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An interview with Alison R. Fragale, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, is presented in which she discusses her study on employees' respect for their peers and managers, how hierarchies affect communication, and efficient work groups.

The author discusses changes in team-building exercise strategies in organizations and suggests they are useful for boosting employee engagement when they are tailored to specific corporate cultures, with team-building exercises including cooking classes, fencing, and charity work.

An interview with Sodexo chief operating officer (CEO) Michel Landel about his career is presented.

An interview with Sandra E. Peterson, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the medical division of the firm Bayer Healthcare, is presented, in which she answers questions about the role played by her career path on her ability to do corporate turnarounds, the strategies she used to help the diabetes care division of Bayer and her first connection to Germany.

The article focuses on the move of college graduates and graduate school graduates in the U.S. to start their own business as they are faced with unemployment. It cites the efforts of Andrew Levine, an investment banking graduate in 2008, to start his online networking site called audimated.com while waiting for the financial market to improve. It suggests that young entrepreneurs should seek the necessary help to get started with their business.

The article offers pieces of advice for recently laid-off employees who are considering working for their former employers. It emphasizes the importance of being psychologically and emotionally ready to return to one's former employer. It stresses the importance of determining the impact of taking a contract job on severance benefits. It advises employees to negotiate their duties and fee with the help of an employment lawyer.

An interview with Jonathan Bartolozzi, leader of the relief efforts in Afghanistan of the United Methodist Church's humanitarian aid organization Umcor, is presented. When asked about his upbringing, he explained that his mother is American and his father is Italian and he grew up exposed to international travel. He said that his studies abroad helped him become interested in nonprofit relief work. He started working with Umcor in July 2008.

This article features Nora Cook, an intern of the so-called "recycling police" for the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority in Walnut Creek, California. Cook graduated with business economics degree from California State University East Bay in June 2008. His job involves finding businesses that do not recycle. She educates these businesses about the process and recycling and oversees their progress in recycling. She describes how she landed as an intern for the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority.

An interview with Mark Allen Norell, curator and chairman of paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, is presented. He explains how he became interested in paleontology as a profession. He considers his role as a scientist. He discusses how he obtained a position at the American Museum of Natural History.

The article offers advice for new college graduates on finding a job. It is said that many firms are interested in hiring new college graduates because it is less expensive compared to hiring job seekers with a few years of work experience. New college graduates are advised to be more creative, particularly in writing their resumés. Another recommendation is to attend industry conferences and introduce their selves to more experienced attendees.

The article offers insights to new chief executive officers (CEOs) on plotting a smooth transition when they take the leadership position. According to Thomas Lutz, a senior partner in Boston Consulting Group's consumer and retail practice, new CEOs should personally review monthly cash-flow statements, just as they review profit-and-loss statements. Jim Citrin, a senior director at Spencer Stuart, advises new CEOs to determine three clear themes to focus on and organize efforts around for the near future.

The article offers advice on dealing with the aftermath of layoffs. Mark Phelps, a senior consultant at Development Dimensions International, suggests asking managers to determine the highest priority work at the office. Maren Showkeir, a workplace expert, states that one should form alliances and participate in a team to establish new ways of completing a job with fewer people. She emphasizes the importance of looking for positive things and realizing that one has a choice over morale.

The article discusses mentoring as a strategic approach for young professionals in their career development. Mentoring is allegedly a way for young professionals to adjust to the reality of working in one place for a long period of time and a way to connect with senior managers in the company. The article offers tips on how to find and develop a relationship with a mentor, including taking an inventory of ones' mentoring goals, seeking out a colleague whose skills one admires and considering the potential mentor as a good guide.

The article suggests ways for an employee to recover from a bad performance review. The first suggestion is for a worker to be open to feedback since what is said is meant to help him or her do the job better. Secondly, it is necessary to acknowledge the manager's comments. This is followed by the need to create an action plan like asking the manager exactly what the management would like the worker to improve. Also suggested is the need to schedule for periodic follow-up meetings.

