Friday
Jul302010

Should I take the first job offer?

DateJuly 30, 2010 by AuthorMatt Milano

So you just recieved an offer and you've only interviewed with one company.  Should you take it?  How will you ever really know if this is the best job you can find if you don’t have anything to compare it to?  Are you selling your future short or is a bird in the hand really better than 2 in the bush?  If it is a good job do you risk losing that opportunity by continuing to interview for something potentially better?  If you find yourself in this position CONGRATULATIONS!!!  This is a good problem to have. Do you take the first offer or do you keep shopping?  Only you can make that decision but here are some factors that can help. 

Know Your Odds

Drew Sussberg who manages a technology placement agency called Workbridge Associates in New York City estimates most people interview with five to seven companies to get one offer.  That doesn’t necessarily mean you receive an offer once you finish interviewing with 5 companies.  Typically a person will get one offer along the interview process.  You could press you luck and keep searching for something better.  It really depends on how confident you feel and how urgent your job search is.  So if you have an offer after interviewing with your first company and you like the opportunity, just remember it may take five or more companies before you receive another offer and will it be an offer you really want?

Make your decision based on the merits of the offer

You won’t like your new job because it was the first company or the tenth company you interviewed with.  People choose to accept an offer because they feel it’s the right fit for them.  Obviously the job needs to have the right salary, job responsibilities, location and for most the appropriate title.  Beyond these facts base your decision on how you would fit in with your new work colleagues and the corporate culture. Here are five factors to consider when making this decision:

  • Hiring Manager: This person is responsible for directing you, teaching you, supporting you and motivating you. Don't underestimate this relationship and assume it's cool if you don't make a connection with your boss. While you don't have to be BFF’s, there should be a certain level of connection and comfort between the two of you. If you feel this person is someone you think you can respect, learn from and trust, that's a good sign.
  • Team Dynamics: These are the people you'll be spending about 50-60 hours a week with! Look to see what you really have in common with them. Did you get along with the team in the interview? Do you share the same work ethic, philosophies towards the job and level of ambition? Your work is likely to be judged by the collective result of your team. So make sure you feel that you could be productive working with them.
  • Office environment: Are they reasonably up-to-date with their equipment and systems? Is the work space tidy and organized? If a company takes the "don't care" attitude, this is likely to apply to other things they "don't care" about such as your bonus amount, request for a new laptop or ideas on how to improve the department.
  • Non-work culture: Do people in the company know a little bit about each other outside of work? Do they spend time together occasionally? Are there company organized social events or sports teams? Does the company encourages relationship building and team camaraderie?
  • Trust your intincts: If you have a positive first impression, that's a good sign.  If you feel really great about the opportunity and it hits all or most of what you want in your next job then there is a good chance this is the job for you.  Equally important is paying attention to any bad feelings you may have.  Some people except offers because they get caught up in the excitement of the process.  Slow down and think it thru.  What is your gut telling you?

Your new job should be something that excites and motivates you.  Don’t worry about how many companies you’ve interviewed with or that it’s only your first offer.  If it doesn’t match your needs then pass on it and keep looking.  However if it is a job that really interest you don’t risk losing the offer just because it is the only company you’ve interviewed with.

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Thursday
Jul222010

Any questions???

DateJuly 22, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

ImagesAt the end of every interview, you will be asked if you have any other questions. Most candidates commonly make the mistake of saying "no" and don't realize that this can be the kiss of death!

By saying you don't want to continue the discussion, you could end up sending the wrong signal that you're not really interested in the job or, worse, in talking to them personally. Yikes!

Remember that Hiring Managers aren't asking if you have any last minute questions solely because they want to help get you more information. In many instances, this is a calculated move to see how you will respond. Here are some things a manager may want to test you on by asking if you have any final questions...

Are You Detail-Oriented?

They want to see if you are interested in digging deeper into the details of an important topic that was only touched upon lightly earlier in the interview. 

Are You Smart?

