Negotiating is an art, no doubt. Done correctly it will lead to victory. Done poorly it could lead to failure. When it comes to negotiating salary and other benefits in the workplace, nothing makes people more uncomfortable. He who talks money first loses as they say. Why? Well, it’s because the minute you reference your previous salary, the other side has a distinct advantage. If you reference a desired salary, you may put yourself in a position where you downplay your worth; alternatively, if you present too high a number, you will not be considered for the opportunity.
Negotiating can be done in a way that basically bulldozes your way to get the answer you want, or in a way that focuses more on collaboration, cooperation, and communication. It is advisable to take a combined approach to ensure your negotiations are fruitful and effective for you.
Life in general is competitive. Professional life, much more so. You want to achieve results – tip the hand in your favor, so to speak. When handling matters of compensation there are a few key competencies that you need to understand:
Your desired salary – a salary that you need or want. This does not matter. What does matter is what the potential employer thinks is a fair salary for the position. Oftentimes a budget is already established – but you are not privy to that information. Prepare for this conversation by doing your homework. You need to understand the industry and what other companies are paying for positions with similar responsibilities. Once you are armed with some knowledge, you will be in a better position to represent yourself and obtain a salary that is in line with your expectations.
Consider intangible components – vacation time, external training / education, stock options, and bonuses are some things that you can negotiate to make up for compensation. These things have a tangible value. You should consider them when evaluating what you want. You might be willing / able to reduce compensation requirements for additions or guarantees in these areas.
Gear up for the tough questions – you will likely get the following question: “What is your current compensation?” Try to avoid answering this question. How you ask? Indicate that you would like to find out additional information about the role to ensure your competencies and the company’s goals are aligned. It is at this point that you can also respond by asking the salary range that the position fits into. Yes, this is a bit of a calculated risk. However, it is one that you should take. Be polite – you want to maintain the advantage here. Getting a salary range – or better a number will allow you to evaluate if the salary is something you would consider. I know it’s tempting to want to avoid that uncomfortable silence – but hold out. The potential employer will likely speak first.
There are options – If you find that the information presented by the potential hiring manager is not acceptable, you can simply express disappointment at the proposal indicating that with your experience and achievements, you think that a salary of (put in a range here) would be more acceptable. Expressing disappointment is non-confrontational and a demonstration of your feelings. Otherwise you can present an alternative whereby you would be considered for an increase after six months based on your meeting established performance benchmarks. If you produce results and meet the targets, it will fully demonstrate your value. A little flexibility and creativity will help you get what you want.
Present your case in a clear and compelling manner; remain calm and collected. This is business. Come prepared to explore and present ideas that will put you in a position of authority and give you the leading edge!
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
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Goal setting is an important and highly essential part of the career planning process. For one, it allows you to remain focused and keep your sights set on the things that you want to achieve. Secondly, but just as important, it enables you to begin to establish a plan to work toward something meaningful. The SMART acronym is well known and will help you develop a guideline as part of establishing a plan of action to achieve your goal.
Specific
When you define a specific goal, it is laid out before you to help you understand what you want to achieve. From there, you can begin to develop your plan of action. A critical part of goal setting is writing down what your focus is. Unless you write it down, you will likely forget and move on to something else. Writing things down makes them real and allows you to focus your efforts on taking the necessary steps to achieve success.
Measurable
Measuring your progress is important to allow you to track your growth. Therefore, you should define a set of criteria that will enable you to evaluate your success. Consider setting milestones that will allow you to review your progress at different points to realize how far you have come. This will keep you motivated and interested in the process; and it will allow you to keep setting new benchmarks.
Attainable
It is important that you set goals that are realistic. You want to be challenged but need to understand the scope of your capabilities to attain success. This does not mean that you should lower your expectations. Set your sights on a goal that will engage you and allow you to explore things out of your comfort zone. Your sense of achievement after reaching your goal will be that much more rewarding.
Rewarding
Sometimes it’s hard to maintain a strong motivation level. When you are really working hard to achieve something, the process can be slow. This can hamper your desire to forge ahead. Consider what you are working toward and give yourself mini-rewards as you go. This will help keep you focused and committed to seeing the process through to the ultimate reward and success at the end of your journey.
Timely
I know in the past I have covered information relating to setting timelines for things and how to avoid procrastinating. Setting timelines will allow you to keep pace and avoid putting things aside to pick up ‘at a later time’. Keep your focus on what you want to achieve, keep notes, and plan accordingly so that you meet your goal. It will truly be gratifying to see the final and successful results of your efforts.
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
WWW.CareersDoneWrite.com
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Feeling anxious about your upcoming interview? Don’t spend your time contemplating how it might go. Make sure you are prepared. The following information will allow you to put your best foot forward, and ensure you present your skills and abilities in a meaningful way:
Know your background: One of the things that has always amazed me when I interviewed candidates is how unprepared they were to discuss the information contained on their résumé. If it is referenced on your résumé, you should be prepared to discuss it – no matter how long ago the work was performed. Review your achievements and study your résumé before the interview; make sure you are prepared to discuss what you contributed in your professional roles. Knowing yourself will enable you to adeptly handle any questions regarding your contributions. Additionally, from your review, you will likely remember other things you did. Add these achievements to your arsenal as you prepare to provide the interviewer with really compelling details of your experiences.
