Be careful at your next networking event or job interview where alcohol is served. A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania found that merely holding an alcoholic beverage can be hazardous to your (perceived) intelligence. The researchers coined a term for the observed bias: “The Imbibing Idiot Bias.”
According to the study, “Job candidates who ordered an alcoholic beverage in simulated interviews were perceived as less intelligent and less hireable than those who did not, even when the boss had ordered an alcoholic beverage first.” (Read a copy of the study here)
If you are at a networking event or dinner interview, order a non-alcoholic beverage to make the best impression. Although dinner interview etiquette commonly advises the interviewee to base his or her drink order off of what the interviewer orders, we advise job seekers to pass on the alcohol, because it will allow you to keep a clear head (and avoid the imbibing idiot bias).
Stephanie Urban Interactive Resources
You may or may have not heard about JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater losing his cool (to put it lightly) on a flight into JFK airport in New York from Pittsburgh, PA yesterday. As the plane was landing and the passengers were supposed to remain seated, Slater allegedly got into an argument with a passenger on the flight that was attempting to get a bag from an overhead compartment. At this point, Slater may have been struck in the head with either the passenger’s bag or the compartment door. This is the point in the story where things go a bit haywire for Slater, as he proceeded to curse out the passenger over the PA system, take off his tie and throw it at a group of passengers, grab a beer, and exit through the emergency shoot of the plane onto the runway. He then ran to his car and drove home. Police arrived at Slater’s home about a half hour later and arrested him for reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. With the current state of the job market, one has to wonder what this man went through while working as a flight attendant to finally reach his boiling point. I believe most people would admit that we all have “those days” on the job, but is it worth reacting in such an extreme way? I say no, but that’s me.
Slater is currently facing charges in the court of law, but he is also facing a brand new life as a quasi celebrity via the worldwide web. You may remember my last post on this blog about marketing yourself on the internet. This is not the type of online marketing that I was referring to, although Slater just might find himself on a C list celebrity reality show soon. He is garnering a cult-like internet following, with a whole group of supporters claiming that he is their “hero,” and there have been a few Facebook support pages dedicated to Mr. Slater.On the one hand, I can understand why people are happy Slater did what he did. Many people would like to do the same thing, but most people don’t go to such extremes. On the other hand, the media sensationalism of such unimportant things boggles my mind. Everyone has a bad day at work every now and then, but it is not on the front page of your local newspaper. Almost everyone will forget this story in a very short time and Steven Slater will most likely be left without a job for a while. So in summary, since this is a blog about the job-search: JetBlue is probably accepting resumes and applications right now. Good luck and be happy.
Michael Denny Interactive Resources
Did you know that 5 states don’t even have a minimum wage? Mint.com recently put together an infographic of the History of Minimum Wage. It’s pretty interesting, take a look:
Budget Plannerfrom Mint.com
Ever since I began my work journey at the age of 16, it seems that there was one thing I’ve heard over and over again from the ‘older’ co-workers, it was; “Kids today aren’t how they used to be. They think that everyone owes them something and it’s going to give your generation a bad image”. This New York Times article, titled American Dream Is Elusive for New Generation, completely reaffirms the above statement.
The article is about a 24 year old, 2008 Colgate University graduate named Scott Nicholson, who has been on the hunt for a job for the past two years. Still living at home and using his parent’s funds to get by, Scott has made the decision to wait for the perfect job to come before he enters the workforce. “I am beginning to realize that refusal is going to have repercussions,” he said. “My parents are subtly pointing out that beyond room and board; they are also paying other expenses for me, like my cell phone charges and the premiums on a life insurance policy.” Scott like many recent graduates has a foggy image of how congested the labor market is among 18-29 year olds at the moment. The unemployment rate is reaching 14%, comparable to the Great Depression, and apart from the 14% who are unemployed and in search of work, as Scott Nicholson is, 23% are not even seeking a job. The total, 37%, is the highest in more than three decades and a rate suggestive of the 1930s.
