4 Myths About Men And Women In The Workplace

As the workplace is changing, take a look at myths that still exist.

The face of the traditional workplace is changing and with it comes a new breed of employees who are telecommuting, using flex time, working from home or working freelance. As the stereotype of the average employee continues to change, there are still many myths about who these workers are that are alive and well.

Along with the changing needs of businesses and employees alike, the traditional gender roles of men and women are also being challenged. In the face of these changes, employers are having to rise to the challenge and change their ideas about what their employees need.

Here are 4 myths about both male and female employees that just aren't true:

1. Men are more work-oriented and success driven – The old belief was that male employees are more driven to succeed while women put their careers on the back burner and keep their primary focus on family. This may have been true decades ago, but many women are as career driven as their male counterparts. It is becoming more common for women to be the primary breadwinners for their family and more and more men are opting to work part time or be stay at home dads.
   
   
2. Women struggle the most with managing family needs – These days both men and women are struggling to find work-life balance. Most families aren't able to have one parent be responsible for the majority of the family needs. While women tend to be more concerned with dealing with illness and appointments, men are also struggling to attend little league games and parent-teacher conferences.
   
   
3. Single employees are more focused on their careers – This is a myth that never seems to go away. The idea is that employees without family obligations are more dedicated to their careers than those who are married or have families. This couldn't be further from the truth. Even single people struggle to meet their personal commitments. In addition, they don't have obligations that keep them in jobs that aren't rewarding. The major problems that cause employees to lose focus have more to do with not feeling challenged, motivated or rewarded than family obligations.
   
   
4. Management is committed to helping employees meet their family commitments – Just because a company offers flex time or other options to help employees find a good work-life balance doesn't mean that management supports these programs. Often it seems that employees who use these options become stigmatized or begin to be left out of the loop. When companies offer these programs, they need to get the support of management at all levels.

The workplace is changing and so is the role of men and women, both at home and at the office. In order to maintain high performing employees, companies need to take a look at the assumptions they are making about what their employees need. When companies can work with their staff in order to help them find the balance they need in order to do their best work, everyone wins.

What does your company do or not do to help employees with work-life balance? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

The Best 8 Tips For Getting a Job When You Have Been Unemployed for a Long Time. Part 1

Getting back on the job market after having been unemployed for a long time can be tough. Here are some tips to help.

When you have been unemployed for a long period of time, trying to find a new job can feel a lot like clawing your way out of a hole. The longer you are out of work, the bigger the hole seems. Climbing out takes strength, determination, a whole lot of help from friends and some hard work. Here are some things that can help you get a leg up on the climb:

• Stop blaming yourself – The past few years have been tough for everyone, and especially those of us who are out of work. Not being able to find a job doesn't mean that you are broken and not worth hiring. The more you beat yourself up, the harder it can be to muster up the enthusiasm necessary to impress an interviewer.
  
• Stop wasting time – When you have been job searching for an extended period, it's only natural to stop giving it your best and just start applying for every job opening you see that is even close to being within commuting distance. Don't let the desperation win. The best way to find a new job is to target openings that are a match for your skills and experience. Then, customize your resume and cover letter to target that particular job. You know this, but when you are feeling beat down and think that it is a waste of time, it is hard to remember.

• Get out and make friends – When you are feeling desperate and start thinking that you need to “beat the streets” until you find something, stop and start looking for networking opportunities. The best use of your time is to make new friends, connect with other professionals and build your network. Getting out and talking to others in your industry will help you get re-energized and can lead to recommendations and insider news about new openings.
  
  
• Talk to your previous employer – The job market is starting to make a rebound, but many companies are hesitant to take on new employees, opting for freelance and temp workers. If you were downsized or laid off at your previous job, it may be a good idea to get in touch with your previous boss or co-workers. If you are willing to take on freelance work, they may be interested in having someone who is already familiar with the company.

Getting back into the work force after a long time of being unemployed is hard, but not impossible. Stay tuned for the next installment, and find out tips 5-8.

What do you think is important when you are trying to get back into the work force? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Freelancing: Can you gig it?

In certain lines of work, one can manage to put together a living by stringing together assignments for various individual clients or companies. Writing is one of those lines. Just about every industry produces written materials, often distinguished more by quantity than quality, which makes good writers an in-demand item. And many good writers find freelancing - a term that comes to us from medieval times, when some knights unattached to a lord offered their services to anyone willing to pay for them - a highly satisfying way to make a living.

Most industries don't need a lot of writers most of the time, and probably need good ones even less often. That's where freelancers come in. A business may seek a freelance writer to handle a specific project, like a report, presentation or company history, or fill a temporary need. Hiring a freelancer saves the business overhead costs.

Freelancing isn't just for writers, either. These days, freelance and contract work abounds in a variety of fields, from office administration to software development. Sales, marketing, public relations, and almost anything having to do with technology are all fields where freelancers can flourish.

Freelancing has its attractions for the worker as well. Some of the chief ones are:

• the ability to set one's own work schedule and pace


• the ability to work at home or offsite


• the ability to pick and choose your work, especially once one is well known and established

There are also costs associated with freelancing. Among those:

• the need to continually find and land projects in many cases


• the lack of fringe benefits or unemployment insurance


• the need to function as your own accountant, bill collector, and tax accountant, if handling finances doesn't float your boat

But for millions of Americans, the attractions of freelancing are worth the costs. A number of websites make the job of finding freelance projects easier than it used to be; of these, Elance is one of the more freelancer-friendly, as it is set up to handle one of the most important issues freelancers face: getting paid promptly.

If the search for steady, full-time employment has proved less than satisfying for you, you might want to consider going the freelance work. But give it some thought before you jump in: It's not for everyone, but it might be for you.

Of course, if you really want something more dependable, you'll find it on PhillyJobs.com.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his career in public relations and corporate communications. His work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, PGN, and a number of Web sites. Philly-area residents may also recognize him as "MarketStEl" of discussion-board fame. He has been a part of the great reserve army of freelance writers since January 2009 and is actively seeking opportunities wherever they may lie.