Networking is Essential Industry conferences offer outstanding opportunities for networking. They’re ideal places to meet new people, catch up with those you already know and -- if you plan it right -- introduce yourself to your next employer. But that's easier said than done, especially if you're new to the conference scene or you've never been taught any networking skills. But whether you're an extrovert who fits naturally into any situation or someone who has a hard time meeting and talking to new people, networking is a necessary skill if you're looking to get ahead.With that in m... view article details

Hot to Nail Down Your First Job Are you planning a transition “from college to career?” You won’t want to miss out on advice from Lindsey Pollak, a recognized expert on next-generation career trends. She recently released a new edition of her terrific book, Getting from College to Career.  In this second of a two-part Q & A with Lindsey (read Part I here), she outlines some best practices for networking, following up, and transitioning to your first job.Harness the Power of Twitter Q: In addition to LinkedIn, what online tools do you think are most helpful for new grads to im... view article details

 Personal Budget Planning Builds Household Wealth  To some people, 'budget' is a dirty word. In reality a budget is just a schedule of income and expenses, a way of documenting how much money comes in and how it should sensibly be spent. There's everything to gain from sticking to a budget, but adhering to a budget is difficult for many people because it usually means denying cravings and luxuries beyond reach.Well, after all, that's the point of a budget.What percentage of your income goes to housing every month? What goes to entertainment? Knowing those spending ratios is a valuable tool to ... view article details

The Sequester, Job Search, and You A recent Gallup poll states 51% of Americans don’t know enough about the sequester to judge if it’s a good or bad thing for the economy or for themselves personally. I tend to take a more negative view. As a layperson, and a veteran resume writer, I hear from many people who feel the effects of the sequester and believe it’s a bad thing, even if those changes have not already taken place. It’s like waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop: You know something bad is about to happen, you just don’t know when.This article spells out in layperson’s ... view article details

In Part 1 of the series Successful Job Transitions, we looked at how to stay in control of your job search.   Now that we're moving on to that new job, here are some tips for continuing your smooth job transition during the stickiest part of that transition: The final two weeks.It's why they're called "significant" others Before marching into the CEO's office to share a celebratory 'I quit!' make sure your spouse, children, bank manager and golden retriever know what you are up to. If you want them behind you, be up front. Just as this transition can b... view article details

Some gentlemen prefer blondes. Some ladies will only date men of a certain height.The laws of attraction differ from person to person, but Salary.com recently surveyed readers to find out if the size of a person's paycheck is a determining factor when men and women are looking for romantic partners.We surveyed nearly 2,000 people regarding the role money plays in romantic relationships, and discovered some revealing information about how men and women view money and attraction.Money Matters More to Women When asked if the number of zeros in your significant other's paycheck mattered, ... view article details

Feeling at Ease with Negotiating Here’s a test. Over the past year, what has been the typical response when you ask people “How’ve you been?” My guess is that very few answer, “Actually, I’ve been incredibly relaxed, calm, and productive.” Most likely they say, “I’m so busy!” “Things have been so crazy!” “I’m so swamped at work!” “I’m exhausted and busy and crazy!” I could go on.So when the end of the year rolls around, it seems that is the time that people finally set aside time to be with family, unplug from the working world, relax and recover. But what if you could feel more relax... view article details

10 Jobs That Allow You to Travel for Free Have you ever opened Instagram, scrolled through your feed, and see post after post of the same people in a yet another new exotic location and thought…How can they afford it? How do they have so much vacation time? Is their work-life balance just that good? Wait…what do they do for work anyway and how can I land one of those? The answer could be that they have a job that lets them travel for free. In this article you will learn some potential career paths to get out there, and probably make your followers jealous, too! We w... view article details

Survey Analyzes a Year's Worth of Tweets & Finds the 10 Most Hated Jobs Let the Hate Flow Through You If you hate your job and like to complain about it on social media, you’re probably a man living on the East Coast and working in retail. So says a recent study courtesy of Brandwatch and Monster, which analyzed more than 1 million tweets over the course of one year, from March 2014 to March 2015. Attention was paid to how many people tweeted about loving and hating their jobs, with states such as Hawaii, Oregon, and California ranking high on the “love my job” list, while workers in Florid... view article details

Making the Move From the Parental Trenches to the Salt Mines? Check These Jobs Out! Maybe your kids are back in school and you're itching to take on a part-time job. Or perhaps the dismal economy has forced your hand and you need something full- or part-time to make ends meet. Whatever the case, figuring out which job to take is often the first and most daunting hurdle. Education, skills and background obviously play a part in what job you can get. Although everyone wants to be paid well, parents also place an added importance on things like flexible work hours, the ability to work from home ... view article details