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Poll Results: Achieving Your Career Dreams in 2018

By Job Journey on Thursday, February 15, 2018

Last month we conducted a Movin’ On Up poll asking readers which part of their career they plan to focus on this year. Check out the results below!

Getting Hired

Just over 18% of respondents indicated they want to get hired in 2018. How do you get the job? Hard work and dedication.

If you are not currently employed, the job search should become your new full-time job. First, create a career development plan to organize your thoughts about the job search and where you want your career to go. Next, update your resume. Then, contact anyone in your network who might be able to help. Attend professional groups in your area that are related to your industry.

Once you prepare all your tools and leverage your network, start the job search. Remember, you are one of many applicants. Your goal is to stand out above the rest. When you have interviews, ask pertinent questions to show interest. Do your research and know who the company is and what they stand for. Find out how you fit into the company culture. After the interview, write a handwritten thank you note. Not everyone does, and it makes you stand out.

Getting a Raise

Coming in second place with 17% of the vote was aiming to get a raise.

The hardest part of getting a raise you feel you deserve is figuring out when and how to ask for one. To eliminate the ‘when’ part of that equation, think about a raise the second you walk in the door. Set goals and track your progress toward those goals. Have metrics handy. Once you’ve met your major goals (and made sure the company isn’t floundering and the economy isn’t spiraling), ask. Odds are, given your incredible work history, your boss expects you to pop the question anyway.

And as for the how? Be confident. Know what you want, and have a presentation planned that shows why you deserve it. Be kind and smile, but also get your point across. Bring visual aids that prove your success.

Updating My Resume

Coming in third with 16% of the vote, “Updating My Resume” was another top choice.

Everything starts with your resume. Do the words on the page paint an accurate picture of your experiences as they apply to the specific position and company you’re applying for? If not, it’s time to make some adjustments.

Focus on meaningful accomplishments rather than a list of what you did. How did you benefit the company? Did you increase ROI? Cause a surge in viewers? Free up time in your managers schedule so they could make their deadline? If you don’t have any relevant experience, share your accomplishments and how they apply to the position.

The Rest

“Getting a promotion” came in fourth with just under 14% of the vote, while “More interviews,” “Quitting my job,” and “Other” all tied for fifth with 9.5% of the vote. “Updating my cover letter” rounded out the group with just over 6% of the vote. “Other” included responses such as “Improving my results in total,” “Gracefully retiring,” and “Training.”

Anything else you plan to accomplish in 2018? How do you plan on doing it? Let us know in the comments section below!

At Work Career Advancement Salary and Promotions

4 Secrets to Getting a Pay Raise

By Caleb Yen on Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Are you underpaid? Ready for a change?

Asking for a raise isn’t easy and preparing to ask can be nerve-racking. When should you ask for one? How much should you ask for? What do you even say?

The most important thing to remember when asking for a raise is that the only reason for asking can’t be because you need a raise. It should be because you deserve one. But, it’s on you to prove that your actions have led to success, and will continue to do so in the future. An employee doesn’t get a significant increase in pay just for doing the minimum—he or she must go above and beyond.

On that note, here are our top four tips for negotiating a raise.

1. Start Preparing on Day One

To begin with, figure out why you deserve a pay raise. If that question is difficult to answer, negotiations aren’t going to go very well. You start figuring that out the first day on the job.

Many people only think about raises at the end of the year, or after a certain amount of time has passed. However, if you start thinking about a future raise on that first day, you can start collecting accomplishments early on. Create goals and an actionable plan to meet those goals. While traveling on your career journey, keep a journal of all professional successes, preferably with metrics and details regarding how each met goal furthered the company as a whole.

Remember, your manager isn’t giving a raise expressly for your benefit—a raise is given to keep an employee as an asset to help the company in the long run. So, if you can connect your performance to achieved business goals, a raise may just be in the cards.

2. Timing is Everything

In order to really succeed with a request like this, you need to ask at the right time. If you work in oil, for example, and the market suffers a setback, don’t ask for a raise. The same thing applies to a company that’s going through financial or PR difficulties.

