The Annual Review - Asking for a Salary Raise

Its that time of year again, the annual review.  We all love the annual review, it is a time when we have the opportunity to recognise all our achievements over the past year and ask the boss for a raise..... Or is it?

Often times there is no review at all and when there is, it is often not linked to anything at all,
employers will undertake to review everyone in their organisation but to what end.  Is it to know who is happy and who is not,  is it to understand who needs a promotion and who will never get one.  Or is it to understand who will get a salary rise and who will not.

Or worst case scenario is it just a box ticking exercise and the salary raise is already agreed behind closed doors with little or no input from the employee?

If you work in any of the above types of companies there is still a strategy to negotiating a pay rise and in order for you to be successful in your efforts you need to have done your homework.

In every business conversation the ultimate goal is to end up with a win win situation, so the final agreement should leave everyone walking away from the table thinking they are in the winning seat.  The employer should think that they have gotten a great deal, the employee will take on further responsibilities and the cost is comparable and justified.  The employee should feel that they have been offered what they are worth and that they haven't sold their first born to be able to pay the rent.

So where do you begin your homework,  check out the following 3. steps to perfect preparation for the upcoming review meeting.

1. Consider your achievements over the past year and make a note of them and what you have learned and how you can use those new skills to benefit the company in the new year. Bring some ideas to the table.
2. Make a case for the knowledge and years of experience you bring to the role and be able to justify why it is a good time for a pay rise.
3. Educate yourself as to what people in your industry are earning and bring that information to the discussion - follow the link below for more information on average salaries.

https://www.reed.co.uk/average-salary

Once you are sure you have a great business case for a raise and even a promotion if you are feeling that positive then have the conversation with a friend, practice it, ask your friend to play 'Devil's advocate'.  

One thing to remember there is more than just money to talk about when it comes to a raise, there are all kinds of benefits that might come into play and be more attractive to both the employer and the employee. 

Finally - you are worth it so have courage and just do it!!

Good luck form the CV Clinic. And if you don't get what you deserve you know where I am if you need help making the move.   

The Professional Woman Returning to Work after an Extended Career Break

There is lots of talk on all kinds of platforms about the

professional woman returning to work after the extended career break.

It is possible as is proven by the countless numbers successfully launching their careers.  However in order to achieve success it’s important to consider where you are and what your audience (the potential employer) will see.

As Carol Fisher pointed out in her famous article the 40 year old intern.  There is a gap or a disconnect between the potential employer and the relauncher.  Often the employer can look at people with a gap on their CV as a high-risk proposition.

The professional in the midst of relaunching their career may have doubts about their abilities, especially if they have been out for a long time.

The first thing Carol advises is to get out and tell everyone you know in your social circle and in your community that you are in the process of getting back to the workplace.  This will lead to a lot of conversations most of which will end in nothing but some will ultimately lead to a job opportunity.

Its important to remember that when you are talking to old colleagues and/or old bosses their idea of you is frozen in time.  They remember the professional you were before the kids and before the career break.  They did not see you walking around the house in your pjs because your little one was up all night with a fever.  In fact very few people actually saw that side of you.  So even if your own opinion of yourself has diminished over time, as happens with a lot of us the farther away we are from our professional identities, it is not a widespread phenomenon.

The advantages relaunchers offer the potential employer are numerous.  The life stage of a professional returning to work is one that is settled, there will likely be few if any more maternity leave, the work experience is extensive, there is a much more settled and mature outlook on life and there is an energy and enthusiasm to return to work.

The thing to consider is the digital skill set, things will have changed in the workplace when it comes to software and an employer will expect you to be up to scratch with your digital skills.  There are currently lots of courses specifically designed for mums to up skill their digital knowledge in preparation for today's workplace.

Another consideration is what do you like to do, are your interests the same as they were prior to your leaving the workplace or have they changed, one must be able to demonstrate the skills one brings to the table.  This is a decision that should be made prior to applying for that position; this is not a job for the employer.

Finally there are several global organisations both in finance and engineering and possibly elsewhere that are offering internships for professionals returning to work.  These are specifically targeted at the professional with the gap on their CV.  There are proven success stories from people who have taken this route and the results were a well-paid position and the successful relaunch of the career.

These internships are not always easy to find but the temp job that might be on offer is a similar route, the relauncher is basically being offered the opportunity to come in and show the employer what they can do, and once the skills are proven then the likelihood of permanent work becomes greater.   In the UK the temp job may be more prevalent than the internship so why not suggest it to potential employers who are interested in you but are a little daunted by the risk factor.  What do you have to loose.

