Ways to Boost Your Career or Get Ahead in Your Current Position

Resume Lady has quite a few posts about interviews, resumes and getting the job. However, I wanted to add to the blog by occasionally promoting information on keeping your job or getting ahead in your current job or position. In this current economy it’s not enough to be employed, finding ways to stay employed seems to be just as important.

That being said, there are ways to boost your career and get promoted. Many people must spend the majority of their time working on getting customers and the company to succeed. There are times when you need to concentrate more time on your success and your career ahead. Of course performance matters most. However, sometimes persona plays a role in boosting your career.

These are several different tips and techniques that can help boost your career and make you stand out positively from the rest of the pack. Simply said, ways to get job promotions and moving your career forward.

Be known for something worthwhile

Everyone remembers the screw up or the mess up. The IT tech that had everyone without computer access for half of the day or the big layoff that removed an entire division from the company is never forgotten. How about being recognized for something good or even great, but above all positive?
 

Being the supervisor for turning around a group of struggling employees or areas is a wonderful way to get your foot in the door or on the map. Pick a mission and put in the work to see it through. You may not receive the overtime pay for the work, but in the end becoming known for something worthwhile will pay for itself with a promotion or being first to come to mind with an open job position
 

Sometimes it can be something as simple as updating all of the employees emergency contact information quarterly as a routine or verifying that the process created several years ago is still valid. Recertify older information is still just as great as creating new information as a way of being ahead of the curve. While you are recertifying, if updating should or could be done, do it.

Be first but with a purpose

Being the first to arrive is wonderful, but it’s more about what you do with that time that stands out. Organize your day; get a jump on older email. Pro-active positive responses are what those in charge will remember about you and can make them see you in another position doing more with something better.

Create a project of your own

Not all projects need to cost the company money. There are some smaller ones that can do the organization, coworkers or company as a whole a benefit without costing thousands of dollars. Sometimes it may be a simple as moving files to a more beneficial location within the office space.
 

Excelling at a project someone else has created will get you a pat on the back. However, creating and excelling at your own creation is the icing on top of the cake and will help in getting a better job.
 

Reorganizing the supply cupboard=no matter how small a project it is can show initiative, working independently and helping the team which are all positive attributes that may make a difference when you least expect it. Showing you can work independently can work toward promoting a career.

Personal interests

Many supervisors and team leaders have a tendency to show too little of their personal side. You need to allow people to know you personally a little bit. There is a line between business and pleasure or personal. However, if you tend to be someone that shows no personality whatsoever you is hurting yourself in large organizations or crowded markets. Don’t step too far over the line, but show a small bit of what makes you =you

Hard work

There is no substitution for hard work and it shows. Going above and beyond is always rewarded. Work hard at everything you do. not everyone is perfect, but strive for perfection and you will receive excellence. Not everyone is working as hard as they can in most scenarios and situations and it will be reflected in their work. Quality is rewarded and hard work will pay off for companies that matter and want hard workers in better positions and better jobs

These are several tips and techniques that can be used to get ahead in your current position and ways of boosting your career.

 

The Working Life

Thanks to Erasmo Cortez

I’ve always loved working with peopleso when I started my last job I knew it was a good fit. Being a counselor at a big organization wasn’t what I wanted long term but I learned so much and I was able to take a lot of those lessons with me to my new gig which is, of course, running my own practice. It’s actually just out of my home in a garage we’ve converted into a space for my patients but things are going really well. I’ve got it all set up like the offices at my old clinic and we even went so far as to go tohttp://homesecurity101.com to get it all professionally outfitted. I love what I do and I’m so glad I get to come home each night thinking that I really helped people which is more than a lot of my friends can say. It feels good to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem which is why I think I’ll probably be doing this for quite a while. When you know what you’re good at you should do it with confidence!

Questions to Ask During Salary Negotiation

Generally what you ask during salary negotiation will not confirm how much you will eventually earn. However, it may display to your employer whether or not you’re good at negotiating which is a skill that is highly profitable for any employer.

Many people in America are not use to bargaining or haggling for anything. The art of negotiation is something that doesn’t come easy for many. Though, many times without negotiations you could be losing out on what you should be getting out of your employer.

There is always a risk when questions are asked when an offer is presented. Keep this in mind if you decide you want to ask questions during salary negotiation. However, all they can say is no, right?

These are questions that can benefit you during salary negotiations.

Is this negotiable?

This is the most important question. If the answer is no, no further questions need be asked. If they do answer no, maybe you can negotiate other things such as benefits or bonuses.

