You apply for a job knowing the advertised salary range is somewhat below what you previously earned. The market is very different now, so even though you are well-qualified for this job, you aren't opposed to taking a pay cut. Then you get a job offer and aren't you surprised to find out that the employer is offering a salary below what was advertised? This is what happened to one of our readers.

When he emailed me to ask what to do about this sticky situation, this is what I replied:

Something you might want to ask yourself is this: are you going to find it difficult to work for this employer even if you can negotiate a higher salary? For me, that would be a problem because I would feel that the employer's tactics were deceptive. It's one thing to take a pay cut—you aren't alone in having to do that as you know—but it's another to find out the salary is lower than what was advertised.

Had he not pulled what I consider to be a bait and switch, I would tell you to be flexible. As I advise in one of my articles on salary negotiation: 'When going through a salary negotiation you aren't likely to get the exact amount of money you want. You will probably have to compromise. The trick is to figure out how much you are willing to compromise and what you will do if your boss doesn't offer you a salary you find acceptable.'

What would you do in this situation? Could you work for someone who blatantly lied? It could be about anything and not just salary. I guess your answer would depend on what your needs were at the time. If you were in the middle of a long job search, you might be more inclined to ignore the dishonesty. Unfortunately, I think there are some employers who are ready to take advantage of that situation. Keep in mind, though, if you do accept an offer in spite of your misgivings, you may find yourself looking for work again before too long. After all, how long could you work for someone you didn't trust?

Social workers help people deal with barriers—physical or mental illness, poverty, and drug and alcohol addiction to name just a few—that are preventing them from functioning well in their environments. They work in hospitals, schools, colleges, community agencies, nursing homes and prisons.

Social workers must be compassionate and sensitive to the needs of others. They must be able to explain themselves well verbally and be able to follow directions and understand written language. To become a social worker, you must earn at least a bachelor's degree, but a master's degree is required for many jobs and is a must for those who want to provide mental health counseling (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).

As with any career, you should explore this one thoroughly before you commit your time and money to preparing for it. First read Social Worker: Career Information to get some basic details about this occupation, including earnings, job outlook and advancement opportunities. Then read How to Become a Social Worker to find out what you need to do to prepare to enter this field. It is also a good idea to interview a social worker. He or she will be able to tell you what it's really like. For help deciding whether this career is a good fit for you, take the Should You Become a Social Worker? quiz.

More: Mental Health Careers

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Every trade and profession has a vocabulary that is specific to it. This is known as jargon. People who aren't in that field might have difficulty understanding some of the language. When I was very little, my mom stopped taking me to the pediatrician we had been seeing because she couldn't understand the "medicalese" he used. After all, she wasn't a doctor or nurse.

When you are immersed in a field for a long time, the vocabulary comes so naturally to you that you don't realize that isn't the case for everyone. Recently I was looking through some of my notes from a course I took when I was relatively new to this field. What I discovered were pages filled with definitions of many of the terms I regularly use here. I realized that once upon a time this career-related language was new to me too. I decided to start explaining many of the words and concepts you come across on this site and might not understand. Some of these terms may be familiar to you since they are commonly used in everyday life, the word "career" for example, but I will explain them in the context in which we discuss them here.

I will be building this list, so if there are career-related terms you would like to know more about, please let me know what they are. Don't assume everyone else knows what they mean, because there's a good chance you aren't alone. Here are explanations of three of those terms:

• What is a Career?
• What is Career Development?
• What is Career Guidance?
• What is a Career Test?

During Thursday night's Republican debate in South Carolina, candidate Newt Gingrich responded angrily when moderator John King asked him about the allegations Gingrich's ex-wife made about him in an interview with ABC News' Nightline. I will not go into what those allegations were, but, if true, they don't put him in a very positive light. Many say that Gingrich's personal life has little to do with his ability to be president of the United States. Others believe differently and think it has everything to do with it. What if Gingrich was a regular "Joe." Let's say his boss found out about something he did outside of work that wasn't so nice. Could he lose his job over it?

An individual's bad behavior outside of work may not get him fired, but it could cause his boss to view him differently, especially if what he did goes against the boss's values or those of the company. If an employer learned something about a job candidate, perhaps he or she wouldn't hire that person. What do you think? Should something a person does off the job affect his or her career? Please post your comments.