Knowledge@W. P. Carey -- Human Resources

Podcast: Message to New Grads and Career Changers -- You Can Land a Dream Job in a Down Economy

Wed, 06 May 2009 17:37:54 EST

This spring's crop of college graduates are venturing forth into one of the most challenging job markets in decades. Michael Turner, who graduates from Arizona State University with a degree in communications this month, talked to classmates about their readiness -- or lack thereof -- to land that first post-college job. Kevin Burns, director of undergraduate career education at the W. P. Carey School of Business, offers great advice for new graduates -- and career changers -- about how to get a job in your field of dreams.

Survival of the Smartest: After the Layoffs, Manage for Long-Term Stability

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:48:32 EST

If you're one of the millions of workers left behind after layoffs, sweating over an inflated workload, fretting that you might be next, you already know how demoralizing a "reduction in force" (RIF) can be. If you're managing layoff survivors, you have even more reason to worry. RIFs can clobber morale, erode loyalty, stymie creativity and set your firm up for a migration of talent that could hobble you long after the economy revives. Experts at the W. P. Carey School say that now is the time to manage employee angst and solidify relationships so that once you survive this recession, you'll be able to thrive in the recovery ahead.

Tired, Irritable, Restless? It May Be 'Boreout'

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:42:48 EST

In the nation's hospitals, today's dread epidemics are Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile. At the office, the scary "bug" is boreout, according to a new book from Phillipe Rothlin and Peter Werder. It affects as many as a third of employees, killing their initiative, energy and enthusiasm and leaving those affected tired, depressed and generally dissatisfied, lacking a sense of purpose. The word "burnout" was coined decades ago to describe employees who are overworked and overstressed. In their book, "Boreout! Overcoming Workplace Demotivation," Rothlin and Werder claim that the phenomenon of boreout is just as widespread and damaging as burnout -- and strangely enough, the symptoms are often very similar.

Water Cooler Talk Keeps Organizational Culture Real

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:33:37 EST

It is a ritual in offices around the country: the morning meet-up. Although employees may have already clocked in and should theoretically be hard at work, they meander over to the coffee pot, fill up a cup and kibitz. In many managers' eyes, such behavior is often filed under the heading of wasted time on the company's dime. "You're here to work. If you want to socialize, do it on your own time!" they might say. Yet, the irony of the situation, says W. P. Carey management Professor Blake Ashforth, is that these social butterflies may very well be adding value to the company. Rather than being grumbled about, such office klatches should be nurtured and encouraged.

Challenging Long-Held Assumptions about Workplace Friendships

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:40:06 EST

You may have watched enough Oprah shows to realize that friendship is good for the soul. Now, the acclaimed Gallup research organization has found that friendships help you love your job. Tom Rath, who leads Gallup's Workplace and Leadership Consulting worldwide, has published years of research in a fascinating book, "Vital Friends: The People You Can't Afford to Live Without." Offering anecdotes of real-life subjects and statistics to back up the stories, Rath tells us that friends at work are not only nice to have -- they are essential to employees' happiness, engagement and productivity on the job.

Quitters Can Win: Avoiding the Pitfalls of 'The Dip'

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:15:32 EST

Seth Godin, best-selling author of books and a popular marketing blog, discusses a sticky topic in his small but power-packed "The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)." The saying "Winners never quit and quitters never win" is a fallacy, according to Godin. In fact, there are times when quitting is the smartest tactic you can employ, as long as your long-term goal remains foremost in your mind.

Millennials in the Workplace: R U Ready?

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:31:57 EST

The Millennials -- people aged 14 to 31 -- are streaming into the workplace. They have been called "entitled" and "tough to manage" because they need much direction and praise. On the other hand, they're tech-savvy, nimble, enthusiastic and achievement-oriented. Like all young people, they offer the corporate world enormous energy and talent. However, harnessing those positive attributes will take a patient, nurturing touch, say experts at the W. P. Carey School of Business.

My Job Is My Life: The Connection Between Meaningful Work and Personal Identity

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:53:45 EST

Business researchers have long proposed that when employees find their work meaningful and fulfilling, they are more likely to do that work well, and, as a result, help their companies succeed. But recently, Kevin Corley and his colleague Heather Vough began to wonder if that may be a bit too simple. Corley, an assistant professor of management at the W. P. Carey School of Business, believes there's something more that drives an employee to endure an awful commute and put in an honest day's work at the office.

Podcast: The Art of Negotiating With Your Boss, Part Two

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:01:46 EST

One of the most difficult tasks for a worker is negotiating with a boss. Whether it's getting a raise or a new assignment, or a simple request for more office supplies, asking a boss for anything can be nerve-wracking. Knowledge@W. P. Carey interviewed management professor Kevin Corley about the best way to negotiate with your boss. Part One of our two-part series on this topic addressed the matter of self interest -- yours, your boss's, and the organization's. Part Two discusses how knowing your boss's negotiating style can make all the difference between success and failure.

