Favorite Friday Sense of Urgency in a Job Search

Favorite Friday Sense of Urgency in a Job Search How could I have forgotten about this post?  It is an amazing concept.  In a nutshell, my sense of urgency as a job seeker is very different than yours as a hiring manager or recruiter. To me, NOW means YESTERDAY!  As in, I want a job YESTERDAY! In a corporate setting, NOW might mean next quarter.  As in, I need to hire someone by the end of next quarter. Definitely a mismatch! I blogged about this on July 27, 2006, after a job I had applied to wrote back (2 months later) and asked if I was still interested.  Read the entire post here: Sense of Urgency. Favorite Friday Sense of Urgency in a Job Search How could I have forgotten about this post?  It is an amazing concept.  In a nutshell, my sense of urgency as a job seeker is very different than yours as a hiring manager or recruiter. To me, NOW means YESTERDAY!  As in, I want a job YESTERDAY! In a corporate setting, NOW might mean next quarter.  As in, I need to hire someone by the end of next quarter. Definitely a mismatch! I blogged about this on July 27, 2006, after a job I had applied to wrote back (2 months later) and asked if I was still interested.  Read the entire post here: Sense of Urgency. Favorite Friday Sense of Urgency in a Job Search How could I have forgotten about this post?  It is an amazing concept.  In a nutshell, my sense of urgency as a job seeker is very different than yours as a hiring manager or recruiter. To me, NOW means YESTERDAY!  As in, I want a job YESTERDAY! In a corporate setting, NOW might mean next quarter.  As in, I need to hire someone by the end of next quarter. Definitely a mismatch! I blogged about this on July 27, 2006, after a job I had applied to wrote back (2 months later) and asked if I was still interested.  Read the entire post here: Sense of Urgency.

