We work in a contemporary world. A world where things are changing — whether it's when and where employees are working, how employers are handling their human resources or the constantly changing trends — the world of work is moving and shifting. And as wacky as that world can be sometimes, it's also fascinating if you have the right guide.

This blog is designed to be just that — a companion on your journey through the changing world of work. Here you'll find tips, tools and information on topics as diverse as the workforce itself: the aging workforce, working women, professional etiquette, generational diversity, the talent crunch, and more. So whether you're an employer or an employee, and whether you're beginning or close to finishing your career, I hope you find the information here useful for navigating the contemporary world of work.

Thanks for reading and have fun!

Melanie

According to research released today by Manpower, some employers are struggling to fill the following positions:

1. Engineers
2. Nurses
3. Skilled/Manual Trades
4. Teachers
5. Sales Representatives
6. Technicians
7. Drivers
8. IT Staff
9. Laborers
10. Machinists/Machine Operators

Considering today’s economy, it might seem counter-intuitive that it’s difficult to make these hires.   But finding the right employee means making a close match of job-specific skills, soft skills, work ethic, experience and a good culture fit — a perfect storm of the ideal combination of traits and characteristics.

To learn more, visit the Research Center at us.manpower.com.

I was interviewed recently for an article on whether or not we should be “dumbing down” our resumes.  The thesis was — if we’re trying for an entry level job or a job at a lower level than our last position, will we be passed over if the recruiter feels we’re over qualified?

Well, the answer to that question may be “yes,” but I can’t think of any good reason to modify our past experiences to the point of leaving out pertinent facts on your resume.  My thesis is — you’ll get found out. 

No matter how many qualified candidates apply for a position, any reputable employer will be checking references.  So if I’ve under-reported my title or job responsibilities, those facts will come to light in the reference check.

So pick one:

• Take the risk of seeming over-qualified for a job? 
• Or take the risk of being caught in a lie?

I know which one I’d pick.

P.S.  I wasn’t quoted in the article.  I don’t think I said what the reporter wanted to hear!

In a recent Forbes.com article called Resilient to Recession, Jenna Goudreau writes about a recession impact survey from Bain & Company.  The results are positive and some even feel there is an upside for women in this economy.  According to one respondent, “The recession is not having an impact on the progress of women in business.  To the contrary, talent is now valued more than ever….”

As you all probably know, I love hearing good news and I love to repeat it as often as I can.  So, read the article.  But as you’re reading, please consider these:

• Do the results mean anything?  Or is optimism something that more women than men possess?
• I see a bit of an inconsistency — if there is rising demand for “typical female strengths” such as flexibility, why is the potential obstacle of declining flexible work arrangements mentioned?
• And even though in my first bullet, I am talking about differences between the genders, I’m wondering if there really are such big differences between the way men and women are being treated.

But bottom line, I wholeheartedly agree — Women should feel their power!

Since I’ve turned into a social networking maven, I’m interested in who is using what and why.  Harris Interactive recently published the results of an online survey on the subject.  Take a look at the results.  A few facts I found particularly interesting include:

• 74% of those 18 to 34 years old have a Facebook or MySpaceaccount, but just 24% of those 55 and older have an account.  (btw, I’m in that 24%)
• Tweeting is only slightly more prevalent among the young, but not by much.  8% of those 18 to 34 use Twitter, 7% if you’re 35 to 44, 4% if you’re 45 to 54 and only 1% of your over 55.  I’m in that 1%.
• Men and women use Twitter at the same levels, but women are more likely to have a Facebook or MySpace account.
• There is an educational difference in the usage of social networking sites.  40% of people with a high school degree or less use Facebook or MySpace compared to 55% of those with some college and 52% of those with at least a college degree.

Not sure what the implications of these stats are — but it is definitely interesting to contemplate.

Since Pollyanna is my middle name, I’ve been trying to find positive things to say about the employment situation.  According to Manpower’s research, 15% of the employers in the U.S. are hiring.  Not as good as 75%, but people are hiring nonetheless.

The New York Times agrees with me.  Read the recent article they posted called Bright Spot in the Downturn: New Hiring is Robust. 

You’ll see in the article that according to the BLS, 4.8 million people were laid off or chose to leave their jobs in February while employers throughout the country hired 4.3 million employees.  We are a very dynamic economy!

And I’ll repeat what I’ve said before — over 91% of us are working.

…on Twitter @manpowertalks to find out what’s going on in the world of work.

I had the honor and the pleasure to collaborate on a presentation with Johnson Controls and Haworth at the recent CoreNet Global (corporate real estate professionals) conference in Dallas.  Johnson Controls and Haworth performed global research recently — called OXYGENZ — to find out what Gen Y (aka the Net Generation, Millenials) is looking for in a workplace.

The preliminary results are not particularly surprising, but very interesting.  Visit the Johnson Controls OXYGENZ site if you want to learn more.  In the meantime according to OXYGENZ:

• There are 1.7 billion Gen Yers aged 18 to 25 — that’s 26.9% of the world population
• 95% want an environmentally aware workplace
• 64% prefer to work flexibly and choose when to work
• 78% prefer mobile rather than static work
• They choose a company because of meaningful work, quality of life and work colleagues

I believe these issues will force companies to adapt their old ways of doing business to accommodate this new and exciting generation.  We should start now!

Last week we talked about the importance of your willingness to relocate if you’re looking for work.  Forbes.com published a list of the best cities for jobs.

Well now they’ve published the Worst Cities for Jobs.  I’m not sure if I can find the silver lining in this one, but the information may be of interest to you.

I haven’t written about Celebrity Apprentice this season because it has seemed silly and way too personal.  I couldn’t figure out how to learn a lesson from any of the shows — until last night.

I believe Melissa is the quintessential sore loser and it put her in a very unattractive light.  I’m a firm believer that two wrongs don’t make a right so even if she felt she was unfairly ganged up on and fired, she would have been much better off leaving with grace and dignity.  Ranting and raving and cursing and running around won’t get her back into the competition and I doubt it will get her too many more fans. 

Now I’m not defending Annie and her ego, or Brande and her naivete.  But my guess is when Melissa sees this episode, she’ll be embarrassed.  I would be if it were me!

P.S.  Watch her exit interview.  Not sure we were watching the same show!

I follow the Business Basics on Forbes.com.  They recently published a very good piece called What Do You Do When Your Friend Gets Laid Off?  It includes excellent do’s and don’ts that make sense — this is advice we should all remember and use.

The advice doesn’t only apply when someone is laid off.  I believe it’s relevant whenever something bad happens to someone.  Whether they’ve lost a friend or family member, gotten a divorce, been diagnosed with a serious illness, had an accident or lost his or her job, use the Forbes.com advice as well as a few bullets I’ve added (from my own experience):

• Don’t run away from your friend because you’re afraid.
• Do acknowledge the event.
• Don’t use trite sayings such as “things happen for a reason,” even if you firmly believe they do.
• Do offer help.
• Don’t say “everything will be all right” because you can’t guarantee that.
• Do say, “things may be tough, but I have confidence you can handle it.”
• Don’t patronize your friend.
• Do listen.
• And most of all, DO stay in touch.

Bad things happen to people — we can’t avoid it.  But one great way to handle these ‘bumps in the road’ is to have friends you can count on.

Be one of those friends!