Chief executive officers (CEOs) get paid lots of money for being the top employees in the company. Why do they get paid so much? Like athletes and actors, CEOs provide a level of talent that is required to produce the desired product - in this case, a strongly performing company. The skills and responsibilities that come with the job of CEO are extreme and the number of people who can fill these roles is limited. That is why the market has determined that people with these skills are worth a lot of money to their companies. Only about 20 percent of a CEO's pay is base salary; the rest is made... view article details

There is, it seems, a skills gap in this country.Even as the national unemployment rate lingers above 8 percent -- 12.5 million people -- tens of thousands of jobs are going unfilled as employers contend that they just can't find qualified candidates. Applicants need to get more education, more skills, more experience, according to hiring managers.But the problem may not lay with the job-seekers alone, according to Why Good People Can't Get Jobs, a recently released book by Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School. Companies' own expectations and practices, Cappelli argues,... view article details

In Part I of this article we discussed  six common roadblocks faced in the workplace, and how to recognize them. In Part II we’ll talk about specific strategies that will allow you to knock down roadblocks, so you can happily and successfully reach your destination.Roadblock #1: All talk, no action. Instead of daydreaming about how great your life would be if you reached your goal, take action.Strategy: Adapt the adage “There’s no time like the present.” Set goals that are SMART—Specific, Measurable,Attainable, Relevent, and Time-Bound. Taking this important first step will brea... view article details

 Finding the house of your dreams is a cinch if you have the money. You can buy where you want, the size and style you want, you can even tear it all down and remodel how you want. 'I've taken out pristine, custom-built $100,000 kitchens to replace them with pristine, custom-built $150,000 kitchens that looked a little different,' said John C., a building contractor from Marina del Rey, California. 'Not that they seemed like the kind of people who spent much time in a kitchen anyway.' Staying within your means For the rest of us, buying a home is a knotty process of checks and balances. Ironic... view article details

There is plenty of advice out there about writing a good resume. From grammarians parading the benefits of a bullet proof resume -- at least from a spelling and grammar perspective -- to hiring managers threatening to toss out your resume for failing to 'suit their tastes,' almost everyone has an opinion. Nothing is necessarily wrong. Resume writing is inherently subjective.But despite the diverse viewpoints, there are some clear differentiators that go into the making of a great resume. I am not talking about writing just a good resume. Today’s job market demands greatness. For better or wors... view article details

What does it mean to work hard, really? The answer is different for everyone, but you might be curious to learn which states work the most hours per week or spend the least amount of leisure time per day. Using a variety of direct and indirect metrics such as these, the folks at WalletHub published a comprehensive ranking of the fifty U.S. states according to “how hard” their populations work. Here are the top 10 states and their respective total scores based on Wallethub’s methodology: Alaska: 69 North Dakota: 66 Wyoming: 62 South Dakota: 61 Nebr... view article details

Q. I have accepted a job at a salary that is far less than I was making earlier as a contractor for the same company. I talked to the human resources department, and they are not ready to increase the salary yet. I was thinking of talking to the manager on the first day of work regarding the salary. What do you advise?A. It is never a good practice to accept a position, then ask for an increase in your salary the first week on the job. The best time to negotiate a competitive salary is before you accept your job, when both you and the employer are trying to establish a relationship. You accept... view article details

Q. I just earned a bachelor's degree in human resources management and I have three years of experience. Based on Salary.com's results, if I am a qualified applicant I should be getting a median income in the mid-40s per year. During interviews, when asked, 'What is your salary requirement?' I don't know what to say. Based on my experience as a recruiter, I hated when I asked the same question and didn't get a concrete response. I was taught to start low and work my way up with the salary until the other person 'gives in.' What's the best way to answer this question?A. I'm not a believer in wa... view article details

Is the Euro on the Brink of Extinction? Europe. Land of classic artistic masterpieces, of perfect flaky croissants, of crushing debt that threatens to destabilize the global economy.These days, conversations about Europe are at least as likely to concern failing banks and government debt as the Eiffel Tower or the hills of Tuscany. But why? They're over there and we're over here. Why are we, and our media, following the sagas of Greece and Spain and Italy so closely? Well, it turns out there is more at stake for the United States than geography would suggest.'If other countries can’t ... view article details

In Honor of the New Movie “Horrible Bosses,” Salary.com Polled Its Readers to Find the Worst Real-Life Bosses At some point in your career it’s happened to you. You get saddled with “that boss.” The boss who drives you crazy, mistreats you and takes credit for your hard work. A boss who is just horrible!That’s the premise of the recently released movie “Horrible Bosses,” starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. Three friends with three wretched bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston) get so fed up at work they devise a plan to rid themselves of their r... view article details