The Truth Behind My Own Salary Negotiation Experiences

The Truth Behind My Own Salary Negotiation Experiences No one teaches you salary negotiation in college or business school. It is one of those things you just have to figure out on your own. But, what you negotiate at your first job will affect the salary of all of your future jobs. I wish I knew that. That is why I am sharing my own salary negotiation experiences. My first real professional job was when I was still in my junior year of college.   I felt very lucky to even have a job not to mention the fact that they were paying part  of my tuition in exchange for my 105-20 hours per work each week. Score! So when the salary of $26,000 annually was offered to me, I thought great! That was more than I ever made before and I was really not working full time there anyways so it didnt really matter. Any money was better than no money, right. So there was absolutely no negotiating at all. I just said sounds good, took the job and I was happy. Looking back I just shake my head, I mean what was I thinking. I was truly unprepared for my first professional job. Why hadn’t ANYONE told me anything about negotiating and how important that first salary was.  Not my professors, not my parents, and surely not my friends because salary was ALWAYS a taboo subject.   (None of my friends had jobs anyways. so it didn’t really matter). I just had no idea what the right salary was that I was supposed to ask for and so naive to trust that the employer was treating me fairly.   So that was my first experience in salary negotiating. It involved no salary negotiation. A few years later, I decided to stay with the government after graduation and worked my way up to a better salary. (Still at no point in time did I ever ask for a raise, I just took what they gave me every year. What was I thinking!!) After working with the government for three years, I started looking at other options and was particularly interested in consulting. Little did I know, that the experience I gained working with the government was exactly the experience that this consulting firm needed and wanted. Now, I know a little more  about salary negotiations. Having worked for this company for many years and hiring others, I know I was an obvious hire. I was a needle in a haystack because of the experience I had. The problem was, I didn’t do my research so I didn’t know even how insanely awesome I was to this company. Because I was so infatuated with the company and the type of consulting work I would be doing, I didn’t care what they paid me. I was just so excited because it was the perfect job for me. So I did a lot of research on the company but not the real behind the scenes research. In hindsight, I knew someone who worked at the company from my church, so I should have talked to him about it.  Why didn’t I get the details of what exactly they did so I could know how well I fit this opportunity? I am not sure why I didn’t but hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes. When the dreaded question came up from the senior manager  â€œWhat are your salary requirements?”   Keep in mind that this is the same senior manager who had just intimidated me by asking me how many dentists there are in the US. I was flustered and had been great in the interview until that question. So I was already a bit perplexed with her questions and then she asked me what salary I wanted. Well, at that point I thought I might be losing the interview because I didn’t know how many dentists were in the US, I mean who does?   (I later learned that this interview question is just to see how someone handles the question. No one actually expected me to get the right answer. They just wanted to see  my thought process, duh!) So the background of my salary history, I had done a great job at my government job and had steadily received promotions from $24,000 to $40,000 in the couple years I worked there. I was proud of my promotions and I thought I was paid fairly. I mean none of my friends or co-workers talked about what they earn so I really had nothing to compare it to. (Which is exactly why I am sharing numbers with you! I am breaking the taboo!)  So ready for my answer to this question?   I told them, “Well….right now I make $40,000 so I would like to make at least $42,000.”   Yes, that is only a 5% raise in my salary I asked for and I didnt even give them a range! Looking back, I know that when you move from company to company, that is your negotiating time. I had lots of things they wanted and honestly, I think they would have hired me at a much higher salary because of what I brought to the table. Fortunately, I think they felt bad for little old inexperienced salary negotiator me, because they actually ended up starting me at $46,000. They knew I was valuable to them so they gave me more than I even wanted. Smart company, because they made me a really happy employee who has now worked for them for 7 years! But when you think of my seven years at that company, all annual salary negotiations have been based on that initial starting salary. I always wonder what salary I would be at now if I had asked for $50,000-$60,000 instead in the beginning. Who knows! I didn’t ask so I will never know. What I have learned is that it is very uncommon to get those huge jumps in salary. Most annual raises are in the 2-5% unless you are a superstar or change companies and bring a lot of experience and knowledge with you that the new company needs. Fast Forward To Promotion Time Fast forward a few years down the road and I was up for a raise and promotion, or at least I thought I was.   I was shocked to find out that my manager (who hadn’t really seen all the awesome stuff I was doing) wasn’t in agreement with me when I told him I deserved a promotion. So I decided to prove him wrong. During that assessment cycle, I spent hours and hours completing my self-assessment form and highlighting all of the amazing stuff I had been doing over the last year. I asked all my coworkers to provide feedback on how well I was doing. I provided so much detail that my boss told me that he had no other choice but to give me that promotion because of how much information he received that proved my point. It was then that I realized that you have to be in charge of your own success because no one is going to do it for you. You have to show everyone how awesome you are and the amazing things you have been doing. I often see young professional women at my company who are scared to brag about themselves and tell their managers how awesome they are really doing.   You have to get used to that confidence and start believing it for yourself first.   Then others will see it too. I have also worked really hard for my company. I think when you show your managers and co-workers that you work really hard, you will be rewarded in the long run. I remember one time where I had really gone out of my way to make my clients happy, but I didn’t think my manager so I was just expecting a small raise. Boy, was I surprised to get a 17% raise. Sometimes when you aren’t expecting it and you are just working really hard for yourself and your own success, those awesome rewards come when you aren’t even looking. What do you wish you would have known about salary negotiation before your first job?

