Design Matters Whether you consciously think about it or not, design has an influence on the decisions you make every day -- the phone you use, couch you purchase, shoes you wear, and websites you visit. Why is it then, that the concept of design still seems to be in the dark ages when it comes to job-hunting? Many people think that great design is too expensive, but my feeling is that design is an investment.If you've got the knack for it, it's worth it to take classes and become skilled with the latest software. If it's not your thing, find a designer you enjoy working with who unde... view article details

Do Your Homework For our entire childhood, homework seemed like a chore or even punishment. 'OK class, take out your homework!''Go upstairs and do your homework!''You’re not watching any TV until you’ve finished your homework!'Aw, mom. But there’s a reason your parents and teachers insisted on this extra activity. When taken seriously, the extra work and practice prepares you to excel in a given task, be it algebra or literature.'Do your homework' is also the first thing any expert will tell you when preparing for a job interview or salary negotiation. Unfortunately, like an antsy tee... view article details

Positive Conflict in the Workplace If everyone agreed all the time, there would be no reason to consider different perspectives or look for new ways to handle situations. The best ideas often emerge from the creative problem-solving process that has to occur to reach conflict resolution. Here are five benefits of conflict in the workplace: 1. As team members work through conflicts, they are able to make progress toward accomplishing goals that need to be reached. This is true in terms of project-specific goals, as well as the goal of becoming a stronger, more unified team. Team members ... view article details

Salary Benchmarking Is a Vital Tool When Hiring Employees Salary benchmarking, also called compensation benchmarking, is the process by which internal job descriptions are matched to external jobs with similar responsibilities to identify the market rate for each position. When creating a new position complete with job responsibilities and a corresponding salary, it is important for those working in human resources to perform these market assessments and salary comparisons efficiently and accurately. Many factors such as geographic location, company size, and education level factor into th... view article details

Job Interviews and Dating At first glance, dating and job interviews don't seem to have much in common. But as I was writing 'Date Like a Grownup: Anecdotes, Admissions of Guilt & Advice Between Friends,' I began noticing missteps common to both endeavors.Are you coming off as desperate? Bad-mouthing an ex? Turns out there's a lot job seekers can learn from going on first dates and online dating in general. So when you're headed to see the hiring manager, remember these hard-learned lessons from the front lines of dating.9. Don't Be Desperate The most common cause of poor dat... view article details

A pay philosophy is a company's commitment to how it values employees. A consistent pay philosophy gives the company and the employee a frame of reference when discussing salary in a negotiation.The goal of a pay philosophy is to attract, retain, and motivate employees. For companies in the private sector, this usually requires a competitive pay philosophy. For companies in the public sector, this means a well-rounded philosophy, with a focus on benefits and work life.Companies attract, motivate, and retain through total compensationThe purpose of a good compensation philosophy is to attract, ... view article details

How to Ensure Efficiency While Employees Work from Home Have a strong organization. In the midst of this global coronavirus pandemic, companies which are fortunate enough to remain open have shifted to a work from home model. While embracing this new, temporary normal, strong management is needed to organize staff and remain productive while in isolation. One method to achieve this is to set up standard daily meetings at a fixed time to check in on your team, define goals, and get a reading on how everyone is coping during this trying time. This allows for communica... view article details

Q. As my experience runs a little short of the job requirements, what should I submit as my salary requirements?A. At the minimum of the pay range, the least skill or proficiency is necessary to perform the functions of the job. The more proficient you get in your job, the closer you move to the median or middle of the range. If you are fully proficient and can perform a job with little or no training, you should target the middle of the range.If you have several years of experience performing a job and not only are fully proficient, but also can direct and lead the work of others, then you mi... view article details

Do you have a big presentation at work? Are you giving an important speech to hundreds or thousands of people? If so, chances are you spent a considerable time preparing. So why aren't you expending that same level of effort preparing for your job interview?Carole Martin is this week's podcast guest, as she discusses her book 'Boost Your Interview IQ: Proven Techniques That Will Get You the Job.' The book consists of dozens of commonly asked job interview questions, accompanied by three answers from which you can choose the one you think answers the question best. From there, Martin's analysis... view article details

Leadership Versus Management Do you know the difference between leadership and management? In Western economies, the lines between the two have become blurred. In her book, The Seven Keys of Charisma (1997), Joanna Kozubska says: “There are times when a leader needs good, systematic management skills and times when a manager must inspire people. We have to be able to do both.” This has significant implications for the way that leaders and managers should be developed. Originally, the difference between management and leadership arose based on the perception that management was about imple... view article details