Earning a higher education degree is a big investment. With all that money (and time) on the line, students may want to confirm that the entry level jobs they’re setting themselves up for tend to yield a good return on investment (ROI). Using Salary.com data, we found 10 jobs that have median level I salaries over $60,000. These jobs promise even bigger pay outs as employees climb the ranks. Read on to see if one of these jobs may be right for you to pursue: 1) Electrical Engineer I What you’ll earn to start: $68,171 What you’ll do: Assist with the design, development, and testing of electric... view article details

Find an Entry Level Jobs That Can Pad Your Wallet No one ever promised you were going to graduate from college and land yourself a job as CFO. But in today's job market, where competition is particularly keen, it seems as if even the mediocre jobs are few and far between. Before you relegate yourself to flipping burgers, check out the 12 jobs we've listed here. These jobs, while appropriate for recent college grads looking to enter the work place, have reasonable starting salaries and excellent growth potential. Graphic Designer Designs and creates graphics for advertisements, logos, packaging... view article details

Most employees don't know how to negotiate. Many feel they are underpaid for the work they do, yet they wait until their yearly performance review to begin salary negotiations. Where and when do you begin? Now is the time to convince your boss.According to Lena Bottos, CCP, GRP, if you wait until it is time for your yearly performance review, you'll be too late. Bottos, who is Managing Director of Compensation at Salary.com, shared the following steps with us to help you start off on the right foot and make sure you are in position for a raise.1. Define Your Current Job The first step... view article details

Got your eye on a cute coworker? You're not alone. Roughly half of all Americans have hooked up with a colleague, with a third of those admitting to steamy episodes in the office itself.  It's no surprise, given that most of our waking hours are spent at work.The good news is: A quarter of these office romances lead to long-term commitment or marriage. The bad news: Many more end up on the rocks. Here are some simple guidelines to help you navigate love without losing your cool at the office.1. Choose wisely First and foremost: Do not randomly hook up with a colleague at the company C... view article details

Q. I have been running a small startup company for almost four years. Four of us are consulting to the company in various executive roles. I'm the founder and president, handling a wide range of duties, but mostly in business development. I have the skill set and experience of most directors of business development or higher positions. My role has also exposed me to areas in which business development professionals are not typically involved.In considering other employment opportunities, how do I know which executive level I qualify for given my diverse background? Will companies discount my s... view article details

Q. I have been working for a company as a cooperative learning experience for eight months, even though I'm not a student but a recent graduate. (I needed the experience.) Now I am being offered a one-year contract, and have learned I am grossly underpaid. Can you give me some resources to justify not only my market value salary, but also what percentage health, 401(k), and vacation time adds to my base cash value? Since I will be a contractor, which adds risk, I feel this should be calculated into my total value as well as the out-of-pocket expenses I will pay without benefits. I feel I can n... view article details

Election Day has arrived. As a campaign dominated by concerns about the economy draws to a close, the latest numbers show the unemployment rate at 7.9 percent in October, a slight increase from the previous month's 7.8 percent. Bad news for Obama? Probably not. Let's look more closely at the numbers. The number of unemployed people in October was about 170,000 higher than in September. Much of this increase, however, was caused by an influx of 578,000 people into the labor force over the same month. In September, as well, the labor force expanded, adding 418,000 workers and jobseekers. A growi... view article details

We all want to be heard, but a surprising number of people only half-listen. If you spend more time listening than talking, use your listening skills to your advantage in job interviews, negotiations, networking, business meetings, and when selling anything to anyone. If not, improve your listening skills.'I remember an interview I had for a job,' says Doug Fidoten, president of Dentsu America, a full-service advertising and marketing-communications company. He shares this in my book, Self-Promotion for Introverts®: 'I had already met with a number of other executives, and this was the last on... view article details

Lisa D’Annolfo Levey is a consultant on work-life and diversity management and the author of The Libra Solution: Shedding Excess and Redefining Success at Work and at Home, which focuses on a gender-flexible approach to career and family management. Lisa first interviewed Roy Marden while doing research for her book and conducted a follow-up interview in May 2012.Roy Marden was the last person anyone -- even his wife -- thought would be the primary caretaker for his infant daughter. He admittedly felt ambivalent about the idea of becoming a parent. He thoroughly enjoyed the lifestyle that he a... view article details

Don't Sink Your Own Ship Once you land a job interview, you may feel the hard work is done. You might even allow your enthusiasm to melt your inhibitions during the meeting. Don’t let your excitement rob you of a chance for the job you’ve been waiting for. Arm yourself with these key interview strategies that include practicing restraint as well as excellent preparation.Here are some things to avoid doing during job interviews.7. Talking Salary Too Early Why is it bad?: Simply put, this question shifts the focus to what you want for yourself as opposed to the value you will p... view article details