Salary can be a very touchy subject when it comes to negotiating a job offer. It’s an issue that can cause candidates to walk away, force employers to spurn one candidate in favor of another who will work for less, and make for tense dialogue between an employer and a would-be employee. Many job seekers are uneasy talking about their salary history with prospective employers. Divulging salary information first can often put you at a disadvantage, but you may have no choice. Potential employers may require a salary history before even considering you as a candidate. In this case it is helpful to know, ” Why do some companies ask job applicants for a salary history?”
The answers are fairly simple and they even make sense.
Requesting a salary history may just be a part of the employer’s screening process. It is their policy with every job applicant and that includes you. Give them the history, get in there and set the hook, get the offer, and then be a good negotiator.
Now, while that is a perfectly reasonable answer, there is one that is even better. As an applicant, you are a “business of one” and you are selling your services. With that in mind, would you buy from a business that, when you asked how much the product cost, responded with “We are not going to tell you until you buy?” In order to “make the sale” to your potential employers you need to name your price.
Your best course is always to do your homework before going into a negotiation. If you know what you are talking about, then you are more likely to get what you want, even if you have already given a salary history to your potential employers.
Negotiating salary is a scary proposition for some people.It’s also quite difficult if you are rusty on your negotiation skills. I’ve put together a few tips for helping you get through the process with less sweat and more leverage. Step 1:Don’t discuss salary until the employer makes an offer
A good rule of thumb is to refrain from mentioning salary expectations in your resume. If the the ad you are responding to requests past salaries as some do, then comply. Otherwise, don’t bring up salary at all. If asked during the interview, try to avoid the question. Respond in a manner such as:
“If you decide I’m right for the position, then I’m sure you’ll pay a fair and competitive rate, right?”
“I’d love to discuss salary with you, but before we get to that, I’d like to know more about the position. Tell me more about ______.”
“Is this a formal offer?”
“The going salary range for that level of responsibility is between _______________ and _______________. You pay in that range, correct?”
Step 2:Allow the interview to make the offer
She who speaks first loses. In salary negotiations, the first figure mentioned is the starting point. You don’t want to sell yourself short. Let the interviewer make the offer and you go from there. That way, if the salary they offer is way off base and you don’t see any way to meet in the middle, then you can gracefully bow out. Step 3:Do the research
Don’t negotiate in the blind. After your potential employer makes an offer, do a little research to determine the going salary range for your level of skill and experience. Check a variety of sources for the sake of comparison or you could end up getting less than you deserve.
One useful source of information is the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics). They publish annual salary data by occupation.
You can also perform a Google search to find other salary information online. Be aware that salaries can vary according to location and whether or not will be employed in the public or private sector or in a profit or non-profit organization.
Step 4:Let negotiations begin
You want to get the highest salary possible. Your employer wants to pay the lowest amount to increase their bottom line. You should strive to be fair while maximizing your own value.
Determine your value to your company and make an offer based on that. Step 5:Close the deal and keep negotiating
Your salary is only one component of the negotiating process. You can also negotiate perks and benefits such leave time, profit sharing, bonuses, etc.
There seems to be a rule of thumb out there that if you land a job you should always try to negotiate for more money as a matter of course. If you’ve done your homework and realize that the salary offer is too low for your level of education and experience, you should at least try to negotiate a higher salary. However, negotiating your salary just because you think you should can hurt you in a number of ways. Contract positions are usually set at a certain rate and are only sometimes negotiable. If you try to negotiate a contract job offer, chances are that you delay many onboarding tasks such as drug screening, background and references checks and getting signed up for benefits. You may also find that the employer still expects you to start on the original date stated in the offer, leaving you scrambling to comply. If you can negotiate your salary higher for other types of positions, you may leave yourself vulnerable to layoff if your salary is higher than your peers’. Your salary may be the first on the cutting block when it is time for your employer to make budgetary cuts. Negotiating a salary higher than what you originally stated you would be willing to take may make a potential employer think that you did not do your salary homework or are trying to get more money just because you think you can. This does not leave the employer with a good impression of you. Of course, you could prevent yourself from being boxed into a corner like this by not giving a specific dollar amount answer to the question, “What are your salary expectations?” If hard-pressed by an interviewer, give a wide salary range because this question is often used as criteria to weed out a large candidate pool.
If you are writing your own resume, it is easy to concentrate on the text and content over everything else. You know that your resume needs to “sell” you to potential employers and you need to list your skills, experience, and achievements to do this effectively.
Although the content and listing your selling points is essential for any resume, it isn’t the only thing that you need to give consideration to in order to give yourself the best possible chance at being successful when applying for jobs.
When a job is advertised, there will be a large number of applicants, especially if the job is a good one and pays well. To stay on top of the competition, you must have a resume that stands out above the rest.
If your resume looks dull, messy, or boring, then the likelihood is that the person in charge of processing the resumes received won’t even read it. Your resume should have a clean, crisp layout that will catch the reader’s eye, prompting them to select it from the stack. How your resume flows and reads to potential employers is as important as the content itself.
If you feel that you don’t have the skills to create a layout that will highlight your value, then it may be worth looking into hiring a professional resume writing service. Professional resume writing companies have writers on staff who will help you design a resume with a layout that flows well and showcases your skills in the most strategic manner.
