Q: I was awarded 25,000 options at my last job. Recently, the company laid off 100 employees, including me. I was not vested at this time and the company took away all of my shares. Is this standard practice? A: Yes. It is customary for a company to take back unvested options when an employee leaves the company for any reason. In fact, this is probably included in the stock option agreement you received when you were granted the options. Sometimes, however, companies have a severance policy that provides special benefits (e.g., accelerated option vesting) for situations like layoffs. Be sure... view article details

Once upon a time good employees updated their job skills and advanced to the next career level with the regularity of Mario questing for Princess Peach.But then technology proliferated, and the well-read encyclopedia salesman, savvy VCR repairman and worldly travel agent either faded away or morphed into updated versions of their former selves.Are you prepared for an evolving work environment or, worse, job extinction? Don't be the Cro Magnon who creates trendy CD artwork in an MP3 world.Check out these jobs on the brink and remember,clever and creative are transferable skills -- if you're ada... view article details

Everyone Thinks About Changing Careers Most people have thought about changing jobs. But what if you’re someone who has been doing a job for what seems like forever? Someone with a truly unique set of skills? Someone like -- Santa Claus.Even those of us with great jobs occasionally wonder if the grass is greener. So it stands to reason the big guy in red -- who has been doing the same gig for quite a while now -- might be a little bored with dashing, dancing and prancing across the globe every Christmas Eve. But even if he could find someone else to make the toys, drive the sleigh and... view article details

Don't Make It Any Harder on Yourself Is it any wonder job interviews are such fertile ground for disaster?Just think about it for a second. The hiring manager has to fill the position quickly and with the right person, and has to choose from a pool of candidates who are more than likely desperate to find employment and pay bills. Applicants have an hour or so to present themselves in the best possible light, and if you believe some experts it only takes a few seconds following a first impression for people to make their final judgments. Finally, throw in a hefty portion of self-doubt ... 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

What’s the worst thing an entrepreneur can do? Not listen, according to Chicago entrepreneur Adam Fridman.“We -- I am including myself on purpose -- get excited about an idea and we fire. Pausing to listen to advice seems a waste of time,” he said.Fridman would know. He founded three Chicago companies, making him a prominent entrepreneur in the Windy City startup community. While earning his Master's degree in finance from Depaul University in 2003, Adam founded Idea2Result, a Chicago based B2B appointment setting staffing company.  Following the success of Idea2Result, Adam co-founded GoBumpe... view article details

More Than 90% of All Communication is Nonverbal You've spent hours preparing for an important interview. You've carefully thought out your appearance and practiced answers to potential questions until you have them down cold. You look the part. You sound the part. But will your body language let you down?Check out pictures and videos of actual Salary.com staff members showing you what to do and what not to do when it comes to nonverbal communication.First Impressions Count You've spent hours preparing for an important interview. You've carefully thought out your appearance, a... view article details

Q. I'm writing regarding my raise.When I was hired, the director of HR, who is no longer with the company, promised me a raise after six months of service and one year thereafter. Half the year I was working for an executive, and the other half I worked in human resources.Now the company is telling me I am overpaid and need more experience and, therefore, do not warrant a raise even though my evaluation was very good. When I entered this department, I had one week's training to take over from my coworker who went on maternity leave. I was on my own for 3 months with one other person in the dep... view article details

Q: I have an interview tomorrow with a prominent company and am very eager to please them. Can you give me some important pointers on interviewing?A: Jitters are a marvelous sensation, providing that refreshing sense of being alive in a big wide world. Your nerves are telling you that you would like to show this company You at Your Best. Isn’t it wonderful to feel that way about an opportunity?I’m sure you have prepared for the interview in the basic sense – printed fresh copies of your resume and slipped them into your classic portfolio, studied the company’s recent financial performance, spe... view article details

Dear Jack,After 25 years working for same company, I still only get 2 weeks a year paid vacation. I take no sick days off and I work overtime, but this year no vacation? Or not one sick day and my four 10-hour workdays have turned to five 10-hour days -- sometimes as high as 14 hours -- and I don't get overtime? What are my rights here?? After 25 years do I get my vacation pay because I did not get a day off?? I'm not sure this is a matter of 'rights.' While two weeks vacation is almost universally acknowledged as the minimum vacation time, even that is at the discretion of your employer, and ... view article details