Dearest Readers,What was I doing in Billy's Boxer on Boxing Day? Zipping along the 10 on our way to the Ask Annette celebrity shareholders' retreat in Palm Springs, naturally, when suddenly my newest Hermès scarf blew away, and it got me thinking: It's the new year. Whatever will we wear?Moreover, what simple steps can today's office worker take to become even more fabulous in the coming months? Here are some of the shareholders' resolutions.CourtesyFinish and mail your holiday thank-you notes by January 15.When you restate someone else's idea in a meeting, give the person credit.Have your Peo... view article details

Most employers conduct salary reviews as part of the performance review cycle. This is one of the best opportunities to negotiate for more pay. Startup companies and other employers may offer a salary review after the first three to six months on the job.Many companies believe in separating the performance review from the salary review, because one is an evaluation and the other is a negotiation. But the business world moves so fast that that the two discussions are often combined.Companies set budgets for pay increases. Usually the budget calls for the average employee to receive a 4 percent ... view article details

How Did "That Guy" Get Promoted?? You know the guy I mean.He's competent (mostly), but never brilliant. He turns his work in by deadline, makes pleasant water-cooler conversation and walks out the door at the stroke of 5. He is emphatically mediocre.Why, then, does he get the praise, the promotions, the raises? Research by economist Marko Terviö offers a possible explanation: Companies spend too much hiring known talents -- even if they aren't actually particularly, well, talented -- rather than taking a chance on untested up-and-comers.Companies are Afraid of the Unknown Thi... view article details

Apple is Swimming in Cash Late last month, Apple announced it has a mind-boggling $110 billion in cash reserves. Over at The Atlantic, a blogger decided to make sense of this information by translating the abstract sum into a concrete visual.Apple's cash reserves, it turns out, could fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools with $1 bills. I decided to take this logic a step further and look at how much space other sums of money would occupy. How much space would the average American household need to store its annual income? How many briefcases full of bills are needed to pay for a colleg... view article details

You Can Do Both Whether you’re joining a staff of twenty or just two, it’s simply expected that you will act as a team player when you’re hired. And for the most part, you don’t mind working with others—as long as you are also able to be independent. The thing is, sometimes it’s hard to keep your independent working style when you’re forced to work in a group. Here are some ways to join the team—but still be true to yourself and get ahead at work.4. Respectfully Voice Your Opinions It can be easy to lose your train of thought -- as well as your voice -- when you are in a meet... view article details

The Olympics as a Moneymaker We've watched American athletes win gold (and lose gold). We've watched world records fall. We've found ourselves assessing equestrians and rooting for archers, unexpectedly enthralled by largely obscure events enjoying their quadrennial moment in the spotlight. But there is another element, beyond athletic excellence and national pride, framing and shaping the Olympic Games: money. Preparing the Host City Hosting the Olympics is a pricey proposition. The British government originally pegged the cost of the London Olympics at about $14.5 billion, ... view article details

People Relate to Themselves Whether you know it or not, most hiring managers have a hiring style that is more reflective of who they are as a person, and not necessarily reflective of the companies for which they work.However, like a duck drawn to water, people will feel naturally drawn to a culture that aligns with their value system, and thus, they hire accordingly. Over twelve years of recruiting for a wide-variety of companies, industries and alongside highly effective hiring managers, I have outlined below the top five hiring styles.To the extent this helps you better understand ... view article details

Not only are jobs scarce these days, but those that do exist are highly competitive. Whether you are just entering the workforce and trying to land your first job, or whether you want to continue to successfully climb the ladder, successful job search networking can give you a leg up on your competitors.This article explores 12 tips designed to help you become a more effective networker.1. Make a list. Think of all the people who can assist you in your job search or career move -- now and in the future -- and write down their names, contact information, and what your connection... view article details

Switching fields may seem taboo, but it's quite doable, especially now when labor markets are tight. Almost half of the 164 employers who responded to our MONEY/Salary.com survey say they regularly target mid-career changers when recruiting. One reason: Switchers are dedicated to their move, with 32 percent saying they'll spend 'as long as it takes' to get the necessary certification and schooling.What are they looking for? Pay and advancement, sure, but also fulfillment and a sense that they can control their career paths.Steve Mullins, 44, already has a good job: He's a telecommunications en... view article details

Here Are Some Things Your Boss Never Needs to Know About You or Your Life Keep Personal Info Personal Discrimination in the workplace is illegal. It's also despicable and certainly not anything we condone. In an ideal world, the details of our personal lives wouldn't matter nearly as much as our performance and productivity on the job. But the cold, hard truth is employers may still make decisions based upon details of an employee's life. From judging workers based on Facebook photos to thinking twice about promoting someone with kids or a chronic illness when another employee is free of ... view article details