Performance review season is upon us and many employees feel like the process doesn't matter or has little impact on their professional development or compensation. However, performance reviews are critical in demonstrating your accomplishments to your employer.To see what employees and employers think about the performance review process, Salary.com conducted a survey of over 2,000 employees and 330 HR professionals. The results of the study illustrate that the majority of employees don't understand how important the performance review is to their ongoing success and professional development.... view article details

In an economy where employees are often overworked and many businesses are pulling the plug on raises and extra benefits, some companies are shining stars when it comes to offering their employees cool perks. Most organizations say that they value their employees and offer generous benefits packages. But we’ve searched around and found employers that offer much more than standard benefits. Check out our round-up of 14 companies that offer their employees unusual and incredible perks. 1. Google Mountain View, CA-based Google doesn't just offer employees a stimulating environment to work and c... view article details

It's a jungle out there. When conventional job search approaches leave you feeling defeated, consider unconventional methods to find a job. We've received many job hunting tips over the years. Some are a little bit crazy, while others are pretty clever. Yet, all have, at one time or another, got the job done. Don't let hiring managers get you down Don't fall into the "send resume and salary expectations" trap and forgo engaging on your own terms. Consider sending a $1 gift card and suggest meeting for coffee. At a minimum, the gift will be memorable. If the meeting happens, consider bringing ... view article details

A pay philosophy is a company's commitment to how it values employees. A consistent pay philosophy gives the company and the employee a frame of reference when discussing salary in a negotiation.The goal of a pay philosophy is to attract, retain, and motivate employees. For companies in the private sector, this usually requires a competitive pay philosophy. For companies in the public sector, this means a well-rounded philosophy, with a focus on benefits and work life.Companies attract, motivate, and retain through total compensationThe purpose of a good compensation philosophy is to attract, ... view article details

Thanks to Technology, Many Jobs Will Be Fully Automated in the Near Future Going, Going, Gone You know all those movies where the robots become sentient and start to rise up against humans? Well, turns out it might not be as much hyperbole as we originally thought. Technology is advancing at lightning speed, and if it strikes people in certain professions there's a pretty good chance they could be out of a job. If you work in a profession that lends itself to potential automation, the possibility of machines doing your job faster and cheaper is a real threat. But could robots, machines, and... view article details

Dear Annette, I've been working on my income taxes, and my files are getting pretty big. How much of this stuff do I have to keep? Form 1-too-many Dear Form, When I found out a few years ago that Dickie and I were going to prison for failing to pay taxes on three years' worth of his a income from selling cosmetics door-to-door, my first thoughts were, What should I pack? Will there be mints under my pillow? Will there be someone to do the floors and bath? And why does an undocumented Maltese owe taxes in the first place? (After all, he does have his shots.) But I quickly realized incarceration... view article details

Dear Annette,Please help! I am in a small office, and two coworkers, one a man and one a woman, curse all the time. I really don't like it, but I can't change my cubicle space because I work closely with these people. How can I get them to stop using such ugly language without antagonizing them? Same to you, buddy Dear Buddy,Language is a tool for inclusion in culture, and in some workplaces expressions such as 'Hey, hockey puck! How on top of that are you?' might easily replace 'Are you on track with your deadline?' Yet it's never a good idea to suggest that your crisis communications strateg... view article details

With the Labor Department reporting that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits is the highest it has been in seven years, is there such a thing as a “recession-proof” job? Probably not, but there are some careers that may survive the current economic crisis better than others. The key is to focus on work that continues even when most people do not have extra discretionary money to spend. So what are some in-demand jobs in a slow economy?Accountant Now more than ever, companies are paying attention to the bottom line. They need good “bean counters”, whether they are fres... 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

Do you hunker down with a bowl of popcorn to watch Forensic Files? Do you TiVo every episode of CSI, including the numerous spin-offs? Then, you might want to consider a career in criminal justice by enrolling in an online criminal justice program. While it used to be that those in the criminal justice system did not go to college, the rapidly evolving science and technology of crime solving, as well as the need to develop verbal skills, writing skills, management techniques and strategic planning ability have led more criminal justice organizations to seek people with degrees. Now, as the fie... view article details