Despite the economic mess, there are still good jobs out there for those of you seeking new careers. This article at Careerbuilder.com by Rachel Zupek lists a number of these and their salaries.

According to Zupek, "The labor force is expected to increase by 12.8 million workers over the 2006 -2016 period, according to the BLS. Total employment is expected to increase by 10 percent to 166.2 million over that period as well, while an estimated 15.6 million jobs will be added by 2016. While that year seems like a long way off today, a certain number of new jobs will be added each year leading up to 2016 - including in 2009."

The number one job on her list is Public Relations Manager - a pretty surprising result, one might think, but justified by the fact that companies are trying to use alternative methods to get themselves out there besides advertising.

Purchasing agent, claims adjuster, human resources specialists, and budget analyst help round out the top five. The salaries range from $72,452 per year for the Public Relations job to $56,924 for the Budget Analyst position.

Computer programmers and those in various IT jobs are still in high demand and show no signs of slowing. Electrical engineers are still in demand as well as writers and editors. Careers in the medical field such as pharmacists are also featured.

So, if you are looking to make that career change, you may want to do your research. While not all jobs listed are going to have numerous openings, one of the jobs listed might be a better shot than others.

Is the stress of your job wearing you out, keeping you away from home and driving you insane? What better time than the new year to make a resolution to try to balance your home life and your work life a bit better?

As author Susan Ward explains, first learn the word "delegate" and then learn how to do it more often. You don't necessarily have to do all of the work yourself. You can become a better employee and a better manager by delegating the work to others.

Ward also suggests that you learn something new. "What you choose to learn may be directly related to your business…or completely unrelated. Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension of interest to your life - another important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become customers, colleagues, or friends."

You should also actually take out your calendar and put time down for yourself. Only by doing that can you give yourself permission to step back from your work and find some time to relax or spend time with your family.

She also suggests that you set goals that are realistic for you and your work or your business. By setting goals that are too unrealistic, you are going to spend more time working and less time feeling accomplished.

There are other suggestions in the article as well. Perhaps by taking them to heart you can learn a better way to work and still save your sanity. Doing that could be the best resolution you can make in the new year.

A good friend or former co-worker has suddenly found himself or herself out of a job. What do you say? It's almost as difficult as speaking to someone who has experienced a death in the family. Eve Tahmincioglu, on MSNBC.com, has an article with some advice from experts.

Some people feel a form of "survivors guilt" when they still have a job but their friends have found themselves suddenly on the unemployment line. At the same time, these people are also very afraid that their own jobs could be cut at any time. This creates a fine line to walk when talking to co-workers and friends.

Psychotherapist Karen Romine has the following advice.

"The main challenge in this situation is that most of us project onto the laid-off person how we'd feel if we were laid off. In most cases, this means we see them as a helpless victim who's in real trouble. The truth is, while it's a setback, it's not nearly as bad as we tend to think."

When dealing with the survivor's guilt, another expert advises you to avoid going "overboard." Try not to extol the virtues of your life and how great things are or then going the other way and laying on thick how bad you think things are.

Simply say "I'm sorry" to the friend who informs you they have lost a job and offer specific support where you can. Try not to offer money and become an ATM to friends who are unemployed, but offering help where you can is fine.

It's not easy to deal with and the emotions of someone unemployed are similar to those who have experience a death. Be cautious, be aware, but try not to be too awkward or self-conscious. Doing so can end up making your friend feel worse.

If you were able to ask your boss for just one thing this Christmas, what would it be? Over at CNN.com, Anthony Balderrama has some interesting ideas.

According to Balderrama, "Given the chance…many employees would ask the boss for simple upgrades in their daily lives. As nice as the corner office would be, signs of respect would be just as appreciated."

One worker, interviewed for the article stated, "If you could actually give me a performance review this year, that would be splendid. And maybe a cost-of-living raise. I haven't gotten either in almost two years now."

Many of those interviewed had some humorous ideas, but just beneath the surface lurk some real issues.

Take, for example, the employee who requested his boss not turn down the heat when it was sub-freezing outside. Or the woman with desires to get pregnant who suggests her boss not talk about how it's so much better to not have kids.

One employee wishes that his or her boss "speak in complete sentences" while another asks for an office that has some sunlight. Finally, another worker asks for soundproofing on the unisex bathroom that is only a few feet away.

So remember, little things can make a big difference.

In the current climate, humor is more important than ever in the working world – in fact injecting a little humor into your work life could be key to keeping yourself sane. And as with just about every other facet of the modern workplace, there's now a book about it: Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher's The Levity Effect: Why It Pays to Lighten Up.

