I recently read that Proofpoint, an email security company, conducted a survey of 220 U.S. companies with over 1000 employees. 38% of them report that they employ people whose job it is to read or otherwise analyze the content of outgoing email. These firms explain their actions as a result of concern with the potential of sensitive information being disseminated. You don’t have to be involved in corporate espionage, however, to be adversely affected. Another study conducted by the ePolicy Institute in collaboration with the American Management Association on workplace e-mails found 25% of those employers surveyed have fired an employee for violating e-mail policy.

You may be thinking:

• This will never happen to me
• I spend so much time at work that the company owes me the chance to check some personal “to-do’s” off the list
• Everybody else is doing it so I can too

While you may feel safe, you probably aren’t.

Consider the plight of Heidi Arace and Norma Yetsko who were fired from PNC Bank for forwarding joke emails. When CBS News covered their story back in 2004, a judge had dismissed their wrongful termination suit against the back and they were appealing the dismissal; I was not able to find any updated but my guess is that they weren’t successful.

Below are some rules for staying out of trouble when using your work computer:

• Be sure you know your company’s policies and stay within the rules.

• Remember you have no reasonable expectation of privacy – the email you send and receive, the IMs you casually exchange and the urls you visit are all fair game for your employer

• IP addresses are traceable to the individual computer so posting gripes about your boss or complaints about your company are not as anonymous as you might think

• Don’t give your work email address to friends who might embarrass you by sending you inappropriate email

• If you must send an occasional non-work related message, do it from your personal email account.

Readers, have you had any difficult situations related to your use of technology at work? Do you have any other suggestions to offer?

TAGS: email, IM, LinkedIn, office policy, using technology

More than a third of all marriages in the United States end – not with a divorce – but with the death of a spouse. In the midst of huge emotional trauma, often one of the greatest challenges is handling all the finances.

Being widowed is something none of us ever want to think about.  But with 55 and a few months being the average age of widowhood in this country - we all need some kind of a financial plan, something that can take care of the family’s daily needs when it comes to affording the dollars and cents of life – which goes on – even as you’re dealing with this loss.

Not planning for death can make things much more difficult on the surviving spouse.  That’s why couples must have a contingency plan – meaning having a will, a trust if necessary, power of attorney, health care directives and so forth – discussed, drawn up and signed.  It’s so important because if the unexpected happens – the surviving spouse will know where to go, who to talk to and what decisions need to be made.

If the head of the household dies, the surviving spouse must assume an often unfamiliar role of managing the finances.  An important thing to keep in mind:  don’t make any rash financial decisions.  Take time out for the first month or so following your loss.  After that, it’s critical to form a team of tusted advisors which should include an attorney, accountant, trust officer and insurance agent.

The next step is to revise your estate plan.  Make a list of who you want to name as beneficiaries in your will.  If you’re recently widowed, many of your assets will still be in the name of your late spouse.  So make sure you re-title the ownership on all important documents.

Be sure there are no gaps in your health, life and long-term care insurance coverage.  Contact your spouse’s employer for any benefits owned to you – such as pension income, life and health insuranc coverage.  And if you’re employed, don’t forget to contact your own employer to see what new benefits are available to you.

And finally, be sure to contact the Social Security Administration.  A widow is entitled to half of her late husband’s benefits as long as she doesn’t remarry before age 60.

Here’s to your health and wealth.

TAGS: beneficiaries, estate planning, financial team of experts, Health insurance, long term care insurance, Social Security Administration, Widowhood

I love this story.  Julie Craig of Newberg, Oregon was shopping at her local Safeway and when she went to check out realized her wallet was missing from her purse.  How many times have we all left our purses unattended in the shopping cart?  But in Julie’s case she kept her purse on her shoulder, but it was unzipped.  Within minutes of having her wallet lifted the thieves had charged hundreds of dollars on her credit cards — two shopping carts filled with groceries. 

Julie was not going to be a victim.  She went to the management of Safeway, got the surveillance tapes for the period she was in the store and had her local television station broadcast the tapes.  Within a few days the thieves were under arrest.  Why do I love this?  Because Julie wouldn’t allow herself to be a victim.  She took action to ensure those who had taken advantage of her and stolen her identity would be caught.  On The Thin Pink Line we often talk about being an advocate for yourself and this is a good lesson in how to do it.    I didn’t even know you could ask to see the surveillance tapes.  Lessons learned here include:

• Don’t expect the authorities to resolve your problems.  With a little extra effort you might be able to do it yourself. 
• Be ever-vigilant about your money.  This includes what’s in your wallet, bank account, or portfolio.  Don’t just turn the latter over to someone to watch for you.  No one will keep better track of your money than you will yourself.
• Don’t be a victim.  Victims are those who allow others to take advantage of or abuse them.  When you don’t advocate for yourself you give the victimizer permission to victimize you.

