Here’s a terrifying fact for you: research shows that thanks to vacation-phobic Americans, a million years of work is “donated” each year in the US alone. Nope, that’s not a typo. There are plenty of us who bury our heads in work only to look up moments (read: two years) later realizing that we’ve become scary, pasty
While the idea of starting your own company might be incredibly appealing, it’s not something that can happen without a bit of work. Even if you are sick and tired of that long commute to work for a grumpy boss who doesn’t seem to appreciate you, becoming your own boss takes time, work, and careful
The old 9-to-5 has never been everyone’s cup of tea. Some people thrive within that type of structure, while others flourish when given freedom. These days, many are ditching the corporate grind in favor of working for themselves. In fact, according to Freelancers Union, nearly one in three Americans are self-employed. Interested in joining the legions
So you’ve started avoiding their calls, going to events without them, and when your friends ask how it’s going, you awkwardly fake a smile and say unenthusiastically, “It’s great.” While I hate to be the bearer of bad news, the writing is on the wall: it’s time to say goodbye. But, to be clear, I’m
The unemployment rate for veterans who served in active duty in the U.S. hovered at 9 percent in 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A major obstacle in securing employment is understanding how to translate your skills from your time in the military to the workplace. Fortunately there are numerous fields that
Sometimes leaving one job for the greener pastures of another seems like a good idea… until you realize it wasn’t and find yourself wondering how to ask for your old job back. The Wall Street Journal’s Sue Shellenbarger says that everyone is entitled to a few career “mulligans”, and that with a bit of finesse, you too can
As of last month, the U.S. unemployment rate had decreased to 5.8 percent, the lowest it’s been in years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s good news, but don’t get complacent—nothing is secure when it comes to the economy. Get your finances in order while times are good, so you won’t panic if
Read any article about successful people, and you can almost guarantee when asked the secrets to their success, they will say that they get up early – between 5am and 6am (and in some cases even earlier). Take a look at this list of CEOs and major influencers if you don’t believe me. People generally
Jeff Oakes was a successful architect earning six-figures and living his dream in San Francisco. But, when two of this close friends died unexpectedly, his priorities changed. Oakes quit his cushy job, moved to India and now teaches rural villagers business principles. His only means of income is selling custom clothing made from fabric manufactured
What’s the #1 key to success? We uncovered words of wisdom from Confucius, Vincent van Gogh, Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs, all which point to one very specific trait – one that is without a doubt the secret to their success. We spend roughly 100,000 hours of our lives at work. For many, a job is just a
When I found myself unhappy after a few months at my first and began actively looking for a new role, I had a much clearer understanding of what I wanted and went about my job search process in totally different way than I had a few years earlier. This time around, I was looking to
Let’s rewind. Whether you are a new college graduate or a seasoned professional, do you remember when you thought you knew exactly what your career would entail? Most of us likely held an inaccurate view of the working world. That’s where a career mentor or a trusted counselor comes into play. Building career mentor relationships can help
Workplaces are awash in statistics. Surveys and studies pop up weekly on every issue imaginable — diversity, health, engagement and job satisfaction, to name a few. I approach such data with reasonable suspicion, not because I doubt the validity of the reports but because they are, to paraphrase Shakespeare, full of words and numbers, diagnosing
A job hunter offered to come in for an interview because she was “needing a daytime job to fill my time.” She will not be hearing back. The applicant, a young adult, may well be reliable and honest, as she wrote in her email to a business owner. But there was nothing in her attached
BALTIMORE — East Coast bank M&T Bank recently announced expanded parental leave benefits for all its employees, joining a flurry of corporate parental leave expansions as employers respond to societal shifts and increasing demands on employees on the job and at home. Companies such as Accenture, Microsoft and Netflix all have announced enhanced policies in
Q: My boss just threw me in the deep end of the pool on a new project; he has a lot of expertise in the area, me, not so much. Is this tough love, or is he setting me up to fail? Either way, how do I handle it? A: Ask good questions, find
Q: Although I was promoted more than a year ago, no one ever said anything about a raise. I don’t think I should have to go crawling to management for money, but I’m tired of doing more work for the same pay. Since this company doesn’t do performance reviews, the subject will never come up
CHICAGO — Samir Wagle, a fit and energetic 45-year-old, ambled into a downtown Chicago Protein Bar recently and gave fist bumps to some of his employees. Once a McDonald’s fry cook (more on that later), Wagle was named Protein Bar’s new CEO in December, succeeding company founder Matt Matros. Until last year, Wagle worked as
I peered into the future of the workplace, my friends, and came away with both bad and good news. The bad news is there’s a very good chance that by 2018, some of you will be fired by a robot. The good news is you’ll be able to tell people that you were fired by
Companies Must Focus on Education, Employee Training to Bridge the Skills Gap Are Employers Contributing to America’s Skills Gap? There is, it seems, a skills gap in this country. Even as the national unemployment rate lingers above 8 percent — 12.5 million people — tens of thousands of jobs are going unfilled as employers contend