Know the company: I don’t just mean that you should do a preliminary search on the website – although that is a good first step. Read some investor relations materials and also gain an understanding of the company’s mission and goals. If they have done something interesting that recently gained press exposure, make sure you are prepared to discuss current events. The more information you have, the better able you will be able to sustain a lively and interesting conversation with your interviewer. In addition, make sure you are aware of the market place competition and the company’s history.
Understand the role: Before going to any interview you should be fully acquainted with the parameters of the position and knowledgeable regarding current compensation levels for similar position titles within the industry. Be prepared to discuss things in your history that are directly connected to the position, including how your experience makes you qualified.
Prepare some questions: You should never leave an interview without asking some questions. Questions demonstrate your level of interest. More importantly though, good questions will help you evaluate the opportunity and gain a clearer understanding regarding a potential fit with your personal and professional goals.
Practice: Since practice does make perfect take the time to prepare for the interview. You might practice with a friend or conduct a mock interview with a coach. The practice will enable you to discuss your background and reveal highlights of your achievements in a succinct manner. Make sure you rehearse your answers to difficult or tricky questions so you are not caught off guard. It is ok to pause before answering questions presented by the interviewer to ensure that your answer is thoughtful.
Logistics: Make sure you bring several copies of your résumé on bond paper, know the name of the person with whom you will be interviewing, and the address and floor number of the company. Avoid lateness by leaving early to prevent unexpected delays. Have your interview attire (suit) ready to go the night before.
A few simple steps will ensure that you are calm and relaxed for your interview, and of course, ready to shine. Good luck!
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
WWW.CareersDoneWrite.com
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Drafting an effective résumé is key to contributing to a successful job search. Oftentimes your résumé is the first thing a hiring manager reviews to determine your suitability for a potential opening. This first (and lasting) impression is critical; putting your best foot forward in creating a highly accomplishment-driven document will go a long way in ensuring that you are contacted. There are a number of things that should be considered to ensure your résumé works to your advantage:
Results – Everyone has responsibilities as part of their job. That does not engage or capture the reader though. It’s fairly boring to read ‘Responsible for…’ and whatever it is that you do on a daily basis. The key component is to provide the reader with an example of something you did that generated RESULTS for your employer. Consider the following acronym: SAR. This stands for Situation, Action, Result, and can help you define on paper what the situation was, the action you took, and the result that will demonstrate your ability to deliver. If you do this throughout your résumé, you will set a positive and proactive tone that you are a committed and productive individual who is able to serve as a change agent for a company.
It’s all in the Words – Using compelling verbs will serve to engage your reader. Try to come up with different verbs to lead the bullets or sections of your document. Avoid using the same words over and over again. The résumé is a marketing document. You need to take a step back and think “What would I think of this if I saw it for the first time?” Try to get inside the mind of the hiring manager. You want to impress and engage someone. Actionable word choices will help you do this. Some good résumé verbs: Spearheaded; championed; aligned; delivered; implemented. You get the idea – these words present a call to action.
Presentation -While ‘content is king,’ presentation plays a part in the recipe. People like to look at things that look nice – résumés are no exception to this rule. Your résumé should be presented in a consistent manner on the page. Ensure that the margins are aligned properly. Choose an appealing font like Book Antiqua in 10 pts. or something a bit stronger like Tahoma in 9.5 points. There are many fonts out there that hold more appeal than the totally boring Times New Roman. Once your résumé is complete, print it. Don’t just look at it on the screen. Printing it will give you a better sense of how you are presented overall.
Rules about Grammar and Spelling – If there are two things that will send your résumé straight to the circular file it is grammar and spelling mistakes. I recognize that we are not perfect – but, and there is always a but, your résumé must be perfect. If you know that this area is not your strong suit have someone else review it. It is also a good idea to have someone else look at it because the more you study it the less likely you are to catch small things that a fresh pair of eyes will capture. The Little Blue Book is a great resource to help with myriad grammar issues. Not sure how to spell something? Dictionary.com is there to help. Need another word for managed? No problem – check out Thesauras.com for synonyms. There are countless resources right at your fingertips. Gone are the days of heavy books; the online world allows access to the most inconceivable information, which you should use to your advantage.
The Downlow on Hobbies – Leave hobbies off the résumé unless a hobby for you is completing an Ironman Triathlon or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Simply stating that reading or running is a hobby is not very compelling. The hiring manager will learn about you in time. However, the aforementioned triathlon and climb is certainly of greater interest than reading books. In addition to being an icebreaker, which can set a personal tone to the meeting, those things also demonstrate a unique spirit and other traits that set you apart from your peers. The perseverance, commitment, and dedication needed for those things warrants referencing on the résumé. If not something really unique, leave it off.
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of ResumesDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
WWW.ResumesDoneWrite.com
Connect to me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter
