Should You Share Your Salary History

Should You Share Your Salary HistoryShould You Share Your Salary HistoryPlay Lets make a deal.Recently, I received a great question from a member of Ladders It binnenseems that all articles on the subject suggest that candidates try to withhold their salary history from companies about to make them an offer. What should you do if you try this tactic and the company asks several times for your salary history, and ultimately says that they will notlage make you an offer until you provide your salary history?Well, folks, heres the answer.Salary-making rule No. 1 in my book is, Postpone salary talk until theres an offer.So, do you follow this rule slavishly? And what do you do when the employer insists ?First, lets acknowledge that rule No. 1 is the hardest rule to follow in the salary negotiation process. Were trained from first grade onward to answer questions. When the teacher called on us, we were rewarded for giving the correct answer. Eventually, we learned that the person who answ ered the fruchtwein questions correctly was the winner, the valedictorian, the brainThe trouble is, in salary negotiations, its hard to give the right answer. There are a lot of wrong answers, and only a few right ones. If you disclose your salary expectations or history, there are hundreds of numbers that are too high, many more that are too low and only one or two that are just right.Take this example - the company is thinking of a package in the $150,000 range, with $115,000 salary and $35,000 in incentives. Youre currently earning a package of $180,000 with a base salary of $95,000. They ask you what youre earning.Two out of the following three answers are wrongAnswer One $180,000.RESULT You are demoted behind candidate No. 2 whos making $145,000 and better fits their range.Answer Two $95,000 base, plus substantial bonuses.RESULT They demote you behind candidate No. 2 because theyve got an idea whom theyre looking for, and a $95,000 salary doesnt fit. Or, they interview you tho roughly and make you a lowball offer.Answer Three Lets keep an open mind on that for now.RESULT The employer is forced to interview you based on skills, qualifications and capabilities, not salary. This is exactly the result we want.Now, the question arises, What if the company ultimately says that they will not make you an offer until you provide your salary history?At this point, the company has every right to insist on an answer. From their viewpoint, it can be a huge waste of time to interview someone only to find out they cant afford that person. Additionally, you dont want to be seen as uncooperative or secretive either. What should you do? Is there a middle ground, a way that will not bump you out of the running, and wont upset the employer?Yes. There are several. Lets explore the one I like to call, Lets make a deal.The tactic here is to make a bargain with the employer. Instead of just giving away your salary information, you make him pay for it with a promise that he will interview you, or at least that he not let salary prevent you from interviewing. That way, you can tell him what he wants to know and not worry that hell knock you out of the running.The strategy goes something like this.Employer What are your currently earning?Candidate Id be glad to share not only my current earnings, but my whole salary history. But I think its a bit too early to get into salary discussions. Im sure you pay a competitive salary, dont you?Employer Well, yes, of course we do.Candidate Then we shouldnt have any difficulty with compensation if the fit is right. Lets explore that for now, if thats OK?Employer Im sorry. Its part of our policy that we have the complete picture of someone before we interview them. I must insist.Candidate No problem. Can I ask you another question?Employer Certainly.Candidate There are several factors I consider when evaluating the fit of a position the challenge, the company culture, location, travel, career path, long-term compensation and immediate salary and bonuses. So, if the fit is right, Im confident salary wont be a problem. Does that make sense so far?Employer Yes.Candidate OK, heres my question. If my current salary is, say, higher than you thought, or maybe lower than you expected, that wont prevent us from having an interview, will it? So, if I tell you all my salary information, can I be assured that well have an interview one way or the other?Voil Youve played Lets make a deal.Worst-case scenario, she continues to insist that you give her your salary history. If she cant agree to that deal, press it a little further and say, Well, then how about this Since you cant guarantee me a full interview, lets do an initial exploration of the fit right here. Lets see if I have 80 percent or more of what youre looking for. If I do, we can handle the salary information easily and set a time to go into more depth. If it doesnt look like Ive got what youre looking for, then salarys a moot point anyway, isnt it? Let s talk.In summary, the non-disclosure rule helps to get you an interview. You dont have to follow it like a commandment, though. As long as the employer is willing to play by your interview me rules, you can tell her what she wants to know.

