Starting any new job can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. While you're anxious for a fresh start and to meet new people, you're nervous that you won't be able to do the job or you won't fit in with co-workers.
Hiring managers don't want to hear a lot of things during an interview -- confessions of a violent past, a cell phone ring, a toilet flush. Yet job seekers have committed these interview gaffes and worse, according to CareerBuilder.com's annual survey of the worst interview mistakes.
If a stay-at-home mom could be compensated in dollars rather than personal satisfaction and unconditional love, she'd rake in a nifty sum of nearly $117,000 a year.
If you're a mom who not only has beautiful children but also a job you love, plenty of people have probably said you "have it all."
Today's Internet-driven world has changed the way we look for and apply to jobs. Gone are the days of handwritten cover letters, typewriter-printed résumés and hand-delivered job applications.
Bill Healy never saw it coming. The head of a successful division of a major financial institution, he'd just been interviewed for his company's newsletter when he got the call.
Back in 1950, blue-collar industrial and agricultural jobs were prevalent, with a smattering of secretarial work thrown in for the few women who could work outside of the home.
Albertsons supermarket said "no," and so did Macy's department store and a local grocer.
Besides the impending summer and a new diploma, this year's graduates have something else to smile about come commencement day: bigger starting salaries when they enter the work force.
Janice Shih might be the most educated pastry chef you'll ever meet.
Starting any new job can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. While you're anxious for a fresh start and to meet new people, you're nervous that you won't be able to do the job or you won't fit in with co-workers.
Hiring managers don't want to hear a lot of things during an interview -- confessions of a violent past, a cell phone ring, a toilet flush. Yet job seekers have committed these interview gaffes and worse, according to CareerBuilder.com's annual survey of the worst interview mistakes.
If a stay-at-home mom could be compensated in dollars rather than personal satisfaction and unconditional love, she'd rake in a nifty sum of nearly $117,000 a year.
If you're a mom who not only has beautiful children but also a job you love, plenty of people have probably said you "have it all."
Today's Internet-driven world has changed the way we look for and apply to jobs. Gone are the days of handwritten cover letters, typewriter-printed résumés and hand-delivered job applications.
Bill Healy never saw it coming. The head of a successful division of a major financial institution, he'd just been interviewed for his company's newsletter when he got the call.
Back in 1950, blue-collar industrial and agricultural jobs were prevalent, with a smattering of secretarial work thrown in for the few women who could work outside of the home.
Albertsons supermarket said "no," and so did Macy's department store and a local grocer.
Besides the impending summer and a new diploma, this year's graduates have something else to smile about come commencement day: bigger starting salaries when they enter the work force.
Janice Shih might be the most educated pastry chef you'll ever meet.
Think back to your first job at the local ice cream shop. Working after school, 15 hours per week at $7 an hour was enough to fulfill your wishes, hopes and dreams. (Let's be honest, back then, none of us wished for much more than a reciprocated crush and a big allowance.)
Nowadays, managing a home requires a functional home office space. Home offices present a few challenges, however, when it comes to being eco-friendly. "There are really two key issues for the office: energy and paper," says Jennifer Roberts, the author of Good Green Homes, who has been working from home for the past 10 years.
In her spare time, away from her duties as a chemicals specialist in the Army, Angie Papple fires up her computer and writes an article about something close to her, like life in the military.
You probably have a list of questions you'd ask your boss if given the chance.
Everyone knows someone privy to sharing too much information -- the TMI, if you will. TMIs have no boundaries and no shame. They will tell you any and every piece of personal information, whether it's filling you in on her latest try at the fertility doctor or the dream he had about your boss last night.
If you're angling for a raise or hunting for a better-paying job, chances are you've wondered what your peers are earning. Salary Web sites claim to tell you just that, but whether or not you're getting a clear picture of the money depends on who you ask.
The slowing U.S. economy may be contributing to increased numbers of home-based workers who trade their company parking passes and briefcases for bunny slippers and laptops.
What pushed Priscilla Maddox was the relentless smell of vanilla.
Much has been made of people who live beyond their means. When you see a neighbor bring home a fancy new car, you can't help but wonder how she can afford it on her salary. However, you can't assume you know how much she (or anybody) makes unless you've seen her tax returns.
More than a decade after the Internet allowed millions of people to work at home, the next phase of telecommuting involves, well, not working at home.
Remember the promise of the paperless office? Anyone in front of a monitor can testify to just the opposite having taken hold.