They want to see if you catch something that was brought up that warrants further discussion. By asking about these things, you demonstrate that you paid attention and could detect that this is something important to discuss further because of how relevant it is to this role.

Are You Prepared?

They want to see how much work you have put into this interview. Asking your own unique questions demonstrates that you took the time to study the website, job description and their product/service line to prepare a few thoughtful questions.

Are You Interested?

They want to see if you are interested in learning more about this job. Asking more questions says "This job intrigues me and I want to hear more about it."

Some candidates just get nervous and draw a blank. Other times, they may have used up their good questions on the last guy they just spoke with. Always have some fresh questions stockpiled and ready to go. Here are a few good ideas:

  • "I noticed you mentioned XXX before when we spoke about your up & coming project. How would you see someone in this role getting involved with that?" (sometimes topics are brought up that would affect this new role but the manager purposefully doesn't discuss those details. Show them that you caught this and need to know the answer since it will relate to your work)
  • "You mentioned XXX about the company's strategic direction. I'm really interested in this. Can you tell me a little more?" (managers may bring up an important topic about the company and leave it as a bit of a cliffhanger by not really finishing the discussion. Show them you care about this type of big picture company information) 
  • "I did some research and read about your new product line. Can you tell me a little more about how this works?" (managers want to know that you came prepared to learn more about the company, its products/services and the job itself. Show them you did prepare and are on the beam with questions that dive deeper into any of these areas) 
  • "I understand you have been with the company for 10 years. That's great! What do you like most about working here?" (at the end of the day, everyone responds to good old fashioned flattery and probably would love the chance to talk a little about themselves. Let them share with you why they like it so much over there and why their team is a great one to join)
  • "I'm sure you've looked at a lot of applicants. If you don't mind me asking, what's going to make you hire someone. What's the most important quality you are looking for?" (hey...why not ask this? Not only is this a refreshing, conceptual and fun question for them to answer, it will give you an opportunity to sell yourself more effectively into this job)

Always ask a final question and use that last moment to make a great impression!

 

 

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Wednesday
Jul212010

Is finding a new job now your full time job?

DateJuly 21, 2010 by AuthorMatt Milano

Ever have your manager sit down with you one afternoon and lay you off with out warning?  Sounds like a nightmare right?  Although there are positive signs of a recovering economy there are still stories of good people being let go because of a company downsizing or company closing.  Nobody likes looking for a new job especially when you're not in control of this decision.  If this happens to you you will need to put the same type of focus into finding a new job as if it's your full time job.  Here are some quick tips to help you achieve your new goal of finding your next job opportunity.

  • Take some time to reflect.  Losing your job and searching for a new one can be very stressful.  You can make the process of job searching easier by having a clear understanding of what you want in your next job.
  • Signal the APB. Once you know what you want to do spread the word to everyone you know about your new job search.  Update Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and any other forms of communication you use.  Contact recruiters that have helped you in the past.  If you don't know any good recruiters ask your friends for referrals to recruiters they've had good experiences with.
  • Prepare to interview.  Believe it or not, great skills alone sometimes won't land you your next job.  Interviewing is a skill all to itself.  Read up on interview advice.  There are plenty of blogs online that can help prepare you to ace even the toughest interview questions.  Search the archives of our blog and this alone will help you do better interviews (shameless plug but true).
  • Practice your craft.  You need to stay current with your skills.  Remember that anything on your resume is fair game in an interview.  Read up on current events in your industry.  Take courses or read training books to refresh your memory.  You don't want to be caught off guard in an interview just because you haven't done something in 6 months.  "I'm a little rusty" is never a good answer to a question about a skill you have listed on your resume.
  • Know your facts.  Research every company and hiring manager you are interviewing with.  Go to the companies website, use Google and Linkedin and make sure you understand what the company does.  Read reviews about their products and services.  Educate yourself on the background of every person you are scheduled to meet. 
  • Be Organized.  Keep a running log of each job and company you have applied to.  Include the people you've met, notes about what was asked in the interviews as well as questions you may have if there is a follow up interview.  Take your notes and rank the pro's and con's of each opportunity to include the role, culture, hiring manager, overall strengths and weaknesses of the company as well as future growth in the role and skills you may acquire that would make you marketable in the future.  Sometimes job offers can come quick and you may need to make a decision fast.  If you are organized you will be prepared to make important decisions at any time.
  • Go on interviews.  Sounds silly but some people turn down interviews because the job isn't exactly what they think they are looking for.  If the job is remotely close and you are just starting your interview process I would suggest taking the interview.  Most people are not great at interviews and if it's been a while since your last job search you're probably going to need some practice.  It's also good for you to know what types of jobs are out there and more interviews will build your confidence.  And you never know; that job that sounded ok over the phone could actually turn into your dream job.
  • Follow thru on every company you interview with.  Start with a follow up thank you email to the person that interviewed you.  Don't bother with writing a thank you letter and throwing it in the mail.  The process of filling a job can happen so quick now it may not get to the hiring manager in time.  Also send any documentation they asked for quickly.  If they want references or examples of your work make sure you respond ideally within 24 hours.  Same applies to any online tests or applications they request you to fill out.  Responding a few days to a week later will be perceived by the hiring manager as a lack of interest or your inability to follow directions or deliver on tasks in a timely manner.

