Check out this workspace show and tell! People post pictures of their home offices and workspaces and share great ideas about getting organized- get inspired or post your own space!

 Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool.

You’ve likely seen the usual closing line on an online job posting: “No phone calls, please.”

But how important is it to abide by potential employers’ requests not to call about, or even show up in person for, a job opening? How else is one to stand out in a sea of electronic applicants?

The answer: It’s very important. And there are many other ways that job seekers can differentiate themselves from the competition.

Recruiters and hiring managers largely agree that going against the “no calls” request is a surefire way of jeopardizing a first impression.

“No matter how much technology changes our world, hiring decisions will ultimately be influenced by human behavior,” says Patricia Lenkov, a New York City-based executive recruiter specializing in senior-level job searches.

Read the full article on chicagotribune.com!

Just about everyone is using Facebook for personal networking, but you can use it for professional networking, as well. With lots of job search applications to choose from, Facebook is becoming more than a social networking site. These Facebook applications can all be used as part of your job search.

Before you start, be sure to adjust your privacy settings so professional connections and potential employers aren’t viewing too much of your personal information.

How to Get Facebook Job Search Applications

Login to Facebook, click on Profile, type the application name in the search box, then follow the instructions to install. Or, visit the Facebook Application Directory and search using “job search” “career” or “jobs” as keywords.

Read the rest on about.com!

It’s important to be as honest as possible with your recruiter about your career, preferences and anything else that could affect your job search.

“Job seekers sometimes fail to tell their recruiter when their company, position, or compensation preferences change. Second, job seekers hurt themselves by not telling recruiters about personal obligations and other things that might interfere with their job searches,” says Katy Keogh, of the staffing firm Winter, Wyman.

“Bring these things up at the last minute, and they can be a deal-breaker. Why? Changing the game at the last second with a hiring company makes you look sneaky or complicated for no reason at all.”

Read more on businessinsider.com!

Web apps are a friend to all who mash the keyboard from nine to five. They live in the cloud, are accessible from any Internet connection and are great for chopping those mundane work tasks off at the knees.

We’ve previously highlighted a batch of web apps that reduce the headaches and keystrokes associated with common tech chores, and after receiving some great feedback from readers, we thought it only right to hunt down a few more worthy bookmarkables.

See below for five more picks, and remember to leave your own time-saving web ditties in the comments.

Read the rest on mashable.com!

Everyone has plateaus in their career, but you want to avoid those slumps whenever possible—especially in this job market. The Wall Street Journal offers a few tips for constantly improving your job performance.

The Journal bases their tips off of the Center for Creative Leadership’s study of executive derailment, their number one tip being to ask for instant feedback:

Read the rest on lifehacker.com!

Your hands are clammy and your heart is racing as you progress through the the job interview gauntlet at a particular company. One interviewer blends into the next, and the questions vary from the ever-popular, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” to “How many cups of coffee do people in London drink per day?”

It doesn’t help that recent job reports show fewer jobs being added to the economy, which means that companies are being more stringent than ever in the interview process, and that the competition for open positions will continue to be fierce.  And, let’s face it, some interviews are tougher than others. But, does a difficult interview directly correlate to a difficult job or an unpleasant work experience?

Read the full article on glassdoor.com!

She never had to look for work.

As a Truman scholar and a top-notch statistics, marine biology and water-quality expert with two master’s degrees and a Ph.D., work looked for this seasoned professional. Until recently, that is, when the bottom fell out of the economy.

After a recent layoff, the overwhelming prospect of redoing her resume is paralyzing the mid-career scientist. Because we’re hearing plenty of stories like hers, we turned to time-management and resume experts for help on how to prepare for a major resume update, even if you’re going to have a professional do the writing for you. Read on for their tips.

Read the rest on theladders.com!

CISC Summer Kick-Off Event  

Tonight! June 16, 2011 

 NV Penthouse Lounge, 6 PM

• Drinks and Passed Appetizers
• No Cover
• Private Reception for
  2 hours

Great networking opportunity for anyone associated with the interactive industry. Be there or be square!

The failure most of us frequently face in the business of design? The failure to recognize that a client project is something you should decline. Here are common situations where working designers fail to decline an opportunity that may be a poor fit.

The client thinks you want the work they’re offering, no matter what.

This is the beauty of establishing strong client relationships from your first contact — if you connect during those initial dialogues, there will be a strong reservoir of trust that will fuel your first projects. They like talking with you, and expect that working with you will be the same. They genuinely care about your shared success. They just don’t realize that what they’re throwing your way is not the best fit. Right client, wrong project. And we’re afraid to say no, for fear they won’t come back.

Your long-term client knows you need work badly.

