How Facebook Can Get You Fired

Written by Lauren Lind 

Be careful with not only what you post on Facebook, but also be aware that the content you like and comment on can affect you in the long run. Remember that coworkers and your boss can see what you post and even if you aren’t friends with them directly. Word spreads quickly, especially when it can be documented on the Internet. The First Amendment only applies to government action, not a company's actions. The Constitution protects free speech from government interference. In the private sector, however, courts have made management discretion the rule, which means you can legally be fired for what you post on Facebook. Listed below are some ways that Facebook, or rather the manner you go about using Facebook, can get you fired. (Numbers 1,4,5,7, and 8 are real examples of when people were fired due to posting inappropriate content).

1. Going on a foul rant about your boss or colleagues.

2. Complaining about own working conditions.

3. Criticizing the company on an elected official's Facebook page.

4. Liking Facebook Pages that conflict with your company’s values or beliefs.

5. Posting photos, references to or evidence of shenanigans in work hours or within the workplace. 

6. Checking-in during work time (or when you’ve called in sick). If you’re meant to be in the office, it’s probably smartest not to check into somewhere else.

7. Liking or posting prejudice content.

8. Trying to be funny, when it relates to your work, your customers or your colleagues. (on Facebook). Sometimes the sarcasm is not always translated.

9. Spending all your work time on Facebook.

Save the negative venting for your best friend or journal. It’s best not to post about work on your personal Facebook account unless you have good things to say or really don’t want to keep your job. Happy posting!

Hat tip: Cara Pring with the Social Skinny and Donna Ballman with Aol Jobs.

Show Appreciation For Your Coworkers and Boss: Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your Office

Gratitude is the state of being grateful or can also be described as thankfulness. With Thanksgiving around the corner I think we can all use a reminder to express gratitude. I have found that most people, including myself, forget to show appreciation for the people with whom we interact with almost every day....our coworkers. Showing genuine appreciation for those around you can change the entire culture of your organization. 65% of people said that they do not feel appreciated at work according to a recent Gallop Survey(reliableplant.com). This is alarming because we spend a good amount of our lives working, so to feel negativity that often cannot be good for our well being’s or our company culture. Here are some ways to generate a culture of gratitude and show that you are thankful.

•Find something that your coworker has done well and tell them specifically what you found admirable about their actions.

•Go back to the basics and remember to say please and thank you. Sometimes we lose our polite demeanor in the office and tend to elect things which generates a negative vibe.

•Express genuine interest in your coworker’s or boss’s life. Ask about their family, weekend, hobbies, etc.

•Get to know your coworker’s likes and find out what interests them. Surprise them with a small thoughtful gift every once in awhile. This will make their day.

•Food is a great way to show appreciation as well. Go out to lunch with a coworker or bring a dish work to share. Cookies, bagels, cupcakes...doesn’t have to be anything fancy.

•A lot of times, bosses only hear negative things. Make sure you sincerely thank them. Make sure they know that you’re thankful for your job because it has made a positive impact in your life.

•When someone has made your life easier by doing a good job, let them know you are thankful for their efforts.

•Check out this Co-Worker Appreciation Board on Pinterest.

A simple, sincere “thank you” can go a long way. There’s a fine line between appreciating and going overboard, so make sure that your actions are genuine. Be thankful for your job and the people who make your employment possible. Most importantly, show your gratitude through your actions.

Hat tip: Susan M. Heathfield with about.com, reliableplant.com, Pinterst.com, Lisa H. with gettingtozen.com

Job Searching Using Social Media

Written by Lauren Lind

Social Media can be used for more than just enhancing your social circle. You can use these platforms while job searching. Here are some tips specifically on how to use Facebook and Twitter to your advantage when trying to find a job: 

• Make people aware that you are looking for a job by posting specifically what type of job you are looking for. They will think of you when an opportunity opens up and can tell you before its posted on job boards.

• Use Facebook to network by utilizing your hundreds of friends and because you know them personally, they will feel more inclined to help you succeed.

• Change your Facebook profile to private and make sure only your friends can see your information in case an employer searches your profile.

• Search hiring mangers on Twitter to help you better understand more about them and then you will be able to tailor your cover letter to their preferences.

• Hyperlink your LinkedIn and Twitter profile information to your resume or just LinkedIn, depending on how you interact online. This gives employers another way to contact you and shows you are social-media savvy.

• Make sure your professional friends can’t see what you don’t want them to see. On Facebook, go under Account, then Friends, create a new list, and customize your privacy settings so professional friends only see certain content. Doing this, your close friends can still keep up with your photos and personal updates, without jeopardizing your professionalism.