Remember that being out of work doesn't mean you don't have work to do.  If you put in the necessary work to prepare yourself you will perform better in interviews and leave a lasting impression in hiring manager's minds.  Apply these tips to multiple job opportunities and there is a very good chance you will get multiple offers and be back in control of your future.

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Friday
Jul162010

Should I take a contract job in the interim?

DateJuly 16, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

Contract positions are fantastic (and lucrative) opportunities for many business professionals. However, right now there are many of you that are full-time professionals (who very much prefer this to contract work) who may be considering taking an interim contract job while looking for a permanent position. So this post is not about contract vs full-time work, but rather the pros and cons of taking a short term contract if your full-time job search is taking longer than you thought it would. 

If this describes your situation and you're considering widening your job search to look at a contract job, here's the good news...you'll find that the temp/contract job market is quite good. But before you jump into this decision, let's take a rationale look at the upside and potential downside here...

Pros of taking an interim short-term contract job while looking for full-time:

  • Money! Contract positions traditionally pay a lot more with hourly rates that are much higher than the equivalent base salary broken down.  So you will almost always make more on a contract vs. a salaried full-time job for the same skill set.
  • Credibility! If you get a short contract with either an impressive company or very cutting edge project, you'll be able to add these things to your resume. Whether it was 4 months or 4 years, this still allows you to discuss this work experience in an interview.
  • Avoiding the out-of-work stigma! When employers see someone that's been out of work for anything more than 6 months, they may be wondering what's wrong with them to some extent ( "I know it's a slow job market, but how come nobody else has made this guy an offer?"). A contract job will make the case that you are indeed employable and a desired asset. This will help you avoid coming off as a guy that keeps getting passed over.
  • Foot in the door! In many instances, if the project goes well and you make a good impression, the company might want to look for a way to retain you in the long term. We see roughly 20% of our contract placements convert to full-time. And this happens even in situations where the employer was not considering hiring on a full-time employee at all for this role.
  • Easier interview process! Contract jobs don't typically involve 3 interview rounds and a slew of in-depth feedback and pre-closure discussions. Things move a lot faster. Companies generally can pull the trigger more easily (even after just one interview) since they know it isn't going to be a long term commitment. That also means you will have only a very brief window to sell yourself. So take full advantage of any phone or in-person interview you are given and assume that is all you will get to sell yourself.