As they explain in the book and in this piece on Monster.com has some important information about being funny in the office, humor can yield tremendous results.

"An excited Kirt Womack of the Thiokol factory in Utah sprinted into his manager's office on the first day of spring and asked if the folks on the factory floor could do something fun -- say, head outside and fly paper airplanes -- if they met their quota two hours early. The manager wrinkled his brow and vetoed the idea. Kirt persisted, 'Well, then, what if we exceed our quota by 50 percent?' Figuring he had nothing to lose, the manager finally gave in.

Later that day, at 1:30, the manager checked on things and found that his employees had reached 110 percent of their quota. By 3 p.m., they'd surpassed 150 percent. The airplanes were launched, laughter rang out and people frolicked (funny word, frolicked)."

It may seem like a silly story, but when you factor in the fact that the promise of fun lead to an increase of 50%, you can see how fun and levity can have a positive effect all the way around.

So, even though the world seems to be doing everything it can to make this time at work a miserable thing, in fact it may be more important than ever to have fun while you work.

For many of us, this year's Christmas bonuses will be simply still to have a job. Some may even be asked – or forced – to accept a pay cut. If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in this situation, this piece on Monster.com has some useful suggestions.

According to author Paul Barada, the first thing you need to do is muster the courage to ask your boss some very important questions. While your instinct may be to sit quietly and accept whatever management sends your way, in this case your career and your livelihood could depend on the answers.

1. How long will it last? Your manager may not have an answer here, but it doesn't hurt to ask anyway.
2. Will the reduction affect your other benefits? Sometimes your salary level can help determine what health insurance benefits or life insurance benefits you qualify for. It can also affect your 401(k) and pension.
3. Is the decrease for everyone across the board or just certain departments? If it turns out that the salary decrease is narrow and focused mostly on your department it may be time to update that resume.
4. How soon will the reduction take affect? This is key as it will help you plan accordingly.

   Barada has a number of other things to keep in mind, but those four questions he suggests should be at the top of your list.

   Whether or not your boss even has answers can help you determine if the pay cut is a temporary issue you can live with or a reason to start looking elsewhere.

Every year your office probably holds some kind of holiday event. Whether it's a formal evening-wear Christmas party at a local restaurant or just an in-office potluck lunch, just about every company does something. The question for most employees is whether or not they actually want to attend.

Well, according to this piece on Families.com, declining to attend can actually hurt your career.

According to a survey author Michele Cheplic cites in the article, only around half of employees attend the office Christmas party. The reason they give is that they don't feel comfortable while at the party. Others suggested that the last thing they'd really want to do is spend more time with people they work with when they could be home with their family.

Cheplic writes, "you may want to consider this: research done by an outplacement consulting organization suggests that if you get an invitation to a company holiday party, you might be doing your career a favor by accepting it. Research shows people who know how to 'work the party room' help boost their career potential by illustrating to their bosses that they are well-rounded individuals."

The office party is also a great time to actually meet face-to-face with management in a casual setting. Getting yourself in front of the right people by using the office holiday party can help advance you up that corporate ladder.

So, when you are sitting in your cubicle or office and wondering if you should accept the invitation to the most recent office holiday celebration consider that it could affect your career more than you think. Is it a chance to shine or is the fear of making a mistake going to prevent you from networking with the right people?

I write a lot about employees who hate their bosses, but it turns out that someone has actually done an academic study about employees and their feelings toward their bosses.

It was carried out at Florida Statue University in 2006 and questioned 700 American workers in a wide array of careers and asked them their opinions about their managers. The study results were published on the FSU website.

Among the results to emerge from the study were the following:

• Thirty-one percent of respondents reported that their supervisor gave them the "silent treatment" in the past year.
• Thirty-seven percent reported that their supervisor failed to give credit when due.
• Thirty-nine percent noted that their supervisor failed to keep promises.
• Twenty-seven percent noted that their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.
• Twenty-four percent reported that their supervisor invaded their privacy.
• Twenty-three percent indicated that their supervisor blames others to cover up mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.

Also, according to those conducting the survey, "Employees stuck in an abusive relationship experienced more exhaustion, job tension, nervousness, depressed mood and mistrust. They also were less likely to take on additional tasks, such as working longer or on weekends, and were generally less satisfied with their job. Also, employees were more likely to leave if involved in an abusive relationship than if dissatisfied with pay."

The study offers a few suggestions for improving things such as staying visible to your boss and trying to keep an optimistic outlook. Finally, the study suggests not taking abuse of any kind lightly, but reporting it whenever possible.

