'Why would anyone want to put savings somewhere unsafe? But the fact remains that a large percentage of popular saving and investing vehicles provide no guarantee of earnings, nor even assurance that the original capital will be preserved.'     Saving your money in a safe place may seem like an obvious priority. Why would anyone want to put savings somewhere unsafe? But the fact remains that a large percentage of popular saving and investing vehicles provide no guarantee of earnings, nor even assurance that the original capital will be preserved. Those that do make such a guarantee are conside... view article details

Or maybe there’s an old boss that you really clicked with that you can reconnect with again. And if you’re really in-demand, companies will start coming after you.In your 30s you’re going to want to look at every part of the package:Make sure your salary is at the top of the rangeHealth benefits become more important, especially if you’re married with kidsPay attention to job title here… it can set you up for success down the lineBonuses can really spike your annual income and add to the bottom lineCLICK TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL ARTICLEHow much are you worth?Personal Salary ReportSearch US Sa... view article details

Q: Do I have a right to view the compensation band for my title?I've just been promoted to MIS manager and I know my new base salary is $22,300 less than the minimum starting salary for my title. Online market surveys support this claim. I can't admit that I have seen the comp band for my title because it would aversely affect the person who showed me.My boss refuses to discuss my salary, except to say I don't have enough experience and he doesn't expect as much from me as others with my title. What are your thoughts?A: I'm not an attorney, but I don’t know of any law that requires a company t... view article details

Q. Would you discuss the risks of promoting a deserving employee (title change) but not increasing salary due to current economic conditions?A. A promotion is when an employee is moved into a job with greater scope and responsibility than his or her current job. Promotions in and of themselves do not mean a monetary increase in salary. But in general, companies adjust salaries with promotions when the monetary value of the new job is higher than the value of the job the incumbent currently holds.It is understandable that a company might not be able to afford to offer an employee more money in ... view article details

Compensation SurveysPaying people fairly is good for business. Underpay, and employees will eventually look for a better offer. Overpay, and the payroll budget and profitability will suffer. That's why companies use market data to research the value of their jobs. But what is 'market data' anyway?To determine the prevailing rate for a job, companies can 'benchmark' jobs against compensation surveys that are detailed and specific to the companies' industries and regions. A good compensation survey uses standard, proven methods of data gathering and statistical analysis to determine how much com... view article details

'Safe travels'...at every goodbye these days, it seems, it's the same benediction. Beyond wishing each other well, what else can travelers do to play it safe in the air and in other countries? How can travelers overcome their reluctance to get back on the horse...or the plane? The U.S. State Department offers these tips on traveling safely to other countries.Before you leave...Read the consular information sheet for your destination country, which describes local conditions travelers can expect. Find out about any travel warnings or pertinent public announcements in case there are any perceive... view article details

The American Time Use Survey was developed by the Department of Labor and conducted by the Census Bureau. Established in 2003, this study collects information about the things Americans do each day, such as work, household activities, educational pursuits and leisure activities and how much time we spend doing them. While the study looks at American households, Salary.com decided to take a look at this data from a different perspective – men vs. women – and some of the findings are pretty interesting.At Work According to the survey, employed persons worked an... view article details

Firefighter Ranked #1It turns out that making a lot of money doesn't necessarily make you sexy. In a recent poll conducted by Salary.com, firefighter hosed down the competition and won the title of 'sexiest job' with 16% of the nearly 5,000 votes. These brave, uniformed public servants lit it up over other high paying jobs like doctor, lawyer, and Chief Executive Officer. Take it from the wife of a firefighter: 'How could you not find it sexy when a person is willing to risk his life for another's; literally walk through fire? You can't put a price tag on that. It is not just a job to them, bu... view article details

What are the Most Stressful Jobs in America? “My job is SO stressful!” Most people think they have the most stressful job – that’s only natural. And without a doubt, almost every job has unique brands of stress. But let’s face it, there are some jobs that are just way more taxing than others. What are the most stressful jobs? We did a bunch of research on stressful occupations and there are tons of opinions. Many publications publish annual lists on the topic, and some even reach out to experts who examine factors such as hours, working conditions, and consequences of mistakes. We examined... view article details

Be Sure to Consider Your Entire Compensation Package When Negotiating Employer Won't Budge on Base Pay? Try Elsewhere You’ve gone through several rounds of interviews and have finally landed the job of your dreams. The problem is; your dream job doesn’t come with a dream salary. But before you pass on the position, there are many non-salary benefits that you can negotiate. Combined, they might make your potential position seem quite palatable. The good news is these benefits come at a low -- or no -- cost to your company. Here are the top ten benefits that you can and should ask for during ... view article details