A company's pay structure is the method of administering its pay philosophy. The two leading types of pay structures are the internal equity method, which uses a tightly constructed grid to ensure that each job is compensated according to the jobs above and below it in a hierarchy, and market pricing, where each job in an organization is tied to the prevailing market rate.A company needs job descriptions for all its positions so that people know where they fall within the organization. A pay structure helps answer questions about who's who, what each person's role is, and why people are compen... view article details

How to Keep a Low Profile & Stay Out of Office Gutter Politics Office Politics? Proceed with Caution We recently ran an article about why it's imperative for successful employees to engage in office politics. But as in the case everywhere, reasonable people will disagree. And that includes the writers at Salary.com. So here's the flip side of the office politics coin. Office politics occur in most workplaces. When employees spend hours per day together and vie for the same promotions and raises, competition is inevitable. Some people claim office politics are an essential part of the workpl... view article details

In today's busy world, prioritizing between your work and your personal life can be a huge challenge. But studies show that a poor work-life balance can result in unhealthy levels of stress, unhappiness, and even reduced productivity. The 14 tips outlined in this article are designed to help you restore the balance -- and harmony -- in your work and personal lives, so you can enjoy both to the utmost. Step 1: Set your priorities Figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. Ask yourself, "If I could only focus on one thing in my life, what would it be?" ... view article details

Used Correctly, Pinterest Can be a Valuable Tool to Aid in Your Job Search Pinterest: Time-Waster or Career-Starter? Pinterest, with more than 11.7 million users and a recent value of $1.5 billion, is the fastest growing social network since Facebook. First used by a mostly female demographic to create and share online "pinboards" devoted to topics like fashion, food, event planning, and interior design, Pinterest is rapidly finding favor with other groups of people, including job seekers. Pinterest allows users to create "pinboards" on specific topics. Users find images and videos that are... view article details

Job description Lawyers act as both advisors and advocates to their clients. They represent either the defense or prosecution side in criminal and civil trials. They are responsible for presenting evidence and arguments that best support their client. Lawyers advise their clients regarding a multitude of issues in both business and personal matters. Lawyers will usually specialize in a certain area of law, such as healthcare, probate, international, and environmental law, among others. Most lawyers work in private practices dealing with either criminal or civil law cases. The National Associa... view article details

The modern war for talent has created unprecedented opportunity and flexibility for experienced job-seekers and current employees. Still, as tech transforms the office and remote workers frolic in exotic locations, most folks are still focused on a simple agenda: put in work and get paid. But everyone in this evolving workforce deserves a work environment that encourages them to aim for a higher purpose. Whether it’s knowing your individual work contributed to the company’s bottom line or indirectly made some positive difference in a client’s life, there’s power in labor beyond the paycheck. ... view article details

You Only Get One Chance to Make a Good First Impression Finding a great job can be a challenge. But once you land that dream job, you need to realize the real challenge is still looming in the distance.Sure, take a moment to pat yourself on the back and celebrate getting hired. Good for you! But if you want to lay the groundwork for short- and long-term job success, you can’t relax and become complacent.It’s possible to get your future co-workers to take notice of you before you even start your new job. You can confirm why you were chosen for your position without stepping foot in the... view article details

Comedian John Ramsey has a humorous bit where he complains, “I’m tired of being treated as a second class citizen because I believe in unicorns. I don’t understand why unicorns are so magical, it’s just a horse with a horn. A seahorse exists and that’s 50% fish, 50% horse! I’m just talking about something that is 99% horse, 1% cooler horse.”In the working world (often at startups), there is some debate about whether unicorn employees exist and how much time you should spend looking for them when hiring. A unicorn employee has been described as an “A Player,” a natural leader that is highly ski... view article details

The foundation laid now often sets the tone for what the future will hold. This philosophy possesses very significant meaning in education. Selecting a place of higher learning definitely helps chart the course for future career opportunities and success. It may not be that any of the schools are necessarily wrong—it’s really about uncovering that one school that is right for you. A few things to consider:Ask the online-accredited colleges to send brochures and information packets about their programs. Seeing the quality and depth of information sent will help determine the type of education... view article details

"What Can We Do to Help?" Q: 'Hi Heather,My co-worker 'Brenda' has a husband who was diagnosed with lung cancer a few months ago. It seemed like he was doing better for a while, but over this past month, Brenda has missed a lot of work and it sounds like her husband isn't doing very well (He had to quit working himself, and Brenda called his condition 'incurable').Most of the office made donations in his honor to a cancer fund last Christmas, but I feel like we should be doing more now. I'm not exactly sure what's appropriate however. I don't want to make Brenda sad or make her think ... view article details