'Thank you for your Salary Wizard. I had no idea what people in my line of work made until I checked out Salary.com. I used the info on your site to ask for a raise and I got it. Thanks!'We get a lot of emails like that one from people who use our site to find out what their job pays. That information allows them to better negotiate a starting salary so they can earn more money. Money which then gives them the ability to do things like buy a house, get married, start a family and begin saving for retirement. And it all started with our free Salary Wizard.But don’t thank us. Thank Brian.Brian C... view article details

Dearest Readers,What was I doing in Billy's Boxer on Boxing Day? Zipping along the 10 on our way to the Ask Annette celebrity shareholders' retreat in Palm Springs, naturally, when suddenly my newest Hermès scarf blew away, and it got me thinking: It's the new year. Whatever will we wear?Moreover, what simple steps can today's office worker take to become even more fabulous in the coming months? Here are some of the shareholders' resolutions.CourtesyFinish and mail your holiday thank-you notes by January 15.When you restate someone else's idea in a meeting, give the person credit.Have your Peo... view article details

Most employers conduct salary reviews as part of the performance review cycle. This is one of the best opportunities to negotiate for more pay. Startup companies and other employers may offer a salary review after the first three to six months on the job.Many companies believe in separating the performance review from the salary review, because one is an evaluation and the other is a negotiation. But the business world moves so fast that that the two discussions are often combined.Companies set budgets for pay increases. Usually the budget calls for the average employee to receive a 4 percent ... view article details

Dear Heather,I hope this mail finds you well. This is Aya from Cairo, Egypt. I need your advice according a great confusion that I'm facing those days.I quit my job. It's really interesting, however, I couldn't stand the management team and the pressure that they're putting on me just to get some results without considering my rights and they were dealing with my rights as exceptions.I feel lost, I don't know what should I do, I don't know which career I should choose, which life I should join and decide it to be my lifestyle.I know that I need to work on myself and that makes me confused beca... view article details

The course of a meeting is determined before the group gathers, when the organizer sends invitations that include time, place, and agenda. To some extent, the format of a meeting determines the substance. Meeting organizers who take these responsibilities seriously will have an easier time leading a successful meeting.Time, Place, and AgendaOne of the most important aspects of a well-managed meeting is a carefully conceived agenda. Preparing an agenda isn't just a protocol, it's an occasion to think about the purpose of the meeting and the desired outcomes. Giving structure to the conversation... view article details

Apple is Swimming in Cash Late last month, Apple announced it has a mind-boggling $110 billion in cash reserves. Over at The Atlantic, a blogger decided to make sense of this information by translating the abstract sum into a concrete visual.Apple's cash reserves, it turns out, could fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools with $1 bills. I decided to take this logic a step further and look at how much space other sums of money would occupy. How much space would the average American household need to store its annual income? How many briefcases full of bills are needed to pay for a colleg... view article details

I sometimes tell a story in my presentation about the sales guy who persisted over several months to get an appointment with a corporate buyer. Regardless of how hard he tried he could not get this woman to make the time to see him. She was a 'Master of the Universe' in the cosmetics industry based in New York City, and doing business with her could do wonders for any company or career.Sales Guy (yes, it was a man and his gender is important to the story) managed to get through to the gatekeeper who, after all his months of trying, came to appreciate his persistence. And from this gatekeeper, ... view article details

Recent surveys have estimated that over 132 billion business emails are sent and received each day. With that much communication going on through emails, there’s lots of room for confusion and misunderstandings -- especially if you are unaware of how your personality style is perceived by other styles.Follow these tips to make sure you are on the same wavelength as the recipient of your email.Direct style emails: When exchanging emails with the Direct style, keep it short and to the point. Jump in to your main point and stop when you are done. When you send them an email that doesn’t require a... view article details

'To be fair, folks who have so much money in the market that they simply don't have enough time to stay on top of investment trends would probably be good candidates for the use of a full-service broker.'  'Full-service' brokers get their name and reputation from the dogged and devoted work they're expected to do to keep clients happy. They carry business cards from distinguished brokerage firms like Salomon Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch. In an ideal world, a broker provides sound, profitable investment ideas, and furnishes up-to-the-minute research to keep you current with market trends, sto... view article details

You work hard. You deserve your vacation. Yet in a world where we're all shouldering more and constant connectivity is par for the course, leaving the office behind can seem difficult, if not impossible.Yet with a little preparation and follow-through, work doesn't have to ruin your vacation.This article explores 12 tips to a restorative, relaxing, and work-free vacation you can truly enjoy.1. Consider timing If you prepare taxes for a living, don't schedule your vacation during the first two weeks in April. Pick a time of year when your workload and the demand on your time is reasona... view article details