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 | Percent of working adults 18 to 24 who smoke. Just 10 percent of those 65 and up are smokers. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more... |
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| Percent of working adults 18 to 24 who smoke. Just 10 percent of those 65 and up are smokers. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more... |
| In a challenging job market for college graduates – just two in five seniors had a job offer in hand on graduation day last year – one of the most important factors in job search success i more... | |
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It’s an exciting time and a daunting time to hire. The job market offers no shortage of applicants, so surely among them is a superstar whose exceptional performance will propel your company for more... |
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As noble and strenuous as “looking for work” may be – it’s a full-time job, after all – it’s hardly a line that belongs on a résumé.Fair or not, a résumé without em more... |
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Average minutes of commute time for U.S. workers, half the time of worst-ranked South Africa. Source: OECD “How’s Life” 2011 report on quality of life in 40 countries more... |
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“I want to work in a field with lots of jobs,” the jobseeker confided. While he didn’t answer my question – What sort of career are you looking for? – his response is typ more... |
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“Call the post office! Call the newspaper!” To make my point in job counseling sessions years back, I suggested extreme measures that my charges should use to get the name and title of a h more... |
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Percentage of unemployment for teens ages 16 19 in Washington D.C. in 2011, double the national average. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics more... |
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In a competitive market, a jobseeker’s experience is just part of the hiring equation. More employers now are alert to an applicant’s emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence involve more... |
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Percent of jobseekers who find new positions using online job boardsSource: Talent firm Lee Hecht Harrison, Woodcliffe Lake, N.J. more... |
| Most books and articles that dole out advice to jobseekers extoll the virtues of using professional associations to network. Fewer point out a more direct route to a job: associations themselves. Pois more... | |
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Years ago, the idea of jumping from the unemployment line to the ranks of the entrepreneurs seemed a far reach. High unemployment and changing philosophies about traditional work venues have more peop more... |
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“That position has already been filled. You were not one of those selected to be interviewed.” That’s the bad news a jobseeker doesn’t want to hear when he follows up on a résu more... |
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The average cost of health plans per employee in 2011, up 6.1 percent from 2010. Source: Mercer LLC more... |
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Lynsie Lassig left a well-paying job she loved after a workplace friendship went sour. And boy, did it ever. The ex-friend “made me feel like I could confide in her and really trust her,” more... |
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Percentage of Americans who say they are optimistic about their futures. Source: Lincoln Financial Group, Radnor, Pa., survey of 803 adults more... |
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A poor performance review is no fun to give or receive. An unsuspecting employee who feels blindsided and defensive in the face of bad news can quickly make matters worse. A hasty, ill-considered resp more... |
| Jobseekers are facing an interesting conundrum of late: They are debating whether to accept jobs that they know in their hearts they really don’t want. Penny Locey, vice president at Keystone As more... | |
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Percentage of workers who say they’re likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months.Source: Randstad survey of 1,219 employed adults in Oct. 2011 more... |
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Dale Carnegie, who rocketed to fame with his 1936 book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” preached a gospel of self-confidence, positive thinking and effective communication as a more... |
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Your company may be downsizing but that doesn’t mean you should kiss your chances of getting a raise goodbye. Experts say employees who are performing well should make sure they are being taken more... |
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In a job interview, the color of money is not green, but invisible – at least when it comes to salary. At a certain stage, the subject of earnings will come up. However, before a job offer is on more... |
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When shopping around her book manuscript, Michelle Tillis Lederman attracted the interest of a big publishing house with a name you would surely recognize. But then she met with a woman from a smaller more... |
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"Whew! I'm glad that's over!" is the reaction most people have when they exit an interview. Some choose not to think about the session again until they get a rejection. Then they ask the anguished que more... |
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Number of weeks within which job candidates should follow up with a hiring authority after submitting a résumé. Source: Accountemps survey of 1,000 senior managers more... |
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There are two times when it's best to give: when you have the resources to do so and when you have none. This holiday season, jobholders and jobseekers alike can experience the joy of giving because more... |
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Sometimes, jobseekers disappear - at least statistically speaking. While the unemployment rate declined in November to 8.6 percent, part of the reason was that 315,000 unemployed workers simply left more... |
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Oh, if only the annual holiday party presented as many opportunities as in years past to misbehave in front of coworkers! Due to budget cuts, most office parties this season are scaled-down affairs. more... |
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Percentage of full-time U.S. workers who are a normal weight and have no chronic health issues Source: Gallup-Healthways telephone survey of 109,875 workers more... |
| The signs of a mid-life crisis are sometimes so obvious that we make fun of them as a culture: the sudden acquisition of a snazzy red sports car, an extramarital affair with the nanny or pool boy. But more... | |
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Your boss asks you to participate in an activity that makes you uncomfortable. What to do? Despite any fear of losing their jobs, employees must stand by their personal code of ethics, both to ensure more... |
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Average number of text messages a young adult cell phone owner sends and receives every day – more than 3,200 per month. Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project more... |
| We all know how to SHOUT IN AN EMAIL!!! – though most of us have learned that it is unwise to do so. But there’s no obvious way to convey sarcasm or sincerity without resorting to emoticon more... | |
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If your job search is taking longer than expected, relax. Sound counterintuitive? Not so, say career experts. When you're out of work, you're stressed and depressed - and it shows. "You need to keep more... |
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Earnings per year that college graduates believe they make additionally due to their degrees. Source: Pew Research Surveys of 2,142 adults more... |
| Making your mark as a manager does not mean leaving your fingerprints on every aspect of every project. That's the work of a micromanager, who scrutinizes or controls the work of employees due to lack more... | |
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Percent of employers who'll give turkeys to workers for Thanksgiving. Source: BNA, Arlington, Va. more... |
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The most powerful way to present an idea may be to stop talking and start drawing. Even stick figures and rudimentary sketches can help sway naysayers in a presentation or make the weekly staff meeti more... |
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Most job candidates are well prepared for tricky skills-based and situational interview questions that reveal what they know and how they act under pressure. It's the simplest questions that can thro more... |
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Unless you work for the circus, you might have a difficult time taking seriously a boss who shows up wearing clown shoes. However, substitute slippers for clown shoes and you’ve just described t more... |
| Your résumé is your place to shine, right? Not if you want to stand out in today’s job market. Stop thinking of a résumé as your personal limelight; instead, aim a spotlight at the skills and ex more... | |
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Percent of Americans who live below the poverty line: $22,314 for a family of four Source: Census Bureau figures for 2010 more... |
| Nancy Ancowitz’s career as a business communication coach took a major turn the day she completed the personality assessment known as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. She learned that she was an more... | |
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Armed service members who hang up their military uniforms to transition into civilian life don’t have an easy go of it, especially in the job market. The unemployment rate for veterans who serve more... |
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Percent of college graduates who say the main purpose of college is to learn work-related skills. Source: Pew Research Surveys of 2,142 U.S. adults more... |
| Given the poor economy and scarcity of resources, it would make sense that the thrifty worker who makes do with less would be treated as a valuable asset, right? Wrong, claims Mark Nicholas, a Los Ang more... | |
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Percent of Americans without health coverage: 49.9 million people, the most in more than 20 years. Source: Census Bureau figures for 2010 more... |
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We've all heard the maxim "Never say never." But is the reverse ever true? Are there situations at work in which we should "Always say always?" Does career success depend on playing invariably by cer more... |
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In today's job market, an unsolicited résumé sent to a company with no advertised job openings will probably be ignored. But there are other ways for jobseekers to get their credentials noticed. The more... |
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Percent of workers who say they are confident in their ability to find a new job Source: Randstad Sept. 2011 survey of 1,251 employed U.S. adults more... |
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Branding isn't just for businesses. In a tough and competitive workplace, a personal brand will transform you from an average employee to a stellar one. "When you develop a brand, you're more confide more... |
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Know how to land your next great gig? Stop applying for jobs and start identifying companies where you want to work. Then, tell them exactly what you can do for them. Research companies you like, lear more... |
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Percent of working fathers who say they frequently take time off work to deal with child- and family-related issues. Just 40 percent of moms gave that answer. Source: Survey of 459 working adults by more... |
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Job applications, the official forms many employers require of all candidates seeking employment, may seem like no-brainers. Not so. Applications are mini tests of literacy, accuracy and communication more... |
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Much has been said about millennials entering the workforce — and the bad habits and unrealistic expectations they bring with them. But these young upstarts born after 1980 and who came of age i more... |
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The annual income a single worker with two young children needs to cover basic expenses and save for retirement and emergencies. Source: Wider Opportunities for Women; Department of Health and Human more... |
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First impressions are critical at a professional conference or networking event. People mind their manners and even check their teeth periodically, but many make a mistake on arrival when putting on t more... |
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Proportion of workers who borrowed from a 401(k) savings plan in 2010. Almost 30 percent have a loan outstanding, the highest in history. Source: Human resources consulting group AON Hewitt more... |
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To gain a new perspective on what to expect in a job interview, turn the table. What do consultants tell employers to ask their candidates? A jobseeker can use that advice to his or her advantage. Her more... |
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After someone has worked for a while, the dreaded “need experience to get experience” hurdle is history, right? Maybe not. Jobseekers who pursue new interests often run into walls when the more... |
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Anyone in a workplace knows it can take a lot of communication and creativity to resolve a conflict. And combat between co-workers can be a huge time waster, even for those indirectly involved. In a more... |
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Percent of human resource managers who say employee fatigue is a bigger problem than in years past Source: Workforce Management magazine and WorkForce Software survey of 820 U.S. companies more... |
| Self-reflection played a big part in Janice Won's rise to leadership. A high-profile merger had given the human resources professional an opportunity to prove her expertise in personnel matters, but s more... | |
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During an interview, a job candidate is on stage playing the role of the ideal employee. You must look the part, make it believable and sway the hiring manager with your script. Select those words ca more... |
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Percent of companies that have restored all perks they were forced to eliminate during the economic downturn that began in late 2007. Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas more... |
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"Why is this taking so long? I was thinking several weeks..." Jobseekers I have counseled through the years often expressed frustration with the time it takes to find a new job. Here are some answers more... |
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Percent of college students who are employed during the school year. Source: Interviews with 1,000 college students by research firm Ypulse, New York more... |
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Success at work goes beyond doing your job correctly. A long list of soft skills determines how far you will rise, and among those is assertiveness. "When you are assertive, you feel confident expres more... |
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Congressional negotiations about the federal budget and debt ceiling ended poorly, with neither Democrats nor Republicans feeling satisfied, let alone victorious. The contentious debt ceiling talks t more... |
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Percent of U.S. workers engaged in some virtual work at least once a week. Source: Davinci Virtual Office Solutions more... |
| Is there a new boy's network emerging in the world of online professional networking? While women tend to have more connections - or "friends" - and deeper relationships on most social networking site more... | |
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If you've updated the content of your resumé but not the format, it's possible you may be starting and ending the document on a weak note. Unfurling an objective on top and adding the line "Reference more... |
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Percent of parents who expect their children to go to college. Source: Pew Research Surveys of 2,142 adults, spring/summer 2011 more... |
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Having trouble landing a job even though you’ve applied “all over the place”? Perhaps that’s the problem. Rather than vying for positions that don’t quite match your skil more... |
| The way most people see it, “office politics” is pretty much synonymous with “necessary evil.” But politics is not evil by definition, and politicking need not be cutthroat or more... | |
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Dig them, dread them or simply tolerate them, performance reviews play a vital role in many organizations. Although they can feel daunting, performance reviews don’t need to be cause for concern more... |
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Percent of younger workers ages 18 to 29 who say they’re frequently or nearly always worried about work-life balance. Source: Survey of 30,556 working adults in 29 countries by GfK Custom Resear more... |
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More than half of global Fortune 500 companies use SHL’s occupational personality questionnaire (OPQ) to assess someone’s suitability for a job. Now, the test is available at your fingerti more... |
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People who lose their jobs can be overwhelmed with the simple challenge of choosing what to do next. There are right and wrong steps to take in the first days and weeks of unemployment. Learning to s more... |
| Think you have a bad boss? Go see the movie "Horrible Bosses," now in theaters, to see just how bad people in power can be. Or don't. The film deals in extremes, offering up bosses whose behavior is s more... | |
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As the economy improves and businesses gradually expand, more seasoned workers will be in a better position to land ideal jobs. Experts say workers older than 40 who experienced longer periods of une more... |
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Number of Fortune 500 companies that offered pet insurance as an optional employee benefit in 2010 Source: Veterinary Pet Insurance, Brea, Calif. more... |
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Percentage of women who earn more money than their partner. Source: YourTango.com and ForbesWoman.com national sample of 625 women more... |
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The workplace can be inhospitable to new ideas. Too often, people regard them with suspicion and deprive them of the nutrients they need to bear fruit. Whether an idea is coaxed into existence by one more... |
| As a self-described "skinny kid with a funny name," Barack Obama says he's living proof that America has a place for everybody. But Obama used to go by the considerably more mainstream "Barry" and, in more... | |
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Did you give up on the idea of fame when you realized you couldn't cut it as a rock star or Major League ballplayer? Must you earn your living in obscurity because you became a teacher or an optician more... |
