The Career Coward's Guide to Career AdvancementHello and welcome to Salary Talk, the official podcast of Salary.com.We'll be bringing you interviews with renowned authors on all things related to salary, job hunting, career coaching, negotiations, resumes and more. The podcasts---which will run between 15-25 minutes in length---are available free of charge. You can listen to them while on the site or download the interviews to your mobile device and listen later.Our inaugural interview is with Katy Piotrowski, M.Ed., author of the Career Coward's book series.She has been a career counselor in ... view article details

Health benefits concern the physical well being of employees and their families. Broadly speaking, this could include such things as medical coverage, dental and vision insurance, prescription drug plans, certain types of disability coverage, and counseling services, often called employee personal assistance programs (EAP). You might also have a flexible spending account, which allows you to pay for certain medical and dependent care expenses out of pretax dollars.Dental plansDental plans come in almost as many forms as regular healthcare coverage. Basic dental coverage usually has categories ... view article details

Job description Psychologists and counselors study the human mind and behavior. Generally, they also make a living trying to help people understand and overcome their troublesome emotions and behaviors. Psychologists apply their knowledge in many different areas, including health, management, education, law, and sports. Psychologists and counselors must have strong communication skills and be able to quickly assess emotionally charged situations. They must be able to learn new methods and skills on an ongoing basis. They also need to be interested in people and the functioning of the human mi... view article details

Dear Heather:I read your 'Death in the Workplace' column and found it to be helpful. But the person who was sick/dying wasn't in the workplace. It was a spouse of a co-worker. Right? How do you deal with a death IN the workplace?Thanks, 'Rachel'-----------------------------------------------Dear Rachel,While job promotions, moves, and career changes can shift the balance of personalities and politics in an office place, death leaves a sudden and often unexpected vacuum. With a co-worker's ascent up the career ladder, there is at least the promise of 'lunch' and a continued connection on Linked... view article details

Are Young Workers "Lost?" A recent piece in the New York Times by Todd G. Buchholz and Victoria Buchholz calls 20-somethings the 'go-nowhere generation' based on their statistical reluctance to relocate for work. They note, 'The likelihood of 20-somethings moving to another state has dropped well over 40 percent since the 1980s, according to calculations based on Census Bureau data…According to the Pew Research Center, the proportion of young adults living at home nearly doubled between 1980 and 2008, before the Great Recession hit.'Whether or not you believe Millennials are sedentary... view article details

Any real estate professional will give you a litany of reasons why it makes sense to buy a house. But as with everything else, it depends on who and where you are, in your life as well as your career. Despite the prevailing assumption that everybody, everywhere sooner or later should settle down and buy their own home, research shows there are actually times and circumstances when renting might be a better idea.Will you put in the time?In any investment, there's no such thing as a sure thing. What usually makes real estate a better risk than most is time. The longer you commit to a property, t... view article details

Q: I have been an hourly consultant my entire career, and have been recently approached to take a permanent position with one of my part-time clients. We have successfully negotiated and agreed upon vacation, healthcare, training reimbursement, and similar benefits (including ISO stock), but we are still significantly far apart on salary.I am am asking for considerably more than the company is willing to pay, even though my salary expectations are more than commensurate with the industry and my skill set for this nearly executive position.The company says their reasoning is that they are cash-... 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

Real talk - the amount of compensation you receive does not speak to your success. There are many other factors in and out of the workplace that determine your personal notion of "being successful.” Wealth can't buy happiness directly, but some folks crave a lifestyle that is only possible if you're making your way up to and over half a million bucks. Here are 10 jobs that tend to pay more than $175,000. 1) Podiatrist: $197,380 A Podiatrist examines, diagnoses, and treats diseases and injuries of the foot. Like any good doctor, this foot expert recommends tests to help diagnose the condition a... view article details

How to Let Employees Go With Dignity & Keep Morale High at the Office If you're an employer, you’ve likely had to fire people. It's never easy and the process can be fraught with hazards. Keep in mind these nine tips for firing an employee: 1. Do: Consider the need to terminate an employee carefully. If the decision is sound and rational, act quickly so the potential damage to your business and/or staff morale is not allowed to linger any longer than necessary. 2. Don't: Assign the task to someone who doesn't directly supervise the employee. Putting the unpleasant duty on someone who has... view article details