Q. I've been employed with the same company for 10 years. My official job title is financial analyst, and I report to the financial operations manager. For the last year and a half, the manager and I have been working at both locations, rotating throughout the week. The company decided it is inefficient to have us rotating plants, so I was informed that I would take over all of my manager's duties at one plant and she will handle everything at the other plant. Since these are two small plants, we handle all HR-related issues, all financial issues, benefits, general office management, etc. I no... view article details

Have you been to a trade association event lately? Suddenly heard from an old college buddy? With so many people between jobs these days, it's no surprise that everyone seems to be brushing up on their networking skills. The economy may not be booming, but the network certainly is. Friends who didn't return telephone calls a year ago are suddenly easier to get ahold of. After having been started-up then shut down, dot-commed (or dot-conned), un-vested, repositioned, downsized, made redundant, or laid flat by layoffs, it's no wonder people are 'doing lunch' again. Even if you still love your ol... view article details

Should we fly? Or surf?  Prior to 2001, business travel spending was on the rise. It seemed as if everyone was jet setting off to meet a client, or attend some conference or another. Since the attacks on September 11th, things have changed. While it is true that business travel, and travel in general, has increased from the decimated levels we saw in the fourth quarter of 2001, they are still nowhere near where they were prior to that time. The reason for this seemingly slow recovery is that there actually has been no 'recovery' at all. The travel industry, in general, has all but recovered fr... view article details

The holidays bring with it extra expenditures that can be difficult to manage especially in light of the current economic situation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, over the past 24 months, consumer prices have risen 7.8%, making it increasingly difficult for consumers to keep up with the essentials. Information Resources, Inc., an independent market-data firm, recently conducted a survey of how consumers’ shopping and spending habits have changed in recent months. The results, while not surprising, are quite interesting. They report that the majority of consumers earning less t... view article details

Recent budget constraints have left states having to cut funding left and right, higher education is no exception. The College Board recently released statistics that not only reveal some dramatic tuition increases, but the lull in enrollment for four-year institutions. These factors may indicate a possible demand for learning alternatives such as online education and community college.According to the College Board's findings, public four-year institutions have raised their tuition 6.5 percent higher than the previous year, averaging $7,020, not including room and board. Previously, the avera... view article details

Beautiful? Brilliant? Bathing? Though he won't disclose what the B stands for, the secret of Philip B. is Botanicals. This 37-year-old, self-described medicine man turns ordinary and extraordinary ingredients into deliciously scented luxury liquids for hair and body.As an aspiring hair expert, Philip suffered a childhood injury chasing the cat down the stairs for a 'haircut.' By 14 he was already working at a salon, and it wasn't long before his name started gaining recognition. But it wasn't enough.'I wanted to live in LA and be a hairdresser to the stars,' he said. With two twenty-dollar bil... view article details

How Will Expiring Tax Cuts Affect You? It has been just a few blessed weeks since April 15, when we all emerged from stacks of 1099s and W-2s and declared ourselves ready to forget about taxes for another year. Not so fast. The tax cuts put in place during the previous administration are heading for expiration at the end of this year if Congress doesn't act. Almost everyone agrees that at least some of the cuts should be extended, but the right and the left have profound disagreements about how to proceed. So what does this mean for you? While you should always rely on a tax professio... view article details

On this week's episode of Salary Talk Aaron and Wendy chat with Stuart Diamond, the Pulitzer Prize winning former journalist turned Wharton Business School professor who literally wrote the book on negotiation when he penned the New York Times bestselling book Getting More last year. Tune in to take advantage of Diamond's invaluable advice on everything from asking for a raise to getting your toddler to go to bed on time. Stuart Diamond is the author of Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real WorldRemove emotion from the equation, focus first and foremost on the perso... view article details

Is the Euro on the Brink of Extinction? Europe. Land of classic artistic masterpieces, of perfect flaky croissants, of crushing debt that threatens to destabilize the global economy.These days, conversations about Europe are at least as likely to concern failing banks and government debt as the Eiffel Tower or the hills of Tuscany. But why? They're over there and we're over here. Why are we, and our media, following the sagas of Greece and Spain and Italy so closely? Well, it turns out there is more at stake for the United States than geography would suggest.'If other countries can’t ... view article details

Dear Annette,I am a cubicle dweller, as are most of my coworkers. Even though we try to keep our voices down, we can't help overhearing one another's personal calls. Should we just pretend we don't? What if it's about a subject, such as a medical problem, where one of us could offer help and information? Hear and NowDear Hear and Now,You've hit on one of the ways in which reality is far more convenient than television. On a television show, an inquisitive half-sibling, soon-to-be-ex-spouse, or henchperson has to listen at the keyhole of a thick wooden door or tap a telephone in order to hear t... view article details