"Soft" Skills & Emotional Intelligence Will Help Get You Hired & Promoted Skills: Hard vs Soft As your career progresses one of your goals is to ensure that your "hard" skills -- tangible, teachable skills and abilities that allow you to perform your job -- are up to snuff. But in your effort to hone your hard skills, don't ignore your "soft" skills. Soft skills, sometimes called "people skills" or "emotional intelligence," are less tangible qualities that determine how you manage your own behavior, as well as interact with and get along with others. While soft skills are more difficult to ... view article details

Every boss, worker, and company is different. But when it comes to asking for a raise, there are some universal "no-nos" you have to avoid at all costs. Here are the nine most common things NOT to avoid during a raise discussion. 1) "I Know the Timing isn't Great but..." Timing really is everything. It's important to know where your company stands financially before you ask for a pay raise. If your company is enjoying fat profit margins, record-breaking sales numbers, and unprecedented expansion then by all means -- walk in there and ask for a pay raise. Things are obviously coming up roses ... view article details

Every boss, worker, and company is different. But when it comes to asking for a raise, there are some universal "no-nos" you have to avoid at all costs. Here are the nine most common things NOT to avoid during a raise discussion. 1) "I Know the Timing isn't Great but..." Timing really is everything. It's important to know where your company stands financially before you ask for a pay raise. If your company is enjoying fat profit margins, record-breaking sales numbers, and unprecedented expansion then by all means -- walk in there and ask for a pay raise. Things are obviously coming up roses ... 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

Brace Yourselves...Career Advice is Coming Most people watch HBO's Game of Thrones for the rich characters, swordplay, and to see how the warring factions will end up determining who is the rightful King of Westeros. After all, George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world is a complex and intricate realm of love, deceit, backstabbing, and wonder that captures the imagination of millions.But if you look closely, there is some legitimate career lessons in the show that can be applied to the real world.From King Robert’s laziness to the perils of working for a bad boss (I’m looking at you Joffrey)... view article details

What's Your Career Personality Type? We all know good, qualified people who just couldn’t succeed at a certain company. Why not? Many times it's because they just weren’t the right cultural fit.This fit -- which has less to do with your qualifications and skills and more to do with your personality type -- is vital to employers and hiring managers. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you're not going to mesh with the team or the company, they won't do you much good. These types, also known as archetypes, have been around since the beginning of storytelling. Everyone from ... view article details

Non-salary Job Interview Questions That No One Else is Asking Think Beyond Salary When you’re sitting in the hotseat of an interview, it’s natural to think about the immediate here and now: How do I answer all these questions, land this job, and negotiate the highest salary? Salary.com has plenty of resources to help you out. But at some point, the interviewer is going to finish grilling you, turn the tables, and ask, “So, do you have any questions?” Asking good questions is important for several reasons: It shows you’ve prepared for the interview and truly care about the position. It ... view article details

Getting ahead at work and becoming a leader isn't just about hard work. You have to be able to relate to people, read them and their emotions and win them over. And that goes for people above you and those you eventually hope to have working under you. You truly need to have 360 degrees of influence.Harrison Monarth wrote the book '360 Degrees of Influence: Get Everyone to Follow Your Lead on Your Way to the Top,' and is this week's guest on the podcast. Monarth talks about influencing people at all levels, knowing your audience and why understanding and possessing emotional intelligence are v... view article details

Dear Annette,Everything in my tiny cubicle is beige. Day after day I arrive at my desk and think, 'Well, there go all my ideas.' All this beige is making me blue. Annette, how can I bring my workspace to life?Dingy in DaytonDear Dingy,Three words: accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Nothing stimulates creativity like nice things. You clearly need to give your cubicle a makeover.Besides, everything talks. Every book and every accessory communicates something about your motivation, attitude, and of course, personal style. Why Blah when you can Blossom?Give your office space the same loving to... view article details

Q:  I am working on my associate degree with a double major in purchasing/business management. I have been a co-op student with the same company in the procurement department for a year and a half, and have just finished my co-op requirement. I really enjoy working in this field. I have a background in accounts payable, personnel, and office administration.The company doesn't have a position available for another buyer, only the co-op position. I keep hoping they will create one just for me, but that is unlikely. My purchasing manager is allowing me to stay as long as he is allowed to keep me.... view article details