2015 Wine Business Monthly Salary Survey

The most recent Wine Business Monthly Salary Survey is out.  Click here to go to the site.

Overall, the 25 key position salaries tracked in the report reflected an increase of 1.4 percent.  While this is a smaller increase than seen last year (5.4%) hiring is significantly up this year.

Also, for winery owners and executives, the article following the salary survey gives great benchmarks on employee benefits.  Happy Reading.

Does it Matter what School you go To?

As another son of mine starts up his Junior year in high school, thoughts turn to college applications, tuition and test scores.  A lot of hard work will decide where you get accepted--but do enough people think about the earning potential they will have after graduation.  I don't think so.  So, fearless student who wants your hard work to pay off, take a look at the scores of the top 100 California colleges.  This link shows the earnings of graduates 10 years after graduation.   Below is the infographic--with some wonky formatting--the link might be better to use with the mapping feature.

Also, for even more information about how schools stack up on cost to attend, graduation rates, and earning potential of graduates, the Department of Education site has excellent data.  Check it out here:  https://collegescorecard.ed.gov 

And yes, I am encouraging everyone I know to check out the California Maritime Academy, as well as CalTech.  Glad to see UCD ranked 17th.  Go Aggies!

Celebrating All Of Your Hard Work. Thank You on this Labor Day

Here at WineTalent, we value hard work, and greatly appreciate everyone out there who is contributing to our local, national and global economies.  Labor Day may simply seem like a day off at the beginning of September, but it is a day honoring the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.

Labor Day became a US federal holiday in 1894.  It symbolizes the end of summer for many of us, and I am looking forward to celebrating it with some time on the water, and with family and friends.

Labor Day may be celebrated by many of us the first Monday of September, but in the wine industry, many production folks don't get the day off.  Mother nature marches to her own drummer, and only she knows when the fruit will be ripe for picking and when the fermentations will start for winemaking.  For all of my friends working over this Labor Day weekend, please know that everyone greatly appreciates all your hard work, and we hope you'll have an opportunity for some rest and relaxation once crush is over.

To everyone out in the wine community, I hope you and your families can have a ball this holiday or very soon afterwards.  Thank you for all of your hard work.

How to Land that First Job

All of us need guidance on how to do things, and soon-to-be graduates are just the same.   Here's a question a reader posed, with my advice below.  Hope it is useful for all job seekers out there.

Good afternoon Amy,

I am a senior at Washington State University studying Viticulture and Enology. I wanted to touch base with you about reaching out to wineries and winemakers via email. My goal is to work for a great winemaker as an intern and do whatever it takes to show how hard of a worker I am and the value I can bring as a leader and a team member. I am always learning and I am always trying to get better. 

If you have any advice for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

         Appreciatively, 

         Butch T. Cougar

 

Dear Butch,

Great to hear from you up at Washington State University, and Go Cougars!  I'm glad to hear you are in your last year in the Viticulture and Enology program there.  This is a great time to be graduating with a degree, and a great time to be looking for a job.  The job market is quite a bit different than a few years ago.  It is really active now, and salaries have come up in the last couple of years.

This is a great question and I encourage people to take an active role in the job search.  Contacting wineries and winemakers directly is ideal.  That's what I do, and how I've built my network.  Here are a few things to think about when you are planning your email campaign:

1. Timing is everything.  Right now might not be the best time to start contacting winemakers.  Here in California, at the end of August, winemakers are thinking about one thing--HARVEST.  If an unsolicited email came into their inbox right now, they'd most likely ignore it and forget all about it in a few days.  I would recommend getting these emails out in December through March.  
2. Beware the spam folder!  Your email might get in the spam folder.  This happens.  You'll never know if it does.  And if it does, the person you are contacting most likely will never know you emailed them.  So I encourage you to follow up with a phone call, or if you are able to, an in-person visit to the winery.  
3. Strategize.  Start a list of wineries and winemakers you would really like to work for.  I'm a fan of geographical lists if you need to live in a certain area.  I'd take a map and start contacting wineries closest to home first, and move out from there.  Who doesn't want a 5 minute commute.  It is good for you, for your car and the planet.  
4. Learn everything you can.  Educate yourself on the wineries and people you are contacting.  Know if they are Cabernet houses, Pinot fanatics, or are trying some funky new varietals and blends.  Put this information in the message to them--it shows you took the time to research them, and you are making a case for why you could be a great intern or employee for them.  
5. Cast a wide net whenever possible.  If you are hoping to get in with a renowned winemaker, contact everyone you have been interested in working for.  You'll never know if you could have worked for Rock Star Winemaker if you never asked her.  
6. Follow Up.  This is key.  Follow up with each contact after you send the email (maybe within 3-4 days), and then if you are really serious about a certain place--try to contact them again.  I think I've outlined this in past posts, but try to be pleasantly persistent, not irritatingly hounding anyone.  
7. Be professional, conscientious and gracious.  Yes, you may be dying to work for that Rock Star Winemaker, but she may just not have anything right now.  And if Ultimate winery hiring manager gives you a call, make sure you return it right away.  Thank everyone you deal with and come across professional and eager.  Hiring managers want to hire people that want to work there.  Make sure they know you want the job if you do.
8. Informational interviews can get you in the door.  If you get a winery that is open to discuss career paths or the winemaking team, but they don't have an opening today--take the informational interview.  These are generally with people you have contacted, and that you have expressed interest in.  Information Interviews are way you can learn about their company and to get guidance on your career.  You can learn a lot about the industry and jobs, and they may just have an opening come up down the road or know someone who needs Butch Cougar to help out at their winery, right away.  
9. Interviewing, thank you's, next steps.  If you get that interview, maybe look at some of my posts on how to do it right.  After any interview, informational or regular, send a thank you.  And always see if you can find out what the next steps are during the interview process so you have an idea of the timeline and recruitment process at the company you are meeting with.  