The New Hiring Standard: Adaptability

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:01:46 EST

Most assessments of employability focus on traditional models that consider skills, work experience, education and personality traits. But today more than ever, organizations need employees who can adapt and are comfortable doing so. New research from the W. P. Carey School's Angelo Kinicki explores the traits that are most valuable to companies that are in the midst of change.

Podcast: The Art of Negotiating With Your Boss

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:27:58 EST

You don't have to be a power broker juggling corporate mergers to need negotiation skills. Just about everybody must negotiate with a superior at some point, about a raise or an assignment, or even a new idea for a project. Most people are conscious of the power gap between themselves and their bosses; astute employees also realize that the boss's interests may not always align with their own. Knowledge@W. P. Carey interviewed management professor Kevin Corley about the best way to negotiate with your boss. Part One of our two-part series on this topic addresses the matter of self interest -- yours, your boss's, and the organization's.

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too: Balancing Work and Family in a Dual-Career Marriage

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:23:06 EST

Dual-career marriages account for about 65 percent of the workforce, according to the Clayman Institute for Gender Studies in Stanford, California. How do these couples balance the demands of work and family? Daniel and Anita Reid exemplify one style of two-career partnership: that of the mid-life "urban power couple." Addressing students at the W. P. Carey School of Business, Dan Reid summed up the couple's philosophy: "Business comes first, for the most part."

The Great Escape: Profiles in Career Change

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:57:00 EST

It's possible that the 10 middle-class achievers profiled in Joshua Piven's "The Escape Artists" will teach you more about transforming your passion into a viable career than any of the high-flying Steve Jobses of the world. How so? Because struggling to copy the career path of a high-tech genius who helped create an enormous industry more likely qualifies as fantasy than future. But since the author focuses on ordinary individuals rather than mega-entrepreneurs, the people profiled in "The Escape Artists" provide useful examples of how to turn an obsession into a paycheck.

Women and minorities' high quit rates make corporate diversity difficult

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:59:44 EST

Many companies have noted that attrition among women and minorities in the professional and managerial ranks hampers progress on building a diverse workplace. A new study that analyzed quit statistics for a staggering 475,458 professionals is the first to conclusively prove that corporations are losing these employees at rates higher than they're losing white employees. W. P. Carey management Professor Peter Hom explains that although the study does not address the reasons why women and minorities leave, it does serve as a launching point for discussion. If corporations don't do something to address the problem, he says, the diversity pipeline will continue to be dry.

Flexibility's price tag: gain time, lose career footing

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:34:02 EST

Flextime, telecommuting and part-time employment are popular employee enticements. But, are these attractive benefits also drawbacks for corporate warriors who choose to utilize them? Often they are, according to research conducted by Philip Reckers, an accountancy professor at the W. P. Carey School of Business. Reckers and his coauthors found that those who work flextime and part-time hours were less likely to be picked for the best assignments and their career prospects took a hit. What's more, the negative impact was greater for men than for women.

Get ready for tough choices or tough times, educators warn

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:34:02 EST

"Tough Choices or Tough Times" is not recommended reading for bedtime, if you're hoping for a good night's sleep. The 26-member Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce's new report updates its 1990 report in which a wakeup call was issued amid the emerging trend of economic globalization. This new 2006 report is no jargon-laden bureaucratic screed, but a plainspoken and urgent proposal for a top-to-bottom reworking of the American education system.

Do the math: U.S. companies face shortage of technical talent

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 15:56:29 EST

Bill Swanson, the chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon Company, needs a continual supply of people highly educated in mathematics, science and engineering. Speaking at the W. P. Carey School's Economic Club of Phoenix, Swanson described Raytheon's efforts to keep the U.S.'s technical talent pipeline full.

Job-hunting in the age of Monster: Protecting your online reputation

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:15:14 EST

Maybe it wasn't the MySpace photo that cost an applicant the chance for a second interview with his dream employer, but something on that page turned off the corporate hiring manager who had been impressed during an hour-long interview. Sites like MySpace have changed the dynamic for job-hunters and recruiters alike, according to Neal Bruce, vice president of alliances at Monster (formerly Monster.com). Bruce, a featured speaker at the Center for Service Leadership's 17^th annual "Compete Through Service: The Moment of Truth" symposium, talked about the emergence of "digital identities," and how companies are using this new source of information.

New math: Educating the 21st century workforce

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:15:14 EST

Counselors, teachers, and leaders from industry and the community recently met at a conference sponsored by ASU's Center for Research on Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (CRESMET). The agenda: to discuss how educators and businesses must collaborate to prepare students for learning and career paths appropriate to today's global marketplace. Their observations are pointed at Arizona, but are instructive nationwide.

Darwinian manager vs. GEO leader: Winning tactics of the gifted boss

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 14:42:17 EST

What kind of boss are you? Consultant and author Dale Dauten proposes a new model guaranteed to boost performance exponentially while moving the company dynamic beyond traditional hierarchies. He calls it the GEO leader -- GEO as in "Great Employees Only" which is the title of Dauten's latest book, subtitled "How Gifted Bosses Hire and De-Hire Their Way to Success."