The studio has been quiet, except for your primary client’s big project. This client, when they’re in the studio or communicating with you, is aware that the studio needs business. You might have even asked them directly for more business. And in return, they bring you a project that can keep the cash flow running, but is a poor fit for your short- and long-term goals. So, you take it.

Read the rest on salon.com!

It’s hard to think of Facebook as an also-ran, but here it is: Some 59 percent of those who use social networking sites-like Facebook-say that their most important social networking account is their LinkedInaccount. Last year, only 41 percent chose LinkedIn as their most important account.

The fact that LinkedIn is cited as the most important is particularly interesting given that LinkedIn users don’t visit the site nearly as often as Facebook users.

• Of the social networks studied, only MySpace was visited less frequently than LinkedIn.
• Some 20 percent of respondents said they visited LinkedIn daily, compared to 70 percent for Facebook.
• Half of respondents visit linked in every day, but 97 percent visit Facebook daily.

Read the full article on bnet.com!

For those employees who have been lucky enough to keep their jobs or get job offers during the recession, negotiating a higher salary or asking for a raise may not be top-of-mind.

In the last few years, most people have taken pay cuts or remained at the same wage, so if you haven’t gotten a raise in two years, that could be fine. However, it may be perfectly appropriate, even necessary, to roll the dice and ask for a higher wage.

For those employees who have been lucky enough to keep their jobs or get job offers during the recession, negotiating a higher salary or asking for a raise may not be top-of-mind.

In the last few years, most people have taken pay cuts or remained at the same wage, so if you haven’t gotten a raise in two years, that could be fine. However, it may be perfectly appropriate, even necessary, to roll the dice and ask for a higher wage.

Read more at chicagotribune.com!

Mid-career derailment can happen any time, but in today’s economy there is no room for complacency. With job opportunities harder than ever to find, it’s a particularly rough time to be fired or demoted or to hit a career plateau. You can reduce your risk for derailment by paying attention to your value and effectiveness and by focusing on interpersonal skills, adaptability, team leadership and bottom-line results.

Based on the Center for Creative Leadership’s ongoing study of executive derailment with clients around the world, here are 10 ways to avoid these pitfalls:

Ask for instant feedback. When walking out of a meeting, ask a colleague, “I think that could have gone better – what could I have done differently?” Listen to the response. Don’t defend or justify your actions and don’t interrupt. Sean Fowler, assistant vice president with insurance company IAT Group in Cold Springs, Fla., uses feedback from his co-workers as a reality check. “You have to develop a bit of a thick skin,” Mr. Fowler said. “Once you get past the initial shock, you really come to appreciate it. It’s a long-term effort made up of small steps, not a leap.”

Read the full article on wsj.com!

Ethics-shmethics, who needs ‘em? The answer is YOU do, especially if you’re searching for your next job while employed full time. There is nothing like a breach of ethics to turn off a potential employer. There is also nothing like a discovered breach of ethics to encourage a current employer to make your dreams come true. Not all your dreams, of course. Just the one where you don’t work for them anymore.

Given the economic downturn through which our nation has slogged, if you currently have a job, many would consider you fortunate (yes, even if your supervisor is the evil incarnate). Being employed may even raise your value in the eyes of hiring managers. However, to avoid burning any bridges with the folks who are presently signing your paychecks, you must conduct your job search ethically.

Read the full article here! (via glassdoor.com)

You maintain green habits at home, but are you as conscientious in the office? We’ve found 10 great accessories that will help you stay eco-friendly even when you hit your workplace.

From clever trash bins to reusable cutlery to designer paper clips, these objects will add some environmentally-friendly credentials to your office, and hopefully inspire your colleagues to go a little green as well.

Take a look through the photo gallery of planet-loving choices and let us know in the comments below which ones you would like to take to work.

Read the rest here! (via mashable.com)

Life would be perfect, wouldn’t it?  You could take time off whenever you wanted–or needed to.  What’s the catch?  You still have to make sure that all your work done.

There are companies that are trying this approach.  The Wall Street Journal reported on companies that had “name your own vacation” policies.  Aruba Networks is one such company. Their CEO, Dominic Orr, admits that it requires managers to manage properly and employees to take charge of themselves.

Read the full article on www.bnet.com/blog/evil-hr-lady

I fully admit to the utter truth in the saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know that counts.” Well, mostly. Before you slash your wrists because you think you don’t know enough people to find work, let me assure you it’s never too late to start what they call, “your network.”

“Network” is just a fancy word for people you know and to whom you are connected. People who follow you on Twitter are “in your network.” On LinkedIn, they list a number of people “in your network,” even though you are not first level connections. Are these people important to you? Of course! They at least have some level of connection to you – more than strangers on the street.

Read the full article on instantshift.com!