Regardless of income, job, background or education, nearly everyone thinks they are entitled to more money than they are getting. Salary negotiation, however, has to be based on realistic expectations within the current marketplace and, like investments, ‘what you are worth’ in an employer’s eyes can go up or down.
At one time, trying to get hold of salary information proved quite a difficult task. As employers are wont to pay as little as possible, while still trying to keep their employees reasonably happy, they liked to ‘play their cards close to their chests’ for fear that expectations might rise and their bank balances might suffer. Nowadays, however, it is much easier to find this information because the Internet has effectively empowered employees, who now know where to go to get this information.
While data naturally varies from site to site, there is a huge range of anything from salary surveys to customized compensation analyses available online. Here are just a few which will help to give you an idea of what others in your line of work are receiving, or what it might be reasonable to expect in a different field.
1. Salary.com allows you to input or select from a range of job titles to find out the US national average for that particular role, such as National Account Manager. Insert your zip code and you can learn what percentage of all National Account Managers is employed in your region, as well as the median salaries for the region. You can even check out the educational levels within a profession and the variation in salaries depending upon the size of the employer. By going a step further, inputting a few straightforward details about your company, industry, job title, pay and performance and education and the site will give you access to your own ‘You vs Market’ Report, as well as providing you with monthly updates on your salary ranges and notifications of any job postings in your area.
2. Payscale.com is another site which provides accurate, real-time reports based on your job title, location, education, skills and experience. It gives you the opportunity to evaluate a job offer or raise, evaluate your salary for your current job or check out the salaries for a job that you may be considering for the future.
3. Indeed.com has a link to its own salaries page, providing the average salaries for jobs according to zip code, as well as historical trends within particular professions.
4. Vault.com holds a comprehensive range of salary surveys on major companies, industries and professions, although it has to be said that when I tried it, many of the links were unavailable and some information is only available to Vault Gold Members.
5. America’s Career InfoNet at http://www.acinet.org offers salary information on a wide range of occupations, either nationally or by area. There are yearly and hourly wage charts, as well as a 2007 wage table which is useful for comparative purposes, for each occupation.
6. The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a wealth of current and historical surveys and statistical data, as well as all that contained within its Occupational Outlook Handbook and Career Guide to Industries.
Of course, especially in a tough economic climate, there may appear to be a huge gulf between what you think you are worth and what employers are willing to pay (see my post dated 20 April concerning how employers are putting the squeeze on workers), but doing your research and going into the marketplace with even a rough idea of what is reasonable is certainly better than completely ‘outpricing’ or undervaluing yourself.
The other thing to remember is that salary ranges are all very well, but the key to maximizing your compensation is about clearly demonstrating the benefits that you can bring to an organization. A well-documented performance which provides a prospective employer with quantitative results and shows him how you solved problems or accomplished tasks is pretty tough to argue with!
by: Todd Bavol
About The Author
I am committed to providing people quick access to job search and career information. Over 20 years of experience in the HR and Career Coaching field has given me a vast amount of information and resources to share with you. My natural curiosity and desire to be on the leading edge of EVERYTHING, brings value to you as a blog participant because I will keep you informed of updates, changes and innovations that will assist you in finding the job
http://www.integritycareertransitions.com/blog
copast by:wansset71
Thursday, April 30, 2009
5 Steps to Solid, Powerful Goals
You know where you want to go, but how do you get there? You may find that making some decisions is easier than others. What do you do first? How long will it take? Will you need help getting there? How do you decide what's right for you?
It helps if you understand what makes you tick; your personal value system. These values are the ones you live with; not necessarily every day, but over the course of your life, that enable you to live with your decisions.
First, sit down and make a list of the top 20 or 30 values that are important to you:
- Family
- Personal time
- Fun
You get the idea. Narrow that list to 10, and then to five. Next, rank those five in numeric order, one against the other, until you have your top three.
When making choices, ask yourself if the decision would honor your top three values. If not, it's the wrong choice for you at the time.
Setting the right goals for you is almost as important as having goals in the first place. They have to be realistic and coincide with your value system. How does your vision mesh with your goals? You may experience fear, feel overwhelmed or confused because you don't know how to go about setting goals effectively, but it's a straightforward process and you will overcome the emotions as you go, as you feel more in control.
The Five-Step Goal-Setting Process:
1. What do you want, specifically -- This is the first thing to ask yourself in your goal planning process. What is your vision? Your dream? Without being clear as to your explicit desires, no other steps can be taken, and no progress made.
