Getting a Raise is Easy if You Know How to Ask for One
by Dr. Dewett
Asking for a raise is not an exact science, but there are some well known ways to increase your odds. Most people are afraid to ask for a raise. They feel it could be uncomfortable or lead to conflict. People hate conflict. Those brave few who do ask for a raise usually do not meet with success for several predictable reasons. Fortunately, there are many ways to increase your odds of successfully asking for a raise. Please notice that speaking to your boss about a raise is the last thing you do, not the first.
Start by knowing how your performance is viewed, in detail. Do not assume you understand. To accomplish this, there are three specific things to do. First, understand your relative performance. Not how you preformed, but how you preformed relative to other key referents in the company. Second, you need recent visible wins. Psychologically, what you have done in the last few months will stand out in your superior’s mind. For better or worse, there is a lot of truth to the old saying “What have you done for me lately?” Third, you need a world class summary of your achievements. Not work completed, but achievements. Costs reduced, time saved, quality increased, customers landed, etc. Strive to be convincing in 15 seconds, not 15 minutes.
Next, assess the risks. Asking for a raise is not a risk free proposition. Others may find out that you asked and whether or not you were successful. When compensation is the issue, relationships can become strained quickly. Keep in mind, it is very possible that your view of your performance is different than your superior’s view of your performance. You risk damaging your professional relationship to the degree the two views differ. Look around you and think about your odds. Consider the most relevant indicators. How stellar were your last 2-3 performance evaluations? If they were not spectacular, be careful. Assess your unit’s performance and the financial health of the organization overall. If budgets are being cut, your odds are not good. Finally, consider the fortunes of others in the organization who have attempted this feat. Depending on the company and the boss, it may be common or very unacceptable.
Long before you speak to the boss, specify a target. If you are going to ask for a raise, be very specific. Know what you will accept and what you will not accept. A negotiation specialist might suggest that you start high in order to eventually come down to some acceptable number. Not good advice when you are asking for a raise. Err only slightly above your target, otherwise you send a signal that you are disconnected from reality. If you want 5%, do not ask for 20%, try 8%. Whatever you do, do not lowball yourself, or your boss is likely to do the same.
Pick the time and place for this conversation. The earlier in the week, the better. The longer the week wears on the more your boss has become mentally fatigued. Monday might not be your favorite day of the week, but compared to Friday, most people are fresh and focused. Identifying the right time of day is a little more difficult. Everyone has a different time of the day when they are most happy and approachable. Make sure you identify this window for your superior. Be sure to schedule a time. Do not simply walk in unannounced for this discussion. If you are asked about the nature of the meeting when you schedule it, simply reply that you are seeking some advice.
Finally, it is time to have the big conversation. Here is the most important rule: do not ask to receive anything immediately, or even in the near term. Six to nine months before you want the raise you must talk to your superior about what you want and what he or she feels would be required in terms of accomplishments in order to justify the raise. Be positive, take great notes and make very specific goals. In essence, they have now committed to giving you a raise without having to immediately provide it. It costs them nothing now and is predicated on great performance.
There is no guaranteed plan for getting a raise, but following these steps dramatically increases the likelihood that your boss will take you seriously. Good luck!
Dr. Dewett is a business professor, author, consultant and speaker specializing in leadership and organizational life. As quoted in the New York Times, BusinessWeek, the Chicago Tribune, MSNBC and elsewhere. His new book is Leadership Redefined. Find out more at drdewett.com. Copyright 2008 TVA Inc.
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
It's Job Hunting, Not Job Wishing
It's Job Hunting, Not Job Wishing
by Dr. Dewett
It is a new year and your resolution is a whopper: you want a new job. Great, but prepare to work your tail off. Not only are jobs a wee bit scarce, but most people do not understand the amount of effort required nor the tactics required to successfully land that dream job. The good news is that with the right effort and know-how, you could soon be upgrading your cubicle.
Let’s start with the issue of time. You need to be dedicated. This means the task of job hunting becomes a regular daily task. If you are currently unemployed, this begins first thing in the morning. If you are currently employed, commit to using your nights at home and your lunch hour at work (or other great moments of escape). That is the easy part. Here is the killer. How much time should you spend on the job search? That depends on how quickly you wish to find a new job. Stated more motivationally: how quickly do you wish to leave your current job? If the goal is six weeks or less, you should be spending 15 hours per week, minimum. If the goal is closer to six months, you should be spending at least 10 hours per week. Any less than 10 hours per week and you are not serious about finding a new job.
