Q. Where did you get the salary figures for news reporters in Wheeling, W.Va.? When I worked at a nearby television station, a starting reporter could expect to make much less than the Salary Wizard says. Even our senior people don't make as much as you say a reporter would make. And our competitors in a nearby town didn't pay as well as we did. I'd love to know who your sources were.A. It is quite possible that the data in the Salary Wizard does not reflect your experience in Wheeling, W. Va. However, the Salary Wizard is based on published private and public survey data from a wide range of ... view article details

"Insourcing" Means Employers Are Finding It Less Expensive to Have Employees Stateside It's a familiar story: labor costs get too high, so management decides it will be best, in the long-run, to send jobs to another country. Only this time, the story has a twist ending. It is China – long considered an oasis of exceedingly cheap workers – that is losing jobs and the United States that is gaining them. Over the past two years, several major and not-so-major companies that had been outsourcing work to China have decided to bring some of the jobs back to the U.S. The trend -- often called "reshor... view article details

Top 5 Fastest-Growing and Best Paying Jobs Without a College Degree According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are several fast-growing occupations requiring only an Associates Degree, vocational training, or on the job training that offer moderate to high earning potential. We researched these jobs and developed a list of the highest paying jobs in this category, all of which will experience double-digit growth in the coming years. Read about the top five best paying jobs without a degree and the respective salary data for these jobs in your geographical area. Jobs That Pay the Most W... view article details

How Will Expiring Tax Cuts Affect You? It has been just a few blessed weeks since April 15, when we all emerged from stacks of 1099s and W-2s and declared ourselves ready to forget about taxes for another year. Not so fast. The tax cuts put in place during the previous administration are heading for expiration at the end of this year if Congress doesn't act. Almost everyone agrees that at least some of the cuts should be extended, but the right and the left have profound disagreements about how to proceed. So what does this mean for you? While you should always rely on a tax professio... view article details

Dear Heather,My husband is a firefighter. His dad and uncle are firefighters too, and it’s all he’s ever wanted to do. He was up for captain and had a good shot at it we thought, but he got passed over in favor of a guy with a little more seniority. My husband is devastated. I’ve never seen him like this. He can barely drag himself out the door to be at the station, and those guys are his buddies. He doesn’t want to do anything. Just comes home and watches TV on his off days. He said he’s not sure he’s cut out for the job anymore. What can I do??Katie Dear Katie,Watching a loved one struggle f... view article details

Job descriptionLaw enforcement officers, including both state officers, federal agents and detectives, protect our lives and personal property from harm. There are many different areas of law enforcement, and duties performed by officers and detectives will depend upon their area of focus and the size and type of organization for which they work.The majority of law enforcement officials, about 65 percent according to the bureau of labor statistics, are uniformed personnel. These officers work for police departments in towns and cities across the country or for the State as State troopers and h... view article details

Job descriptionParalegals are responsible for handling a variety of tasks and providing support for the lawyers they work for. Under the direction of an attorney, they work to resolve routine legal issues. They help lawyers to research laws, judicial decisions, articles, treaties, and other legal documents that can be applied to cases. They may also be responsible for preparing written reports to assist lawyers in handling cases. Paralegals hold an organizational role in coordinating the activities of the law office and its employees, and also in the filing of financial records and case docume... view article details

Medical and Health Services Managers are responsible for making sure that the day-to-day operations of the medical office run smoothly. Though Health Services managers do not provide health care directly, they are responsible for the planning and coordination of health care delivery, making their role just as essential to the medical field as nurses or doctors.A Health Services Manager may be either generalized or specialized, depending on the size and needs of the office. Bigger offices usually require a number of Health Administrators with varying specialties to implement procedures and poli... view article details

Why an Employee's Salary May Be Higher Than Reported by Our Compensation Reports You're an employer who has market-priced your open positions and employees. Perhaps you used our Salary Wizard Professional tool (SWP) to do so and found that you have an overpaid employee on your hands. Before you take any drastic action, there are a few important things to remember when it comes to employee compensation. There are a number of reasons why an employee's current compensation may be higher than the market data in the Salary Wizard. Please remember that being higher than the market numbers shown does... view article details

Q. I've accidentally come into possession of a confidential printout of my fellow employees' pay rates. After reviewing it, I've come to the opinion I am being well underpaid. In the near future I am up for review, which always is nothing more than a formality for a decision already made. What are the possible legal ramifications of possessing this information? How, if at all, may I ethically use this information to my advantage?A. Above all, be very careful.Since you found the information, I would not use it when discussing your salary with your manager nor your HR department. Unless your cow... view article details