2. Why do you want it (what value does it serve) -- The pivotal question in your goal-setting process and a prime motivator. You must reflect on your values list in order to answer it. Does your desire reflect your values? If so, you've accomplished the second step and are on your way to goal-setting success.
3. When do you want it -- Determining specific dates for completion of tasks is a crucial part of your goal-setting procedure. Knowing that you have committed yourself to achieving a certain thing by a certain date will enable you to plan your time and thus maximize your efforts.
4. What will you give up or overcome to get it - Confusion? Fear? Procrastination? Insecurity? Make sure you keep in mind why you want your goal. It will give you all the courage you need to push through your fears and move forward.
5. Create a detailed plan to get there -- We are not born knowing how to do anything really, except eat, sleep and breathe. The rest we learn as we go along; and creating a detailed plan to achieve your goals is no different. Brainstorm things you can do, actions you can take. Bounce ideas off of friends, relatives. Throw out ideas (none are too insignificant or crazy). After you get the first few implausible or facetious ideas out of the way, more creative, clever and valuable ideas will surface. Brainstorm until you are able to get your ideas down to very specific, measurable tasks that you can then cross off a list when you've finished them.
In order to reach a key goal, you'll need to set interim goals - multiple short-term goals. Broken down into bite-sized pieces, the objectives are less intimidating. If you get stuck trying to create a plan, ask yourself more questions! Keep asking questions until there are no more questions, only actions left.
Prioritize your plan according to your most important goal, approach each goal individually and set a date for completion. You'll be amazed at the progress you make!
by: Stephanie Frank
About The Author
Stephanie Frank works with people who want to improve performance and pump up their power to profit. She is the author of the best-selling book, The Accidental Millionaire and founder of The Success IQ University, specializing in personal success, productivity and leadership education. For a FREE audio program "The 13 Vital Traits of Super Effective People," go here: http://www.FreeSuccessTrainingAudio.com.
copast: by:wannsset71
It helps if you understand what makes you tick; your personal value system. These values are the ones you live with; not necessarily every day, but over the course of your life, that enable you to live with your decisions.
First, sit down and make a list of the top 20 or 30 values that are important to you:
- Family
- Personal time
- Fun
You get the idea. Narrow that list to 10, and then to five. Next, rank those five in numeric order, one against the other, until you have your top three.
When making choices, ask yourself if the decision would honor your top three values. If not, it's the wrong choice for you at the time.
Setting the right goals for you is almost as important as having goals in the first place. They have to be realistic and coincide with your value system. How does your vision mesh with your goals? You may experience fear, feel overwhelmed or confused because you don't know how to go about setting goals effectively, but it's a straightforward process and you will overcome the emotions as you go, as you feel more in control.
The Five-Step Goal-Setting Process:
1. What do you want, specifically -- This is the first thing to ask yourself in your goal planning process. What is your vision? Your dream? Without being clear as to your explicit desires, no other steps can be taken, and no progress made.
2. Why do you want it (what value does it serve) -- The pivotal question in your goal-setting process and a prime motivator. You must reflect on your values list in order to answer it. Does your desire reflect your values? If so, you've accomplished the second step and are on your way to goal-setting success.
3. When do you want it -- Determining specific dates for completion of tasks is a crucial part of your goal-setting procedure. Knowing that you have committed yourself to achieving a certain thing by a certain date will enable you to plan your time and thus maximize your efforts.
4. What will you give up or overcome to get it - Confusion? Fear? Procrastination? Insecurity? Make sure you keep in mind why you want your goal. It will give you all the courage you need to push through your fears and move forward.
5. Create a detailed plan to get there -- We are not born knowing how to do anything really, except eat, sleep and breathe. The rest we learn as we go along; and creating a detailed plan to achieve your goals is no different. Brainstorm things you can do, actions you can take. Bounce ideas off of friends, relatives. Throw out ideas (none are too insignificant or crazy). After you get the first few implausible or facetious ideas out of the way, more creative, clever and valuable ideas will surface. Brainstorm until you are able to get your ideas down to very specific, measurable tasks that you can then cross off a list when you've finished them.
In order to reach a key goal, you'll need to set interim goals - multiple short-term goals. Broken down into bite-sized pieces, the objectives are less intimidating. If you get stuck trying to create a plan, ask yourself more questions! Keep asking questions until there are no more questions, only actions left.