| Percent of Americans who use the Internet. On average, they spend more than 18 hours a week online. Source: Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California survey of 1,926 peopl more... | |
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More than half of the help wanted ads in my local newspaper expect the job seeker to call to apply. Yet I find job seekers still face this event with anxiety. With proper preparation calling to apply more... |
| In business, there are certain types of favors that require more than sincere thanks in return. Jodi Glickman calls this extra step "closing the loop," or letting the person who helped you know how th more... | |
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Percentage of college students surveyed who said they could go no more than 10 minutes without checking in with their tech device. Source: Online survey of 500 students for CourseSmart, San Mateo, Ca more... |
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Quick: What bid would you offer your city for washing all the windows of every commercial building? In today's job market, skills, degrees and even a pleasant interview might not be enough to land a more... |
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Hours per week that managers say they devote on average to dealing with personality conflicts, about 18 percent of their time. Source: Accountemps poll of 1,000 senior managers at companies with 20 or more... |
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Imagine a résumé that continually updates itself, touting your latest accomplishments, expounding your views, and providing a forum for readers to validate you and your work. Only it’s better th more... |
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Moonlighting is giving more Americans some security and extra income to cover higher fuel costs, rising grocery bills and even summer vacations as the economy continues to sputter. While the option se more... |
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Proportion of polled workers who say they plan to leave their jobs for new employers in the next two years Source: Glassdoor.com Employment Confidence Survey of 2,045 U.S. adults more... |
| If women can break through the glass ceiling, then surely they can open doors for themselves. Same goes for donning coats and pulling out chairs at restaurants. That's why gender-neutral etiquette is more... | |
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What is black, has a tail, travels with its owner and tends to get left behind? It’s not a treasured pet but a laptop power cord. And though power cords are replaceable, leaving one behind can more... |
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Number of major strikes or lockouts of U.S. workers in 2010, second lowest on record Source: BLS more... |
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More than 75 percent of college students may be using Facebook in a way that will damage their job prospects after they graduate. Party pics aren't the only problem: "We found that a major cause for more... |
| Job fairs are a common event at colleges and universities, promoted as an important job-landing platform. But they're something jobseekers - especially recent graduates - may find daunting. Is it akin more... | |
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Percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions held by women Source: Center for Work-Life Policy report, “The Sponsor Effect: Breaking Through the Last Glass Ceiling” more... |
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There’s more to staying fit than hitting the pavement or machines regularly. There’s a science to fitness and plenty of science and art required on the part of the professionals who work more... |
| Internship experience continues to increase in importance to give young jobseekers a boost in a competitive market. In a survey conducted by the National Associate of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 26 more... | |
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The annual income a single worker needs to cover basic expenses and save for retirement and emergencies, a bit more than $14 per hour Source: Wider Opportunities for Women; Department of Health and H more... |
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What’s true at the poker table also holds for the job search. Non-verbal behavior can make or break an applicant’s chances. How can you win without saying a word? Here are some points to more... |
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Everyone has an Achilles’ heel – a weakness that can lead to the downfall of even the most powerful warrior. Have you identified yours? If not, you may face a career stall or even derailm more... |
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Live in fear of public speaking? Consider this: The greater threat is not to be asked. "You'll never be invited to speak unless someone thinks you have something to say," says Stephen D. Boyd, profes more... |
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Percent of U.S. workers who say they are stressed by at least one thing at work. Top 3 gripes: low pay (14 percent), commuting (11), unreasonable work load (9) Source: Everest College 2011 Work Stres more... |
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"When that whistle blows I leave the job behind. And when I come to work in the morning I don't bring home problems with me," a blue-collar philosopher once told me. That was good, homespun advice ba more... |
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Proportion of the 47 million new jobs expected by 2018 that will require an associate's degree or post-secondary credentials rather than a full bachelor's degree Source: Harvard University Graduate S more... |
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Out of work? Take a class. Conventional wisdom has it that furthering your education in between jobs makes the gap in your employment more acceptable. Or you could take another tack. Instead of takin more... |
| Do you fit in any of these categories? Expecting to be laid off. There has been one round of layoffs at your employer. Who will be next to go? Working a stop-gap job. You took a job that requires less more... | |
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What if vacation shouldn't be seen as a luxury, but as a necessity? According to the 2011 Work Stress Survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Everest College, 77 percent of Americans are more... |
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DiversityInc in March released its annual report, Top 10 Companies for Blacks, based on its survey of companies with 1,000-plus employees. Ranking is based on CEO commitment, human capital, corporate more... |
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Average hourly wage 2011 interns working toward a bachelor's degree Source: NACE Internship & Co-op Survey of 266 member organizations more... |
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Meredith Sexton has a bachelor's degree in textile technology and design from North Carolina State University; she used to work in textiles. Now she spends her days carefully delivering radiation to more... |
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By design, a game has three elements: limited time, a series of small, achievable challenges preceding a win and a way to keep score. Faced with a daunting task, you can increase your motivation by tu more... |
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Number of female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, down from 15 in 2010. Source: Catalyst Inc. more... |
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The job looked good on paper. You went to great lengths to court the company. You prepared for the interview. You said and did all the right things. It seemed like the perfect fit - but it wasn't. Fo more... |
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Sending job-related documents with unprofessional names or in incompatible formats can guarantee a trip to the trash. Avoid common file failures with tips from Ann Baehr, a certified professional rés more... |
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Number of applications from online job boards like Monster or CareerBuilder a company reviews before finding someone to hire Source: Jobs2web (c) CTW Features more... |
| Some “win-win” situations are anything but on closer consideration. Say you are assigned to work with a respected leader on a plum project. You have an opportunity to prove yourself while more... | |
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Teens filled 960,000 jobs during the summer of 2010, the lowest level of teen hiring since 1949. Competition for positions during the traditional summer vacation months from May through August will be more... |
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Percent of displaced workers 18 to 24 years old who found a new job within six months of a layoff. Source: Urban Institute more... |
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You excel at your job, be it web design, perfume making or assembly-line production. In fact, you outshine your co-workers. Your performance evaluations are full of superlatives. And what’s your more... |
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Teens searching for paid summer jobs this year may face historic hurdles. Summer hiring among teenagers is not likely to rise from the record lows of last summer, according to the annual teen summer more... |
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“Nothing is fun until you’re good at it,” writes Amy Chua in “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” (Penguin Press, 2011). Determined to raise prodigies, she demanded straig more... |
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Percentage increase in the number of interns employers expect to hire this year Source: NACE Internship & Co-op Survey of 266 member organizations more... |
| Are you still awake? Loved by some and loathed by many, professional development plans are considered a hallmark of good management. Employees don’t seem to know what to think, describing such s more... | |
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The rate of increase in job opportunities for college graduates, compared to growth in jobs for high school graduates Source: BLS more... |
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Few careers offer the rewards, variety and significance that accounting offers. Public accountants provide tax, auditing and consulting services to clients. Management accountants (also called privat more... |
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MyWebCareer.com A free service that tracks your digital presence across the web and provides an evaluation of the strength of your professional online presence. “It provides a score similar to more... |
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First impressions are important but they don’t always go well. Is it possible to recover when those important moments go awry? “The first 30 seconds of interaction will impact an employer more... |
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Percent of CEOs who say they intend to increase hiring in the next six months Soure: Business Roundtable quarterly economic outlook survey of 142 members more... |
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Being a fast learner serves people well in life. But saying so in a job interview is not necessarily a good idea. One expert thinks boasting of your ability to learn might even derail your chances on more... |
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Anyone who wondered how Christine Deussen would ever make a living with her degree in ancient studies probably was stunned when she landed what seemed to be a dream job right out of college. Her work more... |
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Percent of polled companies that plan to increase hiring in the second quarter of 2011. Just six percent anticipate a decrease in payroll. Source: Manpower Inc. quarterly employment outlook poll of 1 more... |
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On the Job Meetings, Shmeetings Unproductive at work? Don't blame minor distractions like Facebook updates and Rebecca Black rocking to "Friday" on YouTube. Meetings and managers are the culprits, sa more... |
| Workers thrown out of jobs and unable to land another fulltime position in their field sooner or later run into employment arrangements they never knew existed. It’s important to understand how more... | |
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Teacher, the most-searched term on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website in 2010. Runners-up: lawyer, nurse, doctor, chef, accountant, physical therapist Source: BLS more... |
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Some experts suggest trying a fault-as-virtue approach: “I’m a perfectionist,” say. Or “I’m a workaholic.” I think most interviewers have heard this tired tactic b more... |
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One candidate just never responded to the job offer, and the no-response was eventually a no. Another declined through a text message. “I’ve dealt with these issues and others at every le more... |
| It’s a boring job, but somebody has to do it. Sometimes, that somebody is you. We all have aspects of our jobs that we don’t like, and bosses sometimes assign tasks that don’t intere more... | |
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Here’s the advice job counselors used to hand out in the 1990s: Never bring up the question of pay. Write “negotiable” on any application that asks about salary expectations. Wait f more... |
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Percent of the labor force 50 and older, up from 20 percent in 1995 Source: BLS and The Urban Institute study of age differences in job loss more... |
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A career coach is supposed to reinforce success, but that person does you no favors if he or she simply acts like a cheerleader, rooting for you as though from the sidelines. A good coach makes you w more... |
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Family and friends gather 'round the ultrasound picture to point out fingers, toes and maybe clues to a baby's sex. The pictures now come in cool 3-D and even 4-D views. Thank a sonographer for the i more... |
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"He must have been in jail," one employer told me as he reviewed applications. He was holding the résumé of an applicant who had not worked in nine months. Jobseekers take note: It may be unfair, but more... |
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Number of job openings advertised online in January, up 16 percent from a year ago Source: The Conference Board more... |
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Skiers are told that if they ever trigger an avalanche and are getting buried, they should cup their hands in front of their mouths to create some breathing space before the snow settles. Creating br more... |
| “I know I left the reference section blank,” muttered the applicant, irritated that I pointed out an omission on his application. “I can’t think of anyone who would say anythin more... | |
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Percent of employees who received promotions in 2010, down from an average of 8.1 percent in previous years Source: World at Work survey of 720 of its members employed in the HR, compensation and ben more... |
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Threats of bodily harm. A cattle prod. Setting someone’s rear end on fire. These are tools and techniques you could use to spur a procrastinating co-worker to action – if you don’t more... |
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Percent of employed workers who say they were promoted or found a better job during the recession Source: Pew Research Center more... |
| To make sure a job is a good match, job seekers should interview the employer. Is this the right company for you? There is too much to lose in finding out you don’t fit four weeks into a job. So more... | |
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Before a job interview, most jobseekers research the company online and peruse the hiring manager's LinkedIn profile. While you're at it, do a Google Image search of the person whom you will be meeti more... |
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Percent of employees who expect no pay raise in 2011. Source: Online survey of 2,188 adults conducted by Harris Interactive for glassdoor.com, the website where anonymous users post company info and more... |
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One question that should never come as a surprise in a job interview is, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" In part because interviewers realize it's predictable, "Understanding how to answer more... |
| We’re not talking about sexism, though that may come into play. Men and women approach and achieve goals differently, with each sex possessing strengths the other tends to lack. While the goals more... | |
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Being asked to donate for a coworker’s birthday this month… again? Office parties can build morale and facilitate friendship, but tighter wallets might lead to tension when the collection more... |
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Median retirement savings of survey respondents age 50 – 59 Source: Wells Fargo retirement telephone survey of 1,756 middle-income individuals more... |
| What should a tweet and a job description on a resume have in common? A limit of 140 characters, says career coach and professional resume writer Deb Dib. Resumes don't need long descriptions of past more... | |
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Number of U.S. patents IBM received in 2010, the most of any global company. IBM has held the top spot for 18 years. Source: IFI Claims Patent Services more... |
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The first obstacle many laid-off employees face is a sense of injustice. In fact, most job experts advise laid-off workers not to start networking or job searching until they've dispensed with the ba more... |
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In the wake of a severe illness comes exhaustion, and not just of a physical nature. Chronically ill workers can also exhaust their allotted paid sick days and unpaid medical leave, forcing them to q more... |
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Percent of polled employers that plan to screen job candidates using video interviews in 2011, a technique only 6 percent tried last year. Source: Online survey of 2,482 U.S. hiring managers for Care more... |
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Already flunked your New Year’s resolutions? Maybe they were too lopsided. When goal setting, instead of a writing down a traditional list, grocery-shopping style, try creating a vision board o more... |
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Percent of mothers of newborns who were in the labor force in 2008, near peak levels Source: U.S. Census more... |
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Picture this: The workday begins. You open your e-mail. Then click a link to open another browser tab. And another. Maybe check the news. And the weather. You wanted to look something up earlier &nda more... |
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Although effects of the recession continue, the New Year opened with good news for jobseekers. According to a study released in early January by global outsourcing agency Challenger, Gray and Christm more... |
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Median earnings of people retired from their main jobs or careers who consider themselves to be working in retirement Source: Families and Work Institute’s 2008 National Study of the Changing W more... |
