- “Mad Men” (Sterling-Cooper advertising agency)
- “The Office” (Dunder-Mifflin paper sales)
- “Ugly Betty” (Mode fashion magazine)
- “Sunset Tan” (Sunset Tan tanning salon)
- “Reno 911” (Nevada sheriff’s department)
Showing posts with label just for fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label just for fun. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Favorite TV Workplaces
Don’t get enough workplace humor in your eight hour workday? Or have you ever had a situation in the office that you thought was right out of the show the Office? Career Builder has listed a few television workplaces that they love – or love to hate.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Why Fun at Work Matters
Recent studies have shown that workplace productivity actually increases when employees are given free time to just have fun and play. While this might seem counterproductive, and even ridiculous in today’s gloomy economy, a great article on Monster makes a wonderful case for fun. Check it out, and then get off the computer and go goof off for a while.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Can Your Favorite Color Determine Your Ideal Job?
After reading this article, I debated whether to tag this post as a legitimate jobseeking tip or as just for fun. Not being one to make hasty decisions, I diplomatically decided on both.
While I wouldn’t put full stock in this test, it does at least offer some explanations. The test is based on the “Dewey Color System” which shows how your favorite color corresponds to how you attack job tasks.
Here are the results:
If you prefer: yellow, purple and white: You're the communicator.
You create profitable perspectives -- how to break into new accounts or be heard by other employees. By simply identifying a client's point of view, you develop strategies that open doors, even if they had already been shut. Your excellent communication skills can create problem-solving forums. Careers in corporate communications, marketing or religious occupations work best.
If you prefer: red, green and black: You're the investor.
You know the value of money and resources, as well as the intrinsic worth of each co-worker's contributions. Your supportive, yet analytical personality works best in finance, accounting, banking, manufacturing, property management, production analysis, investment, money management, consulting, product sales or teaching.
If you prefer: blue, orange and brown: You're the activist.
Your strong community beliefs and no-nonsense approach improves services for those around you. Occupations where you can improve existing specifications or impact social values work best for you. Consider careers in engineering, building, or developing new programs, companies or products. Also consider law enforcement, firefighting, social or government work.
Labels:
career tests,
jobseeking tips,
just for fun
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monkeying Around: Worst Summer Jobs

“How I wanted to earn money in the summer of 1983 -- enough dough for hot dates, ice cream and Springsteen tickets. Because my older sister had an in at an amusement park in central New Jersey, I was a shoo-in to get the job at the parking lot detail.
About halfway through the summer, I got promoted to work the end gate at the Safari. My responsibilities were laid out by my manager. He dropped me off at the end gate of the Safari and asked Jose to show me the ropes -- or the bat, that is.
You see, the end gate was a passage to the real world for the monkeys and baboons. The inner fence was controlled electronically as cars drove up to it to exit the final portion of the safari. About 30 yards after that gate was my new post. The gate remained open until the safari closed. Here, Jose showed me how the baboons and monkeys would try to make a break for it by riding atop a car, under a truck or just plain rush my gate. I was trained on how to use the Baboon Beater -- a three-foot-long, six-inch-round bat -- to dissuade our fuzzy friends from exiting.
As weeks went by, the baboons and monkeys learned to respect their new master as I maintained a batting average that would assure me a seat on any major league team. One day, I fell asleep on the job in my booth. As I lay asleep inside my booth, the baboons surrounded me. And they had my bat! I had left it outside the booth against the side. One baboon started banging the bat against the roof of my booth as I awoke in horror. I scrambled to close the door just in the nick of time. I spun the tiny latch and felt a sense of security -- but not for long. They had me right where the wanted me: Stuck in the wooden shed with Plexiglas windows in 90-degree heat. Luckily, I had a radio and called for reinforcements. All this to earn $5.75 an hour and break every child labor law at the age of 15!”
Now I’m curious... anyone out there have a story that compares to this one?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Is Luck a Career Factor?
Superstitious? I’ve been guilty a few times of avoiding walking under a ladder or not opening an umbrella inside. But does luck really play any role in your career? Over at Monster, they have some interesting responses from people on the subject. What do you think?
Monday, August 4, 2008
Funny Reference Stories
We all know that references are extremely important when it comes to landing a job. However, just having references isn’t enough. As the following people demonstrate from real-life situations, it pays to be diligent when lining up your references.
Keeping It in the Family
One reference turned out to be the candidate's mother-in-law. When asked about his employability, she said, "I wouldn't hire him to do anything!" The candidate obviously thought he could pawn off a relative as a work-related reference who would say good things about him -- whoops.
The Reference Bribe
After completing an interview with a former supervisor, the following comment was volunteered: "I would recommend him for any position he applies for, and the fact that he's paying me to say that doesn't have anything to do with it."
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Not long ago, an associate interviewed a candidate's former supervisor, who described the candidate as a good worker and very capable, except on Mondays when he frequently came to work very tired. When asked why, the former supervisor said the candidate wrestled bears on the weekends, and it wore him out.
Keeping It in the Family
One reference turned out to be the candidate's mother-in-law. When asked about his employability, she said, "I wouldn't hire him to do anything!" The candidate obviously thought he could pawn off a relative as a work-related reference who would say good things about him -- whoops.
The Reference Bribe
After completing an interview with a former supervisor, the following comment was volunteered: "I would recommend him for any position he applies for, and the fact that he's paying me to say that doesn't have anything to do with it."
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Not long ago, an associate interviewed a candidate's former supervisor, who described the candidate as a good worker and very capable, except on Mondays when he frequently came to work very tired. When asked why, the former supervisor said the candidate wrestled bears on the weekends, and it wore him out.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Career Lessons from the Material Girl

