Q: My company recently decided to eliminate company cars as a perk for any employee. Since they have always maintained that the benefit was "part of my compensation," I want to ask for a comparable amount of salary increase as a replacement for the loss. I've done a substantial amount of research and cannot find any good rules of thumb for determining the value of a company car benefit. How likely am I to get them to simply cover the cost of my monthly car payment on the replacement vehicle? Any ideas on the value of such a benefit? A: You may not be able to receive the monetary value of your... view article details

The adage 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression' is never truer than when you submit your resume. Because this is likely the first glimpse of you that employers will get, make it an impressive one.A great resume can open a door, but an inferior one can just as quickly close one. This article explores 14 resume mistakes to avoid at all costs.Yes, you need a cover letter even when you are emailing your resume, posting it to a job board, or sending it electronically. A cover letter is the best place to introduce yourself, identify your goals, and briefly describe why you are a... view article details

Seven Tips to a Better ReviewThe performance review induces a case of nerves in most employees, but if you prepare properly, you can make your next performance review your best.  To help, the experts at Salary.com have created a list of tips to ensure a better performance review.1. Track your contributionsKeep a journal at your desk that you can update daily or weekly with your key accomplishments, positive feedback you have received and comments about areas where you can improve.2. Compile your greatest achievementsEach month, review your journal entries and track your progress against your g... view article details

Q. My performance review is coming soon, and I would like to learn more about the do's and don'ts of performance reviews. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.A. The review process is normally broken down into two parts. The first is spent discussing your overall performance during a defined 'performance period.' The second part of the process is how much you will receive based on your performance.I always advise managers that employees should never be surprised by their review. The purpose of a performance review is just that: to review an employee's performance. In other words, your manag... view article details

Typically, employees have performance reviews once or possibly twice a year. You might have a performance review after your first three months in a new job, to make sure it's a good fit. If it has been more than two years since your last performance review and your last raise, you are probably overdue.Some companies schedule everyone's performance review at the same time, for example the end of the calendar year. Others conduct performance reviews at employees' anniversary dates. In either case, make sure your review happens. If your company seems to be dragging its feet, take the initiative t... view article details

Q: I am the IT manager at the local newspaper. I had no experience and settled for a lower wage than the position should have paid. I now have been here two years and am wondering whether I should ask for the salary your site and others say I am worth. I have a two-year degree in information management, and an A+ certification, and I'm working on my net+. I am the network administrator and implement and troubleshoot all their software systems. It's much more work than they first described. To get me to the average in our area they would need to give me a $20,000 increase.A: Even after two year... view article details

Q: I used your Salary Wizard and other sites to come up with a market value for myself. I found that I'm worth between $42,000 and $45,000 (I'm making $35,000 in base salary). When I approached my employer for a raise, he seemed extremely surprised and thought my numbers were too aggressive, and that my current salary is about right. He is going to do some research of his own and talk to me in a few days. How do I nicely get the point across that they're paying me too little? Am I wrong in my findings? What am I missing here? I'm very confused.Also, considering this, when my boss offers me a l... view article details

Q. My annual performance evaluation was conducted in February. My position was newly created, and no salary survey was conducted. I moved into this position from an unrelated one within the same company. I've surpassed all of the job duties in my job description, and have often been recognized for my excellence. I received a 10 percent bonus at my evaluation, which I expected. The median raise throughout the company was 7 percent.Since then, I've taken on more responsibilities, worked extra hours at home (without charging overtime) and discovered that a male counterpart (performing at half of ... view article details

There are many hard and fast rules that a job-seeker can learn when preparing for a salary negotiation. For example, having the right mindset, the importance of doing research, and keeping compensation numbers open-ended, speaking in terms of salary ranges vs. naming a specific number.However, one of the more difficult aspects of negotiating a job offer is adapting your approach based on the personality of the person you are dealing with.There are three phases that you must master:Develop a negotiation mindset and learn the tips and techniquesPractice and role play with someone to simulate the... view article details

There is always a temptation to over spend during the holidays. In light of the current economic situation it is more important than ever to avoid getting deeper in to debt in order to satisfy gift-giving obligations. Don't despair. Salary.com has put together a few ideas to help you shift your focus and have a happy holiday season.Develop a plan Decide ahead of time how much you can afford to spend and on whom you plan to spend it. By looking at your entire planned gift giving at once, you'll make better decisions once you get into the thick of holiday shopping. Once y... view article details