If the internet is any indication the economy has not caused people to like their bosses any better than before. If anything, employees are blaming their managers for the financial crises they find themselves in. So, what do you do if you hate your boss? This article over at Businessknowhow.com has some suggestions.

Author Nancy Halpern's first suggestion is to avoid "pushing your bosses' buttons." She suggests getting to know what your manager's pet peeves are and then avoiding them.

Second, know how your boss prefers to communicate. Does he like to send out e-mails? Is he the type who prefers a face-to-face confrontation? Learn it and then be prepared to talk to him that way.

Third and going along with that, make sure you know their communication style. Is he an in-your-face type or does he prefer to site quietly and communicate softly?

Fourth, try to keep your problems to yourself. Avoid the temptation to spread rumors and complain about your boss to everyone around you.

Fifth, do not expect Human Resources to be on your side. The HR department is there to serve the company and not each individual employee.

Sixth, make sure you document every offense and every issue. This will help serve your case later should things really come to a head.

Seventh, make sure you have what politicians like to call an "exit strategy." Keep your documents in order and make sure your resume is up-to-date. Manage your contacts and keep networking.

Eighth, learn that you can manage your boss as much as they are supposed to be managing you. Your boss does rely on information you give them so you need to be careful what information you give. Also, know your manager's weaknesses and strengths.

There are other tips that Halpern gives, but those are eight key things to keep in mind. By mastering these maybe you can learn to live with the boss you hate at least long enough to find work elsewhere.

There is more to getting hired than just having a great resume. Sometimes it's the way you carry yourself or the way you give off confidence to an employer. Your attitude can be as important as what you've done with your career.

But how do you develop that "hire me" attitude? This piece over at CareerBuilder.com has some great tips.

For example, you should apply to companies that aren't necessarily seeking candidates at the moment. According to author John Smith, if you read the newspapers and read about new companies opening up then you can send them your resume. Your ambition can make you memorable and if they feel you match their needs they might just hire you.

One thing that could set you apart is by actually picking up the phone and calling potential new employers. These days so many people send resumes via e-mail that an actual live voice can make you stand out.

You can tailor your resume for the company for which you are applying. Don't assume your resume is the perfect fit for every situation. Also, construct your resume so that it is easy to read.

Smith has other suggestions as well, many of the culled from experts in hiring and managing employees. They include tips for writing cover letters, and how to conduct yourself during the interview. It's a lot to remember, but if you master just a couple of them you could find yourself hired for that job you really dream about.

When it comes to be rejected, it can be tough to deal with. Whether you are being rejected for a date or rejected for a job, the emotions and feelings can be very similar. So how do you recover from that job rejection when you are certain you've done everything right?

As this piece on Careerbuilder.com explains, the first thing to realize is that it is likely not a personal thing. Companies can potentially interview hundreds of candidates for an open position. At the same time, many companies are required to post and interview for an open position even if they have a candidate in mind. It may not be anything against you, just a matter of numbers.

Second, try to get some feedback on why you didn't get the job. This can be very difficult and many companies may not want to talk to you about it. If you try, however, you might learn something. Just be persistent and keep asking questions.

Third, if you build a network of friends who can support you during these difficult times, they can help you deal with the rejection. Just like when you are in a relationship that goes wrong, your friends and support people can be there to offer advice and get you past the negative feelings.

Rejection is never easy. However, if you try to learn from the times you don't get that job, it can help you land one further down the road. Whatever you do, try not to wallow in the rejection or let the negative feelings overwhelm your entire job search.

Do good-looking people earn more money than average and below average-looking people? You would like to think that it's just hard work and doing your job well that can help you move up the ladder. Sadly, as this article on CareerBuilder.com explains, your looks may have more to do with your job than you realize.

Take this example. A manager told a cosmetic dentist, "[he] wanted his assistant to get veneers, and was even willing to pay for the dental work - as long as the assistant asked for it. He said this was a woman who was really good at her job and he was moving up (within the organization), but he couldn't take her with him because her teeth were so bad. The assistant never came in for the dental work, and [the dentist] said he didn't know what became of her career."

The question is, are pretty people actually better workers? That remains to be seen and studies are being conducted. However, it has been proven that students will give professors with good looks higher marks than those more average or below. At the same time, some experts say that lack of talent will eventually show no matter how good-looking the person is and that will affect their job and their pay at some point.

The sad part is that companies can still discriminate against workers because of looks. Often it is done carefully and other reasons are used, but there really aren't laws on the books for the ugly or less attractive. So, if you want to get noticed, it may pay off to spend a little extra getting that makeover or buying the fancy new clothes.

