By DIANA MIDDLETON

• The Job: Translator/Interpreter

• The Nature of the Work: Translators and interpreters work fluidly with languages, but their responsibilities differ. Translators work with printed copy. Interpreters specialize in the spoken word and serve as liaisons between two parties, such as a doctor and patient or defendant and attorney. They typically must consider ethical obligations; translators often have to massage copy to make sense of pop culture references. “Being bilingual isn’t enough,” says Judy Jenner, who co-founded Twin Translations with her sister. “We have to shape a message to an international audience.”

• The Pay: Many jobs are free-lance. Interpreters can earn between $15 and $30 per hour, according to Common Sense Advisory, a Boston-based research firm. Translations are paid per word. Ms. Jenner, for example, charges 24 to 27 cents per word, depending on the skill level. Savvy translators can earn six figures per year, says Milena Savova, academic director of the department of foreign languages, translating and interpreting at New York University. Full-time staff at language-services firms earn from $40,000 to $60,000, according to a recent survey from the Globalization and Localization Association, a language-services trade group.

• The Hours: Hours are often flexible. Ms. Jenner, who lives in Las Vegas, says she completes her assignments while lounging by the pool. Her twin sister and fellow translator/interpreter works from Austria. Elizabeth Chegezy, a translator and interpreter in Philadelphia, says free-lancers can work as much or as little as they like. However, she warns that the high-paced role technology plays in the business means some clients will demand unreasonable deadlines. At language-services firms, business hours are the norm.

• The Benefits: Free-lancers are responsible for their own health-care and retirement-savings plans. At language-services firms, traditional health-care packages are common, as are retirement-savings programs.

• Other Incentives: Translators and interpreters can cultivate a specialty in the field—thus leading to higher-paying jobs. Those with a background in chemistry, for example, will be shoe-ins for jobs translating complex documents about chemicals. Ms. Jenner parlayed her M.B.A. in marketing to nab a tourism-related translation job in Vienna.

• Best Part of the Job: For those with a passion for languages it’s a way to flex that muscle for personal satisfaction. Ms. Chegezy enjoys learning different strands of slang from Spanish-speaking countries, from Panama to Mexico. “Languages are an acquired skill for me, and there’s always something new to learn,” she says.

• Worst Part of the Job: Interpreting jobs in the health-care industry can make some squeamish. Ms. Chegezy has seen broken bones and patients vomiting while on the job. In addition, professionals must aggressively look for jobs. “It’s feast or famine,” says Ms. Jenner.

• Education/Qualifications: There are no official certifications required, although several are offered through trade organizations, such as the American Translators Association. A college degree is not required, but most have them. Spanish is the most in-demand language, but other languages are growing, such as Arabic.

• Hiring: Demand for translators and interpreters is expected to increase 24% through 2016, according to the Department of Labor. Joining an industry group such as the American Translators Association, which has its own job bank, can help translators find jobs in both translation and interpretation. The All Language Alliance also connects job seekers and positions.

Write to Diana Middleton at diana.middleton@wsj.com

By JANE HODGES

Telecommuters, entrepreneurs, and the self-employed all grapple with the logistical challenges of working alone. At home, workers face isolation and domestic distraction. At the corner coffee shop offering free Wi-Fi, there’s insufficient privacy, too few electrical outlets and the nuisance of latte orders shouted out through the day.

A growing number of workers face these hassles every day. As of November 2009, there were nine million self-employed workers in the U.S., according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Meanwhile, the volume of workers telecommuting at least once a month for employers grew 17% between 2006 and 2008, to 33.7 million workers, according to WorldatWork, a human-resources research firm in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Telecommuting has grown more widespread among full-time workers due to technology advances and corporate efforts to drive down overhead by lowering real-estate costs, says Cindy Auten, general manager of Telework Exchange, a telecommuting research organization in Alexandria, Va. “Organizations are starting to see the benefits of telecommuting for the bottom line,” Ms. Auten says. “The ability to work offsite is even a recruitment tool.”

For those who lack a conventional office, shared, or “coworking,” spaces promise to solve some of the dilemmas of working alone. These facilities provide environments where professional nomads can work in relative quiet and even socialize around the coffee pot, or copier.

Just how well could we “cowork”? To find out, we took laptop and cellphone to four facilities in four cities, Office Nomads in Seattle; Souk in Portland, Ore.; The Coop in Chicago; and New Work City in Manhattan. All four are located in popular neighborhoods near public transit.

The facilities offered a variety of pricing plans ranging from day rates for the noncommittal to full-time 24-hour access memberships. Aside from solo workstations, they all also offered free high-speed Internet connections, free coffee, whiteboards and areas (with beanbag chairs) for small group brainstorming sessions, restrooms, lockers or storage, and light office amenities such as copiers.

Reservations weren’t required at any of the spaces, but were available at Souk and are forthcoming at New Work City.

All the facilities belonged to the “Coworking Visa” program, which lets members in participating coworking spaces use partner spaces elsewhere when traveling.

