Why THAT Person Gets Ahead Do you work with THAT guy?You know the person I'm talking about. The guy who just likes to hear himself talk. The guy who hijacks every business meeting to promote his own agenda. The guy who is far less interested in the outcome of his team's work than furthering his personal goals. Despite possessing traits most would universally acknowledge as deplorable, it seems some people are actually rising up the ranks and being recognized even though they are less qualified than others. But how? And why?A recent Wall Street Journal article cites research claiming w... view article details

Get Back in the Game Whether you are fresh out of college, having a midlife career change or deciding retirement isn’t for you, you first must realize job searching has changed. It's different than it was a decade ago, and it's different than it was last year. It’s difficult to keep up with all the changes, but if you want to be competitive in the job market you have to stay ahead of the technology as much as you can.So if you're starting from scratch, here is my advice to stay and get ahead of the game.It Starts with the Resume Although some people will say they are being ph... view article details

The Negotiation Process Begins Earlier Than You Think Have you ever felt undervalued or offered a lower salary than you are worth? Were you afraid to ask for a higher salary?If so, you are not alone. Many people avoid salary negotiation out of fear. However, even among those who are willing, it is a common misconception that the process must begin with a job offer. Salary negotiation begins much earlier in the job seeking process. How much earlier? As soon as you submit your resume. While this might be a surprise to some, it’s important to be aware for those who potentially risk under... view article details

There is, it seems, a skills gap in this country.Even as the national unemployment rate lingers above 8 percent -- 12.5 million people -- tens of thousands of jobs are going unfilled as employers contend that they just can't find qualified candidates. Applicants need to get more education, more skills, more experience, according to hiring managers.But the problem may not lay with the job-seekers alone, according to Why Good People Can't Get Jobs, a recently released book by Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School. Companies' own expectations and practices, Cappelli argues,... view article details

Dear Heather,My job is rather demanding. I’m generally in the office by 8AM and rarely out the door before 6. My oldest son just completed his first year of college and moved back home for the summer to cut down on expenses. He’s a great guy and is paying most of his tuition himself. He’s also very social and his late night schedule is running me ragged. Last night he got home at 2 in the morning. The night before he had friends stop over around 10 and they stayed until after midnight. He doesn’t have to be at work until 9 most days and has that “youthful energy” going for him. I’m in my mid-f... view article details

Dear Annette,Call me old-fashioned, but I can't get used to conference calls. I miss in-person meetings, especially with clients or vendors. Now that I'm self-employed, the lack of in-person time is even worse. Do you have any suggestions for making conference calls seem more true-to-life? TelephobicDear Telephobic,Preparing for meetings outside the office has got to be one of the most fabulous parts of the business regime. In the morning, you get to choose your clothes and preen as if you're going on a date. Often you get to take your own car and get reimbursed for an impressively large parki... view article details

Dear Annette,Our company subsidizes memberships to a gym in our building. Everybody goes here, and I often find myself working out next to senior people in the company. How do I handle this? Out of BreathDear Out of Breath,I'm sure you realize you can glisten with perspiration and good manners at the same time. I myself do not exercise - I have People to do that for me - but nobody knows better than I do that sweat can be fabulous. It can also make the most casual situations more complicated than they appear. When working out with colleagues, you want to show you're a team player who appreciat... view article details

Where's the Beach? There’s a radio advertisement running on one of the stations I listen to regularly. It’s an ad for “the beaches of South Walton” and hopes to inspire listeners to vacation there. The problem is, the ad's writers assumed a lot about the audience when they created their piece. They barely mention the beaches are in Florida and allude to the 'white sands,' which requires some knowledge about Florida to conclude the beach must be on the Gulf coast -- because the Atlantic Ocean’s beaches don’t have white sand.Unless the goal was to specifically target people who already ... view article details

Before negotiating an executive salary with a current or new employer, take some time to reflect on where your pay falls given the market data, the opportunities you face, and your current compensation.How little is too little?If you are making too little, assess yourself and your performance as honestly as possible. If you discover that your data is accurate, but you're underpaid - and that there are good reasons why you are underpaid - determine how to remedy it and create a plan with your current employer, or figure out what to do differently in your next post.Perhaps it's that someone else... 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