Two Salary Secrets for Flexible Job Applicants - FlexJobs

Two Salary Secrets for Flexible Job Applicants - FlexJobs Two Salary Secrets for Flexible Job Applicants 20WorkOptions.com. Online since 1997,  WorkOptions has helped thousands of professionals get quick approval of a flexible work arrangement at their current job.   You already understand the time and flexibility appeal of a part-time or telecommuting job. But pay is important, too, right? Here’s what you need to know to get both flexibility and a fair or even fabulous salary. Salary Secret #1: Negotiate salary based on the job requirements, not the flexibility factor. Job flexibility is not a substitute for a fair wage, even though you put high value on it.  Once you have a firm job offer, negotiate your starting salary recognizing that, while flexibility is a desirable part of the job, it’s not a replacement for a fair wage.  Otherwise, if you’re not careful, you could fall into the trap that trades money for flex and time freedom. The trap sounds like this: “The pay is lower than average, but I get to work from home two days out of the week.” “I’m not sure what the going rate is for the position, but the hours are great.” “When I worked full-time at a similar job, the hourly pay was 12% higher. But I’m okay with less because it’s a part-time position. Working three days a week is a gift.” Sound familiar? You have plenty of company. In a recent survey, close to half of employees said they would be willing to give up some salary for more flexibility at work. But don’t do it.  No matter your schedule or where you get the work done, the value you bring to your job should be rewarded in wages which reflect the fair “market value” for the position.  Let me explain. If you have a used car to sell, the Kelley Blue Book is the familiar third-party resource that both buyer and seller use to determine the car’s fair market value. The dollar range is based on the car’s year, make, model, condition and even geographic location. It’s not an arbitrary figure; there’s market demand to support it.  Likewise, the job position you’re applying for (or currently in) also has a market value, a salary range based on demand, job requirements, training, experience and geographic area. Your particular background and achievements influence where your market value stands within that range. Which brings us to the second salary secret. Salary Secret #2: Know and use the job position’s market value range when negotiating your salary. Determining it is one of your critical job interview research tasks. You’ll use it when engaging in salary negotiations. The market value serves as a starting point or an anchor for negotiating your total pay package. That pay package may include some attractive employee benefits. Knowing your market value range allows you to be flexible in negotiating to a final salary figure giving due consideration to employee benefits   without dropping below the bottom of the range. In other words, you can compromise to a degree without conceding too much.  If you don’t know your market value, you have virtually no basis from which to negotiate because the anchor point is missing. Why is this so important, especially for women? Women are not socialized to negotiate and are quicker than men to accept the first figure offered without negotiating it to reflect market value. When a starting salary offer is made within the market value range, women have been shown to concede a final figure too early even when their experience would warrant the higher end of the range. This costs them thousands of dollars and impacts their earning power for decades! Hiring managers of both genders know this about women and it’s not unusual for them to extend offers below or at the low end of the market value range. Ouch!  The remedy? Researchers have found that women can improve their negotiation results substantially when they use third-party market information to set their goals. That’s why it’s important to know your market value numbers before negotiating! Then use the information during your salary negotiation. How to Estimate the Market Value Range of a Job To get the figures you need, I recommend you use the following: The Salary Wizard found at Salary.com and other helpful tools found at PayScale, Glassdoor and Job Search Intelligence Market value information that might be provided by your professional association. Inquire of the local, regional and national offices for any salary data they have The collection of salary surveys provided at the Job Star website Got some numbers? Does it match post-recession realities where you live and work? Why not go a few steps further to validate it with current local data? For example, maybe you or a colleague have recently researched or applied for other jobs in your area and learned the salary range being offered. Call the human resources departments of nearby employers which have a similar job position to the one you’re applying for. They might not be forthcoming with salary figures, but if you persist and ask for a range, you could surface valuable information. The salary figures you find generally reflect a full-time position as an employee, with benefits. So if, for example, you’re applying for a part-time position of 24 hours a week, first figure the pro-rated 60% amount, or the corresponding hourly rate of the full-time salary, and negotiate from that anchor point. (Note: A different set of negotiation guidelines apply if you’re a freelancer, contractor, or part-time employee with no or few benefits.) Flexibility is Not a Perk; It’s a Business Strategy We are past the days of flexible work arrangements being considered an accommodation or “perk” for parents. They appeal to all types of people, and savvy employers recognize workplace flexibility as a smart business strategy driving employee recruitment, retention, engagement, productivity and even health improvements. Remember that when negotiating your salary at a flexible job. Focus on the market value of the job position and the merits you bring to it. With that combination, you can have flexibility and a fair wage.