On to successful job hunting tactics. Begin by using a spreadsheet to track every single job search-related task. What is the task, when is it due, etc. If you map out the specific sequence of tasks before you, your odds of success increase dramatically. Use the spreadsheet to organize the following must-do job hunting best practices:
• Polish your resume. If you have been with the same organization for a long time, your resume will be out of date. Do not focus on specific tasks as much as specific skills you have honed and can leverage in other jobs with other organizations. Avoid organizational specific jargon. Try to quantify your accomplishments in terms of time saved, costs saved, clients gained, revenues generated, etc.
• Let someone else polish your resume. After you have knocked off the dust, send it to at least three trusted professional friends. Tell them to play the role of a hiring manager. Ask them what your resume “says” to them. Ask them what signals it sends.
• Master your “elevator pitch.” The elevator pitch is your highly concise and compelling explanation of what you are looking for and why you are awesome (approximately 15-20 seconds). Don’t be shy. You use it when speaking to nearly anyone who you involve in your job search – not simply contacts at companies where you apply or interview.
• Post online. Depending on the nature of the job you are seeking, the popular online job sites might be worth your time. Some question how useful they can be for a variety of reasons. Who cares. They are free and when you are hunting for a job you cover all of your bases.
• Contact headhunters. If you do not know any, call your most successful friends in business, they will know a few. Headhunters vary in quality like any other professional, so a solid referral is best. There is no downside with headhunters, you do not pay them, employers do.
• Map out your network. Your network is much larger than you think. Current friends, friends you have lost touch with, old colleagues, college acquaintances, your dentist, they lady who sold you your first car, your uncle you have not seen in six years, etc. Think hard and start contacting them. The research is clear: it is who you know.
• Contact high potentials. These are people who are not in your network, but you know about them and feel they can help you. You want the opportunity to work for their organization or you merely want their advice, and maybe access to their network. Approach in person or via phone if possible. You never ask for a job or access to their network. You ask for professional advice and a fresh pair of eyes to look at your resume. Offer to buy them a cup of coffee. If you connect with them, it could lead to a great new contact or even a job.
• Follow up. Work the spreadsheet and make sure you that you follow up with all of the people on your list. There are two types of follow up. The first is you trying at least three times to contact someone on your list. The second is you getting back to them twice after the initial contact. The first time is immediately after speaking with them to say thank you. The second is a few weeks later (email will suffice) to say hello and update them on your progress.
• When rejected, find out why. It is difficult for some people to be honest, but you still need to try. When you are rebuffed by an organization, get on the phone and ask why. Was it a particular aspect of your personality? What? Self awareness is step one to changing your job hunting and interviewing skills.
• Celebrate rejections! Realize that every single rejection puts you one step closer to a job!
Dr. Dewett is a business professor, author, consultant and speaker specializing in leadership and organizational life. As quoted in the New York Times, BusinessWeek, the Chicago Tribune, MSNBC and elsewhere. His new book is Leadership Redefined. Find out more at drdewett.com. Copyright 2008 TVA Inc.
Article Directory: Article Dashboard
by Dr. Dewett
It is a new year and your resolution is a whopper: you want a new job. Great, but prepare to work your tail off. Not only are jobs a wee bit scarce, but most people do not understand the amount of effort required nor the tactics required to successfully land that dream job. The good news is that with the right effort and know-how, you could soon be upgrading your cubicle.
Let’s start with the issue of time. You need to be dedicated. This means the task of job hunting becomes a regular daily task. If you are currently unemployed, this begins first thing in the morning. If you are currently employed, commit to using your nights at home and your lunch hour at work (or other great moments of escape). That is the easy part. Here is the killer. How much time should you spend on the job search? That depends on how quickly you wish to find a new job. Stated more motivationally: how quickly do you wish to leave your current job? If the goal is six weeks or less, you should be spending 15 hours per week, minimum. If the goal is closer to six months, you should be spending at least 10 hours per week. Any less than 10 hours per week and you are not serious about finding a new job.
