Are Today's Grads Unprofessional?

Source - InsideHigherEd. The entire article is a great read, but I have summarized it here!

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A new study from York College of Pennsylvania attempts to shed light on the issue of whether or not today's new grads are unprofessional. As this small liberal arts college works through a re-brand the newly established Center for Professional Excellence is hoping to address some of the survey results.

Overall, 88% of the more than 500 human resources professionals and business leaders responding, defined professionalism roughly as follows:

"as being related to a person rather than the position. The traits or behaviors mentioned most by the respondents as being characteristic of professional employees were personal interaction skills, including courtesy and respect; the ability to communicate, which includes listening skills; a work ethic which includes being motivated and working on a task until it is complete; and appearance.”

The same survey defined unprofessionalism roughly as follows:

"The traits or behaviors most associated by the respondents with “unprofessionalism” included appearance, which includes attire, tattoos, and piercings; poor communication skills including poor grammar; poor work ethic; and poor attitude.”

The survey results showed that more than 37% of the respondents reported that “less than half of the recent graduates they have hired exhibit professionalism in their first year." Slightly more than 51 % of recent hires exhibited “professionalism.”

Among the traits or behaviors employers said they value most, here are the ones they believe are most deficient in the recent graduates they hired:

- accepts personal responsibility for decision and actions

- is able to act independently

- has a clear sense of direction and purpose

Not everyone surveyed believed the “professionalism” of their recent graduate hires has significantly declined in recent years. About a third, indicated that this lack of professionalism has declined significantly in recent years due to:

- an increased sense of entitlement

- new cultural values

- changed work ethic

Professor David Polk, whose research group at York conducted the study offered several insights as to whether or not these behaviors are totally a result of inter-generational differences or should be taken more seriously.

Polk offers that getting professors to buy in and serve as role models could be challenging since professors might see their role as "conveying knowledge and making sure our students comprehend it. I’m not sure how many would respond that it is also their job to help a student develop good behavior. There’s this moral authority that some professors get uncomfortable with. For this to work successfully, when a professor calls out a student’s behavior, the administration should be there to back them up immediately and say, ‘Your behavior is wrong.’ ”

The school's goal is to use the newly created Center for Professional Excellence to cultivate the “professionalism” employers want in the workplace. It will host seminars throughout the year where employers share expectations of employees and workplace issues. Polk said he would like students to be required to attend a certain number of these seminars throughout their college careers.

If you work with new grads - what say you? Do you agree? Comment at the end of the article here.

Survey says Employers Value Emotional Intelligence over IQ

A recent Career Builder survey of 2600 employers showed 61% of employers are more likely to promote workers with high emotional intelligence (EI) over candidates with high IQ.  Why would they do that?  In this recessionary environment where workers are stressed and overwhelmed, companies might be more attracted to those workers who can bring a certain kind of calm to the workplace.

Rosemary Haefner, VP of Human Resources at Career Builder says it this way, "The competitive job market allows employers to look more closely at the intangible qualities that pay dividends down the road – like skilled communicators and perceptive team players...In a recovering economy, employers want people who can effectively make decisions in stressful situations and can empathize with the needs of their colleagues and clients to deliver the best results."

When Managers and HR Directors were asked about what behaviors they look at to evaluate a worker's Emotional Intelligence, the top responses were:
-They admit and learn from their mistakes
-They can keep emotions in check and have thoughtful discussions about tough issues
-They listen as much or more than they talk
-They take criticism well
-They show grace under pressure

Additional Resources:
3 Ways to Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence in the Job Interview 
Seventy-One Percent of Employers Say They Value Emotional Intelligence over IQ

Set up a Career ReEntry Advisory Board

Going back into the workplace after an absence can be difficult.

Depending on how long you have been out of the workplace, you may need some help navigating the landscape and not a project you want to embark on by yourself.

To get all the support you can, why not set up a career reentry advisory board to help you.

Who could you ask to be on your career re-entry advisory board?
- Prior supervisor
- Previous or current mentor
- Career coach
- Recruiter
- Spouse

Some things the board can assist you with?

• identifying your values, interests, skills and abilities
• setting your goals
• be a sounding board for disappointments along the way
• sharing job leads
• checking in regularly on your progress

My old boss keeps calling me..

The JobDoc at Boston.com answers questions from readers about the world of work. 

I wanted to share one of the questions I read recently.  A former employee asked, "How long do I help my former boss?"  I thought I would share the response because it is actually a question I am hearing more and more from dislocated workers. 

It turns out that four months after leaving a job, this former employee was still being contacted by her old boss or his secretary with questions about day to day operations.  Not only was the former employee a little upset that she was still being called months after leaving, she was feeling a little bit harassed when her former boss called her on a Saturday evening asking for a report.   The bottom line question - How long should I wait before I can tell my former boss not to call me anymore?

