Q: My question is about 'ethnic' hairstyles in the workplace. Would a person interviewing be scrutinized because they were wearing a hairstyle that was different from the norm? For instance, as an African-American female interviewing for an executive assistant position in corporate America, could I wear dreadlocks or braids? Or, how would corporate America feel about me if I came to an interview with my head covered because of religious practices?A: Wherever I go in today's workplace, I go in style, and you can too. Never forget that putting on clothes and dealing with your hair is an opportun... view article details

Stock Market Indexed CDs  'For those who have amassed substantial savings but don't want to risk a penny - no way, no how - there are a few securities that provide access to the market without jeopardizing the original sum invested.'     People work hard for their money, so risky investments often make them think twice. A volatile stock market means higher risks, even for people who have been investing for years. For those who have amassed substantial savings but don't want to risk a penny - no way, no how - there are a few securities that provide access to the market without jeopardizing the ... view article details

Dear Annette,Do you have any holiday gift ideas for the office?SantaDear Santa,This is my favorite time of year, as thinking of gift ideas for others always reminds me of me. One December years ago I received an ostrich from a client after helping him survey his New Zealand ranch. I had to get rid of him after Dickie became allergic. The ostrich stayed for five years.Narrowing down the wish list is always so difficult. A year or two ago, the Mednikow catalog had a $575,000 diamond ring on its front cover, complete with a little cutout so you can try the ring on for size. Difficult to duplicate... view article details

Everyone has worked a summer job at some point. For some those jobs may be their true calling, but for many they are a place to gain some valuable skills and foster passion for their future careers.Read on to see the most popular summer jobs our readers held, and how the skills learned there can help in preparing for a future career. Babysitter Respondents who had this summer job 35.9% A babysitter must learn the fundamentals of relating to young children. Valuable skill for careers in: Child Care Young children get in a lot of scrapes. Successful babysitters learn to use basic fir... view article details

At some point in the job application process, you might find yourself in a tight spot. What do you do when asked for a salary history? You may be gunning for a job with greater responsibilities than in your last one, or making a transition to an industry that pays better than the one you're in now. You may even be willing to take a paycut if you believe you've truly found your dream job. Either way, submitting salary history could compromise your position of advantage when it comes time to negotiate your pay. The relevant measure of worth is the fair market value of the open position, not what... view article details

Reaping the Benefits Every morning Jay Fox wakes up at 4:30 to tend his 20-acre farm. Cleaning chicken coops, tilling fields, and hand-weeding three large gardens can't wait for the sunrise. There's no snooze button and hardly any sick or vacation days when it comes to working with nature. "It's all seasonal work. What you do on the farm depends on the season," said Fox. "You can be doing anything from spreading manure to weeding a garden to baling hay depending on the time of the year." Although Fox works long hours practically every day, he gets to enjoy the many perks of tilling the beautif... view article details

Guardian Angels of the Sand Next time you're out strolling the beach, stop and take a good look around. For up beyond the sand and surf, you - and everybody else out there - are being watched. Not by some sneaky Big Brother, but by the tan hardbody in the red trunks. From a small post tower, a lifeguard peers through binoculars, anticipating the inevitable. And no matter what dangerous predicament we get into, this guardian angel of the sand is there to fish us out. Life Guards in Los Angeles form a division of the County Fire Department, made up of highly trained men and women who protect t... view article details

Mortgage Size   The first and biggest hurdle to buying your own home is money. Few buyers, if any, try to buy a home without financing because it just doesn't make sense. In addition to the relatively low price of credit in America, why would anyone pass up substantial mortgage interest tax relief? Then there's the opportunity cost. Even the most financially secure among us won't want to tie up hefty capital in real estate when it could be spread across several investments in a diversified, well-planned portfolio.Typically, home buyers pursue a loan in amounts of 80 or 90 per cent of the purch... view article details

'Salary.com uncovered the top (and bottom) US metros for building personal net worth, taking into account local salaries, cost of living, and unemployment relative to the national average.'  Are you considering moving to a new town? Maybe your earnings just aren't up to par with the cost of living in your current city. Perhaps you're even having trouble finding a job. If so, it may be time to look at one of the cities at the top of Salary.com's Salary Value Index. The compensation experts at Salary.com uncovered the top (and bottom) US metros for building personal net worth, taking into accoun... view article details

Updated laws and legislation protect members of the uniformed services from certain workplace uncertainties, allowing reservists and guardsmen to leave their civilian posts to serve their country without having to worry about job security, delayed compensation, revoked benefits, or other adverse employer reactions. 'Weekend warriors' in peacetimeNormally, a reservist voluntarily signs up for part-time duty, sacrificing two days a month for training plus 15 days a year for an annual tour, a schedule that has led some observers to refer to them as 'weekend warriors.' In addition, if the reservis... view article details