Prioritize your plan according to your most important goal, approach each goal individually and set a date for completion. You'll be amazed at the progress you make!
by: Stephanie Frank
About The Author
Stephanie Frank works with people who want to improve performance and pump up their power to profit. She is the author of the best-selling book, The Accidental Millionaire and founder of The Success IQ University, specializing in personal success, productivity and leadership education. For a FREE audio program "The 13 Vital Traits of Super Effective People," go here: http://www.FreeSuccessTrainingAudio.com.
copast: by:wannsset71
5 Ways to Save More Money Each Month
Times are tough and the reality is that millions of households across the country are forced to make the choice between food and power each month. This is not acceptable, but there are ways to help save money each month to try and make the juggle of monthly expense more manageable. When it comes to household goods and food there should be no question, we all need food and toilet paper, right? But, people are making that choice. Food shelters are overrun with need and under stocked with food. Food stamps applications are at an all time high and to make matters worse the quality of our food is diminishing with recall after recall. The expense of fresh foods pushing families into choosing pantry items instead, as they are cheaper and last longer, but the choices are not healthy ones.
Five easy ways to save more money each month include shopping local, grow a garden or take part in a community garden, bulk shopping clubs, tracking grocery trends and, of course, coupons. We'll touch on each of these briefly so you can start saving money today! When you shop local you are not only getting the best quality at the lowest price you are helping to support your neighbors. Many farmers' markets are full of backyard gardens just trying to make a little extra money. Their produce is fresher and healthier than any grocery store could offer.
If you have the room, grow a garden, if you don't find a place in the neighborhood where everyone can pitch and grow a garden together. Community gardens used to be a way of life and now they are all but gone. Get your neighbors together and grow a garden to help all your families. This is a great way to bring the neighborhood together and fun for kids of all ages to be involved in.
A bulk shopping club is simply a group of people who shop at bulk or warehouse stores, like Costco or Sam's Club, then split up the food or goods, as well as the cost of the items. This is a great way to save on household items, bulk meats and other foods while working with your friends to help them save money as well.
Couponing and tracking grocery trends go hand in hand. If you know when the prices are going to be at their lowest, then you know the optimal time to use your coupons. This is a great way to stockpile and even get many items for free or little cost at all. Companies like the The Grocery Game offer a membership based service where they do all the work tracking the trends of the grocery industry and simply tell you when you buy and which coupons to use. For almost no effort you can save hundreds on your grocery bill.
By Calista Meade Platinum Quality Author
There are many ways to save money on your monthly food budget, and using grocery store coupons is easy-- and the savings can quickly add up! Visit our website for more detailed information on how you can save money with grocery coupons: http://GroceryCouponsSaveMoney.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calista_Meade
copast:by:wansset71
Five easy ways to save more money each month include shopping local, grow a garden or take part in a community garden, bulk shopping clubs, tracking grocery trends and, of course, coupons. We'll touch on each of these briefly so you can start saving money today! When you shop local you are not only getting the best quality at the lowest price you are helping to support your neighbors. Many farmers' markets are full of backyard gardens just trying to make a little extra money. Their produce is fresher and healthier than any grocery store could offer.
If you have the room, grow a garden, if you don't find a place in the neighborhood where everyone can pitch and grow a garden together. Community gardens used to be a way of life and now they are all but gone. Get your neighbors together and grow a garden to help all your families. This is a great way to bring the neighborhood together and fun for kids of all ages to be involved in.
A bulk shopping club is simply a group of people who shop at bulk or warehouse stores, like Costco or Sam's Club, then split up the food or goods, as well as the cost of the items. This is a great way to save on household items, bulk meats and other foods while working with your friends to help them save money as well.
Couponing and tracking grocery trends go hand in hand. If you know when the prices are going to be at their lowest, then you know the optimal time to use your coupons. This is a great way to stockpile and even get many items for free or little cost at all. Companies like the The Grocery Game offer a membership based service where they do all the work tracking the trends of the grocery industry and simply tell you when you buy and which coupons to use. For almost no effort you can save hundreds on your grocery bill.
By Calista Meade Platinum Quality Author
There are many ways to save money on your monthly food budget, and using grocery store coupons is easy-- and the savings can quickly add up! Visit our website for more detailed information on how you can save money with grocery coupons: http://GroceryCouponsSaveMoney.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Calista_Meade
copast:by:wansset71
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