All also offered first-come/first-serve use of conference rooms for quick private chats or calls. At Souk, you could pay to reserve conference rooms for formal meetings or longer uses.

The Coop, located in Chicago’s West Loop area, was the smallest space we tested, with desk-top spaces pushed up against one another without dividers.

We visited twice during the week—on a Wednesday and Thursday—and appreciated that a few workers—an accountant and a consultant—greeted us. Working in a formal office motivated us more to work and we appreciated the comfy black leather chairs and good lighting. But the lack of barriers between desks meant we could see coworkers’ computer screens, and vice versa.

We were unsure of phone etiquette, but learned it was acceptable to make calls in the open when coworkers conducted job interviews and client meetings over the phone. While slightly distracting, the open-air calls were no worse than in a conventional office.

Manhattan’s New Work City, on the edge of SoHo, was on the compact side. The space had a 20-worker capacity and didn’t take reservations when we called, but the owner said a reservation systems is in the works. After check-in, we snagged one of the few remaining spots. We appreciated that our work space was spacious and that coworkers seemed industrious. Some of the office denizens appeared familiar with one another and a bulletin board posted community news, but we didn’t feel pressured to socialize.

Both coworking spaces we tried in the techie Northwest were bigger. Seattle’s Office Nomads, located in youthful and artistic Capitol Hill, can accommodate several dozen workers with its mix of closed-door offices, open desks and lounge areas. Office Nomads didn’t require a reservation and won’t charge for the first visit. Office Nomads was well-lit, with abundant plugs and desk options.

Coworkers—as well as the site’s founders—introduced themselves and offered help. We weren’t sure if we visited on a particularly friendly day or if this was the norm. Office Nomads appeared to place an emphasis on creating a community for its members; there was a “State of the Nomads” monthly meeting at midday. A bulletin board listed in-house social options as well as visiting speakers slated to appear, and also featured quirky photos and fun facts about members. Office Nomads also offered the most extensive weekday hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

We made a reservation to use Souk, on the edge of Portland’s Pearl District and Chinatown, for a Thursday. We were surprised at how quiet the space was, with less than 15 workers inhabiting a space sufficient for several dozen more. The friendly office manager checked us in, gave us a tour, and even made us an Americano coffee from the office cappuccino maker.

Souk offered the widest variety of work-space configurations. Full-time members could use enclosed offices, but less-frequent coworkers could choose from rolling desks in a large open room, a communal work table, or first-come/first-serve semi-private rooms with walls and sliding doors. We liked that rolling desks in the open room could be moved at coworkers’ discretion—toward a wall for privacy, near a partner for collaboration. The open room also offered lightweight partitions for makeshift privacy. We chose a semi-private room. Noise was minimal, but we overheard some consultants and nonprofit sector types talking about work projects. Abstract art adorned the brick walls and furnishings included Herman Miller chairs and modern desks.

All in all, we liked coworking spaces. There were a few hitches, however. We needed to spend considerable time on the phone and felt uncomfortable discussing confidential matters publicly or hogging conference rooms. The other complication is that while coworking spaces guarantee and deliver a baseline of services, they also offer lots of extras based on loose rules. For instance, sometimes the facilities stay open later than posted hours and sometimes they don’t, or conference rooms aren’t always available.

For those of us with tight deadlines or plan-ahead mentalities, this can be stressful. But considering how cheap and flexible coworking is relative to a full-time lease—and the social perks—we don’t have problems with this unpredictability.

—Lori Barrett in Chicago and Shivani Vora in New York contributed to this article.

By VICTORIA E. KNIGHT

Employers seeking to promote wellness in the workplace may have to rethink their rewards programs – or run the risk of breaking new federal rules protecting individuals’ genetic information.

The recently issued guidelines prohibit health plans and employers from offering any financial rewards to any worker for participating in a health risk assessment that requests information about their family medical history. The rules apply to group health insurance with plan years beginning on or after Dec. 7.

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HRAs are confidential surveys that include questions about employees’ habits and health, and are used to direct them into employer-sponsored wellness and disease management programs. Most include questions about family history. Many employers offer insurance premium discounts or cash bonuses, among other rewards, to workers who fill them out.

Regulators made clear that the new rules, issued on Oct. 7, apply to wellness programs that offer financial incentives for completing HRAs that request genetic information. The rules aren’t final yet: Employers and insurers have until Jan. 5 to submit comments, which means they could yet be revised.

Employers usually ask workers to complete HRAs during open enrollment, a three-month window generally between October and December, during which employees elect their health coverage for the next year.

“It’s pretty late in the game for these rules to be coming out, as most health plans and employers have already completed their materials for open enrollment,” says Gretchen Young, vice president of health policy at The Erisa Industry Committee, a trade organization representing about 100 of the largest U.S employers.

Employers whose health plans aren’t in compliance may face significant monetary penalties. Even for unintentional violations, employers can face fines of up to $500,000. They also risk discrimination lawsuits, according to Anne Waidmann, an employee benefits expert and director with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Washington.

