by Angela Copeland | Feb 3, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
What are the top three things that would make life easier for you? My guess is that at least one of those things is more money. Even if you’re not broke, more money can provide a better lifestyle, more opportunities for your family, and more vacation time for you at the beach.
What’s your own plan to increase your personal financial value? You probably have a full time job, a savings account, and investments (like your home or 401-K) that you hope will grow over time.
Most likely, your #1 source of income right now is your full time job. How much has your income, or salary, from that full time job grown per year in the last 10 years? If you’re like many people, you’ve been getting somewhere in ballpark of 1% more to 3% more each year.
It’s like pocket change. Your boss has shared stories like, “the economy is down and this is all we can afford” or, “I had hoped to give you more, but this is all that I’m allowed to give for now.” It feels frustrating, but you’ve learned to accept it. After all, you’ve been hearing the same story for years.
Frankly, these tiny raises may not even keep up with inflation over time. At some point, you look back and realize you’re making more or less the same amount of money that you were 10 years ago. You start to wonder how you’ll ever retire comfortably or achieve your other personal financial goals.
Well, I have a tip I want you to consider. It could change your life. It’s quick, fairly painless, and takes just a few minutes. With this one change, you might breathe a little easier. And, you might actually get to take that vacation you’ve been dreaming of.
As I’ve touched on before, in today’s job market, employees no longer stay at one job forever. Most people are switching jobs every 3 to 5 years, so there’s little incentive for your employer to give you sizable raises.
What’s this big life changing advice you wonder?
Learn to negotiate.
Many of my clients have always either accepted or rejected job offers they’ve received. This is the norm for most job seekers. They basically either say yes or no, but nothing in between. Keep in mind that a company almost never puts their best job offer on the table right away. They’re expecting you to negotiate, so they’re saving the best offer for when you do.
And, in the small chance that the company has presented their best offer first, they’ll tell you. If you’ve started your negotiation in a reasonable and respectful way, what they won’t do is take it off the table. It’s just up to you at that point to decide if you’re willing to take their first offer.
The point is, there’s little downside to asking for more. You may not always get as much as you ask for, but there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get more than was originally offered. If you ask.
Think about it this way: At an annual increase of 2%, it would take you over ten years to grow your salary by 25%. When you change companies, you can increase your salary overnight. The salary negotiation is typically over the phone or via e-mail, and takes about 10 minutes.
Sure, that 10 minutes might be a little uncomfortable. You might feel worried. But, ask yourself these two questions:
- What’s the worst that can happen? They might say no, and not give you what you asked for. You’ll now have to decide if you still want the original offer.
- What’s the best that can happen? They say yes, and give you more! And, suddenly, you’ve received multiple years worth of raises all in one 10-minute phone call.
If it sounds simple, it’s because it is. Most people don’t try because they’re scared, or they don’t know they can. Keep in mind that being really good at negotiation takes practice. But, being decent enough to get a little more money is something you can do right now.
Just remember to be respectful in your negotiations. These discussions are sensitive, and you definitely don’t want to damage your business relationship with your future employer.
That said, your future company EXPECTS you to negotiate. They will respect you for it, and chances are, they will in fact offer you more money. All in a 10 minute phone call.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Jan 27, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but this is a point that I want to drive home. One of the very first things I recommend to the job seekers I meet with is to get business cards- and to take them everywhere. So often, job seekers say they are in one of a few predicaments:
- “I’m between jobs, so I don’t have business cards.”
- “I’m in college (or graduate school), so I don’t need business cards.”
- “I’m changing careers, so my current business card from work isn’t relevant.”
- “My company doesn’t have the money to print them, so I don’t have business cards.”
I have to tell you, none of these excuses are anything more than excuses. At the end of the day, when you’re looking for a job, potential employers need to know how to contact you. You never know when or where you might meet someone who may end up being your next boss, or your next great networking contact (who will introduce you to your next big job). If you don’t have business cards, it’s time to get them. And the good news is, it’s easy. It only takes a few minutes to order them online, and then they will arrive to your house a few days later. Before you start, you’ll want to think about what to include on your business card.