Recently, Scott was given an opportunity with the Hanover Insurance group to work as an Associate Claims Adjuster and he decided to not take the job. “I’m sitting with the manager, and he asked me how I had gotten interested in insurance. I mentioned Dave’s (his brother) job in reinsurance, and the manager’s response was, ‘Oh, that is about 15 steps above the position you are interviewing for,’ ”. Rather than starting in a low position with average pay and working his way up, Mr. Nicholson is holding off for a corporate position that will “draw from his college training and put him on the bottom rungs of a career ladder”.
Scott Nicholson’s ‘Plan’ was to join the Marines Corps immediately out of college for a second lieutenant position. He had spent the summer after his freshman year in “platoon leader” training. Last year he passed the physical training and was told to report in mid-January for duty. In early January he was contacted by a Marine Corps doctor and notified that because of a case of childhood asthma, he could not join them at the time. “I could have made a career out of the Marines,” Scott said, “and if I had come out in four years, I would have been incredibly prepared for the workplace.” Ever since then, Scott has been sitting at home, searching corporate websites for job openings, and sending out 4-5 resumes weekly.
A recent graduate myself, I’ve found this situation to be common amongst my peers. Starting college in late 2006, I had an image of ‘4 years of school, graduate, and a job just waiting there for me’. Needless to say I was horribly wrong, but learned quickly unlike Scott. Not having a house filled with parental handouts and already paid college tuition forced me to get out and rapidly apply for any job in the city and cold-call potential employers. I believe that one opportunity leads to another and all the Scotts in the world need to give up their sense of entitlement and realize no one owes them a thing.
Dustin Willoughby Interactive Resources
Happy Social Media Day! Social-media-web-giant Mashable.com has declared June 30th “Social Media Day” – a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social. Over 619 meetups have been scheduled in 90+ countries around the globe in honor of the new holiday. You can keep up with the celebrations on Twitter by tracking @mashSMday or #smday- or you can watch live video streams of other meetups at: http://mashable.com/2010/06/30/watch-worldwide-social-media-day-live-streams
Here at Execu|Search, we are very excited to celebrate the holiday, and invite you to visit www.execu-search.com/socialmedia/ for a list of all of our social media links! Let us know if you are attending a meetup or you are celebrating the “holiday” in any other way!
We know that most of our candidates and clients are from the NYC & Tri-State area… and we just came across a great list of FREE concerts that are being held in NYC this summer! The musicians range from Sting and country-singer Keith Urban to Lady Gaga & Katy Perry! Click here for more info and let us know if you are going to check out any of these summer concerts!
What do you check first when you start your day online? According to a recent study by ExactTarget, 58% check their e-mail, while 20% go first to a search engine or portal site and 11% start with Facebook.
Those who start their online day by checking e-mail “tend to be more task-oriented online than people who start their day on Facebook or Twitter,” says the report. In-line with that general tendency, the e-mail-firsters “are more likely to approach online interactions with the goal of finding deals, promotions or new product information.” By contrast, those who start their online day with Facebook “are more likely to have socially oriented motivations when interacting online.” As such, adds the report, they “feel Facebook is more appropriate for entertainment and showing support for brands” as opposed to transacting business with them in that venue.
Read more on Adweek: Where People Start Their Online Day
No, it’s not just a Dunkin‘ Donuts marketing ploy, the first Friday in June is National Donut Day!
According to Maholo.com, National Donut Day originated in 1938, when the day was established by the Salvation Army as a way to raise operating funds, as well as to honor the work of World War I volunteers. The day was originally observed by the Chicago branch of the Salvation Army, but soon spread throughout the organization, and further.
Want to celebrate?
Get a free donut at Dunkin’ Donuts with any beverage purchase!
Get a free donut at participating Krispy Kreme stores!
Tonight is the final showdown between the two remaining competitors for the “American Idol” title. Crystal Bowersox, the young, dreadlocked mother from Elliston, Ohio, will take on Lee DeWyze, a former paint shop worker from Mount Prospect, Illinois.
While Bowersox has been a consistent favorite all season long, Lee DeWyze has made a gradual climb into America’s spotlight, and all signs point to Lee as the predicted winner of American Idol Season 9. “For the last few weeks, Lee DeWyze has been slowly emerging as the favorite to win ‘American Idol,’ and after this past week’s performances it has been made clear that Lee is now odds-on favorite going into the final two at -200,” Richard Gardner, prop lines manager at the online betting site Bodog.
