Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Professionals share the thing that helped them land a raise

Professionals share the thing that helped them land a raiseProfessionals share the thing that helped them land a raiseYour salary its one of the most difficult conversations to have - especially for women - but one that holds the most value in your career. Literally. It isnt only the mere act of asking for more zeros on your paycheck, but articulating your worth and having the confidence to stand by your reasoning. Though the process surrounding reviews and finances varies by industry and company, tzu sichbeie are various ways to reap the yes youre looking for - and have earned. How do you walk in and out of the meeting confident and happy? The advice on financial increases is plenty, but often the source of wisdom to tap into is from those who have the been-there, earned-that money.Here are the stories of successful professionals who managed to get a raise, and then someResearch, research, researchWhen it came time for the annual performance evaluation at her company, senior grap hic designer Lena-Marie Sabin knew she had homework to complete before sitting down with her employer. With a salary of $50,000 at the time in New York City, she welches convinced it was far below the market rate of not only the island, but the nation. And, with the amount of output she was delivering, she also knew she deserved far more than she was bringing home. She was right - on both accounts.So she did her research thoroughlyand came prepared to state her case with numbers, examples, and more. Its the advice shed give anyone nervous about the conversation Find where you match up in the industry and present a strong, thought-out, fact based argument, she shared. Sabin proved successful in her quest, earning a 40 percent increase and putting her to an annual income of $70,000.Let your merit standaloneBefore becoming a freelance political strategist and communications consultant, Catherine* was working in-house for a communications firm for several years, sans salary increase. A t $70K AUD, she felt she hit a mid-level plateau for the industry, and wanted to make the best case she could for a raise. But getting there was tricky, since though in theory, her company believed in regular reviews and performance feedback, they never happened. She tried to schedule meetings and theyd inevitably get cancelleuchtdiode in a hyper-busy environment. So, she tried a more informal approach to see if she could make moves, by casually ducking into her CEOs sekretariat for a chat.With this plan in mind, she turned to the advice of a trusted mentor who gave her surprising advice let merit standalone. While Catherine was prepared to come with facts and figures to convince her employer to give her a raise, her mentor advised a different approach Do you think your male colleagues are going into your bosss office with that kind of maths? Do you really think they talk about historic Australian inflation rates? No. If you are excellent at your job and your work speaks for itself then thats all you need to say. If they want to keep you or want to work out another form of compensation package, then they will.Instead of arriving with a powerpoint, Catherine attended the meeting prepared to illustrate her own worth with confidence.I began the conversation talking about my work generally and asking if there was any feedback for me or ways to improve, and then I broached the raise conversation by saying that based on the conversation I would like a raise to reflect the quality of work I had been putting out, she explained. After some discussion, she was given a $10K increase, and as her mentor put it - it was as simple as that.Convince your company why they need youDue to some shifts in the company, cost accounting manager Brett Mueller was wearing the hats of several gigs other than his own. His boss at the time recognized the need to restructure, and eventually, they were able to secure a new headcount under Mueller. He was in charge of the hiring process, inc luding writing the job description, and made sure to include many responsibilities he was originally hired to do.This, of course, led to questions about what he would do when they found their new employee, resulting in a new title- and with his bargaining, a pay increase from $123K to $135K. Howd he do it? Mueller said it wasnt about showing his value but convincing her manager he was the best option for the job at hand, even with a compensation increase.What would they do if you left? Are there a gaggle of new college grads out there who could learn your role pretty quickly, or would it take a months-long search and tens of thousands of dollars in headhunter fees to find a suitable replacement? Would they lose clients without you? Is your boss/team the type that is happy to roll up their sleeves and cover your responsibilities, or is the thought of working nights/weekends terrifying to them? Quantify these factors as much as possible, he continues. That way youll have an idea how m uch you can ask for and still remain their best alternative.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Tips for Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

