Salary

Too many of us view a sticker-price as set in stone. But haggling is an oft-accepted practice not limited to flea markets and the real estate market. Plus, it can save you a bundle on both big-ticket and small-fee items. From buying a car to negotiating your starting salary, it's all about asking for what you want. Here are the purchases you can and should haggle over before handing over your cash. Read More »

A study of 42,000 managers in the UK found that at the age of 37, the average female manager was five years younger than her male equivalent. Despite those significant gains, women continue to be paid less-- an average 12 per cent less for working in a similar role. At the director level the gap increases to 23 per cent. The National Management Salary Survey also reveals that resignation rates among women directors, managers and professionals are at their highest level for five years. Women are 20 per cent more likely than men to resign from their jobs. Those statistics would not be much different for women working in the United States.

As these statistics show, regardless of how far you progress, your compensation depends in significant part on how well you negotiate. Read More »

If you think you’re underpaid, you’re not alone. Roughly half of American employees believe they aren’t paid enough, according to a survey conducted last year by Salary.com. (Interestingly, only 22% of employees are, in fact, underpaid, according to that same study.) How can you find out whether you’re realizing your full potential? Asking co-workers how much they make can be effective but dicey—no one wants to find out they’re making 5K less than a cubemate arguably performing the same job. Use these tactful tips to determine whether you’re really getting short-changed before demanding a raise. Read More »

Admit it. Some days you really, really want to know what your co-workers are getting paid, even if you think you are being paid a fair salary that matches your experience and hews closely to the industry norm. Yep, we all want to know we're valued as much as the next gal, and that our fair salary is truly fair.

Web sites like Salary.com, Vault.com and SalaryExpert.com are helping take the guesswork out of salary ranges. Use them to get a good gauge of where your salary fits within your industry. And if you happen to find out what a co-worker at your level makes, too, use that in the mix of information to help you decide what you think your fair pay should be. But don't take those numbers and run into your boss' office demanding more money because a colleague gets more. Read More »