US News says that companies sometimes give titles instead of raises to save money. So instead of giving Bill an extra $1,500 a year, they leave him at the same salary but make him a "Senior Manager" instead of a "Manager."

Banks are notorious for making everyone a "vice president" -- even people with little experience -- versus giving them a decent pay bump (or at least I assume that's why -- maybe it's really because people think they're better taken care of if they're dealing with a "vice president".) I wonder if there are other industries that do this as well. Maybe financial services (for the same reasons banks do it)?

I've known people who really wanted a title increase -- so much so that they would forego

I've written several times that I think one key to selecting the right college is to match the cost of the education with the income you can expect to earn upon graduation. The more the spread between the cost of college and your lifetime earning potential, the better off you'll be (at least financially.) Of course there are many other factors involved in selecting a college/career, but from a financial standpoint, the cost/benefit issue is a HUGE one (and something that I think very few people consider when selecting a school to attend.)

Recently I found this summary of an education and salary report that highlights these same issues. In particular, here are a few quotes I found interesting along with my thoughts:

Harvard College graduates frequently enter not

Check out these findings from the Wall Street Journal:

About 20% of job seekers and employees undergoing background checks exaggerate their educational backgrounds. In a 2004 survey of human-resource professionals, 61% said they "often" or "sometimes" find résumé inaccuracies when vetting prospective hires, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

I've never lied about anything on my resume (especially my education -- I've never had to). But maybe I have made something seem bigger than it really was. That's not what they're talking about though, is it?

Anyway, I thought I'd ask all of you: have you ever lied on a resume?

Here's a reminder for those of you looking for a tasty way to celebrate this holiday season while saving money at the same time. ;-)