Asking for a Raise: How to Approach Your Boss
 When I learned that someone I know asked his boss for a raise by explaining that he had a large mortgage on his house and a lot of other bills to pay, I cringed. I can't stress enough how that was absolutely the wrong approach to take. Your mortgage and your bills aren't your boss's concern and you should not bring that up when you are negotiating your salary. It's not about needing or wanting a raise. It's about deserving one because of what you are contributing to your employer's bottom line. You earn your salary, your employer doesn't give it to you. Your salary should be based on what you do for the company and what you bring to the table.
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Thinking of Becoming a Spy?
 Last month my family and I visited the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. If you're ever in the DC area, I recommend you go. It was a fun and educational way to spend a few hours. Interesting facts about spying were displayed on panels in the museum 's lobby. The one that jumped out at me, of course, had to do with careers. It stated that prior to September 11, 2001, an average of 110 people per day applied for jobs with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Six days after that terrible day, on September 17, 1,100 people applied to the CIA. That is an incredible increase, but I was just astounded to see the original figure of 110 applicants. It got me thinking about spying careers.
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The Five (Difficult) People You Meet at Work
Have you ever worked with someone who plants himself in front of your desk and doesn't leave? This co-worker talks nonstop without seeming to take a breath. I like to ...Read Full Post
Weekly Career Profile: Speech Therapist
 Speech therapists, also called speech pathologists and speech-language pathologists, diagnose and treat people who have speech-related disorders including the inability to produce certain sounds, voice disorders and fluency and speech rhythm difficulties. They also work with clients who wish to modify accents. In order to become a speech pathologist, one must earn a master's degree in speech-language pathology.
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Verbal Tics
As I waited on line at the deli this afternoon I counted the number of times the high school student ahead of me said the word "like." "Do you like have potato salad? How much does it like cost? Can I have like $2 worth?" Just a few days earlier, as my husband, teenage daughter and I were driving around town, he cracked a joke about two teen girls who were crossing the street in front of us: "How many times do you think they are saying the word like?" he asked us. I thought it was funny. Our daughter didn't quite get the humor. I can only guess why that might be.
We all are guilty of "verbal tics." Some of us use the word "like" excessively, while others (I'm guilty of this one) say "um" to fill the empty space as we try to come up with the next thing to say. Then there are those who say "you know" at the end of every sentence. I called a small business the other day and the owner's message went something like this: "You've reached the XYZ Company? I'm not here right now? If you leave your name and number, I'll can you back?" Why all the questions? Was she unsure of her company's name, whether or not she was there, and if she would call me back? I've been noticing this particular verbal tic—making every statement sound like a question—for the past few years.
The way we speak says a lot about us. Using the word "like," for example, makes me think I'm talking to a teenager ... in the mid-1980s ... in the Valley. I try to keep myself from saying "um." I think it makes me sound like I don't know what to say next, when I'm really just trying to find the best way to say it. It's better for there to be a microsecond of silence while I collect my thoughts. And as for turning every sentence into a question, unfortunately it makes the speaker sound less than confident of what they are saying.
Do you have any verbal tics? Please share them by commenting below.
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