Jobs, careers, employment, education

I didn't have a problem with the old bonus structure
It's not enough. The government should step in.
The new approach seems about right to me.
The changes are all smoke and mirrors; it's business as usual on Wall St.

I didn't have a problem with the old bonus structure

It's not enough. The government should step in.

The new approach seems about right to me.

The changes are all smoke and mirrors; it's business as usual on Wall St.

Would you consider taking an internship position to get a foot in the door of a new industry/career path?

Yes. I'll take whatever I can get in this economy.
Only if it was a paid position.
No. It would be a big step down that would hurt my career.

Yes. I'll take whatever I can get in this economy.

Only if it was a paid position.

No. It would be a big step down that would hurt my career.

Netflix is so committed to hiring "star performers" that "adequate" workers are shown the door. What's your take?

What's wrong with a company wanting to hire good people?
It takes more than stars to build a great team
How many stars does it take to mail me a DVD?

What's wrong with a company wanting to hire good people?

It takes more than stars to build a great team

How many stars does it take to mail me a DVD?

Compared to three months ago, I believe the market for job seekers is:

What was the most significant business deal of 2009?

Pfizer acquiring Wyeth
Comcast getting a controlling stake in NBC Universal
The U.S. Treasury owning one-third of Citigroup
Microsoft and Yahoo signing a 10-year search deal
G.M. becoming "Government Motors"

Pfizer acquiring Wyeth

Comcast getting a controlling stake in NBC Universal

The U.S. Treasury owning one-third of Citigroup

Microsoft and Yahoo signing a 10-year search deal

G.M. becoming "Government Motors"

After Bernie Madoff, which of the following people was the biggest business loser of 2009?

Raj Rajaratnam (Galleon Group)
Ken Lewis (Bank of America)
Tiger Woods
Marc Dreier (Dreier LLP)
Ramalinga Raju (Satyam)

Raj Rajaratnam (Galleon Group)

Ken Lewis (Bank of America)

Tiger Woods

Marc Dreier (Dreier LLP)

Ramalinga Raju (Satyam)

What individual was most influential in shaping the business climate in 2009?

President Obama
Bernie Madoff
Tim Geithner
Richard Fuld
Ben Bernanke

President Obama

Bernie Madoff

Tim Geithner

Richard Fuld

Ben Bernanke

From a job seeking perspective, how do you feel about the climate summit underway in Copenhagen?

It's a good thing: green jobs are crucial to the future of the economy and the planet
Green jobs are just a passing fad
Green issues really don't relate to my career path
Wait, what's going on in Copenhagen?

It's a good thing: green jobs are crucial to the future of the economy and the planet

Green jobs are just a passing fad

Green issues really don't relate to my career path

Wait, what's going on in Copenhagen?

Unemployment topped 10 percent in 2009 for the first time in 25 years. What do you think will happen in 2010?

I think it will stay around 10 percent
I think it will get higher in 2010.
I think it will drop to between 9 and 10 percent
I think it will drop below 9 percent

I think it will stay around 10 percent

I think it will get higher in 2010.

I think it will drop to between 9 and 10 percent

I think it will drop below 9 percent

How are your employer's holiday party plans shaping up this year?

This year's party will be bigger than ever
There will be a party, but it'll be more modest than in previous years
It looks like it'll be the same as always
Humbug! My company isn't planning anything

This year's party will be bigger than ever

There will be a party, but it'll be more modest than in previous years

It looks like it'll be the same as always

Humbug! My company isn't planning anything

Compared to three months ago, I believe that the market for job seekers is:

Should the government break up large financial institutions like Goldman, Citigroup, JP Morgan and Bank of America?

Yes. Banks that are too big to fail are too big to exist.
No. Government shouldn't be interfering in the free market
Yes, but only if the banks fail to reform their behavior
No, but they should be regulated much more stringently

Yes. Banks that are too big to fail are too big to exist.

No. Government shouldn't be interfering in the free market

Yes, but only if the banks fail to reform their behavior

No, but they should be regulated much more stringently

With the economy now officially in recovery mode, pay cuts should be a thing of the past soon, right? Let us know where your salary's at right now.

I had a pay cut, but it's been restored
Pay cuts are still in effect--with no end in sight
I expect my pay cut to be restored soon
The recession never affected my salary
I'm earning more now than when the recession started

I had a pay cut, but it's been restored

Pay cuts are still in effect--with no end in sight

I expect my pay cut to be restored soon

The recession never affected my salary

I'm earning more now than when the recession started

President Obama has declared swine flu a "national emergency." Should employers give sick employees extra time off to try to contain it?

Definitely: They should be given 5 extra sick days so as not to spread the disease.
No way: People will just lie to get extra time off.
Who cares? It's not nearly as big a problem as the media is making it out to be.
People should stay home if they feel ill, but not at the company's expense.

Definitely: They should be given 5 extra sick days so as not to spread the disease.

No way: People will just lie to get extra time off.

Who cares? It's not nearly as big a problem as the media is making it out to be.

People should stay home if they feel ill, but not at the company's expense.

The government is going to cut compensation at companies that took large amounts of bailout cash. What's your take?

It's about time: why should we pay giant salaries to people who wouldn't have had jobs without the bailout?
It's a bad move: the top talent from those companies will just move away
Government should not be setting private sector salaries. Period.
If it helps end selfish, short-term thinking, I'm all for it

It's about time: why should we pay giant salaries to people who wouldn't have had jobs without the bailout?