Cons of taking an interim short-term contract job while looking for full-time:

  • No benefits! Most contract positions do not offer benefits. This could be a deal breaker for you given the costs of retaining this on your own or may not be a big deal at all if you can jump on your spouse's plan.
  • Lost credibility! If you end up taking a short contract with a small/unknown company or doing a project that is beneath you in either skill level or focus, you'll have to add these details to your resume and it will no doubt dilute the value of your background in the eyes of the hiring manager during future interviews. So don't just take any contract job (unless you are in "gotta pay the bills" mode). Remember that anything you do will affect your job search once you resume your serach for a full-time position.
  • The consulting "label"! You are either a full-time kinda guy or a contract kinda guy. Once you begin to mix the two, be prepared to cover this with any Hiring Managers that are looking at you for a full-time position down the line. Some (not all) employers don't typically want to approach "contractor" types for their full-time positions because they fear that this person might either jump for more money (a higher rate) down the road or lack the depth and longevity of skill associated with long term employment.  In the back of their mind, they may also be afraid that you really do prefer the constant change and higher income of short term engagements.
  • Time off the job market! If it is a very short contract (1 month), you won't have a problem. However, if you sign up for a contract that is 6 months or longer, you can't in good faith maintain your job search for a full-time position since most companies will need you to start within two weeks of making you an offer. You'll have to put your job search on hold with longer contracts until approximately a month before your release date so that you can focus on jobs with an expected start date that you can actually accommodate. 

 

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Wednesday
Jul142010

Debunking the Summertime Job Search Myth

DateJuly 14, 2010 by AuthorMatt Milano

Got the summertime job hunting blues? Starting to doubt the value in looking for a new job during the summer? Here's the reality. Although the summer seems like a slow time for business because everyone takes vacations, the majority of companies do hire in the summer months. And if you're looking for a job right now, you can actually take advantage of the summertime job market.

Here's why:

  • You'll beat the rush. The Fall is like hunting season and there will definitely be more people on the job market come September (more competition for you – bad!). Conversely, the Summertime translates to fewer people on the market. Think about it. While you're working hard applying to jobs and interviewing for new opportunities, your competition is on vacation. This is where the "nobody hires in the Summer myth"; helps you out. With less people applying for the same jobs, your resume will get in front of more people faster (vs. getting stuck in a large resume pile or email inbox come September). Plus, this will increase the number of companies bidding for your talent!
  • There are plenty of jobs to chose from! While some companies do wait until after the summer season to hire, there are plenty of companies that do still hire in the summer. In fact the summer months for our staffing organization are usually our busiest months of the year.
  • Hiring managers are more urgent. What we find is that most managers got approval to hire earlier in the year and are probably having a problem filling the job (especially a hard-to-fill IT position). This means they'll be a lot more desperate and under the gun if the spot is still open in the Summer.
  • Staffing Fall or Q4 projects. A lot of positions will be posted in the Summer to get applicants screened and on board before Q4 projects commence. This is common trend we see in Corporate America.
  • Expected turnover. Many candidates will leave their job during the Summer thinking to themselves "if I'm going to leave my job, why not do it while the weather is nice and I can take a few weeks off with my family?";. Vacancies as a result of turnover are ideal circumstances for a job seeker since the manager will be a under pressure to fill a position (and not likely able to take their own vacation until their position gets filled… this is a great motivation for them to make a quick decision!).
  • Calendars and fiscal budgets. Many companies start their fiscal budgets July 1st. Similar to the hiring rush in January these hiring managers have been given the green light to hire and will be motivated to fill their positions quickly so they can complete their agendas on time.
  • Everyone's in a good, more relaxed mood. It could be the great weather, vacation plans, baseball season, soccer's World Cup or any other number of interesting summer-driven conversation starters that help you make a stronger connection with the hiring manager. Take full advantage of these talking points to put a lasting memory in the hiring managers' mind and set yourself apart from your competition. You also can also use any sidebar discussion as a point of reference in your thank you letter which again will only deepen your connection further. Companies and Managers also tend to be a bit more casual in the summer which makes for a less tense and formal interview environment.

If you are thinking about looking for a new job, there is never a better time to look than the present. Don't let the "summertime job market myth" stand in your way of your goals. Start your job search now and beat the crowds before the fall job market hits!

