogamously to later learn that you and your boss were never compatible — what do you do? Do you reach out to your friends/network and explain to them that you made a mistake and ask for their help, discreetly? Maybe you go back to your online account and contact other prospects that have viewed your profile and have sent you a “wink.” After talking and connecting with the prospects you now find yourself becoming a hot commodity with tons of offers on the table from employers that are more compatible than your last relationship.

Now you have a new employer that treats you better than your last boss. They take good care of you because they value all the hard work you’ve done to maintain a healthy “employer-employee” relationship and you’re so happy because you’re now in a long-term relationship.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a job site that pairs you up with employers just like an online dating site? A site that will help you eliminate all the incompatible job postings and employers from your search. Well look no further because ResumeBear has developed an online candidate to employer matching system.

ResumeBear feeds you job postings that not only will fit your skill level, but your personality as well. How cool is that? Currently in beta, ResumeBear will “connect you” with your future mate aka employer. During the registration process you will fill out a smart-questionnaire that’s designed to match you with the right job and the right employer. In the meantime get started with your job search at ResumeBear. Who knows if your next date/interview via ResumeBear  might be the one to sweep you off your feet?

The rise of the Internet has brought a lot of revolutionary changes to the workforce — social media, Google, and now online employment.

Elance, the leading platform for online work, recently released its 2011 Online Employment Review which says that “the future of work will be contingent, global and online.” As I know firsthand from working here at Come Recommended, a completely virtual company, working online allows for immediate results for clients. Plus, business isn’t just 9-to-5 anymore — online workers are typically more accessible outside of normal work hours.

The report showed the business hiring online and professionals working online through Elance increased 120% in 2011, with 650,000 new jobs posted and cumulative earnings totaling over $500 million. The rising earnings of online professionals was evident in more than 100 countries, and in the U.S., earnings rose in 43 out of 50 states.

“This year’s job numbers suggest a structural change in traditional employment, as more businesses are adopting online and contingent work as a coreo business strategy,” said Fabio Rosati, CEO of Elance.

Some important findings of the study:

• 83% of small businesses plan to hire up to 50% of their workers as online contractors in the next year
• nearly 1 in 3 workers began freelancing and pursing independent careers to they could be their own boss
• top benefits of working online are schedule control (90%), following passions (87%), and eliminate a commute (85%)
• skills in demand are software development, creative, marketing, administrative, and consulting.

Predictions for online work in 2010 include the rise of the virtual workplace, exporting professional services to other parts of the globe, and the importance of compliance when adopting the contingent workforce. Also, the report found that promising online careers for 2012 are software developer, visual designer, user experience designer, digital marketer, technical writer, web researcher, data analyst, content moderator, accountant, and distributed workforce manager.

What do you think of this increase in online hiring? Are you surprised?

Article by

Kate D’Amico is in her senior year at Virginia Tech where she is studying communications with an emphasis in public relations as well as psychology and special events management and marketing. She has prior internship experience in corporate communications and public relations for technology, nonprofit, and association clients.

As the economy continues to slump, and employment figures face a grim outlook, we decided to examine how Americans react to such tough times. The following infographic looks back at the past 10 years and examines where jobs come from when unemployment rises. Our findings discovered that as unemployment rises, so too does the entrepreneurial spirit.

But does this renewed sense of building a company of your own really work? Looking back into history, we arranged all of the Fortune 500 companies by their establishment date, and compared those dates to slumps in the economy. The numbers are quite interesting.

We encourage you to take a closer look, and if you’re finding times tough, realize that the best job for you might be the one you create for yourself.

A stronger focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is the key to our country’s future. This infographic done with Knewton looks to answer the question: how can we improve STEM education in America right now?

ResumeBear announced 3 new partnerships today in their continued march toward being the premier job board in the United States.

Solana Beach, Ca (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

ResumeBear announced 3 new partnerships today in their continued march toward being the premier job board in the United States.

ResumeBear and HirePatriots.com:

HirePatriots.com, a non profit, free job board that provides ‘one day and part time’ jobs for military, transitioning veterans, and their spouses has aligned their services with ResumeBear, the premier site for job seekers.

“We provide part-time, sustainable employment for veterans transitioning back into civilian life, until full time employment can be found,” said Mark Baird, CEO of HirePatriots.com. “We were immediately impressed with the technology, tools, and resources provided by ResumeBear, and by their focus on helping the job seeker succeed.”