Do you feel your contributions in the workplace are overlooked? Are you consistently swamped with work at the office, but still feel empty when the week ends? At the end of the day, are you ashamed of what you've accomplished and how you reached the end result?
Americans really like the idea of working from the comfort of home... a lot.
Jobseekers often ask me what the difference is between a "standard" resume and a telecommute resume. Here are the differences:
What's the worst part of your workday? Is it your job or all the work you do just getting to and from the office? Consider how much time you spend on packing your lunch, sitting in rush hour twice a day, deciding which grocery store is easiest to get to on the way home not to mention the money you spend on dry cleaning your clothes.
Alexander Graham Bell had it right from the beginning. "Mr. Watson," he called to his assistant through the first working telephone, "come here -- I want to see you."
I work full-time at home. I have a babysitter for Gus, 7, and Jeb, 5, so that, in theory, I have eight hours a day to write freelance articles and run our family's lavender farm.
In most ways, Tzatzil Willebeek-LeMair is a superwoman.
Few things incite a frothing, wild-eyed rage like asking people to talk about bad bosses. People aren't just annoyed by poor leadership -- they sputter and snarl as they describe their superiors, lusting for the chance to hit that bad boss with a perfect, withering insult. Or perhaps a truck.
Job hunts are hard work. Looking through job ads, going on interviews and networking take up a lot of your time. So how can you be expected to do all these things and still rewrite your résumé every time you apply for a job?
Does April Fools' Day (or the mere thought of it) strike fear in your heart? Do memories of walking into your aluminum foil-covered office still haunt you at the end of every March?
For some people, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a guiding principle. During a job search, however, it's hard to tell just what ain't broke and what needs fixing. Looking for work is a time-consuming process that can move -- or at least feel like it's moving -- at a snail's pace.
Résumés are tricky: If done well, they can put you in the running for a job; if done poorly, they end up in the hiring manager's recycling bin. They should be easy since you're just talking about yourself. No one knows your work history, qualifications and skills better than you. Unfortunately, they are hard work.
Though it's difficult to predict exactly how the year will pan out, weak job growth, a slowing economy and troubled housing markets all point to signs of an economic recession. The good news for job seekers is that employers are still hiring and certain industries will survive (even thrive) during hard times.
You've probably heard the old lament that good help is hard to find. Carol Scudere has a place where the help can be found -- by the rich.
For many people, the workweek is longer than the fabled 40 hours. Working lunches and late nights can keep you at the office for the bulk of your waking hours.
Politics in the workplace can get vicious -- and we're not talking about the governmental kind. Rather, office politics, or how power and influence are managed in your company, will be a part of your career whether you choose to participate in them or not.
Ah, the arrival of Spring: The sun is out and it's time to get your act together. You can pull down those holiday decorations. Wash the layers of mud and salt off your car. Take those running shoes -- that you bought last spring -- on their first jog around the park.
Rob Skinner did not expect to find a chaplain in the office when he started his sales job at Piedmont Air Conditioning in Raleigh, North Carolina. "I was a little worried because I didn't want God shoved down my throat," says Skinner, 38, a self-described liberal Christian.
Do you ever wonder whose job it is to do some of the less desirable things in life? If you think about it, there's a job doing almost anything, no matter how exciting, disgusting or just plain weird it may seem.
Jessica Caulfield decided to open a women's clothing boutique in Hoboken, New Jersey, she had no idea what she was doing.
Whether it's a playground bully or a bad breakup, unpleasant situations are just a part of life. You've inevitably been told to "just look on the bright side" or that "you'll get through this." As annoying as these clichés can sound, they hold some truth.
A landlord snooped on tenants to find out information about their finances. A woman repeatedly accessed her ex-boyfriend's account after a difficult breakup. Another obtained her child's father's address so she could serve him court papers.
Location is everything, according to the real estate adage. Many people learn the wisdom of these words after they move into their first apartment on a tight budget and have a view of a landfill and the smells that come from it.
The Supreme Court has left the door open for workers in age discrimination cases to present supporting evidence from other employees at a company.
If you've rewritten that résumé several times and sent out dozens of applications but your job search still shows no promise, you might not be the problem.
Soon after you begin searching for a job, you might realize how many more opportunities are available than you initially thought.
You put your best foot forward during your job interview. You wear a pressed suit and arrive 20 minutes early. Once you've been working at a place for a while, though, you get a little more comfortable. Maybe you scrounge through the hamper to find a shirt that's not too wrinkled and you slide into your chair just as the clock strikes eight.
