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Your #Career : What to Do About a #PayGap at Your #Workplace ….It Happens All the Time. Someone Who Has Just Been #Hired, or Hasn’t Worked for a Company for Very Long, Makes More Money than Someone Who has Been There for Many Years & Proven Themselves to Be a Valuable Employee.

April 13, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It happens all the time. Someone who has just been hired, or hasn’t worked for a company for very long, makes more money than someone who has been there for many years and proven themselves to be a valuable employee.

For instance, there are many instances where a male is going to earn more than a woman who has more training and experience. Have you found out that you are earning a lower salary than someone who is a more recent hire, or has less experience than you? If so, it may be time for you to look for ways to be able to do something about it.

Don’t Blame Co-Workers

First of all, you need to remember that it is not your co-worker’s fault that they are being paid more than you are. Yes, you can be angry, but it is never a good idea to confront a co-worker about their salary. All it does is cause both of you to feel uncomfortable, and it causes a lot of anger in the workplace. Instead of being angry at them, use the fact that they are earning more as a reason to ask for a raise.

One thing that you should never do is ask your co-workers what they earn. Unless you are making comparable salaries, someone is going to end up angry because they are being paid less than others. This can lead to conflict within the team, and a lack of productivity that is not going to help you get the raise you deserve.

Learn About the Equal Pay Act

If you are a woman, it is important that you know about the Equal Pay Act. This act prohibits employers from paying women less than their male counterparts when they have the same amount of experience. If you are not a woman but are a minority, you may be eligible for some form of protection. If you think that you are being discriminated based on age, gender, or disability, the best thing to do is to contact the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EOCC).

Unfortunately, most other employees have no legislative coverage. If you are not in one of the above-mentioned groups, you will need to consider your situation and decide whether you should address the issue with your employer.

Do Your Research

Before you walk into your boss’ office and ask for a raise, do some research as to what you should be earning, based on your training, experience, years with the company, geographic location, etc. If you do know for a fact that some of your co-workers are earning more than you, this is good information to be able to arm yourself with. Of course, as mentioned, it is not a good idea to ask co-workers about their salaries.

Just because you shouldn’t ask co-workers about their salaries, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t other ways to find out. For instance, if you work for a university or a public company, some of the salaries are going to be public information. Or, there may be an association for your particular industry that offers surveys about salaries. It is a good idea to research salaries at least once annually.

Consider Your Approach

One of the most difficult things about asking for a raise is how to approach the situation in the first place. It is never a good idea to ask if the company is going through a transition period, as the money just isn’t going to be there. You also need to be able to gauge your employer’s mood. If you get them on a bad day, you aren’t likely to get what you ask for.

When you do decide to approach your employer, don’t go in making demands. That isn’t going to get you anywhere. It is better to negotiate. Tell them why you feel that you deserve a raise, and have confidence in your own value. This is going to get you a lot further than just going in and saying you want a raise, or else.

Negotiate for More Responsibility

It may be that you are being overlooked for a lot of big projects at work. If this is the case, instead of asking for a raise right away, try asking for more responsibility. “Ask to be put on the teams that are doing the big projects, or to do an extra project on your own. Ask if there are training opportunities, and if not, take outside courses and workshops to gain more skills and knowledge,” suggests training manager at IGotOffer.

If you are given the opportunities you seek, don’t waste them. If you are getting training, take in every ounce of information possible. If you are given bigger projects to work on, show them what you are really made of. These are the things that are going to put you in the running for a raise, or even a promotion.

Set a Deadline

What will you do if your employer says that they will give you a raise, but they never follow through on their promise? Or, what if the company just can’t afford to give you a raise at this time? You can only wait for so long before you are going to become even more disenchanted, and your work is going to suffer because you will stop caring.

It is important to set a deadline for what you want. For instance, if you have been working at your company for more than a year without a raise, you may need to decide that if you do not receive a raise within the next six months, this may not be the company for you.

Consider Your Options

If you are not getting the raise that you deserve, or other forms of compensation such as extra vacation time, a paid bonus, etc., it may be time to start considering other options. There are other companies out there that will value your experience and skills, and be willing to pay you the salary you truly deserve. Basically, if your current employer doesn’t see your value, find one who does.

Glassdoor.com | April 13, 2018 | Posted by Jane Hurst

Your #Career : Don’t Let Your Boss’s Poor #CommunicationSkills Hold You Back….If your #Boss is Terrible at #Communicating , you Don’t have to Deal With the Fallout. These Strategies will Help you Get the Information you Need.

April 12, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Poor communication is costing you in more ways than you probably realize. But it might not be your poor communication that’s the problem.

A recent Economist Intelligence Unit study found that communication barriers like lack of clarity, pointless meetings, and even differences in communication styles are wreaking havoc on productivity and efficiency. Forty-four percent of respondents said such issues delay or derail projects, while nearly a third said they cause low morale. A quarter attributed poor communication to missed performance goals, and 18% said a failure to communicate caused lost sales, sometimes totaling well into the six figures.

It’s one thing if the finger is pointed at you—there are plenty of ways you can shore up your own ability to ensure others hear and understand what you say. But, what if the perpetrator of murky directives is your boss?

Of course, you can ask questions, but you must know what to ask, business leadership coach Cheri Torres, PhD, author of Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement. Try to clarify directives and expectations without unduly challenging your boss or making them feel threatened or inadequate, which can make it even tougher to get direction, she says.