Butch, I hope that is helpful.  Let me know how the search goes--I wish you the best of luck.  

How to Find a Resume Writer

Quick pointer here for people looking for help writing their resume.  Go to the Professional Association of Resume Writers website at www.parw.com and search their database of certified resume writers.

Also, for you DIY folks out there, I just came across a great website with templates for resume writing, www.myperfectresume.com.  And as I've mentioned before, there are tons of free resources online for resume templates and content development.

Happy Writing!

Cranky Recruiter's Interview Bloopers

Yes, dear reader, this blog is all about advice for the job hunt.  As they say, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make her drink.  I may put the advice out here for consumption, but often people don't know they could use the information.  I thought I'd share some of my favorite interview bloopers to lighten your day.  Think to yourself, "Oh great, is she talking about me?" or "Would hate to be that guy!"  No one ever needs to know but you and me.

Ditch the Beer, not your Career

Blooper:  A few years ago I was interviewing a tasting room manager candidate in a public market

setting.  I arrived a bit early and waited for him.  He sent me a quick text to see if I was there, which I was. He came over and found me, bringing his freshly poured pint of beer.  To put this in context, I was sitting in the common area, not consuming anything at about 11:00 am on a weekday.  In a friendly manner I asked why he was having a beer before our interview and he said he had been really nervous and wanted to calm himself down.  Luckily that occurred during the interview--he finished the pint right about the time I was concluding the interview.  He wasn't the right person for that job, and so far, any others I have worked on.

Moral:  If you find out your interview is about to start--chuck the liquor and get over to the interviewer quicker.

Hello, My Eyes are Up Here!

Blooper:  Maybe you know this, but in an interview it is best to look the other person in the eye or thereabouts.  When you are staring at their chest, navel or anything below their chin you can get yourself in trouble.  Years ago I was interviewing a seasoned salesperson and I was wearing professional business attire.  During the entire interview, his eyes gazed below my chin, and never looked up.   He did however discuss how he was recently divorced, was looking for a nice woman, and, oh, yeah, wants a new job.  Hmm, maybe he has to brush up on his dating skills too?

Moral:  No matter what, keep your eyes on the prize--a job--not anything else.

Would you Like Hollandaise with that Wad of Gum?

Blooper:  Decades ago I was interviewing a young recruiter that I was thinking about bringing onto my team.  He was energetic, had done some high-tech recruiting in the past, and had a good sense of humor.  We had a preliminary interview in the office, and for the second interview we met for lunch.  Salutations and ordering were complete and then our meals came.  The young recruiter took his large wad of gum out and put it on his plate.  Yum, appetizing.  Shockingly I did end up hiring him--and have plenty more stories of his shenanigans after that.  

Moral:  While he shouldn't of had all that gum in his mouth for an interview, his humor, experience and personality won me out--over the huge wad of gum which seemed to be joining us for lunch. 

Sunbather with a Slight Hint of Cocoa Butter

Blooper:  For a particular hospitality position I was doing back-to-back interviews at a coffee shop, meeting experienced managers every hour.  I had gotten to my third interview of the day, and in walked a young woman with her bikini top on under her sundress.  She also had her resume with her.  She had successfully managed teams of up to 5 tasting room personnel and was in charge of the operating budget and revenues for the winery's hospitality program.  And she was wearing a swimsuit.  Now that is wine country casual!  Oh, and for bonus points she did use cocoa butter for tanning so she smelled great.  May be a bit overpowering in a tasting room setting though.

Moral:  While it may be casual in wine country, I appreciate if you wear something that you didn't throw on after sunbathing.  

Thanks, I Needed a Pick-me-up

Blooper:  Recently I was recruiting for a manager role within the engineering department at a large winery.  My candidate met me at the right time, right place and was dressed appropriately.  She brought along her resume, references and some associated documents.  We started the interview at the coffee shop and things were going great.  Right about the time we got into details about her current role her hand struck her coffee cup, hurling it, uncovered, into my lap.  She had my attention then.  She apologized profusely, handled herself very professionally in a very awkward situation and tried to remedy the situation.  While I was wiping up the foamy macchiato, I was giggling on the inside.  This is something that I always worry about doing--not getting done to me.  She ended up interviewing for the position and got the job.  I'll take care of that dry cleaning bill!

Moral:  Things happen.  Be nice and conscientious and most of the time people understand.  And you'll be memorable.  Maybe even earn yourself a new nickname.  Macchiato Mayhem!

Take Home Message:  We all goof up.  Sometimes quite publicly, sometimes in ways only a few people witness.  Handling yourself professionally and courteously will pay off in the long run.  

How to Sideline your Wine Career: Drink and Drive

T.G.I.Friday!  Cheers everyone--here's to a hard week at work!  Let's stop by the bar and grab a couple of drinks to get the weekend started off right.  We did our best this week, whether that was signing a big sales contract, dealing with unseasonably warm weather in the vineyards, bottling the first round of wines or finishing up our tax returns.  It is time to celebrate the beginning of the weekend.  And we are so lucky to be in the wine and spirits industry.  We know what to drink, we know where to get it and often we have friends and co-workers who will share in the celebration.  So bottoms up!

That is quite the siren song, and I wouldn't be here if I had not shared many a happy hour with co-workers, hosted clients to a wine dinner or participated in my fair share of wine tastings.  But that siren song can have a high price, especially if it is paired with the siren of a cop car pulling you over on suspicion of driving under the influence.