Why You Should Be Job Hunting – Even If You Already Have a Job
Many people feel that consulting job hunting resources and looking for a new job are things that only people who are unemployed should be doing. It is often assumed that the only time you need to be aware of what jobs are on the market and the opportunities that are available for you when you don’t already have a job.
Quite the contrary. Experts agree that it is a good practice to always keep an eye out for job opportunities, as well as the average rate of pay for jobs you may be interested in. Of course this isn’t something that you’ll want to do every day, but staying in the loop with jobs and salary changes in your industry could eventually help you move up the corporate ladder. By keeping apprised of trends in job openings and salaries in your industry, you can ensure that you’re getting the best salary for your value, and that you are aware of changes in skills and experience needed for certain jobs. In addition, this knowledge could also give you great bargaining power when the time comes to negotiate your next salary increase! While you may be happily employed today, we all know that with our country’s current economic situation, people are still continuing to lose their jobs everyday and are finding themselves actively searching for a new job. Job hunting doesn’t have to consume a lot of time, you just need to keep your resume current with your most recent employment history and achievements, know the best job search resources for your industry, and be willing to network with colleagues and friends in other companies who may know of opportunities for someone with your skills and expertise.
Being prepared for your job search will result in a a more effective, targeted search, and ultimately success!
The number one dreaded question during the interview process is “what salary requirements are you expecting.” This question alone can either make or break the interview. Not only that, it tends to make a lot of interviewees freeze up and say the wrong things.
It is very easy to under or oversell yourself. If you are afraid of stating too much, chances are you will undersell yourself and make less than you were anticipating. After all, companies use this question to feel their applicants out. And, of course, if they can get you for a lower wage, they will.
It’s not going to go well if you ask for too much income. For instance, you can’t possibly expect to hire on as customer service but expect to be paid $20 or more an hour. Just won’t happen.
Interview process protocol dictates that you should never bring the subject of salary up yourself. Wait until they do. You only address it when the potential employer brings it up.
A good answer is that you are negotiable. That way, the both of you can meet in the middle somewhere with their requirements. At this point, you need to make sure what salary you can budget for with your personal expenses.
A good idea is to do research for the type of position you are applying for and see what the going rate for certain positions are. You don’t want to be out of the ballpark by asking for too much income when the trend is lower for the same position. It’s all about negotiation. You may not get exactly what you want as far as wage goes, but you may also be offered a different position that offers more after they evaluate your skills. So, remember, don’t blow it by over or underselling yourself.
Are you a fresh graduate? Have you been seeking a perfect career for yourself for the future? Do you want to know how you can get a perfect career that best matches your abilities and expertise? These and other questions are exactly what a fresh graduate is considering and who also needs a proper consultation. Choosing a career path is the most important part of your professional life. Many graduates and young students get confused when they are asked about their career path.
You may have fallen into the trap of thinking the sole reason for work is to bring home enough money to live comfortably. While adequate compensation is important in any job, it’s not the whole story. If you are unsatisfied with what you are doing every day, it will take a toll on your physical and mental health. You could feel burned out and frustrated, anxious, depressed, or even unable to enjoy time in your own home knowing another work day is ahead.
The best time to choose your job path is when you are tagged with “Graduate.” Yes, when you graduate, it is the perfect time for you to consider your career route. You need to have an analysis on your own overall graduation performance. Your own result can give you an idea which particular field you are sufficiently good to explore yourself. You need to concentrate on that very field. If not, then you may start your career in a direction you don’t want to go.
Until you decide on the type of career, you don’t need to select any kind of field. Another possibility is when you are going to apply for a job. You must believe in your expertise. If you are confused about what constitutes a good decision for your career, it would be a good idea to discuss it with a career expert. Professional consultants are a good choice for having different alternatives that will be a better fit for you and your qualifications.
Personality and common sense is also very important. You need to judge your personality in comparison with your job or perhaps your career. Personality judgment gives you some tactics and some choices that might be very helpful for you in deciding your career path. It allows you to judge your inner personality to see how well you are able to adjust to a particular career path. Consult with someone you have a lot of respect for. They can act as a neutral party and let you know what your options are and what direction you should take.
What Is The Difference Between Executive and Regular Resumes?
Do you know when it’s time to move from a regular resume to an executive resume? There are a few subtle differences but will speak volumes when presented for certain types of positions.
Usually at the top of a regular resume is an objective statement. This is where a person will tell in paragraph form what they are looking for in a job and any expectations they may have. An executive resume will have an opening paragraph that will highlight their strongest points, often in bullet points and what that candidate can do for a company.
Executive resumes will typically be at least 2 pages but no more than 4. This is because they may have detailed educations, publications they have written or any awards they received. It is all relevant on an executive resume.
An executive resume will also have bolded words, highlighted or underlined sections so as to showcase their skills, achievement or awards. Additionally, the wording and structure will be much more sophisticated than regular resumes.
Once you have reached a certain level of experience, education, awards or achievements in your career which will now enable you to seek for more executive type jobs is the time to start using an executive resume.
It won’t do any good to present a regular resume when the position calls for a more professional applicant. So, don’t forget to update your regular resume to an executive resume.
