Saturday, March 14, 2020

4 questions to ask when negotiating a job offer

4 questions to ask when negotiating a job offerYou have a job offerawesome Your work is done, right? After all, youve made it through the resume pile/interview/second interview gauntlet and emerged as the winner. Not so fast, champyou still have some work to do. The job offer is just the start of the next leiter negotiating. This is your chance to get as much compensation as you can as you prepare to start this new phase of your career. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Lets review the most important questions to ask as you start to negotiate salary and/or benefits with your new employer.1. How are employees reviewed, and how is this tied to salary increases?This question lets you know what you can expect down the line and what you should negotiate up front. If the salary seems low up front and the company is unlikely to budge very much during this first phase, you can start making your planand your casefor an increase later on. If raises at this company are tied to good performance reviews, you can go in to the job on day one with the goal of achieving an excellent (or whatever the metric is), and can talk with your manager to set specific goals so youll be in good shape when it comes time to talk about a pay bump.2. Besides the base pay, are any benefits negotiable?This gives you a sense of the playing field. If you cant negotiate time off, insurance coverage, or other benefits, theres no point in spending your time and energy on those points. It also lets you push a bit on the salary, if nothing else is up for discussion. Knowing whats flexible and whats not will help you target your negotiation.3. What is the fiscal year for this company?This question is a good one to ask because itll tell you when your next window for negotiation or a raise will be. If youre starting at the beginning of a year and the companys fiscal year starts in January, then youll have a straightforward year before an increase. But if youre starting in January and their fiscal year ends after the first quarter (April), youll be waiting significantly longer than a year for a potential salary increase. That gives you a bit of leverage to say, Since it will be more than a year until Im eligible for a salary review, Im hoping we can start with a slightly higher initial salary.4. Can you send me employee benefit costs?The company should be able to send you a one-pager or a packet outlining the basic benefits offered by the company (insurance, vacation time, etc.) and any related employee contributions/costs. Benefits arent usually highly negotiable, but you can use this cost information as part of your proposed salary.As you get started with the job offer negotiation process, the most important part is having as much information as possible at your disposal. That way, you can make realistic requests and have a good idea of how far you can push with your negotiationor when you should retreat and live to negotiate another day .

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

The 7 Kinds of OOO Messages (And What They Say About Your Personality)

The 7 Kinds of OOO Messages (And What They Say About Your Personality) Heading out of the office for some RR, traveling off the grid or taking the day off for a simple staycation? Whatever the case, your out-of-office (OOO) message says a lot about you.Here are seven types of OOO messages, and what they tell recipients about you.1. The Well-Balanced BeingHey there Ill be out of the office taking advantage of company names attention to work-life balance Ill be doing my best to unplug so I can spend some quality time with family over the next few days. You can catch me back in the office on date. Until then, feel free to reach my colleague, emaille, here with any urgent questions or concerns. Thanks in advance for respecting my time offThis kind of OOO email lets recipients know that you appreciate a work-life balance, and you expect that others respect it, too. Those who do value a work-life balance, as well, will respect your time off.2. The World TravelerThanks for reaching out I wo nt be tending to my emails for the next week. Thats because, at the moment, Im soaking up some sun somewhere in Thailand. Please reach out to my colleague, name, for any urgent requests. Otherwise, Ill get back to you on date when I return rejuvenatedSending an OOO email like this one tells recipients that youre a world traveler. While this may induce envy in some, it could also spark good conversation and create connections with others3. The OutdoorswomanHello Thanks for your email. Im off the grid, busy trekking to Mount Kilimanjaro base camp in Tanzania. So, needless to say, I wont have access to email for the next few days Feel free to contact my colleague, name, for any immediate requests. Or skipiste out until make it back down the mountain, and Ill get back to you on date.An OOO email that tells recipients that youre out in the wild, off the grid and unable to tend to emails suggests that youre a real outdoorswoman who truly unplugs when she says she will. Again, while this k ind of email can induce envy in some who wish they could trade places, it can also lead to connections with people who might have similar interests or, in this case, have had the same experiences.4. The WorkaholicThanks for your email. I have limited access to email until date, but Ill do my best to respond to all queries in a reasonable timeframe.This work email suggests to others that youre a workaholic, willing to jump ansprechbar even though youre supposed to be using your paid time off (PTO) It says that youre willing to work, and probably have a difficult time saying no and unplugging.5. The GeneralistHello Thanks for reaching out. Im out of the office until date. Please reach out to my colleague, name, with any urgent questions or concerns.This very simple OOO email tells recipients that youre out of the office in the most general way possible. You dont think too much about emails like this. Rather, youre to the point and direct, so you can focus on the real matter at hand En joying your time off.6. The Self-Care GuruHi there Thanks for your email. Im taking two days off to practice some self-care. Ill be back in the office feeling refreshed and ready for your queries on date. Thanks for your understandingThis OOO email lets recipients know that you take self-care seriously. Youre the kind of person who prioritizes self-care practices such as reading, unwinding with a favorite television series, hitting the spa, spending time with family, exercising, etc. Whatever it is that you enjoy doing, you hope that others value your self-time, too.7. The ApologizerThanks for your email Unfortunately, Im out of the office and have limited access to email at the moment. I apologize for any inconvenience If your email is urgent, feel free to forward it along to my colleague, name. Theyll get back to you, and I will reach back out as soon as possible Thanks in advance for your understanding.The over-apologizer says their sorry for times when they dont need to be Sendi ng an OOO email that apologizes for using your allotted time off suggests that youre the kind of person whos always trying to appease others. Its not a badeanstalt trait, but it can certainly take a toll on your own mental health--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram her_report,Twitterherreportand Facebook.