Disclosing Pay in the Job Search

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President, Berman Larson Kane
President, Berman Larson Kane

When should you divulge your salary to a prospective employer? According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, many businesses want to know an applicants’ latest pay during the early stages of the hiring process. But that often can present a dilemma with no simple solution. If you dodge premature pay inquiries, you might be taken out of the running for being too secretive; if you divulge every cent you earn, you might risk being viewed as overqualified or inexperienced.

“There’s no way of knowing for sure if disclosing or withholding is the best strategy,” said Jack Chapman, author of Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 a Minute, and a Wilmette, Ill, career coach. “You’re dealing with potential rejection either away.”

When weighing what to do, job seekers need to use their best judgment. In doing so, experts say, it helps to take into account the desired job’s level, the duration of the vacancy, the extent of rival contenders, the scarcity of your skills and your insight about the openings’ salary.

And candid money talk with outside recruiters is almost always a good idea, the article pointed out. “Blowing off the compensation question creates bad chemistry with the recruiter,” cautioned Patricia Cook, head of an executive-search firm in Bronxville, N.Y. Thirteen times during her recruiting career, Ms. Cook has encountered qualified prospects that refused to tell her their pay. When she presented the 12 women and one man to corporate clients, none became a finalist.

Before baring your bucks to a recruiter, though, try to persuade him to gauge your worth. You might ask, “What’s the most money that my skills would command in the marketplace? If the number falls short of your latest paycheck, you can provide solid reasons why you’re not being paid more. If you appear relatively underpaid, describe hefty raises and bonuses that you pocketed during boom times. Emphasize that bad business conditions rather than individual performance were to blame.

You can also turn the tables on a nosey hiring manager, according to the article. Inquire about the budgeted salary range for the targeted spot when the salary question comes up. Say whether that range matches your qualifications and personal needs; perhaps indicate your current salary range at this point or the range you are seeking. You could also consider expressing eagerness to negotiate your next package once it’s clear you’re the preferred pick. A good “postponing phrase speaks confidence in being hired,” Chapman’s book suggests.

But this ploy doesn’t always work. A corporate trainer wanted to avoid revealing his pay when he sought employment with a New York area information-services company. “I did try to get around it by saying, ‘I’m hoping for a fair offer,’” the Long Island resident told the newspaper. He also asked about the projected pay range.

Ignoring his query, the head of training insisted on learning his current salary. He said he was paid about $114,000 a year. Offered $118,000, he requested a slightly larger sum. The concern abruptly dropped its offer. “We’re not happy you asked for more money,” one official told him. The trainer now wonders whether he divulged his compensation too soon.

Taking all things into consideration, it can still be very tempting to exaggerate your pay package. Despite the potential pitfalls they can face, numerous job seekers inflate how much they make, typically by including their bonus target and the value of perquisites, the article noted.

On the other hand, during a difficult job market, Bill Davidson actually did the opposite to land job interviews. The former information-technology director applied to be a project manager at Postini in San Carlos, Calif., which was offering $88,000 for the position. He informed the e-mail filtering concern that his last cash compensation totaled about $100,000 when the real number was $140,000.

Davidson accepted the $88,000 post; a month after he joined Postini he said he admitted his deception—without repercussions.

As a rule, though, you should never fib your way into a new workplace, the article pointed out. “People will pull offers for a clear lie about pay,” warned Lee E. Miller, co-host of “Your CareerDoctors.com,” an Internet radio show. And finding a lie about pay is quite easy. Job seekers should always keep in mind that some companies require final pay stubs or income-tax forms to verify salary.

ADVICE ON REFERENCE CHECKS AFTER FIRING

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Bob Larson, CPC
Bob Larson, CPC

If you’re dismissed from a job, it’s always important to leave a former employer on good terms and not burn bridges that one may need to cross in the future. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen, especially if there’s been a difficult relationship between an employee and a manager and/or bad feelings over a contentious issue that led to the firing, such as a less-than-satisfactory work performance or problematic conduct.

Whatever the reason, involuntary termination can be difficult to bounce back from and fired employees need to be prepared for their former boss to be contacted and what they are liable to say to the person checking references.