If it’s the company’s busiest time of the year, that’s another bad time to ask. Same goes for just after you’ve been on vacation or taken time off. And try not to bring this up after making some sort of mistake, no matter how minor.

3. Know the Market for Your Position

This ties in with asking yourself whether you deserve the raise or not. Read the papers and research online to find out what your competitive rate is at similar companies. Are you already earning that same rate? If so, you may be working at the cap for your position.

In that case, see if anything major really makes you stand out from the competition. Are you expendable? If so, become an asset. Losing you should not be an option. Raises are given to retain top talent. If the company isn’t the right fit or you aren’t actually top talent, a raise may not be in the cards.

But being top talent in and of itself doesn’t mean a raise is certain. You have to be on time, an excellent employee, and using that talent to further the company every minute you’re on the job.

4. Bring a Plan and Be Confident

What do you plan on bringing to the negotiating table? If you answered nothing but a smile and a well-worded speech, think again. Prepare an actual presentation. Know your worth and properly articulate any strengths, as well as details regarding tasks that were not only completed, but elevated to the next level. In other words, be confident.

Avoid being arrogant. Tie all accomplishments back to how they helped the company, not you. Don’t walk in assuming a pay hike is a given. Be confident in past successes, and let that lead where it may.

As a bonus, try to include some sort of physical, tangible element to the presentation, whether it’s a printed summary or printed charts and graphs. Include information about how you have saved the company money, or how your actions led to an increase in revenue or production.

Although the goal is for your manager to read these materials, even if they don’t, they’ll still see them on their desk and remember your request. Conduct the entire meeting in a calm manner, and, once it’s over, let your manager know that this is a two-way conversation by asking them for feedback on future projects.

If your manager declines to give a raise, don’t be afraid to ask why. If the reason has anything to do with factors you can control, make those changes so you will be a prime candidate in the future.

Reasons You May Not Get the Raise

Even if you follow all of these tips, it is important to note that you may not get a raise due to external factors that have nothing to do with performance. These include:

A slow market
A recent downturn in the economy
A different raise structure (your company may have a rigid raise structure in place that does not allow for deviation)
Downsizing in your department
You are a relatively recent hire

Have any more questions about the salary negotiation process? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Career Advancement

Green Is In: How To Ask for a Raise

By Job Journey on Friday, September 19, 2014

The top fashion color for 2014 may still be Radiant Orchid according to Pantone, but green accessories are also in style this fall, especially the kind that fill up your wallet or purse. And with the start of the fourth quarter and end of the year drawing near, now could be a good time to consider asking for a raise. This can undoubtedly be an intimidating task, so here are three steps to prepare you for taking the next step.

1. Consider the timing.
Timing is everything, particularly when it comes to asking for a salary increase. So, think about if right now is the optimum time to discuss the subject of a raise with your boss. Take into consideration the economy, how well the company is doing, if there have been signs of budget cuts or increases lately, and when compensation adjustments are usually done. On the other hand, if your employer does performance reviews at the end of the year, right now could be the perfect time to bring up the possibility of a raise. Often, employers have already budgeted for pay increases prior to employee reviews.

2. Do your homework.
If the timing seems right, then you need to do your homework so you’re prepared to logically and persuasively make your request. If you’re asking for a pay increase, there needs to be a good reason for it. Simply showing up every day and doing what’s expected of you isn’t enough. You must be able to prove that you’ve exceeded expectations, reached and gone past your performance goals, or provided tremendous value to the company. Keeping a running list of your accomplishments and praises from others will help ensure you don’t forget anything important. Your list should also include legitimate numbers that place a quantitative value on your work.

3. Second-guess yourself.
Once you think the time is right and you’ve gathered all the pertinent information, stop and second-guess yourself. Consider if your work performance and accomplishments truly merit a pay increase. Can you numerically show how your work has positively impacted your employer’s profits? If the answer is yes, then think about your attitude. Are you entering this process with a humble, thankful spirit or with an attitude of arrogance and entitlement? Even if you truly have earned a salary increase, your attitude and how you handle conversation with your boss could be the deciding factor in you seeing a higher number on your next paystub.

