Job Interview Advice Straight from the Horse's Mouth Want to stand out from other job applicants? You will need high grades, demonstrable passion for your work and, of course, good grammar, according to hiring managers at Texas Instruments, a semiconductor and computer technology company that employees a staff of more than 34,000 worldwide.For jobseekers, the process of writing cover letters, assembling resumes and going on interviews can seem opaque, with few clues to indicate what they are doing well and what needs improvement. So we asked TI's head of worldwide staffing Shannon Fre... view article details

Find Out Which Cushy Jobs Pad Your Wallet & Which Are Tough and Underpaid "They Get Paid How Much?!?" How many times have you come home from a rough day at work and thought to yourself, "I don’t get paid enough to do this stuff!" On the other hand, how many times have you had a really great day at work and thought, "I get paid for this? Seriously?" Okay, maybe not as often as you'd like. But the fact is, there are some relatively cushy jobs that rake in the big bucks, while some difficult, dangerous jobs still seem to draw relatively low salaries. In this article, I’ll discuss eight overpa... view article details

Q: A prospective employer has told me that part-time employees receive a lower hourly pay than full-time employees for the same work. I have always understood that because part-timers don't receive benefits, the hourly pay was slightly higher. Which is the case?A: It depends on the level of work the part-time employee is being asked to perform. If part-time employees in the company are expected to perform at a minimal level - in other words, have minimum experience - then it is likely that the company will pay part-time employees less than full-time employees, who may be expected to be more pr... view article details

In the early evening on a recent Thursday, Kiran Arora, a consultant at the compensation firm Watson & Wyatt Worldwide, was getting ready to leave for the weekend. No, it wasn't a holiday or a long weekend. Her work week runs Mondays through Thursdays. Arora traded in that one extra day each week to spend time with her family and her children.In a 2000 poll of more than 3,500 company executives by recruiting firm Management Recruiters International, Inc., 61 percent of the participants believed the 9-to-5 workday will disappear in the next 10 years.According to a 1998 study by the Employment P... view article details

It's time to start negotiating again. We know it's not easy and we know it's uncomfortable. Years of layoffs and a faltering economy made salary negotiation an afterthought for many people who felt lucky to simply have a job in the first place. That's why 41% of American workers did not negotiate for the position they currently hold. But the economy is slowly recovering. Hiring is once again on the rise. Which means it's time. Time to ask for more during the job interview. Time to ask for that pay increase you haven't gotten in five years. Time to stop leaving money on the table. And Salary.c... view article details

The course of a meeting is determined before the group gathers, when the organizer sends invitations that include time, place, and agenda. To some extent, the format of a meeting determines the substance. Meeting organizers who take these responsibilities seriously will have an easier time leading a successful meeting.Time, Place, and AgendaOne of the most important aspects of a well-managed meeting is a carefully conceived agenda. Preparing an agenda isn't just a protocol, it's an occasion to think about the purpose of the meeting and the desired outcomes. Giving structure to the conversation... view article details

The American Time Use Survey was developed by the Department of Labor and conducted by the Census Bureau. Established in 2003, this study collects information about the things Americans do each day, such as work, household activities, educational pursuits and leisure activities and how much time we spend doing them. While the study looks at American households, Salary.com decided to take a look at this data from a different perspective – men vs. women – and some of the findings are pretty interesting.At Work According to the survey, employed persons worked an... view article details

In today's busy world, prioritizing between your work and your personal life can be a huge challenge. But studies show that a poor work-life balance can result in unhealthy levels of stress, unhappiness, and even reduced productivity. The 14 tips outlined in this article are designed to help you restore the balance -- and harmony -- in your work and personal lives, so you can enjoy both to the utmost. Step 1: Set your priorities Figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. Ask yourself, "If I could only focus on one thing in my life, what would it be?" ... view article details

Summer is on its way out. School is starting and fall is looming. But at least you got a nice relaxing vacation before your life kicks back into high gear.Wait, what's that you say? You didn't get a vacation? Too much work to be done? You're not alone.Depending on how you look at the numbers, Americans are some of the world's most industrious and dedicated workers, or we are profoundly overworked, our stress-fried brains in desperate need of some time away from the cubicle. Or maybe it's both.There's no doubt that American workers put in their hours: 1,741 per year, on average, according to th... view article details

Q: I am an accountant for a franchise owner and I am salaried. I understand that this means being exempt from the time clock, overtime, etc. There are times when I might work over the weekend or past the normal business day. My manager tells me there is no such thing as comp time and even that it is against the law to allow time off for extra time worked. This is the first I've heard of such nonsense.Are there laws on this subject for salaried employees? I've missed one day in the last six months, and I was docked a day's pay. How do you take away a day of earnings from someone who is salaried... view article details