6 unexpected lessons my children taught me about being a leader

6 unexpected lessons my children taught me about being a leader 6 unexpected lessons my children taught me about being a leader On International Women’s Day, our team at  ThirdLove  spent time talking about the women we admire. We heard about moms, grandmas, sisters, wives, and best friends.I chose my daughter, Sloane.Sloane is four and a half years old, and she’s been doing something lately that really makes me proud. Whenever I take her somewhere, and she sees a woman (only a woman, interestingly) working at a certain job - pilot, massage therapist, Lyft driver - she immediately decides that’s what she wants to do.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!After she saw a female dentist, she spent the next three days saying she wanted to be a “teeth cleaner.”In her mind, she can do anything. And that’s so incredible to see. I get to watch her jump from job to job without ever thinking there’s something she can’t do.From me, I hope she learns that she can  be a founder  and a leader. But tru thfully, both my kids have taught me a lot more about leadership than they probably realize.Here’s what I’ve learned from them:1. Every day is a new dayOne of our company mottos actually is, “Every day is a new day.” That’s the mentality we want our team to have.Kids live and breathe that motto.To them, it’s not even day to day. Every hour- every minute- is new. Kids live in the moment, and they have an amazing ability to take a situation, reframe it, and move on.That’s a mindset you have to strive for as a leader. You can’t be too focused on the past or the future. You have to come into work each day and treat the present like it’s the only thing that matters.2. Put passion and energy into everything you do.Young children are so enthusiastic about whatever it is they’re doing. They’re just so happy to be alive, to be active and enjoying the world around them.So often we think of our daily life as a grind, a routine that we have to put ourselves through over an d over. But my kids remind me to get excited about the opportunities that come each day.Seeing the way they approach each day and each activity is a good hint to stay dedicated and passionate about my own work.3. If you set your mind to something, you can do it.Part of being a selfless leader is following through. If you say you’ll make something happen, you do. No matter what.Kids are incredible at taking on challenges when they put their minds to it. When my daughter was about two-and-a-half years old, she became obsessed with the monkey bars. I noticed her intently watching the kids playing on them, focusing on their movements.After a while, she just figured it out. She tried it again and again- and at three years old she could do the whole set of monkey bars.There are very few things in life you can’t do if you work hard and stay focused on your goal. It’s all about how much research you do, how much effort you put in, and how dedicated you are to making something happen.4 . Be thoughtful about your relationshipsI was more selfish before I had kids. Many people are. You don’t realize how much you focus on yourself until you have someone who depends on you for absolutely everything.My children have taught me to be more thoughtful about my relationships and more sensitive to what people at my company need at any moment in time. Life is full of ups and downs. Maybe someone is going through a divorce. Maybe they’re taking care of a sick parent.Whatever the case, a real leader makes sure people have time to take care of personal needs and be present for the moments that truly matter.5. Efficiency is a necessityKids take up nearly all of your free time. And because you have less time for yourself, you’re forced to operate more efficiently. There are certain things you just don’t have time to contemplate anymore.As a founder, that’s actually helped me in some ways. I used to spend days focused on certain issues. But now, I make a decision and move on. I don’t have time to ruminate over all the potential downsides or pitfalls.Becoming fixated on one problem for too long can actually be detrimental for a leader. Even if you make a mistake, you have to move on quickly.6. Learn to adapt and stay resilientThe way kids adapt to new situations is amazing.You know what I mean if you’ve ever dropped off a child for their first day of preschool. They almost always cry. Your care has been the only world they’ve ever known. And now they’re being dropped off in a foreign environment with teachers and other kids they don’t know. It’s a nightmare.But by the next morning, or a few days later, they’re excited to go back. All it takes is a day or two for them to adapt to the environment and get over their fear.Adults aren’t as good at that. As we get older, we become set in our ways. And we aren’t as resilient when we’re thrown into a new situation. But leaders have to  rise to challenges  and adapt to new circumstances. Th ey have to be a little more like children on the second day of preschool, ready to meet new people and take on the monkey bars.This article originally appeared on Quora.  You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

