Oh, salary questions. It’s the issue that arises with every job search. The first thing you have to decide if it you want to actually list your salary requirements in an application. Opinions vary…Most people say that, no, you shouldn’t list any salary information on the application. Common advice says to ignore the salary request until you’re actually in the interview or to simply write on the cover letter or résumé, “Salary negotiable.” More on that later–first to answer your question…

However, if you’ve decided to give your salary history, most employers want to see your most recent salary, which might be what you’re earning now, depending on your situation. Sometimes they even make a point to ask what your starting salary was and what your current salary is, which gives them an idea of what increases you earned and what salary trajectory you’re on. Sometimes that’s all they want, but if they’ve indicated they want a more thorough history, then work your way backwards. You’re most likely earning more now than you did in your first job, so this build a narrative for your income. You should also list the job title and company with each salary. Because this information will line up with your résumé’s job history, it makes the most sense.

But back to whether or not you want to offer this information early in the application process…

Now, if an employer is really strict and they are demanding salary information at this stage, you have to realize that you  might be removing yourself from consideration for the job. That is a risk you take, and if you’re not willing to make the move, then go ahead and list the salary information.

Why do so many people suggest you don’t give salary information, then? Salary information can take you out of the running for a job, too. For example, if you say your last salary was $50,000 per year, the hiring manager might think you’re not going to take the job if it only pays $40,000–so she passes on your application. Or maybe they’re prepared to pay $75,000 and your low salary makes you appear cheap, as if you’re not worth much. Or you could be locking yourself into that salary. If they’re willing to pay more but they see that you’re making $25,000 less than they were going to offer, they think they can offer a similar amount to your current wage and still woo you. You get a tiny pay bump; they save thousands of dollars. All the power goes to them when you put the salary information on the page. (To be fair, at this stage in the job search process, they are the decision makers–regardless of what you do.)

When you push the topic away until you’re at a good stage in the interview (most likely when you’ve been offered the position), you can have an actual conversation where you give your requirements and they offer theirs. It’s easier to find a common ground verbally than via text.

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I did some detective work and found 20 jobs whose entry-level salaries range from $41,000 to $77,000 a year. Compare these to the national mean of $41,231 for all workers and that’s a nice chunk of change for starting out in a new career.

One thing to keep in mind: While there are jobs that pay well at the entry-level, that pay is usually related to education. If you want a high starting salary, you’ll have to do your homework … literally. Certifications, post-secondary education and baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degrees are usually needed for these jobs.

Here are 20 jobs with high entry-level salaries, according to SalaryExpert.com, which powers CBSalary.com:

1. Athlete Agent
   Industry: Sales 
   Annual salary: $59,879
2. Compensation Analyst
   Industry: Health care 
   Annual salary: $54,568
3. Computer Information Scientist 
   Industry: IT 
   Annual salary: $65,624
4. Developmental Psychologist
   Industry: Health care 
   Annual salary: $45,241
5. e-Commerce Business Analyst 
   Industry: IT 
   Annual salary: $60,022 
6. ERI Specialist 
   Industry: Health care 
   Annual salary: $41,680
7. Hydraulic Engineer 
   Industry: Engineering 
   Annual salary: $60,729
8. Industrial Engineer
   Industry: Engineering 
   Annual salary: $65,600 
9. Industrial Health Engineer 
   Industry: Engineering 
   Annual salary: $54,716
10. Marine Engineering Machinist
    Engineering 
    Annual salary: $58,177
11. MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) 
    Industry: Engineering 
    Annual salary: $71,935
12. Medical Social Researcher
    Industry: Health care 
    Annual salary: $47,594
13. Product Marketing Engineer 
    Industry: Engineering 
    Annual salary: $53,156
14. Sales Engineering Agent
    Industry: Sales 
    Annual salary: $55,693
15. Scientific Artist
    Industry: Health care 
    Annual salary: $43,053
16. Software Developer 
    Industry: IT 
    Annual salary: $77,511
17. Systems Administrator 
    Industry: IT 
    Annual salary: $63,209
18. Systems Analyst Lead 
    Industry: IT 
    Annual salary: $74,518
19. Veterans Service Officer 
    Industry: Health care 
    Annual salary: $44,319
20. Web Developer 
    Industry: IT 
    Annual salary: $66,861

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The latest Job Forecast from CareerBuilder and USA TODAY shows that, while employers are feeling more confident about the job market, the majority plan to keep their staff levels the same for the fourth quarter (October – December). The survey of more than 2,900 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide found that continued moderation in job loss, restrained hiring and cautious compensation changes are expected for the remainder of 2009. 