DUI:  An Occupational Hazard?  I have heard plenty of folks in the wine industry say that drinking and driving comes with the territory; an occupational hazard so to speak.  I've also met plenty of people who had one too many, stepped behind the wheel and ended up with a DUI.  In turn they end up losing their job and spending over $40,000 because of the DUI.  Not much to celebrate after that happens.  And unfortunately, I have also had friends and family lose a loved one in a drunk driving accident.

Drunk driving laws have gotten stricter over the years.  According to MADD, the number of drunk driving deaths has been cut in half since MADD was founded in 1980.  We can all agree that reducing the drunk driving death rate is extremely important, and stricter laws have done that.


Now, for those of us who have never had a DUI, we may not know the high cost of getting one.  It may not be important to you now, but believe me, if you get a DUI you will very quickly come to realize the true cost of it.  First there is the actual monetary cost.  The DMV.org website has a great reference article,  The Real Cost of a DUI in California.  According to this the overall cost of a DUI here is $45,435.  That's a lot.  But there are long term costs that are not taken into account that I think you need to know about.  And they are in your career.

Over the years I have talked to many people who only learned about the detrimental effects of a DUI to their career after they got the DUI.  Some people lose their jobs because they can't drive for work under the employer's insurance.  Others cannot get their dream job because the employer requires a criminal background check and their records will show an arrest and conviction--whether it be a misdemeanor (often for a first offense without any injuries) or a felony (subsequent offenses or injuries or death to others while driving under the influence).  Employers may back off on making an offer to someone with this kind of criminal baggage and hire another person.

From Rising Star to Underemployed:  One of the first stories I heard was of a young, aspiring distributor sales representatives who had recently been promoted to manage sales in a large metropolitan territory.  This sales manager was the rising star and went to dinner with one of the company's executives.  After sampling some great wines, enjoying a wonderful dinner and probably having a night cap, she drove off towards her new house in the suburbs.  The world was her oyster, and she was living her dream of success.  That was until she was pulled over and her field sobriety test showed her way over the legal limit.

Of course she was panicked, and dealt with the legal aspects of her arrest and conviction, but she also quickly learned what the cost was to her career.  Once her employer found out they terminated her position because she could not be driving on company business.  Having just relocated to the area, she didn't have the safety net of family and friends nearby and had to go it alone finding a way to support herself while also paying the high legal costs of the DUI.  Looking at new jobs, distributor sales positions were essentially unavailable to her because of the requirement of a clean driving record.  Having built her career on distributor sales, she had to quickly regroup and figure out what else she could do.  A DUI can stay on your driving record for 10 years in California, so she needed to reinvent herself.  She enrolled in an MBA program with a great local business school and was up front with potential employers about her DUI.  She ended up getting a sales management position with a small winery and has been getting her MBA completed.  The DUI costs may have been around $40,000 but she took an annual pay cut of close to $40,000.  Four years into it she would have missed out on over $160,000 in salary.  Ouch!

Young Student Doing Everything Right Until the DUI:  A more recent story I heard was of a student in the Viticulture and Enology program at a well known California university.  This guy had recently turned 21 and was at a bar on the weekend.  He had some drinks and then hit the road.  Unfortunately, he had a bike rack on his car that caused his license plate to be blocked.  A CHP saw that and pulled him over.  When he was pulled over, the officer detected alcohol on his breath, gave him the breathalyzer and he was over the legal limit.  Now he has a DUI and can't work in viticulture;  his chosen field.  He had already worked in various viticulture positions, building strong experience for his future career.  With the DUI, he most likely cannot work in most viticulture positions due to the need to drive a company truck and be on the company's insurance to drive vehicles and operate machinery.  He has had to rethink his future and is now looking at cellar and enology positions at companies that do not require a clean driving record.

My advice to him is to stay keep his record clean, build up a strong list of references and stay on top of his DUI record.  It is expensive, but anything that can be done to make your driving record reflect a lesser offense is worth it.  In some states you can get a past conviction expunged.  Nolo Press has some great information about DUIs, including this on getting a DUI off your record.

Don't Drink and Drive.  It can ruin your career.

Management: Introverts and Extroverts

I'm always interested in the best way to manage people--taking into consideration their personality traits and how to make the most of everyone in your team, not just those who perform well in a group.  Topmanagementdegrees.com sent me this great info graphic about how best to manage and mentor introverts and extroverts.  

Source: topmanagementdegrees.com

Hourly to Salary: The Good and The Bad

Featuring a guest contributor, Amy Klimek of ZipRecruiter.  The Pros and Cons of being salaried

Hourly to Salary: The Good And The Bad

Many hourly employees aspire to earn a salary. A salary, after all, represents guaranteed income in a sense, and this can give you peace of mind in knowing that you will have a steady source of income as long as you have the job. You may have been offered a salary position, and you may be wondering if you should give up an hourly job. Perhaps you are searching for a new job, and you are wondering if you should look for an hourly or salary position. There are pros and cons associated with both types of pay structures, and you may need to look at each position carefully. In addition, you should consider your personal financial situation before you make a final decision about which pay structure is best for you.

What to Expect From an Hourly Position 
With an hourly job, you are required to log your hours at work using the employer's preferred method. This may be a standard punch card system, a paper log sheet or even a computerized system. At the end of each pay period, your total hours worked will be calculated. You will receive compensation at the specified hourly rate for the exact amount of time that you worked. This means that the amount of your paychecks will most likely fluctuate from pay period to pay period. You will receive no guaranteed income, and if you are late to work or if your shift is cut short, your take-home income will reflect this.