Tips for Asking for a Letter of RecommendationTips for Asking for a Letter of RecommendationIf youre interviewing for a new job, you should expect to haveyour references checkedprior to getting an offer. Having good references can make or break the possibility of a job offer, so review these tips for asking for a letter of recommendation. In addition, check out these sample reference lettersso you know what kind of information you need to send to the person wholl be providing your recommendation. Be sure to choose the right people to ask forletters of recommendation, and ask them far enough in advance so that youre notlage rushing them. If you plan ahead and compile alist of referencesso that you can get your recommendation letters now, it will ensure youre prepared when aprospective employer requestsa reference letter, or two. Who to Ask for References On average, employers checkthree referencesfor each candidate. However, you cant have too many people in your corner, and it can be helpful to have a selection of people vouch for you who are knowledgeable about different aspects of your abilities. That way you can choose the best references for each type of company youre applying to. Select People Who Will Give You a Strong EndorsementIts important to know your references well. You need to select responsive people who can confirm where you worked, your title, your reason for leaving, detailsregarding your strengths, and why you would be a good employee. Its also important to have a good idea of what references are going to say about your background and your performance. Make sure that any information provided by your references corroborates what you have written in your resume and talked about in your interviews. Inconsistent information can jeopardize your chances at a job offer, or evencause it to be withdrawn. References Dont Have to Be from EmployersIts perfectly acceptable to use references other than past employers. Business acquaintances, professors or academic advisors, customers, and vendors can all serve as references. In addition, if you volunteer, you can use leaders or other members of the organization aspersonal references. Get Recommendations in WritingWhenever you leave a position you should askfor a letter of recommendationfrom your manager, especially if you had a good working relationship. Its a good idea to ask right away because as time passes and people move on, its easy to lose track of previous employers and the memory of exactly how vital you were to an organization during your tenure may fade. If you have letters in-hand in advance, youll have written documentation of your credentials readily available to give to prospective employers. But what about those supervisors you didnt ask for a letter of recommendation when you moved on? Its perfectly acceptable to contact them now to ask for a letter to include in your personal files. How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation Dont simply ask, Could you writea l etter of referencefor me? Just about anyone can write a letter. Its better to ask, Do you feel you know my work well enough to write me a good recommendation letter? or Do you feel you could give me agood reference? That way, your reference writer has an easy out if they are not comfortable writing a letter. Conversely, youll be assured that those that say yes will be enthusiastic about your performance and will write apositive letter. Always offer to provide your updated resume including information regarding your skills and experiences, so the reference writer has current information to work with. Additional Letter of Recommendation Tips If your recommendation writer asks you to provide a sample of the kind of reference letter you need, here are somerecommendation letter samplesyou can provide. In addition to references, you may be asked to provide contact information for your present supervisor. Most prospective employers realize that you may not have shared the details of yo ur job search with your current employer, and will ask your permission beforecontacting your supervisorto avoid jeopardizing your current position. Dont forget to thank your reference writers with a thank you notenzeichen. People like to feel appreciated and when they know theyve been a big help to you, they may be more likely to help you in the future. An email thank you note is fine, but a hand-written thank you note may appear to be more thoughtful and might make a bigger impression.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Cover Letter Tips You Need to Follow

Cover Letter Tips You Need to FollowCover Letter Tips You Need to FollowEveryone wants to know how to write an impressive titelblatt letter or what are the cover letter tips to follow. Well, this article will provide you an insight on these topics, so that you can write an impactful cover letter.You need to make your cover letter memorable and different for your resume to get importance. Only if your resume is read, then you will have a chance to get the interview, and only then you have a chance of getting the job.Tips forWriting aCover LetterKeep It Simple and DirectYou should always make your point clear in the cover letter. What job position you are applying for, exactly how much experience you have for the position and what your goals are. No need to go on describing your experiences and achievements. Just keep it simple and to the point so that it can be easily understood by the hiring managers, as confusing them will only decrease your chances of getting the interview.Make It Different From OthersRather than using the same words over and over, try to use words that give you an upper hand. Do not use the common words used in every other letter, but those words that will make you stand out from the rest. Use specific keywords as per the requirement of the job profile and action-verbs that define you the best.Additional Cover Letter TipsDo include something in your cover letter that you have not used in your resume.If you are replying to any ad or job posting, do refer to that.Tailor your cover letter according to the jobs you are applying for rather than using the same for every job.Proofread it to avoid all possible errors.Do not use any fancy and unprofessional fonts.