Q. I have been working for a company as a cooperative learning experience for eight months, even though I'm not a student but a recent graduate. (I needed the experience.) Now I am being offered a one-year contract, and have learned I am grossly underpaid. Can you give me some resources to justify not only my market value salary, but also what percentage health, 401(k), and vacation time adds to my base cash value? Since I will be a contractor, which adds risk, I feel this should be calculated into my total value as well as the out-of-pocket expenses I will pay without benefits. I feel I can n... view article details

5 things you need to know about employment background checks Nowadays, Human Resource departments are facing a series of risks caused by carelessness. This is simply because some candidates are not reliable enough to take a position within the hiring organization. With senior management often spread thin, promoting the company's interests can become less evident. This can run the risk of people leaving the company to form their own, similar company – providing them higher salary and personal gain. So employment background check is an important step before salary negotiation.... view article details

So, would you recognize a generous time off policy if you saw one? If you had to establish a time off policy for your company, what questions would you ask?The following is a checklist of questions that a good policy for paid time off should answer. It can be used as a starting point for a negotiation, or for a business seeking to establish or revise a policy for paid time off.The Society for Human Resource Management, http://www.shrm.org, offers its members a model policy for paid time off that is comprehensive and a good framework for companies that do not have one.A well-crafted policy for ... view article details

In the mid 1990’s, people were talking about employment brands (EB). Mark Hornung, now the Director of Employment Branding at Teradata, was arguably the first. Throughout the 1990’s he helped very large organizations focus their recruiting efforts with professionalized messaging and audience targeting. In the past two decades, EB became a standard part of the Recruiting Department’s work. There is a direct relationship between the rise of review sites and the increased emphasis on EB. When Hornung began to evangelize the idea, the company could more or less control the message. Today, employe... view article details

Salespeople are a company's ambassadors to the world. They actively promote the company and its products and services. They are the front line between the company and its customers, and are typically the driving force of revenues - top-line company growth. These employees have a direct impact on how the marketplace perceives their employer and its products.The way salespeople conduct themselves is often a reflection of the company's sales compensation program; and how well the company does is often a reflection of the effectiveness of its commission program. A well designed sales compensation ... view article details

Q. After having 12 weeks off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for a newborn baby, I have decided to reduce my work hours from 40 to 30 per week. However, I am a bit uneasy about negotiating for the time.I have worked for this company for three years (I have over a decade of experience). On all of my past reviews I have been given the highest rating. I live in an area with very low unemployment and great demand for skilled employees, which will work in my favor when I negotiate for the time, but I am unsure of how to go about it.Should I begin by writing up a proposal, deta... 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

How do I discuss returning to full-time after an absence? Q: After leaving my company to handle family matters for about 10 months, I was called in to discuss a more flexible, seasonal schedule. I returned to work part-time, with no benefits, and on an hourly basis, working three days a week in the slow season (seven months of the year) and six days during the busy season (the remaining five months). Now, my employer would like me to work 32 hours weekly with full-time benefits. Should I also ask for an hourly raise? Or, do I work 'day rate' as some in my company do? Or, do I go back to salary... view article details

Q. How do I go about requesting a 'fair' base salary when the company knows I'm happy with my overall compensation?I receive a salary of $36,000 in my position as a branch sales manager. My total compensation in 2000 exceeded $62,000, thanks to the bonus plan, and I'm quite satisfied with this amount.The problem is my base salary. My position pays between $35,000 and $55,000. Although I have only been the branch manager for one year, I believe my talent and results should be reflected in an above-average salary. I expect a salary increase this April, but 3 to 5 percent won't get me to $45,000 ... view article details

Q: I joined my current company (Pre-IPO) right out of school as a junior QA engineer testing our product. Over the last three years, I have moved from that position to one with key responsibilities while the company has gone from 30 people to 50. Although I have been given the responsibilities of a software project lead reporting to the CTO and supervising the work of the others, there has been no official change in my title. I have been given raises quite frequently, but am still getting paid less than those I supervise. This is mainly due to my low starting salary as I have been given approx... view article details