Dear Annette,Twentysomethings have taken over the office where I have been working since they were in elementary school. It seems that everyone has a navel ring except me. Can I stay hip without subjecting myself to the needle?Experienced but InexperiencedDear Experienced,Many employees over a certain age feel anxious about the correlation between computers in the cradle and rings in the navel. Alas, and yet hooray: the future belongs to the children, and to the people who were children only recently.What you need is a reverse mentor: someone to escort you proudly into the new economy with das... view article details

Election Day has arrived. As a campaign dominated by concerns about the economy draws to a close, the latest numbers show the unemployment rate at 7.9 percent in October, a slight increase from the previous month's 7.8 percent. Bad news for Obama? Probably not. Let's look more closely at the numbers. The number of unemployed people in October was about 170,000 higher than in September. Much of this increase, however, was caused by an influx of 578,000 people into the labor force over the same month. In September, as well, the labor force expanded, adding 418,000 workers and jobseekers. A growi... view article details

Q. I am working as consultant for a company and have been asked to join as an employee. How does the fee I receive as a consultant relate to the salary I would get as an employee?A. The answer depends on two things: the way you're currently charging the company; and the role you're being asked to take on as a full-time employee.First, there is the matter of expenses. Consultants typically work off site and are on company premises principally for meetings. Such consultants may charge their customers fees that cover overhead in addition to the fees for the services being performed. Consultants' ... view article details

Q. How much per hour should a per diem CPA make in the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan area? I'm considered self-employed, and I have 16 years of public accounting experience. My area of specialty is income tax.A. Per diem is a Latin term that literally means 'per day.' A per-diem CPA is one whose rate of pay is based on a day of work, rather than on a full-time salary. The term per diem is also used sometimes to indicate a flat fee for daily reimbursable expenses, such as a per diem for full-time employees who travel.People who work on a per diem basis are often called contractors. Contrac... view article details

Ever wish you could stay in school forever? Well you can - as a career. If you've checked out our 10 jobs that keep colleges and universities functioning, it's time to graduate to higher education leadership. Whether you aspire to be an alumni affairs director, a head coach, or even a college president, these 10 leadership roles are for folks passionate about giving back to the collegiate experience. Here are 10 jobs in higher education leadership worth looking at. We've included the average salaries and ranges based on Salary.com data. 1) Bookstore Director - Higher Ed. Average: $65,103 Salar... view article details

Tie a napkin 'round your neck and be our guest to check out this platter of food & beverage roles! If you’re curious about how much employees in these kind of roles earn on average, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 10 food & beverage jobs worth looking at. We've included the average entry-level salaries and ranges based on Salary.com data. 1) Food Scientist Average: $70,062 Salary Range: $56,113-$85,303 What you’ll do: Apply scientific and engineering principles in research, development, production technology, quality control, packaging, processing, and utilization of food. This rol... view article details

Job description Engineers research and develop solutions to technical needs in society. They design products, materials, machinery, factories, systems, structures, and much more. Their main work lies in ensuring efficiency, and working to constantly improve the quality of all aspects of life. They also analyze the impact their projects have had on the environment and society. Most engineers specialize in a certain area, there are more than 25 specialties recognized by professional engineering societies and each area has many divisions. Engineers will also sometimes choose to specialize in a s... view article details

Few things are as challenging as looking for work. Making smart decisions involves a host of variables that may be quite contradictory. Figuring out where you want to work next involves balancing location (where you work), occupation (what you do), compensation (what you make), and availability (what jobs are open). The earliest stages of the job hunt are a lot like a game of MadLibs™. For starters, fill in the following blanks in this simple CareerMadLib: I want to be a(n)  (name of occupation)   working in  (name of location)   making   (annual salary) . Think About What Means the Most to ... view article details

Types of Medical Insurance  Since health benefits were introduced in the U.S. marketplace in the 1940s, they have been both a blessing and a curse. No one wants to be without them, but few of us can afford to pay full freight either. Most people get health insurance through their jobs or are covered through a family member's insurance. This is called group insurance. Group insurance is generally the least expensive kind. In many cases, the employer pays part or all of the cost. Some organizations offer only one health insurance plan and others offer a choice of plans: a fee-for-service or inde... view article details

Let's say your resume is current, and you are beginning to speak to a few companies about a potential move. Here are some things to think about regarding your bonuses as you consider offers.Pay Mix Varies by IndustryLet's say you are contemplating joining a company in a different industry, although you intend to continue doing what you're doing now. The company you are joining is offering a much larger bonus than you are currently earning, but is ruling out that larger salary you were hoping for. That is, it has a different pay mix. Pay mix varies from industry to industry.Certain industries p... view article details