Purpose:
- To help professional recognize a few things that you are doing to self-sabotage your raise
- To help you identify which career boosting activity you most identify with
- To help you identify your next course of action, after you have done their self-assessment
The purpose of this introductory course isn't to provide you with detail training. Instead, it tries to help you recognize and acknowledge some things you are unknowingly doing. The first step in correcting those traits is to recognize them. And some supporting reference materials to help you on your way.
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Practice business networking by using this program and contacting your online classmates. These professionals have the same goals and career development plans as you do. Take advantage of those shared aspects to build a strong collaborative working relationship.
Before we get started, please take a moment to outline what you are willing to do to achieve raise. Use this 1-page worksheet to help clarify your intentions.
Download the form from the supplementary materials section.
Concept: As the captain of your own ship, your own career, it is difficult to steer your ship if you do not know where you are going. This is true of your financial goals and income strategies as well.
Do your homework in regards to the industry salary standards.Most employers and job applications will ask your desired salary.Dont be afraid to ask for what you want.Many people low-ball their desires because they ask for only the amount they feel the company will pay them.But remember that the hiring process is one of the few times in which you can negotiate salary.If you are unsure of an appropriate salary range, there are internet sites like salary.com that can give you an idea of the typical salary ranges for your region and job title.Using a range in your salary request assists as well.One suggestion is to make sure that your desired salary is in the middle of the industry standard range.This provides you room for growth in respect to raises.
If you want to increase your salary range beyond the recommended industry range,investigate the salary of adjacent titles (jobs that use the same transferable skills but in a slightly job role).
If you don't know where you want to go, then anywhere you end up is fine.
The best way to acchieve your revenue goals is to clearly articulate them. Use this worksheet to help identify your icnome goals.
Concept: The interview process is the best place to get the salary that you desire.After you are hired, your raises will be based on this starting salary.If you resent your starting salary at this point, you will never be happy with your follow-up raises.
Do your homework. Stay focused on the industry salary standards. Understand the typical hourly rate and yearly salary.
Focusing on the reason for your goal will open some additional opportunities for you. For instance, the reason you want a raise is to increase your income. There are various ways to incrase you income:
- Have the company pay for the things you would have paid out of pocket for
- Incoporate activities that the company would pay you extra for (like articles, patents, authorship of a book
- negotiate additional employee benefits, etc
Use this worksheet to brainstorm on alternative compensation ideas. Download the form from the supplementary material section.
Concept: Your manager isn't the one ranking you in your performance evaluation.
The way most companies conduct performance evaluations are as follows:
- All employees of the same band or level (across departments) are grouped together.
- Because of budget constraints, most companies have a quota or limited number of Excellent Ratings, Very Good, Average, Below Average Ratings that they can give out.For instance, they have a very limited number of Excellent Ratings allowed. The bulk of the ratings will fall in the Average category.
- The managers of these pool of employees of different departments (but same rank or level) discuss the merits of each employee.They then will sort in top-down order the employees in order of their perception of the employees contributions in comparison to others.
- Then they use this list to count off the limited number of Excellent, Very Good, Average, and so on.
The more managers in that room that know of you, your contributions, your abilities the better. So you need to start thinking along the lines of marketing yourself outside of just your department and beyond just your manager.
Ever successful professional had a navigational chart to the top. Use this worksheet to outline your professional goals and promotion expectations. This is a living document, so continually review, modify and evaluate with your manager. Don't wait until judgement day (performance review meeting) to find out what was expected of you and how you are progressing on those expectations.
Download the form in the supplementary material section.
Concept : Increasing the likelihood of a raise covers several aspects:
- Understand the company's goals
- Quantifying your Value
- Marketing and Branding the product YOU
Review the regular tasks associated with a product delivery:
- Research and Development
- Packaging
- Marketing
- Promoting Activities
- Customer Base
- Maintenance Releases
Now the YOU are the product, what do the above steps mean to the product YOU?
Without a navigational map and tools, a captain isn't as effective. As the captain of your own destiny, use this Individual Development Plan worksheet as your navitional map toward promotions and advancement.
Concept: People do business with folks they know, like and trust. Therefore, networking and relationships is one of the important pillars of a successful business.
One of the important techniques of every successful venture is to clearly articulate your goals and your success criteria. Take a moment to decide what you want to accomplish with this study period.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Use this workbook to create your individual entourage of supporters, sponsors and mentors.
Concept: You still start to notice that the clearer you are about your career goals and vision, people, places and opportunities that match those visions will start to appear.It may seem that these opportunities are magically popping out of nowhere.But the truth of the matter is that, because you are now clearer in your mission and better focused on your specific goals you can now recognize the opportunities that were always there.
Concept: Focus on your real goal.
Your goal isnt really to Get A Raise its actually to increase your revenue. Once your focus on the essence of your goal increasing your revenue you will realize that getting a raise is merely one way to increase your revenue and income.
The fastest way to get out of your own way is to focus on the real goal Increase your income and not limit it on getting a raise.Your company may not be the route to get more money.You may have a very comfortable position, been there for 15 to 20 years, not really excited about doing anything more at that day-job.In those instance, I would recommend just continue to do your good performance and focus your energies on some alternative ways to increase your income.
Your 9 to 5 doesnt have to be your sole source of income.You can supplement it with other paths that you are more passionate about.
- Incorporate your Marketing and Branding strategies outside the office.
- Expand your INS plans to outside the office.
On Day 1 of being hired:
1) They should take the initiative to schedule regular (weekly) one-on-one meetings with their manager.
2) They should already have created a Personal Business Commitment plan with their manager (use your weekly one-on-one meetings with your manager to do this).
