Company Salaries

More women than ever are entering the workforce. The number of women earning college degrees has now passed that of men. We are seeing an increase in the number of female executives at major corporations. So why are women still earning just 77 on the dollar compared to men? This week our guest is Evelyn Murphy, author of Getting Even: Why Women Dont Get Paid Like Men and What to Do About It, who explains the wage gap and offers some solutions to both women and men regarding how best to bridge it.

Negotiating can often be difficult and unpleasant for many. But if your financial situation is dire and you desperately need money, it becomes even more tenuous. So what do you do when a company finally shows interest, but you need upfront cash for a variety of reasons? Should you just keep quiet and thank your lucky stars you have an offer, or is it reasonable to attempt to negotiate a signing bonus? Jack Chapman, our salary negotiation expert, fields this real-life question this week and comes up with an unexpected, yet simple solution.

Think back to the accomplishment of which you’re most proud. Chances are there were great difficulties you worked to overcome, making it that much sweeter. Mark Murphy, author of “Hard Goals: The Secret to Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be,” said HARD (Heartfelt, Animated, Required, Difficult) goals keep people more motivated and more involved. In this podcast, Murphy will give you tips for implementing them and, more importantly, sticking to them.

Growing up in a sports city like Boston, it’s difficult not to idolize the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins. But while most little kids dreamed of being Larry Bird and sinking the game-winning shot, Scott Fleishman was more interested in the men and women covering the game and telling the story. Although the path to becoming a TV Sports Anchor was long and meandering at times, Fleishman is doing what he loves and dreamed of doing as a kid. Find out what life is like on-camera and how you can follow suit.

Ever wondered what it would be like to take classes at one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the country? Not only will you be able to do that at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it won’t cost you a cent. Learn all about MITx and the free online courses that will be available to everyone.

Finding a new job is perhaps the most popular New Year’s resolution, right up there with losing weight, quitting smoking and going back to school. Whether it’s unemployed people trying to find their way back to the workforce or those who are currently employed attempting an upgrade to greener pastures, as the calendar turns to a new year many people set their sights on job-hunting. But before you start networking and hitting the job boards, check out the results of our recent survey, taken by more than 2,400 people, that sheds some light on who will be job-searching this January and why.

While most of you are already familiar with Aaron and Wendy—the hosts of Salary Talk—this week we bring in Patrick and Mike, two other Salary.com employees, to get all of your questions answered. While Wendy gives a great primer/refresher on properly using the Salary Wizard, Patrick talks about the Salary.com for Business site. And as a bonus, we offer some hints about the big site redesign. Enjoy!

Elizabeth Latham loved riding horses when she was a kid. With a lot of hard work and perseverance, she turned that love into a highly successful career as a professional horse trainer and instructor. Now she teaches riding, enters competitive equine events and even owns and operates her own farm. Find out what made her so successful and what advice she has for others.

So you work for an idiot. Now what? Dr. John Hoover literally wrote the book on working for idiot bosses, and this week he has tips for identifying idiot bosses, addressing the real issues and forming a working relationship. Not only should you NEVER badmouth the boss, Hoover makes a compelling argument that we should actually feel pity for them. Listen in to learn some great tips!

You all loved our article on Office Gift Ideas and you asked for more. So here are 15 additional gift ideas for everyone, not just your boss or coworkers. We put an emphasis on cool, unique gift ideas that won’t break the bank. Now get out there and finish up that shopping!