On to successful job hunting tactics. Begin by using a spreadsheet to track every single job search-related task. What is the task, when is it due, etc. If you map out the specific sequence of tasks before you, your odds of success increase dramatically. Use the spreadsheet to organize the following must-do job hunting best practices:
• Polish your resume. If you have been with the same organization for a long time, your resume will be out of date. Do not focus on specific tasks as much as specific skills you have honed and can leverage in other jobs with other organizations. Avoid organizational specific jargon. Try to quantify your accomplishments in terms of time saved, costs saved, clients gained, revenues generated, etc.
• Let someone else polish your resume. After you have knocked off the dust, send it to at least three trusted professional friends. Tell them to play the role of a hiring manager. Ask them what your resume “says” to them. Ask them what signals it sends.
• Master your “elevator pitch.” The elevator pitch is your highly concise and compelling explanation of what you are looking for and why you are awesome (approximately 15-20 seconds). Don’t be shy. You use it when speaking to nearly anyone who you involve in your job search – not simply contacts at companies where you apply or interview.
• Post online. Depending on the nature of the job you are seeking, the popular online job sites might be worth your time. Some question how useful they can be for a variety of reasons. Who cares. They are free and when you are hunting for a job you cover all of your bases.
• Contact headhunters. If you do not know any, call your most successful friends in business, they will know a few. Headhunters vary in quality like any other professional, so a solid referral is best. There is no downside with headhunters, you do not pay them, employers do.
• Map out your network. Your network is much larger than you think. Current friends, friends you have lost touch with, old colleagues, college acquaintances, your dentist, they lady who sold you your first car, your uncle you have not seen in six years, etc. Think hard and start contacting them. The research is clear: it is who you know.
• Contact high potentials. These are people who are not in your network, but you know about them and feel they can help you. You want the opportunity to work for their organization or you merely want their advice, and maybe access to their network. Approach in person or via phone if possible. You never ask for a job or access to their network. You ask for professional advice and a fresh pair of eyes to look at your resume. Offer to buy them a cup of coffee. If you connect with them, it could lead to a great new contact or even a job.
• Follow up. Work the spreadsheet and make sure you that you follow up with all of the people on your list. There are two types of follow up. The first is you trying at least three times to contact someone on your list. The second is you getting back to them twice after the initial contact. The first time is immediately after speaking with them to say thank you. The second is a few weeks later (email will suffice) to say hello and update them on your progress.
• When rejected, find out why. It is difficult for some people to be honest, but you still need to try. When you are rebuffed by an organization, get on the phone and ask why. Was it a particular aspect of your personality? What? Self awareness is step one to changing your job hunting and interviewing skills.
• Celebrate rejections! Realize that every single rejection puts you one step closer to a job!
Dr. Dewett is a business professor, author, consultant and speaker specializing in leadership and organizational life. As quoted in the New York Times, BusinessWeek, the Chicago Tribune, MSNBC and elsewhere. His new book is Leadership Redefined. Find out more at drdewett.com. Copyright 2008 TVA Inc.
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Sunday, February 3, 2008
Camping Safety Tips And Rules
Camping Safety Tips And Rules
by AJ Adams
While your camping endeavor is meant to be a relaxing experience, both physically and mentally, this does not mean you can turn off your basic responsibility obligations. When camping in the wilderness there are no walls around you to protect you and to ensure that what is outside of those walls stays out. There are a few basic safety rules you need to consider when camping. The main camping safety rules include: nature, anticipation of danger, awareness of your surroundings, your campfire, and what you consume in the wilderness.
Nature is both a precious entity and an unpredictable one. The first of your safety rules for camping include your responsibility and care for nature. Probably the simplest of this camping safety rule is to ensure that your camping ground is left in the same, if not better, condition that it was when you got there. One of the most important things for you to be aware of is any dangerous animals that may live in the area, like bears. Remember this is their home and you are trespassing, they may be curious.
Your second camping safety rule is to be cautious of the area you set up camp and anticipate any dangers that may present themselves. Flash flooding is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States. It can come on suddenly and is almost impossible to escape. Your main hope of avoiding becoming a victim is to ensure your dwellings are not erected on low ground where water will flow in the case of a flash flood.
