@Morgyn: We actually do! When you put in your salary, there is a calculator that will translate hourly, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pay into a yearly salary for comparison. And we're adding semi-monthly as an option in the next release. We're also adding a couple new data sources from our friends over at the BLS that will provide additional data points for both part-time and self-employed workers.
Probably the next most cost effective repair is to make sure the ductwork under the house is sealed at all the joints. Sometimes these joints separate and heat the underside of the house. This is a waste of money. Crawl underneath your house with a flashlight and fix any seperated joints with the duct tape that has a silver backing. It's not hard work, but it is messy. The payback in energy saving can be substantial.
You're right, I did equate age to experience, but I meant that as we get older (and continue to work) we gain experience. I'll be more clear next time.
Thanks for the offer to review my data, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm pleased with my current compensation.
It sure would be nice to get back to the basics. We don't need that expensive car or other "thing." Our society is largely a debtor's society, and our futures suffer because of it. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get out of debt and save for future purchases?
I agree with everything you've said for the most part. I would take exception to the home ownership comment, however. While it was a dream of many people, the home ownership surge following WWII was unprecedented. Even from the 50s to the 70s, home ownership took off. There's real pressure on people to own a home (your marketing pressure maybe?) I'm in my 50s and things have really changed from when I was a kid to what I see younger people dealing with. My father, who is in his 80s, attributes many of today's problems to a 'lack of discipline' and being able to delay gratification (he would use the house example--people used to save for the down payment; save for the new chair, or car; etc). People not being able to say 'no' if they don't have the money in hand. You're right, everywhere we go there's images of happy, beautiful people using products that companies are trying to sell. However, aside from the want versus need question you could ask yourself as you stand in front of the display case, there's the acceptance that I don't make the kind of money to afford this so this is not for me. End of story. I'd no more expect I was entitled (by virtue of simply wanting this toy) to own the latest iPad (possible only using credit) than expecting I should buy a 150' yacht. Because I want one (as if haha!).
You're right though. Things *have* changed. But we are also very different people from those who came of age during a time of austerity and without the sense of entitlement.
It's great that publishers are making larger selections of their books in digital formats!
But if you're still stubbornly old-school about reading tree-based books, remember that your local library can very often borrow a book from another (via inter-library loan) so even if the book you're after isn't stocked in your library, they can get it in for you - and usually with only a very brief delay.
My fault on assuming I needed to pay $20 to get the salary information. I went back and saw that it's not necessary. The homepage wasn't clear to me and that's what it looked like at first glance.
But I still go back to the gimmick of this salary request document: it's silly. There is so much information out there on how to use these kinds of sites to make a case for a salary increase, that a $20 form letter is silly. If it was human made and came with personalized consulting...well then that's something else entirely.
The form just basically has to say "According to this data, I'm underpaid. Why is that and what can be done to remedy it?"
Sorry to harp on this but I'm a big believer in using this data but the $20 form is throwing me for a loop!
Good points herein, however, and I say this sparingly - try to put yourself in the other guys' shoes for a second. The examples above are clearly over the top, and I believe you're completely justified with the letter higher up the food chain, but in the everyday, day in/day out routine, those that often get an earful from irate customers are doing their very best to deliver a quality offering. Some things take time to fix/update/develop, etc.
In fact, a microwave can be an excellent way to preserve nutrition. And yes, it changes molecular structure, as does a conventional oven. It's called cooking.
Frozen foods do become more susceptible to nutrients leaching out in the cooking water (which can easily be avoided), but they retain more nutrients than 'fresh' supermarket vegetables prior to cooking.
As for foods getting rubbery in the microwave, this is the fault of the operator, not the machine.
I'd suggest sticking to .edu and .gov websites when doing future research.
hah, my dad wanted one, talked him out of it though. registration costs weren't cheap, and neither was the insurance! i'm trying to talk him into getting a zippy medium sized hatch, he doesnt really need a 4WD or sedan being a single man and all.
i think getting second hand is ok, but try and get one under 3 years old with an immaculate log book. also the insurance for a smaller and slightly cheaper car is that the insurance is a bit less. and since a car only ever depreciates, makes sense doesnt it?
