With the Labor Department reporting that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits is the highest it has been in seven years, is there such a thing as a “recession-proof” job? Probably not, but there are some careers that may survive the current economic crisis better than others. The key is to focus on work that continues even when most people do not have extra discretionary money to spend. So what are some in-demand jobs in a slow economy?Accountant Now more than ever, companies are paying attention to the bottom line. They need good “bean counters”, whether they are fres... view article details

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

The rules of performance reviews are changing. Not too long ago, management guru Peter Block said, 'The performance review is the company's opportunity to prove to you, once again, that they own you.' But as employees gain better access to information and assume more responsibility for managing their careers, the performance review is becoming another opportunity for you to demonstrate value to your company.The Purpose of a Performance ReviewPerformance reviews give employees and employers a chance to evaluate regularly whether they are happy with each other. The review is a meeting between yo... view article details

Determine If Your Career Goals Align With the Job Before Accepting Dig Deeper Sarah was offered a new sales job with a reputable company. She’s been searching for six months for a new position, and quickly snatches up the opportunity after reviewing the basic salary and benefits information. But within a few months of accepting the position, she realizes the job isn’t a good fit for her. She doesn’t work well under the management style, doesn’t feel like her work is recognized, and wants a position where she is motivated and encouraged to bring innovative ideas to the team. Don’t let the e... 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

You are an entrepreneur and your company is you.  Your paycheck is the revenue generated from the services you provide your employer.  Like any successful business, you want to maximize your revenues and retain the customer – in this case, your employer.  This is achieved by providing high quality service and charging a fee that is competitive and worthy of the value provided.  Put simply, you want to get paid what you are worth. To accurately assess your fair market value, start with reliable employer-reported pay data like that found on Salary.com and follow these three steps: Match your... view article details

If the true measure of a person is how they act in the face of adversity, then how you react when you get turned down for a raise request speaks volumes. Look, no one likes rejection. It’s not easy mustering up the courage to put in a request for a raise in the form of a pay raise request letter, and potentially put your self-worth on the line. Doing your utmost to convince someone you’re worth it and then having your manager disagree isn’t an easy thing with which to cope. Once you’ve been turned down, you now run the risk of becoming bitter, detached, and disinterested at work – and that ser... 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

More than 70 percent of America’s workers are still living paycheck to paycheck according to a recent American Payroll Association poll. And current tough economic times have everyone wondering what they can do to stretch their paycheck a bit further. We’ve compiled a list of what we feel are ten of the best ideas to help stretch your paycheck. With a little extra effort, you can yield some big savings.1. Stop buying bottled water Americans spend a staggering amount on bottled water - $15 billion last year. Name brands in small bottles can cost more than $10 per gallon while tap wate... view article details

The Big Game Is Just Like Your Career It’s no secret Americans love NFL football, especially considering more than 100 million people will tune in for Super Bowl Sunday. But even if you hate football or just watch the big game for the commercials and the nachos, there’s something you can learn from the quarterbacks involved. Things that can be directly applied to your career.4. You Need to Take Charge One of the defining characteristics of a quarterback is leadership skills. Against all odds, at the end of the game, great quarterbacks take charge of a situation and make thing... view article details