The rise of technology has led to growing concern over surveillance in the workplace. Monitoring employee productivity is not a new trend, but tech has given new breath to Orwellian skepticism about who is watching and listening – and to what extent. In many cases, surveillance policies are addressed in the onboarding process, but it’s important to be aware of the basic legalities and modern trends involved. Workplace Privacy: Legal Basics In the U.S., The Federal Privacy Act and Electronic Communication Privacy Act each address privacy rights at large, but there are no federal laws which expl... view article details

Rich or Poor, Offer Letters Are Still Necessary If you’ve worked at any level in the corporate world, you’ve probably received an offer letter of employment. As a teenager, your first job offer – babysitting, mowing lawns, washing dishes, waiting tables – was probably pretty informal. Ah, but that first official offer letter.Sure, things might have gone great on your interview. You’re 99% sure they’re going to give you the job. Hopefully you negotiated a nice salary increase. You can’t wait to tell your parents and friends. And HR even verbally said you got the position. But it wasn’t... view article details

It's a jungle out there. When conventional job search approaches leave you feeling defeated, consider unconventional methods to find a job. We've received many job hunting tips over the years. Some are a little bit crazy, while others are pretty clever. Yet, all have, at one time or another, got the job done. Don't let hiring managers get you down Don't fall into the "send resume and salary expectations" trap and forgo engaging on your own terms. Consider sending a $1 gift card and suggest meeting for coffee. At a minimum, the gift will be memorable. If the meeting happens, consider bringing ... view article details

Whether you are unemployed or simply looking to make a move, in a world where jobs are more competitive than ever, finding a job is a full-time job.You can up the odds of landing a good gig by creating an organized, systematic plan to generate job leads. This article explores 12 active ways to ensure the leads keep rolling in.1. Use your network Only about 25 to 30 percent of jobs are advertised in the newspaper. The rest are 'hidden.' The best way to access these hidden jobs is through friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and contacts in your industry.Identify and reach out in an orga... view article details

Job Search Tips to Hit the Ground Running Hi. I’m job search expert Rick Gillis. I’m new to Salary.com and very proud to be here. I do a number of live presentations annually and for many years have promoted Salary.com as one of the most useful sites to job seekers. That said let’s get to work.While we'll delve deep into job search strategies and insider tips at some point in the future, it never hurts to cover the basics. So whether you're a new jobseeker just setting out on interviews or a grizzled job search veteran who could use a refresher, here are some job search basics that al... view article details

Job Hunting & Zombies? Maybe it's the zombies. When interviewing young professionals just out of college, one of my favorite questions to ask is “So, what other companies are you interviewing with?” At first glance, it’s a strange question. In many ways an interview is like a first date, as both parties try and see if there’s a mutual connection. So asking what other companies they are “seeing” is the equivalent of asking who else they’ve been dating.The real reason for the question is to see how focused their job search efforts are. In many cases, their approach to getting a job is l... view article details

Used Correctly, Pinterest Can be a Valuable Tool to Aid in Your Job Search Pinterest: Time-Waster or Career-Starter? Pinterest, with more than 11.7 million users and a recent value of $1.5 billion, is the fastest growing social network since Facebook. First used by a mostly female demographic to create and share online "pinboards" devoted to topics like fashion, food, event planning, and interior design, Pinterest is rapidly finding favor with other groups of people, including job seekers. Pinterest allows users to create "pinboards" on specific topics. Users find images and videos that are... view article details

How to Brand Yourself in 14 Short Steps Wondering how to brand yourself? One of the best ways to articulate your skills, experience, knowledge, and overall worth in today's competitive job market is to create a personal brand that helps you stand out in the crowd. According to management expert and author Tom Peters, "We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer of a brand called You." This article explores 14 steps to branding yourself successfully. Step 1: Determine your unique value proposition Spend some time thinking ... 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

Do you care about making a difference as much as you care about your career? "Green" jobs -- defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as jobs that produce goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, or jobs that use more environmentally friendly processes or fewer natural resources -- have outpaced jobs in other categories by almost 250 percent over the last decade, and growth doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The 12 in-demand jobs profiled in this article show how you can make some green -- while going green. Organic farmer As consumers bec... view article details