Real Life Experiences And Real Life Solutions

Q: "How do you choose from multiple offers & a counter offer ?" 
When a dedicated career search gives multiple options , how does one choose the best 
possible position? How does one filter through, when all offers are intriguing? And how does one evaluate a counter-offer if the current employer offers one?
A: Check / Recheck and Reconfirm
Those are the key criteria in evaluating your options, assuming the money is in the right ballpark. Even if you take the wrong job in a company that scores high on those three criteria, you will make your way into the right job quickly and the money will follow.

Everything else is incidental.

1. Check . - That you really want to do that job. Then check and make sure the people will be good to work with. If you've interviewed with only a few, ask to meet more. Ask to meet managers and people whose own work will directly impact your ability to do your job effectively. You'll quickly see what life will be like on the job. Too often, job candidates see an appealing job and take it, only to find that the people they have to work with (not necessarily in their own department) are inept, unmotivated, unenthusiastic, or just plain miserable to work with. Ask about management's "reward" practices - do they acknowledge good performers with raises, promotions, new projects and exciting work? Finally, do a search (at the library and online) for the people in the organization who are the key players - see what the professional and business press has to say about them. Don't base your decision strictly on the job interview THEY want you to have.

2. Recheck. Now is the time to RECHECK and really judge a product (or service) by comparing it to competing or similar products. You can also try to benchmark it against itself - what did it look like a year ago? Two? Five? How has it evolved to meet the needs of the customer? Has the product changed on a continuous curve, or has it made some leaps that significantly changed the way its customers benefit from it? Did the organization take some risks to drive improvements? Or has it been complacent?

3. Reconfirm . Now is the time to RECONFIRM and this is what matters the most, Reconfirm by searching the professional and business media for information. Talk to reporters who write about the organization. Most important, talk to the customers. Review the questions in (2) above with them as well. You'll learn a great deal.

Then, apply these same criteria to your current job and employer. It will take a lot of thought, research and time spent with people who will have a lot of potential impact on your future - and it's the value of that future you're trying to assess. When you've got the information you need, you'll be able to put the compensation, the benefits and all the other relevant issues into perspective when evaluating your offers.
The real rule for knowing whether this is the right job is to believe it in your HEART and take ACCEPTANCE from your HEAD and if this is done....well you are rocking .........

Real Life Experiences And Real Life Solutions

How is the Salary Really Determined?

Salary Determination is a very focused and calculated Process.

HR would always try to make you believe that the salary that goes with a position is nonnegotiable. The salary may have been determined even before the opening was announced. Human resources and other company policies may have contributed towards this tough stance. However this is completely untrue.

The concept of calculation of salary is as simple as who is more desperate adn what do you really get to the table.

The question to always ask yourself is :- Do you add value to the job which is more than what is being offered to you and if you do then you have made it ........... if someone wants to pay the job Rs. 25000 and you think you are worth Rs. 35000 and confident that you would add value of Rs. 70,000 by taking that job then just ask for it. No smart company would lose you ever.

If you really want the salary that you think you are worth then go beyond the HR and Talk with operations what you think. Normally The operation s have more pull on the salary then the HR.

 

A boom is never forever: HR Head

“Recruiters need to be innovative all the time by looking for cost – effective ways of hiring.
Some suggestions:
1.Check ROI carefully
2. Use referral systems
3. Network
4. Have strong internal databases
5. Keep in touch with all the past applicants/ employees
6. Use sites to attract attention of prospective candidates, etc.” said Mr Elston Pimenta, HR Head, Cybage Software Pvt. Ltd. during a Live Chat session on the possible hiring boom in India in 2010. It was organized by TimesJobs on Jan 20th, 2010.
Other highlights of advice that Mr. Pimenta gave to candidates include:
“Branding is vital for any firm. Work on this aspect and grow through networking.”
“Look at how “employable” you are at the moment. It has always been a challenge and it will always remain so. That is the “spice” of work-life. If you have kept abreast with technology advancements, you will not face a problem.”
“Unfortunately a boom is never forever. It will iron out in due course of time as…the “demand” and “supply” stabilize.”
“Do not compromise on quality and at all times maintain internal equity first, before being influenced by the industry.”