“Don’t throw the boss into further panic and fear, but instead seek clarity and information from that person, and putting it in the context of, ‘I really want to do a good job for you and for the department, so I need this information in order to do that,’” she says. And to help get the information you need to succeed use these tactics.

IDENTIFY THE DISCONNECT

Identifying the root of the disconnect can make a world of difference in how you communicate with your boss on a regular basis, says Brian Kelley, vice president of employee experience at McLean, Virginia-based Sage Communications. Take note of your boss’s interactions with others. Do they have a tough time communicating with everyone? Are there traits that get in the way of clear communication? Understanding different communication styles, especially those typical of introverts, extroverts, and various personality types, can also be helpful to understand where the gap is.

“Anytime you have a poor communicator in a senior position, it’s a great opportunity to manage up and really work with your superior to make sure that they understand your needs for solid communication and the specific ways that you can really communicate with each other better,” he says. Kelley urges his direct reports to tell him what they need from him to better do their jobs. If your boss is open to that kind of frank communication, it could be enormously helpful, he says.

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DOUBLE-CLICK

Understanding the thought process that led to this project or request can help you better understand what is being asked, says executive coach Judith E. Glaser, and author of Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results. One way to do that is to “double-click” when your boss gives you direction.

Let’s say your supervisor tells you to take on a project. They’ve obviously thought through why they want you to do so, and they’re in a state of conclusion, Glaser says. But you may not agree with the directive and may need help understanding why you’re being asked to take on the project, as well as what the point of it is. Asking about what led up to the decision to execute this project or take on this task can get you more clarity about the context and expectations, she says. That’s double-clicking, Glaser says.

“A lot of times we don’t get context from CEOs, we get conclusions. With conclusions, you miss out on a lot of the pre-thought, where the [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][employee] might be able to get in and make some adjustments to make it even better. That’s what they want to do, get into the conversation, into the thought process,” she says.

REFRAME, REFOCUS, REDIRECT

When you’re having conversations with your boss and don’t feel like you’re getting what you need, try stating the question in a different way or sharing your understanding of what’s being said, Glaser says. Respond with, “So, what I understand you’re asking me to do is . . . ” or, “What I hear you saying is that you want me to . . . ” and fill in the blank with your perspective. That will allow your supervisor to understand what you’re hearing in the conversation, she says.

“When you’re not getting what you want, try to reframe it, say it in a different way, or connect it to something, a new word that might activate the opening of a conversation,” she says.

GET CLEAR ABOUT PRIORITIES

If you’re still having trouble getting detailed instructions, context, or feedback, try to focus on priorities, Kelley says. What matters about the project? What is the purpose? What will a successful outcome look like?

If you can get a clearer picture of the desired outcome, you may be able to figure out how to make that happen, Torres adds. Some bosses may try to test your problem-solving ability and resourcefulness by giving you the broad strokes of a project and allowing you to figure out how to get it done.

“Some bosses don’t give real clear instructions because they are anticipating or expecting or hoping the person will make decisions about how to do things on their own, but they assume that, rather than say that,” she says.

And if you’re feeling lost on a project or not sure you’re moving in the right direction, arranging check-ins along the way can help ensure you don’t get too far off track, Kelley adds.

FIND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

Finding coworkers, colleagues, and even other senior-level people who can help you get the direction you need is another good strategy, Torres says. If your boss isn’t clear about direction, they may also not be clear about who else is involved in the project. Ask around and work on gathering information from people who can provide it, she says. You may also get valuable feedback about how other people have found ways to communicate effectively with your supervisor, she says.

FastCompany.com | April 12, 2018 | Gwen Moran

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Your #Career : Websites Are The New #Resumes — Here’s Why You Need One…Ever Noticed the Website Section while Filling Out a Job Application? This is Because #Employers Value it Just as Much as a #Resume

April 11, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Ever noticed the website section while filling out a job application? This is because employers value it just as much as a resume. It gives them direct visual access to your work and a sense of your personality.

Whether you’re applying for a full-time job or looking to acquire some freelance clients, consider building a website. It is the place for you to not only showcase your work, but also tell your story. It’s the one-stop shop for people to know who you are, what you do, how you can help them and how they can reach you.

Now that you know the advantage of having a website, the next step is to actually build it. I spoke to website architect and business strategist Laura Husson about the five things every website must have for optimal traffic and conversions, and here’s what she had to say:

High quality web-hosting

This is key to the foundation of your site. Your web hosting company should have 24/7 customer support, take daily backups and give you access to a control panel from which you or your team can manage your files. Research reviews and ratings rather than company-stated benefits to make your selection. If you find you’ve made a poor choice – be brave and jump ship at the first warning.

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Succinct messaging

Research tells us that we have seven seconds to make a great first impression. The same is true for visitors of a website. Show and tell them how it’s going to be helpful to them and if you’re selling a service or product, make them feel like they’ve found the solution. Doing this in a concise way can be a challenge – but it’s one well worth taking on. Hire an expert if you have to, but the benefit of clear visual communication is that it captures people’s attention.

Easy navigation

Less is more when it comes to presenting options for your website visitors. It’s so tempting to put it all on display to make sure they don’t miss anything. The reality is, guiding the process by providing a small number of relevant options at each stage of the journey will do a much better job at keeping them interested and moving forward. This can also help with the speed at which things are loading on your website.