Regulators say the new restrictions on the use of incentives are designed to bring HRAs into line with provisions in the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008. It prohibits the collection of genetic information, which includes family medical history, for insurance underwriting purposes.

Young fears that, with fewer incentives, fewer employees will sign up for HRAs, which employers view as a key tool in taming rising medical expenses. About 64% of employers now offer incentives for completing HRAs, up from 57% last year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of about 700 large employers.

Waidmann says there are ways employers can bring their HRAs into compliance: They can simply remove questions on family medical history from HRAs when a financial incentive is being offered, or they can split the questionnaire in two and only offer a reward for the part that doesn’t solicit family information. Under the rules, employers can only ask workers to voluntarily fill out the second section once they’ve enrolled in the health plan.

By KELLY GREENE

When people hear the word “sabbatical,” they invariably think, “Sounds great—but there’s no way I can do that.” Rita Foley and Jaye Smith beg to differ.

The two women (with two other friends) are co-founders of Reboot Partners LLC in Sag Harbor, N.Y. The consulting business holds retreats that help people figure out how to take effective sabbaticals. Earlier this year, the four women, who collectively have taken a dozen sabbaticals, published a book about their experiences and thinking: “Reboot Your Life: Energize Your Career and Life by Taking a Break.”

We sat down recently in New York with Ms. Foley, a corporate director and retired senior vice president and division president of MeadWestvaco Corp., and Ms. Smith, co-founder of Partners in Human Resources International, a Manhattan consulting firm, and president of Breakwater Consulting. Here are excerpts from that conversation.

Prepping the Boss

WSJ: How do people go about asking for a sabbatical at a time when jobs are scarce?

MS. SMITH: They have to go in prepared with who is going to replace them, how their work is going to be covered during this period of time. Really lay it out as a plan. How long they’d like to take the time off, and what might be some of the benefits back to the company.

It’s a benefit for the person stepping up into the [replacement] role. It gives that person exposure, or visibility, in a way they might not have had before. And it stretches them. It also gives the organization an opportunity to try some new things while that person [on sabbatical] has stepped away.

We’re seeing that allowing sabbaticals impacts retention numbers for companies, loyalty, and creativity and innovation. People come back better able to contribute.

MS. FOLEY: For the company, the teamwork involved is enormous. Believe it or not, colleagues are not resentful. They’re happy for their colleague, most of the time. They do step in, and you get to know someone else’s job. You empathize with what they need to do. It makes the organization much more resilient.

WSJ: Why do employers agree to sabbaticals?

MS. SMITH: Of Fortune’s best 100 companies to work for in America, 21 of them have paid-for, formal sabbatical programs. It’s a competitive advantage with regard to recruiting talent.

Two of the trends that corporations are focusing on right now are customer experience and innovation. You have to be creative about how you enable your team to be more innovative. And if you’re burned out, you’re going to take it out on your customers.

Sabbaticals also increase loyalty. We’re always quoting Intel as having given thousands and thousands of sabbaticals over time. They have a two-month sabbatical, plus you can add a one-month vacation.

Back Into It

WSJ: How do you plan for a sabbatical, and how much does it cost?

MS. SMITH: The first step is to have a vision and a goal. Be clear about why you want to take a break and what you want to achieve while you’re doing it. Then take it step by step. If you want to take it in January, what do I need to do in December, November? Back into it.

It may require renting your house out or doing a swap in a place you want to go to, which then would mean you have to prepare your house and sign up with an agency. There are lots of little steps toward making plans, whatever it is: registering for a class, or travel arrangements, or researching volunteer organizations around the world. Doing your research and putting a plan in place to prepare yourself.

Julie Klein

WIN-WIN Jaye Smith (left) and Rita Foley say sabbaticals can rejuvenate employees and lead to increased innovation for companies.

We talk about starting to cut your expenses as a way to prepare and start saving money for your sabbatical fund. If you get a bonus, sock that away. You could take a second job. Or you could earn money on your sabbatical doing something totally different. You could live in Japan and teach English. Some people have done little consulting assignments along the way to take a year or two off.

MS. FOLEY: A couple we know were riding their bikes across the U.S. and needed someone to drive their van. This woman they found was phenomenal. They paid for her hotel rooms and she got a $500 stipend for six weeks. She got to sightsee and ride her bike, and it was all paid for. Being a lecturer in a foreign country or on a boat, being tech support, driving someone’s car across the country—there are multiple ways to pay for it.

Cathy Allen, one of our co-authors, wanted to travel in Asia. So she wrote to the U.S. government and said, “Hi, I’m a businessperson.” She had no skills. But she convinced them she did. And she and her husband became lecturers for the U.S. government, traveling through Asia.

What to Do?

WSJ: Do you see many pre-retirees taking sabbaticals? How are they using them?

