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

Dear Annette,I know you're not supposed to burn bridges, but I'm so tempted to tell my former employer what they can do with their pink slip. Is it ever OK to act out when leaving a company?Disgusted in DallasDear Dallas,On a hot California day, down by my private beach, I love to have my People hire an upcoming international design sensation to build split-level sandcastles with marvelous feng shui while I sip something bitter and refreshing from the Far East, hoping my straw hat doesn't blow away. Invariably, as my dog Dickie supervises the construction crew, my thoughts turn to the 1957 cla... view article details

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

Tips for Living within Your Means'It's not like I'm disorganized,' said Michelle E., a 28-year-old paralegal from Aurora, Colorado. 'My friends even joke about my CD collection being alphabetized. Yet my savings account is always empty and I never manage to pay down my credit cards,' she said.Cathy W. is 36, single, and facing a similar dilemma. 'I'm a freelancer in computer graphics based out of San Francisco. I think I make decent money, but there's never any left over. I don't see how I could ever afford my own home - certainly not in this town. I have no investments, never mind retirement ... view article details

Survey Results: How Has Our Readership Been Affected by Recent Layoffs? With the unemployment rate continuing to rise dramatically in recent months (now up to double digits in some states) Salary.com asked its users how they have been affected by the recent changes in the job market. We had over 4,000 respondents of which a larger than expected number answered they had been laid off in the last 6 months. Read on to see some of the trends.The national unemployment rate for January was 8.1% This means that nationwide 8.1% of employable individuals have reported that they are out of wo... view article details

In an economy where employees are often overworked and many businesses are pulling the plug on raises and extra benefits, some companies are shining stars when it comes to offering their employees cool perks. Most organizations say that they value their employees and offer generous benefits packages. But we’ve searched around and found employers that offer much more than standard benefits. Check out our round-up of 14 companies that offer their employees unusual and incredible perks. 1. Google Mountain View, CA-based Google doesn't just offer employees a stimulating environment to work and c... view article details

Careers That Pay a Whole Lot Less Than You Think That's All They Make?! All through my childhood, I thought classroom teachers must make a million dollars a year. After all, look at how much they work both inside and out of the classroom. And consider the work they do -- shaping young minds. These are people who are depended on the world over to raise future generations of educated, employable adults. Some argue it is the most important job one can have in our society. But then I grew up and found out what the overwhelming majority of us have come to know -- teachers don't make a million do... view article details

Used Correctly, Pinterest Can be a Valuable Tool to Aid in Your Job Search Pinterest: Time-Waster or Career-Starter? Pinterest, with more than 11.7 million users and a recent value of $1.5 billion, is the fastest growing social network since Facebook. First used by a mostly female demographic to create and share online "pinboards" devoted to topics like fashion, food, event planning, and interior design, Pinterest is rapidly finding favor with other groups of people, including job seekers. Pinterest allows users to create "pinboards" on specific topics. Users find images and videos that are... view article details

Making Movies If you can name a movie director off the top of your head, chances are it's a member of the Hollywood elite who earns massive sums of money. Yet for every Steven Spielberg or James Cameron there are hordes of lesser-known artists, happily hammering away at their craft. There are all kinds of movie makers, just as there are all kinds of movies - major motion pictures, independent films, cable movies, documentaries, sitcoms, TV dramas, and more. Some directors make excellent livings while others just scrape by, hoping for a lucky break. In reality, making it as a director has much ... view article details

The Remains of the Day It's midnight on a crisp October night in New England, and Fred Skinner, funeral director at Levine Chapels in Brookline, Mass., is just getting in to the office. "I kid people that I work in a bloody environment," said Skinner. "But actually, my role is much more comparable to that of a butler in a large country home: I organize several different service providers to ensure that an event crucial to a large group of people goes smoothly." Those who experience the death of a loved one rely on Skinner not only for his compassion, but also for his ability to organize clergy... view article details