Office romances are nothing new -- they've been around as long as there have been offices. After all, co-workers spend so much time together attractions are bound to occur. Today, however, workers aren't afraid to admit that, in addition to a paycheck, they're also looking for love at the office.
Office romances are nothing new -- they've been around as long as there have been offices. After all, co-workers spend so much time together attractions are bound to occur. Today, however, workers aren't afraid to admit that, in addition to a paycheck, they're also looking for love at the office.
Over the years, countless magazine articles have promised you could "lose weight at work" or "tone up in 10 minutes at your desk."
Over the years, countless magazine articles have promised you could "lose weight at work" or "tone up in 10 minutes at your desk."
Colleen Bramhall's friends used to think she'd sold out by going to work for Accenture as a consultant after college. Now she says they're jealous.
Uncertain economic times prompt many small business owners to look for ways to cut costs. There are obvious ones, like buying energy-efficient light bulbs and forgoing national brands for the store's own label when buying office supplies. But many owners find that spending a little can help them save a lot -- using technology, outsourcing work or even hiring a chief financial officer to keep track of a company's expenses.
When you went to college, you received a welcome package and attended orientation to learn the ropes. Now that you're on the hunt for a new job, an equally life-changing event, no one's holding your hand. At best, a friend pats you on the back and says, "Good luck."
When you went to college, you received a welcome package and attended orientation to learn the ropes. Now that you're on the hunt for a new job, an equally life-changing event, no one's holding your hand. At best, a friend pats you on the back and says, "Good luck."
They ate lunch together almost every day. They commiserated over professional and personal woes, and when projects ran long at the San Francisco architecture firm where they were both summer interns, they checked building plans together until they were sprung from the office at 10 p.m.
Many people are opting to find part-time work these days. Parents want to spend more time with their children; students need to balance work and school; and would-be retirees aren't ready to give up their careers just yet.
Three weeks before opening night, director Amy Tinkham is at center ring working intently with a woman who will be lifted by her hair and twirl overhead seconds before motorcycles zip underneath her.
Many people are opting to find part-time work these days. Parents want to spend more time with their children; students need to balance work and school; and would-be retirees aren't ready to give up their careers just yet.
In small businesses across the country, employee stress levels are rising along with talk of recession and the stock market's latest plunge. Problems can also come from a reality that's painfully close by: a co-worker whose home is undergoing foreclosure.
Over time, you've probably learned what not to say in a relationship. "Are you losing your hair?" "Yes, you do look fat in that dress." "I should give my old boyfriend a call." "You're just like your mother." Experience has taught you just how much trouble you can get into with a few words.
In a perfect world, C-level executives and employees on all rungs of the corporate ladder would communicate openly, honestly, conveniently and often. Companies, big and small, and their executives would boast of abilities to listen to feedback, answer questions and maintain close relationships with all employees.
In a perfect world, C-level executives and employees on all rungs of the corporate ladder would communicate openly, honestly, conveniently and often. Companies, big and small, and their executives would boast of abilities to listen to feedback, answer questions and maintain close relationships with all employees.
David Colby was one of corporate America's most admired executives before he was abruptly fired last spring for what was vaguely described at the time as misconduct of a "non-business nature." Now details about his personal life are spilling out, and it's clear he was more than just Wall Street's darling.
Over time, you've probably learned what not to say in a relationship. "Are you losing your hair?" "Yes, you do look fat in that dress." "I should give my old boyfriend a call." "You're just like your mother." Experience has taught you just how much trouble you can get into with a few words.
If there's one rule of thumb that should apply to the work force, it's this: Pleasant jobs call for pleasant people. And as of late, one industry needs friendly folks more than ever.
If there's one rule of thumb that should apply to the work force, it's this: Pleasant jobs call for pleasant people. And as of late, one industry needs friendly folks more than ever.
Did you hear the one about the woman who couldn't go to work because her chickens' feet were frozen to the driveway? It's not a joke -- it's an actual excuse given to a boss.
Did you hear the one about the woman who couldn't go to work because her chickens' feet were frozen to the driveway? It's not a joke -- it's an actual excuse given to a boss.
With the football playoffs well under way and the presidential election campaign becoming more intense, small business owners may find some of their staffers are a little distracted and more inclined to talk than work.
