AOL Jobs

How to Write a Better Business Letter

Joyce Hanson — 2010-11-03T06:33:00+00:00

Jane Curry and Diana Young -- two Ph.D.s from Chicago who, for the last 20 years, have taught businesspeople how to write -- understand that most folks don't love to write. That's why they've penned their book 'Be a Brilliant Business Writer: Write Well, Write Fast and Whip the Competition.'

Bosses Day: How to Write a Thank You to the Boss

Joyce Hanson — 2010-10-14T23:22:00+00:00

Getty

Writing a thank-you note is a great way to celebrate Bosses Day. (The holiday is usually Oct. 16, but when the day falls on a Saturday, as it does this year, Bosses Day is observed on Friday, Oct. 15.) Your boss will enjoy receiving a written recognition of the day, whether your working relationship is cordially formal, casually friendly or nervously wary. And you will rest secure in the knowledge that you did the right thing by letting your boss know you appreciate him or her.

Next: What is Bosses Day? >>

Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-09-30T05:32:00+00:00

From Boston to Seattle and many cities in between, industries of all kinds are looking to hire talented mechanical engineers. For people just starting their careers, mechanical engineering is a good place to begin because it is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. And once you've earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and have some experience under your belt, you can apply your skills and training to other engineering specialties.

Data Entry Specialist Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-09-28T06:00:00+00:00

Becoming a data entry specialist may not exactly be the dream job you've always hoped for, but there are some very good reasons why you may want to consider this position while you are looking for that dream job, going to school or simply supplementing your family's income.

Here's why: data entry specialists work in pleasant surroundings, either in an office setting or at home. There's opportunity out there, and jobs are always opening up. You don't need any degrees to get started. Once you're in the field, you can get specialized training in a more technical occupation. You can be trained while earning a salary. And the pay's not bad.

Financial Analyst Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-09-24T06:00:00+00:00

The thing that sets financial analysts apart from most people is their mathematical aptitude and a willingness to take certification exams and earn post-graduate academic degrees while they work long hours on the job.

It's not easy, and it's not a job for everyone. But for those who love an intellectual challenge, a career as a financial analyst can be extremely satisfying. Not only does it bring professional rewards, it also offers highly competitive salaries. In May 2008, the average yearly wages of financial analysts were $84,780, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics -- and that's before you get your bonus.

Receptionist Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-09-23T06:00:00+00:00

When you're employed as a receptionist, you're the face of the company you're working for, and what you say and do creates the first impression many people will have when they make contact with your employer.

Driver Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-09-16T06:00:00+00:00

If you know how to drive, have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record -- and you're looking for a job -- you may want to research the possibility of becoming a professional driver. What kind of driver? There are many directions to steer toward: taxi, limo, bus, delivery van or truck driving are all viable options.

As you consider your options, think about what matches your likes, dislikes and personality. Do you prefer long drives or short ones? Highway or street driving? Would you prefer to offer transport to the public or travel solo? And would you rather be self-employed or work for a company?

Entry Level Electrical Engineer Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-08-22T10:39:00+00:00

Electronics. If that word gets your blood pumping with excitement -- and if you're a good student in math and science -- you may want to consider a career as an electrical engineer. After earning a bachelor's degree from an engineering school, you'll work with the technology of electricity and use your knowledge to research, develop and operate electrical systems.

Four Career Resources for Freelance Workers

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-27T04:47:00+00:00

You're a freelancer. You have perseverance, get-up-and-go and an independent ability to get the job done. And the better you are as a freelancer -- whether you're a writer, designer, programmer, producer or all-around task monkey -- the more you have in common with a small business, with all its joys, victories and headaches.

Successful small businesses are run by disciplined, patient people with a talent for adapting quickly to change. The same is true for freelancers, because to be successful you need to cover all the operations that a business does. In other words, you must function as your own accounts payable, human resources, administration and marketing departments.

The Street Performer's Art: How to Get Started as a Busker

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-19T10:02:00+00:00

When James Muschler is seriously engaged in creating an artistic piece of music, he has been known to compose 40-minute-long pieces simulating 4 billion years of Earth's history based on biological fossil records. But sometimes, he just needs to pay the rent. That's when Muschler, a 20-year-old drummer, composer and New School music student, hits the streets of New York to play jazz or drum-and-bass with his friends in Washington Square Park.

