Monthly Archives: November 2016

5 Things That Will Cost You That Job

 

You have been searching for the right job and now you have the all-important in person interview scheduled.  In any interview there are things that can get you the job and things that will guarantee you don’t get the job.

Here you 5 things that will cost you that job every time:

 

  1. Inappropriate Dress

These days more and more companies are casual or business casual, so dressing for an interview can be tricky.  You should ask your recruiter or HR contract to ensure you are dressed properly. However, if you don’t know, make sure you dress more conservatively.  A dark suit and tie are always a good choice.

  1. Not Listening

We all do it…we are eager to impressed and don’t listen to the interviewer.  The best interviews are conversations.  To have a great conversation, you need to listen to the other person.

  1. Not Giving Examples of Your Experience

It is important to back up your experience with examples from your career.  Examples that include quantifiable or measurable results are the best.  These examples allow the interviewer to imagine your impact in their company.

  1. Bad Mouthing a Previous Employer

We have all had bad experiences at work, but sharing that experience can show make your prospective company think you are a complainer.  Instead, limit your explanations and remain positive.  People want to hire positive employees.

  1. Forgot to Ask For the Job

The most common mistake most people make during an interview is they don’t ask for the job.  At the end of the interview, be sure to tell the person interviewing you, how interested you are in the opportunity and that you would be eager to join the company.  This shows your interest level and tells the company you want this position.

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Holiday Time Off Requests-Is It Too Late?

 

 

One of the e best things about the holiday season is taking time off. The only problem…everyone wants to take the same days off.

If your company doesn’t give the week between Christmas and New Year’s off, these are prime time vacation days that everyone wants to take off. If you’re making specific plans during this busy vacation season, it’s hard to know exactly when you should bring it up with your boss.

When To Ask
Planning ahead on time off requests is always the best.  When the time off concerns the holiday season, managers are always burden with ensuring the work is covered.  So, the sooner you let you manager know your holiday plans, the more likely that your request will be approved.

Too Early vs. Too Late
You may wonder if it’s ever possible to ask for vacation too far in advance. For example, if you ask for holiday vacation in December over the summer, will it come off like you’re trying to “get ahead” of other people’s requests? This depends on how your company schedules holiday and if they can identify the business needs so far in advance. If you believe the request is too early, a good idea is to let you manager know your intentions.  Telling him/her that you want a certain day off for vacation, if it is possible.  This will help you “hold your place” in the line of requests/

What To Do If You Wait Too Long
It’s November, is it too late to ask? At this point, you need to just go ahead and ask your manager. If you can provide a solution for your manager, they’re more likely to agree to give you the time you want. If you aren’t able to find someone to cover for you.  Finding a plan that is workable for you and your manager will help you solidify your holiday plans.

One of the e best things about the holiday season is taking time off. The only problem…everyone wants to take the same days off.

If your company doesn’t give the week between Christmas and New Year’s off, these are prime time vacation days that everyone wants to take off. If you’re making specific plans during this busy vacation season, it’s hard to know exactly when you should bring it up with your boss.

When To Ask
Planning ahead on time off requests is always the best.  When the time off concerns the holiday season, managers are always burden with ensuring the work is covered.  So, the sooner you let you manager know your holiday plans, the more likely that your request will be approved.

Too Early vs. Too Late
You may wonder if it’s ever possible to ask for vacation too far in advance. For example, if you ask for holiday vacation in December over the summer, will it come off like you’re trying to “get ahead” of other people’s requests? This depends on how your company schedules holiday and if they can identify the business needs so far in advance. If you believe the request is too early, a good idea is to let you manager know your intentions.  Telling him/her that you want a certain day off for vacation, if it is possible.  This will help you “hold your place” in the line of requests/

What To Do If You Wait Too Long
It’s November, is it too late to ask? At this point, you need to just go ahead and ask your manager. If you can provide a solution for your manager, they’re more likely to agree to give you the time you want. If you aren’t able to find someone to cover for you.  Finding a plan that is workable for you and your manager will help you solidify your holiday plans.

 

 

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It’s Time for a Raise—What Type Do You Want?

 

As we get closer to the holiday season, more employees are looking for raises.  It’s always good news when you receive an increase in your pay, but the range of possibilities for increases is vast.

Some companies offer an annual raise that is usually a cost of living increase. This boost in pay is applied across the board to bump up all employees’ salaries, allowing paychecks to keep pace with inflation.

Other companies offer bonuses or merit-based raises that are applied using a metric to evaluate and reward each employee’s professional contribution. Offering merit-bases raises or other variable pay such as bonuses tends to be favored over applying an annual one-size-fits-all COLA.

Cost of Living Increase

Government jobs, as well as some non-profit sector position, adhere to the cost of living salary increase model.  While a pay raise is always welcome, it can be a bit of a blow to morale when everyone earns the same pay raise, regardless of each person’s job performance. In some cases, a merit raise can be applied on top of the COLA. This way, the raise functions both as a means to ensure that all employees get a needed boost to keep up with cost of living , while extraordinary employees earn their proper recognition for their performance.

Merit-based raises

Variable pay includes merit-based raises and bonuses. These are usually calculated by applying a formula to access employees’ performance and then divvying up the available funds according to which employees earned the highest marks.

Rather than applying their resources to an annual cost of living increase that is uniformly administered, employers are increasingly likely to favor merit-based increases and other incentives that recognize excellence and make employees happier in their day-to-day work lives.

No matter what type of pay increase, most employees are happy for the extra money.  Understanding the types of raises and increase can help you better understand the impact to your pocket.

 

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