Here from an article published by the website Examiner.com are some points that job seekers should consider when trying to find employment after being dismissed:

  •   A job seeker should rewrite their résumé to emphasize talent and value over work history. Questions are sure to come up about why the job seeker is unemployed, with honesty being the best approach to answering those questions. Then the job seeker can explain how the skills listed on their résumé will benefit the prospective employer despite that negative point in their work history.
  •   The whole point of providing references is to back up what a job seeker claims about their experience for the position. Unfortunately, their former employer is not likely to do this. To counteract what the employer may state, the job seeker can ask former colleagues that are familiar with their work to serve as references. If they are willing to help, former coworkers can provide valuable input to a prospective employer.
  •   Job seekers can be proactive and ask their former employer what will be said about them during a reference check. The employer may be agreeable to writing a neutral reference letter.  At the very least, the severed employee may be able to negotiate with the employer that only verification of employment is provided.
  •   Many unemployed workers turn to freelancing when job prospects become slim or they decide to take their career in a new direction. Many companies find it beneficial to hire freelancers for specific tasks instead of creating a full-time position to handle these tasks. Job seekers can network through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to find freelance opportunities, socialize with like-minded workers and to promote their credentials. Again, former coworkers may be asked to provide references for the job seeker’s skills.

Despite popular belief, according to the article, former employers have few limitations when it comes to what they can share in a reference check. Although many employers limit the amount of information they share, this is mainly a business decision from a risk management perspective. In short, it keeps employers from facing possible litigation if only documented facts are shared, such as verifying employment, dates of service and possibly eligibility for rehire.

Some employers may not release information in a reference check without a signed release from the former employee, the article pointed out. But in most cases, there is nothing that prevents a former employer from stating anything during a reference check as long as it is based on documented, verifiable facts.

If a jobseeker suspects that a former employer is giving bad references they could, for example, engage a professional reference checking service to call a former employer on behalf of them. People employed by these services know the right questions to ask and how to listen for subtle cues from the employer. Once the reference check is complete, the job seeker should have a better understanding of the reliability of their references.

A job seeker may wish to consult an attorney if negative or false information is received from a reference checking service, the article noted. One option is a ‘cease and desist’ letter. While not all negative feedback is unlawful, the letter should demand that the bad references be stopped because of the negative impact on the job seeker’s ability to find a job. If a former employer has given false, unlawful or misleading information during a reference check, the job seeker may be able to take legal action for such actions, such as discrimination or

At Work It Pays to be Likeable

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President, Berman Larson Kane
President, Berman Larson Kane

@ Work, it Pays to be Likeable

The time-worn adage that nice guys finish last isn’t exactly true, according to an article in USA Today. In fact, growing research shows that likable employees may have more success on the job and that likability can even trump competence.

A study in the Harvard Business Review found that personal feelings toward an employee play a more important role in forming work relationships than is commonly acknowledged, the article pointed out. The study also indicated that this is even more important than how competent an employee is seen to be.

“We want to work with people that make us feel good to be around them,” said Tom Sanders, author of The Likeability Factor, which explores how having an appealing personality can positively influence life and careers. “Likability is the tiebreaker in almost anything.”

Likability is hard to define, but Sanders said people gravitate toward others who deliver psychological benefits. In other words, likability is the ability to produce a positive emotional experience in someone else, such as making co-workers feel good about themselves.

The Harvard Business Review study also found that employees don’t want to work with someone who is disliked, and it almost doesn’t matter how skilled they are. Indeed, co-workers who work with a likeable colleague are more comfortable with them, so work tends to be more collaborative.

“Organizations have traditionally focused on competencies and thinking ability of their staff,” Susan David, a psychologist and researcher at Yale University, told USA Today. “There is growing recognition, however, that job effectiveness can be undone if an employee is not likable. Being proficient at job tasks is of little comfort to the organization if an employee alienates clients or other staff.”

Research has also found that customers’ perceptions of the employees they deal with can influence their overall feelings toward a company. Nearly 60 percent of customers say that, when faced with rudeness, they take their business elsewhere, even if it means going out of their way or paying a higher price, according to a study by Eticon, a Columbia, S.C.-based provider of etiquette consulting for business.

Further, likable employees–especially those with skills in relationship building–are also more likely to get bigger pay raises and promotions, the article pointed out.

Some employees say likable employees are so important that they won’t hire anyone they think may have an attitude. Richard Laemer, chief executive of New York-based RLM Public Relations, said “no matter how experienced someone is, if they’re mean to people, they’re pretty much useless. I can’t work with someone who isn’t nice.”

But there can also be a downside, the article noted. Likable employees who lack skills or are seen as pushovers can lose out on management opportunities or can be seen as a liability, said Alexandra Levit, author of They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World.

For example, managers who are too likable can get too social with their subordinates, blurring the line between boss and friend. And younger Generation X or Generation Y employees can also try so hard to be liked that they come across as overly enthusiastic.

“There’s a tendency of young people, and even midcareer people, to say ‘yes’ all the time. In an effort to please, they do get pushed around. They get assigned too many tasks,” Levitt said. “Likability can be dangerous. Young people can be too enthusiastic, and it can irritate management. You can be too ‘rah rah.”

