(www.bizchicksrule.com) — I shuddered when I read this article on Yahoo! Finance.

In a budding trend some employment experts say is invasive, companies are stepping up electronic monitoring and oversight of tens of thousands of home-based independent contractors. They’re taking photos of workers’ computer screens at random, counting keystrokes and mouse clicks and snapping photos of them at their computers. They’re plying sophisticated technology to instantaneously detect anger, raised voices or children crying in the background on workers’ home-office calls. Others are using Darwinian routing systems that keep calls coming so fast workers have no time to go to the bathroom. …read more

guest post by Julie Duryea
Currently, the most common term to describe freelancers, consultants, entrepreneurs and the generally self-employed, free-agent-types working in the same physical space is coworking. Though these places vary in size, ambiance and offerings, they attract professional mavericks who have shunned da’ man, who are reclaiming and redefining the water cooler for da’ newfound colleagues. A few of my favorite labels for these pioneers:

Nomadic professionals
Post-geographic workers
Bedouin workforce
Gypsy teams

While some of the kitschy labels suggest a carefree attitude, those making a go of it on their own are far from carefree. Kinda. I mean, they build in play where …read more

I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s noticed an increasingly casual trend in business dress. (Bridget posted on the less casual side of business attire yesterday.) This Gallup poll demonstrates that, in the US, only a minority of employees are wearing what used to be considered standard business attire.

How do you dress for work? I’m a bad example because I work from home, but when I attend meetings on site I wear slacks and a sweater or button-down shirt with heels or dressy flats or a skirt/dress with dress shoes or dress sandals. One of my neighbors, however, works …read more

I’m still on the fence about video resumes, though I can certainly see their application in today’s increasingly Internet-driven world. But video business cards? I think I might be just too much of a traditionalist to get on board with this idea. After all, you know how much I love my business cards!
Purported benefits of video business cards (this is one of the cheezier videos I found, but it’s considerably less promotional in nature than many of the others:

Here’s one video business card in action (interestingly, I couldn’t find one that wasn’t for a performing artist):

What do you think? Are …read more

Earlier this year, we talked about the importance of having a strong Internet persona when you’re looking for a job. After all, in our perpetually connected society, chances are good that someone will be Googling you in the near future. Perhaps you’re being Googled right now! (Oooo, spooky…)
Blogging and Business posted last week on managing your online reputation with some great tips from an online reputation manager. Who knew there was such a thing? Here are some of the suggestions:

Use your own name — URLs, user names, etc. — so no one else can.
Write about yourself in the third person …read more