Even Simon Cowell, the most critical judge on the show, has predicted a DeWyze win, “Well, if you’d of asked me five or six weeks ago 100% I would have said Crystal. But now I’ve changed my mind. I think Lee is going to win.”
So what did Lee do to finally stand out from the other finalists? He exuded confidence.
Although Lee has always sounded great, he struggled with his confidence. Early in the season, Lee had some nervous habits, pulling up his pants, looking downward, and generally looking very uncomfortable as the center of attention. Fortunately, the judges recognized his talent, and repeatedly pushed him to open up and believe in his own talent.
This season’s “Frank Sinatra Week” was a major game changer for Lee, when judge Kara DioGuardi recognized a change in his stature and told him, ”You better go home tonight and write ‘I can win this thing’ a hundred times and believe it, because that’s the confidence you need because you can,“ DioGuardi said. ”You can win this thing.“ Simon Cowell also noticed Lee’s increased confidence during that week’s performance, and credited mentor Harry Connick Jr. with writing an arrangement that helped DeWyze’s personality shine through. ”You started off, you were working in a paint shop, right? And you had some issues with shyness and I think what Harry managed to do tonight is that he brought out your personality,“ Cowell said. ”He bought out your confidence, and what I really loved is the fact that you gave it 110% and it was, by far, I think for all of us, the best performance of the night.“
Regardless of whether or not Lee does end up being crowned the next American Idol, his confidence is something that everyone, and especially job seekers, should recognize as a key to success. As soon as Lee believed in his own skills and talent, his performances greatly improved and he had a star quality. The following are 3 things that job seekers can learn from Lee’s rise to the top 2:
1. In the same way that Lee has come to believe in his talent, if a job seeker walks into an interview and truly believes that he/she has the skills and experience to successfully fulfill all of the position requirements, they will already have an edge over other candidates who may be unsure of themselves and their abilities. Know what your skills are, and be prepared to explain what sets you apart from the competition- with confidence!
2. Stop playing with your clothes and all other nervous habits! Believing in yourself and what you have to offer will make you more confident in your appearance, as well. When you are confident, you have improved posture and make direct eye contact- which is critical in an interview.
3. It’s okay to be nervous. Although Lee is now a much more confident performer, he has admitted that he is still very nervous before every performance and calls his family before every show. Even if you are confident in yourself, you may still get nervous before an interview. It is important to recognize that almost everyone feels nervous before interviewing. Before you go into the interview, spend a few minutes visualizing yourself doing well in the interview. This will help calm you and give you confidence. Also remember that if you made it to the interview phase in the first place, the company probably already believes that you are capable of doing the job.
Tune into Fox tonight at 8/7Central time to watch the last performances and vote for your American Idol! The winner, who receives a major recording contract, will be announced on the results-show Wednesday night.
Stephanie UrbanInteractive ResourcesSide note: I attended St. James school in Arlington Heights with Lee DeWyze- please Vote for Lee!
Sources:“Simon Cowell makes his ‘Idol’ winner prediction” http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2010/05/simon-cowell-makes-his-idol-winner-prediction-/1“How did Lee DeWyze become the favorite to win?” http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2010/05/how-did-lee-dewyze-become-the-favorite-to-win.html“Kara DioGuardi Says Lee DeWyze Can Win ‘American Idol’”http://television.aol.com/american-idol/2010/05/04/kara-dioguardi-says-lee-dewyze-can-win-american-idol/
Alec Brownstein, a creative professional in New York City, recently landed a new job by implementing what he calls “The Google Experiment.” Taking advantage of one of this decade’s biggest internet trends- “Googling” your own name- Alec bought a few Google Ad Words under the names of top creative directors in the marketing and advertising industries. After spending just $6 on the Ad Words, which directed the creative directors to his online portfolio, Alec was granted four interviews and offered two new jobs. He has chosen to work with creative firm Y&R.
We think this was a genius idea, but one that would probably only work in an open-minded industry such as the creative industry. Regardless, we are also sure that copy-cat cases of this “experiment” are sure to follow. What do you think?
Here is Alec’s self-made video summarizing his experiment:
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