Q.I was recently interviewed for a position of senior network analyst in Chicago. My current position is network administrator (MCSE W2K). The position I was offered was network analyst, reporting to a senior network analyst. They offered $69,000. Initially I had said I wanted $70,000, but I countered their offer with $73,000. The hiring manager rejected my counter. Basically they told me, 'Thanks, but no thanks' and took the original offer off the table. Did I make a mistake, and if so, what should I have done to correct it?A. Let me make sure I understand this correctly. You interviewed for ... view article details

From CNN Money and the compensation experts at Salary.com MONEY Magazine and Salary.com have unveiled an exclusive list of the 50 Best Jobs in America. MONEY and Salary.com started by analyzing government and private data on industry growth and compensation levels. But in an improving employment market in which workers are looking for more than just a paycheck, MONEY and Salary.com dug deeper, surveying 26,000 workers about their job satisfaction and grading careers based on factors such as stress level, flexibility, creativity and ease of entry into and advancement within the field. These ca... view article details

Creative Approaches to Layoffs  It's the classic layoff problem. Relief from bottom-line pressure on the one hand; and low morale, bad publicity, and the loss of talented employees on the other. In the face of an economic downturn they believe to be temporary, companies need to be resourceful in looking for alternatives to the traditional layoff. In the past, some large employers forced to layoff workers have pulled together some very creative approaches to this dubious issue. Consulting powerhouse Accenture announced a voluntary sabbatical program known as 'Flexleave.' Offered to about 1,400 ... 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

Q. I have been running a small startup company for almost four years. Four of us are consulting to the company in various executive roles. I'm the founder and president, handling a wide range of duties, but mostly in business development. I have the skill set and experience of most directors of business development or higher positions. My role has also exposed me to areas in which business development professionals are not typically involved.In considering other employment opportunities, how do I know which executive level I qualify for given my diverse background? Will companies discount my s... view article details

Interview Basics  Despite the etiquette, formality, and inevitable fear factor, job interviews can actually be enjoyable as well as extremely informative. In an interview, where you and the prospective employer begin a mutual relationship based on observation and communication, you have just as much power as the interviewer. So forget the high stakes and have fun.The focus for both sides should be on the immediate benefits you can add to and get from the company. Use examples; emphasize thought processes rather than results; and turn negatives into positives.Research, research, researchBe read... view article details

From CNN Money and the compensation experts at Salary.com6. Market research analyst Why it's great If you want to know what the next big thing is, this is your field. Before launching a product or service, companies turn to market research analysts who collect and evaluate data about consumer wants, needs and buying habits. You get to work on a huge variety of projects: In a single day you might run a taste test on a new vodka flavor, evaluate a re-branding campaign for a hot dog and analyze political polling data. What's cool Testing products before they hit the market. You talk to lots of pe... view article details

“Please don’t take this offer” reads the first line of Amazon’s “Pay to Quit” proposition. The rest of the page explains how current Amazon warehouse employees can pocket cold, hard cash if they walk away from their posts and never look back. “Never looking back” is really part of the deal – employees that accept “The Offer” can never work at any Amazon facility or subsidiary again in their lifetime. We’ve all heard of companies offering bonuses to their employees to incentivize certain behaviors (referring employees, staying at the company for amount of years, meeting sales goals, etc.), but... 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

Weigh 'Need vs Greed' When Negotiating Salary at a Nonprofit Nonprofits are a Different Animal When you’re an employee at MegaCorp and the CEO travels to the shareholder meeting in his private jet to announce that they’ve exceeded Q4 revenue predictions by $200 million, it’s not too difficult to look at the company’s success, negotiate hard for a raise, and say “How about a little something for me?” But what happens when you work for a nonprofit and you’re not dealing with mergers and acquisitions, but rather microfinance loans to empower women or access to clean drinking water in developin... view article details