Any way you measure it, a college degree is the best investment of your life. In today's dollars, a bachelor's degree is worth more than $2.1 million over 40 years. 'Having that post-secondary diploma can make such a difference in lifetime earnings,' said Washington, D.C.-based Employment Policy Foundation President Ed Potter.During a recession, obtaining a college degree becomes even more crucial. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, all seven of the job categories that are predicted to grow faster than average during the next decade require a college diploma. These careers, which inclu... view article details

New London topped our list with salary ranges above the national average, a low cost of living, and a low unemployment rate. Are you living beyond your means? Is your paycheck not stretching far enough? Perhaps you're even having trouble finding a job. Maybe it's time to jump a plane to one of the cities at the top of Salary.com's 'Salary Value' index. We found the top (and bottom) US metros for building personal net worth (taking into account local salaries, cost of living, and unemployment relative to the national average). Median base pay was correlated across more than 2,500 different benc... view article details

In Honor of the New Movie “Horrible Bosses,” Salary.com Polled Its Readers to Find the Worst Real-Life Bosses At some point in your career it’s happened to you. You get saddled with “that boss.” The boss who drives you crazy, mistreats you and takes credit for your hard work. A boss who is just horrible!That’s the premise of the recently released movie “Horrible Bosses,” starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. Three friends with three wretched bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston) get so fed up at work they devise a plan to rid themselves of their r... view article details

Many employers will be conducting their annual “focal” reviews over the next few months, which in layman’s terms means the time in which you sit down with your boss and go over your achievements against goals. For most people, it is an uncomfortable conversation that produces as much anxiety as going to the dentist or asking for a raise.For the majority of companies, the annual review is the only formal conversation employees have with their boss about their performance and usually ends with an overview of an employee's new compensation package such as merit increase, bonus payout and stock gr... view article details

Q: My company recently decided to eliminate company cars as a perk for any employee. Since they have always maintained that the benefit was "part of my compensation," I want to ask for a comparable amount of salary increase as a replacement for the loss. I've done a substantial amount of research and cannot find any good rules of thumb for determining the value of a company car benefit. How likely am I to get them to simply cover the cost of my monthly car payment on the replacement vehicle? Any ideas on the value of such a benefit? A: You may not be able to receive the monetary value of your... view article details

The adage 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression' is never truer than when you submit your resume. Because this is likely the first glimpse of you that employers will get, make it an impressive one.A great resume can open a door, but an inferior one can just as quickly close one. This article explores 14 resume mistakes to avoid at all costs.Yes, you need a cover letter even when you are emailing your resume, posting it to a job board, or sending it electronically. A cover letter is the best place to introduce yourself, identify your goals, and briefly describe why you are a... view article details

Do you hunker down with a bowl of popcorn to watch Forensic Files? Do you TiVo every episode of CSI, including the numerous spin-offs? Then, you might want to consider a career in criminal justice by enrolling in an online criminal justice program. While it used to be that those in the criminal justice system did not go to college, the rapidly evolving science and technology of crime solving, as well as the need to develop verbal skills, writing skills, management techniques and strategic planning ability have led more criminal justice organizations to seek people with degrees. Now, as the fie... view article details

As the new White House administration focuses on revamping the nation's healthcare system, now may be the best time to get prepared for the new career opportunities on the horizon by obtaining an online health degree. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stating that there is a critical shortage of healthcare workers in what is considered to be the country’s largest industry, it makes sense to invest in a new career by taking an online medical billing course or even going that extra step to achieve an online healthcare degree.There are all types of jobs in this field, including health insu... view article details

Seven Tips to a Better ReviewThe performance review induces a case of nerves in most employees, but if you prepare properly, you can make your next performance review your best.  To help, the experts at Salary.com have created a list of tips to ensure a better performance review.1. Track your contributionsKeep a journal at your desk that you can update daily or weekly with your key accomplishments, positive feedback you have received and comments about areas where you can improve.2. Compile your greatest achievementsEach month, review your journal entries and track your progress against your g... view article details

Q. My performance review is coming soon, and I would like to learn more about the do's and don'ts of performance reviews. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.A. The review process is normally broken down into two parts. The first is spent discussing your overall performance during a defined 'performance period.' The second part of the process is how much you will receive based on your performance.I always advise managers that employees should never be surprised by their review. The purpose of a performance review is just that: to review an employee's performance. In other words, your manag... view article details