Clear calls to action

When building your website, keep your end-goal in mind. Do you want it to generate leads for your business, clients for your freelance work or inquiries from potential employers? Make your calls to action work for you. Whether you’re offering a free resource that’s going to help your potential clients, keep the calls to action very clear and include them in a seamless and obvious way; this will help you achieve your goal.

Glowing testimonials

Customer rave reviews, social media shout outs and media accolades all help a new visitor to your website feel that you are trustworthy. Keep these interspersed at regular intervals inside your web pages to enhance your authority and credibility. A page specifically for testimonials can be a great asset, but make sure to keep the best of that praise in plain sight. Make it easy for your visitors to love what you do and they will keep coming back to you.

Forbes.com | April 7, 2018 | Shelcy V. Joseph , CONTRIBUTOR

Your #Career : What To Do When A #Coworker Has It In For You…Whether They Just Don’t Like You or They’re Engaging in Sabotage, you Need to Deal with a Difficult CoWorker. Here’s How to Prepare for a Resolution.

April 11, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

A surprising number of people just don’t get along at the office. Surprised?

Recent research by The Creative Group found that nearly one-third of executives surveyed have had someone try to make them look bad on the job. This type of behavior can range from pointing out someone’s mistake to copying a coworker’s manager on an email criticizing a project the person worked on. In fact, April has actually been declared Workplace Conflict Awareness Month.

Sometimes, workplace relationships can be complex and confusing. Personality types combined with competitiveness and the desire to protect “territory,” in the professional sense of the word, can combine and create strange behavior. But what do you do when you encounter a coworker who just seems to have it in for you?

“It happens more often than you think,” says New York City-based executive coach Shefali Raina. And the negative behavior may range from simply being adversarial to full-on sabotage. To counter such a difficult coworker requires a combination of strategy and skill.

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FACT-CHECK THE SITUATION

The first step, Raina says, is to try to keep your emotions in check—and fact-check the situation. Having conflict with a coworker, especially if you feel you’re being treated unfairly, can be upsetting. But if you make assumptions about a situation or get angry over a miscommunication, you’re going to exacerbate the situation, she says.

“Ensure that your perception that the coworker dislikes you or is sabotaging you is factual and not imagined by you. Our brains have an incredible ability to create stories and connect the dots based on inadequate facts, so it is equally possible that the truth is something else and we are taking it too personally,” she says. Look at the facts objectively so you take the best next steps.

SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE

Sometimes, you can understand another person better if you put yourself in their shoes, says Diane Domeyer, executive director of Menlo Park, California-based The Creative Group, a division of Robert Half International. “Some professionals, especially those in competitive fields, may feel pressure to set themselves apart from their peers to get ahead. Putting others down or taking credit for a teammate’s work may make them think they’ll be seen in a better light,” she says.

Consider your teammate’s motivation with empathy. Are you a newcomer who might be a threat? Did you recently get a promotion the individual wanted? Think about why the coworker may be acting like an adversary.

DON’T RETALIATE

Getting into a tit-for-tat with your coworker isn’t going to do anyone any good. Avoid responding in the heat of the moment, Domeyer says. Wait until you are calm to start a discussion and always speak with an even, polite tone so the situation doesn’t escalate.

MAKE THE CALL

What happens next depends on where you land after you’ve gathered facts and objectively evaluated them. Domeyer says that TCG’s research found that 41% of respondents thought it was best to confront the individual directly, while 40% thought it was best to engage a supervisor.

What you should do really depends on whether you’re dealing with someone who dislikes or is threatened by you versus someone who is actively trying to undermine you or derail your career, Raina says. If the former, it may be a good idea to handle the situation on your own. If the latter—or if you’ve tried to confront the individual and it didn’t work or made the behavior worse—then you may need to engage your supervisor. However, if you can show that you tried to fix the issue on your own, that may show your boss that you made the effort to solve the problem first.

ENGAGE IN RESPECTFUL CONFRONTATION

If you’re dealing with garden-variety jealousy or pettiness, engaging in “respectful confrontation” is usually the way to go, says human resources consultant Cornelia Gamlem, president of The GEMS Group, Ltd. in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and coauthor of The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook. When you’re sure you’re calm enough to not let the situation get heated, choose a time when you can have a private conversation with the individual who seems to be causing the problem. Using non-threatening language, state your concern over the tension or behavior the person is exhibiting. Remain respectful and continue to frame the conversation in terms of what you need or is causing concern, she says.

“It’s kind of hard to keep punching back if somebody’s sitting there saying, ‘Okay, I hear what you’re saying, but let’s take the time to really talk about what’s at the root of the problem,’” she says. Sometimes, people just want to be heard. Such respectful confrontation can help you both get to the heart of what’s bothering you.

BRING IN REINFORCEMENTS

If the situation has the potential to be career damaging, document as much as you can and get help. “If there has been real sabotage, for example, you lost an opportunity or someone damaged your work or your reputation, confront it fearlessly and non-emotionally. In my experience, a coworker with a sabotage mind-set will not stop the sabotage if they feel they will get away with it,” Raina says. Bringing in a supervisor or HR person elevates the situation and can help you resolve it quicker.

Sometimes, you’ll need to accept that some people just won’t like you. But when a difference in personalities or styles becomes adversarial, career damaging, or prevents you from getting your work done, taking quick, decisive action is critical to mitigating potential damage.

