Before you decide to call in sick (when you’re not really sick), or provide another excuse to stay home, keep in mind that some distrusting employers may decide to check up on you. A survey from Career Builder found 30% of employers checked in on employees to make sure they weren’t making up excuses to miss work. The survey found 64% required a doctor’s note for being sick, 48% called the employee during the missed day of work, 19% snooped on social media posts, 17% asked another employee to call the worker and 15% reported that they had driven by the employee’s house. (Presumably to determine if the person was actually at home or not.)

Recently, a man in Florida went so far as to fake a home burglary to avoid going into work. Apparently, he did not know that reporting a false crime was actually illegal; he wound up in jail.

Most people don’t go to such lengths to avoid work, but they do come up with some interesting excuses. Have you ever heard (or used) any of these:

“I was so overwrought because my team lost last night, I just couldn’t get out of bed.” There’s a reason the term “fan” comes from the work “fanatic,” but even the most die-hard fans would balk at this excuse for missing work.

“There was a squirrel in my house and I needed to wait for animal control. They took all day to get there.” It sounds crazy, but it is possible for outdoor animals to find their way into the house. Would you really want to leave home with a squirrel roaming your house? However, if this is true, it may be wise to post some timely pictures on social media of the squirrel chowing down on your cat’s food in the kitchen.

“The cat got out and is hiding under the deck.” If you have animal lovers in your office, they probably wouldn’t expect you to leave your indoor cat outdoors for the day. However, as with the squirrel, you better have some photos, and does it really take you the whole day to rescue your cat?

“There’s a sinkhole in my yard.” What sounds like a crazy excuse could actually be true, but this is pretty easy to confirm, especially if your employer is the “drive by to check on you” type.

“I didn’t have a thing to wear.” Even if you work in a fashion conscious environment, this is unlikely to hold water as a reasonable excuse to stay home from work. Similarly, “I can’t find my shoes” will not garner much sympathy.

“The electricity went out and I can’t open my garage door.” Even if you’re not particularly handy, it shouldn’t be too difficult to disable to automatic garage door. Alternatively, consider other transportation options, such as a cab or a ride with a friend.

Even if you work in a creative industry, make sure you’re using your skills to your advantage, and not to get you in trouble with your boss and colleagues. Don’t be the one in the office best known for reasons NOT to come to work!

Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.

The post Strangest reasons to miss work appeared first on Keppie Careers.

1. There’s no opportunity to earn a promotion.
Promotions require a distinct set of circumstances, and it’s important to realize early on whether or not opportunities are likely to arise. What should you look for and what questions should you answer before taking the job if promotion is your goal?

Is there mobility in your organization? If the people in the positions you’d likely move into have been there for more than five years and you get the sense that they like their jobs and are well respected in the organization, don’t count on reaching the next rung in your organization’s career ladder anytime soon.

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make and How to Avoid Them.

Is the organization growing? In strong, vibrant companies, even if some people stall or purposely stay in positions for years, or even decades, there may still be opportunities for advancement if the organization expands. For example, opening a new office or branch could result in new promotion opportunities. Do some sleuthing to determine if there is any potential for organizational growth.

Keep up-to-date with local news if you work for a local organization, or with corporate information if you are in a large company. Assess the likelihood of new jobs opening up. If you don’t see strong potential for opportunities, you may need to come to terms with the fact that you’re in a dead-end job.

Does the company promote from within?

If you sit by and watch candidate after candidate from inside your company apply for promotions, only to be usurped by external people, it’s possible your company has a written or unwritten culture that does not support internal promotions. If that’s the case, and you’re working there, you can hope you’ll be the exception to the rule, or you can realize it’s unlikely for you to win a promotion in your current company.

No one’s had a raise in years.

In some definitions, a dead-end job isn’t so dead as long as raises come regularly. Perhaps getting a promotion is unlikely based on current staffing, but your company is doing well enough to provide regular raises or cost-of-living increases. It’s up to you to decide if a raise saves your job from dead-end status.

When is the last time you earned a raise? Does the money, or the benefits that accompany it, keep you satisfied about your job and the organization where you work? It’s up to you to assess how these specific issues play into whether or not you are in a dead-end job.

You don’t even want a promotion.