Higher Base Salary Vs. Bonus - Which Is Better

Higher Base Salary Vs. Bonus - Which Is Better Higher Base Salary Vs. Bonus: Which Is Better And Why? Salary / https://www.edenscott.com/blog There are many opportunities to negotiate a new salary structure. You get a chance to do thisevery time you change companies, andalso when you change roles within your company or decide to ask for a promotion or raise at work.So what should you focus on higher base salary or bonus?Im going to walk you through the base salary vs. bonus debate so that youll know what to target next time you negotiate.Higher Base Salary Vs. Bonus Which Is Better?In almost all cases, your base salary is more important to negotiate for than other types of compensation in terms of long term importance and value. If in doubt, always negotiate for an increase in base salary above all else.Heres why1. Bonuses Are Usually Calculated as a Percentage of Your Base SalaryThis means that having a higher base salary will also improve your bonuses in most companies. This doesnt work in reverse, though; negotiating for a higher bonus does nothing for your base salary now or in the futu re.Well talk more about the future soon because when we look at your future earnings potential, were going to uncover a couple of even more compelling reasons to go after base salary first when deciding between base salary vs. bonuses.2. Base Salary Implies Seniority and Higher Value to Future EmployersJob titles vary from company to company. As a recruiter, Ive seen people earning $160,000 per year with a Project Manager title, and Ive seen people earning $120,000 as a Senior Director.It depends on company size, industry, and more.Because of how much job titles vary, recruiters and hiring managers often use base salary to determine your true level/seniority.As a recruiter, Ive seen job seekers miss out on an interview because they were deemed too junior for a position due to their current base salary. (We asked for their current compensation in the initial phone call and passed the information to the hiring manager). Its a shame that good, talented people were judged based on this, but it happenedTheir resume was fine. Their amount of experience was fine. But the hiring team still felt the candidate must be lacking something if theyre only making $XX,XXX at their current company.Now, some states in the US have recently made it illegal to ask for your salary history, but many have not.And heres something important to consider: If youve negotiated for high base salaries throughout your career, its going to be to YOUR advantage to reveal this. It becomes a negotiation tool or piece of leverage when asking that next employer for a high salary rather than something youre worried about hiding.You can use it to command higher pay in your future roles.The bottom line is: When you talk to a new company, instead of the hiring manager spending hours trying to figure out the intricate details and differences between your current compensation package and his/her companys compensation package, theyll just look at A) your base salary if they can, and B) your total compensat ion.So the quickest way to imply a high value to future employers is to have a high base salary in your recent roles.3. Bonuses are Less Likely to Carry Over into Future Job OffersWhile companies will have a general salary range that theyve budgeted for a given role, theres typically some flexibility.They can bend the rules a bit or make an increase in base salary to accommodate an excellent candidate.However, as a recruiter, Ive seen many companies be much stricter on cash bonuses. Its not uncommon for a company to tell a candidate, Sorry, every employee in this group gets a 10% cash bonus once per year. We cant change that for you.So if you negotiated for a 20% or 30% cash bonus in your last role, youre out of luck! Youre going down to 10% if you take this new position.Whereas, a base salary is more likely to carry over; youll be able to continue building that throughout your career and negotiate to make sure youre always taking a step forward in base salary.And remember as menti oned earlier, your base salary DOES impact your bonus in most companies. The typical company offers annual cash bonuses as a percentage of your base salary.Lets imagine your cash bonus is set at 10%, and cannot be changed.If youre earning $100,000, then your cash bonus is $10,000.But what if you negotiated your base salary up to $115,000? (While doing nothing to your cash bonus).All of a sudden, that same 10% bonus is $11,500. You put $1,500 more into your pocket as a bonus while also earning that higher base salary. Thats why negotiating for base salary first is a win-win and what I recommend.Base Salary Vs. Bonus Conclusion:If you negotiate for base salary, you can continue to build on this in every new job offer continuing to go upward. And as mentioned above, this will also increase your bonus indirectly, as long as your bonus is a percentage of base salary.However, if you focus on negotiating for bonuses, youre running the risk that all the hard work negotiating for a better bo nus at your current company might not translate into anything in future jobs. They often have a standard bonus, and thats what you get.You can find incremental increases to your base salary throughout your career, in every job change.Thats what to build!You arent going to be able to do that for a cash bonus. You cant usually go to a company and say, well, right now my bonus is 20%, so I was hoping to get to at least 27% in this job change. Thats just not how it works, youll soon have an absurdly high cash bonus that no company will match.So thats why I recommend you negotiate for base salary first and use bonuses and other benefits as a secondary piece to go after once youre satisfied with base salary, or once youve come to a stalemate in the base salary discussion.Get everything you can in base salary, and then negotiate other pieces like stock options, cash bonus, vacation time, etc. Think of those as a secondary objective, but dont ever give up base salary if you can help it.

Book giveaway For the Career Girl Ready for the New Era of Business

Book giveaway For the Career Girl Ready for the New Era of Business Its a new era of business and consumerismâ€"and you play a role in defining it! Todays biggest trendsâ€"the mobile web, social media, real-timeâ€"have produced a new consumer landscape. The End of Business As Usual  by Brian Solis explores this complex information revolution, how it has changed the future of business, media, and culture, and what you can do about it. This video gives you a glimpse of our new era ~ Borders, Blockbuster, Circuit City, the newspaper, whos next? According to Forbes, if the current trend continues, over 70% of Fortune 1000 companies will turnover from 2003 to 2013. There are three reasons why I love this book: No matter what industry you are in, you have to be ready to change and adapt. To be successful, you have to know what others dont and you must not only pay attention to your industry, but the trends that are happening in all industries. Social media and the digital lifestyle are changing the world. The statistics in this book are eye-opening. 81% of children under the age of 2 in North America, the EU 5, Australia/New Zealand and Japan already have some kind of digital profile or footprint with images of them posted online. Think how much business is going to change as these children grow up? Be prepared when your employer blocks your access to social networks at work.  The University of Melbourne released researching in 2010 declaring that social networks, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are the most productive ways employees can relax at work. People who surf the Internet for fun, for less than 20% of their work time were 9% more productive than those that werent. I agree! Ready to play a role in defining the new era of business? Enter to win a copy of the book today! To enter: ?Leave a comment below with your email address. This giveaway is open to all residents in the US and Canada. It begins NOW and ends on Dec 16th, 2011 at 9pm PST. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.   You have 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Good luck!  

