There are seven common reasons why networking fails in the professional arena.The most common among them is the fact that 1) people are unsure of how to start a conversation, let alone what to say or the appropriate questions to ask. This can often be unnerving, making people 2) uncomfortable, particularly with people they have just met. Naturally, there is a 3) fear of rejection that accompanies networking, but networking can also be difficult due to 4) people's busy schedules, which causes them not to respond, understand the request or care enough to engage in a networking conversation. This... view article details

What If Moms Were Paid? Maybe it’s an increased commitment to battle the gender wage gap, the rise of female breadwinners, or women heeding the call to “Lean In.” But whatever the reason, Salary.com’s annual “Mom Salary” survey was more popular than ever and created some great insights in 2014.But before we begin, we need to stress something. This is not an exact science, nor is it meant to be. We understand no one survey could ever truly encapsulate what a parent does, and many mothers disagree that what they do is a job. We don’t do this to demean or devalue mothers – quite the oppo... 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

You - "Reader" - are a up-and-coming professional in a growing business. You work hard and get along well with co-workers, but find the office life to be monotonous and unexciting. Most of the other employees seem to be enthusiastic about something beyond the paycheck. Little do you know, you are about to be visited by three wise co-workers who will help you find your purpose. But first, you receive an annoying email. Prologue: The Passive-Aggressive Email Dear Reader, Hope you’re having a great day. Just to let you know, the carpool spreadsheet for the mid-level professionals’ retreat wa... 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

Have you ever felt a little bit out of your element? Of course you have. Maybe it was traveling to a foreign country, eating an exotic meal that you’ve never experienced, or pursuing a new hobby outside your comfort zone. There are two other areas where people often find themselves out of their element: Negotiating their salary and starting their first business. And yet, they have a lot in common. And so it was that I found myself a bit out of my element on a bustling night in New York. I spent the afternoon at a co-working space called Impact Hub, and on my way out they were setting up for ... view article details

How to Set Career & Salary Goals You Can Achieve This Year New Year, New Goals Everyone knows the beginning of the year is the time for setting goals. Lose weight! Get in shape! Spend more time with friends and family! It’s also the time to set goals for your career. If you do, there’s a good chance you’ll become rich. Didn’t you hear about that study on goal setting? In his book What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School, Mark McCormack tells of a study conducted with new graduates from the 1979 Harvard MBA program. In that year, the students were asked, "Have you set clear, writ... view article details

Thanks to Technology, Many Jobs Will Be Fully Automated in the Near Future Going, Going, Gone You know all those movies where the robots become sentient and start to rise up against humans? Well, turns out it might not be as much hyperbole as we originally thought. Technology is advancing at lightning speed, and if it strikes people in certain professions there's a pretty good chance they could be out of a job. If you work in a profession that lends itself to potential automation, the possibility of machines doing your job faster and cheaper is a real threat. But could robots, machines, and... view article details

With the unemployment rate hovering at 4.5 percent, "calling in sick" or taking unplanned time off has fallen out of fashion to such an extent that experts have invented a word to describe it -- "presenteeism." The phenomenon results in employees coming to work even when they shouldn't. That's right -- there are legitimate reasons to call off work. The rules below apply whether your company has combined paid time off (PTO), or separate sick, vacation, and personal days. Valid reason 1: Contagious illness, such as the common cold or flu. There's no better reason to stay home than legitimate si... view article details

How Masks Can Protect You against the Coronavirus At this point in time, the novel Coronavirus epidemic has impacted the entire world. Despite the pandemic's seriousness, many new hires have started work during the outbreak, so maintaining your new employees' health should be your first priority. Governments around the world are taking precautions to prevent the disease from rapidly spreading through quarantines and temporary closings of businesses. One method of health maintenance that's proven to be cost-effective and easy-to-do during these trying times is wearing masks. ... view article details