Another consideration: you could be in a de facto dead-end job if you wouldn’t apply for a promotion at your current company if it were the last job on earth. Maybe your organization has no stability and plenty of opportunities for promotion because there is a revolving door of people in leadership positions. If you’ve watched people take jobs only to be treated poorly and then chewed up and spit out before they leave at the first chance they get, you’re probably not lining up to take your turn at a promotion.

While we all think that we can do it better than the last guy, if you’re realistic about what a promotion means and have no plans to apply for one, you are essentially in a dead-end job.

You don’t have what it takes to get the next job.

If you do not meet the mandatory requirements for promotion in your organization, and promotion is your goal, you’re facing a dead-end job scenario. Even if you are a valuable employee, if your organization requires a specific degree or certification and you don’t have it, assume you’re in a dead-end job unless you take steps to rectify the situation.

Want to avoid typical job seeker mistakes? Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make and How to Avoid Them.

Originally published on AOLJobs.com.

The post Signs it’s time for a new job appeared first on Keppie Careers.

1. Seek ways to enhance your marketability. 
Be opportunistic. Don’t just float through your day; keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to get involved in new projects. Employers value job seekers who show initiative and can demonstrate that they are always willing to take on new tasks and learn new things. When you volunteer for leadership roles and to contribute to special projects, you’ll be setting yourself up to be more marketable later.

2. Be open to constructive criticism. Supervisors appreciate workers who comfortably receive criticism and take it to heart without appearing defensive or upset. We all know that not all bosses are capable of providing truly constructive critiques, but do your best to appear to have a good attitude when a superior provides advice about how to do better.

 Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make and How to Avoid Them.

3. Request feedback. A step beyond being open to criticism, actually requesting feedback will make it clear that you are always hoping to improve your performance. Don’t expect daily feedback or a pat on the back every time you meet a deadline, but do make it clear to your boss that you welcome his or her advice and assistance as you strive to do everything necessary for the team or department.

4. Get organized. Even if you have a “system,” if your desk at work looks like a tornado just went through, your colleagues and supervisors probably assume you are disorganized and probably can’t handle more responsibility. Make a point to appear as organized as you’d need to be to earn a promotion.

5. Find ways to learn new things. Perhaps your current job doesn’t offer a lot of obvious opportunities to learn new skills. Make a point to find professional development opportunities that may be beyond your current work scope and ask for permission to enroll in them. Think about your career goals and recognize that no one cares more about them than you – it’s your job to make sure you learn what you need to know to accomplish your plans. If you can’t get permission for professional development, use your personal time to enhance your job skills.

6. Take responsibility. If you made a mistake, admit it and learn from the error. Even if you have to take some heat, it is much better than trying to pass blame. You’ll earn respect from your peers when you have the gumption to say, “I was wrong, and I will know better next time.”

7. Be persistent. We’ve all heard, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” The most successful professionals do not give up. Create goals and use every day as an opportunity to move in the right direction to achieve them. For example, if you want to move into a managerial role, even if you didn’t get selected to be part of a cohort to train as managers this quarter, think of ways to improve your chances for next time.

In addition to requesting feedback about why you weren’t selected, begin an independent research program to learn everything you can about how to manage. Read books by respected leaders in the field and seek out online resources to keep up-to-date on the topics that will help you be more competitive next time. Don’t keep your extra work a secret; make sure your supervisors and colleagues know that you’re taking responsibility for your own plans.

8. Be willing to take on new things and pitch in. Every office has the employee who quietly shirks work responsibilities and hopes no one notices. Clearly, the person who is always available to help and offers to do extra work is more likely to be first in line when it comes time for promotions and favored projects.

9. Get there early and stay late. Even though many employers are allowing employees to telecommute and have flex time, and some organizations don’t focus on “face time” when it comes to evaluating employees, more traditional organizations still tend to appreciate the employee who shows up early and doesn’t dash off at the stroke of 5:00. If your organization goes by the clock, make sure you are putting in your time and then some if you want to get noticed.

10. Learn when to delegate so you can move on. It’s often easier to just do things yourself instead of taking the time to teach someone else to handle your responsibilities, but if you have an opportunity to delegate, do not waste it. If you never make the effort to teach a new person to handle your roles, you will be stuck doing the same job forever.

11. Dress the part you want to play. Even if your workplace is a casual environment, it doesn’t mean you should wear flip-flops and cutoff shorts all summer. You should always dress so you’d be prepared to impress a supervisor, customer or client.