This is pointless. What is the average income of the average US citizen in a given year? Is it even close to 100,000 dollars? Maybe I run in different circles but, I don't know a single person who makes over 200,000 dollars a year and I don't know a couple who tramples 250,000. But, I'm just a college educated guy who works with other college educated guys and gals who have families. All who live comfortably on their meager wages that don't touch these numbers. Maybe I'm just dumb. I've been single and in my late 20's and early 30's paying more than my married coworkers for years and wondering what is up with the breaks. Apparently, I don't know what I'm doing with my return. I do know this much, I have no kids and very little burden on society. I do pay an equal amout as my married counterparts and my money goes to schools, healthcare and programs to support our nation's youth yet, I have 0, yes ZERO children. Yet, my money goes to educate and support them. Ok, they are the future. Is there any chance parents will be held responsible for their upbringing? Not likely, they have to work to support them. But wait, I don't have kids, I pay taxes that go to schools so that these kids have books, then go to a store where they have a drive to raise money so kids can have books. I just came to buy 900 rolls of toilet paper so I don't get stranded again, because I live alone with no kids and they need more money after I gave a kid ten bucks for a one dollar candy bar so they can have a football program at their school. Didn't I read that my taxes went up to support public schools? Again, I'm probably misinformed. I'm sorry to learn that the American who is barely getting by on their 200,000 dollar a year income pays more in taxes while the average income in the whole country is a 40,000 dollars a year. Finally, there are no examples shown for any argument by anyone. Has anyone who has responded to this article so far laid out any concrete numbers? I stopped reading after a short time. I know this for a fact, I have owed 50-100 dollars prior to a student loan deduction. The refunds I have received were based upon how much interest I paid on my student loans. But overall, I have never overpaid my taxes which means more money in my pocket and more importantly, in an account that pays more interest than the IRS. I'm pretty sure they pay zero interest. At the end of the year, my coworkers with children have lots of plans for their returns, which are a lot more than mine have ever been. So what is that about? They make just as much as I do? We make the same amout of money. We do the same amount of work. They have kids which count as a deduction. I don't have kids. I don't get a kid deduction. So what now? Are kids a burden or a choice? A siamese twin is a burden and do siamese twins get two wages? Do they get a tax break or do they have to pay a couples combined wage? They do live together and won't ever leave each other, unless this whole universal health care thing gets off the ground. Or maybe, in the end, you realize that the only people who are wasting your money are the people that we vote for and continue to misrepresent us all.
Yeah those margins are so thin that Bank of America's CEO only earned $29 Million last year. We are all getting creamed and your defending this broken and corrupt system, shame on you.
I'm so glad I came across this article. I've been miserable at my job for well over a year. There were a few months during which I even contemplated suicide b/c I felt so trapped and helpless (the endless 12-14 hr days, and working most weekends and some holidays, didn't help). I knew I was destroying myself, though I still wanted to do my job and not makes things worse by doing a wretched job and then fearing getting fired. But the unhappiness and irritability took their toll (esp. with rude, cold, arrogant characters to deal with), and my performance started to flag - how could it not when my heart was no longer in anything I did in or out of the office? My job was/is pure hell and I started looking for a new opportunity months ago. With this economy, the search for something better is taking time, but something promising is in the works. And, lo and behold, my current employer has, in the meantime, realized that there is a mutual interest in parting ways. But rather than firing me, my employer is good with my staying on for a number of months longer, or leaving when I find a new job (they are giving me this flexibility b/c they actually really like me as a person). While a part of me is sad about it, I also realize that this may be the best outcome I could have asked for -- I have their support while I work to land this amazing new opportunity, and I can stop worrying both about when my sheer disillusionment would be found out and that, if fired, I'd not have time to make a wise next step. I know what it's like to wish there could be a way to leave, but with some financial buffer. Thankfully, I have it. And I wish for all those who seek something similar that their hopes are realized and that happier days lie ahead.
It's definitely advantageous for US investors to focus more on emerging markets. In the past, the thinking was having 100% US exposure was suitable, but that's not where the growth is any more. We're in a recovery that doesn't feel like one, growing at probably 2% GDP for the next several years while the emerging markets at are 5-8% GDP growth. Add to that the foreign exchange benefit from overseas outfits as helicopter Ben tanks the US Dollar and there are likely to be strong gains for years to come from Asia, South America, even Africa. Just bear in mind that these markets tend to be much more volatile than western markets.