Steady Income From a Salary
With a salary, your employer will specify how much money you will earn over the course of a year. This amount is divided equally by the number of pay periods for the employer's pay schedule. If you arrive a few minutes late one day, if the office is closed due to bad weather or if some other event prevents you from working your full shift one day, you generally will not be penalized. Both full-time hourly and salary positions may qualify for sick time and vacation time, but you may find that many employers are more lenient or flexible with time off for doctor's appointments or if you are running a little bit late one day for salary employees. This is not the case with all employers, but it is rather common.

A Word About OvertimeAn important difference to note between hourly and salary positions relates to overtime. A standard work week is considered to be 40 hours. The hourly rate that non-salaried professionals receives applies to the first 40 hours worked during a week. Any time that you work beyond this 40 hours during a week may qualify for overtime pay. There are some exceptions to this, but generally, you will be well-compensated if you are required to work extra hours during a week. Some hourly employees count on the availability of overtime to pad their paychecks, and they actively seek out overtime hours. With a salaried position, you generally will not be compensated for overtime pay. Essentially, hourly employees are paid an annual salary in exchange for a specific job being done. If it takes you longer to do your job, you will not receive extra income. In some cases, salaried employees may regularly work as many as ten or 12 hours or day, and some may even work six or seven days per week.

Making a Decision That is Right For You 
Each job position is unique, and each employee is also unique. For a position where overtime is common or even expected, a higher than average salary may be adequate compensation. However, if an average salary is offered and the employee likely will be required to work more than 40 hours per week, this may not be financially beneficial to an employee. An job applicant may need to ask questions during the interview and hiring process to determine how many hours he or she will reasonably be expected to work before making a decision. In addition, the job applicant's personal financial situation should also be taken into account. Those who have some flexibility with regards to the amount of their take-home pay each pay period may more comfortably accept an hourly position.

In some cases, job applicants will not be able to choose between an hourly or salary position. The pay structure will generally be determined by the employer rather than the employee. However, if you are in the enviable position of being able to select between two job offers or if you want to make sure that you will be compensated well for the work that you are being asked to do, you should understand the differences between hourly and salary positions. While the face value of a job offer may seem attractive, it is always important to determine if it is generous based on the work required of you and if it is ideal for your financial situation. 

Amy Klimekis an experienced HR recruiter and VP of Human Resources for ZipRecruiter, a company that simplifies the hiring process for small to medium size businesses. Prior to that Amy has held similar roles at Rent.com, eBay and US Interactive.

For Amy, corporate culture isn't about dogs and free lunches, it's about empowering employees and creating an enriching environment for people to excel.

Strong U.S. Job, Wage Gains Open Door to Mid-Year Rate Hike

January 11th straight month of job gains above 200,000

Reuters

Feb 6 (Reuters) - U.S. job growth rose solidly in January and wages rebounded strongly, a show of underlying strength in the economy that puts a mid-year interest rate increase from the Federal Reserve back on the table.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 257,000 last month, the Labor Department said on Friday. Data for November and December was revised to show a whopping 147,000 more jobs created than previously reported, bolstering views consumers will have enough muscle to carry the economy through rough seas.

At 423,000, November's payroll gains were the largest since May 2010, when employment was boosted by government hiring for the population count.

While the unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.7 percent, that was because the labor force increased, a sign of confidence in the jobs market.

January marked the 11th straight month of job gains above 200,000, the longest streak since 1994.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast hiring increasing 234,000 last month and the unemployment rate holding steady at 5.6 percent.

The continued improvement in the labor market comes despite the economy slowing. Sputtering growth overseas and lower oil prices have weighed on exports and business investment.

Wages increased 12 cents last month after falling five cents in December. That took the year-on-year gain to 2.2 percent, the largest since August.

Interest rate hike expectations had been dialed back to September in the wake of December's surprise drop in wages.

The Fed last week ramped up its assessment of the labor market. Brisk job gains and the improvement in wages could harden expectations of a June policy tightening.

The pick-up in wages is likely to combine with lower oil prices to provide a massive tailwind for consumer spending and keep the economy growing at a fairly healthy clip, despite the global turmoil.

Growth braked to a 2.6 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter.

While several states put in place higher minimum wages last month, that likely had a minimal impact on wages. Economists say roughly three million workers may have been affected, accounting for just 3 percent of the private sector's more than 118 million employees.

The government revised payroll employment, hours and earnings figures dating back to 2010. The level of employment in March 2014 was 91,000 higher than previously estimated.

A new population estimate that will be used to adjust the figures from its household survey was also introduced. That survey is used to determine the number of unemployed and the size of the workforce.

Away from the firmer wages and job growth, the labor force participation rate, or the share of working-age Americans who are employed or at least looking for a job, rose two-tenths of percentage point to 62.9 percent, a sign of confidence in the jobs market.

A broad measure of joblessness that includes people who want to work but have given up searching and those working part-time because they cannot find full-time employment rose to 11.3 percent from 11.2 percent in December.

In January, private payrolls increased 267,000. November and December private employment was revised higher. Private payroll gains in November were the largest since September 1997.

Manufacturing added 22,000 jobs in January. Construction payrolls increased 39,000 after rising 44,000 in December.

Retail employment increased 45,900 after braking sharply in December. The only areas of weakness were government, where payrolls fell 10,000, and transportation employment which dropped 8,600, the first drop since last February.

Temporary help fell 4,100, the first drop in a year.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)    

Here's How Your Handshake Can Affect Whether You Get a Job

Forget eyes - for interviewers, the handshake is the window to the soul

Business Insider

By Jacquelyn Smith

We all know that one of the first things you do when you meet a hiring manager is shake their hand.

But what you may not know is that your handshake says a lot more about you than you'd probably like it to.