Best Rated Resume Writing Service For the Money

Best Rated Resume Writing Service For the MoneyIf you have been searching for the best rated resume writing service for the money, you will find that in this era, the market is full of companies that would take your hard earned money and throw it away in the bargain. At best, the services of these companies are rendered without giving you any kind of professional advice or professional value. To be able to get a resume that is able to really impress your prospective employer, you need to go for professional resume writing services that offer nothing but excellent value for your money.These companies would find the need to post resume after resume for their clients. Each resume would have their own requirement. The best resume writing service for the money can be found that can match your requirements perfectly.An employer's expectation from the job is more important than the age or status of the employee. If your employer has faith in you, then he can be sure that you will do well in whatever the role is that you are assigned. The best rated resume writing service for the money can also go ahead and provide you with resume samples. You can make use of these sample resumes to help you gauge which of the sample resumes might be ideal for your needs.If you search for the best candidate among the existing applicants, you will be left with few that are really able to meet the expectations of the employer. The best rated resume writing service for the money will be the one that can deliver the best candidates, that means the one that has a high quality resume writing service. They can create a resume that will draw the employer's attention to the most attractive and most meaningful parts of the resume.Employers want to hire the best when it comes to the requirements of their business. They are looking for people who can contribute to the growth of the company. So, if you have a competent resume writer at your service, then you will be assured of getting a job.The bes t rated resume writing service for the money must also be able to provide you with testimonials. One of the major assets of an employer is the reviews that he gets on his products or services. The best rated resume writing service for the money will be the one that has a customer base that can compare the services of the company with the rates charged by other companies. The company should also have a site where it can keep track of how many of its customers have bought from them and who of those customers bought from them.The best way to find out the websites of the various resume writing services is to visit their website's content, and you can expect to see testimonials about their clients. The best rated resume writing service for the money will be the one that is able to give you a list of the various resume writing services and the rates charged for each of them. You can compare the prices and choose the one that has the lowest rate for their services.When you have gone throug h this process, the process of hiring a resume writer will not be very complicated. The best rated resume writing service for the money can deliver the most promising candidate to the employer.

