Dear Annette,I have lunch about once a week with colleagues. It's fun and I like them, but they order higher-priced food than I do and then assume we're splitting the bill. I end up paying for more than I eat. How can I keep going to lunch but get them to pay their fair share? Miss Otis regretsDear Miss Otis,Good food, pleasant company, and the knowledge that you'd otherwise be missing important office gossip are all excellent reasons to dine with colleagues. Whether you have a working meal or a social one, breaking bread together has the potential to nourish a common bond and solidify relatio... view article details

Dear Annette,Do I have to attend the company's annual softball picnic? I hate forced socializing almost as much as I hate softball. I am to the point where I am considering faking an injury just to avoid this thing!Bitter BatterDear Bitter Batter,Stay home from a company-sponsored athletic event? And miss the chance to watch your coworkers spit, sweat, scratch, and pat each other everywhere? I don't think so. I just love it when people work with their bodies. And there are few bad seats at a ballgame, although I have a secret fondness for the right-field line, where I get an excellent 360-degr... view article details

The course of a meeting is determined before the group gathers, when the organizer sends invitations that include time, place, and agenda. To some extent, the format of a meeting determines the substance. Meeting organizers who take these responsibilities seriously will have an easier time leading a successful meeting.Time, Place, and AgendaOne of the most important aspects of a well-managed meeting is a carefully conceived agenda. Preparing an agenda isn't just a protocol, it's an occasion to think about the purpose of the meeting and the desired outcomes. Giving structure to the conversation... view article details

There are many advantages to online courses and degree programs. Not only does it offer an opportunity for those unable to take traditional full-time classes such as working professionals and parents, but it also offers more freedom and flexibility to students of all types. Online education is widely accepted as being just as valuable as the classroom experience. And many colleges, universities, businesses, and organizations worldwide, now offer their students fully accredited online degrees and continuing education programs. But there are still important questions and steps one should conside... view article details

Tattoos and Jobs: Find Out How Tattoos/Piercings Can Limit Your Career Ink Can Be a Career Stain Maybe it’s a tribal armband, the orchids on your lower back playing peek-a-boo with your coworkers, or -- gulp -- you’re wearing it on your face a la Mike Tyson. But even if it’s that cute little leprechaun on your ankle, our latest survey results show visible tattoos at work could have a negative effect on your pot of gold. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found nearly 40% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo, and body piercings are also a growing means of... view article details

The New Media Age has introduced many unique job opportunities to the market. People can now get paid for their design ideas on Pinterest, they can develop a steady income stream by promoting products on Instagram or personal blogs, and they can even cash in from buying and selling digital assets known as cryptocurrency. One Internet Age job that sounds particularly fun is getting paid to record yourself doing the things you love. This dream job is a reality for many YouTube stars. YouTube sensations including Felix Kjellberg, Mark Fischbach, Evan Fong, and Daniel Middleton record their reacti... view article details

Dear Annette,It's about the office refrigerator. What can I do?EwDear Ew,Thanks to the artistic and janitorial exertions of an army of excruciatingly fastidious People, my kitchen refrigerator is an illuminated heaven of champagne, caviar, and assorted nail colors, plus the occasional foil sculpture concealing a savory ort for my dog Dickie. Naturally, his water bowl must be chilled before use as well.Refrigerators were an excellent idea in their day, but really, do we still need them in this economy? These days, I wouldn't be caught dead eating groceries. Even when I entertain, the food is fr... view article details

More women than ever are entering the workforce. The number of women earning college degrees has now passed that of men. We are seeing an increase in the number of female executives at major corporations. So why do women still earn just 77 cents to a man's dollar? It's a good question, and one that Evelyn Murphy has spent most of her life trying to answer and solve. Murphy has a distinguished political career, including the distinction of being elected the first female lieutenant governor in the history of Massachusetts in 1986. She currently serves as the president of The WAGE (Women Are Gett... view article details

Are you uncomfortable in group settings? Do you abhor public speaking? Do you have better ideas than the loudmouths in your office, yet you watch helplessly as they get promoted while you're barely noticed working silently in your cubicle?If so, you're likely an introvert who is going to need some help from this week's guest, Nancy Ancowitz, author of 'Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead.'Whether you're introverted or extroverted, promoting yourself is mandatory, not optional, if you want to get ahead at work, Nancy tells Aaron and Wendy on this week's Salary Talk. ... view article details

Dear Annette,I got into a predicament at lunch today with a female companion: each of us holding opposite sides of a double door, each waiting for the other to enter first. It felt like an episode of those singing chipmunks crooning, 'After you!' 'No, after you!' And to top it off, three or four parties scrambled in ahead of us while we had it out. Annette, please spare me future embarrassment by spelling out the rules of the doors.ChipDear Chip,I can't remember the last time I opened a door for myself - I have People to do that for me. But I can certainly recall the pleasure I felt the last t... view article details