Victims Don’t Get Jobs

A recent quote in an article in the Wall Street Journal was a perfect summation of something I think has been coming to a boil over the last 6 months. Colleen McCreary, the head of HR for Zynga, was talking about mistakes that jobseekers make when applying online. Colleen’s warning to jobseekers was direct and dire: “You are going to be remembered – and not in a positive way.”

What does this mean? I think it means that recruiters and HR professionals are starting to point out that in this economy jobseekers should beware thinking that populist rage is a solid strategy for finding a job.

According to many “experts”, jobseekers are getting screwed by (take your pick): incompetent recruiters, stupid management, ignorant hiring managers, HR dullards, bad processes or general incompetence. Reading these “You should be mad as hell and not take it anymore!” screeds are intended to make jobseekers feel good about where they find themselves. “It’s not you, it’s them!” Wrong. Recruiters and HR professionals are getting tired of taking it on the chin.

If you are serious about finding a job you need to drop the victim narrative. For every jobseeker who is angry because of their job hunting experience, there is a recruiter who is just as mad because of jobseeker behavior. The experts are stoking a blame-delegation and finger-pointing exercise that can only lead to fewer real solutions and more bad blood. And in this economy the jobseeker is going to be the ultimate loser.

Think that the jobseeker is the only one with a right to complain about the awful recruiting experience? Think again:

• Do you hate it when companies post jobs that aren’t really open? How is that different than a jobseeker applying for a job that they really don’t want? Every recruiter I know has to sift through hundreds of applications from candidates who later admit “I didn’t really want that job; I just thought I would get noticed if I applied for everything.” You will be remembered for all the wrong reasons if you are applying for jobs in batches.

• Do you hate it when companies put all this great language in the job description about how wonderful the job opportunity is, and then you take the job and find out that the “marketing language” was nothing but baloney? How is that any different than a jobseeker making a community college algebra class into a “training in advanced mathematics?” You will definitely make an impression (the wrong one) when the recruiter finds out you “exaggerated.”

None of these behaviors is acceptable by either party. Recruiters shouldn’t do it, jobseekers shouldn’t either. When jobseekers spam resumes, batch apply, exaggerate (or worse) on resumes, and fail to show up for interviews or phone calls they waste recruiter’s and hiring manager’s time. This is time that should be spent responding to jobseekers who have an honest shot at the job, guiding people through the recruiting process, answering questions and otherwise creating a superior jobseeker experience.

Does this mean that jobseekers are to blame for the poor state of recruiting? Of course not. But so what? Does your indignation about the recruiting experience increase your probability of finding meaningful employment? No. All you can control is your beliefs, perspectives and behaviors. So let me give you an alternative point of view which can help you skip the cynicism and frame your interaction with recruiting in a more positive light.

Most of the people I know in recruiting and employment pursued their profession because they love the feeling of finding someone work. They believe that they are helping people, doing good things for jobseekers, companies and hiring managers. It genuinely hurts them when they have to tell someone they are not qualified for a job. They really do want a good outcome for you. Not all of them, and not all the time, but most of them and most of the time.

Recruiters are going to make mistakes. So are you. We need to cut each other some slack and focus our time and energy on getting you a job and fixing the system, not on blaming each other for a crappy reality. Please, be remembered – positively.

Interesting Article.......Companies beat upcoming attrition with generous pay-hikes

Good news is back as it looks like salary hikes will be used by HR managers as a technique to retain their work-force, and reward their employees for sticking with the organization during the financial market-slump.

Recently, livemint.com published an article in which they estimated that in 2010, industry-wise salary hikes could likely be as:

“Auto/ auto components, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals – 12%

Information technology/ telecoms – 11%

Financial services, manufacturing – 10%

Others – 9%”

They quoted their source for these findings, as: Mercer India Monitor – October to December 2009.

