Did we grab your attention?  Of course we did.  Sex sells, right?  Shame on us for stooping so low. Well, you’re already here so you might as well see what this is all about.

No, we’re not talking about that kind of professional.  We’re talking about a recent report by the Government Accountability Office that finds financial planners are not professionals.  Do we lack professional standards?  Do we lack training?  No.  The crux of the argument is more about semantics than anything else.  It’s about what makes someone a professional.  (Hint:  Lawyers and doctors are – journalists and auto mechanics are not.)  Check out the GAO’s report and a summary from MarketWatch for the details.

The hourly-rate motel reference is our lame attempt at using corporate travel policies as an example of HR policies that can use an update.  BusinessWeek provides a little levity on the topic in this article.