This week's Compensation Daily Advisor salaries for grads, summer jobs for teens, comp plan makeovers, wage compression, and employment branding.

For Newly Minted College Grads, Things (i.e., Salaries) Are Looking Up
We’re now well into the swing of college graduation season, and the newest crop of alums has even more to celebrate than many of their predecessors—including ample job prospects and higher-than-usual starting salaries.

Outlook Sunny for Teens’ Summer Job Prospects
Yesterday, we talked about job prospects for the most recent crop of college grads, and things are looking good in terms of both starting salaries and number of jobs available. But what about the outlook for their younger brothers and sisters looking to earn some money at summer jobs?

Is Your Compensation Plan Due for a Makeover?
Working with outdated pay ranges can create turnover, pay equity issues, low morale, and legal challenges. Also, granting merit increases without an accurate budget or distribution methodology has the potential to damage your professional credibility. Is calling in a compensation consultant the only solution?

DIY Remedies for Wage Compression
Barry L. Brown, SPHR, CCP, of Effective Resources, Inc., understands that time and budgets are both at a premium—but that your compensation plan is probably still in need of some TLC. Yesterday, we got some of Brown’s tips for a DIY compensation makeover. Today, his thoughts on remedying a common but serious comp problem: wage compression.

Employment Branding Survey—What’s Happening Out There?
2015 has seen some dramatic changes in the business landscape, and the importance of an employer’s brand has become more important than ever. Studies are showing that top talent today want to work for a company they trust and believe in—but not much has been said about what organizations are actually doing to capitalize on this trend. So, what’s happening with employment branding in the real world? What are your competitors up to? Help us find out!