The rules of performance reviews are changing. Not too long ago, management guru Peter Block said, 'The performance review is the company's opportunity to prove to you, once again, that they own you.' But as employees gain better access to information and assume more responsibility for managing their careers, the performance review is becoming another opportunity for you to demonstrate value to your company.The Purpose of a Performance ReviewPerformance reviews give employees and employers a chance to evaluate regularly whether they are happy with each other. The review is a meeting between yo... view article details

It's half an hour before an executive schmooze-fest at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Ken Morse is giving last-minute networking tips to a crowd of MBA students and invited guests. As managing director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, Morse teaches aspiring business leaders the nuts and bolts of growing and sustaining a business. His lecture on networking is one of the highlights of the semester.Networking - or making professional contacts through friends, family, and other associates - is the most popular way to find a new job, according to a Salary.com poll. It is also an indispe... 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

The competition is fierce in today's job market, and standing out in the crowd is more important -- and challenging -- than ever before.How do you know you're giving employers exactly what they are looking for? This article explores 12 human resources hot buttons.Hot Button 1: Results Today's employers are less concerned with your past experience and responsibilities. Instead, they want to know what you've actually accomplished. Use plenty of words in your resume and interview that end in the letter 'd' -- 'developed,' 'initiated,' 'led,' 'increased.'Hot Butto... 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

How Older Workers Can Better Overcome Obstacles to Getting Hired Older Workers Have a Tougher Time Getting a Job While the U.S. job market continues to make slow but steady gains, finding a job in the current economy is still challenging. All job seekers today face significantly more obstacles than they did a decade ago, but those over the age of 50 have a few extra hurdles to clear. According to a recent survey done by ExecuNet, a member organization for senior-level executives, a Vice President over the age of 50 takes 20% longer to get hired than a 41- to 45-year-old at the same level. W... view article details

It's Tough to Succeed When You're Sending All the Wrong Messages Your Personal Brand is Critical for Success Donald Trump. Martha Stewart. Mark Zuckerberg. Sarah Palin. Chances are you can think of a few things to say about each of them based on the impressions you’ve gathered about their personal brands -- however unconsciously -- complete with triumphs, missteps, and various forms of public humiliation and scandal. And depending on what those critically managed (not always successfully) impressions are, and by how many they are held, the lives and affairs of the Trumps, Stewarts and Palin... view article details

5 things you need to know about employment background checks Nowadays, Human Resource departments are facing a series of risks caused by carelessness. This is simply because some candidates are not reliable enough to take a position within the hiring organization. With senior management often spread thin, promoting the company's interests can become less evident. This can run the risk of people leaving the company to form their own, similar company – providing them higher salary and personal gain. So employment background check is an important step before salary negotiation.... view article details

Learn Which Hiring Red Flags to Spot During the Job Interview Process If you're a hiring manager or a small business owner who has gone through the hiring and job interview process, you know how difficult it can be finding the right person. Mainly because you first have to sort through all the wrong people. But how can you tell right from wrong? While there's no secret code or magic bullet to figure out the good from the bad, there are some general tricks and hints to point you in the right direction. And if you're a grizzled veteran of conducting job interviews, you probably already know some... view article details

7 Skills to Become a Good Executive Assistant Skills to Become a Good Executive Assistant What does an executive assistant do? As an executive assistant, your role is to help your supervisor with daily tasks, such as replying to e-mails, controlling their schedule, coordinating meetings, and so on. But remember, an executive assistant is not a servant; they play an integral role as a strategic counselor for their supervisor, not simply do menial tasks anyone can do. Executive assistant duties are more complex. This position requires specific skills to make the best ... view article details