Test Your Assumptions Before You Start a New Job

Test Your Assumptions Before You Start a New Job As an entrepreneur, I’m constantly pushed to grasp new concepts and approaches in order to evolve my business. Heres an example. My leadership team and I have been talking about offering new services as well as discussing industry partnerships we want to form. I have strong ideas of what we could do in these areas but I’m hesitant. Im hesitant because there are a number of untested assumptions. Instead of burying my head in the sand, launching a new service and hoping for the best, I pushed myself to figure out how to gain more confidence about trying something new. In my quest for guidance on how to best validate my assumptions, I came across two very helpful people. Their messages gave me specific steps for realizing and testing my assumptions. I also learned something else: a model for testing the waters before making a career change. Lets discuss both. Lessons from a beef jerky start up I started investigating the founder of a local company, called AppSumo. AppSumo.com has some really helpful website tools which we recently started using. Since they are local I dug a bit more and got some insight into the founder’s approach to new business ideas and “wantrepreneurs”. He has a funny, but very applicable, example of starting a beef jerky business in a matter of hours. He explains more in an interview with Tim Ferris about the process of flushing out and then validating business ideas. I also started reading The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. I’m about 2/3 of the way through but it has already shifted my paradigm on launching new ideas. His approach focuses on product development but it is still universal advice: conduct the minimum viable tests to confirm your assumptions about your new idea. Throughout my research, two groups came to mind who would benefit the most from this model: business owners and job seekers. So how can you apply these two lessons from Eric and Noah? Business owners: what are your tests? It’s critical to have a plan before starting any major business initiative or change. What if you want to offer a new service? What if you want to change your pricing or billing model? What if you want to start a business? All of these initiatives require a decent understanding of how people will react. Will it turn people off? Will it anger people? Will someone buy this service? At that price? Think of the effort you are potentially putting into each of these initiatives: marketing, sales, support it’s quite a lot. While the out-of-pocket costs may not seem bad, think about the time you are investing. I know you are anxious to get started but do your research and find out: 1) if your idea will achieve your goal 2) how you can make your idea even better 3) what obstacles you will run into You do these things by validating your assumptions with the appropriate test. First, you need to create the tests that will answer those questions. Tests for new services partnerships In the case of launching a new service line, we looked at search engine queries to see if people were looking for these services and if they were using different terms we hadnt considered. We also interviewed some former clients we identified different segments and came up with questions for each. When it came to potential partnerships, we created a list of questions and surveyed potential partners about existing partnerships, existing/former partnerships, and their opinion of our proposal. Those steps validated many of our concerns and forced us to change our model. We were also quite surprised by the number of new ideas we heard for making our proposal better. For example, how our partnership could help find them new business. We also realized it would take a lot more work to build and maintain these relationships. This testing forced us to put some of our plans on hold while we went back to the drawing board. Yes, its a bit disappointing but noting compared to the disappointment of wasting a few months on a model that was doomed from the beginning! Job seekers: what are your assumptions? This approach also works for people considering a career change. What if you want to change your career and become a mobile app developer, for example? What if you want to move into management? If you are considering a career change, ask yourself, will you like the new career? Can developing mobile apps replace your current income? Will you lose your previous position if you arent successful as a manager? Typically companies are better than individuals at understanding the risks of new ventures and trying to mitigate those risks. People seeking new jobs should consider the assumptions behind their desire for something new. Let’s look at an example: you want to change your career and become a mobile app developer. Start writing down your concerns, questions and assumptions. Then devise the simplest tests you can to answer them and, possibly, refine what you really want. Will I like developing mobile apps? Test this assumption by taking a programming class or trying your own project. Are you excited about working on it? Do you enjoy learning it? Are you picking it up quickly? Can I replace my income by developing full-time? Test this assumption by looking at your local market for mobile app developers. Do you have the right skills? Will you have to move to where more jobs are? Is there an experience requirement? What does entry level pay? What prerequisites will you need? Do I want to work as a developer for a company? Test this assumption by networking with developers at large and small companies. Also, talk to the managers of those developers and get their perspective. Will you have the structure you desire? The freedom? Use this research to guide you on what environment you will like the best. Is research just for big companies? As a small business owner, I sometimes felt that traditional research methods didn’t apply to me because they were so expensive that only big companies could. But Eric and Noah are dispelling that misconception and showing you how research doesn’t have to be something long, drawn out, outsourced or costly. Conducting tests to confirm your assumptions is a very worthwhile exercise. Do it before you invest time and money in a new business or in a new career. Focus on simplicity and youll see how easy it is and how valuable. Youll also see ways you can apply this philosophy to other aspects of your life.

