Convince Your Boss Not to Fear the Flex This article is adapted from Chapter 5, “Negotiating for Work Flexibility,” of the new book, The Working Dad’s Survival Guide: How to Succeed at Work and at Home.Lots of working parents benefit from working alternative work schedules, such as telecommuting a day or two a week or shifting hours around family responsibilities. However, for the most part, companies will not come to us to ask us about our needs for flexibility. We have to take the first step. This can be difficult, but most good things in life are.To increase our chances of success,... view article details

Are You Prepared to Take the Leap? Starting a company is not for the risk averse or financially challenged. It can be an incredible drain on personal, financial and emotional resources -- not just yours, but anyone you take along with you for the ride. Ask whether you (and they) have the stamina for the years of sleepless nights, occasionally contentious board meetings, demanding clients, and fickle employees.What’s your motivation to start a business? Want to make the world a better place, or are you suffering from an ego-driven need to compete with a college rival? Is launching a co... view article details

Don't Make Virtual Meetings a Bore You have to hold a meeting, but everyone who should participate is somewhere else. What should you do?Hold the meeting virtually.More than 20 million virtual meetings are held every year. Some 85 percent of projects now include remote team members and that percentage keeps rising. If you plan it right, a virtual meeting will let you accomplish everything you could with an in-person meeting. Here's a guide for doing that.7. Set a Goal As with any other kind of meeting, be clear on what you want to accomplish. Do you want to convey information... view article details

FAQ: The 8 Hottest Salary Negotiation Questions Salary negotiation can be a complicated, confusing, confidence-rattling experience. There are lots of questions to be answered, and in nearly every situation, part of the answer is “it depends” -- on number of years in the workplace, what the salary level is, what the job and industry are, and how much leverage you have.Given that background, let’s look at eight quick-hit questions that might be on your mind.8. "How much is too much?" Q: When asking for a higher salary, how much higher is generally reasonable? $10,000? $15,000? ... view article details

Q. I just made a huge mistake in a salary negotiation and am wondering if there is something I can do to fix it.This was the first interview and I was not prepared to discuss salary, as I know it is a huge no-no. Unfortunately, the interviewer's second question was, 'What is your salary expectation?' Instead of answering with the question, 'Well, what is the range for the job?' I said, 'Between $55,000 and 60,000, but it is negotiable.' I said this before I even knew what my duties would be. I don't know what I was thinking! That is well below the average for the position in my area; the range... view article details

Q. I relocated by choice. When I relocated, I couldn't keep the same position with my company. Now the company has offered me a position comparable to the one I left behind, but at the pay rate I was at before my position changed. What boundaries does my company have to adhere to, and should they calculate a cost-of-living increase? My immediate supervisor told me the cost of living was lower here than where I moved from. But after doing a little research I found that the cost of living is significantly higher where I am now.A. Since this was a voluntary move, the company is under no obligatio... view article details

January is Prime Job Hunting Time---But You Might Be Surprised to See Who's Applying 'This year I will find a new/better job.'It is perhaps the most popular New Year's resolution, right up there with losing weight, quitting smoking and going back to school. Whether it's unemployed people trying to find their way back to the workforce or those who are currently employed attempting an upgrade to greener pastures, as the calendar turns to a new year many people set their sights on job-hunting.But before you start networking and hitting the job boards, check out the results of our recent ... view article details

What do you want to be when you grow up?'Children are asked this question even before the start of kindergarten. They speak longingly and sincerely of becoming doctors, teachers, astronauts, ballerinas, rock stars, professional athletes and jet pilots. But when wide-eyed children face the harsh reality of ballooning education costs combined with adult life in the workforce, do any of them stick with their dreams? Or is the whole idea of a 'dream job' simply a fluid, ever-changing concept?Kenexa, the parent company of Salary.com, is hosting its annual Kenexa World Conference from October 11-12.... view article details

How’d you like a $5,000 raise? My guess is that 100% of the people reading this would say sure, I’d love to get a nice pay increase.Now let me ask you this. Does it matter to you HOW you get that raise? Let me present two options:Option A: One day your boss comes in and says, 'I’ve got some good news. You’ve been here about a year now, and management all agrees that you're doing great work. We view you as one of our top performing employees and we want to recognize that, so we're going to give you a $5,000 raise.'Option B: You’ve been at your company a year and it’s time for your annual perfor... view article details

Q. As my experience runs a little short of the job requirements, what should I submit as my salary requirements?A. At the minimum of the pay range, the least skill or proficiency is necessary to perform the functions of the job. The more proficient you get in your job, the closer you move to the median or middle of the range. If you are fully proficient and can perform a job with little or no training, you should target the middle of the range.If you have several years of experience performing a job and not only are fully proficient, but also can direct and lead the work of others, then you mi... view article details