Here are some of the key findings and what they could mean for you:

• If you were laid off over the past year, make sure to keep bridges intact with your previous supervisor or HR department. Of employers who had layoffs in the last 12 months, one-in-four (26%) reported their company is planning to bring back some employees they let go earlier in the year.
• Employers are hiring, but it will still be restrained. At 68%, the majority of hiring managers don’t plan to make any staffing changes and 17 percent of expect to add headcount in the next quarter. And, while 10% anticipate a decrease in headcount, that’s down from 15% who answered the same question in Q3.
• Around the country, hiring in the South appears strongest for the rest of the year: 19% of hiring managers in the South expect to increase their full-time, permanent staff in the fourth quarter followed by 17% in the Northeast, 15% in the Midwest and 14% in the West.
• Pay levels are slowly being restored. Nearly one-in-five employers (18%) reported their organizations implemented pay cuts in the last 12 months.  Five percent of these employers said they restored pay to previous levels in the third quarter while 12% plan to do so in the fourth quarter.  Another 24% say they expect restore pay levels sometime in 2010.
• Employers will continue to be conservative with pay raises.  Half of employers (51%) anticipate no change in salaries for full-time, permanent employees in the next three months.  One-in-four (26%) expect to raise salaries between 1 and 3 percent, one-in-ten (12%) expect to raise salaries 4 to 10%, while 2 percent expect an increase of 11% or more. 

Want to know more? Click here to read the full press release or click here to download the pdf of the report.

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This latest report also shed some light on discouraged workers:

Among the marginally attached, the number of discouraged workers in August (758,000) has nearly doubled over the past 12 months. Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The other 1.5 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in August had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.

It seems many of the people we at The Work Buzz are hearing from these days are discouraged. They say there aren’t enough jobs, there aren’t the right jobs, there aren’t any jobs.

Yes, it is taking more time these days to find a job, but hopefully, we can help you fight that job seeker fatigue. For example, we told you this week about a new CBsalary tool that matches salaries to jobs.

Many of you tell us that you’ll take any job as long as it pays the bills. Here’s one way this tool might fit in. Say you need to earn $50,000 to support yourself and your family. Type in your location and that number and — voila! — you’ll receive a list of jobs that match that pay an average of $50,000 in your area.

While we’re on the subject, we thought we’d give you a list to start with. Here are 50 jobs that pay an average of $50,000 annually in the United States:

