Seeking Opinions

[Derek Bodner]

In Missouri, in your situation, the one thing you should NEVER do is mention anything about knowing ANYONE else's salary.  Such "accidental" information MAY be an offense worthy of termination.  I know that in my case, disclosure of salary information is covered specifically in the Employee Handbook.  It has been everywhere I've ever gone.

This I agree with.  The only one I'd even contemplate using is the guy who left, and even that I might not bring up.  Come in with confidence in your abilities (I know I'm worth this), rather than comparing yourself directly to others in the company.

[jemagee]

Thats' kind of what I figured, it's not like I went looking for it, i'm also the 'sysop' for navision but don't know where everything is so while looking for something i found all the 'repeated' transactions set up by the Accounting person and it just burned in my memory - i hate remembering numbers well some time

And if only it were 'guys' who got fired...aside from the warehouse people i'm the only male working here

[Lurker]

Here's another thought I had

a 5,000 dollar raise isn't 5,000 dollars, it's less than 5,000 dollars to me (and if i understand correctly, MORE than 5,000 to the company because they ahve to pay taxes on that 5K in salary)

Is there some LEGAL way to get a 5,000 dollar raise that is 5,000 dollars - not exactly in money but in value? 

For isntance, someone who works here gets a monthly 'car allowance' that she believes won't be taxable (i don't buy it personally) at the end of the year...i had other thoughts along those lines - are there any tax proficient people here who have an idea if such things exist?

No there isn't a way that is legal under IRS rules.

The "car allowance" is taxable wages to the employee UNLESS it is under what the IRS calls an accountable plan.  This type of plan requires the employee to provide documentation to the employer that justifies that the business usage equals or exceeds the allowance paid to the employee.  If the allowance exceeds the business use documented then the excess should be reported as wages to the employee.

The follow up to that info is: do companies strictly follow these rules?  My experience says most do but there are always some that will skirt the rules and hope they aren't caught.

As far as getting $5,000 of value.  It depends on how you look at it.  You could get paid that additional $5,000 as contract labor (again this skirts the rules) but then YOU would be responsible for 100% of the emloyment taxes (self employment tax = social security/medicare).  You also will still be liable for inccome taxes whether you pay them up front through payroll deductions or pay them later by writing a check directly to Uncle Sam.  Assuming you have no "employment related" expenses then $5,000 of salary actually gives you more spending power than $5,000 of contract services income.

[jemagee]

Yeah, that's kind of what i was afraid of - sigh

Thanks lurker

[JoMal]

Thats' kind of what I figured, it's not like I went looking for it, i'm also the 'sysop' for navision but don't know where everything is so while looking for something i found all the 'repeated' transactions set up by the Accounting person and it just burned in my memory - i hate remembering numbers well some time

And if only it were 'guys' who got fired...aside from the warehouse people i'm the only male working here

Ah, now we can really see where the problem lies. As Lurker stated, you need to "skirt' the rules.

You have to join the Old Girls Club, get a gender-altering operation, then demand equal pay.

It worked for Reality.

[Reality]

Is there a very similiar company nearby, or at least in SoCal?

If so, call and get ahold of the person with your exact (or nearly exact) job position.  Offer to buy them lunch and then find out what they make.  This will give you a benchmark.

If it means meeting them with Jomal and WoW at a WestHollywood bar, so be it. 

[jemagee]

Sadly no - my big problem is the lack of 'qualfications' on my resume - i don't look as good on paper as I end up being

[WayOutWest]

Sadly no - my big problem is the lack of 'qualfications' on my resume - i don't look as good on paper as I end up being

That is so easy to fix.  EVERYONE makes themselves look better on a resume.  You don't need certificates or degrees to do a job.  Half my jobs I was not truely qualified to do, but if I even discussed a "skill" over lunch or on the net I would put it on my resume if that was a requirement of the job.  If I got a call back I'd study up about it enough to get through the interview and then learn on the job.  I've done that from day 1.

[jemagee]

Now see, that sort of feels sketchy to me...let's see if i can explan myself - i'm good at selling stuff - but i don't LIKE selling - i think sales is kind of slimy - i won't exagerrate or try and sell something i don't believe in (I'm good with books at book stores if i really liked the book)...i don't like to mis state what i can and can't do - i think i usually understate it which i feel better about than over stating but maybe that's my issue

[WayOutWest]

Now see, that sort of feels sketchy to me...let's see if i can explan myself - i'm good at selling stuff - but i don't LIKE selling - i think sales is kind of slimy - i won't exagerrate or try and sell something i don't believe in (I'm good with books at book stores if i really liked the book)...i don't like to mis state what i can and can't do - i think i usually understate it which i feel better about than over stating but maybe that's my issue

Not knowing shyte going into a job, I'm still better than 90% of my co-workers within a month.  The rest I pass up within 3 months.  I feel no guilt.

