Q. I'm writing regarding my raise.When I was hired, the director of HR, who is no longer with the company, promised me a raise after six months of service and one year thereafter. Half the year I was working for an executive, and the other half I worked in human resources.Now the company is telling me I am overpaid and need more experience and, therefore, do not warrant a raise even though my evaluation was very good. When I entered this department, I had one week's training to take over from my coworker who went on maternity leave. I was on my own for 3 months with one other person in the dep... view article details

Have you ever felt ambushed during a business meeting? Or have you either clammed up or lashed out at a boss when unexpected criticisms come your way during a performance review? If so, chances are you were in a 'Crucial Conversation.' And you blew it.Kerry Patterson, a New York Times bestselling writer and co-author of 'Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High,' says crucial conversations happen on a near daily basis both at work and at home. The trick, as Patterson tells Aaron and Wendy on this week's episode of Salary Talk, is to recognize them when they happen and act ... view article details

Like it or not, money is power. And if you want to be included in powerful circles, you need to look and act the part. But how can you look and act like a millionaire without the millions?Enter Vicky Oliver, whose brand new book 'The Millionaire's Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire Even If You're Not,' serves as a guide for faking it 'til you make it into the inner sanctum of the rich and influential. And since social standing is often determined by perception, Oliver's book is a treasure trove of helpful tips to help get you rubbing elbows with the bigwigs in a hurry.The one big... 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

What do employees REALLY want most?It's a question Dr. Jack Wiley, executive director of the Kenexa High Performance Institute, has spent more than 25 years researching. And on today's episode of Salary Talk, Aaron and Wendy talk to Jack about his new book 'RESPECT: Delivering Results By Giving Employees What They Really Want,' which is being released October 11. Jack has spent more than two decades studying employee engagement surveys from more than 200,000 workers, with input from companies in more than two dozen countries. Whether it's an issue of fair pay, giving employees the recognition ... view article details

Q. Three weeks before my scheduled date of resignation, I got sick. After spending a Friday in the hospital and the rest of the weekend at home, I told my supervisor I expected to be in by the following Friday at the latest. She then told me I would be laid off because I had been absent too many times. Is it legal to fire someone because they've been out sick for several days? Is there anything I can do?A. I would suggest you read your company's sick policy first to see what steps your company expects you to take when you are sick.Time off and sick policies vary among companies. Yours may have... view article details

Descriptions of job titles appear in a variety of forms in the workplace. Recruitment ads, compensation surveys and other benchmarking tools, as well as corporate or departmental development plans all use some method of describing a job. The brief descriptions of highlighted positions that are seen in compensation surveys and other benchmarking tools are called job descriptors. These outline the major responsibilities associated with the position that can be applied universally. These are therefore sometimes standardized. While they may contain details like exemption status or job location, t... view article details

Dear Heather,What do you do about someone who just about stole your LinkedIn profile?! I've run into 'Amy' at a few networking events and noticed afterward that she kept looking at my online profile. At first I was flattered, but I finally looked at hers and found that she has posted, almost word for word, MY profile job description!! I was trying to be nice and introduce her to people at some industry events because she's new and a little socially awkward but began distancing myself after she asked for my contact list (!). Now I'm angry. How can I handle this? I worked hard on my profile and ... view article details

As an employee, you want to make sure you are following proper workplace etiquette. Simple things like not speaking too loudly in the office, cleaning up after yourself in the lunchroom, and showing respect to colleagues in team meetings all contribute to a healthy, amiable work environment. But some matters of workplace etiquette are difficult to judge. For instance, can you blaze up in the breakroom with your colleague Todd, order Mellow Mushroom on the company credit card, and watch Pineapple Express on the boardroom projector? Well, no…of course not. But what you do with marijuana out of t... view article details

Is it a dream of yours to have a job that pays over six figures? While many say money doesn't buy happiness, it can certainly alter a person's lifestyle. Although it depends on the location of the job and other factors, certain occupations are known for paying much more handsomely than others. According to Salary.com data, here are 10 jobs that pay out the "big bucks." We've also provided job descriptions for each one so you can decide if any of these jobs sound right for you to pursue.   1) School Principal: $103,217  A School Principal directs and oversees education and teaching programs for... view article details