FastCompany.com | April 11, 2018 | Gwen Moran

Your #Career : #SalaryNegotiation Scripts For Any Job… Communication can Make or Break Discussions & Impact your Confidence to Get Paid Fairly.

April 10, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Ask any job seeker or employee about salary negotiations and one of the most popular responses is, “I would negotiate but I don’t know what to say.” Having the right words to say, or write, during a salary negotiation is vital. Communication can make or break discussions and impact your confidence to get paid fairly.

Always remember, your talent is precious, and you deserve to be compensated for it. Learning to foster conversations about compensation is a vital skill that yields rewards.

First things first, determine your current worth in the job market. Use Know Your Worth to receive a custom salary estimate based on your title, company, location and experience. Once you have the information, it’s time to advocate for yourself.

Josh Doody, author of Fearless Salary Negotiation, knows how challenging it can be to learn to financially advocate for oneself. He took his first job without negotiating his salary. Once he got hip to the dance, he doubled that salary.

We teamed with Doody to equip job seekers and employees with exactly how to tackle tricky salary negotiation conversations.

Situation #1: Prying During the Prescreen

How should you respond when you’re asked about salary right off the bat? You want to demonstrate that you’re enthusiastic and cooperative, but you don’t want to tip your hand. Doody explains: “It’s a salary negotiation tactic disguised as a gatekeeper-type interview question.”

Suggested Script:

Recruiter: What’s your current salary?

You: “I’m not really comfortable sharing that information. I would prefer to focus on the value I can add to this company and not what I’m paid at my current job.”

If the interview team doesn’t know your salary, they can’t use it as their starting point. Doody writes, “that’s probably going to mean a higher initial offer for you.”

Recruiter: What’s your expected salary?

You: “I want this move to be a big step forward for me in terms of both responsibility and compensation.”

Doody points out, “sharing your current salary or your expected salary is not in your best interest. . . They’re interviewing you because you’re a qualified candidate, and they need a qualified candidate. . . They would also like to get a good deal. . They’re not going to stop interviewing you just because you don’t make it easier for them to get a good deal on you.”

If they pass because you won’t acquiesce, that’s a red flag. Doody says, “then they’re extremely motivated to get a bargain…That’s bad news for you even if you get the job.”

One last thing, resist the temptation to tell a white lie when asked for your salary during the prescreening process. If you underestimate what they’re willing to pay, you’re leaving money on the table. If the real answer is that they would compensate someone like you up to $75,000 dollars, and you guess they would pay a salary of only $65,000, you very literally may have just cost yourself $10,000.

If you overestimate and tell them your salary expectation is $85,000, you may set off red flags that cause them to rethink the interview process altogether. This is pretty rare, but you could disqualify yourself by being “too expensive” for them. If your expected salary is well above their budgeted pay range, they may just move on to other candidates with lower salary expectations.

The bottom line is you probably aren’t going to guess what their salary structure looks like, and if you try to guess you may cost yourself a lot of money.

Situation #2: Savvy Counter Offering

After you’ve secured an offer, Doody recommends using this formula:

“The counter offer calculator accounts for four factors—the base salary of your job offer, your minimum acceptable salary (“walk away” number), how badly the company needs you to accept the job offer, and how badly you need the job.”

Use “firm and neutral” language like this:

Suggested Script:

“Tom offered $50,000 and I would be more comfortable if we could settle on $56,000. I feel that amount reflects the importance and expectations of the position for ACME Corp’s business, and my qualifications and experience as they relate to this particular position.”

Or, if you had a competing offer:

“Thank you so much for the offer. As I mentioned during my interview process, I am speaking with a couple of other companies. If you’re able to move the pay to [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][insert your number], I’d be eager to accept.”

Doody explains that email is the perfect medium for this message. This way, the hiring manager can share it in a format that clearly makes your case to each person with whom it’s shared. Your case won’t get the same treatment if it’s restated recollections of a conversation.

The hiring manager will likely come back with a figure between your base salary and your counter offer. For Doody, the distance between these figures represents your “salary negotiation window.” He recommends compartmentalizing this window into increments. In the example above, the window is $6,000, so he recommends devising a response for each possible offer.

If, for example, the offer is $55,000 or above, Doody says it’s a taker.

“If the company comes back with $53,000, then you say ‘If you can do $54,000, I’m on board!’ If they stick with $53,000, then you would say, ‘I understand the best you can do is $53,000 and you can’t come up to $54,000. If you can do $53,000 and offer an extra week of paid vacation each year, then I’m on board.’”

Decide which benefits, like vacation time or flexible working hours, are most important so that you can apply them to bolster the deal. Rank those benefits in your mind and use those in your bargaining.

Extra vacation time
Work from home
Signing bonus

If they do not accept your second-priority benefit, you move on to your third-priority benefit. Regardless of whether they accept your final response, then you’re finished; don’t get nit-picky or greedy. You have maximized your base salary and maximized your benefits as well.

Situation #3: Raises & Promotions

Doody explains: “Your primary reason for requesting a raise is that the salary you’re being paid doesn’t reflect your current value to the company. That salary was set some time in the past, so your argument is that you are more valuable now than you were. . . ” You have a fair justification. Now you need the right plan.

Start by mentioning, via email, to your manager that you’d like to discuss compensation in your next private meeting. After that conversation, Doodly advises preparing a strategically constructed, easily sharable salary increase letter.