The third of your safety rules for camping is to be aware of your surroundings. Beware of the weather forecast, if rain is predicted do not place your tent on low ground. You may need to dig some small trenches around your tent to deter water from entering, but remember to abide by camping safety rule number one when you leave, and fill in the trenches. Be mindful of warn paths in the area and do not build your campsite across any paths. Animals often use these paths at night and you may risk being trampled in your sleep by herds of animals. Look above the area where you plan to build your tent and your campfire. Overhanging branches may fall in the night or be set alight by a raging campfire or wayward embers.
Camping safety rule number four requires you to ensure you have all the necessary knowledge to build a safe campfire. You should also ensure you have the equipment necessary for putting your fire out should it start getting out of control. Out of control campfires do not take long to spread, especially if surrounded by acres and acres of luscious bushland. Forests can take hundreds of years to grow. Depending on the area you are camping in, your campfire could be responsible for destroying hundreds of acres of heritage forests that are hundreds of years old. There may also be residential dwellings in the area, which may risk the loss of human life, as well as all the wildlife that will suffer. Just a few simple camping safety rules can prevent an abundance of irreparable damage.
Your final camping safety rule includes being cautious of what you consume in the wild. Nature is not a supermarket; we cannot always be certain that what we take from her shelves will always be good for us. If you are able to, obtain a nature guide to all the native berries, nuts and plants in the area so that you can be sure you are not going to make yourself sick in the middle of the bush. You should also research the condition of the water in the area if you plan to drink from natural springs and water bodies. To be on the safe side, always carry fresh water with you to last the entire length of your trip and a few extra days’ worth – just in case!
Read our 5 Safety Rules For Camping, then check out our selection of Slumberjack sleeping bags.
Article Directory: Article Dashboard
by AJ Adams
While your camping endeavor is meant to be a relaxing experience, both physically and mentally, this does not mean you can turn off your basic responsibility obligations. When camping in the wilderness there are no walls around you to protect you and to ensure that what is outside of those walls stays out. There are a few basic safety rules you need to consider when camping. The main camping safety rules include: nature, anticipation of danger, awareness of your surroundings, your campfire, and what you consume in the wilderness.
Nature is both a precious entity and an unpredictable one. The first of your safety rules for camping include your responsibility and care for nature. Probably the simplest of this camping safety rule is to ensure that your camping ground is left in the same, if not better, condition that it was when you got there. One of the most important things for you to be aware of is any dangerous animals that may live in the area, like bears. Remember this is their home and you are trespassing, they may be curious.
Your second camping safety rule is to be cautious of the area you set up camp and anticipate any dangers that may present themselves. Flash flooding is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States. It can come on suddenly and is almost impossible to escape. Your main hope of avoiding becoming a victim is to ensure your dwellings are not erected on low ground where water will flow in the case of a flash flood.
The third of your safety rules for camping is to be aware of your surroundings. Beware of the weather forecast, if rain is predicted do not place your tent on low ground. You may need to dig some small trenches around your tent to deter water from entering, but remember to abide by camping safety rule number one when you leave, and fill in the trenches. Be mindful of warn paths in the area and do not build your campsite across any paths. Animals often use these paths at night and you may risk being trampled in your sleep by herds of animals. Look above the area where you plan to build your tent and your campfire. Overhanging branches may fall in the night or be set alight by a raging campfire or wayward embers.
Camping safety rule number four requires you to ensure you have all the necessary knowledge to build a safe campfire. You should also ensure you have the equipment necessary for putting your fire out should it start getting out of control. Out of control campfires do not take long to spread, especially if surrounded by acres and acres of luscious bushland. Forests can take hundreds of years to grow. Depending on the area you are camping in, your campfire could be responsible for destroying hundreds of acres of heritage forests that are hundreds of years old. There may also be residential dwellings in the area, which may risk the loss of human life, as well as all the wildlife that will suffer. Just a few simple camping safety rules can prevent an abundance of irreparable damage.
Your final camping safety rule includes being cautious of what you consume in the wild. Nature is not a supermarket; we cannot always be certain that what we take from her shelves will always be good for us. If you are able to, obtain a nature guide to all the native berries, nuts and plants in the area so that you can be sure you are not going to make yourself sick in the middle of the bush. You should also research the condition of the water in the area if you plan to drink from natural springs and water bodies. To be on the safe side, always carry fresh water with you to last the entire length of your trip and a few extra days’ worth – just in case!
Read our 5 Safety Rules For Camping, then check out our selection of Slumberjack sleeping bags.
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