At a bare minimum, you need to include:
- Your name
- Your phone number – I recommend your cell phone, so that you can receive calls anytime
- Your e-mail address – Refer back to my previous newsletter about which e-mail address to use and which one not to use
Other optional elements you can also add are:
- Your personal website URL, if you have one
- Your personal logo, if you have one
- A title that describes your desired line of work – Think of something along the lines of “Project Manager” or “Technology Consultant”
- Your address
If you’re the kind of person that has multiple types of jobs, or qualifications in multiple areas, you may want to consider a card that does not have your title. This will allow you to give the same card to different people, in different industries, and for different types of roles.
If you’re not a graphic artist, or experienced with Photoshop, don’t try to design a logo on your own. If you have a friend who’s an artist, ask them for their help – or leave off the logo altogether. Whatever you do, don’t include a photo of any kind. This is rarely helpful. At the end of the day, a simple business card is always better than a messy one.
When you’re ready to buy your cards, look around. A few of the sites I recommend you check out are FedEx.com, GotPrint.com, VistaPrint.com, and Moo.com.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Jan 13, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter, Resume Writing
Having a great resume won’t get you the job, but having a bad one will prevent you from getting an interview at all. The purpose of your resume is to quickly tell a story about your career, who you are, and what you’re looking for next. It helps potential employers determine if you’re a fit, and it helps your network to scope out new opportunities for you.
If you’re thinking of looking for a new job, updating your resume is the first place you should start. Ideally, keep your resume up to date even when you’re NOT looking, so that you’re prepared when something great comes along. It will also help to ensure that you don’t forget important accomplishments.
Many clients that I work with are unsure of where to begin. Compiling your life’s work on one or two pages is stressful and can cause many people to avoid creating a resume altogether. The good news is that once you have a solid resume, maintaining it is fairly simple. Think of the initial painful setup as an investment (in your future!).
Here are five tips to get you started:
- Look at other resumes for samples, and then create your own. Stuffing your career history into a ready made template can often look awkward, and can be hard to update with your details.
- Include your objective or profile statement. Many candidates forget this section (or avoid it). The objective communicates what kind of job you’re looking for to potential employers and your network. It’s essential.
- Keep your resume to one or two pages max. Beyond two pages, nobody will read it and you will look unfocused. If you’ve been working less than three years, keep it to one page. Beyond that, you can go with one or two pages. If you have two pages, be sure to include pages numbers.
- Don’t use fonts smaller than 9 point. Employers don’t want to strain to read your resume. Cut the details down to what’s really important and you won’t need to squeeze so much onto the page.
- Include measurable results. Explain your impact in terms of quantifiable numbers. How many people did you manage? How much money did you save? How many campaigns did you work on? How much did you exceed your goals? Putting numbers alongside your experience magnifies your impact.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to make your resume the best ever.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Jan 6, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
As you’re starting on your New Year’s resolution to find a new job, it’s time to remember a few things NOT to do during your 2014 job search:
- Sell yourself short: Just because you don’t meet every detail of a job description’s requirements doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply. Who knows, you may even get the job!
- Wear jeans to a job interview: Unless you are 100% certain that jeans are the preferred attire for an interview at the company, wear slacks or a suit. Just because the company employees are wearing jeans (like on Fridays), it doesn’t mean you should. You’re interviewing.
- Use an old e-mail address: E-mail addresses like AOL and Hotmail make you look out of date and out of touch. It’s time to sign up for Gmail.
- Don’t take advantage of LinkedIn: LinkedIn can be a wonderful resource for your job search. If you disagree, it’s time to try again. You can find jobs, stay in touch with your networking connections, and solicit endorsements of your work.