TAGS: Identity theft, taking charge

This guest post is by Sandra Naiman, author of The High Achiever’s Secret Codebook: The Unwritten Rules for Success at Work.

At best, looking for a job can feel like a roller coaster ride. For many people, the longer they search, the more they get discouraged. This is especially true in a flailing economy where there’s more competition for fewer jobs.

So how does a job seeker remain positive throughout the job hunt? While this certainly is a challenging time, there are steps that can help people stay upbeat:

1. Engage in activities that make you feel good about yourself. Identify the skills and aptitudes that make you good at your work and also make a list of what you like about yourself, such as sense of humor or empathy. Then find a way to demonstrate those skills and characteristics. For example, if you are good at planning, organize the book drive at your child’s school. If you pride yourself for your ability to put people at ease, volunteer to work in the waiting room for families of surgery patients.

2. Achieve tangible results. Many job search related activities do not provide an immediate tangible outcome. To maintain a sense of control, do something every day that does afford concrete results. It can be as simple as cleaning out a closet, organizing the garage or waxing the car. It can also be related to volunteer or family activities, such as writing a neighborhood watch newsletter or making cookies with the kids. Make sure, that at the end of each day, you can point to something you accomplished.

3. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Identify those people who have confidence in you and build your own confidence in yourself. Avoid the people who always see the glass as half empty or those who drain your energy.

4. Keep promises to yourself. Now is a good time to end a bad habit, take a class that you’ve wanted to pursue, or learn a new skill.

5. Reward yourself. At the end of each day, chronicle the things you did well and reward yourself with a good book, a soak in the tub, or some other activity that says to you “job well done.” As far as job searching goes, pride yourself on the things you accomplished that day, rather than waiting for results before you celebrate what you’ve done. The latter usually doesn’t come as quickly as you would wish.

6. Follow a healthy routine. Eat well, exercise and take good care of your body.

7. Allow yourself some down time. You can’t be up and optimistic all the time, so give yourself permission to have a bad day. If you diligently follow the above suggestions, you can count on tomorrow to be better.

This post originally appeared on the Lindsey Pollak Career Blog.

TAGS: Books, career advice, Job hunting

According to travel website Expedia’s ninth annual Vacation Deprivation Survey, an estimated 49.4 million Americans –34% of employed U.S. adults — did not use all their vacation days in 2009.  That’s up from 31% in 2008 and, except for Japan, the worst of the countries (Austria, Australia, Canada, Great Britain,  France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand,  Spain and the United States) surveyed.  Read the full survey here.

No doubt, people these days are stretched to do more and more with less support. Some think they can’t take time off because they are too busy. Others think of themselves as indispensable.

Hopefully, if you were “vacation deprived” in 2008, you’ll be taking time off this year. It’s important for your physical health to rest and recharge and it’s essential for your emotional health. And it’s not as hard as you might think − with some planning, not only will you be able to get away, but you will also be able to enjoy your time away from the office.

Some ideas:

• Give yourself an artificial departure date.
  Plan to wrap up whatever work you need to finish the day before you leave so that you will have that final day to wrap up any loose ends in a leisurely fashion. It’s a lot harder to begin to relax if you begin your vacation in a frenzy.

• Negotiate coverage.
  Don’t try to go it alone and don’t assume that others will automatically step up, proactively ask your colleagues to handle tasks that can’t wait until you get back. Be specific about what you’d like them to do for you as well as how you’d like them to do it. Offer to do the same for them when they are out on vacation.

• Step away from the blackberry.
  Make a decision about whether you’ll check your email at all, and if you can’t go cold turkey or feel that not peeking at your messages would cause you more stress than checking them, decide how you’ll handle things. Will you respond to only important messages? Only those that are urgent? Will you instead forward these to colleagues (see #2 above)?

• Prepay your credit card before you leave.
  That way, you won’t be facing a big bill when you get back.

• Accept the fact that when you go back to the office, despite your planning, you’ll probably still be underwater.
  Hold onto that vacation feeling for as long as possible by taking a deep breath and thinking back to the highlights of your time off.

TAGS: LinkedIn, reducing stress, vacation

We either toss them out or put them in a “to read” stack that never gets touched. 

I’m talking about those bulk mail, bar code addressed, multi-folded, innocuous-looking pieces of correspondence  from your bank.  My bank highlights these flyer-like items with a bright red stripe above which is typed:  “Important change in terms notice enclosed – please read”.