As the year ends, a lot of workers are looking ahead toward 2009. Many of them are hoping for promotions, perhaps even counting on them. If you're one of those who have wanted to move up the ladder, only to see others move ahead, there may be some good reasons for it, as this piece from Careerbuilder.com points out.

First, consider the fact that you may be a "slacker" at least in the minds of your co-workers and managers. Do you arrive late for work? Do you call in sick a lot, especially when it gets you a three-day weekend? Do you miss a lot of deadlines? These do get noticed.

Second, you may just be doing "fine" but you may not be doing enough to impress. Yes, you get your work done and you get it done mostly on time, but you don't go that extra mile so many managers find impressive.

Third, and similar to the second one, you may not be visible enough. Do you bring out ideas to management during meetings? Do you participate in groups and programs around the office? To be noticed, you have to make yourself noticeable.

Fourth, you may just be a negative person. Do you spend most of your time complaining but little, if any, time providing solutions? Do you make a scene every time something goes wrong, even if it's the tiniest of things? This is not the type of person most companies want in charge.

There are many more suggestions throughout the article. You may find yourself and your method of working in any of them. If so, it may be time to reassess your behavior and start considering some changes.

You hear a lot of managers and companies talking about "building their brand." This means making the company into a kind of icon where the name of the company is associated with the product or service they produce. Think Apple or Google.

But as this article in the Chicago's Tribune points out, you can do much the same thing yourself and build your own "personal brand".

In the piece, author Kyra Kyles describes the job of an employee named Molli Megasko who works for a PR firm. Megasko carries a full load of clients, works late and is also the companies' "social chair" which also happens to be a position she created. She does all of this to stand out from the rest of her co-workers.

Of course, Megasko also warns that this much work can sometimes be viewed as "kissing up" to the upper management. This is a key toward working hard and making yourself a "brand." You need to learn to walk the fine line between making yourself noticed and invaluable and "kissing up."

According to Kyles, "professionals should focus on being 'boundary spanners, or employees who go outside of their departments and corporate comfort zones to bring people together and help the company."

So, stay visible and make yourself appear invaluable. Just be careful that you aren't also seen as a "suck up" or a "brown-noser." Somewhere in the middle will make your job more secure in an economy as fragile as this one.

If you and your boss just are not getting along, it may be that you two are just not compatible. In fact the same sort of terms we often use in connection with dating can also apply to the manager/employee relationship.

, Bridget Quigg and Lydia West from PayScale.com breakdown managers' personalities into four main types:

1. The Performer – an extrovert who thrives on attention and last-minute frantic preparation.
2. The Dreamer – this is the guy or girl who loves coming up with new ideas. At the same time he or she may not be able to put those dreams and ideas into practice.
3. The Cheerleader – whatever you do, this manager-type thinks it's brilliant.
4. The Super Achiever – the type of boss who wants more meetings, more work, more projects and more from everyone.

The article also breaks down the types of employees who would go best with each personality type. For example, for the Dreamer the best compatible employee would be "realists with vision. A boss whose head is in the clouds needs employees who will help them focus their energy on the best of their ideas and develop plans to make those dreams a reality."

So, keep this in mind the next time you feel like strangling your boss. You may just not have matching personalities. This may require a change on both your parts, either within the office by taking a new job or by changing your own expectations.

There is a very fine line to walk at work these days. You want to stand out from the crowd and make sure that your managers know how valuable you are. At the same time, no one likes someone who is a "brown-noser." If you want to avoid getting a bad repatriation among your co-workers, a quick scan of this article in the Chicago Tribune can tel you the sort of behavior to avoid.

• Are you the kind of worker who keeps getting promoted even though you don't have any marketable skills? If your only real talent is self-promotion, you may be a brown-noser.
• Do you fetch coffee for your bosses? When you do, do you make sure everyone around you knows about it?
• Do you take credit for the things people around you do?
• Do you fill up already long and tedious meetings with useless comments and questions?
• Do you gossip about your co-workers or spend a lot of time pointing out the failings of others to anyone who will listen?
• Are you the last person to leave the office even though you have no reason to be working that late? If the only reason you are there is so everyone can see you are the last one to leave, this may be a problem.

If any of these describe your daily working habits, you may not be the dedicated worker you think you are- and your colleagues may be sayig some pretty unflattering things about you behind your back. It may be time to change your ways.

Sometimes it seems like working with the people you spend eight hours every day with is killing you. Maybe your boss is making you angry or a co-worker is annoying you to the point of violence.

Now this isn't good. So if you're beginning to feel overwhelmed by the toxic personalities around you and need some help to deal with them, this is the book for you.

