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Managing Your Career

Business Etiquette and Corporate Style Tips

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Q: What's the best way to hide a few extra pounds in business attire?

A: The easiest way to camouflage a little extra weight for men and women is by wearing a jacket. Choose one that fits well through the shoulders and is comfortable (not tight) through the hip and midsection. Keep in mind you should always fit the largest area first, and then tailor the jacket to fit smaller areas if necessary. Women should look for details such as darts and seams that nip in at the waist, and men should opt for vertical stripes and welt (inset) pockets—all of which help to achieve a slimmer appearance. Contrary to popular belief, oversize or boxy jackets don't hide the extra pounds; they actually make you appear larger.

—Kelly Machbitz, owner, Totalfashionmakeover.com, Clearwater, Fla., and author of Wear This, Not That! Stylish Solutions to Flatter Your Figure

 

Interactive Case Study

An Employee Assistance Program Ups Productivity

Issue: Cigna's In-House Compassion

The Employee Assistance Program reduces worries and increases productivity for Cigna workers stricken by survivor guilt and other troubles

Analysis: Cigna Is Getting It Right

Organizations are wise to engage their workers and help them tackle survivor guilt and other woes

Comment: What Would You Do?

"I strongly support anything a business does to address the human side of business effectiveness. If the culture of the organization is to be supportive and head off personal and interpersonal problems before they have a business impact, EAPs are excellent resources."

—Sheryl Spanier, leadership consultant and executive coach, New York

Reader Poll

Has survivor guilt (the despair one feels when co-workers lose their jobs) affected your work performance?

IN YOUR FACE: APPLE VS. MICROSOFT

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Reader Paul Whelan Writes:

"Apple's design is like fresh fruit or fish. It is wonderful at the time, but goes off very quickly."


Sponsored by Tres Generaciones Tequila

 

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Top Stories

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Honesty tests, "Must know Excel," "Where do you see yourself in five years?" and all the other nonsense that bedevils the hiring process

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Nope, it's not just you. These jerks are out there

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So your last employer terminated you, and you're interviewing for a new job? Forget full disclosure. Think spin

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He means well and maybe is even a little lovable, but a needy co-worker sure can suck the life out of you

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Learn how to facilitate communication and efficiency with teleworkers

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Can your company do a better job of getting talent in the door—and keeping it there?

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Headhunters' Job Interview Tips, Resume Hints, and Professional Conduct Advice

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"Train" Your Thoughts on Transportation Overseas

If you're interviewing in a foreign country, make sure ahead of time that the trains are running. I just had a candidate lose out on a job in Paris because of arriving an hour late. France's state-owned railway, SNCF, was having a strike.
—Tara McKernan, DHR International

 

New Careers, Business, Job-Hunting, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship Books

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New Business Books

A list of books about jobs, careers, management, and leadership—updated weekly

 

Debate Room

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College Grads Need Skills,
Not Liberal Arts

Parents should encourage their children to specialize in undergraduate degrees rather than going the liberal arts route. Pro or con?

 

The Drucker Difference: Rick Wartzman

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WellPoint Strives for Quality Over Quantity

The health-care company is examining ways to measure success via results, not activity. Many organizations could use the same treatment

 

Harvard Business Review

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How Boredom Can Drive Innovation

Next time your mind drifts, take some notes on what catches your eye, says Harvard blogger Scott Anthony

 

Headhunter Confidential: Joe McCool

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Talent Management Gains Momentum

A new study reveals that companies, concerned about competition for leaders, expect to spend more on talent management this year

 

Marshall & Friends: Marshall Goldsmith

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Self-Help Can't Get You Mojo

If you want to acquire a sense of meaning and happiness, enlist a friend to assist you on a regular basis. All it takes is one phone call a day

 

Coaches Corner: The Handel Group

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Job Hunting Advice: Follow Through

Coach Lauren Zander tells Paul Nawrocki to keep reaching out to potential contacts and employers and to start visualizing himself in a new job

 

Featured Blog

If pay and career trajectories for women really are not all they're cracked up to be, then maybe forking over $300 grand for a top-tier MBA just isn't worth it.

Louis Lavelle, Getting In

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