Do you know what not reading those “important change in terms” from your bank can cost you? 

I always open them.  I usually scan the topic of the notice that’s across the top in bold capitol letters and then put it in my ever growing “to-do” file to (eventually) read on some flight somewhere when I have time to take the few minutes to actually read all the fine print.

I opened the most recent one.  I scanned the topic:  “Important notice regarding changes to your account and your right to cancel your account”.  The words changes to your account got my attention.  Instead of filing it – I  immediately sat down and read the 6 narrow, printed panels of mostly miniscule font because the words changes to your account have new meaning these days as banks and other financial institutions are trying to make money and fatten badly depleted bottom lines.

The single-spaced fine print  first paragraph of the notice said there would be changes to my account in response to market conditions, new federal laws and regulations, and our increasing costs.  OK.  If the bank is openly declaring it’s going to charge me more for services (in order to cover their costs) – I need to know the specifics.  So do you.

I read on.  My notice switched to tiny font bold to make it clear(er):  “Please read below about your right to choose not to accept certain changes by cancelling your account.”  Did you know that?  You can say “yes” to the bank’s new rules or say “no” and close your account.  Somehow I didn’t feel like I’d been given a choice – as much as the lesser of two evils. 

These days, it’s about really reading the fine print.

A somewhat pleasant surprise from my other credit card company regarding “important account price change notification”.   First it was in absolutely readable font size.  The notice was to inform me that they were :

•  raising the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on cash advances (to the prime rate plus 21.99%)
• raising the APR on any balances that have a penalty rate because of a late payment (to 27.24%) and
• increasing the late fee (to $19 for previous balances of less than $250 and to $39 if the previous balance is $250 or more)

The somewhat pleasant surprise in the notice – a giveback!  Well, at least it made me feel a little love from my plastic:  “We are pleased to let you know that we will not charge you a fee if you go over your credit limit.”

That’s not really a gift or giveback, I know.  Credit card issuers are making changes to accommodate the fact that people are accessing and needing money in different ways these days.  Dropping one of the  many  fees they charge us isn’t as much the point to me as that they added a basic but often forgotten reminder:  “Don’t forget, it’s still important to keep your balance under your credit limit.” 

I consider that, the somewhat ”pleasant surprise”.  Lenders in a recession recovery environment acting in the spirit of educating customers.

Here’s to your health and wealth!

TAGS: APR, bank change notifications, Bank notices

Pamela wrote asking how to handle feedback that comes from a coach or mentor.  She said she her coach made some comments that were “distressing” yet she felt he might have been projecting some of his own issues onto her.  She doesn’t want to be defensive and is open to feedback, but he gave her no examples of how he arrived at his observations and she’s not sure how to respond. 

Coaches, mentors, and managers are only human and sometimes their own unresolved issues do interfere with their objectivity.  But if they’re self-aware, they will recognize this and seek additional input to validate their observations.  Here are some tips for handling feedback — regardless of where it comes from:

• Listen with an open mind.   Sometimes the first time we hear something about ourselves that we’ve never heard before creates disonance between our long-held self-perceptions and the perceptions of others.  It’s difficult to assimilate and really take in.  Be open-minded about the fact that the feedback just might have some validity. 
• Don’t rebut the feedback, but do ask for clarification and examples.  You can non-defensively ask the person giving you the feedback if they can give you an example of when they’ve observed a particular behavior.  For example, “I’m not disagreeing with you, but it would be helpful if you could provide me with an example so I can better understand what you’re talking about or in what situations I’ve exhibited the behavior.”
• Ask for validation from those close to you.  Check with friends and family to see if they’ve observed you exhibit any of the behaviors about which you’ve been given feedback. 
• Work with your H.R. department or a coach to collect 360 degree feedback.  When done properly and anonymously, this is an invaluable way to see yourself as others see you. 
• If three people say you’re drunk, lie down.  It’s a phrase we use in coaching — it means if you’re getting similar feedback from a variety of sources then you need to take it to heart and act on it. 
• Thank the person, think about it, and see if it fits.  If it’s a one off comment that you’ve never heard before and no one can validate, consider it one person’s opinion.  All feedback is valuable but some comments are simply outliers — not true of you most of the time.  It may be important to be aware of it, but there’s no need to beat yourself up over it.  

TAGS: Coaches, Coaching, Getting feedback, responding to feedback

Thinking about an MBA?

