Most of us have heard of the strategic petroleum reserve. This national stockpile generally contains about 700 million barrels of oil, some of which can be sold off if the commercial supply is disrupted. The strategic reserve helps ward off extreme price spikes and acute shortages. But the United States isn't the only country hoarding valuable resources and petroleum isn't the only substance being squirreled away for a rainy day. Let's just say that if China and Canada got together, they could serve one seriously epic breakfast.So let's take a brief tour of some of the world's most intriguing ... 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

Job description Lawyers act as both advisors and advocates to their clients. They represent either the defense or prosecution side in criminal and civil trials. They are responsible for presenting evidence and arguments that best support their client. Lawyers advise their clients regarding a multitude of issues in both business and personal matters. Lawyers will usually specialize in a certain area of law, such as healthcare, probate, international, and environmental law, among others. Most lawyers work in private practices dealing with either criminal or civil law cases. The National Associa... view article details

At the end of a business meeting, the organizer summarizes the decisions the group has made, lists the next steps, and assigns action items or tasks to participants. Typically, all action items should be carried out by people who attended the meeting, or people who report to them. It is usually less productive to assign work that results from a meeting to someone who wasn't represented.To be courteous of people's time, end the meeting when it is scheduled to end and leave the room, especially if another group is using the room directly afterward.The Meeting-After-the-MeetingPay careful attenti... view article details

Q: I am putting in my resume for a manager's position that has just opened up in the store where I am a sales associate. I have been in retail for about five years and with this company for about six months. I have a degree in textiles, apparel and merchandising and a minor in business administration. The manager who is leaving speaks very highly of me. The median salary for my area is about $36,000. Should I ask for less because I have no management experience? Or should I ask for a range of $32,000 to $36,000 and see what they offer?A: If the median salary is $36,000, that means the candidat... view article details

When Daft Punk released “Robot Rock” in 1997, surely they were portending the state of the job market 20 years later. In the modern war for talent, tech – and tech jobs – seem to be all the rage these days. If you’re looking for a job in the IT world, or are a current employee looking to make a change, it’s important to keep your eyes peeled for in-demand roles on the horizon. Based on a report by Robert Half, here are six entry-level IT jobs worth looking at in 2019. We've also included the average entry-level salaries for these kinds of roles, as well as their average total earning potential... view article details

Dear Annette,Throughout my business travels I often encounter public figures - in airplanes, in elevators, at conferences. What's the appropriate etiquette for greeting celebrities?Star StuckDear Star Stuck,A few years ago, during the filming of a smash British Invasion-inspired comedy, I was dining in an exclusive Indian restaurant in London's fabulous Mayfair. As I contemplated the handsome, well-appointed dining companion seated across from me, the sound of voices wafting over from another table suddenly interrupted my train of thought. What broke my concentration was the subject of the oth... view article details

Dear Annette, With all the typing I do, my handwriting has gotten terrible. Yet at the same time, I fumble with basic business correspondence on the computer. What can I do?Drafted Dear Drafted,Earlier this spring my administrative assistant took a few days off to run a marathon, then have his wisdom teeth taken out. My People described his pain to me in terms I could understand: it was like all-over electrolysis followed by a chemical peel and an evening with a twentysomething. Yet my assistant's marathon week was fabulous planning, in a way. Think about it: the morning after completing a lif... view article details

In a study by the American Society for Training and Development, more than 750 U.S organizations provided data about their expenditures on training programs as a percentage of payroll and on a per-employee basis. Here's how they compare by industry on several key factors.Business sector Commitment to learningServices (hotels; professional, business, and personal services; educational, legal, social, and consumer services)High percentage spent on training and a significant increase in the use of new learning technologies, including computer-based training, the Internet, and teleconferencing.IT ... view article details

Have you ever felt uncomfortable about a question someone asked in a job interview? Frankly, some things are none of your prospective employer's business. Moreover, many types of questions are not only inappropriate, but even illegal.Federal and state laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and others legally bar interviewers from asking questions about race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, marital status, or family matters. While questioners might throw in the odd zinger, questions should focus exc... view article details