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

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

Real-Life Examples of Negotiation Done Right & Wrong What Works & What Doesn't? Ever wonder what works and what doesn't regarding salary negotiation and asking for a raise? We asked you, our readers, about your last negotiating experience and it was easy to see what worked, what didn't, and why. Here are some real-life examples of salary negotiations along with our advice about what they did right, wrong, and how they could've handled things better. Go Big or Go Home Date of last raise: 2012 Prior salary research: Yes Raise request: 35% Raise received: 22% User comments: "The main idea is... view article details

Over the last two years you've heard it: "Consider yourself lucky to have a job." Whether coming from the manager sugar-coating furloughs and four-day work weeks, or the family member who needs help with the rent -- again! -- going through the same routines, when what you really want is to move on, can be soul-destroying. But on balance, are things so bad? Does leaving really make sense? You decide… This job doesn’t challenge me anymore Stay: In today’s job market, it is unlikely your boss is concerned that you might walk, so why should you? Keep plugging away and allow yourself the time and s... view article details

How to answer the question "what are your strengths and weaknesses" in an interview No matter how perfectly you answer the other job interview questions from your interviewer, the question "tell me about your greatest strengths/weaknesses" can usually be a hot potato for a candidate in an interview. It's a common interview question but a puzzling one as well, which most candidates don't get right and may even panic and respond with something odd. Their answers may make them sound conceited, or not qualified for the role. This is a common mistake many job applicants make. You... view article details

Find Out Why You Get Along with Certain People at Work Have you ever wondered why it is that you seem to get along with some people and not with others? Or why it is that you can’t seem to get through to another? The answer lies in your personality style, a predictable set of behaviors that defines how others see you as you go about doing what you do. Your style -- a preference for behaving one way rather than another -- governs the way you lead others, participate in teamwork communicate, make decisions, and manage change; it even governs the way you learn. Personality style influences the ... view article details

What Not to Do One Google search will turn up a plethora of articles out there discussing what to do if you want to be a great salary negotiator. But even though it's vital to know which traits you need to emulate for success, it's equally important to know which behaviors to avoid.There is perhaps no other endeavor so fraught with anxiety as a salary negotiation. You're dealing with your own feelings of inadequacy, wondering if you're good enough, if your employer likes you enough, and worrying about feeling rejected should you ask and get denied. But at the same time, you're also wo... view article details

First Impressions Matter You’ve made enough of an impression with your resume and job experience to get an interview, and in that first seven seconds when you walk through the door, research suggests the person on the other side of the table is going to size you up.And as we all know, first impressions matter. A lot.What you wear – and, perhaps more importantly, what you choose not to wear to that job interview – could make all the difference in whether you get your foot in the door. “The person should not notice your clothes,” Barry Drexler, an interview coach with Expertinterview.co... view article details

Halloween, Job Search, and You Halloween is big business. According to an infographic by History.com last year, giant pumpkins have tipped the scales at 1,810 pounds, the average American will consume 24 pounds of candy, and 120 million people will dress up in a costume -- with 11.5% of them also dressing up their pet.It also seems that each year the costumes become more and more elaborate, with some people spending hours and hours on the perfect look. It’s enough to make you wonder what would happen if these people spent as much time thinking about their career as they did applying z... view article details

Job Search Tips to Hit the Ground Running Hi. I’m job search expert Rick Gillis. I’m new to Salary.com and very proud to be here. I do a number of live presentations annually and for many years have promoted Salary.com as one of the most useful sites to job seekers. That said let’s get to work.While we'll delve deep into job search strategies and insider tips at some point in the future, it never hurts to cover the basics. So whether you're a new jobseeker just setting out on interviews or a grizzled job search veteran who could use a refresher, here are some job search basics that al... view article details