The article discusses the advantages of taking gap year, a year outside the academe between high school graduation and college to give students an opportunity to gain life experience and focus on goals. The maturity and motivation that gappers obtain along with the brief escape from the intense pressure that leave many high schoolers burned out has led many counselors to suggest the idea to achievers and strugglers alike. According to the article, the gap year allows student to be in the real world, do service and approach college more deliberately.

The article tackles different outplacement strategies for employees who were laid-off. They are advised to use the holiday season for networking opportunities. Keith Mullin, chief executive officer of Mullin & Associates Ltd., said that the employees must have a good rapport with their consultant. They are encouraged to support and attend many programs of outplacement firms.

The article provides tips for employees when making a transition to nonprofit management. First, depending on the size, location, and mission of the nonprofit, salaries will typically be less than those of corporate jobs for many midlevel and entry-level jobs, according to Thomas Pollak, program director of the nonprofit National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute. They are also advised to go into the position with realistic expectations of what one can and cannot achieve.

The article explains how belonging to a fellowship can open career opportunities. Kenneth Zeff says that it is not his academic degree nor his years of work experience that landed him the position of chief operating officer of Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools. He asserts that the two prominent fellowships he belonged to in Washington D.C. and San Diego, California were what caught the attention of his employers.

The author reflects on handling sudden career changes, in which according to human-resources consulting company Right Management Chief Executive Officer Doug Matthews, the key step is not to panic. The author suggests several ways in dealing with unpredictable transitions, such as reviewing bills and debt, creating a job search strategy, preparing oneself by working on the job pitch, polishing the resumé and networking.

The article presents several suggestions for those contemplating buyout offers from employers. Those subject to buyout offers must be aware of the leverage that they have according to Paul Gavejian, managing director of Total Compensation Solutions (TCS). According to the author, determining the financial feasibility to know one's needs, knowing how the final amount was arrived at and negotiating for post-separation assistance like a positive referral to a potential employer or a consultancy arrangement with the company should be considered.

The article features Linda Watt, chief operating officer at the Episcopal Church in New York City. Watt had a different career before becoming the chief officer for the Episcopal Church. She was part of the U.S. Foreign Service in Latin America for 29 years and afterwards became a U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic from 1997 to 1999. According to Watt, the job caught her eye in the church newsletter and felt that she was supposed to do it. As of 2008, Watt became in charge of running the day-to-day operations of the church.

The article reports on the use of personality tests by companies in the U.S. as an assessment tool for hiring a person for a particular skill. According to Scott Erker, senior vice president of human resource consultancy Development Dimensions International, companies like Windy City Fieldhouse give this personality test to know if an applicant is fit to do a certain job. As a result of having the right person do the right job, turnover costs are reduced and productivity level is increased.

The article discusses how executives and top performers can deal with job relocation challenges. Key steps in dealing relocation include reaching out in the company, moving with family and rebuilding networks. Director of human resources for Streck Inc. Ray Skiba says communication with manager and other employees helps one to easily integrate and perform well in work or non work related activities. It says that facing stress is better with the support of the family, previous buddies and social groups.

The article offers insights for employees on things to do to position oneself during the transition of company mergers. It suggests employees to talk to the manager and ask him or her about the future direction of the organization. It recommends to research the company that one's company is merging with. It advises to decide whether the new company is the place that meets one's own career needs.

The article discusses the financial disadvantages of working past retirement age in the U.S. According to Buck Consultants principal Chantel Sheaks, a number of older workers could find their Social Security payments reduced and their pension-plan-payout rates at serious risks. When taxable earnings reach $13,560 annually, older workers may face benefit reductions. Democratic Senator Herb Kol of Wisconsin is introducing bills to help make re-entering the work force easier for older workers.

The article focuses on an increasing number of professionals who are crafting a portfolio of careers comprising multiple part-time jobs that are equivalent to a full-time position when combined. It says that the interest in portfolio careers rose because of the disappearance of corporate job stability. It states that portfolio careerists are now easy to reach because technology allows for a more mobile workforce.

The article provides tips on using outplacement services. It is suggested to tell the human-resources manager of an outplacement firm the services a client wanted. It is important to check out the service and try to determine within the first two weeks the tools needed to succeed in the job hunt. It is also recommended to search for the right outplacement firm.