As the Demand for Nursing Jobs Increase, So Do Options for Nurses

As the Demand for Nursing Jobs Increase, So Do Options for Nurses 1 Flares 1 Flares Nursing is hands-down one of the hardest, yet one of the most rewarding professions there is. Ask any group of nurses and they’ll tell you it’s not just a job to them, it’s a life. It’s a calling. And it takes someone very special to answer that call. Nurses are so important, in fact,the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for nurses between 2012 and 2022 will increase 19%. The Baby Boomer population will be in full force with increased health care needs that will need to be met. This increase in demand presents a great opportunity for nurses. Employers are getting increasingly desperate to find good nurses to fill positions in all fields of nursing. What Does this Mean for Nurses? It means nurses can be a lot more selective about what employer they choose to work for and in what field. I think we’ve all been in a job that we didn’t like, or didn’t feel passionate about â€" whether it was the company, the people we worked with, or the actual job itself. I worked 8 years for a company that I was less than enthusiastic about. Why would someone do that, you may ask? Because at the time I didn’t feel like there were many options in my field. This is the opposite case for nurses right now. Nurses not only have options, they have the upper hand. Because of the opportunities available, it may just be the time to examine where you are and what you are doing to determine if there is something better out there for you. After all, it’s not just a job, right? Nursing is one of the hardest jobs out there; you want to make sure you’re in the right environment with a top-notch employer who recognizes that. So here are a few tips from a former recruiter (and daughter of one amazing nurse) on finding the right employer with the right culture for you. Examine Your Nursing Practice Whether you are a seasoned work from home nurse who has spent years caring for patients or a new graduate looking to find your niche, now is the time to examine exactly what it is you really want to do. Look inward. During your studies and career, you’ve already discovered many of your strengths and weaknesses as a nurse. Ask yourself: What do I excel at? What do I enjoy doing the most? What do I enjoy doing the least? Do I prefer working in a technical critical care setting or in a more autonomous field such as home health? Am I considering a change because I am seeking more challenges? Or would I prefer a more laid back environment to concentrate on patient care? Then examine your work environment. If not yet employed in nursing, look at what environment you would like to have: Is this a good employer and a good setting for me? What is the atmosphere like? Is there positive synergy among the employees? Does the management set the tone for good morale? Is there room for advancement? What are the pay and benefits like? Do I generally enjoy going to work every day? The more questions you ask and answer the better prepared you will be to take the next steps. This may be the time to make a switch. Or if you’re just starting out, this is the time to make sure your first job is the very best one for you. Do Your Research Nurses are in demand! You don’t have to apply to just any opening because it fits your specialty or background. Do your research and find the right employer for you. Poke around on their website and social media pages. Google is your friend here! Find out what people are saying about that particular clinic, doctor, or facility you are considering. If you are targeting hospitals, you could research the individual departments and perhaps the specific doctors you would be in contact with. Look up the ratings of facilities and doctors that are available on several reputable websites such as Healthcare.gov and Health Grades, as well as official state sites that also provide valuable information. and ratings. These ratings include all types of health care settings. You may find that a lot of the research that you would do on your own  may have already been done by a staffing  agency for nurses. Talk To Someone Who Has Worked There Talk to a current or former employee â€" preferably more than one since everyone’s experiences and perspectives are different. Ask them what their daily work-life is like. Ask them about the culture, the management, the expectations of their nurses and other staff. People usually love talking about their work. You can find out a lot this way. Enlist a Healthcare Recruiting Agency Whether you are seeking employment locally or across the country, utilizing experts in the job-finding field is very helpful in finding that ideal position. You may find that a lot of the research that you would do on your own may have already been done. Partnering with a national recruiting agency like  De Vore Recruiting can help you not only find nursing openings, but find the employers that have the culture you’re looking for. Nationwide recruiting agencies have relationships with employers all over the U.S. their sole responsibility being to place the right person with the right company. They spend their time building relationships with both the company looking to hire as well as the candidate who is looking. Recruiting agencies also have a wide range of positions available in a variety of settings. There are jobs and niches that you may not even have been aware of. Your dream job is out there. There is no better time to seek it. Take advantage of every option you have. This is your time, nurses! Enjoy it.

How to grow your job search network -

How to grow your job search network - Dont rest  on your networking laurels if youre in the market for a job of if you are thinking of starting or growing a business. Once you identify your network, youll want to get to work expanding it. You never know who knows someone who knows someone. Everyone you meet and impress with your skills and savvy is a potential link to your next great opportunity. Incorporate these plans into your networking: Learn how to introduce yourself. This is more important than you may think, and youll want to spend time planning out your pitch so it will interest other people, not bore them to tears. (In other words, dont plan out a two-minute elevator story. It is unlikely to amaze and impress your new contacts.) Do not go around telling everyone you are looking for a job. No matter what your friends told you, if you focus on your status as a job seeker, people may lose interest in your story from the start. Get my free white paper:  5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week   Be generous with your expertise and identify ways to help your network. What problems do they have that you can help solve? Listen carefully. Dont talk so much when you network. People appreciate a good listener. Let that be you. Find new places to network. You can meet a new contact while in line at the post office, but it may be worth your time to target professional groups where your target audience is likely to gather. Track your contacts. Use all the tools at your disposal so you dont waste any opportunities. If you meet someone and never follow up, thats a lost opportunity. Click through for details about these topics, including specifics about how to create a great pitch, how to keep the proverbial doors open when youre networking, details about ways  to be helpful for your network, techniques to be a better listener and suggestions about how to track your contacts. Read the entire article on Vault.com.

