Dearest Readers,What was I doing in Billy's Boxer on Boxing Day? Zipping along the 10 on our way to the Ask Annette celebrity shareholders' retreat in Palm Springs, naturally, when suddenly my newest Hermès scarf blew away, and it got me thinking: It's the new year. Whatever will we wear?Moreover, what simple steps can today's office worker take to become even more fabulous in the coming months? Here are some of the shareholders' resolutions.CourtesyFinish and mail your holiday thank-you notes by January 15.When you restate someone else's idea in a meeting, give the person credit.Have your Peo... view article details

Dear Annette,Please tell me what to do about coworkers' kids in the office. I could understand if people brought their children in when there was an emergency, but everywhere I look there seems to be some toddler. The noise and distraction are affecting my work. I can't get away from it because we are all in cubes, but I need some way to tell my coworkers that the office is not a daycare center!RattledDear Rattled,It's not surprising that today's office has become so alluring to the young, with its bright colors, foosball table, and all the soda you can drink.I myself have only recently recove... view article details

Dear Annette,How do I contact old work friends I haven't spoken to in years to find out about present job opportunities? I used to work in an industry that I am interested in getting back into, but I am out of touch with what is going on now. I want to call a few business associates who were friends of mine in the past, but I haven't seen or spoken to any of them in years. In all honesty, although it would be fine to hear about what is going on with their lives, I just want to know if they know about potential job opportunities.Brass TacksDear Tacks,I've made my own rules since childhood, when... view article details

Dear Annette,My husband just gave me a beautiful large diamond ring for my birthday. I want to wear it at work, but people in my office tend not to wear expensive jewelry even though many of them could well afford to. Is it tacky to wear my ring in the office? If it is, where else can I go to get some use from my ring? All That GlittersDear All That Glitters,'A kiss on the hand may be quite continental / but diamonds are a girl's best friend.' Truer words were never sung.As a small child in a small European republic near water where everyone speaks three languages and grows flowers, I once won... view article details

Q: Dear Heather,One of my co-workers has hit a rough patch in her personal life. She just ended a three-year relationship, is taking it very hard and apparently has little family/friend support. She is a very committed to her job and takes on extra projects on a regular basis. The boyfriend didn't seem very important in her life  (I only met him twice), and I'm kind of surprised she's taking it so hard. The problem is she has started calling me in the evening fairly regularly. I don't think she has much going on outside of work and is pretty lonely. I feel really bad for her and consider her a... view article details

Do you care about making a difference as much as you care about your career? "Green" jobs -- defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as jobs that produce goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, or jobs that use more environmentally friendly processes or fewer natural resources -- have outpaced jobs in other categories by almost 250 percent over the last decade, and growth doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The 12 in-demand jobs profiled in this article show how you can make some green -- while going green. Organic farmer As consumers bec... view article details

Do you have the Boss From Hell? Is he/she an Insatiable Narcissist? Is one of your coworkers a Veteran Hack or Spineless Sycophant? If so, this podcast is for you.This week, Aaron and Wendy interview Vicky Oliver, who wrote the book 'Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots: 201 Smart Ways to Handle the Toughest People Issues.' And in doing so, she provided employees everywhere with a reference guide for the various categories of horrible bosses, exasperating coworkers and just about every office problem in existence. She identifies issues, gives solutions and helps you figure out how... view article details

Like it or not, money is power. And if you want to be included in powerful circles, you need to look and act the part. But how can you look and act like a millionaire without the millions?Enter Vicky Oliver, whose brand new book 'The Millionaire's Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire Even If You're Not,' serves as a guide for faking it 'til you make it into the inner sanctum of the rich and influential. And since social standing is often determined by perception, Oliver's book is a treasure trove of helpful tips to help get you rubbing elbows with the bigwigs in a hurry.The one big... view article details

Good manners are good for business, while great manners can set you apart. If you're under stress or in a hurry, it's easy to let your guard down and fail to observe the basics. But if you take a deep breath before you call, good manners can actually get you the results you want - faster. Here's a rundown of some quick tips to brush up on your phone manners and phone style.Phone strategyTreat the call as if it were a meeting - have a purpose, and an agenda.Decide what you'll do if someone answers other than the person you're calling. Would you prefer to leave a message, go to voice mail, or ca... view article details

6 Tips to Create a Perfect Resume in 2020 A resume is the first impression you have with recruiters when you apply for a job. Maybe you can impress interviewer during the face-to-face interview, but a resume is just as important as the way you present yourself. Creating a good resume can be challenging, especially when you don't know how to make your resume stand out. Failing to come up with good resume ideas to improve your resume quality will lead all the resumes you send out to a resume black hole. Fortunately, we have an outline on how to make a perfect resume with these... view article details