The abbreviated version of the JobDoc's answer was that a former manager should no longer have expectations that former employees need to help them find things, or support their efforts. However, a former employee may find that being supportive of the company's efforts could earn them long term rewards, such as a professional reference or a potential re-hire opportunity later. 

JobDoc also gave advice on how to transition from a company so that there is no reason for these kinds of follow up calls.

Of course we don't want to burn our bridges, but former bosses need to be mindful as well when employees have moved on.

You can read the full response here.

10 Most Asked LinkedIn Questions

If you are not yet connecting with fellow professionals on LinkedIn, it is time that you start.  My colleague, Jackie Cameron, owner of Cameron Consulting, developed this list of the top 10 most asked questions about LinkedIn. 

Jackie answers the following 10 questions and gives really practical advice on how to use LinkedIn to stay connected.  If you have any of these questions yourself Jackie's answers can help you take that next step.

1. Why bother?
2. How do you decide who to connect with?
3. What if you get an invitation to connect and you don’t want to?
4. How can I get introduced to someone I really want to connect with?
5. What’s the point of an update?
6. Why would I give a recommendation?
7. What should I include in my profile?
8. Do I really need a picture?
9. Why would I bother putting up a book list?
10. How much time will it take?

Whether you decide to connect with folks on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site, keep in mind that the online footprint you develop will become a part of your professional persona.  Stay positive online.

Job Search Strategy with O*NET Online

Pundits and politicians salivate every month about what the unemployment numbers mean for American workers. If you’re like me, you probably think the media spends more time debating instead of offering real solutions.


I guess that is where we come in and so today, like I have done before, I happily endorse a great online resource called O*NET, sponsored by the Department of Labor. This free online resource has three great features that must be a part of any jobseeker’s job search strategy.

The three features are:

How to identify growing industries – If you or someone you know was laid off from a declining occupation and those jobs aren’t coming back, how can you find growing industries?

The Bright Outlook - Thinking about retraining and can’t think of which careers will be growing over the next decade? The Bright Outlook feature can help you here.

Related Occupations – Trying to find a related career that might use most of the skills you already have? This feature helps you reduce the time to switch.

Read the complete article - How to Use ONET Online as Part of a Competitive Job Search Strategy

Checkout O*NET here.

What's up with salaries?

Since 2006, The Payscale Index has been reviewing wage trends for full-time, private-sector employees in 20 metro areas, 15 industries and three sizes of companies.  Some highlights of the Q4 reports include:

- Wages at small companies with less than 99 employees declined a full percentage point when comparing 4th quarter of 2009 to the same period in 2010.

-Quarter 4 of 2010 saw the lowest wages for construction workers in over 3 years.

Overall the index shows that wages in 2010 were flat. 

With the economy as it is, even though companies have billions sitting on the sidelines, many workers might be looking at another year with no increase in salary.  If no pay raise is in store for you this year, but you still want to show career progress think about these 3 suggestions I made a while back.  No Pay Raise? What Else Could You Ask For?

How Americans Can Help Bring Jobs Back to America

The high unemployment rate is here to stay unless consumers help to bring jobs back to America. If you think the overall unemployment rate of 9.8% is bad; wait until you break the numbers down across various American demographic groups. It gets worse.

This last unemployment report for November 2010 had really very little good news and all major worker groups saw an increase in their rates of unemployment. The unemployment rate among African Americans went up from 15.7% to 16%. Within that group, the unemployment rate for black men was up to 16.7% from 16.3% and for black women up to 13.1% from 12.7%. Whites saw an uptick of 0.1% from 8.8% to 8.9% and Latinos had a bigger jump, up 0.6% to 13.2%. Rates among American teens were overall at 20.9% for whites, down from 23.6% and an astounding 46.5% for African-Americans. This actually was down from 48% and 30% for Latinos, a 1.6% drop from the month before. The rate of underemployment which looks at the unemployed, marginally attached and those working part-time for economic reasons was unchanged at 17%.

I looked hard to find the bright side, but couldn't -especially when I know that many of the jobs lost in manufacturing and construction sectors are not coming back to the America. Not that I don't want them to come back or think they can't. I think some can; especially those in the manufacturing sector.

I think that until Americans really begin to take notice of what they consume and what they buy, there will not be enough pressure on politicians to do the right thing and impose tariffs that will make American made products more attractive.
The next time you are in your favorite coffee shop waiting to pick up your $4.50 latte, wander over to the shelves adorned with mugs and assorted tea-drinking or coffee paraphernalia. Where are they made? What percentage of them are made in America? 

I guess the question would be, what exactly is the reason that they can't be made in America? I suspect it has something to do with tax incentives to ship jobs overseas, lobbyists and politicians who really don't care what voters think.

Tips To Fight Age Discrimination in the Job Search

I spoke with an older employee who had recently lost a spouse and was looking to go back to work. She was fearful of her chances of finding employment.  "Nobody wants to hire old people anyway and with all these young people looking for work, I feel bad trying to take a job from them.  They have families."