Suggested Email Script:

“As we discussed, it has been [amount of time] since [“my last significant salary adjustment” OR “since I was hired”], and I would like to revisit my salary now that I’m contributing much more to the company. I’ve been researching salaries for [job title] in [industry] industry, and it looks like the mid-point is around [mid-point from your research]. So I would like to request a raise to [target salary].”

The letter should also highlight your accomplishments and accolades. Doody notes that if your proposal isn’t accepted on the first try, you can work with your manager to create an action plan.

“I would love to work with you to put together a clear action plan and timeline so we can continue this discussion and monitor my progress as I work toward my goal.”

Always remember, your talent is precious, and you deserve to be compensated for it. Learning to foster conversations about compensation is a vital skill that yields rewards.

GlassDoor.com | April 9, 2018 | Posted by Eileen Hoenigman Meyer

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#Leadership : How to Gain your #Employees Trust, take Care When #Changes Need to be Made…One of the Greatest Threats to #EmployeeEngagement is UnCeremonious or UnDignified Dismissals.

April 10, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

I was at a conference last month and had the chance to hear from several people who had read my book, “Fired: How to Manage Your Career in the Age of Job Uncertainty.” One of them told me their organization was having to do a reduction in force. It was going to be a very difficult–the organization’s leaders truly cared about their employees. She then shared that and her boss used the book to make sure as they planned the layoffs, they did everything they could to help the employees affected transition successfully.

Another person at the same conference told me that she too is having to look at organizational changes and that the book is helping her think more intentionally about those affected.

I am glad to see that my book is having an impact with leaders who truly care about their employees and their organization’s culture. I had hoped it would help leaders with tough decisions as well as people at the other end of them.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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One of the greatest threats to employee engagement is unceremonious or undignified dismissals. We’ve seen them in the news. You may have witnessed them at work. Someone is perp walked out the door. Or at 4:55 pm there is an email saying someone “…is no longer with XYZ Company.” Or maybe you’ve heard managers blame or scape goat the person who was let go. The remaining employees who see their friends treated poorly in a termination wonder, “Am I next?” or “Is this company worth my loyalty?”

It is so difficult to let someone go, whether they “deserve” it or not. Handling these gut wrenching decisions with grace and dignity helps leaders keep the trust with their employees.

As one of my book reviewers, John Franklin wrote,

“This is a must read for everyone, whether you have been fired or not, and in doing so, will expand our understanding of others and will make each of us more compassionate human beings.”

I am grateful that these leaders took the lessons learned in the book to heart. Please share your stories with me as well on my web site www.jobuncertainty.com

Dr. Nancy Koury King is a contributing author on the FSC Career Blog (https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/) & is a participating member of the FSC LinkedIn Network ( www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork ) .

As mentioned above, her publication of the book, “Fired: How to Manage Your Career in the Age of Job Uncertainty” & is available on Amazon below.

https://www.amazon.com/Fired-manage-your-career-uncertainty/dp/1978407130

First Sun Career Blog | April 10, 2018

Your #Career : This Is The Right And Wrong Time To Ask For A #Raise …The Timing of the Ask Matters as Much as your Arguments.

April 9, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You work hard, but do you get paid enough for it? Knowing you’re underpaid is decidedly different from knowing when to ask for a raise. After all, timing is everything. You’ve probably heard someone say, “I’m going to ask for a raise, but I’m going to wait until I’ve been there for [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][X] months.”

Everyone’s different, but the best time to ask often corresponds with a set period of time (annual review, anyone?). Still, if you’re feeling the burden of work without the money to match, waiting a full year may not be the right move. Fortunately, we’ve got some common time frames for you, complete with ways to determine the right window for you.

BEFORE THE JOB

Salary negotiation is a necessary element of the job search, and we hear over and over again that women never ask for enough when answering the dreaded “salary requirements” question. There are various rules you can apply here (the easiest I’ve heard recently: ask for 20% more than the first number that comes into your head), but what happens when you don’t get the salary you’re seeking during the offer phase?

This puts you in a unique position, where you can actually try asking for a “raise” before you’ve started. In your negotiations, you can counter by asking that after a three- or six-month probation period, you get a salary bump. Let’s say you were hoping for $60,000 a year and your potential employer offers $55,000. If you firmly believe that $60,000 is your bottom line, but love the job, ask if they’d be willing to raise the salary after three months. Ideally, aim to have this raise actually written into your salary letter so there are no shocking disappointments a few months from now.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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THREE MONTHS IN

Not the right time. Period. We say this for several reasons, the most obvious one being that it’s just too soon.

But something else you might not have considered: Even if your position’s done a complete 180 since you started, you still don’t know your company that well after three months on the job. Studies show that it can take anywhere from eight weeks to six months to really settle into a new position, so play wait and see for now. If your company and position really has changed that much in the last 90 days, who knows what will happen in the next few weeks?

If you ask for the raise now and do somehow manage to land it, you definitely won’t be able to ask for another one in three months. Given that your job has evolved this much already, chances are that you’ll find yourself with even more responsibility later on–and no way to ask for more money. Save your ask until you really know what you’re dealing with and can ensure that your salary bump is consistent with your increased workload.

SIX MONTHS IN

This is tricky but not impossible. On two separate occasions, I’ve asked for and received a raise at six months with no resistance. But here’s the thing: In both cases, I had a sense that I could ask and would likely win out. Why?

