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CareerBuilder Survey Reveals the Most Unusual Requests or Suggestions Hiring Managers Received

CHICAGO, November 11, 2009 - Hiring managers nationwide took some time to bring levity to the workplace in a new CareerBuilder survey. More than 2,900 shared the most memorable requests or recommendations they have received in the office suggestion box. Responses included:


  • Request to allow people to change clothes in their cubicles.

  • Request to add a tanning bed to the break room.

  • Request to put beer in the vending machine.

  • Request that jail time be covered under family medical leave.

  • Request to institute bikini Fridays.

  • Request to only be required to work during daylight hours because employee is scared of the dark.

  • Request for a special smoking area for medical marijuana.

  • Request that the HR person wear nicer shoes.

  • Request for more time off to pursue side business as a clown.

  • Request to replace his desk with a futon so employee could lay down and work.

  • Request that the lactation room with gliding chair be used for naps, so everyone can use it.

  • Request to install a swimming pool for employees to use.

  • Request to have the team meeting to be held in Hawaii.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,924 U.S. Hiring Manager (employed full-time; not self-employed; non government); ages 18 over between August 20 and September 9, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 2,924 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.81 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world’s top employers, providing resources for everything from recruitment to employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:

Jennifer Grasz
(P) 773-527-1164
(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com