Working with You is Killing Me – Freeing Yourself from Emotional Traps at Work was published a couple of years back, but its strategies for "unhooking" youself from conflict at work are essentially timeless.

According to authors Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster, employees need to learn how to "unhook." They discuss "unhooking" physically which means actually stepping away from a stressful situation for a while. Then there's "unhooking mentally" where an employee carries on an internal dialogue to "talk themselves down off the ledge."

At the same time, employees can "unhook verbally" which means expressing yourself via words to that co-worker who is annoying you so much. Of course, the authors say you need to take the "high road" when doing this so as not to get yourself into trouble. You can also "unhook using a business tool" which the authors define as "any standard procedure or written document used in a business setting." This can be job descriptions or rules for handling situations written in employee handbooks or anything documented.

By keeping these ideas in mind and learning to separate yourself from the situation, you may be able to find solutions to the things that are sapping the life out of you. Given the tough economic times, changing jobs may not be the answer you need, so learning other ways of dealing with the stress may be the best way to go.

Given the economic climate, are workers happy just to have a job? Or are they still as critical of their bosses as they have been in the past? If a recent survey by the company Randstad USA discussed in this article on CityNews is anything to go by, the answer is a resounding "yes."

The company polled 2,300 workers to find out what they thought of their supervisors, their current job, their economic situation and how it was affecting their work. According to their data, over half of the workers feel that their bosses are "incompetent."

In fact, it seems that the litany of blunders on Wall Street and beyond have increased the feeling that those at the top are just not up to the job. Moreover, many workers felt that as companies now turn toward trying to improve their bottom line that they "are feeling ignored or worse, fearing that the decisions being made at the top could threaten their livelihoods."

Only 43% said they felt their managers were open to new ideas and only 47% of the workers said they would even consider working overtime in order to impress their managers. Fewer than 30% of those questioned felt that their managers were doing an adequate job of motivating them to do their job well.

So, even though their jobs may be at risk, employees still feel that their managers are unable to manage them properly. The company who ran the survey even suggest that, as the economy worsens, these feelings may grow, rather than diminish.

If the tough economic times have given you cause to become angry and you feel justified in taking that anger out on your employees, I've dug out a great article for you from the very depths of Google that will help you reach the pinnacle of "bad boss-ness."

"The worst boss: Five ways to claim the title" has some great tips for all those wannabe jerks out there. The first, according to author John Grubbs, is to become the "punisher." Basically, whenever someone does anything wrong, seek out a way to humiliate them and punish them for it rather than talking with them and trying to improve things.

Second, and going hand-in-hand with being the "punisher" is to punish everyone in your department even when it's just a few people doing things wrong. This will save you time in having to actually search and find the people causing the problems.

Third, try to lose control. As Grubbs puts it, be a "poor leadership guru." When you are confronted with your lack of control and leadership, try using anger as your first weapon. Make sure you hide your expectations from your employees as well.

Fourth, try to intimidate your department when things go wrong and forget whatever instructions you may have given just that morning. Make yourself as unclear as possible to make sure your employees are frightened and unsure about their jobs.

Fifth, make sure you ignore the employees on your team who are performing poorly. This goes along with punishing everyone for the mistakes of the few. Make sure you reward the poor performers with bonuses and the choice assignments as well.

So, if the economy or life in general has you down, you can achieve success by channeling that negative energy into negative management. Or, you can try to avoid those things and maybe turn the entire path of your department around. The choice is yours.

These days, it seems that many business meetings take place over lunch. But mixing eating and working can be a risky affair that, at the very least, can destroy your diet.

Happily, this article from Men's Fitness Magazine is on hand to help you avoid indigestion and survive your next business eating session.

First, always grab breakfast. This will help you control your appetite come lunch time. You will eat less, rescue your diet, improve your health, and reduce the cost of the meal by ordering something smaller.

Second, check the restaurant menu online before you head out. Most meal mistakes happen when you feel rushed or are not prepared. Do a little "strategizing" and you can get through it.

Third, if you eat a salad you can add bulk to your stomach. This fills you up, but doesn't pile on calories. It can also help you not appear like a ravenous pig when eating your main course.

Fourth, avoid the "liquid calories." This is especially true when you are dealing with alcohol. Nothing adds fat and lowers inhibitions more than booze. If you want to maintain your health plus your mental acuity, try sticking with water.

The most important thing to remember is to keep the business lunch about what it is intended to be about – business. The focus should not be on what you are eating, or what anyone else is eating. By planning ahead, focusing on the situation at hand, you can eat smart and still get work done.