All About Sample Resume Writing Services

All About Sample Resume Writing Services If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Sample Resume Writing Services Such category of job seekers are those who equate the distance of the document to the probability of receiving an interview call. Resume writing A great resume is the very first step towards obtaining a job. By keeping the aforementioned demand in view, a lot of inexpensive resumes andonline resume writing services are offered for the ease of candidates, but it's not easy for all of the jobless candidates to bear the excessive professional resume writing rates. While no 2 resumes will look the exact same, there are specific similarities in all decent resumes. Above all, one needs to understand there are numerous businesses in the industry offering you with professional resume services. The information that you include on your resume ought to be clear and brief. Bear in mind, your resume is an immediate advertising sales-letter. Also, your resume must be on the principal objective however you should add all of the information regarding your experience about the concerned field. The Lost Secret of Sample Resume Writing Services Professionals are anticipated to create a good resume so as to apply for employment. Your resume writer might be able to steer you toward job openings before the remaining part of the pack. Resume Services are especially helpful when you're attempting to construct a winning resume that will get you the type of job that you need and wish for. Video resumes are the current trend in the world today. Most Noticeable Sample Resume Writing Services Employing a professional resume writer is an alternative for the work seeker. Naturally, the resume objective must be the job that you want to take. Impress your employer The Resume can earn a very first impression in the view of an employer. The Little-Known Secrets to Sample Resume Writing Services Additionally, there are books solely written to assist yo u write excellent resumes. Resume writing template is among the important tool of writer. Writing resumes is believed to be an art, a contemporary magical art. The majority of the resumes writing services don't provide the chance of direct contact by making use of their writers. The professional at IFlame data entry solutions, India are dedicated in assisting you to boost your odds to acquire a better job by giving quality resume processing services. Nothing differs in the event of picking the resume writing service. In order to get the very best value for your investment, be sure the service charges an expert speed, and receives a thorough personal profile from you, which enables them to craft a top quality resume. Therefore, it's important to employ an expert provider, and that's once you can trust CareersBooster.com. What You Need to Do About Sample Resume Writing Services Before It's Too Late If you are able to fit all your important and pertinent details on a single pa ge, that's excellent, but don't be worried if you've got to go on to a second sheet of paper. There are many sites offering free resume template with no watermarks or logos inside them. On their website you will locate many different sample resumes that you're able to view which will help you feel better about using them. Viewing a variety of samples of resumes relevant to your career may give you the help needed. Resume writing services have a personalized approach to come up with a type of resume that is sure to offer the maximum quality of professional resume writing. After you get a last paper, request a free revision if it's lacking something. You may provide resumes in any format that's appropriate for you and we shall supply you with enhanced versions of your resume at very affordable prices. You will also need to hope it is set up using the right format.

The Fight Against Resume Objective

The Fight Against Resume Objective Finding Resume Objective Online Also, you'll need to get some resume objective samples at your disposal to have a look at them before actually writing your very own objective statement. A similar kind of objective can't be used for every sort of job applied. All things considered, there's not anything wrong with using a resume objective. Also, the term objective needs to be highlighted along by means of bold fonts. Strategies for making your Objective Statement Outstand Objective statement is easily the most important part of any kind of resume. Work experience also needs to be in reverse chronological order. Your Objective should be intelligent and has to communicate what you can do to help your prospective employer. From time to time, the applicant whilst writing the resume objective fails to satisfy the standards that are determined by the employer due to the language used. The target is a Job Interview, bear that in mind. Objective may vary for certain jobs. Things You Won't Like About Resume Objective and Things You Will The resume objective should be such it can be produced applicable to a massive number of similar varieties of jobs. Obviously, the amount of your resume isn't only dictated by industry. One of the absolute most important design choices you can possibly make on your resume is your font. As soon as you've had several jobs, for example, your education probably belongs at the base of the webpage, not the top. In the event that you're searching for employment, odds are you understand you are in possession of a wonderful job application. You will find two means by which you will be in a position to create resumes. Either one might be used to make date or practical resumes. When writing the financial resumes, it's important to adhere to the vital tips. Resume Objective for Dummies Other responsibilities include things like keeping equipment clean and keeping up a tidy environment to a ssure the total quality of the merchandise. Make certain that your job objective isn't more than three lines and is grammatically accurate. At times you may state your objectives in a manner which you might stick out from the crowd, but you might not fulfill what the employer is seeking. The manner in which you write your career objectives is vital and ought to be given proper consideration. The Secret to Resume Objective Use the checklist to ensure you have included all appropriate data in your resume. You've got to design your application in a manner it interests the employer in going through your details and they'll call you for the interview to go over the further information. It's necessary to comprehend the sort of resumes preferred by the establishment that you want to work for. The next step you will need to try create resumes is determining what type of continue you're likely to require.