“When we learned about the mission of HirePatriots.com to help veterans and their spouses return to work, we knew that we wanted to work with them,” stated Heather Brebaugh, CEO of ResumeBear. “Veteran unemployment could be eliminated if each business would hire just one veteran a year. With our resources we know we can be an integral part of ending veteran unemployment.”

Through the partnership between HirePatriots.com and ResumeBear, military, veterans, and their spouses can seamlessly access short term employment through HirePatriots.com while utilizing the tools, tips, resources, and job board available through ResumeBear to find their future career.

Visitors to the ResumeBear website can access HirePatriots.com from the Home Page or from the Military header under the Resources tab.

ResumeBear and TrustedID:

More than 15 million people become victims of identity theft every year. An identity is stolen every two seconds in the United States – the fastest growing crime in the U.S. for the past four years. Knowing the importance that good credit history has on an individual’s day-to-day life, ResumeBear has partnered with TrustedID. TrustedID has been a leader in identity and credit protection since 2005 and was honored with the 2010 Overall “Best-In-Class” award from Javelin Research† for their comprehensive protection services.

“Job seekers are at a high risk for identity theft,” said Brebaugh. “They are often providing personal information during the job search process, leaving them vulnerable to identity thieves. Through our partnership with TrustedID we are very excited to be able to offer free identity theft protection to our job seekers. We continue our efforts to provide an exceptional experience for all of our job seekers.”

Visitors to the ResumeBear website can access TrustedID from the Home Page, under the Resources tab, or from their personal dashboard once they complete their free ResumeBear registration.

ResumeBear and Resume2Hire:

In addition to the ability to quickly upload a resume from a word document or use the resume wizard to create a resume from scratch, ResumeBear realized that many job seekers need professional help to get a top notch resume. Through their new partnership with Resume2Hire, ResumeBear job seekers now have access to certified resume writers that have both staffing and recruiting experience as well as professional writing backgrounds. Writers each have at least three years of experience in professional staffing.

“In keeping with our philosophy to focus on the needs of our job seekers, we have partnered with Resume2Hire to provide high quality, professional, customized resumes at a very low cost,” said Brebaugh.

Resume2Hire’s writers connect directly with each job seeker to create a custom resume that reflects who each person is and what they represent. Resumes are keyword optimized for the specific industry and targeted position. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

Visitors to the ResumeBear website (http://www.resumebear.com) can access the services of Resume2Hire from the Home Page, from the Resources tab, or from their personal dashboard as a registered ResumeBear user.

“We continue to focus on providing the resources that will help all job seekers find meaningful work,” said Bob Warren, Founder of ResumeBear. “By watching our Alexa ranking and seeing how our visibility continues to skyrocket, we know that we are on the right path to becoming the most valuable resource for job seekers.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/ResumeBear/veteranjobseekers/prweb8994972.htm  (live release)

Facebook and the Feds have teamed to make job hunters’ lives a little easier, by creating a special Facebook page that consolidates some of the newest and best tools for matching job seekers with jobs available.

• Facebook, in announcing this Social Jobs Partnership, notes social websites are playing an ever more important role in job-hunting, recruitment and hiring. A survey by National Association of Colleges and Employers, a partner in the effort, finds that more than 70 percent of college career centers have a Facebook page.
• A Great resource as an Example is ResumeBear page. Where New Job Openings will be posted daily starting Nov 15th

A survey this summer by Jobvite, a recruiting site, found that 64 percent of human resources and recruiting professionals who responded said they had hired through social networks this year, compared with 58 percent in 2010.

“We will explore and develop systems where new job postings can be delivered virally through the Facebook site at no charge,” Facebook said in its announcement. U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has said she hopes the initiative will provide job seekers with immediate information they can use to find work, and employers with a new means of finding hires.

There are currently about 14 million people unemployed, said Solis, and about 3 million job openings nationwide.

Staffing Industry Analysts, a global publication specializing in staffing industry news, data, and trends, is expecting hourly hiring managers to employ more temporary workers this holiday season than in the past holiday seasons. With seasonal hiring trends expected to increase, now would be a great opportunity to get your foot in the door with a company through temporary holiday work. While these jobs may only last a few months, try to see them as auditions where you can showcase your skills to potential employers. Also, when working through a staffing company, your work for a holiday client could be a good way to demonstrate your talents for full-time work with other client companies.