3) They should create an Accomplishment Folder and collect any and all awards, recognitions, thank you notes, and accomplishments in this folder (as it is happening).
4) Understand how the performance evaluation and bonus process works at the company.
5) In one of your regular one-on-one manager meetings, request for a mock performance evaluation session in mid-season or even every quarter.
Concept: How to tie all these lessons together in a real-world scenario.
Should you change careers to get an increase in salary?
Concept: The product that you are selling is YOU
Many of these concepts may be considered for owners of a business. But the goal is to start considering yourself the CEO of your own career and life. You are the owner of your company. And the product that you are developing, marketing and selling is YOU.
Possible Next Career Coaching Steps
IT Professional Development Toolkit DVD or Professional Development Toolkit online program contains audios, videos, eBooks, lesson plans, practice excerises, workbooks, work sheets, templates and cheat sheets.This self-study, self-paced program can be used as a personal development program or as reference materials.All audios, videos and lesson plans are intended to be reviewed within 10 minutes, allowing you to cover these lessons within a workday break.
Professional Mastermind and Synergy Group -A group forum consists of 4-6 individuals with similar professional backgrounds and career goals. The size gives you enough one-on-one attention in a session, but at a reduced rate.
1-on-1 Career Coaching:If you havent worked with a business or success coach before, you may not have any idea how to proceed.There are a few programs:
- If you have a specific project or goal to accomplish, we work toward that task until accomplished
- If you have more general things that are affecting you at the time, we work on those items
- Client defines how they want to work and for how long
Concept: Sometime you need a break to allow these things to perculate and absorb. This is a forced "pause". Enjoy the cartoons and relax.
- Your manager is not responsible for making sure you have a satisfying professional or personal life.
- Your manager is not responsible for making sure you have a decent work/life balance.
- Your manager is not responsible for making sure you get along with your co-workers.
- Your manager is not responsible for making sure you get the proper exposure to other managers and executives to assure that you keep your job.
- And your manager is not responsible for making sure you understand all of the above.
This is your job. Use this worksheet to stay in control of your career.
Most raises are tied to your performance rating. In an earlier lecture, we discussed how you can turn your performance evaluation to your advantage. This is an example of a Personal Business Commitment plans that sets you up for tangible and measurable success. Once you have your plan outlined, all you need to do is follow it.
Become the CEO and Rainmaker of your own life. Fill out this checklist to help get you there.
Most of us use a Pro and Con list to help make decisions. Consider using this Pro and XCon worksheet to eliminate the Cons to make faster and more successful decisions.
Download the form in the Supplementary Material section.
If you are wondering if it's time for your next promotion, career or challenge and are not sure, use this worksheet to help decide.
Download the form from the supplementary section.
Take time to celebrate your accomplishment by outlining your accomplishments in this worksheet.
Download the worksheet from the Supplementary Material section.
Revisit this course from time to time. As you continue to evolve, your perspective on certain things will also change. And this course will also continue to evolve and change. Check back.
The Book of Answers: 105 Career Critical Situations
is included as a bonus for subscribing to this Laser Lesson.
Download the book from the Supplementary Material tab.
This eBook outlines 105 Real-World, professional situations and provides positive solutions to those difficult scenarios.
This Laser-Lesson is also part of a larger, comprehensive package. The Laser-Lesson Strategy provides a full road-map to success. You can pick and choose your curriculum OR you can investigate the full package.
The other Laser-Lessons cover
- Getting that Well-Deserved Raise (Available NOW )
- 10 Career Boosting Resolutions (Available NOW )
- 10 Hidden Time Wasters (Available Now )
- 10 Tips for Telecommuters (Available Now )
- 12 Tips to Realistic Scheduling (Available Now )
- Professional Development Toolkit (Available Now )
- Business Networking 101 for IT Professionals
- Survival Guide for the Remote Employee
- How to work with someone you don't like
- How to move from Engineer to Manager and beyond
- The secrets behind accurate estimating and exceptional on-time delivery
- And much more
See sidebar (above) for some ideas. See also, Clever Ways to Get a Raise: getting the raise you deserve will indeed take a lot of planning and strategy on your
How to Get the Pay Raise You Deserve: 6 Steps (with Pictures)
Look at your current situation. Where are you now? Ask yourself the question: do I really deserve a pay raise? Have I contributed to the company in such an amount
How to Get a Raise - Careers - WSJ.com
Related WSJ Articles and Blog Posts: Getting a Raise From the Boss; It Can Be Done: Landing a Raise In a Recession; Even Now, You Can Score a Raise
How to Get a Raise or Job Promotion at Work - Money Crashers
Wondering how to get a raise at work? See these tips to position yourself for a raise, promotion, or bonus and earn a bigger paycheck.
How to Ask for a Pay Raise (with Pictures) - wikiHow
If you just walk up and ask for a raise, Asking for a raise in the middle of something you're currently working seldom works. Remember that timing matters!
How to Get the Raise You Deserve | Monster.com
Follow these tips to better your odds for getting the raise you deserve. Skip to main content but when it comes to asking for a raise, you get a little weak in
How to Raise Money - Paul Graham
September 2013 Most startups that raise money do it more than once. A typical trajectory might be (1) to get started with a few tens of thousands from something like
How to Ask for a Raise and Actually Get It - US News
With that in mind, consider these tips: Before you ask for a raise or attempt to negotiate, gather the facts and data. Know your worth in the overall
9 Things NEVER To Say When Asking For A Raise
Take the experts' advice, and NEVER do the following when asking for a raise: Also on The Huffington Post. How to ask for a raise without getting fired.
Real Money: 6 'Shark Tank' Tips on Asking for a Raise ...
In fact, only about 41 percent of Americans ever even ask for a raise, "You've got to remember that asking for a raise is a sales job.