Overall, though, most employers agree that likability is a very important attribute and that it can clearly help employees when performance is lacking. “You can provide training to compensate for missing skills, but it’s almost impossible to compensate for personality,” added Tory Johnson, CEO of New York-based Women for Hire, which provides career fairs for women. “ It’s never worth hiring someone you dislike, or someone who’s likely to be disliked among staffers.”

     

 

Easing Back to Work After a Vacation

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Bob Larson, CPC
Bob Larson, CPC

Easing Back to Work After a Vacation

With summer vacation season in full swing, millions of American workers are taking a break — seeking replenishment from the daily office grind. But while numerous studies show that taking time off can do everything from boosting productivity to reducing heart-attack risks, vacations very often can have side effects that turn workers into inefficient space cadets upon their arrival back to the office.

In fact, according to surveys by a staffing company that does workplace research, it takes the average employee a day and half to resume productivity at work after a break, a Career Journal.com article pointed out. So with e-mails piled up and co-workers anxious to catch up on conversation, how can workers hit the ground running and avoid common blunders that can sabotage their first days back?

One strategy that some people employ, according to the article, is to tell colleagues a return date later than it really is, and getting home a few days early from vacation. Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University who teaches time-management workshops, builds in a one-day cushion by setting the return date in his e-mail “out-of-office” replay message a day ahead of his actual return, and telling people he’s coming back later than he actually does. “You want time to process things before the live fire comes through the door,” he said.

Another good idea is not to fritter away your first day regaling co-workers with vacation tales, said Allison Hemming of the free-lance talent agency The Hired Guns. When in her early 20s, Hemming recalled, she was a vacation gabber. “I could go on for days about how blue the water was.” Her first boss offered a quick hint: “Take one really great story about your break, and stick to it.” Now, she offers a quick highlight – like catamaraning through caves in Nepal – then gets back to work.

But pick one story that telegraphs a message, the article pointed out. “If you’re in the 40-plus age group, communicate that you’re an active person. It wouldn’t hurt to say you had a good time going skiing, or mountain-climbing, or snow-shoeing,” said Don Sutaria of CareerQuest, a New Jeresy-based employment coaching firm.

One successful tactic used to avoid wasting time is to start treating yourself like an important colleague. “You schedule business meetings with everyone else – why not schedule time with yourself to work on specific projects?” said Jeffrey Mayer of SucceedingInBusiness.com. “Keep the appointment, turn off the phone, don’t check the e-mail every 45-seconds.” If you work better at certain times of day, schedule the most demanding tasks for those periods.

As you plow through your e-mail, keep an arsenal of sticky notes close by, the article noted. When you open something up that requires follow-up, “slap a Post-it on it saying what’s the next thing that needs to be done with the paper and how long it will take,” said Julie Morgenstern, an author of time-management books. Example: “Fill out form and return to HR.” Then keep a stack of these notes in your inbox, so the next time you’re stuck on hold on the phone you can deal with one or two instead of staring into space.

And don’t just skim your e-mail. You should try not to touch e-mail more than once. Morgenstern’s rule is if a response takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. If it takes longer, add a new item to your “to do” list.

After your initial e-mail sweep, don’t let your in-box run your day. “Your in-box is not your to-do list,” said Pausch. You’re better off setting aside a block of time per hour for e-mail – then give yourself long uninterrupted stretches to get regular work done.

If your boss starts dumping work on you, make it clear you’re busy. “Say, I’ve got these four other things to do, can you help me prioritize?” suggested Sean Covey of Franklin Covey, a productivity consulting firm in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Of course, the best strategy for a smooth re-entry is good planning before you take off, according to the CareerJournal.com article. In the weeks before you leave, train someone exactly how to do your job. “People think that if they hoard information, then they’ll have power,” said William Hubbart of Hubbart & Associates in St. Charles, Ill. That’s a mistake. If you don’t teach someone how to do your job, a lot less gets done while you’re away.

In addition, good back-ups make it less likely you’ll be contacted on your vacation. Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor, has another strategy for avoiding calls on vacation: He gives students and colleagues his wife’s cell phone number, instead of his own. “You have to create social barriers,” he said. “It’s a very strong reminder that they’re interrupting social time.”

SIMPLIFY TO BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE

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Bob Larson, CPC
Bob Larson, CPC

It’s a tough time to be productive. Globalization, increased competition and the jarring immediacy of technology have made it difficult for modern employees to stay on top of their growing workloads while maintaining a good work-life balance. Fortunately, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal, experts say small adjustments to how employees think about work can have a big impact on their workplace efficiency.

Kelly Sortino, for example, had a tough time recalling what she’d accomplished at the end of each hectic workday. Her job as head of the upper school for the Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, Calif., often required working 12-hour days, including weekends and evenings. She enjoyed the work but worried that she wasn’t accomplishing everything she needed to.

