April is not the cruelest month, at least not for employees. December and January are.

Those two months, we have found, are the worst for mass layoffs at companies. We looked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor’s monthly statistics for mass layoffs going back a decade to see which months accounted for the largest percentage of the pink slips issued in bulk by U.S. companies during any particular year.

The BLS considers a mass layoff to be when an employer sheds at least 50 jobs.

In 2001, it found more than 21,000 such blizzards of pink slips, or “events” as it calls them. That was the worst year of the past decade, as it included fallout from the bursting of the dotcom bubble and the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington D.C.

To provide some silver lining to the current black cloud, mass layoffs at the comparative point in 2001 were running at 28% higher than they are during this credit-crisis blighted year.

How the events scale up to total lost jobs varies from employer to employer, and the data counts the job when it is lost, not when the company announces planned redundancies, which are often spun and phased for PR reasons. But to take an example, September’s 1,292 mass layoffs represented 235,681 lost jobs.

Over the 10 years we looked at, December averaged out at 12.6% of the annual total and January at 12.2%. If mass layoffs were spread evenly throughout the year, each month would account for 8.3%.

The best month? August, with an average of just 5.3%. Summertime, and the living’s easy.

Or at least it is if you and your coworkers survive July, the third worst month on average for mass layoffs.

December and January are dangerous months for job holders because that’s when annual budgets flip over at many companies. Similarly, July marks the halfway point in the year.

If you’re nervous about your job going, don’t watch the clock, watch the calendar. Goal No. 1 for worried workers: making it to February. Winter does not keep us warm.

By Forbes.com Staff

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Winners never quit and quitters never win, right?  Wrong!  Winners quit all the time.  Winners quit the things that aren’t working or the things that won’t pay off in the long run.  They move on to where they can be their best.  Perhaps the best in the world.

Winners don’t quit when it gets tough.  In fact, that’s exactly the wrong time to quit.  That’s where the Dip comes in.  The Dip is that long curve between starting out and making it to the top.  It’s where you find the resistance that can wear you down and make you want to quit.  But it’s that same resistance that creates the scarcity at the top.  And the top is where your greatest rewards lie.  In The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick), Seth Godin writes about quitting and sticking more effectively.
Lessons Learned from the Dip
Here’s my key lessons learned from the Dip:

• Winners quit.  Winners do quit and winners do win.
• Being the best is the best place to be.  Being the best in the world is seriously underrated
• Winners quit more effectively.  Quit the wrong stuff, stick with the right stuff.
• Know the Dips.  If you know the dips in place that encourage quitting, you’re more likely to beat them.

Click here to continue reading.

Here’s the book featured in the review:

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)

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The Better Business Bureau today warned that con artists are preying on jobless people looking for work this holiday season.

In addition to the unemployed, the BBB said, work-at-home schemes target senior citizens, the disabled, stay-at-home moms, people with low incomes, and people who are looking to get rich quick.

The non-profit organization said work-at-home scheme promoters will:

o Never offer regular salaried employment.

o Promise huge profits and big part-time earnings.

o Use personal testimonials but never identify the person so that you could check the story.

o Require money for instructions or merchandise before explaining how the plan operates.

o Assure you of guaranteed markets and a huge demand for your handiwork.

o Overstate claims of product effectiveness.

o Make a high pressure sales pitch and state the offer is available for a limited time.

o Tell you that no experience is necessary.

The BBB advises the following when looking for a work-at-home job:

o Visit www.bbb.org to find a Reliability Report on the business offering the work opportunity.

o Check references, and where appropriate, check for business licensing.

o If you decide to use a business’ services to start working from home, know exactly what you are paying for and make sure it is in writing.

o Read contracts thoroughly. Make sure verbal promises are in the contract.

o Consider all possible costs (office supplies, software, etc.) and weigh them with the benefits (gas savings, convenience, etc.).

o If the advertisement is Internet based, do not enter any personal information into an e-mail or Web site unless you are positive the offer is not a scam.

o Ask questions. Those offering legitimate work-at-home opportunities are happy to answer any questions with detailed answers about the company and job.

