Dear Annette,I work in a small office. One of my coworkers doesn't shower very regularly, and we are unsure how to talk to him about it without hurting his feelings. He is a very funny, nice and bright person, but this is a problem.OdorlessDear Odorless,Every morning I review my Philosophy of Fragrance: that my personal scent is an opportunity to tell others who I am and what they can do for me. 'I am an unwashed person. Write for help' is probably not what your colleague had in mind. That's a pity, because aromas contribute so much to the formation of a personal brand. The beautiful memories ... view article details

Dear Annette,I work with a person who has a very bad attitude. She is nasty to her boss and to some of the other people she works with. I do not appreciate the way she speaks to her coworkers. I work in a firm that is very professional and I feel you must be professional at all times. She hates to do anything! She is always playing games on the computer and is always talking on the phone. What should be done? Annoyed in DetroitDear Annoyed,During the entire 1980s, my stylist insisted that a stern pout, severe heels, and short, stiff hair would communicate that I was a woman in charge. Every ti... view article details

Dear Annette,My coworker and I work very closely and constantly share information and results. Our offices are right next to each other. We email each other constantly. Lately I've been getting the cold shoulder, and have finally learned why. Apparently he’s frustrated because I send him email messages that have just an attachment and a subject line. Am I supposed to put smiley faces on all my internal correspondence? Frowny Face Dear Frowny Face,Email customs seem to stimulate the amateur documentary filmmaker in all of us, and I'm certainly no exception. It can be fascinating to read all the... view article details

They call them the salt of the Earth; the people who spend their lives learning a specific labor, directly benefitting the public with effective service. There are all kinds of skilled laborers, many of whom choose to work at The Jim Beam Company – makers of the best-selling bourbon in the world. Meet Kevin Boone, Process Control Sr. Maintenance Supervisor at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. He works in one of the three principal Beam factories in the state, just twenty minutes outside Louisville. The history of the Beam brand dates back to 1795, when the first generation of the ... view article details

Set Yourself Apart by Showcasing Your Value Demonstrating value for employers is a way to set yourself apart from the competition even before you land the job. The value for you is that such a distinctive approach is likely to accelerate your successful hire! An effective strategy for showing your value is to develop a plan to identify and solve problems for the company, using tact in case the person who created the gaffe is also the hiring manager!5. Research the Company To accelerate your job search using this approach, you must target a specific company of interest. If you... view article details

Most job seekers understand the value and importance of a well-organized resume but spend far less energy on crafting a strong cover letter. What they fail to realize is that resumes and cover letters go hand-in-hand. Employers are very busy and receive hundreds of resumes leaving little time for individual review. Submitting a thoughtful and well-written cover letter can help you outshine your competition and get you one step closer to an interview. Don’t let the energy you’ve spent on developing the perfect resume go to waste by failing to deliver an effective cover letter.Here we offer some... view article details

Most job seekers understand the value and importance of a well-organized resume  but spend far less energy on crafting a strong cover letter. What they fail to realize is that resumes and cover letters go hand-in-hand.  Employers are very busy and receive hundreds of resumes leaving little time for individual review. Submitting a thoughtful and well-written cover letter can help you outshine your competition and get you one step closer to an interview. Don’t let the energy you’ve spent on developing the perfect resume go to waste by failing to deliver an effective cover letter.  Here we offer ... view article details

Do You Not Play Well with Others? Effective networking is a game-changer. It’s the unofficial homework of today’s business professional. Whether entwined within charitable ventures or business or social clubs, professional connections are far more powerful career-builders than the old school resume. It’s not just 'who you know.' It’s 'who you know who knows who you want to know.'Most of us can navigate a room of name-tagged citizenry with reasonable success. But in this competitive world, why settle for adequacy? Read on for a few of the ways some networkers relegate themselves to the... 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

Design Matters Whether you consciously think about it or not, design has an influence on the decisions you make every day -- the phone you use, couch you purchase, shoes you wear, and websites you visit. Why is it then, that the concept of design still seems to be in the dark ages when it comes to job-hunting? Many people think that great design is too expensive, but my feeling is that design is an investment.If you've got the knack for it, it's worth it to take classes and become skilled with the latest software. If it's not your thing, find a designer you enjoy working with who unde... view article details