My daughter was complaining that one of her teachers had been absent quite a bit lately. She explained that the teacher wasn't out for full days, but instead left early and missed my daughter's class a few times. The teacher told her students that her son was home from school because he was sick and she and her husband were taking turns staying there with him. Her husband took off from work in the mornings and she took off in the afternoons. It sounds like a pretty good arrangement ... except for the kids whose classes she wasn't teaching because their section happened to meet in the afternoon.

A sick child at home is just one of the snafus that can befall working parents who have otherwise gotten things to run pretty smoothly on the home front. For example they have arranged for after school childcare, summer vacations and even holiday recesses. Then along come random holidays, conference days and sick days to foul things up. If you're a parent considering a return to work, you can try to plan in advance. Read Returning to Work: Answer These Questions First.

Do you know next Monday is Cyber Monday? Do you know what Cyber Monday is? I didn't until a few years ago. The day after Thanksgiving is referred to as Black Friday, for it is the day that retailers hoped to become profitable, in other words get into the black, due to the start of the holiday shopping season. As you know, retailers offer good deals in order to lure shoppers into the stores. The Monday following that, dubbed Cyber Monday, is when consumers can find incredible deals at their favorite online retailers.

The difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is that many people are off from work on the day after Thanksgiving while most are back at their desks by Monday morning. Therefore many people who want to take advantage of those great Cyber Monday bargains might be tempted to do their shopping while at work. Since your employer is paying you to work, do you think that's really a good idea?

After 25 years on the air, Oprah announced last week that she would end her talk show in 2011. She told the studio audience "Twenty-five years feels right in my bones and feels right in my spirit." Many people considering a career change could envy the certainty with which Oprah spoke, but after all, this is a woman who can afford to be more decisive than most of us when it comes to taking such a leap. With bizillions in the bank she won't face the financial burden most people do when changing careers. Even so, moving on from something that has been successful and comfortable can be difficult even without the worries the rest of us have.

How do mere mortals know when it's the right time for a career change? Do you feel it in your bones and in your spirit? Often you do. Among the reasons you should consider changing careers are boredom with your current career or just an eagerness to move on to something that interests you more. Read Six Reasons to Make a Career Change to find out what other reasons there are for moving on to a new occupation.

And so it begins. Although I've been seeing Christmas commercials for a few weeks now (maybe even before Halloween, but I'm not sure), Thanksgiving is the official start of the holiday season. So, how do you feel about the holidays? 'Tis the season to be jolly? Or, 'tis the season to eat too much, overspend and make a fool of yourself at the office party?

Office etiquette can be tricky all year round, but during the holiday season it can be even more difficult. For example, should you get your boss a gift and if so, how much should you spend? What about gifts for your co-workers? What should you do about all the food your co-workers bring in to celebrate the holidays? How should you handle it if some of your office mates celebrate different holidays than you do? And, finally, the office party — should you look at it as an occasion to let your hair down? Answers to these questions and others can be found in Six Rules for Dealing With the Holidays at Work.

2010 is a census year in the United States. The Census Bureau will mail census forms to all households in March. Although the deadline for returning them is April 1, National Census Day, some residences won't bother to do this. Since it is so important for there to be an accurate counting of the population, the Census Bureau will try its best to gather this information. That's where census takers come in. Between April and July, census takers will begin to visit residences that don't return the forms.

Who are these census takers? They are you and your neighbors ... or anyone who wants a part-time, temporary job. If you are unemployed or underemployed, interesting in supplementing your full-time income, retired or in need of work experience, you should consider applying for one of these positions. According to the 2010 Census Jobs Web Site,"hundreds of thousands of census takers are needed nationwide to help locate households and conduct brief personal interviews with residents." Census pay rates vary by location. See How to Apply for more information.

Should I send a thank you note after a job interview and should I send it by snail mail or email? How often should I call to check on my status after the interview? Is there anything I shouldn't say to a future employer? What characteristics or behaviors will make me stand out during the job interview process? These are some of the questions you may have about job interviews. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) asked human resources managers to answer them in a poll the professional organization conducted. Some answers came as a bit of a surprise to me. For example, 43% of respondents said job candidates should call once a week to check on the status of a job opening. I would have thought calling one time, in total, would be enough. Other answers were less surprising — 56% said that "Skills Directly Related to the Job" made a candidate stand out the most. See all the questions and answers: Interviewing Do's and Don'ts for Job Seekers SHRM Poll.

Over the years I've warned readers about the consequences of lying on their resumes. Those who lie on their resumes usually do so to make it seems as if they have experience or education they don't really have. Even though lying on your resume is a terrible idea, it isn't too hard to see why someone may be tempted to do it. I had never thought about the reverse of lying to make oneself look more experienced or educated in order to get a better job. Then a reader sent me the following question:

"I was reading about lying on a resume and all the articles talked about adding to the resume. I want to remove experience and maybe education from mine! I've been looking for a job for quite a while and in the last few interviews the person that was going to be my boss came from the same school and had less experience and education than I do and I believe that's what caused me to not get the jobs. It appears that where I'm looking they need either new graduates with no experience or experts with over 10-15 years experience; I don't fit into either of those groups. So should I make up a less experienced and less educated resume and then after I land a job start moving up from the inside?"

I can see why this reader is thinking about omitting information from his resume, but I don't think it's any better an idea than padding your resume with false information. It is still dishonest, and if the employer finds out, he or she will still resent being lied to. I think it is a better idea to use your cover letter to explain why you are applying for the job and how your qualifications make you the best candidate for it.

I watched the premiere episode of Sesame Street in 1969 when I was just 3 ½ years old. That's why I found this week's celebration of the show's 40th birthday particularly special. My earliest memories are of sitting in front of the television learning my ABCs, 123s and so much more. This was, in effect, my pre-school education. Like most of my contemporaries, I didn't go to daycare, nursery or pre-school. There was no Head Start back then. In addition to my parents, Sesame Street taught me how to interact with the world around me. The lessons I learned from Susan, Gordon, Mr. Hooper, Maria, Bob, Big Bird, Ernie and Bert, Cookie and even Oscar the Grouch were invaluable and stay with me to this day. Here are some that can help you with your career:

• Respect Everyone
• Always Be Willing to Learn New Skills
• Nobody Likes a Bully
• Lying Is Bad
• We Can All Get Along
• Don't Spread Germs
• Good Manners Are Important

For reasons I won't share here, I have engaged in a personal boycott of Walmart for the last several years. My feelings toward the company turned a bit more positive last year when I learned store employees received holiday bonuses. Today, though, my negative feelings toward Walmart have returned. A story on Friday's Good Morning America revealed that Walmart makes it difficult for it's workers to call in sick when either they or their children are ill (Walmart Defends Sick Leave Policy Despite H1N1 Fears).

Walmart's sick leave policy was the subject of a report issued by the National Labor Committee. The report says that Walmart penalizes store employees who call in sick by giving them demerits and making them pay for their first day out sick with either a personal or vacation day. They are also given a third option of not getting paid. For someone who might barely be scraping by, that is hardly a real option. In response to the story, Walmart sent a memo to human resource managers that states no one will be fired for getting H1N1 (swine flu). I don't think that offers enough reassurance to employees.

Are you dissatisfied with your career? Maybe it's time for a career change. But how do you know for sure whether you need a career change or if a new job will do the trick. A career change takes time, energy, and money since there is a good chance you will need training in order to pursue your new occupation. Before you begin this endeavor take the Career Change Quiz. Find out if it's time for you to change your career.

More Career Change Advice:
How to Make a Successful Career Change