When the idea of holding the first annual Jobacle Resume Writing Challenge popped into my head, it appeared to be a no-lose exercise.  I would get to give readers a better understanding of how the resume writing process works, and in the process, get my resume revamped - 12 times over!

Over the coming weeks I plan to share what I learned, and along the way, show you the resumes that our participants have produced.  I think you'll like what you see.  Some writers impressed me, others validated my fears.

The first lesson I would like to share...

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People like to fancy themselves leaders. Reality says otherwise.  Even extreme mavericks are subject to the influence of others.  Many of the nuances and habits we pick up, we're unaware of.  At least until that ballsy coworker calls us out.

"Eww. You sound like Joe!"

The accused immediately goes into defensive mode.

"Oh, I said that long before Joe."

Good, bad or otherwise, we are constantly latching on to other people's words and actions. With the amount of time we all spend at the office, it should come as no surprise that our payroll comrades are responsible for much if this influence.

Heck, there are catchphrases I picked up 10 years ago that I still use today.

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Remember how George Jetson's spacemobile used to turn into a suitcase with the push of a button?  Well, thanks to our friends in Japan, foldable and portable rooms are now a reality, available for around $7,500 a pop.

Your company might not be replacing your cubicle yet, but as our workplaces become more crowded, and the prices drop, remember who warned you first...

It seems that the cynicism over pay gap inequity is stretching from the bright lights of Hollywood across the country to the bankruptcy and debt of Wall Street. As one peeved reader commented on Andrew’s blog Where’s the $22 Million Bonus Now, Lehman?, “The public is tired of seeing the rich get richer, then being stuck with the bill.”

I count not agree more. The reports are coming out on exactly how much each company wasted on bloated CEO salaries, bonuses, and benefit packages. While we’re not outright stuck with the bills from the failing films on Hollywood, Forbes did put out an interesting report on the most overpaid actors.

Some highlights of this study include the studio that produced The Invasion losing $2.68 for every dollar that Nicole Kidman earned, Tom Cruise only earned his studio for Lions and Lambs $1.88 for every dollar he was paid, and Jennifer Garner’s Catch and Release earned a measly 34 cents for every dollar of her paycheck.

Whether or not the pay inequity gaps are causing this, it still seems as if our middle class is slowly but surely disappearing.

As Americans sat in front of their TVs last week watching President Bush talk about our dwindling economy and job market, many have wondered, “is there any good news?”  

While large businesses have lost more than 170,000 jobs over the last six months, small businesses are seeing their employment sector grow. Over 200,000 small business jobs have been created in that time.  New data shows a continuation of this trend.   Today, Automatic Data Processing (ADP)  released the September ADP National Employment Report® and ADP Small Business Report® which showed small business employment - defined as businesses with fewer than 50 workers – added 28,000 jobs during September.
 
See below for a break-down of the small business data by sector:

•    Total small business employment: +28,000
•    Goods-producing sector: -16,000 small business jobs
•    Service-providing sector: +44,000 small business jobs

If charts and graphs are your thing, click over for the fill report. (PDF)

In the workforce of today and tomorrow, the necessity of “business travel” is becoming more and more apparent. Globalization has shown us that it is often more profitable, multi-cultural, and interesting to do business with foreign companies. With these changes have come different challenges for the normal worker. This article explores the pros and cons of such a change. 

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Are you reading this at work? Then it’s probably counting towards the estimated 1/3 of the day that 32% of workers admit to wasting.

A new study by Hirescores.com calls it ‘surprising’ that 96% of British workers admitted avoiding work by doing non-essential tasks like desk tidying and tea-making.

But attempting to spend all day, every day, fully focused on the job at hand is pretty unrealistic. So what are people doing that ‘wastes’ time, and is it really a surprise?

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For the second consecutive season, the New York Mets have failed in the clutch, coughing up an opportunity to advance to the playoffs. This has led sports pundits and media talking heads to speculate on personnel changes, even a full-blown team overhaul. As sports fans are already aware, this is highly unlikely because (a) players are bound by contracts, (b) good talent is hard to find, and (c) the Mets will fill the stadium next year regardless of who is on the team.

Good leaders never point fingers (at least publicly), but they are able to identify the problem and repair it. Only fools make the same mistake over and over again. And unfortunately for the Mets and their ownership, they are repeat offenders. Sure, several changes were made: a new mid-season manager, rookie call-ups, and the signing of an absolute stud of a pitcher in Johan Santana. And yes, they were plagued by injuries (but what team isn't?). The bottom line is that the core of the team is the same and so is the result.

Don't choke like the Mets...

Read more at US News & World Report.

While a Great Depression is unlikely, it looks like it will be quite some time before the U.S. economy smiles upon us again.

Since you don't have much control over your company's financial situation, you need to make sure you are ready if the sh*t hits the fan.  Here are seven tips for increasing your marketability in a shaky economy.

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As an intern at a medical clinic one summer, I was often sent on random errands (can anyone relate?)  

Most were fairly mundane- office supplies, random medical stuff, etc. However, one trip was particularly memorable. I was sent to the county supply center to pick up a van full of condoms (the clinic would hand them out for free). I'm talking boxes and boxes of condoms. It was a little weird.  

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