Many job seekers miss the one step that can land them an interview and the job they are applying for. Sure, they send in their resume or application. They may even send additional information requested. But many of the unemployed simply fail to follow up with the employers to whom they apply. Why follow up? 1. Consideration. Care to guess how often an ...

Teamwork\'tém-werk\ n (1886): Work done by several associates, with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole. Does this sound familiar? If so, your team is on the right track. But if your team is a loosely organized group of individuals who get together once in a blue moon sporting nametags, you have some ...

In today's competitive market, every additional skill on your resume places you one step closer to your dream job. As a Hispanic/Latino, you can market yourself from the unique perspective of being bicultural, and in some cases bilingual. “Without a doubt, being bilingual increases employability,” says career development consultant Graciela Kenig in her book Best Careers for Bilingual Latinos. Kenig says ...

We're in a bubble again. It's not as frothy as last time, but this time we know what to do, right? One good thing about the dotcom implosion in 2000 is that we got lots of practice laying people off. I'm afraid this valuable knowledge may get lost. If you are scoffing ("We'll never downsize because we're growing so fast."), then ...

1. Why do you want to work in this industry? Bad Answer: "I love to shop. Even as a kid, I spent hours flipping through catalogs." Don’t just say you like it. Anyone can do that. Focus instead on your history with that particular industry, and if you can, tell a success story. Good Answer: “I've always loved shopping, but ...

A reader writes: I have a friend at work, Anne, who joined our office a couple of years ago. She is frequently asking for my help - most of the time, it's to explain procedures or policies (not to actually do her work for her). She seems to be understanding most of it, but she still comes back to me "just ...

Oct. 22--Launched Wednesday, the new Women's Economic Security Campaign will be advocating nationwide to help women and female heads of household rise out of poverty and tap into job opportunities created by the emerging "green economy." "Good jobs for women are not only critical for family economic stability, they are a key component of lasting economic recovery for our nation," WESC ...

Let's admit it. We all have someone we want to tell off. Now imagine if you could do this in a respectful way and still achieve your objectives? You can! Most people are reluctant to address problems they are having with an employee, co-worker or even their boss. Yet, pretending everything is fine certainly won’t improve the situation. Here is just ...

Everything was going so well. Your professional handshake was met with a warm smile from the hiring manager. The interview started off with some small talk that segued into some skillfully answered questions. You can already see what your desk is going to look like. Then, as suddenly as a lightning strike, the interview takes a turn for the worse. Whether ...

Employees have been criticizing their bosses since the beginning of time. Until the birth of social media, these conversations generally played out in lunchrooms or restrooms, around the water cooler, over a few cocktails at the local pub after working hours, and in the smoker’s circle outside the office building. Regardless if the criticisms were true or not, the context remained ...

Businesses produce 40% of the garbage in the U.S. Here's how to clean up your act. PAPER, GLASS, PLASTIC, ALUMINUM It starts with the paper cups that hold your morning caffeine fix. Then come the stacks of junk mail, which get added to the old business cards, notebooks, and page after page of outdated sales reports. Each employee typically uses 1.5 ...

You're an international banker, marketing manager or production supervisor. You call a colleague, supervisor or supplier in Latin America or Spain. The only foreign word you know is hola, but when the receptionist answers the phone speaking machine gun-rapid Spanish, you don't panic. You ask to be transferred to Mr. So-and-So. "Just a minute, sir. I'll put you through," the receptionist ...

If you're concerned about this job market, you are not alone. And I have some good news for you. Tom Dimmick of DK Search in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania has some specific, very helpful advice to see you through. Tom is a well-known recruiter in the area of Executive Search. Recently he graciously gave me a few minutes to talk with him ...

Remember when you were a child and people asked what you wanted to be when you grew up? Have you figured it out yet? Feeling stuck in a job that doesn't fit can be suffocating. Yet judging from readers' e-mail, confusion about what kind of job leads to career bliss is a common conundrum. "Our careers just happen to us," says ...

Jeremy Solomon sat across the table from a well-known national consulting company's interviewing manager, grappling with the question just posed to him. Suddenly, the $70,000 education he received from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government was momentarily useless. This topic hadn't popped up in public policy, economics or stats classes. In fact, the vexing issue was one few ever think about: How ...

When I started at one of my old jobs, I was introduced around. A coworker in a remote location gave me what cops call a hinky feeling, but I figured we’d get to know one another and everything would be fine. I should have gone with my first instinct. This person literally had it out for me from day one. And ...

There is never a dull moment in Human Resources. The following stories actually happened. You be the judge of who is at fault, the HR department or the employee... #1 Hatin’ on Hooters >> [page] Hatin’ on Hooters A woman working as a criminal intelligence analyst with the Department of Public Safety was fired because she didn’t disclose having worked ...

Some people seem to have a knack for getting others to do what they want. Bosses, co-workers, significant others, even the plumber are at their beck and call. These individuals know instinctively how to influence people. But psychologists say their effectiveness derives from a set of principles of human nature that we can all learn to use to our advantage in ...

The capacity to mentor your employees is a critical workplace skill. But how do you get started? While there's no definitive approach to mentoring, these strategies will help you grow into a role you may have had little or no training for. Tune in to Individual Needs The key to becoming a successful mentor is to approach each protege as an ...

Are you bilingual or multilingual? Whether English is your first or second language, your linguistic skills make you valuable in the workforce. In fact, companies that recognize and reward such abilities with extra pay tend to have better retention and satisfaction rates among workers than companies that remain neutral. If your employer falls into the latter group, don't be shy about ...