It's a bad move: the top talent from those companies will just move away

Government should not be setting private sector salaries. Period.

If it helps end selfish, short-term thinking, I'm all for it

What's your take on the latest round of Wall Street bonuses?

They're disgusting. The government should do something.
I don't like it, but the government has no business meddling with salaries in the private sector.
I don't have a problem with it. The firms made the money, and they can do what they like with it.

They're disgusting. The government should do something.

I don't like it, but the government has no business meddling with salaries in the private sector.

I don't have a problem with it. The firms made the money, and they can do what they like with it.

A bill to extend unemployment insurance in States with unemployment above 8.5% is stalled in the House. What's your take?

Partisan bickering like this is ruining the country
Unemployment insurance is just an incentive not to find a job
This needs to be passed soon -- people are suffering out there
I don't care. I have a job.

Partisan bickering like this is ruining the country

Unemployment insurance is just an incentive not to find a job

This needs to be passed soon -- people are suffering out there

I don't care. I have a job.

David Letterman’s creepy confession aside, which option below best sums up your “best practices” statement regarding intra-office romantic fraternization?

Okay, as long as the parties are in different areas of the company
Okay, as long as the parties are of similar level
Okay, as long as conditions a. and b. have been met
That’s gross
Don’t bother me, I’m waiting for my hot supervisor to send me a sext

Okay, as long as the parties are in different areas of the company

Okay, as long as the parties are of similar level

Okay, as long as conditions a. and b. have been met

That’s gross

Don’t bother me, I’m waiting for my hot supervisor to send me a sext

Why did you go/why are you thinking of going to grad school?

Because I'm interested in working in a specific field, and need the degree to do so
Because I think/thought the degree would generally help my career
To kill time until the economy recovers
Because I love being a student

Because I'm interested in working in a specific field, and need the degree to do so

Because I think/thought the degree would generally help my career

To kill time until the economy recovers

Because I love being a student

Which company would you rather work for?

With the summer now over, how did the recession affect your vacation time?

It had no effect on the vacation time I took/could have taken
I took less time off due to the recession/fear of layoffs
I chose to take more time off than usual
I had more time off because of furloughs/reduced hours
Every day is a vacation when you don't have a job to go to

It had no effect on the vacation time I took/could have taken

I took less time off due to the recession/fear of layoffs

I chose to take more time off than usual

I had more time off because of furloughs/reduced hours

Every day is a vacation when you don't have a job to go to

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said that "the recession is very likely over." What do you think?

Bernanke is right -- the worst is behind us
Things won't get better until the jobs come back
Things will get worse before they get better
The "recession" was over-hyped in the first place

Bernanke is right -- the worst is behind us

Things won't get better until the jobs come back

Things will get worse before they get better

The "recession" was over-hyped in the first place

How is your current employment situation?

I love my job, and am not looking for another
I'm working, but looking elsewhere
I've been looking for less than 2 months
I've been looking for 3 to 6 months
I've been looking for 7-12 months
I've been looking for over a year

I love my job, and am not looking for another

I'm working, but looking elsewhere

I've been looking for less than 2 months

I've been looking for 3 to 6 months

I've been looking for 7-12 months

I've been looking for over a year

On the question of health insurance, I’d most like to see:

No change to the current system
An option to shop for an affordable alternative to an employer-based plan
More options for the unemployed
Socialized health care
A single payer scheme

No change to the current system

An option to shop for an affordable alternative to an employer-based plan

More options for the unemployed

Socialized health care

A single payer scheme

National credit-card debt fell for the 11th straight month in July, to $905.6 billion. Have you played your part?

Yes, I have been making steady inroads into my balance
Nope, I am as far in the red as ever
Are you kidding? My balance goes up every month.
Yes, I’ve cleared my balance completely
I owe nothing, and never did

Yes, I have been making steady inroads into my balance

Nope, I am as far in the red as ever

Are you kidding? My balance goes up every month.

Yes, I’ve cleared my balance completely

I owe nothing, and never did

How useful was your college degree in preparing you for your current career?

Not useful at all - I can't get hired in the field I studied
I'm in a completely unrelated field out of choice
Very useful
It opened some doors, but I had/have a lot to learn

Not useful at all - I can't get hired in the field I studied

I'm in a completely unrelated field out of choice

Very useful

It opened some doors, but I had/have a lot to learn

If an employer checked you out on a social networking site, would they find anything that might put them off?

Do videos of me and Paris count?
What's social networking?
Nope. It's strictly professional: LinkedIn for jobs, Facebook for friends only
I'm too busy deleting pics to answer

Do videos of me and Paris count?

What's social networking?

Nope. It's strictly professional: LinkedIn for jobs, Facebook for friends only

I'm too busy deleting pics to answer

In the news: Bankers' salaries are rebounding to pre-recessionary levels. How has your salary held up so far?

Pay cuts are still in effect
There was a pay cut, but it's been restored now
I actually got a raise
No change

Pay cuts are still in effect

There was a pay cut, but it's been restored now

I actually got a raise

No change

The recession is projected to end in the third quarter. How do you think your company will emerge?

Employment anxiety is still high. Have you recently dreamt that:

Your company cut hours to half days
You got fired/laid off
You got demoted
You were engaged in battle
You were naked at work

Your company cut hours to half days

You got fired/laid off

You got demoted

You were engaged in battle

You were naked at work

Vault Polls

Some banks--including Goldman Sachs--have modified their bonus structures this year to try and mitigate risk. What's your take?