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Thursday
Jun172010

Dealing with Job Title or Tenure Discrimination in Your Job Search

DateJune 17, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

Based on title alone, employers may pass on your profile. They may either think you have too much experience, are too hands-off, too expensive or not interested in doing the role they have open. This happens pretty often since titles and job duties vary drastically from company to company. A "Manager of Software Development" in one place could be synonymous with a "Lead Developer" or even a "Director of Software" someplace else. All of this confusion can create the illusion of being a mismatch. On top of this, your overall years experience can also give off the same mixed message.

Don't be screened out for the wrong reasons. The key is to first know if you are subject to this kind of "Title or Tenure Discrimination" and to understand what the manager's concerns will likely be. Then you can market and position yourself more effectively in order to be considered.

How do you know if your title or tenure may be an issue?

  • You have a total years of experience that far exceeds (by more than 5 years) the tenure requirement for the job.
  • Your current title ranks higher than the open position title and may even match or outrank the Hiring Manager themselves.
  • Your current title doesn't accurately represent your current skills.
  • You have a manager title, but don't do very much managerial work.

What will employers have concerns with?

  • Concern of Challenge: they are afraid that since you have already been exposed to more advanced or managerial work that you will become bored quickly with a role perceived to be lower ranking and/or less difficult.
  • Concern of Focus: they are afraid that, even if you take your management hat off, you will try to resume a leadership role anyway and assert yourself inappropriately to run and direct things.
  • Concern of Retention: they are afraid that if you take a step back in title that you'll see this as a concession and a short term career move that will mean you will ultimately leave down the road to pursue your prior position's stature, focus and income.

So how do you handle this?

  • Clarify your career goals by placing a statement within your resume objective that addresses your receptiveness to other titles and job levels. Many times there is an excellent reason for wanting to accept a lower title/level role. Maybe you miss being more hands-on or are interested in getting trained on a new skill set?  Also be prepared to explain this during the interview. 
  • Define your role. If you are a Manager or  Director, but are much more of a hands-on person, simply flip the order of your functional bullet points to place more emphasis on the active, hands-on responsibilities you had and try to deemphasize your managerial responsibilities. You can also consider placing a % mark next to each primary responsibility so that they can see exactly how you spent your time.
  • Audit your title. Think about whether or not your title is a good fit for what you do. If it isn't approach your manager about changing this. if you can't, consider a parenthetical translation. Ex: Manager, Software Development (Hands-on Web Architect)

Know why the overqualified label may apply to you, what the manager is thinking and how to position your resume and yourself during teh interview to avoid this unfair stigma.

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Friday
May212010

Revealing flaws can highlight strengths!

DateMay 21, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has shortcomings. You know it, I know it and the manager knows it. And because of this, we all cringe at the thought of answering the dreaded interview question... "What is your biggest weakness?"

But don't panic when you hear this question! Believe it or not, answering this the right way can actually work to your advantage since managers are often more attracted to candidates who are able to openly discuss their shortcomings comfortably. Why? It's simple really...

  • They can trust you to be honest. It shows that you can be honest with yourself and others (even when the answer may reveal something negative).
  • They don't feel the "sell-job," but rather a balanced case for why you are a good fit. Too many candidates come off as "too good to be true".  And as we all know, most buyers are suspicious of the perfect product.  
  • You show your commitment to improve by explaining how you are in the process of working to overcome these things, you demonstrate that you are always looking to get better.

The truth of the matter is that the manager cares a lot less about WHAT you need to work on and cares a lot more about whether or not you know what these limitations are and can be honest enough to admit to and work through them. It's true.

The biggest mistake you can make is to avoid the issue. Think about how foolish you sound when you say you don't have any weaknesses or when you try to trick them by giving them a weakness that really is a strength. "Oh...my biggest weakness is that I am a workaholic and put way too much effort into my job" or "My biggest weakness is paying too much attention to customer".  Next time you try to give one of these fake answers, stop and remember that the manager knows exactly what you're trying to do.

Instead of giving a veiled response, give a real one. Think ahead of time about one honest answer to the following common interview questions:

  • What do you consider to be your biggest weakness?
  • How would your co-workers describe what it's like to work with you?
  • What is the biggest mistake you feel you've made in your job/career?

