Dear Annette,What is the best way for a new employee to remember the other employees' names? I will be starting a new job in a few weeks as the payroll manager so, of course, I have to get names down very quickly. I sometimes have a problem remembering names. Help! Guess WhoDear Guess Who,It's the sheer volume of people waiting inside the theater, not lack of confidence in the film, that makes a movie star's stomach flutter on the way to her premier.And so it is with a new job. You arrive, walk into the office, and notice that every coworker you meet has a nickname, first name, last name; some... view article details

The only way to truly get the life you want is by taking positive risks and planning a strategy for doing so.'Unlike negative risks, which are typically impulsive and emotionally driven, positive risks are calculated,' says Gail McMeekin, a nationally recognized creativity and HR career coach (www.creativesuccess.com). 'You must think them through, and anticipate what could happen,  before you jump.'Choosing to find a mentor to help accelerate your career is one way of taking a positive risk.  Develop “a road map” by first deciding if you want the mentor to be someone inside the company... view article details

Q: Assuming employees are meeting the requirements of their position, what are the new standards of annual salary increases (percentage-wise)? Also, what happens to long-term employees who are earning beyond the position's salary range, because they steadily received 4 percent increases and are now almost 'overpaid'? Do they stop getting raises?A: Each year, salary survey companies ask employers to tell them how much their merit budgets will be for the upcoming year. Most companies don't know what their merit budgets will be until sometime in the fall. Then they report those merit budgets to t... 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

The only way to truly get the life you want is by taking positive risks and planning a strategy for doing so. "Unlike negative risks, which are typically impulsive and emotionally driven, positive risks are calculated," says Gail McMeekin, a nationally recognized creativity and HR career coach. "You must think them through, and anticipate what could happen, before you jump." Choosing to find a mentor to help accelerate your career is one way of taking a positive risk. Develop “a road map” by first deciding if you want the mentor to be someone inside the company or an outside coach. Know what s... view article details

Q: Are verbal agreements legally binding? I was recruited by my current employer through a management recruiting firm for a lateral position. The recruitment came with a verbal agreement that I would move into my supervisor's position in two to three years, after he moved back to the division headquarters. Now that he's moving back, the new plant manager has decided not to honor that agreement and the HR manager tells me no one is guaranteed a promotion.A: I'm not a lawyer - and I don't play one on TV - but I never take verbal agreements seriously. If your supervisor planned to move you into a... view article details

When it comes to your career path, sometimes "up" isn't the only direction in which to travel. A sideways or "lateral" move -- defined as a move either within your current company or to a new organization with similar title, pay, and responsibility -- can often pay off in the future. Here are 14 reasons to make a lateral move. Reason #1: You want to enhance your value and be more marketable A lateral move often gives you the opportunity to gain additional skills and knowledge. Reason #2: You'll work with a better boss or supervisor Sometimes making a lateral move is a good way to cement ... view article details

Q. I was recently promoted to a higher position and given a form stating my change in position and salary. However, the form said I was receiving an 'equity adjustment' as oppposed to a promotion. What is the difference? Was it my boss's way of cheating me out of a higher percentage increase or vice-versa? Also, what is a typical percent increase when promoted to a higher position?A. An equity adjustment is typically given to an employee when the company wants to bring his or her salary in line with either the internal or external 'competitive wage.' A promotional increase, on the other hand, ... view article details

70% of people believe they have above average leadership skills. This effect is called the Superiority Bias. (Sometimes, it’s called The Lake Woebegone Effect, Illusory Superiority, or The Better Than Average Effect). It is one of many cognitive biases that prevent us from seeing ourselves and others clearly. Everyone has a set of unconscious biases that support their view of the past, present, future, and how the world works. These unconscious ideas are based on our own perspectives and experiences. We believe that our own perspective is correct and applies to others the same way it works fo... view article details

The Only Thing Worse Than Making a Hiring Mistake Is Not Catching It In Time Getting through the hiring process can be exhausting and time-consuming. We’ve been there and we get it. You found someone with a great resume, who has most of the skills needed, and seems like he’d be a good fit with your company culture. Yet once he starts work, you notice things are…off. The harsh reality is sometimes the person you saw in the job interviews isn’t the same person who ends up working for you. Granted, it’s important to recognize the learning curve in effect and everyone deserves a fair shake. But at... view article details