How does a college kid with no experience go from being a complete homer to drawing Homer (Simpson) professionally? For Brad Ableson, it was a little luck and a metric ton of hard work. Ableson, now 36, spent 15 years as an animator and storyboard artist for The Simpsons, the infamous animated TV sitcom that has been on the air for more than two decades. That means when Homer dishes out his patented 'Why you little---' and starts to throttle his mischievous son Bart, there's a good chance it was Ableson who came up with the angle, the actions and everything else that brings the characters to ... view article details

Don't Be Short-Sighted Life in 2013 moves fast. Some would say too fast. Our tweets are only 140 characters, social videos on Vine max out at 6 seconds, and we’d all like to get six-pack abs in just a few minutes. What surprises some job-seekers when they learn about salary negotiation, is that sometimes the entire conversation around your future compensation is wrapped up in just a few short minutes, but can have a lasting impact for years to come.If you’re not prepared, it can fly by in an instant. If you don’t have the right approach, you leave money on the table.Here are two cruci... view article details

You know what they say about all work and no play. But how often do you cut it up with your co-workers and colleagues? Socializing with co-workers isn't just fun and a good stress-reliever, it also provides some less obvious work-related benefits, according to Kerry Patterson, co-author of The New York Times bestseller 'Influencer.' Patterson says people who are successful in their careers share something in common: they are well connected to others within the organization.Socializing with co-workers allows you to build respect and likability, better understand the personalities of co-workers,... view article details

When my wife and I began to gather receipts and other scraps of paper for our taxes this year, I called our long-time accountant with a routine request for an organizer to help us make sense of all the numbers. 'I already sent it to you,' the accountant hissed. But no matter how disorganized my wife and I may be, we knew we had not received that vital piece of mail.I called her back a few weeks later with a follow-up query. 'I don't really have time to handle individual tax returns this year. I've got all the business I need,' she snarled. 'I can't find any trained people to help me.'And so, w... view article details

There was a great episode of Cheers long ago where the dim-witted Woody was duped into accepting the higher title of “Senior Bartender” over a pay raise. (For those under 30, Cheers was a sitcom in the 80s and Woody was played by Woody Harrelson … you know… that guy from True Detective and Hunger Games).Maybe it’s because I somehow saw my future-self helping others negotiate, but even at the young age of 19, that scene really struck with me. After all, who could possibly want something as insignificant as a higher title, when the bottom line of money is what they were clearly looking for?Well,... view article details

The Basics The definition of paid time off is any time not worked by an employee for which the regular rate, a fixed or a prorated amount of pay, is accrued and paid to the employee. Companies grant time off to give employees down time and a chance to deal with non-work related issues. Despite the high costs of paid time off, companies offer this employee-friendly benefit primarily to be competitive in attracting and retaining talented employees.State and Local Holidays In addition to federal holidays, some employers also ... 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

Valentine's Day at Work: Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue -- Keep Both of Them to Yourself on Feb. 14 Valentine's Day is a Double-Edged Sword Valentine's Day. Perhaps no other holiday evokes stronger feelings from both the lovesick and those entirely sick of love. Sure the celebration of holidays at the office can be fun. After all, you're still sporting that certificate for "Best Costume" at Halloween. But if management wanted you to make a big deal about Valentine's Day at work, they'd have handed out a list of names and asked you to decorate a card box for your desk just like in the fourth... view article details

As your own agent, you've done you annual salary research and know what you’re worth at your next job. You know what combination of compensation elements will make a prospective position your dream job. Now it's time to negotiate to your total compensation package and secure your dream deal. Let's get this done. Your Dream Deal What’s in a dream deal? It’s that combination of statistics and characteristics that, taken together, make up your dream job. Learn the typical range of base compensation for your dream position in your industry, in your area. Find your fabulousness factor: where your ... view article details

What are the Most Stressful Jobs in America? “My job is SO stressful!” Most people think they have the most stressful job – that’s only natural. And without a doubt, almost every job has unique brands of stress. But let’s face it, there are some jobs that are just way more taxing than others. What are the most stressful jobs? We did a bunch of research on stressful occupations and there are tons of opinions. Many publications publish annual lists on the topic, and some even reach out to experts who examine factors such as hours, working conditions, and consequences of mistakes. We examined... view article details