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When we leave the office, many of us bring work home in our minds if not in an actual briefcase. As a result, we don’t fully engage with our lives outside of work and we seldom are worry-free a more... |
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“Work smarter, not harder” is advice workers in all jobs and income brackets likely would heed if only they knew what it looked like in practice. Surely it’s possible to decrease th more... |
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If your image of manufacturing involves a string of white-coated workers hunched over an assembly line, welcome to the club. “The perception most people have of manufacturing dates back 30, may more... |
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For the busy jobseeker – and is there any other kind? – the job search can be more convenient than ever. Several new iPhone applications put potential openings at your fingertips whether more... |
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Percent of children living with grandparents, a 20-year high and double the rate of 1970 Source: U.S. Census Bureau more... |
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“Saving for retirement” replaced “keeping up with monthly expenses” as the No. 1 concern of workers for the first time since 2006 Source: Mercer Workplace Survey of 1,502 activ more... |
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Few would argue that e-mail management is a huge time waster. It’s necessary to stay on top of it, though, or else it piles up and becomes overwhelming. But what if there were far fewer e-mails more... |
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Finally, a job! For young people settling in their first job post-graduation, it’s tempting to focus on earning money. Saving for the future is way down on the To Do list. It’s understanda more... |
| Are mentorships dead? If not, perhaps they should be, argue some business leaders and career coaches. “A lot of people ask how to find a mentor. The answer is, don’t bother,” says Pr more... | |
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The percentage merit-based pay increase the average worker can expect in 2011. The average raise in 2010 was 2.3 percent. Source: Towers Watson Data Services survey of 1,046 U.S. companies more... |
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What kind of boss has weakly held beliefs? A good one, according to Robert Sutton, author of “Good Boss, Bad Boss” (Business Plus, 2010). Wise leaders have strong opinions, he says, but th more... |
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January may bring a fresh start, but it also delivers a new year of dietary temptations to the office. Coffee cake, anyone? Finding ways to eat wisely in the workplace, especially during the holidays, more... |
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Average amount of student loan debt for college students from the class of 2009 Source: The Project on Student Debt’s report, Student Debt and the Class of 2009 more... |
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Out of work for too long or feeling trapped in a job you hate? Perhaps it’s time to consider some under-promoted occupations that provide entirely new vistas and where jobs are generally availab more... |
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Health concerns and vanity beget their share of New Year’s resolutions, such as losing weight. But what about the health of your career? Are you doing things your boss can’t stand? Here ar more... |
| Should you apply for a job when you don’t have all the qualifications the job listing calls for? Go for it, says career counselor Kathleen Brady, Brady & Associates Career Planners, New York. Un more... | |
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Percent of employers planning a year-end holiday celebration this year. The figure hit 83 percent, a record high, in 2005.Source: BNA, Arlington, Va. more... |
| Organizational skills. Enthusiasm. Planning. Neatness. These are all values that employment counselors say are hallmarks of a good jobseeker. During a time of high unemployment, add “flexibility more... | |
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What’s a “hard skill?” Facility with a particular software program, certification for a skill, such as air conditioning repair, and speaking a foreign language are hard skills that more... |
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Do you frequently feel put-upon, upset or annoyed at work? Setting and defending personal boundaries, a concept drawn from psychology, can help defuse conflicts and create a more efficient, productiv more... |
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Even if you don't work near a body of water chances are good you experience a daily waterfall: The cascade of e-mails that flood your inbox every morning. While the daily deluge may seem normal, the more... |
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Percent of companies that will continue salary freezes in 2011. In 2009, 32 percent imposed salary freezes. Source: Towers Watson Data Services survey of 1,046 U.S. companies more... |
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We've all heard of an elevator pitch, the well-rehearsed, self-promotional speech we can deliver in the time it takes to ride up a few floors. Short and snappy by design, elevator pitches are great f more... |
| Jobseekers want to know. A young employment counselor wants to know, too. Why do employers choose to hire the people they do? Often, big employers on the receiving end of many résumés use screening te more... | |
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Percent of U.S. workers who say they will retire later than they had planned two years ago Source: Towers Watson survey of 9,100 employees in May and June 2010 more... |
| Is working in an office holding you back? In a recent study commissioned by Cisco that surveyed 2,600 workers and IT professionals in 13 countries, 60 percent of the employees believed it was unneces more... | |
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A promotion should be a positive thing. After all, prestige and a pay raise usually come with it. Yet promotions are as stressful as death or divorce, according to a survey by the talent management f more... |
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Percent of companies that will give employees turkeys for Thanksgiving Source: BNA, Arlington, Va., survey of 315 companies more... |
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Smartphones make it possible to answer e-mails at any time, but it's considered bad form to do so during meetings. Yet the pace of business these days demands a swift response to e-mails. Any group t more... |
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While it may be true that there's no place like home for the holidays, the festive season is no time to sit back, relax and put a job search on hold. While it's always important to connect with famil more... |
| I was shocked when I saw this headline not long ago: "Out-of-Work Applicants Told Unemployed Need Not Apply." The surprise was not the news itself, but that the ugly truth actually made it into a head more... | |
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You probably have at least a general idea of how your overall performance is viewed on the job. But it's possible to be blindsided by criticism at work when in your estimation things are going along more... |
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Percent increase in group health care plan costs expected in 2011, the biggest jump since 2005Source: Hewitt Associates more... |
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Unemployed older workers who are concerned about their prospects for finding a job are not playing Chicken Little. It takes men and women who are 55 years and older longer to find jobs than it does yo more... |
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Percent of polled Americans who believe it’s possible to “make it” in America, and achieve the American Dream Source: StrategyOne telephone interviews with 1,008 respondents Oct. 11 more... |
| Someone newly promoted and someone just starting an entry-level position both find themselves in the same spot: inexperienced and under a microscope. Anyone who starts a new job faces the same hurdle: more... | |
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Few kids aspire to draw blood as a career, but it is a real job – in fact, an admirable, not scary one. Working as a phlebotomist, the term for those who draw blood, is a gateway job that can le more... |
| It's called a T-shaped cover letter because there's a T-shaped margin in the middle of the page that presents your information in two columns. "It's an easy, direct way to show how you match the job r more... | |
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What if, rather than searching for prospective employers, you were such an attractive, well-known candidate they came looking for you? Believe it or not, you do not have to be top dog to command such more... |
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Percent of human resource managers who say an online degree credential is acceptable for an entry-level position Source: Society for Human Resource Management poll of 449 randomly selected HR profess more... |
| In a job market that's still feeling the aftershocks of the big quake, it's easy to understand why employees hunker down and work as hard as they can simply to keep their jobs. Some 83 percent of pol more... | |
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Percent of men born 1933 - 1937 who returned to fulltime or nearly fulltime employment after retiringSource: Urban Institute Retirement Policy report more... |
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For both the college graduate and career changer, jobs in the public service have become more popular than ever before. "I think with the most recent presidential election, a lot of people are very e more... |
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Percent of managers in the U.S. workplace who are female Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office figures for 2007 more... |
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Forgetting the post-interview thank-you is akin to just telling a hiring manager you'd rather not work there. Don't do it. Thank-you notes should be the first thing jobseekers do after shrugging off more... |
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It's a job we all appreciate but many would not consider rewarding. However, Charles Jean-Pierre, who teaches high school in Washington, D.C., feels he's rewarded daily. "I love it when I hear, 'Oh, more... |
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"Sit by the phone Joan" was a character I developed to teach job-hunting techniques in my job center workshops. In some ways Joan was an ideal job seeker. She read job boards and classifieds and sear more... |
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Where Lady Gaga ranks on the Forbes magazine 100 Most Powerful Women list for 2010 Source: Forbes more... |
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Go ahead. Show your tattoo in a job interview. All your friends are doing it. That's an overstatement, perhaps, but it's not necessarily the case that your tattoo will undermine your chances in an in more... |
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Proportion of all adults who say they worked in the restaurant industry at some point in their lives more... |
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Passionate, successful, driven and... discontent. Is it possible to achieve much but have little? Marcia Reynolds, author of "Wander Women" (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2010) says many high-achieving more... |
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Of the list of things to bring to your new job - your Cross pen, a can-do attitude, lunch - you might want to add, "Potted plant." Preferably one that's hard to kill. The way you decorate your office more... |
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Not-So-Poor Dad 57 The percent of stay-at-home dads with annual family income of $50,000 or more in 2009 more... |
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Hot Jobs: Speech Pathologist Helping people overcome speech problems is a noble calling - and a practical way to make a living. By Teresa G. Odle CTW FEATURES For more than 20 years, Lemmietta McNei more... |
| 10 Top Fields College grads in search of a job should think niche, according to a study by the University of California San Diego Extension. Some of the hottest career options involve specialized, tar more... | |
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[headline]On the Job[headline] [headline]Sick of Being Sick?[headline] Fall arrives in mid-September, with flu season not long after. Many studies show the toll sick days can take on a company's prod more... |
| Do the Math #1 The most job offers to new college grads came from accounting services employers, followed by engineering and financial service firms. Source: National Association of Colleges and Emp more... | |
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The Job Hunt DIY Coaching By Dawn Klingensmith CTW Features Career coaches will tell you, "You can do anything you put your mind to." That includes coaching yourself without the aid of a pro if you c more... |
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It was difficult to escape the images as millions of gallons of oil, then millions of gallons of chemical dispersant, flowed into the Gulf following the BP oil rig disaster of April 2010. As many as more... |
| Thanks to the leveling effect of the recession, workers of all ages may be more alike than we think. Robert Half International, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based specialized staffing firm, surveyed more th more... | |
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Arriving to work early and staying later than the boss, if only for just a few minutes, creates the impression you're a committed, industrious employee. But eating at your desk, as though you're too more... |
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Percentage of U.S. jobs held by women, up from 33 percent in 1966 Source: Economic Policy Institute more... |
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"He does everything I tell him, but nothing more" the employer complained. He was dissatisfied with an employee, and looking to hire a replacement – a "self-starter," he emphasized. Companies o more... |
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Percent of teens who use e-mail daily. Most prefer texts/SMS and social networks. Source: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg at the Nielsen Consumer 360 conference more... |
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By now most jobseekers, especially those unemployed for some time, know better than to shoot off blind résumés through online job sites or company postings. Career coaches reiterate time and again th more... |
| Would you rather be criticized and told what to do, or be helped and learn a new skill? If you can keep in mind that the obvious answer - the latter - applies to both you and your co-workers, you will more... | |
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Community service is considered a good way for jobseekers to get experience while they look for a position. Volunteering can also benefit those who already have jobs - and their employers - by increa more... |
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College graduates who end up back at home while seeking employment often feel bossed around by their parents. That's why job search consultant Ellen Gordon Reeves tells them time and again, "Get pare more... |
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The percentage of U.S. workers who report their companies are hiring new people Source: Gallup telephone interviews of 16,395 U.S. workers in May 2010 more... |
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Get-along ability is an important talent in the workplace. Interpersonal skills and a pleasant personality rank high on the list of qualities employers seek in a new hire. How can a jobseeker demonst more... |
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Percent of household after-tax disposable income devoted to paying off debt Source: The Federal Reserve Board, 2010 more... |
| Even if a job offer isn't ideal, there is a message new college grads are now hearing: be flexible. One-quarter of college graduates had jobs waiting for them following graduation this year, according more... | |
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What should you do if you mess up at work and it's the sort of mistake that makes your boss look bad or affects the bottom line? The sort that lands you in the doghouse at best and jobless at worst? more... |
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It may be a tough job market but that doesn't mean employees should sell themselves short. Someone who's been unemployed for an extended period of time may simply be grateful to get a job offer. But more... |
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Percent of job seekers cut from consideration after hiring managers check their professional references Source: OfficeTeam interviews with more than 1,000 senior managers at companies with 20 or more more... |
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Often, corporate employees who've been laid off take on contract work or reinvent themselves as entrepreneurs with a home-based startup. Many aren't prepared for the isolation and lack of supervision more... |
| It's common knowledge that compiling a list of contacts is essential to a successful job hunt. But not everyone knows how to nurture a network. There's good reason: it takes time and careful planning. more... | |
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Percent of employers who say they're likely or very likely to create or expand employee wellness programs Source: survey of 1,300 employers by Midwest Business Group on Health, Chicago more... |
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When there's an emergency and people are injured, someone with calm manner and quick wits must step in and help. Emergency Medical Technicians take control of emergency situations and save lives. Mark more... |
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While finding a mentor at a new job is a good idea, you're not likely to get the scoop on office politics from him or her. It pays to identify a peer helper who knows the ins and outs and will honestl more... |
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Proportion of working moms who are the sole breadwinners in their households Source: Online survey of 2,131 adults on behalf of Adecco Staffing, Melville, N.Y. more... |
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Nobody gives much thought to their feet in a job interview, but they are literally part of putting your best foot forward. How you position your feet and the footwear you choose speak volumes about yo more... |
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For many recently minted college graduates, going back to school for another degree seems like a great way to sidestep the weak job market. But without a clear purpose and plan, pursuing an advanced d more... |
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Internships have long been touted as good experience and a worthy résumé boost. Whether interns should work for no pay, however, is an increasingly hot topic. Unless for-profit employers meet certain more... |
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Results speak for themselves, but not always loudly or to a large enough audience. If you have achieved some positive results at work, it is up to you to publicize them so people know your worth. Nob more... |
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Official age of retirement in Greece, pre-crash. In the U.S., it's 66. Source: EPI and Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development more... |
