You may not think you are in sales, but if you are involved in a job search, you are! It’s important to understand that your resume is more than a calling card and less than a comprehensive record of your career. Your resume is a marketing brochure for what you want the company to buy – and that’s YOU!Although you may not have a background in marketing or sales, thinking about yourself as the “product” your resume is selling can help you land an interview. It can also be helpful to move your focus away from your personal goals in the documents. If you are still using an objective statement in ... view article details

Why are fully employed people job searching amidst a swell of negative job market news? Do employers know what Employees really want out of their jobs? Salary.com has conducted its 4th annual survey of employee job satisfaction to give insight into what really makes employees happy (and unhappy) in their jobs.Fear of Being Fired? You’re not alone. Most people are concerned about the current economy. Layoffs all around and those that have jobs wonder 'Am I next?' It may be a luxury to wonder compared to people struggling to pay their bills. But many employees are dealing with th... view article details

Pay Yourself Right When Being Your Own Boss The dream of working independently is a reality for almost 10 million people in the United States, or roughly 10 percent of the workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rewards of self-employment include independence from supervision, the ability to set your own hours, and the satisfaction of knowing you are writing your own ticket. And yes, if you want, you can often work in your bathrobe. Technology makes it easy to work wherever you go. With an up-front investment of a few thousand dollars in a computer, bandwidth (telephone,... view article details

Are your workplace words and actions fun and harmless, or are you violating federal laws? Since people have various thresholds of what is appropriate and what is not, the answer is rarely black and white.This article explores seven scenarios that are at the very least inappropriate, but at their worst can eventually lead to loss of employment, an eroded reputation, and sometimes even legal action.Having a good time You like to knock back a few beers with colleagues after work.Having a few too many and donning the proverbial lampshade won't be good for your rep and it certainly won't p... view article details

Everyone wants a raise. Everyone thinks they deserve a raise. But no one wants to ask for a raise. One can hardly blame people for being hesitant – asking for more money is no easy task. Essentially you’re asking your boss if he/she thinks you’re worth investing more money in, and no one wants to deal with feelings of rejection of worthlessness should the answer be no. But the fact remains, even some who deserve a raise don’t get it. And why is that? Because too many people don’t ask themselves if it’s the right time to ask for a raise. Here are six signs it is a good time to ask for a raise... view article details

How’d you like a $5,000 raise? My guess is that 100% of the people reading this would say sure, I’d love to get a nice pay increase.Now let me ask you this. Does it matter to you HOW you get that raise? Let me present two options:Option A: One day your boss comes in and says, 'I’ve got some good news. You’ve been here about a year now, and management all agrees that you're doing great work. We view you as one of our top performing employees and we want to recognize that, so we're going to give you a $5,000 raise.'Option B: You’ve been at your company a year and it’s time for your annual perfor... view article details

Is it time for a tablet? Think about how much paper you use at your job on a daily basis. You print out emails and spreadsheets, take notes during meetings and fill out forms which are then shipped across the office.But all three tasks can now be accomplished using tablet computers which saves time, increases productivity and ensures at least a few more trees will remain standing.Top Productivity Apps for Going Paperless Apps like Documents To Go and Quickoffice® Pro allow you to open Microsoft Word (doc) files or Microsoft Excel (xls) files. You can also “print” to an Adobe ... view article details

Getting a raise. Climbing the corporate ladder. Receiving a better title. Taking on more responsibility. Advancing your career. These are the accomplishments most people in the workforce strive to attain. Countless resources exist to guide you every step of the way, from entry-level newbie through middle management and all the way up to the executive offices. How much heartbreak and anger has been exercised lamenting when things don’t go as planned? Why can’t I earn more money?I can’t believe I got passed over for that promotion!My boss is so incompetent, I could do so much better!So if you ar... view article details

When Timothy Cook was named CEO of Apple in August 2011, he got more than just a promotion: He was awarded 1 million shares of Apple stock, valued at $376 million. And a few months later, the company decided to raise his base pay from $900,000 to $1.4 million. All told, Cook’s 2011 compensation package was valued at $378 million, according to documents filed with the Securities Exchange Commission last week.Commentators were quick to draw a contrast between Cook’s pay package and that of his predecessor, the late Steve Jobs, who famously received compensation of just $1 per year. But executive... view article details

Q: I have been working as a human resources assistant for the last two and a half years. Although I had no human resources experience when I started, I have now learned almost every aspect of my job (at least according to my job description) and have acquired even more responsibilities. I have attended numerous HR seminars and have taken a few evening business courses on my own.I'm also the unofficial supervisor for a two-person department. Technically, my manager is the manager for this department, but because I am bilingual I have become responsible for hiring, firing, and daily management. ... view article details