Working a holiday job gives you a chance to understand the company’s culture and values from the bottom up and will help make you a strong candidate for promotion when the job you really want is available. Kurt Kuehn, senior vice president and CFO of UPS, Inc., started as a temporary driver for the holiday season in 1977 and worked his way up in the company to eventually become CFO in 2008.

Check out these three Bs to help you stand out from the crowd, make the most of your temporary job, and possibly turn it into a full-time career.

Be Available
To better your chances of getting hired, offer to work flexible hours like weekends, nights and days on or around the holidays. The more availability you have, the more likely you are going to get more hours. You should treat the hiring process as seriously as any other job you have applied for. Dressing professionally for the interview and sending a thank you note or email afterwards will help you stand out. If you have a professional background, inform your interviewer and ask how you could be considered for other roles after being in a holiday position.

Be Attentive
Now is the time to flex those soft skills. Once you’ve been hired, look for ways to use your talents and skills to improve your work. Try taking on some extra duties, volunteering to lead team projects, working in other departments, or performing other tasks when opportunities arise. Working hard with strong enthusiasm combined with fulfilling duties the full-time employees usually avoid will help get your managers attention and increase your chances of them thinking of you when they need to fill an open full-time position.

Be Assertive
You should keep in mind that you are temporary, and there may be tasks of full-time core employees you aren’t eligible for. You could be qualified and there could be tasks in other offices that relate to your previous education or experience, but that isn’t your role as a holiday hire. You’ll have to earn their trust with your availability and determination, and letting your work speak for itself.  If you are working as a temporary associate working through a staffing company, let them know you would be interested in a full-time job and want to take a larger, more active part in the company you are assigned to.

With the holidays quickly approaching, the demand for temporary hiring will increase. If you are looking for work or are between jobs, consider temporary holiday work to earn some extra money while opening some doors to help you eventually find the right job that best fits you. Do you have any success stories where you moved up in a company after starting in a temporary holiday position? We’d love for you to share in the comments below.

While there are many ways to make your job search more effective, there are little things that can slow down the job search too. You may feel like it will be easy to avoid getting distracted since you have a large amount of free time without a full-time job, but the newly found freedom can work against you. Sometimes, you could be slacking off in your search and not even realize it.

In part one of Top Job Search Time Wasters, we reviewed methods on how to avoid stress and the use of the internet to distract you from searching for a job. Here are a few more ways you could be wasting time during your job search and what you can do to avoid them.

Applying Anywhere

Aspiration during your job search is an important quality to have, but you also have to be realistic. Not only do you have to be ready to accept that maybe finding your dream job isn’t possible right after college or during this economy, but also know that being too broad in your job search can end up wasting your time.

If you’re not having much luck finding a job, it can get frustrating and you may resort to blasting your résumé for positions you may not be qualified for. Considering your résumé will more than likely only be seen by an automated keyword scanner that looks for specific words and phrases related to the job description, you’re hindering yourself. There are hundreds of frustrated job seekers doing the same thing, which is causing employers to be more selective of their candidates. The competition is too aggressive.

If you’re thinking about a role that requires a skillset that is different than your own or are wanting to switch careers,  find out what training and education you’ll need to get first before making the switch.

Safety in Solitude

Social networking sites like LinkedIn have made it easier for job seekers to connect with employers all across the world. But, don’t fall into the trap of making the internet your only source of networking and job finding. It’s easy to be a hermit and check job boards, but in-person contact is also important.

Now is the time to reach out through your friends and family to find potential leads. Most people find a job through someone in their network. According to the New York Department of Labor, 70 – 80% of jobs are found through networking. Last year, we polled our readers they agreed that in-person networking is more efficient.

There are several places, sources, and methods for effective networking. When you meet new contacts in person, you can use social media tools to follow up and grow those connections into solid job leads.

Looking for employment can be difficult and a lot of hard work. Sometimes it’s good to stop working and relax your mind after a long period of searching and networking. But, with stressful times and increasing competition, it can be easy to give your mind a break and rest longer than you should. If you remember to avoid the traps that can keep you distracted, you can keep yourself ahead of the competition with your razor-sharp focus.