12. Build some relationships. While work is not all about making friends, research shows that friendships at work can positively affect profitability at work. Profitability is a good thing, and so is having a work friend to go for coffee or get lunch.

Originally posted on AolJobs.com

 Want to avoid typical job seeker mistakes? Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make and How to Avoid Them.

The post 12 things valuable employees do appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Your boss probably doesn’t like you if:

1. You – and your work – are always late.

If you’re the employee who never finishes projects on time, or you consistently stroll into your office 30 minutes late, you aren’t winning any points with the boss — or your co-workers. If there is a certain time that you are expected at your desk, it’s disrespectful to ignore the rules and come in when it’s convenient for you. If your work is always late, you’re probably preventing your colleagues from getting their part done. These are two cardinal sins.

The fix: This is an easy one. Be on time and finish your work. Learn from your mistakes. If it takes you longer than expected to finish projects, either ask for help ahead of time, or make extra time in your schedule to get everything done. That may mean skipping those long lunches and extended coffee breaks, which aren’t winning you any points, either.

2. You take no initiative.

Especially if you’ve been in your job for a year or more, your boss expects you to know how to handle certain issues. If you come running to ask for help every time an unexpected situation arises, it’s a drain on your boss who always needs to tell you what to do next.

The fix: Learn from situations you’ve handled in the past and take the reins of your job. Instead of panicking and asking for help, make a decision and solve the problem at hand.
Of course, there’s always the flip side to any issue: If your boss is a micro-manager, he or she probably doesn’t like it if you never ask before you act. In that case, take the opposite approach: Contact your boss with the problem and suggest the solution before you take action.

3. You don’t communicate.

No boss likes an employee who never tells him anything. For example, if you had an unfortunate run-in with a client, and the boss hears about it third-hand, you are not going to be on the “nice” list. No one likes negative surprises, least of all bosses.

The fix: This is easy. Just keep your boss in the loop. Send a quick email update at appropriate intervals. Ask your boss how often he’d like a check-in email, and make a point to keep him in the loop if anything comes up that he will want to know in the interim.

4. You blame other people.

If you’d win the “pass the buck” contest at your workplace, don’t be surprised if you’re not a boss favorite.

The fix: Start to take some responsibility when things go wrong on your watch. Explain the problem and what you’ve already done to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

5. You are a drama king or queen.

Given a choice, most bosses would choose to fire the employee who stirs up the most drama in the office. If that person is you, take note: Your head could be on the chopping block. Are you the first to spread a rumor? Quick to run to one colleague to share some news that’s sure to fuel discontent? Are you the first to complain or criticize when there are new policies or procedures? Do you try to rile up your colleagues to gang up against your manager? Are you creating problems where none existed? While personality traits are tough to self-assess, try to objectively evaluate your behavior. You’re probably stirring up drama outside of work, too. If a friend calls you a drama queen, take pause and ask yourself: Am I considered a troublemaker at work?

The fix: Once you identify the problem, tone it down. Stop before you share juicy gossip. Don’t complain — for once. Think about how you can improve morale in your office instead of destroying it. When you make efforts to change, it’s possible you can alter the impression people have of you, and improve your relationship with the boss.

image by aaipodpics

The post Why your boss doesn’t like you and what you can do appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Situation 1: The interviewer asked you a question you are not prepared to answer.

Do not panic or appear obviously rattled. Take a breath – give yourself a few seconds (even if it seems like minutes to you) to formulate a reply. Feel free to ask the interviewer to clarify the question. (Donâ€t ask him to repeat it – that will make it seem as if you are not paying attention.)

If you still canâ€t think of a reply, choose one aspect of the question and respond with a succinct comment. Watch any politician or political operative interviewed on television for examples of this technique. If they donâ€t like the questions, they reframe things and tell a story that frames them in a positive way. Do not plan to use those tactics as a rule, but for the occasional question, it could help save your interview.

If your answer is short and sweet, the interviewer may recognize your subterfuge, but itâ€s just as likely she will just move on, and may not even notice you were on the brink of interview disaster.

Avoid this: You do not need to memorize 501 interview answers. Instead, craft a narrative and several talking points to prove you are a good fit for the job. Plan to tell stories where you explain problems you faced, actions you took and the results. You should be able to use these “PAR” (problem-action-results) stories to address many different types of questions and avoid situations where you donâ€t have a good answer.

Situation 2: Your interviewer is totally unprepared and appears hostile to the process.

