Go Home (And Work From There)!

By Bob McDonald on November 17, 2009

The concept of working from home or telecommuting has gained a great deal of traction and popularity in recent years. Companies, staring at the reality of rising overhead costs, found a great deal of value in having some of their employees work from home.

Now, with the introduction of new technology such as cloud computing, virtual private networks (VPNs) and Voice over IP (VOIP), working at home has become easier than ever. However, just like looking for an in-company position, you have to know where to look and watch out for potential pitfalls.

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“How Did I Get Here?”

By Bob McDonald on November 13, 2009

You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
You may find yourself in another part of the world
You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
You may ask yourself: well… how did I get here?

-Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime”

When I thought of this Changing Your Game post, I remembered this classic song. And the first verse is likely something you’re contemplating at this very moment.

For years, perhaps, you have found yourself in the same place in your career, which may not a good thing. Judging from sites like JobVent, that much is pretty clear.

But in order to move forward and change your game, taking a look at the events leading up the the present is essential. It is said that those who don’t learn history are forced to repeat. And in terms of our career, many of us have done just that.

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Have a Common Name? You’re Not Immune From Searches

By Bob McDonald on November 12, 2009

As one of the countless job seekers out there, there may very well be many people who share the same name as you do. As a result, this may lead you into the false notion that somehow, you can do whatever you want online and nobody will notice.

Guess again. There are plenty of ways in which prospective employers can figure out that the person they are thinking about hiring may also be the same person who likes to cause trouble on the Internet.

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Handling Employers That Tell You How Many People Applied

By Bob McDonald on November 10, 2009

When thinking about our previous post about seriously reconsidering your career, the New York Times article I referenced pointed out the incomprehensible number of applicants to a singular position (500, according to the article).

Those who are in the job market recognize that when you do apply for a job, you generally won’t be the only one who is looking at the same opportunity. In fact, it’s a safe bet that your resume or application will go against dozens of others, maybe more.

But if you are one of the lucky few who is called in for an interview, what does it truly mean when the employer tells you how many people applied to this position?

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Amid Dreary News, It’s Time to Change Your Game

By Bob McDonald on November 6, 2009

For more than a year, ever since the recession started taking its massive toll on the job market, it has become clear that the jobs are much harder to find, and the ones that are available offer far less to employees than they once did. With a recently announced unemployment rate of over 10 percent, the news doesn’t sound like it’s going to get better anytime soon.

And for those in the “be happy you have a job” crowd, is that really the case? Web sites are littered with comments about companies that don’t have employee interests at heart. And once the jobs come back, historically the unemployed will not only have to compete with each other, but also the employed trying hard to get out.

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