The Chronological CV

What is a Chronological CV?

and when do we use it?

When one has been staidly employed through out their lives, the greatest tool in their arsenal when job hunting is their CV, assuming the CV is written correctly and clearly promotes achievements. 

The Chronological CV is one where your work history and qualifications are displayed in reverse order starting with the most recent.

The advantages of the chronological CV are 

• Clearly displays your progression in your career

• Displays your consistency
• Displays your career trajectory and
• Your route to any specialisations

First things first, do you write a personal profile or a career profile, or a little of both. The answer is, use what the job advertisement is giving you, mirror your profile whether personal or career to the wording in the advert and give the recruiting manager what they are looking for. Be careful to keep all information factual and realistic.

Example of an Advertisement 

Job Advert taken from Secs in the City Jobs board

“This PA/Office Manager role, based out of stunning offices in central Milan will see you taking on a senior support role for the company CEO as well as managing an admin team and being a key point of contact within the business. You will be managing a highly-changeable diary, booking extensive international travel and ensuring the smooth day to day running of the office. You will be setting targets and tracking performance for team members and will be managing training and recruitment as the company grows. 

The ideal candidate for this exciting PA/Office Manager role will have demonstrable senior level support in a PA capacity. You will be able to show previous team management experience within a previous role and you will be comfortable managing multiple projects at any given time. You will be hugely personable, highly professional and appropriately discrete with a natural quiet confidence. “

Example of a profile taking into account the Advertisement

A high caliber multi lingual senior PA/Office Manager specialising in senior-level confidential PA support to C-Suite executives, with a phenomenal track record including team and office management, management of demanding diaries and a confident client facing liaison. Career to date spent predominantly in the field of (add the field) honing a broad and highly effective skill set.  Rate of career progression and breath of appointments for major firms like, (add the big named firms) reflects professional capabilities.” Looking to join a forward thinking firm in need of expert administration and logistical support for senior management and or board members.

Thinking About A New Job

Where to start when you have been in the same position for some time.

For the steady employee with no gaps in their employment the following hints and tips might help.

Step 1. Research the Job Market

When researching your job market choose a few similar positions in a variety of different organisations.  Take note of the requirements of each advertisement and specifically target your CV to match these requirements.

What should your research focus on?:

• ·      Qualifications/training
• ·      Personal characteristics
• ·      Skills, knowledge and experience
• ·      Salary range
• ·      Key duties and responsibilities
• ·      And any other particular requirements

If you have been working in the same industry for some time use your contacts.  Talk to recruitment agents, talk to managers in the same field as yourself, find out what is happening in the market, are people moving around or are people staying put.  Both scenarios may be of benefit to you, depending one what you are looking for. 

In a thigh labor market where people are staying put, if a company needs to fill a specific position they may be willing to pay over the odds for the right candidate.  

In a loose labor market you may have a greater choice of vacancies to suite your needs.  It is important to do your research, as jobs boards and recruitment agencies may give an incorrect impression of how the job market is behaving and what the true availability of vacancies is, so don’t just rely on one source to make up your mind.

Time to Move On?

The Graduate's Path to Employment

There are several different paths to employment at this stage in your career, the forward thinking student will have been doing some work during their summer holidays to gain experience as an employee.  For those students who did not get the opportunity to do that, some of the following options might help:

·      Talk to your professor; ask him/her if they know anybody who would give you a job or an internship, or simply an interview.

o   All universities are in some way linked to the organisations that are offering internships, whether it is through personal friendships or professional relationships.

·      Apply to do an internship in your area of study

o   Start with the Google search word Internships and this will take you to all sorts of possibilities.

o   Once you are in the company, you have the opportunity to make an impression.  This is vital in today’s competitive graduate job market.

·      Consider taking a temporary position

o   For the same reason as above, once you have your foot in the door you have the chance to make that all important good impression, if and when a permanent position becomes available you will be in the right place at the right time

·      Apply for jobs on a jobs board related to your field of study

o   For this action you will need a CV.  But you don’t have much work experience to put on your CV so what should you do. This is the time for you to learn about the different kinds of CVs and which is the most suitable for you in your time of life and career.

·      Look at the Times top 100 Employers and find out which employer is in your field of study.

o   Make your application directly to these employers using your functional CV and a portfolio if one is called for.

·      Register at an Agency

o   Recruitment agencies are always looking for new candidates to register with them.  The agent will then place your CV with the employer he/she thinks is most suitable.  The agent works on commission so they will do the best they can to get you employed.