People who are scammed by a work-at-home scheme should contact the BBB at www.bbb.org

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Recently, I wrote an article on the World’s Most Expensive Hairdresser, Stuart Phillips. For the paltry sum of £20,000 you can get an International VIP haircut at Phillips’ shop in the U.K. I’m not up on my exchange rates but I think that’s around $50,000, maybe more. Once I picked my jaw up off the floor, I had to wonder what this guy had or did that made people willing to part with that much money for a haircut. More importantly, I had to know what it was so I could emulate it, if possible.

I went into researching Phillips expecting to find that elusive ‘secret’ that internet marketing gurus are always talking about. You know, that mysterious thing that they know that they’ll share with you for $47? Only this would be different. Somehow, everyone must have missed Phillips’ selling genius. Good for me, I’d have the coveted gimmick that would soon have me commanding rates similar to his. Well, I made a couple of wonderful discoveries. First of all, I already do one of the things he does. Secondly, I can use his other gimmick easily, painfully and for free. So can you.

I’ll Share My Secret ‘Gimmick’ Findings with You

Okay, here goes. Sit down because this is information that is being shared for the first time (by me) and it may knock your socks off. Ready?

Secret Gimmick #1 - Philllips, his wife and their entire staff give excellent customer service. We’re talking extreme pampering. That $50,000 gets you more than a haircut. The price includes a limo and driver, first class flights and hotel, personal chef, personal shopper, haircut and blow dry. While clients are in his salon, they are Phillips’ sole appointment for the day, they have his undivided attention and all the staff pamper the customers.

Okay, I already do my best where customer service is concerned but perhaps I can do a little more. Since my business is done online, there’s no reason why I can’t make every effort to make my clients feel that they have my undivided attention. Easy, peasy.

Secret Gimmick #2 - If you spot Stuart Phillips in the same shirt twice, you get a free haircut. I can’t believe how this has worked for him! It has made full colour magazine spreads and newspaper write ups. His collection of shirts have had their own photo opps. People repeatedly book appointments hoping to catch him in the same clothes that they’ve seen him in before. It has been an incredible gimmick for him.

Alright, I can do that too. Here goes.

People wanted me to sell these secrets for $197 but I said, “No way!” I have to share my knowledge with the world. For that reason, I’m offering these revealed secret gimmicks for the insanely low price of only $47. If you spot me in the same skirt twice, I’ll give you yours for free!

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Now, not only must job seekers woo employers with their resume and interview savvy, they’re expected to have an outstanding Internet presence as well. Employers have turned to social networking websites and search engines to screen job seekers based on the additional information about them potentially floating through cyber space. In fact, three-fourths of recruiters admit to googling job candidates, according to a recent Harris Interactive poll.

Recognizing that it’s practically inevitable that employers will go online to find information about job candidates, 24% of people age 18-24 say they would post their resume for employers to see on social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook or Friendster, according to the September 2006 Spherion Workplace Snapshot. Unfortunately, the last thing many recruiters want to see is an online resume accompanied by pictures of keg parties or inappropriate jokes posted on the job seeker’s message board; therefore, job seekers who want to maintain professionalism in their job search would be wise to ensure their social life cannot become the subject of skepticism for recruiters, based on an unflattering web persona. Furthermore, career expert Michael Farr, author of the recently released Same-Day Resume, Second Edition, believes there are other, more appropriate places on the Internet for someone to post their resume.

“To create a comprehensive picture of who you are and what you have done professionally, you can create an online career portfolio,” Farr says.

“They enhance web-based resumes in that they provide evidence of your past work performance, including samples, testimonials, articles, videos, photographs and charts.”

Farr acknowledges that an online portfolio could be just as harmful to a person’s job search as social networking websites if they look amateurish and include unnecessary personal information, such as someone’s religious or political views; however, a professional-looking portfolio that features an impressive, diverse work history can create the outstanding online identity many recruiters hope to find when they log online to learn more about candidates.

“Maybe there will come a time when the web career portfolio is as common as the resume; but for now, there is a lot of opportunity to stand out from your competition and be extraordinary,” Farr says.

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Job searches can be a frustrating experience especially in today’s slow economic times. Geoff Dillon, marketing manager for staffing company The People Bank, provides a behind-the-scenes look at some useful job-hunt tips.

Newspaper ads

Companies often get hundreds of responses to just one ad these days. Companies also use newspaper ads because of their immediacy: they want results, and fast.