MS. SMITH: They are using them to explore, to test concepts, to live in a place they’re thinking about retiring to, taking classes in some area that might lead to an encore career, learning technology, learning a new language. They are also doing it to start to extricate themselves from their careers. Most people have worked 30 years, and the transition to what’s next takes a while.

MS. FOLEY: Baby boomers in particular were brought up that we did nothing but work. So many people said there was a rude awakening at first. Not having 24 hours scheduled, not having constant emails, not having the constant calls actually was a little uncomfortable. A couple of people talked about “detoxing” the first week. They slept a lot. Here they were, they’d been planning for this, they were dreaming of this, and they were surprised they couldn’t get out of bed the first week.

Almost everybody got back to some form of better eating and exercise, and they keep that up. And they say, “I didn’t realize what stress I was under. Now I can go back for my next five years with some balance as I continue to plan and try things out for when I do retire.”

Ms. Greene is a Wall Street Journal staff reporter in New York. She can be reached at next@wsj.com.

Melissa & Doug LLC, a fast-growing toy maker in Wilton, Conn., puts applicants through an interview process so grueling that one job seeker says she left in tears and felt psychologically traumatized.

Candidates must bring their lunch — plus three years of W-2 statements. They spend hours on simulated work tasks, several with tight deadlines. They complete a lengthy survey, where they rank their interest in chores such as fixing a leaky faucet and changing the fax machine’s toner. Some prospects walk out right after the all-day screening starts.

The process “is sometimes a little rough around the edges,” but Melissa & Doug hires only individuals “who will love it here,” says co-CEO Doug Bernstein. He and his wife founded a firm where sales staffers often interrupt work to belt out songs using the office karaoke machine. Melissa & Doug can afford to be picky. About 50 people now apply for every position the company fills, 10 times as many as two years ago, according to Mr. Bernstein.

As the downturn persists, U.S. employers flooded with résumés increasingly insist that job hunters jump through unusual hoops. An investment bank ordered an experienced female marketer to come dressed in fancy evening wear suitable for entertaining wealthy clients. Certain businesses force contenders to interview each other and tout their rival’s prowess. Others demand protracted unpaid tryouts.

“Job seekers frequently face a process that makes the Spanish Inquisition seem tame” because management sees the sour economy as a golden opportunity “for upgrading talent,” says Jennifer Berman, a Chicago human-resources consultant.

Anyone craving employment these days “should expect just about anything,” says Tom Carter, president of LeaderFinder Consulting Inc., a New York executive recruiter. He recently began requiring prospects to ace a role-playing exercise before recommending them to clients.

However, there are ways to anticipate and handle unorthodox screening tactics so you don’t get knocked out of the running while jogging that extra mile.

You may avoid surprises by digging deeper than usual. Ask present and prior staffers about a company’s hiring regimen, before checking online chatrooms and the corporate Web site for extra clues.

Capital One Financial Corp. alerts potential professionals and managers that many will tackle a business case study during interviews. The big bank’s Web site offers a sample case study and acceptable analysis. Candidates believe “it’s extremely helpful to have that case-study preparation,” says Tonya L. Swatzyna, senior director of recruiting.

Rehearsals also get you ready for curveball interview requests. Act out responses to standard queries with friends, and then “have them ask you crazy questions to catch you off guard,” says Townley Paton, owner of InterviewClips. The small San Francisco concern produces multimedia résumés for job hunters. You will appear even more self-confident if you practice your breathing, eye contact and smile, Mr. Patton adds.

Thinking fast on your feet helps, too. That’s how a candidate became the frontrunner for a vice presidency at a midsize biotechnology company. During the prospect’s interview with the company’s chief executive last month, the CEO insisted the woman attend a corporate meeting about pitching for a contract research assignment.

Her participation “was totally unplanned,” says Jay Meschke, president of CBIZ Executive Search, a CBIZ Inc. unit that helped the biotech concern field candidates. The woman offered impressive ideas about how the biotech business might craft the client pitch, according to Mr. Meschke. The firm will likely decide this month whether she will be its next VP of sales and marketing.

Daunting Hurdles

Some employers create hiring hurdles so daunting that their reputations suffer. A jobless executive sought to manage a large training department for a West Coast bank last year. The executive and seven fellow candidates were ushered into a crowded boardroom, where officials gave them each five minutes to interview the applicant next to them and offer a presentation on “why that person would be the best person for the job,” he recalls.

The assignment infuriated the HR executive. “It’s a total no win. You’re put in a position of failure from the beginning,” he says. The bank didn’t hire him, but “never told me why I wasn’t chosen,” the spurned candidate adds.

Since then, the executive repeatedly has discouraged acquaintances from applying there. He hopes the bank hears about his criticism. “Why would I care about burning employment bridges at a place I don’t want to work?” he asks.

Making the Most of It

Rather than retaliate, other job hunters take advantage of unconventional hurdles. Consider William “Tommy” Rollins, a digital marketing analyst laid off when Circuit City Stores Inc. liquidated in January. He soon met Brent Peterson, founder of InterviewAngel, a professional guide and toolkit offering interviewing tips in a binder. Mr. Peterson offered an unpaid tryout.

