Salary Negotiation Tips
May 30, 2008
I need salary negotiation tips for a new job I’m applying for. Would you please help me out with some pointers? - Keith in Austin, TX
Salary negotiation usually makes one choke up and cringe when even pondering the thought. However, it is in your best favor to possess the skills necessary to be in the position to win. Something to keep in mind is that the people who are able to negotiate compensation with a potential employer appear as a much stronger candidate for the simple fact that they bring it up and can hold their own.
Below I’ve listed some basics that will direct you on how to make yourself stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Learn about your target company’s salary range and the benefits they offer with the specific industry that they are in. This will give you a baseline to reference from. A common mistake that many “job virgins” find themselves in the middle of is that they end up dropping hints about the salary they want very early on in the interview. This is a no-no and on top that, many people will out right say something to the effect of “Oh… this so and so number is what I am looking for.”
This is understandable due to a person’s concern that the job might not be able to pay them what they require but at the same time, early in the interview process, its best to keep quiet and listen to the over all message that the potential employer is providing about how much they can provide in compensation. However, if they prod you for a number than use your ammo from doing research in that industry to give yourself some leverage.
Now here’s where having salary negotiation skills really come into play. When you’ve determined that its time to began discussing money, be the one to strike first with throwing out a salary range before your prospective employer does. This will leverage the salary range you are seeking in your favor. But on the opposite hand, if the person you are interviewing with readily takes into consideration the number you gave… and makes you an offer based on that number, don’t commit too quickly.
Communicate to them that you will take the offer into consideration and will provide a direct response within a short timeframe. This is a delicate balancing act here and you want to make yourself appear like you are not easily swayed by their offer, even if it is within or above the salary you’re looking for.
Another highly valuable salary negotiation tip is that you need to be upfront with what you expect from the employer in terms of pay but also the very real potential for career advancement. A couple of other things to think about are flexibility in your work schedule due to family along with continuing your education. To be fair though you need to make the company well aware of the value you can provide with your skill set and previous work history and how that can make them stronger as an organization.
Keith, using these simple steps will put you far ahead of the majority of job seekers out there and will serve as a sword and shield during the interview process. Having the right negotiating skills when it comes to getting the salary and benefits you want proves that you are not going to settle for second best and shows your level of confidence to go after what you truly want.
The Most Recession Proof Cities
May 14, 2008
I was just checking out the Forbes Website and they have a great list out today for the new job seeker. I mean if you are going to build a career and are thinking of starting off in a new city you want to pick one that have the most stability. So I figured I would share their list of the top ten “Recession Proof Cities” and my thoughts on them with you.
The cities are (in descending order) are,
- Oklahoma City, OK
- San Antonio, TX
- Austin, TX
- Houston, TX
- Charlotte, NC
- Dallas, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Raleigh, NC
- Salt Lake City, UT
Now let’s have a look at what all/most of these cities have in common. They most common things I notice are,
- They are all in the southern states
- With the exception of one (San Jose) none are in the inflated markets of the West Coast or North East
- Real estate stability is evident in all of them (San Antonio Real Estate in particular is being called a “gem” by investors right now.)
- Four are in Texas which is being boosted by oil and gas right now, as is Oklahoma
- All have a strong mix of industries including financial, high tech, manufacturing, education, natural resources and professional services.
- With the exception of California all the other states have very low taxes on business, incomes and property compared to national averages.
So as you consider where to build your career take a look at these locations and you can also utilize these common traits to find other cities and towns that have a similar make up. The key though really is to understand that nothing is truly recession proof. You goal should be to build your skills, knowledge and experience as diversely and rapidly as possible. The best people are always in demand but living in a good market sure doesn’t hurt either.
~ The Job Virgin
How Do You Know What Your Dream Job Is?
May 13, 2008
Finding your Dream Job is one thing, knowing what you looking for is another one all together.
I am a big believer in not doing the work others have already done so one thing I recommend you start off with is a simple personality test. There are many available online for free here is a pretty good one.
The Human Metrics Jungian Personality Test
So take your time and go through that test or another one, you may even want to try a few different ones. Then consider carefully what the results say about you, specifically the ones you don’t totally agree with.
The key to your dream job is first finding a career that
- Really motivate you
- Challenges you in a positive way
- Allows you the lifestyle yo most value
- Gives you the time freedom to do what you enjoy
- Lets you live in the area you want to live in
- Provides you the education to move up to your ultimate goal
There are more of course and we will go deeper into this subject in many different ways, the key for now though is simply understanding that this question is first and foremost, “who are you really”?
The key is to first really understand yourself and what you really want, until you do that you will chase money, prestige and other concepts only to feel let down and empty. A dream job doesn’t just pay well and let you have an awesome lifestyle, it makes you feel good and look forward to going to work.