A proactive approach to long-term goals is necessary for career advancement. And, while it's important to focus on the big steps that will help you climb the corporate ladder, don't forget that small actions can have a big impact too.This article explores 12 things you can do in five minutes or less to advance your career.1. Make a meaningful connection Reach out to someone whose career path you admire, and ask them to mentor you. It takes a couple of minutes to make a phone call or send an email, but this small action could change the entire course of your career.2. Ask for more resp... view article details

What Does It Take to Get a Raise Today? Gone are the days of annual reviews and yearly raises. Today’s workforce has to truly think (and work!) outside the box in order to earn their extra 5%. So if you’re looking to increase your income, you’ll need to start laying the groundwork down now in order to ask for a raise later.Here are five ways in which you can ultimately ensure a raise at work.5. Think Like Your Boss While it can be hard to be objective, look at the workplace (and your relationship) from your boss’ perspective.Let’s say that you have a project that’s due in a f... view article details

If you're looking for the perfect job offer, you might as well stop right now; there's no such thing. But armed with the right information, you can get a good deal in a good place. Negotiating the job you want begins after you’ve learned how to be your own agent - after you’ve answered the tough personal questions and researched the company thoroughly.Listen and Answer First. Ask Questions LaterLike the salary negotiation that follows it, the interview is a two-way process. The interviewer is gathering as much information about you as you are about the company. And a good interviewer will allo... view article details

I sometimes tell a story in my presentation about the sales guy who persisted over several months to get an appointment with a corporate buyer. Regardless of how hard he tried he could not get this woman to make the time to see him. She was a 'Master of the Universe' in the cosmetics industry based in New York City, and doing business with her could do wonders for any company or career.Sales Guy (yes, it was a man and his gender is important to the story) managed to get through to the gatekeeper who, after all his months of trying, came to appreciate his persistence. And from this gatekeeper, ... view article details

With economic uncertainty around us, now more than ever, we need to find little ways to escape from the stress and reward ourselves for hanging in there. We all need balance in our lives and deserve to treat ourselves every once in a while. Here we suggest some affordable ways to pamper ourselves at a time when many of us do not have extra cash to spend.A little chocolate never hurt anyone Who doesn’t love chocolate? And there is no harm in treating yourself to a little chocolate every once in a while. Better yet, treat yourself to a box of your favorite higher end cho... view article details

I have to admit, when Wendy started jumping up and down and excitedly told me we were interviewing Jennifer Hale, I didn't know who the heck she was talking about. But it turns out that wasn't exactly true.I may not have recognized her name or picture, but as soon as she started talking it clicked. The same is likely true of most animation and video game aficionados, who hear Hale's talk and realize her voice has been involved in (what seems like) every meaningful video game in the last 15 years, as well as countless cartoons, movies, TV series and commercials.Hale's IMDB resume is more than a... view article details

Q: Hey Jack,Hopefully you can help me out here as last week, during my third week of employment as the assistant to the CFO at a small business, the owners/upper managers decided to fire the CFO rather abruptly. No specific mention was made of a succession plan but it was heavily implied that the CFO would be fired and I would be stepping in. I was confident I could and asserted so, but no real conversation ever took place regarding a plan or offer. After putting me off for more than a week despite my repeated attempts to talk with them, I got the opportunity. I ask for $50k a year which I hav... view article details

Women earn less than men. Estimates vary, but a recent report by the Institute for Women's Policy Research put women's earnings at about 82 percent of what their male counterparts make. Many theories have been proposed to explain this discrepancy: Women take time off to raise families and thus don't increase earnings as quickly as men. Women tend to choose jobs in lower-paying fields. Sexism leads employers to offer women less money. Women are less aggressive negotiators than men. Now, a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Mass. suggests the last factor may be... view article details

Switching fields may seem taboo, but it's quite doable, especially now when labor markets are tight. Almost half of the 164 employers who responded to our MONEY/Salary.com survey say they regularly target mid-career changers when recruiting. One reason: Switchers are dedicated to their move, with 32 percent saying they'll spend 'as long as it takes' to get the necessary certification and schooling.What are they looking for? Pay and advancement, sure, but also fulfillment and a sense that they can control their career paths.Steve Mullins, 44, already has a good job: He's a telecommunications en... view article details

Survey Analyzes a Year's Worth of Tweets & Finds the 10 Most Hated Jobs Let the Hate Flow Through You If you hate your job and like to complain about it on social media, you’re probably a man living on the East Coast and working in retail. So says a recent study courtesy of Brandwatch and Monster, which analyzed more than 1 million tweets over the course of one year, from March 2014 to March 2015. Attention was paid to how many people tweeted about loving and hating their jobs, with states such as Hawaii, Oregon, and California ranking high on the “love my job” list, while workers in Florid... view article details