• Figure out who you need to know to land a job and retweet their tweets. This may get them to follow you. Unlike most other social networks, Twitter users rarely have private profiles and you can easily instigate conversations with other users.

• Follow all the companies you would like to potentially work for and engage with them, however do not do this if you are not comfortable with them reading your previous tweets.

• On Twitter, join industry chats that are specific to your industry. Search #(keywords for your industry) and you can meet helpful contacts.

• Follow career experts on Twitter and like their Facebook pages and you can get job search advice easily.

• Do keyword searches to see if anyone is looking to hire in your field. Many businesses advertise their job offers on Twitter. Use TwitJobSearch and enter the keywords in their search bar to see all the job opportunities that match your criteria from Twitter.

• Regularly post content that relates to your desired line of work and try showcasing your own work, such as your blog posts, and share other people’s content.

• Use Facebook’s graph search to find people in your network who work in the industry you want to work in. This is similar to LinkedIn’s connections feature, however many people don’t think to use Facebook to their advantage in this way.

• Subscribe to influential industry experts rather than friending them and you can gain insight into their world and that may give you that edge needed.


Hat tip: Alexis Grant with US News, Lilach Bullock with Social Media Today, and Irfan Ahmad with Social Media Today

You got the job! Now what?

Written by Lauren Lind

Congratulations on landing your dream job! All your hard work has paid off. Now what? You should be focused on gaining respect, visibility, and credibility now that you are in the role that you always wanted. This beginning time period of your career will set the path for your long-term success. Here are some ideas for what exactly you should do:

• Call everyone who is important to you and share the fantastic news. Jump up and down and scream! You have to get that out of the way first.

• Next, let other companies that have offered you a position know that you have decided to take a position elsewhere. Be respectful and don’t leave them hanging.

• You must become very clear on what is expected in the role and what your new responsibilities are. It'd be a good idea to set up a meeting with your boss to clarify your duties and ask any questions.

• Be sure to align yourself with your company's business priorities, culture and mission statement. Ask many questions, ask for feedback,  and try to remember new faces.

• Start to form positive relationships with your new coworkers. Remain understanding, clear, and honest. This will aid in building in-house networks. Reach out to everyone including the mail guy, the security guard, the IT guy, and your manager’s executive assistant. You need all the support you can get to enhance your professional career in the future. Be sure to be genuine when you talk with these people or your good intentions might be misread.

• Make it a priority to be on time, keep commitments, and meet deadlines.

• As time goes on, make sure you show your eagerness for advancement within the company through your actions of accepting challenges and completing goals.

• Have fun and do not overwork yourself. Find a balance and although you are enthusiastic about the job, make sure you take “me-time.”

For more information on what to do once you have landed the job, be sure to check out the event “Adapt For a Changing World” on December 4th from 3:00-4:00pm in the Center for Community room S484. This event is part of the CU Buffs Professional Program, which supports you working at your own pace to explore CU-Boulder majors and connect the dots to your career. This program is only open to current CU-Boulder undergraduate students. For more information, call our front desk at 303-492-6541.


Contributors: Ford R Myers with careerpotential.com, Dorothy Tannahill-Moran with makeithappennow.com.

Men's Suits Buying Guide

Written by Stephanie Petersen from Overstock.com


Every man should own at least one great suit, and this this buying guide will help you know what to look for so you can determine which suits are right for you. The key is to look at all of the elements which make up a suit and decide which ones are right for your body, your age, your lifestyle, and your personal style.

What to Look for in a Suit Jacket:

Double-breasted or single-breasted: Double-breasted suits will always be stylish, and they can look very distinguished. The only people who may want to avoid double-breasted suits are young men, who will be overpowered by the width, and men who want to avoid looking wider. Single-breasted suits are a look that can be worn by any man.

Number of jacket buttons: If you opt for a single-breasted suit, you'll need to decide how many buttons you want.

One-button: One-button suits are not very common and can make you look like a member of the Rat Pack. If you are going for a retro look, then a one-button suit will look very cool. If you only plan to have a few men's suits in your wardrobe, this may not be the choice for you since it is not very versatile.

Two-buttons: Double-buttoned suits are a classic and look good on nearly everyone. You can't go wrong with a two-button suit as long as you wear it with the top button buttoned only.
Three-buttons: Three-button suits have become popular in the last few years and are now widely available. Wear these men's suits with either the middle button buttoned or the top two buttons buttoned.

Four-buttons or more: Single-breasted suits with four or more buttons are also available, and this is a very fashion-forward look. If you feel like this describes you, go ahead and wear one of these designer suits, but be sure you have some more conservative business suits to wear as well.

