Career Blog

We all want to excel at our jobs, but our modern environment makes it difficult to form good work habits. With so much going on, workdays can feel like a mad dash from start to finish, leaving little room for self-reflection or time to contemplate what can be done differently to improve. With thi...

As you're sitting at your computer sifting through resumes and cover letters a familiar name pops up on your screen. You recognize a former employee who wants to return and is looking to be interviewed for a position. Do you wonder whether or not you should consider it? If so, you're not alone.

Americans need to start figuring out how to relax when they can’t take a vacation. Whatever the reasons, if you're one of the millions of Americans who can’t take a vacation, here’s how you can relax with the time you have.

Many people insist networking events can potentially lead to jobs. So you attend and meet a plethora of connections…now what? Even if networking doesn't exactly come naturally, here are a few tips for following up that straddle the line between overeager and uncaring.

Like any relationship, business networks need cultivation and care. Here are some of the worst networking mistakes we’ve seen and tips for avoiding them.

Delivering bad news is a lot like delivering mail. You need to sort it out before you pass it around. The last thing you want to do is blurt out “we’re laying off a third of the staff” without first doing the proper preparation and planning. Sharing a difficult announcement is a delicate task, an...

When you’re desperate to leave a bad job or land any job at all, there’s a temptation to take the first offer you get. But accepting the wrong position can prevent you from landing a much better one. Fortunately, signs of a bad job often reveal themselves during the interview. Here are red flags ...

Creating a set of must-ask interview questions is never easy. In 45 minutes, you have to get to know a candidate well enough to determine if she can perform a complex job, fit your company’s culture, and not flake out after you’ve spent all that time training her. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 ...

You've passed so many tests already—standing out in a pile of resumes, acing a phone interview, surviving multiple rounds of in-person interviews—and now it's time to overcome the final hurdle: the reference check. Hopefully you've already cultivated a well-rounded list of references. If not, her...

On paper, business travel sounds like a great deal: It's a chance to see the world on someone else's dime. In practice, however, it can be downright grueling. Following a few simple do and don'ts can help you ensure travel for your job is a bearable—and perhaps even enjoyable—experience.

For many, improving work-life balance is an elusive goal. Our always-on culture means employers expect employees to take more work home. It’s no wonder 89 percent of Americans say work-life balance is a problem. How can we improve our work-life balance when there is so much work and life in need ...

Getting new hires acquainted with their jobs, aka onboarding, presents numerous challenges for both employers and employees. While some find onboarding to be a fairly simple process, others experience complete catastrophes. Most organizations simply cannot afford onboarding horror stories, but un...

Most of us have been guilty of oversharing at the water cooler or confiding in the wrong person at the office—and we can all recount a war story or two about ways our mouths have gotten us into trouble at work. There are certain things you should never, ever discuss with your coworkers, no matter...

In every workplace, there's an annoying individual that drives their coworkers crazy. You might think that person is someone else. But have you ever stopped to consider it might actually be you? A lack of self-awareness is often the culprit behind irritating behaviors. So if you want to find out ...

While some companies win attention for over-the-top workplace benefits such as office slides, free CrossFit classes, on-site barbers and on-site car washes, employees actually want perks that are more down to earth. These are them.

Saying “no” to your boss can be an intimidating prospect, especially if your boss is known for surrounding himself with “yes men.” At the same time, you don’t want to feel like people are taking advantage of you. So how do you stand up for yourself without putting your job on the line or labeling...

There’s a right way to give your two weeks notice. Find it, and you’ll enjoy professional relationships to build on for years to come. Unfortunately, the pitfalls strewed across the path to a proper resignation are numerous, and stumbling can damage your chances for that stellar reference.

How to optimize a job posting simply hasn’t been top-of-mind for many businesses, mainly because it hasn’t needed to be. Companies that want to make sure they make the cut can use a combination of smart keywords, savvy SEO, and solid writing to optimize job postings, drawing more attention and mo...

If you ask any recruiter or hiring manager the traits they look for in a candidate during the interview process, chances are they'll include cultural fit as one of the top qualities they seek. So, you really want the job and feel you would be an asset to the company. How do you go about demonstra...

Job candidates come in all shapes and sizes, and most recruiters aren't looking to hire cookie-cutter employees. However, there are certain standout qualities that seem to be universally preferred. Lucky for you, several prominent recruiters in the D.C. area have revealed the top assets they are ...