4 Ways to Overcome the Ums, Likes, and Aahs in Your Job Interview

4 Ways to Overcome the Ums, Likes, and Aahs in Your Job Interview 4 Ways to Overcome the Ums, Likes, and Aahs in Your Job Interview Are your interview spiels full of “ums,” “likes,” and “aahs?” Then this blog post is for you. We encounter a lot of professionals who unconsciously use these filler words. When they use “um,” “ahh,” “you know,” and “like”  once or twice, there really isn’t an issue. In some ways, it makes people  sound like they  studied their words carefully before speaking.  It’s when they keep repeating them â€" that’s when the problem arises. Why? It kills their credibility, making them sound  like teenagers instead  of professionals. So how do you overcome the “ums,” “likes,” and “aahs?” Here are 4 ways: Speech Rhythm When you don’t plan and organize what you want to say in an interview, you ramble or use unstudied speech. If your thoughts are organized before going on your interview, you will speak better. Ritchelle Blanco Dejolde, a presentation and speech improvement trainers suggest that you chunk your sentences before you speak and then pause for a second or two. This will help you create a rhythm when you talk. For example: spoken words / break / spoken words / break. If you can maintain this rhythm throughout the interview, the “um’s” and “aahs” will fade away. Make a recording Have you ever recorded yourself delivering a speech? It can be brutally painful to do this but it is absolutely necessary. Listening to your own voice and hearing your mistakes is an eye opener. If you listen well, and study yourself, and all the little fillers you use, you will be astonished at how often you use them. These are called speech crutches and once you learn what yours are, you will be more careful not to use them the next time you sit down for a job interview. Use pre-planned transitional fillers When you say the filler “um,” you’re telling the interviewer that you are still gathering your thoughts and that your train of thought is incomplete. Use transitional phrases instead. Instead of “um,” use “moving on,” or “let’s talk about,” or “another valid point is…” In the beginning it will sound a little fake, but if you practice these phrases, you will start sounding more natural. Use tip number two here as well. Make eye contact When you apply making sincere eye contact throughout a job interview, you are less likely to use these filler words because it’s really awkward to say “um” when you’ve locked eyes with the interviewer. Try it on a friend or a spouse before your interview. Position your body and gaze directly into their eyes with engaging attention and have them ask you interview questions. It may feel a little silly but you will also find that you use your filler crutches a lot less. With consistent practice of these effective strategies, you will lessen the need to use these credibility stealing fillers in no time.