In your response, make it clear that this is topic you are very comfortable discussing, site a specific skill/ability you sometimes (not always) struggle with and demonstrate how you are working to improve on this. Example:

Manager: "What do you consider to be your biggest weakness?"

You: "That's a great question. I do try hard to be aware of what things I can do to improve in my career. And if I had to choose one thing, I'd have to say that sometimes I struggle with delegating. I want things to go really smoothly and have to work hard to manage my desire for perfection the right way. Because of this, I always make sure I meet with the person ahead of time and clarify the project goals of any delegated task. And I also jokingly warn them about my tendency to micro-manage so that they can let me know if they feel I'm not giving them the rope they need. By admitting to it directly with them, it helps to keep me more in check.  I am actually getting a lot better with this and can guarantee you this will be something that will not get in the way of my work in this job that you are hiring for."

One more thing! Let's discuss what you should and shouldn't divulge as weaknesses. Some things are understandable and quite common points of weakness that are OK to admit to. Below:

Trouble delegating

  • It's OK to admit that you like to have a lot on your plate and enjoy doing as much as you can on your own. Tell them you work on this by setting up clear objectives for delegated projects so that you aren't worrying what is happening or that you like to meet with your subordinates on a monthly basis to get their ideas about the business and to find out what they want to get involved with. Explain that you find this to be a very helpful reminder for you of just how capable they are and this always helps with your delegation aversion, making you feel more confident sharing responsibility with your team.

Difficulty working in loosley run groups

  • It's OK to admit that you sometimes struggle with sharing accountability within a group when things are not well defined. Tell them you work on this shortcoming by always making sure that your team establishes clear roles, responsibilities, deadlines and goals upfront and that these bright lines help you with some of the uneasiness you feel when things are left too vague.

Difficulty asking for help

  • It's OK to admit that you have a lot of pride in figuring things out on your own. Tell them that you work on this by setting a personal alarm to go off when you realize your pride is about to turn into ego and that your stubbornness to get others involved is looking like it might get in the way of the project's success.

By contrast, there are certain weaknesses that you should NOT admit to such as difficulty taking criticism, poor organizational skills, hard time getting along with others, following through with tasks (you get the point).

Bottom line: Don't get caught off guard by this question. Think about it and have a real answer that shows off your honesty, ability to self-evaluate and commitment to improving! 

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Thursday
May062010

Connecting with Hiring Managers

DateMay 6, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

Keep in mind that no matter how qualified a candidate may be for the position, the #1 thing that makes the manager pick one person over another is CHEMISTRY...plain & simple!

No, we're not talking about a romantic chemistry here. We're talking about making a personal connection with the manager that will leave a meaningful impression. Think about how much time you are likely to spend with this hiring manager. This will be the primary relationship you must maintain at work (and vice versa for them). Becuase of this, it is critical that they like you, feel comfortable around you and fundamentally trust you. Every candidate must make an attempt to pay attention to this. Good chemistry won't necessarily compensate for a total lack of qualifications, but it will signifcantly upgrade your standings providing you have the baseline skills for the job.

The good news is that making a connection is really easy to do! Conduct some baseline research, find some similar common ground and introduce this into the interview discussion.  The topic you choose should either flatter, interest or entertain them; all while making a subtle advertisement on why you are a person they'd want to work with.

Begin by researching the manager to find out about them prior to the interview (have they developed a product? ever published anything? do they have a blog? ever served in the military? run a marathon? etc..). Learn one interesting thing about them and try to naturally work this point into the conversation towards the end of the interview (using it too early may seem a bit forced). If handled well, the manager will feel flattered that someone cared enough to find out a little bit about them and this will almost always strike up an additional (and interesting) conversation.

