A study finds Colorado is the best state to find work based on its five- and ten-year employment growth rates, labor participation rate and industry variety, writes Alexandria Bova. West Virginia and Alaska top the list of the worst states to find a job.

The concept of managing up, which aims to help superiors by anticipating their needs, is especially useful when dealing with a difficult manager, writes Stephanie Vozza. She provides a game plan for dealing with three types: those who lead by intimidation, by micro-managing or by indecisiveness.

If you realize you share a connection on Facebook with the hiring manager for a job you're seeking, go ahead and introduce yourself, writes Work It Daily founder J.T. O'Donnell, who provides a sample introduction. Keep the message professional, low-pressure and brief.

The American Speech-Hearing-Language Association took a different approach to designing a health plan, engaging employees in small group discussions and using a benefits-builder board game. Human Resources Director Janet McNichol said staff talked about health care needs and preferences and individuals accepted less coverage in some areas so the larger group could have better access to comprehensive mental health and maternity care.

Too often people shut down during a job interview, presenting abrupt answers and a defensive body posture, writes executive recruiter Jack Kelly. Relax and pose a more positive persona by studying the role, employer and hiring manager beforehand and following these tips about how to interact during the interview.

While mindfulness is helpful in curbing work stress, it isn't a cure-all and other treatments may need consideration, writes psychology professor Thomas Plante. Some counselors push self-centered outcomes, ignoring the potential for helping people care more about others.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Robots was recently spotlighted in a Trends of Cognitive Sciences paper, bringing more attention to the organization's mission. ASPCR's website advocates for legal rights and protections for sentient machines, but founder Pete Remine also admitted in 2015 that he "made a humorous website based on an idea that might someday actually become relevant. And if it doesn't, at least the murderous killbots will know [Remine] was on their side."