The Best Doesn't Always Win If only competition in the workplace mirrored the simplicity of Olympic swimming. Whoever does the best job and touches the wall first, wins. It's the winner who goes on to earn bonus money via endorsements, and your smiling face lands on a box of breakfast cereal! If only it were as easy as slamming that completed report in the boss’ hand and stepping right up on a big corner office desk for a playing of the National Anthem and an instant raise and promotion.But there’s no winning buzzer in your department (just the occasional annoying ringtone), and somet... view article details

Navigating the Social Media Minefield Spotting the mistakes of others is easy: The cringe-inducing Facebook status message. The ill-advised 'after hours' tweet. Using Foursquare to check-in at an establishment of questionable repute. While social media provides a multitude of opportunities, the flip side is indelicate revelations are always just a click away.We know, we know...YOU would never do that. But there are other social media blunders that are far less egregious you might be committing. And those mistakes could be holding back your job search or attempts at advancement.Navigat... view article details

Nearly 40 years after 'flower power,' body art has seen a resurgence. Men and women flaunt pierced navels at the beach, sterling silver glinting in the sun. Tattoo parlors have popped up in suburban areas in response to the demands of the younger generations, while some Baby Boomers are reviving their flirtations with their inky past.This form of self-expression, once strictly reserved for bikers, sailors, and other unsavory types, has found its way into the boardrooms and backrooms of companies all over the world. Although the corporate world is loosening up, not all Wall Street investment fi... view article details

Is it time for a tablet? Think about how much paper you use at your job on a daily basis. You print out emails and spreadsheets, take notes during meetings and fill out forms which are then shipped across the office.But all three tasks can now be accomplished using tablet computers which saves time, increases productivity and ensures at least a few more trees will remain standing.Top Productivity Apps for Going Paperless Apps like Documents To Go and Quickoffice® Pro allow you to open Microsoft Word (doc) files or Microsoft Excel (xls) files. You can also “print” to an Adobe ... view article details

The proportion of older workers participating in the labor force is at an all-time high.The problem is, when this group of workers gets down-sized out of a job, they spend much longer looking for new employment than their younger colleagues. This article offers job search tips to help level the playing field and get older people re-employed as soon as possible.Tip 1: Cut years off your resume No matter what your age is, include only relevant experiences on your resume. Hiring managers don't want to wade through unrelated skills or positions to find why you're valuable to them.This als... view article details

Your bedroom closet redo might have happened during a last-minute quest for clothing donations at tax time. But now it's easier to get dressed for work and less likely that you will grab the navy blue jacket to wear with your black pants.Hold that thought. Mull it over as you sip your coffee, chiding the driving faux pas of your fellow commuters. Could this spring cleaning moment have other applications? What if you were to clean and organize your workspace? Here are some de-clutter tips that might just get you promoted. Or at least help you find your daily planner. Do a drive by Chec... view article details

Last year, a Boston-area high-tech company saw its stock plunge from a record high of $58.75 on January 20, to a low of $1.13 exactly 11 months later in November. One employee, who chose to remain anonymous for this article, exercised 1,000 options at $10 a share when the stock reached its peak. With April 16 nipping at her heels, she still owns the shares. Imagine her terror upon learning that the spread of $48.75 multiplied by the 1,000 shares - a total of $48,750 - is subject to a parallel tax system called the alternative minimum tax, or AMT, at a rate of up to 28 percent. Even though her ... view article details

It's the First & Most Important Question of the Interview This is the first of a two-part series on successful interviewing techniques.When you sit down for a job interview at a new company, the first question from the hiring manager is rarely going to be, “Why don’t you start out by telling me a little bit about your salary.”In fact, anyone that’s been on a number of interviews knows that the opening question they’ll most likely be asked is, “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”However, just because the topic of salary might not come up until the very end of the first interview -- i... view article details

Paul Levy and Farzana Mohamed have written a book to help new arrivals to the job marketplace, college students and others who have been offered a position but are not quite sure how to negotiate the terms of their job with their new prospective employer. They start their book, How to Negotiate Your First Job, with this story:Karim, soon to be a college graduate, was stunned into inaction, paralyzed by an unforeseen opportunity. In the midst of a recession, with an unemployment rate topping 9 percent, he had been offered a job.The e-commerce company at which he had just spent the summer as a s... view article details

You Bought the Compensation Analysis, Make Sure You Understand It It is important to understand the terminology used to express the statistics presented in compensation analyses. The terminology used expresses both the nature of an employee's pay and where the levels of pay fit within the continuum of the employee's peer group. Making the most of your answers can involve any of the following: Interpreting Your Answers Base(Base pay) The fixed portion of compensation paid for an employee's fulfillment of a job's essential functions. Base pay does not include differentials, premiu... view article details