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

Q:  My title is Senior Web Editor at a growing Internet company in New Jersey. With a nearly exact match in responsibilities as indicated for this position in your Salary Wizard, my total compensation falls short of the median by $25,000. I have presented this information to my bosses who assured me they cannot match the Salary Wizard figures and told me I can go elsewhere if I need more money. But my question is, where are these places that are paying $75,000 for my skills? Nobody who I have spoken to in the industry is being paid that well. Are these the companies that are now out of busines... 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

Salespeople are a company's ambassadors to the world. They actively promote the company and its products and services. They are the front line between the company and its customers, and are typically the driving force of revenues - top-line company growth. These employees have a direct impact on how the marketplace perceives their employer and its products.The way salespeople conduct themselves is often a reflection of the company's sales compensation program; and how well the company does is often a reflection of the effectiveness of its commission program. A well designed sales compensation ... view article details

Decisions, Decisions There are many times in life when a poor decision is going to cost you some money.There are the little decisions that bug you, like waiting too long to buy an airline ticket and the price jumps $60, buying a pair of jeans only to see them go on sale for 50% off the next week, or illegally parking your car for just a minute while you run an errand, only to find a $125 ticket on your windshield when you come outside.Then there are some big decisions. One look at Wikipedia’s list of most expensive divorce settlements – twenty-two of them more 50 million dollars! – wi... view article details

Why Do Workers Jump Ship? “I’m so sick of this job. I swear, this year I’m outta here!”It’s a safe bet we’ve all been there at one point or another, as the decision to actively search for a better job at the start of a new year is a fairly common one – especially considering salaries only rose a total of 4% from 2008-2012. But have you ever wondered what kind of workers decide to leave, why they want to jump ship, and how often they’re out there beating the bushes for job leads?We surveyed more than 1,300 people to find out more about the current mindset and attitude of American worke... view article details

In most jobs, it's unlikely your employer will ever send you home to change if you break one of the written or unwritten rules of the corporate dress code. But every day, you get a chance to make a statement about your value to the company through your choice of clothes. Moreover, salary negotiations can happen at any time. So don't get caught off guard in your old lucky sweatshirt from your college exams on the day the company decides to offer spot bonuses. Here's a list of ways to say 'pay me more' - or at least avoid saying 'pay me less' - with your wardrobe.Would you ask for a raise wearin... view article details

In researching the pay for an executive position, it's best to consult several of the many sources of data to get a sense of the range for the job. Don't aim for the top of the range, because there could be unfortunate consequences if you become too expensive.It's relatively easy to get executive pay data for public and nonprofit companies. Publications such as The Wall Street Journal publish information about CEO compensation. A more detailed and more immediate source is your company's annual meeting proxy (DEF-14A filing) if the company is public. You can get it from your company's investor ... view article details

The teens and 20s are always a tricky time for young adults trying to launch careers, move into their own households, figure out their finances, and generally establish themselves as grown-ups. And when an economic crisis hits in the middle of the process, it can have significant and long-lasting impacts.The financial slump known as the Great Recession is no different. Recent economic troubles have left young people reaching some milestones of adulthood at slower rates, according to an analysis released last month by Pew Research. At the same time, however, the economic climate seems to have h... view article details