Do your best to try to steer the interview in your favor. If youâ€ve prepared key talking points – and stories – to support your skills and accomplishments that are relevant for this job, start making a mental checklist and begin to insert those points into the conversation.

If the interviewer appears disinterested in you, try to incorporate some questions for him into your responses. Most people enjoy talking about themselves; maybe you can win the interviewer over by inviting him to engage in a discussion. Watch your body language, too. If you lean toward the interviewer, avoid crossing your arms and make friendly eye contact, it may help ease an uncomfortable situation.

Avoid this: Obviously, you donâ€t control the interviewâ€s attitude or mood. However, if you do some research about who will be questioning you, itâ€s possible to start things off on the right foot. Use Google and LinkedIn to learn as much as you can about the interviewer in advance. Maybe you went to the same school, or share some of the same causes – you can find this out from LinkedIn. Perhaps you know some of the same people?

Sometimes, knowing a little about the interviewer can help you overcome a testy situation; it certainly cannot hurt.

Situation 3: You are visibly nervous.

On televised reality contests, showing nerves can help humanize the candidate, but in an interview, itâ€s less than charming. If your palms are excessively sweaty and your heart is racing so fast you can hear it beating, you need to relax, or your interview will spiral downward quickly. If you are in the midst of the interview, it is a good idea to remember that life will go on, no matter the outcome. Take one question at a time and try to reassure yourself.

Avoid this: Itâ€s better to try to collect yourself before heading into the meeting. Take a few deep breaths. (Be sure the receptionist doesnâ€t think you are hyperventilating, though!) Smile, and picture yourself answering the questions confidently. If you prepared for the meeting, it shouldnâ€t be too difficult to assume things will go well.

The post How to save a bad interview appeared first on Keppie Careers.

This may surprise candidates who make a habit of protecting their privacy so stringently online that a Google search reveals no results at all. Privacy is important, but someone who wants to learn something about a candidate and finds no obvious results may be inclined to search tools offering access to the “deep web,” also known as the “invisible web.” Pipl.com, one site providing access to this content, explains, “The term ‘deep web†refers to a vast repository of underlying content, such as documents in online databases that general-purpose web crawlers cannot reach. The deep web content is estimated at 500 times that of the surface web, yet has remained mostly untapped due to the limitations of traditional search engines.”

There are two types of information available online: data posted by a candidate and things someone else posts about him or her. Think of the former as a “digital footprint” and the latter as a “digital shadow.” Donâ€t let a shadow dictate what employers will find out about you.  Why? It gives control to someone else, which can be dangerous in some cases.

For example, Patrick Ambron, CEO of BrandYourself.com, shared a story about Cody, who was applying to law schools without success. It turns out, the very first result in a Google search of his name revealed a post created by an ex girlfriend containing embarrassing, unflattering comments about Cody. Since he did not have other information online to combat one personâ€s vendetta against him, admissions officers were left with questions about his character.

What can someone do to regain control of an unflattering or non-existent, online identity? Ambron suggests the following five steps:

1. Google yourself. This is crucial, because itâ€s impossible to know what could possibly negatively affect a reputation otherwise.

2. Claim your domain name and build a personal website. Owning Yourname.com and other versions of a personal URL, such as YourName.org or YourName.com will help put control of an online identity in a jobseekerâ€s hands.

3. Set up profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Ideally, capture online “handles,” or user names that include your actual name.

4. Do some basic search engine optimization. In addition to using your own name wherever possible in online monikers, Ambron reminds job seekers to be sure to “Link all your various pieces of online content to one another. 

5. Sign up for alerts. Itâ€s important to keep up-to-date on what Google indexes that could affect you. Ambron suggests setting a Google alert, which will send an email when your name  (or someone with the same name) ­appears in a news article or blog post.

Read the entire post, with all of the tips, on my U.S. News & World Report blog.

–

The post Why you don’t want to be invisible online appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Since most people are accustomed to casually communicating via Twitter and text, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of email interactions. Keep these pointers in mind to make sure email helps you win a job.

1. Use an appropriate email. Choose yourname@gmail.com or (even better), set up an email from your own domain, such as YOU@yourname.com.

2. Take advantage of job alerts. Consider reviewing Job-Hunt.org’s list of criteria to evaluate job boards to be sure you protect your privacy.

3. Reach out with a spectacular cover letter. Think of keeping the text to the length of what likely fits on one screen without scrolling.