Having been a recruiter myself for many years, here are a few true stories about how people have used this technique of making a connection to stand out from the crowd and be chosen for the job:

  • Once I interviewed a women to come work for my company and she quoted my blog verbatim when we began to negotiate salary. I smiled immediately and we both began to laugh. It was a funny way for her to show me that she did her homework (and she also used my own advice to HER advantage). Needless to say I hired her.
  • A candidate researched that the hiring manager had just completed a release of a new software product. At the end of the interview, the candidate brought a few company names to the interview that he felt would be prospective buyers of this product. Even if these weren't "hot" prospects, it was a thoughtful gesture and also advertised his strong knowledge of this marketplace and industry. He was hired.
  • A candidate read that the hiring manager just completed her first marathon. At the end of the interview, she congratulated the manager on this who then began to tell her all about the race. The candidate was also a runner and they ended up speaking about good running loops in teh area. She was hired.
  • A candidate saw that the hiring manager worked at X company in the past and played the name game with them since the candidate knew that company through prior client experience. It turns out they had a mutual contact over there and the candidate was able to suggest this person could act as a reference for them. Since the manager knew this person well, it significantly upgraded the candidate's status and they got the job.

Always be thoughtful about approaching certain topics about the manager to make sure not to get too personal or do/say anything inappropriate. If you use your good instincts (and maybe even a little bit of well-timed humor) you'll find yourself connecting with the manager in a way that most other candidates won't. This will absolutely give you a leg up on the competition!

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Friday
Apr232010

Evils of Negotiating Job Offers Too Much  

DateApril 23, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

Cash is not always king people! We're all brainwashed into believing that we should push to get as much as we can. This is only good advice to a certain point as there is definitely a downside of doing "too good" of a job negotiating your salary.

Know when to draw the line. There is a big difference between pushing to get what you deserve and pushing to get every cent you can.

Here are some of the clear and common disadvantages of pushing too hard/ too far during the salary negotiation stage...

You turn off the employer and don't get an offer at all

  • It happens everyday. You overprice yourself during these discussions by shooting for the stars and all of a sudden the #2 candidate starts looking a lot more attractive to the employer (despite the fact that they have the lesser skill set!). How does this happen you ask? Because the company doesn't want to make you an offer if they don't think you will accept it. And, even if they do think that you will eventually take the offer, they don't want the money card held over their head since they couldn't hit your "magic number". Even if you are the most talented candidate, pricing yourself too high just makes you look like that gorgeous girlfriend that's really high maintenance. She's beautiful and all, but at the end of the day, she's just not worth it. The employer doesn't want to constantly worry that you will leave down the road for more cash. As a result, they'll always tend to go for their #2 candidate who will be much more appreciative of and satisfied with the offer they get.

You end up making much more than your (equally skilled) colleague

  • Watch out at the water cooler because as soon as the word gets out that the company paid you more for doing the same exact job, tension and resentment will build. Salary should be kept confidential of course. But don't bank on this. Watch how differently your team treats you if they find out you make 10K more than them simply because you pushed harder for more money. Managers know this all too well which is exactly why they try very hard to keep salary levels fair and consistent across the department. 

You take the job and now have to live up to these higher expectations

  • This is probably the biggest issue you'll have. If you push hard for a higher salary, the company will be looking to get their ROI. It's a business...do you blame them? They will expect you to put in the extra hours, be the go-to person with the right solution and will always expect you to outperform your peers. If you have pushed to make the business case that you are worth a lot more, you best be prepared to back this up. This can lay a lot of pressure on a new employee to constantly be the one that's better than the others on the team. In many instances also, the hiring manager probably went to bat internally to push for this extra money for you. So when you end up demonstrating the obvious (that you are a mere "mortal" and not superhuman) you will not only make yourself look bad, but your boss too.

You come off as a money-grubbing pain in the a**

  • After being told that the offer is final, are you really going to make a stink about getting your offer pushed up from 95K to 97K? That's perfectly OK, if getting to this number represents a fair, industry-standard increase in pay. However, if you currently make 85K and just got a 10K raise and are simply pushing for 97K because it's what your friend makes who is in the same field, consider the consequences. It's definitely a judgment call, but I will tell you that a reasonable, fact-based rationale for asking for more money is a very different thing then arbitrarily asking for more money just because you want to see what you can squeeze out of the company. What you'll gain is $1,000 or $2,000. But what you will also gain is a reputation for being a "money-grubbing pain in the a**".

