It’s becoming common for job applicants to face questions about their salary expectations, whether when filling out a job application form or during the interview process. While it’s a straightforward question, providing an honest answer about your expectations for your next salary can prove difficult. Communicating a specific number that represents your salary expectations can also be daunting, especially if you’re not sure whether your asking price is going to be above or below what the company expected to pay the person who will fill the role you’ve applied for. If the salary expectation yo... view article details

Check, Please How many times have you stared at your bill at the end of a meal and wondered, "how much should I tip?" There are so many invisible factors that go into determining whether that server gets 10, 15 or 20%. Perhaps the waitress wasn't friendly enough, or the waiter was way too friendly. Maybe the food was late, or maybe you're not sure whether to tip on drinks, knowing most places inflate alcohol prices by 400% to outweigh the costs of a liquor license. For the less mathematically-inclined, this after-dinner math problem can also be exceedingly stressful – armed only with a phone c... view article details

Every day should be a holiday. Yet, at work, only certain days are. At the end of the year, many employees look forward to extra wages, or paid time off, around the holidays. Let’s discuss how employers calculate holiday pay accurately so they can compensate you fairly. Every Day Should Be a Holiday In the United States, employees are not required to be paid during holidays. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employers as a whole provide compensation to their employees for an average of 8 holidays per year: New Year’s Day Easter Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day... view article details

Professionals with Tattoos in the Workplace Maybe it’s a tribal armband, orchids on the lower back playing peek-a-boo with coworkers, or—gulp!—they’re wearing it on their face a la Mike Tyson. But even if it’s that cute little leprechaun on their ankle, our latest survey results show visible tattoos in the workplace could have a negative effect on your employees' pot of gold. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found nearly 40% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo, and body piercings are also a growing means of self-expression among people in this age ... view article details

A List of the Most Lucrative Professions of the Year Which Jobs Pay the Most? The good news is these jobs pay a whole lot of money. Unfortunately, you have to spend a lot of money on schooling and specialized education to nab one of those huge paychecks. Careercast is back with its annual list of highest paying jobs. Healthcare occupations rule the day for the most part, taking a whopping seven spots on the list. But even the ones that aren’t in the medical industry require many years of higher education and years of training. Which often means there is substantial debt that goes along with... view article details

How to answer the question "what are your strengths and weaknesses" in an interview No matter how perfectly you answer the other job interview questions from your interviewer, the question "tell me about your greatest strengths/weaknesses" can usually be a hot potato for a candidate in an interview. It's a common interview question but a puzzling one as well, which most candidates don't get right and may even panic and respond with something odd. Their answers may make them sound conceited, or not qualified for the role. This is a common mistake many job applicants make. You... view article details

Chief executive officers (CEOs) get paid lots of money for being the top employees in the company. Why do they get paid so much? Like athletes and actors, CEOs provide a level of talent that is required to produce the desired product - in this case, a strongly performing company. The skills and responsibilities that come with the job of CEO are extreme and the number of people who can fill these roles is limited. That is why the market has determined that people with these skills are worth a lot of money to their companies. Only about 20 percent of a CEO's pay is base salary; the rest is made... view article details

Are You Showing Your Best Side Online? Pop quiz: What's the scariest thing you can do?A. Handle a barrel filled with angry rattlesnakes.B. Make hairpin turns in a tractor-trailer around a twisty mountain pass.C. Give an online video presentation.If you answered C, this story is for you. (I can't help with snakes or big rigs). Whether it’s your video debut on YouTube, a job interview on Skype, a meeting on WebEx, or a class online, how can you look and sound engaging while being authentic?Online presentations take many forms: sitting or standing; one person presenting to one, two, or a... view article details

Because more than a hundred applicants often respond to each online job posting, recruiters are rethinking their traditional practice of posting positions on career websites.Rather than posting the jobs and dealing with an onslaught of random resumes, they've started proactively seeking skilled workers. And Twitter is fast becoming the top tool recruiters use to scout this top talent. This article shows you how to master key features of Twitter to attract recruiters' attention.Begin with your bio The first thing someone will see when they hit your Twitter feed is your picture, then yo... view article details

The adage 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression' is never truer than when you submit your resume. Because this is likely the first glimpse of you that employers will get, make it an impressive one.A great resume can open a door, but an inferior one can just as quickly close one. This article explores 14 resume mistakes to avoid at all costs.Yes, you need a cover letter even when you are emailing your resume, posting it to a job board, or sending it electronically. A cover letter is the best place to introduce yourself, identify your goals, and briefly describe why you are a... view article details