4. Follow up so they don’t forget you. Are you writing notes that inspire readers to advocate for you?

5. Ask friends to help.

6. Write a thank you note.

7. Always edit all of your notes. Review your email messages carefully, and you’ll be much more likely to impress the reader—and possibly land an opportunity.

Read all the details on my post at U.S. News & World Report.

photo by RambergMediaImages

The post 7 ways email can help you land a job appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Civic Ventures, which awards The Purpose Prize, is a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. The organization introduced the concept of encore careers, which combine meaning, continued income and social impact. They provide  social entrepreneurs over 60 $100,000 each for using their experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on some of society’s biggest challenges. Now in its sixth year, the $17 million program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.

Learn more about this winner below!

Edward Mazria (pictured), 70, Architecture 2030, Santa Fe, NM

An award-winning architect in Santa Fe, Mazria had a 40-year record of innovation and advocacy in sustainable building. But even he was surprised when in 2002 his analysis of U.S. government data revealed that the building sector consumes approximately half of all energy production and causes about half of all greenhouse gas emissions each year. In 2003, Mazria founded Architecture 2030 to change those practices. The group issued the 2030 Challenge – a set of benchmarks for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment (buildings, homes and other man-made structures) to “carbon neutral” by 2030. The American Institute of Architects, U.S. Conference of Mayors, U.S. Green Building Council and National Governors Association immediately adopted the challenge. Legislation followed. Mazria will soon release the 2030 Palette, a global set of comprehensive guiding principles, which will be translated into multiple languages for application internationally.

photo and video courtesy of Civic Ventures

The post Highlighting Purpose Prize winner Edward Mazria appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Civic Ventures, which awards The Purpose Prize, is a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. The organization introduced the concept of encore careers, which combine meaning, continued income and social impact. They provide  social entrepreneurs over 60 $100,000 each for using their experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on some of society’s biggest challenges. Now in its sixth year, the $17 million program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.

Learn about this winner below!

Wanjiru Kamau (pictured), 69, African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, Washington, D.C.

When Kamau, a former Penn State University administrator and adjunct professor, met survivors from the Rwandan genocide, she saw that some were illiterate and bewildered by modern city life. Seeing them took her back to her own childhood in rural Kenya, growing up without running water or electricity, and carrying loads on her back that left her permanently scarred. An expert in mental health and intercultural communication, she had the credentials to help. So in 2000 she decided to quit her job, withdraw $10,000 from her retirement account and move to Washington, D.C., home to many African immigrants, to start the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation. The organization has since provided services – including mentoring, tutoring, assistance with human trafficking and domestic violence cases, and mental health care – to more than 6,000 immigrants from 45 countries.

Read about prize winner Nancy Sanford Hughs

Read about prize winner Randal Charlton

Read about prize winner Jenny Bowen

photo and video courtesy of Civic Ventures

The post Highlighting Purpose Prize winner Wanjiru Kamau appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Civic Ventures, which awards The Purpose Prize, is a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. The organization introduced the concept of encore careers, which combine meaning, continued income and social impact. They provide social entrepreneurs over 60 $100,000 each for using their experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on some of society’s biggest challenges. Now in its sixth year, the $17 million program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.

Learn about this winner below!

Nancy Sanford Hughes (pictured), 68, StoveTeam International, Eugene, OR

Hughes, a stay-at-home mom, was at a loss after her husband’s death in 2001. Yearning for adventure and purpose, she volunteered to cook for a medical mission in Guatemala. As she worked, thousands of people came for treatment – as many as 80 percent of them injured by open fires in unventilated homes. Entire families suffered chronic coughs, respiratory infections and horrific burns. According to the World Health Organization, smoke exposure from traditional cookstoves and open fires causes more than 2 million premature deaths annually – twice as many as malaria. Hughes was intent on finding a way to prevent those injuries. Since 2008, Hughes’ organization, StoveTeam International, has manufactured and sold the affordable, fuel-efficient Ecocina stove. Portable, smokeless, cool to the touch and needing just a few pieces of kindling to cook a meal, the stove has replaced the open cooking fire in more than 15,000 homes across Central America, reaching more than 90,000 people.

Read about prize winner Randal Charlton

Read about prize winner Jenny Bowen

photo and video courtesy of Civic Ventures

The post Highlighting Purpose Prize winner Nancy Sanford Hughes appeared first on Keppie Careers.