Lapel shapes and sizes: Lapel widths change with the current fashion. Thin lapels that were popular in the 1960s can add a retro edge to a modern suit; but for a timeless suit, look for lapels that are between three and four inches. Peaked lapels (which look like an upside-down "V" at the tops of the lapels) are more common on double-breasted suits, but you may see some on single-breasted suits. Notches (which have a cut-out "V" on the sides of the lapels) are common on single-breasted suits.

Vents: The opening at the back of the jacket is called a "vent," and you have a few styles to choose from.
Double vent: Double vents, also known as side vents, are the most functional because they allow you to sit and stand up with the least amount of restriction. This style is also very flattering.
Single vent: The single center-back vent is a typical American suit style that allows for moderate movement.
No vent: Classic Hollywood actors often wore suits without vents because they look good on film. However, unless you are very slim, it can be restrictive while sitting in a car or at a desk.

Jacket waists: The fit at the waist can affect how the jacket looks when buttoned.
Suppressed waist: This European style fits closely around the waist. A suppressed waist suit looks more tailored and may be more flattering for thin men who like their clothing fitted.
American fit: The suit jacket falls straight from the underarm to the hem. This fit is better for larger men, whether because of muscles or weight.

Shoulders: Shoulders are the one thing that can't really be altered by a tailor, so you'll need to pay attention to how these suits fit.
Pads: All dress suits have a bit of a shoulder padding to give them shape. The shoulder pads are something that a tailor can't change, so make sure you like the thickness and the shape of the pads.
Slope: If your shoulders slope a lot, a thicker shoulder pad will help your shoulders look even. If you have broad shoulders, then avoid adding very much padding to them.

What to Look for in Suit Pants:

Drop: Suits have what is called a "drop," which is the difference between the number given in the size and your pant size. American suits typically have a 6-inch drop. For example, an American suit in size 38R would have pants that are size 32. Slim-fit suits or European suits typically have a 7-inch drop. So, you will need to subtract 7 from the over-arm measurement to see what the pants size is. Most pants can be let out one inch and taken in up to two inches, so your body doesn't need to have the exact measurements as the suit, but you'll want to choose one that is as close as possible.


Break: The break in a pair of pants is the spot where the hems fall on your shoes.

Full break: Pants are hemmed to reach down to the top of the shoes' heels, with the front of the hem "breaking" naturally over the shoes. This look is considered very fashionable.

Half break or medium break: Pants are hemmed to reach about halfway down the back of the shoes. This classic break is a very popular choice. It offers a traditional look.

No break: Hems end right before shoes, and a bit of sock is showing. This look is more casual.

Suit Fabrics

Cotton: Cotton suits are excellent for men who live in warm climates. If you want cotton business suits for hot weather, choose cotton suits in dark colors. A casual linen suit in a light color is appropriate if you need a suit for a destination wedding in a tropical location or you work at an office with a relaxed dress code.

Wool: Wool suits are beautiful and durable, which makes them very versatile. Wool is made in several weights, including worsted wool, so it can be worn anytime of the year.

Blends: Polyester, rayon, or a blend of the two, are also used for suits. These suits are very affordable, but may not have the long life of a wool suit. You may also see wool blended with silk, which will give your suit a luxurious feel. A suit's lining may be made of polyester, acetate, or some other man-made fiber; this is not unusual and these are still high-quality suits.

Get the Right Size Suit

Suit sizes have a number with a letter or word, such as 40L or 40 Long. The number is your chest measurement or your over-arm measurement minus 7 inches. If these two numbers are about the same, use your chest measurement as your suit size. However, if the measurement over your arms is larger than your chest, use your over-arm measurement (minus 7) as your size.

The suit jacket length is described as short, regular, or long, but this may be designated with just the first letter: S, R, or L. The letter or word given in the size refers to your overall height. These measurements are not perfect for everyone, though, so be aware of your body proportions. Choose the suit jacket length that covers your rear end without going any farther. For example, if you're 5'10" but have a long torso, then you may want to shop for a long.

Short
5'5" to 5'7"
Regular
5'8" to 5'10"
Long
5'11" to 6'2"

Measurements and tailoring are an essential part of buying men's suits. An ill-fitting suit can make a poor impression and be uncomfortable, so make sure you take accurate measurements and take your suit to a tailor for the finishing touches.

Slim-fit suits are popular among stylish men. However, finding the right size can be tricky if you are used to a more relaxed fit. We have provided tips on buying a men's slim-fit suit to help you figure out the differences.

Do you need more help getting the measurements for your new suit? Read our guide on how to measure yourself for a men's suit and you'll find out the tricks for getting it just right.