5+ Best Marketing Assistant Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co

5+ Best Marketing Assistant Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co We’ve compiled the absolute best marketing assistant interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your future job interview. The marketing assistant is an absolutely great way to start pursuing a career in marketing. Those who are fresh out of college with a recent diploma may find themselves starting at this entry-level position in hopes of moving up to be a marketing manager or account manager on the marketing side. What is a marketing assistant Marketing assistants generally help with the execution of marketing campaigns along with the marketing team, which is directed by the Chief Marketing Officer or CMO of the company. Marketing assistants are there to play a diverse role in assisting with various executions as it relates to advertisements, creative direction, reporting and much more. Marketing Assistant Interview Questions & Answers 1. What is a marketing campaign? A marketing campaign is when a marketing initiative gets executed either independently or coupled together with a variety of goals aimed at displaying a product, service or offering to a targeted group of individuals. These individuals would be called the ‘audience’ or potential customers. 2. What are some ways marketers measure success? There are a variety of ways a marketer may measure success. For digital campaigns things like impressions, clicks, click through rates and conversions are all metrics which measure success. Sometimes ROAS, which stands for return on advertising spend, is a metric used for larger companies who advertise on TV or radio. 3. What are the various types of ways you may market a company? Digital campaigns are those which are executed mostly by creative direction and computer platforms, such as Google or Facebook. While non-digital campaigns may be present on things like TV, Radio, Billboards, Subways, Buses and much more. 4. Why are billboards still popular for advertising purposes? Billboards still present a great brand awareness opportunity for most digital companies. As the digital advertising landscape becomes more crowded, companies are still looking for ways to inspire their potential customers to ‘give them a shot.’ Billboards in this way, have seen a resurgence of popularity. 5. Where do most of the advertising dollars go in the United States? The largest advertising spend in the US still goes towards television. While most people think the landscape has shifted to digital, thanks to companies like Facebook who report strong earnings and use of their advertising platforms, TV still dominates. Many billions of dollars are spent on advertising with TV and The Super Bowl is still one of the highest grossing nights. 6. What does the term quantitative mean? Quantitate is the term of measuring something with math. Qualitative in comparison is the term of measuring something by feel or by observation. Related Hiring Resources Marketing Assistant Job Description Sample

How to Deal With an Incompetent Boss

How to Deal With an Incompetent Boss Most people feel judged and vilified at their workplace. Sometimes this is run by their imagination and grudges they have against their bosses, but in some cases their bosses are really incompetent and they have every right to complain. We all know that a true boss motivates their employees instead of controlling their every step, but the fact is that many managers are not a great leaders. There are several signs that can point out an incompetent manager, including:Being out of touchâ€" Managers who don’t realize burning problems and issues means that they have lost track of their work and that they don’t really understand the business they are running;Blocking team’s energy and developmentâ€" Incompetent and toxic boss will often install new and restrictive rules that slow down team’s development and suppress its productive energy;Doing your job instead of his/her ownâ€" Managers often don’t believe their subordinates and try to do or check even the most simple tasks they are assigned to. This way they are forgetting to do their own job, which drastically slows down work in the whole department;Don’t having any creative ideasâ€" Good Managers are innovative and incompetent ones wouldn’t recognize a good idea, even if it hits them in the head;Being control freaksâ€" Bosses who want to know your every move and who spend more time on controlling their subordinates, then planning and applying strategies. How to deal with these people?Sole realization that your boss is incompetent wouldn’t change anything, so you need to develop a strategy that will help you to mitigate the consequences of your Manager’s poor performance. Remember that incompetent leadership makes you lose precious time and energy, blocks your career development and sometimes even gets you fired. evalIncompetent leaders take on their workers to compensate their own insecurity. In most cases they are ruffles bosses who treat all of their subordinates Incompetent boss can give you a n opportunity to upgrade your own career. If you think you are capable of doing his/her job, you can start informally leading the team and motivating them to achieve better work results. You need to do this cautiously, because you shouldn’t hurt your boss’s authority in any way. Most of your peers will recognize your informal leadership if you are confident enough and this solution can earn you a lot of extra points from upper management.Help your boss on the most critical issuesYou should cooperate with your colleagues in order to determine the most critical issues of your boss’s governing. Then you should select one person your boss trusts the most, who will try to give him/her a new perspective and teach him/her how to manage their team more efficiently. Find a mentor outside the departmentOne of the worst consequences of bad management is that your career and knowledge are deteriorating with every new work day. In order to keep yourself on success track and improve your pr ofessional skills, you need to find a mentor outside your department. Choose an important business persona, who is going places and whose judgment you believe.Leave the companyMost people will consider this as an easy way out, but since corporate environment is a very sturdy structure, sometimes you won’t be able to change much and the only thing you can do in these situations is to leave the company and find work at some other place. This way you will at least save your career. There are lots of incompetent bosses in the corporate world. People who know how to get places, but don’t know how to do their job can be a huge pain in the neck for young and ambitious professionals. The most important thing in this situation is not to lose your head or get in any kind of confrontation with your superiors.