Lets take a look:
Madonna: "She is a model for us to refresh ourselves," says Meehl, who tells clients to seek new knowledge and experiences in order to stay current and sell themselves to employers. "So many people wait to be anointed with knowledge."
Martha: Going to prison should have been career kryptonite for Stewart. But without apology or fanfare, she chose to serve her recent jail time like something to be checked off a to-do list. Stewart commented during sentencing that she wanted to be released in time to tend her spring garden. How does the average woman stay steady in the face of such career-rocking moments? "Keep the big picture in mind," Meehl advises. Stewart "knew the garden and the business were going to be there for her when she got out."
Oprah: Winfrey rewrites the blueprint for business success daily by replacing the model of the cutthroat businessperson with that of the nurturing helper. This is a woman who has increased her market share with tactics like encouraging people to read more. Winfrey shows women there's a place for all talents.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Human Capital
Written By
Tom Parrish
MetaTech Sales Guy
“Ministers meet, work on the movement of goods
Also work on the movement of capital
Also work on the movement of human beings
As if we were so many cattle…”
“Grim Travelers”
Bruce Cockburn
Humans, 1980
So I was driving to work listening to Grim Travelers and got to thinking, don’t you sometimes wonder how the pseudo-experts came up with the pairing of the words Human and Capital? For me, this is like visually pairing the finest crystal swan – beautiful, rare, fragile beyond any one’s imagination and the Caterpillar 797B, the ultra-class mining truck deployed to the Ft. McMurray area of Alberta for tar-sands excavation. (visual depiction below)
Human

+
Capital

Now, don’t get me wrong…I get as turned on as the next guy at the thought of the application of modern operations research techniques to the problems of optimizing the human supply-chain, but really, doesn’t all this pseudo-expert drivel make you want to scream?!
=
Tom Parrish
MetaTech Sales Guy
“Ministers meet, work on the movement of goods
Also work on the movement of capital
Also work on the movement of human beings
As if we were so many cattle…”
“Grim Travelers”
Bruce Cockburn
Humans, 1980
So I was driving to work listening to Grim Travelers and got to thinking, don’t you sometimes wonder how the pseudo-experts came up with the pairing of the words Human and Capital? For me, this is like visually pairing the finest crystal swan – beautiful, rare, fragile beyond any one’s imagination and the Caterpillar 797B, the ultra-class mining truck deployed to the Ft. McMurray area of Alberta for tar-sands excavation. (visual depiction below)
Human

+
Capital

Now, don’t get me wrong…I get as turned on as the next guy at the thought of the application of modern operations research techniques to the problems of optimizing the human supply-chain, but really, doesn’t all this pseudo-expert drivel make you want to scream?!
=

Monday, July 7, 2008
Interviews Gone Wrong
Remember the show “Kids say the Darndest Things?” Well, if only Art Linkletter was present at the following interviews. Here are a few gems from serious job applicants as submitted by members of the Monster.com community:
“We are a small sporting-goods distributor, and we recently received an application from a gentleman trying to impress us with his dedication to the 'field.' His stated goal? 'To ski 365 days-a-year.' Wonder when he was planning to work.”
“While interviewing a candidate, I noticed he had checked 'yes' when asked if he'd ever been convicted of a felony, but no details were listed. When I asked my candidate, he said, 'Well, it is really old.' I asked how old, and he said, 'Thirty-three years ago, but I haven't been in any trouble since.' I said, 'Oh, that is old.' I then asked what the conviction was for; his response was 'murder one.' I asked if he had served any time, and he said yes, 33 years. Apparently he had just been released two weeks prior, which may explain why he hadn't been in trouble since.”
“As a recruiter, I occasionally encounter previous employees interested in returning to the company. A young man called me one day to explain that he had been a fantastic employee two years prior, and that he had been fired by accident: 'I didn't mean to hit the other guy over the head with a mop! Really, it just slipped and hit him twice!' Rehire? I think not.”
“We are a small sporting-goods distributor, and we recently received an application from a gentleman trying to impress us with his dedication to the 'field.' His stated goal? 'To ski 365 days-a-year.' Wonder when he was planning to work.”
“While interviewing a candidate, I noticed he had checked 'yes' when asked if he'd ever been convicted of a felony, but no details were listed. When I asked my candidate, he said, 'Well, it is really old.' I asked how old, and he said, 'Thirty-three years ago, but I haven't been in any trouble since.' I said, 'Oh, that is old.' I then asked what the conviction was for; his response was 'murder one.' I asked if he had served any time, and he said yes, 33 years. Apparently he had just been released two weeks prior, which may explain why he hadn't been in trouble since.”
“As a recruiter, I occasionally encounter previous employees interested in returning to the company. A young man called me one day to explain that he had been a fantastic employee two years prior, and that he had been fired by accident: 'I didn't mean to hit the other guy over the head with a mop! Really, it just slipped and hit him twice!' Rehire? I think not.”
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