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Focus is important in baseball. Consider the relief pitcher. He doesn't care about the score. He focuses on pitching his one inning. Getting three outs is his concern. Focus is also essential in job h more... |
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Number of millennials - young adults born after 1980 - who say they've posted a video of themselves online Source: Pew Research Center phone survey of 2,020 adults more... |
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In a tough job market, more adults are seeking education as a way to sidestep the hiring slump, retrain or better position themselves for the economic recovery. Community colleges can be a big help, more... |
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The use of credit checks to screen job candidates has come under fire. The U.S. House of Representatives and t least 20 states are considering legislation that would prohibit the use of a job applica more... |
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Percentage median increase in salary increases companies have budgeted for in 2010, the lowest in 25 years Source: Conference Board annual survey of salary-increase budgets among 285 U.S. organizatio more... |
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E-mail, instant messaging, wireless connectivity, video conferencing. It's easy to take for granted how effortlessly information boomerangs from one computer to another - until, of course, it doesn't more... |
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Exercise may not solve all problems but incorporating it into the job search routine may yield surprising results. Here's a now-proven fact job seekers should know: Exercise does increase energy. A 2 more... |
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The day may come when a co-worker asks you to do something that strikes you as shady. The action may not be criminal or especially harmful, but if you believe it is wrong, it’s important to res more... |
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By now, most jobseekers understand the perils of posting a risqué or indiscreet picture of themselves online. A faux pas on Facebook can jeopardize a job offer. But what if a friend posts the comprom more... |
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The proportion of polled employers that plan to increase flexible work arrangements in 2010 Source: CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,700 human resource professionals more... |
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When Adriana Willsie, 24, began blogging in October 2008, it was more to escape a job than to find one. "My best friend and I were living 1,000 miles apart and working in uninspiring jobs," Willsie s more... |
| With the projected shortage of workers in the next decade as baby boomers enter retirement, new research suggests a host of entirely new occupations will emerge and that seniors who keep working could more... | |
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What the average, full-time working woman earns for every dollar earned by a man Source: U.S. Census Bureau more... |
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Even as the country’s economic outlook finally grows brighter, a recent study confirms American’s optimism has yet to follow. Though many cite the recession as over, unemployment numbers h more... |
| Suggesting that job seekers and employees should create their own job security is one thing; acting on it is another. Lisa Caldas Kappesser, author of “The Smart New Way to Get Hired: Use Emotio more... | |
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While the job market may be rough, there are still people out there voluntarily switching jobs. There’s never been a better time to exit properly. Whatever the reasons may be for leaving a compa more... |
| Ever wanted work to work for you? In the case of workplace wellness programs, you may be in luck. An increasing number of employers are looking to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of their w more... | |
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Portion of the college graduating class of 2010 with jobs in hand. Just 19.7 percent of last year’s graduates had landed jobs by graduation day. Source: NACE 2010 Student Survey of 13,000 gradu more... |
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Searching for a job in today’s market is difficult enough without sabotaging oneself. But, that’s exactly what many jobseekers do when they spend too much time trolling online job boards, more... |
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Anyone who has watched the much-touted NBC show “Who Do You Think You Are?” has an idea of the sort of advice career consultant Nancy Anderson dishes up in her new book “Work with Pa more... |
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Number of companies that made the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” list in 2010 Source: The Ethisphere Institute, New York, N.Y. more... |
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Everyone has power outfits. Dressed in certain clothes, we feel perfectly suited to the task at hand, whether it’s attending a black-tie function or leading a business meeting. How we look can m more... |
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“I am dependable,” the job seeker wrote on his application. The help-wanted ad specified that the firm was looking for dependable workers. “This doesn’t do it,” I told th more... |
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Whether an employer has a formal probationary period or not, new hires are given only so much time either to prove themselves or walk the plank. New employees should therefore have an agenda for their more... |
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Little things separate success from failure. In this year’s slalom event at the Vancouver Olympics a mere 14-hundredths of a second was the difference between a gold medal and a bronze medal. C more... |
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Robin Spoehr was thrilled to land an interview for a research technician position at Upstate Medical University in New York state, but she had a problem: she lived in Minnesota. “I was unable to more... |
| Wonder why you’re not getting that interview? It could have to do with the cover letter. A cover letter should be considered a jobseeker’s “pitch” to an employer. It should be more... | |
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The amount that the largest proportion of poll respondents --– 32 percent of women and 27 percent of men – said was sufficient for their retirement needs. Source: Employee Benefit Research more... |
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It’s good to establish a track record for always pitching in, but let’s discuss the real world. There are projects that get you noticed and others that are less beneficial to raising your more... |
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Proportion of the labor force that will be age 55 and older by 2018, an increase of 43 percent Source: 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics projections more... |
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In a tough job market, an internship may give job seekers an edge in experience necessary for a full-time position. “Internships are always important but especially now, just to get your foot in more... |
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Mona Counts was a nurse practitioner before the title existed. For 40 years, she has served patients and taught other nurses in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. She’s been around the world and ev more... |
| As secretary of Yale University in the 1990s, Sheila Wellington often negotiated with city officials in New Haven, Conn., home to the prestigious school. One item they tangled over was the fate of a c more... | |
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U.S. adults who report they’ve stopped purchasing coffee in the morning as a means of saving money. Source: Harris Interactive online poll of 2,576 adults more... |
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DiversityInc, an online and print publication covering diversity and business, in March released its annual list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity. Topping the list is Sodexo, a French multinational f more... |
| In the event of layoffs, are you at risk or a definite keeper? Are you the rare jobseeker who can demonstrate you’d improve a company’s bottom line? Two career experts have new books on ho more... | |
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“Out with the old, in with the new” is the spirit that drives the making of resolutions. It’s also the idea behind spring-cleaning. If you entered 2010 with high hopes but are still more... |
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Age group that shows the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the past decade. Source: Kauffman Foundation study, “The Coming Entrepreneurship Boom” more... |
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You know the feeling. Your boss gives you a huge project with a demented time line and no incentives. You convey your best team player attitude. You think you’ve nailed it. But the truth is, you more... |
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Percentage of low-wage workers paid less than the legally required minimum wage in the preceding work week. Source: 2008 survey of 4,387 workers, “Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers,” www.ne more... |
| In the workplace you’ll find loafers, avoiders, control freaks, saboteurs, naysayers, credit stealers, bullies, whiners and sugar-coaters. You might also encounter ageists, sexists and bigots. I more... | |
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There’s no time like the present. Certainly, that attitude may have helped inspire a surge of jobless managers and executives to launch their own companies. The percentage of unemployed workers more... |
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The way pop culture paints the workplace, employees who “make nice” with co-workers end up with injured feelings and diminished prospects thanks to the machinations of backstabbers, gossip more... |
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Percentage of unemployed workers who started their own businesses in 2009. In 2008, the start-up rate was just 5.1 percent. Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas Job Market Index more... |
| Convoluted job ads and résumés could be stopping jobseekers from finding the right fit for them. The language that people use is a sign of intelligence – or at least that’s what we’r more... | |
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You’ve lost your job. You’re feeling angry and frustrated. How could the boss do this to you after so many years of loyal service? Job loss is a major cause of stress and anxiety, ranking more... |
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A bun's about to burst from the oven, and you could use some extra dough to keep Baby diapered and fed. But should a pregnant woman even bother to job hunt? Even if it's obvious your bundle of joy is more... |
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Number of job cuts publicly announced by U.S. employers in 2009, the biggest annual loss since 2002 Source: outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Chicago more... |
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Mentioning in an interview that you were fired from your last job might actually make a positive impression. It all depends on your timing. "Put the issue out there right away in a forthright manner. more... |
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Percent of the total U.S. labor force working directly for a woman-owned firm Source: Center for Women’s Business Research 2009 report more... |
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These days, starting a new career might seem like a uphill battle. Recent college grads, ready and eager to enter the work world, are finding the work force less willing to take them on. Taking a paid more... |
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The job interview is one of the scariest parts of job searching. For first-time jobseekers or those looking for work after leaving a long-term job, getting through the one-on-one encounter can be like more... |
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Whether you're presenting at a national conference or in a nondescript conference room, your audience might be larger - and more opinionated - than you think. Increasingly audiences are using the soci more... |
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Every 10 years, Congress requires that the federal government count and record all Americans part of the U.S. Census. It's time for the 2010 count and the Census Bureau is looking for temporary worker more... |
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Percent of polled employees who said they intend to leave their firms as the economy improves in 2010 Source: Fall 2009 survey of 904 workers in North America by advisory firm Right Management, Philad more... |
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Proportion of workers older than age 46 who say they do not feel secure in their jobs. Just 20 percent of workers 18 - 29 report similar concern. Source: Survey of 644 workers in Nov. 2009 by Workplac more... |
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When, if ever, is it wise to go straight to human resources with a complaint about a co-worker? Only when the behavior might lead to injury or a lawsuit. “If you truly feel a threat to life or l more... |
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What do countless business cards and hundreds of LinkedIn connections add up to? Not a professional network, necessarily. Business cards aren’t like baseball cards – there’s no value more... |
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You messed up at work. It happens. Usually, the best recourse is to offer a simple, sincere apology and move forward. You don’t want your blunder to be the focus of too much attention. However, more... |
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“Why should I hire you?” In this tough job market, it’s time to stop simply telling potential employers about the work you have done. You need to show them. To do that, consider comp more... |
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The age an average person becomes "old" in the view of survey respondents 18 to 29. Middle-aged respondents said 70; those 65 and up said 74. Source: 2009 Pew nationally representative survey of 2,969 more... |
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Veronica Nolan loves serving youth and changing their lives; she’s been working with young people since she graduated from the University of Virginia and taught Spanish in public schools. Today, more... |
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Percentage of self-employed people who describe themselves as "completely satisfied" with their jobs. Just 28 percent who aren't self-employed expressed the same sentiment. Source: Pew Research Center more... |
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What are you going to be when you grow up? For teens, young adults and even seasoned workers thinking about a career change, the best first stop for information is a classic: the Occupational Outlook more... |
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Projected shortfall in the number of U.S. physicians by 2025, as demand increases with the growth and aging of the population Source: Association of American Medical Colleges more... |
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Sure you want a job - but not just any job. In my years as an employment counselor, I've seen many candidates leap at any position that came their way, only to regret the decision bitterly. "How could more... |
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Having recently parted ways with his employer, Bruce Mirken, 53, single and childless, seems the likeliest of candidates to pick up stakes and relocate for a new job. But he isn't budging, not even if more... |
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Jobs are tough to find. Make sure you’re not. Increasingly, employers are recruiting on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. To boost your visibility and build your professional reputation more... |
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Percentage of polled companies that expect to institute pay reductions in 2010. In 2009, 10 percent of the respondents cut salaries. Source: Hewitt Associates, Lincolnshire, Ill., Oct. 2009 survey of more... |
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Despite long résumés with proven results, baby boomers often have an uphill climb competing with younger jobseekers. Older workers may be experienced decision makers with little need for training, yet more... |
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Average number of minutes a senior executive takes to read a resume submitted for an advertised position Source: Telephone poll of 150 executives by OfficeTeam, Menlo Park, Calif. more... |
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YouTube and Web-based technology that enables job seekers to add speech to a PowerPoint presentation are giving rise to the “talking résumé.” But employers and recruiters aren’t nece more... |
| Discouraged jobseekers say they’ve tried everything to land a position. However, people who think they’ve tried everything “usually haven’t even warmed up,” insists David more... | |
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Number of new U.S. healthcare jobs created since the beginning of the recession in Dec. 2007. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics more... |
| Spending your days with people who have cancer may seem depressing, but for people like Deanna Dominiak it’s a joy. “I knew it was my calling the day I stepped on the unit,” says Dom more... | |
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Giving a presentation has become a common element of a job interview. A surefire way to stand apart is to avoid “PowerPoint autopilot.” That’s when presenters simply read from their more... |
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So you didn't get the job. With plenty of candidates to choose from, employers consider only those with excellent credentials and qualifications. If you don't come out on top this time, try not to tak more... |
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For years we have heard it: edit a résumé until it fits on one page. But technology and new ideas about best job-hunting techniques are challenging accepted wisdom and sparking a difficult debate. Pix more... |
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Percentage of Internet users who use Twitter or another service to share updates about themselves or to see updates about others. Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project survey, fall 2009 more... |
| Is self-deception holding you back at work? If you constantly come out ahead when you compare yourself to colleagues, you may be fooling yourself - and dragging down productivity. A new, expanded vers more... | |
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Whether cold weather minimizes your motivation or a coworker’s pencil-tapping habit has become infuriating to the point of distraction, decreased engagement and productivity at work can affect more... |
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The federal minimum hourly wage for covered nonexempt workers Source: U.S. Department of Labor, www.dol.gov more... |
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Concerned about surviving the next round of layoffs? Then you ought not to worry so much about improving your weaknesses. It sounds counterintuitive, but working on your shortcomings will not save you more... |