TIP: If your resume fits with the position requirements, take action right away. Chances are the employer will be so overwhelmed with responses after the first day of their ad, you may have little chance of landing the position if you are slow to react.

Internet job boards

Responses to Internet job postings often end up in a recruiter’s e-mail. Some employers and recruiters receive up to 100 e-mails a day or more! To get your application noticed, send in your resume flagged as a high priority e-mail message to help move it to the top of the list.

TIP: Most e-mail programs display the most recent messages at the top of the screen, so send your resume during the workday when you are more likely to catch the recruiter at their desk. Early morning is also a good option. Don’t send your resume the night before; your resume will be too far down the list by the time the recruiter shows up for work in the morning and may not be noticed.

Employment agencies

Employment agencies work for companies to locate and interview qualified applicants for available positions.

TIP: Keep in touch with your consultant from the employment agency if the job you applied for doesn’t pan out. They are a great source of unadvertised job opportunities, which often means less competition for you if you land an interview through them.

Networking

‘Who you know’ is still the best way to locate job opportunities. Companies look favorably upon referrals because it’s a low cost, highly effective way to locate trustworthy people.

TIP: If you are referred to someone, be sure to address your cover letter to them personally and mention that you were referred to them.

Source: http://career.jobboom.com/career-planning/personal-advancement/2002/12/11/3278451-sun.html

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SANTA CRUZ, CA, Nov 18, 2008
Plantronics, Inc today announced that “cloudworker” won the nationwide Plantronics TeleWho? contest. The contest was created to coin a new, more accurate and relevant term for professionals who work beyond the office.

According to the winning submission, “a cloudworker is somebody who uses on-demand technology and collaboration tools, such as unified communications, to work anywhere and anytime, and uses the resulting freedom to enable a my-size-fits-me career path and lifestyle. The metaphor of the cloud extends well beyond cloud computing and software as a service applications to include work environments, distributed teams, and communication tools.”

Today, telecommuting means much more than it did in 1973 when the term was born. It’s no longer just about replacing a daily office commute with telecommunication links. Rather, it now involves working from several locations in one day, including from home; communicating on multiple devices and with multiple applications; integrating work and personal life; and providing 24×7, “always on,” service to customers.

For the Plantronics TeleWho? Contest, a panel of telecommuting and workplace experts — including analysts, media and bloggers — selected 10 finalists from a pool of approximately 500 submissions. These 10 were selected based on their originality, relevance and lasting impact. Public online voting took place over a two-week period, and nearly 2,200 votes were cast. Cloudworker won with 27.5% of the vote.

Venkatesh Rao, a blogger at www.ribbonfarm.com and research scientist at a Fortune 500 company who divides his time between Rochester, N.Y. and Washington, D.C., submitted the winning term. For his creativity and ingenuity, he will be receiving approximately $2,000 in communication and audio entertainment prizes.
“I’ve been blogging about and researching the future of work for a while now, and personally living the cloudworker lifestyle for years, but I didn’t think to put a name to it until I saw the Plantronics contest,” said Rao. “It is amazing how changing a single word can completely reframe how you think about a big subject. Once I started thinking in terms of ‘cloudworker,’ so many ideas came flooding into my head that I ended up starting a series of blog articles, which my readers really seem to resonate with. I hope the word triggers an equally stimulating shift in perspective for others.”

Honorable Mentions

The open submission process resulted in a wide variety of terms. Although they didn’t make the final cut, the panel awarded the title of “honorable mention” to a few of the most original entries.
The honor of Most Likely to Cause Confusion goes to “Porta-Pro” submitted by Jillian Grant of Sunnyside, N.Y. Though most immediately associate “porta” with another hyphenated word, the term submitted is an abbreviation for portable professional.
Several submissions referred to one of the least mentioned benefits of working from home, but quite likely one of the most appealing. Thus, Most Tell-it-like-it-is Truthful goes to “Robe Warrior” submitted by Faith Zack of Santa Cruz, Calif.

Cloudworking on the Rise

A survey conducted by TNS and released by Plantronics today reveals that high travel costs are transforming how businesses and their employees communicate and collaborate. In fact, 52% of survey respondents work from home at least one day a week and almost half cite “saving money” as the primary reason. Combined with the current economic climate, businesses can also reduce real estate and operational costs by encouraging employees to work outside of the traditional office environment.
To see the full TeleWho contest results, please visit www.plantronics.com/telewho.