I started in junior positions knowing (or I guess, hoping) that I could make up for my lack of experience with my dogged dedication. I knew myself well enough to know that I’m quick on my feet and a fast learner. By month six in both jobs, I’d assumed twice as much responsibility, established strong relationships with my coworkers and bosses, and started taking the lead on projects with clients. My job description (and therefore, salary) no longer remotely matched my actual work–and so those raises came naturally with a title change. I’d proven myself, and honestly, they were afraid to lose me.

None of this changed how I behaved when I actually asked, though. I still outlined clear evidence to prove my worth, regardless of how clear it was to the parties involved. If your position has evolved well beyond what you were hired to do, and you know that you’re an essential and appreciated member of the team, it doesn’t hurt to try. Keep in mind that they may still say no. If so, ask if you can revisit the conversation at the year mark.

THE YEAR MARK

Ah, the classic. Since many companies have a formal annual review process, it often makes the most sense to ask for a raise during that meeting. Come prepared to present your case, but hold off until you’ve actually heard your boss’s feedback.

But be honest with yourself before asking. How well have you actually been doing? Just because you want more money doesn’t mean you’ve earned it, and the year mark is by no means a guaranteed salary hike.

A raise isn’t a reward for not getting fired. So if you’ve been treading water in your position for the last 365 days, know that you haven’t demonstrated that you’re ripe for a raise. And if you get hit with some mediocre or even negative feedback in the review, don’t ask. Focus on your own responsibilities and ask when you believe you’ve made some serious improvements to your work.

AT RANDOM

There are certain jobs where timing doesn’t matter as much as other elements, so you’ll need to ask when it feels right. If your job doesn’t have a formal review process, you may need to time your request more carefully, specifically after your boss gives you some positive, albeit informal, feedback. The same goes if your job is project-based. Let’s say you work at an ad agency and you blow it out of the water on a bigwig campaign, receiving recognition from your coworkers, your boss, and maybe even your boss’s boss. That’s prime time to consider pitching a raise (especially if this is the second or third successful campaign you’ve run this year). In these situational-based asks, let evidence be your guide. Walk in with a results-driven argument on why you deserve a reward.

In all cases, the key is to prepare your evidence before booking a meeting to discuss salary. Regardless of timing, you need to have your argument on lockdown.

You Might Also Like:

FastCompany.com | April 9, 2018 | KIT WARCHOL—CAREER CONTESSA 5 MINUTE READ

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Your #Career : These Nine Email Mistakes Could Cost You The Job…As a #JobHunter, every Interaction you Have with a Prospective Employer is a Chance to Make a Good–or Bad–Impression.

April 9, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When you’re job hunting, you’re on high alert for every mistake you can possibly make: you run your resume by every friend you have, carefully craft a cover letter, scrutinize every detail you put into the job application and spend hours preparing for your interview.

But did you ever stop to think that you could make it all the way to a final interview only to lose the job offer due to something as small as an email?

Jennie Ellis, founder and CEO of Recruiting Bandwidth, wants job hunters to understand that every interaction they have with a prospective employer reflects on them, and that goes for the highly visible parts of a job hunt (like a resume, cover letter, application, and interview) and the behind-the-scenes communication that goes on in an email inbox.

If you want to make sure you’re presenting yourself professionally at all times, make sure you’re not making these nine common email mistakes:

1. WRITING MISLEADING EMAIL SUBJECTS

The way you communicate should express respect, and that starts with being accurate and honest. Make sure you’re using email subjects that convey exactly what you mean, not clickbait email headlines that encourage the reader to open but leave them disappointed in the content.

“I don’t appreciate an intrusive, alarmist approach,” explains Ellis. “For example, in email a subject stating someone has an urgent need to speak to me, but when I open it, it’s just a solicitation [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][for] a job. Simply be transparent–include the position title in the subject, or if you were referred by someone who knows the recipient, state that.”

2. USING THE WRONG NAME OR TITLE

In the internet age, addressing an email “To whom it may concern” or an incorrect name often shows a lack of initiative–more often than not, that information is available online. Furthermore, out-of-touch salutations can be a clue for recruiters and hiring managers that you may not fit in with the culture.

“For example, [some] women don’t typically like being addressed as Ms. or Mrs. in email,” says Ellis. “If someone did this to me I would think they were old school and [did] not get our informal tech culture.”

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3. NOT GETTING TO THE POINT

One danger of communicating with prospective employers by email is that you have plenty of time to linger on your draft until it expands into a mini-treatise on why you should be hired. Skip the long correspondence and try to keep your emails to 3-5 sentences or less.

“Long, rambling emails when I didn’t ask for one in the first place assumes that I have nothing better to do than listen to a candidate go on about themselves,” explains Ellis. “Instead, think about what is the most important thing you need to convey and be clear and concise about it.”

4. CUTTING CORNERS ON LANGUAGE

You don’t want to treat an email like a 10-page term paper, but you also don’t want to treat it like a text to your best friend. No matter how informal a company culture, you’ll always need to write with full words, full sentences and good grammar and spelling.

“I cannot stand it when people use text acronyms in email messages in something that should be as formal as a cover letter,” says Ellis. “It shows an immaturity and disrespect for a job seeker to be that informal to someone they don’t know.”

5. BEING TOO PERSONAL

Using email to build a strong relationship with a recruiter or hiring manager is not the same thing as assuming you have a personal relationship right from the start. Strive to keep your tone warm, but not too intimate.

