"Politics" is Not a Dirty Word The politics of Obama, Romney & Co. are on everyone’s lips these days as the challengers and incumbents in the race for the highest office in the land battle it out on a global stage. Alas, the commentary’s rarely positive.  These days the term politics has become a four-letter word for many, in part because it represents a fraternity that spends more time defending itself than abiding by its dictionary definition: activities which are associated with government. The word has evolved to mean: the relational dynamics associated with influencing and govern... view article details

In Part 1 of the series Successful Job Transitions, we looked at how to stay in control of your job search.   Now that we're moving on to that new job, here are some tips for continuing your smooth job transition during the stickiest part of that transition: The final two weeks.It's why they're called "significant" others Before marching into the CEO's office to share a celebratory 'I quit!' make sure your spouse, children, bank manager and golden retriever know what you are up to. If you want them behind you, be up front. Just as this transition can b... view article details

When my wife and I began to gather receipts and other scraps of paper for our taxes this year, I called our long-time accountant with a routine request for an organizer to help us make sense of all the numbers. 'I already sent it to you,' the accountant hissed. But no matter how disorganized my wife and I may be, we knew we had not received that vital piece of mail.I called her back a few weeks later with a follow-up query. 'I don't really have time to handle individual tax returns this year. I've got all the business I need,' she snarled. 'I can't find any trained people to help me.'And so, w... view article details

The entire job interview process is a bit of a crapshoot. There. I said it.From the endless networking and formal application process to interviewing with multiple people and negotiating your salary, there are a lot of things we’re told we “should do.” The problem is, if you don’t end up getting the job, you usually have no idea why.Did I lack the proper experience?Was my outfit too formal or too casual?Did I confuse the third interviewer with my Google Android analogy?Did I have a rogue piece of salad stuck in my teeth from lunch?Did I just get beat out by a better candidate?It’s an environme... view article details

Job Hunting & Zombies? Maybe it's the zombies. When interviewing young professionals just out of college, one of my favorite questions to ask is “So, what other companies are you interviewing with?” At first glance, it’s a strange question. In many ways an interview is like a first date, as both parties try and see if there’s a mutual connection. So asking what other companies they are “seeing” is the equivalent of asking who else they’ve been dating.The real reason for the question is to see how focused their job search efforts are. In many cases, their approach to getting a job is l... 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

Here Are Some Things Your Boss Never Needs to Know About You or Your Life Keep Personal Info Personal Discrimination in the workplace is illegal. It's also despicable and certainly not anything we condone. In an ideal world, the details of our personal lives wouldn't matter nearly as much as our performance and productivity on the job. But the cold, hard truth is employers may still make decisions based upon details of an employee's life. From judging workers based on Facebook photos to thinking twice about promoting someone with kids or a chronic illness when another employee is free of ... view article details

13 Best Business Books to Boost Business Acumen Think you need an MBA from a top school to gain business smarts? What follows is a list of the 13 best business books, some old, some new, to have you thinking like a top business major in no time. Even if your career isn't focused on business or entrepreneurship every employee can use tips and advice from business experts and thought-leaders to be a better worker. Check out these titles to boost your business acumen and possibly improve your life. 1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. C... view article details

Common Online Reputation Management Mistakes & How to Fix Them Employers Are Watching You It has become common practice for employers to scan social media sites of job applicants, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. According to survey done by Microsoft, 70% of employers have rejected applicants based on public information found on the Internet. It’s one thing for employers to screen applicants based on publicly displayed information. But now, in an economic atmosphere were many candidates are willing to do just about anything to get the job, some companies are asking candidates for th... view article details

The interview is an essential aspect of the recruiting process, but it can also be a nerve-racking experience for job applicants. After all, you want to make a good first impression in your interview in the hopes of landing the job! Of course, you don’t have to be too nervous as an interviewee. When a company invites you into the office for an interview, it proves that they think you could be a good match for the job – and that you could also be a good fit culturally for the organization. From the organization’s perspective, the purpose of the interview is simply to compare you with other app... view article details