2 . A gaming company in New Zealand is luring employees. from around the world by offering unlimited paid annual leave, a share in the company’s profits and no set work hours.

Dean Hall became famous in international gaming circles for being the lead designer on popular video game DayZ. After searching the world for a location for his new gaming studio, Rocketwerkz, New Zealander Hall settled on the small university town of Dunedin on the south island’s east coast, where land is cheap and creative start-ups have become an important pan of the city’s identity.

Rocketwerkz’s flexible work culture is now drawing talent from around the globe, with Hall receiving 300 messages of inquiry since a local newspaper wrote about his studio last week.

Last year, when the company was still in its infancy(婴儿期), baby cats would also make a regular appearance in the office as a form of fighting stress, and Friday afternoons are generally reserved for sports and games to end the week on a playful note.

“The first time I heard about the idea of unlimited paid leave in places like Silicon Valley it was about the problems it caused. A culture had appeared where employees took no leave,” said Hall.

“So to address that, our staff are issued the standard New Zealand annual leave of four weeks, but they can also take unlimited leave in addition to that.”

Emily Lampitt, from Britain, is a 3D junior artist who has been with the company for a year and a half. She says the flexible work culture was a huge factor in her decision to move to New Zealand.

“The flexibility here has made me feel much more relaxed” she says. I “That internal stress I used to feel in a traditional work environment has gone, so when I am at work now it is because I want to be, because I am passionate(有激情的), not because I am afraid of my boss or watching the clock.”

Small businesses hold the key to employed happiness. As the calendar flips to another year, many employees will consider starting the new year on the hunt for a new job.

In today’s changing workforce, it is more important than ever for companies to realize that a salary alone is no longer enough to attract or retain strong employees.

According to a survey by Aflac, small business deserve a round of applause for their ability to keep employees happy. The report found that 85 percent of small-business employees are happy in their current job, and more than half（51 percent）agree that most of or all of their happiness in their current job is a result of working for a small business.

Nearly a quarter of participants（23 percent）stated that the feeling of importance was the best part of working for a small business. Small businesses have the unique ability to make employees feel appreciated, respected and valued on a personal and professional level.

In a small-business environment, there are typically fewer layers between newcomers and leadership. This tight-knit structure can create a family-like atmosphere that allows employees to feel that their opinions matter and that they play a significant role in the business’s mission.

Flexibility is also vital in creating employee happiness. According to the report, 30 percent of respondents noted that flexible scheduling was the best part of working for a small business. A workplace that promotes healthy work-life balance can create happier, less stressed employees and can also increase productivity.

Although small business excel at keeping employees happy, there is always room for improvement. In a small-business community, money does not seem to be the only motivator. In fact, 65 percent of small-business employees indicate that an improvement in their benefits offerings would make them happier.

By offering a great benefits plan that includes voluntary benefits, small business can ensure that their employees are able to find the right benefits to meet their individual needs.

Choosing the right job is probably one of the most important decisions we have to make in life, and it is frequently one of the hardest decisions we have to make. One important question that you might ask yourself is: “How do I get a good job?”     1    .

There are people who can answer an insignificant advertisement in the local paper and land the best job in the world; others write to all sorts of places all over the country, and never seem to get a reply at all. Still others believe that the in person, door-to-door approach is by far the best way to get a job; and then there are those who, through no active decision of their own, just seem to be in the right place at the right time     2    . He used to spend a lot of his free time down by the sea watching the tall ships, but never thinking that he might one day sail one of them. His father was a farmer, and being a sailor could never be anything for the boy but an idle dream One day, on his usual wandering, he heard the captain of the ship complaining that he could not sail because one member of his crew was sick. Without stopping to think, the lad （少年） offered to take his place.     3    .

This story also illustrates the importance of seizing an opportunity when it presents itself. If the lad had gone home to ponder （考虑） his decision for a week, he may have missed his chance. It is one thing to be offered an opportunity; it is another thing to take it and use it well. Sometimes we hear stories about people who break all the rules and still seem to land plum jobs（美差）.When you go for a job interview or fill out an application, you are expected to say nice things about the company to which you are applying.     4    . And within a year this person had become general manger of the company.

Yold

The year 2020 marks the beginning of the decade of the yold, or the “young old”, as the Japanese call people aged between 65 and 75. By continuing to work and staying socially engaged, the boomers, in their new appearance as the young old, will change the world.

The yold are more numerous, healthier and wealthier than previous generations of seniors.

    1    Of the 3.7 years of increased life expectancy in rich countries between 2000 and 2015, says the WHO, 3.2 years were enjoyed in good health. Working is one of the factors that are helping people stay healthy longer. A German study found that people who remain at work after the normal retirement age manage to slow the cognitive (认知的) decline. The yold are also better off, while the wealth of all other age groups declined.