REALITY CHECK: Typically speaking, you should minimally shoot for anywhere between a 5-10% increase in your base pay. How much of an increase will depend, of course, on the job type, expereince level and level of urgency in getting thsi filled. Bonus programs and any other monetary incentives will also be factoreed into the total compensation. And remember to factor in the broader economy into the equation as well. 

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Friday
Apr162010

Integrity At The Offer Stage

DateApril 16, 2010 by AuthorBeth Gilfeather

Most people believe that accepting or declining an offer is "their" business. And therefore, they have every right to take their own sweet time to respond, make indulgent last–minute requests or even renege on their acceptance. This kind of self–serving and entitled behavior can lead to real issues for people (to include yourself!).

It's your job search, right? And this is your decision. Why should you think about the consequences this will have for anyone else? Read on...

Because hopefully you're a professional!!! So have some respect for other people's time and effort and also acknowledge how your actions may adversely affect others.

Here are some examples of poor behavior at the offer stage (and who gets hurt):

Taking too long to respond

Who gets hurt?

  • THE HIRING MANAGER, who is in a holding pattern now and can't make any concrete plans for projects that involve this new hire. Let's also not forget how disappointed the manager may be that you are still deliberating over coming to work for them. They're thinking..."You've been back to the company to interview four separate times now and have asked a ton of questions. Shouldn't this have been a quick decision for you?"
  • YOU, because the manager's interest level in you as a new employee is dropping every extra day you take to give them an answer. If you do ultimately accept, you will have gone from being the talented person they were dying to hire to being the "high–maintenance", picky or indecisive new employee.

Reneging on a verbal agreement

Who gets hurt?

  • THE HIRING MANAGER, who now has egg on their face. They "went to bat" to get you the salary number you wanted which probably involved sticking their neck out with their boss or some financial higher up saying..."Don't worry, this guy will be worth it!". Now they have to go back AGAIN and ask for more money and will, no doubt, carry some level of resentment towards you for this.
  • YOU, because if the company does decide to raise the offer, the employer will convert this raise in pay into additional (and potentially unrealistic) expectations of you. Also, if this pay is significantly more than what your peers make in the same role, this could also breed resentment amongst your team too and build up your reputation as the "squeaky wheel" who complained to get a higher offer.
  • THE AGENCY RECRUITER, (if applicable) because a good recruiter should have you pre–closed and this makes them look less competent.

Reneging on an acceptance

Who gets hurt?

  • THE HIRING MANAGER, because they assumed your acceptance to be true and took certain action based on that like organizing training and orientation for you (that you now will never attend) confirming project deadlines (that now will not get met) and cutting all their back up candidates (that they'll now need to resurrect interest with).
  • YOU, because you broke your word and will now have that bad rap amongst this inner hiring circle which is comprised of anyone this hiring manager knows.
  • THE AGENCY RECRUITER (if applicable), because a good recruiter should be in the loop and able to prevent this kind of thing. These events are highly detrimental to the agency /client relationship. It's never a good idea to burn a bridge with your agency, especially if you want them to continue to represent you now or down the line.
  • THE REFERRER (if applicable). If someone actually referred you into this job, these people now all look bad and worse the employer could make the assumption that the referrer knew since they "knew" you.
  • THE RUNNER UP. And what about the candidate who really wanted this job, but when they learned that they were cut or ranked #2 or #3, took another position?

You can prevent all of these scenarios from happening by following a few simple rules:

  • Don't go back for a final if there is absolutely no way you'll take this job.
  • Don't accept a job unless you are completely sure you want it and will stick to your commitment.
  • And finally, stick by your word! If you said you would accept 65K, you need to accept 65K and if you said you'd accept, then follow through and start this new job.
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