The economy is shaky -- and it may feel like your job is, too. Whether you're already job hunting or believe you may need to soon, there are steps you can take to make yourself more attractive to potential employers. Here are eight tips from the experts on increasing your marketability: Use Your Name as Your Brand, Especially in Email Don't ...

Question: How many social workers does it take to change a lightbulb? Answer: I'll do it, but I have 172 other lightbulbs to change first. Alternate answer: One hundred -- one to change the light bulb and 99 to handle the paperwork. These are social worker jokes. But if you're a social worker, you know they hold an element of truth, ...

While it is no surprise that minorities are underrepresented across all industries, many companies are courting diverse individuals because they have learned that it is good for business. Research from a Sullivan Commision on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce has shown that when there are more minority doctors and nurses, the quality of healthcare for minority groups in general increases. Diversity ...

The role of "patient advocate" is new and evolving. As the importance of patients' rights gains momentum, a group of healthcare professionals has banded together to stand up for the best interests of their patients. Because patient advocates are a new career path, many healthcare professionals declare themselves "patient advocates" after extensive experience in the fields. However, degree programs focusing on ...

Had enough of the winter blues? We have too. So we looked for ways to lift our spirits, as we "spring forward" to warmer days. What we found is that sometimes, the tiniest changes can have a huge impact on overall happiness. Here are twenty ideas to help you go from grumpy to giddy. 1) Make Your Bed Every Morning ...

When you start a new job, human nature is to focus on the surface of things: the photocopied vision statement included in your orientation package, how your peers dress and the date HR designates for your first performance appraisal. But if you’re going to use this job to further your career goals - or even if you just want to last ...

If you’ve been laid off recently or think you might lose your job in the near future, you need to respond strategically and massively. The hard reality about layoffs, though, is that how you respond may depend on your financial and emotional state. You may have predicted this event and prepared for it, or you may view the layoff as a ...

The dawn of a new year can be depressing if you focus on all the things you could or should have done the last 12 months. But if you look to the future, you can turn things around, especially if just starting your post-college career. How? By making a few career-related New Year's resolutions and committing yourself to achieving them in ...

A new year, new habits, new financial pressures -- 2010 is shaping up to be a year of opportunity, uncertainty, optimism and change. However change doesn’t only have to be negative. Change can be very positive, and balancing work and personal life is key to positive attitude and your happiness. Keeping an open mind and an optimistic heart will go a ...

The first year on the job is often the toughest for new nursing graduates, especially those who work in hospitals. In fact, new nurse graduates account for more than half of the turnover rate in some hospitals, according to a study published in 2007 by Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing researchers. “There really are multiple reasons for [the first-year ...

You're at work, finishing up an assignment at your desk, when the phone rings. It's your 81-year-old widowed mother's neighbor calling to tell you your mom has been hospitalized with a suspected stroke. She'll be OK in the long run, you learn, but she's going to be laid up for some time and won't be able to meet her own basic ...

With the various corporate scandals of recent years, we've seen plenty of headlines about whistleblowers in the business world. Now, the nursing industry is bringing us its own front-page cases that could see more medical watchdogs come to the fore. Legal experts say the number of whistleblower cases in the healthcare field has been on the rise since 1999, when the ...

Sometimes, a person will lose their job through no fault of their own. The whims of a psychotic boss, an economy in shambles, or a simple misunderstanding can have an otherwise satisfactory employee packing up his or her cubicle. Other times, a person will lose their job because they have done something so incredibly foolish, you wonder how they ever ...

Best-selling author and entrepreneur Keith Ferrazzi offers six secrets to help you get ahead and stay ahead when it comes to your career. It's more than just a great resume and flawless cover letter. Landing your dream job or scoring a big promotion means going the extra mile, utilizing the skills you have, and striving to learn something new every day. ...

A number of provisions to help the unemployed are included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and here’s a list of some of the major benefits. Offerings vary greatly by state, so check with your local unemployment office to find out what exactly is available to you. Increased Unemployment Benefits The ARRA funds a new temporary Federal Additional Compensation ...

It’s a busy Monday afternoon in your Emergency Department. All of the beds are full and you have several people waiting to be seen in the waiting area. As you look about the department, you notice the energy of your team throughout the department. After a stressful day of multiple codes and a heavy volume throughout your department, it feels like ...

Despite the nursing shortage, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Washington, has no problem attracting a steady steam of job candidates. “We’ve never offered nurses a sign-on bonus,” says Kathy Franz, the hospital’s director of human resources. “Sign-on bonuses typically keep nurses in their jobs for two years. Our goal is to attract candidates who want to work here for other ...

Those who succeed in health care and gain the most fulfillment from it will start their careers with certain qualities. Do you have what it takes to be a great health care professional? See Quality #2 [page] 2. Emotional Stability A great health care professional is very stable emotionally. Health care can be a stressful career and professionals can encounter ...

Many employees feel they’re underpaid for the work they do, yet they wait until their yearly performance review to negotiate a higher salary. But if you wait until then, you’ll be too late. You need to prepare year-round for that discussion. The following steps can help make sure you’re in position for a raise when review time comes around. First: Define ...

Work isn’t perfect, right? But if you are lucky enough to have a job right now it pays to remember that millions and millions of Americans don’t think you have a thing to complain about. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation’s unemployment rate is hovering around 10%. Even more troubling, The New York Times reports that ...