And given that first impressions are formed in just 100 milliseconds, it's imperative that you send the right message with that handshake.

According to Colin Shaw, CEO of Beyond Philosophy, a customer experience consultancy, handshakes are an "important demonstration of the power of body language" - and they can convey a lot of information.

"From a firm to a limp handshake, each intensity communicates pertinent conscious and subconscious clues about your personality," Shaw explains in a recent LinkedIn post. "It doesn't take an expert to interpret these clues either."

Your handshake, for instance, can tell the interviewer whether you're nervous or confident, if you convey power, or if you're shy, outgoing, friendly, warm, patronizing, or aggressive, among other things.

And the interviewer will likely hold on to the perceptions they gather from your handshake throughout the entire interview. So, even if you answer every question perfectly, she may be thinking, "He is smart and qualified, but his handshake told me he's shy, and that means he won't be a good cultural fit here."

Shaw says it's not just the strength of your grip. Fidgeting and lack of eye contact, for example, are also details that communicate clues about you to the interviewer. "Sometimes [it's] without either of you realizing it, as body language often has subconscious interpretation."

Every impression you make in an interview counts. Take some time to figure out how to give a proper handshake beforehand. For more on that, read this.

This Software Could Be Better At Hiring Than Any Human

Call it HR: Rise of the Machines

Business Insider

Computer programs can draw conclusions about hirability based on your digital footprint, which includes data like Facebook "likes."

By Jacquelyn Smith

What you "like" on Facebook may seem inconsequential now - but there's a good chance that will change in the future.

A new study, cited by The New York Times, finds that computer models can draw accurate and detailed conclusions about your personality and creditworthiness, among other things, based on your Facebook "likes."

    
According to researchers Youyou Wu and Dr. David Stillwell of the University of Cambridge, and Dr. Michal Kosinski of Stanford University, employers may eventually use this technology to make important hiring decisions.

In a paper on the study, the researchers write: "Although accurate personality judgments stem from social-cognitive skills, developments in machine learning show that computer models can also make valid judgments." They found that these models may even make better judgments than humans.

Using a sample of 86,220 volunteers who completed a 100-item personality questionnaire, the researchers determined that computer predictions based on a generic digital footprint (Facebook "likes") are more accurate than those made by the participants' Facebook friends using a personality questionnaire.

The researchers found that someone who "likes" Nike and In-N-Out Burger, for example, is likely a calm and relaxed person.

"Computers outpacing humans in personality judgment presents significant opportunities and challenges in the areas of psychological assessment, marketing, and privacy," they write in the paper.

Another process this may have an affect on? Hiring.

"Currently, occupational psychologists evaluate people's characteristics and decide the fit between people and jobs," Wu tells Business Insider. "It's very likely that in the future this process of assessing personalities and determining how someone's characteristics are related to a certain job will be automated using computer models like ours."

Stillwell says there are many benefits to using computer models like the ones he and his colleagues have created - which are only being used for their research projects for now - as long as they are implemented with a respect of privacy and ethics. "One, computer models are cheaper than human capital; two, computer models are more efficient and can be applied on a large scale; and three, they generate more reliable results, as computers can use big data to detect unobservable patterns between likes and personality, or between personality and jobs."

Eventually, he says, employers will be presented with a list of job candidates that computers deem the best matches, without knowing why they are suitable. "Besides the benefits we already mentioned, this approach would help promote equality in the selection process and avoid human biases prevalent in occupational settings," Stillwell adds. "Computers do not favor people of certain gender, race, or personality."

But of course there is some apprehension.

"I think people, from a job candidate's perspective, might be at first worried about not being able to present themselves in the way they want anymore," Kosinski says.

But they needn't be worried, he argues, since if candidates present themselves in an inaccurate way on social media, it could eventually lead to a mismatch between their characteristics and the job.

As for whether employers will begin using these models for hiring purposes and when, the researchers are unsure.

"It takes time for companies to switch gears and accept a new recruiting method," says Kosinski. "I think it's likely that some companies will experiment with computer's evaluations, and use it as a reference in addition to other traditional metrics. There are also legal and ethical concerns that need to be addressed before any implementation," he explains.

"For instance, users need to understand which of their personal data is out there, how it is being used, and how it might be used," he continues. "We also need to enable users to take full control of their data and decide for which purpose it is to be used. Both aspects have relatively well understood technological solutions, but their implementation may require user awareness and, perhaps, some nudges from policy makers."

Wu says any companies that collect data on individuals, like Facebook and major banks, should take it upon themselves to inform the public about how that data can be used to benefit the users themselves. "I believe that if users have a better sense of how their online experiences can be improved by letting their data be analyzed, and they have the control over how and what data are analyzed, they will be more motivated to share their data."                                          

The Demise of the 9-5 Workday

Does a more flexible schedule really mean we're just working all the time?

Jill Jacinto

When does work stop? In truth, it doesn't. Email and smartphones have completely transformed the traditional 9-5 work model. Millennials entered the work world during this transition.

I'm not surprised that according to a recent survey by Bentley's PreparedU Project, 77 percent of millennials prefer a flex-work schedule. With Wi-Fi virtually everywhere, you can literally be online and 'accessible' anywhere. We've been able to flex-work during college, vacations, internships, and train with virtual classrooms. Email and internal instant messaging have greatly changed the typical workday.

Working 24/7 isn't the answer. There is a grey area when it comes to flexible work schedules. I believe that employees need to create an open dialogue with their bosses about their schedule. Be honest about what the hours are and what hours would work best for you. Would they mind if you started your day a bit later to hit a yoga class or left early to attend a networking event? The problem many managers face is knowing if they can trust their employee.

