• Become a super-efficient worker that bosses will covet
  All managers love efficient workers because "they take a huge load off of their backs, make them look good and save the company money in significant and cascading ways," Adria Saracino writes. She provides suggestions on how to improve your efficiency, such as not taking on too many commitments. Brazen Careerist (1/16)      

• Advice to help you achieve maximum productivity
  If you have a major project that you'd like to get done fast, it's a good idea to let other people know about it, Jeff Haden writes. Not only does this limit the potential for interruptions, it also puts some peer pressure on you to actually get the work done. "When you take a break don't watch a little TV or check your social media feeds," he writes. "You definitely need breaks, but every break you take should reinforce your sense of activity and accomplishment." Inc. online (free registration)/Owners' Manual blog (1/14)      

• Networking for the shy
  Tips for overcoming your shyness to network include having a friend or colleague tag along to an event, using social networking to make initial contact and asking questions of new acquaintances, this blogger writes. TheGrindstone.com/Come Recommended (1/18)      

• What managers should consider before switching jobs
  A 10% pay hike used to be the norm for managers accepting a new position, but times have changed so it's best to consult sites like Salary.com to try and get a salary range, Anne Fisher advises. She also provides several questions to ask employers to get a better handle on the job, such as "What particular skill set would be most valuable in performing this job?" CNNMoney/Fortune (1/18)      

Position Title Company Name Location Manager of Planning & Logistics, Strategic Initiatives The Culinary Institute of America - Greystone Campus St. Helena, CA Click here to view more job listings.

• How to learn not to buckle under the strain
  You can learn to manage stress better and raise your tolerance for events that produce anxiety, Eva Rykrsmith writes. She provides several tips, such as learning what triggers your stress, analyzing your thought patterns and avoiding "quick fixes" such as alcohol or food. The Fast Track (1/18)      

Top five news stories selected by SmartBrief on Your Career readers in the past week.

• 5 ways to refresh your professional appearance (The Fast Track)

• Higher payroll tax decreases U.S. paychecks (Bloomberg)

• Eliminate "try" from your vocabulary (CNNMoney/Fortune)

• Why taking handwritten notes is a waste of time (Harvard Business Review online)

• How to write a résumé branding statement (U.S. News & World Report)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

• Don't try this at home: Developer is caught outsourcing his work
  A software developer at Verizon spent most of his workday surfing the Internet after he outsourced the bulk of his work to a firm in China in exchange for a fifth of his six-figure salary. The developer was caught when a security audit uncovered unusual login activity on his account. TheNextWeb.com (1/16), National Public Radio/The Two-Way blog (1/16)      

It is so difficult not to become vain about one's own good luck." --Simone de Beauvoir, French writer and philosopher       Have a favorite famous quote? Share it and we may publish it here!