Mr. Rollins agreed to design free of charge an online sweepstakes where winners will receive a free copy of the guide, a résumé overhaul and a month of career coaching. He figured the start-up experience might lead to a paid gig there or elsewhere.

Mr. Rollins has provided 60 hours of free labor so far. The sweepstakes, launched May 13, proved immediately popular, according to Mr. Peterson. To make sure pro bono work opens doors for Mr. Rollins, Mr. Peterson serves as a job reference. “It is the least I can do,” he notes.

• 
  Email
  joann.lublin@wsj.com
  

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page B7

By KELLY GREENE

When people hear the word “sabbatical,” they invariably think, “Sounds great—but there’s no way I can do that.” Rita Foley and Jaye Smith beg to differ.

The two women (with two other friends) are co-founders of Reboot Partners LLC in Sag Harbor, N.Y. The consulting business holds retreats that help people figure out how to take effective sabbaticals. Earlier this year, the four women, who collectively have taken a dozen sabbaticals, published a book about their experiences and thinking: “Reboot Your Life: Energize Your Career and Life by Taking a Break.”

We sat down recently in New York with Ms. Foley, a corporate director and retired senior vice president and division president of MeadWestvaco Corp., and Ms. Smith, co-founder of Partners in Human Resources International, a Manhattan consulting firm, and president of Breakwater Consulting. Here are excerpts from that conversation.

Prepping the Boss

WSJ: How do people go about asking for a sabbatical at a time when jobs are scarce?

MS. SMITH: They have to go in prepared with who is going to replace them, how their work is going to be covered during this period of time. Really lay it out as a plan. How long they’d like to take the time off, and what might be some of the benefits back to the company.

It’s a benefit for the person stepping up into the [replacement] role. It gives that person exposure, or visibility, in a way they might not have had before. And it stretches them. It also gives the organization an opportunity to try some new things while that person [on sabbatical] has stepped away.

We’re seeing that allowing sabbaticals impacts retention numbers for companies, loyalty, and creativity and innovation. People come back better able to contribute.

MS. FOLEY: For the company, the teamwork involved is enormous. Believe it or not, colleagues are not resentful. They’re happy for their colleague, most of the time. They do step in, and you get to know someone else’s job. You empathize with what they need to do. It makes the organization much more resilient.

WSJ: Why do employers agree to sabbaticals?

MS. SMITH: Of Fortune’s best 100 companies to work for in America, 21 of them have paid-for, formal sabbatical programs. It’s a competitive advantage with regard to recruiting talent.

Two of the trends that corporations are focusing on right now are customer experience and innovation. You have to be creative about how you enable your team to be more innovative. And if you’re burned out, you’re going to take it out on your customers.

Sabbaticals also increase loyalty. We’re always quoting Intel as having given thousands and thousands of sabbaticals over time. They have a two-month sabbatical, plus you can add a one-month vacation.

Back Into It

WSJ: How do you plan for a sabbatical, and how much does it cost?

MS. SMITH: The first step is to have a vision and a goal. Be clear about why you want to take a break and what you want to achieve while you’re doing it. Then take it step by step. If you want to take it in January, what do I need to do in December, November? Back into it.

It may require renting your house out or doing a swap in a place you want to go to, which then would mean you have to prepare your house and sign up with an agency. There are lots of little steps toward making plans, whatever it is: registering for a class, or travel arrangements, or researching volunteer organizations around the world. Doing your research and putting a plan in place to prepare yourself.

Julie Klein

WIN-WIN Jaye Smith (left) and Rita Foley say sabbaticals can rejuvenate employees and lead to increased innovation for companies.

We talk about starting to cut your expenses as a way to prepare and start saving money for your sabbatical fund. If you get a bonus, sock that away. You could take a second job. Or you could earn money on your sabbatical doing something totally different. You could live in Japan and teach English. Some people have done little consulting assignments along the way to take a year or two off.

MS. FOLEY: A couple we know were riding their bikes across the U.S. and needed someone to drive their van. This woman they found was phenomenal. They paid for her hotel rooms and she got a $500 stipend for six weeks. She got to sightsee and ride her bike, and it was all paid for. Being a lecturer in a foreign country or on a boat, being tech support, driving someone’s car across the country—there are multiple ways to pay for it.

Cathy Allen, one of our co-authors, wanted to travel in Asia. So she wrote to the U.S. government and said, “Hi, I’m a businessperson.” She had no skills. But she convinced them she did. And she and her husband became lecturers for the U.S. government, traveling through Asia.

What to Do?

WSJ: Do you see many pre-retirees taking sabbaticals? How are they using them?

MS. SMITH: They are using them to explore, to test concepts, to live in a place they’re thinking about retiring to, taking classes in some area that might lead to an encore career, learning technology, learning a new language. They are also doing it to start to extricate themselves from their careers. Most people have worked 30 years, and the transition to what’s next takes a while.

