It's the rare person who doesn't feel frazzled at work these days. The threat of layoffs seems to be churning around most offices, and employees who do survive the cut often end up doing the work of their colleagues who left.No matter what's going on around you at work, these tips will help you stay calm -- before, during and after the storm.A: Ask for help If you're the type of person who insists on taking on every little task, even when there is no room left in your schedule, you're headed for trouble. Don't be afraid to delegate or call in favors. B: Breathe Regularly pr... view article details

Jackie and Tom are members of a software development team. The team is focused on a new application that is to be rolled out next month. Jackie is the senior member and feels responsible for the team’s reputation. She believes the current version doesn’t have enough bells and whistles. Tom believes their reputation will be more affected by the number of bugs still in the software, and thinks they should eliminate those before adding new features.If you were Jackie, which of the following would you say to Tom?'Tom, if you brainstorm with me, we’ll be able to quickly figure out the best features... view article details

Good manners are good for business, while great manners can set you apart. If you're under stress or in a hurry, it's easy to let your guard down and fail to observe the basics. But if you take a deep breath before you call, good manners can actually get you the results you want - faster. Here's a rundown of some quick tips to brush up on your phone manners and phone style.Phone strategyTreat the call as if it were a meeting - have a purpose, and an agenda.Decide what you'll do if someone answers other than the person you're calling. Would you prefer to leave a message, go to voice mail, or ca... view article details

Q: I work for a large organization. Each January, there is a pay raise for all employees. This year the raise was 3 percent. I was at a compa-ratio of 118, so I was told I would receive an hourly increase of 2 percent and a lump sum of 1 percent of my annual salary. Administration would not allow anyone to go over a compa-ratio of 120 percent.When I received my confirmation document, my increase was 1.6 percent. The full 2 percent would have put me over the top of the range. I also received the 1 percent lump sum. I feel that the remainder of the 1.6 percent should have been reflected on the l... view article details

Dear Annette,How many times must I greet my colleagues in the hall each day? I run out of clever things to say.Overgreeter AnonymousDear Overgreeter,Any veteran of book signings, anyone of royal blood, in fact anyone who has ever been a guest of honor, knows exactly how you feel. The stress. the nagging strain of having to be On, all the time.Despite the challenges of maintaining a deep arsenal of wit, light banter handled judiciously can enhance your reputation and make you more memorable. I'm continually astonished at how frequently I am quoted. I don't even remember saying half the things t... view article details

It's mom appreciation time Of course there's no putting a value on the myriad responsibilities in a mom's day. Between all the listening, teaching, cleaning, cooking, driving, fixing, loving and lecturing she does on any given day, every mom is absolutely priceless.That said, it is nice to know one's worth, and we're not talking in messy kisses, macaroni necklaces, dandelion bouquets or Popsicle stick frames. We're talking in cold, hard cash.You might be surprised at what moms would be making if they received a paycheck every week.For all you do, this survey's for you At Sala... view article details

Performance review season is upon us. This presents an opportunity for employees to demonstrate their accomplishments and distinguish themselves and their value to the organization. In this challenging economy it is important to use this critical tool to its best advantage as it has significant impact on pay, professional development and, even job security. Here are ten tips to make the annual performance review work best for you, while also making it easier on your boss to write you a terrific review. Know Your Role for your Performance Review If you are uncertain about any aspect of your job... view article details

How to Keep a Low Profile & Stay Out of Office Gutter Politics Office Politics? Proceed with Caution We recently ran an article about why it's imperative for successful employees to engage in office politics. But as in the case everywhere, reasonable people will disagree. And that includes the writers at Salary.com. So here's the flip side of the office politics coin. Office politics occur in most workplaces. When employees spend hours per day together and vie for the same promotions and raises, competition is inevitable. Some people claim office politics are an essential part of the workpl... view article details

4 Steps You Should Follow for an Excellent Job Application It's a Saturday morning and you're surfing the internet. Suddenly you find a job posting that meets your skills, degree, and salary expectations perfectly. You don't want to wait to apply and send the you used for your last job application. You wait for the reply, but your application e-mail goes without any form of response. You forgot a vital aspect about how to apply for a job. Either it is your first time you've had to apply for a job, or you need to find a job after getting fired. For an excell... view article details

6 Tips to Create a Perfect Resume in 2020 A resume is the first impression you have with recruiters when you apply for a job. Maybe you can impress interviewer during the face-to-face interview, but a resume is just as important as the way you present yourself. Creating a good resume can be challenging, especially when you don't know how to make your resume stand out. Failing to come up with good resume ideas to improve your resume quality will lead all the resumes you send out to a resume black hole. Fortunately, we have an outline on how to make a perfect resume with these... view article details