We all know the 7 Deadly sins, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride, are practices that are usually best avoided in daily life. But what are the '7 Deadly Sins of the Workplace' and how can committing these 'sins' affect your career?This week, we will explain the '7 Deadly Sins of the Workplace' and reveal the results of our recent poll on the perceived career impact of these 'sins,' complete with some of our readers' real life examples from their jobs. Lust Desperately wanting a coworker's jobUsers who admit to committing this sin: 12.1%A little ambition is healthy, ... view article details
Feeling at Ease with Negotiating Here’s a test. Over the past year, what has been the typical response when you ask people “How’ve you been?” My guess is that very few answer, “Actually, I’ve been incredibly relaxed, calm, and productive.” Most likely they say, “I’m so busy!” “Things have been so crazy!” “I’m so swamped at work!” “I’m exhausted and busy and crazy!” I could go on.So when the end of the year rolls around, it seems that is the time that people finally set aside time to be with family, unplug from the working world, relax and recover. But what if you could feel more relax... view article details
Q: I am an accountant for a franchise owner and I am salaried. I understand that this means being exempt from the time clock, overtime, etc. There are times when I might work over the weekend or past the normal business day. My manager tells me there is no such thing as comp time and even that it is against the law to allow time off for extra time worked. This is the first I've heard of such nonsense.Are there laws on this subject for salaried employees? I've missed one day in the last six months, and I was docked a day's pay. How do you take away a day of earnings from someone who is salaried... view article details
You’re probably in a fantasy football league. If your league is really competitive, you’ve probably spent a lot of time researching the best players for your team by buying magazines, studying depth charts, analyzing position rankings, or soliciting advice from experts on Twitter.If all this is true, you’ve probably heard of Dave Richard.As the Senior Fantasy Writer for CBSSports.com, Dave has a job most sports fans and stat-obsessed fantasy football geeks envy---he gets paid to watch professional football and then discuss it. Dave is paid to pick out the best players in the NFL and estimate h... view article details
Q: I am an HR professional who has had difficulty persuading managers to accept the HR team's job matching to salary surveys. How would you recommend I proceed to get them to buy into the results?A: For companies that have difficulty getting managers to buy into the process of job matching, it can be helpful to start by providing them with data. Ask your colleagues in the employment department how many offers of employment are rejected based on what your company can offer. And then find out how many employees leave the company for more money and/or better career opportunities. Then, armed with... view article details
Dear Annette,What is the best way for a new employee to remember the other employees' names? I will be starting a new job in a few weeks as the payroll manager so, of course, I have to get names down very quickly. I sometimes have a problem remembering names. Help! Guess WhoDear Guess Who,It's the sheer volume of people waiting inside the theater, not lack of confidence in the film, that makes a movie star's stomach flutter on the way to her premier.And so it is with a new job. You arrive, walk into the office, and notice that every coworker you meet has a nickname, first name, last name; some... view article details
Q: Sometimes, as I arrive at a prospective employer's office for a first interview, the receptionist hands me an application that must be filled out before the HR manager interviews me. This protocol seems to take the focus of the interview away from my candidacy. I prefer not to disclose personal information such as salary history, age, Social Security Number, etc.before we've discussed my skills, my experience, and the benefits I can bring to the organization. How can I handle this situation tactfully without giving offense?A: Organizations sometimes expect applicants to complete an applic... view article details
Dear Annette,My boss talks to other employees about employees. Is this an accepted practice? He claims to be quite educated in new management styles. However, I do not feel as though I should know that he is thinking about firing his secretary, also known as my coworker. Sincerely, Rather Not KnowDear Rather Not Know,Perhaps like me you recall the era when information was the currency of fabulousness. How much energy and time used to go into hiding and discovering secrets? How many Saturday and Sunday mornings has my dog Dickie spent sniffing around the back doors of my little Beverly Hills ne... view article details
North Dakota was the place to be in 2011, at least for people seeking work. The state ended last year much as it began: with the lowest unemployment rates in the country, according to numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to numbers released last week, the national, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.3 percent. North Dakota, however, had a jobless rate of just 3.3 percent, down from 3.8 percent in December 2010, according to BLS data from December 2011 which focused on individual states. Two other states from the upper Midwest and a pair of New England states rou... view article details
For job seekers, the resume may be the most important document they need. After all, what's on that simple piece of paper can mean the difference between landing an interview and landing in the circular file. While most job seekers concentrate on what theyshould include on their resume, few pay attention to what they shouldn't include. This article explores 10 things you should never put on your resume. A crazy objective So you want to be the next Bill Gates. Terrific! And you may even have the chops to make it happen. But please don't put it in your objective statement. Outlandish, overcon... view article details