How to take advantage of warm weather as a remote worker

How to take advantage of warm weather as a remote workerHow to take advantage of warm weather as a remote workerFlexible arrangements allow greater control over where and when work gets completed, providing plenty of chances to get outside and enjoy warm weather. Are you taking full advantage of the opportunities?Before summer days drift away, consider these ideas to take advantage of warm weather and enjoy a little extra sunshinePrepareThe popular stellung of grab your laptop and head outdoors doesnt always jive with reality. The Wi-Fi at that cute caf turns out spotty, that perfect park corner becomes Little League training camp at noon, and the pool chair on your deck leaves waffle thighs and an achy back within a half hour.Telecommuters wishing to work outsideon a regular basis benefit from proactive measures. Scout out potential locations to figure out which offer the best environment during the times youll be working. Invest in a hotspot if necessary. Purchase a quality outdoor chair (often found on clearance at this time of year). Get a battery with a really long life so a dead laptop doesnt send you home early. Check out anti-glare protector screens to make monitor reading easier. Own protective, efficient eyewear (reading sunglasses are a blessing as one ages).Evaluate tasksWorking from your patio seems like a good idea- until your neighbor pokes his head out to see why youre chasing flying papers through his yard. Stick with activities best suited to the great outdoors, such as reading stapled reports, creating to-do lists, brainstorming ideas, returning phone calls, and editing cloud-based files.Try a coworking spaceLack of commute draws people to remote work. However, pleasant weather may make the idea of heading somewhere appealing.Look into area coworking spacesfor times when getting out of the house and being around others sounds interesting.Network in the sunLonging to have drinks and appetizers at an outdoor eatery? Invite a few former coworker s to join you on a sunny afternoon. Staying in touch keeps connections strong. Otherseasonal networking occasionsinclude alumni picnics, neighborhood block parties, and even family reunions. (Who knew the startup Uncle Ralph works at needs someone for a freelance absatzwirtschaft gig?)Take breaks outsideInstead of throwing in laundry during your break or eating lunch in front of CNN, use your scheduled free time to get air. Walking to the market to pick up milk or watching squirrels chase each other while you enjoy a sandwich in the backyard can boost spirits before returning to work.Rearrange your scheduleTake advantage of remote arrangements that dont require specific hours. Getting up an hour early each day to complete tasks may well be worth the effort if it allows you to take Friday off to explore the zoo with your kids.Get doneFinally, considerusing the beautiful weather as a motivator. Knowing theres a lounge chair and a sizzling novel waiting for you upon submission of that project can inspire focus and perseveranceThis article first appeared on FlexJobs.

10 Steps for Creating an Effective Proposal

10 Steps for Creating an Effective Proposal10 Steps for Creating an Effective ProposalYouveprospected effectively and have a qualified client who is interested in seeing a proposal. You also developed a rapport, built trust, and identified needs your product or tafelgeschirr can remedy. Your next step is to design an effective proposal that shows your client why doing business with you is the best decision for their company. How to Create an Effective Proposal To create an effective proposal that impresses new clients requires some thought and preparation. It should focus specifically on the customer and be based on the following steps Learn about your clients industry and competition to determine how you can help them succeed.Research the client to determine any weaknesses or needs.Consider how your services or products can meet your clients needs.Explain how your company stands out from the competition and provide examples of your past work as well as references from satisfied customers.Create a cost/benefit information sheet that explains how the benefits of your product or service exceed the cost.Devise a sales plan that concisely details each step of the sales cycle and how each service or product will solve your clients need. Be mindful of the length, so that the proposal is leid tedious to read.Add visuals to break up any long segments of text.Provide more than one option so your client feels they have a variety from which to choose and will be less likely to look to another service provider.Practice your proposal on others to get objective feedback and make any necessary improvements. One of the main reasons deals that are well structured, well designed, and patiently worked through fail is that the proposal presented to the customer is weak. The overall idea is that you design the proposal with the client in mind. In addition, each proposal you craft should be written for theperson or people who will ultimately give their approval. However, they ma y not be the person with whom you worked during the proceeding sales cycle steps. Therefore, it is helpful to learn early in the sales cycle who will be the final decision-maker. Effective Proposals Achieve Positive Results A well-written proposal concisely details each step of the sales cycle and briefly explains how a specific product or service will solve an identified need. Your proposal should remind a prospective client of their pains and why they began seeking a solution initially. Your goal is to explain how you will solve their needs, increase their productivity, and save them money. The final decision-maker should be able to read your proposal and fully understand the business challenges you are proposing to solve, how you propose to solve them, and why they should choose your company over another one. Send a contract soon after you receive a favorable decision from the client. The client will be assured that they remain a priority and that you continue to focus on ser ving them. You can even create a draft contract to bring to the initial meeting in case your client accepts your proposal at its conclusion and wants to review the agreement. Your proposal should include enough details to allow it to stand on its own. The delicate balance for which you must strive is providing enough information to allow for a decision while keeping the proposals length short enough so as to not dissuade the client from reading the entire item. By following these steps, you can get ahead of the competition by closing more deals, making larger sales, and increasing your number of clients.