If we can take anything away from the world of marketing and advertising, it’s that the right spokesperson can make or break an organization. Enter Kayla Tucker Adams, a public relations executive with more than 13 years of experience. She began locally through education, expanded nationally through non-profit, and has now garnered global reach working with CNN, CBS, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Huffington Post, and Associated Press among others. She is the Director of Public Relations for T.D. Jakes Ministries, the second largest church in the country.Adams attended Prairie View A & M, a histor... view article details

"Politics" is Not a Dirty Word The politics of Obama, Romney & Co. are on everyone’s lips these days as the challengers and incumbents in the race for the highest office in the land battle it out on a global stage. Alas, the commentary’s rarely positive.  These days the term politics has become a four-letter word for many, in part because it represents a fraternity that spends more time defending itself than abiding by its dictionary definition: activities which are associated with government. The word has evolved to mean: the relational dynamics associated with influencing and govern... view article details

If you work with a lot of Gen Xers or older millennials, you’ve probably heard a co-worker pay homage to the 1999 cult classic “Office Space” which continues to provide catharsis for anyone facing workspace woes. But, believe it or not, cubicles weren’t invented as some sort of practical joke. Organizations have tried to adapt their physical workspaces over time to maximize productivity and minimize distractions. And now, with the added foil of remote work opportunities, there’s a balance organizations must seek both in and out of the office. Does the “Open Office” Really Work? According to re... view article details

Top 5 Fastest-Growing and Best Paying Jobs Without a College Degree According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are several fast-growing occupations requiring only an Associates Degree, vocational training, or on the job training that offer moderate to high earning potential. We researched these jobs and developed a list of the highest paying jobs in this category, all of which will experience double-digit growth in the coming years. Read about the top five best paying jobs without a degree and the respective salary data for these jobs in your geographical area. Jobs That Pay the Most W... view article details

As you probably heard, or suffered yourself, Slack was down for about four hours on June 27th, the latest in a series of short-term outages this year. Sorry if you had to read the “omg I have to talk to my coworkers in person!” quip 17 times. But as we waded through the same six jokes on people being addicted to virtual communication, our HR senses began to tingle.   Slack, which launched in August 2013, is a cloud-based platform that allows individuals and teams to collaborate on projects and share memes. It stands for “Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge,” thus providing the hel... view article details

For many, if not most, of us, the Internet is an essential work tool. It lets us send e-mails, share documents, participate in video conferences, conduct research, and browse cat videos (only during breaks, of course). Now, three communities are taking things even further, deploying widespread networks with speeds at or above 1 gigabit per second in the hopes of boosting economic development.How fast, exactly, is 1 Gbps? Well, the average Internet speed in the United States is somewhere between 5 and 6 megabits per second, according to various reports. These 1-Gig systems, therefore, are as mu... view article details

If hospitality is your cup of tea—and you don’t mind serving others—a career as a hotel manager may be perfect for you.Hotel managers oversee all aspects of hotel operations including staff, maintenance, convention and conference services, reservations, office administration, sales, purchasing, housekeeping, security, recreation, and food management. Depending on how many services a hotel provides, the manager can be responsible for everything from banquets to conventions. Managers also take into account marketing and financial management. They set room rates, approve expenditures and ensure t... view article details

Parting with Tradition For most of us, working on a resume is pretty uninspiring stuff. Fire up Microsoft Word, search for synonyms for “experience,” fiddle with the spacing until everything is lined up just so. Should the font be Arial or Times New Roman? 12-point or 11-point?But because we live in the digital age, there are a few brave souls among us who are turning the tedious traditional resume into something a little more creative and compelling. Personal branding websites, video resumes and social networking profiles are becoming increasingly valid ways for job seekers to distin... view article details

After establishing contact with the party you're trying to reach, you should be ready to use the time as effectively as if you were in a face-to-face meeting.The speakerphone – friend or foe?Speakerphones are a great tool for communication via the telephone, but they must be used wisely. Some people prefer to use a speakerphone even when no one else is listening in so that they can take notes during the conversation without having to juggle a phone receiver. If you're one of those people, make sure you inform the people on the line with you that you are using a speakerphone, and if they seem a... view article details

Any way you measure it, a college degree is the best investment of your life. In today's dollars, a bachelor's degree is worth more than $2.1 million over 40 years. 'Having that post-secondary diploma can make such a difference in lifetime earnings,' said Washington, D.C.-based Employment Policy Foundation President Ed Potter.During a recession, obtaining a college degree becomes even more crucial. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, all seven of the job categories that are predicted to grow faster than average during the next decade require a college diploma. These careers, which inclu... view article details