Everyone wants a raise, but most people don’t want to have the uncomfortable conversation about it with their managers. After all, it can be scary and intimidating to ask your boss for more money. If you properly prepare for it, though, asking for a raise can be a positive experience.

Do you have other tips for successfully asking for a salary increase? How have you secured raises in the past? Share your experiences of asking for pay raises in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Career Advancement

Touch Down! 4 Game-Changing Career Moves

By Job Journey on Wednesday, September 10, 2014

With fall comes one of the most beloved American pastimes – football!

Beyond the joys of tailgating, catching up on your Fantasy Football team, or getting together for chilly games, football can also teach us a lot about business success. What we learn from one of America’s favorite sports demonstrates that serious training, making plays in overtime, and judging strategy are as easily applied to your career as it is on the 50-yard line.

So suit up, put your game face on, and check out these tips on how to apply football strategies to your career advancement.

1. Change Strategies Mid-Game

In 1940, the Chicago Bears were the underdogs in American football. They faced the superior Washington Redskins, and much to everyone’s shock and awe, beat them 73-0.

That game was one of the biggest upsets in football history. So how did a team with no shot of winning absolutely crush the more talented team? Did they cheat? Were they just lucky?

Neither. The Bears realized their current strategy wasn’t working, and they made adjustments. The team created the now-famous “T formation,” representing the first time a team created a new strategic formation in the middle of a game.

Like the Bears, if your strategy isn’t working in your favor, consider trying something new. Feel like you’ve earned a raise, but just putting in the hours and doing a job isn’t getting it for you? Re-strategize, collect supporting materials, and consider openly asking your boss for a raise.

If your management style isn’t inspiring your employees, change tactics and research different management techniques to get the results you want. If your resume and cover letter aren’t getting the responses you need, rewrite and reword it to highlight your abilities.

Today, coaches constantly look at which strategies work for their team and which are no longer effective. As an employee, you should do the same.

2. Never Stop Training

Every team from the little leagues to the NFL knows that consistent training is vital to the success of an organization. So, identify your key strengths and find ways to regularly improve them.

If your company offers training seminars or opportunities to cross-learn, take advantage of that offer. If you can take a night class to better your chances for a promotion or raise, invest in that education. If you have a weakness, work with coaches or teachers to increase your skill in those areas. In a team setting, you must also learn to trust co-workers and management to do their jobs in order to allow for the win.

By focusing on training and skills, you can create the best opportunity for team success and personal achievement both on and off the field.

3. Pick the Right Team, Play the Right Spot

In football, the right players have passion and drive. In business, passion and drive are just as important, but you need to find the right team for your skills.

What sets top performers apart from other team players? They’re excited, passionate, and invested in what they’re doing every day. You can’t fake passion, so if you have a career you love, you’ll help bring in the win for the organization. But, if you aren’t in a position that allows you to make the big run or go for the down, find out what you need to learn or accomplish in order to move up.

Your management team wants you in the right position too, but they won’t know where to put you if you don’t speak up.

4. Make the Big Play On the Fourth Down

Going for it on the fourth down is a gamble in football games. According to some analysts, being more aggressive on the fourth improves a team’s chance of winning, but coaches rarely make that call.

If you’re in a situation where you can make a big move, especially with a lot on the line, you might want to take the chance. Sure, you may be guaranteed a few points by playing it safe and taking the easy route, but working hard and having faith that a big move may win the game could pay off.

For instance, say you aren’t going to meet your sales quota this month. You have enough sales to slide by, so should you run the risk of making a big push on cold calls to gain a few more?

Absolutely. Of the 10 or so calls you make to companies, you might just score that touchdown and land your biggest client.

You’ll never know if you don’t go for it on fourth down.

What are some business lessons you’ve learned from football? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.