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1. Telecommute Jobs. I spend a lot of time online and I can’t tell you how many people I meet online who are looking for a “job” that they can do online from home and make a ton of money … or at least replace their full-time income. I wish I could say that these jobs were plentiful and that there are companies who will beat your door down to hire you.

Truthfully, the very best way to find these types of jobs is OFFLINE. Most people who are doing this type of work talked their “offline” boss into allowing them to work their same position from home … or they got the work through someone they know.

Please beware of the many scams on the internet. Legitimate work at home employers should not ask you for money or to pay for postage for any reason. I suggest checking out all potential companies and potential employers by doing a Google search on the company name and on the hiring person and to also check with the Better Business Bureau before making any decisions.

Read some more information about Telecommute Jobs.

Suggested Skills: computer, data entry, telephone, customer service, sales/telemarketing

2. Party Plan/Direct Sales/MLM (Multi-Level Marketing). Most of us are familiar with the direct sales/party plan business model and it’s certainly a viable option to make some money from home. It’s a great way to jump in an own your own business without the investment and risk involved with starting your own business from the ground up.

The investment is usually under $200 and should give you most of the tools you need to get your business up and running. Most will offer representative replicated websites for free or for an affordable rate giving you an instant online presence too.

Another benefit is that you will have other representatives who will train and mentor you as you start your business and you’ll have access to company training and sales tools as well.

Believe it or not, on my WAHM 2 WAHM site we have over 300 companies listed that fall into this category with product lines ranging from cosmetics and skin care to wine … travel companies to candles … pet supplies … to “green” companies … and literally everything in between.

My suggestion is to make a list of everything that you have a passion for i.e. wine, travel, candles, dogs, investing, babies, books, etc. and then you can go to WAHM 2 WAHM and search by keyword and see what companies are out there to have a look at. We also offer tips on what to look for in not only a company but also how to select a sponsor (mentor) who is a match for your personality type.

Skills: friendly, helpful, email, phone skills, good follow through, persistence, self-starter,

3. Affiliate Programs/Affiliate Marketing. An affiliate program is simply a program that pays you to drive traffic to someone else’s products and/or services. If the traffic you send results in a sale you will be paid a referral fee which is either a percentage of the commission or a flat fee per sale. This allows a merchant to have 100’s or even 1000’s of affiliates promoting their product or service simultaneously without costing them a dime in advertising. These payouts are made on a “performance” basis. It’s truly a win-win. These programs range from Jane Doe’s custom hair bows to well-known companies like Wal-Mart, Amazon, and eBay.

Read the entire list of top home business ideas.

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In the face of today’s shaky economic climate, those are lyrics — or words — to live by. After all, strong job performance can trump length of service even in the most buoyant times.

In businesses everywhere, rumblings about cost-cutting measures and potential layoffs have many workers wondering if their jobs are on the line. Even if you’re not feeling insecure quite yet, it’s wise to take precautions.

Begin with a solid understanding of your role in the team. “You need to know what your employer expects of you and your job,” says Sue Philchuk, vice-president and partner at Banyan Work Health Solutions, a disability management consulting company.

“When there’s lack of clarity, there’s a greater chance you’ll fail to hit the nail on the head,” she says. Make sure you have the appropriate resources and support needed to complete your responsibilities. “If you feel lost, go out and look for the resources or support you need and secure it.”

Be visible and vocal. “There are a lot of ways to ensure you have a good reputation,” says resume writer and interview coach Stephanie Clark of New Leaf Resumes. Speak up at staff meetings and research your industry so you’re on the ball about things like in-demand products and services.

Toot your own horn. “If you don’t have regular reviews, schedule time with your boss and let them know what you’ve accomplished,” Clark says. “Yours may be the kind of boss that only calls you in when things go wrong and may not notice the good things you’re doing.”

Falling short of expectations? Take action, such as voluntarily upgrading your skills. “Be the master of your own destiny,” Philchuk says.

