ArcaMax

There's nothing more inspiring than the story of a person who made it on his or her own. If I had a dollar for every gazillionaire who got to the top with nothing but a dream, hard work and a trust fund, I'd be a gazillionaire myself.

And I believe we can consider you a self-made business success, assuming we define success as being trapped ...Read more

Everybody knows the best question to ask in a job interview.

"Do you validate?"

Even if you carried your skateboard into the interview, making it clear you never went near the parking garage, asking this question shows you are definitely cheap and probably a chiseler -- valuable qualities for any candidate, especially in banking or politics....Read more

What could be worse than sitting at your desk doing work that is unfulfilling, useless and silly?

Going to a conference and spending three days talking about work that is unfulfilling, useless and silly.

It wouldn't be so bad if the conference were held in a better venue -- maybe the Kit Kat Klub on all-you-can-eat wings Wednesday. But you ...Read more

Do you love your job?

No matter what you may think, odds are that you hate your job. In fact, you've hated it so much, for so long, that you no longer know that you hate it.

But Alison Doyle knows.

Doyle is the author of "Top 10 Warning Signs You Need a New Job," a recent post on The Balance Careers website.

At this point you are probably ...Read more

You know who you are. When you stand up to speak in a meeting, people listen. When you say jump, people jump. You're magnetic. You've got energy. Panache. Power. In a word, you're charismatic.

Or you will be, after you finish reading this column.

Consider if you will my sad story. No one ever paid attention to me, and they certainly didn't ...Read more

Rejection stinks.

It doesn't matter if the rejection comes from the love of your life or from your application to join the Hugabbug Club. (Hate to tell you, but Auntie Bumble blackballed you.)

Now, there is something even worse than getting rejected by a person, a job or an organization.

Now, you also can get rejected by a robot.

It's true...Read more

Personally, I blame Benjamin Franklin.

It was old Ben who told us, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

The fact that it can also make a man exhausted, cranky and deeply depressed did not stop Franklin from promulgating his catchy, but highly prejudicial, axiom.

Which is why I speak for all late-risers ...Read more

Join me, friend, in a toast to the good old days.

You know -- those wonderful days of yore when management could expect workers to put in their 20 years, collect their gold watch and then promptly die. Today, people are living longer and working longer. Instead of having to deal with a troublemaker like you for 20 years, management could end ...Read more

Be honest -- are you overstimulated?

I know you're excited to read this week's column, but that doesn't explain the rapid heart rate, the gushing hormones, the pinballing pupils.

No, it's your floor plan that's the culprit. It's just too darn open.

In the words of Alan Henry, author of "Simple Desk Improvements That Make an Open Office Easier...Read more

You may not be the most productive worker in your company or the best paid, but no one can say you aren't the weirdest.

Alas, there are forces in the work force that are out to attack your weirdness. They want everyone to be "normal." You can imagine how boring that would be.

In a better world, weird prejudice over weird people would be ...Read more

These days, it's difficult to find heroes.

Outside of thee and me, of course.

That's why a recent Jena McGregor article in The Washington Post is a must-read for those who are looking for inspiration, as well as income, from their jobs.

"Why We Love Stories About Workers Who Sleep On The Job" is the title of McGregor's sermonette, and when ...Read more

If there is one company I don't expect to provide workplace advice, it is L.L. Bean.

The famed Freeport, Maine, provider of outdoor gear and garb has great credibility when it comes to selecting the right snowsuit for a trip up Mt. Everest or picking the right canoe for your trip down Niagara Falls, but when it comes to getting ahead in your ...Read more

Good news! You've been promoted to supervisor.

Bad news! You've been promoted to supervisor.

As a supervisor, you are expected to do many new things. Like work.

Let's face it. Not everyone in your department can have the same sick grandmother with the same chronic case of exploding head syndrome -- a classic excuse that has always worked ...Read more