1. Millwrights
   Annual average earnings: $50,040*
2. Mechanical engineering technicians
   Annual average earnings: $50,070
3. Industrial engineering technicians
   Annual average earnings: $50,130
4. Vocational education teachers, middle school
   Annual average earnings: $50,150
5. Food service managers
   Annual average earnings: $50,400
6. Vocational education teachers, postsecondary
   Annual average earnings: $51,020
7. Dietitians and nutritionists
   Annual average earnings: $51,540
8. Pile-driver operators
   Annual average earnings: $51,650
9. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
   Annual average earnings: $51,960
10. Court reporters
    Annual average earnings: $52,150
11. Chemical plant and system operators
    Annual average earnings: $52,160
12. Construction and building inspectors
    Annual average earnings: $52,240
13. Elementary school teachers, except special education
    Annual average earnings: $52,550
14. Lodging managers
    Annual average earnings: $52,570
15. Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education
    Annual average earnings: $52,650
16. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers
    Annual average earnings: $52,950
17. Forensic science technicians
    Annual average earnings: $52,970
18. Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school
    Annual average earnings: $53,090
19. Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents
    Annual average earnings: $53,100
20. Boilermakers
    Annual average earnings: $53,110
21. Sound engineering technicians
    Annual average earnings: $53,150
22. Respiratory therapists
    Annual average earnings: $53,170
23. Advertising sales agents
    Annual average earnings: $53,230
24. Radiologic technologists and technicians
    Annual average earnings: $53,410
25. Appraisers and assessors of real estate
    Annual average earnings: $53,460
26. Educational, vocational, and school counselors
    Annual average earnings: $53,540
27. Vocational education teachers, secondary school
    Annual average earnings: $53,760
28. Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists
    Annual average earnings: $53,960
29. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
    Annual average earnings: $53,990
30. Electrical and electronic engineering technicians
    Annual average earnings: $54,050
31. Medical and clinical laboratory technologists
    Annual average earnings: $54,120
32. Real estate sales agents
    Annual average earnings: $54,700
33. Librarians
    Annual average earnings: $54,750
34. Training and development specialists
    Annual average earnings: $54,840
35. Music directors and composers
    Annual average earnings: $54,840
36. Special education teachers, secondary school
    Annual average earnings: $55,140
37. Surveyors
    Annual average earnings: $56,030
38. Property, real estate, and community association managers
    Annual average earnings: $56,280
39. Aerospace engineering and operations technicians
    Annual average earnings: $56,560
40. Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other
    Annual average earnings: $56,660
41. Legal support workers
    Annual average earnings: $57,060
42. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
    Annual average earnings: $57,080
43. Editors
    Annual average earnings: $57,300
44. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
    Annual average earnings: $57,630
45. Funeral directors
    Annual average earnings: $58,820
46. Public relations specialists
    Annual average earnings: $59,030
47. Sales representatives, services
    Annual average earnings: $59,150
48. Transportation inspectors
    Annual average earnings: $59,650
49. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
    Annual average earnings: $59,780
50. Instructional coordinators
    Annual average earnings: $59,830

*National data according to the BLS

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Today, we have a guest blog about salaries for the Class of 2009 from our friends at Parade magazine. Parade has been contributing weekly content to CareerBuilder and TheWorkBuzz related to its “What People Earn” issue, which reports on salary trends and the earnings of real Americans.

What People Earn: College Graduates Finding Bright Spots in Dreary Economy

By Brad Dunn, PARADE

The Class of 2009 has been watching the job market disintegrate since senior year began.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) released another round of discouraging data in early May. Fewer than one in five graduates who are looking for jobs have found one, and employers are planning to hire 22 percent fewer graduates this year than they did last year.

On top of that, the worst job market in 25 years has brought of a sense of déjà vu to households across the country. Many of the estimated 1.6 million students graduating college in May and June have parents who went searching for their first jobs in the equally dismal early-1980s. It’s an economic rerun for the whole family.

“You are graduating into a world of anxiety and uncertainty,” Vice President Joe Biden told graduates of Syracuse University. “But these are the moments you can embrace … only a handful of us ever get a chance to actually shape the course of history.”

History might need shaping, but now is a great time for graduates to embrace the positive. The numbers aren’t all bad.

For one, bachelor’s degrees are still vital for landing jobs. According to the U.S. Labor Department, the unemployment rate among four-year college graduates between age 20 and 24 is 6.1 percent, while those with only high-school diplomas is 19.6 percent.

Serious job hunters also can take advantage of their fellow graduates’ idleness. Right now, fewer students are seeking jobs than in years past. By this time in 2007, about 64 percent of graduates had begun looking for a job. In 2008, about 67 percent had begun. This year, only 59 percent have launched a job search. That’s about 130,000 fewer people competing for work.

“Whether they’ve decided to delay their careers because of the economy or don’t realize how tough the job market is, fewer grads have started job hunting,” said Andrea Koncz, employment information manager at NACE.

Another silver lining: Several industries actually are planning to hire more graduates this year than in 2008, including transportation, utilities and alternative energy.

“The big openings right now are in the solar industry. Anything green,” said Eric Lochtefeld, founder of University of Dreams, an organization that seeks internships for students. “The nice thing is there’s not a huge level of experience expected because it’s a new sector.”

