Employees may want to reconsider what personal memorabilia to put in their office or desk area. Shifting to a more business casual atmosphere may make workers feel more comfortable sharing photos or other personal objects.

The networking culture of Facebook and MySpace is flowing into the workplace, according to Charles Jellinek, a partner with Bryan Cave LLP who is familiar with human resource matters. Putting up wild pictures or silly toys can affect company placement or promotions. Employers can't ignore visible, inappropriate decorations on your desk.

Jellinek recommends that workers try to be conscious of personal expressions. What legal lines do these items cross? Are they causing harassment for other workers? Limits on what can be displayed do exist - something you put up could be seen as offensive.

"Personal freedom will give way to laws that govern employment relationships," says Jellinek.

Consider what your personalization is saying to the employer, according to Jellinek. Do you want your personal memorabilia to indicate you are organized or stuck in teen years?

A certain amount of personal items are acceptable, such as family photos, work team objects, diplomas or awards - they articulate good qualities. Silly items like trinkets from McDonald's may display another meaning that won't help you get that promotion.

COMMUTING HELP FROM EMPLOYERS

Employees have options to relieve the higher gas costs when driving to and from work. Fifty-seven percent of respondents, according to a survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., a global outplacement agency that questioned 100 human resource executives, say their companies offer some kind of program to ease the commuting prices.

Twenty-three percent of executives use a condensed workweek, which was the most common solution. This type of workweek usually means four 10-hour days. One in five companies plan worker car pools, 18 percent help with the price of public transportation, 14 percent have developed telecommuting choices and 11 percent promote bicycling or walking to work.

Currently, only 7 percent of workers left the company due to gas prices; however, 34 percent of job-seekers refused an offer to work at the company because of long commutes.

"The economy and market for job-seekers has softened, but many employers still count the recruitment and retention of talent among their top priorities," says John A. Challenger, chief executive officer.

"Part of the reason employers offer these gas-saving perks is to keep their best and brightest workers from seeking positions closer to home."

For more information, visit www.challengergray.com.

DIDN'T GET A SECOND CHANCE

Job-seekers will probably feel better about past job interviews after seeing the results of CareerBuilder.com's survey, which questioned 3,000 hiring mangers and HR professionals on outrageous mistakes made during interviews.

The top mistakes made by candidates include:

- Answering cell phone and telling the interviewer to leave her office since it was a "private" conversation.

- Telling the interviewer he wouldn't stay at the position long due to an expected inheritance if his uncle died; his uncle wasn't doing too well.

- Asking the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.

- Smelling his armpits before going into the interview room.

- Not bringing a writing sample because her assignments had been for the CIA and were "classified."

- Saying he was fired for beating up his last boss.

- Declining food at the beginning of the interview because he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out to drink.

- Flushing the toilet during a phone interview.

- Taking out a hairbrush and combing her hair.

"Interviews give employers a window into what it's really like to work with a candidate - how they react under pressure, what motivates them and how they interact with others," says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.

"If a candidate is overly negative, plays the blame game, is easily frazzled or doesn't come prepared, it usually sends up a red flag for employers. Be knowledgeable about the company, rehearse answers to potential questions and always maintain a professional manner."

For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

E-mail Amy Winter at amy.winter@copleynews.com or write to P.O. Box 120190, San Diego, CA 92112.

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