A restaurant offering locally grown produce, a holistic health and supplement shop, a green cleaning service, a pottery gallery–all examples of entrepreneurial ventures in the West Michigan area. But starting a business requires time, research, and money, and if...
Recent Career Articles
Women are Going Back to School: A Second Chance at a Second Career
In 2006, when Beth Poe's youngest daughter started kindergarten full-time, she decided to go to school too, go back, that is. She enrolled in a nursing program at Kalamazoo Community College and picked up where she left off in 1986. "I decided I wanted to finish what...
Ingredients for a Multigenerational Office
Salad ingredients sprinkle the lunch counter in many offices each afternoon. But have you ever thought about how that salad represents the workplace? The office is a salad bowl of different backgrounds, viewpoints and ages. Taking a workplace of multigenerational...
Establishing a Business Begins with Goals
According to Nell Merlino, author of Stepping Out of Line and founder of Take Your Daughter to Work Day, the average woman is earning less than $50,000 annually. Setting proper goals is the first step in reaching earning potential for women, and writing down those...
How to Ask for a Raise
Asking employers for a raise can be an intimidating and sometimes touchy subject, especially for women, says Communications Professor Danielle Leek. When considering asking for a raise, be thoughtful and patient, this conversation takes practice. Before you consider...
Public Speaking for More than Money
Most of the time, getting paid means cold, hard cash. But there are some forms of compensation that may be more beneficial than Benjamins, especially for public speakers. In a survey by the National Speaker's Association, 81.1 percent of public speakers said they...
Re-Launch Your Career
If you've taken a break from the working world to start a family, getting back into it can be daunting. With confidence, however, you can launch yourself, and your career, right back into the game. Follow these steps to achieve your goals in the work force: Make your...
Employer-Employee Communciation is Essential
Maintaining a good employer-employee relationships is professionally necessary and can promote a positive attitude in the work place. But to communicate effectively with employers, employees should be well-prepared emotionally in order to project the desired outcome...
5 Body Language Tips to Help Grow Your Sales
As sales people (or in any career for that matter), it’s important to think about how your shake your client’s hand, whether you cross your arms when you’re talking, whether you’re smiling while talking on the phone, etc. All of these actions project positive...
There is No “I” in Team
When was the last time you and your teammates got out of the office, had some fun, and really thought outside the box? When was the last time you asked yourself why you did something the way you do it? Or, how often do you evaluate what is working and what isn’t...