American business has overcome many obstacles over the years thanks to significant advancements in technology. But as many of us know, civic organizations and government services have fallen behind when it comes to tech trends -- with costly results. In a bustling, tech-driven society where efficiency is key to productivity, the U.S. government is now turning to innovative startups to develop new software that will help government organizations run much more efficiently.

Social media is a booming industry. Becoming a specialist in this field could be a good avenue to job security, as this Schools.com infographic demonstrates.

Today's Twitter roundup recaps three of last week's trending topics: #ThingsThatIrritateMe, #Powerball, and #TheOfficeFinale. Why should the consummate professional keep hitting the refresh button on their Twitter feed? Well, somewhere amongst the snark and the manic updates, you might just find some timely lessons to apply to your career. Read on to find out how the above trending hashtags relate to common grammatical errors, job satisfaction, and corporate culture, respectively.

There's no doubt that Generation Y is improving our workplace. Their comfort with digital technology, always-on mentality, and entrepreneurial spirit have the potential to revitalize how companies do business -- that is, if they can get through the door in the first place.

With the Affordable Care Act transforming health care as we know it, wellness awareness in the workplace is a growing trend as more companies look for ways to increase productivity, while simultaneously influencing the cost of health care premiums. From corporate-sponsored health fairs and biometric screenings to onsite wellness services and fitness incentives, any size company can develop a wellness program that supports the well-being of their most precious asset – their employees.

Contrary to popular belief, it looks like Facebook hasn’t yet taken over every aspect of young people’s lives -- especially their career paths. According to global employer research and advisory company, Universum USA, good old Microsoft wins over the younger, popular social network when it comes to where recent graduates want to work.

In the 1970's, Betsey Johnson was on her way to becoming an American fashion icon. Known for her whimsical designs, mismatched fabrics and bright colors, her clothes were popular with the young rock stars of the era. From there, she jumped hurdle after hurdle, never giving up on her wild fashions and wilder behavior. Going to a Betsey fashion show was like going to the circus and they always ended with the designer doing her signature cartwheel on the runway.

Getting an education from Ivy League schools such as Harvard University and Princeton University is something that most high school students strive for when they’re spending their time preparing for their college applications. But is the high pressure and big paycheck worth it? PayScale's 2013 College ROI Report has answers.

Instead of trying to learn how to get more work done in a short period of time, boost your productivity by getting someone else to do the work for you. This works especially well for entrepreneurs who just aren't ready to hire full-timers yet. You can't do it all on your own, and outsourcing some of your work will make way for bigger and more important projects. If you've never outsourced before, here are a few tips.

In a competitive job market, employers are likely to be carefully evaluating the performance of employees. This means, employees who want to stand out as high performers can take the high road and avoid becoming complacent. A Forbes article advises that, “Job security comes from making sure that your daily performance is so amazing that any company would be crazy to let you go.” As a professional who wants to stay employed, standing out at work counts.

Coca-Cola is pledging to stop marketing to children under the age of 12, and to fund exercise programs in countries in which they do business. Will it do any good?

If you woke up with a bad case of the Mondays this morning, you might be wondering whether or not you're in the right job.

While most professionals choose to shake hands during a meet and greet, for some reason there are still many professionals who think it’s best to grandma hug their co-workers. While half-hugging accompanied by air kisses, and fist bumping may seem casual enough, full on bear hugging can make for quite an awkward moment.

If being sick is the only thing that will make you take some time to yourself, it's time to reassess your habits. Working until you drop is not only bad for your health -- it's bad for your productivity, too.

While planning helps most of us stay organized and on top of the tasks we need to complete, it turns out that this planning might just be getting in the way of our productivity. A professor at Cal Newport has devised the Anti-Plan Theory, which advises people to throw caution to the wind and adapt to whatever is thrown their way.

What's worse than creating a resume? If you said, "writing a cover letter," you are both correct and also probably in the midst of a job search. Cover letters are famously hard to pull off. Get too creative, and you look overly eccentric; hew too closely to a template, and you look like a robot.

You're in a rut. You can't keep up with your various work tasks, and no to-do list app is able to help keep you on top of things. Forget about technology for a minute and get productive the old-fashioned way

A scarcity of full-time, benefited jobs has led many workers to hold down multiple part-time gigs at the same time. The challenge, of course, is juggling all of this without going crazy from burn-out.

Could you have imagined that there's a difference between men and women and the way they use social media? Well, there is. Men and women continue to have differences in most areas of life and social media isn't any different, according to this InternetServiceProviders.org infographic.

Many job descriptions include a line about how successful applicants will have a good sense of humor, but usually this means, "Won't flip over his or her desk, Real Housewife-style, when things get tough." A recent article on Forbes.com, however, points out that having a good sense of humor is valuable to you as an employee, not just to your company. Here's why.