Uncle Sam is also hiring. U.S. and state governments are planning to hire 6 percent more college graduates than last year, and federal are offering up to 60,000 internships.

“Not only is the government hiring, it’s providing salaries and benefits in line with the private sector,” said Tim McManus, vice president of education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service. “We’re in a unique time and place in this country. Graduates who used to look for careers on Wall Street, for example, are now seeing that they can have a greater impact in government.”

For graduates who have landed jobs, how much are they earning?

To date, the average job offer to a 2009 graduate with a bachelor’s degree is $48,515, down about 2 percent from last year, according to NACE. (Parents who got their first jobs in the early 1980s had it slightly better. The average job offer for the Class of 1982 was $22,450 — or, adjusted for inflation, $49,485).

To be sure, an entry-level salary of $48,000 seems high in this economy. However, that amount represents only the one in five graduates who have already been offered employment, and pre-graduation job offers tend to come from relatively lucrative industries, including engineering, computer sciences and health care.

In specific fields of study, NACE found that the average job offer was $58,438 for engineering students; $57,693 for computer science students; $46,973 for business students; and, $36,807 for liberal arts students.

What about all those government jobs? McManus said most graduates with bachelor’s degrees receive a base starting salary from $33,000 to $42,000, plus ”locality pay,” which raises it between 13 percent and 34 percent depending on the cost of living where they work.

Job seekers’ increasing reliance on technology also gives graduates an opportunity to set themselves apart. Those who apply old-fashioned job-hunting techniques have a better chance of outmatching those who rely solely on online submission forms.

“Students say all the time, ‘I submitted my resume online and I never heard back.’” Lochtefeld says. “The best advice that I can give to students is stop playing the numbers game. Things that worked 20 years ago before the Internet — direct contact, person-to-person networking — still work today.”

Slideshow: See What Real Graduates Earn

Take a look at these recent grads to see what they’re really earning:

Jon, 24
TV news reporter
Mattydale, N.Y.
$25,500

Aubrey, 24
Social worker
Southaven, Miss.
$45,800

Joshua, 25
Crime investigator
Fayetteville, Ga.
$40,000

Nicole, 25
1st Lt. U.S. Army, specializing in finance
Fayetteville, N.C.
$36,900

Yordana, 25
Pharmacy technician
Tampa, Fla.
$23,000

Leah, 24
Ad-agency employee
Kernersville, N.C.
$28,000 

See What Real Graduates Earn

Think you know who makes more?  Play the Salary Guessing Game

Check out how much top celebrities earn

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According to the BLS, American workers earn a mean wage of $19.88 an hour. The question is: What jobs actually pay this much?

We asked the folks at CBsalary.com for a list of jobs that pay around $20 an hour. Hot off the presses, here are 11 occupations that fit the bill. Keep in mind these are national averages and can increase or decrease depending on location. Education and training requirements vary.  

Hint: Click on the job titles to see available jobs!

Histotechnologist              
Job category: Healthcare                  
Average hourly wage: $20.13
Average annual earnings: $41,875

Construction Equipment Operator               
Job category: Construction               
Average hourly wage: $20.10
Average annual earnings: $41,801

General Machinist             
Job category: Skilled Labor              
Average annual earnings: $41,762
Average hourly wage: $20.08

Truck Mechanic 
Job category: Skilled Labor                              
Average hourly wage: $20.04
Average annual earnings: $41,674

Vocational Training Teacher          
Job category: Education                   
Average hourly wage: $20.02
Average annual earnings: $41,633

Tractor Trailer Truck Driver           
Job category: Transportation                           
Average hourly wage: $19.97
Average annual earnings: $41,547

Adjudicator         
Job category: Professional Services                              
Average hourly wage: $19.96
Average annual earnings: $41,509

Ophthalmic Technician    
Job category: Healthcare                  
Average hourly wage: $19.94
Average annual earnings: $41,469

Help Desk Representative             
Job category: IT                  
Average hourly wage: $19.92
Average annual earnings: $41,443

Tax Preparer      
Job category: Skilled Labor                              
Average hourly wage: $19.92
Average annual earnings: $41,430

Computer-Aided Design Technician            
Job category: Design         
Average hourly wage: $19.90
Average annual earnings: $41,391

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Near the end of her 19-year career with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Gadsden, Ala., Ledbetter,70, got an anonymous tip that she was earning less than her male co-workers. She filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A jury initially awarded her more than $3 million in back pay and punitive damages, which a judge later reduced to $300,000.