MS. FOLEY: Baby boomers in particular were brought up that we did nothing but work. So many people said there was a rude awakening at first. Not having 24 hours scheduled, not having constant emails, not having the constant calls actually was a little uncomfortable. A couple of people talked about “detoxing” the first week. They slept a lot. Here they were, they’d been planning for this, they were dreaming of this, and they were surprised they couldn’t get out of bed the first week.

Almost everybody got back to some form of better eating and exercise, and they keep that up. And they say, “I didn’t realize what stress I was under. Now I can go back for my next five years with some balance as I continue to plan and try things out for when I do retire.”

Ms. Greene is a Wall Street Journal staff reporter in New York. She can be reached at next@wsj.com.

By ELIZABETH GARONE

Q: I’ve worked several jobs since separating from the Army. Some have been contracting positions, others as an exempt employee. Some have been with high-profile international companies. Not once have any of my previous employers or references been contacted. Do references really matter anymore? It seems to me they are even less important than cover letters and the objective statement in resumes.

A: You would be mistaken to think that references hold little weight, especially in the current depressed job market. “References absolutely matter,” says Paul W. Barada, president of Barada Associates Inc. The Rushville, Ind.,-based firm provides pre-employment screening services for large employers such as Emmis Communications Corp. and Acorda Therapeutics Inc.

Some people who are out of work embellish their past job performance, credentials and academic achievements to gain an edge over the competition, Mr. Barada says.

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With applicant pools growing larger by the day, it would be good to assume that employers will be diligently contacting references. “In my experience, references are always being checked,” says Dena Sneider, a career consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area. “In this market, they will certainly be checked since employers have their pick of candidates.”

Remember, too, that just because you haven’t heard anything from a reference doesn’t mean that he or she hasn’t been contacted.

More than ever, it’s essential to choose those references who can best speak to your work abilities and past successes on the job. A problem that Mr. Barada frequently sees is job seekers who list references with whom they’ve never actually worked. “What, for instance, can your golfing buddy know about your management style or job responsibilities?”

It’s important to consider who would be an employer’s ideal set of references. Usually, this is a current or former supervisor, peer and subordinate whom you’ve worked with in the past five to seven years, according to Mr. Barada.

Another mistake job seekers often make is not checking in with their references each time they list them on an application. You don’t want a reference to be caught off guard when he or she receives that all-important call. If you are planning on listing someone, send an email thanking him or her for agreeing to serve as a reference and include a copy of the job description. It couldn’t hurt to refresh a reference’s memory by including a list of your responsibilities and achievements from when you worked together. By providing the necessary information, your references will be much more prepared to take a call and to impress a potential employer.

For Bob Daugherty, who heads U.S. recruiting for PricewaterhouseCoopers, the best references are ones from people who work for the organization you’re looking to join. “Resumes and letters are expected to be strong, and candidates should still have several strong references at the ready, but it is those networking relationships that truly matter the most in getting in the door.”

Mr. Daugherty offers hard evidence that relationships matter more than you might think. At PricewaterhouseCoopers, more than 40% of hires with experience (as opposed to those recruited directly from campus) come through employee referrals, he says. If you don’t already have connections at a firm you’re targeting, seek out references from people in your network.

Write to Elizabeth Garone at cjeditor@dowjones.com. If you have a question for the careers columnists, be sure to put Career Q&A in your subject line.

By DENNIS NISHI

If you’ve been laid off and your former employer is hiring again, you might see the news as a chance to get back to work at your old firm. But first it’s important to consider whether it’s a good idea—and whether the skills you bring are what the company needs now.

The odds of getting an old job back are good if you were let go simply for budgetary reasons and the company outlook has been improving.

But before you get too excited about trying to return, do a self-assessment—and be honest. “Sometimes there is some selectivity in who is laid off,” says Jerald Jellison, a professor of social psychology at the University of Southern California who specializes in the workplace. He recommends asking yourself whether you created any bad feelings when you left or while you were working at the company. Was your work up to par? Was your role valued in better economic times?

You also should consider whether or not you feel a renewed commitment to the work you’d be doing, says Mr. Jellison. “I liken it to returning to an old flame. Is it really a good idea? Do you really want to be there?”

What the Company Needs

Next, consider what the company will need as conditions improve. If you were a marketing manager, figure out how you could return with a new angle of attack that could help make the company more competitive. If you’ve enrolled in any courses or have time to sign up for a webinar that will bump up your skills, highlight these efforts in a cover letter.

Keep in mind that even if your old firm is starting to rebuild and your position—something like it—is resurrected, you might not get the job. Approach the application process and interview as if you were a new candidate. Fine-tune your résumé, do research that shows you haven’t fallen behind on what the company has been doing, prepare for the interview and be ready to answer tough questions.

