Hot to Nail Down Your First Job Are you planning a transition “from college to career?” You won’t want to miss out on advice from Lindsey Pollak, a recognized expert on next-generation career trends. She recently released a new edition of her terrific book, Getting from College to Career.  In this second of a two-part Q & A with Lindsey (read Part I here), she outlines some best practices for networking, following up, and transitioning to your first job.Harness the Power of Twitter Q: In addition to LinkedIn, what online tools do you think are most helpful for new grads to im... view article details

Got your eye on a cute coworker? You're not alone. Roughly half of all Americans have hooked up with a colleague, with a third of those admitting to steamy episodes in the office itself.  It's no surprise, given that most of our waking hours are spent at work.The good news is: A quarter of these office romances lead to long-term commitment or marriage. The bad news: Many more end up on the rocks. Here are some simple guidelines to help you navigate love without losing your cool at the office.1. Choose wisely First and foremost: Do not randomly hook up with a colleague at the company C... view article details

Is your paycheck not stretching far enough? Are you considering moving to a new town? Perhaps you're even having trouble finding a job. If so, it may be time to look at one of the cities at the top of Salary.com's Salary Value Index. The compensation experts at Salary.com uncovered the top (and bottom) US cities for building personal net worth, taking into account local salaries, cost of living, and unemployment relative to the national average. This year's list also factored in qualitative measures including diversity of industry, education level of the cities' population, proximity to post s... view article details

Things Are Not As They Seem You too can be a millionaire!Everyone knows all it takes is a little disciplined saving and some shrewd investment, and your retirement will take care of itself. Just skip your daily latte, invest those savings, and let the miracle of compound interest do the rest. Right?Not so fast, says journalist Helaine Olen, whose new book Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry argues that the financial services industry has long been selling what, for many, is an impossible dream. Olen took a few minutes last week to answer some questio... view article details

Last week we reviewed 'The 7 Deadly Sins of the Workplace' and what behavior to avoid in the office. This week we are taking a more positive approach by reviewing 'The 7 Noble Virtues of the Workplace'Is it true that 'no good deed goes unpunished' or is there such a thing as good karma in the office? Do selfless deeds hurt your career or help it? This week we discuss 'The 7 Noble Virtues of the Workplace' and review the results of our recent survey on good behavior in the office.Prudence Knowing when to keep quiet about something Readers who believe they practice this virtue: 88.5% Yo... view article details

There was a great episode of Cheers long ago where the dim-witted Woody was duped into accepting the higher title of “Senior Bartender” over a pay raise. (For those under 30, Cheers was a sitcom in the 80s and Woody was played by Woody Harrelson … you know… that guy from True Detective and Hunger Games).Maybe it’s because I somehow saw my future-self helping others negotiate, but even at the young age of 19, that scene really struck with me. After all, who could possibly want something as insignificant as a higher title, when the bottom line of money is what they were clearly looking for?Well,... view article details

Everything -- Including Work Friendships -- In Moderation Some people say you shouldn’t be friends with anyone at work. Others say being extremely close with coworkers is necessary because it increases employee satisfaction and productivity. But why can’t there be a middle ground?When you spend 40+ hours a week with the same people over the course of several years, chances are you’re going to bond with a few of them. And that’s a good thing in our book – in moderation. Let’s face it, the American workplace is a competitive environment and that can be toxic for friendships. You’re ther... 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

Look Beyond Salary & Benefits Before Accepting a New Job Evaluating the Intangibles You finally have the formal job offer in hand. But wait! Suddenly, out of nowhere, that long-shot interview you went on paid off. Now you've got not one, but two job offers in hand and you need to make a decision. Granted we're talking champagne problems here, but this is a decision that will affect you for years to come, so you'd better look at every aspect of both jobs and examine everything carefully. This will be your home away from home for the foreseeable future and a lot is riding on your decision. He... view article details

Valentine's Day at Work: Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue -- Keep Both of Them to Yourself on Feb. 14 Valentine's Day is a Double-Edged Sword Valentine's Day. Perhaps no other holiday evokes stronger feelings from both the lovesick and those entirely sick of love. Sure the celebration of holidays at the office can be fun. After all, you're still sporting that certificate for "Best Costume" at Halloween. But if management wanted you to make a big deal about Valentine's Day at work, they'd have handed out a list of names and asked you to decorate a card box for your desk just like in the fourth... view article details