Safest Cars

One important factor in getting to work is how you get there.  Since the majority of us drive cars to work, we thought it would be relevant to include some of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top picks for the safest cars.  You might be surprised by some of the safest cars on the list and by some of the models that did not make the cut.  Here is the list for 2011:

LARGE CARS

Buick LaCrosse

Buick Regal

BMW 5 series
(except 4-wheel drive and V8)

Cadillac CTS sedan

Chrysler 300

Dodge Charger

Ford Taurus

Hyundai Equus

Hyundai Genesis

Infiniti M37/M56
(except M56x 4-wheel drive)

Lincoln MKS

Mercedes E class coupe

Mercedes E class sedan

Toyota Avalon

Volvo S80

SMALL CARS

Chevrolet Cruze

Honda Civic
4-door models (except Si)
with optional ESC

Kia Forte sedan

Kia Soul

Mazda 3
built after December 2010:
sedan | hatchback

Mini Cooper Countryman

Mitsubishi Lancer sedan
(except 4-wheel drive)

Nissan Cube

Scion tC

Scion xB

Subaru Impreza
(except WRX):
sedan | wagon

Toyota Corolla

Volkswagen Golf
4-door models

Volkswagen GTI
4-door models

MINICARS

Ford Fiesta
built after July 2010:
sedan | hatchback

MIDSIZE CARS

Audi A3

Audi A4 sedan

Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet Volt

Chrysler 200
4-door models

Dodge Avenger

Ford Fusion

Hyundai Sonata

Kia Optima

Lincoln MKZ

Mercedes C class

Nissan Leaf

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Volkswagen Jetta sedan

Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

Volvo C30

Volvo S60
2011-12 models

MINIVANS

Honda Odyssey

Toyota Sienna

LARGE SUVs

Buick Enclave
built after January 2011

Chevrolet Traverse
built after January 2011

GMC Acadia
built after January 2011

Volkswagen Touareg

MIDSIZE SUVs

Audi Q5

Cadillac SRX

Chevrolet Equinox

Dodge Journey

Ford Edge
built after February 2011

Ford Explorer

Ford Flex

GMC Terrain

Hyundai Santa Fe

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Kia Sorento
built after March 2010

Lexus RX

Lincoln MKT

Lincoln MKX
built after February 2011

Mercedes GLK

Subaru Tribeca

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Venza

Volvo XC60

Volvo XC90

SMALL SUVs

Honda Element

Hyundai Tucson

Jeep Patriot
with optional side torso airbags

Kia Sportage

Subaru Forester

Volkswagen Tiguan

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Companies with best 401K plans

Company Name Employer contribution Average employee contribution Average employer contribution
1. United Airlines (pilot plan) 1,683% $3,499 $58,901
2. United Airlines (ground employee plan) 511% $735 $3,758
3. Nucor Corporation 400% $4,476 $17,900
4. United Airlines (flight attendant plan) 354% $1,254 $4,442
5. Shelter Mutual Insurance Company 270% $3,267 $8,822
6. ManTech International Corporation 267% $1,340 $3,583
7. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 292 231% $920 $2,127
8. Schindler Elevator Corporation 217% $1,579 $3,429
9. The Procter & Gamble Company 188% $2,578 $4,851
10. Brunswick Corporation 166% $2,346 $3,891
11. Hercules Incorporated 158% $5,756 $9,088
12. Fulton Financial Corporation 154% $1,263 $1,948
13. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated 153% $2,288 $3,497
14. The AES Corporation 151% $5,774 $8,720
15. Safeco Corporation 139% $4,532 $6,320
16. McFarland Clinic 137% $4,062 $5,560
17. Texas EM-I Medical Services 135% $3,964 $5,344
18. McDonald’s Corporation 131% $1,099 $1,443
19. Greenwich Capital Markets 127% $11,558 $14,629
20. AVX Corporation 121% $4,127 $5,011
21. The Mosaic Company 121% $7,141 $8,622
22. Constellation Brands, Inc. 120% $4,967 $5,951
23. Amgen Inc. 116% $8,169 $9,479
24. HNI Corporation 115% $2,456 $2,836
25. Mylan Inc. 115% $4,056 $4,655
26. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. 114% $2,793 $3,170
27. St. Jude Medical, Inc. 111% $4,251 $4,720
28. Nike Inc. 111% $2,896 $3,171
29. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 108% $305 $329
30. Central Pacific Financial Corp. 106% $3,598 $3,819

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Increase Your Salary: 10 Expert Tips

By Kristina Cowan

Determined to increase your salary? Follow these tips from Reesa Staten, vice president of communications and director of research at recruiting firm Robert Half International and Anna Ivey, a Boston-based career and admissions counselor, to increase your salary this year:

1. Get comfortable negotiating salary raises.
“Women fall behind here, because they generally aren’t as aggressive and fall farther and farther behind with their salaries. You can’t be shy about asking to be paid what you’re worth,” Ivey said. Along these lines, she said, it’s important to keep detailed documentation of your achievements.

2. Research and compare your salary.
Staten urges workers to make sure they know how much their skills are worth before they pursue a different position or a promotion. Compare your salary.

3. Become an indispensable expert.
Continue to learn about your line of work, so that you stay current with trends and developments. Your strategy might include going to industry conferences, reading industry publications or setting up regular lunch meetings with others in your field to exchange information and ideas. This is a key to increasing your salary.

4. Make yourself visible.
Network and mingle, making sure you are continually visible to others in your industry and your workplace. At work, take on difficult challenges and make sure that management is aware of your contributions.

5. Update your skills.
Consider training or certifications that could lead to a promotion. “In some companies, if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, you can’t advance to the next level. Some jobs require an MBA; get as much education as possible,” Staten said. Search for online learning that could help increase your salary.

6. If you return to school, make sure that it will pay off.
Ivey said it’s important to investigate degree programs before launching into one that might not increase your salary — and could end up costing you more in the long-run. Also, find out what continuing education benefits are offered by your employer. You may be able to “earn more” by getting your employer to cover tuition costs. Research the best college degrees for higher earnings.

7. Absorb and adapt to new methods.
“Things are changing quickly; what is state of the art now will be obsolete 10 years from now,” Staten said. When things change at work instead of getting grumpy, be the first to jump on board. Your enthusiasm for change and adaptability to new systems and ideas are to how your employer values you and could lead to a salary increase.

8. Be receptive to criticism.
Constructive criticism can help you improve your performance, Ivey said. Not only is it important to be able to gracefully accept criticism from your coworkers and boss, but integrating that feedback into your work can win you points and opportunities for promotion.

9. Sharpen your communication skills.
“I don’t care what role you’re in. If you can read and speak well, you are way ahead of the pack,” Ivey said.

10. Get comfortable with math.
“A lot of people coast through college without number knowledge — just basic knowledge, like how to read a financial statement. We live in a Sarbanes-Oxley [SOX]  now. If you work in a publicly traded company, you will be affected by SOX. Accounting is a great skill to have in your tool set,” Ivey said, referring to the federal law that tightened corporate governance standards.

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