I’ve been fired once in my 30-plus years in the workplace. And the memory still stings. The firing occurred in 1981, three months into my first job after graduating from college with a journalism degree. Talk about a bad start to your career.
Men shouldn’t care if a woman earns more money — I don’t
Why should I care if a woman earns more money? I’ve never understood men who feel threatened by a wife or girlfriend who brings home a bigger paycheck. Is there a household competition about who can earn more? If there is, that’s stupid. A person’s income is based more on market conditions than intelligence anyway. […]
Layoff protocol – some firms don’t have a clue about preserving workers’ dignity
Fortunately, I’ve never been laid off. But I’ve worried about the possibility several times. As I’ve written, I resigned from The Dallas Morning News in September after 27 years as a reporter. Ironically, my last day occurred as another round of layoffs was being implemented at the beleaguered newspaper. Just as in previous layoffs, I […]
Job seekers gain more leverage in salary negotiations
Here’s a sign the stumbling economy may be improving: Hiring executives say they’re more willing to negotiate starting salaries with qualified candidates. In a survey of more than 1,600 chief financial officers, 38 percent said they were “much more willing” or “somewhat more willing” to bend on the salary offer made to job prospects.
Working at home: It’s great
Three months ago, I walked away from a job I’d held for 27 years at The Dallas Morning News. I quit being a reporter so I could focus on developing this website. I went from working in an office with many other people to working at home alone. What a change.
Bad times can teach good lessons
Many people dream of a steady job. I had one. For almost 30 years, I collected a regular paycheck as a reporter for The Dallas Morning News. When I resigned two months ago, my income became less predictable. Have I panicked at the uncertainty?
What’s your dream job?
Imagine for a moment that you could have any job you want. Period. Let’s assume you’re qualified for the job. Let’s assume you could live wherever necessary to have the job. In other words, you face no limitations. What would you do?
How to survive unemployment
Let’s hope you’re not in this situation. But if you are unemployed, you’re certainly not alone. With the sluggish economy, many people are out of work for the first time. So what’s your first move if you get laid off?
Job evals do more harm than good
If you’ve worked at a large company, you’ve probably had to endure a formal job evaluation. They’re an absolute beating. Almost as bad as a job interview.
The 5 worst kinds of bosses
These days, I’m working for myself. It’s the greatest feeling in the world. During my 30-year newspaper career, which ended last month, I always had a boss. Most were good or OK. But I had two or three that were great and two or three that were God-awful.