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

When It Comes to LinkedIn, Keep It Casual Not all social networks are the same. So while you only let a handful of your closest confidantes friend you on Facebook, that's going to work against you if you're trying to use LinkedIn as a job-hunting tool, according to David Fisher of Ajax Social Media. Instead of excluding fringe acquaintances on LinkedIn, Fisher advises to include as many of them as possible. In the end, this builds an even stronger online which will increase the odds of those people helping you get a job interview. view article details

You have a proposal due at 2 p.m., a meeting at 3 p.m., and a conference call at 4 p.m. Then, after work, there are kids to be shuttled to dance lessons, groceries to be shopped for and laundry that just isn't going to wash itself. And weren't you thinking about going to the gym sometime today?Just about everyone with a job knows the feeling of trying to squeeze work, family and personal activities into a very finite amount of time. And the busier we get, the more the pressure builds. How can you focus on your monthly sales report when you are also mentally calibrating a car pool schedule?But ... view article details

Ever wish you could stay in school forever? Well you can - as a career. If you've checked out our 10 jobs that keep colleges and universities functioning, it's time to graduate to higher education leadership. Whether you aspire to be an alumni affairs director, a head coach, or even a college president, these 10 leadership roles are for folks passionate about giving back to the collegiate experience. Here are 10 jobs in higher education leadership worth looking at. We've included the average salaries and ranges based on Salary.com data. 1) Bookstore Director - Higher Ed. Average: $65,103 Salar... view article details

Fostering Teamwork Stems from Proper Management Teamwork provides a foundation for business success. Teams, when managed properly, maximize each individual’s strong points while minimizing weaknesses. Of course, creating productive teams isn’t as easy as it sounds. Strong working relationships need five basic ingredients for success: Communication, Collaboration, Culture, Creativity, and Commitment. Each of the five Cs builds on the previous one, to form a complete structure which fosters teamwork and relationship building. Communication Effective communication in the workplace makes the ... view article details

Get Back in the Game Whether you are fresh out of college, having a midlife career change or deciding retirement isn’t for you, you first must realize job searching has changed. It's different than it was a decade ago, and it's different than it was last year. It’s difficult to keep up with all the changes, but if you want to be competitive in the job market you have to stay ahead of the technology as much as you can.So if you're starting from scratch, here is my advice to stay and get ahead of the game.It Starts with the Resume Although some people will say they are being ph... view article details

When Buying is Better   It's the rare person who doesn't resent handing over large sums in rent every month. Even if the very idea of a 30-year mortgage makes you shiver, the fact is, over the long term, building equity in your own property is far smarter than financing someone else's. A fixed rate mortgage also locks in your monthly rate so you know that whatever your payment is, at least it will stay the same for thirty years. Even with an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) you know your monthly cost will hover within a plus or minus dollar range for the term of the mortgage. Rent, on the other ... view article details

Thrill Builder! Slowly the car inches up the improbable incline, defying gravity, and propelled by unseen forces. As the roller coaster car gets to the crest of the hill and peers over the top at the twisted tracks and loop-the-loops that lie just ahead, you try to convince yourself that the person who designed this cruel contraption knows what he is doing. Relax. He does. Kent Seko originally wanted to be an architect. He rode roller coasters as a kid, but never thought about designing them until years later, when a friend who worked at Arrow Dynamics, Inc., a roller coaster design firm, talk... view article details

While 2011 college seniors are excited about closing the door on one part of their life, it's common for them to feel pressure as it pertains to next steps. Some graduates may have already landed a job, but others may still not have a clue as to how to start their job search or what type of company they want to work for.So where are the best places to work for those just graduating? Experience.com has done the research and compiled a list of the top 20 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads. The companies on this list range from a wide variety of industries, and they're hiring! In fact, these co... view article details

Working in the airline industry can take you places. Even from an elevation of only 110 feet -- the official above sea level height of the city of Everett – which is the site of The Boeing Company’s commercial airplane plant on Washington state's northernmost coast. The career path of Bridget Beckmyer-Johnson provides clear evidence of the 'sky’s the limit' type of opportunities available to the dedicated employee. Her passion for people and learning has transported her from an entry-level position as an airplane “sealer” all the way to management during her 15-year tenure at the plant.Between... view article details