The yold are challenging the traditional expectations of the retired in many aspects. They won’t wear indoor shoes and look after the grandchildren.     2    They also spend much more, when taking a foreign holiday, than younger adults, so they are vital to the tourism industry. And, because of the importance of pensions, the yold are transforming insurance companies from passive distributors of fixed annuities(年金) to financial service providers for customers who want to manage their pension pots more actively.

    3     Societies should be better off because public spending on health and pensions should be lower than expected, as people work longer and need less medical care.

Today, some big things will have to change, under pressure from the yold themselves. The most important is public attitudes towards older people and in particular the expectation that 60-somethings ought to quietly retire into the background.     4    The yold will demand that companies become more age-friendly and, in the process, help change attitudes towards aging itself.

7 . Private Butler (管家)

Typical salary: £60,000 to £90,000, or more. "An entry level butler we’ve trained will walk into a salary of £35,000, while a very experienced private butler can earn up to £150,000," says Sara Vestin, director of the British Butler Academy.

The job: A private butler can be called on by his or her employer to do anything from wardrobe management to chauffeuring to pet care. Typical duties include managing other staff, serving at every meal, running errands, looking after guests, booking restaurants, house security, housekeeping, cooking and anything else the household needs. But most of all, it’s personal service, tailored to the very wealthy individual the butler works for.

Qualifications: No special qualifications are required, but it’s advisable to do a course at a training college such as Vestin’s British Butler Academy or the British Butler Institute. "Recruitment consultants and VIP clients come to our mansion to scout out the good students." Vestin says.

To succeed as a butler, you need…a ‘service mind’, says Vestin. You must have the mindset of someone who genuinely thrives on looking after others. "You cannot do the job without this, even if you were an amazing actor. Some people have it and some don’t." Also, she says, it’s essential to have an eye for detail, a steady hand and the ability to deal with all sorts of people.

Worst thing about the job: Long hours and an unpredictable work schedule mean it’s difficult to have a family life. Butlers also suffer from isolation and cultural differences with their employer and they may be obliged to work for people who aren’t always nice.

The worst time to look for a job is when you feel desperate and must have a new one immediately.     1    If you are not in need of an immediate career change, here are ways you can improve your long-term career prospects today:

Identify at least two different roles. You do not have to be qualified for these positions today, nor do they have to exist in your company. However, these roles should be related to your current skill set. They are career options that look interesting.     2    Pay close attention to what appeals to you, and write it down. This will give insight into your motivations and targets.

Subscribe to a career specific magazine. Knowledge is power in the workplace. All businesses must stay relevant to their customers in order to win the competitions and increase revenue (收益). Reading about industry trends, advancements and success stories keeps you in touch with market conditions. This information allows you to see which companies and professionals are leading the pack. You can follow their examples in your own workplace.

    3    

Do exceptional work. In any role, there is a way to perform at your best. Look for ways to deliver a top performance. Show up early, be flexible to new assignments, have a positive attitude, cooperate with other departments, pay attention to the little details.

Be professionally curious. Talk to people about their careers. Learn more about how success is measured in other roles, departments and companies. Ask people their thoughts on different industries.     4    People hire people. You never know what connections may be relevant when you start your next job search, so develop a habit of making good connections no matter where you go. Take the time to learn about others, and be helpful when you can.

As in all things in life, getting in front of a difficult task early is always less stressful than reacting to a career surprise. Changing jobs is to be expected. No matter how secure you feel today, the time will come when either you or your employer decide it is time to change.

9 . It is conventionally known that a master's degree from Harvard Business School in the US is the key to a Fortune 500 job, while the same degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, US, means a possible career on Wall Street.

The graduate school you go to somewhat decides your future. And a recent New York Times article reveals the correlation between MBA（Master of Business Administration）graduates at certain US schools and career prospects.

To work at Amazon

Ross School of Business（University of Michigan）

Amazon regularly hires more MBAs from top 10 business schools than big Wall Street firms. And a large chunk of American employees are from Ross. Graduate Peter Faricy, vice president of Amazon Marketplace, says the reason behind this is that Ross' curriculum-related offerings, a problem-solving course for instance, are particularly well suited to Amazon.

To work at McKinsey & Company

Kellogg School of Management（Northwestern）

For an MBA, landing a job at McKinsey is like trying to get into a competitive business school all over again. However, Kellogg graduates perform well in the fierce competition. The school's MBAs are in demand at elite（精英）consulting firms, which hired 35 percent of Kellogg graduates last year, a higher percentage than at Harvard（23 percent）and Stanford（16 percent）.

To work at Apple

Fuqua School of Business（Duke）

Silicon Valley hasn't always welcomed MBAs.

However, two of Apple's top 10 executives come from Fuqua. Apple has hired 32 Fuqua graduates over the past five years, and provided 42 internships for Duke students.

To start your own company

Harvard Business School

The extensive resources Harvard has devoted to its entrepreneurial offerings in recent years are starting to show real results. By many accounts, it has surpassed Stanford as the top entrepreneurial hot-bed in the US.