Q: I have been working as a human resources assistant for the last two and a half years. Although I had no human resources experience when I started, I have now learned almost every aspect of my job (at least according to my job description) and have acquired even more responsibilities. I have attended numerous HR seminars and have taken a few evening business courses on my own.I'm also the unofficial supervisor for a two-person department. Technically, my manager is the manager for this department, but because I am bilingual I have become responsible for hiring, firing, and daily management. ... 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

Q. I am the assistant to the president of a small consulting firm. Since I am at the top of my pay scale and receive excellent bonuses, what else can I negotiate that is not monetary, and how do I go about it?A. You pose a very interesting question, and you're in an admirable spot. What does one negotiate for when one is already paid well above market? Since you already know you won't be able to get any more money in base or incentive pay, you should decide what else you would really like. For instance, you might like to spend more time with your family, take a professional course, or attend a... view article details

Here's Everything Your Assistant Wants to Tell You But Can't Administrative assistants (aka executive assistants, or secretaries if you're stuck in the Mad Men days) are essential for any successful business to run properly. They epitomize the phrase 'in the trenches' because they're the ones getting their hands dirty by doing all the things that need to be done that no one else can do quickly and efficiently. All the creative planning and brainstorming is great, but it's the administrative professionals who turn pie-in-the-sky pipe dreams into reality.But because they're so reliable ... view article details

Q: I was offered a 'promotion' from receptionist/office clerk to administrative assistant/office manager of a new venture in a different office. I inadvertently found out that the person they hired to replace me as receptionist/office clerk started at the same wage as I am currently making. I might add that this move/promotion was a lateral move in that no additional pay or bonuses were involved, even though the position requires much more of me as well as a little further commute to the office and full responsibility for starting up and stocking the new office space. What, if anything, should... view article details

Q. I started with my present company in Raleigh, NC, in February as an HR assistant on a temp-to-hire basis at a salary of $25,000. In March, the company hired me full-time and increased my salary to $28,000.At the time I came on board, our HR director resigned. We were without an HR director for about two months. Then the benefits generalist turned in her resignation. I took the initiative to learn her job in less than two weeks.At my performance review, the new HR director complimented me on taking the initiative to learn the benefits generalist's job and on how quickly I caught on. She then... view article details

Have you ever felt uncomfortable about a question someone asked in a job interview? Frankly, some things are none of your prospective employer's business. Moreover, many types of questions are not only inappropriate, but even illegal.Federal and state laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and others legally bar interviewers from asking questions about race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, marital status, or family matters. While questioners might throw in the odd zinger, questions should focus exc... view article details

Job postings range from regurgitated job descriptions to carefully crafted sales pitches. At some level all job postings are designed to give you enough information to qualify yourself in or out of applying. And, if well done, the compelling copy and clarion call-to-action spurs you to 'Apply!' 'Submit!' 'Enter, enter, enter!'Before you take the plunge So, you're ready to apply online. Before you dive in, dizzy with anticipation of landing your dream job, consider: What do these common job posting phrases really mean?"We have an immediate ... view article details

You Bought the Compensation Analysis, Make Sure You Understand It It is important to understand the terminology used to express the statistics presented in compensation analyses. The terminology used expresses both the nature of an employee's pay and where the levels of pay fit within the continuum of the employee's peer group. Making the most of your answers can involve any of the following: Interpreting Your Answers Base(Base pay) The fixed portion of compensation paid for an employee's fulfillment of a job's essential functions. Base pay does not include differentials, premiu... view article details

It's half an hour before an executive schmooze-fest at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Ken Morse is giving last-minute networking tips to a crowd of MBA students and invited guests. As managing director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, Morse teaches aspiring business leaders the nuts and bolts of growing and sustaining a business. His lecture on networking is one of the highlights of the semester.Networking - or making professional contacts through friends, family, and other associates - is the most popular way to find a new job, according to a Salary.com poll. It is also an indispe... view article details