The modern war for talent has created unprecedented opportunity and flexibility for experienced job-seekers and current employees. Still, as tech transforms the office and remote workers frolic in exotic locations, most folks are still focused on a simple agenda: put in work and get paid. But everyone in this evolving workforce deserves a work environment that encourages them to aim for a higher purpose. Whether it’s knowing your individual work contributed to the company’s bottom line or indirectly made some positive difference in a client’s life, there’s power in labor beyond the paycheck. ... view article details

Looking to negotiate your salary? Maybe you’ve received a job offer, or maybe you are simply looking to get a raise at your current company. Either way, salary negotiation can be a gut-wrenching process. Of course you want more money or more benefits, but will it affect the way your manager views you? Could the new company withdraw their offer in favor of a candidate looking for less? Many people are afraid of asking for more – particularly women, with a shocking 7% of women attempting to negotiate their first salary. And, for those that are unemployed, working in a toxic environment, or switc... view article details

Somerset Maugham said, 'The unfortunate thing about this world is that good habits are so much easier to give up than bad ones.' Being constantly late and spending the majority of your work day playing computer games are bad habits that can put the kibosh on job advancement. But did you know that some bad habits actually have good effects? The following 12 habits may get a bad rap, but they may also have a positive impact on your career.Procrastinating Today's work culture expects us to multitask, run from one project to the next, and constantly... view article details

Women are far less likely than men to negotiate at work, which typically costs women more than half a million dollars in earnings over the course of their respective careers, according to Linda Babcock and Sara Lashever, authors of the book Women Don’t Ask.The authors conducted multiple studies that found women miss out by failing to negotiate salary, promotions and other advancement opportunities that men commonly and aggressively pursue. The reluctance of female employees to advocate for themselves is often the difference between climbing the career ladder at a healthy pace and not climbing ... view article details

Dear Heather,What do you do about someone who just about stole your LinkedIn profile?! I've run into 'Amy' at a few networking events and noticed afterward that she kept looking at my online profile. At first I was flattered, but I finally looked at hers and found that she has posted, almost word for word, MY profile job description!! I was trying to be nice and introduce her to people at some industry events because she's new and a little socially awkward but began distancing myself after she asked for my contact list (!). Now I'm angry. How can I handle this? I worked hard on my profile and ... view article details

These days, when organizations are downsizing in an effort to 'right size,' it's more important than ever not to melt into the crowd at work.Whether your goal is to keep the paychecks coming at a steady rate or to advance your career, you'll have a better chance of being successful if you're viewed as indispensable.This article explores 14 ways to ensure your organization can't live without you.1. Be noticeable Introduce yourself to others, say hello and ask how co-workers are doing, and never pass up the opportunity to get to know someone on a deeper level. You're d... view article details

Power, influence, status, recognition, ambition and reward -- as much as we might hate to admit it, the stuff that makes a fast-track career exciting and fun can be the very things that can also do it in. Set any negative connotations aside and face it -- office politics, and playing to win, can make all the difference. In this, the first in a two-part series, we'll examine how to position yourself for the game you'll have to play at some point, like it or not!1. Play with a purpose As with all things work related, you should ... view article details

Be an Ant, Not a Grasshopper*  Most people know they should invest for the future, but at least half would like to do better. In a Salary.com poll about investments in the company retirement plan, 44 percent of respondents said they contribute, but could do better; 13 percent know they should invest, but have other priorities; and 41 percent said they contribute the maximum. Just 3 percent reported not having a retirement plan. If you're gainfully employed and reasonably satisfied with your career, there are few good excuses for not taking advantage of this benefit. If you've got access to a c... view article details

Sometimes life is all about timing. A missed flight connection can have a ripple effect, a stock market aberration can help (or hurt) your financial standing, and leaving a restaurant 10 minutes before your favorite sports team or band rolls in and buys everyone a round becomes a story of what might have been.Timing is a key factor in your job search as well. Of course, people are hired or fired every single day of the year, and companies hold reviews all the time: at the end of the calendar year, end of the fiscal year, the anniversary of your hire date, or handing out a promotion on the spot... view article details

Social Media: Answering All of Life's Questions Never has one incident singularly highlighted the good, the bad, and the incredibly ugly components of living in the age of social media than a situation earlier this month regarding a young engineer, his two job offers, and his decision to ask the Internet to help him determine which one he should accept.The young man, who has not been identified, posted a question to Quora -- the Q&A social media platform -- to help him decide between a job offer from the ride-sharing powerhouse Uber and Zenefits, an HR software startup. The man came u... view article details