With all due respect...While you did give this article the "old college" try...its pretty vague and misleading. The wax&super glue & toothpaste are a total hoax and should not even be in the same article with a serious discussion about auto scratch removal. I have seen this incorrect info in various forms all over the internet. With respect to "rubbing compound" references and techniques described...totally incorrect and incorrect use of terms. I would more than happy to submit a article(s) to clear up myths and describe the correct way to remove not only scratches in the clear coat but advanced touch up paint repairs that any one can do at home.
If you want videos on how to do scratch removal correctly I have tons at CarScratchRemoverBlog.com
I nearly cracked up when I heard what you wrote about Black Friday. It's always made me wonder why in the world a store would advertise something so cheap to 30,000 people in my local paper, then only stock 5 of the items. I never quite understood it.. and yet.. the answer was staring me right in the face. They don't actually want you to buy the cheap item. They want you to buy something else!
I'll just do my Black Friday shopping online again this year.
Guest, sorry to hear that the data doesn't seem quite right for you - it can certainly vary by industry and there are always exceptions to the database. If you want to shoot me a note over at matt@getraised.com, I'd be happy to look through your data with you and see if we can't get you a more accurate understanding of how your salary compares.
@Carlos - It seems to me that Payscale.com and Salary.com aren't as focused on tips and techniques to specifically get you a raise; they seem to be more evaluative tools to see how your pay compares in the industry, plus various career planning tools. All of it is useful, but not quite the same - or focused - as GetRaised.com.
As for the letter, I haven't seen one so I can't attest to it. But I'll bet it is structured to bring the right issues forward to your boss in a clear concise format that you can customize as needed to make it personal. If the thought of asking for a raise makes you feel nauseous, then this system could well provide the guidance and focus to get the ball rolling.
@Morgyn: We actually do! When you put in your salary, there is a calculator that will translate hourly, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pay into a yearly salary for comparison. And we're adding semi-monthly as an option in the next release. We're also adding a couple new data sources from our friends over at the BLS that will provide additional data points for both part-time and self-employed workers.
Probably the next most cost effective repair is to make sure the ductwork under the house is sealed at all the joints. Sometimes these joints separate and heat the underside of the house. This is a waste of money. Crawl underneath your house with a flashlight and fix any seperated joints with the duct tape that has a silver backing. It's not hard work, but it is messy. The payback in energy saving can be substantial.
Also http://librivox.org/ volunteers read books in the public domain.
You're right, I did equate age to experience, but I meant that as we get older (and continue to work) we gain experience. I'll be more clear next time.
Thanks for the offer to review my data, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm pleased with my current compensation.
It sure would be nice to get back to the basics. We don't need that expensive car or other "thing." Our society is largely a debtor's society, and our futures suffer because of it. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get out of debt and save for future purchases?
I agree with everything you've said for the most part. I would take exception to the home ownership comment, however. While it was a dream of many people, the home ownership surge following WWII was unprecedented. Even from the 50s to the 70s, home ownership took off. There's real pressure on people to own a home (your marketing pressure maybe?) I'm in my 50s and things have really changed from when I was a kid to what I see younger people dealing with. My father, who is in his 80s, attributes many of today's problems to a 'lack of discipline' and being able to delay gratification (he would use the house example--people used to save for the down payment; save for the new chair, or car; etc). People not being able to say 'no' if they don't have the money in hand. You're right, everywhere we go there's images of happy, beautiful people using products that companies are trying to sell. However, aside from the want versus need question you could ask yourself as you stand in front of the display case, there's the acceptance that I don't make the kind of money to afford this so this is not for me. End of story. I'd no more expect I was entitled (by virtue of simply wanting this toy) to own the latest iPad (possible only using credit) than expecting I should buy a 150' yacht. Because I want one (as if haha!).
You're right though. Things *have* changed. But we are also very different people from those who came of age during a time of austerity and without the sense of entitlement.
I think your article explains the paradigm shift of our economy! Thanks for some good insights into our changing economic scene.
It's great that publishers are making larger selections of their books in digital formats!
But if you're still stubbornly old-school about reading tree-based books, remember that your local library can very often borrow a book from another (via inter-library loan) so even if the book you're after isn't stocked in your library, they can get it in for you - and usually with only a very brief delay.
