The Monster Blog

Is It Time to Consider Part-Time Work?

Today's workers, whether employed or not, are facing a tough situation.

If you're unemployed, you're looking for a job in what is still an extremely tough market. And if you've kept your job, you are likely feeling overworked and underappreciated, convinced that your employer has exploited the economic situation, as indicated in this survey conducted by the Human Capital Institute and Monster Worldwide.

 

If you're feeling like you're running out of options, have you considered part-time work?

 

According to this AP article, part-time hiring is not the harbinger of a good job market that it once was, but employers are hiring for temp and part-time jobs. As John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo says in the article, "Companies aren't testing the waters by turning to temporary firms. They just want part-time workers."

 

Part-time work can offer a number of benefits you may not have considered:

 

Flexibility: Part-time jobs offer the flexibility that a full-time job does not. Perhaps a part-time job and the more open -- or nontraditional -- schedule it affords might allow you to bring in cash while devoting time to further education. Or, you can use that available time to save money by cutting down some of your childcare or eldercare expenses.

 

Ease Back into the Workforce: This recession has seen its share of retirees, stay-at-home moms and others trying to reenter the workforce. Roles have shifted, and getting back to 40 hours a week may seem daunting. Reentering in a part-time role can allow you to ease your way back in.

 

Test Drive Your Options: Taking on a new job in a part-time capacity allows you to check out the employer and position as much as you are being tested. You might be able -- and willing -- to take some chances in something that is less permanent. It could ultimately drive your career forward.

 

Piece Together Your Perfect Career: Who says it has to be one person/one job? Look to a number of part-time jobs to piece together a career that works for you. This is especially enticing if you have varied interests and abilities.

 

So what do you think? Could part-time work be for you, or have you already been using it as a lifeline during this downturn?

Get Inspired Watching the Olympics -- and Don't Forget Your Own Gold Medals

I'm not following the Vancouver Olympics like the folks over at Rings -- I'm a casual observer at best.  

 

What really gets me while watching the world's best athletes is that a little wobble at the ankle or just missing a target by that much can have a profound effect on what they've been working toward most of their lives. Thank goodness it's not the same for most of us in our jobs. While we don't get do-overs, we often have more than a millisecond to save a sale or produce an amazing product. And if we stumble over our words or trip on our way into the conference room, we can quickly right ourselves. Our colleagues usually want us to succeed, but for Olympians, they are all going for the gold.

 

And like those gold-seekers, many of us are also pursuing multiple medals, often without realizing it. Whether it's a shining performance review or finishing a major project on deadline, these are little victories that can add up to major accomplishments. So take a tip from the Olympians, and celebrate your wins. And share with us how you go for the gold at work.

Is Office Romance in the Air Where You Work?

Word on the street is that work couples are going public. Office romance, once considered taboo, has become much more acceptable in the workplace. In fact, in a recent Monster.com poll, only 24% of respondents said flat-out that workplace romance is never acceptable. And this article from LiveCareer.com says the recession is fueling some of this love at work.

 

Personally, I know at least five married couples whose relationships began in the workplace. Their approaches to dating a coworker were all different -- some kept it quiet the entire time they worked together, and others were open about it from the beginning. The one thing they all did was keep it professional.

 

Some Monster members posted their own office romance tales on our Office Politics message board. One member, who worked for a company with a strict no-dating policy met her husband at work. She declares:  "When it comes down to it, no company can stop the love thing." And another Monster member broke her own rule, as she had been against office romances. "I'd never take it back, because he's amazing and we're getting married, but I do have a horror story as well," she writes. It turns out that coworkers weren't as excited about the couple's decision and it negatively impacted their careers. If you are in a relationship with someone you work with or are thinking about dating a coworker, check out our Guide to Office Romance, filled with tips and things to consider before you make your move.

 

And with Valentine's Day this Sunday, coworker dating is not the only way love manifests itself in the workplace. Don't forget about all the harried mailroom workers making sure candy, flowers and other gifts make their way to the appropriate recipients. At a former job, my now-husband and a coworker's suitor had a friendly competition: who will send their honey the bigger and better gifts at work? The first day I received flowers and the next day my coworker received a half-dozen multicolored roses. Hearing about this, the next day my guy sent me a dozen roses, followed by my coworker receiving candy. As my coworker and I were showered with gifts, it became an office joke. And as the ante was upped, everyone benefited from the chocolate-covered strawberries and gourmet cheesecake. I'm not sure how it all stopped, but it eventually did, and we all went back to work.

 

So what are your thoughts on office romance and celebrating love at work in one way or another?

 

Super Bowl Commercials Recap Around the Watercooler

Last week, I promised to look at how the 2010 Super Bowl commercials tackled the office, and this year it just didn't happen like last year. Perhaps we're all looking for a more optimistic time, and the anger towards the workplace we saw in last year's commercials is not something we want to be reminded of on a weekend when we're watching football -- or commercials -- with friends.

 

But I'm sure that doesn't mean there wasn't plenty of talk around the watercooler about the Super Bowl ads at your work. In fact, the first IMs I received this morning were about Monster.com's ad (of course) and the Busy Fiddler's Web site.

 

You can see the Super Bowl ads ranked here on USA Today's Ad Meter -- and it also gives you a chance to see any spots you may have missed.

 

So which Super Bowl commercials made it to the top of your list? What was the buzz in your office?

Why Does Work Show Up in the Super Bowl Ads?

Pass the chips and dip, because this weekend I'm ready to hunker down to watch the Super Bowl commercials. I'm sure the action between the Colts and the Saints will be exciting, but for me it's secondary to the ads surrounding all the plays and touchdowns.

In preparation for the event, I've been revisiting some of my favorite Super Bowl commercials from years past. And I am noticing that work is often the main topic or setting for many of these ads. How come?

 

Take this list of the most memorable Super Bowl spots. Monster.com's "When I Grow Up" earns a mention -- who didn't feel for those kids? Reebok's "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker" also made the list -- it still cracks me up; I can't watch it just once.

 

In Time's "Best and Worst Super Bowl Commercials of 2009," the author notes: "The night's theme of workplace anxiety is established." He goes on to list the following work-related Super Bowl commercials as a reflection of how American workers felt a year ago:

     

     - Monster.com's "Doubletake"
     - Bud Light's "Meeting"
     - Doritos' "Crystal Ball"
     - Hyundai Genesis's "Angry Bosses"

 

Just what makes work such a comical setting? Probably for the same reasons the workplace is the focus of so many sitcoms. Whether you work in an office or not, Americans have a good idea of what it might be like, clichés included. It's a bit of storytelling shorthand, which is especially important in a 30-second spot.

 

So what can you expect to see in this year's Super Bowl commercials? Get a sneak peek at Monster's new Super bowl ad.

 

Let's regroup here next week for a look at how the world of work manifests itself in this year's Super Bowl commercials. And in the meantime, share some of your favorite ads from Super Bowls past below.

 

Are You Ready for Job Shadow Day?

While I hope Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow tomorrow (did you know the forecasting groundhog is hip to texting, Facebook and Twitter?), I hope many workplaces see plenty of them -- job shadows, that is!

 

Yes, February 2nd is Job Shadow Day, which was created to give students across the country a firsthand look at different jobs. I've been shadowed before and have found it to be quite rewarding. What you need to remember is that you are not just doing your job for the student to watch, but you are engaging the student and helping him get excited about the world of work.

 

Here are four tips to help you host on Job Shadow Day, and if you are a student doing the shadowing, get some tips for making the most of the job shadow experience.