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The Most and Least Honest Professions of 2008

SavvySugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:30:22 -0800

Bankers just can't seem to cut a break this year — besides enduring an extremely tumultuous work environment, people are judging those in the banking profession as being less honest than previously thought. The group lost 12 percentage points from last year's annual Gallup poll that asks for respondents to rate the honesty and ethical standards of various fields, dropping bankers from their spot among the most well-rated professions in 2007 to a neutral rating.

Poll respondents evaluated the professions as having very high, high, average, low, or very low standards, and here are the results from the 2008 survey. Is your profession reflected in the ratings?

Top-Rated Professions For Honesty and Ethics

Accountants
Funeral directors
Clergy
Policemen
Medical doctors
High school teachers
Druggists or pharmacists
Nurses

For the list of the least-rated professions,

Guess Who? Nepotism in Action

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:15:10 -0800

"My dad became a soap opera actor, and I was an extra in a skating rink scene on the soap. I didn’t audition. It was nepotism all the way."

The 25 Best Cities For Finding a New Job

SavvySugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:15:04 -0800

Relocation might be the last resort for job seekers attached to their hometowns, but ideal opportunities are few and far between these days and moving could be the best solution in this job market. While national unemployment has skyrocketed, the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that several cities still report low unemployment numbers. One thing is clear: The Midwest dominates this list of the best 25 cities for finding work.

Sioux City, Iowa
Pocatello, Idaho
Odessa, Texas
Provo, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Missoula, Montana
Des Moines, Iowa
Charlestown, West Virginia
Great Falls, Montana
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Lincoln, Nebraska
Iowa City, Iowa
Midland, Texas
Lafayette, Louisiana
Ames, Iowa

See the top 10 when you

How to Get a Job With Obama as Your Boss

SavvySugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:30:48 -0800

Barack Obama is my boss. How would you like to be able to technically say that? If you're serious about wanting a job under the Obama administration, now is the time to apply. Typically, about 7,000 new jobs open up at the beginning of a new president's term, and on Wednesday the government will announce which positions will be available and where they will be located.

The jobs last as long as Obama is in office and are referred to as politically appointed or noncareer positions (political experience is not a prerequisite). The positions cover a variety of fields offered at a wide range of salaries and experience levels. Fill out a general application online now to receive instructions later about how to apply for the positions that interest you most. A comprehensive list of all jobs will be available after they've been announced at gpoaccess.gov.

Source

5 Tips For Getting the Most From Your Performance Review

SavvySugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:30:41 -0800

Doing what you can to prepare for a performance review puts you in the best position possible for a smooth experience, but unexpected bumps can certainly arise. If you and your boss haven't been communicating well, that leaves an open door for surprise comments that could shake your confidence. Don't let these minor moments distract you from getting the most from your review. Check out these tips from various industry experts for handling potentially sticky situations.

Ask questions: Your boss may assume that you know what she's talking about when she tells you you're doing a good job. Ask what stands out about your job performance, and if she's dissatisfied with the job you've been doing, ask for specific examples and how you could do better next time.
Tell your story: If you think your boss's negativity stems from a misunderstanding, ask her, "I have a different perspective on this situation. Would you like to hear it?" Steer clear of defending everything your boss brings up. Sometimes, it's more appropriate to say, "I hadn't looked at it that way. I'd like to try that next time."

See three more tips for your review when you

Four Steps to Preparing For a Performance Review

SavvySugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:15:28 -0800

Annual performance reviews often coincide with the holiday season, and that's at least true for Sugar HQ. While there's nothing to really be scared about, it's natural to try and think about what negative feedback you could be facing by over-analyzing the smallest mistakes from the past year. It's more productive to brush up on the positive details rather than be consumed by the negative, so replace any ounce of dread you have by being confidently prepared.

If you went through a review with the same company last year, dig up your notes and check off the things you've continued to do well and the points you've improved upon. If you are a newer employee and this is your first review, ask your boss how you'll be evaluated so you know what to expect and can prepare accordingly.
Think about the feedback you've received throughout the year. If there were instances where your boss suggested you could improve, did you take the steps to do so? Come up with a couple of examples of how you listened to what she said and applied it to your work.

See two more preparation pointers when you

Glamour Picks Its Women of the Year: Who Is Your Pick?

SavvySugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:30:33 -0800

Hillary Clinton, Nicole Kidman, Condoleezza Rice, and Jane Goodall were just some of the remarkable women honored at Glamour's 2008 Women of the Year awards Monday night. The rewarded ladies were recognized for their various accomplishments and contributions, from trailblazing opportunities to spreading environmental awareness.

Glamour asked its readers to nominate their own personal heroes for a Woman of Your Year contest, and the winner was 25-year old cancer survivor Rachel Lozano who battled the disease throughout her teenage years. Now she's studying art therapy so she can help sick children. Check out the video for highlights of the big event and then tell me, who is the woman of your year?

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10 Careers With the Happiest Workers

SavvySugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:30:42 -0800

There are plenty of stories driven by bad news these days, so I was relieved to find the University of Chicago's study, "Job Satisfaction in the United States." The study summed up the careers where workers are reportedly happiest overall, and found that these jobs involve helping others, technical and scientific expertise, or creativity. Here are the 10 occupations where the study found workers to have the greatest job satisfaction and overall happiness. Are you surprised at any of the jobs on the list?

10 Careers With the Happiest Workers

Airline pilots and navigators
Industrial engineers
Miscellaneous mechanical and repairing occupations
Science technicians
Actors and directors

See the five happiest careers when you

How to Move Beyond Your Administrative Assistant Role

SavvySugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:30:22 -0800

There's a reason why the adage "you have to start somewhere" has stuck around. Perhaps it's only mildly comforting to hear when you're in a job-hating state of mind, but the truth is most people have had to work their way into their successful careers. A common job title for recent graduates is administrative assistant, a position with a job description that usually doesn't do it justice. This jack-of-all-trades job has more of a career growth track than it did five years ago, according to a survey of executives, and several experts shared information with The New York Times on how to make the most of an administrative position. See their comments when you

The How-To Lounge: Calling in Sick, When You're Not

DearSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:30:00 -0800

We’re all human, which means there are mornings when we wake up wanting to skirt our responsibilities for the day. I don’t recommend playing hooky on a weekly or even monthly basis, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a mental health day now and then. There are responsible ways to get out of work for 24 hours and then there are completely silly ones. See my tips for the former when you