There are reports that some companies are planning to up the pay hike till as much as a 20% increase. “Brokerage firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, for instance, plans to give an average raise of 20% to its 1,250 employees in April. Sudhir Dhar, head of human resources (HR), said most brokerages would offer 15-20% increments as the business was doing well on the back of robust stock markets.” livemint.com said.

While employers and HR managers get busy with assessing current salary packages and industry pay-norms, employees are silently rejoicing. This upcoming pay-hike will make up for the lack of increments they have been facing over the last year and some change, as well as tide them over in the rising inflation.

However, it may be as a preemptive measure, that companies are promising such generous salary-hikes. With the market boom rearing its promising face, organizations are steeling themselves for the expected oncoming attack of attrition. Employers realize that for the want of a small salary hike, their talented employees may just switch jobs. Hence, they are willing to provide their employees with this awaited increment.

Some important Do's and Dont's of an Interview

Some important Do's and Dont's of an Interview.
INTERVIEW DO’S 
1. Do have the exact address and the concerned persons name for the interview.
2. Do dress the part for the job, the company, the industry.
3. Do plan to arrive about 15 minutes early. If you are running late, do phone the company.
4. Do greet the receptionist or assistant with courtesy and respect.
5. Do bring 2 extra resumes and 2 photographs to the interview.
6. Do read about the company
7. Do greet the interviewer by title (Ms.,Mr., Dr.)and last name or the name they introduce themselves with. 8. Do shake hands firmly. Don't have a limp or clammy handshake!
9. Do wait until you are offered a chair before sitting.
10. Do make good eye contact with your interviewer(s).
11. Do show enthusiasm in the position and the company.
12. Do have a high confidence and energy level.
13. Do make sure that your good points come across to the interviewer in a factual, sincere manner.
14. Do show what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you.
15. Do stress your achievements.
16. Do ask intelligent questions about the job, company, or industry.
17. Do close the interview by telling the interviewer(s) that you want the job and you will do justice to it.
18. Do try and get business cards from each person who take your interview.
19. Do write thank you letters within 24 hours to each person who interviewed you.
20. Do brush your teeth, use mouthwash, or have a breath mint before the interview.

INTERVIEW DON’T’S 
1. Don't chew gum during the interview.
2. Don't rely on your resume doing the selling for you.YOU will need to sell yourself to the interviewer.
3. Don't tell jokes during the interview.
4. Don't smoke, even if the interviewer does and offers you a cigarette.
5. Don't smoke before hand so that you smell like smoke.
6. Don’t use poor language, slang, and pause words (such as "like," "uh," and "um").
7. Don't act as though you would take any job or are desperate for employment.
8. Don't say anything negative about former colleagues, supervisors, or employers.
9. Don't ever lie. Answer questions truthfully and frankly.
10. Don't over-answer questions.
11. Don't offer any negative information about yourself.
12. Don't answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain when possible. Give examples.
13. Don't bring up or discuss personal issues or family problems.
14. Don't answer cell phone calls during the interview, and do turn off your cell phone.
15. Don't inquire about salary or other benefits until after you've received an offer.
16. Don't pass strong/contradictory comments on your social presence since employers also read social media before calling you.

THE BEST QUESTION

The BeSt QuEsTiOn

                    What is your worth, when you are negotiating salary ?

 

SiMpLe AnSwEr

Make a note of all the fixed expenses that you have. Multiply the fixed expense with 2 that should give you your survival rate. Multiply this with 2 and you get your minimum survival salary. Living a good life with enough to spend and save would be fairly challenging without this amount. Calculator can be emailed if so desired!!!

Blog - Just Ask Leadership, Executive Coaching - CO2Partners: Strategic Thinking - An Interview with Kevin Maney on the Trade-Off Business Leaders Need to Make

Blog - Just Ask Leadership, Executive Coaching - CO2Partners: Strategic Thinking - An Interview with Kevin Maney on the Trade-Off Business Leaders Need to Make