In May 2007, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4, throwing out Ledbetter’s complaint on the grounds that she should have filed suit within 180 days of the initial act of discrimination — even though she was not aware at the time that she was receiving less than her male colleagues.

“If we stay focused, as Lilly did, and keep standing for what’s right, as Lilly did, we will close that pay gap and ensure that our daughters have the same rights, the same chances, and the same freedom to pursue their dreams as our sons,” said President Obama during a ceremony at the White House on today.

The bill, based on Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that makes it illegal to discriminate in paying wages based on race, gender, national origin and religion, clarifies the 180-day statute of limitations. Under the new bill, employees seeking equal pay have the right to file a complaint within 180 days of their most recent paycheck, rather than having to file within 180 days of the receiving their first unfair paycheck.

For example, if an employee alleges that she received unequal pay because of discrimination 15 years ago, each new paycheck since then would be a new unlawful employment practice that resets the statute of limitations. The bill retains current limits on employer liability by restricting back pay awards to two years.

It’s up to the employee to prove that her employer had intent to discriminate.

The bill should prevent employers from being able to hide unfair pay practices for three months before being able to continue them without penalty forever, as happened with the old standard.

The bill is effective immediately.

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The problem is, most of those jobs require some sort of degree or additional education. But most of you are in search of opportunities that aren’t going to drain your pocketbook or your time.

Looking for a job that only requires some sort of on-the-job training?  Here are 10 jobs that fit the bill, according to the BLS. (Click for source info.)

1. Audio and video equipment technicians
(Long-term on-the-job training)

2. Dental assistants
(Moderate-term on-the-job training)

3. Electricians
(Long-term on-the-job training)

4. General maintenance and repair workers
(Moderate-term on-the-job training)

5. Home health aides
(Short-term on-the-job training)

6. Interpreters and translators
(Long-term on-the-job training)

7. Pharmacy technicians
(Moderate-term on-the-job training)

8. Physical therapist aides
(Short-term on-the-job training)

9. Restaurant cooks
(Long-term on-the-job training)

10. Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer
(Moderate-term on-the-job training)

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Considering that the U.S. median income is $40,690 a year, how would you like to earn double that?

Here are 10 jobs that pay between $80,000 and $89,999 a year, according to CBsalary.com.

1. Associate actuary
Annual mean income: $81,924*

2. Attorney
Annual mean income: $88,235

3. Compensation and benefits manager
Annual mean income: $80,011

4. Economist
Annual mean income: $80,817

5. Floor broker
Annual mean income: $83,608

6. Marketing manager
Annual mean income: $86,283

7. Petroleum engineer
Annual mean income: $86,899

8. Pharmacist
Annual mean income: $88,786

9. Risk management supervisor
Annual mean income: $85,655

10. Veterinarian
Annual mean income: $80,069

Editor’s note: We’ve had a huge response to this post and it hit a nerve with many of you. We love getting feedback and will follow up on many of the issues raised including lists of jobs that are more plentiful or may not require as much training as the ones we featured today. Stay tuned… Thank you!

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I just read an article by Gail MarksJarvis in the Chicago Tribune that discusses how the economic downtown will have its most negative impact on single women.

Some of the facts in the article:

• 26 percent of households are headed by women. Those women tend to save and accumulate less wealth than other households. The annual household income for women who never married or are divorced or separated was $22,592 - about half of the level of all households.
• Women living on their own had a median net worth of just $32,850, according to the Federal Reserve’s most recent Survey of Consumer Finances. (Net worth is the value of what people own after covering all their debts, and the higher a person’s net worth, the more options they face without stress.)

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