Q: Dear Heather,I read your recent article on Social Media Mistakes and wonder what you would think of a co-worker of mine that broadcasts EVERYTHING on Facebook and Twitter! She violates at least four of your 'mistakes' regularly! Lately she’s posted some really negative and really sad barbs at her boyfriend. I also gather that a couple of friends (or coworkers?) have upset her. I wouldn’t know this but for Facebook as we work in different departments. We aren’t close friends, but we have lunch as a group once or twice a week. Do I pretend I haven’t noticed that her personal life is in a bad ... view article details

While Salary.com has been an expert on salary and compensation for more than a decade, there's likely no more deserving and experienced job expert out there than Mike Rowe. And as a special treat for our listeners, we've got him on Salary Talk!In case you've been living under a rock for several years, Mike is the host of the Discovery Channel's emmy-nominated show 'Dirty Jobs.' Which means he's spent the last several years traveling around the country as an apprentice for the kind of blue collar jobs that make civilized life possible for the rest of us, but often go under the radar. He is also... view article details

Ah, the holiday season magical time of year associated with snow-laden pine trees, ribbons and wrapping paper, the smell of gingerbread and sugar cookies . . . and office parties. Whether you can wait to mix and mingle with your co-workers, or whether you’d gladly give your raise and promotion to get a pass, attending the office party is, simply, a part of your job. This article explores five common situations associated with the office party, and shows you how to handle them.Situation: The party includes a cankee Swap?or secret Santa?and you need t... view article details

Skilled Labor Jobs Provide a Financially Feasible Alternative to College Is College Worth the Money? "What are your plans after you graduate from high school?" For most recent graduates over the last few decades, the answer has been automatic and unequivocal -- college. With more and more jobs making a bachelor's degree a minimum requirement, there has never been a greater emphasis on higher education. And for the most part that's a good thing as more education is almost always better than less. But times are changing. First of all, the sheer increase in cost just to attend college has be... view article details

Thinking About Becoming a Dad? See If You Could Make It Through The Interview Process What if every potential dad had to go through a job interview? Can you imagine talking with the recruiter and hearing about the grueling work, long hours and (lack of) compensation that accompanies parenthood? Here atSalary.com, we imagine it going something like this:RECRUITER: “So, you’re here for the father position right?”DAD: “That’s right sir. But I have to admit I’m a little confused by the classified ad. It just says ‘self-starter and jack of all trades required.’ Can you be a little more specific abo... view article details

Additional insights from the 2006 Stay at Home/Working Mom study include:Working moms get less sleep.Working Moms reported getting only 6.4 hours of sleep per night, versus 6.7 for the Stay at Home Moms.The study suggests that in a week, the extra 2 hours that the Working Moms devote to their two jobs results in 2 fewer hours of sleep.Working Moms and Stay at Home moms both spend roughly 4 hours per week nurturing the emotional needs of their kids in the “mom job” of psychologist. The big difference appears to be in the “mom job” of day care center teacher, with Stay at Home Moms reporting an ... view article details

Stand Out in a Crowd Hiring managers see thousands upon thousands of resumes every year. That's why job seekers have to stand out in a crowd if they harboring any hope they'll be hired.When you're writing a resume, what you don't know can hurt you. John Kalusa is a nationally recognized writer who speaks about corporate sales, recruiting, and personal career management. With over 25 years of experience as a strategic recruiting, human resources, and sales and marketing management leader in start-ups and Fortune 250 companies, he's well qualified to comment on what the hiring manager w... view article details

In our unstable economic times, there are few employees who feel absolutely sure their job will still be here tomorrow. But it's not productive to be distracted by needless worry every day. So how do we know when to relax and when to worry (and start polishing up that resume?) Pay attention to true warning signals, but don't get too caught up in office gossip. It can lead to low morale. Just keep your eyes open for these signs that your job may be on its way to the downsize dump.1. There are rumors of layoffs Here's an obvious one. Generally, when the... view article details

Welcome to Our Annual Father's Day Survey Much is made of Mother's Day because it has become a full-blown Hallmark holiday over the years. But once all the hype and hoopla is over, there's this vague feeling that you're leaving something out. That something is dads -- and Salary.com hasn't forgotten.Our annual Father's Day Survey is back this year as we celebrate dads and all the work they do for their families. Every year Salary.com surveys thousands of dads to find out how much time they spend on household and childcare duties. Then, using our extensive salary data containing inform... view article details

Distractions are Everywhere, So Know Your Enemy Is this a good time? We can come back later if you’re in the middle of something. We know dealing with potential distractions can really slice into your workday In a recent Salary.com survey, 64% admitted to wasting time at the office on a daily basis -- and we weren’t counting any staff meetings. It happens. The typical work setting is ripe with potential distractions. Can’t help that.But we do have a few ideas on how to manage them. Whether it’s a constantly ringing phone or incessantly chatty co-worker, there are work-arounds that act... view article details