Thrill Builder! Slowly the car inches up the improbable incline, defying gravity, and propelled by unseen forces. As the roller coaster car gets to the crest of the hill and peers over the top at the twisted tracks and loop-the-loops that lie just ahead, you try to convince yourself that the person who designed this cruel contraption knows what he is doing. Relax. He does. Kent Seko originally wanted to be an architect. He rode roller coasters as a kid, but never thought about designing them until years later, when a friend who worked at Arrow Dynamics, Inc., a roller coaster design firm, talk... view article details

Bonus programs reflect a company's definition of success, how that definition is measured, and the extent to which that measure is met. Bonuses are similar from company to company. The reason is that most companies subscribe to a pay-for-performance philosophy whereby bonuses are tied to two important measures: how well you are doing with respect to your manager's expectations; and how well your company is doing with respect to its expectations. Individual and group performance goals are hard to set, because they should be neither too ambitious nor too easy to achieve. It is best for employe... view article details

Dear Heather,I was recently laid off. It was kind of a shock, but the company let about 400 of us go. So, I'm hitting the job hunt knowing there are at least 50 (of the 400) others chasing the same job descriptions as I am. I've always worked in HR and have lots of skills, but my confidence is flagging a little. I've been involved in hiring and am trying to get my head around the fact that I was expendable. I find myself wondering if I picked the wrong career and should go back to school, but that seems impractical. Any suggestions on how I can better move forward from here?Lisa---------------... view article details

When you think of introverts, vocal power may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, you have the potential to express yourself with your voice fully and authentically—regardless of whether your greatest source of energy is cocooning or mingling, and whether your voice is typically soft or loud.In this two-part interview (read part 2 here), I invited Barbara Rubin, a theater director as well as a dialect and vocal coach for stage and film, to tell how to get the most from your speaking voice. Rubin and I have collaborated over the years in different arenas, each of us wearing differen... view article details

The Beam family has preserved their reputation as dedicated and accomplished distillery owners, bourbon crafters, and businessmen for more than 200 years. Jim Beam’s quality bourbon has been in production since the 18th century and prevailed through prohibition. Seven generations later, the Beam company continues to evolve with the help of their determined employees. If you ask Marvin Stone, maintenance supervisor at the Booker Noe plant in Kentucky, he will tell you that Beam’s supportive environment is an essential piece to the companies success. “I have never worked anywhere before where th... view article details

'Should men and women be treated as equals?'Silly question right? Of course they should. This is 2012 when women make up nearly half the workforce and have become the primary or co-breadwinners in two-thirds of all American families, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Not to mention more women than men are earning college degrees and the number of female executives continues to rise.But it might surprise you to learn women only make 77 cents on the dollar compared to men. And it's been that way for quite some time.When the Equal Pay Act was passed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, ... view article details

From a busy pre-med track and MCAT preparation in college to 12-hour rotations and grueling residency applications in medical school, the path to becoming a fully-fledged doctor is filled with challenges. Plenty of folks have the moxie to get involved in healthcare, but don’t necessarily have the time or money to commit to an M.D. Based on a report by Healthcare Management Degree, here are eight non-physician jobs in healthcare worth looking at. We've included the average entry-level salaries and ranges based on Salary.com data. 1) Speech Pathologist Average: $78,940 Salary Range: $72,410 -... view article details

Job description Psychologists and counselors study the human mind and behavior. Generally, they also make a living trying to help people understand and overcome their troublesome emotions and behaviors. Psychologists apply their knowledge in many different areas, including health, management, education, law, and sports. Psychologists and counselors must have strong communication skills and be able to quickly assess emotionally charged situations. They must be able to learn new methods and skills on an ongoing basis. They also need to be interested in people and the functioning of the human mi... view article details

What does it mean to work hard, really? The answer is different for everyone, but you might be curious to learn which states work the most hours per week or spend the least amount of leisure time per day. Using a variety of direct and indirect metrics such as these, the folks at WalletHub published a comprehensive ranking of the fifty U.S. states according to “how hard” their populations work. Here are the top 10 states and their respective total scores based on Wallethub’s methodology: Alaska: 69 North Dakota: 66 Wyoming: 62 South Dakota: 61 Nebr... view article details

Q. I have accepted a job at a salary that is far less than I was making earlier as a contractor for the same company. I talked to the human resources department, and they are not ready to increase the salary yet. I was thinking of talking to the manager on the first day of work regarding the salary. What do you advise?A. It is never a good practice to accept a position, then ask for an increase in your salary the first week on the job. The best time to negotiate a competitive salary is before you accept your job, when both you and the employer are trying to establish a relationship. You accept... view article details