And before you apply, contact former co-workers who have kept their jobs to assess how things are now relative to when you were there. Get up to speed on any other news that can help you understand key personnel changes or staffing needs, says Ruth K. Liebermann, managing director of HR Insourcing in Boston. “Contact your former boss and let him [or her] know that you’re interested,” says Ms. Liebermann. “Tell your boss what new initiatives you plan to bring, with the benefit of hindsight, and what new energy you have coming back.”

No Grudges

When you contact your former boss or human-resources department, assure them that you harbor no bad feelings about being laid off and are eager to return to work. If you’re trying to persuade a new boss to bring you back, focus on your accomplishments and get references to back up your claims.

If there are no full-time positions available, consider asking to work on a contract basis. The pay is often higher and, though there are no benefits, the job may eventually transition into a full-time position.

Don’t be discouraged if you get through the interview process and find out the job now pays less than you earned before. “You have to consider the market conditions,” says Paul Glen, a management consultant in Los Angeles. “Everybody is taking pay cuts and losing benefits. That will change as the economy improves.”

Write to Dennis Nishi at cjeditor@dowjones.com

By JOE LIGHT

The job market for business- school students is better than last year, but still isn’t back to prerecession levels, says Nicole Hall, president of the MBA Career Services Council, a professional association.

Driving the pickup is more robust recruiting by companies in health care, energy and technology, she says. Yet compared with a few years ago, a smaller percentage of students are getting multiple offers, and companies are recruiting closer to home to save money. That has led candidates to be more open to employers they might not have otherwise considered.

Lingering weakness means some graduates from the class of 2010 still hadn’t found jobs a few months after graduating.

According to a September survey of 824 business-school graduates from around the world, 88% of M.B.A. and other graduate management alumni from the class of 2010 had a job, a slight increase from 84% of the class of 2009 a year earlier, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council.

T. Rowe Price Chief Economist Alan Levenson gives his unemployment outlook for 2011 and predicts areas of potential job growth for the U.S. economy. He also gives Dow Jones’ Veronica Dagher his view on the odds of another quantitative easing program by the Fed.

Starting pay rose to a median of $78,820 this year from $75,000 for the class of 2009, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council survey.

Ms. Hall, who is also career services executive director for the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University, recently spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

Excerpts:

WSJ: At business schools overall, are employers recruiting M.B.A. candidates more aggressively this year?

Ms. Hall: We still see companies are conservative with hiring and not equal across all industries. But overall, hiring appears to be up. It’s still dramatically down from 2007 and 2008. Back then, employers were engaging earlier on, and I’d have a full recruiting calendar. We’re nowhere near where we were in the past.

WSJ: What sectors seem to be more keen to hire this year?

Ms. Hall: With the class of 2010, we saw a strong trend. There was a big increase in hiring in health care, energy and technology. Those areas increased in 2009 too, but that trajectory continued this year. I expect the same will happen with the class of 2011.

WSJ: Have consulting and financial services come back yet?

Ms. Hall: It’s been consistent across most schools that they’re still down compared to before the recession. We’re certainly seeing a higher volume of activity than last year, but they’re being very conservative with hiring estimates.

WSJ: How have schools dealt with the lack of opportunities?

Ms. Hall: There’s a decrease in the number of opportunities that companies have available overall. In the past, a lot of schools were accustomed to getting multiple hires from one employer, but now in a lot of cases, a company will only make a single hire. So that makes it highly competitive.

Schools that had existing relationships with companies had the ability to hold onto those relationships for hiring opportunities for their students. It’s been harder for schools that didn’t have them, since companies have focused on schools where they’ve already gotten candidates with proven success.

WSJ: Are companies focusing on top-tier schools?

Ms. Hall: There’s not as much national recruiting as before. A lot of companies are focusing on high quality schools that are right in their backyards. All schools, no matter how high the rank, try to diversify their base of employers, but companies right now want to recruit in their immediate regions. It saves them a lot of money on their recruiting budgets.

WSJ: How are students adjusting?

Ms. Hall: Back in 2007 and 2008, students had flexibility to decide where they wanted to live and work. With outlooks tightening, students will take opportunities wherever they’re available.

The classes of 2010 and 2011 had the benefit of seeing the downturn happening as they moved through school. So they’re not surprised like the class of 2009. They know that the number of offers per student has declined. At Pepperdine, probably 30% of students have gotten multiple offers during this downturn. Before, many more would have.

WSJ: Are there still 2010 grads looking for work?

Ms. Hall: Job acceptances are coming later [because some students are taking longer to accept offers they don't consider ideal]. Before, we’d expect to see acceptances within three months of graduation, but now it’s happening as late as six months after. At Pepperdine, there are a handful of 2010 graduates still looking for jobs.

WSJ: Has your role as a career services director changed?

Ms. Hall: We’re much more like headhunters. We’re aggressively matching students to roles. We’ll find out what companies need and recommend students to companies that fit. Companies like it, because they get four or five pre-screened candidates to consider for their opening.

