Since the golden age of television, we've been watching firemen and police officers put their lives on the line in order to protect the innocent. But those are just actors and although a few have been known to get hurt in the performance of their duties, acting isn't usually a dangerous profession. On the other hand, the stars of these four reality shows are truly risking life and limb every time the cameras roll. Why do they do it? Because with big risks, come big rewards.

In our technology-driven world, it should come to no surprise that the number of available tech jobs continues to grow. Market trends show that IT is now one of the top drivers of how businesses operate; from communication to productivity, to marketing and improving products. Even though some jobs are disappearing due to the development of so many new and emerging technologies, others are adapting and even more are being created.

Forget Google's celebrated five-month maternity leave. If you lived in one of these nine countries, you'd have a year off (much of it, paid) to spend with your brand-new family member.

Working from home as a freelancer can go one of two ways -- you find yourself wasting hours in front of the TV, running errands or other distractions that take over your productivity, or you find that you are more productive than ever. More likely than not, you'll have to go through the first option to get to the latter. If you are a freelancer who works from home, here are a few tips to make your days as productive as possible.

Let's face it, the conventional resume is pretty darn boring. There's only so much you can do to make a one-page piece of paper containing your entire collegiate and professional career unique enough for a recruiter to notice it out of the hundreds and hundreds of resumes submitted. So how does the skilled, accomplished, and qualified candidate stand out in the crowd? Visual.ly might just have the picture-perfect solution to this very problem.

We've all heard the benefits of taking a real vacation, such as stress reduction and better quality of life. The problem is that so few working people get to take a good, long break from doing any work or thinking about work.

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.