Thank you for this incredibly useful website. Cheers
My fault on assuming I needed to pay $20 to get the salary information. I went back and saw that it's not necessary. The homepage wasn't clear to me and that's what it looked like at first glance.
But I still go back to the gimmick of this salary request document: it's silly. There is so much information out there on how to use these kinds of sites to make a case for a salary increase, that a $20 form letter is silly. If it was human made and came with personalized consulting...well then that's something else entirely.
The form just basically has to say "According to this data, I'm underpaid. Why is that and what can be done to remedy it?"
Sorry to harp on this but I'm a big believer in using this data but the $20 form is throwing me for a loop!
Cool website, but it needs to have an option for hourly pay, as well as yearly salary, for part-time and casual workers...
Good points herein, however, and I say this sparingly - try to put yourself in the other guys' shoes for a second. The examples above are clearly over the top, and I believe you're completely justified with the letter higher up the food chain, but in the everyday, day in/day out routine, those that often get an earful from irate customers are doing their very best to deliver a quality offering. Some things take time to fix/update/develop, etc.
In fact, a microwave can be an excellent way to preserve nutrition. And yes, it changes molecular structure, as does a conventional oven. It's called cooking.
Frozen foods do become more susceptible to nutrients leaching out in the cooking water (which can easily be avoided), but they retain more nutrients than 'fresh' supermarket vegetables prior to cooking.
As for foods getting rubbery in the microwave, this is the fault of the operator, not the machine.
I'd suggest sticking to .edu and .gov websites when doing future research.
hah, my dad wanted one, talked him out of it though. registration costs weren't cheap, and neither was the insurance! i'm trying to talk him into getting a zippy medium sized hatch, he doesnt really need a 4WD or sedan being a single man and all.
i think getting second hand is ok, but try and get one under 3 years old with an immaculate log book. also the insurance for a smaller and slightly cheaper car is that the insurance is a bit less. and since a car only ever depreciates, makes sense doesnt it?
This is pointless. What is the average income of the average US citizen in a given year? Is it even close to 100,000 dollars? Maybe I run in different circles but, I don't know a single person who makes over 200,000 dollars a year and I don't know a couple who tramples 250,000. But, I'm just a college educated guy who works with other college educated guys and gals who have families. All who live comfortably on their meager wages that don't touch these numbers. Maybe I'm just dumb. I've been single and in my late 20's and early 30's paying more than my married coworkers for years and wondering what is up with the breaks. Apparently, I don't know what I'm doing with my return. I do know this much, I have no kids and very little burden on society. I do pay an equal amout as my married counterparts and my money goes to schools, healthcare and programs to support our nation's youth yet, I have 0, yes ZERO children. Yet, my money goes to educate and support them. Ok, they are the future. Is there any chance parents will be held responsible for their upbringing? Not likely, they have to work to support them. But wait, I don't have kids, I pay taxes that go to schools so that these kids have books, then go to a store where they have a drive to raise money so kids can have books. I just came to buy 900 rolls of toilet paper so I don't get stranded again, because I live alone with no kids and they need more money after I gave a kid ten bucks for a one dollar candy bar so they can have a football program at their school. Didn't I read that my taxes went up to support public schools? Again, I'm probably misinformed. I'm sorry to learn that the American who is barely getting by on their 200,000 dollar a year income pays more in taxes while the average income in the whole country is a 40,000 dollars a year. Finally, there are no examples shown for any argument by anyone. Has anyone who has responded to this article so far laid out any concrete numbers? I stopped reading after a short time. I know this for a fact, I have owed 50-100 dollars prior to a student loan deduction. The refunds I have received were based upon how much interest I paid on my student loans. But overall, I have never overpaid my taxes which means more money in my pocket and more importantly, in an account that pays more interest than the IRS. I'm pretty sure they pay zero interest. At the end of the year, my coworkers with children have lots of plans for their returns, which are a lot more than mine have ever been. So what is that about? They make just as much as I do? We make the same amout of money. We do the same amount of work. They have kids which count as a deduction. I don't have kids. I don't get a kid deduction. So what now? Are kids a burden or a choice? A siamese twin is a burden and do siamese twins get two wages? Do they get a tax break or do they have to pay a couples combined wage? They do live together and won't ever leave each other, unless this whole universal health care thing gets off the ground. Or maybe, in the end, you realize that the only people who are wasting your money are the people that we vote for and continue to misrepresent us all.
