Career Confidant: Job Insight from Dave

Temping: It Could Be Permanent, Ensure Your Success

It seems a lot of applicants are hesitant or downright refuse temporary positions in hopes for permanent positions. However, temping is a great way to network in a familiar industry for future positions while adding relevant experience to your resume. Temporary positions are a great way to fill the time during your job search so that when you finally get that interview of your dreams and are asked "What have you been doing this past year?" the answer can be a positive one (with extra references to boot)

So, if you do decide to take up some temporary positions be sure to keep some of the following in mind to make the best of each experience:

1. Arrive at work on time everyday, try to be a few minutes early to allow yourself time to settle in before the day starts.

2. Be courteous to your colleagues and always maintain a positive and professional attitude. Your demeanor at work can make the difference in your assignment being extended or ended.

3. Keep in touch with your temp/staffing agency when anything happens that will cause you to miss work. Generally following up with the agency ensures a positive relationship where a strong ability to efficiently and proactively communicate can supercede coming in late or missing a day at work. Also, call your recruiter to share feedback about the assignment, positive and negative.

4. Refrain from handling your personal business at work - texting and checking emails are the worst offenses.

Some of those are so straightforward but everyday I hear about infractions of at least one!

Tips for Negotiating a Fair Compensation Package

·      In the course of the educational system, most people who start looking for jobs find that they don't know how to get what they need out of a job. Negotiating the perfect Compensation Package requires some planning and with the right strategy can improve your outlook on your work - working while secretly resenting your salary is no way to work at all.

         Know what you are worth. Using internet resources, do research on the salary and compensation ranges for comparable jobs in the area. Glean information during interviews and from your network of sources that indicates the relative value of the position in the company.

      Set a clear goal. Studies on negotiation consistently show that people who set clear and aggressive goals achieve more favorable settlements than those who aim low or do not set goals at all. If you want a salary of eighty grand and a total package worth 100 grand, shoot for it by throwing out an anchor worth more than 100 grand.

    · Set a walk-away price. You know your own financial goals, responsibilities and liabilities. If you cannot take anything under seventy grand and still make sense of accepting the position, do not pretend that you can. Your walk-away price depends not only on your financial needs, but also on the attractiveness of your alternatives to accepting the offered position. If you are currently making sixty grand and there are no other offers finding you, settling at sixty-eight grand might not be a bad idea. If, on the other hand, you have been offered a position for seventy-five grand and a generous benefit package, sixty-eight grand seems less reasonable.

·    Identify all your interests. Before you walk into the negotiation, prioritize your various interests and identify places where you are willing to trade one thing of value for something else. Is the salary more important than stock options? Is a gym membership more important than a review and likely promotion in six months? 

Remember: Negotiating is not about winning, it is a dance towards a certain goal. Each person makes moves with reference to the moves of the other person. Don’t take make it personal, approach it strategically like any business decisions.

Working While on Vacation: How to Cope with the Inevitable

After months without a day off, it's official: You need a vacation. But you feel you just can't leave the office for a long weekend, much less five days or - heaven forbid - two weeks.

The E-Leash - Many of us feel pressured to work on vacation or just down right guilty for not being in the office. Cell phones, pagers and other electronic devices can create a sort of  e-leash. Planning ahead and setting boundaries with your co-workers is the key to making sure you get the break you need. To enjoy a stress-free and work-free vacation, try these tips:

Leave a roadmap - A few weeks before you leave, start recording important information, key contacts and any deadlines that will come up while you are gone. If you leave co-workers with a guide that will help them address questions that arise they will be less likely to contact you on vacation and you will be less likely to walk into a war zone when you return.
Stick to an itinerary - While it's best to leave the office at the office, if you must do work, set limits and boundaries for yourself and your co-workers. Don't let activities on vacation be interrupted by work. Instead set aside an hour or less each day to think about work and stick to it. Instead of having co-workers call you, tell them when you are going to check in, so you can control the time allotted.

As a side note:

In a survey conducted by Expedia.com the vacation habits of employed workers in the U.S., Great Britain, Germany, France and Spain were analyzed. Among the countries surveyed, Americans receive the fewest vacation days on average per year, earning only 14 days, compared to 24 days in Great Britain, 26 days in Germany, 30 days in Spain, and 36 days in France. It’s no surprise that Americans work a lot, but how much is too much. If you actually take a break from the office while on vacation you'll most likely come back refreshed and more productive  - it’s a win-win.

Work Email—Do’s and Don’ts

E-mail should come with a warning label:

"Caution: Do not use e-mail without adult supervision."

Employees often make incorrect assumptions about e-mail usage in the workplace. Employees assume that because it's their work e-mail account, on their work computer, in their office space -- it's theirs. Wrong. Your work email belongs to your employer and should be treated accordingly. Email should never be used to: Discriminate, Harass, Disparage, Make obscene or vulgar comments, or Offend others. The next time you are sending an email from work as yourself these questions before hitting the send button:

1. Would I be comfortable if my e-mail appeared in the newspaper or on the Internet?

2. Would I be comfortable if my comments were quoted out of context?

3. Does my e-mail reflect positively on the company? On me?

4. Could this message be perceived in a negative or offensive way?

REMEMBER:

• If you send an effective e-mail, not only will you receive effective e-mail in return, you will receive FEWER e-mails
• If you’re sending an e-mail TO someone, he or she is your intended audience and you expect them to do something. If you someone is CC-ed (carbon copy), they are receiving the e-mail as an FYI. The BC (blind copy) function means BE CAREFUL!

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Resume Dilemma: Too Young

Having a hard time getting your foot in the door for interviews because you're young and inexperienced? Employers may view older workers as more stable, mature, reliable and skilled than younger workers. Put yourself in the employer's shoes. Would you hire yourself? Why? What do you offer that other candidates may not? Your job is to convince employers that they would benefit by hiring you. These tips will help your resume stand out from the crowd.

Use Youth to Your Advantage

What you lack in experience, you make up for in passion, desire and motivation to succeed. Let this passion shine through your resume; employers want to hire workers who are enthusiastic about their career choice. If you can take on less desirable tasks or work shifts, say so in your resume.

Overcome Objections

Write a list of objections that employers might have about hiring you. Next to each objection, write down why the objection isn't valid. Then incorporate the reasons why an employer should give you a chance in your summary statement.

Prove You're Responsible

If you've ever been in a position of responsibility, provide details and examples on your resume to show you are reliable and trustworthy. These examples could be from work experience, volunteer activities, school projects, internships, hobbies and sports. Write about leadership responsibilities that you've had and completion of assignments for which you were selected over your peers.