Our 20 best tips ever…and here are the 1st 5!

It’s our 20th anniversary in business! And over the last 20 years working with over 5,000 amazing clients, I’ve boiled down our best career progress tips to this list. This is super cool stuff, so get ready to take some notes and take some ACTION, because I predict that you will have some moments where you say, “Oh, that’s a good idea,” or, “That’s a great resource.” So, without further ado, we’ll dive in. Tip #1:   Our first tip is around getting clear on what your values are. This is a great place to start, because for whatever’s going on...

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What Questions Do You Have For Me? Part 2

Last week we talked about why you should prepare a list of questions for your interview. As promised, this week we are sharing with you sample questions to help you prepare for your interview. We encourage you to use these as a stepping stone for crafting your own customized questions tailored to the individual opportunity you are seeking. As mentioned, asking thought provoking as well as questions that solicit detailed answers from the interviewer is important. You want to avoid phrasing questions in a way that allow for a simple yes or no answer.  Your goal is to get specific and show that...

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What Questions Do You Have For Me? Part 1.

You’ve just wrapped up what you feel has been a successful interview. You had great answers to the questions they asked, you were calm, poised and kept good eye contact with the interviewer. Even their body language and follow up questions indicate you might just get the job. And then they ask you what questions you have for them. Panic sets in. Not having questions prepared can take a positive interview and catapult you to the bottom of the list ruining any chances you had of getting the job. Asking questions at the end of your interview is that important. So what do you ask? We suggest...

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Negotiation Isn’t Personal

“During a negotiation it would be wise not to take anything personally. If you leave personalities out of it, you’ll be able to see opportunities more objectively.” – Brian Koslow How do you not take negotiation so personally? Here are some of my favorite tips: Pretend that you’re someone who would be a smooth and calm negotiator. My model for this is Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Don’t go first: Rather than you saying, “I’m looking for a 10% increase,” (or whatever) let the other party go first because they may come with something that’s...

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Warning, warning Will Robinson! Focus on your Worth, not your Need

In my last blog, I promised to share some crucial consideration about your worth versus your need when it comes to negotiating. This is such a crucial concept and I’m surprised at how many people haven’t thought about it strategically. Here’s what I mean: say you’ve determined what you need for living expenses, including a car payment that just went up $300 a month. Because of that purchase, you’re now having trouble balancing everything so you think, “I need to ask for a raise.” Warning, warning Will Robinson! (some of you will get this reference) Your need is...

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Market Data that Can Skyrocket Your Negotiating Confidence

In my previous blog, I hinted at how important it is to have competitive market data, so let’s dig into that more. What you want to aim for are data that will provide concrete facts that increase your credibility and confidence. There are really fabulous resources out there, and to test them out, I did a little research using my own specialty as a career counselor. I consider myself a senior career counselor ’cause I’ve done it a long time. Here’s what I found out: LinkedIn Salary: First I got on LinkedIn  and clicked the Work tab at the top to access the Salary tool. There I...

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