Business & Economy, business and economy

Considering it's an election year, I'd like to offer some advice about sharing your political views with hiring managers: Don't.

Employers generally regard politics as a touchy, if not taboo, topic in the office. Offering even the slightest of partisan statements in application materials or during a job interview can make you seem unprofessional. You may even offend the other person.

If you want to sell a car, television or power tool to a man, drop an attractive woman into the ad. It's the oldest trick in advertising's toolbox.

Tips for long-term unemployed

Workplace experts say that being unemployed need not be a crippling liability during job interviews, but applicants should come prepared with convincing answers. To get hired, use the interview wisely.

Craig Guerdat used to be a technical writer but hasn't been able to land a full-time job in his field for more than two years. He suspects one reason he's been passed over again and again is that employers don't want to hire someone who doesn't have a job.

At first, the California woman, who had fallen behind on her condo payments, thought the letter was a scam. "You could sell your home, owe nothing more on your mortgage and get $20,000," it proclaimed in large type.

"I almost ripped it up," she said.

The conventional wisdom for both male and female employees when it comes to shedding tears in front of co-workers in the workplace is: Don't do it.

Things can go wrong and difficult issues can come up at work, but most workplace consultants agree that crying is not the best way to deal with job-related stress.

In response to November's call for a nationwide "Bank Transfer Day," about 610,000 consumers switched from a big bank to a credit union or smaller community bank, according to a recent research survey. Overall, an estimated 5.6 million U.S. consumers switched banks during October-December 2011. Their reasons:

Bank Transfer Day: 11 percent

Too many fees: 26 percent

Three months ago, many bank customers were fuming. They didn't like big bank bailouts, and they didn't like the $5 debit card fees that Bank of America and other institutions were rolling out.

TOLEDO, Ohio - It isn't often national restaurant chains get menu items from the kitchens of their franchisees, but Brian Edler's idea was one Domino's Pizza executives ate right up.

As more retailers embrace the use of digital, or electronic, receipts in the name of green efficiency -- and possibly even safety -- they also have to strike a balance with consumers.