The Skyscraper's the Limit No bones about it, said Kevin Hanna: Working the kitchen grill at his grandfather’s steakhouse as a teenager helped him to launch a successful career in the real estate business. Hanna, 36, has since traded in a greasy apron for a white shirt at Cushman & Wakefield of Massachusetts, Inc., a commercial real estate firm in Boston where he cooks up deals with some of area’s most cutting-edge companies. He negotiates leases for retail, healthcare, high-tech, and other industries that are seeking office and industrial space in Boston and greater New England. He represents... view article details

Will Increasing the Minimum Wage Hurt or Help Employees & Businesses? For many American workers, minimum-wage employment was a temporary, teenage condition, as we bussed tables or answered phones or cleaned rooms for tiny paychecks before moving on to more financially rewarding work. However in 2011, 3.8 million American workers -- most of whom were out of their teens -- earned the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour or less, according to estimates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And recently, debate has heated up about whether the government should raise the minimum wage, increasin... view article details

Q. I work in a hospital in Florida as a computer operator. Before this I was a computer operator at another company for almost 20 years. I am paid a salary of $19,406, well below the Computer Operator I salary quoted in the Salary Wizard, $25,310. I really like the company, the job, and the people I work with. The hospital management does not seem to care about what they pay their staff. They are giving only 3 percent raises, and I don't think they'd try to stop you from leaving if you asked for more. I am a good worker, I work most of the overtime they ask of me, and I am not out sick very m... view article details

As pay equity becomes an increasingly pertinent topic in HR circles and American culture at large, pay transparency has received particular attention as a way to help eliminate the gender and racial wage pay gaps. In the U.S., aside from federal laws pertaining more broadly equal pay, pay transparency statutes differ by state and are relatively underdeveloped. Since pay transparency is still uncommon in American jurisprudence, folks may be surprised to learn about pay transparency trends overseas. Here are four initiatives occurring in some of the most affluent countries in the world: Norway, ... view article details

Have you always been passionate about pursuing a career in education? There are many different roles that come with nice paychecks for you to explore in this realm. Using Salary.com data, we provided the average salaries of 10 in-demand jobs in the education space. We also provided job description summaries so you can determine if your skillset matches up: 1) High School Teacher Average salary: $59,639 What you’ll do: Prepare lesson plans, instruct adolescents, and evaluate and monitor student performance. This role requires a bachelor's degree and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a ... view article details

The Negotiation Process Begins Earlier Than You Think Have you ever felt undervalued or offered a lower salary than you are worth? Were you afraid to ask for a higher salary?If so, you are not alone. Many people avoid salary negotiation out of fear. However, even among those who are willing, it is a common misconception that the process must begin with a job offer. Salary negotiation begins much earlier in the job seeking process. How much earlier? As soon as you submit your resume. While this might be a surprise to some, it’s important to be aware for those who potentially risk under... view article details

The American Time Use Survey was developed by the Department of Labor and conducted by the Census Bureau. Established in 2003, this study collects information about the things Americans do each day, such as work, household activities, educational pursuits and leisure activities and how much time we spend doing them. While the study looks at American households, Salary.com decided to take a look at this data from a different perspective – men vs. women – and some of the findings are pretty interesting.At Work According to the survey, employed persons worked an... view article details

The California budget crisis has been a headline fixture for a while, but now that higher education students and faculty are beginning to feel the heat of the latest budget cuts, education has jumped to the front of the news. Because of the cuts in the higher education system, many are acting out through protests to show their anger, while others are wondering what their next option could be. The New York Times reports that in the past two years, California has made over $30 billion in budget cuts, one of the largest cuts has been higher education. The California state schools have seen $2.8 ... view article details

 Closing TimeClosing is the last step in buying a home. Unless you are paying cash for the house, you cannot buy without backing from a lender, which comes in the form of a commitment letter. The lender will require that you have a homeowner's insurance policy on the property, so you will need to arrange this before the closing.At closing you will be asked how you want to hold the title, which basically refers to ownership. If you alone will own the house, it's sole ownership; joint tenancy applies when two or more people are purchasing, but each holds the right to dispose of his or her share.... view article details

 Finding the house of your dreams is a cinch if you have the money. You can buy where you want, the size and style you want, you can even tear it all down and remodel how you want. 'I've taken out pristine, custom-built $100,000 kitchens to replace them with pristine, custom-built $150,000 kitchens that looked a little different,' said John C., a building contractor from Marina del Rey, California. 'Not that they seemed like the kind of people who spent much time in a kitchen anyway.' Staying within your means For the rest of us, buying a home is a knotty process of checks and balances. Ironic... view article details