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The ten U.S. states that lost the smallest percentage of jobs from Dec. 2007 (start of U.S. recession) to Sept. 2009. Leading the way in job loss: Arizona, with a 10 percent decline in jobs State ... more... |
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A job interview may be stressful, but it doesnŐt have to be difficult. In fact, with research and practice any jobseeker should be able to ably field the toughest questions a prospective employer more... |
| When it comes to preparing for questions in a job interview, practice makes perfect. Here are 5 more top questions jobseekers are likely to face, with suggestions on one wise response, from Ň101 Tough more... | |
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Percent of employers that plan to hand out holiday bonus checks this year, up from 54 percent at the same time in 2008 Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas survey of about 100 human& more... |
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Whether running a business from the basement or using a desk and computer to look for a job, anyone can make a home office more environmentally responsible by following a few simple tips. Large corpor more... |
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The percent of workers age 62+ who say they have delayed retirement because of the recession. Source: Pew Research more... |
| If your hopes for the New Year center on finding a job as opposed to shedding pounds or vices you're in good company. After all, who cares about an expanding waistline when the savings account, employ more... | |
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You wrote the perfect cover letter and sent off a sparkling resume and heard nothing back. What next? To make an impression on hiring managers follow-up is essential, both after applying for a job an more... |
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The proportion of adults ages 18 to 35 who say the poor economy has forced them to move back in with mom and dad. Pew Research Center poll of 1,028 adults in Oct. 2009 more... |
| Power suits and power ties – terms first applied to the no-nonsense business attire of the 1980s – describe conservative, well-tailored garments that command respect. To the basic intervie more... | |
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The festive season is in full swing and with it the dreaded spate of office holiday parties and other occasions calling for small talk. Will you put your foot in your mouth? Or will you fail to open y more... |
| What if you send out résumés and the mailbox remains empty, the phone doesn’t ring and you receive no e-mail reply? For starters, you should feel like you’re in good company. Job counselor more... | |
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Proportion of polled executives who said workers’ office-party antics can affect their career prospects Source: national telephone poll of 250 executives by The Creative Group, a Menlo Park, Cal more... |
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When the post office delivers a bunch of bills you do not intend to pay right away and magazines you do not intend to read immediately, do you cram them back in the mailbox? Not likely. But that&rsquo more... |
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To the already fraught task of socializing at holiday parties, add a new conversational hurdle: unemployment. Holiday gatherings bring together "family, friends and folks with whom you may not interac more... |
| "Persistence, persistence, persistence," was the one piece of job-hunting advice Tony Atwater, president of Indiana University of Pennsylvania) offered college students. He also mentioned selling ones more... | |
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Percentage of 16- to 24-year olds who are employed, the smallest proportion since the government began collecting this data in 1948 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics more... |
| If Manny Acta had come to me for career counseling a few months back, I probably would have advised him to consider a career change. The Washington Nationals - the worst team in baseball - fired Acta, more... | |
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The burly man in a nurse's uniform and surgical mask stopped me in the hospital corridor. "You don't recognize me, do you?" he asked. "You helped me get into coal mine mechanics training 15 years ago. more... |
| Dear Leslie: I was laid off after 14 years of working in managerial positions in manufacturing plants. Since finding employment in this sector is nearly impossible right now, I'm thinking about trying more... | |
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The percent of Americans who pack their lunch instead of purchasing one during the work day Source: Harris Poll of 2,177 U.S. adults surveyed online June 2009 more... |
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Demographers identify four distinct generations in today's work force: traditionalists, baby boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. It's not unusual to have all four working together in the same orga more... |
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The average Social Security retiree benefit Source: Economic Policy Institute and U.S. Social Security Administration, 2009 more... |
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Julie Legred, a certified veterinary technician (CVT), has been in her job for 25 years. "I still learn new things daily," says Legred, now a special projects coordinator for LSG Health Systems, Brice more... |
| As a professional, I am extremely embarrassed by my writing skills. My background is in accounting, and I have serious problems trying to put words on paper. I need to build my confidence and recaptur more... | |
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Lots of questions can pop up in a job interview. No. 1 most dreaded may be this deceptively simple probe: "Tell me about yourself." Some job seekers view it as the "killer" question. Few questions put more... |
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Rare is the worker who relishes the moment when the alarm clock goes off on Monday morning. In the film "Office Space," cranky, unmotivated employees are playfully accused by an annoyingly perky temp more... |
| A 51-year-old father of two who worked in a French call center threw himself from a highway bridge in late September. He was the 24th employee of Franc Telecom to kill himself in the prior 19 months. more... | |
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Percentage salary increase for the average U.S. worker in 2009 Hewitt Associates survey of 1,156 large organizations more... |
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"Employers have to provide parking for their workers! Mine didn't, so I just quit. Now my eligibility for unemployment compensation is being questioned. That's not right," the indignant woman at my de more... |
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Average number of weeks it takes unemployed workers to land a job, up from 19.1 weeks in September 2008. more... |
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"I know an employer has a right to ask if I have a conviction. They can't ask about arrests. Can an employer refuse to hire me just because of my conviction?" asked a young woman at a support group fo more... |
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Entry-level position. Experience needed: 1-2 years. Sound familiar? Michele Wahlder, Dallas-based life and career coach for Life Possibilities LLC, knows first-hand what it's like to attempt the balan more... |
| As the economy becomes progressively more disconcerting, we tend to abandon the idea of ever holding a dream job. But they are still out there. If you're having trouble imagining them, here's a small, more... | |
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The proportion of college graduates under age 25 in jobs that do not require college degrees, the highest in 18 years Source: National Assoc. of Colleges and Employers more... |
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Sure, the light bulb so many students hope for after graduation can shine like a floodlight for some. For many students, though, leaving school to enter the job market can mean a bewildering number of more... |
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Rites of passage. Every society has them. In contemporary American society passing your driver's license test, a first kiss, graduating from high school and having the first alcoholic drink at 21 were more... |
| "I spent all afternoon arranging flowers on your tables. We set aside that small dining room for you and while we were waiting for you to show up, we turned other customers away!" Dear Readers, My mot more... | |
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We may take for granted that important national security issues such as nuclear disarmament require the skills of people with some technical knowledge and expertise in foreign languages to review and more... |
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Matt Horne and Kevin Costello are both in business in the Chicago area with their families. Along with his wife, Kitty, of 34 years, Horne makes a zesty, gluten-free cocktail mix called Longbranch Blo more... |
| Q. I'm unemployed with an accounting degree, but I don't see why anyone would hire me because I really don't enjoy doing that kind of work. If I cannot convince myself I want a job in the field, I don more... | |
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Percentage increase in productivity and morale among employees granted the freedom to "make their desk their home," controlling the look and feel of their office environment. Source: Online survey of more... |
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Number of years a Goodyear Tire plant in Alabama paid Lilly Ledbetter less than her male co-workers. She sued. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was signed into law in Jan. 2009. more... |
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An interview is a two-way street. Many jobseekers mistakenly view an interview as a situation in which the employer has all the options. They see the jobseeker as a piece of meat waiting to be chosen. more... |
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Against the backdrop of a high, unyielding national unemployment rate, many jobseekers are more willing to apply for and accept positions on lower rungs of the job ladder than they might like. But aft more... |
| Q. After graduating from college in May, I have found a full-time position at a plant nursery near my home. I am the receptionist. Unfortunately, the closest I have gotten to using my B.A. in English more... | |
| Dear Readers, As a talk show host on Wisconsin Public Radio station WPR, Ben Merens listens for a living. Whether he is interviewing education critic Alfie Kohn about his opposition to homework or ene more... | |
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Phrases such as "Work from home" and "No experience necessary" may sound promising, but they are words that should strike fear in the hearts of jobseekers looking for honest employment. The risk of en more... |
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Average starting salary for 2009 college graduates with bachelor's degrees, down 1.2 percent from last year. Source: National Assoc. of Colleges and Employers survey of 140 college and university care more... |
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Jobseekers often hear advice to pack their resumes full with impressive details that may swing an employers vote toward "hire." But we often waver when it comes to the other side of things: what to le more... |
| Dear Readers, Has this ever happened to you? A new department is expanding and your department has to accommodate the new employees by doubling up on office space. That’s the news I got a few we more... | |
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For more than 20 years, Lemmietta McNeilly, PhD, helped infants and young children with swallowing and speech disorders as a speech and language pathologist. She founded an academic department and wor more... |
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It’s common now for workers to change jobs every three or four years. But leaving companies after a year or two of employment is still seen as a liability. Perfectly qualified candidates often d more... |
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The percent of first-time U.S. mothers back at work six months after giving birth in the years 2001 – 2003. That's a 41 percent increase from the early 1960s. Source: Census Bureau more... |
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I was doing breathing exercises to relax prior to a job interview when I heard a strange sound. I looked up to see a middle-age man in a dark suit, white shirt and tie pacing the floor. He was hitting more... |
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Putting yourself “out there” is perhaps more critical than ever for finding or keeping a job. So what’s an introvert to do? Quiet and reserved by nature, introverts in the workplace more... |
| Q: I read your column about the value of creativity at work with great interest. I have read Daniel Pink’s “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,” (Riverhead, 20 more... | |
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Tom Daly, managing principal at Hartwig Moss Benefits in Austin, Texas, knew he needed human resources help but that he didn’t need it full-time. So he networked with peers to find just the righ more... |
| Q: My boyfriend makes more money than I do but seems to have less fun. He’s quite successful by any professional measure but always being in overdrive seems to have quite a cost. He doesn’ more... | |
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The percent of U.S. workers who expect to have the same employer for more than five years Source: Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 557 employed adults conducted July 17-18, 2009 more... |
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Going paperless is good public relations. Anyone with a reasonably sophisticated cell phone has the means to store a person’s full contact information on the spot. Does that mean business cards more... |
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Remember the old days of résumés – standard objective sentences (“To get a job utilizing my strong interpersonal and communication skills); lots of bullet points about what your jobs entai more... |
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Percentage of adults who say they do not save any of their annual household income for retirement. Source: National Foundation for Credit Counseling March 2009 survey of 1,000 U.S. residents ages 18 a more... |
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Paying for a personal coach seems like an unconscionable extravagance in a recession. But by most accounts, demand is high for these professionals who offer direction on life and work. “The prof more... |
| Dear Readers, Job-hunting expert Richard Bolles, author of the bestseller “What Color is Your Parachute?” has long considered doing a thorough self-assessment as a prelude to a successful more... | |
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For thirty years as an employment counselor I spent a lot of time getting jobseekers to write résumés that would capture the attention of a human reader. Occasionally, companies would assign initial more... |
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Percent of employees who answered No to the question, Do you want to be a manager?Source: Randstad 2009 World of Work survey of 2,199 workers more... |
| Dear Readers, A parade of 10,000 workers organized by the New York City Central Labor Council marked the first Labor Day in 1882. It soon became a national holiday. More than 125 years later, we stil more... | |
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Employers generally are impressed when job candidates make the interview a two-way street by posing questions of their own - that is, unless the questions reveal a basic lack of knowledge about the c more... |
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The top-paying job for women: pharmacists, with a median salary of $86,000 per year. Source: Forbes magazine rank of women's median weekly earnings, based on U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau 2 more... |
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In a difficult economy, many people have turned to temporary work for additional employment opportunities. But rather than simply filling the gap from one full-time job to the next, a temporary posit more... |
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A caravan walking through the Brooklyn Crown Heights neighborhood fascinated New Yorkers. ultra-Orthodox Jews were giving a group of Amish from Lancaster, Penn. a tour of their neighborhood. The grou more... |
| Q: I’m on the verge of quitting my job. My boss and I do not get along. If I quit, would I be eligible for unemployment insurance? I am tempted since the federal government has extended benefits more... | |
| Q: I’ve got a disability that’s not obvious to anyone but that can occasionally make it hard for me to work. It is usually controlled by medication, but that’s not 100 percent reliab more... | |
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Is there anything more important in life than breathing? For 25 years, Geri Bernacki, MHA, RRT, has been helping people breathe as a respiratory therapist. It's a job that involves everything from in more... |
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Last fall, Crystal Stafstrom, 24, thought she could breath a sigh of relief when she was offered a job on the retail analysis side of a consumer packaged goods company. She was given specifics on the more... |
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Percentage of adults who believe they've been denied a job or promotion because of their stuttering. Source: The National Stuttering Association (NSA) survey of 1,235 people in May 2009 more... |
| Q: I need a full time job but the U.S. job markets seem closed. I hear that working internationally is the way to go but the change is so huge that I don't know what to think of first. Pointers? A: Ma more... | |
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Martha Finney finished writing her guide to surviving a layoff months before the book’s February 2009 release. And while the economy has slide precipitously since then, Finney is sticking with more... |
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The number of jobseekers per available job Source: Economic Policy Institute and BLS research for June 2009 more... |
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"I am bummed out," said Victory, one of the participants in a job search class I led at the job center. He had received a rejection letter after an interview in which he thought he'd done well. He co more... |
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Earnings last year of rapper and businessman Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, the biggest take of all male hip-hop musical artists. Source: Forbes' annual ranking based on income June 2008 - June 2009 more... |
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Emily Trimble, 22, was just hoping to connect with friends when she signed up to use Twitter, the online social networking site, in March. Finding a job was the last thing on her mind. But as she swa more... |
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When Alan Mater found himself laid off from the lens grinding company where he worked near Lewiston, Pa., he didn't waste a lot of time looking elsewhere for work. Instead, he pursued a new gig as an more... |
| Entrepreneur or Employee? Q: I'm out of work and thinking about starting my own business, but I'm worried that I'm not entrepreneurial enough. I'm used to having a boss and the security of having a re more... | |
