A glance at the newspaper headlines in the past few months tells a disturbing story. Whether or not one uses the dreaded 'R' word, it's clear that more and more companies are reevaluating their workforce. Instead of worrying about your job security, be proactive and lay the groundwork in case you should need to find a job quickly. A little planning can go a long way if you are faced with an emergency job search.The following tips will help you prepare for an unexpected job search. At the same time, however, they are a great way to both update your network and assess your current situation.Netw... view article details

With economic uncertainty around us, now more than ever, we need to find little ways to escape from the stress and reward ourselves for hanging in there. We all need balance in our lives and deserve to treat ourselves every once in a while. Here we suggest some affordable ways to pamper ourselves at a time when many of us do not have extra cash to spend.A little chocolate never hurt anyone Who doesn’t love chocolate? And there is no harm in treating yourself to a little chocolate every once in a while. Better yet, treat yourself to a box of your favorite higher end cho... view article details

Quick, look at your shoes. What do they say about you? A recent study by Dr. Omri Gillath, published in the Journal of Research in Personality, found that people’s shoes revealed certain personality traits, such as agreeableness. I haven’t scientifically studied people’s shoes first-hand, but I believe it. Observation is a great way to find clues to people’s personality styles. So if your coworkers’ shoes are hiding under their desk, take a look at their workspace instead. Read the following four descriptions and see if you can identify each person’s personality style.The desk is messy! Papers... 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

Here Are Some Things Your Boss Never Needs to Know About You or Your Life Keep Personal Info Personal Discrimination in the workplace is illegal. It's also despicable and certainly not anything we condone. In an ideal world, the details of our personal lives wouldn't matter nearly as much as our performance and productivity on the job. But the cold, hard truth is employers may still make decisions based upon details of an employee's life. From judging workers based on Facebook photos to thinking twice about promoting someone with kids or a chronic illness when another employee is free of ... view article details

Engagement is King Whether your audience is a roomful of caffeinated convention-goers or a lone gatekeeper to potential employment, your first task is engagement. Those initial seconds will either open a pathway or lay the first bricks of a wall — and unfortunately, it's easy to unwittingly build barriers.So how can you better forge connection with your audience instead?As a reformed speech class dropout who grew into public speaking and radio/TV interviews, I'm prime proof that engagement skills can be learned and improved upon. Presentations and interviews represent high-pressure co... view article details

Employee Reward Ideas: Small Acts of Recognition and Appreciation Can Go a Long Way Incentivize Employees with Appreciation Gifts Do you ever wonder how to reward employees? Some bosses feel a paycheck is the only reward an employee needs. But employees want to feel that their hard work is appreciated, whether they are paid minimum wage or a six-figure salary. Wondering about employee reward ideas? Get creative and experiment with a few new employee recognition ideas - you’ll be amazed by how productive your staff suddenly becomes. 10. Gift CardsGift cards are a classic. Nobody ever tur... view article details

"Soft" Skills & Emotional Intelligence Will Help Get You Hired & Promoted Skills: Hard vs Soft As your career progresses one of your goals is to ensure that your "hard" skills -- tangible, teachable skills and abilities that allow you to perform your job -- are up to snuff. But in your effort to hone your hard skills, don't ignore your "soft" skills. Soft skills, sometimes called "people skills" or "emotional intelligence," are less tangible qualities that determine how you manage your own behavior, as well as interact with and get along with others. While soft skills are more difficult to ... view article details

Every boss, worker, and company is different. But when it comes to asking for a raise, there are some universal "no-nos" you have to avoid at all costs. Here are the nine most common things NOT to avoid during a raise discussion. 1) "I Know the Timing isn't Great but..." Timing really is everything. It's important to know where your company stands financially before you ask for a pay raise. If your company is enjoying fat profit margins, record-breaking sales numbers, and unprecedented expansion then by all means -- walk in there and ask for a pay raise. Things are obviously coming up roses ... view article details

Every boss, worker, and company is different. But when it comes to asking for a raise, there are some universal "no-nos" you have to avoid at all costs. Here are the nine most common things NOT to avoid during a raise discussion. 1) "I Know the Timing isn't Great but..." Timing really is everything. It's important to know where your company stands financially before you ask for a pay raise. If your company is enjoying fat profit margins, record-breaking sales numbers, and unprecedented expansion then by all means -- walk in there and ask for a pay raise. Things are obviously coming up roses ... view article details