We also profile the graduating class each year on their skills and interests and pursue companies that would have roles for them.

So rather than expand our overall company relationships, we do it strategically based on what our students need.

Welcome to the executive suite. But beware: Your smallest acts can cause big consequences.

Consider Linda Parker Hudson, promoted last fall to run the U.S. arm of BAE Systems PLC, a global defense giant.

She told her top lieutenants that she expected “rapid responses” to email around the clock. To her surprise, several started sleeping beside their beeping BlackBerry so they could answer her 3 a.m. messages right away.

Ms. Hudson says she repeatedly reassured these colleagues that they could sleep at night and tried to lessen her nocturnal BlackBerry use. But “it was probably a few months before we all got used to each other,” she concedes.

BAE Systems

Linda Parker Hudson of BAE Systems

Ms. Hudson experienced “executive amplification,” a widespread phenomenon that can significantly affect your career. When you land a senior post, staffers constantly will scrutinize — and possibly misconstrue – your deeds, dress and words.

Yet power makes you “less aware that your behavior matters,” cautions Adam Galinsky, a professor of organizational behavior at Northwestern University’s business school. “That can be a career killer by demoralizing your troops.” Even lack of eye contact with them as you walk down the hall conveys your disapproval, risking alienation.

Amplification also can work to your advantage because effective, small moves often improve employee motivation. You must recognize that “leadership is a role, and you are always on,” says Gary Bradt, an executive coach in Summerfield, N.C. “Make sure you send the messages that you want to send.”

Ms. Hudson first saw the downside of the amplifier effect when she became the first female division president for General Dynamics Corp. in 1999. During her first week, she wore a new scarf tied in a fancy bow. The next day, she ran into more than a dozen women there wearing scarves tied the same way.

Being watched so closely frightened Ms. Hudson. “I wasn’t accustomed to being the center of attention,” the 60-year-old executive recalls. “I felt like I was up on a billboard.”

She soon found herself closely scrutinized again. Touring a division factory months later, Ms. Hudson noticed flyers posted everywhere. They displayed her photo and list of leadership expectations from a recent management team speech.

Thanks to the unanticipated flyers, Ms. Hudson says she realized that amplification represents a potentially positive tool. “You can change employee behavior by subtle changes in your behavior,” she explains.

Anton Rabie, president and co-chief executive of Spin Master Ltd., a toy maker, uses a minor symbolic gesture to amplify his deep commitment to taking risks. He mounts failed Spin Master products and misguided mock-ups on a wall of his Toronto office.

“Each one has a lesson that we should remember,” observes Mr. Rabie, who launched the manufacturer with two classmates in 1994. Staffers viewing his flop-filled wall know “it’s okay to make mistakes,” he continues. “It’s like walking the talk.”

You may also reap benefits from executive amplification by seeking frequent feedback – and making needed corrections. Easier said than done, however.

“As you rise in the ranks, people stop telling you what they should tell you,” notes Richard A. Davis, a partner at RHR International, an executive-coaching firm, and author of the new book. “The Intangibles of Leadership.”

He advocates creating a personal board of directors to help identify your blind spots. “They have to know you and the people around you,” but work elsewhere than your employer, Dr. Davis recommends.

A performance review known as 360-degree feedback persuaded a newly promoted executive at a multinational apparel concern to alter her misinterpreted appearance, according to Rosemarie Fiorilli, a New York executive coach who advised her this year. The 360-degree process involves anonymous input from peers, subordinates and superiors.

The executive wore designer duds, including luxury-brand jewelry, at a workplace that favors business casual dress, Ms. Fiorilli says.

During 360-degree interviews, co-workers said, “She’s trying to be better than us,” the coach recollects. “She was the only one who didn’t know this was bothering people.”

Ms. Fiorilli says she warned the executive that the amplified impact of her luxurious look was hurting her group’s cohesiveness. The woman “toned it down immediately,” the coach adds. “Her boss said other people had noticed and remarked favorably.”

An associate’s frank feedback taught Tim Rice a different amplification lesson. While chief operating officer of Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, N.C., he visited a friend seated in a chair two days after she underwent open-heart surgery at one of its five hospitals.

Mr. Rice teased her nurse for leaving the woman “in this chair all day long” because the patient looked tired. His joke devastated the nurse, “and she cried afterward,” the nursing director told Mr. Rice.

He later apologized to the nurse and in front of nearly 150 colleagues, praised the nursing director’s candor. Actually, “I was really afraid to come tell you,” she replied.

Mr. Rice says he concluded that his high-level title intimidated subordinates, and he should avoid sarcasm “because everything we do is amplified.” He took charge of Moses Cone in 2004. But “I am probably not as open and free and goofy as I have been in the past.”

At the same time, Mr. Rice regularly encourages his team members to suggest ways that he might lead the health-care system better. “I always say, ‘Who is going to tell the CEO that his fly is unzipped?”’

Write to Joann S. Lublin at joann.lublin@wsj.com