As for me, I put in the long hours, the face time, and my work shined. My boss completely trusts my instinct. She also works from her home and wouldn't easily be able to check in on my whereabouts without connecting with the internal office staff. My work, my work ethic and my accountability are what allow me to have a flex-work schedule.

Understanding work needs. If you have a client on the West Coast, or worse, in Asia, you could be clocking in double or triple the hours of your coworkers. Arranging conference calls at 3:00 in the morning or constantly working on projects in the middle of the night can take a toll on anyone. If you become overworked and sleep deprived, you'll be more likely to start looking for positions elsewhere.

Speak up to your boss. Come up with a plan to ensure the work gets done, and you don't come into the office the next day looking like a zombie. Don't assume that your boss has thought of these alternative options already. Most likely, they are worried about so many things that unfortunately, they aren't always thinking about you.

Millennials are always on. Millennials often get pegged as the generation with a terrible work ethic, but in fact, 89 percent of millennials regularly check work email after their regularly scheduled work hours, and 37 percent say they always check work email. Smartphones have truly changed the work landscape. As a community, we have a Pavlovian response when it comes to email. We see the blinking light, hear the ding of a bell and immediately need to check our messages � personal or professional. Time of day does not hinder this need to be "on."

The truth is, millennials work differently than our older counterparts, as each generation did before them; Generation X worked differently than the Boomers. Technology and awareness played a big role in that. Millennials don't have a poor work ethic- it's simply a different approach to work.

124-Year-Old Company Ruined By Typo

Mistake costs UK government equivalent of $13.6 million

Kristen Felicetti

Think making a typo doesn't matter? Think again. Someone's single letter typo cost legal fees of up to �9 million ($13.6 million) and ended a 124-year-old family business.

What was the offending typo in question? The letter "s."

In February 2009, Welsh engineering firm Taylor & Sons learned that Companies House, the UK government's registrar of companies, had recorded the company as having gone bust. It hadn't, but Taylor & Son, a completely different company, had.

The mistake was corrected after three days, but the damage to Taylor & Sons had already been done. The false details had been passed onto clients, suppliers, and credit lenders. Orders were cancelled, contracts were lost, and credit from suppliers was withdrawn. Specific losses included Taylor & Sons' best customer, Tata Steel, which was worth �400,000 ($607,000) a month, and a potential �3 million ($4.55 million) contract with the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

"We lost all our credibility as all our suppliers thought we were in liquidation. It was like a snowball effect," former managing director and co-owner Philip Davison-Sebry told The Telegraph.

Within two months of the typo, Taylor & Sons went into administration (similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy). Davidson-Sebry sued and won. On Tuesday, the British High Court found the government liable for the demise of the business, which could leave taxpayers with a �9 million ($13.6 million) legal bill.

That is one costly typo. Let's hope Companies House has some money leftover to hire a good team of copy editors.      

Do I Get Paid If We're Closed For The Blizzard?

Your entitlement to pay for snow closings depends on state law and whether you are exempt from overtime

Donna Ballman

You get the good news that your office is closed due to the big (if not as big as expected) blizzard and you don't need to cross country ski your way in. While it's great to have a snow day, it's tough if you're living from paycheck to paycheck. Do you get paid if the office is closed due to snow?

Whether you're entitled to be paid when the office is closed depends on whether you are "exempt" salaried or not. I normally say it's best to be hourly so you can get overtime pay. Many employers intentionally misclassify employees to avoid paying overtime. While it's great to get overtime pay, in the case of weather and emergency closings, it's probably better to be exempt. Here's what you need to know about getting paid during a weather closing:

Exempt employees: If you're exempt and you worked any portion of the work week, your employer has to pay your entire salary, whether or not the workplace is closed for a natural disaster such as snow, hurricane, or flood. Fair Labor Standards Act regulations state, "If the employee is ready, willing and able to work, deductions may not be made for time when work is not available." This would include natural disasters, so if you are able to work after a blizzard then you must be paid even if you didn't work any portion of the week. If you can't get there on time or have to leave early due to the blizzard but the office is open, they can't deduct for any partial days you worked.

Vacation time and PTO: The company can deduct from your vacation time or PTO for the time taken. However, if you have no accrued vacation or PTO time available, they still can't deduct from your pay if you're exempt.

Non-exempt employees: If you are non-exempt, then your employer doesn't have to pay for the time the office is closed. However, if your company takes deductions and you're a non-exempt salaried employee it may affect the way overtime is calculated. If you report to work after a natural disaster, only to find out that the workplace is closed (assuming they didn't notify you), then your state law may require some pay.

State by state: New York law and District of Columbia law require the employer to pay you at least four hours of wages. Massachusetts and Rhode Island require three hours of pay. New Hampshire requires two hours minimum pay for showing up. New Jersey and Oregon laws require the employer to pay you at least one hour of wages. Other states that have some requirements for pay if workers report for duty as scheduled include California ( 2- 4 hours) and Connecticut (only certain industries, 2 � 4 hours). If your state doesn't have such a requirement, maybe the arctic blast is a good time to talk to your state legislators about protecting employees.

Who Is Exempt?: You're not exempt unless you fall into very specific categories. For more about whether or not you are correctly classified as exempt, check out my column, Salaried Workers, Do You Get Overtime Pay? Odds Are You Should!

If you're stuck in a blizzard, contact your supervisor or manager as soon as possible to find out whether or not you're expected to go in to work. If you can't get in touch with anyone, then only go in if it's safe for you to do so.      

