Many employees are hesitant to join new companies because "there's a level of uncertainty," says David Smith, managing director of talent and organization performance at Accenture, a global consulting company. It's unclear whether a different employer will be able to provide sufficient job security, training, advancement opportunities and other benefits. By contrast, they know what's available to them where they work now, he says. (Subscription required)
It doesn’t matter if you’re a dog walker, a Web designer or a tax preparer. When you agree to work free, you reinforce people’s misguided ideas that the self-employed are independently wealthy hobbyists. Don’t degrade your profession by letting a cheap client take advantage of you. (Subscription required)
Hat tip: PSFK
We give big tips to some, stiff others. (Subscription required)
Administrative assistants see the big picture at a company, and thus may earn promotions. (Subscription required)
Unusual times demand unusual networking tactics. Most candidates find work through networking, surveys show. But in today's dismal job market, many feel frustrated with standard strategies such as tapping friends for referrals. (Subscription required)
Workers worried that the nation's economic turmoil will mean they'll receive a slim merit increase in 2009 -- or none at all -- might be able to breathe a sigh of relief. A study to be released Thursday by consulting firm Mercer LLC shows that employers don't expect to make major changes to next year's salary budgets, which were mapped out in April. But on the flip side, employers plan to trim their work forces, cut back on hiring and reduce bonus payouts, if they haven't yet done so. (Subscription required)
My last column, about the best way to use the Web to find a job, got an enormous response ... While many people agreed with the premise of the article (and some vehemently did not), one question popped up several times. It was about my assertion that searching online was great, but that nothing beats face-to-face contacts.