For about a year, I’ve been getting these odd red bumps on one of my legs.  At first I thought they must be a result of some illness, environmental toxin, or even pregnancy.  When they appear, they itch and hurt, and I’ve been known to complain profusely about them.    Only lately has it occurred to me that perhaps something ...

On Newly Corporate, Jennifer Robinson has a great post for professional women on the vices and virtues of changing your name when you get married.  I’m glad someone else is giving advice on this, because I’ve hemmed and hawed about the issue since my wedding in 2004.    My husband wanted me to take his name, Shankman, but at the ...

Thanks to Phil Rosenberg at Secrets of the Job Hunt for providing this primer on asking intelligent questions, when prompted, at the end of a job interview:   Do you have any questions?  This is asked at the end of most interviews, and it gives the candidate a chance to shine and stand out from the pack. Do you come loaded with ...

My friend and radio show co-host Lindsey Pollak has a brand new blog over at Fast Company.  Her first, post, 5 Ways to Take More Control of Your Career, comes at a perfect time as we all sit in shock over the demise of long-established, powerful financial institutions Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.    Many people who would ...

I often talk about steering clear of talking politics in the workplace because you never know who you might offend.  This is especially relevant during a presidential election year, when everyone has an opinion and doesn’t hesitate to share it.  Kris Dunn over at the HR Capitalist has some useful tips on how to avoid an uncomfortable ...

Laura Stack, a personal productivity expert over at Divine Caroline, has some great tips for looking like a workaholic without actually being one.  Let’s have a look at ways you can sustain a strong reputation while maintaining control over your time. Get noticed in eight hours.  Anybody can spend a day keeping busy. It takes ...

Well, the gymnastics competitions that are my favorite part of the Olympic Games are over.   As usual, the events were dogged with controversy.  This year, it had mainly to do with the ages and scores of the Chinese gymnasts. In 1997, to counter the increasing trend towards younger and younger gymnasts, the International ...

Most people have to check references in some shape or form, whether it’s for a candidate or a babysitter.  I don’t know about you, but until I wrote Success for Hire I never really knew how to do it. Here's what I learned:While you can e-mail a reference initially, connect either in person or by phone with at least one reference for ...

Following up on last week’s interview post based on my new book Success for Hire, here’s what not to do if you want your interviewing exercises to result in strong and lasting hires! DON’T let first impressions get the better of you.  Sometimes, you might meet a candidate whom you decide you want to hire immediately, and will ...

My new book, Success for Hire (ASTD Press) features employee recruitment and retention practices that a lot of people think they know but in reality, don’t put into practice.  One of those practices is effective in-person interviewing, which can ensure that you hire the right candidate the first time around.  The next time you speak ...