Yeah those margins are so thin that Bank of America's CEO only earned $29 Million last year. We are all getting creamed and your defending this broken and corrupt system, shame on you.
BR
I'm so glad I came across this article. I've been miserable at my job for well over a year. There were a few months during which I even contemplated suicide b/c I felt so trapped and helpless (the endless 12-14 hr days, and working most weekends and some holidays, didn't help). I knew I was destroying myself, though I still wanted to do my job and not makes things worse by doing a wretched job and then fearing getting fired. But the unhappiness and irritability took their toll (esp. with rude, cold, arrogant characters to deal with), and my performance started to flag - how could it not when my heart was no longer in anything I did in or out of the office? My job was/is pure hell and I started looking for a new opportunity months ago. With this economy, the search for something better is taking time, but something promising is in the works. And, lo and behold, my current employer has, in the meantime, realized that there is a mutual interest in parting ways. But rather than firing me, my employer is good with my staying on for a number of months longer, or leaving when I find a new job (they are giving me this flexibility b/c they actually really like me as a person). While a part of me is sad about it, I also realize that this may be the best outcome I could have asked for -- I have their support while I work to land this amazing new opportunity, and I can stop worrying both about when my sheer disillusionment would be found out and that, if fired, I'd not have time to make a wise next step. I know what it's like to wish there could be a way to leave, but with some financial buffer. Thankfully, I have it. And I wish for all those who seek something similar that their hopes are realized and that happier days lie ahead.
Replace Chinese with Japanese and you have pretty much the same media reporting from 20 years ago. How'd that work out again?
It's definitely advantageous for US investors to focus more on emerging markets. In the past, the thinking was having 100% US exposure was suitable, but that's not where the growth is any more. We're in a recovery that doesn't feel like one, growing at probably 2% GDP for the next several years while the emerging markets at are 5-8% GDP growth. Add to that the foreign exchange benefit from overseas outfits as helicopter Ben tanks the US Dollar and there are likely to be strong gains for years to come from Asia, South America, even Africa. Just bear in mind that these markets tend to be much more volatile than western markets.
With all due respect...While you did give this article the "old college" try...its pretty vague and misleading. The wax&super glue & toothpaste are a total hoax and should not even be in the same article with a serious discussion about auto scratch removal. I have seen this incorrect info in various forms all over the internet. With respect to "rubbing compound" references and techniques described...totally incorrect and incorrect use of terms. I would more than happy to submit a article(s) to clear up myths and describe the correct way to remove not only scratches in the clear coat but advanced touch up paint repairs that any one can do at home.
If you want videos on how to do scratch removal correctly I have tons at CarScratchRemoverBlog.com
I nearly cracked up when I heard what you wrote about Black Friday. It's always made me wonder why in the world a store would advertise something so cheap to 30,000 people in my local paper, then only stock 5 of the items. I never quite understood it.. and yet.. the answer was staring me right in the face. They don't actually want you to buy the cheap item. They want you to buy something else!
I'll just do my Black Friday shopping online again this year.
@Nora Dunn I meant to imply that a few years in age equates to more experience. I should have just stated it plainly.
@Matt I'm not too worried since I am pleased with my status.
Foriegn economies, how it effects the US economy and what all the exchange rates mean...
Guest, sorry to hear that the data doesn't seem quite right for you - it can certainly vary by industry and there are always exceptions to the database. If you want to shoot me a note over at matt@getraised.com, I'd be happy to look through your data with you and see if we can't get you a more accurate understanding of how your salary compares.
@Carlos - It seems to me that Payscale.com and Salary.com aren't as focused on tips and techniques to specifically get you a raise; they seem to be more evaluative tools to see how your pay compares in the industry, plus various career planning tools. All of it is useful, but not quite the same - or focused - as GetRaised.com.
As for the letter, I haven't seen one so I can't attest to it. But I'll bet it is structured to bring the right issues forward to your boss in a clear concise format that you can customize as needed to make it personal. If the thought of asking for a raise makes you feel nauseous, then this system could well provide the guidance and focus to get the ball rolling.