“I felt like I was mostly putting out fires,” Sortino told the newspaper. “I felt as if I wasn’t really having the time to do more of the strategic and visioning work to make those larger changes at the school.”

She decided to take a workshop at Stanford University on how to simplify work processes and reduce waste. She learned, for example, to block out her time more efficiently and minimize distractions. She also committed herself to systematically completing, without procrastination, her daily task list and to completely clearing her email inbox and workspace on a regular basis.

The changes produced a marked improvement in her time management, the article pointed out. Sortino gained a better sense of her daily routine, and she’s been able to start long-term projects. She still works on weekends, but only as needed.

Clearly, such adjustments as learning to prioritize and committing oneself to work in uninterrupted blocks of time are among the most important when trying to simplify work processes. Other key ones noted in the article are single-tasking instead of multi-tasking and scheduling specific times for checking email and texts as opposed to reading then as received.

A Stanford University study, in fact, found that multi-tasking is less productive than single-tasking, noting that many self-proclaimed multi-taskers have difficulty filtering out irrelevant information. Concerning e-mail and texting, the article pointed out that taking time to respond can reset co-worker expectations. To make sure you don’t miss anything important, you can flag emails from certain senders such as your boss.

Many people have been conditioned to expect an immediate response to email and text, which is unrealistic and unproductive, said Daniel Markovitz, a consultant from Corte Madera, Calif.

 “And if you don’t respond,” he told the newspaper, “you’ll get additional email or a call from the co-worker three minutes later asking, ‘Hey, did you get my email?’ You then have to deal with two or three frantic emails and a voice mail from that one person.” Dealing with dozens of people who place unreasonable demands on your time can diminish your availability to do other things.”

Here are some other tips from the article aimed at increasing your productivity:

  •  Be open to dropping tools that impede understanding between co-workers. If you can’t explain yourself in a single e-mail, consider calling, texting or meeting in person instead.
  • Try to understand what your co-workers do and what their motivations are, because this can be the root of many office conflicts that complicate people’s lives, said Yves Morieux of Boston Consulting Group and author of “Six Simple Rules: How to Manage Complexity without Getting Complicated.”
  • Understand what motivates the decisions your boss makes. Most subordinates have an employee-centric view of their managers, which tends not to be accurate. A better understanding of your boss can help you to sell process changes that can benefit the department and company.
  •   Work with your boss to prioritize important work and eliminate unproductive tasks.
  •   Get clarification before you start on new projects and while you have the attention of you manager or co-workers.
  •   Make it a practice not to tackle tough problems alone or stew if you can’t handle specific tasks. Rather, enlist co-workers and start a discussion, approaching it like a support group and breaking unproductive patterns that create a culture of complexity. In other words, cooperate with co-workers to streamline processes.

Make the Best of Every Meeting

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Bob Larson, CPC
Bob Larson, CPC

Make the Best of Every Meeting

If you don’t like attending meetings, you’re not alone. Most workers feel there are simply too many meetings to attend on a daily and weekly basis, and that many of them are entirely unnecessary. But meetings don’t have to be that way, says Richard Carlson, Ph.D, and author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work, who has two secrets to making virtually any meeting both interesting and productive.

The first is to use the meeting to practice being “present moment-oriented.” In other words, try to absorb yourself in the meeting – and don’t allow your mind to wander. This deliberate attempt to be focused will allow you to get as much value out of the experience as possible.

You can spend your time daydreaming or wishing you were somewhere else, but that doesn’t help you in your job or in your career. Meetings provide an opportunity to show your superiors and coworkers that you are really a good listener. This will help you be highly responsive to whatever is being discussed. That way, if there is something you can contribute, you can make a strong impression with your answer.

Carlson says that by employing the “present moment” technique he has found meetings to be far more interesting. Additional insights come to mind and he feels as though he has more to offer. He has also noticed an increased sense of respect from others. They may not be consciously aware of it, but it seems that when those present in a meeting sense that you are truly paying attention, they want to listen to you as well.

The second secret is to tell yourself that you are going to learn something from each meeting. Listen intently to what is said and try to hear something you don’t already know. Rather than comparing what you’re hearing to what you already believe, search for new wisdom, a new insight, or a new way to do something.

Carlson says he has found that when his intent is to learn, he almost always does learn something. Instead of saying “Yeah, Yeah, I already know this stuff,” try to clear your mind and allow yourself to have a beginner’s mind.

The best-selling author reports that since he has begun doing this, the results have been quite impressive and significant. His learning curve dramatically increased, and meetings became fun again. “I’ve learned to make the best of it. The way I look at it is this: I’m at the meeting anyway. Why not spend the time in a productive, healthy way, practicing valuable emotional skills instead of wishing I were somewhere else,” he says.

Try practicing what Carlson suggests. By doing so, our bet is that you’ll make your work life more interesting and effective.