Q: I joined my current company (Pre-IPO) right out of school as a junior QA engineer testing our product. Over the last three years, I have moved from that position to one with key responsibilities while the company has gone from 30 people to 50. Although I have been given the responsibilities of a software project lead reporting to the CTO and supervising the work of the others, there has been no official change in my title. I have been given raises quite frequently, but am still getting paid less than those I supervise. This is mainly due to my low starting salary as I have been given approx... view article details

You Might Want to Avoid These Jobs Years ago, Bobby McFerrin told us all to “don’t worry, be happy.” Clearly he wasn’t working in one of the careers on this list.The work website Careerbliss has come out with a survey detailing which careers feature workers who are the unhappiest. After analyzing more than 25,000 independent company reviews, these 10 jobs are the ones which feature the largest amounts of employee discontent. In order to compile these rankings, CareerBliss data evaluates the key factors that affect work happiness including: bosses, support and incentives, growth opport... view article details

Q. I have been trying to contact my human resource department to get a fair market value (pay range) for the position I have held for 6 years. My HR department has told me they do not have the fair market value of my position. The bank I work for does have pay ranges and I have asked for those, but the HR department said the pay ranges do not mean anything because they overlap.How can I find out what I am worth? How can I get this information from my employer to compare other positions in my area?A. Pay ranges and pay grades are tools companies use to help them administer their pay programs. C... view article details

Q. I have been trying to contact my human resource department to get a fair market value (pay range) for the position I have held for 6 years. My HR department has told me they do not have the fair market value of my position. The bank I work for does have pay ranges and I have asked for those, but the HR department said the pay ranges do not mean anything because they overlap.How can I find out what I am worth? How can I get this information from my employer to compare other positions in my area?A. Pay ranges and pay grades are tools companies use to help them administer their pay programs. C... view article details

Leadership Versus Management Do you know the difference between leadership and management? In Western economies, the lines between the two have become blurred. In her book, The Seven Keys of Charisma (1997), Joanna Kozubska says: “There are times when a leader needs good, systematic management skills and times when a manager must inspire people. We have to be able to do both.” This has significant implications for the way that leaders and managers should be developed. Originally, the difference between management and leadership arose based on the perception that management was about imple... view article details

Synchronicity! We all know the resume is your calling card, and its job is to get you noticed. Since February is associated with perfect matches, use some of that synchronicity to get you noticed despite the tight job market. Focus on improving your interactions with everyone you meet during your job search to make you irresistible to hiring managers. Concentrate your efforts on key opportunities to make the most of this short month and land that big interview, ending your affair with the job search for good!Whether you are applying by posting your resume, sending emails, or dropping ... view article details

If hospitality is your cup of tea—and you don’t mind serving others—a career as a hotel manager may be perfect for you.Hotel managers oversee all aspects of hotel operations including staff, maintenance, convention and conference services, reservations, office administration, sales, purchasing, housekeeping, security, recreation, and food management. Depending on how many services a hotel provides, the manager can be responsible for everything from banquets to conventions. Managers also take into account marketing and financial management. They set room rates, approve expenditures and ensure t... view article details

Q: Hello Jack,I just completed an exploratory (group) interview and mini-individual interview with an HR Manager at a prestigious non-profit organization that services Developmentally Disabled individuals nationwide. I have 12 years in the field of Disabilities, starting out as a case manager and working myself up to two supervisory positions within the last five years with a year gap in between as I was pursuing my Masters in Social Work. I'll be  getting my MSW by 2013. I cant help thinking that I made a huge mistake in writing a salary range of $48k-$50k on my application. When I sat with h... view article details

Q. After having 12 weeks off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for a newborn baby, I have decided to reduce my work hours from 40 to 30 per week. However, I am a bit uneasy about negotiating for the time.I have worked for this company for three years (I have over a decade of experience). On all of my past reviews I have been given the highest rating. I live in an area with very low unemployment and great demand for skilled employees, which will work in my favor when I negotiate for the time, but I am unsure of how to go about it.Should I begin by writing up a proposal, deta... view article details

Q. A coworker recently moved, and the owners decided not to hire a new employee. The office manager and I are splitting the extra duties. Would this be a good time to request a raise, since I am now doing more work at the same pay rate as before?A. It depends on what tasks you're being expected to take over and on how these new tasks have changed the impact, scope, and responsibilities of your job. Just because the company has increased your tasks does not mean the value of the job has increased.In many cases, a company may increase the number of tasks in someone's current job function without... view article details