Assistant Physical Therapist Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-13T20:04:00+00:00

The U.S. health-care industry is growing in leaps and bounds these days. In fact, it's one of the few sectors of the economy that keeps reliably expanding, and employment for assistant physical therapists is projected to grow much faster than the nation's average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Sales Associate/Retail Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-13T20:00:00+00:00

A long and satisfying career in the retail sector usually starts small. You may be a cashier for a local shop in your town or a sales clerk in a nearby shopping mall. However you get your foot in the door, you can be sure that first years working as retail sales associates will be an eye-opening experience that can be both fun and demanding. There are good employment opportunities in retail sales because the turnover rate is high, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

How to Deal with a Hostile Work Environment

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-13T08:57:00+00:00

Anyone who has has held a few jobs knows what a hostile work environment feels like. It goes like this: the angry co-worker who sits next to you, or a group of glass-half-empty naysayers, or, worse, your naturally moody and suspicious boss, has made you dread coming into work in the morning.

At first, you think you can ignore it, but after awhile the daily negativity gets under your skin. As much as you want to keep your professional relations cordial, difficult people have a way of making a bad work situation feel personal -- and like it's all your fault.

Blog Your Way to a New Job: How to Use a Personal Blog as a Career Stepping Stone

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-03T18:34:00+00:00

There are as many ways to find your next job by blogging as there are blogs. So when it comes to blogging your way to a new job, the tried-and-true rules apply: write what you know about, follow your bliss and make honest connections.

CIA Jobs: 5 Positions Working with America's Most Clandestine Organization

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-02T13:32:00+00:00

Heads up, Mission:Impossible and Bourne Supremacy fans. You, too, can enjoy an exciting career with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. That's right. While it is indeed America's most clandestine organization, the CIA needs talented people to help accomplish its missions impossible, intriguing and exotically interesting. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to join a team of diverse individuals for the important job of keeping America safe.

Entry-Level Software Engineer Job Description

Joyce Hanson — 2010-07-01T23:15:00+00:00

Jobs are being created daily due to the explosive growth of digital technologies, and companies everywhere are hiring software engineers to meet the growing demand for new computer software systems.

Snagging an entry-level job is the right place to start for a rewarding career as a software engineer. The best way - if not the only way - to get such a job is to earn a bachelor's degree in engineering, which is required for just about all entry-level engineering jobs.

Five Little Known Facts About Employment Age Discrimination

Joyce Hanson — 2010-06-30T15:19:00+00:00

It's a tough job market out there. There are fewer "buyers" (employers) and more "sellers" (job seekers), and that means employers these days are being pretty darn picky and choosy about who they're going to hire. What that also means is that older people in the job market are having a harder time of it. Have you ever been told by a potential employer that you were "too experienced" or "over-qualified" for the job they were looking to fill? Those are code words for: "You're too old. Go away."

Four Arguments For Raising the National Minimum Wage

Joyce Hanson — 2010-06-30T05:59:00+00:00

Think you could live indefinitely on a job that pays $7.25 an hour? That's the national minimum wage set by the Fair Labor Standards Act as of July 24, 2009. If you add up the numbers, 50 weeks of 40-hour workweeks at the minimum wage comes to a total of $14,500 a year -- well below the U.S. poverty level of $22,050 for a family of four, and just about even for a household of two. In other words, the minimum wage is a far cry from being a living wage, which is why advocates for low-income workers are pushing for higher wages all over the country.

Employment 411: What Is Age Discrimination?

Joyce Hanson — 2010-06-21T12:26:00+00:00

Like racism, age discrimination comes from stereotypical thinking that's not based on fact and involves broad generalizations about people without knowing much about them as individuals. Ageism is also fear-based: young people may see a gray-haired senior stepping carefully down the sidewalk, and they're seeing their future self (if they're lucky enough to live that long) and worrying whether their old age will be difficult.

In the workplace, age discrimination can be hard to define or pinpoint because it's subtle. It may be something as simple as not being invited along for drinks after work. Or it may be something as serious as being passed over for a promotion and watching as the job you wanted goes to a less qualified junior.

3 Federal Employment Laws That You Should Be Aware Of

Joyce Hanson — 2010-06-17T18:54:00+00:00

Many of the employee rights we take for granted in the modern workplace came from workers' protests dating back to the 19th century and the early days of our industrialized economy. Just read Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, and you'll get a fair idea of what workers were up against: children as well as adults slaved away for more than 16 hours a day, slept in work houses on factory property, were fed barely enough to keep them going, and holidays were unheard of.