Why an Employee's Salary May Be Higher Than Reported by Our Compensation Reports You're an employer who has market-priced your open positions and employees. Perhaps you used our Salary Wizard Professional tool (SWP) to do so and found that you have an overpaid employee on your hands. Before you take any drastic action, there are a few important things to remember when it comes to employee compensation. There are a number of reasons why an employee's current compensation may be higher than the market data in the Salary Wizard. Please remember that being higher than the market numbers shown does... view article details

Q:  I am working on my associate degree with a double major in purchasing/business management. I have been a co-op student with the same company in the procurement department for a year and a half, and have just finished my co-op requirement. I really enjoy working in this field. I have a background in accounts payable, personnel, and office administration.The company doesn't have a position available for another buyer, only the co-op position. I keep hoping they will create one just for me, but that is unlikely. My purchasing manager is allowing me to stay as long as he is allowed to keep me.... view article details

Do you have a copy of your job description at your desk? Have you ever seen your job description? Does it accurately reflect what is expected of you?Job descriptions play a vital role in your compensation, because employers decide what to pay people based on the value of specific skills. Add up the list of responsibilities in your job description, and you should get the totality of your expected contribution in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Without a written job description, you and your employer cannot accurately measure your worth on the job.A job decription should state the overa... view article details

Q. I was hired four years ago as a desktop technician for a Fortune 500 company. Since then I have skyrocketed up in the company, and I have been getting spot bonuses (of $1,200) and salary increases of about 9 percent a year.However, since I was hired as a desktop tech and was given a competitive salary for that field, I've since become a major software/Web developer for the company. For the past two years I have been doing client/server development, but for the salary of a highly paid desktop tech, which is much lower.My manager just walked into my office and told me I was now classified as ... view article details

Q: Hello, you don't know me, but I saw your profile on Salary.com. You look so happy in your picture and I would love to see myself so accomplished in the near future! Do you have any advice for a hard working creative woman like me? I've been designing and managing at the same stable, but unfulfilling job for the past 8 years. I need a kick in the a** to make a move to senior management ELSEWHERE, but I have little time with a toddler underfoot? Please help!Heather: What a compliment! Thank you. But make no mistake, that photo was cropped to exclude unfinished laundry, a carry-in dinner and t... view article details

Do Your Homework For our entire childhood, homework seemed like a chore or even punishment. 'OK class, take out your homework!''Go upstairs and do your homework!''You’re not watching any TV until you’ve finished your homework!'Aw, mom. But there’s a reason your parents and teachers insisted on this extra activity. When taken seriously, the extra work and practice prepares you to excel in a given task, be it algebra or literature.'Do your homework' is also the first thing any expert will tell you when preparing for a job interview or salary negotiation. Unfortunately, like an antsy tee... view article details

Form a Game Plan The kind of hat you wear can speak volumes about you, and set you apart from the crowd. A trendy fedora might mean you’re a Brooklyn hipster or a big Don Draper fan. Perhaps you don the type of pork pie hat that Justin Timberlake often rocks. A knit skullcap might keep you warm in the winter, or send another message if you wear it year-round. And even the brim of a baseball cap is polarizing: flat as a board or curved like an upside-down U.Sometimes however, wearing many hats in the workplace – figuratively, doing several different jobs – can make it a challenge to di... view article details

The adage 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression' is never truer than when you submit your resume. Because this is likely the first glimpse of you that employers will get, make it an impressive one.A great resume can open a door, but an inferior one can just as quickly close one. This article explores 14 resume mistakes to avoid at all costs.Yes, you need a cover letter even when you are emailing your resume, posting it to a job board, or sending it electronically. A cover letter is the best place to introduce yourself, identify your goals, and briefly describe why you are a... view article details

Which Jobs Are on the Rise? As the last chapter of 2013 is written, we once again turn our sights on what’s to come in the new year. And as it turns out, 2014 has a lot to offer in the way of new job growth.We looked into our own Salary.com crystal ball and then referenced sources like the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which fields are slated to enjoy the most growth over the next few years. So if you’re currently unemployed and searching for a job, or if you’re unsatisfied and hoping to change careers, the first thing you need to do is see if your job is on this list.8. ... view article details

How Older Workers Can Better Overcome Obstacles to Getting Hired Older Workers Have a Tougher Time Getting a Job While the U.S. job market continues to make slow but steady gains, finding a job in the current economy is still challenging. All job seekers today face significantly more obstacles than they did a decade ago, but those over the age of 50 have a few extra hurdles to clear. According to a recent survey done by ExecuNet, a member organization for senior-level executives, a Vice President over the age of 50 takes 20% longer to get hired than a 41- to 45-year-old at the same level. W... view article details