Why Engineering Jobs Are In Demand - CareerAlley

Why Engineering Jobs Are In Demand - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The demand for jobs these days are mostly concentrated on mining, engineering and healthcare. These are the jobs that most graduates are searching for online and offline, and these are the reasons why more and more students are going for such courses. For various engineering jobs, there are certain qualifications that you need to fulfill. Education-wise, an engineering graduate should have a specialization or a major course in order to qualify for certain positions. Mechanical, chemical, industrial, communications, electrical, civil, and mining engineering courses are available in most major universities and colleges. If you took up one of these courses, chances are you have also taken up a specialization on a certain field of study. For engineering positions in corporations such as those in the manufacturing industry, the hiring managers are usually looking for electrical, mechanical, chemical, industrial, and communications engineers. Since manufacturing plants rely heavily on machines and computer-operated systems, they usually hire quite a number of graduates in the aforementioned fields. For manufacturing companies that deal with food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, chemical engineers are the most predominant in this field. Since manufacturing plants are running all year-round and most of them have 24-hour shifts daily, the need for engineers and technicians are high. From the maintenance of machines, to training new hires, to benchmarking new systems and processes, their skills are always necessary in making the processes and systems more effective and efficient for the entire plant. As for mining and infrastructure, the same principle applies for those who are needed in maintaining the heavy equipment and processes involved in the industry. Mining and engineering jobs, such as those in Australia, Africa, Canada, and other countries rich in mineral products, are always open for jobs in the engineering field. This also goes for countries that are rich in oil and other deposits, such as countries in Africa and the Middle East. If you are interested in applying for an engineering job in the mining field, you will definitely need a diploma in engineering, preferably in the mechanical, chemical, and mining fields. A specialization requirement usually varies per job location and position. But if you do have a specialized study or major, it is best to include it on your resume. For compensation and other perks, an engineer in the mining industry usually gets good pay; travel, lodging, and food allowances; health and life insurance; bonuses; and others. If you are single, you will certainly find engineering jobs quite fulfilling, especially if you are okay with traveling abroad and staying away from your family for a few months to a few years. For a family man/woman, a career in engineering can be quite challenging. But given the right conditions and work schedule, you will also find this job fulfilling and worth the distance. If you want to know more about engineering jobs, it is best to start your quest by researching for information. While still in college, you can check for the basic qualifications of such job positions in various industries. Preparing while at school is a good idea, so you wont be surprised of the possibilities of being deployed abroad and working long hours in some cases. To practice for the assessment tests youll face as part of the interview process, go to JobTestPrep. About the Author: Alice Wunterman considers herself an expert in the field of Human Resources, having been part of the industry for over 20 years. More recently, she has started to do some blogging about this topic, mainly focusing on sharing job-seeking tips and techniques that other people may want to know. She is presently an employment consultant for http://www.workpac.com/. This is a Guest post. Good luck in your search.Joey Trebif