The Three Colors Of A Job Hunt

Why grey is more than just a pin-stripe suit

Rhona Bronson

There are essentially three ways of being in a job hunt � actively looking for a job, not looking for a job, and inactively looking at what's out there. Most time and attention is spent on the first two, but it's the third � inactive job seeking - that can yield the best, most surprising and awesome job opportunities.

Of course when you're unemployed, laid off, in a bad work situation, or in a train wreck industry you should be actively seeking a new job. This is the time you're registered on job boards, writing and rewriting your resume, tailoring cover letters, and constantly scanning options. Then, there are those of us lucky enough to be in good jobs, happily employed, or those who have decided to be out of the work force, or given up the search. These people are not looking for a job, even if they sometimes fool themselves into thinking they are.

So who are the third type of job hunters � the inactive seekers? These are people finishing up their first or second or third year in a first job, those who have hit a ceiling in their current jobs but still want to grow, or those who feel bored by now doing the same job again. Many are happily employed, but would welcome an opportunity to do something new if the opportunity presented itself.

But opportunities rarely just pop up out of the blue, so how do people inactively seek a job? A few ways:

Regular Scanning of Job Listings. Even after I became employed in my latest position, I never stopped all the automated job feeds that came to me via email. When I was actively looking I got several feeds daily. Now that I'm happily employed, I get 1-2 of my favorite feeds weekly. The exercise keeps me sharp about what's available, the currently requested skill sets, and how I need to continue to grow in my current position so I'm always employable should the worst ever happen.

Selective Networking. When unemployed, active job seekers go to many networking events. Once employed, smart career professionals continue to network, just less aggressively. They can be more selective on the networking sessions, and pick the more expensive seminars that truly help them improve themselves, provide skill training or updates. This again positions a person to have a stronger network when and if they become unemployed and need to start actively asking for references, leads, and ideas on new employment.

Association Profiles. Recruiters look for employees several ways including association rosters in both professional and trade associations and by digital profile searches. Smart employees keep their profiles up-to-date including latest wins on major projects, and make sure they stay affiliated with active clubs and professional groups.

Seminar Attendance. Similar to Networking and Associations, seminar attendance puts you out in the world speaking to people interested in the same things. It helps keep you fresh in your current job, and sometimes even leads to a new one. I once lost one of my best young employees when he went to a seminar in Philadelphia on a detailed programming topic. After asking a few pointed questions, a few managers from a hot publishing firm made sure to swap business cards with him. Several phone conversations and one interview later he was offered a new job that paid much more and gave him new challenges that I couldn't match. He didn't go to the seminar looking for a job. He went to improve his skill sets, but his passion for the field and thirst for knowledge made him stand out in the crowd to his next employer.

Opening Side Comments. When you meet someone at a cocktail party, networking event, or any type of meeting, engage with your fellow participants. Just by commenting to someone that their job "sounds interesting" can lead to new opportunities. Frequently the other person might respond, "Wow, I had no idea you even liked this stuff." Just by admitting that you're happy but interested in new things can open doors you never thought existed.

Taking the Meeting. One friend was recently asked to consider a job at a competitive company. He's happy where he is, but he took the meeting, because as he admits, "You never know." He quickly stopped the interview process when he confirmed the competitive company was not for him, but not before exploring what they might offer and thanking them for the consideration.

The old saying remains that those employed are in the best position to be offered the next job. The unsaid part is that the next job offer is likely to go to someone who wasn't even "officially" on the market,but was curious enough to hear about a new challenge. In some fashion, they were inactively keeping job ideas and opportunities in their peripheral vision.

Job hunting, like most things in life, is never just a black and white endeavor �not looking at all (black), or actively looking (white). Instead, many jobs are found in the grey areas -- meetings, seminars, through unexpected, dropped comments, or a reference by someone who just sees you in a new spot they've seen. Never ignore the grey areas. Sometimes the rosiest and most amazing positions are hidden and can be found there.    

Bag The Commute, Work From Home

Telecommuting jobs are going mainstream at last

Carol Kopp

Don't try to read this while you're stuck in rush-hour traffic, but we've got good news for you: The decades-old promise of bagging the commute to work from home may be a reality at last.

FlexJobs, an online job search company which focuses on telecommuting opportunities, reports a 27 percent increase in the past year alone in the number of postings for remote jobs.

And, it has a list of the top 100 companies to watch for remote opportunities in 2015. Predictably, tech companies like Amazon, at number 4, take up a fair number of slots in the top 100. But the range of skills in demand for remote work, and the companies that need them, is surprisingly wide.

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Health Services Professionals

With increasing demand for home health care visits for the disabled and elderly, companies that provide them are looking for people to work in the field, and from home. Insurance company Humana, with over 50,000 people on staff, has offered telecommuting jobs to licensed registered nurses, home care providers, social workers and related professionals. Other big companies including Aetna, UnitedHealth Group, HealthFirst, Health Net and CVS Caremark are on the list, too.

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Educators

The growth of online education is providing opportunities for instructors who want to work from home part-time. Kaplan, number 6 on the list, has a million students on its rolls worldwide and employs more than 30,000 teachers to coach them, many of them working remotely on flexible schedules. At the higher-education level, Western Governors University, number 35, offers courses that are "independent of time and place" for instructors as well as students. Several other institutions of higher learning, including the University of Maryland, make the list, too.

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Government Work

Even the federal government is catching up with the trend. The U.S. Department of Transportation offers telework opportunities for air traffic, railway and highway safety inspectors as well as desk-bound jobs in finance and analytics. The Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture also look for flex workers.

