Is Love in the Office Air? Whether it's Jim and Pam on The Office or a real life saga such as former President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky, America has a certain fondness (or at least a mild obsession with) the notion of an office romance. And seeing how Cupid is reaching into his quiver as Valentine's Day quickly approaches, we thought it'd be a good idea to ask you -- our readers -- about workplace flings.More than 2,600 of you responded to our survey and opened up your hearts to share your views regarding office dalliances that can't be contained by cubicle ... view article details

Be an Ant, Not a Grasshopper*  Most people know they should invest for the future, but at least half would like to do better. In a Salary.com poll about investments in the company retirement plan, 44 percent of respondents said they contribute, but could do better; 13 percent know they should invest, but have other priorities; and 41 percent said they contribute the maximum. Just 3 percent reported not having a retirement plan. If you're gainfully employed and reasonably satisfied with your career, there are few good excuses for not taking advantage of this benefit. If you've got access to a c... view article details

The ongoing political debate about the so-called 'war on women' took an unexpected turn this week when a comment by Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen ignited anger among those who feel she was denigrating the work of stay-at-home mothers.Rosen made the statement in question on Wednesday night, during an appearance on CNN. Asked if there was anything wrong with Republicans reaching out to women on economic matters, Rosen replied that there was not. She then went on to say that presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney 'doesn't connect on that issue.'She took issue with Romney citing t... view article details

Managing meetings effectively is a core skill every manager should develop. Although there's no mystery to what makes a meeting productive, it can take practice and attention to detail to become an effective leader of meetings. It all starts with knowing when to call a meeting, and why.Is It a Meeting?How do you know it's time to call a meeting? What type of meeting is it? What's the purpose of the meeting? Here are some typical situations when a meeting may be called for:You're Managing a ProjectProjects tend to require meetings at various stages: at the beginning, as the project plan is comi... view article details

'Now ever since I was young it's been my dream That I might drive a Zamboni machine I'd get the ice just as slick as could be And all the kids would look up to me.'- Gear Daddies, 'The Zamboni Song,' bonus track from Billy's Live BaitThose lyrics from the Gear Daddies' ode to the ZAMBONI ice resurfacing machine are fitting for Al Sobotka, keeper of the ice at Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings. Sobotka, a lifelong hockey fan, began working at the arena when he was in high school.'It was just a job I got when I was in high school, and I kept at it, working in the maintenance departm... view article details

Sometimes life is all about timing. A missed flight connection can have a ripple effect, a stock market aberration can help (or hurt) your financial standing, and leaving a restaurant 10 minutes before your favorite sports team or band rolls in and buys everyone a round becomes a story of what might have been.Timing is a key factor in your job search as well. Of course, people are hired or fired every single day of the year, and companies hold reviews all the time: at the end of the calendar year, end of the fiscal year, the anniversary of your hire date, or handing out a promotion on the spot... view article details

Sometimes It's Not Them -- It's You We all have friends (or maybe YOU are the friend and just don’t realize it) who have been job-hunting for what seems like an eternity. They look through the help wanted ads, scour job boards and go on their fair share of interviews, each time thinking they 'nailed it.' But their optimism is soon broken by the hammer blow of rejection, and they’re still unemployed.Which begs the question, why?There are a thousand different potential reasons. Some are valid, others arbitrary. But even though employers will likely never reveal the true reasons behind t... view article details

Don't Let These Common Mistakes Cost You When Negotiating a Job Offer Salary Negotiation is About Facts, Not Myths A rough translation of a myth could be "a legendary story, usually concerning a hero or event, especially one that is concerned with deities or some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature." Many people play up salary negotiation as some kind of mythical exploit, as if a Cyclops from human resources was guarding a 10 percent salary increase. Perhaps only few select heroes can effectively navigate this rite of passage and pierce the heavily guarded castle. In reality, as author... view article details

Summer Presents Unique Opportunities for You to Advance Your Career Summer is No Time to Slack Off at Work And suddenly, Summer. Coats go into storage, you’re buying sunscreen by the gallon, and your mind instantly shifts from spreadsheets and status meetings to suntans and sandy beaches. However, while kids might be screaming "school's out for summer" and racing for the playground, things don't quite work that way as an adult in the business world. But don't worry, the tips below won't be as painful as summer school. So here are 5 ways you can use summer to your advantage professionally. ... view article details

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