Time Management Secrets

Time Management Secrets Time Management Secrets There is no one secret to time management. In fact, there are three time management secrets. They are easy to learn and remember. The hard part is making yourself use them consistently. Do that, however, and you will master the time management secrets and you will get more done in your business and in your life. The Three Secrets of Time Management There are three key elements of time management. You have to focus first on using your limited amount of time on the most important things. You have to use that time efficiently. And you have to actually do those things instead of just talking or thinking about them. Do The Right Things First Perhaps the most important of the time management secrets is to do the right things first. Its easy to lose focus and spend a lot of time on things that are urgent, but not important. The trick is to stay focused on the important things and not waste your limited amount of time on anything else. The 80/20 Rule, also known as Paretos Principle, says that 20 percent of something always are responsible for 80 percent of the results. For example, twenty percent of the products will have eighty percent of the flaws. This article explains the rule in more detail and tells how you can use it to more effectively manage time and many different aspects of your life.You can save time by knowing when to step in and when to hang back if an employee has a problem. Managers need to let employees make their own mistakes so they can learn from them. We can train them and advise them, but actual experience is often the best teacher. A good manager, therefore, will hang back and resist the impulse to jump in every time an employee encounters difficulty. One time you cant hang back is the difficult employee. Many managers struggle with managing difficult employees. You may be tempted to not deal with them and hope the situation will get better on its own. It wont. These types of tasks will take less time if you address them immediately instead of waiting and then having to spend more time on them later. Use Time Efficiently Even when you master the time management secret of only working on the important tasks, you still need to be efficient with your time if you want to get everything done. You Cant Really Multitask. The author used to be a major fan of multi-tasking, but hes become a convert to chunking. The name isnt as exciting, but the results are impressive. Use Chunking Instead of Multi-tasking and you will get more done in less time.Many people try using to do lists to help them with time management. Still there somehow never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. You have to use a to-do list that helps you stick with your priorities. Here is the system that has worked for me. It can work for you too. One final key to using your time efficiently is to not take on more than you can handle. Many times, that means knowing when to say no to your boss. Get Things Done You know the importance of doing the right things first and you are good at using your time efficiently. But neither of those will do you any good without the third time management secret: you have to actually get things done. It is not enough to know what to do, to think about doing something, or to talk about doing it. You have to actually get things done. Dont let analysis paralysis keep you from getting things done. Planning is an important part of the job we do, but it is not an end goal. Don’t let the process get in the way of results. Do your planning, but dont lose sight of the need to get the job done. Bottom Line There are three time management secrets. Focus first on the most important things. Use time efficiently. And actually get things done. The more you use these, the more you will get done on what really matters.

The Differences Between Chief and Assistant Curators

The Differences Between Chief and Assistant Curators The Differences Between Chief and Assistant Curators Within the world of art curation, there is a pretty well-established hierarchy. In addition to an educational background in art history, most museum curators are knowledgeable in art and culture, including current trends. Many have training in another area of the humanities, like literature or philosophy.   But theres much more to the job of an art curator than just cataloging paintings and arranging exhibits. In the modern era, art curators need to wear many hats. If they hope to rise to the position of chief curator, theyll need to be skilled in business strategies, such as hiring staff, managing a budget and overseeing assets and resources.   What Does a Curator Do? Curators are often the voice of the museum they represent, especially when it comes to high-profile exhibits and collections, so they need to have some marketing and public relations talents. Theyre skilled and polished communicators, who must feel comfortable being the museums liaison between the artist or art owner and the museums audience and general public. Another critical skill that curators need in the 21st century is fundraising experience. Art museums, especially smaller ones, have to be creative and nimble when it comes to juggling resources, and an ability to persuade philanthropic donors to give is highly valuable. But perhaps the qualification that serves art museum curators best is experience. This is where an assistant curators skill set is going to differ from that of a chief curator. Chief Curators Run the Show   Think of the chief art curator like a movie director. He or she has to oversee all details of a production, organizing artists (or actors), which can often feel like herding cats. People skills are paramount; it would be difficult to do the job effectively without the ability to work as part of an often-changing cast of characters. Much like making a movie, it  often takes many skilled people to pull off a successful exhibition. Unless theyre especially small and have only one curator, most art museums typically have one chief curator and several assistant curators. The chief curators most basic responsibilities involve overseeing the museums programming, exhibitions, and its permanent collection.  Its their vision and their strategy that are most apparent in the museums overall image, so its a powerful job that requires someone with confidence and drive.   In addition to managing the exhibitions and permanent collection, chief curators have to oversee staff, including assistants. So an excellent chief-assistant relationship is pretty crucial for things to run smoothly. Assistant Curators Play Backup Assistant curators function more like administrative assistants and help the chief curator fulfill the art museums mission. Theyll be called upon to perform a variety of tasks, and should be prepared to step in for the chief curator when needed. Working as an assistant curator is one in-depth way to learn about art museums. And its a step toward becoming a chief curator. The role of assistant curator is different (and lower on the totem pole) than that of an associate curator. Most associate curators are specialists who work in a specific department of an art museum such as Renaissance art, or Impressionism. Associate curators work ranges from research and cataloging to helping develop the museums permanent collection. Associate curators may also be called upon to help with an exhibition that falls into their area of expertise.

