What is the spookiest job you can think of? Maybe it's one where you work during the middle of the night, in the dark, alone. Or, perhaps it's the gig with the most blood, guts and gore.

Let's see what the scariest jobs pay and which one you might like to try.

Does it pay to be in Congress? According to our recent study, yes it does! By using our extensive salary database, we at PayScale compared the pay earned by Congress Members and Obama's Cabinet to the typical pay they could earn based on their educational background (School attended, Highest Degree Obtained, and Year Graduated).

Over 90% of the 552 people studied earn a federal government pay that is higher than the typical pay for those with the same educational background. In fact, over a third of the members of Congress earn a pay that is at least double the typical pay for those with the same educational background.

In this post I will discuss the methodology of this study and some interesting highlights, including who are the salary winners and who are the salary losers.

Are you a salary winner? Find out with a free PayScale salary report.

By Larry Buhl, Monster-HotJobs

In a 2008 survey of more than 2,000 businesses in the state of Washington, employers said entry-level workers in a variety of professions were lacking in several areas, including problem solving, conflict resolution, and critical observation.

Name: Jason Schumaker
Job Title: Producer/"Blog Dog"/Event Coordinator
Current Employer: BetterPhoto.com
Where: Seattle, WA
Years of Experience: 5
Other Relevant Work Experience: Worked as an editor and writer for a computer magazine.
Education: University of South Carolina, Bachelor's in Journalism; Summit School of Guitar, Vancouver Island, Canada, trained as a guitar builder and repairman.
Salary: Research salaries for event coordinator, web producer and blogging jobs.

Blogging Jobs - Producer and Event Coordinator Job Description

In this Salary Story, we hear from Jason Schumaker, a self-described "Jason of all trades." He explains what it's like to juggle multiple roles in his job at BetterPhoto.com. On any give day, you may find him working as event coordinator, editing video footage, or blogging on one of the company blogs. And that's just a small part of his producer job description. If you're interested in blogging jobs or other online writing positions, keep reading to get Jason's advice on how to produce compelling content. 

Name: Kelleen Blanchard
Job Title: Massage Therapist
Where: Seattle, WA
Current Employer: Seattle Spa Noir
Years of Experience: 3
Other Relevant Work Experience: Customer Service
Education: Brian Utting School of Massage; Cornish College of the Arts, BFA Theatre
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for the average massage therapist salary.

What is the Average Massage Therapist Salary?

There's no question that getting a professional massage can be a life-changing experience. Whether you're recovering from an injury or a stressful day at the office, massage therapy can be a huge help. But what is it like to work as a massage therapist? In this Salary Story, seattle massage therapist Kelleen Blanchard describes the ups and downs of her career as a massage therapist. She explains why she chose the profession, describes her daily tasks at Spa Noir, and offers advice to those just entering the field. If you're considering a career as a massage therapist, don't miss this invaluable interview. To find out more about the average massage therapist salary, see the links below.

PayScale: What is your massage therapist job description?

As a massage therapist at Spa Noir, I greet clients, review their intake forms for specific needs or medical issues and confer with them to customize the best, most beneficial therapy session. I am trained in deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, neuromuscular therapy and hot stone massage. I especially enjoy working with specific injuries and doing intense, deep tissue work because I have witnessed and experience the results from this kind of work. In addition to working one-on-one with clients, I help support the overall spa by doing laundry and other small cleaning tasks. I also am available for body wraps; eye and lip treatments; and foot, hand, and scalp treatments. These can be great relaxing add-ons to a massage. At the spa, my focus is on the client. I want their visit to be relaxing, positive, and to address their needs in a personal and effective manner.

Today PayScale released the first quarterly report on The PayScale Index. The PayScale Index tracks how the market price of workers, as represented by the wages they are paid, is changing over time. We believe The PayScale Index provides the most accurate view on changes in what employees are earning amidst this turbulent economy.

The PayScale Index follows changes in total cash compensation for full-time, private industry employees in the United States, and utilizes a unique approach to trend measurement. Unlike indices such as the Consumer Price Index, which measures the prices of certain goods and services (periodically updated to reflect changes in buying habits of Americans), The PayScale Index uses data on all private sector full-time employees working in a given time period.

In this post, after a brief summary of how The PayScale Index works, I will hit some of the most interesting results we found. Some you expect, e.g., Detroit pay has been collapsing for years; other findings may be more surprising, like wages nationally declined in 2009.

Knowing how pay is changing is useful, but knowing what you are worth is more important. Find out with PayScale's comprehensive and accurate salary survey.

Name: Jade Egelhoff
Job Title: Elephant Veterinary Technician
Years of Experience: 0-1
Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Education: Gig Harbor High School; Tacoma Community College, Associate Degree; Elephant Veterinary Training and First Aid, Thailand Animal Behavior Training; Humane Society HIV/AIDS Brief Risk Intervention Training
Salary: Use the PayScale Research Center to find median annual salaries for vet tech professionals.

What is the Annual Salary for a Vet Tech?

Looking for a truly unique way to gain veterinary tech experience? Why not travel to a foreign country to help animals in need? That's exactly what Jade Egelhoff did by going all the way to Thailand to work as an elephant vet technician. In this interview, Jade describes what it was like to rehabilitate Asian elephants, explains how she adapted to life in a foreign culture and offers advice to any vet techs who might be looking for an adventure. For those who love animals as well as travel, this is a must-read interview. To find out more about the annual salary for a vet tech or related careers, see the links at the bottom of this post.

Did you know that PayScale has collected over 23 million salary surveys from people just like you? That means that we have a lot of salary data - gobs and gobs. And, while we like to use it to help you make decisions about your future career, we’ve decided to also use it to take a look back at salary trends from the past. We're happy to introduce you to The PayScale Index.

We recently completed our annual project with CNN/Money Magazine that ranks the 100 Best Jobs in America. These jobs were determined by numerous factors, including pay, job growth, estimated employment levels, and various quality-of-life factors, such as job security.

The top jobs are a mix: some allow a lot of schedule flexibility (Software Architect), some require more training and education than that provided by a bachelor's degree (Physician Assistant), and some make the world a better place (Environmental Engineer).

In this post, I will discuss changes from last year's report and some interesting insights from this year's data, including which jobs have the least stressed workers and which offer the most long-term job security, two issues near and dear to many current employees.

Do you have one of America's Best Jobs, and are wondering if you are earning top dollar? Find out with a free PayScale salary report.

By Robert Ordona, Monster-HotJobs

Savvy job seekers know how important choosing the right words is when we communicate with prospective employers--but what about nonverbal communication?

Name: June Miller
Job Title: Nursing Unit Clerk, Receptionist
Where: Vancouver, BC
Current Employer: Currently in college
Years of Experience: 35
Relevant Work Experience: Administrative Assistant, Health Care Worker, Activity Aide, Barber, Personal Assistant
Education: GED, Secretarial Certificate, HCW Certificate
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for median receptionist salary data.

Receptionist Salary and Job Description

Working for a temp agency can be a great way to try out different jobs or get your foot in the door at a desirable company. On the other hand, it often means frequent changes in work schedule and location. To deal with these unique challenges, temporary employees must be flexible, learn quickly and have great communication skills. In this Salary Story, we hear from June, a former temp who worked successfully in various positions. She offers advice on how to adapt to a new job and describes some of the challenges and rewards of choosing to work as a temporary receptionist.