According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 5 percent of job seekers obtain jobs through the open job market which consists of help wanted ads, the internet and print publications. Another 24 percent obtain jobs by cold-calling companies directly. Twenty-three percent obtain jobs through employment agencies, college career-services offices and executive-search firms. The remaining 48 percent obtain their jobs through referrals or “word of mouth.” These individuals get the job referrals by networking. A job search that targets only advertised job openings will likely miss more than half of... view article details

Is Love in the Office Air? Whether it's Jim and Pam on The Office or a real life saga such as former President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky, America has a certain fondness (or at least a mild obsession with) the notion of an office romance. And seeing how Cupid is reaching into his quiver as Valentine's Day quickly approaches, we thought it'd be a good idea to ask you -- our readers -- about workplace flings.More than 2,600 of you responded to our survey and opened up your hearts to share your views regarding office dalliances that can't be contained by cubicle ... view article details

Every workplace--and every department--has difficult people. In the first part of this article, you met five common difficult personality types, and learned strategies and tactics for dealing with them. In this article, Part II, you'll meet five more.By the end of this article you'll know exactly what to do to neutralize even the most annoying of co-workers.The Complainer Meet Nellie Negative. Nellie constantly whines, complains, and points out the downside to every situation. Complainers distrust everyone around them, and have a knack for maligning even the best intentions o... view article details

Doing More With Less Many Americans work more than one job – either because they want to or because they have to make ends meet. But when we asked more than 800 people if they worked multiple jobs, we meant something a little different.As part of our ongoing effort to keep our finger on the pulse of the mindset of American workers, we wanted to determine if employees are being asked to do more these days. With most companies still recovering from the recession and subsequent layoffs, the workers who survived were asked to do more than ever. And even though hiring has improved in many ... view article details

Noah Luna started on the path to his dream job at age 13, taking guitar lessons in Mountain View, California. As he learned about chords and music, his instructor instilled in him the importance of finding a way to turn what you love into a career. “He would say, you’ll need these skills. He kept the real world in mind.”Now, at 26, Luna is the owner and founder of Beauty in Cacophony Press, a full service company in San Jose that publishes sheet music and does pre-press editing and typesetting for other publishers. He is also a freelance composer. “It’s a total dream job, working with people I... view article details

“My meeting to ask for a raise went terribly.”Needless to say, this is about the worst thing you can hear after giving someone advice on how to negotiate, but once in awhile it happens. Like many things in life, a test of one’s character isn’t how they live their life when things are good, it’s how they react when faced with a challenge.Let’s look at a case study from the viewpoint of Kristin, a marketing assistant. There is a 3-step process for our company reviews:Fill out an evaluation formHave a review discussion with your managerFollow up with upper management to discuss compensationI have... view article details

Power, influence, status, recognition, ambition and reward -- as much as we might hate to admit it, the stuff that makes a fast-track career exciting and fun can be the very things that can also do it in. Set any negative connotations aside and face it -- office politics, and playing to win, can make all the difference. In this, the first in a two-part series, we'll examine how to position yourself for the game you'll have to play at some point, like it or not!1. Play with a purpose As with all things work related, you should ... view article details

You may not think you are in sales, but if you are involved in a job search, you are! It’s important to understand that your resume is more than a calling card and less than a comprehensive record of your career. Your resume is a marketing brochure for what you want the company to buy – and that’s YOU!Although you may not have a background in marketing or sales, thinking about yourself as the “product” your resume is selling can help you land an interview. It can also be helpful to move your focus away from your personal goals in the documents. If you are still using an objective statement in ... view article details

Be an Ant, Not a Grasshopper*  Most people know they should invest for the future, but at least half would like to do better. In a Salary.com poll about investments in the company retirement plan, 44 percent of respondents said they contribute, but could do better; 13 percent know they should invest, but have other priorities; and 41 percent said they contribute the maximum. Just 3 percent reported not having a retirement plan. If you're gainfully employed and reasonably satisfied with your career, there are few good excuses for not taking advantage of this benefit. If you've got access to a c... view article details

The ongoing political debate about the so-called 'war on women' took an unexpected turn this week when a comment by Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen ignited anger among those who feel she was denigrating the work of stay-at-home mothers.Rosen made the statement in question on Wednesday night, during an appearance on CNN. Asked if there was anything wrong with Republicans reaching out to women on economic matters, Rosen replied that there was not. She then went on to say that presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney 'doesn't connect on that issue.'She took issue with Romney citing t... view article details