Employers Should Embrace the Allure of Summer, Not Fight It While possibly more noticeable in four season cities, summer longings can defy geographical zones to the same extent that Congress generally seems to flout basic math. Although the era of school holidays ended long before the student loan payments ever did, nostalgia reigns when the weather warms in early June. There’s a mental countdown to the long-gone summer breaks of our youth. And come August, the realization that Fall is but a few weekends away can heighten awareness of missed and fleeting opportunities to enjoy valuable outdo... view article details

You Do Have to Be a Rocket Scientist Listening to a rocket scientist talk about work is impressive, but tough for the scientifically challenged. It's not unlike having a conversation in a foreign language you barely know. Talk of black holes and exploding suns switches to gyroscopes and accelerometers before you've processed what you think you heard, let alone understood. But then, as the cliché suggests, it is rocket science. Keoki Jackson and Bob Polutchko knew they'd become rocket scientists from early on. "I was born on July 22nd, 1969," said Jackson. "Mom used to talk about watching the ... view article details

How to Brand Yourself in 14 Short Steps Wondering how to brand yourself? One of the best ways to articulate your skills, experience, knowledge, and overall worth in today's competitive job market is to create a personal brand that helps you stand out in the crowd. According to management expert and author Tom Peters, "We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer of a brand called You." This article explores 14 steps to branding yourself successfully. Step 1: Determine your unique value proposition Spend some time thinking ... view article details

They Didn't All Win Oscars, But These Work-Related Movies Hold a Special Place in Our Hearts And the Oscar Goes to... The nominees for this year's Academy Awards feature whimsy and fantasy, wartime adventures and family dramas. These movies may be praiseworthy, but they largely lack any perspective on the things that occupy most viewers' daily lives: impersonal cubicles, tedious commutes, the chances of promotion. We, therefore, have assembled an alternate list of deserving films that offers a peek into what it is to be a worker, striving for career advancement and negotiating all the hurdl... view article details

In order to make room for the great new work habits you’re resolving to adopt on January 1st, be sure to ring out any bad office practices. And, yes, procrastination is on the list, so reading this now instead of later is a great first step in the right direction. Here are some tips for banishing common office behaviors that can get in the way of success.1. Put off procrastination…now Overwhelmed by the difficulty or size of a pending chore? Make use of calendars and computer alarms to plan out and schedule small pieces of big projects. Doing a little at a time is usually ea... view article details

Go for Broke Without Being Broke Currently, there are around 23 million people either out of work or underemployed, and the number of people out of work for more than six months has doubled in the past three years. Understandably, the pressure to get a job can make it easy to develop a find-work-at-all-costs mentality.However, this approach isn't necessary and can even be hazardous to your job search. To launch an effective job search and avoid going into unnecessary debt, consider these money-saving tips.6. Apply for Unemployment It may be obvious, but applying for unemploym... view article details

Do You Have a Blueprint for Job Search Success? Like a brand-new day, 2015 is peeping over the horizon, promising changes to come. Now’s a great time to pause in your job search, set new goals, and find ways to keep established goals fresh as you map out where you want your career to go in the new year.Question: do you have a 2015 career blueprint? And why would you need one, anyway? Well, working without a job-search plan can set you up for a lot of frustration and can stall forward motion in your career. Instead of losing ground trying to figure things out willy-nilly, pause now and... view article details

Hi Heather, I read your advice regarding 'death in the workplace.' My mother went through a long bout with cancer that she lost. Before she was diagnosed, I started a new job and, needless to say, when I learned of her cancer, it affected me on the job. Because I'm an outside salesman I have to be out there constantly, but the honest truth is I wasn't performing at my best. My boss assured me he understood and one of his repeated comments was 'Steve, spend as much time with her as you can. If you don't, you'll regret it.' I didn't really take him up on it too much but felt somewhat at ease bel... view article details

“My meeting to ask for a raise went terribly.”Needless to say, this is about the worst thing you can hear after giving someone advice on how to negotiate, but once in awhile it happens. Like many things in life, a test of one’s character isn’t how they live their life when things are good, it’s how they react when faced with a challenge.Let’s look at a case study from the viewpoint of Kristin, a marketing assistant. There is a 3-step process for our company reviews:Fill out an evaluation formHave a review discussion with your managerFollow up with upper management to discuss compensationI have... view article details

Failure to Adapt to the New Working World Will Leave You in the Unemployment Line by 2020 Times Are Changing While the year 2020 may feel futuristic, in reality it's just around the corner. Will your career be prepared to fly into orbit, or will it stall on the ground? We’re predicting 10 global trends we believe will shape the future workforce. In addition, we'll share tips and hints that help you plan for and respond to these trends. Read on to make sure you'll be considered relevant and not a relic. 10. Global Talent Seeking As countries continue to invest in emerging economies -- spec... view article details