Career Communiqué x-Press

A personal note from Annemarie...

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Friday 9, March 2007

Hi,

Welcome to another edition of Career Communiqué x-Press.

I hope you have all had a productive few weeks! It’s certainly been a hectic time for me, not only professionally but also on personal level, with my children well and truly back into their school routines and extra curricular activities.

As you are reading this newsletter I am preparing to attend an interstate training seminar which will run over the next three weeks. This is the longest time that I have ever been away from my family, however as they coped extremely well while I was away last December (for a week-long training seminar in Sydney), I’m sure they will all be fine.

As I will be away, I wanted to let you all know that our resume division has decided not to accept any new projects until after the 16 April 2007. I do apologise for any inconvenience, however upon our return, our enhanced knowledge and training will ensure that we only continue to deliver the best possible service to you!

Remember, we always welcome contact and feedback from our subscribers and visitors, so pop across to our Ask Annemarie site and submit your topic of interest, question or comment. We'd love to hear from you!

Upcoming programs and workshops

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You too can feel motivated and inspired in your job, allowing you to live your life's calling. And I'll coach you step-by-step to show you how!

But you will need to act FAST as we are only offering 10 spots per group, so reserve your spot today - I would hate to see you miss out!

Check out our special offer for x-Press subscribers - 20% off - LIMITED TIME ONLY UNTIL 23rd March 2007

Purposeful Careers - 15 week intensive group coaching program

Living your purposeful career: how to ask your boss for a raise .

Have you been working with your employer for some time, been generating some impressive returns, and feel you are due for a salary increase in view of the overall value you bring to the company? Before you approach your boss with your request, you may want to read this fortnight’s article to ensure you strengthen your position. Part one identifies the information you should be presenting in terms of achievements and contributions. Part two discusses the importance of preparation, timing, understanding your boss and using sound negotiation skills when presenting your request to your boss.

Until next time,

To your success!

Annemarie Cross
Career & Master NLP Coach

In this issue...

Coach's Corner: Living your purposeful career: how to ask your boss for a raise – Part one.

Ace that Interview: Calming your nerves before an interview.

Resources & Tools to Catapult Your Career

Coach's Corner

Living your purposeful career: how to ask your boss for a raise [Part 1].

If you’ve been with your current place of employment for some time and feel that you are due for a raise there are a number of factors that you need to be consider before presenting your request for a raise in salary to management.

Your boss will probably not give you a raise just because you request it, so research, preparation and timing are all crucial elements you will need to think about, as is whether the company is financially able to accommodate your request.

It is important that your history with the company supports your request for a raise, so to strengthen your position list how you have contributed to the ongoing efficiency and profitability of the organisation. Review the following suggestions to see whether they relate to your situation, and if so, list them as an achievement and/or contribution to the organisation.

§	Were there any challenges or obstacles that had to be confronted in order for you to complete your daily tasks? If so, what were the initiatives you executed to overcome these? If available, include accurate figures and facts to quantify the outcome this had for the company, particularly if this enhanced efficiency or cut costs?
§	Have you completed any professional development or in-house seminars? This would confirm your willingness and ability to learn and apply new techniques and processes, allowing you to perform better in your role.
§	Did you take on any additional responsibilities that can differentiate you from other staff members in similar roles? Listing these responsibilities will portray your diverse experience and ability to assume extra responsibilities concurrent with your normal duties
§	Are you a recipient of any awards for outstanding excellence? If so, what were these in recognition of? Have you received a letter of praise from a client, key stakeholders, or a colleague that will confirm your willingness to ‘go the extra mile?’
§	Have you initiated any special assignments or perhaps played a key role in a major project? Have you been requested to contribute your expertise to assist the company in moving forward or in overcoming various internal issues? If so, what initiatives did you take, and what was the outcome for the company?
§	Can you portray yourself as a problem solver and troubleshooter who can transform a potentially negative situation into a constructive one through imaginative thinking and action? Perhaps this can be shown through overcoming an internal issue that had plagued the company for quite a significant amount of time that others had failed in their attempts to resolve time and time again.
§	Are you able to demonstrate instances where you reduced organisational cost; prompted revenue growth; optimised productivity and/or overall operational efficiency? If so, provide details and measurable outcomes.
§	Did you volunteer your time on any special assignments that provided you with an opportunity to work on a cutting-edge industry project that positioned the company ahead of their competitors in a competitive and saturated marketplace? You many have spearheaded a strategic planning project that opened the doors to further business opportunities that contributed to annual revenue growth.
If you are not already doing so, begin to keep track of your accomplishments, special assignments or involvements within the organisation by writing them down. The potential to forget important information is easy, and can regrettably disadvantage your future application whether positioning yourself for an internal promotion, or even seeking new opportunities with another organisation. By including your contributions and achievements within your resume you can certainly optimise your position when requesting a raise in salary.

Next fortnight we will discuss the importance of preparation, timing, understanding your boss and using sound negotiation skills when presenting your case to your boss. Stay tuned!

If you'd like any additional support around this area, please do not hesitate to email me. It would be a pleasure to work with you. My direct email is: annemarie@annemariecross.com

To your success!

Annemarie

Ace that Interview!

Does your pulse and heart rate speed up at the thought of having to attend an interview? Have your nerves gotten the better of you at an interview, rendering you almost speechless, or causing your mind to go blank after being asked a question? If so, you may find relief in knowing that you are certainly not alone. Many people dread having to attend an interview, which is one reason why we dedicated an entire chapter on how to calm your nerves to ensure you don’t jeopardise your chances.

Here’s a great tip on how you can calm your nerves before an interview:

Influence yourself with positive ‘helpful’ thinking. Observe your thoughts and write down every time you have an unhelpful thought over the next day or so. Once you are aware of the negative thoughts, review them rationally to see if they have any real basis. Challenging a negative thought can cause it to lose power or even vanish altogether.

Want to learn more stress reduction techniques? You can!! Send me Ace that Interview today!

Resources & Tools to Catapult Your Career

ATTENTION JOB SEEKERS! Want to seize control of your job search and ensure you maximise your chances of snaring that interview by making yourself irresistible to a potential employer?
Did you know that:
in today’s fast paced and competitive job market your resume will only receive about 15-20 seconds to make an impression, and
thousands of job seekers are loosing out on job opportunities due to a dull and uninspiring resume? So what lasting impact is your resume making? Powerful Resumes!: EXPOSED - 6 crucial writing strategies to Secure that Interview! e-Course shows you how to create a powerful marketing tool that will allow you to outshine your competitors and catapult your application to the top of the pile. [Fast-track your application to the top of the pile today!]

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You can as long as you include this complete copy with it:

Career & Master NLP Coach and author Annemarie Cross provides specialised services for people striving for success and fulfilment in their careers. With an inquisitive, inspiring and influential approach, Annemarie has supported and empowered clients from diverse backgrounds across Australia and the globe in their journey to regain clarity, confidence, contentment and balance within their lives and careers. To learn more about her book, 10 Key Steps to Ace that Interview!, and sign up for more FREE tips and solutions like these, visit her site at http://www.annemariecross.com

Have a question you'd like answered in this ezine? Submit your question to: info@annemariecross.com

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