“Avoid anything that sounds too personal,” says Ellis. “Even ‘Very best regards’ could be construed as too personal. After all, why would someone give me their very best regards if they don’t even know me? For all they know, I could be a total jerk, so that feels inauthentic.”

6. NOT CUSTOMIZING YOUR NOTE

Recruiters get it–you may be a very busy, in-demand candidate trying to coordinate interviews and follow-up materials with several companies at a time. But that’s no excuse to send everyone the same content.

“Sending vague emails that are clearly part of a massive blind copy blast is a big mistake,” says Ellis. “Many recruiters are screening your emails to see if you pay attention to details, and getting obviously copy-and-paste responses without any personal details is a big red flag.”

7. BEING TOO EXPERIMENTAL

There’s a time and place for experimenting with the way you work, but it’s not in the way you communicate with a recruiter or hiring manager. The only thing that should stand out about you in the interview process is the quality and efficiency of your work.

“Recruiters read email for the content, not for the creative expression through color and format,” explains Ellis. “Style choices like offbeat formatting and colored or oddly large font does not give off the most professional vibe, and smiley faces and lack of paragraph breaks just send a confusing message.”

8. USING AN UNPROFESSIONAL EMAIL ADDRESS

Your email address should be some combination of your first name, initials and last name. Anything else should be reserved exclusively for personal use.

“Using an inappropriate personal email address to apply for jobs is really unprofessional and it may affect whether or not the hiring manager takes you seriously,” says Ellis. “For example, I once had an email from ‘stoner54@’ come through the ATS once, and I thought it was a joke!”

9. FOLLOWING UP TOO AGGRESSIVELY

In a competitive job market, there’s a lot of pressure to express your interest in a position. Unfortunately, this can lead a lot of candidates to be more aggressive than they should be, which runs the risk of turning off the hiring manager. You’re better off directing your energy to following directions for applying for a job and carefully reading all of the instructions you receive throughout the interview process–and nothing more.

“Emailing too often in the course of an interview process–especially if you’ve been told to expect a reply in a couple of days–can be very frustrating for a recruiter,” says Ellis. “Likewise, not responding in a timely manner to an email that necessitates a response from the potential employer can take you out of the running for a job.”

This article originally appeared on Glassdoor and is reprinted with permission.

FastCompany.com | April 9th, 2018 | BY SARAH GREESONBACH—GLASSDOOR 5 MINUTE READ

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Your #Career : Four Things You Must Do On #LinkedIn Once A Week…Think of #LinkedInGroups as Online Professional Associations.

April 2, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s been a decade since LinkedIn starting adding features that help you do your job better, but many people still aren’t taking advantage of those features. They only visit LinkedIn when something big happens, like a job promotion or a move to a new company.

To start getting the most out of LinkedIn, here are four things you should do each week.

1. Review what’s happening in your groups.

Think of LinkedIn groups as online professional associations. When you want to know what’s on the minds of the decision makers in your field, groups are a great place to start. You can learn and grow, adopt best practices, and get some fodder for your next meeting. Here’s the best way to do it – so it doesn’t feel overwhelming and so you can zoom ahead to the important stuff. Click on “Work” in the upper right corner of the home page (it looks like a 3×3 box with nine little squares). You’ll get a page with two columns. Use the one on the left to scroll through the latest posts from your groups. Use the one on the right to help you determine which groups are most active. Just like with real-world professional associations, you want to participate in the groups that have the most activity and engagement.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Respond to messages

You get notified in your email when someone sends you a LinkedIn message, but should you go to the message right away? Probably not. Save them up and go in once weekly instead – after all, lots of them are “thanks for connecting” messages and others that don’t require a response.

And just because someone is connected to you in LinkedIn does not mean you need to do what they ask in their message or even respond. You shouldn’t feel guilty if you don’t. That might be the protocol with other forms of communication, but it’s just not realistic in LinkedIn – especially if you have a lot of connections. You have limited time. Because of the work I do, I get at least a dozen requests to “please check out my LinkedIn profile and tell me what you think.” And as much as I would love to do that – I love looking at LinkedIn profiles, and I love helping people – I would have to give up my day job to accommodate each request. Even responding to let people know I don’t have the time would take too much time.

3. Check out who has viewed your profile.

When you’re looking at the home page, you can see a snapshot of your profile in the left column on the screen. Right below your headline, you can see “who’s viewed your profile.” If your privacy settings are not set to “private mode,” LinkedIn will show you a subset of the people who have visited your profile during the previous 90 days. This is important because it helps you determine if you are attracting the right people – the decision makers and influencers who can help you expand your success. When you check this out monthly, you start to get a feel for the impact of your activities.

4. Measure your activity.

You spend time updating your network and posting articles, but are they working for you? When you click on “views of your post” in your profile the left column of the LinkedIn home page, you’re brought to a page that shows you the impact of your communications. If you’re using the LinkedIn blogging feature, you can check stats on your articles. You can do the same with your updates. It shows you the number of views, likes, and comments. When you click on the number of views, you get valuable information about the impact of your communications. There are three key pieces of data you receive about the viewers: What company they work for, what their job title is, and where they are located. When you view this, ask yourself: Am I attracting the right people to my profile? Then adjust your communications (both the content and the groups to which you post) accordingly.

To make all four of these actions happen, start the week off by scheduling some time in your calendar so you commit to this, just as you would to any meeting or conference call you have. You only need 15 – 30 minutes a week to start getting the most out of LinkedIn!