10 Tips for Tackling Your To-Do List - Career Advice Blog for Millennials

10 Tips for Tackling Your To-Do List - Career Advice Blog for Millennials Being an employee in today’s world isn’t always a walk in the park. It can be difficult and busy, and you may leave your job feeling more weighed down by responsibilities than when you started your day. While you may have put in a full day’s work, it’s possible that you feel like you didn’t accomplish anything â€" or at least not anything important. American employees are struggling because they are inundated by tasks but still unproductive. One study by Time etc showed that 43 percent of employees do not finish their daily to-do list. It’s time to conquer the to-do list once and for all! Here are 10 ways you can tackle your to-do list, so your work week can be more productive. Choose the Best Method That Works for You You may love the feel of a pen and paper in your hands or you may cling to your smartphone for reminders and updates. It doesn’t matter what method you choose, as long as it works for you. Sometimes a smartphone can be helpful when you don’t want to carry around a legal pad or constantly lose your pens. There are many apps available that can help you with your to-do lists. You can even set reminders on some of them. You may need to run some trial and error tests with smartphone apps, but surely you can find an app that suits your needs. Plan Ahead If your to-do list is miles long and you find yourself adding more tasks than crossing them off, you need to devote an entire day to completing your list. You may feel like it is a waste of time, but it isn’t. Completing your to-do list will ultimately make you feel more productive. Around 27% of workers say that working on small tasks makes it difficult to complete their long-term goals. Crossing off even the most mundane of tasks allows you to focus on the more important jobs at hand. Dedicate a day of the week to tackling your list. You may want to make this a weekly event. Each time you find your to-do list piling up, set aside a day to cross things off. Wake Up Early Hearing your alarm clock go off at five in the morning may fill you with dread, but waking up early is the best way to start a day of tasks. A head start on your to-do list will give you free time at the end of the day. You don’t want to stay late at the office because you’re cleaning out your inbox. Finish those tasks early! Categorize Your List Do your best to separate your personal to-do list and your work to-do list. You can’t be in two places at once, so two different to-do lists will maximize your productivity. Don’t think about grocery shopping, science fair projects for your kids or cleaning the upstairs bathroom while you’re at work. Save that to-do list for when you’re home or on the weekend. Instead, be present wherever you are. You’ll will find yourself more productive and more at peace. Prioritize Your List Did you know that 54 percent of American workers dedicate 25 percent or less of their day to important assignments? Prioritize your list, so you can focus on the most time-sensitive and most difficult assignments first. Schedule Time to Complete Your Tasks If you want to knock out the items on your list, you need to plan accordingly. Schedule your day carefully, allowing yourself an allotted time to complete each task. Give yourself more time for more difficult tasks and, no matter what, stick to the schedule. Close out email and shut your door to eliminate distractions. If you can finish your list quickly, you can move on to more important things. Ask for Help You attend to pressing matters every day. Studies show that 43 percent of American workers spend up to 50 percent of their day scheduling calls or meetings. Find someone who can share your workload. Ask for an intern or see if an assistant will help you schedule meetings. If scheduling isn’t your issue, but you can’t complete a certain task by the end of the day, ask your coworkers if they can take over some of your work for you. Asking for help never hurt anyone, and there are typically junior team members available who are eager to take on more worthy projects. Complete Difficult Tasks First (“Eat the Frog”) As you plan your day of tackling your to-do list, start with the more difficult tasks. If you put off more difficult jobs, you run the risk of never completing them. Starting with hard tasks will help you build momentum and accomplish more during the day. Make Time to Rest Don’t forget to schedule some breaks. Everyone needs a break from an overwhelming to-do list. My favorite, if the weather is nice, is to take a walk outside during over lunch. Fresh air will clear your mind, and a fifteen minute break could increase your productivity. If it’s not nice, try another one of these 30 break ideas. Reward Yourself It’s important to treat yourself for working hard during the day. This will motivate you to continue the pattern of hard work and accomplishing tasks. Plan a coffee break with a coworker or indulge in a special reward after finishing a particularly difficult task. Eat a snack or quickly check social media. A reward system will keep you focused and centered. Fifty-nine percent of American workers report working beyond their scheduled hours. If you are part of that group, you’re missing out much needed rest and valuable time with your family. Jot down your to-do list and start being productive! And don’t forget to share your productivity tips in the comments! While you’re here, subscribe to the newsletter to get even more tips on productivity delivered straight to your inbox â€" that’s just one more way to save time.