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Customer Support

In today's world, "customer support" covers a wide range of tasks, from hand-holding buyers of new gadgets to direct sales to debt collection. Those jobs increasingly are available with a remote option. Number 2 on the FlexJobs list is Convergys, a global management company that serves big clients seeking to outsource some or all of those functions. The venerable Kelly Services has branched out from its temp-secretary roots to provide short-term services in a wide range of professions. It's number 5 on the list for remote job seekers.

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New Tech

Well, duh! America's biggest technology companies are practicing what they preach when it comes to home office productivity. It's no shock that Amazon is a top innovator, at number 4 on the list. The company has customer support specialists working from home as well as from its many fulfillment centers. IBM, at number 8, hires people around the globe to provide its technology consulting services.

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Executive-Level Jobs

Clearly, many companies are getting over their need to keep their employees under management eyeballs at all times. In fact, another study from FlexJobs, of the most surprising work-from-home job listings of 2014, is littered with high-level titles like chief operating officer, chief executive officer and senior staff attorney. They may have to offer telecommuting to get the best candidate. A report from Inc. magazine indicates that eight out of 10 people would work from home at least occasionally, if given the chance.

Words To Remember

If you're looking for a job that allows telecommuting, there are certain search terms that you should keep in mind. If your skills fit the bill, any of the following job titles could trigger a response, according to FlexJobs: consultant, case manager, sales representative, engineer, marketing manager, account executive, interpreter/translator and developer.

In case you're wondering, FlexJobs practices what it preaches. It's a "virtual" company, and all of its employees work remotely.

Want to see the top 10 companies hiring remote positions? Click through below.

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10. Westat

1/10

Westat is an employee-owned statistical survey research corporation in Rockville, Maryland, providing research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments.
Sample job titles: Senior Study Director, HR Generalist, Clinical Research Associate
> Find a job at Westat

10. Westat

1/10

Westat is an employee-owned statistical survey research corporation in Rockville, Maryland, providing research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments.
Sample job titles: Senior Study Director, HR Generalist, Clinical Research Associate
> Find a job at Westat

Put Google to Work for Your Job Search

Learn to speak Google's language

Susan P Joyce

Google can find job opportunities with specific employers. It can also help you find additional employers who might be good places for you to work.

Google searches and indexes millions of web pages every day, but it doesn't index the whole web every day. So, doing your search every day can show you very different results.

Speak Google's Language

Google is very smart when you know how to help it understand what you want. Here are some tips on speaking the language called Google.

To search on a phrase -

Often your query will include a phrase, like a job title. When that happens, enclose those words inside a set of quotation marks like these job titles:

"medical assistant"
or
"guest services representative"

Without the quotation marks around the words in a phrase, Google will think that you want results with the words scattered anywhere on the pages it finds.

To request pages containing more than one term -

To require Google to find more than one term or phrase on a webpage, add the word AND, in all capitals, in front of each additional term.

So, assume we want to find a job as a medical assistant. To find medical assistant jobs, use this query:

"medical assistant" AND job

Then, Google's search results will include pages that have the phrase "medical assistant" plus the word "job" on them.

If we wanted those medical assistant jobs to be in New York City, we could combine our query terms like this:

"medical assistant" AND job AND "New York City"

To have Google eliminate pages which contain a specific term -

Perhaps our search results contain many part-time jobs, and we're interested only in full-time jobs. So how do we eliminate those part-time jobs? We put a minus in front of the phrase "part-time" like this:

"medical assistant" AND job AND "New York City" -"part-time"

Or, if you want New York City but not the island of Manhattan
"medical assistant" AND job AND "New York City" -Manhattan

As usual with Google and punctuation, don't put a space between the minus sign and the term to be excluded.

To have Google choose pages which contain one term or another term -

Sometimes a job title or skill or location can be described using more than one term, and you want to see all the pages that might contain any of those terms. Or perhaps you are considering two different jobs, and you want to see every page that contains one job or the other job.

For example, the job title "medical assistant" may be spelled completely or abbreviated as "medical asst" on a webpage. Or, possibly you are considering jobs as a "medical assistant" and as a "medical coder" which are completely different jobs.

Use Google's "OR" function -- all caps, again -- and clearly show Google which terms you want by putting your "OR" statements inside a set of parenthesis. Your search query would look like this:

("medical assistant" OR "medical asst") AND job AND "New York City
or
("medical assistant" OR "medical coder") AND job AND "New York City
or
("medical assistant" OR "medical asst" OR "medical coder") AND job AND "New York City

You can combine several terms, as in the last example above, before Google gets confused.

To have Google help you find target employers -

It's smart to have a list of employers where you might want to work, and Google can help you with that too. Start with an employer you know you want to work for. For example, assume you want a medical assistant job at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston.

To have Google search one specific website -

If you want Google to search an employer's website (or your favorite job board), add the word "site" followed by a colon and the site's domain name, with no space between the word "site:" and the search term!

To search for jobs only at MGH, first we need to find the domain name for the hospital.

So, we do a search on the hospital's whole name, like this:

("Massachusetts General Hospital" OR mgh) AND Boston

When we look at the search results, we see that the hospital's domain name is MassGeneral.org.

Now we can tell Google to look only on the MGH website by doing this search:

site:massgeneral.org AND "medical assistant" AND job

Again, no space between "site:" and "massgeneral.org."

To have Google find similar websites -

If, as in our example, MGH was one of your target employers, Google can help you quickly find similar employers, too. Simply type in this query:

related:massgeneral.org

Type in "related:" followed by the domain name of the site you want Google to use as an example of the websites you want it to find. Again, no space between "related:" and "massgeneral.org."

Now you can apply the site: search to those sites, too, to find even more jobs.

For more help fine-tuning Google searches, check out the options on Google's Advanced Search page. Google can be much more useful than we think -- when we take the time to learn its language.