Blog
Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Working 9-5: Is It Outmoded in the 21st Century?
Many American workers live for their weekends. This is the time that they spend with their families, catch up on errands, and just relax. The practice of taking a day of rest is a centuries-old concept. In the pre-industrial era, workers would typically have off one day per week to observe the Sabbath. In agrarian settings, people worked as much as they needed to survive, hunting, gathering, and farming—probably averaging less than 40 hours per week. This pattern changed in the 18th century with the Industrial Revolution….
What to Expect from the Job Market in 2024
Despite the challenges presented by recent global events, hiring trends for 2024 indicate a renewed sense of optimism. Research from MIT’s Sloan School of Management shows that 39% of hiring leaders said they plan to increase their financial commitment toward hiring in 2024, and 70% of surveyed U.S. job seekers were somewhat or very confident about their prospects of finding new jobs. Here is what to expect from the job market as we enter 2024….
Why Your Boss Wants You Back in the Office
Many leaders have established long-standing cultures of control and monitoring. They genuinely believe the only way to ensure hard work and productivity is through micromanaging and physical conversations. Remote work gives employees a high level of autonomy, and executives are worried this could make them slack off or break the rules. I would characterize it as a form of cognitive dissonance. The truth is evident and is supported with facts, yet they can’t accept the new reality. These decisions are based entirely on emotion rather than logic and reason….
How Women’s Work Became a Man’s World
Would it surprise you to learn that women once dominated the entire field of computer science? Modern computing grew from the need for ballistics calculations during World War II. At that time, “computer” was a job title—people who performed the sets of calculations. Men who may have otherwise taken these jobs were busy with the war effort. Plus, the work wasn’t regarded as “intellectual.” It was seen as repetitive and focused. So women were hired for their mathematical abilities while the men who designed and created the machines took most of the credit for the work….
Bad CEO Behavior Continues: Work from Home Edition
This month’s contender for Worst CEO Behavior is Raul Vargas, CEO of Farmers Insurance Group. Mr. Vargas is the company’s new CEO, and one of his first orders of business was to reverse his predecessor’s stance on remote work. Employees hired as full-time remote employees now have until September to present themselves in the office thrice weekly. What’s driving this decision? Collaboration. And innovation….
What The Sopranos Can Teach Us about Gen Z
Gen Z only knows the world of high-quality, prestige TV. They never experienced the struggle of having nothing to watch but reruns of Gilligan’s Island or mandatory commercials. They expect to be able to watch what they want when they want, and most don’t even use a television, opting to watch on their laptops or phones. They are shaping this into a different world, and a fresh crop will graduate in a few weeks. If your business wants to keep up and attract young talent, you must learn from Hollywood’s mistakes and adapt.
Here’s what Gen Z wants out of work….
I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Part 2
As I promised you last week, this is a follow-up to what I hear on “the street,” but this time, the stuff that’s not so good. Here we go….
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
As you know, I have counseled thousands of job seekers and people looking to manage their careers. I sometimes speak with hundreds of people each month. Although I advise my clients on strategies to optimize their job searches and advance their careers, I am not the one out there doing the work, networking, and meeting potential employers. Fortunately, my clients love to share their stories with me; I, in turn, aggregate, analyze, and share the trends I hear and see with you. Here are some of the good things that I’ve heard about lately….
Meetings Be Damned!
One significant negative has arisen from the dominance of remote work, and that is the culture of endless meetings. I hear from clients who have so many meetings, recurring meetings, standing meetings, optional meetings, and required meetings that their calendars are booked all day, each day. They feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of meetings and are stressed at not having time to do actual work.
Not Invited to Interview after Cognitive Assessment: Follow Up
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a client who had taken a cognitive test as part of a preliminary screening for a role for which he was more than qualified and how subsequent to that assessment, he was eliminated from consideration without there ever being an actual conversation between him and anyone at the hiring company. Thanks to you, my readers, and the advice/input you gave, he decided to follow up with them. Here’s how it went….