Be a problem solver. “Employers love to see employees take initiative,” she says. “Volunteer for a project if you have the time and knowledge. Don’t wait to be asked … but be careful not to impact your work/life balance negatively. If you burn out, everything suffers. Pay attention to your energy level and what you’re accomplishing on all ends, including your family and community.”

Play nice. “Get along with people and don’t be rude … Go out of your way to mentor a new employee or someone who needs help,” Clark says. Remember the impression you wanted to create during your first days on the job: maintain a positive attitude, be respectful, dress professionally, leave personal problems at home, don’t gossip and don’t watch the clock.

If you’re still worried about your future despite your best efforts, address your concerns with your supervisor. “Talk to them about the challenges the company is facing, the corporate game plan and how you can help,” Philchuk says.

Not coping with the stress? Take advantage of confidential employee assistance programs designed to support employees in difficult times. “Some companies also offer lunch ‘n’ learn sessions on how to handle stress or conflict,” Philchuk says. “You might learn a lot.”

Don’t overlook the importance of networking within your department, with other departments and outside your company. “Even if you’ve done all you can to be a good employee, that doesn’t mean you may not be downsized,” Clark says. “Help ensure you’ll leave on good terms and have wonderful accomplishments on your resume.”

Speaking of resumes, make sure yours is up to date … just in case. “Monitor what you’re doing at work and keep a ‘brag’ file,” Clark says. “You don’t have to be looking for work to have effective self-marketing tools in place.”
GO THE EXTRA MILE

Protecting your job in tough economic times requires going the extra mile. Here are some suggestions:

Understand your responsibilities

Be visible and vocal

Toot your own horn

Upgrade your skills

Be a problem solver

Maintain a positive attitude

Research your industry

Network, network, network

Update your resume

This article is courtesy of Linda White and can be found in it’s original format at http://career.jobboom.com/survival-guide/2008/11/05/7312166.html.

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Are you thinking of letting your employees work from home? Here are some things to consider.

Telecommuting has become popular in recent years, not only because it is convenient to employees, but also to employers. However, the fact that telecommuting is still a privilege and not a right among majority of employees, it means that workers who prefer to work from home on certain days of the week must build the case for it. That is because telecommuting should benefit not only the employee, but more so, the employer. Business must be guaranteed to continue even when the worker is not at the office.

Here are some considerations if you are thinking of giving telecommuting privilege to your staff.

Telecommuting assures business continuity. In case of an unforeseen calamity event, which prevents workers from getting to the office in time and safely, telecommuting is the best option. Instead of reporting late or skipping work altogether, employees who have telecommuting privileges can still turn in their deliverables. In this connected age, turning in work gains more weight than turning up at work.

Telecommuting reduces company overhead. Because your staff works outside the office, chances are they are paying for the energy cost of running their own computers, printing documents in their own home office printers, or attending calls using their own phone. Prepare for the possibility of subsidizing their energy bills, though.

Telecommuting promotes productivity by reducing stress. Stressed out employees are like cars running on empty tanks. Arriving at work from a stressful and tiring commute requires workers to pass several minutes before they can get back to the productivity flow. On the other hand, working in a relaxed environment helps them focus on the job.

Telecommuting means no excuses for missing deadlines. Corollary to #1, telecommuting means that workers are available whenever and wherever. Therefore, there is no excuse anymore for them to miss deadlines and not be able to submit work. Unless a massive blackout or network disconnection hits them, the two to three hours spent on commuting each day can be spent on coding their projects, sending emails, calling clients, or writing reports.

Telecommuting does not necessarily reduce data security. In most tech-related work, telecommuting means remote desktop access. Therefore, the chances of leaking sensitive data are very little. If you are concerned about data security, work with your network administrators in setting up remote desktop access to make sure that company information will not be leaked not only outside the workplace but also outside the network environment.

Telecommuting does not require expensive equipment. Truth be told, telecommuting only requires a computer, internet access, and a phone or fax. These equipment are very inexpensive and are most likely already available at home, so there is less chance that you still have to provide additional hardware to help them set up home offices.

Telecommuting keeps the family together. In households where both parents are working, telecommuting enables parents to spend more time with their kids. This is one point for running a great company to work for, and not to mention that it encourages employee retention.

This article is courtesy of:

ExecutiveBrief
Technology Management Resource for Business Leaders
http://www.executivebrief.com

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