With the football playoffs well under way and the presidential election campaign becoming more intense, small business owners may find some of their staffers are a little distracted and more inclined to talk than work.
At a time when employers are scaling back on costly health benefits, pet insurance is gaining popularity as an employee benefit.
Once you began the hunt for a new job, you updated your resume, took your suit to the cleaners, practiced your handshake and interviewed yourself in the mirror until your answers came out just right. You're prepared for everything.
Once you began the hunt for a new job, you updated your resume, took your suit to the cleaners, practiced your handshake and interviewed yourself in the mirror until your answers came out just right. You're prepared for everything.
If you're more excited that your boss is out sick with the flu than you are about your new raise, you're in good company.
Almost every accountant has a story about a small business client who showed up on April 10 or thereabouts, expecting to start work on a company or personal income tax return. Or, worse, a client who showed up with a shoebox full of receipts and invoices, also expecting to get a return done in short order.
If you're like many professionals, you daydream about leaving your underwhelming job to find a more-fulfilling (or at least better-paying) one, but you never do. Here are five reasons why you shouldn't put off your job search one more day.
If you're like many professionals, you daydream about leaving your underwhelming job to find a more-fulfilling (or at least better-paying) one, but you never do. Here are five reasons why you shouldn't put off your job search one more day.
You've made up your mind. You're going to stop procrastinating, update that resume and (finally) look for a new job.
You've made up your mind. You're going to stop procrastinating, update that resume and (finally) look for a new job.
Ever held a differing opinion from your boss? Boasted dissimilar ideas than your co-worker? Been knocked out by a colleague over a disagreement about a project? (OK, so the last one might be a stretch, but it's happened before...)
Where can you grab a cold beer from the company keg when the clock strikes four? Where can you take in a yoga class during your lunch hour? And where can you do laundry for free?
Ever held a differing opinion from your boss? Boasted dissimilar ideas than your co-worker? Been knocked out by a colleague over a disagreement about a project? (OK, so the last one might be a stretch, but it's happened before...)
Where can you grab a cold beer from the company keg when the clock strikes four? Where can you take in a yoga class during your lunch hour? And where can you do laundry for free?
Handed down since Moses was kvetching about having to cross the desert in his bare feet, Jewish humor emanated from Eastern Europe where the Hebrews overcame some seriously hellacious circumstances on the way to the Promised Land. "Laughter through tears," they called it.
Handed down since Moses was kvetching about having to cross the desert in his bare feet, Jewish humor emanated from Eastern Europe where the Hebrews overcame some seriously hellacious circumstances on the way to the Promised Land. "Laughter through tears," they called it.
Neither strong wind nor high flames bothered Nin the cat during a dozen years patrolling the Northeast's highest peak as mascot of the Mount Washington Observatory.
Not too long ago, the generation gap meant parents didn't understand why ripped jeans cost twice as much as regular ones or why every other word coming out of their child's mouth was "like."
Megan Bryant is giddy. She's just learned that Pilates can add an inch to your height.
Every employee strives for a fatter paycheck -- but a recent survey shows that most are getting a plumper waistline instead. Cold weather, holidays and office parties can make the problem even worse.
Despite differences like job title, occupation, skill level and salary, all workers have something in common: the fear of getting fired. But regardless of their best efforts, many working professionals hear the words, "You're fired!" at least once during their careers. Little do they know, it may be their own fault.
Despite differences like job title, occupation, skill level and salary, all workers have something in common: the fear of getting fired. But regardless of their best efforts, many working professionals hear the words, "You're fired!" at least once during their careers. Little do they know, it may be their own fault.
You've been at your job for nine months. In that time, you've not only kicked butt in the office, you've rewarded yourself for your efforts. You bought yourself a sleek new apartment, went on a few vacations -- you've even hit up the local casino for a gamble or two (or five).
Teenagers flipping burgers, stocking shelves or studying for finals don't think about their retirement. The government does, however, and the prognosis isn't good.
They cheated, stole, scammed and assaulted. They lied, got arrested, used illegal drugs and committed lewd acts.
Being a child prodigy is no guarantee that you'll grow up to be rich, famous or happy. You might have a breakdown and fade into obscurity (like that guy in the movie "Shine"), quit the scene altogether (like chess maestro Bobby Fischer), or turn to a life of petty crime (insert the name of your favorite child actor here).
Natural disasters, revolutionary technology, pro-athlete scandals and national calamities marked 2007 as an unforgettable year.
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