What if you found out a product you use every day, a product you had planned on buying again when your present product gave up the ghost, was indirectly killing workers?

That appears to be what’s happening at a Chinese manufacturer that makes the iPhone.

I admit it. I have an iPhone, one of the first that came out. And lately the thing is making me wonder if the pursuit of the latest gadget without any thought is smart or ethical.

Ten workers at two factories in Zhenzhen, China, have killed themselves, most jumping off of buildings at the production complex. The facilities’ operator Foxconn, makes electronics for major U.S. companies including Apple; and conditions there, according to local reports, are extremely high pressure. (more…)

Something happens to people when they become famous. Their heads get so big they lose all common sense.

John Stossel was featured in the most recent issue of New York magazine and he’s quoted as saying unpaid interns made him the man he is today. I’m sure there probably were a bunch of plantation owners who credited slaves for their success as well.

In his career, Stossel claims he’s exposed hucksters. Maybe he should look in the mirror. (more…)

Yes, it’s a tough economy. Yes, there are tons of people for every job. Yes, you’re going to be looking for a gig for a while.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

But that doesn’t mean employers can treat you like crap during the interview process.

Many hiring managers feel they’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to having their pick of great job candidates, and that can spell doom for some of you looking for a gig.

I heard from a soon-to-be college graduate named Meg recently who said she had the interview from hell. (more…)

Did you know your job and profession aren’t real life?

What is real is Prince Charming.

That’s according to Kelly Ripa, a judge on “The Marriage Ref” last night. If you don’t watch the show, it basically includes several vignettes of married couples who have an issue and the judges and a referee come up with a solution.

This particular episode included Erica Cobb and Jesse Lehman, a married couple fighting over last names. Lehman wants his wife to engage in the outdated ritual of taking his name, and after nearly five years together, she still, thankfully, refused to take his last name. They came to the show to have the judges decide. Ripa and Demi Moore were the two women on the panel.
Ripa first said, “this is American and she has the right to keep her name so I have to go with her.” But then she changed her tune and sided with the husband and she used some pretty disgusting reasoning that almost caused my husband and me to fall off the couch. (more…)

Can you blame Adam Wheeler, 23? He just wanted what every one wants — a guarantee for a successful career.

Wheeler supposedly made up his academic history to get into the ultimate Ivy League school, Harvard. (Snooty pronunciation here.) And now he’s facing fraud charges, and clearly his butt got kicked out before he wore the most prestigious graduate cap in the country, maybe the world.

This from the Associated Press:

Wheeler’s attempts to be an overachiever were his undoing: Harvard started to look into Wheeler’s background after he sought the school’s endorsement for Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships. A professor reviewing his application noticed similarities between Wheeler’s writing and that of a colleague, prosecutors said.

Wheeler was indicted on 20 offenses, including larceny, identity fraud and pretending to hold a degree.

He wanted a Harvard degree. A smart goal if he wanted to get doors open for him, become president, get a seat on the Supreme Court. Can you really blame the kid? (more…)

Our local library asked me to speak in the fall about career reinvention. Based on the types of books readers are checking out, the program manager for adult programs at the library figured that would be a great topic to draw a crowd.

The request immediately got me thinking about what I’d do if I could do something other than journalism. (more…)

I was watching “Working Girl” last week, for the fourth time, and the thing that got me most upset was when Sigourney Weaver’s boss character, Katherine, steals the brilliant idea that came from the lowly secretary Tess played by Melanie Griffith.

Tess McGill: [to Katherine] Look, you, maybe you’ve got everyone around here fooled with this saint act you have going, but do not ever speak to me again like we don’t know what really happened, you got me?
Katherine Parker: Tess, this is business. Let’s just bury the hatchet, okay?
Tess McGill: You know where you can bury your hatchet? Now get your bony ass outta my sight!

I felt such compassion for the secretary this time around because recently I was ripped off. A major newspaper stole one of my story ideas and gave me no credit. It was a series of events I initiated that led to this journalistic theft, but I was still hot with anger over the episode. (more…)

We all need a reality check. And this coming for a gal who admits she needs one as well.

All you hear lately is Twitter this, Facebook that. Social networking sites are popping up everyday and the media, so-called social media gurus, and marketing folks want you to believe that if you’re not tweeting, blogging, or developing your cyber brand you’ll be doomed to die alone, unemployed, and uninformed.

Well, that’s bull. In fact, only 1 percentage of hires made in this country right now have anything to do with cyber social networking. And that’s from the horse’s mouth — hiring managers.

I know Ashton Kutcher uses Twitter all the time, but you’re not Ashton Kutcher. (more…)

Whenever a woman is named to a key leadership position the first thing I do is find out if they have children.

I know, it’s sort of sexist since I don’t do the same when male leaders are named. But having a guy get a top post in government or a corporation isn’t a big deal given their dominance in running most things in this country. And men just don’t typically take on the same responsibilities as women do when it comes to caring for children. That’s just the reality.

So, I was a bit disheartened when I read that Obama’s pick for Supreme Court justice, Elena Kagan, now US Solicitor General, had no kids. His last pick, Sonia Sotomayor, also had no children.

I’m sure the president isn’t bypassing moms on purpose, but often women in power don’t have children. I found that with the many women CEOs I’ve interviewed over the years.

Maybe the big seats are just too much for us. (more…)

I’m asked often about whether maintaining a blog can help or hinder a career, or job search.

The answer: I don’t know. No one knows for sure, I don’t care what the social media gurus say.

There are so many factors that can go into your decision to blog. That means you have to do your own personal pro-and-con blogging inventory.

Take Eric Zinn. (more…)