Words like "but" and "you" are dangerous during performance reviews, as they can come across as confrontational, Emily Moore writes. At the same time, you should avoid being overly timid or deferential when accepting criticism and praise.

If an email chain starts to get too long, try to refocus the conversation and bring it to a close, Richard Moy writes. Write a reply that recaps the relevant points of discussion and suggests getting together as a group to resolve the topic, if necessary.

People pay more attention to your actions than what you say, which is why Mark Deterding suggests you should spend most of your time listening. Open-ended questions and a tactical use of silence can ensure you're not the one doing all the talking.

Survey data show only 48% of people felt they needed long-term disability coverage, but Mercer's Rich Fuerstenberg says it is an important safety-net benefit. Long-term disability plans can provide 50% to 60% of a worker's income or more if a serious illness or injury prevents them from working.

It's important to have an online portfolio that showcases your biggest work accomplishments and lists your contact information, Nick Douglas writes. Whether you use LinkedIn or paid services such as Squarespace or Hover, your online portfolio should be easy for prospective employers and clients to find.

An update to Amazon's Alexa app will allow the virtual assistant to recognize individual voices. The change will allow multiple users to access custom news briefings, messages, playlists and other content.