Most job seekers understand the value and importance of a well-organized resume  but spend far less energy on crafting a strong cover letter. What they fail to realize is that resumes and cover letters go hand-in-hand.  Employers are very busy and receive hundreds of resumes leaving little time for individual review. Submitting a thoughtful and well-written cover letter can help you outshine your competition and get you one step closer to an interview. Don’t let the energy you’ve spent on developing the perfect resume go to waste by failing to deliver an effective cover letter.  Here we offer ... view article details

These Careers Are Worth the Price of College Admission Is College Still Worth the Money? Maybe. As the cost of education continues to skyrocket and job prospects remain less than robust in a tough economy, the answer to the question, "What are you majoring in?" seems more important than ever. There’s no getting around it. Education is expensive. A four-year degree at a public university costs, on average, $37,343, while an education at a private school will set you back $121,930. While statistics show that a college degree will undoubtedly open doors and increase your earning potential, you... view article details

Why Give a Hoot About Night Owls? Society stigmatizes people who are different -- not just the well-recognized differences like skin color, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation. The stigmas are also against people of a quieter nature, heavy people (especially women!), short people (especially men!), and older people. Now a different group is emerging from the shadows: night owls. You might think it’s nobody’s business when you go to bed. However, if you’re trying to hold down -- or look for -- a 9-to-5 job and you can’t get to sleep each night until the wee hours, you're probably... view article details

Rich or Poor, Offer Letters Are Still Necessary If you’ve worked at any level in the corporate world, you’ve probably received an offer letter of employment. As a teenager, your first job offer – babysitting, mowing lawns, washing dishes, waiting tables – was probably pretty informal. Ah, but that first official offer letter.Sure, things might have gone great on your interview. You’re 99% sure they’re going to give you the job. Hopefully you negotiated a nice salary increase. You can’t wait to tell your parents and friends. And HR even verbally said you got the position. But it wasn’t... view article details

Volunteering Has Many Benefits Millennials love to volunteer. Why? In short, it makes them happy. But surprisingly, college students and young professionals also lead the pack in volunteerism as a means of developing themselves professionally.In fact, an employer’s involvement in causes was cited in the 2014 Millennial Impact Report as the third most important factor when determining whether to apply for a job. And a Deloitte study found that Millennials who frequently participated in workplace volunteer activities were more likely to be proud, loyal, and satisfied employees.Millennia... view article details

Your Values and What You Value Are Always Changing Christmastime is rife with financial responsibilities, so along with that new gym bag and must-have designer shoes, you’re probably thinking about looking for a new job, too. And a big, shiny paycheck to go with it!The biggest compensation boosts come when you leave an employer for greener pastures (there’s a reason they call 'em that). How much of a bump depends on your ability to negotiate, market demand for your skills, and flexibility. In other words, are you willing to relocate to make the really big dollars? (Why, yes…yes, I am.... view article details

Sometimes Vacation is More Stressful Than Work The holiday season is filled with stress. Family gatherings, crowded shopping malls and 24/7 Christmas music on the radio are just the tip of the iceberg. But the one thing that should combat this stress -- lots of time off from work between Thanksgiving and Christmas -- has the potential to be even more stressful than being at the office. It's no secret the economy hasn't been stellar the last few years. That has led to many layoffs, which has resulted in surviving employees wearing many more hats and doing jobs that didn't used to be th... view article details

How Older Workers Can Better Overcome Obstacles to Getting Hired Older Workers Have a Tougher Time Getting a Job While the U.S. job market continues to make slow but steady gains, finding a job in the current economy is still challenging. All job seekers today face significantly more obstacles than they did a decade ago, but those over the age of 50 have a few extra hurdles to clear. According to a recent survey done by ExecuNet, a member organization for senior-level executives, a Vice President over the age of 50 takes 20% longer to get hired than a 41- to 45-year-old at the same level. W... view article details

In the first part of this interview, Barbara Rubin, a theater director as well as a dialect and vocal coach, offers insights and tips for introverts about finding their true voice and using it with power and presence. In this second part, she shares more about physical techniques you can use to enhance your speaking voice and manage performance jitters.NA: Many introverts need to quietly collect their thoughts before sharing them, which can be stressful in work environments that value more talk sooner, rather than more thoughtful talk a little later. What vocal and even theatrical techniques d... view article details

Are you as satisfied with the work you do today as you were a year ago? Do you have fun doing your job? Do you work in a creative environment where coworkers trust and nurture one another? Are you proud of the work you do, and the products or services your company sells? Does your employer put the customer ahead of all else? If you're looking for a job, will you settle for less than a job that brings you joy?As contrary as it may seem, most people in the U.S. workforce have some choice in what they do for a living and where they work. That means most workers can hold out for a job with some de... view article details