The Forté Foundation, one of my favorite organizations, invites women to attend a Forté Forum event to learn, network and discover what an MBA can do for future career success. Forums are held in September and October in cities throughout the U.S. Meet with admissions representatives from over 35 top business schools across the country and talk to GMAT test-preparation companies. Learn from the experiences of MBA alumnae and current employees at prestigious companies.

Admission is $10. For a schedule of dates and locations, and to register, visit www.fortefoundation.org/forum.

TAGS: business school, Forte Foundation

William Shakespeare wrote many wonderful lines – okay, I’ll admit my favorite is not, “Let’s kill all the lawyers. “  His insights regarding the human condition  remain relevant even today.   “Neither a borrower nor A lender be.” (from Hamlet) is top-notch advice.

How many times have you heard about, or perhaps even personally experienced, fallout from a loan gone bad? (Think Judge Judy!) It’s one thing to lend $20 to a friend who’s short of cash, it’s another to help when the number is bigger. And being on the borrowing end can be equally awkward. Yes, indeed, it is far better to avoid a potentially troublesome situation altogether. Yet sometimes, we want to help a friend or family member or are in a situation where asking for a loan is the only choice we have.

So, if money is going to pass hands, what can you do to protect the relationship?

Take a deep breath and candidly discuss the details.

If you are the lender:

• Be clear about your capacity to lend. Will you be able to lend more money if it is needed? If not, say so.

• Be clear about how long you are comfortable in having the debt “on your books”.

• Agree on whether or not the loan will carry interest.

• Put it in writing.  (Google the phrase, “promissory note template” and you’ll find many free standard forms you can use.)

How might you say this?

Here’s one way: “I will lend you the $1000 you need and because our relationship is important to me, I’d like to be sure we’re both clear about our expectations. This money is all I’ll be able to lend you and I’ll accept whatever interest rate the bank is now charging. Since you told me that you only need to borrow it until you get your bonus at the end of the year, I’ll be expecting that you’ll pay me the money and the interest back in January, 2010. How does that sound?”

Wait for agreement.

“Okay then. I’ve read that it’s important to have this kind of an agreement in writing so I’ll put something together and we can both sign it.”

Don’t avoid the conversation because you fear it will be too uncomfortable. It’s a lot more problematic to have to deal with the consequences of avoidance later.

The content of this blog is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to solicit business or to provide legal advice. Laws differ by jurisdiction, and the information on this blog may not apply to every reader. You should not take, or refrain from taking, any legal action based upon the information contained on this blog without first seeking professional counsel.

TAGS: Borrowing money, LinkedIn

Life insurance isn’t the easiest topic to discuss, but making sure you have adequate coverage could be the most responsible thing you do.  Life insurance is the cornerstone of sound financial planning. 

If you have a spouse, children or any dependents, life insurance can help them survive financially if you were to pass away.  But, marital status is just one of many factors to consider when determining your need for it.  If you’re a single adult, you should consider life insurance, too: 

• If you have children or provide support for a parent or grandparent.  Your death could bring serious financial hardship to them.  Life insurance can provide a continued stream of income for dependent loved ones.
• If you have a jointly held mortgage or other loans held with a cosigner.  Your death would leave the cosigner responsible for the entire debt.  Life insurance could cover these debts.
• If you are at risk genetically for any serious medical condition.  It makes sense to buy life insurance while you are young and healthy. Purchasing life insurance after you develop a health condition could be difficult, or even impossible.

For couples, some of the reasons why life insurance matters:

• It will replace your income for dependents.
• It will pay final expenses such as your funeral and burial costs, probate and other estate administration costs, debts and medical expenses not covered by health insurance.
• It allows you to create an inheritance for your heirs because even if you have no other assets to pass to your heirs, you can create an inheritance by buying a life insurance policy and naming them as beneficiaries.
• It will pay federal and state “death” taxes so that your heirs will not have to liquidate other assets or take a smaller inheritance.
• It could allow you to make significant charitable contributions because by making a charity the beneficiary of your life insurance, you can make a much larger contribution than if you donated the cash equivalent of the policy’s premiums.

Some life insurance policies could also allow you to create a source of savings for your heirs.  Some types create a cash value that can be borrowed or withdrawn on the owner’s request.  A cash-value type life insurance policy can create a kind of “forced” savings plan. 

The Insurance Information Institute is a great resource to find out how much insurance you need, which product is right for you and how to choose an insurance agency.  The website is www.iii.org .

No one wants to think about death but thinking about life insurance now will help your dependents survive – financially – if something happens to you.

Here’s to your health and wealth.

TAGS: beneficiaries, burial costs, couples, dependents, heirs, income, insurance information institute, life insurance, policy premiums, probabe and estate administration costs, serious genetic medical conditions, single adults