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Animals operate best when they live in habitats for which they are suited. You wouldn’t expect a polar bear to fare well in the deserts of Arizona or a rattlesnake to try to adjust to the North Pole. Similarly, a worker thrives when put in a workplace that matches her personality, ability, and needs.

Some mismatched employees overlook the problem. They may reason that having a job at all is sufficient in this economy, or they may hope their feeling of being out-of-place will disappear over time. Living with the status quo is oftentimes easier than breaking it.

If, however, you have a nagging feeling that you really aren’t working in the right place, it might be time to explore other options. Elizabeth Grace Saunders, founder and CEO of the time-coaching and training...

We know many of you are seeking a new (or better) job, so to help you uncover valuable opportunities, we'll be spotlighting a job of the week. This week, we’re featuring an opportunity for an executive assistant at Harvard.

Located at Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this position provides high level administrative support and logistical management for Dean of Arts and Humanities, including organizing complex meetings and appointments.

Will also research and assemble briefing information for meetings, prepare summaries and perform administrative support activities related to academic and strategic planning. This person will also answer phones and greet visitors; record meeting minutes and initiate follow-through on action items. Additional duties involve...

Excel proficiency no longer means just the ability to enter data into a spreadsheet and produce a nicely formatted report. Today’s administrative professional needs a full arsenal of Excel skills in order to compete effectively in this talent-rich candidate pool. Here are the two most important:

Formulas

“But I’m not good at math!” I frequently hear this in classes and networking sessions. While there are a handful of people who have clinically diagnosable conditions that make math a struggle, most of us are math capable. To learn formulas, first stop telling yourself that you’re not good at math. When you say it, you give yourself permission to not try to learn. Next, check out templates available on office....

Why do guests keep returning to Disney theme parks and resorts? Survey data reveals that “friendliness” is the top factor customers value in their experience. While you may initially think that maintaining a cheery demeanor is easier at a vacation spot than in your cubicle, the issues faced are often the same. (Try answering questions such as “What time is the 3:00 parade?” and “Where is my car parked?” multiple times and see how sunny you feel.)

In the book Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal, and Customer-Centric Employees, author Doug Lipp explores the connection between workers and fans. Here are a few ideas any business can use:

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