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Many career advisers warn that in today's oversaturated job market, filling out an online application and waiting with fingers crossed to hear back is tantamount to hurling your resume into a black h more... |
| Bad Interview Behavior I am a director of a college-level educational service who routinely spends much time hiring new employees. Standards are high and hiring is competitive. Applicants can find ver more... | |
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You're 59 years old and just lost your job; and retirement is not an option. Suddenly, after 20 years at one firm, you're in the ranks of thousands of job seekers, most of who are fresh out of colleg more... |
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The percentage of adults with MySpace or Facebook profiles Source: Harris Poll survey of 2,220 adults more... |
| I have worked for a “big box” retailer for five years. The job started as a source of temporary income, and I have been very successful, staying much longer than I intended. It’s tim more... | |
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Percentage of married-couple families with both husband and wife employedSource: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008 more... |
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Employers looking to hire cooks and food servers were always the quickest to call. "What is with these applicants?" they'd demand, referring to job hopefuls referred to them by our job center. "Some more... |
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Christie Joy goes to work every day in jeans and a T-shirt and works with some real animals. "The best part of pet-sitting is it's something you can be proud of and passionate about," says Joy, of Tr more... |
| Dear Readers, Those highly anticipated, often-dreaded annual performance reviews can take on even more significance nowadays, when jobs are harder than ever to keep. If you've got one coming up, think more... | |
| Minutes the average cell phone user spends texting per week. Average time spent talking on the cell phone is 44 minutes Source: Frank N. Magid Associates survey of 4,000 cell phone users more... | |
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Recent surveys of employers consistently show that what they look for in job candidates - and seldom find - are strong communication skills. As the work force increasingly diversifies and organizatio more... |
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Who hasn't been obliged to reread an e-mail in an attempt to understand the writer's message? Or encountered an e-mail with a subject line so dubious they're reluctant to open it? Or flinched through more... |
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It is true that the age-old Help Wanted section has taken a hit from the Internet. Used in conjunction with other methods of finding a job, though, there's a lot to recommend classified job listings more... |
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Imagine this: a woman works for the world's largest enterprise software company. A recession hits, she loses her job and the only work she can find in her field is halfway across the country. Rather more... |
| Co-author of "The Good Girl's Guide to Negotiating" I never thought having 25 years of experience would be a liability, but that seems to be the case when you are looking for a new job. Is there any w more... | |
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Percentage decline in the number of new college grads that employers expect to hire from the class of 2009 compared to class of '08 Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job O more... |
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Base salary increases for 2009 are expected to drop below 3 percent, the lowest in 32 years of tracking. Source: Hewitt Associates Dec. 2008 survey of 640 large companies more... |
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“It’s a good time to start a business,” claims Rhonda Abrams, syndicated columnist, author and speaker who specializes in small-business topics. No, Abrams has not been asleep for t more... |
| Dear Readers, This year, my summer reading list focuses on creativity. Instead of exploring art in a literal way - how to quilt, how to paint - why not look into upping your creative quotient for use more... | |
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In today's saturated job market, your résumé should not only stand out, but it must also practically sprout wings, take flight and make a perfect landing on the decision maker's desk. Then, it should more... |
| Q: I’ve heard that job interviewers size up applicants within the first seven seconds of meeting them. Is that true? Dear Readers, When top television executive and Republican strategist Roger A more... | |
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Number of U.S. workers who won’t use all their earned vacation days this year, up 3 percent from 2008Source: Harris Interactive survey of 1,530 adults in March 2009 on behalf of Expedia more... |
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Is the economy giving you gray hair and sleepless nights? You’re not alone. But not only is it possible to reduce your stress level, learning to keep your cool may be just as important as findi more... |
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At age 35, Glenn E. Stevick, Jr., had a master’s degree in psychology, a teaching background and two boys at home. He wanted to make more money so he answered an ad offering sales positions for more... |
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The percentage of kids who are certain they’ll work in the jobs of their choice when they grow up. Seventeen percent of girls want to be veterinarians, 11 percent of boys want to be in the mili more... |
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Have you ever received a great introduction to a stranger and felt, within moments, at ease and with lots to talk about with your new acquaintance? Contrast that with a hasty, name-only exchange: &ld more... |
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The search was long, but finally everything has fallen into place. You rocked the interview, the company made an offer and now you can finally take a moment to breath. But don’t relax for too l more... |
| Q: I’ve read about job fairs where thousands of people apply for dozens of jobs. There’s one scheduled nearby in a few weeks. Is it worth going? Dear Readers, The latest word on job fairs more... | |
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There he is, across the room. He’s wearing a polka dot tie – the same one he wore at the last convention. The time before that, his tie was blue with pinstripes. He uses the word “s more... |
| Q: What do you do when a co-worker dies suddenly? Weeks later, some employees still feel like crying, but managers may feel the need to push past the grief. What’s best? Dear Readers, With the r more... | |
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Percent of the U.S. private sector workforce that is unionized. Source: Union Membership and Coverage Database, www.unionstats.com more... |
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“Now you’re talking, if I worked out of my home, I wouldn’t have to worry about child care,” said Betty, a single mother, after hearing a presentation about business startups. more... |
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Percentage of companies that plan to trim the value of long-term incentives awarded to top executives. Source: Watson Wyatt Worldwide March 2009 survey of 145 large U.S. companies more... |
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Nursing is a great career and much in demand. Some nurses are finding greater satisfaction and more opportunities caring for a special population. Older adults use at least half of all hospital care, more... |
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When Chicago-based Northern Trust, a recipient of government bailout money, was chastised for lavish parties and entertaining in conjunction with its sponsorship of a country club golf tournament in more... |
| The other day I was at an interview and one of the questions was, “What are your weaknesses?” I consider this a depressing, senseless question. How does one answer this? I said, “Cho more... | |
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“I must have résumé-writer’s block,” sighed one entry-level jobseeker. “It doesn’t seem that difficult but I just don’t know where to start.” At the job cent more... |
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Median number of leisure hours available to adults each week in 2008, down from 26 hours in 1973 Source: Harris Poll of 1,010 adults more... |
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If the economy begins to recover in 2010, as some experts suggest is likely, the unemployment rate – which hit a 25-year high of 8.5 percent in March 2009 – will begin to decline. Another more... |
| Dear Readers, This column is dedicated to all the newly minted college graduates who do not yet have a job offer in hand. What is a highly educated, unemployed person to do? Try to stay energized and more... | |
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Percent of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2008 who were foreign-born, some 24 million people. The percentage was down slightly from 2007. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics more... |
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Everyone prizes “work-life balance” these days, but the term is problematic. It implies that work and home life are separate realms positioned at opposite ends of a scale. In fact, family more... |
| Dear Readers What’s your confrontation style? Are you a “conflict antagonist” who likes to argue and win? A “conflict avoider” who would rather not argue with anyone abou more... | |
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With the end of the recession still not in sight, many companies are struggling, managers are tightening budgets and employees are simply happy just to have a job. Asking for a raise in tough economi more... |
| South Dakota 10.2 Nebraska 9.7 Vermont 9.4 Kansas 8.9 Iowa 8.8 U.S. Average: 5.2 States with the highest percentage of multiple jobholders as a percent of total employment in 2007 Source: Bureau of La more... | |
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Long months of fruitless searching can leave a jobseeker emotionally exhausted. From all signs, there are lots of tired folks out there. Some 90 percent of Americans surveyed said it’s a bad ti more... |
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If it’s not online shopping or paying bills electronically, then it’s viewing the newest YouTube phenomenon, ‘tweeting’ on Twitter or writing on a pal’s wall in FaceBook more... |
| Dear Leslie, I am a college student about to graduate this month. As I begin my job search, I have found that even hourly positions require a cover letter now. I have not needed to write a cover lette more... | |
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Percentage of "involuntary part-timers" in the workforce, those who would prefer to work full-time jobs but can't find them. The figure was 2.7 percent a decade ago. Source: BLS more... |
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In politically correct circles they might be called, euphemistically, "strong personalities." Among co-workers, though, irritating individuals are called, simply, jerks - and jerks in the workplace ca more... |
| Dear Readers, What do you know about the people you need to please at work? How can you use that information to your advantage? Before you can successfully answer those questions, think strategically more... | |
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"I was there every day," said the successful job hunter with pride. "First thing in the morning. When they opened their doors, there I was. Maybe they hired me to get me out of their personnel office! more... |
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One mouse click lasts a fraction of a second. But could it stop you from sealing the deal in your job search? This year, according to The Radicati Group, an e-mail archiving company based in Mill Val more... |
| Dear Readers, “No one should have to choose between the job they need and the family they love.” “When our lease comes up for renewal, we will strongly consider other locations outsi more... | |
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Number of minutes of non-work-related Web-surfing deemed permissible in the workplace each day. Source: survey of 250 advertising and marketing executives by The Creative Group, Menlo Park, Calif., a more... |
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When big investment firms teetered on Wall Street this fall, business schools mobilized so quickly to counsel affected alumni that, in some cases, career assistance arrived before graduates fully rea more... |
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Between the gyrations of the economy and the rapid downshifting of many businesses, it's not easy to stay calm and collected in today's workplace. If you're looking for a job, you probably wonder, Wh more... |
| TITLE TALES Dear leslie, I'm about to launch a new business and I need a new title. I want something more interesting than president or CEO. While my main strength and skills run to the financial side more... | |
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Percent of polled adults who say they're uncomfortable when introducing themselves to strangers at a party Source: survey of 1,005 adults by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media on behalf of PrimaLoft (c more... |
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With the private sector a scary place in this market, more and more people are considering federal jobs. The evidence is in the hits. The number of daily visits to the federal government's jobs Web s more... |
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Dear Readers, "You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." - Henry Ford That's a quote recently posted on www.esteemedwoman.com, a Web site devoted to women's empowerment. I learned ab more... |
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Submitting a job application online, from the comfort of your own home, seems almost too good to be true - less time, less hassle, less stress. But how do you stand out from the crowd when hundreds o more... |
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Percent of U .S. employers polled in May 2008 that had not made formal contingency plans for an economic downturn. Of those with plans, the most common was layoffs (52 percent) followed by restructur more... |
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Layoffs are never easy. At a time of severe economic downturn, when floundering companies hit the panic button, they can be especially traumatic. Job cuts took an ugly turn in 2001, when employers re more... |
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Lights, camera... upload. These days even a novice computer user can publish a video in a matter of minutes. On social networking sites, YouTube and all manner of personal and commercial Web sites, pe more... |
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Employees who get downsized or fired leave behind their computers, co-workers and keys to the office. However, they generally do not give up their right to take advantage of the company's group health more... |
| Dear Readers, If you have a boss, do you count on her to solve the big problems that plague your company? If you are the boss, do you do your best to reassure everyone, even when things are heading so more... | |
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Percentage of workers ages 65 to 74 in the U.S. labor force, up from 20 percent in 2000 Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2007 American Community Survey more... |
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The Phelps Group marketing agency, Santa Monica, Calif., recently “greened up” its building by crowning the roof with the largest commercial solar-panel system in the city. The company al more... |
| Dear Leslie, I work in public relations at a small company and am searching for a new position. I’m targeting large but innovative companies. Do my résumé and cover letter have to be s more... | |
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Percent of U.S. managers who think casual dress hurts productivity Source: Online poll of 9,105 employees across all industries in July 2008 by FPC, an executive search firm based in N.Y. more... |
| Charging money for information that is readily available at no cost is an enduring scam. Gullible job seekers who hunger for a regular paycheck too easily fall prey to these bogus offers. I once saw a more... | |
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Percent of the U.S. population that speaks a language other than English at home, up from 13.8 percent in 1990. Source: Census Bureau's 2007 American Community Survey more... |
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In hindsight, Joan Friedlander recognizes that she could have done more to prevent getting a pink slip when her former employer restructured. She'd just started to battle an autoimmune disease and ha more... |
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Networking is one of the best ways to find a job, but it can be tricky. Here are some tips to help you get started and avoid the pitfalls. Sharpen your focus A major cause of networking failure is la more... |
| SLIGHTS DON'T ADD UP Dear Leslie, You are right about the shortage of African-American accountants. I happen to be one. But you did not touch on the discrimination we face even after being hired. I ha more... | |
| Dear Leslie, When I found out that you read “Who Moved My Cheese?,” in your column was about your father (bless his heart), I felt compelled to relate this story. I worked in a business th more... | |
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As the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for!" Not every promotion or new job leads to happiness. In some cases a job seeker may discover that a seemingly promising promotion ends up being a more... |
| Dear Leslie, When I was younger, I foolishly walked out on a bar tab with some friends and was charged with theft. As many people do when they are young, I made a mistake. I never expected this incide more... | |
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Average pay of a manager of a top 50 hedge and private equity fund manager in 2007, some 19,000 times more than a typical U.S. worker. Source: "Executive Excess 2008," 15th annual CEO compensation sur more... |
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9 to 5: It's more than cleaning teeth. Dental hygienists help prevent and treat oral disease to protect teeth and gums. "We know that prevention saves money, leads to better oral health and to better more... |
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For most jobseekers - early in the hunt, anyway - a callback after an interview is a time for rejoicing. The first interview went well! The second callback may be more perplexing. Didn't you talk to e more... |
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Whether you utilize them or not, one thing's for sure: you've got people. A network, when cultivated and taken advantage of (in a good way) can further your career, teach you all kinds of new things a more... |
| Dear Readers, Eleven-year-old Rachel Cole of Oak Park, Ill., had a great time playing with Princess, a beautiful black Labrador retriever, when her Girl Scout troop volunteered at the local animal she more... | |
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Number of laptops lost in the 36 biggest U.S. airports each week. Nearly 70 percent of them are never reclaimed. Source: 2008 survey of 106 major airports conducted for Dell by the Ponemon Institute, more... |