How to Master the Phone Interview

How to Master the Phone Interview How to Master the Phone Interview The path to professional success often begins with a phone interview. In fact, 82 percent of HR managers and working professionals say that phone skills are key to both landing a job and maintaining a sustainable career, according to research from TracFone. For those looking to secure their first professional job, rejoin the workforce or climb the professional ladder, the importance of phone etiquette cannot be understated. To master the phone interview, follow these five tips: Speak clearly. Speaking in a clear, confident voice eliminates potential for miscommunication and provides a positive tone to the call. Be sure to sound upbeat and enthusiastic during the interview â€" you can even smile to help with this and use your voice to convey your excitement about the position. Stay connected with the right device. All of the interview preparation in the world won’t save you if your phone fails, so make sure you’re available with a secure line when the call comes through. Keep your resume on hand. Often, hiring managers will reference your resume during the phone interview process. Having a copy handy will help you answer those questions with confidence and ease. You can even make a list of “talking points” that provide more detail about your background to reference during the call. Ask questions. The interview is meant to be a conversation and two-way process, so it’s important to have a few questions of your own about the company and position for which you’re applying. This will show the interviewer that you don’t just want any job, but a long-term career at that company. It’s also a good opportunity to determine if the job and the company really are the right fit for you. Send a follow-up thank you note. The phone interview doesn’t end when you hang up. One of the most important steps to career success is the follow-up. Carefully record who you spoke with and send them a thank you note for taking the time to speak with you. If you have their email address already, use that, or research their contact information on sites like LinkedIn. Reiterate your interest in the position and emphasize why you are a perfect fit. It’s an important, lasting impression that may help you secure the job and, ultimately, career success.

James Patterson commencement speech on rejection is part of success

James Patterson commencement speech on rejection is part of success James Patterson commencement speech on rejection is part of success James Patterson is a bestselling thriller and mystery author, known for his Alex Cross series, and has sold more than 375 million books worldwide. He’s also a literacy advocate, and in 2013 he established The James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarships to support 16 University of Florida College of Education students pursuing careers as elementary or secondary school teachers.Patterson, whose father grew up in the Newburgh Poorhouse in New York, spoke at the University of Florida’s commencement on themes of rejection, failure, work-life balance, and doing the right thing.“When I was 25, I wrote my first novel, a mystery called ‘The Thomas Berryman Number,’ ” Patterson said. “It was turned down by 31 publishers. It then won an Edgar Award as the ‘best first mystery novel of the year.”Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Patterson said that he used to keep a l ist of all the editors who turned down his first novel. “Sometimes they send me books and ask for blurbs â€" for their author’s books. Lots of luck with that!” He was just kidding â€" Patterson said that he gave them the endorsements.Rejection is especially common for writers, but it’s a normal part of life for everyone, Patterson said.“Sooner or later we all have to deal with rejection, and you just have to keep moving forward. It’s going to happen.”  The lesson and the grace that Patterson encapsulates is that he’s learned not to take it personally, become paralyzed by fear or self-doubt, or hold grudges.Just as rejection is a step along the path of life, so, too, will be a failure. Patterson quoted Winston Churchill, saying ” ‘Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.’ Churchill kept improving his story with each failure â€" do that. You’re going to fail sometimes â€" keep going.”When it came to work-life balance, Patterson s aid, “Many of you will face the problem of balancing work with family. …here’s a story you should try to remember.“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You could name them â€" work, family, health, friends, spirit â€" and somehow you’re keeping all of these balls in the air.“Hopefully, you come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, believe it or not, it will bounce back.“But the other four balls â€" family, health, friends, spirit â€" are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, maybe even shattered. They will never be the same.“Once you understand that, maybe, just maybe, you strive for more balance in your lives. Try to do that.”That said, Patterson has an admirable work ethic, telling the graduating class he wrote every day, 365 days a year. He wrote before he came to give the speech, he said, and he’d write on his way back on the plane. When you f ind your passion â€" something he told the students he hoped they’d also find â€" it’s hard to take a day off.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people