Career Communiqué x-Press

A personal note from Annemarie...

Tell a friend! Forward this email to a friend!
Not subscribed yet? Don't miss an issue!

Friday 23, March 2007

Hi,

Welcome to another edition of Career Communiqué x-Press. I hope this edition finds you well.

We’ve got part two of our article - How to ask your boss for a raise. This article is a must-read for people who are contemplating requesting a review of their salary.

Also, just in case you are not a regular follower of our newsletter, if I could take a brief moment of your time to ensure that you don’t miss out on a special promotion that ends today. I’d hate for you to miss out…

We are offering participants 20% off our Purposeful Careers group intensive coaching program, so if you are currently in a role that you feel unfulfilled and unmotivated in, however are unclear as to your next career move, then our Purposeful Careers group intensive program (starting in May) is just for you. Scroll down to our Upcoming programs and workshops section below and click on the link.

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

Purposeful Careers:
"15 steps to clarifying, designing and living your life's calling"

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.

Following on from last fortnight’s issue, we provide some key strategies on how best to prepare before approaching your boss for a raise. In this issue we will discuss 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 two.

Ace that Interview: Various types of interviews – The Panel Interview.

Resources & Tools to Catapult Your Career

Coach's Corner

Living your purposeful career: how to ask your boss for a raise [Part 2].

In last fortnight’s issue we presented you with some important items to consider that would strengthen your position as you approached your boss for an increase in salary. Today, we will share some tips on further preparation and timing, and optimising your communications through understanding your boss and adopting sound negotiation skills.

Preparation.

Grooming is just as important as if you were attending an interview with a new company so make sure your appearance is neat, tidy and respectable when you attend your meeting with your boss.

Bring in the supporting documentation that showcases your accomplishments, which should be a summary of all of the achievements and contributions as suggested in last fortnight’s issue.

Decide what you are going to do if your request is turned down. Perhaps the company is undergoing restructuring/hardship that won’t allow them to give you a raise in the immediate future, so negotiating for your boss to reconsider your request within a 3 month period depending on your performance may be an option.

Spending more time with your family may be important to you, so negotiating flexibility in your working hours may be something you would consider. Think about other essentials that you would consider as part of your salary package, and bring forward your requests for further discussion with your boss – he/she may just be able to accommodate your request, or propose alternatives around how this could be structured as a win-win situation.

Timing is crucial.

Choosing the right time to approach your boss is just as important as the preparation you have put into your presentation. Consider the following:

§	You may want to consider positioning your case during staff performance reviews, particularly if you have had an impressive year.
§	Perhaps you have had extraordinary success that is being hailed throughout the organisation so you want to strike while the iron is hot.
§	Your duties may have been increased and you therefore have added responsibility which would warrant an increase in salary.
§	Your organisation may have had a huge windfall in revenue and projects to which you have contributed.
§	Research around what is happening in the industry and within the company to see whether any factors would strengthen your position? Is the company reflecting steady profits that could support your increase in salary? Is the market flourishing as a whole indicating that you would expect a higher salary if looking elsewhere? Your company may not want to risk the chance of losing you to one of their competitors.
§	Assess your boss’ mood and demeanour and choose the time of day carefully. The end of the day would be better as the pressures of the day are over, so schedule an appointment later on in the day.
Know your boss. This brings us to the next important aspect that you should consider before pitching your request to your boss, which is to understand and match your boss’ disposition and demeanour so that your request is taken seriously. For instance, if your boss is a results-driven, to the point, quick decision-maker, you want to state your case quickly and present strong reasons to support your request. Avoid long pauses in your conversation as this will only serve to annoy him/her. If your boss tends to enjoy interaction with others and is slower in his/her decision-making and action-taking then you will want to speak slower and present your case in a less swift manner. Remember, mirroring, matching and pacing your boss’ mannerisms and personal style is crucial for building and maintaining rapport throughout the conversation so that your request is considered seriously. Successful negotiation skills. Heed the following negotiation tips:
§	Remain professional at all times through your conversation. An immature and unprofessional approach will do little to support your request.
§	Don’t threaten to hand in your resignation (even if that is what you are considering) should your request be denied. As mentioned previously, have a few other options that you can present should your boss be unable to agree to an increase in money at the present time.
§	Don’t compare your salary to others in the organisation. They may be receiving more than you for a reason, having delivered far better returns to the organisation than you, for example.
§	Remain confident, but avoid being arrogant. This approach may only serve to put your boss on the defensive.
§	Ensure your suggested salary figure is reasonable and within market expectations remembering that you don’t want to negotiate yourself out of a job because you have requested an amount that is higher than market expectations and that the company cannot afford. Remember, at the end of the day, you have to earn your keep.
§	Don’t provide reasons why you need the money – this is irrelevant.
§	Be realistic in your request. Be flexible. Perhaps you could negotiate other things rather than just money. This way if a monetary increase is denied you have other options to negotiate such as flexi time, bonuses on performance, company shares, etc.

As mentioned earlier, if your request is denied due to financial or other rational reasons, you may be able to negotiate additional factors, so be prepared to bring these to the table. Alternatively, if your request is denied and the market indicates that your experience, knowledge and expertise demands a higher salary package than what you are currently receiving, this may be an indication that you should start researching additional opportunities out in the job market. Good luck!

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!

Various types of interviews – The Panel Interview.

The panel interview (which is where a candidate is interviewed by more than one interviewer) is possibly one of the most dreaded of all interviews. Instead of having to build rapport and a strong impression with just one person, the candidate has two or more people they need to impress. Here’s a tip to help you:

Many times in a panel interview, one person will dominate (which is not always a good situation, particularly if this person’s communication style differs from yours). If you notice the group is agreeing with one particular person, make sure you impress that person.

Want to learn more about how to optimize your interview performance and fast-track that job offer? 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!]

Want to use this article in your ezine or website?

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

Managing your subscription

Career Communiqué x-Press is published by Annemarie Cross. You are receiving this email from Annemarie Cross because you subscribed on our website. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us, add info@annemariecross.com to your address book today. To no longer receive our emails, click to on the Remove Me button below.

If you have any comments or questions please send them to info@annemariecross.com