Check, Please How many times have you stared at your bill at the end of a meal and wondered, "how much should I tip?" There are so many invisible factors that go into determining whether that server gets 10, 15 or 20%. Perhaps the waitress wasn't friendly enough, or the waiter was way too friendly. Maybe the food was late, or maybe you're not sure whether to tip on drinks, knowing most places inflate alcohol prices by 400% to outweigh the costs of a liquor license. For the less mathematically-inclined, this after-dinner math problem can also be exceedingly stressful – armed only with a phone c... view article details

Q. I recently accepted a new role as a Web assessment client coordinator within an organization for whom I have been working for a year. My previous salary was $25,000. When asked about my desired compensation for this new role, I replied, "I don't know what the salary range is for this position," trying to get a feel for what I might expect. I was due for my one year performance review and was expecting a salary increase of at least 5 percent. My manager told me to go into this performance review with $27,000 in mind. This was lower than I was hoping for. I didn't really feel I had much barga... view article details

Q: Like many other companies, my employer has conducted layoffs this year. I was approached by my manager to increase my responsibilities to better define my workload to HR. I wanted more responsibilities anyway, but I wanted to be compensated for the added duties. Now that my job is on the line, should I just take the extra workload and be grateful that I have a job, or should I ask for an increase in pay?A: The whole point of a company laying off people is to have fewer people doing the same types of tasks. This in turn is supposed to reduce the company's overall expenses. When your boss ask... view article details

 One of the most important steps in the cycle of excellence is the employee self-appraisal. Your manager may ask you to conduct a self-appraisal approximately one or two weeks before your performance review. It is worth taking the time to complete this exercise thoughtfully, because it will enable you to compare your impression of how well you did with your company's impression. The form may be identical to the one your manager uses, so it will give you a good indication of what will be talked about in your performance review and later filed with the human resources department. You will also n... view article details

Q: I just had my performance review about a week ago, and I was rewarded with a pay increase of 4.75 percent, which seems minimal at best. According to my calculations, this increase does not even cover the cost of living. Is it a common practice for large companies to "reward" employees with such a negligible raise? If not, how could I learn what the median raise is for companies in my area? A: Most companies have a merit budget that dictates the amount of money they give employees when it comes time to deliver annual merit increases. The average merit increase in 2000 hovered around 4 perce... view article details

Q: My facility just was closed. Approximately 80 hourly employees were eliminated, as well as 90 percent of the salaried workforce. I am one of the lucky 10 percent who are being offered postions at a different location. I currently live in a state that has a low cost of living and will most likely be asked to move to a state that has a much higher cost of living. Would it be out of place to ask for that increase in my salary?A: The first thing I would do is speak to my Human Resources Representative and find out what the company's compensation philosophy is. A company's compensation philosoph... view article details

One of the most important goals of your performance review is to help you develop professionally. At the same time, the company will set goals for you to help it achieve its objectives. So at both an individual and corporate level, performance reviews are about future excellence as much as past accomplishment.If you help set your own goals, the chance of your meeting them will be higher. Think carefully about what you can realistically do to achieve your targets.Your action plan for professional development should provide answers to the following questions.What areas of your performance do you... 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

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

It's half an hour before an executive schmooze-fest at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Ken Morse is giving last-minute networking tips to a crowd of MBA students and invited guests. As managing director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, Morse teaches aspiring business leaders the nuts and bolts of growing and sustaining a business. His lecture on networking is one of the highlights of the semester.Networking - or making professional contacts through friends, family, and other associates - is the most popular way to find a new job, according to a Salary.com poll. It is also an indispe... view article details