William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast and creator of the complete LinkedIn quiz that helps you evaluate your LinkedIn profile and networking strategy.

Forbes.com | March 26, 2018 | William Arruda , CONTRIBUTOR

Your #Career : Three Insanely Simple Email Templates For #Networking With Strangers…When you Know What (not) to Say, Reaching out to Strangers for your #JobHunt Becomes Less Awkward & More Effective.

April 2, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Maybe it’s been a few months since you’ve graduated and you’re getting anxious to land a job. Or maybe you’re further on in your career and looking to move into a new industry. In either case, there’s one major hitch: You’ve heard how helpful it can be to reach out to people outside of your network. But the idea of cold-emailing old contacts and people you don’t know at all seems awkward, uncomfortable, and–let’s be honest–pretty much hopeless.

It doesn’t have to be. In truth, contacting strangers for networking opportunities and, ultimately, job leads can actually pay off–just as long as you know what (and what not) to say. And since your goal is just to clinch an opportunity for an offline conversation, the emails you need to write are probably more straightforward–and effective–than you may think.

THE INTRO EMAIL

Your very first email should be the most thorough, but that doesn’t mean it should be long. Here’s a template you can adapt:

Dear [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][first name],
My name is Samantha Daniels, and I’m a recent college graduate from the University of Southern California, which I saw you graduated from as well.
I’m reaching out because I noticed from my research on LinkedIn that you work at Edelman, and your career journey is so inspiring. I’m impressed by how quickly you’ve been able to move up within the last four years after starting as an intern before. That would be a dream come true for me.
It would be great to learn more about your experience in the PR industry and the qualities you feel have helped you become so successful since graduating from USC. I’d especially love to hear what it was like starting out as a recent grad and finding your way in the industry.
I would be more than happy to meet you for coffee or at your office or wherever is more convenient for you. Or if you’d prefer a conversation over the phone, please just let me know. I’m very flexible, and even just 15 minutes of your time would be invaluable and greatly appreciated.
Would it be possible for us to find a time to chat?
Thanks so much,
[Your name]

There are three straightforward rules to remember for writing introductory emails like this one:

1. Keep it short—four paragraphs tops—and specific. The purpose of this email is to explain how you found them, why they caught your interest, and what you’d like to discuss with them, without overloading them with too much information.

Start off with who you are and what you have in common. This helps the person feel comfortable and (hopefully) makes them want to continue reading. Plus, relaying why you’re attracted to the person will make later conversations and interactions more sincere and authentic.

But to be clear, your reason for reaching out should be more than, “Can you help me land my dream job?” or, “Will you hire me?” Avoid any wording that sounds like you’re asking for a job interview.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Do your research and share what caught your attention.It could be something that inspires you, intrigues you, or motivates you about their career journey. By being explicit about what caught your eye, you’ll have greater chances of building mutually beneficial and genuine relationships with the right people–rather than firing off dozens of scattershot messages to the wrong ones.

3. Always close with a question. In the last paragraph, be sure to always make the ask. Ask to meet in person if you live in the same city, or suggest a phone call if that would be more convenient.

When asking for a meeting or phone call, you want to make it as easy as possible for the person to say yes without having to do too much thinking. Remember, this person is probably busy. The last thing you want is for them not to respond because you made them think twice about how easy it’ll be to fit you into their schedule. That’s why closing the email with the question, “Would it be possible for us to meet?” works, because they can easily reply, “Yes!”

Don’t worry about the specific time and location of the meeting just yet; you just want them to agree to talk with you first. Fingers crossed, once they do, you can then share times that work best for you.

THE SCHEDULING EMAIL

If you reach that stage, congrats! The key here is not to overthink it. Once someone has offered to meet up or chat, keep your second email limited strictly to pinning down logistics. Resist the temptation to dig into any of the topics you’re planning to discuss face-to-face (that will be your chance to impress them, not right now). Try this:

Hi [first name],
So great to hear from you! I would love to meet next week. I’m happy to find a location that’s most convenient for you. I’m free after 5 p.m. on Monday and I’m pretty flexible on Tuesday and Wednesday, but if another day works best I can work around your schedule.
Looking forward to meeting you soon,
[your name]

Done! Leave it at that.

THE FOLLOW-UP EMAIL

However, if you don’t receive a response in one to two weeks, don’t take it personally, and don’t be afraid to follow up. Chances are the person may have gotten busy, or your email could’ve been buried in their inbox. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve followed up with someone and received an immediate response. Here’s what to say:

Hi [first name],
I hope your week is going well. I wanted to follow up with you to see if you’d be interested in meeting with me. I’m so impressed by [the reason you stated you were attracted to them in the first email], and I’d love to learn more about [the key thing that you initially mentioned].
I’d be more than happy to meet with you whenever is most convenient for you. However, I’m sure you’re busy, so if your schedule does not permit, I completely understand.
Many thanks again,
[your name]

Be sure to also include the previous email beneath your follow-up email to make it easy for them to refer back to it in case they missed it the first time.

The scary part is drafting an email and pressing “send.” But when you know exactly what to say–and what to avoid–reaching out to people you don’t know becomes a whole lot easier.

Adunola Adeshola is a millennial career strategist and the founder of employeeREDEFINED.com.

FastCompany.com | 9-13-2017 | BY ADUNOLA ADESHOLA 5 MINUTE READ

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