Is this base pay only?

Depending upon what the job offer is, you may receive bonuses or other compensation.

Thank you-is this a firm offer?

Always say thank you to demonstrate how professional you are. Remember your professional etiquette. Make certain you have been offered a job before embarrassing yourself and the interviewer. Depending upon how the offer is presented, there may be questions as to whether or not they are offering you a position or something else. Maybe they want another interview or want you to understand the details of the position.

Do I have to answer right now? or When do you need an answer?

Answering on the spot when you are not sure or certain could be a horrible huge mistake. If you need time to consider the position or offer, take it. The difference of 24 or 48 hours may not be a life and death matter for many situations.

Is there a sign on bonus?

There are times when a sign on bonus is offered. If this is the norm for your niche, make certain you get all that is coming to you.

Can I negotiate for an increase in salary earlier than the normal evaluation period?

This is usually asked if they tell you there is no room for salary negotiation at this time.  Requesting an earlier negotiation time for your salary than the usual review period can help you if you are a go getter. Remember, you want to demonstrate how valuable you are to the company.

These are questions that can help you when attempting to negotiate your salary. The money is one of the most, if not the most important question or discussion you may have with your new position.

abovetechnical.com providing pic

Using Craigslist to Search for Job Opportunities

Craigslist is becoming one of the most successful forms of classified advertising developed for this century. There are thousands of prospects for employment opportunities.

This is a great instructional video that offers first time Craigslist users valuable information on using the site and how to navigate around Craigslist to discover what you are looking for.

When using this terrific site for job searches, beware. There are honest people and compannies that are looking to match you with the perfect job. However, there are also many scammers and dishonest persons that are searching for persons to take advantage of.

Do not provide any personal information that would allow someone to take your information and use it for identity theft or worse. Be cautious of what information you are providing as well as who you provide it to.

How to Negotiate a Salary After Receiving a Job Offer

Getting the right salary with the right job is everyone’s dream. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? Well the right direction for achieving this is taking the road to negotiating the right salary before you start the position or take your job offer. This post can help you achieve that.

Currently it’s definitely not a buyers (interviewees) market. However, there are still some things that you can do to make certain you receive the best salary available in this current jobs market if given the break to do so.

Maximizing your salary potential can make all of the difference in the world for a lot of people. Especially if you happen to be taking a position that is for less money than you were currently making. If you have the opportunity to take advantage of a negotiation, you are one of the lucky ones and should do the best you can to get the most out of this tactic.

Don’t discuss or tell your current salary

This is important. Don’t allow your new employer to know what you were making or what you are currently making. If they ask flat out, provide a ball park figure or advise them you don’t feel comfortable providing that information. Be vague and don’t provide exact numbers.

Is there room for negotiation?

Try to feel if there is room for negotiation and how much room there happens to be. If you have unique qualifications the chances of negotiating a job offer are better than if you don’t. remember that this is definitely a sellers’ market and the companies hiring have a lot of power in this arena. If there were hundreds of candidate available, you chances of getting that terrific salary substantially decrease than if there were only 3 or 4.

Ask for benefits or bonuses instead of salary

For some a better benefits package works for salary. Do you need better or cheaper health insurance along with life and dental? This may be where the company and work with you and there is plenty of room for negotiation. In this day and age having the golden parachute of cheap and wonderful insurance coverage can benefit you just as much as salary.

Bonuses are a wonderful idea. This provides the company with the assurance that you will invest your all in the company and the work at hand. This is place where wiggle room may be found if you don’t have those unique or different skills or qualifications discussed.

Compare against another job offer

Be careful with this one. It may backfire. However, comparing against another job offer when you have the upper hand can work in your favor. Let the company know that you have other choices and chose them instead. Therefore, they should invest in you.

Don’t threaten to leave unless you can afford to

If you threaten to walk away or walk out, you better be ready to sign that check. With the companies and big business having a large pool to select from, they may call you on this tactic. This is one that many will find listed in the top five ways of negotiating a salary deal. Though, it can potentially backfire and you will find yourself in the unemployment line. Ultimatums may not be a great way to start off this relationship.

Compare your salary offered with surveys of your position

Review you position and the current salary rate. Do your homework and present it for extra ammunition with negotiations taking place. Knowing what you are worth personally and being able to quantify it with data or information is putting knowledge and power into your hands.

