Richmond hotels still offering freebies

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:14:30 +0000

As hotels across the country downsize their staffs and cut back on freebies such as cookies at the front desk and 24-hour coffee, a handful of Richmond�??s high-end hotels are dishing out the complimentary goodies.

The team mentality

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:04:21 +0000

The break room at James River Exteriors' Chesterfield office sometimes feels like a locker room. There�??s lots of playful pushing and shoving and some good-natured name calling. On Monday mornings during the fall, employees recount the good and bad from the weekend�??s flag football game over a cup of coffee.

Interns take financial message to the web

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:57:06 +0000

Interns from Dorsey Wright and Associates, are reaching out to college students in a series of low-budget web videos to get 20-somethings to think about managing their money.

The key to success in 2009

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:03:46 +0000

With jobs becoming increasingly scarce, the entire local economy will recalibrate. But uncertain economic conditions create tremendous opportunity for savvy companies.

Pad the résumé, just not too much

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:08:13 +0000

Teachers love to tell their students that liars and cheaters never win. But when was the last time they updated their résumés? How much should a job seeker bend the truth on a résumé, and what fibs can experienced hiring managers spot? BizSense asks several local recruiters for the warning flags, as well as the best fibs they've seen.

Surf�??s up, couch style

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:49:31 +0000

Talk about homestyle. One social networking site is providing travelers with a free alternative to staying in a hotel. That might be why about 10,000 people a week sign up to join CouchSurfing.com.

Read about it in my book

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:03:02 +0000

BizSense counted at least eight local execs-turned-authors. The most recent to catch the book bug is Shawn Boyer, founder of online job board Snagajob.com. His book is rumored to be about the part-time job industry.

Knowledge is Good

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:03:00 +0000

As the unemployment rate creeps higher every month and economic uncertainty looms, interest in graduate MBA programs here and across the country is increasing. Raises might be fewer and farther between in the coming years, so even those who aren�??t getting laid off are investigating contingency plans.

Leave the punditry outside the office

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:42:53 +0000

There�??s office politics, and then there�??s talking politics in the office. As tempting as it might be to chime in about Sarah Palin's folksy accent, of Obama's suave speeches; Be wary. Be verrrrry wary.

Piercings still not cool at most workplaces

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:50:14 +0000

You might want to think twice about letting the guy with a piercing gun near your nose or tongue. And not just because it�??s gotta hurt like the dickens.

It could prevent you from getting a job.

A majority of Richmond�??s business-minded population dislike piercings and think that they are bad for business, according to a new BizSense survey.

Last week, we asked 20 Richmond-area business professionals how they felt about tattoos. Most people didn�??t have a personal problem with them, as 55% of respondents said they neither liked nor disliked body ink.

It was a different story at the office. Sixty percent of the people we surveyed thought that tattoos have a negative effect on the workplace. And not a single person thought that tattoos were good for business.

This week, we�??ve turned our attention to piercings. And no, we�??re not talking about women with flashy hoop earrings or men with diamond studs. We�??re talking about the crazier stuff �?? nose, lip and eyebrow rings, nose studs, tongue rings. People like this guy.

Ok, maybe not that extreme. As with our tattoo survey, we asked 20 Richmond-area business professionals how they felt personally about piercings. The majority of respondents, 65%, said that they dislike piercings. Thirty percent don�??t have an opinion. Only one person said that they liked piercings.

And as expected, they�??re not a career booster in Richmond. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said that piercings have a negative effect on the office. The other 45% said that they didn�??t think piercings had a positive or negative effect. And not a single person said that piercings could have a positive effect on business. (We didn�??t send our survey out to tattoo parlors, which would have skewed more positive answers).

Revisiting a question from last week�??s survey, we asked whether or not you would ever fire or reconsider hiring someone because of a proclivity for piercings. Sixty percent said that they would. Forty percent said they wouldn�??t.

And finally, we asked if anyone out there had any piercings. Here, the responses weren�??t as colorful as we had hoped. Only six respondents, or 30%, said that they had piercings. All six responses were from women, and all six were referring to earrings.

Robert Bradshaw, president and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia, provided this anecdote: �??I once interviewed a woman for a marketing position, and she was perfect �?? resume, experience, etc. But there was something about the conversation with her that was just weird. Finally, I noticed that she had her tongue pierced, and it kept clicking with her teeth. I did not hire her and often wondered what I would have done if she had removed the stud until after I had hired her,�?? Bradshaw said.

�??People with piercings are not a protected class �?? they can remove the studs during business and if they fail to do so, I believe they could be appropriately dismissed,�?? Bradshaw said.

Jae Haeren, a professor at VCU�??s School of Business, said that people with piercings might be limiting their future opportunities.
�??Personally, I don�??t care whether people have them or not, but it may not be good for any professional advancement in their careers,�?? Haeren said.

Reflecting a sentiment shared by others in management, Beth B. Jasper, owner of Wolfgang Jasper/Howldog Photography, does not have an issue with an individual�??s choice to pierce but appearance on the job can matter.

�??I have no disagreement personally with piercings or tattoos, and believe in freedom of personal expression,�?? Jasper said. However, an employee�??s role in her shop may determine how acceptable their piercings are on the job.

�??When I hire employees that will have any kind of customer service contact on a regular basis, I either ask them to �??tone�?? it down for those occasions, or know that they are not going to work out for those positions. But if it is for a position �??behind the scenes�?? with little or no customer face-to-face, I have no problem with piercings, tattoos, scarification�?�etc.,�?? Jasper said.

Dan Bryant, VP of business development for On Hold Marketing, also has no personal bias against people with piercings. However, he said, they need to understand the environment that they�??re in and adjust their appearance accordingly.

�??In the workplace, individuals (no matter their role in the work place) represent the business they work for. Especially when interfacing with customers, an employee�??s language, demeanor, body language, dress, hygiene, and appearance in general reflects on the business they work for. If any aspect of an employee�??s interface with customers can be interpreted as bizarre or offensive, it can cause a customer to feel like maybe another provider will suit them better,�?? Bryant said.

He also said that certain workplaces may benefit from a pierced employee.

�??Interpersonal relationships or simply communications within an organization can be affected by any kind of appearance that�??s considered notably positive or negative�?�piercings included. If the culture is piercing-friendly�?�it could have a positive affect. If the workplace is a piercing palace, then it�??s a personal endorsement; a powerful positive for the workplace,�?? Bryant said.

Is �??piercees�?? even a word? (Note: According to Webster, no)

Biz Sense Work Life