| ALL CRIME AND NO PAYDear LESLIE, When I was younger, I foolishly walked out on a bar tab with some friends and was charged with theft. As many people do when they are young, I made a mistake.I never e more... | |
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The percentage raise working women voted as the change they most desired in their work lives. A raise was followed by high-quality heath care and childcare. Working America, Washington, D.C., sixth a more... |
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You've heard it said often: Avoid discussion of sex, money, religion and politics. So, why do so many people love to broach these controversial topics in the office? "Politics, in particular, is hard more... |
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Doing business in the 21st century means riding the cutting edge of technology, seeking out innovation and embracing the new. There are some free thinkers who believe that the ancient study of astrol more... |
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Why do clashes between co-workers occasionally erupt into screaming and scuffling? Many times, news coverage of workplace aggression reports that the answer is obvious: it's the economy, stupid. "Stre more... |
| Dear Readers, In a recent column, I compared Sarah Palin’s candidacy for the vice presidency of the U.S. to an applicant for a more ordinary job. Several readers took issue with my critique and more... | |
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Three things in life are certain: Death. Taxes. And employment scams. In my years as a job counselor, I saw too-good-to-be-true self-employment job offers dupe innocent job seekers time after time. "I more... |
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Proportion of large companies that accept video résumés from job candidates Source: 2008 survey of 150 U.S. senior executives by Robert Half International, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffin more... |
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Number of workers who died from injuries on the job last year. Fishing was the most dangerous occupation, followed by logging, aircraft pilots and flight engineers and structural iron and steel worker more... |
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Robert Chambers went from being a car salesman to starting a nonprofit that provides low-interest loans and fuel-efficient cars to the rural poor living in New Hampshire. He's one of a growing number more... |
| Dear Readers, Does your firm have a suggestion box? Whether your answer is Yes or No, unless it means employees' ideas are regularly solicited, it's time to think outside that particular box and insta more... | |
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Well-prepared job applicants have answers to every conceivable question an interviewer might ask. Too often, though, they fail to pose incisive questions of their own. An interview is not a one-way st more... |
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Percent of U.S. workers who are confident in their ability to find a new job. Seventy-six percent believe they are unlikely to lose their job in the next year. Source: June 2008 Harris Interactive pol more... |
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Traditionally, a college degree opens the door to respect, a new chapter in life and the first "real" job in a much-dreamed-of career. However, with today's difficult economy and rising unemployment r more... |
| Dear Leslie, I am the office secretary (and then some) in a 50-person office and I work with a great group of people. Several co-workers, including men, will talk to me for a half hour at a time, walk more... | |
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"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept," said Ansel Adams, the photographer known for his majestic images of the American West. It is not likely Adams was talking about failed e more... |
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Average weekly wage in Santa Clara County, Calif., highest among the nation's 328 largest counties Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, third quarter of 2007 more... |
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In tough times, companies focus on the bottom line. That's the right strategy for employees, too, says Caroline Ceniza-Levine, a career coach based in Manhattan. She's not just referring to contributi more... |
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All job seekers should network. Most of them know full well they should. It's taking the first step - picking up the phone - that frequently trips them up. By some estimates, each of us knows about 50 more... |
| Dear Readers, Pundits and politicians have hailed Sarah Palin's surprising selection as John McCain's running mate as a sign that the end of discrimination against women in the workplace is here. Even more... | |
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They’re crunching numbers to Mariah Carey. Creating a powerpoint to Vampire Weekend. Or polishing off a competitive analysis to The Clash. A generation of workers accustomed to carrying the sou more... |
| Dear Readers, What’s more important, how you start or how you finish? That’s a key question in any career in which you measure results, whether by the season or the quarter. Professional b more... | |
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Percent of hiring managers who say they’ve caught a candidate lying on a résumé Source: 2008 Careerbuilder.com survey of 3,000 hiring managers more... |
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Drew Stevens, 46, can empathize with the thousands of employees who will be laid off from Starbucks as the coffee chain shutters 600 stores in a rolling series of closures through early 2009. While i more... |
| Dear Readers, It may be September, but summer is still on our minds. You can probably call up the most memorable moments fairly easily, whether wonderful or traumatic. For young people who were unempl more... | |
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“I think I’m going into business for myself. Doesn’t matter what it is. I’ll just take out a home-equity loan – maybe buy a franchise,” a dislocated worker told me more... |
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Percent of U.S. employees who say they feel obligated to check work e-mail while on vacation Source: AOL Mail’s 2008 E-mail Addiction Survey of 4,000 of its members more... |
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As an executive search consultant, Sally Stetson, a principal with the Salveson Stetson Group in Radnor, Pa., helps match people to jobs. She’s also a mom who hears people repeatedly ask her da more... |
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With gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, who wouldn’t want to join the growing number of U.S. employees whose route to work is just a few short strides from the bedroom to a home-based offi more... |
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The Labor Day holiday is here. For anyone out of work and looking for a job, it’s time to kick the job search into high gear. You wouldn’t be wasting an ounce of energy if you began your more... |
| Dear Leslie, I worked in a local church office for 10 years. I got sick and had to take a leave of absence. During my leave, the church hired another person permanently. I was told when I returned I c more... | |
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Percentage of workers 16 and older who work more than 40 hours a week. Eight percent work 60 or more hours a week. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009 more... |
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Number of commuters who leave for work between midnight and 5:59 a.m., some 13 percent of all workers Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2006 American Community Survey more... |
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Self-expression is human nature. Some people express themselves through painting, writing or dancing. Some people play music. And some people express their individuality via body art – tattoos more... |
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Aaron Ludin’s summer earning improved dramatically from one year to the next. He went from earning $6.20-an-hour retail gig to netting $31,000 selling knives for the summer. That salary grew to more... |
| Dear Readers, Labor Day is one of transition, a time to switch gears from the lazy days of summer to the fertile fresh start of fall. Established as a legal holiday by Congress in 1894, Labor Day also more... | |
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Dear Readers, When my father retired in 1982 at age 56, he was the senior minister of First Church of Christ, Congregational, in New Britain, Conn. The church building, built in the 1960s, still seem more... |
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Percent of U.S. employers offering incentives to lure employees to sign up for company health and wellness programs in 2008. Gift cards were No. 1. Source: 2008 survey of 225 major employers by the N more... |
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Sometimes, dream jobs appear to be just around the corner. College grads with newly minted diplomas or workforce veterans with glowing recommendations eagerly pursue the glittering prize they’v more... |
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“This summer we had our family reunion. I saw my 80-year-old Uncle Fred there,” said Jason, a jobseeker. “He is the retired manager of Lunches from a Vending Machine. So I go up to more... |
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No sooner had Lynne Klippel discovered that her company would eliminate her position as it downsized that she learned her husband’s company had also cut his job. “I was shocked at how int more... |
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We’re doing lots of activities online that we once did in person. Shopping? Sure. Paying bills? Of course. But professional networking? You bet – and with some great advantages. Finding a more... |
| Dear Leslie, I am a college student entering my junior year. When I applied for internships in the spring, I interviewed with a marketing company and was not offered the job because another candidate more... | |
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Percent of employees who say work/life balance is a very important aspect of job satisfaction, down from 62 percent in 2002 Source: The Society for Human Resource Management 2008 Job Satisfaction Sur more... |
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Percent of executives who deem cover letters sent with résumés as “not valuable at all” Source: Survey of 150 executives at large corporations by OfficeTeam, a staffing firm in more... |
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Uncle Sam is looking for more than a few good men and women, and not just to serve in the armed forces. From cemetery workers to nuclear physicists, the federal government has tens of thousands of jo more... |
| Dear Leslie, I have an ethical dilemma at the doctor’s office where I am the receptionist. After working here for three months, I was instructed to start taking payments from patients. While lea more... | |
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Any sensible job seeker knows that employers receive countless applicants for any given job opening. Each of these applicants has a résumé, of course, which means that if you want yours to more... |
| Dear Readers, Accounting ranks among the country’s most segregated professions. Only 1 percent to 3 percent of all Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are African-American, depending on what sou more... | |
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Percent of undergraduates who name Google as their ideal future employer. Runnersup: Walt Disney (13 percent) and Apple Computer (10 percent.) Source: 2007 survey of 43,313 students by Universum USA, more... |
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You eat breakfast together. You share financial responsibilities. You offer each other advice and support. Why not work together, too? Your life and your partner’s are inextricably intertwined. more... |
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Aspiring globetrotters who dream of working and living overseas might regard Debi Yohn as a role model. A psychologist who hails from Miami, Yohn has held jobs in Saudi Arabia, France, China and Mexi more... |
| Dear Leslie, I recently participated in an interview with an airline for a flight attendant position. I agreed to participate at my own expense, since the company did not provide transportation or cov more... | |
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Nearly a third of Americans seem to be ignoring some important signs – or perhaps slept through them. According to the 2008 “Sleep in America” poll, 29 percent of respondents said t more... |
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Average amount students in 2008 expect to earn five years after graduation Source: Survey of 43,313 undergraduates by Universum USA, a Philadelphia-based research and consulting service more... |
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Your company has just been bought out and rumors are flying. The top brass says there’ll be no immediate changes. Colleagues tell you not to worry because highly paid upper management positions more... |
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“I’m aimless no more!” declared Susie. “I am going to open a convenience store of my own! I made hoagies faster than anyone else at the church fundraiser. If the Sheetz can do more... |
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Percentage of men who wear ties every day to work in 2007, down from 10 percent in 2002 Source: Gallup Poll more... |
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Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, newly graduated college students step off the stage, diploma in hand, ready to take on the world. With years of hard work preparing for this moment behind them, they dre more... |
| Dear readers, I’ve recommended many books but this one is among the best I’ve found, “Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive” (Free Press, 2008). Just published, t more... | |
| When she graduates from college in December, Whitney Plumendahl most likely will limit her job search to employment opportunities in the nonprofit sector. “It’s not that I’m not open more... | |
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Dear Leslie, I left my previous employer in April, 2007. I have a Simple Retirement Account. My employer put in my employee contributions but it never deposited the employer match for 2007 ($200.00). more... |
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By 2016, more than three-quarters of US workers will be in service, rather than goods-producing, jobs Source: 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook more... |
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Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich., hosts a statewide job fair twice a year for Michigan colleges and employers that attracts 166 employers and 1,000 candidates. Organizer Lavonda Robine more... |
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Percentage decline in U.S. footwear prices in the last 10 years Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics more... |
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I had studied all the standard questions likely to be asked in job interviews. To be sure, interviewers selected by Pennsylvania Labor and Industry tended to use the same questions, so I practiced my more... |
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Dear Readers, “To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.” -- Confucius When the weather gets warm, I cannot resist suggesting a summer reading list. With one of the h more... |
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Grandmothers have always advised not to count your chickens until they hatch. In today’s economy, the wise among us have a new pearl of wisdom: don’t assume that you have a job just becau more... |
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Schoolteachers know the syndrome well. Friday rolls around and the kids stop hitting the books and start hitting the road – mentally, anyway. The same is often true of the workplace. When many more... |
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Carol Gerrish looks around her third-floor office and is instantly inspired to work. “This is a professional office, a serious space,” says the life coach in Troy, N.J. It’s a space more... |
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Dear Readers, When I lived in Philadelphia after college, I had a good friend who lived nearby who said she was thinking of moving back in with her boyfriend. Then she bought a piano. That seemed to more... |
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Percentage of men who say they never wear a tie to work. Source: American Magazine/Gallup Organization survey more... |
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Remember the expression about the grass being greener? When it comes to jobs, it may not always be true. Perhaps it may be more common than many would like to admit, but more employees are returning more... |
| Dear Leslie, I recently submitted my resume and a cover letter for a job I would love to have. I believe I’m qualified, but I haven’t worked in my field for about 13 years. Instead I&rsquo more... | |
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Percentage of organizations that have an official definition of workplace diversity. Source: Society for Human Resource Management/American Institute for Managing Diversity Inc. more... |
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Job searches can be reminiscent of our first days of school—scary. Will they like me? How can I get them to like me? Any job search can tap into our fears of rejection, but in a job market that more... |
| Dear readers, In the political world, lots of jobs are lost and careers ruined because people say or do something that angers the public and embarrasses their superiors. If they could turn back the cl more... | |
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Percentage of women business owners who are trying to make their businesses greener Source: 1,200 respondents of a member survey conducted by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) more... |
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Data-entry to Destiny’s Child? Spreadsheets to Santana? Windows to Wyclef’s latest? According to a Spherion Workplace Snapshot survey conducted by Harris Interactive, almost 32 percent of more... |
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Ideally, a job interview should feel like a conversation, not an interrogation. But when you and a prospective employer hit it off, there’s a risk you’ll both become too chummy — th more... |
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Let’s face it - the news is full of talk about the tough economy and home foreclosures. While official, national unemployment has not increased much in recent months, employee wages and hours a more... |
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Age country singer, Gretchen Wilson graduated from high school. Wilson dropped out of school in the ninth grade Source: Associated Press and CBS News more... |
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Andrea Kay signed on as a non-paid board member of a non-profit downtown improvement group because she truly wanted to help revitalize the heart of Cincinnati. Little did she know that her stint as a more... |
| Dear Leslie, I was recently terminated. I feel strongly that my termination was unjust and due to discrimination. I sought an attorney's advice and was told that I have a very strong discrimination la more... | |
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Are you hoarding your vacation time? Not if you work for Chrysler. In March, the company told its nearly 71,600 workers that most of them would be taking vacations during the weeks of July 7 and 14 w more... |