I reminded her that she really needed to put her best forward and not show hesitation in her search.  Not only did she feel most employers would not want to hire her because of age, she also felt that those who would, were not willing to pay what her experience deserved.

I shared with her the following list of tips Ishared to help her fight any age discrimination in employment.

1. Stay cheerful and high energy for all phone or in-person job interviews
2. Speak to the benefits of experience, professional maturity and expertise
3. Keep resume content current and stick to relevant information. Read 50 Hot Resume Writing Tips.
4. Speak to the long term value you can bring to the company
5. Tell stories about outstanding outcomes in prior assignments
6. Consider using a functional resume
7. Use cover letters to focus on relevant, recent experiences
8. Speak to your ability to collaborate and work with everyone from Boomers to Millennials.

Pennco Tech: Let Career Training Turn your Hobby into a Career

Pennco Tech has been offering Automotive Technology programs in the state of Pennsylvania for decades. The first time I heard about the school was when my nephew applied to the Bristol, PA location in the early 1990’s. He had just graduated high school and the US economy was sputtering as the country slowly rebounded from that recession. He continued to tinker with cars to earn extra money as he decided on his next step.

Now, almost two decades after graduation from Pennco Tech, my nephew is a successful auto mechanic and entrepreneur managing his own shop now for almost 15 years. Despite the bad economy, his business has grown steadily. Primarily, I think, due to ongoing professional training for himself and his staff, and the early commitment he made to providing excellent customer service. In addition, the very nature of the bad economy we are experiencing seems to drive his business as well. People who are looking to increase or preserve the value of their automobiles are choosing to repair and routinely maintain their vehicles.

It is often said that one of the surefire ways to recession proof one’s career is to get serious about additional training. My goal today is not to tell you about my nephew’s success, but to encourage you to explore opportunities for learning and new careers even in a down economy. Or maybe I should say, especially in a down economy. Experts widely believe we are living in a "knowledge economy" and the more committed we are to lifelong learning and new training, the more recession proof our careers will be.

As experienced automotive technicians retire, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting that opportunities should be very good for those who complete postsecondary automotive training programs like that at Pennco Tech. If you are thinking about your next career step and not sure where to start, look around your own city for training programs that could help you turn your hobby into a successful career like my nephew did.

When the Problem is a Lack of Problem Solving Skills!

I was sitting on my porch today watching three squirrels get the better of a bird feeder.

The feeder, of course made for birds, is big enough to support one squirrel if he perches on the edge of the feeder while clinging to the porch screen. It is a difficult angle, but this squirrel was making it work. 

When a second and third squirrel figured out what this other squirrel was doing, they wanted to join the party.

The problem was – all three could not fit on the feeder, no matter how hard they tried. After all three fell to the ground, two immediately went back to trying. The third stayed on the ground when he realized he could still get a belly-full of the seeds falling from the agitated bird feeder as the other two struggled for ownership of the feeder.

While the squirrel on the ground ate, the other two continued to struggle to stay on the very thin ledge of the feeder. As they rocked the feeder back and forth, the squirrel on the ground continued to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Very quickly, one of the other two figured out that the ground position was worthwhile as well and decided on that option. By then the first squirrel had walked away – full.

The two remaining squirrels figured out they could take turns agitating the feeder to push more seeds to the ground where they could eat in relative comfort. While one agitated, the other stayed below to guard the spoils from the birds and other squirrels.

I smiled at their team work and collaboration as they enjoyed the fruits of their labor.

It was not the first time I had seen squirrels or other animals come together to solve a problem. What fascinated me was not that they did it, but the speed with which they realized –alternative solutions were necessary and available.

It seemed to me that the squirrels, in my yard at least, had mastered problem solving.

I started to wonder why more of us in the workplace don’t solve problems like squirrels do?

How many teams have you worked on where learning to problem-solve should have been the first assignment? I have been on a few teams where individuals, completely competent on their own, failed to achieve outstanding outcomes together with team members.

Put the HR concepts of storming, norming and performing aside. Lets face it, some people aren’t familiar with that process and don’t want to hear about a workable process for problem solving.

Many want to act and act now. Many people, I find, are well meaning and want to just “jump in” and they confuse action with progress.

Many think that any result is a good result if we all just "pitch in". This seems to be even more prevalent in today’s workplace where everyone wants to show their value by appearing to be busy and active. In instances where employees view projects as high value or high visibility there is a rush to add input, regardless of the ad hoc nature of the process.

We all know the mantra –“there is no “I” in team”.

Well sometimes there has to be. If you find yourself on one of these flailing teams where fuzzy input is guaranteed to bring fuzzier outputs, YOU have to put the “I’ in Team.

To keep your own workplace stress under control, you may have to be the “I” that says, “We are all trying to fit on this bird feeder when we know it can only hold one of us at a time. I’ll be happy to jump off. What can I do on the ground to keep the seeds safe?”