[Reality]

Sadly no - my big problem is the lack of 'qualfications' on my resume - i don't look as good on paper as I end up being

That is so easy to fix.  EVERYONE makes themselves look better on a resume.  You don't need certificates or degrees to do a job.  Half my jobs I was not truely qualified to do, but if I even discussed a "skill" over lunch or on the net I would put it on my resume if that was a requirement of the job.  If I got a call back I'd study up about it enough to get through the interview and then learn on the job.  I've done that from day 1.

Motion seconded.

I knew a chick whose buddy worked at at college HR dept.  She said her buddy told her they have a stack of applications/resumes and initially go thru the stack spending 15 seconds tops on each ap.  More like 5 seconds or less.  Buddy said all she did is look for words that matched up with the job description.  She suggested anyone applying just put word for word what the job description was on your application. 

I kid you not.

Jem as WoW pointed out, its how he got all of his jobs from Day 1.  Youve got to play the game.  Most HR dept people are morons without clue 1 of the real world imo. 
But they hold the keys to initial pass on so just beat them at their own incompetence.

[Joe Vancil]

Now see, that sort of feels sketchy to me...let's see if i can explan myself - i'm good at selling stuff - but i don't LIKE selling - i think sales is kind of slimy - i won't exagerrate or try and sell something i don't believe in (I'm good with books at book stores if i really liked the book)...i don't like to mis state what i can and can't do - i think i usually understate it which i feel better about than over stating but maybe that's my issue

That's definitely PART of the issue.  Even in this thread, you're not advertising the skills that you have, or the career that you have been pursuing.

If I'm an employer, looking over resumes, I want to see SKILLS related to the job I'm offering.  I want to see EXPERIENCE in specific areas.  And finally, I look for an overall cohesive feel to the resume;  I want to see a connectedness that shows a career path.  My first question is going to be about that career path...asking you to explain your progress through your career, and following up with questions about the choices you made along the way - and your plans for the future.

If I see any skill or class that falls outside of that career path, I'm going to ask about it;  how you ended up going in that direction.

When I did interviews (at my previous job), I was always looking for the same things:  troubleshooting skills, following technology, hardware and software knowledge, communication skills, and demeanor.  It was especially interesting when interviewing for entry level positions, since people would apply, thinking that they'd come on board, and they'd learn all about computers, even though they were really only qualified for data entry at the time of the interview.  On those, the serious candidates would leap to the front of the class IMMEDIATELY in the interview process.

My suggestion is that you examine your career, jemagee.  You've most likely followed a path of some sort, building experience and skills along the way, with an idea in place of what you'd ideally like to be doing.  When a potential employer can follow your line of thinking and your career path, you're right where you want to be in the interview.  Build your resume to get you to that point.

[jemagee]

My suggestion is that you examine your career, jemagee.  You've most likely followed a path of some sort, building experience and skills along the way, with an idea in place of what you'd ideally like to be doing.  When a potential employer can follow your line of thinking and your career path, you're right where you want to be in the interview.  Build your resume to get you to that point.

Oh well, see, that's an entirely different depressing issue...i don't have a career path, i have jobs, 2 of em, since i quit grad school (and don't work in the field i studied) i haven't found a 'career' that holds my interest just yet

[WayOutWest]

My suggestion is that you examine your career, jemagee.  You've most likely followed a path of some sort, building experience and skills along the way, with an idea in place of what you'd ideally like to be doing.  When a potential employer can follow your line of thinking and your career path, you're right where you want to be in the interview.  Build your resume to get you to that point.

Oh well, see, that's an entirely different depressing issue...i don't have a career path, i have jobs, 2 of em, since i quit grad school (and don't work in the field i studied) i haven't found a 'career' that holds my interest just yet

I went to school to learn how to reapir VCR's and TV's, basically any electronic device but my first job out of school, and every job since, companies have put the safety of their personnel, equipment, data, and profits in my hands.

Not a problem jem, you are falling into a common pitfall in the job hunting world of selling yourself short.

[jemagee]

I actually sell myself GREAT during interviews, I crap out on paper - my thing is i can solve almost any problem presented to me

Unfrotunately I went to school to study molecular biology and find a vaccine for HIV - when I quit the PHD program and dedcided that that area wasn't the thing for me I got two pieces of paper and 50K in debt

This web site thing I talk about (and it is progressing by the way) is me seeing if this is something i really enjoy doing -