- Post drunk photos of yourself on Facebook: Employers check your social media to find out about you. Don’t post things that you wouldn’t want them to see.
- Lie on your resume: Honesty is the best (and only) policy. And remember, if you lie now, it can be grounds for firing later.
- Forget about networking: Networking is your number one tool for finding a new job. Don’t underestimate its importance.
- Be open to your current employer about your search: Do not tell your boss or coworkers that you’re looking for a new job. You will need to keep that job until you’ve secured your new one. Sharing too soon can leave you without a job before you’re ready.
- Leave home without your business cards: You never know when you’ll meet your next boss. Even if you’re unemployed, get business cards. Carry them everywhere.
- Say negative things about your current employer: Job interviews are not the time to talk about your negative views on your previous employer. Keep the conversation light, and remain as neutral as you can.
- Forget to update your resume: You may be asked to provide a resume sometime when you’re not expecting. Do you really want to create a delay by going home to update it? Keeping it current allows you to send it to anyone anytime.
- Share too many of your personal views: The same way you don’t discuss your political and religious views at a dinner party, you want to keep them to yourself during your job search. Leave them off of your resume and out of social media. You never know who may be reading them. Alternatively, lock down the privacy settings on your social media to keep potential employers eyes away.
- Don’t send thank you notes: Sending a handwritten thank you note after an interview is an easy thing to do that will have a big impact. Few candidates do it, and all employers remember it. It’s in expensive an easy. Give it a try after your next interview.
- Forget about negotiating: Many (if not most) job seekers don’t negotiate when they receive a job offer. Don’t give up thousands of dollars that you could make with a quick conversation. It’s uncomfortable, but it only takes 5 minutes. Give it a try.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Jan 4, 2014 | Newsletter
If you haven’t had a chance, sign up for my Copeland Coaching newsletter here: http://copelandcoaching.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a21ef14e32d196644d7880ed9&id=234c69176c.
The next issue on Monday outlines 14 mistakes to STOP making in your job search this New Year.
by Angela Copeland | Dec 30, 2013 | Advice, Business Cards, Newsletter
The importance of business cards can’t be overstated. They are an essential part of your job search process. Not having a job is no excuse for not having a business card.
One of the most important steps to finding a new job is networking. Successful networking involves meeting new people, and meeting new people involves exchanging contact information. It is far more embarrassing to write your name and phone number on a napkin at a bar (for a potential employer) than to hand them a crisp, new, custom business card.
The card can be simple. If you’re out of work, a student, or thinking of switching careers, start with the following:
- Your name
- Your phone number
- Your e-mail address
You can also add your address, your website’s URL, or your job title (“marketing consultant” for example). Some people even create a personal logo, although I would caution you to not use too many graphics or too much color unless you have a design background. The last thing that you want is a completely homemade looking card.
Once you have an idea of what you want your card to look like, log onto one of the many sites where you can order business cards. A few that I have tried in the past are GotPrint.com, VistaPrint.com, and FedEx.com.
Even nice cards should cost you less than $50. This is more than worth the investment when it comes to finding your next job. Some sites (Vista Print in particular) offer an option to print your cards for free. If you print free cards, Vista Print will put their website on the back or bottom of your card. I would encourage you to try to pull together the $50 to pay for premium cards at Vista Print or one of the other sites. They look more professional and minimize the chances that you’re going to look either inexperienced or desperate for a new job.
Once you have your business cards, TAKE THEM WITH YOU. Everywhere. Do not leave home without them. Ever. I keep business cards in my purse, my car, my wallet, my jacket, and any other place with a pocket. I don’t ever want to miss a networking opportunity, and if you are looking for a job, neither should you.
Last but not least, don’t forget to give your business cards away. Don’t be shy. That’s what they’re for. Most people will give you theirs in return. And if they don’t, it’s probably because they don’t have one and are too embarrassed to write their phone number on a napkin.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
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