negotiating an offer to keep existing job by Alison Green on May 23, 2010 A reader writes: When a business comes under new ownership and employees receive offers to keep their current jobs, can one negotiate? In this case a larger company has purchased a small business. I’m managing my expectations and trying not to count on even being offered my current salary. However, when I took this job I took a substantial […] Read the full article →
my company promised me a raise and won’t come through by Alison Green on April 7, 2010 A reader writes: I started a job at $10 an hour. I took the job because I needed income, and wasn’t planning to stay for very long. I liked it, because it was a 10 minute drive to work, and steady pay. I was offered another job that would be $14 an hour, but it […] Read the full article →
is a contract position worth the risk? by Alison Green on February 24, 2010 A reader writes: I am trying to decide if it is too risky to leave my current position for a better one that is a contract position. I’m currently underemployed. I’m making $30,000/yr less than I did before I was laid off, but at least I’m working in my field. I don’t enjoy my job, […] Read the full article →
employer “appalled” by candidate’s questions to HR by Alison Green on December 15, 2009 A reader writes: I’ve been working in a freelance position that is project based for a few months with a medium sized company. They have been working towards hiring me on more permanent part-time basis. The position would include working on an event basis but also office hours, and include similar but not exactly the […] Read the full article →
should you take on extra work without extra pay? by Alison Green on December 14, 2009 A reader writes: I am an administrative assistant at a 10-person marketing company. My new boss just asked me to take on a project that my coworker used to do. I’d be willing to do it, but I wonder if I should. Is it a bad idea to let him give me more work that […] Read the full article →
how to handle requests for salary history by Alison Green on November 29, 2009 A reader writes: I am searching for a new position and more than half of listings require salary history. Not even requirements but history, which I think is completely unjust and I typically do not give out because a) it’s confidential, b) it’s excessive in wanting to know about the applicant and c) if my […] Read the full article →
upset with size of raise by Alison Green on November 7, 2009 A reader writes: I’m on my 6th year of working with the same small nonprofit. I haven’t moved up or down. I’ve stayed at my same position. Every year they do an evaluation, and every year I get the same raise, 1.5%. Since I have been working here, I have taken on more than my […] Read the full article →
will taking a pay cut now harm my earning potential later? by Alison Green on October 21, 2009 A reader writes: Going on so many interviews lately for jobs that I am well-qualified if not overqualified for, I keep getting salary responses that would pretty much allow me to break even. Whoopidy doo. If I ended up taking one of these jobs that pay way below what I was previously making and stayed […] Read the full article →
I said I was okay with a salary range when I really wasn’t by Alison Green on July 23, 2009 A reader writes: I had a first interview with a hiring manager that went very well, and I was asked to interview again. Before moving forward with the entire process (extensive interviews with VPs and clients), the recruiter wanted to make sure I was comfortable with the salary range. Although it is 25-35% below my […] Read the full article →
should extra duties equal more pay? by Alison Green on May 11, 2009 A reader writes: I am currently a secretary, with a degree in computer engineering. My employer now wants me to be the back-up I.T. person in the office, which is not a part of a support staff position. Is it unprofessional to expect or to ask to be compensated for this addition of extra duties? […] Read the full article →