| Dear Leslie, I have worked for a major insurance company for 11 years. Although I am not a manager, I have made a name for myself in the company, and I am very happy with my job. Now, due to downsizin more... | |
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Expected growth of ice cream and frozen desserts market by 2012 Source: Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md., “U.S. Market for Ice Cream and Related Frozen Desserts” report more... |
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Baseball season is now in full swing. Fishing too. But I am going to talk about another important season: the summer job-hunting season for teenagers and college students. Many first time job hunters more... |
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Looking for bok choy, organic barley, or Alaskan crab? You’ll probably find these or other specialty ingredients at one of the increasingly popular niche supermarkets springing up across the co more... |
| Dear Readers, Of the respondents to a 2000 Gallup poll, 25 percent said they felt like screaming at work. The reason? Stress. Another survey found that 42 percent of workers reported that yelling and more... | |
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Expected global spending for operations support systems in 2008 Source: Insight Research Corp., Boonton, N.J. more... |
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Acing a job interview involves more than simply demonstrating your skills and making a good first impression these days. Employers are paying more than ever in health and liability insurance and lost more... |
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The warm weather finally is arriving and you’re itching to get outside. Wouldn’t it be great if you could pack your lunch and head outside to work every day? Outdoor jobs are among the fa more... |
| Dear Readers, Networking is the most efficient way to find job openings, whether you are a new college graduate or an aging baby boomer, especially in a tight labor market. To hone your understanding more... | |
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Expected growth of the gift card market in the next five years Source: Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md., “U.S. Market for Prepaid Cards with a Focus on Gift Cards” report more... |
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Losing one’s job is a major life crisis. As a counselor I have seen some people bounce back from a job loss in several weeks, others are still not themselves after several months and some never more... |
| Dear Leslie, What direction should one take when an employer does not resolve an issue regarding sexual harassment by someone in upper management? I know of several women who have taken the proper ste more... | |
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Expected size of U.S. market for personal safes by 2011 Source: SBI Reports, Rockville, Md. more... |
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That job you’ve been dreaming about is finally within reach. The hiring manager you interviewed with has made an appealing offer, but there’s a catch: This gig is not “gung ho&rdquo more... |
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Even 10 years ago, says Minneapolis resume writer Vicki Bacal, one resume was all that most professionals needed to land a great job. Not so today. “You need to customize each and every resume more... |
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Percentage of contract or temporary employees who say they would refer a relative or friend to the job. Source: American Staffing Association, Alexandria, Va. more... |
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When it comes to striking career gold, the “Hitch” of the job world is Shawn Graham. Like Will Smith’s character, in the romantic comedy, “Hitch,” who helps seemingly ho more... |
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“I’ve never had a job before; I never even looked before. Someone told me just go to the job center. So what do I do?” asked a scared young man. Jason had just graduated from high s more... |
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Artist Lara Lepionka sees beauty in the everyday tasks we may take for granted: the waitress pouring a cup of coffee, an attendant answering phones at the YWCA, a librarian shelving books at a local more... |
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Percentage of women who believe brunet is the best hair color for making an impression during a job interview. FYI: Blond came in at 12 percent and red at 3 percent. Source: P&G Beauty more... |
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At a time when the job and economic picture looks bleak and company and personal budgets are in the red, there’s one plus: green-collar jobs are in more demand than ever. Jobs in the green indu more... |
| Dear Readers, Last week we celebrated National Small Business Week by interviewing marketing communications expert Karin Abarbanel, co-author of “Birthing the Elephant: The woman’s go-for- more... | |
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“It must have been a miscommunication.” How many times have you heard that phrase in a meeting, on a conference call or in the boardroom? Chances are, too many to count. Peggy Klaus, a co more... |
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When can a teenager first have a job? How many hours can my daughter work? Are the hours different when she is in school, or on weekends or during vacation times? How late can they make my son work o more... |
| Dear Readers, Small businesses play a big role in this economy. The 25 million small businesses in the U.S. employ half the private workforce in the U.S. and create three out of every four new jobs. N more... | |
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Percentage of employees who say they come to work sick because they don’t want to use vacation time Source: CCH, Chicago, 2007 Unscheduled Absence Survey more... |
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It’s the career dilemma that’s as ubiquitous as mocha or latte for your mid-morning coffee break. Should you relocate for a career opportunity? Two career experts, Beverly Daniel, preside more... |
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Number of a people employed as IT professionals in 2007, an all-time record. Source: National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses, Alexandria, Va. more... |
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You wake up to check your blackberry in the middle of the night, e-mail under the table at dinner parties, and haven’t taken a vacation in three years. Then again, you are just like everyone el more... |
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Randi Bussin didn’t give it a second thought. When she decided to abandon a 20-year career in high-tech sales and marketing and start a new life as a counselor, she had no intention of going ba more... |
| Hello Everyone, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself as the new Graduate Studies Program Assistant, replacing Shawn. My desk is in CRT 433 (back in the corner), so please stop by and intr more... | |
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When Lenli Corbett isn’t playing kickball, intramural flag football or training for a half-marathon, she’s probably at her desk. But her desk job also is all about sports. Corbett is dire more... |
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Percentage of U.S. workers that said winning money was their primary reason for participating in an office pool. FYI: 45 percent cited camaraderie as their main reason. Source: Spherion, Fort Lauderd more... |
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Any way you slice it, the employee-employer relationship has potential for volatility. One person is in charge, one person isn’t. When egos collide and misunderstandings occur, friction is immi more... |
| Dear Readers, Here are two inspiring stories about employee-employer relationships from fellow readers: I met the World’s Best Boss on an assignment as a temp when he was a busy university vice more... | |
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In his final year at Rowan University, Jeff Murza decided it was time to get a part-time job. After taking an internship position at South Jersey Magazine, the communications studies major now spends more... |
| Dear Leslie, I have a question on behalf of a young friend. She has been employed for four years by a small company in a job that requires lots of physical work. She got along great with the owner, wh more... | |
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Percentage of young women ages 25 to 29 who held a bachelor’s degree or more education in 2007. FYI: 26 percent of males in that age group had the same education. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Wa more... |
| “Keep a detailed log of your job-search activities,” I often told job seekers during my 37 years as an employment counselor. Job hunting can be expensive in addition to the burden of being more... | |
| Dear Leslie, I saw that you are having a contest for The Best Boss Award and immediately thought of my two bosses. Here are the benefits of working for Connie and Michelle: 1. Even though they employ more... | |
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Amount teenagers age 12 to 17 earned in 2007. Source: Packaged Facts, Rockville, Md. more... |
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The new job isn’t working out and you’re not sure whether to stay or bolt. If you choose to leave, you’re not alone. A survey from Boston-based consulting firm Novations Group in 20 more... |
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“Networking” often conjures the image of someone sleazy making everyone feel manipulated or used. It’s no wonder the word has a serious ick factor. But networking guru Ann Baber, co more... |
| Dear Leslie, Since when were Bill and Hillary Clinton ever co-workers? Did they ever work for the same law firm? Did they ever have a formal reporting or job duty relationship in their governmental du more... | |
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People expected to own satellite or HD radios by 2012, up from approximately 25 million in 2007 Source: Parks Associates, Dallas more... |
| A disgruntled job seeker came to the job center with a complaint: “My welfare worker told me something about some welfare tax credit, but I don’t remember getting anything out of it.&rdquo more... | |
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If it hasn’t happened to you, thank your lucky stars. For countless others, the dread that comes from sending the wrong e-mail to the wrong person is a feeling they know all too well. But while more... |
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Big employees don’t cry, at least if they want to get ahead on the job. When Sen. Hillary Clinton got teary-eyed on the campaign trail, political pundits went crazy with in-depth analyses of the more... |
| Over the past few weeks your entrees for the “Best Boss Award” have lent credence to something CEO of SRC Holdings Jack Stack said in a 1989 interview with Inc. magazine: “I’ve more... | |
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The amount of money it takes to be considered “rich,” according to a study of affluent households with assets of at least $500,000. FYI: 25 percent defined rich as $25 million, while 8 per more... |
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Though many Americans currently are fretting about the “R” word, it appears that college students are sitting pretty. With many baby boomers – who comprise an estimated 30 to 50 perc more... |
| Dear Readers, As we watch the presidential race unfold, not only do we wonder who will be the nominee for each party, but who the nominees will choose for their running mates. Which team will morph in more... | |
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The year Caitlin Friedman got the big promotion of her career she did what most people who get promoted do: She performed extremely well, but then she did something else. She figured out how to make more... |
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Percentage of senior executives who believe baby-boomer retirements will have the greatest impact on the work force over the next decade Source: Robert Half International, Menlo Park, Calif., survey more... |
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“What do you do here anyway?” What do you think of that as a question for a job seeker to ask an employer in a job interview? One employer told me, “When an applicant shows me they more... |
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Percentage of shoppers who walked out of retail stores this holiday season either because it was difficult to find assistance or the lines were too long Source: Motorola, Inc., Shaumburg, Ill., 2007 more... |
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Fish or fowl, ferret or gerbil, dog or cat - whatever the species, a pet is part of the family. And everyone knows that sometimes family makes demands on your time at the office. When a pet gets sick more... |
| Dear Readers, Did you know: Ben & Jerry’s, the Vermont-based premium ice-cream maker, appoints environmental coordinators who compile monthly reports covering progress toward environmental perfo more... | |
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Saying goodbye isn’t always easy. But when it comes to resigning from a job, think twice about how you part with your employer. “It’s critical that employees resign gracefully,&rdqu more... |
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Amount of online spending during the 2007 holiday shopping season, a 19-percent increase over 2006 Source: comScore, Inc., Reston, Va. more... |
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Losing one’s job is one of the most stressful things that can happen to a person. Only death of a spouse, going to jail, serious illness or divorce are worse. The stress of dislocation can immob more... |
| Dear Readers, Go for the goodnight kiss. Is that wise job-hunting advice? If you are of dating age and are having trouble scoring a job, it just may be. Of course, Shawn Graham, the dispenser of this more... | |
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Mark Nagler has studied issues related to disabilities in the work force for more than three decades, and he’s still torn about a pivotal issue: Should people with a disability openly discuss th more... |
| Dear Readers, As you may have noticed, this space has a new look. From this week forward, the column has a new picture and a new name: “Working Class.” Why the makeover? With dawn of 2008, more... | |
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Percentage of executives who turn to spouses or significant others first when seeking advice about a potential job change Source: Accountemps, Menlo Park, Calif., survey of 150 senior executives from more... |
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While this might sound totally outlandish – what with Valentine’s Day right around the corner – but it’s time to cancel your online-dating subscriptions. Why? Because chances more... |
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Some jobs are hot and some just are not. Technology and the aging of the population have changed the job market, creating big openings in some industries but raising red flags in others. Being a trav more... |
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There are times to be flexible with recipes and other times to follow the instructions exact. Yesterday, I made pot roast. I included onion soup from one recipe, parsnips from another, and made gravy more... |
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After Sept. 11, Angela Williams held an ecumenical service for her law firm. But wait, a lawyer holding a service? That sounds down right strange. Williams, a lawyer for the general counsel of the YM more... |
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Percentage of advertising and marketing executives who said they search online for information about prospective hires at least some of the time. FYI: Among those, 14 percent have decided not to hire more... |
| Dear Good Girls, Associating the term “stigma” publicly with anything is base prejudice. I’m referring to a letter from a reader in response to your column about hiring people who ha more... | |
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Percentage gap in the work force between working people with and without disabilities. Source: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability more... |
| “I have just been offered a job, but the employer tells me I would be an independent contractor not an employee. What does that mean? Is the employer right?” I received many calls about th more... | |
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Dear Good Girls, I enjoyed the lengthy but accurate letter describing the lowly life of support staff at Harvard. All too true! If you hung in there, as I did, the pension and health benefits for lon more... |
| Let’s face it, work is a social event. If you’re employed full time, you spend at least 40 hours a week thrown together with a group of people – not of your choosing but with a commo more... | |
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Have you ever felt like you were you own worst and most insurmountable obstacle? The voices in your head telling you to not get ahead of yourself, don't ask for that raise, or to pipe down because no more... |
| Dear Readers, We have two winners in the "Worst Boss" contest - one for the most disturbing story, the second for the funniest. Both winners will receive a signed copy of my book, "The Good Girl's Gui more... | |
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Estimated amount of renewable-energy and energy-efficiency jobs that will be created by 2030 Source: American Solar Energy Society, Washington, D.C. more... |
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Financial woes following a job loss are common: “All this talk of saving up three to six months’ income as a safety net – I did that in reverse.” said Mary, a recently disloca more... |
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What potential employers don’t know about your past experience can’t hurt them, but what they can discover about it has the potential to destroy any chance you had at landing that new job more... |
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Being the “new guy” ain’t easy. Everyone else on the job knows what you don’t know – and everyone knows it. Lacking the confidence that you thought you had, feeling nerv more... |
| As a teenager, my neighbor worked one summer for a landscaping firm run by a guy so mean his fellow employees called him “Mussolini.” The boss “would drive around in his Cadillac whi more... | |
| Percentage of American companies that offer tax-exempt payroll deduction programs to help employees save on things like commuting, medical and child-care expenses. Source: 2007 "Getting Paid In Americ more... | |
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Marilyn Greist knew she needed to slow down as she approached retirement age. Although she wanted to spend more time with her 80-year-old husband, who is 18 years her senior, she hoped not to have to more... |
| Dear Readers, Have you ever been moved by the way light strikes your computer keyboard? Or the artful stacks of papers, file folders, and books that litter your office floor? Some day you may be, if a more... | |
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The amount of money that shoppers are expected to spend on themselves this holiday season. FYI: The average consumer plans to spend an average of $817 on holiday-related shopping – before the p more... |
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“The most difficult financial decision I had to make when the mine shut down was to let my wife go to work,” said Ralph, a career coal miner. This memorable conversation with Ralph occurr more... |
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