Don’t appear as if you are only there for the money

Of course you are there for the money. However, don’t allow the company to see only this side of the coin. Everyone is there for the money. While you are negotiating for a wonderful salary, talk about the projects that you will be working on and any ideas that you want to share about your investment in the company or project. Let the employer see how much you care about your work in addition to the salary

Negotiate your salary earlier

If you cannot negotiate or change the salary now, maybe you can earlier than your next scheduled review. Ask if it’s possible to get your salary negotiated next quarter instead of next year. You never know if they will say yes unless you ask.

There are so many ways that you can negotiate your salary if you get the chance. These are alternatives for actual money and means to get you what you want. Of course the money is one of the most if not the most important things for the job. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t be discussing it before taking the job.

 best-job-interview.com courtesy for pic

Reviewing Job Resumes

These happen to be great videos on conducting a Resume Reviews

reviewing resumes for job applicants

resume reviews for internships

google ad docs has a great way to review resumes

Conducting a Job Interview

Many of the posts on this blog are written from the viewpoint of the other side of the desk. However, I decided to mix it up a little and provide information from this side of the desk. This particular post is concerning conducting a job interview.

For many in our current economy getting a job interview is the most important thing on our schedules at the moment. Though, there are those in our audience that may find themselves on the other side of the desk and in a position where they are the interviewer. If this is a new position for you, this may be helpful in providing you with information on performing a professional job interview.

If you are an interviewee- take a read and find out what is going on in the minds of those that are asking those difficult questions and preparing to hire or dismiss you from the pool of candidates for a position.

There are legal guidelines that must be followed for every job interview. A lot of things are common sense. However, if you find you need to define what your legal position should be when conducting an interview, this information can be provided by the Federal Bureau of Labor or Civil Liberties Union found in every state.

Job interviews can be conducted for simple subcontracting jobs such as hiring a designer to create your website or blog to getting a new VP for your company. They are generally the same regardless of the position with a few tweaks to specialize them for the specific employment opportunity.

A job interview should be a private discussion. This can be conducted via the computer or in person. If you are providing an interview in a brick and mortar business, have a private room with a table so both parties can take notes or write down information.

Some interviewers will have a large table for candidates to select from several different seats they feel comfortable with and this provides a less intimidating and comfortable atmosphere. In addition, some interviewers can tell a lot about a person from one seat they select.

For example, do they sit across from you? This could symbolize they aren’t afraid and feel no intimidation. Do they select the seat farthest away? This could mean they are not comfortable with intimacy and people. However, don’t read too much into it. They may simply select the first seat they come across.

Prepare a formal list of questions for the interview. Most interviews are scheduled from a half hour to forty five minutes. This is generally enough time to determine if a candidate is qualified and to answer and ask questions. Prescreening of a resume or additional recommendations is already done and this is simply meeting the person on a more personal level for the position. Does the person match up to what you have already selected on the paper side of things? Will your personalities work well together or will they fit well in the position you are considering them for?

Some interviews may consist of several different people interviewing one person. Why? you may be reporting to several different people or they feel that the opinion of more than one person will weigh in their hiring practices. Don’t fret or become alarmed. In addition, to simply believe that you have the job since you had an interview with more than one person unless the interviewer tells you as much.

Don’t ask questions that can be answered with yes or no. Open ended questions that require detailed or discussion answers should be on your list of questions.

Avoid questions that are highly personal unless it is relevant to your decision making process. Remember, there are discrimination laws and you shouldn’t base your hiring process on whether or not the interviewee likes dogs better than cats.

If there are questions concerning the candidate’s physical ability to do a job, work with a medical professional to prescreen candidates and make certain they understand the physical details of the position?

Give the interviewee ample time to answer each question. Provide general information about the company, but specific information about the position and future plans.

Always conclude with advising them you will follow up and provide a business card if they have any questions. Email is a great way to follow up with applicants. Providing your email information for the company with your business card information is also a great way for the applicant to contact you.

These are general guidelines for conducting a job interview. They can provide you with information to conduct an interview as well as letting anyone that is expecting an interview know what to look forward to.

pic is courtesy of ehow.com

Negative Stereotypes as an Older Worker Can Be Overcome

Overcoming negative stereotypes as an older worker is something that can be beat. With our current economy there are  hundreds of thousands of workers that are 40 and  looking for employment and unfortunately, many people don't want to hire them because of negative stereotypes that simply are not true.

There are ways to overcome these negative stereotypes and get your interview and your employment opportunity the same as the young person just out of college. Find out how to overcome the negative stereotypes as an older worker.

http://internsover40.blogspot.com/2009/11/easy-ways-to-beat-negative-stereotypes.html

image is courtesy of blog.primepay.com